The Quest for Immortality

Zhang Lan felt that the dark history of his cultivation life had been vividly embellished once more by this child, Mo Hua.

He had been on high alert, only to find that the opponent was a small cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refinement.

How embarrassing!

Zhang Lan couldn’t help but scold, ”What are you, such a young child, doing in the mountains?!”

”I have lots of things to do in the mountains: drawing maps, setting up arrays, extracting demon blood, finding spices, collecting herbs, digging for minerals...”

Mo Hua counted each task on his fingers, listing them for Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan’s head was spinning, ”Alright, alright, I get it.”

What a mess.

Zhang Lan didn’t quite believe it. Was Dahei Mountain a place for a child to come?

Even as a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, he had to be extremely cautious when entering the mountain, let alone Mo Hua, a small fifth-level Qi Refinement cultivator.

Moreover, from what Zhang Lan knew about Mo Hua, though the child had good talent in arrays, his innate constitution was weak. Encountering any demonic beast would mean being snatched up and eaten.

Setting up arrays and collecting herbs? Nonsense...

Zhang Lan didn’t believe it.

But he also knew that Mo Hua was a bit unconventional, not easily judged by normal cultivation standards.

So, although he didn’t believe it, he said nothing.

The two people behind him were still in shock, not even listening to what Mo Hua was saying.

Their bewildered expressions made Zhang Lan feel a bit better, as if he had somewhat regained his dignity.

Mo Hua glanced at the two people behind Zhang Lan and asked, ”Who is this sister?”

”Wrong generation,” Zhang Lan said, ”You should call her Auntie.”

The female cultivator glared at Zhang Lan and then turned to Mo Hua with a gentle smile, ”Sister’s surname is Situ, single name Fang. Don’t listen to your Uncle Zhang; just call me Sister.”

Zhang Lan was speechless.

Mo Hua sweetly called out, ”Sister.”

Situ Fang immediately beamed with joy.

The man beside her said arrogantly, ”My name is Situ Xiu.”

Mo Hua responded perfunctorily with an ”Oh.”

Zhang Lan couldn’t help but tell Mo Hua, ”Go wash your face, look at you, all dirty.”

He had been startled by Mo Hua’s sudden appearance and still felt uneasy looking at him now.

Mo Hua found a small stream and washed his face clean.

His dirty little face instantly turned into one with rosy lips and white teeth, like a porcelain doll.

Situ Fang glanced a few more times and couldn’t help but praise, ”Truly as beautiful as a painting, you look great!”

”Thank you, Sister, you are beautiful too!”

Mo Hua reciprocated the compliment.

Situ Fang’s face bloomed with a smile.

Zhang Lan sighed and said to Mo Hua, ”It’s getting late, why don’t you head back first?”

Situ Fang nodded, ”There are demonic beasts in the mountains, it’s not safe for you here. Do you need Sister to escort you down?”

Zhang Lan couldn’t help but glare at Situ Fang, ”Have you forgotten the important task?”

Situ Fang hesitated.

Mo Hua curiously asked, ”What are you doing in the mountains?”

”It’s a secret of the Dao Court, I can’t tell you.”

”You’re looking for someone, right?”

Zhang Lan’s head ached, ”How did you know?”

”I heard you talking just now.”

Zhang Lan sighed again, helpless against Mo Hua.

Mo Hua’s dark eyes turned, ”Why don’t I help you find them?”

Situ Fang smiled, ”Thank you, little brother, but this matter is too dangerous. We can’t let you go.”

Zhang Lan stood aside, saying nothing.

Mo Hua glanced at Zhang Lan, ”Dahei Mountain is very large. If you don’t know the way, it could take ten days to half a month to find someone.”

Zhang Lan frowned, pondered for a moment, then said, ”Alright, you can come with us.”

Situ Fang furrowed her brow, ”Are you crazy? He’s still a child.”

Zhang Lan helplessly said, ”Without him guiding us, not only will we not find the person, but we might also get lost in the mountains.”

Situ Xiu sneered, ”With this kid leading the way, we won’t get lost?”

”We won’t!” Zhang Lan said firmly, ”We might get lost, but he won’t!”

”How do you know...”

”If he could get lost, he wouldn’t have come to the mountain alone.”

Zhang Lan understood that Mo Hua wouldn’t do things recklessly. If he offered to help, he must be confident.

Situ Fang and Situ Xiu fell silent, recalling how Mo Hua had appeared silently from the bushes.

The fear they felt earlier also resurfaced.

This small cultivator in front of them might indeed be reliable; the ones to worry about might be themselves...

”The thief is quite dangerous...” Situ Fang was still hesitant.

Zhang Lan said, ”The three of us can’t protect him?”

Situ Fang had no words, and Situ Xiu snorted, saying nothing more.

Mo Hua asked, ”Who are you looking for? Any clues?”

Situ Fang glanced at Zhang Lan.

At this point, Zhang Lan didn’t hide anything, ”We’re chasing a flower thief.”

Mo Hua was taken aback, ”Flower thief?”

He had heard the term but not in the cultivation world, so he wasn’t sure of the difference.

Zhang Lan explained, ”A flower thief refers to someone who uses evil cultivation methods to forcibly extract energy from women to enhance their own cultivation. Such thieves are not tolerated by the Dao Laws and are pursued by the Dao Court.”

Situ Fang nudged Zhang Lan, whispering, ”That’s enough. Don’t talk about extraction and such things to a child.” Her cheeks reddened slightly.

Zhang Lan, who hadn’t felt it was inappropriate before, now felt embarrassed.

Mo Hua was a bit disappointed, wanting to know more.

”Do you have any clues?” Mo Hua asked.

”We have a portrait.” Zhang Lan spread out a portrait.

The man in the portrait was young and handsome, with a hint of evil in his eyes.

”So young?” Mo Hua asked.

”He practices an evil extraction method, so he looks young but is actually over a hundred years old. If he doesn’t extract energy for over a month, he will age rapidly...” Zhang Lan explained.

Mo Hua was shocked, ”Such techniques exist?”

”There are all sorts of bizarre evil methods...” Zhang Lan said, then reminded Mo Hua, ”Don’t practice them. Evil and demonic techniques are cold and cruel, erasing humanity...”

Mo Hua nodded quickly, taking the warning to heart.

Zhang Lan continued, ”We got information that this flower thief, pursued by the Dao Court, had no choice but to enter Dahei Mountain. He probably wouldn’t dare go deep into the mountain and is likely in the outer area, around Lone Cloud Peak and Duan Cliff...”

With Zhang Lan’s explanation, Mo Hua had a rough idea and said, ”Don’t worry. If he’s in the outer area, he won’t escape.”

Situ Fang smiled, ”Then we rely on you.”

”Mm!” Mo Hua nodded.

A flower thief hiding in the outer mountains, practicing evil techniques, over a hundred years old, pursued by Uncle Zhao...

Could the cultivator chasing Uncle Zhao be this flower thief?

Mo Hua also wanted to capture this thief and find out the truth.