619 - The Quest for Immortality

### Chapter 619: It's Mine Now Yin Lao Er was momentarily stunned, but quickly inverted the dagger in his hand and lunged forward. The dagger's tip carved a dark blue, venomous trail through the air, aimed straight at Mo Hua's throat. He intended to strike first and eliminate this young adversary. No matter who this young man was or what his identity might be, in these Cang Lang Mountains, he must be dealt with first. Mo Hua's ability to master magnetic formation techniques, excel in stealth, and track Yin Lao Er's every move like a hawk made him a formidable adversary—a challenge that must be addressed before dealing with the remaining sect disciples. Yin Lao Er's expression grew serious, eyes filled with malice. The poisonous glint of his dagger was inches from Mo Hua's throat in the blink of an eye. Yet Mo Hua, unfazed, leaned back gracefully to avoid the venomous strike. Surrounding him was a torrent of water that seemed to borrow strength from the void. With a nimble twist in mid-air, he swung behind Yin Lao Er, stepping lightly on his head for support before flipping back to a safe distance. Yin Lao Er missed his target and felt both humiliated and infuriated by Mo Hua's agile maneuver, which had deposited him onto his head. His anger mounted as he spun around, only to be greeted by Mo Hua floating gracefully, wrapped in flowing water, pointing at him. In a heartbeat, a fireball coalesced and hurled towards his face. Failing to evade, Yin Lao Er took the fireball head-on, which erupted against his face, knocking him to the ground. Moments later, he climbed back up, head scorched black, eyes filled with rage. Mo Hua sighed internally—how unfortunate. The fireball's power was lacking; despite a direct hit on Yin Lao Er, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, it left him looking disheveled but without significant damage. Spells were Mo Hua's most frequent and swift means of attack. Clearly, now was the time to enhance his spells' intensity and broaden their variety. While adept in formations, neglecting spellcraft wasn't an option. The more spells one mastered, the more avenues they had to navigate danger in the future. Yin Lao Er's anger mixed with shock; Mo Hua had repeatedly dodged his lethal strikes, a feat unlikely to be mere coincidence... Such mastery of movement, coupled with the fireball's execution, timing, and precision... How could such a young man be such a spellcasting expert? Despite Yin Lao Er's disbelief, as Mo Hua stood before him, Murong Caiyun and her companions were stupefied. It was their first time witnessing Mo Hua's fluid, awe-inspiring movements. His technique... Though they knew not its origins, it was undoubtedly not a common inheritance. The seamless execution of distancing, positioning, and perfect timing to execute the fireball—everything was so skilfully done... The group only realized they should help halfway through their admiration. Although graceful, Mo Hua was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Facing a sinister cultivator like Yin Lao Er, even a small mistake could spell danger. Time was of the essence. Ouyang Feng and Shangguan Xu quickly brandished their sword energies, charging towards Yin Lao Er. Murong Caiyun wielded spells while Hua Qianqian controlled myriad floral needles to provide support and confine Yin Lao Er. Outnumbered, Yin Lao Er, skilled in assassination, realized he was outmatched. His eyes bloodshot, he resolved to kill Mo Hua before Ouyang Feng and the others could intervene. Mo Hua's death was the only way to quell the fire in his heart. If Mo Hua lived, his own life might be at risk. However, as he turned his gaze, Mo Hua's form began to fade, nearing invisibility. Yin Lao Er shouted in rage, "You brat, aren't you going to hide!" Mo Hua ignored him, made a face, and vanished. Yin Lao Er fumed, cursing under his breath, but with Ouyang Feng and the rest's attacks impending, he too was forced to retreat, eventually employing stealth to conceal his presence. With both Mo Hua and Yin Lao Er hidden, Murong Caiyun and the others were left in bewilderment, forming a defensive stance to prevent potential ambushes. Meanwhile, concealed in his hiding spot, Mo