The Quest for Immortality

But, how could Brother Mo possibly be here...

Ouyang Mu forced a bitter smile, closed his eyes, and tried to shove the pill into his mouth.

He thought he would take it first.

If there were no problems, he would let Brother Linghu take it too.

If there were problems, then Brother Linghu wouldn’t have to take it, and he’d just be the unlucky one...

Ling Huxiao on the side was preoccupied and didn’t notice for a moment.

However, before Ouyang Mu could shove the pill into his mouth, he heard a familiar voice in his ear say:

”Idiot, don’t eat it!”

Ouyang Mu froze, looked around, but saw no one.

Ling Huxiao was also startled.

Both thought they were hearing things.

”Did I just... hear Junior Brother’s voice...” Ouyang Mu murmured.

Ling Huxiao heard it too but couldn’t quite believe it.

On the other hand, Song Jian, who was previously disheartened and looked lifeless, stood up suddenly like a big dog hearing its master calling.

But what rose in his heart was anger.

This crisp and annoying voice, he’d recognize it even if it turned to dust!

As the three looked around, they heard a voice saying:

”Above.”

Ouyang Mu followed the sound and looked up, seeing a young boy poking his head out from the stone wall at the top of the prison.

His appearance was as handsome as a painting, with eyes bright as stars.

It was Mo Hua.

Ouyang Mu mouth agape, rubbed his eyes, almost thinking he was dreaming.

”Junior Brother, you got caught too?”

Mo Hua was about to speak when suddenly hearing an ”owu” shout next to him, turned to see Song Jian gritting his teeth:

”Mo—Hua—”

Before he finished, Mo Hua pointed his hand, casting a drowning technique that blocked Song Jian’s mouth and nose.

Song Jian’s words were stuck in his throat, choking as if drowning, struggling in vain.

Mo Hua ”shushed” him, giving a warning look:

”Dare to make a sound, and you’re dead.”

”Understand?”

Song Jian struggled while choking, but a sharp pain in his finger made him sober up, realizing where he was. His logic temporarily triumphed over the ”feud,” so he obediently nodded.

Mo Hua was satisfied, canceling the drowning technique.

At the same time, he held a Spirit Sword, thinking if Song Jian wasn’t honest, he’d control the sword to hack him.

Song Jian felt a chill down his back, immediately calming down.

Mo Hua then said to Ouyang Mu:

”I tagged along with you guys, mixing in...”

Ouyang Mu was taken aback.

Even Ling Huxiao beside him found it unbelievable.

Although they didn’t know where this place was, judging by the thick Monster Qi and chaotic monster roars alone, they could roughly gauge how secure this prison was and how many Monster Beasts and monster cultivators it held.

And yet... he could ”blend” in?

”How did you blend in?” Ling Huxiao asked quietly.

Mo Hua waved his hand, ”It’s a long story, time’s tight, so I won’t elaborate...”

He pointed to the pills in Ling Huxiao and Ouyang Mu’s hands, ”Don’t eat that pill, it looks normal, but there are big problems...”

Monster cultivators couldn’t be so kind.

The pill looked, smelled, and tasted fine, but Mo Hua could see a faint gray, decaying Qi on it.

This was the cause of the dead.

The pill was made by refining people.

The color, fragrance, and taste could deceive, but causality wouldn’t—at least deceit by causality wasn’t on the same level.

Ouyang Mu nodded as if he partially understood.

Mo Hua took out two pills and tossed them down from the roof, giving one each to Ouyang Mu and Ling Huxiao.

”You eat mine, Second Grade superior Flesh Regeneration and Bone Continuation Pill.”

Ouyang Mu and Ling Huxiao inspected the pills briefly, then swallowed them.

After ingesting, they indeed felt a pure Blood Qi flowing through their bodies, fingertips cooling, slightly itching but accompanied by a tinge of pain.

The severed little finger was regenerating muscle and bone, slowly regrowing.

Ouyang Mu and Ling Huxiao both sighed in relief, feeling grateful.

Ouyang Mu asked suspiciously, ”Brother Mo, how do you have such pills?”

Mo Hua replied, ”These are essential pills for traveling abroad, a must-have when going out.”

Moreover, these were gifts from Aunt Wan, cost free.

After Mo Hua said that, he turned and found Song Jian staring at him eagerly, being the only one without a pill out of the three people below.

Mo Hua sighed and tossed him one too.

On Song Jian’s face was a distinct, stark conflict of two emotions.

One was the pride of not accepting ”handouts.”

The other was the compromise of ”a great man can yield and stretch.”​

His face changed several times, making Mo Hua mentally exhausted just watching.

But eventually, he compromised, quietly picking up the pill and stuffing it into his mouth, silently keeping a mental account:

”I owe Mo Hua a pill’s favor, the grudge of ’sword snatching’ is settled.”

”But the other grievances still need to be accounted for...”

Mo Hua couldn’t be bothered with him, instead telling Ling Huxiao and Ouyang Mu:

”You guys try to protect yourselves, beware of monster cultivators’ wicked ways, don’t learn their cultivation techniques, don’t take their pills, and don’t believe their nonsense...”

”I’ll think of a way to get you out.”

He didn’t say much else.

Ling Huxiao was fine, but Little Wood couldn’t hide things on his face.

Telling him would actually be more prone to accidents.

Ling Huxiao and Ouyang Mu nodded solemnly, looking up again to find Mo Hua had disappeared without a trace.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of Mo Hua’s presence.

As if he was never even there.

Ling Huxiao and Ouyang Mu exchanged a glance, shocked.

Such concealment, truly terrifying...

However, because of this, the two of them felt much calmer inside, and their previous anxiety and unease had vanished.