The Programmer Cultivator

The entire altar was covered in exceedingly complex Runes, and surrounding it were various spiderweb-like networks. Within these networks, wisps of a filthy aura would intermittently flow from an unknown source to gather here.

The aura was either filthy, evil, or bizarre, and all of it carried an ominous air. It was also exceptionally impure.

However, once it all gathered together, underwent complex changes, and was then converted by the altar, the aura became even more impure—or perhaps, purer.

The previous impurity was simply a mixture of various filthy auras. The impurity after the transformation was, in fact, the impurity inherent in the nature of Karma itself.

Of course, producing Karma this way took a great deal of effort, yet it wasn’t pure. To be precise, it could only be considered half-Karma.

However, if this aura was mixed with true Karma, it could become Karma. Of course, in terms of quality, it would undoubtedly be a notch inferior—assuming, that is, that Karma even has a quality!

At the center of the altar was a sizable pool, filled to the brim with sludge that emitted all sorts of strange and evil auras.

The liquid was about to overflow. To be precise, it already had.

This was because a corner of the pool had a drainage notch. The overflowing, bizarre sludge squirmed as it all flowed into a subsidiary pool within the altar.

The subsidiary pool was not large and was, in fact, exceptionally clean. At its bottom lay a complex Array, its patterns clearly visible. Whenever the squirming sludge flowed in, the Array would flash with Spiritual Light, and the sludge would vanish.

From the auras gathering from all directions to the squirming sludge being transported away by the Array, the entire process in the underground chamber formed a closed loop.

Even without anyone controlling it, the system could operate automatically as long as it had Spiritual Power. And as a major Main Peak of the Inner Sect, Wanghui Peak might have been lacking in other areas, but it did possess a Three-Star Spirit Vein.

Although it could barely be considered a Three-Star Spirit Vein, it was more than enough to support the array. The Array’s operation filled the entire room with a sense of mystery.

Its automated operation made it clear that this place must have been under construction for centuries, if not millennia, to have reached this level of sophistication.

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Guan Shouxin seemed unusually compatible with the aura here. Or rather, he was exceptionally compatible with the sludge in the pool; it was as if the sludge was his own creation.

Upon arriving, Guan Shouxin quickly waved a hand at the altar.

As he waved his hand, a mass of sludge from the overflowing pool twisted into the shape of a Puppet and floated before Guan Shouxin.

Without the slightest hesitation, Guan Shouxin plunged headfirst into the foul-smelling, ominous, and evil sludge Puppet.

The Puppet writhed for a moment, perfectly enveloping Guan Shouxin. As the sludge continued to squirm, patches of what looked like rot appeared on its surface, along with several scabby bumps.

A sludge-like liquid dripped intermittently from the Puppet’s body, splattering on the ground before squirming back up into its form. The Puppet’s external appearance was exceptionally evil, ugly, and nauseating.

The entire Puppet slowly took on Guan Shouxin’s appearance—well, a rough likeness. Or rather, only its overall silhouette resembled him.

Having finished this transformation, Guan Shouxin, now in this utterly disgusting form, began to form hand seals and activated a unique Technique.

As he performed the hand seals for the Technique, the surrounding Spiritual Power surged, and a miniature altar abruptly materialized before him.

He glanced at the altar, and his brows furrowed upon seeing its condition. With a dark expression, he stared at the miniature altar and said, ”I can accept that the Cyan Wood Guan Family has only one survivor left; at least she made a perfunctory contribution.

But what’s the deal with the two of you? Turtle Water Song, what in the world have you been doing all these years? Getting sealed, getting hunted down.

We’ve already reached the initial phase of the ritual. It’s one thing that your contributions are insufficient, but you’re even using the Celestial Heart Sacrifice to suppress your injuries! Are you here to conduct the ritual or just to hitch a ride?”

From the miniature altar, a cloud of black mist, a flower, and a sphere floated out. The flower transformed into Guann Zhenzhen, the black mist coalesced into the form of Qu Wenbai, and the sphere grew to the size of a human head, upon which the face of Duan Yuanbing materialized.

Qu Wenbai didn’t offer a single retort to Guan Shouxin’s half-scolding, half-accusatory words.

Back in the age of the Five Elements Blessed Land, the Water Attribute was the strongest, suppressing the other four. But for that very reason, it received ”special attention,” absorbing the most Wish Power and suffering the greatest damage. Consequently, during the subsequent era of the Five Races Remnants, the Water Attribute began to wane.

After countless years of changes, their Turtle Water Song clan had never fully recovered due to a variety of incidents. Now, among the Five Elements Legacy Clan, the Earth Attribute had long been the most powerful, with the Wu Earth Official being particularly mysterious.

For years, the routine sacrifices were supposedly divided, with each clan handling its own responsibilities. In truth, however, the Earth Attribute carried the heaviest burden. If not for the Guan Family, the Celestial Heart Sacrifice would have ceased to exist long ago, let alone be starting now.

That was why he didn’t offer a single word of rebuttal to Guan Shouxin’s well-founded accusations.

Seeing Qu Wenbai remain silent, Guan Shouxin turned to Duan Yuanbing on the metal sphere. ”And then there’s you,” he said. ”I agreed to let you take over the Duan Family’s position.

That was partly because the situation at the time compelled it, and partly because you were practically the Duan Family’s Manager. But it was also because you promised that the Duan Family would serve as the main force for initiating the Celestial Heart Sacrifice.

You said you could handle the Geng Metal Secret Realm, that you could deal with the Duan Family, and that you’d be responsible for contributing the majority of the power for the initial ritual.

And now? Where is this main force?

Of the three families currently initiating the ritual, I can overlook the other two. At least they made a token gesture.