Chapter 650: Breaking Through - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 650: Breaking Through Qiao Lao Liu returned from the outer hall, and upon seeing Huo Fotuo, his face was filled with fear, his voice trembling as he spoke: "Elder Brother, it's as if I've seen a ghost. The outer hall is empty, and so many of our brothers are dead..." Huo Fotuo's gaze was sharp, "How did they die?" "I don't know..." Qiao Lao Liu stammered. Huo Fotuo remained silent, but the qi of blood and killing intent around him began to thicken ominously. Qiao Lao Liu's face paled, and he hastily added: "It seems they were killed without being noticed, then their bodies were thrown into the Rotten River, where flesh and blood dissolved without a trace..." "There are still a few left in the middle hall..." "The outer hall, nearly... all dead..." Qiao Lao Liu swallowed, looking uneasy. "Impossible!" Behind Huo Fotuo, a tall, thin man with a grim, pallid expression, a fellow practitioner of the demonic arts, interjected. This was Yin Leizi, who had previously crossed paths with Mo Hua and even chased him. Yin Leizi furrowed his brow and said: "I talked to Shi Lao Er not long ago..." There was a hint of anger on Yin Leizi’s face. "That bastard was so arrogant. With his level of cultivation, he couldn't possibly have been killed without leaving a trace in such a short time..." At this, the other demonic cultivators behind Huo Fotuo recalled similar interactions. "I remember as well..." "I exchanged messages with Ren Tu..." "He even cursed me, saying he'd kill me sooner or later..." "And that accursed Yu Shusheng..." "Huo Gong Tou has also cursed me..." The group looked at each other, a chill seeping into their hearts. "If they're all dead, then who's..." "Who's sending those messages from beyond?" Huo Fotuo’s face remained indifferent, his killing intent coalescing. Slowly, his thoughts turned, and suddenly a glimmer of realization sparked in his eyes. "Yuan Dashi!" Only then did the demonic cultivators recall that every movement within the demonic palace, and the acts of the patrolling cultivators, were monitored by Yuan Dashi. The air filled with a metallic scent, and bloodlight shimmered. The demonic cultivators hastened their steps towards the core chamber of the demonic palace's array housed in the middle hall. The formations guarding the chamber's entrance had already been dismantled. As they pushed the doors open, they found inside lay a cold corpse, forehead and dantian pierced by bloody holes, heart stabbed several times, hands broken, and the blood had long congealed. The corpse was in a tragic state, but by the build and attire, it was undoubtedly Yuan Dashi. "Dead?!" The demonic cultivators were shaken to their cores. Yuan Dashi, a revered dark array master of late Foundation Establishment with nineteen spiritual lines and a terrifying mastery over array formations, known for his eccentric and mad nature. Had he died so silently, in his own array chamber? And none of the demonic cultivators throughout the entire palace were the wiser. They were simultaneously shocked and angry, causing an uproar: "Who killed him?" "Who could have..." "This is the sacred palace..." "How did they get in?" "Do we have a traitor among us?" "Watch your mouth with that nonsense!" "Could it be... the transcendent Daoists?" one terrified demonic cultivator suggested. "Shut your mouth, you fool!" "This is a second-grade state; even if a transcendent did come, they couldn't have killed so many in such short order..." "Transcendents wouldn't kill Foundation Establishment cultivators in such a cowardly and despicable manner..." As the discussions continued, the fury subsided, and everyone slowly turned their attention to Huo Fotuo. Huo Fotuo stepped forward to examine Yuan Dashi's corpse. As he inspected, suddenly he froze. "This is wind-element spiritual power..." "Extremely thick..." "Not just late Foundation Establishment, deliberately restrained, it's... Golden Core..." "Golden Core, wind-element spiritual power, this is..." Huo Fotuo's eyes turned blood-red, his hands trembling, two heart-like fireballs in his chest pulsed violently. The old wound on his chest erupted in stabbing pain as if he were being gutted... "Gu——Chang——huai..." Huo Fotuo articulated each syllable deliberately. His face remained expressionless, but the red kasaya he wore was starting to seep with blood-like flames, upon which a murky gray killing aura entwined... Qiao Lao Liu's face was stricken with fear as he called out: "Elder Brother!" The other demonic cultivators were silent, not daring to speak. Seeing the rising fury, like a blaze about to go out of control, Huo Fotuo bit his lip, uttered "Amitabha," and chanted a Buddhist sutra, forcibly calming his mind and suppressing the boiling rage within. His expression resumed a look of benevolence. The