The Quest for Immortality

Does Heishan Stronghold have a mastermind behind the scenes?

In the days that followed, Mo Hua often pondered this question, but no matter how much he thought, he had no clues. Even if he wanted to investigate, there were no leads to start from.

Mo Hua could only focus on his own affairs: enhancing his spiritual awareness, mastering arrays, and learning more skills.

In case something unexpected happens in the future, he would have some confidence in dealing with it.

There was no need to mention arrays; Mo Hua practiced the Reverse Spirit Array every day.

Apart from that, what else could he learn?

Mo Hua thought for a moment and suddenly remembered that he still had a manual for the Fireball Technique.

This manual was obtained from a white-faced demonic cultivator who guarded Heishan Stronghold at night.

The white-faced demonic cultivator practiced a spirit-absorbing demonic technique, and his spells were mediocre. It was only because of this manual that his Fireball Technique had considerable power.

Mo Hua had used a stratagem to kill the white-faced man and obtained this Fireball Technique manual.

But due to various events, Mo Hua had temporarily forgotten about it.

Mo Hua sat at his small desk, took out his storage bag, and searched for the Fireball Technique manual.

The manual was titled ”Insights on Fireball Technique.” The handwriting was handwritten, and the edges were rough, showing signs of frequent flipping.

It seemed not to be an orthodox spell inheritance but a personal collection of spell insights from a cultivator.

Mo Hua opened the book, glanced at it, and quickly understood the gist of it.

This ”Insights on Fireball Technique” was not originally owned by the white-faced man. It was likely also obtained through murder.

The original owner of the manual was surnamed Yang, just an ordinary spiritual cultivator.

He did not have high talent or good spiritual roots, and the techniques he practiced were naturally not great. The only spell he could learn was this Fireball Technique.

But he did not get discouraged. Instead, he continuously practiced and studied, even seeking advice from various spiritual cultivators proficient in the Fireball Technique. He spent most of his life exploring and finally discovered a method to enhance the Fireball Technique’s power.

The secret of the method lay in the meridians.

All spells, at their core, involve driving spiritual energy in the Qi Sea with spiritual awareness, running it through specific meridians to form different spells.

Even the same spell, though with similar effects, may have different inherited meridian diagrams.

Some differences are in the main meridians, others in the minor collateral meridians.

The original owner of the manual spent countless time and effort collecting various meridian diagrams of the Fireball Technique, categorizing, comparing, and summarizing them into the most complex yet powerful meridian diagram for the Fireball Technique.

He also recorded his various insights on using the Fireball Technique in the manual.

But for some reason, this insightful manual ended up in the hands of the white-faced demonic cultivator.

Mo Hua read through the entire manual in one go and couldn’t help but feel emotional.

How much effort must have been spent to write this thin book of insights...

The tenacity, meticulous thinking, and dedication of the cultivator who wrote this manual made Mo Hua feel inferior.

Mo Hua couldn’t help but think that there might be many cultivators with such perseverance and talent in the world.

But due to their background, spiritual roots, and inheritance, their talents could only be wasted or buried.

Mo Hua felt it was a pity.

The original owner of this manual must have been a remarkably talented person, yet he was unknown and even died in obscurity.

At the end of the manual, there was a simple sentence:

”There is no great or small in the Dao, no strong or weak in techniques. A spark can set the prairie ablaze.”

Mo Hua felt invigorated after reading this.

This insightful manual, in the hands of the white-faced demonic cultivator, was truly a hidden gem wasted.

Mo Hua resolved to learn this Fireball Technique to the fullest.

He wanted the entire cultivation world to know the power of the Fireball Technique!

Mo Hua began learning this stronger Fireball Technique according to the meridian diagram in the manual.

The meridian diagram of this Fireball Technique was very complex, and Mo Hua originally thought it would be challenging to learn.

But it took him only half a day to learn it...

This time was much less than he had expected.

Moreover, the Fireball Technique he used was strange. The color was darker, a deep red, and the fireball was noticeably smaller.

It looked somewhat odd...

Mo Hua wasn’t sure if he had truly learned it, learned it incorrectly, or something else...

As for its power, Mo Hua didn’t dare to test it yet.

He feared there might be a problem, and his home was not a place to test spells.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and went to Mr. Zhuang’s mountain residence. He walked through the small bamboo forest and came to the pond, ready to practice on the fish in the pond as usual.

The foolish fish in the pond were still swimming leisurely, unaware of what was about to happen.

Mo Hua calmed his mind and focused, circulating his spiritual power. Moments later, a deep red but small Fireball Technique was formed.

