*Chapter 627: Fireball Technique?** - The Quest for Immortality

**Chapter 627: Fireball Technique?** The projection of Kui Grandpa's "Fireball Technique" appeared before him. Mo Hua was lost in silent contemplation... Utilizing his divine sense, Mo Hua sought to compress each fireball, fashioning them into threads. By weaving and integrating, he aimed to reconstruct them in a confined space, synthesizing a new form of the fireball technique that would unleash formidable power… This was the profound magic concealed within ordinary things, as demonstrated by Kui Grandpa. Through such complex transformations, even a simple fireball technique could undergo metamorphosis, evolving into a potent weapon… It resembled a formation, yet retained distinct differences from one. After all, magic and formations are not the same. Mo Hua had not yet reached a state of returning to simplicity, where all paths converge. In his current understanding of cultivation, these elements still appeared vastly different to him. But how could one cultivate such a fireball technique? "Compression, reconstruction…" "A powerful fireball technique…" Ideas began to form in Mo Hua's mind, but when it came to the specific technique, he remained baffled, unable to grasp the intricacies. He stared blankly at the setting sun in the distance. Little Yu'er, having finished her studies early, was rolling around on the soft grass. Bored, she glanced back, noticing Mo Hua’s furrowed brow, deep in thought over something unknown. Puzzled but considerate, Little Yu’er didn’t disturb Mo Hua, instead lying quietly by his side. As the sun vanished completely, darkness enveloped the sky. Startled by the nightfall, Little Yu'er shivered slightly, her eyes still holding traces of anxiety and fear. This was an instinctive fear of darkness and night, remnants from nightmares that haunted her during the late hours. As she hugged her knees, Yu'er's small face was drawn together, trembling. It was as though countless demons lurked in the surrounding darkness, untold evils waiting in the shadows. Little Yu'er's face turned pale. At some point, a warm hand rested gently on Yu'er’s head. Looking up, Yu’er saw Mo Hua gazing down at her, his eyes gentle. "It’s dark now, let's head back." Startled momentarily, Yu’er then broke into a reassuring smile. "Mm!" And so, Mo Hua held Yu’er’s tiny hand, guiding her along the narrow mountain path, towards the glow of warm yellow lights in the disciple quarters as the deepening night surrounded them. Held by Mo Hua, Yu’er suddenly felt a surge of courage fill her limbs, dispelling all fears and anxieties. The night, demons, they were nothing to fear. A joyful smile slowly blossomed on Yu’er’s face. … After returning to their quarters, Mo Hua spent a while with Yu’er before she fell asleep. Finding some time, he sketched a few formations, then pondered once more over the fireball technique… If he had to choose one elemental attack technique from the five elements, it would undoubtedly be the fireball technique. After all, the fireball technique had been with him for a long time; he had to remain faithful, unwavering. Even if he learned sword techniques, sword mastery, or even the art of mind-conjured swords, he mustn’t abandon the fireball technique. He had to master the fireball technique to its zenith! Not only as a master of magic but as a master of the fireball technique! Besides, be it sword techniques or mind-conjuring swords, they were distant dreams. For now, his reliance was solely on the fireball technique. Mo Hua repeatedly recalled and pondered the fireball technique that Kui Grandpa had demonstrated, yet progress eluded him. Magic wasn't akin to formations. With formations, he had the Dao Tablet, allowing endless practice and deductions. Magic, however, was different. Mo Hua realized he needed to find a place to experiment with various transformations of the fireball technique firsthand. The next day, Mo Hua found time to visit the Dao Practice Chamber. As the name suggests, the Dao Practice Chamber not only taught the Dao but also provided private rooms for disciples to independently practice magic. The chamber had protective formations. Inside, there was even a magic dummy for disciples to practice their spells and test their potency. An Alchemist Elder was stationed outside the chamber. In case disciples, during spell practice, mishandled and injured themselves, the Alchemist would step in with spiritual medicine or elixirs to prevent further deterioration. Such incidents were fairly common. After all, in the realm of cultivation, mistakes were inevitable. Since Mo Hua began pursuing outlaw cultivators and registering his inheritance, he occasionally rented the Dao Practice Chamber for magic training. His divine sense was sharp, and his control over spells exceedingly precise. Until now, he had never mishandled a spell, let alone injured himself with his magic! Mo Hua blinked, unable to envision a scenario where he would injure himself with his own magic… Renting the Dao Practice Chamber required a few spirit stones and registration with the Taoism