Asking about longevity

The Taixu Mountain was painted with the heavy colors of the sunset and shrouded in swirling mist.

Mo Hua was leading Zhang Lan on a leisurely stroll through the mountain, recounting the history of the Taixu Sect, its ancient cultivation sites, antique pavilions, and the breathtaking scenery of the mountains and rivers.

Zhang Lan felt a sense of awe in his heart.

What awed him wasn't entirely the long history, profound foundation, disciple demeanor, magnificent mountain scenery, and various scenic spots of the Taixu Sect, a fifth-grade sect...

These were certainly awe-inspiring, but what truly shocked him was that he could actually enter the gates of the Taixu Sect.

During the Sword Debate Assembly, so many cultivators were gathered outside the mountain gate.

Some of these cultivators had profound cultivation, some had extraordinary backgrounds, and some had impressive appearances, but without exception, they were all barred from entering.

Zhang Lan was originally one of them.

The gate rules were strict, and the elders and inner disciples guarding the mountain were impartial and unyielding, not allowing even the slightest explanation.

But when Mo Hua arrived at the gate, he simply smiled and called out "Elder," "Senior Brother" a few times, saying, "This is a very good uncle of mine."

The gatekeepers let them pass without a word.

The disciples guarding the mountain saluted Zhang Lan.

Some elders even greeted Mo Hua first, and then Mo Hua would smile and return the greeting.

Zhang Lan almost thought he was dreaming.

If he didn't know Mo Hua's background, he would have almost thought that the Taixu Sect was opened by Mo Hua's family.

In a powerful fifth-grade sect, anyone who could receive this kind of treatment would either be a young ancestor or at least a young sect leader, right?

Zhang Lan silently glanced at Mo Hua.

He had known for a long time that Mo Hua was well-liked and had strong social skills, and that he could always "blend in" well wherever he went.

But to be able to "blend in" to this extent was still somewhat beyond his imagination.

As they walked, Mo Hua suddenly remembered something and asked, "Uncle Zhang, have you eaten yet?"

Zhang Lan nodded.

Mo Hua was very generous: "I'll treat you!"

In the Taixu Sect, the place for disciples to dine was the refectory in the disciples' residence.

But the disciples' residence was only for disciples and was strictly closed off to "outsiders."

Even Mo Hua didn't have that much authority.

His greatest authority was, at most, to bring the Sect Leader's big white dog into the refectory to freeload.

But that was the Sect Leader's dog.

He couldn't make an exception for Uncle Zhang.

So Mo Hua went to the refectory, bought some wine and meat, brought it out, and then led Zhang Lan to a quiet and beautiful mountain peak on the right side of the Taixu Sect.

They found a large rock, placed the good wine and meat on a cloth, and sat down on the ground.

Facing the colorful sunset and the mountain scenery, they ate meat, drank wine, chatted, and reminisced.

In this scene, Zhang Lan vaguely felt as if he was still in Tongxian City, in Mo Hua's family's tavern, carefree and shirking his duties, drinking with Mo Hua, eating meat, chatting, listening to the demon hunters talk about interesting things in the mountains, and waiting for the sunset to paint the courtyard red.

But in the blink of an eye, he was in the Taixu Sect again.

The one drinking and eating meat with him was the Sword Debate genius of the Taixu Sect, the Array Dao leader, a handsome and extraordinary young man.

Ten years of separation felt like yesterday. Mo Hua's appearance had changed, but his every move was still sincere and natural, as if nothing had changed.

A cultivator's original intention remains unchanged, and their childlike heart remains the same.

Zhang Lan couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Influenced by Mo Hua's temperament, he also felt much more relaxed.

Mo Hua was no longer the same Mo Hua, but he also seemed to be the same Mo Hua.

Mo Hua also glanced at Zhang Lan.

He noticed that his lazy Uncle Zhang seemed to have become much more "honest," no longer as idle as he was in Tongxian City, and had grown up a lot...

