The Quest for Immortality

In her heart, Mo Hua was still just a child.

Now, at such an important event like the Sword Tournament, there wasn’t a single family member by his side.

Wenren Wan handed a flag-shaped Jade Pendant to Mo Hua, symbolizing ”victory at the outset”, and then said gently:

”Tomorrow, Yu Er and I will come to watch your sword discussion.”

She was a little expectant about Mo Hua’s performance in his first Sword Tournament. .

Yu Er also looked excited, ”Brother Mo, good luck!”

Mo Hua’s expression was somewhat subtle, he really wanted to say, actually, there’s no need to have such high expectations for me.

But looking at the eager eyes of Aunt Wan and Yu Er, he couldn’t bring himself to say it, and could only smile and say:

”Thank you, Aunt Wan, I will do my best.”

Wenren Wan nodded with a smile, and added, ”Changhuai will also come to watch.”

Mo Hua was a little surprised, ”Isn’t the Court Official busy?”

”The Sword Discussion Conference is a major event, gathering cultivators from all over the Nine States, the scene is too big. The Taoist Court’s primary duty is to maintain the peace of Mount of Tao, ensuring that no major incidents occur during the Sword Discussion Conference...”

”This is official business, so Changhuai will also be there.”

Wenren Wan explained.

”I see...” Mo Hua nodded.

Wenren Wan said some more encouraging and blessing words and told Mo Hua not to be nervous, and then left.

Mo Hua didn’t feel there was anything to be nervous about.

He still cultivated as usual, read books, and when it was midnight, his divine sense submerged into the sea of consciousness, practicing formations for the whole night.

The next day, getting up with the rising sun, Mo Hua was full of vitality.

After tidying up briefly, Mo Hua set off, heading to the Mount of Tao with his fellow disciples to attend his first Sword Tournament.

Along the way, Linghu Xiao was aloof, and Ouyang Xuan looked grim.

Situ Jian remained as calm as ever, while Cheng Mo was filled with excited anticipation.

The five of them arrived at the Mount of Tao together.

Then came the routine process of participating in the sword discussion.

They entered the preparation room, selecting spiritual artifacts, pills, runes, and formations, and then elders from the Mount of Tao issued the ”Dao Discussion Jade”.

This ”Dao Discussion Jade” is integrated with the fifth-grade large formation of the Mount of Tao, acting as a ”trigger” to activate the Void Power.

For the disciples, it was both an ”amulet” and a ”life charm”.

If the jade is intact, so is the person; if the jade breaks, the person fails.

Before issuing the Dao Discussion Jade, the elders had to first assess the disciple’s physical body and blood qi to set the ”injury threshold” of the Dao Discussion Jade.

Everyone else was fine, but when it came to Mo Hua, the elders found themselves in a bit of a dilemma.

”I’ve been an elder for so many years, overseeing so many Sword Discussion Conferences, I’ve never seen a disciple like this...”

”Truly... unbelievable.”

”How can his blood qi be so weak?”

”It’s truly an eye-opener...”

Mo Hua’s face turned dark.

The elders, not noticing his mood, continued whispering amongst themselves:

”With such qualifications, Taixu Gate still accepts him, truly... unconventional...”

”I can’t comprehend how he’ll participate in the Sword Tournament...”

”Indeed, so delicate and soft, paper-thin skin, one sword strike and he might not survive...”

”The Dao Discussion Jade too, would shatter at a touch.”

”How can one discuss swords like this?”

A group of elders frowned, worrying over Mo Hua.

An elder, unable to watch any longer, suggested kindly, ”How about we add a bit more ’health’ to his Dao Discussion Jade?”

”Add it then...”

”Isn’t that against the rules?”

”Indeed, even if you add a little, it’s still a drop in the ocean, the kid’s jade would still shatter at a touch...”

”Add a little bit, he’s so weak, I really can’t watch anymore...”

Mo Hua: ”...”

After some discussion, in the end, Mo Hua received a Dao Discussion Jade with slightly increased ”health”.

Because it was ”notarized” by a group of elders, it wasn’t considered cheating.

Mo Hua felt complicated.

These elders, though they’ve been badmouthing him for a while, genuinely had good intentions...

Of course, despite saying it was slightly enhanced, it wasn’t by much, his Dao Discussion Jade was still very weak.

Others’ Dao Discussion Jades glowed brightly.

Mo Hua’s only emitted a faint blue glow.

