490: Chapter 507 Distortion?

Dao Abomination is an extremely special and rare product within the Cultivation World.

It is neither a living being nor a dead object, and it is certainly not a Heaven And Earth Treasure in the ordinary sense.

A Dao Abomination is born at the moment a Cultivator fails their Heavenly Tribulation. When a Cultivator falls under the tribulation, and their cultivation, Divine Soul, dao foundation, and insights into Laws have not yet had time to return to heaven and earth, they are forcibly sealed within the corpse by the backlash of the Laws.

This backlash force intertwines, entangles, and alienates with the remaining power of calamity from the Heavenly Tribulation, eventually triggering 'Dao-ification'.

That is, the Cultivator's remains are eroded, distorted, and reshaped by the rules of the Great Dao, turning into a strange existence that lies between Dao and Law.

This is a Dao Abomination!

However, the conditions for the birth of a Dao Abomination are extremely harsh, and for other Cultivators, they serve no practical purpose.

On the contrary, the resentment and calamity power within a Dao Abomination will continue to alienate the corpse, causing it to mutate into an irrational monster that attacks all living things.

Their strength is often even more formidable than when they were alive, because they are no longer bound by the limits of the Physical Body, no longer feel fear or hesitation, and are left with nothing but pure killing instinct.

So when Yin Leici spoke the words "Dao Abomination," everyone's expressions tightened. Their bodies tensed as they each secretly circulated their Qi, assuming a defensive stance.

They had not forgotten the Black-robed Man's unfathomable strength, especially his ultimate mastery over Laws.

With just an ordinary Ice Law, he had forcibly withstood two strikes of the Heavenly Tribulation.

If such a person became a Dao Abomination, it would definitely not be a good thing for them.

However, they soon noticed that something was slightly off.

The expected mutation did not occur.

The corpse did not swell, did not twist, and did not sprout eerie limbs.

On the contrary, it knelt there, its entire body emitting a soft spiritual light, as if it were in a deep sleep rather than undergoing alienation.

That spiritual light was interwoven with four colors: icy blue, golden yellow, silver-white, and blood-red. They were entwined with one another yet remained distinct, like an exquisitely beautiful piece of glazed glass art.

“This...” Hua Nongying frowned, “isn't quite right.”

Everyone looked at each other, unable to determine the situation for a moment.

They had seen records of Dao Abominations and heard descriptions from their Sect elders, but the corpse before them was completely different from those records.

It didn't look like it was alienating; it looked more like it was... transforming?

“I understand.”

Yue Qingyao suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of surprise that was hard to conceal.

Everyone immediately looked at her, but Yue Qingyao didn't speak further, merely staring fixedly at the corpse as countless thoughts flashed through her eyes.

After a moment, she spoke softly.

“This is probably not a Dao Abomination.”

“The xuan yin jade marrow inside this person's body has not been fully digested, the Nascent Soul prototype has already begun to condense, and he even survived two rounds of Heavenly Tribulation, becoming tainted with the Aura of the third round.

With these conditions overlapping, what is born is not a Dao Abomination, but a completely new existence.”

She paused, seemingly organizing her words.

“To be precise, this is no longer a Dao Abomination.

Sealed within is not only the Ice Law and Yao Soul essence of this body, but it is also tainted with the residual Aura of the Three Disasters of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.

Its value far exceeds that of ordinary Heaven And Earth Treasures; it can even be considered a Tier 4 Advanced spiritual object.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's breathing became rapid.

A Tier 4 Advanced spiritual object!

That was a treasure enough to tempt even a Nascent Soul True Monarch, let alone Golden Core Cultivators like them.

Once refined, the success rate of a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage would increase by at least thirty percent.

What did that mean?

It meant the Dao path, it meant longevity, it meant transcendence.

In an instant, everyone's gaze changed.

They all stared with burning eyes at the still-wriggling ball of light.

That greed was naked and completely unconcealed.

Hua Nongying leaned against the light wall, her gaze falling on the glowing corpse as her fingers unconsciously rubbed the Magical Artifact in her sleeve.

Xuan Zhenzi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression remaining calm, but a fire was burning deep within his eyes.

Yin Leici made no effort to hide it, staring straight at the corpse, wishing he could rush over right now.

Even the person from the Hunyuan Demon Cave, who had been silent and had a very low presence, slightly raised his head, a sharp light flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

Speaking of which, among the Seven Great Grotto-Heavens of the Profound Spirit Domain, the Hunyuan Demon Cave was an extremely special existence.

It wasn't as orthodox and majestic as the Yujing Dao Court, as transcendent and ethereal as the Taixuan Immortal Sect, or as domineering and sharp as the Soul Devouring Demonic Sect.

The Hunyuan Demon Cave had no fixed Sect rules, no unified Legacy, and not even a clear master-Disciple system.

Its tenet consisted of only four words—Education for all without discrimination.

Whether human or yao, demon or ghost, Essence Spirit or evil spirit, as long as you were willing to join, the Hunyuan Demon Cave would turn no one away.