Mo Hua couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.

But at the same time, he was also a little surprised:

"Uncle Zhang, you've formed your core?"

Zhang Lan nodded, "Yeah, I got lucky."

Mo Hua frowned, not understanding.

He remembered clearly that when he was in Tongxian City, Uncle Zhang was only at the Qi Refining stage.

Later, when he killed the great demon, Uncle Zhang had to break through his realm and become Foundation Establishment.

But now, after so many years of not seeing each other, he had formed his core?

This was a bit outrageous.

Mo Hua couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Zhang, is there something wrong with your cultivation?"

Zhang Lan was a little annoyed, "What could be wrong with my cultivation?"

Seeing that Mo Hua still didn't believe him, he explained helplessly:

"Didn't I tell you that I have good aptitude? I was just dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by my family, so I was stuck in Qi Refining and worked as a clerk in a remote place to have some peace and quiet."

"After I broke through to Foundation Establishment, I had to return to my clan."

"After returning to my clan, my father arranged another marriage for me. I didn't agree, and my father is quite stubborn, so he said that unless I formed my core and had the ability to be independent, this marriage was inevitable."

"So I had to go into seclusion and cultivate hard every day, breaking through one realm after another, until I reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. After that, forming my core was also considered lucky, and I succeeded in one attempt..."

Mo Hua was completely shocked.

Uncle Zhang was the kind of person who could stay at Qi Refining until he was in his thirties to avoid marriage.

Then, also to avoid marriage, he could form his core in his forties?!

Mo Hua was amazed by Zhang Lan.

He couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Zhang, what if your father asks you to cultivate to Ascension, otherwise you have to get married? Wouldn't you just ascend on the spot?"

Zhang Lan was momentarily speechless and couldn't help but glare at Mo Hua:

"You kid, you're talking nonsense again. Ascension is not that simple."

"He's my father, he's just stubborn, but he's not really ignorant. How could he really force me to ascend?"

"He himself cultivated for a lifetime, enduring hundreds of years of hardship, before he finally got lucky and barely cultivated to Ascension."

"He knows better than anyone how difficult the Ascension Realm is. How could he really force me..."

Speaking of this, Zhang Lan paused slightly, feeling both relieved and a little emotional:

"Actually, let alone Ascension, Golden Core is also very difficult. To a large extent, it depends on whether the heavens favor you."

"Once you have bad luck, you will fail no matter how you try to form your core. Many people are stuck here for their entire lives."

"That's what I was worried about before. Golden Core is too difficult. Once I can't break through, I'll be out of my control, so I was stuck in the Qi Refining realm, lazing around."

"If Tongxian City hadn't been in trouble, I wouldn't have broken through to Foundation Establishment so easily."

"But fortunately, everything is predestined. I can be considered to have benefited from the disaster and forced myself to reach Golden Core..."

Zhang Lan rested his arms, crossed his legs, and lay on the giant rock. The whole person visibly and quickly became "lazy" again, and his tone was also lazy:

"Qi Refining at thirty is an elderly cultivator."

"Forming a core at forty is definitely a young talent, and I have plenty of time."

"I can live a more leisurely life for a while..."

Mo Hua also imitated Zhang Lan, resting his arms, crossing his legs, and lying lazily, envyingly saying:

"That's great... I don't know when I'll be able to form my core..."

Zhang Lan didn't care, "You're a Taixu Sect genius now, with the sect backing you, you don't lack inheritance, you don't lack guidance from seniors, and you have so many elders taking care of you. Why worry about forming your core?"

Mo Hua sighed, "It has nothing to do with inheritance. Uncle Zhang, you also said that forming a core depends on personal luck."

"Whether you have good luck depends entirely on whether the heavens care about you. If the heavens don't care about me, it will be difficult..."

Zhang Lan nodded, "That's true..."

He had good luck, but that didn't mean Mo Hua would also have good luck.

He did hope that Mo Hua would also have good luck.

