The Quest for Immortality

Mo Hua asked, ”The mountain paths ahead are diverging; do you know where they lead?”

The old man sighed, ”To be honest, it’s embarrassing. I’ve lived more than 150 years in this wilderness, yet have never traveled far. As for where these three paths go, I genuinely don’t know. I’ve only heard from passing merchants occasionally...”

The old man gestured with his hand, pointing: ”The path on the left leads to Nanyue; if you keep walking, you’ll reach the Dali Mountain State boundary...”

”The middle path leads to the only Third-Grade State Boundary around here, Canglang State...”

”The right path is a desolate road; all 800 miles are deserted mountains, without a trace of human habitation, very few venture there...”

”These are all things I’ve heard, but the passing merchants all say the same, it’s likely not wrong.”

Mo Hua cupped his hands, ”Thank you, elder.”

Having inquired about the paths, Mo Hua wouldn’t delay any further and stood up to take his leave.

The old man sighed regretfully and said:

”Properly speaking, young sir, given you’ve come from afar, we should offer you some hospitality, like a meal of simple tea and rice. Yet...”

The old man’s face was full of bitterness, ”Yet the countryside here is poor, without much to eat, only some bitter foraged food would fill the belly. If I served them to you, I fear it would bring laughter.”

The cultivators in this rural area are impoverished, yet simple in character.

Mo Hua cupped his hands with a smile and said, ”Elder need not be concerned, the road is long and time is short, I should depart early without further disturbance.”

Mo Hua left the thatched hut, and the old man wobbled to send him off.

Upon reaching the village entrance, they saw several villagers using thorny hedges to build stakes, shielding the village’s outer perimeter.

Mo Hua asked, ”Are these thorn bushes used to fend off monster beasts?”

The old man nodded, ”They fend off some small cat monsters and dog monsters, who come to snatch children, and also guard against mountain bandits.”

”Mountain bandits?”

”Yes, some nefarious bandits come to rob, when they can’t steal goods, they snatch children and women.”

The old man spoke with hatred, then his expression changed slightly, as he said to Mo Hua:

”By the way, young sir, if you take the left or right paths, it’s fine, but if you take the middle path, beware the mountain bandits along the way, they’re not good people...”

Mo Hua nodded, ”I understand.”

He turned his head, glanced at the hedges and thorns at the village entrance, and then at the group of frail and pitiful children. He was moved, and with a gesture, ink trails winded through the air, swiftly sketching several formations onto the ground.

The earth and stones rose, thorns winded around, completely sealing both sides of the village entrance, forming an exceedingly sturdy barrier.

Earth and Wood Gen Mountain Formation.

This scene happened in the blink of an eye.

With a light touch, the formations appeared, the barrier constructed; the villagers in the Qi Refinement Realm watched in awe, as if witnessing a ”miracle.”

The old man’s expression turned shocked, trembling as he said, ”You, this is...”

Mo Hua softly replied, ”I drank a mouthful of your tea, and have no way to repay you, so I drew some formations for you.”

”Formations!” The old man couldn’t believe it, ”Young sir... you’re a Formation Master?”

Mo Hua nodded.

The old man was astonished, exclaiming, ”Incredible, truly incredible.”

In small places, a Formation Master is already esteemed; in these secluded lands with scarce heritage, cultivators skilled in even one or two formations are highly revered.

”Quickly, quickly...” The old man said, ”Call everyone to thank the Formation Master.”

In no time, the villagers gathered, a crowd pressed densely, bowing to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua hurriedly returned the gesture, saying, ”No need for formalities.”

Seeing some children truly starving, he took out several bottles of Fasting Pills from his backup supplies and gave them to them, then didn’t hesitate any longer, readying to depart.

The old man, seeing the direction Mo Hua was heading, hurriedly called out, ”Young sir, young sir, are you planning to take the middle path?”

Mo Hua nodded.

The old man earnestly cautioned him, ”The middle mountain path has bandits, sly and treacherous, you are a Formation Master, with a precious body, alone, don’t take risks.”

Mo Hua smiled calmly, ”It’s alright.”

The old man couldn’t persuade him, only watching helplessly as Mo Hua followed the middle path, vanishing into the dense forest, sighing involuntarily.

Another middle-aged man in cloth robes was staring at Mo Hua’s figure, his brows furrowed, as he spoke to the old man, ”Elder, this young sir seems a bit odd...”

The old man, hearing this, asked puzzled, ”How so odd?”

”I always feel,” The middle-aged man hesitated, ”This young sir seems a bit... not like a human...”

The old man angrily exclaimed, ”Nonsense!”

The middle-aged man looked around, then whispered:

”Truly, Elder, you’ve lived so long, among the passing cultivators, have you ever seen such a boy? With features like jade, glowing white, clearly not a common person.”

”Furthermore, the desolate mountains are dangerous, filled with monster beasts; how could a normal boy dare to venture alone?”

”Also, did you notice when he painted the formations? With just a gesture, formations emerged from thin air. I may know little, but I do know, ordinary Formation Masters don’t draw formations like that. This boy likely... isn’t ’human’...”

The old man, hearing this, was stunned, his brows furrowing deeply.

Upon considering it, it seemed somewhat sensible.

If not human, then what could he be...

The old man recalled Mo Hua’s features—dark like ink, skin white like jade, eyes clear black and white—truly possessing the traits of an Immortal...

With this thought, the old man shivered and said, ”Do you remember the legend across Big Black Mountain?”

The middle-aged man paused in confusion, ”You mean...”

The old man nodded, ”Legend tells of a Tongxian City across Big Black Mountain, within it an immortal child, surnamed Mo, named Hua. Since childhood, gifted beyond compare, his formations were extraordinary, and even at a young age, established a Large Formation to slay a Big Demon.”