Chapter 629: Forbidden Technique - The Quest for Immortality

**Chapter 629: Forbidden Technique** "Yi?" Mo Hua was momentarily stunned, recalling the inscription on the Water Prison Technique tome, "...This technique was compiled by Master Yi and included in the Tai Xu Sect..." "The Water Prison Technique in the meritorious script, was it you who recorded it?" Elder Yi paused for a moment, "You've learned the Water Prison Technique?" "Yes!" Mo Hua nodded. Elder Yi was a bit surprised. The Water Prison Technique was easy to learn but hard to master, and difficult to use skillfully... However, he shook his head, "It wasn't me; it was recorded by a predecessor from our Yi family..." "A predecessor?" "Yes," Elder Yi nodded, "Our Yi family is renowned for magical techniques. Most of our elders and disciples are skilled spiritual cultivators, and we love to collect odd and rare techniques..." "Oh..." Mo Hua nodded. Glancing at the sky, Elder Yi said, "Alright, I'm leaving. If you have any questions about techniques, feel free to ask me." "Thank you, Elder Yi!" Mo Hua responded obediently. Hearing this "Elder Yi," Elder Yi felt slightly more at ease, prepared to leave but remembered something, somewhat awkwardly said: "Mo Hua..." "The fact that you got injured, it was indeed a bit of negligence on my part, but, well... Mr. Xun..." Mo Hua immediately understood. "Elder Yi, don't worry. I will explain to Mr. Xun clearly that this was my mistake, not yours!" This incident wasn't Elder Yi's fault. Moreover, Elder Yi had shared such crucial technique principles with Mo Hua, so he definitely shouldn't be implicated. Elder Yi felt greatly relieved seeing Mo Hua so sharp and reasonable, no longer minding that despite learning techniques from him for so long, Mo Hua didn't even know his full name. "Alright, take good care of your injuries." Elder Yi left, looking much more relaxed. "Take care, Elder." After Elder Yi left, Mo Hua lay on the bed with his left hand wrapped in bandages, contemplating: The tandem fireball technique... consciousness guidance collision... breakdown of the spell structure... the power of spiritual energy fusion... This kind of "disintegration" technique is powerful but unstable and easily loses control. If Mo Hua were to experiment on his own, any loss of control could result in injury, posing significant risks. This time, luck was on his side. Although the technique lost control, Mo Hua managed to forcefully contain the out-of-control spiritual energy with his consciousness, avoiding direct impact... Moreover, within the Tai Xu Sect, there were many skilled alchemist elders who carefully treated him, ensuring he didn't suffer severe injuries. After rest, there would be no residual effects. However, another such incident wouldn't be as fortunate. Mo Hua considered himself a "fragile shell"... The forceful collision of fireballs, breakdown of spell structures, and internal spiritual energy fusion bore a resemblance to the principles of great Dao transformations. Their destructive power was astonishing. A single misstep could truly mean the end of his life... Yet, if he didn't continue to study... Mo Hua felt unwilling. As a spiritual cultivator, having spells that were quick to cast and accurate in targeting was a major advantage. But if the spells themselves weren't powerful enough, hitting the target would be akin to scratching an itch, significantly diminishing this advantage. A powerful technique is useless if it doesn’t land, but precise aim with minimal impact is equally inefficient... Previously, roaming the second-tier provincial borders, most opponents encountered were rogue cultivators or members of small families with limited heritage. With superior consciousness, the special fireball technique exhibited considerable power. However, upon reaching Qianxue Province, amidst a landscape filled with major families and sects, disciples with superior spirit roots were numerous. Even some disgraced cultivators wanted by the Dao Court had formidable foundations and spirit roots far superior to his. Among these disciples, some even carried top-tier Daoist teachings. The fireball technique's power was becoming less significant. Hence, this fireball fusion needs further research... Mo Hua contemplated, incorporating Elder Yi's "guidance," roughly understanding the underlying principles of such magical harm: Traditional spell theory dictates that spiritual energy constructs the spell from within to outward, forming the spell technique. The power of a spell is determined by the strength of spiritual energy. The most representative are upper-grade spells with high spiritual energy consumption, robust spell structures, and astonishing