Hua frowned. He extended his spiritual sense in an attempt to locate Yin Lao Er. Yet, the man’s aura remained faint, his spiritual strength elusive, his presence flickering in and out of reach... “Why?” Mo Hua pondered in confusion. This Five Elements Concealment Technique had its quirks... To some extent, this spell could suppress one's spiritual energy, making it harder for others to detect through spiritual senses. It fundamentally differed from Mo Hua's concealment technique. Mo Hua's method cloaked his form, rendering him invisible to the naked eye, relying on strong spiritual perception to avoid discovery. Yet the Five Elements Concealment allowed perception suppression, augmenting stealth effectiveness without complete dependency on spiritual senses. Mo Hua had already gauged Yin Lao Er's spiritual perception at around fifteen to sixteen levels, not quite as adept as his own. In theory, Yin Lao Er's concealment should be detectable. But somehow, Yin Lao Er continuously evaded Mo Hua’s spiritual detections, thanks to the unique properties of the “Five Elements Concealment Technique.” Mo Hua's eyes lit up with determination. He must acquire this concealing art! Learning it, Mo Hua imagined approaching others undetected and launching a fireball into the back of their heads without them realizing... Focusing intently, Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense to the maximum, sweeping through the forest to fully “lock onto” Yin Lao Er... Suddenly, Mo Hua's expression changed, and he moved with the fluidity of water away from his position. The instant Mo Hua departed, a dagger narrowly struck the ground where he had been, its sinister energy shredding the fallen leaves and soil to pieces. Furious when Mo Hua evaded yet again, Yin Lao Er cursed and shifted his dagger's grip, persisting in his assault. However, with a shroud of pale blue water, Mo Hua danced through Yin Lao Er's attacks, avoiding lethal blows with effortless grace. Observing from afar, Murong Caiyun and the others, seeing Yin Lao Er reveal himself, hurried to join the fray. Fueled by rage and obsession, Yin Lao Er's strikes quickened and intensified, desperate to eliminate the vexing youth before him once and for all. Yet, no matter the effort, his dagger always fell just short of Mo Hua. That tiny gap felt mere inches close yet impossibly distant. Reaching his breaking point, Yin Lao Er cried out: “What the hell is this damn body technique of yours?” “Who on earth taught you this?” he demanded, consumed by desperation and frustration. Mo Hua retorted, “Your grandpa did!” Remembering Zhang Lan's kindness, he silently raised Zhang Lan’s status two ranks in status. Infuriated by Mo Hua’s sharp tongue, Yin Lao Er could do nothing against him. Meanwhile, Ouyang Feng and the others arrived, enclosing Yin Lao Er. Surrounded, they stood off against him. Yin Lao Er, having repeatedly failed to execute Mo Hua, held back from hiding again. His frustration simmered internally, yet Mo Hua, curious, probed further: “You can actually see through my concealment?” Despite having sat silently shrouded, Yin Lao Er had somehow discovered him twice. A first for Mo Hua. Yin Lao Er sneered arrogantly, “Young fool, showing off your skills before me with your paltry tricks of stealth…” His expression was one of derision. Not easily provoked, Mo Hua asked tactfully: “Did you detect me with spiritual perception?” “Senses are more than enough,” Yin Lao Er retorted, “Your flawed stealth is plain as day to my eyes.” “Observing with just the eyes…” Mo Hua mused, mentally piecing things together. His concealment folded pure, near-invisible water-element spiritual energy over his body, dispersing light and obfuscating his presence. Under the cloak of his concealment mantle. The effects, however, are quite similar. Ordinary cultivators might not notice the subtleties, but someone like Yin Lao Er, who had immersed himself in stealth techniques for years and survived on them, could undoubtedly discern flaws. Therefore, while it might have seemed he was bluffing, it was entirely possible he truly could see through Mo Hua's concealment with his "eyes." Mo Hua nodded slightly, reflecting deeply. Clearly, he mustn't underestimate any