Chapter 652: Raiding the Stronghold - The Quest for Immortality

## Chapter 652: Raiding the Stronghold On Huo Futu's body, evil flames raged fiercely. Gu Changhuai had just opened his mouth to warn everyone to be cautious when Xiao Tianquan sneered: "Evil demon scoundrel, you're just one person. No matter how skilled you are, you cannot stand alone." "Everyone, attack together and encircle this demon for the kill!" "The one who slays Huo Futu can achieve great merit!" Gu Changhuai frowned. The mention of "great merit" ignited excitement in the eyes of some opportunistic supervisors, who promptly channeled their spiritual power and attacked Huo Futu with all their might. Huo Futu, powerful as he might be, was only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. The majority of them were in the later stages of Foundation Establishment. Though their cultivation levels weren’t vastly different, even if they couldn't win, they could withstand for a moment and not be defeated too quickly. With a stroke of good fortune, slaying Huo Futu might secure them a position as a district supervisor soon. Several bold supervisors took the lead, charging toward Huo Futu. Huo Futu, enveloped in flames, stood unmovable like a mountain. Suddenly, his expression turned cold, eyes flashing with murderous intent as his aura underwent a sudden transformation. Gu Changhuai's expression changed dramatically, "Not good!" Before his words finished, he whisked a folding fan, conjuring blades of wind aimed at Huo Futu, hoping to interrupt his attack. Huo Futu's lips curled into a faint sneer, his crimson robe fluttering, forming a wall of fire. When the wind blades hit the fire wall, it shattered, and the blades dispersed entirely. Unable to wield the power of his Golden Core, Gu Changhuai’s cultivation was stronger than the Foundation Establishment peak Huo Futu, yet not by much. In their initial confrontation, they were evenly matched. Having fended off Gu Changhuai's wind blades with a wall of fire, Huo Futu's eyes glowed red-hot, his intent to kill soaring. He resembled a fierce beast, baring his bloodthirsty fangs. Flames engulfed him, then abruptly transformed into a thick, dark haze, warping his aura. In the void around them, pained whispers and terrified wails echoed. It was as if all those who had died under his spells turned into "grudges." The immense grievances metamorphosed into eerie murderous energy. This sinister aura infused his magic, rising with the flames, gradually spreading throughout the great hall. A shadow veiled everyone's hearts, agitating their morale, involuntarily giving rise to terror. At that moment, Huo Futu resembled a devil from purgatory, entangled in endless karmic flames, weighed by countless sins. Especially for those cultivators closest to him, Huo Futu suddenly transformed in their eyes from a benevolent "Buddha" to a man-eating "monster," sinister and terrifying. The malignant energy within the flames invaded their consciousness. A bone-chilling fear engulfed their hearts. Their limbs grew weak, teeth clenching, yet they couldn't help but shiver. Their bodies and spiritual powers were lost to fear invoked by the malice. The fear of "death" drove them toward their end. With a cold laugh, Huo Futu's hand shaped an imaginary blade of fire, slicing through the air with a crimson streak, cutting down the supervisors ensnared by the malice, paralyzed with fear, and too afraid to resist! Gu Changhuai seethed with anger but also felt a shiver of dread. "Murderous energy?!" Gu Changhuai, eyes as cold as ice, accused, "Wicked creature, how did the 'Murder Integration Technique' from the Devil Demon Sect fall into your hands?" Huo Futu pressed his palms together, "Buddha is merciful, granting me this technique to use karmic fire to 'redeem all beings'." Gu Changhuai cursed furiously, "You bald thief, talking nonsense!" Huo Futu remained unmoved, his gaze leveled on Gu Changhuai. Under the firelight, his eyes gleamed with both excitement and resentment. "Back then, you gravely wounded my heart meridian, leaving me on the brink of death..." "The terror and agony of hovering between life and death is something I can never forget..." "Now I've mastered the art of Nirvana Fire, turning death into malice, blending technique and evil, suppressing it with Buddha... the forbidden technique is complete!" "How would you kill me?" Huo Futu chuckled softly, whispering, "The day I break through to the Golden Core, I will go to great lengths to exterminate your kin, using their flesh and your resentment to forge a true... Golden Core Fire Demon!" Gu Changhuai's fury bloomed into a chilling