CHAPTER 388: CHAPTER 15 NIGHT FALLS, CLOSE YOUR EYES, 100 GHOSTS PARADE

[Buddha Embryo Skill]

[Using the Sunlight Bodhisattva as the core, combined with a powder refined from the Seven Treasures Spiritual Materials and ground into an embryo, it is implanted into a living being. After thirty-three days, it can be borne into existence, allowing one to ascend to the Divine Separation Stage.]

The Buddha Embryo Skill involves an exceedingly intricate process.

Even though Li Mo had prepared beforehand, he still encountered setbacks repeatedly.

A single misstep, and the externalized Dharma Body being nurtured would be adversely affected.

"Oh... Oh... Oh..."

A resonant rooster crow echoed from the Great Sun Sword Tomb, signaling the coming of the night.

Li Mo opened his eyes, his face involuntarily betraying apprehension.

Within the Twenty-Eight Sword Tombs, anything seemingly ordinary often contained hidden strangeness. The rooster’s crow must signify some kind of taboo.

Most of the sun had already set, and his first night at Zhi Mountain Temple was about to arrive.

Li Mo couldn’t help but feel a tinge of anxiety.

By his preliminary estimation, the number of Sword Ghosts at the Purple Sun Palace likely exceeded two hundred thousand, with Luo Yang’s assigned district populated by at least thirty thousand Daoist temples.

The Sword Ghosts of the Inner Sect would undoubtedly be even more difficult to deal with, their danger far surpassing that of the Three Suns Sword Tomb.

Otherwise, the Heavenly Sword Sect would not have stationed Cocoon Swords to guard the Daoist temples, using them to mitigate risks—a measure that even Void Refining Stage Sword Cultivators respected.

"Just relying on a single Turbid Candle for the night seems insufficient."

Li Mo sat cross-legged within the main hall. He looked up to see the divine statue formed by the Turbid Candle, from which incessant, faint rustling sounds emanated.

The Turbid Candle had already achieved an initial fusion, causing the divine statue’s form to take on twisted features.

The statue leaned toward the likeness of a Buddha, its bronze-colored body riddled with cracks that oozed semi-solid oil, resembling tumors.

The Turbid Candle statue’s four limbs were outstretched, each holding a burning candle.

The faint candlelight spread out.

Within the main hall where Li Mo sat, the flickering light was dim but barely adequate for visibility, its ambiguous flame constantly maintaining a Sword Intent.

However, the situation outside the main hall was far less optimistic.

The other three side halls and the woodshed were nearly encompassed by the faintest traces of light, signaling that the protection offered by the Turbid Candle statue was extremely limited.

"I don’t know what to make of it. The Inner Sect has enough spiritual energy to support the Divine Separation Stage, along with endless resources produced by the Sword Ghosts."

"But the environment is just too perilous..."

Li Mo’s gaze shifted toward the platform beneath the divine statue in the main hall. The central position was occupied by the Turbid Candle statue, flanked by two other damaged statues.

According to the Sword Scroll, the statues within the Daoist temple were known as Sword Platforms, dedicated to housing the sword sheaths of uncontrollable Flying Swords.

When Sword Ghosts threw themselves into the Sword Platform, their agitated Sword Intent would gradually stabilize.

By instinct, they lingered around the Sword Platform.

Li Mo’s task was to feed the Sword Platform with attribute spiritual power roughly every hundred days, ensuring the Sword Platform’s continued restraint over the Sword Ghosts.

Without a sustained infusion of spiritual power into the Sword Platform, the Sword Ghosts would awaken at night.

"Hmm."

Li Mo’s expression turned peculiar. He stared at the Turbid Candle statue for several moments. Suddenly, the flames on the statue’s limbs flared violently, dripping copious amounts of wax oil.

He unleashed a Blood Soul to collect the wax oil, only to discover it belonged to a category of top-grade spiritual material.

[Corpse Wax Oil]

When consumed, it could activate Yang Attribute Spiritual Power within the body, significantly improving cultivation efficiency.

With his eyes fixed on the constantly trickling oil, Li Mo observed the statue for ten minutes. His brain began to heat up as he accumulated three pounds of Corpse Wax Oil.

"Truly a Blessed Land Cave Heaven."

"Heh heh heh, just a single glance yields top-grade spiritual materials."

"Of course, results vary from person to person. A common Nascent Soul cultivator might withstand it for three to four minutes."

Li Mo clicked his tongue in amazement, carefully watching the flickering of the Turbid Candle statue’s flames. He estimated that he could harvest about half an hour’s worth of Corpse Wax Oil daily.

