The Quest for Immortality

”I haven’t been with a woman for a month either, I’m getting rusty...”

”Screw you, no manners...”

...

A group of people noisily boarded the boat and set off, lighting green ghostly fires, resembling yakshas at night, patrolling the Mistwater River.

Gu Changhuai silently counted the heads.

Once this group of water bandits sailed far away, the surroundings returned to silence.

Gu Changhuai said: ”The ones who went out, roughly more than two hundred people. According to the habits of water bandits, they generally send out half, leaving the other half. There are probably around two hundred water bandits left on the island.”

”In total, there should be around four hundred.”

”At present, there are no Golden Cores. Of course, it’s also possible that the Golden Core is not on the island.”

Meanwhile, Mo Hua had roughly completed the topographic map of the island’s Formation.

”Should we go back now?”

Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, ”No rush, let’s wait until dawn. This group of water bandits is roaming the Mistwater River. If we go out now, we’ll easily run into them.”

”At that time, killing is not an option, nor is not killing.”

Killing them would alert the enemy.

If not killed, with the nature of these water bandits, they won’t give up easily.

Thus, the three waited on the small boat.

Gu Changhuai and Xia Canonical Official took turns keeping watch.

Mo Hua, on the other hand, took out a small blanket and wrapped himself tightly, lying down in the cabin to sleep, letting his Divine Sense sink into his Sea of Consciousness, practicing the Formation on the Taoist Stele.

The Dao of Formations emphasizes persevering effort, hence diligence is necessary.

Nothing should interrupt the practice of Formations unless absolutely necessary.

As for safety issues.

In the Second Grade State Border, with two Golden Core Realm Supervisors acting as bodyguards, Mo Hua was quite at ease.

Gu Changhuai and Xia Canonical Official watched the Mistwater River with vigilance, then turned their heads to see Mo Hua curled up in the cabin, sleeping peacefully like a little cat, prompting a sigh from both.

This child truly has a big heart.

In this situation, how is he able to sleep?

Both silently stared at Mo Hua for a moment, then looked up simultaneously and, meeting each other’s eyes, were momentarily stunned, before silently looking away without saying a word.

Thus, Mo Hua practiced Formations all night.

As dawn approached, Mo Hua opened his eyes, neatly folded the small blanket, stored it in the Storage Bag, then took out a jug of fruit wine, and began eating two pieces of jerky.

While eating, he noticed two gazes watching him.

Mo Hua grabbed another handful of jerky, handed it over, and said, ”Uncle Gu, Sister Xia, would you like some?”

”Go ahead and eat...”

Both of them had complex expressions.

”Oh.”

Mo Hua didn’t insist.

Once he finished breakfast on time, the sky had already brightened with the dawn. Sounds came from afar as the water bandits returned.

Their faces were undisguised excitement, with blood on them, unsure whether it was human blood or water demon blood.

Dozens of boats returned laden with loot.

Some carried blood-drenched water demon corpses.

Other boats were heavily laden, packed with gold-encrusted Storage Boxes, seemingly plundered from merchant ships.

Several other boats had fresh corpses, both male and female, piled together like dead fish, purpose unknown.

Xia Canonical Official turned pale, her gaze icy, murder intent flickering in her eyes.

Gu Changhuai glanced at her silently and softly said, ”Don’t act impulsively.”

Xia Canonical Official didn’t respond, but her fingers turned white from gripping tightly.

Thus, under the cover of rivergrass, Mo Hua and the others silently watched the water bandits return to the island.

They seemed somewhat unsatisfied.

”Dawn again, damn it, not yet satisfied.”

”I hardly did anything...”

”Damn Taoist Court dogs, it’ll be good when they’re all dead so we don’t have to hide like this.”

”Or if there were no sun, and all twelve hours were nighttime, there would be nothing to worry about...”

”Damn sun, it’s up again...”

Mo Hua, with equally cold eyes, watched the swaggering water bandits and silently thought:

”Don’t worry, soon you won’t see the morning sun again...”

...

After the water bandits entered the island, Mo Hua and the others waited a while longer, and seeing no movement around, quietly rowed away.

The Little Silver Fish led the way, guiding Mo Hua and the others safely to the shore.

As he stepped onto solid ground, feeling the ”ground beneath his feet,” Mo Hua’s heart inexplicably felt much more at ease.

He turned his head, approached the bank, and waved to the Little Silver Fish by the river, saying:

”Thank you this time, go back early, next time I come to visit, I’ll bring you something tasty.”

The Little Silver Fish cheerfully twirled twice, said ”Goodbye, benefactor,” and transformed into a silver light, swimming into the depths of the Mistwater River, melding with the waves, disappearing without a trace.

Gu Changhuai followed Mo Hua’s gaze, seeing nothing, frowned, and couldn’t help asking:

”Were you talking to the River God? Why does it sound like talking to a ’pet’?”

Mo Hua replied, ”I have a good relationship with the River God. Besides, Uncle Gu, your words are disrespectful to the River God. Be careful next time you’re on a boat; the River God might capsize it.”

Gu Changhuai shook his head, somewhat helpless.

Later, they returned to Qingzhou City and discussed matters in a private room at the Gu Family teahouse.

Since returning, Xia Canonical Official had an unpleasant expression, her gaze icy as she coldly said:

”Not a single bandit cultivator should be spared!”

”And that Water Yama is also deserving of death!”

”I’ll go gather people now and capture these villains within three days!”

Gu Changhuai, having no objections this time, merely reminded her:

”Though your Xia family is a Great Family, here is the Qian Learning State Boundary, and three days may not be enough.”

”And hurriedly gathering people, some may not be reliable...”

Gu Changhuai’s gaze was slightly focused.

Xia Canonical Official replied: ”No problem, leave the manpower to me.”

Seeing her composed demeanor as if confident, Gu Changhuai said no more.

”Also, concerning the Formation...”

Gu Changhuai continued: ”It needs to be discreetly stripped off from the island’s Formation without alerting anyone...”

”Furthermore, preferably set Formations around the island to trap the water bandits. Otherwise, at the time of a mixed battle, the bandits might escape in all directions, and we won’t be able to handle it all, potentially letting some slip through.”

”If other water bandits escape, it’s not too problematic, but if Water Yama escapes, it’ll all be for nothing.”

Xia Canonical Official pondered for a moment, frowning as she said:

”It may not be that simple...”

”I’ve observed the island’s terrain before; it seems barren and crude but contains a layout of the Eight Trigrams. Its embedded Formation is divided into Eight Gates.”

”This Eight Gates, instead of being for defense, is more for escape. As long as the water bandits are on the island, unless completely blocked, there will always be a Life-gate for them to flee.”

”How do you plan to break the Formation or blockade it?” Xia Canonical Official turned to Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai fell silent.

How could he know how to break the Formation or blockade it?

His knowledge system of Tao Cultivation was almost ”insulated” from Formations.

Of course, not entirely ”insulated.” He could still recognize the Formations commonly used by most cultivators and knew some basic principles of Formations.

In the past, he thought he ”knew a little” about Formations.

But that was all in the past.

Gu Changhuai silently glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua accepted Gu Changhuai’s ”plea for help” and nodded, saying:

”Sister Xia, rest assured, leave the Formation matter to me!”