killing intent: "Then today, I will dismember you until you die!" Surrounded by turbulent spiritual energy, Gu Changhuai whipped up a terrifying storm, its razor-sharp edges dense, yet resembling feathers. Huo Futu's expression faltered slightly, a tinge of fear flickering in his eyes. "The Gu family's supreme Dao art, Ling Feng Hua Yu Technique!" That was the spell which shredded his heart meridian years ago, leaving him clinging to life. So many years later, this supreme Dao art appeared even more formidable. Huo Futu felt not fear but heightened battle fervor. Today, using the forbidden Nirvana Fire technique, complete with murderous infusion, he would confront the Gu family’s traitorous Ling Feng Hua Yu Technique from the Dao Tribunal! He would sever old grievances and dispel inner demons! Huo Futu's eyes glowed a malicious muddy hue, the evil flowing from him reaching its pinnacle. Within the span of several feet, all Dao Tribunal cultivators cowered under his oppressive aura, rendered immobile. With arms outstretched, Huo Futu set his robe ablaze, transforming into a deluge of hundreds of fiery raindrops. These fiery raindrops, imbued with terrifying malevolence, in an instant, dispersed like torrential fiery pins, targeting the fear-frozen Dao Tribunal cultivators. Gu Changhuai furrowed his brow. Though affected by the ominous aura, his profound cultivation and steadfast vendetta against Huo Futu shielded him from severe harm. Seeing Huo Futu aiming fire rain to massacre Dao Tribunal cultivators. Gu Changhuai’s gaze turned icy, he swung his fan, and wind blades, like dense feathers, intercepted the fiery rain. In a clash, wind blades and fiery rain collided, light flickering erratically. Spiritual energy surged wildly. Most of the fire rain was cancelled by Gu Changhuai’s wind blades. A few drops escaped, landing on cultivators, igniting into fierce blazes, the compressed malevolence unleashing, the malevolent flames devouring them. Those caught ablaze by the falling fires writhed on the ground. A chorus of screams ensued. At this moment, the demonic cultivators from the Bronze Labyrinth also arrived. They had slain many Dao Tribunal supervisors but had suffered losses at Gu Changhuai's hands. Now less than a hundred remained. The leading trio were familiar faces to Mo Hua. They were none other than Blood Woodcutter, Yin Thunder Child, and Ghost Face Shaman, who had once pursued him. "Big brother! We’ve come to aid you!" "Slaughter these Dao Tribunal mongrels!" The demonic cultivators howled as they joined the fray. Gu Changhuai instructed the supervisors, "Leave Huo Futu to me, keep your distance and guard against the murderous air!" With that, Gu Changhuai advanced alone to face Huo Futu. The other supervisors, in terror, retreated from Huo Futu and engaged Blood Woodcutter’s band in a desperate fight. The scene grew more chaotically brutal. Spells and physical combat erupted. Spiritual and sinister energies wove together as magic tools and dark artifacts clashed. The demonic cultivators, wounded, eyes red with fury, and the Dao Tribunal cultivators also seeing red with violence. No one dared flee. Fighting tooth and nail might let them survive, but to entertain thoughts of escape could mean immediate death at the hands of the demonic blades upon turning away... Mo Hua could only watch from the side, unable to intervene... His early Foundation Establishment cultivation was limited in spiritual energy. Both the Dao Tribunal cultivators and demonic cultivators started at mid-Foundation Establishment, with many late-stage among them. His fireball spell posed little threat to them. Some demonic cultivators donned armor or cast strange "Blood Armor" or "Toxin Armor" spells for protection. His fireballs merely tickled them. As for control... In such an intense, chaotic battle, with real weapons and martial might, his bit of control was insignificant. Understanding his limits, he stayed hidden, quietly watching, avoiding drawing unwanted attention. Reckless action could get him targeted by Huo Futu or seized by the demonic cultivators, creating more trouble for Uncle Gu and the others... Moreover... Mo Hua cast a cautious glance at the center of the great hall, where Uncle Gu continued to battle Huo Futu, who now resembled a demonic "Inferno Demon," surrounded by overwhelming nirvana fire, and silently marveled. This Huo Futu... was far stronger than he had imagined. Such malice, fiery robes, and forbidden Nirvana Fire... The malicious aura could control and intimidate foes. Once someone succumbs to the "fear" induced by the malicious aura, their Dao heart destabilizes. Those with