The Quest for Immortality

Lord Yellow Mountain shook his head, ”This, even I, a Minor God, am not clear about.”

Mo Hua wasn’t sure if he truly didn’t know or was hesitant to say more due to some concerns, so he just nodded and cupped his hands, saying:

”Thank you, Mountain Lord, I will remember.”

Afterward, Mo Hua took his leave.

Lord Yellow Mountain watched Mo Hua depart, but before the final farewell, he said something with deep meaning:

”The evil within human nature is the best bait for the Evil God...”

Mo Hua’s expression was dazed.

This phrase lingered in Mo Hua’s mind, and even when he left Kushan Mountain and boarded the carriage heading to Mistwater City, he couldn’t shake it off.

”The evil within human nature is the best bait for the Evil God...”

Lord Yellow Mountain seemed to be hinting at something.

Or perhaps it was an insight based on his own past experiences?

Mo Hua silently pondered in his heart.

And then... the grand blood sacrifice?

A small-scale blood sacrifice might exist, but to sacrifice the entire Qian Learning State Boundary, such a large-scale blood sacrifice, with Mo Hua’s understanding, seems unlikely...

Besides, Lord Yellow Mountain only said that the revival of the ancient Evil God must be accompanied by a grand blood sacrifice.

He didn’t say that this Evil God must be the Great Wilderness Evil God.

The place of his revival might not necessarily be in the Qian Learning State Boundary.

It could very well be in... the Great Wilderness?

Mo Hua shook his head.

”Forget it, let’s not think about it for now...”

This grand scheme of the Evil God is not something I can get involved in at the moment.

At best, I’ve only stolen a little bit of His authority, eaten a bit of His Demon Monster, and destroyed just a few of His altars.

And they were only Second Grade.

To the Great Wilderness Evil God, whose level is unknown but certainly very high, this should be of little consequence. .

I should focus my time and energy on improving myself...

Mo Hua silently said to himself.

Then he began to meditate, closing his eyes to rest.

The carriage carried him leisurely toward Mistwater City.

Nothing happened along the way.

When he reached Mistwater City, it was already evening.

He inquired about the location of the Ye family, determined their position, and went directly to their gate, only to find the Ye family heavily guarded, barring entry to all non-family cultivators.

Mo Hua couldn’t sneak in.

Asking around recklessly probably wouldn’t be good either, as he might be considered a ”suspicious cultivator.”

And if the Ye family truly had something to hide, it might alert them.

Mo Hua circled the Ye family’s perimeter, taking a closer look at the formation.

He could roughly guess the general layout of the formation.

But the Ye family is a Third Grade family, with many Third Grade Arrays within their residence, which Mo Hua’s current level in formations would find difficult to handle.

Breaking a Second Grade Array to sneak in was feasible.

But once discovered, it would be troublesome.

Mo Hua turned around twice, couldn’t find an opportunity to make a move, and seeing it was getting late, he found a nearby noodle shop to eat.

The noodle shop was plain and simple, and was called ”Wang’s Noodle House.”

The shop was small, with only one lively, chatterbox-like middle-aged woman as the shopkeeper.

Mo Hua specifically chose this shop after walking two rounds, precisely for the shopkeeper’s ”chatterbox” nature, known for her liking to chat.

By this time, it was already late, the meal time had passed, and there were only a few customers eating.

Mo Hua called out ”Sister,” which delighted the woman, prompting her to give Mo Hua extra noodles and two extra servings of pickles.

After chatting for a while, Mo Hua subtly asked about the Ye family.

Some things outsiders find hard to investigate, but these Loose Cultivators, who grew up among the common folk and are used to hearing all sorts of rumors, are quite aware.

Chatting with the shopkeeper for a bit, Mo Hua had a general understanding.

The Ye family in Mistwater City had a poor reputation.

They oppressed Loose Cultivators and bullied villagers, not to the point of triggering an inquiry from the Taoist Court, but their actions were looked down upon.

To those above, they were sycophantic and climbing.

Within the family, even the relationships between disciples were not harmonious.

Furthermore, the Ye family was infamous for one thing, ”selling daughters.”

”The Ye family, trying to curry favor and gain power, would do anything, even last year they married off a twenty-something legitimate daughter to an elder from some sect who was nearly three hundred years old and recently widowed.”

”Only the Ye family would do such a thing...” the shopkeeper said disdainfully.

Mo Hua’s gaze shifted, he suddenly lowered his voice and whispered:

”I’ve heard about that too, it seems the Ye family’s legitimate daughter couldn’t bear the humiliation and committed suicide...”

The shopkeeper paused, ”Committed suicide? No...”

”Didn’t commit suicide?” Mo Hua acted confused.

The shopkeeper frowned, thought for a moment, and shook her head, ”She shouldn’t have committed suicide; I haven’t heard anyone say that.”

Mo Hua mumbled, ”Could I have remembered wrong, she wasn’t the one? Are there others in the Ye family who committed suicide?”

”Suicide...” the shopkeeper shook her head, ”I haven’t heard of any recent cases... Life is tough, but unless one has no choice, who would commit suicide for no reason?”

”Is that so...” Mo Hua’s gaze slightly focused.

”But you never know...” the shopkeeper added, ”The Ye family often commits injustices, even if someone died, they might hide it, likely wouldn’t let anyone find out.”

”For the girls married off to climb the social ladder, if they were insulted and committed suicide, the Ye family probably wouldn’t publicize it and might just select another woman to send into the fire pit...”

”Sister, do these things happen often?” Mo Hua asked.

”Who knows?”

The shopkeeper couldn’t help but serve Mo Hua another spoonful of noodles.

”Even if a direct lineage boy from the Ye family died, they wouldn’t publicize it; who knows how many people have been wronged in secret...”

”A direct lineage boy died?”

”Yes,” the shopkeeper said, ”last year, or was it the year before? The Ye family’s boy was indulging in pleasures and died on the Mistwater River...”

Mo Hua’s pupils slightly contracted.

The Ye family boy, indulging in pleasures, died on the Mistwater River...