Wet viviparity

Chapter 790 The Cult Leader, the Embryo Within the Cauldron
The Old Ancestor of Crying and the Little God of Horses talked with the believer for a while, learning many interesting inside stories, and then set off again.

Neither of them were particularly skilled in escape techniques, and the patriarch had left his mount, Jiao Duan, which was good at traveling, in the Thousand Flower Cave. Therefore, it took the two quite some time to reach the outside of the hill.

This place is located in an extremely desolate and remote area. All around is a deep, dark sea, with no light in sight. Looking around, there is only a vast expanse of color, where water and sky merge and there is not a single island in sight.

The ice ridges that could be seen from the sea just a few days ago have long since disappeared into the mist, leaving only traces of fog.

The surrounding air was as cold as a knife, cutting painfully to the face. However, on the distant shore, the undercurrent warmed up, the broken ice gradually melted, and the floating crystals as large as wheel covers were scattered into thin scales, rising and falling with the waves, like thousands of silver scales left behind by a giant dragon on the sea surface.

Here, day and night are indistinguishable, with low-hanging, leaden clouds pressing down in layers.

Without pausing for a moment, the two fled over hills and near the shore, following the faint warmth, and past the turbulent waves of the Blackwater River, until they finally saw a place of clear water and green peaks in this desolate and bitter land.

From a distance, it appears as a gorge, standing in a desolate place, like a brocade screen that has been partially opened. The moss on the stone walls is like newly formed emerald glaze, smooth as jade.

Above the gorge, the sunlight broke through the heavy clouds and fell, which were refracted into countless golden threads by the crystalline spiritual palace suspended in the sliver of light. These threads scattered into the milky mist in the gorge, which was then tinged with a light crimson and pale pink, like half-transparent silk.

Where the water widens outside the gorge, lotus leaves dot the surface like pearls on a green canopy.

When the wind blows, the round shadows shatter like gold, and the sound is like the tinkling of jade pendants; in the narrow places, calamus lines the banks, and the blades of leaves brush the waves, leaving streaks of fine silver that quickly disappear.

The riverbank is covered with layers of lush green grass that ripple in varying depths.

The two concealed themselves and went into the gorge to take a look. The white sand at the bottom of the river was clearly visible, and various oddly shaped pebbles were carefully laid on it. Each pebble seemed different, as if they had been carefully selected. When the water rippled, light shone up.

Ma Wang Xiaoshen clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "These stones may not have any mystery or supernatural power, but none of them can be picked up casually. Could it be that the name of the Little Stone Demon Sect founded by Ancestor Hengheng came from these strange stones?"

The old ancestor who cried felt it was absurd. He first laughed, then frowned.

He recalled his apprentice Xiaoqing's frivolous hobby of collecting small stones, and thought to himself that the man was indeed so infatuated with his little apprentice that he had given her such a casual name just to please her.

If that's the case, we can take advantage of this person's feelings for Xiaoqinggu.

Hiding within the gorge for two or three miles, one can see that the wide sections of the river are encircled by numerous demonic spells, with many restrictions and restrictions placed within them.

Looking closely, one could see shadowy figures moving about inside, bustling about.

Get closer, and a strong, fishy smell hits your nostrils. The smell is so strong that even the old ancestor of crying couldn't help but sneeze.

"A blood sacrifice!"

"The old ancestor cried out in a murmur."

The "煞" mentioned by righteous cultivators often refers to the Yin Sha of the earth's veins.

The concept of "煞" (sha) in unorthodox practices has a broader meaning, encompassing all kinds of yin and turbid spiritual forces, such as the foul air of the underworld and the resentment of living beings. This "煞" is the essence of death and malevolence; if one can control it, its power is boundless, capable of corroding magical treasures, defiled the primordial spirit, and ruining the foundation of one's cultivation.

The meaning of the two characters "煞生" is to use the yin and evil spirits and other yin and turbid spiritual energy to perform rituals and refine magic. The meaning of "blood offering" is simpler: to use the blood of living beings as a sacrifice to assist all cultivation practices.

If one wants to make vigorous and diligent progress in the true methods of unorthodox sects, one cannot do without taking the blood and flesh of the dead as a fundamental resource.

Even the old ancestor of crying and the little god of horse kings, who considered themselves to be well-informed, had never seen such a strong smell of blood and gore before.

Although the sneeze from the Old Ancestor of Crying was light, in the depths of the canyon shrouded in heavy restrictions and dense evil energy, it was no different from throwing a stone into a lake, causing ripples.

