Eternal Life Begins with Learning

Chapter 420: Chapter 387: Forbidden God Seal

In the past, three days might have passed in the blink of an eye for Chu Mu.

But this time, trapped in this hellhole, three days felt like an eternity.

The only silver lining, perhaps, was that the Yun Xiao Business Alliance didn’t restrict his movements. He could wander the entire island as he pleased, and no one stopped him.

’But... that doesn’t seem like a good thing, either...’

Over the three days, he explored the entire Deep Sea Base. Aside from a few palaces and pavilions he couldn’t enter, he had been to nearly every other part of the island.

With his experience, it was easy to see that for a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself, this Deep Sea Base of the Yun Xiao Business Alliance was absolutely impregnable.

Of course, no matter how confident he was, he couldn’t possibly pull any stunts right under the noses of a Nascent Soul Great Power and two Golden Core True Masters.

The base wasn’t large—a mere hundred acres. His own Divine Sense was enough to scan most of the island, to say nothing of what a Golden Core or Nascent Soul expert could perceive.

Every single move on this base was likely within their perception.

Even if he had any schemes in mind, he could only bury them deep in his heart, not daring to reveal the slightest hint.

Three days later, Fu Song appeared outside his door right on time.

As soon as Chu Mu opened the door, Fu Song started complaining bitterly.

"Fellow Daoist, you’ve caused me no end of trouble."

"I’ve caused you trouble?"

Chu Mu stopped in his tracks, staring coldly at Fu Song as the chill in his gaze intensified.

Fu Song gave an embarrassed smile. He knew he was at fault and didn’t dare say another word.

Chu Mu snorted coldly and said nothing more.

’Even if I want to settle the score with Fu Song, I’ll have to wait until I get out of this hellhole.’

’Right now, I’m trapped. Self-preservation, and then escape—that’s the top priority.’

They walked along the street in silence. Fu Song didn’t dare to speak, and Chu Mu was lost in his heavy thoughts. Before long, the majestic grand hall once again appeared before him.

Gazing at the grand hall again, Chu Mu couldn’t help but feel a surge of apprehension.

’Once this Elixir is successfully refined...’

He took a deep breath, and as his expression calmed, he stepped forward and vanished into the curtain of light.

As the light before him faded, a cage entered Chu Mu’s field of vision.

The cage was about ten feet high and wide. Inside, shimmering Array Prohibition Chains, stained with blood, suspended a mutilated body.

The man’s consciousness was faint, and he was clearly unconscious. His aura was weak, pulsing out intermittently as if by lingering instinct alone.

His Golden Core Realm Cultivation was clear, as was the unmistakable aura of his Flood Dragon Bloodline.

’Celestial Cloud True Master!’

Upon getting a clear look at the Golden Core Cultivator’s face, Chu Mu’s heart couldn’t help but pound violently in his chest.

The identity of the mutilated figure imprisoned in the cage was none other than Celestial Cloud True Master of Chixia City!

Chu Mu swallowed hard. If he recalled correctly, this Celestial Cloud True Master had been in seclusion in Chixia for many years, and rumor had it he was on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm!

At the last trade fair, he had spoken at length with the True Master’s own son, Chen Hanyun, and learned that his father had recently gone to sea in pursuit of a fortuitous encounter.

’And yet now...’

Chu Mu stared blankly at the broken, weakly breathing form of Celestial Cloud True Master in the cage, an inexplicable sense of melancholy rising in his heart.

He was at Golden Core Perfection, just one step away from becoming a Nascent Soul Great Power.

He presided over Chixia, his power renowned throughout the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World. His status was truly sublime.

Yet now, he had suddenly been reduced to a prisoner, and soon, he would be killed and have his Golden Core harvested, becoming just another pawn in someone else’s scheme.

"You know him?"

Just then, a voice echoed leisurely through the once-empty hall.

Chu Mu instinctively collected his thoughts and looked toward the sound, only to see a white-robed figure appear abruptly behind the cage.

Chu Mu froze, his pupils constricting in disbelief.

