The Quest for Immortality-Chapter 1289: Conspiracy (3)

"The higher-ups of the Sever Gold Sect, various families, including the Jin family’s elders—under all kinds of restraint, this matter cannot proceed for now..."

"My father blames everything on me, thinking it’s my fault he can’t become Sect Leader."

Jin Yicai’s expression contorted slightly. "Does he even reflect on it? If he truly had the capability, these seventy years ago, he would have already ascended by now."

"Who knows what he’s been doing all these years? And now, at the last critical step, he blames me for ruining his big opportunity?"

"Tell me, is this even my fault?"

Jin Yicai’s gaze turned venomous. "If it hadn’t been for that despicable Gu Changhuai meddling in my business, catching me red-handed, listing my crimes, and reporting them to the Taoist Court, would I have fallen to this state? Forced to endure my father’s scolding, shamed utterly, and confined to this cave residence?"

"It’s downright laughable..." Jin Yicai sneered coldly. "My father and the others, they always preach about the worthlessness of common lives, saying human lives are mere grass, that it’s unnecessary to consider some people as equal to us. Treating them as cattle horses would suffice. And we, as the offspring of the Jin family, are naturally born superior, far removed from ordinary people, different in destiny."

"But what happened? I believed those words. I treated human lives like grass. I indeed stood above others. Yet all I did was direct some lackeys to eliminate a few insignificant beings, refine a few batches of pills—not even dirtying my own hands."

"My father, my grandfather—suddenly they righteously rebuke me, claiming my mindset is skewed, not following the Righteous Dao..."

Jin Yicai sneered incessantly. "Absolutely absurd!"

The tall cultivator’s pupils slightly contracted. He spoke with indifference, "Do not defame your family’s elders in the presence of outsiders."

Saying so, he glanced at Jin Gui.

Jin Gui immediately hung his head low, pretending not to have heard anything.

He knew, despite sharing the surname "Jin," he was not truly considered part of the Jin family in their eyes. He was merely slightly better than grass and cattle horses.

Jin Yicai also realized he had misspoken, but his expression remained frosty, unwilling to appear contrite.

Nevertheless, toward his steady yet ruthless "cousin," whom he had grown up with, his heart remained a mixture of closeness and reverence.

"Brother, what should we do now?" Jin Yicai’s face was exceptionally grim. "I’ve already suffered my father’s cold shoulder. If I provoke greater calamity this time, my father would undoubtedly beat me to death!"

The tall cultivator saw Jin Yicai’s apprehensive demeanor, with tinges of fear. His gaze slightly tightened as he slowly nodded and said:

"Then do not act hastily. Lie low for now and act covertly."

"The matter with Taixu Gate—we’ll settle it later."

"Good!" Jin Yicai gritted his teeth. "And Gu Changhuai and the Gu family too!"

Jin Yicai’s gaze turned ominous. "On the day I was captured, aside from Gu Changhuai and the Gu family’s minions, there was also some little brat from Taixu Gate who used that vile and disgusting Water Prison Technique!"

"Had it not been for his Water Prison Technique, I might have managed to escape that day."

"Being confined to this cave, I haven’t had the chance to send someone to investigate his origins. I don’t even know which family he belongs to."

"The next time I encounter him, I will tear that Water Prison Technique bastard into pieces to sate my fury!"

"No, tearing him apart would be too merciful..."

Jin Yicai’s eyes turned frigid. "I’ll sacrifice him alive, feed him to the Demon Refining Diagram, and let him suffer the torment of being devoured by a thousand demons, consumed by evil thoughts, dying in indescribable agony, his soul obliterated, beyond reincarnation!"

Jin Yicai’s handsome face began to gradually distort.

The tall cultivator shook his head slightly.

His cousin harbored far too strong a desire for revenge.

Such a volatile temperament, revealing joy and anger so openly—how could one remain composed when facing significant events?

Was Tao Cultivation supposed to be this easily achieved?

If it hadn’t been for his fortunate birth, a father of high rank and status, a mother ridiculously indulgent and protective, he likely would have died countless times by now.

Still, he remains useful for now—and highly so...

Clad in a Sever Gold Taoist Robe, the tall and imposing cultivator silently glanced at Jin Yicai beside him, his gaze deep.

...

"Sever Gold Sect backed down?"

Inside Taixu Gate, Mo Hua looked rather astonished.

Cheng Mo nodded. "Indeed, they’ve turned into a bunch of turtles hiding in their shells, not showing their faces at all."

Having said this, Cheng Mo grabbed a massive roasted pork knuckle and started gnawing on it.

It was midday, and a group of disciples was gathered in the dining hall, eating spiritual meals in lively camaraderie.

Mo Hua furrowed his brows slightly.

