310: Ode to Homecoming

"Only the mother of flesh and blood, conceived from the Source of Chaos, is truly immortal."

"If Shadow Erosion Master is interested, the tower contains the 'True Scripture of Aberration' and the 'Fragmented Scroll of Void Whispers,' which you may consult."

Shang Wan Ning's withered hand, hidden in her sleeve, secretly clenched. "Master Mordecai, Shadow Erosion is deeply grateful for your generosity."

"May I ask what conditions are required for consultation?"

"Conditions?"

Mordecai stepped onto the last stair, arriving at the second-floor platform inside the tower.

This was a large laboratory, its walls embedded with transparent containers of varying sizes, soaking various aberrant organs and semi-formed monster embryos.

In the center of the platform, a thick book stitched together from human skin lay open on a "desk" made of countless wriggling tentacles.

"Piety is the only condition."

Mordecai's skeletal hand stroked the human skin book cover, and the tentacle desk seemed to fawn over him, rubbing against the hem of his robe.

"Since Shadow Erosion Master can recite the 'Ode to the Return Home,' you must know the mother of flesh and blood's great power. You just need to offer one more 'pure' Soul Crystal."

The skeletal eye sockets turned toward Chen Yu and the two behind Shang Wan Ning, hinting at something. "Or... a small token of 'sincerity' to prove that you and your apprentices have completely severed the past and embraced the Ancient God."

The magic froze instantly.

You Yu's hand pressed tighter, almost digging into the hilt of his blade. Tudor's scepter of purification felt slightly hot.

Shang Wan Ning remained silent for two seconds, then her hoarse voice sounded again: "Master Mordecai is jesting."

"Although my apprentices are weak, they are seeds I painstakingly cultivated. As for Soul Crystals, I do have a few here."

The withered hand extended, holding three translucent, deep-blue crystals the size of pigeon eggs in her palm.

Inside the crystals, three painfully distorted human faces were clearly visible.

Mordecai's skeletal jaw stretched wider, revealing uneven bone teeth.

"Pure Soul Wails, top grade! Shadow Erosion Master truly excels in this field."

The skeletal hand beckoned, and the three Soul Crystals gently flew into his voluminous sleeve.

"Master's sincerity, Mordecai has felt it."

"The 'True Scripture of Aberration' and the 'Fragmented Scroll of Void Whispers' are in the 'Reliquary Chamber' at the end of this floor. Master, please help yourself."

"However..."

His tone shifted, and the "kaka" sound of his joints rubbing now contained a hint of imperceptible stickiness.

"The Reliquary Chamber is guarded by the Mother Goddess's power and requires your own flesh and blood as a guide to open it. Master, please."

The skeletal hand pointed toward a tightly closed Bone Door deep within the platform.

The door was pieced together from countless small finger bones, its surface carved with Serpentine Runes and stained with traces of fresh blood.

In the center were five rows of recessed handprints, the edges bristling with dense Bone Spikes. Each spike had a matte finish, looking ready to pierce deep into the flesh.

A trap!

Opening the door with flesh and blood was a test of whether she truly embraced aberration.

Whether she was willing to endure even the pain of her flesh, and more importantly, it was meant to collect a sample of her flesh and blood to probe her true nature.

Shang Wan Ning's mind turned slightly, and her gaze under the hood swept over the Bone Spikes without the slightest hesitation.

"I shall naturally follow the teachings of the mother of flesh and blood."

There was no ripple in her voice, as if she were agreeing to the most ordinary of requests.

Shang Wan Ning stepped toward the Bone Door, pressing her withered palm onto the recessed handprint.

Pfft~

The sharp Bone Spikes pierced through the black robe and sank deep into the flesh of her palm.

Blood beads surged out one after another, flowing down the grooves of the Bone Door's runes.

The moment the blood touched the runes, it immediately made a "sizzle" sound, like boiling liquid hitting rotten matter.

The runes on the Bone Door, saturated with blood, lit up one by one with a faint glow. The twisted lines writhed on their own, crawling up and down the door and spitting out tiny blood bubbles.

