dmims Page 179
Page 179
In that instant, the world around him underwent a dramatic transformation in his unique perception.
What he "saw" was no longer cold metal and rock, but a colorful ocean of energy composed of countless streams of "qi" that were sometimes bright and sometimes dark, sometimes fast and sometimes slow.
The enormous cultivation furnace in this ocean has transformed into a slowly breathing, terrifyingly suction-force energy black hole!
With each "breath," it silently draws a trace of something extremely faint, yet undeniably real, from the surrounding air, from the rocks of this underground space, and even from the bodies of every living being that comes near it...
The Qi that is the origin of life!
That was an extremely domineering, almost predatory effect!
It is like a giant beast lurking in the deep sea, disguised as a magnificent coral reef, attracting all living things around it to approach.
Then, without anyone noticing, it slowly drained their lives!
Wang Ye's face turned deathly pale the moment he "saw" this scene.
His eyes, which were always half-open, snapped open at that moment, revealing a flash of disbelief and horror, and... a chill that went straight to his bones.
He took a half step back without making a sound, creating some distance between himself and the cultivation furnace, but his heart was already churning with turbulent waves.
He finally understood where the "awkward feeling" he had felt when he first entered Biyou Village came from.
This seemingly perfect utopia is clearly a carefully disguised... altar!
And all the villagers, unknowingly, offered up their very life essence as a sacrifice to this evil "god"!
He developed an unprecedented and profound doubt about this so-called "divine artifact" and Ma Xianhong's seemingly lofty ideals.
On the other side, Zhang Yunyuan, disguised as "Li Fei," thought more deeply and saw things more clearly.
The "plundering" that Wang could also perceive took on a clearer and more essential form in his perception, which had long since reduced all laws to chaos.
"The core logic of this furnace seems to be that it creates all things with its immense vitality, but its foundation requires a kind of extremely yin and poisonous, yet incomparably pure 'catalyst' to balance that violent creative power..."
The image of Chen Duo that he had seen when he entered the village flashed through his mind, and his suspicions became clearer.
"That feeling is very similar to the legendary 'Primal Poison,' the source of all poisons."
He immediately connected Chen Duo with this cultivation furnace.
In the original novel, Ma Xianhong's need for Chen Duo was the primal poison in her body.
However, the world has undergone many unknown changes because of him.
Zhang Yunyuan didn't dare to make a hasty judgment; he could only guess.
Although the specific form was still uncertain, he knew that Chen Duo, the poor girl who had been entangled in Gu poison her whole life, would inevitably play an extremely crucial and tragic role in this grand scheme.
Moreover, they were also deceived into coming here.
She just didn't know whether the person who lied to her was Ma Xianhong or Jin Yangzi.
At the same time, his Primordial Dao Qi had already transformed into countless invisible threads, silently probing into the interior of the cultivation furnace, analyzing the most core energy conversion array.
Upon seeing this, even though his mind was usually calm and composed, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
"What a treasure of resources the Immortal Refining Sect has..."
The furnace's structure is indeed ingenious, but the core energy conversion array exudes an inexplicable sinister aura, even showing faint signs of 'devouring souls and transforming spirits'..."
"Ma Xianhong, are you truly unaware of the dangers behind this, or... is this intentional?"
Zhang Yunyuan's heart sank little by little.
He looked at Ma Xianhong, who was still engaged in a lively discussion with Zhuge Qing, his face radiating idealism, and his gaze became incredibly profound.
Chapter 214 A Pretense Becomes Real: The Temporary Worker's Pledge of Allegiance
Just as Wang Ye and Zhang Yunyuan were both filled with doubts and deeply questioning the nature of the Body Cultivation Furnace, a group of special "guests" arrived outside Biyou Village.
On the west side of the village, in a dense forest.
"what--!"
A bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence of the forest.
Immediately afterwards, a figure covered in blood was sent flying out of the forest as if struck head-on by a charging bison, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The man struggled to get up, but a foot wearing a monk's shoe stepped heavily on his chest, pinning him to the ground.
"Benefactor, why bother?"
A gentle voice sounded.
A man dressed in a monk's robe and wearing gold-rimmed glasses slowly emerged from the forest.
He wore a compassionate smile, yet held a still-dripping head in his hand—a scene that was indescribably eerie and horrifying.
It was Xiao Zizai who disguised himself as a demon being hunted and came to "pledge his allegiance".
Behind him followed several equally wounded and weak "hunters," their eyes filled with a deep-seated fear as they looked at him.
This incredibly realistic "bloody battle," along with the undisguised and pure killing intent emanating from Xiao Zizai, terrified the villagers of Biyou Village who rushed to the scene.