power. But possessing weak spiritual energy meant Mo Hua couldn't learn upper-grade spells, so he had to follow the opposite path. Through spell changes, he reversed the spell structure, causing internal spiritual energy change, thereby unleashing formidable spiritual energy. The spell is merely a catalyst. A fuse. Relying on the spell to provoke spiritual energy changes akin to reverse unraveling of formations. Thus, by consuming a small amount of spiritual energy, immense destructive power can be achieved. This process requires strategic manipulation, dividing consciousness, and dual casting. A strong consciousness is also needed to control the spell rapidly and precisely, greatly exhausting consciousness. But Mo Hua had a strong consciousness, albeit weak spiritual energy. This reverse spell approach perfectly highlighted his strengths, avoided his weaknesses, and leveraged his potent consciousness... Mo Hua nodded, determined to thoroughly study the fusion fireball technique. He understood the spell principles. The current problem with this fireball technique... Is its instability. The breakdown of spell structures and spiritual energy fusion are easy to lose control. It might injure himself before affecting others. "I need to devise a stable, controllable method for spell structure breakdown and fireball fusion..." Mo Hua silently resolved. ... The next day, Mo Hua attended class. His injuries, treated by the alchemist elders "appointed" by Mr. Xun, had mostly healed, only requiring some rest. Classes were manageable. However, beyond that, spiritual energy was prohibited, and drawing formations was off-limits. Mo Hua took the opportunity during this time to research "fireball fusion." Any spare time outside of cultivation classes, he pondered how to stably conduct fireball collision, spell breakdown, and spiritual energy fusion. As long as the spell structure was controllable, it didn’t matter if the damage was slightly reduced. Yet, after several days of study, progress was painfully slow. Mo Hua couldn’t devise any means to cause the spell structure to stably break down and control the direction of the fusing spiritual energy. He realized he had been overconfident. This unconventional, reverse-thinking spell structure was beyond his mere momentary inspiration to invent, let alone stabilize and perfect. A standard spell, no matter how inconspicuous, required generations of cultivators, through practice, research, and refinement, to perfect. Mo Hua wasn’t deeply versed in magic. And with limited time, thinking he could create spells was indeed a wild dream. He sighed but was not discouraged. Since solo research wasn’t working, he decided to study other fire-type techniques, searching for aspects of their spell structures that could be borrowed... Standing on the shoulders of previous generations to refine his magic. Mo Hua found this idea quite feasible. He didn’t believe that the idea of "fireball fusion" was exclusive to him. There were countless talents in the cultivation world; they likely had long considered these problems and summarized them. Throughout the 20,000-year existence of the Dao Court, countless spell experts had likely conducted more mature research, potentially leaving ready-made spells for him to "copy." However, this mutation technique was evidently challenging and perilous. Hence, few cultivators learned it, and fewer spell structures were likely passed down. "Copy..." Mo Hua immediately thought of Elder Yi. The underlying principles had initially been shared by Elder Yi. The Yi family, with its magical technique legacy, might not necessarily use such techniques, but they definitely had researched them. So, with his small arm wrapped in bandages, Mo Hua went to find Elder Yi. Elder Yi shook his head vigorously, "No, no, no..." Mo Hua’s tinkering had injured his hands, resulting in Elder Yi enduring several days of cold glares from Mr. Xun. If he were to genuinely teach Mo Hua something, and Mo Hua ended up hurting himself again... Mr. Xun might just confiscate all of Elder Yi’s sect stipends. Thinking about that, Elder Yi added two more "no's." This was within Mo Hua's expectations, and he curiously asked: "Is it because it's too dangerous?" "It's beyond dangerous..." Mo Hua blinked, "How dangerous?" Elder Yi had just started to speak when he suddenly paused, suspiciously looking at Mo Hua. "You little rascal, you're not trying to trick me, are you?" Mo Hua gave a shy smile, "Elder, how could you say that? I'm so young and simple-minded; how could I possibly trick you?" Elder Yi silently gazed at Mo Hua, obviously not believing a word. "It's just a little bit of curiosity..." Mo Hua admitted. "Curiosity won't