Elder. Mo Hua was quite familiar with the Taoism Elder. Though his Dao studies only yielded a "C" grade, this was due to his limited spiritual roots, preventing him from learning advanced spells. The Taoism Elder understood, never minding Mo Hua attending his classes, knowing that despite diligent study, Mo Hua could only achieve a "C." While unable to study advanced spells, Mo Hua’s deep dive into basic spells and his unique magical approach greatly piqued the Elder’s interest. The Taoism Elder was idly playing chess with an Alchemist Elder when Mo Hua arrived. He greeted Mo Hua kindly, advising, "Be careful not to injure yourself," and let him enter. Entering a single-occupancy room in the Dao Practice Chamber, Mo Hua eagerly set about refining his fireball technique. First up was compressing the fireball technique. Mo Hua attempted, hoping to emulate Kui Grandpa’s demonstration by forcefully compressing the fireball into a thread using his divine sense. He failed. His divine sense wasn’t strong enough, or perhaps his cultivation level was insufficient. His control over spiritual energy hadn’t reached the finesse required… The best he could manage was compressing a large fireball into a smaller one. About fist-sized, darker in hue, and indeed slightly more potent, yet ultimately impractical. Mo Hua tested it on the magic dummy. The early-stage Foundation Establishment dummy bore a deep scorch mark from his small fireball, only to slowly self-repair. Constructed with special materials and inscribed with self-repair formations, magic dummies fascinated Mo Hua the first time he encountered them. Intrigued, he attempted to dismantle the dummy to study its internal formations… The dummy "alerted" the Taoism Elder, who promptly stopped Mo Hua's "impolite" action. Subsequently, Mo Hua abandoned this idea. Now, using his compressed "small fireball" on the magic dummy revealed that the power had indeed increased. But the enhancement was minor. Moreover, the lengthy time required for this "compression" slowed the fireball technique’s execution, rendering it too cumbersome for actual combat. Currently, this fist-sized "small fireball" represented the limit of Mo Hua’s compression capability. Mo Hua sighed. "Still so far to go..." His magical prowess couldn't hold a candle to Kui Grandpa’s. Yet, upon reflection, this was expected. Kui Grandpa's cultivation was far beyond his own. Even his Martial Uncle regarded Kui Grandpa with immense apprehension, avoiding direct confrontation, resorting to the Blood Taoist’s… some kind of blood, to counter him. After pondering, Mo Hua recalled the name: Blood of the Path Annihilation... Annihilating Paths... "I hope Kui Grandpa is alright..." Mo Hua recalled Grandpa’s words to his Martial Uncle: "Should I encounter you again, I’ll ensure your end…" This indicated that the presence accompanying him was merely an avatar or puppet, not Kui Grandpa’s true form. Relieved, Mo Hua remained somewhat concerned. Where could Kui Grandpa be… And who exactly was this ‘Blood Taoist’… Twice now, he encountered this name. First, when a Divine Son, blocking his path, invoked the lineage of the "Blood Taoist" to beg for mercy from his Martial Uncle. The second was when his Martial Uncle used the "Blood Taoist’s" blood of path annihilation against Kui Grandpa... Given the title "Taoist," and the fact his Martial Uncle accorded him respect—turning to his blood for aid—"Blood Taoist" must indeed be a formidable demon king… But it’s still early to worry about such things, rather presumptuous; let’s set it aside for now… Mo Hua silently committed the name "Blood Taoist" to memory. Afterward, focusing once more, he resumed his study of the fireball technique. While he couldn't reach Kui Grandpa's level, Mo Hua believed inspiration could still be derived from his magical approach. Transforming spells into threads, compressing and reconstructing them. Unable to match Kui Grandpa’s expertise… then perhaps simplify the process. Even mastering a tenth or a twelfth of it could lead to impressive results. If spells can't be turned into threads, simply compress them into spheres. Unable to "weave" and reconstruct them, then perhaps… allow them to merge? "Merging two fireball techniques into one?" Mo Hua's eyes lit up. He attempted to cast two fireball techniques and then merge them together... But his initial attempt failed. He recalled a fundamental magical principle from his Dao classes: It's impossible to cast two spells simultaneously. Even if they are identical, there must be an order. Mo Hua’s prior fireball technique, regardless of speed, had an underlying sequence. One must first form and release the first fireball before forming the second. No matter how swift, there exists a succession. This applies to continuous spells like the Golden Body Technique or Bell Shield. First, cast Golden Body, then maneuver the sword; First, cast Bell Shield for protection, then follow with other spells… It appears as if both spells are active simultaneously, but casting is sequential. Mo Hua rubbed his chin, pondering: “Kui Grandpa demonstrated the fireball technique