The Quest for Immortality

It sniffed the air while suspended in the sky, and drool mixed with monster blood dripped from its mouth. Then, its blood-red eyes instantly locked onto Hao Xuan.

Hao Xuan felt his hair stand on end and, without a moment of hesitation, turned and bolted.

In mere moments, the monster cultivator let out a howl, carrying a foul wind as it charged straight at Hao Xuan.

Yang Qianjun seized the moment of respite, immediately sitting down to consume pills and regain his spiritual power.

Meanwhile, the monster cultivator moved with incredible speed, forcing Hao Xuan to push his movement technique to its limits as he desperately ran.

But he wasn’t fleeing aimlessly.

He was following Mo Hua’s instructions, leading the monster cultivator into the formations that had long been laid out in the surrounding area.

Soon, the surrounding formations began to activate one by one.

There were trapping formations like the Quicksand Formation, Earth Prison Formation, and Golden Lock Formation, as well as killing formations like the Earth Fire Formation, Di Sha Formation, and Gold Blade Formation.

The deep forest was filled with the constant roar of explosions.

Trees swayed, grasses and stones were overturned, and the light of Five Elements and Eight Trigrams spiritual power fluctuated unceasingly.

Ling Huxiao watched, stunned.

Even Situ Jian and the others, who were familiar with Mo Hua, couldn’t help but feel alarmed.

”Just how many formations did Junior Brother bury...”

Indeed, Mo Hua had laid many formations.

And among them, a great number were entry-level Second Grade High-Level formations of the Seventeen Patterns.

Mo Hua usually kept a low profile; the formations he provided for his fellow disciples were mostly Second Grade Middle Stage formations.

Even when he personally used Seventeen Patterns High-Level formations, he would secretly mix them into combinations with Second Grade Middle Stage formations.

Occasionally, the power of some formations would appear ”exceptionally” strong.

But since the fellow disciples merely ”saw” them with their eyes, they wouldn’t realize that some High-Level formations were hidden within.

Of course, the usage of formations inherently had its limitations.

Second Grade High-Level formations couldn’t yet be utilized by Situ Jian and the others.

The monster cultivator was relentlessly led by Hao Xuan through the forest, enduring a constant barrage of explosions from the formations. It was battered and bruised, transforming from a werewolf-like creature into a half-charred ”stray dog.”

Finally, with a dull thud, it collapsed to its knees.

Yang Qianjun immediately wanted to rush forward and finish it off, but he was halted by Mo Hua.

”It’s playing dead.”

Yang Qianjun froze.

Situ Jian’s gaze slightly darkened, ”If it’s playing dead, doesn’t that mean...”

Mo Hua nodded, ”The demonization has receded, and its rationality has returned.”

Situ Jian understood and immediately condensed a searing streak of Li Fire Sword light, aiming straight for the seemingly dying monster cultivator’s heart.

Ling Huxiao was unwilling to be outdone and struck almost simultaneously with a streak of Chongxu Sword light, targeting the monster cultivator’s forehead.

The fallen monster cultivator abruptly opened its eyes.

Those once savage, beast-like eyes had lost their ferocity and now gleamed with cunning.

”A group of crafty little brats!”

It cursed angrily in its mind.

But faced with the two razor-sharp streaks of sword light, it had no choice but to dodge.

The monster cultivator landed on all fours, suddenly pounced, rolled across the ground, narrowly avoiding the two lethal sword strikes, and then slowly stood up.

In the dimly lit forest.

The monster cultivator’s figure grew shorter and shorter until it had completely shed its ”demonization,” reverting to a tall ”cultivator.”

Its black robe was in tatters, and it was covered in wounds.

Its face, however, was obscured by disheveled and unkempt long hair, revealing only a pair of greedy eyes.

Mo Hua asked in a deep voice, ”Who are you? Why are you in Refining Demon Mountain?”

The monster cultivator sneered coldly, its gaze venomous, and said nothing.

Mo Hua hadn’t expected it to answer anyway.

The question was simply asked in passing.

Unless this monster cultivator was truly ”dim-witted,” it wouldn’t possibly reveal its identity and background so easily.

Mo Hua acted immediately, casting a Fireball Technique that flew straight at the monster cultivator.

At the same time, Ling Huxiao, Yang Qianjun, Situ Jian, and Hao Xuan attacked in unison.

With a five-on-one battle, both sides instantly descended into a chaotic melee.

Mo Hua’s group, being fellow sect members and seasoned monster hunters, were highly coordinated.

Ling Huxiao, though a disciple of the Rushing Void Sect, had spent considerable time among the Taixu Sect disciples and was somewhat aware of Mo Hua and the others’ common strategies.

Moreover, Ling Huxiao was inherently a Sword Dao genius who adapted quickly to their offensive and defensive rhythm within just a few exchanges.

The monster cultivator, having shed its demonization, had its combat prowess greatly diminished.

Furthermore, it had already sustained heavy injuries from the onslaught of the formations.

Now once again facing Mo Hua and the others, subjected to alternating assaults of spears, sword qi, and spells, it could barely cope.

Within just over ten rounds, its disadvantage became apparent, and it was suppressed at every turn, capable only of taking a beating passively.

An icy chill gripped the monster cultivator’s heart.

It was going to lose!

At most, it could endure another twenty rounds before inevitable defeat!

With this thought, the monster cultivator stopped holding back, bit through its tongue, swallowed a bit of essence blood, and suddenly, eerie patterns lit up on its arm.

Mo Hua froze, his pupils contracting in shock.

”This is...”

”Monster Patterns?!”

”Watch out!” Mo Hua immediately warned.

Yang Qianjun, who was preparing to attack the monster cultivator’s heart with spear strikes as fierce as a dragon, became instantly cautious upon hearing the alert. He shifted to a defensive stance, sweeping his spear horizontally across his chest.

The monster cultivator’s right hand lit up with its monstrous patterns, and its arm swelled abruptly, resembling a ferocious wolf claw wrapped in potent demonic power, which slashed violently at Yang Qianjun.

The strength of this claw was terrifying.

Yang Qianjun couldn’t withstand it; his spear was sent flying, his chest armor was torn apart, and his body was flung back to crash onto the ground.

The monster cultivator advanced immediately, drawing close to deliver a finishing blow and take Yang Qianjun’s life.

Situ Jian and the others promptly stepped in to assist.

But midway through its attack, the monster cultivator suddenly shifted sideways, exploiting the opening created by Situ Jian and the others rushing to aid Yang Qianjun, and instead aimed to strike Situ Jian.

Situ Jian was unable to react in time.

Ling Huxiao instantly unleashed a streak of Chongxu Sword Qi, targeting the monster cultivator.

The monster cultivator clicked its tongue in annoyance and was forced to abandon Situ Jian. Raising its demonized arm, it blocked the incoming sword qi.