do." "Alright then..." Mo Hua sighed, looking a bit disappointed. Seeing Mo Hua's dejected expression, Elder Yi felt a bit guilty. After some thought, he eventually conceded, "I'll just tell you a little bit, but listen carefully and don't go experimenting or practicing on your own. You mustn't get hurt..." "Alright," Mo Hua nodded. "I won't practice blindly." Only then did Elder Yi relax a little, nodding as he continued, "This type of technique involves 'spiritual transformation,' which is inherently extremely dangerous..." "Powerful, yet prone to losing control, it can harm both others and oneself. Moreover, practicing it can cause irreversible damage to your meridians or spirit sea." "That's why such techniques are often sealed as 'forbidden techniques.' Their transmission is either cut off, sealed away, or destroyed." "Forbidden techniques?!" Mo Hua exclaimed, "Banned from practice?" "Indeed," Elder Yi nodded. Feeling a bit guilty, Mo Hua quietly asked, "If I practice it, will the Dao Court come and arrest me, chaining me up and throwing me into the Dao prison?" Elder Yi sighed, "Not quite that severe..." "Though called 'forbidden techniques,' there are many varieties..." "Esoteric, evil, necromantic, ghost magic... these demonic sect practices are labeled as forbidden due to their immense danger to life." "Meanwhile, 'spiritual transformation' techniques are deemed forbidden due to their great yet uncontrollable power." "As long as you don't use them for mass slaughter or harm the innocent, just practicing in secret—like how you accidentally injured yourself—the Dao Court would likely turn a blind eye." Elder Yi quickly cautioned, "I'm not advising you to practice in secret!" "Don't practice at all!" "Alright, alright," Mo Hua nodded. "Please, continue..." Elder Yi acknowledged with a slight nod, proceeding, "But even so, since they've been classified as 'forbidden,' these techniques inevitably have serious repercussions." "Such as burning meridians, spiritual energy backlash, imbalance of yin and yang, and more..." "Some practitioners, in their effort to overcome the drawbacks of 'forbidden techniques,' end up on the path of demonic cultivation..." "Hence, the Dao Court has no choice but to implement a blanket ban on all 'forbidden techniques.'" "Unstable techniques are not suitable for widespread practice; otherwise, they become major risks..." Elder Yi spoke with grave emphasis. Mo Hua quietly speculated, "Does the Dao Court secretly record 'forbidden techniques'..." Elder Yi paused, then opted not to hide it from Mo Hua, "The Dao Court does keep records, for..." Elder Yi trailed off, but Mo Hua understood. With the Dao Court's unification, the cultivation world fell under its jurisdiction. The prestige of the Dao Court meant it could do as it pleased, unchallenged. Mo Hua further inquired, "What about the sect... do they also keep records?" Elder Yi immediately shook his head, "No." Mo Hua's skeptical eyes betrayed his disbelief. Sighing under Mo Hua's scrutiny, Elder Yi glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then quietly admitted, "The sect does... record some as well..." "But not the likes of demonic or evil techniques." "Forbidden arts related to demons, necromancy, and spirits that violate natural harmony are indisputably banned, with no leniency." "The sect records primarily those involving the grand rules of the Dao with immense power yet are nearly impossible to practice or control, or those with severe consequential drawbacks upon practice..." "Such forbidden techniques are deliberated by the sect master, elders, or ancestors for discretion." "Some techniques that were once viable may require prohibitive sacrifices for practice, leading ancestors to label them as 'forbidden' and seal them." Finishing, Elder Yi looked sternly at Mo Hua, "You must never consider these 'forbidden techniques.'" "While they are recorded in the sect, disciples are strictly forbidden from practicing them." "Our Tai Xu Sect adheres strictly to regulations. If any disciple flagrantly ignores the rules to practice 'forbidden techniques,' for any reason, they will be expelled from the sect!" Mo Hua felt a chill, his expression turning serious. Elder Yi patted him on the shoulder, sighing, "Mr. Xun holds you in high esteem. For his sake, and for your own, you must stay away from such paths to avoid disappointing him..." Mo Hua solemnly nodded, "Elder Yi, you can rest assured." Seeing the sincerity in Mo Hua's clear gaze, Elder Yi felt relieved. After Elder Yi left, Mo Hua returned to the disciples' quarters. Reflecting on his conversation with Elder Yi, Mo Hua summarized: Techniques embodying the "fireball fusion" principle must exist, but