The Quest for Immortality

The subsequent question was, how to break through this screen?

Mo Hua silently pondered.

Generally speaking, the screen is a Spiritual Artifact, and there are Formations on Spiritual Artifacts.

If one could decipher the Formation, they could neutralize the Spiritual Artifact, rendering this screen inoperative.

However, Mo Hua had no idea what Formation was depicted on this screen, nor did he know what the lifelike and inhibiting Formation Patterns were, so naturally, he had no means to break the Formation.

If it couldn’t be deciphered, should he just destroy it?

Using a Reversed Spirit Formation to disrupt the Formation’s structure, damage the Formation eye, and cause the Formation to self-destruct?

Mo Hua contemplated this.

At this point, he no longer needed to worry about being discovered. Whether he kept the screen was moot, and it didn’t matter if his method was rough.

Once the Formation self-destructed, the screen would be ruined.

The opening in the screen might be revealed.

It could also potentially seal the chamber permanently, barring anyone’s entry.

The best outcome would be, after destroying the Formation, that the bolstering effect of the Formation was no more, deactivating the screen and opening the chamber.

He would then be able to slip inside, and pack up everything to take away.

The worst outcome would be the screen self-destructing, disallowing anyone’s entry.

If he couldn’t get in, neither could Zhang Quan.

That way, both the Corpse Controlling Bell and the Contemplation Map would be sealed inside.

It didn’t matter if he couldn’t enter.

But if Zhang Quan couldn’t get in, without the Corpse Controlling Bell, he wouldn’t be able to control the Iron Corpse, significantly reducing his strength.

Without the Iron Corpse, the Corpse Walking Stronghold would have no Foundation Establishment combat power and would naturally crumble easily.

However he considered it, there was no disadvantage for Mo Hua.

Decisive, Mo Hua ceased his hesitation and began to work on the Formation on the screen.

As the first Reversed Spirit Formation was drawn, the Formation on the screen flashed with blue light, Spiritual Power began to distort, emitting a piercing sound, and the Formation soon ceased to function, causing the screen to dim slightly.

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened, and he continued to draw Reversed Spirit Formations.

With each Reversed Spirit Formation drawn, a Formation was destroyed.

The ink on the screen gradually faded.

By the time Mo Hua had destroyed all the Formations, all the ink on the entire screen had faded, leaving only a grey smudge.

Mo Hua furrowed his brows.

Was it deciphered, or was it broken?

Mo Hua swept his Divine Sense over it and found that the screen was indeed deactivated, and the barrier at the doorway had disappeared.

It’s just that the obstructing ink was still there.

Mo Hua decisively took out his Thousand Jun Stick and started to wildly hammer the screen.

He battered the already old screen to tatters.

The screen made a ’creaking’ sound as if lamenting, then completely lost its form and substance, erasing the ink images and revealing the opening to the chamber, and the altar within.

Mo Hua sighed in relief, his heart leaping with joy as he stepped inside.

Within the chamber, the atmosphere was even more sinister.

The altar, laid out with golden silk, flickered with a green, grim candlelight.

The Blood Bell, white bones, coffins, not one was missing.

And on the altar, there was the worshiped Ancestral Master Image of the Zhang Family.

Mo Hua lowered his gaze, avoiding the Ancestral Master Image. Instead, he quickly picked the copper bells refined with fresh blood from within the iron cup one by one, tossing them into his Storage Bag.

He then rummaged through the chamber once more.

Spirit Stones, offerings, and things like Spiritual Artifacts, as long as they looked valuable, or were engraved with Formations, or had some origins, or appeared odd or incomprehensible to him, all were swept away by Mo Hua like shearing a sheep.

At last, it was time for the Ancestral Master Image.

Mo Hua squinted his eyes, trying his best not to look at it, intending to carefully take down the image and then throw it into his Storage Bag.

However, at the moment his fingers touched the image,

An icy Divine Thought abruptly invaded Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness.

A seemingly old but resonant voice whispered in his ear,

”Young man... your bones are remarkably unique...”

”You possess exceptional talent...”

”I offer you an opportunity... to help you ascend to immortality...”

”Look here...”

”You...”

This voice, seemingly real and illusory, tempted Mo Hua to look at the image.

At the same time, something or someone within the image seemed to undergo a change, the skin starting to decay, on the verge of breaking out of the picture.

Mo Hua, sensing a slight stagnation in his Divine Sense, quickly entered a state of Mental Concentration, meditated with a tranquil heart, and within a mere moment, he discarded all distractions, his spirit clear and bright.

Regaining his senses, Mo Hua waved his left hand, toppling the altar.

Then, with a casual pull, he tore down Zhang Quan’s Ancestral Master Image and threw it to the ground.

Afterward, he grabbed the incense burner, iron cup, candlestick, and a pile of other items, flinging them at the image. After smashing them, he even stepped on the image a couple of times.

The image promptly became compliant...

Mo Hua snorted coldly in his heart.

”Still trying to deceive me?”

”I wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice!”