other demonic cultivators all silently breathed a sigh of relief. "It's not an internal traitor, it's the Daoist administration..." Huo Fotuo stated coolly, continuing to examine Yuan Dashi's remains. "Both hands were broken..." "The head suffered a severe blow from a rod-like spiritual tool..." "The neck was snapped... the heart pierced from behind with a short dagger..." "His eyes bulging, face charred, could this be... a fireball spell?" "Whose fireball spell? Fascinating..." Huo Fotuo reconstructed in his mind the sequence of events leading to the ambush of Yuan Dashi, observing the dark green traces of blood on the ground, and paused in surprise. "Poison?" The short dagger was poisoned? Huo Fotuo frowned: "This doesn’t seem like Gu Changhuai’s style..." "Has he become more unscrupulous after all these years?" Moreover, Yuan Dashi, with his Demon Eye and soaked in blood wine, possessed overwhelming demonic thoughts — how was it possible that he could not counteract and was killed outright? "Is it possible... Gu Changhuai had assistance?" Huo Fotuo's eyes flickered with unease. "This person is meticulous, chills in his methods, adept in spiritual techniques, and proficient in formations..." "Only thus could one flawlessly ensure the demise of Yuan Dashi, whose vile wits were at their peak, without resistance…" Does Gu Changhuai have an accomplice? Huo Fotuo’s expression grew increasingly grave. "Elder Brother, what do we do now?" Seeing Huo Fotuo deep in thought for a prolonged time, the oppressive atmosphere weighing down, Yin Leizi whispered. Huo Fotuo’s gaze darkened, and after a brief consideration, he said: "Return to the inner hall, defend with all your might, and destroy everything!" The others were taken aback. "Elder Brother?!" "Destroy everything?" Yin Leizi whispered, "Is that necessary... But that..." Qiao Lao Liu added, "That's right, Elder Brother, we can still hold the sacred hall, seal the gates tight, even the Daoist administration won't be able to breach easily…" Other demonic cultivators chimed in as well: "Yes!" "If the lackeys of the Daoist administration come, let us kill them all as offerings, then whether we stay or go remains our choice…" "A bunch of dogs, are we supposed to be afraid of them?" "Slaughter them all!" Huo Fotuo shook his head, "You don’t understand…" "Gu Changhuai is a tenacious one, different from the usual useless Dao officials…" "Since they could get in, it means this demonic lair is already compromised…" "The outer hall cannot be held…" "We can only secure ourselves inside the inner hall." "And to be safe, everything within the inner hall must be destroyed, leaving no trace behind…" "The sanctity of this hall is crucial…" "The slightest hint of exposure must be extinguished entirely, preventing any leak to the outside…" Huo Fotuo's demeanor was stern, permitting no opposition. The demonic cultivators nodded, a chill in their hearts acknowledging his orders. Huo Fotuo’s expression softened slightly, "Clear the inner hall, then we will escape. I know these days have been restrictive for you here…" "Once out, you can indulge yourselves for a while, I will not constrain you…" "Afterward, we leave Qianzhou, the horizons wide, freedom endless…" "When the storm has settled after several decades, we shall return to settle old scores…" When hearing "indulge for a while," the demonic cultivators grinned lasciviously, "As Elder Brother commands!" They then carried Yuan Dashi’s body, departing the chamber back to the inner hall. Huo Fotuo lingered at the rear. Before entering the pitch-black chaos of the inner hall, where unknown entities lurked, he suddenly stopped, turning to gaze once more at the vast outer hall. A doubt crept into his mind: "Yuan Dashi was dead… then who was discussing Buddhist teachings with me?" Furrowing his brow, Huo Fotuo pondered briefly before turning back to tread deeper into the demon lair. The doors of the inner hall slowly closed, sealing Huo Fotuo and countless secrets within. ... Outside the demon lair. Gu Changhuai had left to assemble reinforcements. Mo Hua, shielded by Gu Quan and Gu An, was on the stone bridge, dismantling various traps and defensive arrays. Once he'd finished, he settled at the bridgehead to wait. But, after a long wait, no one arrived. "Just to gather a few men, does it really take this long?" Mo Hua mumbled to himself. According to Gu Changhuai, the Daoist administration's officers were stationed not far outside the gorge, at a place called Yixiantian. They should have been able to assemble in half an hour at most. Did something unexpected happen? Mo Hua was puzzled. Because he had to keep an eye on the demon lair, Mo Hua could only wait patiently. After a while, the other end of the bridge buzzed with the presence of numerous cultivators. "They're here!" Mo Hua perked up. Gu Quan was on the other side to