villain. The vast cultivation world was full of talented individuals. After investing so much time and effort into their craft, others would have their unique insights and specialties, which should not be understated. Underestimating them could lead to a fall from grace. Mo Hua reminded himself internally. Seeing Mo Hua's grave expression, Yin Lao Er smirked, reveling in his perceived superiority. But before long, his expression darkened as he considered a terrifying question: How could this young upstart identify his stealth? Not "see through," exactly—more like "sense." From their earlier engagement, Yin Lao Er knew that even when fully utilizing the Five Elements Concealment Technique, Mo Hua could still sense some trace of him. Otherwise, avoiding his deadly strikes wouldn't have been possible. But how did he "sense" it? To Yin Lao Er, while Mo Hua wielded his stealth technique adeptly, the lineage seemed crude, even patchy. The evident lack of a solid inheritance meant Mo Hua couldn't possibly discern the gaps in his stealth with sheer experience alone. A magical artifact? Mo Hua showed no signs of employing any such tool. That left only one possibility: Spiritual sense… But why... spiritual sense? Yin Lao Er felt it was absurd. Was it possible that Yin Lao Er used technique to perceive Mo Hua’s stealth, while Mo Hua relied solely on sheer spiritual sense? Preposterous… With a mocking sneer, Yin Lao Er looked closer, suddenly noticing Mo Hua's pupils deepening, tinged with an abyssal black. Simultaneously, an icy, eerie, yet immensely tenacious spiritual sense coiled around him like chains… Yin Lao Er was stricken, terror in his heart. "It really is spiritual sense?!" Faced with being ensnared by this bizarre spiritual detection, Yin Lao Er, in a flash, crushed a talisman in his grasp. A cloud of dense sand spread, obscuring vision and muddling aura. Immediately, he executed another Five Elements Concealment step, vanishing from sight. Yet his earlier arrogance and lingering chatter had provided Mo Hua ample time for spiritual lock-on. So, even though he tried to disappear, Mo Hua's spiritual sense clung to his path. Yin Lao Er quickly realized his nightmare—a relentless barrage of fireballs found him each time, illuminating his position like a beacon, leaving him scrambling and horrified. Soon after, Murong Caiyun and others caught on. Wherever Mo Hua aimed the fireballs, they followed with their attacks. Pale with fright, Yin Lao Er understood that a stealthy assassin, once exposed, was akin to a cripple. In a desperate bid to escape, Yin Lao Er repeatedly found himself at the mercy of Mo Hua’s unyielding spiritual sense, clinging like a hawk’s talon, waiting to strike him down. The spiritual sense wasn't just stronger but completely overwhelming! Beads of cold sweat trickled down his back. He imagined a sharp sword hovered inches above his nape, chilling him to the bone, poised to claim his life. Fighting for survival, Yin Lao Er rallied every ounce of dwindling strength, barely managing to dodge through gaps in Mo Hua's fireballs and the others’ attacks. Feeling a surge of hope, he clung to the possibility of escape. But then something nagged at him. With the spiritual sense firmly locked onto him, why was he able to evade for so long? The fireballs struck with deadly precision, relentlessly. At every impossible turn, the fireball’s impact seemed purposefully delayed, offering him just a fraction of a moment to recede into stealth once more… Why? Was Mo Hua toying with him like a cat with a mouse? Yin Lao Er cast a sidelong glance at Mo Hua, who was intently focused as if comprehending something... Comprehending? Yin Lao Er's heart skipped in revelation. Comprehending… This young fellow was learning his stealth tactics?! By locking onto him with spiritual sense, coercing him with fireballs, he was making Yin Lao Er exhaust his life’s expertise in stealth before his eyes. Then casually learning from that display! Outrageous! Fear mingled with fury, a deep foreboding within Yin Lao Er. "No way!" "I can't let him learn it, or even peek at it!" The Five Elements Concealment Technique was a treasured skill of the Five Hidden Sect. In theory, it shouldn’t be easily mastered