The Quest for Immortality

Of course, this is just Mo Hua’s explanation on the surface.

In reality, when he was listening to that old demon cultivator speak, his Divine Sense keenly noticed an unusual fluctuation in the old demon cultivator’s Divine Thought.

It seemed to indicate some ulterior motives.

Additionally, there was an intuition from the lines of causation.

When the old demon cultivator spoke, the lines of causation were somewhat tangled.

Mo Hua instinctively sensed that there might be something fishy in those words of his.

The innocent Little Wood silently opened his mouth wide, while his heart couldn’t help but feel puzzled:

How did Junior Brother’s mind grow like this? How many thoughts is he hiding inside...

Beside him, Ling Huxiao heard and frowned, ”If that old demon cultivator has ulterior motives, wouldn’t Junior Brother Mu be in danger?”

”Indeed.” Mo Hua nodded, ”But speaking of which, you all have never been safe. Whether it’s Jin Gui, that old demon cultivator, or the master behind them, all have designs on you.”

Until now, the monster cultivators, both openly and covertly, have used quite a few methods.

Currently, it is only openly targeted at Little Wood.

But this is probably just the beginning, Ling Huxiao and Song Jian won’t be spared either.

According to the intelligence Mo Hua has eavesdropped on recently.

Among the three, Ling Huxiao’s situation is slightly better.

His Sword Heart Clarity is a genius rarely seen in the Rushing Void Sect in five hundred years.

Whether righteous or demonic, he is a ”treasure.”

Although the monster cultivators cut off Ling Huxiao’s little finger, they are rather respectful, clearly not daring to offend him lightly.

According to Mo Hua’s guess.

These monster cultivators are likely trying to make Ling Huxiao board that ”flower boat” of the masters directly, using ”sugar-coated bullets” to tempt him, corrupt him, and cause him to fall, thereby descending into the demon monsters and joining forces with them.

As for what kind of sugar-coated bullets are on the flower boat.

Being still naive, with limited knowledge, I can’t imagine it for the time being.

But as for Song Jian...

Mo Hua glanced back at Song Jian, who was still gnawing on jerky, feeling a little pity.

Song Jian is a hostage.

These monster cultivators probably don’t even want to ”assimilate” him.

One day, they might just cut him out directly, it’s not impossible.

Song Jian noticed Mo Hua’s gaze, snorted coldly, turned his back, seeming not to want to see Mo Hua, yet still chewing on the jerky silently.

Mo Hua sighed inwardly:

”Forget it, this poor child, better not tell him, lest he lose his appetite for the jerky once he knows.”

On the other side, Ouyang Mu felt a bit sad.

He thought that the old demon cultivator really hadn’t forgotten the Tai’a Sect, had his heart on the family, and wanted to pass on his lifelong sword casting skills to him.

People’s hearts are truly treacherous...

”Brother Mo, what should I do? Should I still learn the sword casting he teaches me?”

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then nodded, ”Learn it.”

”Just pretend you don’t know anything, forget what I just said, and regard that old thing as an elder of the Ouyang Family who, although led astray, harbors a trace of good intent as his death approaches.”

”Learn what he teaches you as normal, since it’s better to know than not to know.”

”If other situations arise, act according to the situation, and I’ll guide you when the time comes...” Mo Hua said.

”Alright, Brother Mo.” Ouyang Mu nodded repeatedly.

”However,” Ouyang Mu was a bit puzzled, ”what exactly is that old demon cultivator planning?”

Mo Hua’s eyes slightly focused.

”We’ll know when the time comes...”

...

The next day, inside the Chamber of Evil Instruments.

The old demon cultivator was again looking at his piece of demon hide parchment.

Ouyang Mu was refining white bones, merging refined iron.

Once the white bone was properly merged, the old demon cultivator put away the demon hide parchment and said in an aged voice, ”Almost, I’ll now teach you how to cast your Lifebound Sword Bone.”

”Yes.” Ouyang Mu remembered Mo Hua’s instructions and nodded.

The old demon cultivator’s expression was solemn, and he spoke slowly:

”Every sword must have a bone.”

”This ’bone’ refers to the sword’s backbone, its ’spine,’ not necessarily a literal ’bone.’”

”Depending on the sword casting tradition, the material of the sword bone can be gold and jade, silver and brass, or copper and iron; it can also be spiritual objects like wood and stone, or, of course, demonic bones, beast bones, and even human bones as skeletal remains...”

