The Quest for Immortality - Chapter 1134 (Patreon)

Chapter 1134: Death Omen

“Ten years ago, on the tenth day of the seventh month, a ‘distinguished guest’ came to me with a transport commission. I took over a shipment of demonic beast ‘hide and bone’ from Elder Ji of the Gray Wolf Sect, as formation reserve materials, and delivered it to the south of Li Province, north of the Desert Sea…”

Steward Wang flipped through the records with a trace of reverence in his voice. “…Desert City.”

These records were confidential files of the courier lodge—normally forbidden for outsiders to view.

But desperate times called for desperate measures, and today he had no choice but to break the rules.

Not that he hadn’t done so before—at his age, one more breach of protocol hardly mattered.

What truly weighed on him was the name of that immortal city.

“Desert City…”

Mo Hua asked, “What kind of place is that?”

Elder Ji explained, “It lies between Li Province and the Great Wilderness, within the Desert Sea itself—one of the fourth-rank immortal cities.”

“Fourth rank…” Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened slightly.

Within the second-rank territories of Li Province, with his late Foundation Establishment cultivation, he could move unhindered. Whoever he wanted to kill, he could kill—and if he couldn’t, he could still leave safely.

In a third-rank territory, he would have to act with much more caution.

Encountering an early-stage Golden Core cultivator was manageable, but a mid- or late-stage one could become troublesome.

And within a fourth-rank city, where mid- and late-stage Golden Core cultivators gathered in numbers—and even Nascent Soul experts might appear—the danger would multiply severalfold.

After all, he was merely in the Foundation Establishment realm, far removed from the level of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Once he became the target of many—surrounded by numerous Golden Core cultivators or hunted seriously by a Nascent Soul True Person—his chances of survival would be slim.

After all, this was Li Province, not the Qianxue Province.

In Qianxue, the great clans and sects held sway, and order still existed under the rules of the Dao Court. Everyone maintained appearances and abided by law and custom.

Besides, Elder Xun, a Void-refining expert, watched over him in secret.

There were Nascent Soul and even Void cultivators who wished him dead, but none dared make a move.

However, beyond Qianxue, in this distant land where the Great Void Sect’s influence meant little and Elder Xun could not protect him, he was on his own.

And now that the Great Wilderness had rebelled and turned against the Dao Court, Li Province had become a land steeped in war and killing intent.

If he provoked the wrong power, countless Golden Core and even Nascent Soul cultivators would thirst for his blood.

Mo Hua understood clearly that although many Golden Core cultivators had already fallen by his hand, he had never truly disregarded them.

For until now, not one Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator had fought him at full strength without the constraints of Heaven’s Law.

Especially not a Nascent Soul True Person.

He had never personally experienced the full might of someone who could fly through the heavens and command the elements.

He would not allow himself the delusion that he could match such beings.

The Qianxue Province and the Great Void Sect had been his “greenhouse.” For nine years he had cultivated within it, safe and sheltered. Now that he had left that shelter, he was not naïve enough to think the chaotic Nine Provinces were his playground.

He would never assume that all the Nascent Soul and Void cultivators of the world feared to kill him.

Thus, he must tread carefully.

Especially within a fourth-rank province—far beyond the reach of his current cultivation.

But…

That great tiger was raised by his own hand, fed since it was a cub—how could he simply abandon it?

Mo Hua frowned slightly and asked, “How does one reach Desert City?”

Steward Wang said, “The road is long and the mountain paths are complex. If Young Master truly intends to go, I can find you a map. But the real problem lies in the Desert Sea…”

“The Desert Sea?”

Wang nodded. “The Great Wilderness is a desolate land. In the cultivation world, some say that the Great Wilderness is the true body of Li Province—the real land of raging fire. Scorching by day, freezing by night—its landscape is filled with endless dunes and barren mountains.”

“What is now called Li Province is merely the outer rim of that Great Wilderness, separated from it by the vast Desert Sea.”

“That Desert Sea is an immense expanse of wind and sand, baked by sunlight for tens of thousands of years—blisteringly hot by day, deadly cold by night. Even birds cannot fly across it, and beasts sink beneath its surface.”

“Only Nascent Soul cultivators can cross it unaided.”

“For ordinary cultivators, to fall into the Desert Sea is certain death. To cross it, one must travel by sandship.”

“But large sandships must be built from the bones of flying sand beasts, their hides made into sails. They are extraordinarily costly, and the ‘crossing’ jade slips required to board them are rare and precious.”

Mo Hua asked, “Can you procure a crossing jade slip?”

Wang smiled wryly. “Young Master flatters me—I could never manage that.”

Mo Hua turned to Elder Ji.