Mo Hua directed the peculiar fireball with a finger, and it swiftly flew into the pond.

A low explosion sound was heard.

In an instant, the pond water evaporated, the aquatic plants burned, and the fish in the pond were reduced to charred fish bones.

Mo Hua was stunned, his mouth gradually opening wide.

The power of this Fireball Technique was unexpectedly immense...

Such power was entirely beyond his expectations.

Then he suddenly thought, ”If the pond is blown up like this, won’t Mr. Zhuang be angry...”

Just as Mo Hua was wondering what to do, he turned and saw Elder Gui silently standing behind him, looking at the pond with a surprised expression.

”Grandpa Gui... this...”

Elder Gui said indifferently, ”No matter.”

Then he waved his sleeve, and the scene before him rippled and restored to its original state.

The pond was still clear, the aquatic plants lush, and the fish swimming leisurely but foolishly.

Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief.

”Where did you learn this Fireball Technique?” Elder Gui asked.

Mo Hua took out the manual from his storage bag and handed it to Elder Gui, ”I got it from a demonic cultivator.”

Elder Gui took it, glanced at it, and nodded, ”Not bad.”

Mo Hua was delighted. If Elder Gui said it was good, then the Fireball Technique must indeed be good.

Mo Hua then asked, ”But the Fireball Technique I used seems a bit off...”

”Off?”

Elder Gui was slightly surprised, ”Show me again.”

Mo Hua looked at the clear pond and hesitated.

Elder Gui said, ”No need to worry.”

Mo Hua felt reassured and cast another Fireball Technique towards the pond.

A deep red fireball condensed at Mo Hua’s fingertip and shot towards the pond.

This time, there was no explosion.

The Fireball Technique entered the pond, causing the entire pond’s space to distort and finally dissolve the fireball as if nothing had happened.

Mo Hua was shocked.

What level of spell was this? How could it have such an effect?

Elder Gui saw Mo Hua’s shocked expression and a barely noticeable smile appeared in his eyes. Then he said to Mo Hua, ”It’s unconventional, but still a Fireball Technique.”

Mo Hua asked, ”Will there be any problems using it?”

Elder Gui shook his head, ”No problem.”

Mo Hua was relieved but still puzzled, ”Why does the color deepen and the fireball shrink?”

Mo Hua couldn’t figure it out himself, so he decided to ask Elder Gui directly.

With Elder Gui’s high level of spell mastery, he must know the secret.

Elder Gui answered without hesitation, ”Because you condensed the spell with spiritual awareness.”

”Condensed with spiritual awareness?”

Elder Gui nodded, ”The meridian diagram you see is the method of condensing spells with spiritual awareness. The more complex the meridian, the greater the consumption of spiritual awareness, and the stronger the spell.”

”It’s similar to arrays...” Mo Hua remarked.

”The Dao is different but converges to the same end,” Elder Gui said indifferently.

”But I saw the white-faced demonic cultivator use the Fireball Technique. It was just more powerful, not this deep in color, nor this small in size...”

”Your spiritual awareness is different.”

Elder Gui said succinctly.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and asked, ”Because my spiritual awareness is too strong?”

Elder Gui nodded, ”With Foundation Building spiritual awareness, the condensed spell will naturally be different.”

Mo Hua was completely reassured now.

When he becomes more proficient in the Fireball Technique, combined with his Concealment Technique, Passing Water Step for defense, Water Prison Technique to trap enemies, and the Fireball Technique for offense, his overall strength would greatly improve.

”Thank you for the guidance, Grandpa Gui,” Mo Hua said gratefully.

Elder Gui’s expression remained wooden, ”I didn’t guide anything.”

Mo Hua just smiled, keeping Elder Gui’s kindness in his heart.

Elder Gui was about to leave but suddenly asked, ”Would you like to play a game of chess?”

Mo Hua was a bit surprised. Elder Gui rarely invited him to play chess unless he was very free.

Mo Hua nodded, ”Alright!”

Under the breeze and bamboo forest, amidst the small chessboard.

Mo Hua and Elder Gui played an intense game, but despite playing for so long, neither of them showed any improvement in their skills.

Until the sun set and dusk approached, Mo Hua had to go home, so he got up and said goodbye to Elder Gui.

When bidding farewell, Elder Gui’s always wooden expression rarely showed a trace of reluctance.

Not only Elder Gui, but Mr. Zhuang had also occasionally shown signs of wistfulness and distraction these days.

Mo Hua had a vague guess in his heart.

Mr. Zhuang... might be leaving Tongxian City soon...

He might never be able to ask Mr. Zhuang for advice again.