meet them. After a while, the various officers of the Daoist administration began crossing the bridge in succession. To remain inconspicuous, Mo Hua concealed himself to the side, quietly observing them. As he watched, a realization struck him. This... seems like a lot more people than expected? "Didn't Uncle Gu say two hundred and eighty? It looks more like over four hundred now," Mo Hua thought, puzzled. Once all four hundred officers had crossed the stone bridge, Mo Hua finally spotted Gu Changhuai at the back of the group. However, Gu Changhuai didn't look too pleased. Mo Hua sidled up to him, whispering: "Uncle Gu, why are there so many people?" Gu Changhuai's expression was displeased, "The people from the Xiao family came too..." The Xiao family? Mo Hua realized, "The Xiao family of the 'Smiling Tiger'?" Gu Changhuai paused, then catching on to Mo Hua's reference, sighed and said: "Stop giving random nicknames..." "No worries, I won't say it to his face..." Mo Hua replied. Gu Changhuai could only shake his head, helpless. Mo Hua continued, "Did the news get leaked?" Gu Changhuai's eyes hardened but he remained silent. Mo Hua raised a delicate eyebrow, pushing further: "Why did the Xiao family come? Are they moles? Trying to stir up chaos?" Gu Changhuai gave Mo Hua a sidelong glance, admonishing, "Don't speculate without evidence." He then sighed, "The Xiao family probably wants a piece of the action, to earn some merit..." "Earn merit?" "This demon lair stronghold, the hundreds of demon cultivators, the Huo Fotuo from the mass massacre case," Gu Changhuai explained, "Each of these is a prize on its own." "Now that all these prizes are on the table, the Xiao family wants to bolster their influence within the Daoist administration, advance their disciples, how could they not be tempted..." "Oh..." Mo Hua nodded, understanding. No wonder the cultivators of the Daoist administration were often called dogs and lackeys. Dogs would only work hard when there was a bone to chew on. The Xiao family, seeing the prospect of "rich spoils," naturally wanted to be "proactive." Gu Changhuai glanced at Mo Hua suspiciously, "Are you inwardly disparaging the Daoist administration again?" Mo Hua maintained a serious face, "Uncle Gu, I'm technically a part of the Daoist administration now, why would I speak ill of them?" Gu Changhuai nodded. "But I'm only external, so my status is 'flexible'..." Mo Hua silently mused. "By the way, Smiling... Director Xiao didn't come?" Mo Hua inquired. Just now, as all the Daoist administration cultivators passed by, Mo Hua surveyed them like a parade, not spotting the 'Smiling Tiger' nor any Golden Core stage cultivators. "No." Gu Changhuai said. Mo Hua was puzzled, "Then who's leading the Xiao family?" Gu Changhuai pointed to a young, charismatic cultivator among the officers: "Xiao Tianquan, a direct descendant of the Xiao family, late Foundation Establishment, just graduated from the sect, 'tested' into the position of an officer in the Daoist administration." "He's a core disciple of the Xiao family..." "They want to secure some accomplishments for him to ease his promotion." "Oh..." Mo Hua sized up this Xiao Tianquan, noting his raised chin, brimming with ambition—a typical young master who's never tasted hardship in his smooth-sailing life. A scion of a prestigious family, a graduate of a major sect, entering the Daoist administration, climbing ranks to its upper echelons, and then advancing to the central Daoist administration, wielding supreme authority, becoming an elite... That's the "prodigy" template. A world apart from someone like him... But his name... "Xiao Tianquan..." Mo Hua paused, then his eyes lit up: "Sky-roaring Dog?" Gu Changhuai, beside him, winced, taking a deep breath before reminding: "Don't go handing out nicknames." "Okay, okay," Mo Hua replied absentmindedly. The Xiao family was willing to use Huo Fotuo, the demon palace, and such significant matters as stepping stones for their lineage to pave the way for future promotions. Mo Hua had little to say on it. His main concern was still Huo Fotuo. Particularly, there was something he was very curious about. Casting a sidelong glance at Gu Changhuai, Mo Hua considered for a moment, then quietly asked: "Uncle Gu, are you and Huo Fotuo enemies?" Gu Changhuai's expression changed, "How did you know?" "I guessed..." Mo Hua replied. Every time Uncle Gu mentioned Huo Fotuo or thought of him, his demeanor would involuntarily grow solemn, a murderous glint in his eyes. This led Mo Hua to conclude they must have a personal vendetta. Gu Changhuai's face darkened, "It's not that complicated..." "Back in the day, I almost killed that beast Huo Fotuo..." "Unfortunately, I was only at Foundation Establishment then, not strong enough. I only shattered part of his heart and he escaped..." "In that battle, I killed