Elder Ji also smiled awkwardly. “That… would be difficult…”

Mo Hua gave him a flat look but did not press further. He merely said to Wang, “Then please prepare a map to Desert City.”

He handed over twenty spirit stones.

Wang beamed. “Young Master is too generous. Leave it to me. Though… the maps belong to the courier lodge. I’ll need to pull some strings. It might take several days—things outside are chaotic, and everyone’s scrambling for maps these days…”

Mo Hua nodded slightly. He understood well enough.

“Three to five days at most,” Wang said. “Once I have it, I’ll deliver it to you.”

Mo Hua then gave him fifty more spirit stones.

Wang was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

As they were leaving, Elder Ji asked curiously, “By the way, you don’t work your courier post anymore—what business brings you here to the warehouse district?”

Wang only smiled, offering no answer.

Elder Ji snorted and dropped the subject.

Mo Hua and Elder Ji then left the warehouse, walking along the main street toward their inn.

As they went, Mo Hua kept glancing around. Something about this small courier city felt off, though he couldn’t quite say what.

Lost in thought, he heard Elder Ji’s obsequious voice beside him. “Mo… Mo Gongzi…”

Mo Hua looked at him. “What is it?”

“I mean, you’ve found your person, gathered your information… so, I was wondering if I could…”

Mo Hua interrupted him, “The ‘guest’ who bought the tiger from you—who was he?”

Elder Ji shook his head. “That I don’t know. I only handled the reception.”

“His cultivation?”

“Can’t say.”

“His appearance?”

Elder Ji hesitated but knew he couldn’t avoid answering. “Tall, thin, and fond of voluptuous women.”

Mo Hua frowned.

Elder Ji hurried to add, “Truly! Not everyone dislikes women the way you do…”

Mo Hua ignored the jab. “Do you know why he wanted the tiger?”

“I don’t,” Elder Ji said, then added in a whisper, “But I did investigate a little. In Li Province or most of the Nine Provinces, tiger demons are just strong beasts—powerful, yes, but nothing more.”

“But in the Great Wilderness, things are different. The tiger descends from the White Tiger, one of the Four Divine Beasts, and is a royal symbol.”

“It’s said that every adult of the royal clans must tame a tiger as a mount to prove their bloodline.”

“Even if they can’t, they use captured tiger demons for breeding—to refine and strengthen the bloodline, generation after generation, to draw closer to the divine White Tiger itself. Such beasts are priceless.”

Mo Hua’s expression shifted slightly. “You know quite a bit.”

Elder Ji smiled. “I make friends easily. When you deal with all sorts of people, you hear all sorts of things.”

Then, watching Mo Hua’s expression, he ventured, “Young Master, you have a bright future ahead. Perhaps I should… not trouble you further?”

He really wanted to flee.

Traveling with Mo Hua was like living under a curse.

Mo Hua said flatly, “Wait until we have the map.”

Elder Ji sighed heavily.

…

For the next few days, Mo Hua stayed at the inn, cultivating, drawing arrays, and performing divination.

All was peaceful.

The only restless one was Elder Ji.

Now that the investigation was complete, Mo Hua had loosened his control. Elder Ji took full advantage—sneaking out every night and returning at dawn.

One evening, just after dusk, he slipped out again.

Mo Hua, somewhat bored, decided to follow him and see what trouble he was up to.

Downstairs, he spotted Elder Ji whispering with a pale-faced young man.

“Brother Shi,” Elder Ji chuckled lewdly, “tell me, what part of a woman is the most beautiful?”

“The eyes, naturally,” the young man said softly. “Like spring water or autumn moon—there’s endless allure in their depths.”

“Yes, yes… some coquettish, some pure, some noble… I especially love the disdainful ones—when their scorn turns to shame beneath you, that fleeting look of humiliation—ah, it’s exquisite…”

“But the chest is best of all.”

“Soft, supple, stirring the heart…”

“Exactly! Brother Shi, your taste is refined indeed… Though the feet aren’t bad either—white as jade, smooth as snow…”

…

Mo Hua’s brow twitched. What were these two even talking about in the middle of the night?

His sigh drew Elder Ji’s attention. Seeing Mo Hua, Elder Ji froze like a thief caught in the act, then forced a grin.

“Mo Gongzi…”

The other man also turned, rising to his feet. His face was fair—too fair, almost deathly pale.

Elder Ji hastily introduced, “This is Brother Shi, a friend I just made.”

Mo Hua studied him—the man was elegant and well-mannered, but his pallor carried something unnerving beneath it.

Moments ago, when speaking of women, Elder Ji’s eyes had been filled with lust. But this “Brother Shi’s” gaze had been one of obsession—admiration rather than desire.

Brother Shi bowed politely to Mo Hua, then said to Elder Ji, “I’ll take my leave first. Same place as before—I’ll be waiting.”

