The Quest for Immortality

”Really walked right into the trap.”

”We’ve been looking outside for half a day and didn’t find any good goods. Yet, unexpectedly, a fool came right to our door...”

”Mr. Pi’s luck is really good...”

”Smooth-skinned, young, and the cultivation isn’t low. Quite a decent appearance...”

Mo Hua looked panicked, ”I... I am a disciple of a sect, the sect elder is in the city, aren’t you afraid of offending the elder by making a move on me?”

The few people remained unmoved.

One of them sneered, ”Near Solitary Mountain City, what good sect could there be? And besides, looking at the aura of your spiritual power, at most you’d have a middle grade spiritual root. With such meager talent, what good sect could accept you?”

Mo Hua felt a bit displeased in his heart.

However, three Golden Cores, and a Foundation Establishment Peak; if they really fought, surely he wouldn’t be their match.

”I’ll sneak away first, then call for help, find a way to capture these thieves, toss them into the Taoist Prison, and slowly torture them to find out their intentions...”

Mo Hua gradually made up his mind, but on the surface, he still appeared flustered and bewildered:

”I... I am just a disciple at the Foundation Establishment, capturing me won’t do you any good.”

Mo Hua extended his Divine Sense, searching for flaws within the group, intending to use Water Shadow to make his escape.

”How would it not be useful? You are quite useful, without you, we...”

”Shut up, stop blabbering. Let’s capture him first.”

As they were about to make a move, an old man intercepted, ”Hold on, this little friend has smooth skin and tender flesh. If we start a fight, and he gets injured, or accidentally killed, it would be useless...”

”I’ll be careful.” .

”Being careful is not enough... you guys are clumsy and heavy-handed.”

”Such a hassle.”

”Nonsense, taking care of that thing requires great precision. We need the essence, Qi, mind, skin, flesh, and bones, all intact. If there is the slightest injury, it might not open the gate...”

”In these desolate fields, it is hard enough to find just one. If we accidentally kill him, where would we find a second one?”

”True...”

Mo Hua paused for a moment, his brow furrowed slightly.

The Old Man in Cloth looked towards Mo Hua, his tone softened a bit:

”Young friend, given your young age, we won’t trouble you. How about this, if you honestly help us with one thing, after it’s done, we’ll let you go and even give you a generous gift, ensuring you’ll never worry about food or Spirit Stones again, and allowing you to succeed in Tao Cultivation.”

Mo Hua shook his head, ”I don’t believe you.”

”Boy, don’t you understand the situation...” One person sneered, reaching out to Mo Hua.

The old man stopped him with a harsh look, then slowly said to Mo Hua:

”Young brother, let me be frank with you, in this situation, you have no other choice...”

”Either we kill you now, throw your bones into the mine, and let the mountain demons devour them clean, so your parents and sect elder will never find you.” 𝘳₳Νô𝖇ËṤ

”Or, you come with us, help us with a small task, and once it’s done, I guarantee you will live, and you’ll get some benefits.”

Upon hearing his bones would be thrown into the mine, Mo Hua’s face turned pale. After a fit of fear, he seemed to resign himself to fate and asked:

”You... won’t deceive me?”

”I won’t deceive you.”

”And after it’s done, there are really benefits for me?”

The old man turned his head and said to one of the big men, ”Bring something out.”

The big man paused, ”What?”

”Anything from what we dug up below, just bring one out,” said the old man.

The big man hesitated slightly but reluctantly reached into his sleeve, pulling out a small jade pendant, and tossed it to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua caught it and found that the jade pendant was jade-black, cool to the touch, soaked with a damp and cold aura of death.

”This is just a small token, listen to us and do your tasks earnestly, and there will be more benefits for you later,” said the old man.

Mo Hua believed now, he kept the jade pendant and nodded, ”Alright.”

The old man looked satisfied, nodded, then told the big man beside him, ”Take out a set of shackles and put it on him.”

Mo Hua was startled, ”Why shackle me?”

”Don’t be afraid, it’s just in case,” said the old man, ”if you truly listen, we’ll unlock it for you afterward.”

”Oh...”

Then the big man brought out a heavy shackle, trying to put it on Mo Hua.

Mo Hua’s eyelid twitched.

Third-Grade shackle?!

”No way, once shackled, there’s definitely no escape. Life and death would be in others’ hands...” Mo Hua’s heart stirred, ”I must find a chance to escape first, then react accordingly.”

However, before he could attempt to escape, the Old Man in Cloth frowned, ”Why are you using a Third-Grade shackle? Trying to tire him to death?”

”Didn’t I say, the skin, flesh, and bones cannot have any damage, and he’s only at Foundation Establishment; switch to a Second-Grade shackle.”

”Alright,” the big man said, then changed it to a Second-Grade one.

Mo Hua was silent for a moment, then extended his hand, obediently allowing them to shackle him.

”Let’s go,” said the old man.

So the old man led the way, and five people moved towards an abandoned mine entrance not far away.

Around the mine, there were semi-new, semi-old stone debris and long pick scars.

Mo Hua’s mind stirred.

These traces were almost identical to what he had seen before on Solitary Mountain, it seemed these people were indeed the group of tomb robbers.

”They really found a tomb in the mine?”

”They’re taking me to enter the grave?”

”But why must they take me? Require the essence, Qi, mind, skin, flesh, and bones intact, could it be...”

Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened.

Nearing the mine entrance, as they brought out their Spiritual Artifacts to prepare for excavation, one of the Golden Cores said:

”Wait, someone is here!”

The group tensed up, turning to look in the direction of the voice, and indeed saw that a group of people was approaching from not far away.

Leading them was a young nobleman, dressed in luxurious clothes, his face haughty and with anger.

Mo Hua recognized the person; it was Shen Qingsheng.

Behind him, there were five to six cultivators from the Shen Family escorting him.

And Shen Qingsheng, from afar, spotted Mo Hua, pointed at him with a sharp voice:

”Mo! Finally caught you, today you’re dead for sure!”