But this kind of thing is managed by the heavens, and the heavens wouldn't listen to him.

Zhang Lan thought it over carefully, and then sighed helplessly, "I can't help you with this..."

"If it were before, I could have gotten some inheritance insights from the Zhang family for you to refer to..."

"But now, you're already a Taixu Sect disciple. The Taixu Sect has a deep foundation and a long inheritance. You probably don't need the Zhang family's inheritance..."

Speaking of this, Zhang Lan suddenly felt a jolt in his heart and immediately sat up straight, no longer feeling leisurely at all.

He almost forgot!

Fleeting Steps!

This was the important thing!

Mo Hua was a little strange to see him so startled.

Zhang Lan looked serious and checked his "story" with Mo Hua: "Mo Hua, do you remember how you got the Fleeting Steps?"

Mo Hua nodded: "A kind uncle who was passing by left it for me."

"Don't say it wrong. If you say it wrong, I might die." Zhang Lan's face was tense.

Mo Hua was puzzled, "Is it that serious?"

Zhang Lan nodded: "It wasn't before, but now it is, very serious!"

Originally, he was just working as a clerk in a remote small immortal city, and by chance, he taught a common loose cultivator a bit of his Zhang family's unique movement technique.

But now the meaning was different. He had "sold" his Zhang family's unique movement technique to the most outstanding genius of the Taixu Sect.

And it was under the watchful eyes of everyone, and seen by the Great Elder.

This was fatal.

Zhang Lan had heard the conversation between Elder Feng and the Great Elder from beginning to end during the day.

At that time, the Great Elder Zhang praised Elder Feng's Wind family's genius in front of Elder Feng, praising how unique his Wind Riding Steps and Wandering Wind Steps were.

Then, in front of everyone, the Wind Riding Steps of the Xiaoyao Sect and the Wandering Wind Steps of the Wind family were overshadowed by Mo Hua.

And what Mo Hua learned was his Zhang family's Fleeting Steps.

It would be okay if Elder Feng didn't know about this.

If he did know, he would definitely think that the Great Elder Zhang was being sarcastic.

On the surface, he praised how outstanding the Wind family's genius was and how extraordinary his movement technique was, but then he secretly passed on his Zhang family's unique movement technique, allowing a Taixu Sect disciple to overshadow the Wind family.

Elder Feng would be furious.

Even if he didn't say it on the surface, he would definitely have resentment in his heart.

Even the Zhang family and the Wind family might have a rift.

Therefore, the secret of Fleeting Steps must not be revealed.

This wasn't because he, Zhang Lan, didn't want to eat chaff and kneel in the ancestral hall.

But it was really for the sake of the Great Elder and Elder Feng's two-hundred-year friendship, as well as the generations of friendship between the Zhang family and the Wind family.

Zhang Lan's expression was as firm as the rocks of Taixu Mountain:

"Never, never, tell anyone!"

Mo Hua felt the heavy weight of cause and effect in this and nodded seriously: "Don't worry, I won't say anything even if you beat me to death."

"Good!"

Confirming Mo Hua's determined eyes, Zhang Lan finally felt relieved and turned back to "lazy" mode, drinking wine and watching the mountain scenery.

After that, the two talked about some past events in Tongxian City.

Zhang Lan also asked about Mo Hua's recent situation.

Knowing that Mo Hua was doing well, except for being busy with cultivation, practicing Dao techniques, and drawing arrays...

The sect was good, the fellow disciples were friendly, the elders were kind, and the sect leader and ancestor were also very kind.

Zhang Lan was completely relieved.

Of course, he also took the time to ask some other questions that he really cared about, such as:

"Is your divine sense really at the peak of nineteen patterns?"

"Did you really surpass the Four Great Sects and win the Array Dao leader in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment?"

"Are you really the Taixu Sect Ancestor's grandson?"

"Are you the Taixu Sect Leader's illegitimate son?"

"Did you really blow up the head of the number one beauty of the Zixia Sect with a Fireball Technique?"