One glance, and the difference was clear.

Mo Hua didn’t mind, after that he applied the Dao Discussion Jade to his forehead, instantly a shimmer of light trembled, the void power protecting him.

Mo Hua’s delicate and keen divine sense could feel the power of formations flowing in the void, seemingly real yet illusory, ethereal but profoundly vast.

”So this is... the fifth-grade Void Power...”

Mo Hua’s heart was shaken.

It’s just a pity, his realm was really too far away.

Otherwise, under such circumstances, he could even reverse-engineer part of the formation patterns of this large void formation using Heavenly secret Calculation.

Mo Hua lamented in his heart.

Afterward, he patiently waited with Linghu Xiao and the others, waiting for the right hour to get onstage for the sword discussion.

Meanwhile, outside the field.

What Mo Hua didn’t know was that many cultivators were waiting for him.

In the vast crowd, whether openly or covertly, countless pairs of eyes were focused on the illusory screens, waiting for Mo Hua to appear.

Among these people, there were many friends and relatives.

Like Wenren Wan, Yu Er, Hua Qianqian from Hundred Flower Valley, Murong Caiyun, the graduate disciple of Taixu Gate, Shangguan Xu, and so on...

There were also many high-level figures from aristocratic families and sects.

Including those who had interactions with Mo Hua, the family head and elders of the Gu family, the elders of the Shangguan family and the Wenren family, as well as some high-ranking figures from families and sects who had never met Mo Hua.

In the dark corners, there were also cold, sinister eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of Mo Hua.

And many cultivators from all over the Nine States, including sect disciples who hadn’t met Mo Hua before, were also waiting for Mo Hua to appear.

They came to the Qianxue State Boundary, living and traveling, visiting Taoist Friends, more or less, they all have heard Mo Hua’s name.

Therefore, many wanted to see in person what the legendary ”Formation Leader” looked like.

Of course, not everyone had heard of Mo Hua.

In the outer field of the Mount of Tao, occasionally someone would ask:

”Who is Mo Hua?”

At this point, an informed person would recite a long list of titles:

The Taixu Sect’s formation demon, an extraordinary divine sense, with a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, overpowering formation geniuses from the Four Great Sects and Eight Gates and Twelve Streams, a divine sense exceeding the third rank, crafting Nineteen Patterns Peak formations, painting through the formation competition question bank, seizing first place in the formation competition, becoming the Qianxue Array Dao Leader, a legendary formation monster, a nearly impossible existence, a demon among demons...

This string of titles was so long and exaggerated that many visiting cultivators frowned when they heard it.

Their first reaction was:

”Is this how you guys from the Qianxue State Boundary boast?”

”Can you be more realistic?”

”Let’s be honest with each other.”

”We cultivators coming from other places might not be ’experienced’, but we certainly aren’t ’unaware’...”

Some were skeptical, curiously asking:

”What exactly does this Formation Leader named ’Mo Hua’ look like?”

This led to more comments:

”I’ve heard he’s not very tall, extremely eccentric in temperament.”

”Very gloomy, like a ’ghost’.”

”To learn formations to such an extent, he must be either a lunatic or ’abnormal’...”

”I’ve inquired, he’s said to be ’abnormal’...”

”My cousin’s cousin’s uncle’s third son’s cousin is a disciple of Sever Gold Sect, he said Mo Hua from the Taixu Gate is extremely despicable, doing things without any scruples or principles, having once stripped a senior brother from Sever Gold Sect bare and hung him on a tree, even drawing turtles on him...”

”Drawing turtles?! How vicious...”

”Indeed, very vicious.”

”And, I’ve heard he’s the illegitimate son of the Taixu Sect Master, hence especially arrogant and is a total dandy...”

”That’s not correct, I can confirm he’s not the sect master’s illegitimate child, but the direct grandson of the Taixu elder! In the sect, he’s lawless, freely doing whatever he wants, and no one dares to manage him.”

”Even the True Transmission Elder has to personally serve him tea...”

”Outrageous? Truly against the natural order...”

”Moreover, I’ve heard he has a chaotic private life, even involved with the legitimate daughters of Sixth Grade Great Family of the Taoist Court...”

...

In the audience, a group of people passionately debated, each holding their own views, causing a lively commotion.

And under such anticipation, on the illusory screens, the image was hazy for a moment before finally revealing the figure of Mo Hua.