The Quest for Immortality

”Water, Water Prison...”

Mo Hua nodded.

Yu Canghai was taken aback.

Previously, he had a slim hope, guessing that this box might be in Mo Hua’s hands.

But it was merely a guess, he didn’t truly dare to think so.

Yet unexpectedly, this treasured forbidden item, passed down through countless generations of the Water Prison Sect, actually ended up with Mo Hua.

And within the mere time it took to sip a cup of tea, Mo Hua casually and directly mentioned it right in front of him.

Yu Canghai’s heart surged with waves, he clenched his fists, his gaze eager, trembling as he spoke:

”Then...”

Mo Hua shook his head, ”I can’t give it to you now.”

Yu Canghai’s face was filled with deep disappointment, with undeniable reluctance and a hint of anger in his eyes.

But when he raised his head to see Mo Hua’s unfathomably calm gaze, all of Yu Canghai’s anger instantly vanished.

Yu Canghai let out a long sigh, his face ashen. .

Mo Hua said calmly, ”In your heart, you should know that even if I gave this to you, you wouldn’t be able to hold onto it. If the slightest hint leaks out, it could bring death upon you, or even upon Little Shunzi, Little Shuizi, and the entire fishing village. You should have experienced the agony of ’treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime.’”

”However, this is originally something that belongs to the Water Prison Sect,” Mo Hua said, ”I can give it to you, but not now.”

Yu Canghai paused, a glimmer of light appeared in his gloomy eyes.

Mo Hua said, ”The day you reach Feather Transformation, and are qualified to protect this box, I will give it to you.”

Yu Canghai smiled bitterly, ”My aptitude is mediocre, and I’ve harmed my foundation while being pursued. I’m afraid I’ll never touch the edge of Feather Transformation in this lifetime, how dare I have such an extravagant hope?”

”That’s your concern,” Mo Hua said.

Yu Canghai looked bitter and helpless.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, realizing it might be too demanding, then said, ”It’s also acceptable if Little Shunzi and Little Shuizi reach Golden Core. By then, I’ll give the box to you.”

Yu Canghai solemnly nodded, ”Alright.”

Although the Golden Core is difficult, compared to Feather Transformation, it’s already much simpler.

Moreover, nurturing Little Shunzi and Little Shuizi into talents was also his long-cherished wish, and it did not conflict with Mo Hua’s requirement.

The only issue is whether Mo Hua will go back on his word.

Yu Canghai glanced at Mo Hua, pondered for a moment, and sighed in his heart.

Regardless, at least for now, this Young Master Mo’s character is certainly trustworthy.

He has a great debt of gratitude to himself, to the family, and to the Water Prison Sect.

Even if he truly wanted to covet the Water Prison Forbidden Box, he didn’t have to mention this matter at all.

Even if he insisted on not giving it, there would be nothing to say.

With his current reputation and unique position within the Taixu Gate, even forcibly taking it, or secretly finding a way to kill him, the Golden Core Elder, and silencing him, wouldn’t be difficult at all.

But he didn’t secretly kill him, and was honest enough to discuss this matter face-to-face, even promising to return the Forbidden Box in the future.

This had already shown enough respect to him, an elder of a declining sect.

Moreover, it was also a form of ”favor,” and an ”expectation.”

Having understood this, Yu Canghai sighed deeply, felt much more at ease, and grew more grateful.

He stood up, bowed deeply, and solemnly said, ”Thank you, Young Master, for your great kindness and virtue, protecting the Taoist inheritance of the Water Prison Sect.”

Mo Hua saw the earnestness in Elder Yu’s eyes and nodded slightly.

Both logically and emotionally, he didn’t wish for the Taoist inheritance of the Water Prison Sect to be cut off.

Poor as they may be, people always need some hope, whether for the sect’s heritage, one’s own cultivation, or the education of disciples.

After bidding farewell to Elder Yu, since he was visiting the Gui Water Sect, Mo Hua also took the opportunity to see Wang Chen.

Wang Chen was doing quite well now.

Among this batch of Gui Water Sect disciples, Qin Cangliu had the highest talent and strongest cultivation.

But the one with the broadest connections and greatest social success was the seemingly unremarkable disciple, Wang Chen.

This made Mo Hua feel quite emotional.

People really cannot be judged by appearances.

A seemingly ordinary person, given the right opportunity, might display unexpected abilities.

Thinking back to how he and Hao Xuan had put Wang Chen in a sack and beaten him up by the roadside....

Mo Hua felt even more emotional.

Fortunately, Wang Chen didn’t hold these minor grudges in his heart.

On the contrary, if Mo Hua and the others hadn’t beaten him, he might have been ”cleared out” along with other crooked Gui Water Sect disciples during the Rouge Boat incident.

Thus, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

Destiny is really hard to predict.

”Junior Brother...”

In private, like Hao Xuan, Wang Chen also referred to Mo Hua as ”Junior Brother.”

”I walked the path of a Senior Brother in Gui Water Sect, and after graduation, I’ll be assigned to a small place as a Taoist Court official to train for a few years. If I manage to form a core, I’ll be transferred back around the Qian Learning State Boundary, with opportunities for gradual promotion from being a Supervisor... In the future, I don’t know if we’ll meet again...”

Wang Chen cupped his hands sincerely, ”Junior Brother, take care.”

Mo Hua also smiled and cupped his hands, ”I wish you a bright future, until we meet again.”

After parting with Wang Chen, Mo Hua returned to the Taixu Gate, incidentally meeting up with Song Jian, one of the ”traitor duo.”

In the small forest of Refining Demon Mountain.

Song Jian, looking like a thief, wore black clothes and a headscarf, sneaking around to meet Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was slightly speechless, ”Is it necessary to be so cautious?”

”You don’t understand,” Song Jian said, ”I’m in current circumstances, just a step away from becoming ’Big Senior Brother’ among the peers of my disciples. If someone spots me collaborating with you, the ’blood enemy’ of Sever Gold Sect, it’ll be all over; jumping into the Yellow River won’t wash me clean...”

Mo Hua didn’t know what to say.

You, kid, are actually a ”traitor,” how could one wash clean?