The Quest for Immortality

The mountain forest was silent, the trees lush, and as the sunlight came through, it was fractured into mottled shadows—yet beneath the layers of shadows, there was no sign of anyone.

Qiao Laowu frowned, ”Where’s that brat?”

Yin Thunder Child’s expression was also ugly, ”Hiding in the forest?”

”Where did he hide?”

”Underground?”

”There aren’t any traces on the ground, how could he go underground?”

”Then it must be…”

The four exchanged glances, their pupils constricting slightly.

Concealment Technique?!

This brat, he’s actually learned the Concealment Technique?

Qiao Laowu cursed loudly, ”Damn it, slippery as an eel and hard to catch, and he can even conceal himself, it’s like seeing a ghost.”

”How the hell are we supposed to catch him?”

Fire Buddha and the others were caught completely off guard.

They had seen that the brat was young, skilled in movement techniques, and obviously had trained hard. Where could they have imagined that he had also learned concealment?

Instead of proper spells, he focused on these disgusting, obscure skills.

Truly a devious little thing!

”This isn’t right…”

Yin Thunder Child thought of something and frowned, ”This brat is at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment, even if he learned the Concealment Technique, how could he possibly fool us who are at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment with our Divine Senses?”

”There’s something strange about his Concealment Technique…”

”Is his Divine Sense too strong? Covering up his presence…” Qiao Laowu voiced doubtfully.

Yin Thunder Child scoffed, ”What nonsense are you spouting? At the Initial Stage, a mere brat, how strong could his Divine Sense be?”

”At most twelve or thirteen Patterns, as if he can reach the heavens…”

Qiao Laowu retorted angrily, ”Then you tell me, what’s the reason?”

Yin Thunder Child’s gaze sharpened, ”It must be that his Concealment Technique is extremely refined.”

”Bullshit!” Qiao Laowu cursed, ”Hidden Elder-Second lived over two hundred years and only achieved mastery in his Concealment Technique. How old is this brat? How much experience could he possibly have to master it to such a degree?”

Yin Thunder Child’s face turned red, yet he had no reply.

Ghost Face Sha, who had been silent until now, suddenly frowned, ”This Concealment Technique feels eerily familiar. Could it be…”

Ghost Face Sha’s face tensed, ”Hidden Elder-Second’s…Minor Five Elements Stealth Skill?”

The three were startled.

Fire Buddha’s gaze also darkened.

”Impossible,” Yin Thunder Child shook his head, ”That was Hidden Elder-Second’s forte, his means of survival. He guarded that skill very closely and never disclosed it to anyone…”

”Hidden Elder-Second went in, right…”

”The prison’s as deep as the sea, he probably won’t come out alive, likely to leave his life inside.”

”Entering Taoist Prison, and with death imminent, Hidden Elder-Second would certainly not disclose it, for in any case it is a certain death…”

”What about before he was captured?”

”Before he was captured…what does that have to do with this brat? Could it be that this brat is the one who had Hidden Elder-Second captured?”

”Besides, Hidden Elder-Second was tough…”

”When he was captured and tortured severely, even when his teeth were smashed and swallowed, he didn’t utter a sound nor did he hand over the spell of the Stealth Technique…”

”It wasn’t easy to pry his mouth open.”

”Moreover…”

Yin Thunder Child looked around the mountain forest again, a wary look in his eyes.

”A Concealment like this, silent and traceless, erasing traces while also hiding from Divine Sense, without leaving any mark…”

”Even Hidden Elder-Second couldn’t achieve this extent.”

Qiao Laowu said in frustration, ”What should we do then? Search everywhere?”

”The mountain forest is so vast, how can we search…”

”Set fire to the mountain?”

”Are you seeking death? Attracting the dogs of the Taoist Court right now, how could we continue with our tasks?”

Qiao Laowu was furious, ”Then what do we do?”

Yin Thunder Child frowned and turned to Fire Buddha, who was leading.

Fire Buddha’s eyes were fierce, but then he calmed down, his expression turning benevolent, his voice gentle, ”Let it be, Heaven values all life, let’s spare his life for now. It’s getting late, and we still have important matters to attend to…”

Qiao Laowu was dissatisfied.

He had been toyed with by Mo Hua, wishing he could slaughter Mo Hua right away.

But he dared not defy Fire Buddha, so he buried this hatred deep inside, thinking that the next time they met, he would chop the brat to pieces with a bloody machete.

The group turned around and left.

After walking a few dozen steps, Fire Buddha suddenly stopped.

Qiao Laowu and the others were slightly startled and looked toward Fire Buddha, who seemed to have remembered something, his expression puzzled.

”Big brother, what’s the matter?”

Fire Buddha pondered for a moment, confused, ”How exactly did that little cultivator recognize us?”

One person is fine, but how could he possibly recognize all four of them instantly?

Yin Thunder Child and the others also frowned.

”Could this brat be a small lackey of the Taoist Court?”

”The fools of the Taoist Court couldn’t raise such a cunning lackey…”

”Could it be…”

Yin Thunder Child’s expression turned serious, ”That…Blood Covenant List, did it fall into his hands?”

Fire Buddha’s eyes flickered with murderous intent, but he ultimately shook his head, ”Shouldn’t be such a coincidence…”

Such a secretive thing, how could it by chance fall into the hands of this unfamiliar little brat?

Moreover, it was sealed with Sealing Patterns and Secret Patterns.

The secrets within, not something a little cultivator could fathom…

”But this…”

Yin Thunder Child and the others were even more puzzled.

Fire Buddha subdued all emotion, adopting a compassionate demeanor, turned to look at the mountain forest where Mo Hua had vanished, his voice empty and smooth, ”We need to focus on the important matters. As for this little cultivator…”

”We will meet again…”

Fire Buddha’s gaze was intense, like Karmic Fire burning, filled with cold murderous intent.

”Next time we meet, I’ll teach you, how exactly Fire Spells should be used…”