these are certainly labeled as "forbidden techniques." Practicing such "forbidden techniques" entails risks. These repercussions can vary, and some might even lead one astray. Within the Tai Xu Sect, "forbidden techniques" are undoubtedly concealed. But their location would certainly not be disclosed to disciples; at least, they wouldn't be part of the regular curriculum or within the meritorious script. Moreover, he couldn't clandestinely study the sect's forbidden techniques. The sect's rules were rigorous. Should he violate them by secretly practicing, even with Mr. Xun's favoritism, the elder would likely be compelled to cast him out. Mr. Xun had been so kind to him, Mo Hua couldn't let him down. However! Mo Hua had a thought. As long as he didn't secretly study the sect's forbidden techniques, there wouldn't be a problem! As long as he wasn't studying the demonic "forbidden techniques," the Dao Court wouldn't interfere. He wasn't afraid of the side effects. His intent wasn't to "learn" forbidden techniques. Rather, he aimed to use them to research the principles of "magical fusion." To "borrow" their structural spells, finding ways to continuously optimize, refine, and perfect a truly stable and controllable "fusion fireball technique." And as Elder Yi mentioned, a disciple surreptitiously studying "forbidden techniques" would be expelled. In other words, they become "runaway disciples"! Mo Hua's eyes lit up. In that case, within the list provided by Boss Jiang, among the myriad of rogue cultivators, there might just be one or two who practiced "forbidden techniques," leading to their estrangement from their sects, engaging in misdeeds outside, becoming rogue cultivators. Boss Jiang truly was his "lucky star"! His list was like an "inherited treasure map." Smiling, Mo Hua retrieved Boss Jiang's list once more. He noted down the names of rogue cultivators that included "fire." This was a prior selection he made when intending to learn fire-based techniques. Mo Hua reviewed each rogue cultivator's "name" one by one. "Fire Worker, Fire Wolf, Flaming Palm, Fire Butcher..." Mo Hua frowned. None of these rogue cultivators seemed to bear the mark of having learned "forbidden techniques." Their magic didn't appear involved with spell structure breakdown, magical fusion, or offered any reference for his "forbidden technique" research. More importantly, Mo Hua didn't experience the kind of divination warning, causal premonition, or heart-thumping feeling. "Nothing..." Mo Hua felt a deep sense of disappointment. He stowed the jade slip back in his storage ring but, unwilling to give up, retrieved it once again, setting it on the table, scrutinizing it with a cunning fusion of divination alchemy. At this moment, he detected a faint red causal chain on the jade slip. Mo Hua was startled. There is! In the divination patterns and causal premonitions, the list contained traces of similar "forbidden techniques" to "fireball fusion"! Mo Hua promptly opened the list for another look. Yet all the rogue cultivators' names appeared "unremarkable," showing no anomalies. It seemed as though the earlier "causal premonition" was merely an illusion. Mo Hua calculated further, uncovering nothing. "What is going on..." Mo Hua leaned on the table, resting his chin in contemplation. "Is there something... I haven't discovered?" "Is there a hidden depth, something encrypted in Boss Jiang's list?" Mo Hua reread Boss Jiang's diary, extending his consciousness, discerning every word. After one read-through, he found nothing. He decided to read it again... By the third read-through, Mo Hua finally discovered a hint. Some sentences had breaks, with blanks marked as "encrypted," and the technique was more subtle. Mo Hua had subconsciously skipped over them, which is why he hadn't noticed initially. Mo Hua marveled at this realization. "This Boss Jiang sure is crafty..." He almost got fooled! With renewed determination, Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he began attempting to decrypt, but the encrypted sections in the blanks were entirely different from the rest. With no other choice, Mo Hua reused his old method, patiently employing the "Sub-Thunder Runes" from the Sub-Thunder Rune Library, comparing and decrypting them one by one. Three days later, Mo Hua finally decrypted a new name from the blanks on the jade slip. This name was deeply hidden, written in bold ink. Swirling with blood-like tendrils amidst a sea of fire, it exuded a deep, murderous aura that left a subtle sense of dread. Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly as he read aloud: "Huo Fotuo." Thank you to Sidewalk Slowpoke Beast and Yeeeeea for your donations~ (End of Chapter)