The Quest for Immortality

”Just keep channeling Li Fire Sword Qi and strike that Taoist Puppet,” Mo Hua said to Situ Jian.

”That simple?” Situ Jian asked.

”Yes,” Mo Hua nodded. ”It’s that simple.”

Situ Jian didn’t ask further about what exactly Mo Hua wanted to do, because past experiences had proven that his Junior Brother always had deeper intentions behind his actions.

If it involved formations, even if Mo Hua explained, Situ Jian probably wouldn’t understand.

”Alright!” Situ Jian agreed decisively.

After that, in front of Mo Hua, he summoned the Li Fire Sword and activated the Li Fire Sword Qi, slashing at the Taoist Puppet one strike after another.

Mo Hua sat cross-legged nearby, his eyes dark and filled with focus. Lines of Heavenly secret Patterns surfaced in his gaze as he used the Tricky Calculation to enhance the Heavenly secret Calculation, beginning his deductions of Situ Jian’s Li Fire Sword Qi.

Li Fire Sword Qi was a fire-elemental Sword Qi, engulfed in blazing flames, radiating scarlet light.

At first glance, it merely appeared as a scorching form of Sword Qi.

Mo Hua then activated his Divine Sense, and double images appeared in his eyes. He continuously attempted to use the Heavenly secret Calculation to deduce the deeper energies within.

The intense scrutiny from Mo Hua made Situ Jian feel a chill in his heart as he slashed again and again with his sword.

Although he didn’t know what Mo Hua was attempting, he felt like his Sword Qi was being gradually laid bare...

Situ Jian was alarmed.

How... How is this possible?

Mo Hua isn’t even a Sword Cultivator. How could he understand Sword Qi just by observing it casually?

”It must be an illusion...”

Situ Jian felt uneasy, but since he had already agreed to help Mo Hua, he didn’t want to back out halfway. With a tinge of reluctance, he pressed on, striking the puppet one sword strike after another.

He didn’t know how long he kept at it, and just as the unease in his heart peaked, Mo Hua suddenly spoke:

”Alright.”

Situ Jian stopped and turned around to find Mo Hua’s expression was notably disappointed.

He hadn’t deduced it...

Mo Hua let out a sigh.

After a brief silence, Situ Jian couldn’t help but ask:

”Junior Brother, what are you trying to do...?”

Mo Hua replied, ”I’m researching Sword Qi to better deal with the Sever Gold Sect.”

Situ Jian let out a slight sigh of relief, though inwardly he still didn’t understand why Mo Hua needed to study his Li Fire Sword Qi to deal with Sever Gold Sect.

Besides, can anything really be discerned just by looking like this?

Situ Jian’s expression was filled with doubt.

Mo Hua, however, fell into silent contemplation.

Using Sword Qi to deduce the sword array hidden within the Spirit Sword—this idea was feasible.

He could indeed calculate a bit, but it was extremely difficult, revealing only vague traces of the Sword Array.

His Calculation Method was still lacking in refinement.

Even with the amplification from the Tricky Calculation, he was unable to fully decipher the concealed Sword Array.

However, Mo Hua was not discouraged.

Such things were akin to Drawing Formations—with practice comes skill.

If it couldn’t be calculated in one attempt, then two attempts, three attempts... until the solution was reached.

From that point on, whenever time permitted, Mo Hua would have Situ Jian practice his sword in front of him. This allowed him to practice his deductions and refine his calculations of the Sword Array.

Still, constantly troubling Situ Jian made Mo Hua feel a bit guilty, so he decided to transfer some Merit Points to him.

Situ Jian, in turn, felt mortified about accepting it.

”Junior Brother, how could I accept this?”

Mo Hua said, ”Even brothers must settle accounts clearly. You helping me is an act of grace, but I can’t let you suffer for it!”

Situ Jian tried to refuse again.

Mo Hua then sternly said, ”Take what I’ve given you. I don’t lack a few Merit Points!”

He had been accumulating Merit Points for a long time and was now a Merit-rich powerhouse.

In terms of origin, he was a Loose Cultivator, while his peers were noble family’s sons.

But if one were to measure Merit Points, he was the true ”noble” among them, far wealthier than most of his peers.

Situ Jian accepted the points with gratitude in his heart.

The sect’s Merit Points were indeed something he couldn’t decline.

After receiving the Merit Points, Situ Jian became even more dedicated and focused when showcasing his Li Fire Sword Qi for Mo Hua.

He couldn’t let Junior Brother’s Merit Points go to waste.

As for the sensation of having his Sword Qi laid bare...

Situ Jian thought about it repeatedly and still felt it must have been just an illusion.

He was simply using the Li Fire Sword Technique, channeling Li Fire Sword Qi through the Li Fire Spirit Sword. How could it possibly be ”deciphered” by someone?

If merely unleashing Sword Qi could expose it, wouldn’t all Sword Cultivators under the heavens abandon the sword?

That was obviously impossible.

A Sword Cultivator who didn’t draw their sword—how could they still be called a Sword Cultivator?

Situ Jian gradually put his concerns to rest.

Besides, his kind-hearted Junior Brother had even given him extra Merit Points.

Situ Jian resolved not to judge Mo Hua’s intentions unfairly with narrow-minded suspicion.

With Situ Jian’s cooperation, Mo Hua’s proficiency in calculating Sword Qi steadily improved...

Though, Situ Jian wasn’t always available.

Occasionally, when Situ Jian was busy, Mo Hua would hire other Sword Cultivator disciples to demonstrate Sword Qi for him.

However, these disciples’ levels in Sword Dao were not particularly high—Situ Jian was still the best.

Thus, Mo Hua practiced over and over, deducing repeatedly, gradually expanding the depth of his calculations and strengthening his comprehension of Sword Qi.

In his eyes, the Sword Qi began to lose its original sword-like form, dissolving into something much deeper...

Finally, after seven days and countless painstaking, tedious, and iterative calculations, Mo Hua suddenly experienced a flash of enlightenment.

His Divine Thought became crystal clear, and his mental landscape instantly expanded.

Within his Divine Sense’s vision, the crimson Li Fire Sword Qi, flowing like molten lava, began to break apart, disintegrating inch by inch, revealing the sharp and distinct sword marks hidden deep within its essence.

These marks were the Sword Array within the Spirit Sword!

Mo Hua’s heart was filled with joy. He immediately began to write, his pen strokes flowing effortlessly like water, rapidly recording these sword marks.

The sword marks resembled Formation Patterns, yet they had no curves—only sharp, straight lines, brimming with piercing Sword Intent, as though they were carved out by blades or swords.