The Quest for Immortality

Anonymous Magnetic Ink: ”Mo Hua is just Mo Hua. Whether he is at Golden Core or Foundation Establishment stage, it does not affect his insidious and vicious nature. We must remain vigilant and not utter baseless remarks that could disturb the morale of our forces.”

”Our principle is singular: eliminate ’Mo’, safeguard the Dao, Mo Hua must die!”

This statement rekindled the long-lost enthusiasm of the crowd.

”That’s right, eliminate Mo and safeguard the Dao!”

”Mo Hua must die!”

”This Demon Slaying Alliance must not disband, lest the cancer that is Mo Hua resurfaces.”

”Everyone must work together, support each other, and one day, make Mo Hua pay the price, settle the score of the Sword Discussion Conference!”

”Very well!”

...

Thus, the Demon Slaying Alliance, which was on the verge of dissolution, began to rally again, maintained by their ”hatred” towards Mo Hua, and gradually became a ”dark” organization where disciples of Qianxue’s genius connected with and supported each other.

Most people in the Demon Slaying Alliance naturally still hated Mo Hua.

After all, some of Mo Hua’s actions were truly beyond what human beings could do.

Some people had mixed feelings about Mo Hua, with both affection and dislike.

Just because everyone else ”cursed” Mo Hua, wishing to kill him as soon as possible, they ”followed the tide” and joined in the verbal assault against Mo Hua.

A small portion of people did not particularly hate Mo Hua.

Some even, having experienced the Sword Discussion Conference and Blood Sacrifice Array in person, witnessed Mo Hua’s strength and received Mo Hua’s kindness, had ”turned from black to fan,” actually held admiration and respect for Mo Hua in their hearts.

But Mo Hua had already left the Qianxue State Boundary, with no news.

The Demon Slaying Alliance became the only organization related to Mo Hua.

They could only stay in the Demon Slaying Alliance, thinking maybe one day, they could hear news of Mo Hua.

Even if they couldn’t hear any news about Mo Hua, listening to others rant about Mo Hua every day, listing his numerous misdeeds and crimes, at least gave them something to think about.

Meanwhile, outside the Tumo Order, the influence of Mo Hua gradually faded away.

The Taoist Court, even the Central Dao Court, unknown under whose orders, had Mo Hua’s background sealed with the highest level of confidentiality.

Ordinary Court Officials, even those at the regional Taoist Court, had no authority to access the records of Mo Hua.

Taixu Gate also tried to protect Mo Hua as much as possible, refraining from spreading any news about Mo Hua.

Elders and disciples within the sect were instructed by the ancestral master to discuss Mo Hua as little as possible, lest by chance, some causal consequences are revealed.

The name ”Mo Hua” almost became a shadow that all sects and families in the Qianxue State Boundary were reluctant to mention.

Twice the Formation Leader, First Swordsmanship of Qianxue.

This was almost dancing on their faces.

Not to mention, Mo Hua’s external identity was still that of a Loose Cultivator.

A Loose Cultivator, who overtook all of their sect prodigies and aristocratic descendants, was an unbearable insult.

All families and sects wished for everyone to forget the name ”Mo Hua” as soon as possible and were even less likely to broadcast Mo Hua’s accomplishments, allowing Mo Hua to outshine their own sect geniuses and noble descendants.

But to most cultivators, no matter how much Mo Hua’s fame soared, he was merely one among the many geniuses in Qianxue State Boundary.

Qianxue State Boundary has always been a gathering place for talents.

In each Qianxue Debate, there are a few brilliant geniuses, and it is possible for a standout prodigy to emerge.

This time it was Mo Hua, next time it would be someone else.

Geniuses in the world are like the carp crossing the river, no more than that.

People are always forgetful and quick to dismiss the old for the new.

No one promotes it, no one mentions it, the legendary and controversial name of Mo Hua gradually fades from the public’s view.

Cultivators in the Qianxue State Boundary continue their lives and cultivation as usual.

The entire Qianxue State Boundary operates as always...

...

However, a month later, another major event occurred in the Qianxue State Boundary.

The Taoist Court was coming to ”hold accountable”.

The Evil God’s conspiracy, the Blood Sacrifice disaster, cannot be lightly brushed aside by the Taoist Court.

Both openly and secretly, many interests are still being divided and separated.

This ”accountability” is both the Central Dao Court’s first and fairest direct intervention into the internal affairs of Qianxue State Boundary.