weak willpower might instantly lose the ability to resist, becoming helpless prey to Huo Futu's whims. In such a case, surrounding and attacking him becomes pointless. As soon as he unleashes the malicious aura, everyone would be engulfed in terror, allowing Huo Futu to employ his forbidden techniques to slaughter indiscriminately. It's absurdly formidable... Unless one's Dao heart is steadfast and righteous, or if they've brought a spiritual tool that can ward off malice, most cultivators of the same stage are no match for Huo Futu. But such tools that ward off malice are likely rare and expensive. It's unlikely that the Dao Tribunal can equip every member with one... That robe he wears probably isn't a mere ordinary spiritual tool either. Moreover, there's the Nirvana Fire technique... Huo Futu and Uncle Gu are attacking each other with full force, leaving nothing in reserve. This gives Mo Hua an opportunity to study. Mo Hua, watching closely from the sidelines, observed that the Nirvana Fire technique differed considerably from his previous assumptions. Firstly, while it's a forbidden technique perhaps even stronger than advanced spells, it is still fundamentally a "basic" spell. It is a "technical-transformation" spell, not a "spiritual-transformation" spell. This Nirvana Fire technique is a positive magic structure, forming spells through techniques driven by spiritual power. It's not a reverse process where the spell collapses the techniques, altering the structure of spiritual power. The power infused into it is overwhelming, easily losing control, potentially distorting one's nature and resulting in indiscriminate killing, which is why it's classified as a "forbidden technique." Mo Hua sighed. Absent profound spiritual roots and high-grade spiritual techniques, without a vast reservoir of spiritual power, he would never be able to learn such high-damage forbidden techniques. Additionally, while observing the flow of spiritual power within Huo Futu, Mo Hua noticed that it appeared as if Huo Futu harbored two seas of spiritual power. These were like "flame hearts." The two flame hearts burn intensely, accumulating spiritual energy while casting spells. With this complementary operation, Huo Futu's fire-type spells become even more fearsome... Yet, Mo Hua was still clueless about the technique's underlying principles. Though he had keen eyesight, some mysteries were beyond comprehension with mere observation... "Nirvana Fire technique..." Mo Hua felt a twinge of envy. If only he had such favorable spiritual roots and profound spiritual power, he might have been able to learn this, consuming massive spiritual power yet incredibly potent advanced spells or forbidden techniques... He wouldn't have to resort to using small fireballs every day... Nonetheless, Mo Hua wasn't discouraged. While he couldn't learn the original Nirvana Fire technique, he could at least reference its structure and principles. This was his initial intention. With this thought, Mo Hua paused, a realization dawning abruptly. He almost forgot a crucial matter. If Huo Futu were captured or killed now, the Nirvana Fire technique would fall into the hands of the Dao Tribunal, and Mo Hua might never obtain it in his lifetime... What to do? He couldn’t possibly sabotage things to let Huo Futu escape, could he? If Huo Futu escaped and went on a killing spree, Mo Hua would bear enormous guilt. Moreover, given the situation, it's uncertain whether Uncle Gu could kill Huo Futu... They were within the territory of a second-grade immortal city, which constrained Uncle Gu from unleashing his full power. Letting Huo Futu flee would only be worse. Mo Hua, peering at the fiercely battling Huo Futu engulfed in flames, gradually frowned. "Would Huo Futu carry the Nirvana Fire technique's mantra with him?" If he had it with him, Mo Hua might not be able to get it... If not, where would it be hidden? Mo Hua averted his gaze, discreetly scrutinizing the entire grand hall. The hall was majestic and somber, appearing to serve as a gathering place for demonic cultivators. But based on his experience and intuition, Mo Hua felt this hall must contain something akin to an "altar"... He knew many corpse cultivators, demonic cultivators, and evil cultivators who loved altars. Surely, Huo Futu would be no exception. Considering Huo Futu's secretive nature, the fact that he intercepted everyone in the hall implied this wasn’t the hall's true secret. Within the hall, there seemed to be a deeper layer of mystery... Should he investigate? After all, he was of no assistance here. Glancing once more at Huo Futu and confirming that he and Uncle Gu