Mordecai's eye sockets stared intently at the flowing blood, and the dark red flesh threads beneath his robe twisted excitedly.

A few strands even stealthily peeked out from the hem of his robe, greedily sniffing the scent of blood in the air.

The Bone Door opened inward, and Mordecai made a gesture. "Master, please."

"Thank you."

Shang Wan Ning withdrew her hand, and the several blood holes in her palm were quickly covered by a layer of red light, stopping the bleeding.

She didn't spare a glance for the wound and stepped into the darkness.

The door slowly closed behind her.

The Reliquary Chamber was not filled with piles of bones as one might imagine.

The space was small, and the four walls were similarly made of wriggling Flesh Walls and glowing blood vessels.

In the center stood two Flesh Pillars, and at the top of the pillars, two ominous-looking classics floated.

One had a cover of wriggling dark red flesh, which was precisely the 'True Scripture of Aberration.'

The other had a pitch-black cover covered in ever-changing, bizarre symbols—it was the 'Fragmented Scroll of Void Whispers'!

"Found them."

Chen Yu gasped, her greedy instinct overriding her disgust.

Shang Wan Ning's gaze swept over the surrounding Flesh Walls.

"Start copying, quickly. Sabrina's Clone is monitoring inside."

She flipped her withered hand, and the Secretary-General's specially made Replication Jade Talisman appeared in her palm, shooting a faint light toward the 'Fragmented Scroll of Void Whispers.'

Tudor aimed the scepter of purification at the 'True Scripture of Aberration,' and Golden Runes spun wildly, beginning to forcibly imprint the contents.

You Yu guarded the door, pressing his ear close to the Bone Door, listening to the movement outside.

After about a few minutes, the faint deep-blue light extinguished, and the runes disappeared.

The golden light at the tip of Tudor's scepter of purification subsided, and the Replication Jade Talisman in Shang Wan Ning's hand also dimmed.

"It's done," Chen Yu said happily.

Shang Wan Ning put away the Jade Talisman, her gaze under the hood sweeping over the faintly visible dark red veins on the Flesh Walls.

"Don't rush, we'll stay a few more days before leaving."

Chen Yu was startled: "Huh? We have the items, why aren't we running? Spending one extra second in this cursed place shortens our lifespan."

"What's the hurry?"

"Rushing out right after entering? Are you afraid others won't get suspicious? Sabrina's Clone is watching; we must complete the act."

Her withered finger pointed to the wriggling Flesh Carpet on the floor. "Sit down. Even if we're pretending, we must look the part. Read the books, meditate—whatever you wish. Consider this a secluded cultivation session."

You Yu and Tudor immediately sat down cross-legged, closed their eyes to regulate their breathing, their aura contained perfectly.

Chen Yu pouted, reluctantly sat down next to the Flesh Wall, and pinched her nose as she opened the replicated 'True Scripture of Aberration.'

The dark red flesh block cover writhed in her Sea of Consciousness, making her stomach churn.

Forcing down her nausea, her Spiritual Sense sank into the content replicated by the Jade Talisman.

[Flesh Vitality Catalysis Technique: Take three wisps of Vengeful Spirit Essence, mix with Rotten Heart Grass juice, apply to the surface of the peeled organs, and place in a Place of Yin Evil for seven days to obtain an Active Flesh Embryo, which can be used to repair deficiencies or refine Flesh Puppets...]

[Secret of Bone Aberration: Introduce Earth Fire Malice to temper the bones, supplemented by painful resentment as fuel, to reshape the bone structure and gain the Ability to Devour Bone...]

The more Chen Yu read, the tighter her brow furrowed.

[How is this a Cultivation Method?]

This was clearly something even Evil Cultivators would call expert!

If the Underworld Ghost Emissaries learned these to capture Fierce Ghosts and Vicious Demons, they might look more like vicious demons than the demons themselves.

If they threw out a soul locking chain, the Fierce Ghost opposite them would be stunned: Who exactly is the villain here?

She couldn't help but transmit her voice to Shang Wan Ning: "Your Majesty, this 'True Scripture of Aberration' is a bit too wicked, isn't it?"