several of his brothers." "And he..." Gu Changhuai paused, a fierce expression crossing his handsome face as he gritted out: "Also killed a few of my fellow graduates..." Mo Hua felt a chill, looking at Gu Changhuai, he couldn't help but feeling sympathetic, blurting out: "Seeing your comrades, as close as siblings, slain, Uncle Gu you feel powerless, so harbor hatred, becoming cold and withdrawn, reluctant to bond with others for fear they'll meet the same fate..." Mo Hua mused aloud... Gu Changhuai's face turned black, retorting: "What nonsense are you spouting?" "I've always been like this from the start!" "Why does it matter if I'm aloof? Why should it concern others? Why should I bother with tiresome people? Why give face to those who only indulge petty gains?" "Ah..." Mo Hua was taken aback. He'd not guessed a single thing right. Human hearts were incredibly complex. "As for those comrades killed by Huo Fotuo..." Gu Changhuai sighed, "We weren't that close actually, it's just that seeing innocent lives ended by demonic cultivators, I couldn't stand it." "Sometimes I dream at night of these scenes..." "Hating my helplessness." "For not slaying those vile demonic cultivators." "And Huo Fotuo, this damned beast, who escaped me and continues to cause trouble everywhere..." "As long as he lives, I'll never forget..." Mo Hua had newfound respect for Gu Changhuai. For someone appearing aloof, with the demeanor of a 'handsome rogue', who had poor interpersonal skills, Uncle Gu actually had a laudably righteous character, with a strong sense of justice... Judging a book by its cover, never again. Mo Hua noted: "Uncle Gu, why didn’t you tell me earlier?" He hadn't anticipated such a life-and-death enmity between Huo Fotuo and Gu Changhuai. Gu Changhuai, resigned, gave Mo Hua a sidelong look: "Can I discuss this with a kid like you? If you hadn't asked, I wouldn't have brought it up." Mo Hua paused, thinking it over, then nodded: "That's true..." Adults, especially those old... seasoned cultivators, often have many old stories they'd rather keep private. Not like him, honest and forthcoming. Mo Hua reflected silently. After a while, the four hundred officers were fully organized, forming into defensive formations around the demon lair's entrance. Gu Changhuai rose to speak. But before he could, the young prodigy of the Xiao family, Xiao Tianquan, approached with confidence and volunteered: "Director Gu, allow my Xiao family to lead the breaching of the gate!" Gu Changhuai gazed at him calmly and remarked, "Officer Xiao, once you've joined the Daoist administration, it's no longer about the Xiao family. The Daoist administration isn't owned by your family; anyone from the Xiao family is ultimately a part of the Daoist administration." Xiao Tianquan's face paled at this, feeling his dignity had been assaulted, a faint hint of resentment flickering in his eyes. Gu Changhuai noticed this clearly and shook his head slightly. Truly, there’s no comparison without contrast. Mo Hua, despite his own mischievous tendencies, somehow managed to be less disagreeable. On the contrary, these children of aristocratic families, with their surface facade and inability to suppress their inner resentment at the slightest provocation, were inexplicably annoying to others. Gu Changhuai inwardly sneered, but after a moment, recalling something, he nodded and said, "However, your volunteering is commendable. The task of breaking through the gate is yours." Xiao Tianquan suppressed his indignation and responded gratefully, "Thank you, Director Gu." He then proceeded to command, leading the Xiao family officers to the front, with the Gu family's and other officers in support, arranging formations and dismantling arrays, working together to forcibly open the demon lair's gate. Gu Changhuai stood by, observing with folded arms. Mo Hua remained at his side. This time, Mo Hua did not conceal himself. Since the aim was to attack the demon palace and capture Huo Fotuo, he would eventually have to make his presence known. He simply needed to maintain a low profile, playing the role of a "nobody." Others wouldn't care too much about him. Even Xiao Tianquan, casually glancing at Mo Hua, quickly dismissed him upon noticing his lower-tier spiritual roots. The gate-breaking operation proceeded smoothly. Earlier, Mo Hua had already meddled with the gate's arrays from the inside. The Xiao family had indeed invested heavily, employing their array masters to inscribe formations outside the demon palace gate and utilizing many precious spiritual tools and talismans to force the gate open. The Xiao family’s array inscription was ineffective. Mo Hua knew this very well. What made the difference were the spiritual tools and talismans. Yet, the Xiao family cultivators, unaware of this detail, congratulated, “Officer Xiao’s wisdom is unparalleled!” “A