The Quest for Immortality

Xun Zixian, speaking casually, suddenly paused and couldn’t help glancing at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua’s deeds, he had heard of them often.

Fire Buddha, Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, Rouge Boat, Dragon King Temple... and the Solitary Mountain tomb...

Each one here is a ”killing formation,” a moment of life and death.

These dangerous events, Mo Hua muddled through from beginning to end without fail, and still managed to come out unscathed, truly a bit unbelievable.

The most unbelievable thing is, after experiencing so many things, he remains innocent-looking, with clear eyes, mingling among the crowd, genuinely like an ordinary disciple ”unfamiliar with the world.”

A hungry wolf, disguised in sheep’s clothing, blending among the flock, looking even more ”harmless” than the surrounding sheep...

Xun Zixian sighed lightly and changed his wording:

”Most of you haven’t experienced such killing formations, making snap decisions under these circumstances is too difficult for you.”

”Therefore, it was decided six hours in advance for the competition format.”

”These six hours serve as a buffer period for you to discuss, decide, and prepare for the sword discussion.”

”But you must know, once you leave the sect in the future and enter the cultivation world, many dangers occur in a split second, leaving no ample time for you to think and react.”

”Sword discussion is both a competition and a form of tempering...”

”Yes, Elder!”

The disciples solemnly responded.

Thereafter, Xun Zixian instructed on some precautions and let everyone prepare on their own.

Though he said he let everyone prepare on their own, it was actually to leave time for Mo Hua.

Mo Hua gathered the Junior Brothers participating in the ”Xuan” character sword discussion in the small grove, as per usual, instructing them on some tactics and formation allocations.

But what he could do was limited to this.

What needed to be instructed was already instructed long ago.

What needed training has been thoroughly practiced.

Spiritual artifacts and formations have all been equipped.

At the time of battle, Mo Hua can’t command, during the ”Xuan” character match, it mainly depends on these disciples’ own performance on the spot.

After Mo Hua gave his instructions, there was still some time left, so he let the disciples go to the training grounds, and practice on their own.

Mo Hua also took Linghu Xiao and others to practice Taoist skills on the side, considering the upcoming sword discussion, contemplating what skills to showcase to everyone...

Meanwhile, on the high platform, the Sect Leaders of Taixu, Tai’a, and Chongxu gathered together, watching the diligent training of the disciples, feeling gratified yet overshadowed by a layer of gloom in their hearts.

”The Yellow Character Bureau has ended, the good days are over...”

The Tai’a Sect Leader sighed gently.

Though the Sect Leaders of Taixu and Chongxu said nothing, they secretly nodded in agreement.

Things that others can see, these Sect Leaders naturally understand as well.

The title of ”Sword Discussion First,” to these Sect Leaders, is as enticing as an Immortal Pill or Spiritual Treasure.

Having tasted the flavor of being first, indeed it’s hard to let go.

Even though they clearly know, this first place is only temporary, only ”borrowed,” and eventually it must be returned.

But when it truly comes time to ”return,” the feeling inside is still quite unpleasant.

People truly are greedy...

Even the usually self-cultivating Taixu Sect Leader struggles to remain calm after experiencing this ”fame and fortune.”

In the face of real interests, even the most indifferent person finds it hard to stay calm.

If one remains calm, it’s because the interest is not large enough.

”Ahead lies fierce battles, these kids have a tough task...”

”Indeed...”

”It starts tomorrow...”

The Xuan Character Sword Discussion begins.

Taixu Gate’s sword discussion ranking is finally about to start slipping down step by step.

Like a dull knife cutting flesh, the fat they had accumulated is getting sliced off piece by piece.

The three Sect Leaders drank tea silently.

...

The next day, the Xuan Character Sword Discussion officially began.

The participating disciples were informed of the competition modes before the match, and the majority followed the Yellow Character Bureau’s ”chaotic battle” format.

Only a few drew the ”siege,” ”defense,” ”decapitation” types of formats.

Clearly, entering the Xuan Character Bureau won’t see any drastic changes yet.

The evolution of the sword discussion format still follows a gradual process to allow disciples to adapt slowly.

On the first day of the Xuan Character Sword Discussion, Mo Hua still didn’t need to participate.

He will only be scheduled for a match with the Twelve Streams on the second day.

Therefore, on the first day, he mainly attended to observe, to see how the Junior Brothers of Taixu Gate fared.

On the enormous Fangtian painter’s shadow, each sword discussion was thrilling.

The geniuses from various sects began earnest battles.

The situation for Taixu Gate, as expected, began to turn grim.

Though the Taoist Soldier formations, spiritual artifacts, and formations can indeed strengthen the lower-level cultivators, this ”strengthening” is ultimately limited.

Moreover, the Taixu Gate disciples have limited training time, it’s impossible to truly surpass the limitations of cultivation and Taoist skill grade, to win against the geniuses of various sects.

Especially as opponents in the Xuan Character Sword Discussion are mostly from the Twelve Streams, and partly from the Eight Great Gates, beating them is not so easy.

Most Taixu Gate disciples have fallen into hard battles.

The battle was extremely fierce, requiring multiple tug-of-wars and expenditures, winning each match became increasingly difficult.

In the Xuan Character Sword Discussion, every victory adds ten victory points.

This means, winning one Xuan character match equates to winning ten yellow character matches.

Thus, in this ebb and flow, Taixu Gate’s ranking ceased its upward trend and the gap with the second ”Heavenly Sword Sect” was closing bit by bit.