Something seemed off...

This didn’t seem at all like the Sever Gold Sect’s usual style.

He had thought Sever Gold Sect was petty, vindictive, and relentless, bound to feud endlessly with them.

Even if they couldn’t win, they would surely persist with annoying provocations.

Yet unexpectedly, they had backed down so decisively.

"Let’s monitor them for a while, keeping wary of tricks," Mo Hua advised.

"Understood!" Cheng Mo nodded.

Over the following period, Refining Demon Mountain remained calm and uneventful. Not a single Sever Gold Sect disciple appeared to provoke them.

Mo Hua finally confirmed that Sever Gold Sect had seemingly given up on competing with Taixu Gate within the mountain.

Of course, there remained one exception.

That exception was Song Jian.

One day, while Mo Hua was entering the mountain, Song Jian and seven or eight others ambushed him.

Yet Mo Hua felt no fear.

Because now, in the Outer Mountain of Refining Demon Mountain, one whistle from him could summon seventeen or eighteen Taixu Gate disciples.

What’s more, seven or eight Foundation Building Middle Phase cultivators were powerless to block him.

Song Jian pointed at Mo Hua, furious:

"I know it now—you’re Mo Hua!"

"You’re the one who stole my Sever Gold Sword!"

"Cheng Mo, that big oaf, isn’t the leader here—you’re the one!"

"You’re their ’Junior Brother’!"

Mo Hua looked slightly surprised. This fool... wasn’t as dim-witted as he imagined?

"And so?" Mo Hua asked.

Song Jian bristled with rage. "Return my Sever Gold Sword, or you’re dead for sure!"

Mo Hua pondered briefly and asked:

"If I return your sword, will you stop bothering me?"

Song Jian initially wanted to snarl, "Of course not."

The grudge between them ran deep.

But since the Spirit Sword was still in Mo Hua’s possession, and considering "one must bow beneath the eaves," Song Jian suppressed his fury and said, "If you return my Sever Gold Sword, all prior grudges will be forgiven."

"Alright!"

Mo Hua agreed readily.

He hadn’t originally planned to return it.

But reconsidering, he realized he had extrapolated the Gold-Cutting Sword Formation from Song Jian’s Sword Qi and tested the effectiveness of the Gold-Cutting Armor using him.

Song Jian had inadvertently provided immense help to him.

Though the man himself likely remained unaware.

Having received such help, he figured a gesture of reciprocity wouldn’t hurt.

Mo Hua tossed over a twisted, blackened blade, its edges warped and the body shattered—"scrap metal."

"There, returned," Mo Hua said.

Song Jian took the scrap metal, his face boiling with anger. "I want my Sever Gold Sword—what is this rubbish?!"

Mo Hua sighed and revealed the harsh truth:

"This IS your Sever Gold Sword..."

Song Jian lowered his gaze and noticed the familiar sword patterns etched on its remains. That sense of connection he felt while holding it—so distinct—hit him like thunder.

"This IS your Sever Gold Sword..."

The words echoed repeatedly in his ears.

Song Jian stood there, dazed, his face pale as stone weathered by countless storms.

When he finally regained his senses, he began to rage.

"I’ll kill you!!"

Song Jian grasped the sword and scanned the vicinity, but by then, no sign of Mo Hua remained.

Mo Hua had already fled to some obscure corner.

With fury surging through him, and his whole body trembling, Song Jian roared toward the heavens:

"Damn you, Mo Hua! This life and the next, I swear to never reconcile with you!!"

"...No coexistence under the same sky!!!"

The roar reverberated across Refining Demon Mountain.

Walking leisurely along the trails, Mo Hua heard it but paid no heed.

Though Song Jian’s cultivation wasn’t weak and his swordsmanship decent, compared to someone who had gutted the Fire Buddha, it was just laughable.

Should he truly wish to exploit Song Jian, countless methods came to mind.

Besides, as a Sever Gold Sect disciple, Song Jian’s conflicts with Taixu Gate were trifling; he hardly met the threshold of truly unforgivable evil.

If, someday, Song Jian indeed tread the path of unforgivable sin and foolishly stood against him, Mo Hua would certainly retaliate without mercy.

But that was something for the future.

For now, Mo Hua had more pressing matters to attend to.

At present, a substantial chunk of the Outer Mountain area of Refining Demon Mountain had come under Taixu Gate’s control.

As luck had it, Mo Hua happened to be on the mountain and intended to practice the "Divine Sense Sword Control" technique.

He wanted to test his Sword Control’s power, speed, and reach—then refine flying swords tailored to the skill.

On this day of Rest Week, Mo Hua woke early, gathered several broken swords obtained from Master Gu, and headed straight to Refining Demon Mountain.