The Quest for Immortality

”That’s only natural,” the cultivator raised his head, looking quite smug and said:

”To be honest, my surname is Bai, given name Xiaosheng, graduate of Qian Learning State Boundary, focused on sword discussion for over a hundred years, and have watched countless sword discussion tournaments, large and small, probably not less than ten thousand times. People on the Dao call me ’Sword Discussion Bai Xiaosheng’.”

”I can see through the situation of the Sword Discussion Conference, the strength of the sects, the background of the disciples, with just a quick glance, without missing a point.”

Bai Xiaosheng’s face was full of certainty.

”Then this Mo Hua...”

”Definitely a fraud,” Bai Xiaosheng asserted, ”To be honest, I even suspect his title of ’Formation Leader’ is undeserved and was obtained through connections and deceit.”

”This... can’t be possible.” Someone doubted.

”Exactly, with so many aristocratic families and sect elders watching, how could there be any deceit?”

”If his title of Dao Leader is false, without saying anything else, how could the Four Great Sects allow it?”

Bai Xiaosheng shook his head, ”You know nothing about the aristocratic families and sects. As long as there is enough benefit, their bottom line is shockingly low.”

”Furthermore, a Divine Sense surpassing one rank, I can barely believe; surpassing two ranks, that’s rather outrageous; surpassing three ranks, isn’t that just treating others like fools?”

”It’s a pity I don’t like watching Formation Competitions, otherwise I would definitely see through their tricks clearly.”

Bai Xiaosheng shook his head and sighed, ”You’re not aware, today’s cultivation world high society is just a vanity fair.”

”Aristocratic families fabricate lies, sects fan the flames, build a stage to perform, and promote an ’eye-catching’ genius, aiming for them to step up in a sky-rocket fashion, this kind of thing is too common...”

Bai Xiaosheng spoke words whose truth was uncertain.

The cultivators listening were all half-believing.

”Is there a possibility...” Someone murmured softly, ”that this ’Mo Hua’ is really skilled in sword discussion?”

Bai Xiaosheng sneered, ”What sword could he discuss? Look at him, he finds even holding the sword difficult. If he really demonstrates any swordsmanship, I would publicly swallow my top-grade lifebound spirit sword!”

Bai Xiaosheng made his judgment.

The crowd was shocked by his boldness and surprised by his courage to gamble his lifebound sword over such trivial matters, nodding in agreement to show admiration.

There were others who, after hearing ”top-grade lifebound spirit sword,” realized with surprise that this seemingly unremarkable, often boasting, scholarly-looking cultivator was actually a great cultivator of the Golden Core Realm.

But this is Qianxue State, with Feather Transformation flying occasionally in the sky and Golden Core walking on the ground, it’s not strange.

After a period, amidst such skepticism, Mo Hua finished the preliminary competition of the ”Yellow” character bureau.

Record: Undefeated.

But throughout the process, he never made a move.

It was his teammates who fought, endured hardships on his behalf, while Mo Hua stayed ”on the sidelines,” enjoying his teammates’ triumph.

This ”inherited wealth” appearance truly aroused public anger.

Many senior and junior sisters from various sects who maintained him originally for his picturesque face were now embarrassed to speak for him.

From then on, Mo Hua’s reputation plummeted.

Despite doing nothing, saying nothing, not even moving a finger, he successfully transformed from a ”perhaps extreme, highly somber, possibly peculiar, yet unpredictably mysterious formation evil monster...”

Into a ”Crown Prince” of Taixu Gate, an oppressive ”inherited wealth” who burdened fellow members, a ”liability” of the Sword Discussion Conference, and a freeloading fraud.

Mo Hua’s reputation worsened.

Conversely, Linghu Xiao’s reputation improved.

His astonishing Sword Dao talent and masterful swordsmanship earned more and more people’s appreciation. .

Many felt distressed for him, felt unfair for him.

In many people’s eyes, he was a quiet, enduring, persevering, and unyielding Sword Dao genius, who almost drove the team forward on his own.

As for whom he was enduring for, it goes unsaid.

...

Of course, all these were external comments.

Within Taixu Gate, it was rather peaceful.

Mo Hua didn’t know others had such opinions of him.

Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn’t care.

Trivial people’s trivial gossip had never bothered him, at most he would silently make a note of it in his heart, and settle the score when time allowed.

At this moment, Mo Hua was drinking wine.

Groups of junior brothers lined up to toast him.

Mo Hua treated people kindly, naturally accepting their toasts.

Luckily, he was drinking fruit wine, and only needed to sip, or else, even though the wine wasn’t strong, he would certainly be too drunk to recognize anything.

Half-drunk from the wine, the atmosphere was lively, everyone was cheerful.

This was a small ”victory celebration.”

Celebrating the completion of the Sword Discussion Conference’s ”Yellow” character preliminaries, Taixu Gate temporarily ranked first.

This was only a ”small victory,” and a temporary small victory, thus only warranted a minor celebration.

The Sect Leader and Elders did not refuse.

Taixu Gate could temporarily rank first, the disciples’ efforts were indispensable, hence relaxing a bit after the competition was not out of line.

Moreover, they were well aware.

After relaxing, the real ”tough battles” would begin.

The ”Xuan” character bureau, the ”Di” character bureau, and the ”Tian” character bureau discussion on Xuantian Peak, each battle would be harder than the last.

Their opponents would be the true prodigies of Twelve Streams, Eight Great Gates, and even the Four Great Sects.

The Dao Discussion Heaven Instrument will also arrange the real prodigies according to the Heavenly Mechanism Causality to engage in deadly confrontations.

Strong opponents, ever-changing battlefields, victory or defeat in a split second.

This was the real test.

And Taixu Gate’s ”ranking” would also face the turbulent impact, potentially sliding down step by step amid these arduous battles.

How far it would ultimately slide, where the dust would settle, remained unknown.

After the ”Yellow” competition, there were a few days of rest.

The period of rest passed quickly, in the blink of an eye, the ”Xuan” character bureau’s sword discussion officially began.

Once they reached the ”Xuan” character bureau, the intensity increased.

Like the Yellow bureau, staying hidden and relying on teammates to do it all made sense, but it was no longer possible.

Mo Hua also had no choice but to take things seriously, and indeed had to demonstrate some of his abilities...