Additionally, there is another important matter, dealing with the fate of Qianxue’s Four Talents.

These four top disciples, bloodline prodigies touted by countless people, had succumbed to Demon Thought, a grave scandal indeed.

All forces joined hands to suppress this issue to prevent a negative impact on Qianxue State Boundary’s reputation and the Taoist Court’s prestige.

However, how to deal with these four became quite troublesome.

Bloodline prodigies are rare geniuses.

The Taoist Court and aristocratic families cherish talent and are unwilling to waste their Tao cultivation abilities.

Moreover, these four are not just Qianxue’s prodigies; as core descendants of fifth-grade families, they too have connections to some influential ancestors within the Taoist Court. More or less, they are imbued with the blood of great power, otherwise it would be impossible to awaken their bloodline.

Such esteemed prodigies, even if they make a mistake, no one truly dares to kill them.

Not to mention killing, but even punishing or criticizing requires utmost caution.

Thus, these four can only wait for the Central Dao Court to decide.

Inside the Hall of Debate Mountain.

The high-ranking members of each family and sect in Qianxue gathered, preparing to face the Central Dao Court’s accountability.

This was bound to be an extremely difficult meeting.

Everyone present wore solemn expressions, among them many familiar faces of Mo Hua.

Including the Court Leader and Supervisor of the Taoist Court, Sect Leaders of the Taixu Three Mountains, Four Sects and Eight Gates, Twelve Streams, various Sect Leaders, Elders, and some high-ranking members of great families.

Almost none of the families present were below fifth-grade.

The only exception was the Gu Family.

Even though the Gu Family was not fifth-grade, it was considered a ”quasi-fifth-grade” family, with considerable strength and close relations with the Taoist Court.

At this meeting, the Family Head of the Gu Family, Elder Gu Hong of the Feather Transformation Realm, was also present.

Everyone took their seats in order of family size and status.

Shen Linsu, Ao Zhan, Xiao Wuchen, and Duanmu Qing, these four once renowned Qianxue bloodline prodigies, stood with pale faces below the main hall.

Their Eternal Life Runes shattered, Sea of Consciousness slashed, the four severely injured in vital energy.

More importantly, their Taoist hearts were almost completely destroyed.

However, as supreme geniuses, proud by nature, and coupled with their noble status, feeling secure in their privilege, their faces, though pale, still maintained an arrogant gaze, only that now there was an added sense of coldness and self-abandonment, compared to before.

Especially Duanmu Qing.

Her expression was colder than before, her eyes dull like dead ashes, as if everything around her was rotten wood in her heart.

As time slowly passed in the heavy and stifling atmosphere.

The high-ranking members of each great family and sect whispered amongst themselves in their seats above.

Duanmu Qing and the other three stood below in the hall with indifferent expressions.

After some time, a powerful pressure descended from the sky, the sound of carriages and horses echoed, occasionally accompanied by a deep dragon roar.

This was the dragon horse possessed only by sixth-grade great families.

Following the sound, everyone looked up to see above the clouds, eight golden white dragon horses with dragon scales and robust forms, pulling an immensely dignified and luxurious Nine Heavens Gilded Chariot descending from the sky, landing within the main hall with great pomp and majesty.

The high-ranking members of various families and sects frowned but still rose to pay their respects to the chariot.

The Nine Heavens Gilded Chariot stopped, and high-ranking Taoist Court cultivators with profound cultivation and haughty expressions, dressed in fine clothes, began to alight one by one.

Qianxue’s high-ranking members greeted them one by one, albeit with displeasure in their hearts, still adhering to rituals, covering every aspect meticulously to avoid offending the Taoist Court and stalling the proceedings.

Shen Linsu, Ao Zhan, and Xiao Wuchen ignored them.

Duanmu Qing sneered inwardly, with disdain for such pompous comings and goings of aristocratic families and hypocritical decorum.

She did not even bother to look up until a white figure emerged from the Nine Heavens Gilded Chariot, releasing a soul-stirring aura.

The pupils of all the masters and elders of Qianxue State Boundary’s high-rank families contracted with a jolt.

What was initially a slightly chaotic main hall fell into complete silence in an instant.

Duanmu Qing, startled, looked up instinctively, and in that moment felt as though a flower bloomed in the dark night before her eyes, the whole world seemingly dimming in response.

Her chest tightened suddenly, her bloodline began to boil, her heart igniting like fire, burning so fiercely that her entire body trembled.