Chapter 628: Injuries - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 628: Injuries Moments later, another elder appeared, garbed in the Taixu robe with an embroidery of a alchemy furnace on the collar—a clear mark of the Shangguan Family's Alchemist. Surveying the scorched surroundings and the walls etched with formation patterns, they couldn't help but take a sharp breath. Their gaze then fell upon Mo Hua, lying unconscious on the ground. "Don't just stand there; we need to help him." The two hurried over to assess Mo Hua's injuries, soon letting out sighs of relief. Although Mo Hua looked pitiful, with quite severe injuries, there was nothing life-threatening. The alchemist took out a vial of spiritual liquid, pouring it over Mo Hua's wounds to neutralize lingering fire toxins and wash away the charred blood, while also staunching the bleeding. Then, administering a pill, they placed it in Mo Hua's mouth. Gently placing their hand on Mo Hua's chest, they continuously circulated their energy, using powerful and refined wood-element spiritual power to nourish Mo Hua's meridians and heal his injuries... As time passed, Mo Hua's pale face gradually regained color, and his breathing steadied. However, his physical body was frail, causing slow recovery, leaving him unable to awaken for the time being. The alchemist, relieved, remarked, "He's almost stable." "Fortunately, it was just a minimal impact from the magical energy..." "With half a month's recuperation and proper care, he should be fine. However, his hand is injured, and his meridians are damaged, rendering him unable to use spiritual power during this period." The alchemist shook their head slightly, feeling thankful yet pensive: "His constitution is just too weak..." "Delicate and fragile, easily hurt, and difficult to nurse back to health..." Casting a sympathetic glance at the unconscious Mo Hua, the alchemist turned to chide the Dao Fa Elder: "As a Dao Fa Elder, at least teach him some body strengthening exercises. Not aiming for mastery, but at least to bolster his health; he'd recover quicker." The Dao Fa Elder chuckled wryly, "As if I didn't know." "But it's not that simple. If he could train, I'd have had him doing so long ago..." "Learning a bit doesn't make it practical in combat." "He still gets injured easily, and serious harm isn't uncommon. It's better to focus on body movement skills to avoid any harm at all..." "Besides, body strengthening arts are fierce and robust, not so easily grasped." "With his lacking foundation, practicing too much could lead to withered physique and backlash from blood energy, causing more harm." The alchemist sighed, shaking their head in resignation: "Then I'll concoct a few batches of pills to nourish his blood energy..." "Though the effect might not be significant, it's better than nothing." Finishing, the alchemist cast a sympathetic glance at the Dao Fa Elder, "Better brace yourself for Elder Xun's dissatisfaction." The Dao Fa Elder felt a jolt of apprehension. "Why on earth did you teach such advanced magic to this kid?" The alchemist questioned in disbelief. "I didn't teach him..." "Do you think I'll buy that?" The Dao Fa Elder's mouth felt dry, "I truly didn't teach him..." The alchemist paused, seeing his sincerity, and surveyed their surroundings with a subtle change in expression, "Then this is..." "It's a spell..." "Obviously, but what spell exactly?" The Dao Fa Elder pondered, "Judging by the remnants, it appears to be... a fireball spell." The alchemist remained expressionless, "Impressive... What fireball spell could this be? Teach me, I'd love to learn." The Dao Fa Elder found themselves speechless. The alchemist pointed to where the spell-testing dummy had been: "That dummy, though early Foundation Establishment level, was crafted to withstand intense magical attacks, boasting high magical defense that even most mid-stage Foundation Establishment disciples couldn't breach, yet now..." The alchemist's eye twitched slightly, "It has been reduced to ashes..." And this child is barely a year into practice, only an early Foundation Establishment disciple. The alchemist glanced at Mo Hua, feeling a wave of astonishment. Similarly, doubts crept into the Dao Fa Elder's mind. He couldn't recall teaching Mo Hua any high-power spells. Moreover, even with such a spell, Mo Hua's spiritual root grade and spiritual sea capacity shouldn't allow him to learn or cast it... Unless... The Dao Fa Elder, sensing the residual scorching energy and altered spiritual flow in the vicinity, grew increasingly serious. The alchemist inquired, "Do you see something?" The Dao Fa Elder frowned, "This is not merely about the spell's power; it resembles..." "Resembles what?" The Dao Fa Elder shook his head, not voicing his thoughts, though reflecting on Mo Hua's age and cultivation, finding the notion hard to believe and