...

Mo Hua answered most of the questions truthfully.

For example, he really was the Array Dao leader.

He really did surpass the Four Great Sects with "hard power" to get the first place in Array Debate. There was no favoritism or behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Also, he was not the Taixu Sect Leader's illegitimate son.

He was not the Taixu Sect Ancestor's grandson.

In addition, it wasn't really his intention to blow up the head of the number one beauty of the Zixia Sect with a Fireball Technique.

He was focused on the Sword Debate and was really too distracted to recognize her.

It wasn't that he wanted to use his coldness to attract the attention of the fairy...

Of course, Mo Hua also told a few small lies about some questions.

For example, his divine sense was not at the peak of nineteen patterns, but was already at the Divine Sense of the twenty patterns of the Golden Core Realm.

But this kind of thing was a bit shocking. In addition, the Ancestor repeatedly told him, so Mo Hua couldn't say it.

...

The two chatted like this, like old acquaintances and friends, until the sun set, the sunset disappeared, night fell, and the Taixu Mountain lit up with dots of light, ethereal and bright, like a celestial realm.

Zhang Lan got up to say goodbye.

Mo Hua tried to persuade him to stay.

Zhang Lan shook his head: "If I go back late, I'll be blamed by the Great Elder. What's more, you have to focus on the Sword Debate and can't be disturbed."

Mo Hua hesitated for a moment and could only nod.

Uncle Zhang was telling the truth.

The Sword Debate was indeed very busy.

Especially since his identity was special and he had a lot of trump cards. Once exposed to everyone's sight, he would inevitably be targeted. Every Sword Debate took a lot of time to think about countermeasures, formulate plans, and prepare for the worst.

Only in this way could he win one match after another.

"Then, Uncle Zhang, will you stay in the Qianxue State Realm for a while?"

"Yes," Zhang Lan nodded, "Until the end of the Sword Debate."

Mo Hua smiled: "That's good. After the Sword Debate, I'll treat you to wine and meat again."

Zhang Lan also smiled and nodded, saying, "Alright."

The night deepened, and Zhang Lan departed, with Mo Hua seeing him off to the gate of the Taixu Mountain.

Before leaving, Zhang Lan suddenly thought of something and said, "Mo Hua, you... be careful..."

Mo Hua was taken aback, a little confused, "Careful of what?"

Zhang Lan hesitated for a moment and asked, "In your Sword Trial... do you like to use low-level spells...?"

Mo Hua nodded, taking it for granted, "I only know low-level spells, so of course I can only use low-level spells."

"Then you use Fireball to finish off your opponents..."

"It saves time and effort, and it's quick and convenient."

"And your Stealth spell..."

"They wanted to kill me, so of course I had to use Stealth to escape, or else I would have been killed."

"And using Stealth for hide-and-seek..."

"It's to buy time, so that when Xiaoxiao and the others free up their hands, they can wreak havoc, and we can win..."

Zhang Lan was stunned.

What Mo Hua said was indeed reasonable, but he was completely unaware of the psychological trauma his "taken-for-granted" behavior had caused to the disciples of the Sword Trial.

It had made so many spectators vomit blood in anger.

In the viewing stands, there were nothing but voices "condemning" the "heavily sinful" Mo Hua.

But Zhang Lan didn't know what to say about this for a moment.

After a moment, he sighed, thinking:

Oh well, it's better to be envied than pitied.

If you want to achieve something in cultivation, if you want to receive praise from others, then you will inevitably suffer slander from others.

Those who achieve great things cannot avoid being envied, and even more so cannot avoid being slandered.

"I will be watching you from the stands, watching you display your divine power in the Sword Trial!" Zhang Lan said with a gentle expression, looking at Mo Hua encouragingly.

Mo Hua also smiled and said, "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."

After that, under the night sky, the two said goodbye.

Zhang Lan walked down the mountain.

Mo Hua stayed on the mountain.