Disregarding Corpse Wine, the resources contained within a single street of the Purple Sun Palace were comparable to the Corpse Mountain Mini World. Perhaps this was the true heritage of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

"Having the wealth to claim is one thing; surviving to use it is another."

Resources from the Twenty-Eight Sword Tombs were exceedingly difficult to gather in volume. The Heavenly Sword Sect allowed Sword Cultivators to occupy Daoist temples individually, collecting resources bit by bit. Ascending to the Divine Separation Stage this way wouldn’t be unfeasible.

Li Mo wore an intrigued expression.

The medicinal properties of Corpse Wax Oil far surpassed typical top-grade spiritual materials, enhancing the formulation of certain Corpse Wines. One day, he might even brew a Divine Separation Stage Corpse Wine.

"Keep in mind, the Turbid Candle is only at the [Little Night Wander] level and was grievously damaged by Luo Yang, nearly demoted to a Cocoon Sword."

The Heavenly Sword Sect classified the Night Wander category into [Little Night Wander], [Big Night Wander], and [Night Patrol Deity].

This classification was primarily due to the fact that once a Night Wander Flying Sword’s taboo spiraled out of control, it would continue to escalate in power after committing massacre, achieving growth in leaps and bounds.

The Turbid Candle barely managed to integrate into the Sword Platform, keeping it precariously at the level of Little Night Wander.

Even so, the Turbid Candle’s taboo outbreak could still pose a threat to cultivators in the Divine Separation Stage.

If it were a Night Patrol Deity, however, its taboos would consist of a dozen or more distinct rules, each terrifying. Even Void Refining Stage cultivators would tread carefully.

When a Night Patrol Deity manifests, it resembles the descent of the [Night Parade of Hundred Demons].

The chaotic Sword Intent of a Night Patrol Deity behaves like a plague. Flying Swords infected by it risk becoming witless Cocoon Swords.

Without question, the Great Sun Sword Tomb harbors Night Patrol Deities. The exact number, however, remains unclear.

Upon further advancement, a Night Patrol Deity’s form would grow infinitely larger, its Sword Intent condensing into a grotesque and horrifying Sword Tomb.

These entities are referred to as [Death Tombs].

Li Mo recalled the Cocoon Sword Meeting when Death Tombs were occasionally distributed among the Sword Tombs, much fewer in number but no less significant.

"If Death Tombs were to revolt, half the Cultivation World would be caught in the carnage."

"Oh... Oh... Oh..."

The rooster’s crow echoed again as the evening sun dipped fully below the horizon.

Li Mo glanced toward other Daoist temples in the Purple Sun Palace district. Dozens had already been claimed by Sword Cultivators. In the northwest, nearly eighty temples glimmered with brightly colored lanterns.

"Two more spaces are available on the Sword Platform in Zhi Mountain Temple’s main hall, enough to house additional Night Wanders. The side hall’s Sword Platforms are slightly inferior but could still accommodate three Cocoon Swords without issue."

"After advancing to the Divine Separation Stage, I must find an opportunity to complete the side hall’s Sword Platforms to ensure my safety."

Given sufficient strength, Li Mo planned to occupy the surrounding Daoist temples one by one, transforming the central area into an impenetrable domain.

Even should a Night Patrol Deity attack, it would find it hard to approach anytime soon.

If a Sword Cultivator were to claim all the Daoist temples in the Purple Sun Palace, they would earn the title of Purple Sun Palace Chief; claim the Great Sun Sword Tomb, and they would rise as the Great Sun Chief.

Very few in the Heavenly Sword Sect’s history had ever achieved the rank of Inner Sect Sword Tomb Chief.

"I wonder if Senior Sister Yu Xiao has accomplished her feat of becoming Thunder Constellation Chief."

Li Mo began grinding the Seven Treasures Spiritual Materials, all of which were carefully selected and had been nourished with Innate Essence to reach top-quality standards.

Sunlight Bodhisattva chanted Buddhist Sutras, continuously infusing Great Sun Spiritual Power to nourish the Fake Buddha.

The parasitism involved in the Buddha Embryo Skill wasn’t as simple as the Sunlight Bodhisattva merging into the Fake Buddha. It required an intricate fusion of spiritual power, flesh, and bone.

Only when the Sunlight Bodhisattva transformed into an externalized Dharma Body would the Fake Buddha evolve into a Kasaya Vestment Robe.

Li Mo felt somewhat uneasy; after all, the Fake Buddha had already reached the Divine Separation Stage. If it displayed even a shred of resistance, the Buddha Embryo Skill would undoubtedly fall apart.