murmuring, "Probably... not possible..." ... When Mo Hua finally awoke, he felt a spinning headache, his hand ached, and his meridians felt sluggish. As he surveyed his surroundings, he realized he was lying on a pristine, soft bed in a simple, serene room filled with the scent of tranquility incense and the bitter aroma of herbal medicine. Nearby stood a woman clad in a Taixu Elder's robe, gracious in stature with a dignified yet charming demeanor, quietly observing him. Surprised, Mo Hua rasped out, "Elder Murong?" His voice was hoarse and frail, still bearing the wounds of lingering fire spiritual power, making speech difficult. Elder Murong nodded slightly, "Elder Xun feared your injuries might worsen, so he sent you to me." Mo Hua blinked, realizing then that Elder Murong was indeed an alchemist. Drawing closer, Elder Murong gently touched Mo Hua's forehead with her slender, fair fingers, her voice as soft as the evening breeze: "There's no serious concern now..." "But your left hand suffered burns and meridian damage; avoid using spiritual power for half a month. Your right hand has superficial wounds; refrain from writing for seven days..." "I'll give you some medicinal pills, one for each morning and evening." "Okay," Mo Hua nodded slowly, "Thank you, Elder Murong..." Elder Murong offered a gentle smile. Subsequently, other cultivators came to visit him. Yu Er was the first to stop by. After hearing about Mo Hua's injuries, he stayed by his side, his small brows furrowed, eyes misty, and refused to leave even when asked. Elder Murong had no choice but to prepare a small bed with a little blanket for Yu Er to rest nearby. Yu Er stayed quiet and calm; upon waking, his first action was always to glance at Mo Hua. When Mo Hua woke, Yu Er's eyes sparkled with joy. Yet, knowing Mo Hua needed rest, Yu Er spent a little time with him before heading back to the disciple's quarters for his assignments. Murong Caiyun also visited once, bringing more medicinal pills and supplements. Seeing that Mo Hua was alright, she felt relieved but reminded him to be cautious and not to injure himself when practicing spells. Mo Hua nodded obediently. He also learned something important: Murong Caiyun had referred to Elder Murong as "Aunt," confirming their relationship. Shangguan Xu paid him a visit as well, bringing not only healing pills but also a variety of delicious treats. "These are from Aunt Wan for you..." "Since you’re within the Taixu Sect, it's not convenient for her to visit, but she asked you to come to the Gu family after you’ve healed. She’ll have the Shangguan Family's Alchemist conduct a special treatment to ensure full recovery without lingering troubles..." Mo Hua nodded appreciatively, "Thank you, Brother Xu, and please thank Aunt Wan for me as well." Aside from them, several fellow disciples also stopped by to check on their "Little Senior Brother." Seeing Mo Hua looking well, with no critical issues, they were reassured and gathered around him, chatting eagerly: "Mo Hua, we heard you hurt yourself practicing spells?" "Really?" "What spell were you practicing?" "It couldn't be fireball, could it..." "Why not?" "Of course not..." "How could it not be..." "Mo Hua's specialty is fireball..." "Once we're out of Taixu Sect, let's pretend not to know each other..." "Don’t let anyone find out our 'Little Senior Brother' got hurt by fireball..." Mo Hua shot them a disdainful look, retorting unhappily: "What's wrong with fireball? Once I'm healed, I'll show you how a fireball can have you in tears!" "I don't believe it!" "Bragging needs some groundwork..." "Just fireball..." ... Amid their playful banter, the atmosphere grew lively and warm. Elder Murong, however, simply remarked, "This is the alchemy room; you need serenity. Off you go to your classes." "Yes, Elder." The disciples, who were initially planning to skip their lessons, obediently bowed and left, crestfallen. Only Cheng Mo appeared reluctant to leave, clutching Mo Hua and urging him, "Mo Hua, heal quickly so you can return to teach us formations..." The lessons from Elder Xun were too advanced, the assignments too heavy, and Cheng Mo couldn't handle it... Having Mo Hua as the "Little Senior Brother" was much preferred. ... Elder Xun also paid Mo Hua a visit. Appearing stern, he didn't say much, only advising Mo Hua to recuperate properly. However, as he left, he couldn't resist offering a quiet reassurance: "Spells are about conflict and combat, and if you're not adept, it's alright..." "Given your weak constitution, there's no need to emulate others by cultivating aggressive spell techniques..." "Mastering formations will be enough to hold your own in the cultivation world; others won't dare to belittle you." "If someone troubles you, just speak up, and the sect will back you." "Don't force yourself to learn these spells..." "Most importantly, don't injure