The Quest for Immortality

The old monster cultivator let out a long breath, his entire body relaxed.

He then spoke with a hint of arrogance, addressing Ouyang Mu:

”I hail from the Ouyang Family of Tai’a Sect, my sword-casting skills honed through countless trials...”

”At least within the realm of Second Grade Artifact Refining, I consider myself as competent as any Sword-Casting Master.”

”I’ve also poured considerable effort into researching my own Magical Treasure.”

”If you learn these skills of mine, you will surely excel among your peers, even if you cannot escape the Ten Thousand Demons Prison and must live among monster cultivators, you can still thrive.”

”No matter how fearsome the monster cultivators are, they wouldn’t dare underestimate you...”

”Should the day come when you achieve Core Formation here in the Ten Thousand Demons Prison and become a Third Grade Evil Sword Master...”

The old monster cultivator’s eyes showed a glimmer of hope, as he slowly said, ”The young master might even release you, making you a trusted aide, to serve him outside.”

”Life outside would be much more carefree...”

Ouyang Mu was surprised, ”You can actually get out?”

The old monster cultivator nodded, ”You just need to achieve Core Formation.”

”However,” he then sighed, ”achieving Core Formation is easier said than done. In this Ten Thousand Demons Prison with so many monster cultivators, very few have managed it over hundreds of years.”

”While it’s true there are resource shortages, flaws in cultivation techniques, and the tendency for demonic power to lose control, it still shows how difficult Core Formation is.”

”But, at least it’s something to hope for...”

Ouyang Mu slowly nodded.

He then glanced at his sleeve as instructed by Mo Hua and asked:

”Senior, when you say serving the ’young master,’ who is this ’young master’?”

To Ouyang Mu’s surprise, the mention of the young master immediately caused the old monster cultivator’s expression to darken, and he trembled as he said:

”Don’t inquire, and it’s best not to know. You only need to know that in this Ten Thousand Demons Prison, everything follows the young master’s orders, don’t be too curious, otherwise, you won’t even know how you died.”

Ouyang Mu’s heart trembled, he nodded and said:

”I understand.”

The old monster cultivator’s expression eased a bit, then he said: ”Starting tomorrow, I will officially begin to impart my life’s knowledge to you, and first and foremost will be...”

”...casting your own Evil Sword!”

”Alright.” Ouyang Mu’s expression was somewhat indifferent.

Seeing this, the old monster cultivator sighed, ”I know, though you’ve agreed to become an Evil Sword Master verbally, you haven’t yet mentally accepted it.”

”You carry the surname Ouyang, sharing the same sect and family roots with me. I don’t wish to make things difficult for you either.”

”Let’s do it this way: tomorrow you come, and I’ll start by teaching you the artifact refining methods of the Righteous Dao. After learning that, you can gradually transition from righteous to evil, refining Evil Artifacts and casting Evil Swords...”

”The Valley of Ten Thousand Demons is a dangerous place, I’m in no position to help further; from here on, you must rely on yourself...”

Ouyang Mu was taken aback, then felt grateful, and bowed:

”Thank you, senior.”

The old monster cultivator dismissively waved his hand, ”Save the platitudes, leave now, and come back tomorrow.”

Ouyang Mu bowed, then took his leave, escorted back to the prison by a monster cultivator.

The Chamber of Evil Instruments was left with only the old monster cultivator.

”Tai’a...”

His voice was hoarse like an old tree with crows, muttering the two words, then suddenly began to tremble violently.

The old monster cultivator reached to cover his mouth but was a moment late; fresh blood had already been coughed out.

He hurriedly, trembling, took out a pile of red and white pills from his Storage Bag and gulped them down.

After a while, his coughing eased.

The old monster cultivator sat down slowly, slumping, staring at the eerie flames in the White Bone Refining Furnace, his murky gaze sparkling with some inexplicable light.

Mo Hua frowned, then slowly left.

He paid a visit to the prison.

Inside the prison, Ouyang Mu was whispering with Ling Huxiao.

Song Jian was sneakily eating beside them.

He was eating dried meat given by Mo Hua, savoring it with caution given its rarity, tearing off tiny pieces to chew.

The monster cultivator guard was absent, Mo Hua showed himself.

The prisoners were already accustomed to it.

Mo Hua, coming and going without trace, truly resembled a ”ghost.”

They exchanged a few simple words, then Ouyang Mu remarked with some emotion, ”That old senior was actually from the Ouyang Family...”

”Wonder if he can help us escape...”

Mo Hua shook his head, ”Don’t hope for that.”

Ouyang Mu didn’t quite understand.

Mo Hua said: ”That old guy, he’s an old fraud, what he says is meant to deceive you.”

Ouyang Mu was taken aback, ”He’s not from the Ouyang Family?”

”That’s hard to say,” Mo Hua murmured, ”That old guy, among ten things he says, eight or nine are lies, perhaps only one or two things are true.”

”That he is a Tai’a Sect disciple from the Ouyang Family might be true. But other claims, each is highly suspect.”

”Think about it...” Mo Hua said:

”The forest outside Valley of Ten Thousand Demons is extremely dangerous, what’s he doing running into the forest alone for no reason?”

”Moreover, there’s a Formation in that forest; Divine Sense loses direction, it’s the same for cultivators as for monster cultivators.”

”If you merely wander into the forest, how could you as luck would have it, encounter a group of monster cultivators?”

”If monster cultivators were ravenous, they would have consumed him long ago; why would they keep a Sword-Casting Master alive?”

”Whether he could actually cast swords, unless he himself admits it, monster cultivators are likely unaware!”

”And he’s been trapped in this Ten Thousand Demons Prison for hundreds of years, living off raw flesh, goodness knows how much flesh he ate raw, his humanity would have long faded, how could he still consider any sect or family ties?”

”Sharing the same sect and clan, so what?”

”Thus, this old guy, what he says might sound fine, but when you think deeply, there are many flaws...”