maestro of command!” Officers from smaller families without strong backgrounds, feeling coerced, joined the chorus of praises: “Young and accomplished, Officer Xiao…” “A destined great leader!” Xiao Tianquan maintained a calm demeanor, as if accustomed to such flattery. However, moments later, there was a startled cry from a cultivator. “The blood on the door... it’s tainted with a demonic poison!” Xiao Tianquan quickly withdrew, while nearby officers were already contaminated, their expressions darkening as their qi and blood became foul. Chaos flared around them temporarily, eventually settling. About a dozen officers who had been poisoned took antidotes and rested on the sidelines. The Xiao family supplied these pills and proclaimed publicly that those officers were unscathed to keep "Officer Xiao's" accomplishments unsullied. This was something Gu Changhuai had mentioned. Mo Hua was left astounded by it all. The scheming within these noble families was indeed profound... Breaking through the gate led to the outer hall. The anticipated resistance was absent; the outer hall was deserted, not a single demonic cultivator in sight. The middle hall was the same. Only the innermost hall remained shut. As expected, the demonic cultivators had holed up inside, their actions within unknown. Xiao Tianquan sneered, "Hiding in the inner hall, waiting for us to catch them like turtles in a jar? Truly foolish!" He seemed ready to say more when he glanced at Gu Changhuai with a hint of caution. Gu Changhuai remained impassive, giving a slight nod. The gesture implied he was free to act. Xiao Tianquan was thus reassured. Yet he still pondered why his family elders had warned him to be wary of someone who seemed manageable, aside from a reportedly bad temper and a lack of discernment. The Xiao family officers then began the assault on the inner hall. The tactics mirrored those used outside. Mo Hua remained in the back, passively observing, refraining from action. This affair was beyond his need to intervene. Nor did he wish to display his array skills in front of so many Daoist administration officers. Especially with that petty Xiao Tianquan. Stealing his spotlight and merit would undoubtedly earn his resentment. An unproductive and unrewarding effort. However, the Xiao family’s array masters were limited in skill. Using brute force with spiritual artifacts and talismans was a slow process. Mo Hua forced himself to be patient and wait. Now, three and a half days had passed, with three and a half days remaining. Timing would still suffice with some allowance. The inner hall was similarly bound by formations. To breach the inner hall, one must either unravel the arrays or force open the gate. Mo Hua observed that decrypting the formations was near impossible given their complexity and second-grade high-tier nature, beyond his own capabilities. Thus, the inner hall could only be breached by sheer force, breaking through the arrays outright. The Xiao family lacked nothing in manpower, spirit stones, spiritual artifacts, or talismans, so they supplemented with formations while focusing on breaking the defenses. Mo Hua watched as multicolored lights flickered intermittently. Precious second-grade talismans were consumed. Officers took turns casting spells, fiercely attacking the inner hall’s gate. Mo Hua witnessed for the first time how the "formation blind," ignorant of arrays, managed them... It went on for a large part of the day until a "boom" resounded, and the inner hall's gate finally crumbled. “They actually broke through...” Mo Hua was a bit taken aback; he examined the formation around the gate’s edges, slowly realizing the situation. This demon palace was incomplete. Near the gate, adjacent formations were relatively weaker. By luck, Xiao Tianquan’s group, through trial and error, had managed to disrupt some inner formations, loosening the greater array. Only then could the inner hall’s gate be breached after such persistent assault. Xiao Tianquan was oblivious to all this. He genuinely believed it was through his and the Xiao family's prowess that the gate was directly breached. "A mere demon palace, nothing more!" A chorus of officers deftly echoed in praise, “Officer Xiao’s brilliance shines!" Mo Hua disregarded them. With some eagerness, he peered into the inner hall. What he saw left him momentarily stunned. The inner hall was filled with densely packed, standing stone walls. These stone walls interconnected, forming a... maze... A maze? Mo Hua frowned, extending his spiritual senses for a closer examination. Suddenly he realized these mazes were a medium for an array’s construction, with another array overlaid atop them. “This array…” Mo Hua found it peculiar yet strangely familiar. As he scrutinized it further, his pupils widened, trembling with shock. Isn't this... The Great Labyrinth Array?!