Yao Beasts could enter, ghost Cultivators could enter, demons could enter, and even those Loose Cultivators who were hunted by the Righteous Path and had nowhere to hide could also enter.

Here, there was no distinction between the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path, no difference between the Human Race and the Yao Race; there was only one iron rule—the strong are respected.

Therefore, the power structure of the Hunyuan Demon Cave was extremely complex.

There were old Yao Beast monsters who had cultivated for ten thousand years and gained intelligence, powerful ghost Cultivators who had crawled out of the netherworld, Evil Path Cultivators who had gone mad after a Qi Deviation, and Loose Cultivators who had fled here to escape their enemies.

Between them, there was no fellowship of Disciples or master-Disciple affection, only naked exchanges of interest and suppression by strength.

If you are strong today, you have the final say; if he is strong tomorrow, he has the final say.

It was chaotic, miscellaneous, and disorderly, yet it maintained a strange balance.

Because of this, the overall strength of the Hunyuan Demon Cave consistently ranked at the bottom of the Seven Great Grotto-Heavens.

Other grotto-heavens had complete Legacy systems, carefully nurtured Dao Seeds and Saintesses, and Cultivation Techniques and secret arts passed down through generations.

While the Hunyuan Demon Cave had nothing but a mob of people who fought for themselves and harbored their own hidden motives.

Their Nascent Soul True Monarch, the "Hunyuan Demon Ancestor," didn't bother to manage them either; as long as they didn't cause a major mess, he let them be.

But no one dared to underestimate the Hunyuan Demon Cave.

Because it gathered the most brutal, cunning, and desperate outlaws of the Profound Spirit Domain.

They didn't care about rules or morality; they only cared about results.

To achieve their goals, they would use any means necessary.

Sneak attacks, poisoning, ganging up, plotting, taking advantage of others' misfortunes... these methods, which other grotto-heavens considered lowly, were commonplace in the Hunyuan Demon Cave.

For this Secret Realm trip, the person from the Hunyuan Demon Cave was an old demon named "Yuan Tu."

Yuan Tu wasn't considered a top figure in the Hunyuan Demon Cave, but he was no nobody either.

He had been cultivating for over eight hundred years, and his Golden Core Perfection cultivation gave him a solid foothold in the Hunyuan Demon Cave.

His body was withered and thin like dry wood, and his skin had an unhealthy grayish-white hue, as if he hadn't seen sunlight for years.

His Face was aged, with wrinkles as deep as knife carves, and his cloudy old eyes were sunken into their sockets. Only an occasional flash of sharp light reminded others that this man was by no means kind.

His hair was sparse, a mix of gray and white, tied casually behind his head. A few stray strands hung by his shoulders, making him look as unremarkable as his faded gray cloth Daoist robe.

He spoke very little and rarely interacted with others.

Since entering the Secret Realm, he had been like a silent stone, following behind everyone without participating in disputes or expressing opinions, even deliberately lowering his presence.

When those grotto-heaven prodigies discussed distribution or strategies, he would shrink into a corner, head bowed like a piece of dead wood.

No one noticed him—or more accurately, no one cared about him.

In the eyes of other grotto-heaven Disciples, the Hunyuan Demon Cave was already at the bottom of the rankings, so the person sent was naturally considered a low-life.

They treated him politely only because the Hunyuan Demon Ancestor stood behind him.

The Face of that Nascent Soul True Monarch still had to be respected.

As for Yuan Tu himself, he was not fit to be compared with them in their eyes.

Yuan Tu was well aware of this.

He had lived for nearly a thousand years and had seen many such people.

Young and aggressive, with eyes above their heads, thinking they were the center of the universe.

He wasn't angry, nor did he care.

He just followed silently, observed silently, and waited silently.

He knew that in this Secret Realm, the real danger was not those Yao Beasts, Restrictions, or trials, but these sanctimonious fellows.

Whether they were Righteous Path Disciples or Demonic Path successors, they were all the same in the Face of profit.

Today they were polite to him only because no treasure worth tearing off their masks had appeared yet.

Once such a treasure appeared, his existence would be completely irrelevant to them.

So he chose to keep a low profile. Among this group, he had neither allies nor a backer.

The three Righteous Path Sects were in cahoots, and although the Six Desires Demonic Sect belonged to the same Demonic Path as him, that woman Hua Nongying could not be relied upon.

He could only rely on himself!

Of course, among this group, there was one more person who could barely remain calm.

That was Yue Qingyao!

She stood in front of everyone, her robes fluttering, cool and detached like the moon, as if that Tier 4 spiritual object held no attraction for her.

But no one knew that the fingers within her sleeves were also trembling slightly.

The atmosphere became subtle.

The originally somewhat harmonious atmosphere quietly disintegrated at this moment.

The positioning among the crowd began to change, shifting unconsciously.

Hua Nongying quietly took half a step back, placing herself in the blind spot of everyone's vision.