“Of course, of course,” Elder Ji replied quickly.

Brother Shi turned and left.

Mo Hua sat down across from Elder Ji.

Elder Ji, ever the sycophant, poured him tea. “Mo Gongzi, it’s late. What brings you out?”

Mo Hua asked coolly, “Where have you been sneaking off to these nights?”

Elder Ji straightened his face. “Times are dangerous—I’ve been gathering intelligence…”

Halfway through, he realized lying was useless before Mo Hua and sighed. “I went to find women.”

Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been draining them?”

“No! No, never!” Elder Ji waved his hands. “It’s mutual pleasure, nothing like dual cultivation.”

“Mutual?”

“I pay spirit stones. They agree. Fair trade.”

Mo Hua frowned. “There are such places in a small courier city?”

Elder Ji puffed out his chest proudly. “Mo Gongzi, you don’t understand. Such places exist everywhere. I can sniff them out the moment I arrive anywhere.”

Mo Hua said lightly, “You seem proud of that.”

Elder Ji paled. “A trifling talent, hardly worth mentioning…”

Mo Hua then asked, “That Brother Shi—did you meet him there too?”

“Yes,” Elder Ji admitted. “He’s quite the connoisseur. We get along well. But he’s odd—looks but never touches. Talks endlessly about women but won’t lay a finger on one. A waste of a fine face, if you ask me…”

He secretly glanced at Mo Hua—thinking the same could be said of him. If he had Mo Hua’s looks, no woman in the world could resist.

Mo Hua ignored him.

Elder Ji was incorrigible—but so long as he wasn’t harming anyone, Mo Hua couldn’t be bothered.

“Be careful,” Mo Hua said. “Don’t die under a woman’s skirt.”

Elder Ji laughed. “If I die beneath a peony, I’ll die a happy man. That would be a good end.”

Mo Hua took a sip of tea and returned to his room to study arrays.

Elder Ji, thrilled that Mo Hua didn’t care, sneaked out again soon after.

…

Four days later, Steward Wang sent word—he had acquired the map from the courier lodge.

Mo Hua went to fetch it.

He planned to leave the city immediately and head for the Great Wilderness.

Wang passed him the map in secret. “Mo Gongzi, here it is—but please, don’t tell anyone you got it from me. If word gets out, I’ll be in grave trouble.”

“I understand,” Mo Hua said. “You have my word.”

Wang exhaled in relief and personally walked him to the door.

As Mo Hua turned to leave, he caught sight of Wang’s forehead—and froze.

The man’s brow, once ruddy, was turning pitch black, thick with deathly aura.

Mo Hua’s pupils contracted. Could it be…?

Wang, sensing his gaze, grew uneasy. “Mo Gongzi… is something wrong?”

After a pause, Mo Hua said slowly, “Steward Wang, your forehead is darkened. A death omen hangs over you.”

Wang blinked, thinking Mo Hua was cursing him. He forced an awkward smile, unwilling to offend.

Mo Hua said seriously, “I’m not jesting. A great calamity is near.”

Wang hesitated, half believing, half doubting, and finally nodded.

There was little more Mo Hua could do. His brief divination had yielded only haze—he could not discern the exact nature of the danger.

“Be cautious,” he said, then departed.

Out on the street, he was still pondering the death omen.

Then, looking around, his breath caught.

Every cultivator in the bustling city—every single one—had a darkened brow and the shadow of death upon their face.

Mo Hua’s heart chilled.

This was no personal misfortune.

It was a calamity over the entire city.

He hurried back to the inn and summoned Elder Ji.

Elder Ji, freshly “satisfied” from another night out, looked pale but carried no death mark on his brow.

“Something’s wrong,” Mo Hua said.

Elder Ji blinked. “What’s wrong?”

Mo Hua almost spoke—but stopped. Some secrets of Heaven must not be spoken aloud, lest they change fate itself.

“Leave the city,” he said.

He didn’t yet know what was coming—but the first step was to escape danger.

Elder Ji trusted his judgment completely. “All right.”

They prepared a carriage and drove for the city gate—but were stopped.

The guards announced, “There’s unrest nearby. Several immortal cities have fallen. Only this courier city remains stable.”

“To ensure safety, all entry and exit are forbidden for three days.”

Elder Ji tried to reason, but was refused.

Mo Hua looked up at the walls, noting the defense and detection arrays pulsing with power, and a Golden Core cultivator watching from above.

He understood at once.

The entire city had been sealed. No one inside would escape…

The storm is about to break—thank you for reading! Your support keeps me alive through these death omens. If you’d like to help me keep translating, please consider joining my Patreon for early chapters and exclusive content. 🌙

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