or deduced by a mere glance. But this young man was unusual. Yin Lao Er dared not gamble. He decided to "give up." Realizing further struggle was futile, he relaxed his efforts. Merely dodging sword energies and spells with commonplace footwork, he began to demonstrate only the basic concealment techniques, withholding the advanced ones. Though, the basic techniques would escape detection by those sect disciples. Even if he fully utilized the Five Elements Concealment Technique, it was useless against Mo Hua. The outcome remained unchanged. Mo Hua sighed. Yin Lao Er lacked the “aspiration” and the “will to survive.” Mo Hua felt disappointed. Yin Lao Er was perceptive; indeed, Mo Hua had been holding back, using fireballs to force Yin Lao Er into demonstrating how to hide, maneuver, and make tactical use of stealth. The Five Elements Concealment Technique, with its intricacies, allowed Mo Hua to glean numerous stealth techniques in a short span, gaining considerable insight. He soon pieced together much about the technique’s underlying principles. The key lay in utilizing the Five Elements. The stealth technique's essence involved not just hiding one's aura but using the inherent elements found in nature to mask one’s spiritual presence. Near trees, the wood element’s aura offered cover. Near water bodies, water aura provided stealth... Similarly, proximity to soil, metals, fire, and similar elements augmented its effect. Absent such elements, it functioned like any basic stealth technique. But when merging with the elemental surroundings, the technique’s power surged. No wonder Mo Hua’s spiritual sense caught glimpses—at times strong when Yin Lao Er was near an element, weak when he was not. His understanding deepened, and though he’d planned to observe further to refine his own stealth skills, Yin Lao Er’s recognition of the situation upset those plans. With his "test subject" opting out, there was little choice left. Time to finish this... Mo Hua ceased delaying. Raising his hand, a faint blue water pattern materialized mid-air, forming a water prison that entrapped Yin Lao Er, rendering him immobile and disoriented as if drowning. "A binding spell..." Yin Lao Er chilled at the realization. This detested youth had indeed held back a final trump card… With this bizarre restraining spell, he realized from the start he never stood a chance of escaping… Yin Lao Er's anger reached its peak. Now all he felt was regret—deep regret. He regretted not consulting an almanac before venturing out and encountering such a misfortune, a nemesis of sorts. The moment he was ensnared by the water prison, Yin Lao Er knew he was finished. Sure enough, within just a few breaths, Ouyang Feng's crimson golden sword pierced his left leg; Murong Caiyun's luminous aura pierced his left arm; Hua Qianqian's floral needles pinned his knee; and Shangguan Xu's heavy sword hovered by his throat… The sinister Yin Lao Er was subdued. Mo Hua quickly approached. Seeing the venomous glare in Yin Lao Er's eyes, Mo Hua "helpfully" suggested, "Might as well break his legs first…" Everyone paused, looking at Mo Hua with complex expressions. Though they were experienced in dealing with criminal cultivators, they weren't quite this "experienced." "An ounce of prevention!" Mo Hua insisted earnestly. In this regard, he surely had some wisdom! After a moment of contemplation, Ouyang Feng agreed with Mo Hua and with a flick of his wrist, sent two strikes that severed Yin Lao Er's legs. Enduring the pain, Yin Lao Er's malevolent glare only intensified. Mo Hua ignored this, instead rummaging through Yin Lao Er's storage bag. Inside, he found only some spirit stones, several venomous daggers, books detailing fatal points on the human body aimed for assassinations, and a few jade slips. The jade slips mostly contained formulas for creating poisons and various miscellaneous techniques. Overall, there were no crucial items in the storage bag. Clearly, given his sinister nature, Yin Lao Er wouldn't leave important items in such an obvious place as a storage bag. Mo Hua asked Yin Lao Er, "Where's the Five Elements Concealment Technique?" Murong Caiyun and the others weren’t surprised. Having journeyed alongside Mo Hua, they could