The Quest for Immortality

”I wonder what kind of benefits we’ll reap this time.”

Mo Hua was quite curious, but since Zhang Lan had made up his mind not to say anything, there was no point in asking.

Mo Hua then asked, ”Is that bald man really powerful?”

Zhang Lan shook his head, ”The bald man has committed many crimes, but his cultivation is not that strong, just slightly better than an average criminal cultivator.”

”Then how did he become the leader?”

”He has good movement techniques, runs fast, and has lived long.”

Mo Hua understood; he had survived long enough to gain seniority.

Then he asked, ”What movement technique does that bald man practice?”

Previously, when the bald man was surrounded, he managed to escape from hundreds of demon hunters, which showed his extraordinary movement skills.

Zhang Lan said, ”He has Wind spiritual roots and practices a technique called ’Gale Technique.’ This movement technique isn’t good for combat, but it’s extremely fast, perfect for escaping.”

Mo Hua was intrigued but regretted that he couldn’t learn it since he didn’t have Wind spiritual roots.

The five elements include Water but not Wind, so while he could learn concealment techniques, they wouldn’t be very effective. But Wind-based movement techniques were entirely out of reach.

The name ’Gale Technique’ itself indicated its swiftness.

Mo Hua wondered if his Water Prison Technique could trap this bald man.

He pondered silently and then said, ”Tell me, how can I help?”

”Didn’t you set up that... Sima Compass Composite Array in the inner mountain?”

Zhang Lan mentioned this, internally lamenting how complicated this array was. It was impressive that Mo Hua could actually draw it out.

He continued, ”At the time, we’ll use the array to assist the Dao Court in capturing the bald man.”

”No problem.” Mo Hua nodded, then asked, ”And then?”

”That’s it.”

”That simple?”

”That simple.” Zhang Lan took a leisurely sip of his wine, ”If it were complicated or dangerous, I wouldn’t have asked you to do it.”

There were no Foundation Building cultivators among the criminal cultivators; the bald man was the leader, accompanied by some other criminals. Mo Hua couldn’t defeat them, but he could certainly escape.

Moreover, just using the array to locate them was a trivial task, merely time-consuming.

Mo Hua was puzzled, ”Why not ask Elder Yu? Normally, demon hunting matters are handled by him. Besides, I gave a set of the array to both my father and Uncle Yu.”

”The Director went to ask Elder Yu, and Elder Yu said we should find you.” Zhang Lan said.

”Elder Yu said that?” Mo Hua was surprised.

Zhang Lan raised an eyebrow, ”Elder Yu wants you to do a favor for the Dao Court so that in the future, if anything happens, as long as it’s not too serious, the Dao Court will protect you.”

”And this isn’t dangerous; otherwise, Elder Yu wouldn’t have agreed to let you take the risk.”

Zhang Lan thought for a moment and couldn’t help but say, ”Elder Yu treats you very well.”

”Naturally!” Mo Hua laughed.

Zhang Lan shook his head and then reminded him, ”In a few days, people from Qingxuan City’s Dao Court will come, and we’ll enter the mountain together.”

”A few days later? By then, even if Kong Sheng wasn’t dead, he’d be close to it, right?” Mo Hua said.

”Isn’t that perfect?” Zhang Lan laughed.

Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, then also laughed, ”Indeed.”

A few days later would be fine. Once Kong Sheng was dealt with, they could capture the bald man, removing two threats and bringing peace to Dahei Mountain.

Zhang Lan chatted with Mo Hua about other things, and after finishing their meal and drinks, he left.

After taking a few steps, Zhang Lan turned around and quietly reminded Mo Hua:

”Don’t mention that matter to anyone.”

Mo Hua was confused for a moment, ”That matter? Which matter?”

”The Passing Water Step.”

”Oh.” Mo Hua remembered and said, ”Don’t worry, if you hadn’t reminded me, I almost forgot. I’ll say it wasn’t you who taught me.”

”That’s good.”

Zhang Lan nodded, feeling a bit uneasy, ”Just keep it in mind and don’t really forget.”

The Passing Water Step was, after all, a unique skill of the Zhang family and shouldn’t be forgotten...

A few days later, as Zhang Lan had said, people from Qingxuan City’s Dao Court arrived.

Mo Hua accompanied Zhang Lan to meet the cultivators from Qingxuan City.

Leading the group was a thin, gloomy-looking middle-aged cultivator with a greedy gaze, named Lu Hui, who was at the ninth level of Qi Refining and held a position equivalent to Zhang Lan.

The other three were also late-stage Qi Refining, one at the seventh level and two at the eighth level, holding slightly lower positions as enforcers in Qingxuan City.

Zhang Lan exchanged polite but insincere greetings with Lu Hui, while Mo Hua remained silent, not wanting to engage with such people.

Lu Hui, with a fake smile, complimented Zhang Lan a few times before expressing his desire to meet Ji Qingbai.

Zhang Lan didn’t refuse, curious about Lu Hui’s intentions.

Zhang Lan had Ji Qingbai summoned to the Dao Court, and Lu Hui bluntly asked Ji Qingbai to accompany him into the mountains to rescue Kong Sheng, the young master of the Kong family.

Ji Qingbai frowned and said, ”Director Lu, what do you mean by this?”

What did Kong Sheng’s life or death have to do with him?

