The Quest for Immortality

The expression of Canon Xia gradually turned unfriendly.

Mo Hua sighed, a bit helpless, and said:

”Canon Xia, do you know Water Yama?”

Canon Xia’s expression shifted slightly, but only for a moment, then returned to normal, ”What about Water Yama?”

Mo Hua observed her expression, suspecting she might know something, but wasn’t sure how much she actually knew.

Mo Hua concisely said, ”Uncle Gu also wants to capture Water Yama, he wants to team up with you.”

Canon Xia pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully:

”Although Water Yama is a scourge and deserves to be punished, what the Taoist Court currently needs to focus on is not Water Yama.”

”Aren’t you investigating the Gui Water Sect? Water Yama has close ties with Gui Water Sect.” Mo Hua said.

Upon hearing this, Canon Xia was stunned for a moment, then her gaze turned slightly cold, looking at Gu Changhuai, she sneered:

”Supervisor Gu, how dare you casually talk about the affairs of the Taoist Court?”

Gu Changhuai took a sip of wine, snorted coldly, ”I didn’t say anything.”

”If you didn’t say, how would this kid know?” Canon Xia’s gaze was sharp.

Gu Changhuai said blandly, ”I didn’t say, yet he knows all the same. He likely knows more about the affairs within the Qianxue State Boundary than you, the Supervisor...”

Canon Xia first sneered, then upon seeing that Gu Changhuai wasn’t intending to speak further, she was a bit taken aback. She turned her head to glance at Mo Hua, unable to resist asking:

”You...”

Mo Hua said, ”My surname is Mo, my name is Mo Hua, a disciple in the Middle Phase of Foundation Establishment at the Taixu Gate.”

”Surname Mo?” Canon Xia was a bit surprised, ”You’re not named Gu?”

Mo Hua shook his head.

”Mo...” Canon Xia mused for a moment, puzzled, ”Near the Qianxue State Boundary, there doesn’t seem to be any Great Family with the surname Mo...”

”I’m not a noble family’s son, I’m a Loose Cultivator.” Mo Hua said truthfully.

”Loose Cultivator!”

Even Canon Xia, who was always cold, had a noticeable change in expression.

A Loose Cultivator?

She was truly from a Great Family in the Taoist State, although she knew that in this world, Loose Cultivators were the most numerous.

But she was born and raised in the Taoist State, and almost without exception, all her interactions were with members of noble families or Great Sects.

Loose Cultivators do exist, but there are only a handful who can carve out a place for themselves in the heart of the Taoist Court without becoming a servant or underling.

At the very least, she had only heard of them, never actually met one.

In the Qianxue State Boundary, none who could cross the sect’s threshold as Loose Cultivators were very few and far between.

Canon Xia scrutinized Mo Hua again, discovering that although his appearance was somewhat naive and playful, his demeanor was certainly not ordinary, which astonished her even further.

”How did a Loose Cultivator like you join the Taixu Gate?”

She remembered that the Taixu Gate was still one of the Eight Great Gates in the Qianxue State Boundary.

”This is a long story...” Mo Hua sighed.

To really tell it, one would have to start with the matter of Yu Er, so he chose not to speak of it further.

Mo Hua immediately got to the main point, ”In my hand...”

He thought for a moment and brought Gu Changhuai into the conversation as well.

”... In the hands of my Uncle Gu and I, there is a clue to Water Yama, but Water Yama is at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, proficient in water system skills, elusive in Mistwater River, making capture extremely difficult.”

Canon Xia frowned, ”How is it that you have a clue about Water Yama in your hand?”

Mo Hua’s expression was humble, but his tone carried a bit of ”arrogance” as he said:

”Sister Xia, to be honest, in the vicinity of the Qianxue State Boundary, I barely count as a ’minor local tyrant,’ I know more or less about the happenings nearby.”

Canon Xia stared at Mo Hua with a blank expression.

When she first encountered Mo Hua at the Taoist Court, she thought he was merely a pampered and lively little master from the Gu family.

How, in the blink of an eye, did he become a ”local tyrant.”

