Inquiries About Longevity Chapter 786: Tiger Stripes (Extra Chapter dedicated to Alliance Leader Xiao Bai Bai and Radish Da Lu - Novel Cool

Chapter 786: Tiger Stripes (Extra Chapter dedicated to Alliance Leader Xiao Bai Bai and Radish Da Lu

Chapter 786: Tiger Stripes (Extra Chapter dedicated to Alliance Leader Xiao Bai Bai and Radish Da Luo)

Dark clouds loomed at the horizon like vengeful spirits, while the distant mountains seemed to lurk with malevolent entities. Blood flowed like streams on both sides, and a path made of countless bones lay underfoot.

Mo Hua maintained a casual demeanor, his steps light and carefree.

Jian Goutou, on the other hand, followed cautiously, his heart filled with trepidation.

After walking for a while, Mo Hua turned to look at Jian Goutou, his tone carrying a hint of disdain. "You mentioned that the Refining Demon Chart was filled with evil entities. Where are they?"

He had been walking for a while now, and he hadn't encountered a single one.

"What if this Refining Demon Chart is a fake? What if I've come all this way for nothing?"

Jian Goutou stammered, "I-I don't know..."

This was his first time here as well.

If given a choice, he would never set foot in this place again.

Mo Hua surveyed their surroundings once more, then shook his head. "Never mind. Let's focus on rescuing them first. Since the temple is here, the 'monk' can't be far."

With that, he focused his attention on sensing the traces of spiritual energy emanating from the path of bones beneath them.

Among these traces, some carried impure intentions laced with demonic energy, while others emanated clean and pure spiritual energy unique to cultivators.

If Xiao Mhoutou and the other two had been "sacrificed" within the Refining Demon Chart, they would likely have been transported along this bone path, escorted by the demon cultivators toward the depths of the chart.

Mo Hua quickened his pace, his expression growing more determined.

Fortunately, despite the eerie scenery, their path remained unobstructed and peaceful.

As they reached the end of the bone path, a valley came into view, its entrance resembling the gaping maw of a colossal demonic beast.

Mo Hua paused, a slight frown creasing his brow.

He ventured further into the valley, his eyes taking in the wide path ahead, the sculptures of demonic beasts, and the jagged peaks and valleys that intersected like the teeth of a saw.

The more Mo Hua saw, the more familiar it all seemed. After a moment's thought, realization dawned on him.

The Myriad Demon Valley!

The terrain within the Refining Demon Chart was strikingly similar to the Myriad Demon Valley outside.

Although there were some differences, the overall layout was as if they had been carved from the same mold.

Mo Hua recalled the words of Elder Xun Zixian:

"The array formation in the Myriad Demon Valley is an interplay of reality and illusion..."

"...by borrowing a powerful force, the mortal realm and divine consciousness are initially reflected and fused, and then constructed through the array formation."

Only now did Mo Hua truly understand the meaning behind those words.

An interplay of reality and illusion.

A fusion of the mortal realm and nightmares.

The river spirit temple in the small fishing village seemed to follow the same principle.

By using the reality of the mortal realm, a nightmare was constructed, and through that nightmare, the mortal realm was influenced in return.

"Is the mortal realm the foundation of nightmares, and do nightmares, in turn, affect the mortal realm?"

"Is this the advanced application of the evil god's divine consciousness?"

Mo Hua looked around, his eyes taking in the surroundings once more.

Currently, the nightmare within the Refining Demon Chart was born from reality, but its influence on the "mortal realm" seemed negligible.

Was it because the Myriad Demon Valley hadn't been truly completed yet?

Or was it because... the true evil god had not yet awakened, and thus the full power of the evil god's might could not be unleashed?

Mo Hua couldn't help but speculate: "What if the Great Wilderness Evil God truly awakens...

"And what if it successfully creates a demon refining hell in some place? Wouldn't it be able to use its overwhelming evil consciousness to bring that 'demon refining hell' down upon the mortal realm?"