Lu Hui feigned concern, ”Brother Ji, you cannot shirk responsibility for Kong Sheng’s disappearance...”

Ji Qingbai’s gaze turned cold.

Lu Hui continued, ”Previously in Qingxuan City, you and your father injured Kong Sheng for no reason and then fled. Kong Sheng, in his anger, went into Dahei Mountain seeking justice and met with misfortune, his fate now unknown.”

”You must save him; it’s the only reasonable thing to do.”

Ji Qingbai was angered, ”Lu Hui, don’t falsely accuse me. It was Kong Sheng who went too far!”

Lu Hui sighed, ”There are witnesses, Brother Ji, from the locals and Kong family’s followers. They all testify that you attacked Kong Sheng without cause. Your words alone cannot clear you.”

This was clearly a setup.

Zhang Lan frowned, and Mo Hua was also upset.

Ji Qingbai sneered, ”Your Dao Court in Qingxuan City has truly become the Kong family’s lapdogs?”

Lu Hui’s expression darkened, ”Brother Ji, you’re slandering the Dao Court of Qingxuan City.”

Ji Qingbai snorted, saying nothing.

Lu Hui then sternly said, ”I also heard that Kong Sheng’s disappearance was due to your collusion with local cultivators. Seeing it now, it’s not impossible...”

”You!” Ji Qingbai was furious.

Zhang Lan frowned, ”Director Lu, are you implying that our Tongxian City is lax in law, with cultivators conspiring to murder Kong Sheng?”

Lu Hui cupped his hands, ”Director Zhang, please don’t misunderstand; it’s just rumors.”

Zhang Lan’s gaze turned cold, ”Without evidence, please be careful with your words!”

Lu Hui smiled indifferently, then said:

”Whether these rumors are true or not depends on Brother Ji’s actions...”

”If Brother Ji helps rescue Kong Sheng, these rumors will naturally be dispelled, and the Kong family will forgive your offense. Otherwise, the Kong family won’t let you and your father off.”

Lu Hui looked at Ji Qingbai with a sinister glint in his eyes, ”What do you say, Brother Ji?”

Ji Qingbai’s expression changed.

He had already fled to Tongxian City, yet the Kong family and their lackeys still wouldn’t leave him alone. He just wanted to live peacefully.

Ji Qingbai had no choice but to sigh, ”I’ll do as Director Lu says.”

”Good! Then we’ll enter the mountain tomorrow.”

Lu Hui nodded, a sinister look in his eyes.

After Lu Hui left, Ji Qingbai looked worried.

Mo Hua asked, ”Uncle Ji, this Lu Hui is not a good person, right?”

Ji Qingbai smiled bitterly, ”You can tell?”

Mo Hua nodded, ”He’s like a snake, sinister and always sticking out his tongue, as if he’s tasting the air.”

Ji Qingbai sighed, ”Lu Hui is greedy, ruthless, and most loyal to the Kong family.”

”Has he done many bad things?”

”When the Kong family commits crimes, it’s Lu Hui who covers it up, using threats, bribes, or coercion.”

Ji Qingbai’s expression turned somber as he slowly said:

”Two years ago, Kong Sheng ruined a girl around fourteen or fifteen. She was so humiliated that she took her own life.”

”Her father went to the Dao Court to seek justice, but Lu Hui imprisoned him, tortured him for a few days, and then released him. He was too scared to speak up again and eventually took his own life, feeling he had failed his daughter...”

”This incident caused quite a stir but was eventually covered up.”

Mo Hua felt a chill, turned to Zhang Lan, and asked:

”Doesn’t anyone control such actions?”

Zhang Lan also felt angry but could only sigh, ”We can’t control it. The local forces are intertwined, and it’s hard to root out the corruption.”

Mo Hua said, ”The Dao Court should have a supervisory body, right?”

Zhang Lan was surprised, ”How do you know?”

”I guessed.” Mo Hua said.

The Dao Court couldn’t possibly grant power to local Dao Courts without supervision, or there would be no one to control them if they acted lawlessly.

Zhang Lan nodded, ”Indeed, the Dao Court

has a Supervisory Division to oversee the local Dao Courts’ adherence to Dao Law. But they act secretly and are limited in number, unable to cover everything.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, ”Uncle Zhang, you’re from a prominent family, right?”

Zhang Lan felt uneasy, ”What are you planning?”

”Can you report this to the Supervisory Division?”

Zhang Lan was helpless, ”It’s not that easy. The Nine Regions are vast, and the Zhang family’s influence isn’t everywhere. The Supervisory Division might not even handle it.”

”Give it a try.”

Zhang Lan sighed, ”Alright, I’ll send a message back and see. But don’t get your hopes up too high. Local powers are deeply entrenched, and it’s hard to eradicate the corruption.”

”Even weeding out some would be good.” Mo Hua smiled, ”Thank you, Uncle Zhang.”

Ji Qingbai also looked excited and bowed, ”Thank you, Director Zhang!”

Zhang Lan waved his hand, ”It’s my duty. There won’t be any news on this for a while, so let’s focus on catching those criminals and finding Kong Sheng, dead or alive...”

”And be wary of Lu Hui; he’s very cunning.”

Mo Hua nodded, ”Got it.”

Lu Hui, huh...

Mo Hua silently remembered his name.

Daring to cause trouble in Tongxian City, he shouldn’t think about leaving easily.