The Quest for Immortality

This was Mo Hua’s second visit to Bishan City.

Cliffs hung suspended, with sheer walls rising a thousand ren, and mountain ridges interwoven.

Most of the cave dwellings were built against the steep cliffs, looking both extraordinary and majestic.

But within the city, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Passersby on the streets were all silent, their expressions anxious and solemn.

In the presence of the Taoist Court officials and the entire city’s Cultivators, the Fire Buddha had massacred the entire Xie family of Cultivators.

Turning the Xie residence into a sea of flames, the whole family lineage ceased, eradicating centuries of foundation in an instant.

Many in Bishan City felt a sense of personal danger.

Gu Changhuai’s expression became uglier by the minute, his face iron-blue with anger, almost wishing he could immediately behead the Fire Buddha and his gang of Sin Cultivators and display their heads to the public.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the ruins of the Xie family estate.

A sight of complete desolation greeted their eyes, with nothing but scorched earth left.

Tiles were embedded in the ground outside the Xie family estate, each marked with Formation Patterns that connected end to end, forming a faint, invisible barrier that cordoned off the charred remains of the Xie family estate, forbidding outsider entry.

This was the warning Formation laid by the Taoist Court.

”You stay here and watch,” said Gu Changhuai.

Although Mo Hua disagreed, he had no choice but to peek inside from beyond the barriers of the warning Formation.

With that glance, he noticed some clues.

Though it was entirely blackened, there were still traces of Formation Patterns around the perimeter of the Xie estate.

”Second Grade Golden Earth Gen Mountain Compound Formation...”

Mo Hua muttered to himself.

Hearing the name of this Formation, Gu Changhuai froze in surprise.

Mo Hua continued to look, releasing his Divine Sense, no longer using Tricky Calculation but only employing Calculation to deduce the Spirit Traces left by the Formation Patterns, murmuring softly to himself:

”The perimeter of the Xie family estate...”

”Originally was... a Second Grade Golden Earth Gen Mountain Compound Formation, a defensive formation composed of the Five Elements Gold and Earth and the Eight Trigrams Gen Mountain...”

”But the Patterns have been altered...”

”Only the Golden Series Patterns were changed, the rest were untouched...”

”It’s not that...through the alterations of the Golden Series Patterns, the changes to the Earth Series Formation, the effects have been altered...”

”The Second Grade Golden Earth Gen Mountain Compound Formation, turned into...”

”A Second Grade ’Burial’ Earth Gen Mountain Compound Formation...”

”This Trapping Formation, has buried the entire Xie family within their own home...”

...

The more Gu Changhuai listened, the more horrified he became, his tone becoming grave:

”Who told you this?”

”What?” Mo Hua was slightly startled.

”The matter of the Xie family’s Formation...” Gu Changhuai’s face was serious.

Mo Hua expressed his confusion: ”Do you still need to be told about such things? Can’t you see it at a glance...”

See it at a glance...

Gu Changhuai turned his head to look at the pitch-black scorched earth in front of him.

See it at a glance, my ass?

How could you possibly see it?

It’s pitch-black, all debris, everything is burned, what can you see?

Gu Changhuai found it somewhat unbelievable.

What Mo Hua said, was exactly the same as what the Taoist Court had verified...

The difference was, on the side of the Taoist Court, they had several Second Grade Formation Masters examine the site from morning till night for three full days, and after careful comparison, they only then reconstructed the changes in these Formations from the rubble.

Thus, they knew exactly what had been tampered with regarding the Xie family’s Formation.

But Mo Hua...

He just walked over, took one look...

Even from outside the warning Formation, without entering, he saw everything?

Gu Changhuai’s feelings were complex.

While the evidence was before his eyes, common sense made him refuse to believe such an absurd truth.

”Did you... really figure it out on your own?” Gu Changhuai asked, frowning.

”Of course!” Mo Hua said proudly, ”I am a disciple of Taixu Gate after all!”

Not to mention, he had also learned Formation techniques from Elder Master Xun.

These days, whenever he had Merit Points, he would go to the Merit Pavilion to exchange them for Formation studies, and he had learned countless Second Grade Formations.

With Elder Master Xun’s guidance, along with the profound Formation heritage accumulated by generations of Taixu Gate’s predecessors, Mo Hua’s foundation in Formation techniques was now even firmer than before.

He was now a true Second Grade Formation Master, backed by the real heritage of a Great Sect!

It was just that he had merit without name—it was just a matter of assessment.

Gu Changhuai’s frown deepened.

What does this have to do with Taixu Gate?

Taixu Gate is not a Sect established on Formation techniques, so where could its disciples gain such incredible Formation expertise?

Even a Sect established on Formation principles couldn’t possibly do this!

Besides, you haven’t even been in the Sect for a full year...

How much could you have possibly learned?

Gu Changhuai stared at Mo Hua for a moment, and then with a slight shift in his thoughts, he asked:

”Do you want to go in and have a look?”

Mo Hua was startled, ”Really?”

Gu Changhuai nodded.

Mo Hua was somewhat skeptical.

Uncle Gu... is acting out of character...

Originally, he didn’t allow me to enter the Xie residence to look around.

Now, without me asking, he’s actually allowing me to go in.

But he wasn’t one to reject such an opportunity.

”Alright!” Mo Hua agreed, nodding.

Gu Changhuai pulled out a golden waistplate.

The waistplate, made of pure gold, was elegant and luxurious, far more valuable than the plain bronze waistplate Mo Hua owned.

Mo Hua looked on enviously.

But for now, he could only look.

Holding the gold waistplate, Gu Changhuai lightly traced it over the warning Formation.

A faint, invisible barrier was then opened.

”Let’s go.”

Gu Changhuai took the lead and walked in.

Hesitating for a moment, Mo Hua also stepped forward, following Gu Changhuai through the warning Formation and into the massacred Xie family estate.

The moment his foot touched the ground, stepping on the charred surface where the blood had been burnt dry, a scream suddenly filled his ears.

The voice was extremely harrowing, fraught with boundless pain.

Under the broad daylight, Mo Hua’s vision blurred for a moment.

As if in the darkness of night, a sea of fire suddenly appeared before him.

Within the sea of flames, countless figures could be seen running, struggling, and screaming in agony, like tormented souls suffering in hell.

Executioners with ferocious faces raised their butcher knives, slaughtering, dismembering, reveling in the carnage.

Blades pierced flesh, slit open chests, cut open bellies, and removed blood-drenched organs...

The sea of fire churned as blood mingled with flame.

Faces twisted in cruelty, like demons dancing chaotically.

And those who died miserably looked like livestock sent to slaughte