At that time, it would truly be a catastrophe, turning the mortal realm into a living hell!

Mo Hua was startled by his own conjecture, a chilling fear gripping his heart.

Could the evil god truly possess such terrifying abilities?

If that were the case... if the evil god were to truly revive and its evil consciousness were to spread unchecked...

The seemingly peaceful and prosperous cultivation world of Jiuzhou might suddenly be engulfed by boundless terror, shattering into pieces with corpses littering the land.

A facade of prosperity masking inner decay.

The towering skyscrapers would collapse in an instant...

Mo Hua's gaze turned solemn, and he finally sighed.

The more clearly he saw the truth of this world, the more frightening it seemed. And amidst such a crisis, ordinary cultivators might still be oblivious, enjoying their peaceful and blissful lives...

"Born in adversity, perish in peace..."

Mo Hua shook his head. However, upon further thought, he realized that these matters were currently beyond his control.

When the sky falls, there will be those tall enough to hold it up.

For now, it wasn't his place as a small Foundation Establishment cultivator to worry about such momentous affairs concerning Jiuzhou.

Rescuing his companions was the priority...

Mo Hua consoled himself and temporarily pushed these thoughts aside, focusing once again on searching for Xiao Mhoutou and the others who had been "sacrificed."

As they continued on their way, they soon reached a stone path, and Mo Hua's divine sense stirred.

"Found them!"

There were obvious traces of demon cultivators' passage, their evil energy lingering in the air.

The spiritual energy of cultivators was also distinct, leaving no room for doubt.

Mo Hua looked up.

In the distance, on a wide stone path, several demon cultivators were carrying three peculiar pitch-black coffins adorned with demonic patterns. They were making their way forward, step by step.

At the front of the group was a tall and imposing demon cultivator who seemed to be leading the way.

And this leader was none other than Jin Gui, or more accurately, the demonic soul of Jin Gui.

Mo Hua made no attempt to conceal his presence, and Jian Goutou certainly didn't hold back his spiritual energy.

Both parties were aware of each other's presence.

Jin Gui, who was walking ahead, suddenly waved his hand and ordered, "Stop!" He then turned to face Mo Hua, his gaze fixed primarily on Jian Goutou standing beside Mo Hua.

Although Jian Goutou appeared subservient and humble before Mo Hua, he had been a cunning and vicious old demon cultivator in his previous life, skilled in the art of crafting evil swords.

In his current state, he had transformed into a towering skeleton clad in white bones, a "Sword Demon" exuding a chilling aura with his sharp bone sword.

His appearance alone was enough to strike fear into the hearts of others.

A hint of wariness flashed in Jin Gui's eyes, but he showed no sign of fear. Instead, he let out a cold laugh.

"The young master said that there's a mouse lurking in the Myriad Demon Valley, causing trouble and disrupting his grand plan... But I never expected that you would actually make it here..."

Jin Gui's eyes blazed with intensity as he stared at Jian Goutou.

Jian Goutou remained silent for a moment, his skeletal face solemn. Suddenly, he started, his white bones seeming to falter in surprise.

Mouse?

Who?

Me?

"No, I'm just a guide. I have nothing to do with this..."

He wanted to clarify, but the thought of Mo Hua standing beside him kept him from speaking out of turn.

Moreover, he glanced at his own towering stature, the sharp bone sword protruding from his body, and the sinister demonic aura that surrounded him. Then he looked at the tiny child-like figure of Mo Hua beside him.

Jian Goutou's eye sockets, already hollow and dark, now darkened further in dismay.

Of course, Jin Gui's gaze was also alert and wary as he looked at the Sword Demon before him, wondering why it remained motionless and silent.

It was then that he noticed the unassuming Mo Hua standing beside Jian Goutou.

He glanced at him briefly before turning away.

The combination of a Sword Demon and a little brat was odd, but it didn't matter as long as they were both killed.

However, Jin Gui paused and looked back at Mo Hua, his expression changing as he suddenly asked, "Do you... have a brother?"

