The Quest for Immortality

”There’s a strong scent of blood nearby...”

”There are some remnants of a spiritual artifact, sunk at the bottom.”

...

”There should be a group of Sin Cultivators around here, but...”

Gu Changhuai frowned.

But with the vast Mistwater River and its raging currents, most traces are concealed, making it impossible to track these people’s whereabouts.

The surrounding waterways are also very complicated, with interlacing tributaries, stretching as far as the eye can see, so it’s hard to know which direction to investigate.

While puzzled, a small boat came from the distance.

On the boat were a few Fish Cultivators, wearing conical hats, enduring the sun, and casting their nets.

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, ”Shall we ask them?”

Gu Changhuai and Xia Canonical Official pondered for a moment and nodded.

As the fishing boat approached, the three of them boarded and met it.

The two boats met. Gu Changhuai and Xia Canonical Official greeted briefly and then asked:

”Are there any suspicious cultivators around?”

There were four Fish Cultivators on the boat, fishing. Seeing Gu Changhuai and the others, they looked somewhat nervous and shook their heads repeatedly.

Xia Canonical Official asked a few more questions but didn’t get much information.

After that, these Fish Cultivators cupped their hands in respect but didn’t say anything else and cautiously poled away.

Mo Hua sighed, ”Uncle Gu, Xia Canonical Official, you won’t get anything by asking like this. Even if they know something, they won’t tell you.”

Both are Taoist Court Supervisors, naturally carrying authority, and they are Golden Core Cultivators.

Mo Hua is familiar with them, so it might not seem much.

But to these ordinary Fish Cultivators, Gu Changhuai and the others are considered ”mysterious” figures. Encountering them on the vast and empty Mistwater River, these Fish Cultivators are inevitably fearful and dared not speak much.

Gu Changhuai’s expression was indifferent.

Anyway, this is his demeanor; he won’t change.

Xia Canonical Official also slightly frowned.

She was born into the Xia family and rarely interacted with these grassroots Loose Cultivators.

Mo Hua sighed and said, ”Let me ask.”

After a while, another fishing boat came.

Mo Hua stood at the bow, greeted them, and when the boat approached, he jumped on and cheerfully said, ”Hello, big brothers,” and then took out some spiritual wine and dried meat to give them, saying he and his group were traveling to visit relatives but got lost and didn’t know which way to go, so they wanted to ask for directions on the waterway.

His gaze was clear, appearance handsome, figure not tall, not appearing aggressive, and with a gentle demeanor, he seemed amiable, easily earning good favor.

Moreover, he offered spiritual wine and meat.

To the Fish Cultivators, these are good things.

In no time, the Fish Cultivators on the boat warmly welcomed Mo Hua.

Mo Hua sat with them, drinking and eating, chatting amicably for a while, and when he said goodbye, these Fish Cultivators affectionately called Mo Hua ”little brother” and invited him to visit their homes.

Mo Hua gave them another pot of wine and waved goodbye.

Back on his boat, Mo Hua nodded and said:

”I found out everything!”

Xia Canonical Official and Gu Changhuai were somewhat astonished.

Mo Hua recalled the conversation just now, pointed to the river ahead, and said:

”The river forks here, invisible to the naked eye, but within these dense water plants, there are four or five more channels, making it easy to hide tracks.”

”There indeed are suspicious cultivators nearby.”

”According to these big brothers, there’s a group of murderous river pirates, elusive in these waters, killing anyone they see.”

”But this group only appears at night, so the Fish Cultivators nearby rush to finish fishing by day and hurry back when the sun sets.”

”If it’s late at night, going by water and encountering these river pirates, one’s life might be forfeit here.”

Xia Canonical Official frowned, ”If they encounter river pirates, why don’t they report it to the Taoist Court?”

Mo Hua helplessly said, ”Even if reported, it wouldn’t help. This isn’t an Immortal City. Many Fish Cultivators don’t even have a Cultivator Registration. The Taoist Court doesn’t want to manage it, and even if they do, the river conditions are too complex to act.”

Xia Canonical Official was somewhat stunned.

The Taoist State is almost all Immortal Cities, with strict control over cultivator registration, making such situations rare.”

She turned her head, silently glancing at Gu Changhuai, and coldly said:

”This shows that the Taoist Court in the Qianxue State Boundary is incompetent and ineffective.”

Gu Changhuai coldly said, ”Don’t forget, you are now also a Canonical Official of the Qianxue State Boundary Taoist Court.”

The two exchanged cold stares.

Mo Hua nodded.

Indeed.

These two have made progress in their relationship, as they now bicker.

Afterwards, Gu Changhuai and Xia Canonical Official exchanged a few more reproaches and then ceased hostilities.

They are, after all, Supervisors and know the importance of the situation.

The immediate priority is to find Shui Yama.

Xia Canonical Official looked at the intricate waterways ahead, pondered for a moment, and with a slight focus in her eyes, said:

”I’ll go back and bring more people. Starting from here, we’ll search through each channel and examine this entire water body.”

Gu Changhuai, however, said, ”No rush; too many people and you’ll alert the enemy.”

Xia Canonical Official looked unfriendly, asking Gu Changhuai:

”Then what do you suggest?”

Gu Changhuai was silent for a moment, his eyes twinkling slightly, and nodded towards Mo Hua, saying:

”Ask this kid.”

Xia Canonical Official was taken aback, her expression puzzled, ”Mo Hua?”

Mo Hua originally wanted to remain low-key, but now seeing the situation, he couldn’t afford to be.

Capturing Shui Yama is crucial.

”That Water Demon’s body, is the residual sword fragment still there?” Mo Hua asked.

Gu Changhuai handed a crimson sword fragment to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua placed the sword fragment at the bow of the boat, then sat cross-legged, concentrating.

Xia Canonical Official silently watched, not knowing what Mo Hua intended, and just as she felt curious, she suddenly noticed Mo Hua’s demeanor abruptly shifted from clear and sunny to deep and eerie.