yourself..." ... Deeply touched, Mo Hua quickly nodded and said, "I understand, thank you, Elder!" Elder Xun, unsure if Mo Hua genuinely understood, merely nodded before departing. ... Near dusk, the Dao Fa Elder also quietly visited Mo Hua. As the elder responsible for teaching Dao techniques, he still felt some responsibility for the disciples' injuries, even though he hadn't directly caused them. Seeing Mo Hua sitting on the bed, his left hand wrapped in bandages, his face pale yet his eyes energetic, and his breathing steady, the Dao Fa Elder finally felt at ease. After some small talk, he hesitated for a moment before asking quietly: "Mo Hua, what spell did you use in the Dao technique room..." As someone who taught and researched spells, he was naturally curious about unknown ones. He wanted to know what kind of spell Mo Hua used to unleash such power, annihilating a perfectly intact spell-testing dummy... Mo Hua was taken aback, his eyes lighting up. Since waking, he had been pondering the "spell fusion" concept. But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out how merging two fireball spells under mental pressure resulted in such immense power. If he hadn't forcibly redirected the spell's direction with his will, letting the spiritual energy run wild... Not only his hands but even his life could have been at risk... Mo Hua didn't understand. Simply merging two fireball spells shouldn't create such overwhelming power. Even the residual energy inflicted severe injuries. This defied logic. Therefore, when the Dao Fa Elder asked, Mo Hua had many questions he wanted to consult him about. After some thought, Mo Hua replied: "I figured a single fireball wasn't powerful enough, so I tried to 'fuse' two fireballs together to boost the power, and then it exploded..." The Dao Fa Elder frowned, "Nonsense, there's no such 'fusion.'" Mo Hua earnestly asked, "Then how should it be done?" "You've misunderstood," the Dao Fa Elder shook his head, "Spell 'fusion' doesn't involve mixing two spells together like dough..." "Spell fusion fundamentally means the merging of spell structures." "And it's not after casting that they merge; before casting, it's already a 'fused' spell structure, merely appearing as if they're 'fusing'..." Mo Hua suddenly understood. He recalled how Grandpa Kuai crafted "Fireball" by weaving and forming the spell sequentially. Essentially, it wasn't fusing multiple fireballs. It was crafting a complete, standalone spell. He trained like Grandpa Kuai taught, yet due to closing himself off, he unknowingly deviated slightly... But even though he veered off, the power seemed overwhelming... Far beyond his expectations... Why was that? Mo Hua blinked and glanced at the Dao Fa Elder. Caught under Mo Hua's gaze, the Dao Fa Elder felt uneasy, unsure of Mo Hua's intentions... "Elder..." Mo Hua said softly, "Hypothetically speaking..." "Two 'twin' cultivators, with identical minds and spiritual roots, casting the same spell identically..." "There are no such 'twin' cultivators," the Dao Fa Elder interjected. "I'm speaking hypothetically..." Mo Hua replied earnestly, "...If there were, what happens when their spells collide? Would they fuse?" Mo Hua looked intrigued. The Dao Fa Elder, exasperated with these imaginative, strange questions from disciples, had to admit their queries sometimes seemed logical. But truly answering them was mentally taxing. Massaging his forehead, he mused along Mo Hua’s line of thought, "Identical minds, identical roots, yet these spells might not be identical due to timing..." "For cultivators, time is a type of law." "The casting time and spiritual energy composition of a spell are inherent characteristics often overlooked by cultivators..." "Then what if the casting time is identical too..." Mo Hua persisted. "In that case..." the Dao Fa Elder murmured, "Then the spells would be nearly identical, originating from the same source... if they touch..." "There'd be two possibilities..." Based on the principles of spells, the Dao Fa Elder speculated: "Either they instantly 'fuse,' forming a large fireball..." "Or they remain in a state of attraction and repulsion, unable to fuse, much like the interplay of yin and yang." Mo Hua's eyes brightened, filled with admiration. As expected from a Dao Fa Elder—being able to deduce the truth based on spell theory alone. "Then if these two fireballs are 'interacting opposites' but not fusing?" Mo Hua asked again. "If that's the case..." the Dao Fa Elder began, then paused, startled, "How do you know?" Because I've done it! And I got hurt doing it! Mo Hua thought silently. But it wasn't something he could openly admit, so he sidestepped, saying, "Just a guess..." Before the Dao Fa Elder could regain his composure, Mo Hua quickly continued, "If so, why the repulsion?" The Dao Fa Elder found himself contemplating further into Mo Hua's line of