The newcomer was the very same Sword Dao Nascent Soul from all those years ago!

’The Supreme Elder of the Longevity Sect... Xu Changqing’s father...’

It all clicked into place for Chu Mu. The figure shrouded in white mist on the main throne earlier had to be this Sword Dao Nascent Soul!

Chu Mu hurriedly bowed. "Junior Chu Mu greets Elder Xu."

The middle-aged man chuckled. "You recognize me?"

Chu Mu answered with the utmost respect, "In response to Elder, I had the good fortune of seeing you in person once, back in the Chu Capital."

The middle-aged man sized Chu Mu up with great interest as his voice drifted over:

"Pill and Artifact Dual Proficiency, a sharp Sword Intent, and yet your aptitude is merely a Pseudo Spirit Root..."

"You’re quite an interesting kid."

Chu Mu smiled awkwardly, not daring to say more.

But the middle-aged man’s next words instantly made his heart leap into his throat.

"I heard that Changqing once invited you to become a True Inheritor of our sect, but you refused?"

"This junior is unworthy and would not dare to presume to take the high position of a Longevity True Inheritor..."

Chu Mu bowed, forcing down the tremor in his heart as he spoke slowly.

"Hahaha..."

The middle-aged man let out a hearty laugh, then abruptly changed the subject. "As for refining the Heavenly Deceit Pill, how confident are you?"

Chu Mu paused, startled. Then, as if the conversation had shifted to his area of expertise, his apprehension visibly melted away. He considered for a moment before slowly uttering a single phrase: "One hundred percent!"

"One hundred percent?"

The middle-aged man asked in surprise, "Are you certain?"

"I am certain."

Chu Mu nodded, his tone firm and assured.

’The Heavenly Deceit Pill is a Tier Three Elixir. While difficult, for me, it’s merely a challenge.’

’The greater difficulty with this Elixir lies in the Spiritual Materials themselves.’

’After all, to capture a cultivator with a Bloodline Golden Core alive, and then extract their Divine Soul and take their Golden Core while they’re still living... without the advantage of a whole Grand Realm in cultivation, it would be fundamentally impossible.’

’And though I’m only in the Foundation Establishment Realm, my only responsibility is the alchemy. I don’t need to worry about how to capture or restrain the target.’

"And if you were to add this into the Heavenly Deceit Pill, could you manage it?"

As the middle-aged man raised his hand, a mote of light hovered in front of Chu Mu.

Chu Mu looked closely. Within the shimmering light, a faint, ancient-looking Inscription flickered.

He prodded it slightly with his Divine Sense, but there was no reaction, as if it were just an ordinary Rune.

Chu Mu frowned slightly, observing it carefully for a moment before turning to the middle-aged man and bowing. "May I ask, Elder, what is this Inscription’s effect, and what principle does it operate on?"

The middle-aged man flicked his wrist, and another Jade Scroll floated before Chu Mu. "See for yourself."

Chu Mu accepted the Jade Scroll and extended his Divine Sense into it. Information, a few hundred words of text and diagrams, flooded his perception.

The next second, the hand holding the Jade Scroll trembled almost imperceptibly.

Though the information consisted of only a few hundred words and a diagram, he spent nearly a full quarter of an hour before slowly lowering the Jade Scroll.

The shock still lingered in his eyes. In just a few days at this secret base, this was now the second time he had encountered information that completely shattered his understanding.

The first was the Pill Recipe for the "Heavenly Deceit Pill."

The second was the information—a few hundred words and diagrams—in the Jade Scroll before him.

The information was brief and simple, only roughly describing the principles and effects of the Inscription before him, with no other content whatsoever.

But the content of those few hundred words was completely beyond his scope of understanding.

He slowly raised his hand, the faintly glowing Inscription hovering at his fingertip. As he looked at it again, an indescribable longing appeared in his eyes.

It was an almost instinctual craving for an unknown system of knowledge.

The Inscription was called... the "Forbidden God Seal."

It was clearly part of a system of knowledge he had never encountered before.