”The Sword Bone of a regular Spirit Sword doesn’t require much elaboration.”

”However, for a Lifebound Sword Blank, which must be nurtured to become one’s own Magical Treasure, deeply intertwined with spiritual power and life, the demands on the Sword Bone are extremely stringent.”

”Indeed, the Sword Bone itself directly determines the final quality of the Lifebound Spirit Sword.”

”Only the finest bone can forge the finest sword.”

”A sword without a foundation bone is nothing more than scrap iron...”

After speaking, the old Monster cultivator took out a long section of Spine Bone from the Storage Bag, observing seriously:

”This is the material used for Sword Bone forging.”

Ouyang Mu saw the bloodstain on the bone, his expression slightly changed, ”This is... human bone?”

The old Monster cultivator said indifferently, ”Human bone or Monster bone, it doesn’t matter; if a bone can forge into an excellent Sword Bone, it’s a good bone...”

”You need to learn to gradually discard these notions concerned with right and wrong, or else how will you stand in the Ten Thousand Demons Prison in the future?”

Ouyang Mu whispered, ”Yes, Senior...”

The old Monster cultivator’s expression slightly softened, ”I’ll forge, and you watch from the side.”

”Okay.”

Then the old Monster cultivator began teaching Ouyang Mu formally how to ”forge a Sword Bone.”

This set of procedures is incredibly intricate and requires extremely high artifact refining techniques.

Mo Hua mostly couldn’t comprehend it.

In terms of artifact refining techniques, he only understood some theoretical aspects, including some knowledge of Formation Diagram design.

When it comes to actual artifact refining, he’s hopeless.

He struggled even with the Second Grade artifact refining hammer.

So, when the old Monster cultivator taught Little Wood to forge a sword, he could only watch from the sidelines.

However, while Mo Hua may not understand the artifact refining techniques, there was one other matter he was tremendously concerned about:

”Whose human bone is this that is being used to forge ’Sword Bone’?”

”This human bone is cherished and stored by the old Monster cultivator, specially reserved to refine Lifebound Sword Bone, indicating that its origin must not be ordinary...”

Mo Hua stared at the hunched old Monster cultivator, feeling a chill from the inside.

This bone can’t possibly be...

The old Monster cultivator’s own Spine Bone, can it?

He extracted his own Spine Bone to forge Lifebound Sword Bone?

Mo Hua inhaled sharply.

What kind of sword forging method is this?

It’s extraordinarily ruthless.

Mo Hua stared again at the old Monster cultivator’s crooked form, seemingly lacking a backbone, the more he looked, the more it seemed.

Evil cultivators kill people, strip bones to forge swords, ruthless towards others, but this old creature, he’s ruthless towards himself...

”But, does using one’s own bone to forge a sword have any special significance?”

Mo Hua did not quite understand.

Inside the Chamber of Evil Instruments, the old Monster cultivator swiftly quenched blood, fused iron, forged bone... his artifact refining skills indeed reached perfection.

Ouyang Mu watched without blinking, meanwhile pondering what techniques he could learn.

After forging for a while, the old Monster cultivator said:

”The next sword-forging phase involves the blood sacrifice technique; if you don’t wish to learn, feel free not to watch.”

Ouyang Mu hesitated for a moment then slowly nodded.

The old Monster cultivator took out a section of fine iron, handed it to Ouyang Mu, ”Take this fine iron to that Blood Pool over there and quench it for a while, we’ll need it shortly.”

”Yes, Senior.”

Ouyang Mu took the fine iron, walked aside, and quenched it in the Blood Pool.

The old Monster cultivator glanced at Ouyang Mu, his gaze cautious, then slowly drew out a pen from the Storage Bag with his ancient hand.

After that, he began drawing something on the Sword Bone with that pen, his movements extremely secretive.

Although he had diverted Ouyang Mu, avoiding his gaze, he did not evade Mo Hua.

Mo Hua felt a shock when seeing him take out the pen.

This Evil Sword Master, not using a hammer but using a pen instead?

What is he drawing?

Mo Hua was immensely curious, then held his breath, tilted his head, stared for a while, and suddenly his pupils contracted, his heart and soul completely shaken.

This old Monster cultivator, skilled in sword casting, was secretly drawing on the Sword Bone, what turned out to be...

Divine Way Formation Patterns?!