Xuan Zhenzi calmly moved to the center of the area, occupying a position from which he could either advance or retreat.

Yin Leici stood where he was with a casual air, but his right hand was already hanging by his waist, his fingers less than an inch from his Storage Pouch.

Yuan Tu was still huddled in the corner, head bowed like a piece of dead wood, but his presence became ethereal, making it almost impossible to sense him.

No one spoke; only the faint humming of the light wall within the Restriction was exceptionally piercing in the dead silence.

They were all waiting for someone to be the first to break the deadlock.

No one wanted to be the first to step forward, but everyone wanted to be the "oriole" that catches the mantis.

In the end, it was Yin Leici who spoke first.

It wasn't because he was impatient, but because he knew that if this deadlock continued, it would benefit no one.

“Everyone.”

He cleared his throat, looked around, and said in a deep voice.

“This item is of vital importance to my Zixiao Grotto-Heaven. If you are willing to part with it, I, Yin Leici, swear by my Dao Heart that there will be a great reward in the future.”

“Great reward?”

Hua Nongying gave a light laugh, her tone full of sarcasm.

“What reward could possibly compare to a Tier 4 spiritual object? Yin Leici, do you think those of us sitting here are like those low-life Loose Cultivators?”

Hearing these somewhat harsh words, Yin Leici's Face darkened. Just as he was about to retort, Xuan Zhenzi suddenly interrupted.

“This item is also of great use to my Qingwei Dao Sect. If you are willing to let me have it, my Dao Sect is willing to exchange three stalks of Tier 4 Spirit Medicine for it.”

“Three stalks of Tier 4 Spirit Medicine?”

Yin Leici said indifferently, “Xuan Zhenzi, that is quite a generous offer. However, my Ziwei Grotto-Heaven is not lacking in Spirit Medicine.”

Hearing this, Xuan Zhenzi frowned, but to achieve his goal, he still suppressed the anger in his heart.

Xuan Zhenzi continued: “This item is destined for me. If you do not contest it, consider it that I owe you all a favor.”

“A favor?” Hua Nongying sneered again, “Xuan Zhenzi, how much is your favor worth?”

Besides, as a demonic enchantress, if she dared to ask for a favor, she probably wouldn't even know how she died.

Xuan Zhenzi naturally knew this, but being exposed so disrespectfully caused a flash of coldness to appear in his eyes.

Everyone spoke one after another, each wanting to gain something for nothing, yet no one was willing to yield.

The promised items became more and more valuable, from Spirit Medicine to Magical Artifacts, from Magical Artifacts to Cultivation Techniques, and from Cultivation Techniques to favors. The offers became increasingly absurd and unreliable.

But they all knew in their hearts that these were just empty words.

No one was truly willing to give up a Tier 4 spiritual object to someone else.

The sound of arguing gradually grew louder, and the smell of gunpowder thickened.

Hua Nongying and Xuan Zhenzi were already glaring at each other, Yin Leici was also secretly competing, and even Yuan Tu raised his head, scanning everyone with those cloudy eyes as if calculating something.

“Enough!”

Finally, it was Yue Qingyao who first spoke to interrupt.

Her voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

That cold Aura caused everyone present to pause slightly.

Then everyone turned their gaze toward her, waiting for what she had to say next.

This wasn't because Yue Qingyao's prestige was high enough to overawe everyone with a display of domineering air.

It was simply because of Yue Qingyao's status.

She was not only the Saintess of the Taixuan Immortal Sect, but also a blood descendant of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

The Taixuan Immortal Sect was different from other grotto-heavens. Most grotto-heavens only had one Nascent Soul True Monarch presiding over them; even the Soul Devouring Demonic Sect, which produced the Late Stage Nascent Soul Demonic Lord Qin Guan, only had one.

But the Taixuan Immortal Sect had a full three Nascent Soul True Monarchs!

This foundation and strength gave Yue Qingyao a natural advantage in having a say among the group.

It wasn't because of how strong she was, but because the people standing behind her commanded a few extra degrees of wariness.

“What's the use of all this arguing?”

Yue Qingyao said indifferently, “We are still trapped within the Restriction and cannot get out. Everything is just empty talk.”

Everyone looked at each other and suddenly fell silent.

Right, how could they have forgotten that they were still trapped in the formation?

It was just that greed had momentarily made them forget reality.

“Break the formation first, then discuss the distribution.”

Yue Qingyao continued.

“As for after we get out, whoever grabs it, it belongs to them. Each by their own ability, each to their own fate.”

Everyone looked at each other. Although they were unwilling, they knew this was currently the best way.

There was only one Tier 4 spiritual object; it was impossible to divide it among everyone.

Rather than wasting time here, it was better to break the formation first and then rely on their own means.

“Fine.” Xuan Zhenzi was the first to nod.

“Agreed.” Hua Nongying also relented.

Xiong Lie and Yin Leici looked at each other. Though reluctant, they knew this was the only way out.

Gu Tu did not speak, only nodding slightly.