The Quest for Immortality

Xun Ziyou called over an inner sect disciple and instructed, ”Pass the order down, let everyone be alert. Perhaps, there might be changes...”

”Yes, Elder.”

The disciple took the order and left.

Xun Ziyou and Xun Zixian exchanged a glance, then both looked towards the great gate of the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons at the end of the White Bone Path, their nerves tightened.

...

Meanwhile, inside the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons.

In the deepest part, in a study burning sandalwood incense, luxurious yet simple, contrasting sharply with the strange atmosphere within the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons.

A young nobleman, with fair hands, was holding a precious platinum formation pen, inscribing formation patterns stroke by stroke on paper as white as snow.

Suddenly, feeling something, he took out a piece of unknown parchment, spreading it before him.

A bloodstain appeared upon the parchment.

A line of blood red words emerged:

”The great calamity is imminent, the hawks gather outside the valley, the matter is untenable, sacrifice the pawn to save the general...”

Finally, there was another line, written carelessly, yet the strokes were like a knife, each character dripping blood, a decision as if carving the heart and dissecting the gall:

”Destroy the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons!”

The young nobleman was stunned for a moment, his gaze gradually turned cold.

”Hundreds of years of effort, such a massive foundation, can be spoken of destruction just like that; Mr. Tu indeed makes a ruthless decision, a great resolve.”

”When the time comes, hesitation causes chaos...”

The young nobleman’s elegant eyes reflected half-moon clarity, half-revealing an inscrutable mystical glow.

...

Inside the formation stone chamber.

Mo Hua was reflecting and integrating the void heavenly dao laws in his sea of consciousness with the formation patterns of the divine formation, understanding dao through formations, harmonizing formations with dao, finally gaining an initial insight into the ”Seal” law, and mastering the divine lock array which is the core of the Great Wilderness divine formation inheritance.

Mo Hua was overjoyed, his eyes shining brightly.

Now, he could even consider himself an entry-level ”Divine Way Formation Master”!

Mo Hua exited the sea of consciousness and glanced at the sword bone beside him.

The principle of formations emphasizes applying what’s learned.

Since he had learned it, he must use it.

He wanted to practice further with the ”sword bone,” to see if this little sword demon could escape the divine lock array he laid down this time.

The sword bone, watched by Mo Hua, felt a chill deep within for some reason.

Intuition told it, whenever this little ancestor looked at it with glowing eyes, nothing good would happen.

Then it slightly tensed.

”Come to think of it, this little ancestor only wants to use me to test his newly learned formation...”

”Since that’s the case, there’s nothing to fear.”

Not even a night had passed, I bet this little ancestor couldn’t have learned anything profound.

I’ll play along with him, just to entertain him.

The sword bone thought to itself.

Mo Hua was just about to start, to experiment with the formation on the sword bone, when he suddenly paused and retracted his pen and ink, continuing to sit still atop the sheep horn skull, motionless.

He sensed that Jin Yixuan had returned.

Sure enough, after a moment, the door opened, and Jin Yixuan, clad in black, returned to the hall.

He looked exhausted, as if he had been busy all night.

Jin Yixuan was just about to sit down and continue learning the divine formation patterns when a monster cultivator walked in.

Jin Yixuan, interrupted, felt a bit impatient, just ready to sternly rebuke, but when he looked up and recognized the newcomer’s appearance, his expression immediately turned stern, retracting his arrogant posture, and appeared quite respectful.

This monster cultivator was an elder, his voice hoarse like a cracked bell.

He entered, said only: ”The young master requests your presence.”

Jin Yixuan dared not be disrespectful in the slightest, bowed his hands in salute and said, ”Yes.”

The monster cultivator said nothing more, simply turned, and left.

Jin Yixuan, eyes tightened, followed closely after this monster cultivator, leaving the formation stone hall.

Within the stone hall, now empty, only Mo Hua was left alone.

Mo Hua frowned, a vague unease rising in his heart.

He suddenly felt that there seemed to be some unexpected changes happening.

But what kind of changes?

Mo Hua couldn’t quite guess at the moment.

He was now hiding inside the hall, it wasn’t convenient to go out, if he wanted to find out what happened, he could only wait patiently.

Wait for Jin Yixuan to return, maybe there would be some clues.

After an hour, Jin Yixuan indeed returned.

Not only did he return alone, but he also gathered the officials from all regions of the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons—Mo Hua guessed they were officials because Jin Gui was among them.

Jin Yixuan said nothing, seemingly afraid of something leaking out, just handed each official a jade slip, instructing:

”Act according to the instructions in the jade slip.”

The officials took the jade slips, their divine sense entering them, after just a glance, their expressions changed dramatically:

”Official, this...”

”... why to this extent?”

”Could something major have happened?”

Jin Yixuan’s gaze was as sharp as a sword, sweeping over them.

The gathered officials dared not speak.

Jin Yixuan then said in a stern voice: ”This is the young master’s instruction, whatever the young master orders, we do as commanded.”

Seeing the varying expressions and differing thoughts among them, he softened his tone slightly, ”This is also an opportunity for you.”

”Follow the young master’s instructions, if successful, you can escape this cage, no need to keep guarding within the valley, henceforth the world is vast, another kind of freedom awaits...”

This sentence struck a chord with several officials.

Even as officials, holding authority, no one wished to continue living this dark non-human life within the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons.

In the colorful world, who wouldn’t long for it?

Although the officials didn’t show it outwardly, their eyes slightly wavered, finally one of them led, ”We faithfully follow the young master’s instructions!”

Following the lead, others echoed:

”We solely follow the young master’s lead.”

”Will serve the young master with utmost loyalty...”

Jin Yixuan nodded with satisfaction, then his eyes glinted cold, ”There’s no time to lose, act now.”

”Yes!”

After the discussion, Jin Yixuan and the officials all left.

The unease in Mo Hua’s heart grew more intense...

Escape the cage?

Another kind of freedom?

What on earth does this group of monster cultivators intend to do?

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then sent a message to Elder Xun:

”The monster cultivators seem to be up to something, Elder, please be cautious...”

After sending, Mo Hua continued waiting, intending to watch and see what happened.

But before long, great commotion arose within the valley abruptly.

There were sounds of buildings collapsing, cries from monster cultivators, even low roars from monster beasts, all mingling together.

Mo Hua frowned, and just at that moment, the Taixu Token vibrated.

Mo Hua took it out to see, a urgent message came from the Taixu Token, sent by Elder Xun:

”Mo Hua, are you alright?!”

Mo Hua: ”I’m fine, what happened?”

Elder Xun, after a moment, sent a transmission: ”The great gate of the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, opened...”

Mo Hua, upon hearing this, felt a tremor in his heart.

-----------------

(ps. Barring unforeseen circumstances, there will be an additional Chapter released tomorrow, and another the day after, striving to conclude this segment of the plot~.)