Fortunately, both the Fake Buddha and Sunlight Bodhisattva had been inscribed within the Creation Book.

The two were no longer independent entities.

As Li Mo delved deeper into the Buddha Embryo Skill, the Great Sun Sword Tomb was fully enveloped by night, with only the Sword Tombs emitting faint, eerie white light.

The white light hovered half an inch above the ground, as though seeping up from the Underworld itself.

Ahead, the Butcher whetted his blade tirelessly, pushing his cart into the courtyard, seemingly preparing to venture outside the temple in search of suitable targets—humans or beasts.

Behind, the Fox Immortal’s house had its door half-open, a malformed silhouette standing behind the curtain.

The exposed face was part human, part fox, luring passing Sword Ghosts with its unnerving gaze.

To the left, the sound of chanting grew increasingly fervent, accompanied by the gnawing of white bones, barely able to suppress its bloodthirsty intent.

To the right, the sobbing of a woman abruptly ceased, giving way to a tender melody of worldly desires.

"Oh... Oh... Oh..."

The rooster crowed once again.

Li Mo opened his eyes, his right hand involuntarily clutching his neck. A swelling bump appeared on the back of his hand, slowly growing—a nascent embryo within.

"Damn."

With a swift motion, he excised the bump, revealing an unformed embryo that resembled a fledgling chick. Exposed to the candlelight for only a few breaths, it dissolved into a puddle of pus.

"A taboo: three rooster crows, and flesh spawns a deceitful object."

Li Mo’s reaction had been quick—if the entity in his hand had broken through his flesh and escaped, it might have drawn his four menacing neighbors.

Currently unfamiliar with the rules of the Purple Sun Palace, he was loath to engage in combat recklessly.

After a moment’s hesitation, Li Mo chose not to shut off his hearing entirely. Losing any of the five senses would spell trouble should an emergency arise.

Instead, he restricted his perception to within a kilometer radius of Zhi Mountain Temple.

"Pity that, within the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Mountain Protection Array, I can’t sense the True Void Hometown. Otherwise, I’d have a trump card for escaping anytime."

"Hopefully, after the Ground Lying Demon Infant advances to the Divine Separation Stage, it’ll be able to traverse back to the True Void Hometown."

Li Mo returned to grinding spiritual materials. The Sunlight Bodhisattva had already begun transmitting spiritual power to the Fake Buddha, which offered only slight resistance for the moment.

Beyond the walls, the night was alive with noise.

To the west lay what sounded like a bustling marketplace, complete with shouting vendors. The south resounded with the chaos of battle, while monks and Taoists debated fiercely to the north...

Li Mo knew better than to let curiosity kill the cultivator and refrained from peeking through any means.

Occasionally, footsteps echoed from within Zhi Mountain Temple’s courtyard, traversing the side halls and woodshed briefly before fading again.

Boom.

A heavy, endless breathing resounded as gusts of dust swept through from the main hall’s doorway.

"Big Night Wander."

That a Big Night Wander had shown up just as night fell indicated its Daoist temple wasn’t far from Zhi Mountain Temple. Li Mo couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

"Couldn’t Luo Yang have assigned me someplace better? Completely unreliable."

A colossal face, hundreds of meters in size, loomed at Zhi Mountain Temple’s entrance, its mouth and nose billowing dust clouds. After a brief examination, it lost interest and withdrew.

"As long as no taboos are violated, Sword Ghosts generally won’t engage in mutual slaughter."

Li Mo held his breath while continuing to grind the spiritual materials, undeterred.

What were usually short nights now felt endlessly prolonged. The Inner Sect of the Heavenly Sword Sect had truly devolved into a haven for fiends and spirits to revel.

As dawn broke, the Sword Ghosts retreated into their respective Daoist temples as if on cue.

Li Mo activated his White Bone Treasure Body, from which his ribs extended to grow four pairs of arms. He intended to both prepare for the Buddha Embryo Skill and refurbish Zhi Mountain Temple.

After careful consideration, he identified several flaws requiring rectification within Zhi Mountain Temple.

The unnecessary woodshed would have to be demolished. Its doors and windows replaced with refined curtains. The near-collapsing side halls needed reinforcement.

As Li Mo busied himself with these tasks, one figure after another left their respective Daoist temples, riding Flying Swords under the light of dawn.

It was clear that the disciples of the Purple Sun Palace made haste to gather resources during the daytime.

A faint tunneling light streaked past directly above Zhi Mountain Temple.

Whoosh.

A gleam of cold light burst forth, aiming directly at the main hall of Zhi Mountain Temple.