The Quest for Immortality

Ouyang Feng gently smiled and said, ”Long time no see, Junior Brother Mo.”

Mo Hua also nodded repeatedly, ”Long time no see.”

When he first enrolled, he always followed Senior Brother Ouyang Feng on missions.

Later, when Senior Brother Feng and the others went to Refining Demon Mountain, he couldn’t go, so he had to mix in alone.

After that, he was grounded.

All in all, it had been over a year since they last met.

Mo Hua looked around and noticed that Ouyang Feng was all by himself, puzzled, he asked: ”Senior Brother Feng, did you come to watch the Sword Discussion Conference alone?”

Ouyang Feng spoke softly, ”I have sect mates joining me, I just arrived early, they will come later.”

”Oh.” Mo Hua nodded.

”By the way,” Mo Hua said with some regret, ”I watched the competition between Tai’a Sect and Heavenly Sword Sect, it was so close, just a bit more and Tai’a Sect could have won, and advanced to the top four.”

Ouyang Feng’s expression turned complicated, with a faint bittersweet smile on his lips, ”It’s not that simple, it seems close, but in fact, we... could never have won.”

Mo Hua was slightly startled, looking at Ouyang Feng with suspicion.

Ouyang Feng caught Mo Hua’s keen gaze, suddenly snapped back to reality, smiled warmly again, and explained to Mo Hua:

”Our Tai’a Sect is only one of the Eight Great Gates, compared to the Four Great Sects, we still lack depth. Although it seemed a little more would lead to victory, in reality, we are lacking many years of accumulation, something that cannot be made up in a short time. Winning would certainly be good, but even if we lose, it’s to be expected, no need to be discouraged...”

Mo Hua slowly nodded, ”Senior Brother Feng makes sense.”

He looked at Ouyang Feng again and asked, ”Senior Brother Feng, in the next Sword Discussion Conference, it will be your turn to compete, right?”

”Yes.”

Ouyang Feng said indifferently, with a fleeting shadow in his eyes, devoid of any joy or anticipation.

Mo Hua’s brow slightly furrowed.

He wanted to ask more, but there were already several disciples dressed in Tai’a Sect Taoist Robes walking over, respectfully saying, ”Senior Brother Feng, the Elder is calling for you.”

Ouyang Feng nodded slightly, ”Understood.”

Then he smiled at Mo Hua, apologizing:

”Junior Brother Mo, please excuse me.”

”Mhm mhm,” Mo Hua nodded, waving his hand, ”Goodbye, Senior Brother Feng.”

As Ouyang Feng turned to leave, and as their paths crossed, his demeanor no longer carried warmth, and a hint of darkness flashed in his eyes.

This hint of darkness was keenly caught by Mo Hua.

He stood in place, staring blankly as Ouyang Feng and the other Tai’a Sect disciples walked away, his gaze slightly fixed.

Senior Brother Feng, he seemed a bit different from the impression he had before.

Wondering if something had happened...

Mo Hua frowned slightly.

Latter, a big group including Cheng Mo also arrived.

They approached Mo Hua, all calling out, ”Junior Brother.”

Mo Hua too, greeted them with a smile.

Cheng Mo said, ”Mo Hua, I’ve found a good spot with the best view, let me take you there.”

”Okay.” Mo Hua nodded.

The group then set off towards the southeast corner of the Sword Discussion Conference venue.

Along the way, someone sighed:

”Our Taixu Gate, who knows when we can make it to the finals...”

”Forget the finals, making it to the top four would be great.”

”With the ranking of being in the top four sects, we would get a larger share of the spirit mines in Mount Qianlong, a sizeable amount of Spirit Stones, as well as rewards from the Taoist Court.”

”Rewards from the Taoist Court?” Mo Hua was taken aback.

”Yes,” a disciple explained, ”For grand events like the Qianxue State Boundary Sword Discussion Conference, the Taoist Court always offers extra rewards.”

”These rewards vary with each session.”

”There are Superior Daoist Magic, rare Pills, treasured items for Tao Cultivation from the Taoist Court’s collection, as well as various Formations and Runes.”

Mo Hua became curious, ”What kind of Formations are there?”

That disciple shook his head, ”I’m not sure about that...”

”It seems this year there are no Formation rewards.”

”The same as the last one.”

”Thinking about it, there seems to be many sessions without Formation rewards.”

”Formations have the least use, unless one is a Formation Master, getting a Formation is useless, one can only trade it with others or submit it to their own family in exchange for Merit Points.”

”Indeed, it’s far less tangible than spiritual treasures, Daoist Magic, and Pills, which ordinary cultivators can use...”

...

The disciples continued discussing among themselves.

Mo Hua nodded, curious in his heart.

Wondering what kind of Formations the Sword Discussion Conference could possibly reward.

Afterward, the Sword Discussion Conference proceeded as planned.

From the top four to the final competition, Mo Hua didn’t miss a single match, he watched them all.

The Heavenly Prides of the Four Great Sects were indeed each extraordinary, with no weaknesses in Cultivation, Daoist Magic, or Spiritual Artifacts.

Within the Void Formation, they fought against each other, and with their full strength, the tremendous Spiritual Power and the use of Superior Daoist Magic, bolstered by top-grade Spiritual Artifacts, the might displayed was extremely astonishing.

All the disciples around wore shocked expressions.

The Elders and even the upper echelons of the Taoist Court and other powers also showed appreciation.

Mo Hua also witnessed the Heaven’s Chosen Sons who stood at the very top of the Sword Discussion Conference.

These Heaven’s Chosen Sons, in the full view of the public, vied in the Debating Sword event, fully demonstrating the style of Heavenly Prides, eliciting astonishment and admiration from countless onlookers.

And at this moment, Mo Hua was just quietly watching from below.

Although he is the ”Junior Brother” of Taixu Gate, within the entire Sword Discussion Conference, and even the greater Taoist discussions, he was still just an unknown small disciple.

Aside from Taixu Gate, almost no one knew him.

In the vast sea of disciples, he was like a drop in the ocean, unnoticed by others.

In the vast crowd, the inconspicuous Mo Hua watched silently, his thoughts unclear, but his clear eyes shining with a luster that was hard for others to detect.

Eventually, after a series of brilliant battles.

One of the Four Great Sects, the Heavenly Sword Sect, became the Leader of the Sword Discussion Conference.

Qian Taoist Sect took second place.

Longding Sect was third.

Wanxiao Sect ranked fourth.