by sequentially forming each fireball before unifying them into a single technique…” However, this intricate technique was beyond his abilities… “A different approach is needed…” Mo Hua frowned, contemplating. He was no longer the solitary cultivator devoid of heritage. Having joined the Tai Xu sect, with regular lessons and cultivation, receiving Tai Xu's orthodox teachings, his knowledge had expanded significantly. Immersed in magic basics, he learned quite a bit. The inability to cast two spells stems from having a singular, undivided divine sense. “Unable to split focus…” Mo Hua raised an eyebrow. "Tianji Devious Calculation!" While his divine sense might be singular, like his Martial Uncle, he could utilize Tianji Devious Calculation for division... Upon division, possessing two strands of divine sense might allow him to bypass conventional magical principles and cast simultaneously! By casting spells simultaneously, he could presumably attempt magical fusion? Energized by the thought, Mo Hua’s eyes grew deep, fragmenting his divine sense into devious shadows, focusing on casting two spells at once. Repeated attempts met with failure. He hadn’t tried fragmented casting before, making it unfamiliar initially. Either his divine sense was unstable, spiritual energy misaligned, or the spell remained incomplete… However, Mo Hua’s proficiency in the fireball technique meant that after several tries, his fragmented divine sense stabilized, spiritual energy circulated seamlessly, and the spells took form… Time passed, and a sudden insight struck Mo Hua. His eyes lit up, his hands extending outward. In his left hand, a fireball technique. Concurrently in his right hand, another fireball technique took shape. Devious intent generated, dual casting achieved! Mo Hua was ecstatic. Yet, as reality dawned, dual casting implied increased power, questioning the pursuit of more complex fireball techniques… Mo Hua decided to test, extending both hands. The two fireballs flew forth, tracing fiery paths, striking the magic dummy. Two scorch marks appeared, only to regenerate shortly after. Mo Hua shook his head. “That won’t do…” The dual casting resulted in diminished fireball power… Partly due to his unfamiliarity with the method; And because his spiritual power was insufficient, lacking the reserves to support dual fireball casting without a decrease in potency… Consequently, adhering to a sequence proved more effective. When casting quickly, the interval between two fireballs remained brief, maintaining full strength. Unless… Mo Hua paused to think. Unless you needed an onslaught of spells, rapidly unleashing numerous fireballs in a short time. In such cases, dual casting could prove exceptionally effective. However, this would deplete divine sense and spiritual energy quickly, akin to a flooding river. While his divine sense might endure, his spiritual energy was insufficient to sustain it. It wasn’t a feasible method for him yet… Mo Hua felt a tinge of disappointment. Dual casting fell short; magical fusion required exploration… Mo Hua nodded firmly, once more splitting his divine sense into devious intents, casting spells in both hands, once again forming a fireball in each. With effort and a frown, he inched his hands closer, trying to merge the two fireballs… But like magnetic poles of the same charge, the fireballs repelled each other. The closer they drew, the stronger the repulsion. Soon, Mo Hua couldn't maintain it; the spells unraveled, each fireball snuffing out. Breathing heavily, Mo Hua sighed inwardly: “This isn’t working…” “The fireballs repel each other, unable to merge…” “Why is that?” Mo Hua pondered, retrieving his "Essentials of Tai Xu Dao Principles" from his storage sack, sifting through magical principles for answers. After a tea's time, he reached the page on “spell structure”, recalling his elder’s teachings, a revelation dawned. Every spell possesses an inherent structural paradigm. This structure is stable, a standard formed by profound cultivators over generations—defining a spell’s fundamental nature, a “paradigm”. The spell structure, synonymous with spiritual energy structure, encompasses the spells' flux and transformation. Moreover, different spells possess repelling structural paradigms. Thus, when spiritual practitioners duel with spells, victory hinges on their respective structural paradigms. Superior spells boast stable structures and potent energy, overriding lesser spells, ensuing in their dismantlement and spiritual dissipation—resulting in defeat. When spell powers are evenly matched, mutual dispersal and spiritual explosions arise from structural repulsion... Mo Hua nodded subtly but then paused, perplexed. "Mutual dispersal and explosive spiritual release when spells collide…" "But when my two fireballs pressured each other, they didn't explode..." "Why not?" The more he mused, the more bewildered he felt, making him appreciate: The complexity of magical arts was akin to formations, profound and intricate. Delving deeper uncovers layers of nuanced knowledge… Mo Hua had to consider his personal approach. Despite dual