were engrossed in their fight, Mo Hua nodded slowly. Thanks to his concealment technique, Mo Hua's presence was unnoticed by anyone. He quietly avoided the clashing Huo Futu and other demonic cultivators, venturing deeper into the hall... Let them have their battle. He'll raid the stronghold... The hall was vast, its far reaches shrouded in dim light. But after traversing its expanse, he found nothing suspicious save a large fresco on the very back wall. By the dim glow of the magic-lit interior, Mo Hua could barely make out the fresco depicting a sprawling wilderness of mountains, brambles, perilous terrains, and creatures of legends. "Is this... the Wilderness Mountain Map?" "What does it mean..." Mo Hua frowned, unable to discern its significance. Searching around, he found only this single fresco; all other statues, structures, or arrangements had been either removed or destroyed, leaving no other clues. The sole hint seemed to be this grand and expansive fresco. "A fresco..." Mo Hua recalled the fresco inside the stone hall at the Lu family’s Corpse Mountain Temple in the Southern Yue City of Lianzhou. The fresco depicted the head of the Lu family's patriarch’s corpse. The gaping maw of the corpse was the altar's entrance. Generally, those corpse and demonic cultivators tend to have patterns in their setups... "Could this fresco also hide an entrance?" Having broad experiences indeed has its advantages... Mo Hua expanded his awareness, searching the fresco for any formations. He scrutinized every inch of the fresco, noting the deformed and grotesque creatures, the perilous and jagged landscapes, and the silent, deep woods... Yet after a thorough inspection, he sensed no trace of a formation. Mo Hua paused, "No formations?" Then again... A surefire way to prevent detection by formations is to have none at all. Without formations, a powerful formation master would find no traces, no flaws, and perceives no weak points. However, although there were no formations, he sensed a different presence. Closing his eyes to concentrate, Mo Hua discerned a faint, familiar aura. Following this aura, Mo Hua ventured to a corner. Here, the fresco was simple, showing only some grass, a few trees, and a narrow mountain path. The path wound backward, navigating through the forests, seemingly connecting the entire wilderness depicted. And the spot where he stood appeared to be the path's starting point, an entrance into the fresco. Contemplating briefly, Mo Hua extended a hand to push. In that moment, everything turned topsy-turvy. A wild, primal aura surged, as though the fresco’s imagery came to life. When he opened his eyes again, Mo Hua found himself in the mountains. Startled, Mo Hua explored his surroundings, realizing he stood inside a man-made mountain. It seemed meticulously carved, yet its scale was considerable. The entire magic hall was constructed atop this artificial mountain. The complex terrain and mountainous features bore a striking resemblance to the wilderness mountains depicted outside in the fresco. It seemed modeled after the "Wilderness Mountains." Mo Hua analyzed the terrain further, discovering the mountain, too, subtly adhered to the pattern of a "Maze Formation." Its internal layout corresponded with the labyrinth outside, offering a "maze within a maze, formation within a formation" feel. "This magic hall has many peculiar elements..." Mo Hua was momentarily baffled. Were these all creations under Huo Futu’s command? What was the purpose of constructing such a hall? A place for rituals? How would they be conducted? What exactly was Huo Futu's role in all of this, and what actions did he undertake? Unable to piece it together, Mo Hua shook his head and continued deeper along the artificial mountain. Given its alignment with the "Maze Formation," the winding paths and complex layout no longer posed a barrier to him. Within this fabricated mountain, every hill and stone, every blade of grass and tree, radiated a strange aura. To Mo Hua, these were mere superficial appearances. Concealed, Mo Hua continued his journey deep into the mountain. After about the time it takes to sip a cup of tea, he reached the center of the artificial mountain. Just as Mo Hua had anticipated, at the heart of the maze within the mountain, there indeed lay an altar. Late in the chapter, another update will follow~ --- Next Chapter Bookmark Content Table Next Chapter Quick Tip: Press [spacebar] to return to the directory, [left key ←] to return to the previous chapter, [right key →] to move to the next chapter. Found an error? Click here to report. 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