The one descending the mountain was filled with a sense of relief, wonder, and incredulity.

The one staying on the mountain was also filled with warmth and joy.

On the long path of cultivation, there are always some warm encounters.

In the vast sea of people, there will also be people who care about you silently.

Mo Hua looked at Zhang Lan, who was gradually moving away, with a kind smile on his face, his eyes bright and clear.

After Zhang Lan's figure disappeared into the distance, he turned around and returned to the Taixu Sect...

Of course, some people cared about Mo Hua.

Naturally, there were also people who hated him.

There were many people who cared about him, but naturally, there were even more people who hated him.

Within the various sects of Qianxue Prefecture.

A mysterious "organization" was quietly being established.

A special communication token was secretly circulating.

This communication token had a chilling name—

"The Mo Hua Extermination Order."

Every disciple who received this "Mo Hua Extermination Order", as long as they had a certain connection and reached a mutually agreed alliance, could join this mysterious organization.

And all disciples holding the "Mo Hua Extermination Order" could communicate with the same Yuan Magnetic Formation through the token.

Alliance disciples could communicate and send messages to each other.

At this time, members filled with anger and hatred anonymously joined the alliance.

Within the Mo Hua Extermination Order, streaks of magnetic patterns manifested into text...

"A Branch of Canglang Sword joins the alliance..."

"I Will Never Coexist With Fireball joins the alliance..."

"Nameless One joins the alliance..."

"Damn Water Prison Spell joins the alliance..."

"Purple Glow First Fairy joins the alliance..."

"Anyone Who Learns Stealth is a Dog joins the alliance..."

"Wind-like Youth joins the alliance..."

...

"Big Idiot joins the alliance..."

Everyone: ...

This name silenced the Mo Hua Extermination Order for a moment.

Someone asked, "Shi Tiangang?"

Big Idiot: "Yes."

Everyone: ...

Damn Water Prison Spell: "You don't have to be so direct, you can be a little more subtle, at least use a pseudonym..."

Big Idiot: "I did use a pseudonym."

Everyone: ...

Damn Water Prison Spell: "I mean, you can change the way you use a pseudonym, it doesn't have to be so... blunt?"

Big Idiot: "No need."

Big Idiot: "I'll use this name as a goal to spur myself on, endure hardship, and never forget the blood feud..."

Big Idiot: "I won't rest until Mo Hua is killed!"

Nameless One: "Good! I admire you!"

Wind-like Youth: "Count me in."

A Branch of Canglang Sword: "I can contribute."

Purple Glow First Fairy: "Tell me if you need spirit stones."

I Will Never Coexist With Fireball: "Swear to kill Mo Hua!"

...

For a time, the crowd was excited, and everyone was spamming:

"Mo Hua deserves to die!"

"Swear to kill Mo Hua!"

"I will never coexist with Mo Hua!"

"If I don't kill Mo Hua once, I'll have lived in vain!"

"If I don't kill Mo Hua once, I'll never marry!"

...

After a while, suddenly the Yuan Magnetic field fluctuated, and the Mo patterns failed.

Everyone was temporarily unable to speak.

A completely anonymous person, whose name was a mass of black magnetic ink, sent a message to everyone in bold magnetic ink, with solemn wording:

"The Mo Hua Extermination Alliance is established today.

Alliance Oath: Mo Hua deserves to die!

Purpose: Swear to kill Mo Hua!

Token: Mo Hua Extermination Order.

Conditions for Joining: Never coexist with Mo Hua!

Current Mission:

At the Sword Trial, kill Mo Hua in front of everyone.

No restrictions on identity, no restrictions on cultivation level, no means are spared, as long as you kill him once!

The one who personally kills Mo Hua can be elected as the "Alliance Leader" of this alliance and be admired by thousands.

Their achievements will be engraved in everyone's hearts and be immortalized!"

...

In an instant, a raging fire ignited in the hearts of all the "Mo Hua Extermination Order" holders.