casting with devious fragmentation, the fireballs shared essence, deriving from the same divine sense and spiritual energy, following identical paradigms. Like "replications", they mirrored each other. Hence, they shared affinity due to their common origin. However, as distinctly cast spells, they bore separate structural paradigms. The structural paradigm leads inevitably to repulsion. Thus, while the fireballs came from the same source, allowed proximity, they repelled each other due to independent structures… An internal conflict ensued, tangled in spiritual confrontation. Mo Hua felt a headache brewing. Sharing the same origin suggested merger was possible... Yet their independent structures manifested repulsion, clearly preventing fusion… Undeterred yet slightly puzzled, Mo Hua persevered. Over several days, he devised numerous strategies, endeavoring to fuse the dual-casted fireballs with shared origins. For instance, using divine sense to forcibly compress them together; Or adopting a “spiral” approach, rotating them to encourage cohesion… Yet despite myriad efforts, success remained elusive. Frowning meditatively, Mo Hua reflected: “Perhaps… I’m being too gentle…” All these compressive, spiraled, cohesive fusions were attempted cautiously, yet the fireballs remained "unruly", heedless of his efforts. Could a "firmer" approach be the key? If so, how? Recollecting various spell duels he had witnessed, an epiphany dawned, accompanied by a whispered revelation: “Collision?” “Intentionally colliding the fireballs?” With divine strength to propel them rapidly into collision, perhaps fusion could be achieved? Relying on powerful divine sense, could sheer force produce miraculous results? Mo Hua hesitated momentarily, considering his options. With no alternative solutions at hand, he figured it was worth a try. After all, in the Dao Practice Chamber, there were elders standing by, and with nothing but a couple of minor fireballs, it should be fine... Mo Hua nodded to himself. He then resumed his previous strategy, his pupils turning an inky black, his devious intent dividing, as he formed a fireball in each hand. But this time, Mo Hua didn’t proceed with cautious experimentation. With a concentrated expression, he pushed his sixteen-pattern transformative divine sense to its peak, creating immense pressure. And then, the spell underwent a dramatic shift! The extreme divine pressure caused the fireballs to tremble violently. In a swift moment, the two fireballs, transitioning from static to dynamic, traced two blinding trails of light, colliding at breakneck speed with each other, resulting in a forceful impact sufficient to collapse their structural integrity… It happened in the blink of an eye. Moments later, Mo Hua experienced dizziness and a ringing in his ears, his eyes blinded by the dazzling light… He only managed to perceive a muffled explosion. This explosive force seemed to draw in and consume all surrounding sound, plunging everything into an eerie silence… With his divine sense in fleeting clarity, Mo Hua realized… His spiritual energy had spiraled completely out of control… Somewhere within the fireball technique, unruly energy manifested, like an unrestrained dragon, roaring and raging, seeking to escape his grasp and consume everything… Exerting the last vestige of his divine consciousness, Mo Hua managed to "bridle" this energy, directing it forward in an explosive attack... Afterward, his eyes closed, and he swayed before collapsing to the ground, slipping into unconsciousness. ... Meanwhile, the Taoism Elder was outside playing chess when a wave of intense anxiety struck. Glancing down, he noticed a glaring red alert on the central jade slip of the Dao Practice Chamber. Simultaneously, an eerie, distorted spiritual fluctuation, despite stemming from the Foundation Establishment realm, radiated outward, carrying a hint of terrifying energy. Startled, the Taoism Elder swiftly moved to the chamber on his right. From the outside, the Dao Practice Chamber appeared intact. With a slight tremor in his right hand, the Taoism Elder opened the door… Inside lay devastation and cracks galore. A sinister scorch mark marred the ground, extending into the distance, the powerful spiritual pressure reverberating against the walls, even jolting the protective Grade-Three formation into view. Though the formation remained unharmed, the plaster walls dissolved, exposing the array patterns beneath. It seemed as though the chamber walls bore mottled fissures blasted outward. The scorched mark’s origin was a small cultivator. Collapsed on the ground, his left hand charred, his right hand cracked, and blood graced the corner of his lips. At the scorch mark's terminus stood a magic dummy. Or rather, where a magic dummy should be. But now, the early-stage Foundation Establishment dummy, designed to test magical prowess, had been obliterated beyond recognition… The Taoism Elder’s mouth fell agape, and he drew a sharp breath… “What in the world is this…” “A fireball technique?!” This chapter is nearly 6,000 words long, hence the delay~ (.) (End of Chapter)