tell he was intrigued by Yin Lao Er for his stealth techniques. In such matters, it was understandable. Capturing a criminal cultivator, collecting spoils of war, and learning some spells—so long as they weren't major sect secrets or dark arts—was no big deal. Now that Yin Lao Er was caught, the credit was secured. As for Yin Lao Er, they let Mo Hua handle him as he pleased… Murong Caiyun and Hua Qianqian kept alert for any sudden attacks by monsters or other rogue cultivators. Meanwhile, Shangguan Xu stood by Mo Hua's side, ready to protect him in case of danger. Ouyang Feng positioned himself behind Yin Lao Er to prevent any last-minute retaliation. Yin Lao Er spat blood and sneered, "Don't expect me to hand it over!" Mo Hua scoffed, "Playing tough, are we?" He eagerly retrieved an iron board from the storage bag. He had recently found time to "improve" it. Replacing the earth formation with a metal one, he pondered, the "sting" of metal needles into the knees should be more painful than stones. As Yin Lao Er wasn’t yielding, Mo Hua took the opportunity to test his newly improved "punishment board." Placing it on the ground, he activated the formation with a crisp affirmation: "Kneel here for a moment, see if it hurts. If not, I'll refine and improve it for you…" Yin Lao Er was dumbfounded. What on earth was this kid saying? His tone twisted something so brutal into an innocent offer. "Brother Feng!" Mo Hua glanced at Ouyang Feng. Without hesitation, Ouyang Feng understood and expertly hoisted Yin Lao Er onto the board, echoing with agonizing screams. Murong Caiyun sighed in exasperation. Shangguan Xu and Hua Qianqian were utterly taken aback. It was their first time witnessing the "iron board," but likely not their last... Mo Hua curiously inquired, "Does it hurt?" Yin Lao Er convulsed silently, on the verge of shattering his teeth. "Speak up..." Mo Hua urged. Yin Lao Er was almost convulsing with rage. After a few moments, seeing Yin Lao Er about to pass out, Mo Hua disengaged the board's formation with a gesture. Despite his shaky state, Yin Lao Er possessed an unwavering resolve, refusing to utter a word. Mo Hua frowned. Perhaps he overestimated the board’s effect. Though it inflicted pain, it lacked some elements and required further "refinement." Simultaneously, he acknowledged underestimating Yin Lao Er. This man was indeed tenacious! Was the stealth technique's legacy truly that vital? Would he rather die than divulge it? Could he be trained to remain silent upon capture, or was there a secret he was safeguarding with his life? Thoughts raced through Mo Hua’s mind. Though he was uninterested in other matters, he was particularly determined to acquire the Five Elements Concealment Technique. The metaphorical "duck" must not escape! As Yin Lao Er stayed silent, Mo Hua decided to take matters into his own hands. A treasure of such value would certainly be kept close. Just as Mo Hua's inheritances were within the Ring of Storage his master gifted, surely Yin Lao Er had a secure place for his treasures as well! Remembering the transmission talisman from the vulture cultist that the Dao Court had identified from, Mo Hua felt challenged. Suddenly, he recalled using divinations to sense the celestial energies and causal threads earlier. Divination! Mo Hua’s expression sharpened, his pupils deepening with streaks of heavenly patterns materializing. Yin Lao Er shivered under Mo Hua’s gaze, sensing the young man might see "through" his secrets… After a brief pause, delight appeared on Mo Hua's face. He took out a black rod and handed it to Ouyang Feng, pointing to Yin Lao Er. "Brother Feng, break his teeth!" Ouyang Feng was startled. "His teeth?" "Yes!" Mo Hua nodded confidently. After a moment’s hesitation, Ouyang Feng complied, gathering spiritual energy into a forceful strike that shattered Yin Lao Er's teeth. Blood gushed and teeth scattered. Among them, Mo Hua singled out one with delight. This tooth was a “storage bag”! A tiny one, its space palm-sized, holding only a single jade slip. Mo Hua retrieved the jade slip, waved it before Yin Lao Er. Dumbfounded, Yin Lao Er stared in disbelief. Mo Hua grinned: "Your stealth technique is exceptional, but now it belongs to me!"