Finally, after some "confirmation," the desperate "demon monk" was "rescued" by the villagers and taken back to the village.
Meanwhile, similar scenes were unfolding in other parts of the village.
A taciturn, towering man claimed to be a retired mercenary who was tired of fighting.
During the test at the village entrance, he lifted a heart-testing stone half a person's height with his bare hands using only his physical strength, causing quite a stir and successfully being accepted.
This is the clarinet.
A somewhat slovenly-looking young man wearing a floral shirt who claims to be a curious scholar of the supernatural.
With his silver tongue and natural talent for making friends, he became sworn brothers with the guards at the village entrance and easily slipped inside.
This is Wang Zhenqiu.
There was also a middle-aged man with a kind face who looked like an honest farmer, who disguised himself as a veterinarian injured by a strange beast, and appeared outside the village with a limp, dragging an "injured leg".
His innate affinity with animals drew the attention of the village's usually most wary stray dogs, who came forward and affectionately rubbed against his trouser leg.
Eventually, kind villagers took it back to the village.
That is, Lao Meng.
That night, a roaring bonfire was lit in the square in the center of Biyou Village.
To welcome Zhuge Qing, Wang Ye, and all the new "villagers," including Zhang Yunyuan and a group of disguised temporary workers, Ma Xianhong specially prepared a grand welcome banquet.
At the village banquet, the aroma of wine and meat filled the air, and the atmosphere was lively.
After a few rounds of drinks, Ma Xianhong stood up and announced loudly that he would show the new brothers a glimpse of his brilliant and resourceful abilities.
Then, amidst everyone's curious gaze, a bizarre drama performed by dozens of "Ru Hua" puppets began.
[Magic Artifact: Flower Puppet (High-Grade Yellow)]
[A mass-produced puppet crafted with divine precision.]
Depending on their configuration, their strength ranges from second-rate to first-rate.
Core combat models or those with special functions (such as theatrical performances or personal servants) are at a higher level due to their nascent intelligence.
A system notification sound appeared in Zhang Yunyuan's mind.
These puppets moved with the precision of the most sophisticated machinery; every turn and every flick of their sleeves was perfectly executed.
But their movements were so stiff, and their expressions remained the same eerie smile throughout, which looked particularly unsettling against the backdrop of the flickering firelight and the deep night.
Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing frowned slightly, feeling that this performance was less of a drama and more of a bizarre "dance of death".
Zhang Chulan, who had just sneaked into the village and was about to feast, felt his hair stand on end, as if he had stumbled into the sacrificial site of some cult.
The temporary workers sat scattered around, observing everything silently.
Xiao Zizai calmly held his wine glass, a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, shone with an almost obsessive, admiring light.
Wang Zhenqiu appeared to be joking and playing drinking games with the villagers next to him, but his eyes were like those of a keen falcon, not missing a single detail on the field.
Old Meng simply sighed, looking at those lifeless creations with pity in his eyes.
The clarinetist sitting next to him whispered something:
"Old Meng, looking at these things, don't you think that even though we're strange, at least we're still 'human'?"
Old Meng picked up his wine bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and his voice carried a hint of desolation:
"They are all pitiful people who have no choice in what they do."
Just then, Ma Xianhong walked to the center of the field.
He stood on high ground, his gaze sweeping over every face below the stage—whether it was fervent, confused, or expectant—and his heart surged with emotion.
He cleared his throat, and his voice, amplified by the Qi, resonated clearly throughout the room:
"Brothers! Sisters! Tonight, we gather here, not to fight or make a name for ourselves, but for the same dream—"
Let's create a truly harmonious world where education is accessible to all and where everyone is in complete harmony!
A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience.
Ma Xianhong raised his hand and pressed down lightly. After the sound subsided, his tone turned to a deep and fervent reminiscence of the past:
"We all know that the world of supernatural beings is now controlled by powerful sects that value innate talent and lineage, and have severed their lineages!"
Many talented and ambitious brothers and sisters, simply because they were not born into a good family, did not receive the true teachings, and thus wasted their lives, and were even slandered as "wild Maoshan" and despised by others!
Is this rule something that's taken for granted?!
He answered his own question, his voice suddenly rising in pitch, filled with an undeniable power:
No! Absolutely not!
According to the oldest and almost lost esoteric texts, in ancient times, long before the Jia Shen Rebellion and even before the founding of Taoism, there existed a group of sages on this land who sought the ultimate truth of the Tao!
They were our earliest extraordinary beings!
His eyes shone with boundless reverence and longing, as if piercing through the mists of history:
"And the greatest pioneer among them was the Tongtian Sect Leader!"
He was a supreme being from ancient times, who truly reached the pinnacle of power unimaginable to us extraordinary beings!