The Quest for Immortality

Xia Canonical Official nodded.

She never expected that these formations were drawn by Mo Hua alone in such a short time.

The formations and spiritual artifacts were all ready, and Xia Canonical Official’s personnel were also assembled.

Everything was prepared, and three days later, under the cover of night, the group set off towards the Mistwater River.

Naturally, Mo Hua followed along.

Xia Canonical Official was reluctant to bring Mo Hua, ”This time we are engaging in mixed battles with the river bandits; it’s quite dangerous, you’d better not follow us.”

”If I don’t follow, who will guide you?” Mo Hua asked.

”This...” Xia Canonical Official hesitated for a moment, and then asked with uncertainty, ”That Little River God? Can it guide us?”

”You can’t see it, can you?” Mo Hua replied, ”If you can’t see it, how will it guide you?”

Xia Canonical Official had no response.

Although she roughly remembered the route at that time, with the battle imminent, she couldn’t afford any oversight, and relying solely on her memory wasn’t very reliable.

”Fine, you can come, but be careful of your own safety,” Xia Canonical Official compromised.

”Alright! Sister Xia, don’t worry,” Mo Hua replied.

He had made full preparations; unless something unexpected happened, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Gu Changhuai, who stood aside, also didn’t say anything.

He and Mo Hua were considered ”old acquaintances,” knowing Mo Hua’s disposition; once this kid wants to do something, he won’t stop until he achieves his goal, so there’s no point in trying to dissuade him.

As for Mo Hua’s safety...

Gu Changhuai still vividly remembered how the Fire Buddha ended up dead.

Once everything was in place, the group traveled through the night, arriving at a desolate ferry by the Mistwater River.

Before long, teams of cultivators arrived one after another.

They wore black clothes and masks, blending into the darkness, their steps steady, and after reaching the ferry in separate batches, they saluted Xia Canonical Official.

These were cultivators from the Xia family.

To conceal their movements, they didn’t act all at once but scattered first, gathering at the ferry after nightfall in separate groups.

After a while, a considerable number of cultivators had gathered nearby.

There were roughly over three hundred of them.

About two hundred of them belonged to the Xia family.

The remaining under a hundred were from the Gu family.

Without exception, these individuals possessed water attribute spiritual roots and were skilled in water nature skills and Taoist skills, possessing a certain command of water.

Finding people wasn’t difficult, but specifically selecting cultivators with water spirit roots and some mastery over water was quite challenging.

Within the Gu family, there were only about eighty cultivators who met the standards for Foundation Building.

The others either didn’t meet the criteria or had other tasks to attend to, so they couldn’t come.

The Xia family was much stronger in this regard.

Despite being in the Qian Learning State Boundary, the Xia family leveraged their network and managed to assemble over two hundred people, all of whom had impressive cultivation levels and rich experience.

”Three hundred plus, should be enough...”

Mo Hua silently thought.

However, Xia Canonical Official remained impassive, seemingly still waiting for something.

Mo Hua was puzzled, ”Sister Xia, are more people coming?”

Initially, Xia Canonical Official didn’t want Mo Hua to call her ”sister,” but having heard it often from him, she had grown used to it and didn’t care about the address anymore.

She nodded, ”More people are coming.”

Mo Hua frowned, somewhat confused.

Who else would come?

But since Xia Canonical Official wasn’t saying, he could only wait silently, and after a while, shadows moved in the darkness, and another group of cultivators arrived.

This group of cultivators held their breath, traveling through the night directly towards the ferry.

Xia Canonical Official maintained her composure, evidently expecting this.

Once the leader reached the ferry, he removed his mask, revealing his face, and bowed to Xia Canonical Official, ”Greetings, Xia Canonical Official.”

This person was very young, at Foundation Establishment Peak level.

Mo Hua glanced at him and abruptly widened his eyes.

This person was...

Xiao Tianquan?!

The direct lineage Heavenly Pride of the Xiao family, working in the Taoist Court, known as Howling Celestial Dog!

Mo Hua’s thoughts momentarily jumbled.

”How could it be Xiao Tianquan? Did he betray the Xiao family? No, that’s not it...”

Mo Hua examined the people behind Xiao Tianquan, noticing their demeanor and every movement bore the distinct style of the Taoist Court.

These people were all Enforcement Leaders from the Xiao family.

Mo Hua’s eyelids twitched, and he couldn’t help but glance at Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai furrowed his brow, his gaze heavy, evidently as surprised as Mo Hua to find that these reinforcements were from the Xiao family.

Yet, Xia Canonical Official nodded faintly, asking, ”Is everyone here?”

Xiao Tianquan respectfully replied, ”Reporting to the Canonical Official, all 112 from the Xiao family are present, awaiting your orders.”

”Good,” Xia Canonical Official nodded, ”You all know the plan. Later, we shall embark on boats and follow me to the depths of the Mistwater River to encircle and eradicate the river bandits and eliminate this scourge.”

Xiao Tianquan cupped his hands and said, ”Understood!”

He then lifted his head, casting a sharp glance at Gu Changhuai, but said nothing, turning instead to convey orders to the cultivators of the Xiao family.

Gu Changhuai kept a stern face, remaining silent.

Afterward, everyone embarked; the Xia family’s cultivators placed over thirty spirit boats into the water.

Then, according to plan, everyone boarded the boats methodically.

Xia Canonical Official took the lead on the foremost boat, with Gu Changhuai alongside her.

Mo Hua needed to guide the way, so he was on this boat as well.

As for Xiao Tianquan, who also seemed eager to board the same boat as Xia Canonical Official,

Xia Canonical Official hesitated for a moment, then said:

”Xiao Zhisi, may we trouble you to lead your people at the rear.”

Xiao Tianquan nodded perceptively, cupping his hands and replying ”Yes,” before moving to the rear boats.

With everyone on board, over thirty spirit boats silently embarked under the veil of night.

Mo Hua led the way in the front.

All the other cultivators followed behind.

The night was quiet, the water calm, with only the gentle sound of flowing water accompanying the journey forward.

In the midst of this silence, as they reached the midway point, Gu Changhuai finally couldn’t hold back and asked Xia Canonical Official:

”How is it the Xiao family?”

His voice was low, tinged with confusion and a hint of inquiry.

Mo Hua immediately perked up his ears.

”What about the Xiao family?”

Xia Canonical Official’s tone was calm, nonchalant.

Gu Changhuai frowned, ”Do you seriously not know?”

The Gui Water Sect and the Xiao family had long been bound together, like locusts on the same rope.

Xia Canonical Official paused for a moment, clearly having words she couldn’t speak.

But looking into Gu Changhuai’s clear and questioning eyes, she contemplated for a while, ultimately choosing to speak softly:

”The Xiao family has already defected to our Xia family...”

”This whole affair began with the Xiao family secretly reporting the many misdeeds of the Gui Water Sect to my uncle, which led the Taoist Court to investigate the Gui Water Sect.”

Gu Changhuai’s eyes trembled.

Mo Hua, eavesdropping from the front, also inhaled sharply.

Good heavens, this mole from the Xiao family turned their back.

Previously, they were whispering sweet nothings with Gui Water Sect, only to stab them in the back...