Seeing that the image was no longer stirring, Mo Hua folded it up, crumpled it haphazardly, and stuffed it into his Storage Bag.

In just a dozen or so breaths, both the Corpse Controlling Bell and the image were in his possession.

Mo Hua’s Storage Bag was full to the brim.

There was no time to lose, time to make a swift exit!

Without any hesitation, Mo Hua quickly left the altar, flipped up to the beam, dismantled the Formation, and effortlessly escaped from Zhang Quan’s chamber...

And at that moment, Zhang Quan was still utterly unaware.

He stood atop the outer wall of the Corpse Walking Stronghold, staring incredulously at the Formation before his eyes.

The Formation is really completely destroyed!

Some have failed, some have been destroyed, and some have self-destructed due to a short circuit of Spiritual Power when the Formation was activated.

Why? Why did they break?

They were all fine when he checked them two days ago.

But in less than two days, all the Formations in the Corpse Walking Stronghold were destroyed, as if an entire layer of skin had been peeled off?

Who did this?

Who could have such great ability to destroy all the Formations in his Corpse Walking Stronghold in such a short time?

A Formation Master?

But in South Yue City, which Formation Master could have such high-level skills?

Zhang Quan was both shocked and furious as he said in a harsh voice:

”Go and call Mr. Yan over!”

A Corpse Cultivator hesitantly said:

”Mr. Yan... we can’t bring him over...”

Zhang Quan glared fiercely, and said in a cold voice, ”Where is he?”

”Mr. Yan’s room has been sealed off, we... we cannot open it...” the Corpse Cultivator stammered.

Zhang Quan’s gaze turned cold, ”Take me there.”

Soon, Zhang Quan arrived at Instructor Yan’s room.

There were mottled marks all around the room, showing signs of being struck, but the door remained tightly closed.

It seemed that someone had reinforced the Formation from inside the room, making the walls sturdy and impervious to attack from the outside.

Zhang Quan’s eyes turned cold as he struck out boldly, slamming his palm onto the door.

The door cracked, but Zhang Quan’s palm also tingled from the impact.

Zhang Quan’s expression became grave.

Who had set up this Formation?

A mere first-grade Formation was so tough?

Zhang Quan exhausted all his strength, channeling Spiritual Power, the wind from his palm fierce, and his strength continuous. It took him a good half cup of tea’s time to finally break the door.

As the door shattered, Zhang Quan looked intently inside.

There wasn’t a single person in the room.

Not only that, but all the belongings had also been tidied up and taken away.

This Mr. Yan had actually run away?

”No Formation Master is a good thing!”

Zhang Quan was so angry that he gritted his teeth, feeling his thoughts in disarray and chaos.

How exactly did this Mr. Yan escape?

Did he run away on his own, or did someone come to save him?

And who would that be? How did they save him?

Were the Formations at Corpse Walking Stronghold tampered with by this Mr. Yan?

Did he collude with outsiders, intending to destroy the Corpse Walking Stronghold?

And now, fearing the consequences of his crimes, he had fled.

Or is it that someone in the shadows...

Zhang Quan suddenly stopped in his thoughts.

In the shadows...

A Concealment Technique?

To be able to sneak into the Corpse Walking Stronghold undetected even by Foundation Establishment Divine Sense, as far as he knew, there was only one person capable of that.

That kid who knew the Concealment Technique?!

Zhang Quan’s brow furrowed tightly, but then he felt something wasn’t right.

Corpse Walking Stronghold was protected by the Expose Dust Formation; that kid shouldn’t have been able to sneak in...

”No,” Zhang Quan suddenly shook his head, his thoughts racing:

”If Mr. Yan had ulterior motives, the Expose Dust Formation he set up definitely had issues, and it certainly wouldn’t keep that kid out!”

It was even possible that those two were in cahoots!

Zhang Quan was uncontrollably furious and then felt his heart lurch.

Concealment... Concealment...

His expression dramatically changed, ”The altar!”

Zhang Quan remembered that if Mo Hua had really sneaked in with concealment, then everything he did might have been seen clearly.

Even including, the ritual he had just conducted with the bell!

Zhang Quan pushed his movement technique to the extreme, and in just a moment, he was back in his own room.

The door lock was intact, and the Formation was undamaged.

Zhang Quan breathed a sigh of relief, but as soon as he unlocked the door and entered the room, he saw the screen that had been smashed to tatters.

Zhang Quan’s legs went weak, and he nearly failed to keep his balance.

It was over!

He stumbled into the secret chamber and looked intently, his scalp tingling.

The secret chamber was in disarray.

The altar was overturned, and incense ashes scattered all over the floor.

The candles were extinguished, and the iron dishes upset.

Zhang Quan trembled as he searched the ground frantically, but no matter how he searched, it was nowhere to be found.

The copper bell he used for the ritual was gone...

Zhang Quan looked up again.

The Ancestral Master portrait was also gone...

Zhang Quan was so furious that his blood rushed to his head, and he roared:

”Where’s my Corpse Controlling Bell?”

”Where’s my ancestor?!!”