thinking... "Because fundamentally, their spell structures differ." "The structure of a spell is the essence of its spiritual power." "Spell structures are inherently repulsive." "Even when the same cultivator casts the same spell, the spell structures appear similar, yet each is independent and distinct." "It's akin to crafting standardized spiritual artifacts, where even though the artifacts look alike, each one is a distinct entity..." "The 'twin' fireballs you describe are similar—they appear identical, but their core 'spell structures' are independently unique..." Mo Hua nodded. Indeed, as a Dao Fa Elder, he aligned with Mo Hua’s speculations. He also suspected the fireball repulsion stemmed from an intrinsic difference in spell structures. Mo Hua asked another question, "Can these 'twin' fireballs achieve a different form of 'fusion'?" The Dao Fa Elder shook his head, "No, their repulsive structures prevent such fusion..." "Is there a way to fuse them?" The Dao Fa Elder pondered seriously for a moment, ultimately shaking his head again. Mo Hua blinked, "What if..." "Using brute force, with immense mental control, you directly collide the fireballs for potential fusion..." "Collide?" The Dao Fa Elder shook his head, "Still unlikely to truly fuse..." "It might merely be a 'conglomeration,' but such a process is risky, jeopardizing the spell's stability..." "Applying immense mental pressure to force fireball conglomeration would create an intense repulsion, collapsing their internal structures, unbinding spiritual energy, causing anomalies, and releasing their core potential, which then..." The Dao Fa Elder trailed off, his voice diminishing, suddenly pausing in disbelief as he stared at Mo Hua. "You didn't actually..." You didn't really collide fireballs to induce structural collapse, causing devastating force that obliterated the spell-testing dummy, did you... Perplexed, he then wondered, "How did you..." How did you achieve such a feat? The scenario of identical "twin" fireballs... Using mental force to control and merge fireballs... "Is this even possible at the early Foundation Establishment stage?" Mo Hua whispered, "I was just speculating, asking casually..." The Dao Fa Elder silently watched Mo Hua, thinking to himself that he found it hard to believe him completely. He couldn't help but be impressed at the same time. Truly, Elder Xun had an eye for talent. The disciple he valued was not only gifted in formations but also capable of approaching spell techniques from a unique perspective, conducting such insightful research... However, given that this was a disciple whom Elder Xun held in high regard, it wasn't appropriate to delve too deeply into his capabilities. After some contemplation, the Dao Fa Elder made a decision and shared a concept of "spell theory" with Mo Hua, something typically not taught: "Spiritual power forms a spell, and the spell is merely the cloak of this power." "However, the innate essence of spiritual power itself can undergo profound transformations, carrying immense potential..." "Generally, a spell is crafted by forming structures with spiritual power, thus wielding destructive force..." "But conversely..." The Dao Fa Elder's gaze sharpened, his voice lowering: "By inducing structural changes through spells, one can trigger a transformation in spiritual power, releasing massive amounts of unstable energy, which similarly unleashes tremendous destructive power..." Mo Hua's eyes widened in realization. Wasn't this akin to... Formation decomposition! Though the methods differ—one being a formation, the other a spell—and the nature of the spiritual energy transformation differs—decomposition versus fusion—the fundamental principle is the same! The Dao Fa Elder was momentarily taken aback by how quickly Mo Hua grasped the concept. Had this child done something similar before? It was as though he grasped the idea instantly. Deciding not to delve further, the Dao Fa Elder coughed and stood up, "It's getting late; I should head back..." "Take care, Elder," Mo Hua politely responded. But there was something else that lingered on his mind, and despite his reservations, he couldn't resist asking. "Elder..." Mo Hua asked softly, "What is your family name?" The Dao Fa Elder, upon hearing this, froze as if struck by lightning. He felt a mix of irritation and disbelief, saying with a tinge of heartache, "All this time, and you still don't know my last name?!" Mo Hua felt a little embarrassed. After all, there were many elders within the sect, including those who occasionally substituted in classes, and it wasn't easy to remember all their names. Some he recognized by face but couldn't name. Mo Hua offered an awkward smile. With a sigh, the Dao Fa Elder relented, "My name is Yi..." Although we are merely celebrating a minor festival here, I still wish everyone a happy small festival~ (.) (End of Chapter)