Canon Xia turned to glance at Gu Changhuai, seeing his indifferent expression, she understood that Gu Changhuai evidently agreed with this statement, which left her even more incredulous.

Yet, she was still somewhat skeptical, so she asked:

”How much do you know about Water Yama?”

Mo Hua understood that Canon Xia was testing him, to see if he truly knew some inside information.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said:

”Water Yama, at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, practices Water Prison Sect techniques, wields the Water Punishment Whip, proficient in Water Shadow Step, his eyes can condense Evil Qi, executing strange pupil skills.”

”The Taoist Court’s record on Water Yama is scant, but this man has killed countless, undoubtedly having committed numerous murders early on.”

”And over a year ago, the Yu family’s water stronghold downstream of Mistwater River was exterminated by Water Yama’s hand...”

...

Mo Hua recounted some of what he knew.

The more Canon Xia listened, the more shocked she became.

Many things she already knew beforehand, but there were news, she hadn’t heard from any source yet...

Canon Xia looked at Mo Hua, her heart slightly shaken, and asked:

”How did you know all these?”

Mo Hua smiled cheerfully, without responding.

Canon Xia paused for a moment in silence, then didn’t ask further.

She then solemnly said, ”I’ll ask you one last question... You probably have no vendetta with Water Yama, so why do you want to capture him?”

Mo Hua’s gaze flickered slightly.

To say there was no vendetta, wasn’t quite accurate.

At least Water Yama probably already harbors a grudge against him.

He likely thought Mo Hua was a ”remnant of the Water Prison Sect,” wanting to kill him at all costs.

Of course, that wasn’t the main reason.

Some things weren’t convenient to mention.

Mo Hua put on an upright expression and said:

”I am a disciple of the Taixu Gate, taught by the sect to uphold integrity, devote myself to the way, take the elimination of demons as my duty. Water Yama is full of evil deeds, deserves death without remorse, if not executed, more cultivators would inevitably fall victim to his hands.”

”Thus, capturing Water Yama and putting him in the Taoist Prison to face the punishment he deserves is the responsibility of every cultivator with a righteous heart!”

Mo Hua spoke with great excitement.

Gu Changhuai held his forehead with his hand.

This kid, up to it again...

Canon Xia, however, upon seeing Mo Hua’s righteous expression, seemed to be moved somewhat.

She thought it over, nodded, and said:

”Alright, we can team up to catch Water Yama together!”

Mo Hua was overjoyed, thus poured Canon Xia a cup of wine, then raised his glass and said:

”It’s a deal!”

Canon Xia laughed, seeing his expression ”It’s a deal.”

When the two of them raised their glasses, they silently looked towards Gu Changhuai on the side.

Gu Changhuai wore a look of impatience.

Mo Hua tugged on his sleeve, ”Uncle Gu, only you remain.”

Gu Changhuai hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised his wine glass, clinking it with Mo Hua and Canon Xia.

The three made an agreement from that day forth.

But after finishing the meal and leaving Gu’s Restaurant, Gu Changhuai still did not forget to throw a cold blanket over Mo Hua.

”She is someone from the Taoist Court, and a member of the Xia family.”

”The Taoist Court is strict, noble families are indifferent, each with their own share of cunning, her agreement might not harbor truly good intentions.”

Mo Hua nodded, ”I know, Uncle Gu, don’t worry.”

Gu Changhuai glanced at Mo Hua, then said no more.

Later, Canon Xia took the opportunity to give Mo Hua a Letter Token for ease of communication.

Now, Mo Hua possessed two Letter Tokens from Dao Court Supervisors, one from Gu Changhuai, the other from Canon Xia.

Mo Hua used the Letter Token to relay some clues to Canon Xia.

And with the backing of the Taoist Court and the Xia family, Canon Xia’s power and capabilities were not insignificant, within a few days, she had again caught a trace of Water Yama.

She didn’t hold back, telling Mo Hua all the information she had found.

Mo Hua looked at the map of the Mistwater River with the circled and dot-marked spots, his gaze flickered.

The plan to hunt down Water Yama could begin...