In the wide section of the canyon, the shadowy, busy figures suddenly stopped. Several streams of primordial spirit power, mixed with demonic energy, malevolent energy, and demonic thoughts, swept towards the place where the two were hiding like invisible tentacles.

"Who dares to spy on the altar of my sacred religion?"

A cold and authoritative voice rang out, echoing like metal scraping against stone; it belonged to Zhao Chi, the patriarch of the Zhao clan of the True Spirit Sect.

He has now been appointed as the Supreme Envoy of the cult, and has long held a high position in Little Thorn Gorge. His voice carries considerable pressure. Old Ancestor Crying Hemp and Little God Horse King exchanged a glance, knowing that concealment was useless, so they simply withdrew their escape techniques and revealed themselves.

The smile on Ma Wang Xiaoshen's face faded slightly, and he looked solemnly towards the source of the sound. The thick fog of demonic magic on the river in front of him gradually dissipated, and the scene inside made even an old monster like him feel a jolt in his heart.

In that spacious area, a Dharma altar built from the bones of a huge, charred whale salamander came into view.

The altar was shrouded in a thick, blood-like halo, and at its center was an octagonal treasure well, about three or four zhang in diameter, filled with boiling "ink".

The well contained not real ink, but a thick, paste-like blood essence of evil spirits, a mixture of earth vein yin energy, resentment and filth from living beings, and some kind of pure demonic spiritual energy.

The red, purple, and black colors swirled within, like a large pot of magical soup being simmered, continuously emitting a nauseatingly strong odor that was a mixture of sweet and rotten smells—the very source of the previous pungent odor.

Inside the well, several demonic embryos and eggs of various shapes floated, each egg radiating inner brilliance and exuding a menacing aura.

Outside the well, there were many Taoist priests, no less than twenty in number, all dressed in the same style of Taoist robes. They were all making hand gestures, shaking their heads and chanting incantations. Some of them were sitting cross-legged in meditation, their spirits leaving their bodies and wandering away.

Zhao Chi sat upright in a red cloud on the altar. When he saw who was coming from outside, his expression changed. He immediately smiled and went to greet them, cupping his hands and saying, "I did not know that the Ancestor was coming. Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly."

Having said that, he raised a sign and waved it upwards, causing the giant shadow that had been descending to shrink back.

Where is your cult leader?

The old ancestor who cried did not ask about Xiao Qinggu, but instead asked about the owner of this place.

Zhao Chi replied respectfully, "The sect leader visited Dongji Island last month and is afraid he will not be able to return for a while."

“Dongji Island, Bai Ranfeng.” Ma Wang Xiaoshen was stunned, feeling half of his body go numb. Before becoming an immortal, he had a fiery temper and hated evil.

As they spoke, the Taoist priests on the altar who had returned from their travels excitedly waved their arms and shouted to Zhao Chi, "Your Excellency, our Water and Fire Evil Refinement is complete, and the demonic embryo in the cauldron is ready. Please pull the cauldron out quickly!"

"Please wait a moment, Ancestor."

Zhao Chi in the clouds said hastily.

The believers on the altar had all moved away, staring intently at the well opening.

As Zhao Chi waved the card, the blood essence in the well spontaneously stirred, forming a three-colored vortex and raising blood foam.

At the bottom of the well, which leads directly to the evil abyss, a three-legged wooden cauldron slowly emerges. The cauldron is covered with both lingering flames and solidified ash frost, and rests quietly on the water's surface.

"It's done! It's done!"

Several Taoist priests beside the cauldron, their faces flushed, spoke with great joy.

One of the Taoists, overjoyed and weeping, said, “From now on, with such demonic beings protecting us, even if we overseas cultivators lack the resources to painstakingly cultivate secret techniques, magical artifacts, and talismans, we can still preserve ourselves in battles and glimpse the supreme Dao fruit.”

"The great kindness of the leader has benefited all living beings."

A Taoist priest raised his arm in a frenzy and shouted the Dao.

"Alright, once you have taken out the demonic embryos and monster eggs that you have each refined in the cauldron, you will be the backbone of the Holy Sect. From now on, you can open your own cave dwellings a thousand feet above the Little Thorn Gorge."

However, the sect leader is currently away visiting and has not yet returned, so he cannot bestow upon you the Invisible Demon-Refining Fire Token to burn your embryos and swallow ashes, refining you into divine and demonic forms. All of you, go and wait in the Cold Netherworld Spirit Palace.”

Zhao Chi said in a serious and methodical manner.

(End of this chapter)