And the effect of this "Forbidden God Seal" was extremely simple.

Once implanted in a living being, the "Forbidden God Seal" would, without the being’s knowledge, subtly and imperceptibly alter its thoughts.

It was somewhat similar to a Slave Seal, but far more dreadful and terrifying.

After all, a Slave Seal was a forced contract. Although the enslaved person was forcibly controlled by the seal, this control wasn’t foolproof. The slightest misstep could result in a backlash.

This "Forbidden God Seal," however, once implanted within a cultivator, would merge with their Divine Soul and hide deep within their Sea of Consciousness, making it almost impossible for anyone to detect.

After being implanted, the Forbidden God Seal would imperceptibly alter the person’s thoughts.

This change was dependent on the Forbidden God Seal’s controller. If loyalty was required, the Seal would subtly influence the host’s mind. Unconsciously, a feeling of goodwill could develop into a close friendship, and then into a reckless, all-consuming loyalty.

This was undoubtedly terrifying!

To unconsciously develop a favorable impression of a stranger, to feel a reckless loyalty to them, all while the host themselves perceives nothing abnormal and even considers it perfectly natural...

The Seal’s only weakness lay in the implantation process.

After all, with such a conspicuous Forbidden God Seal, no cultivator in their right mind would allow it to enter their body.

Furthermore, before the Seal fully integrated with the host’s Sea of Consciousness, it would produce a subtle fluctuation.

A fluctuation within a cultivator’s Sea of Consciousness could not possibly go unnoticed.

And once detected, even a novice who had just embarked on the Path to Immortality could easily expel and destroy the Forbidden God Seal.

Although its flaw was obvious, the terrifying nature of the "Forbidden God Seal" was self-evident.

’Such an effect, if used correctly...’

At this thought, Chu Mu snapped his head up to look at the middle-aged man, only to find him watching with a faint, unreadable smile.

Chu Mu’s heart trembled as he cursed his luck inwardly. ’What kind of rotten luck is this!’

’Dragged into this pit for no reason, and now I’ve learned a secret like this... ’

"Can you do it?"

The middle-aged man asked again.

As if guessing Chu Mu’s thoughts, the middle-aged man added, "If you can do it, I will guarantee your life when this is all over!"

"Rest assured, Elder. I guarantee I will complete the task."

Chu Mu immediately bowed, his voice solemn.

"You kid..."

The middle-aged man chuckled, then took a step back and floated gracefully onto the main throne. His voice once again reached Chu Mu’s ears.

"I have already sealed this man’s Golden Core and Divine Soul. When you need to extract his soul and take his core, you may do so directly. I will stand guard for you."

Chu Mu acknowledged his words. As he looked again at the imprisoned Celestial Cloud True Master, his gaze grew resolute.

’With my Alchemy Skill, successfully refining the Heavenly Deceit Pill won’t be difficult.’

’Adding this "Forbidden God Seal" to the Elixir won’t be difficult, either.’

’The weaknesses of the Forbidden God Seal are the difficulty of implantation and its fragility in the initial stages.’

’And these two points happen to perfectly complement the Heavenly Deceit Pill.’

’After all, when a Golden Core Cultivator’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit are refined into an elixir, the nature of the Elixir itself is bound to be a chaotic maelstrom of countless emotions and desires.’

’Hiding the Forbidden God Seal within it, concealed by that overwhelming chaos, would make it impossible to detect.’

’When the Heavenly Deceit Pill is consumed, the chaotic backlash that assails the user will easily mask the disturbance caused by the Forbidden God Seal’s implantation.’

’Even if the user did notice something, they would assume it was just the backlash from the Heavenly Deceit Pill. And because of the pill’s ’deceive the heavens’ effect, they wouldn’t dare to act rashly.’

’I just wonder... which unlucky Golden Core True Master will be the one to consume this pill to ’deceive the heavens’...?’

’Deceive the heavens...’

’It seems this "Forbidden God Seal" is the real ’deception of the heavens’...’

...

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