Mo Hua was taken aback by the question.

"Isn't your brother called 'Mo Hua'?" Jin Gui asked again, his voice filled with hatred.

Mo Hua: "..."

Jin Gui scrutinized Mo Hua's features and demeanor, and his eyes widened as realization struck him. "No, wait! You... you are Mo Hua!"

He had finally recognized him.

But then, he frowned, "Why... have you become so small?"

Mo Hua's gaze turned cold.

Jin Gui continued to stare at Mo Hua, and his expression changed as he murmured, "Ah, I understand now. This place is not the mortal world, and our existence here is in the form of our spiritual consciousness. In other words..."

Jin Gui let out a cold laugh, "No matter how old you are or how your appearance changes, inside, you're still a naive and immature little brat who refuses to grow up!"

Mo Hua looked at Jin Gui, his eyes icy cold, as if looking at a dead man.

But Jin Gui was oblivious to this.

He was still immersed in the hatred he had felt in the past.

He clearly remembered when he had led a group of his junior disciples to hunt the pig demon.

Unfortunately, that pig demon had somehow fallen into the hands of a few junior disciples of the Tai Xu Sect.

He had simply taken the pig demon from them, but because of that, he had suffered an embarrassing humiliation.

This little brat named Mo Hua had conspired with his fellow sect members to humiliate him.

They had stripped him of his clothes, hung him from a tree, and drawn turtles on his body, making him a laughingstock.

"Mo Hua..."

Even if this brat turned to ashes, he would never forget him.

He would have to torture him a thousand times over to satisfy his rage!

"Good, good!" Jin Gui's face twisted with malice as he laughed, "Search high and low, and there you are! I've always wanted to kill you quietly to avenge my past shame, but I never got the chance."

"Today, you've come to me of your own accord! Don't blame me for slicing you up and devouring your spiritual consciousness alive!"

Mo Hua remained calm, his expression neutral, and he didn't even seem to consider Jin Gui worth his attention.

Jin Gui, on the contrary, thought that Mo Hua was afraid, and he sneered, waving his hand to signal his companions. "Attack!"

The group of demonic cultivators put down the coffins and charged towards Mo Hua.

Mo Hua stood there with his hands behind his back, unmoved, and instead, he glanced at Jian Goutou beside him.

Jian Goutou hesitated for a moment, unsure of what Mo Hua wanted him to do. Did he expect him to fight? Here he was, a small ancestral spirit, and Mo Hua didn't even bother to lift a finger.

As the group of demonic cultivators approached, Jian Goutou had no choice but to draw out his two bone swords, summoning demonic energy as he engaged them in battle.

After about a dozen exchanges, the demonic cultivators were forced to retreat.

Jian Goutou paused, suddenly realizing something.

As a Sword Demon, he was... actually quite strong?

His battle with Mo Hua had left him feeling almost broken in spirit, and he had nearly believed himself to be a worthless, insignificant, and weak demon.

But now, as he fought these demonic cultivators, he realized that perhaps it wasn't that he was too weak, but rather, some people were just too strong?

Jian Goutou's spirits lifted, and his demonic energy surged, his aura becoming increasingly arrogant.

He swung his sword, slicing one of the demonic cultivators in half.

Then, his body expanded, and the bone swords protruding from his body moved like appendages, shredding another demonic cultivator to pieces.

Seeing this, Jin Gui's expression turned solemn.

He glanced at Mo Hua and thought, "No wonder this brat is so fearless. He has such a powerful Sword Demon as his bodyguard."

"But..." Jin Gui frowned, "Isn't that Sword Demon a demonic entity? How can a righteous disciple of the Tai Xu Sect have a demonic entity as his bodyguard? Could it be that the once upright Tai Xu Sect has started to fall into corruption?"

As Jian Goutou was about to finish off the remaining demonic cultivators, Jin Gui finally intervened.

He still had to fulfill the young master's order to deliver the spiritual consciousness of these three brats to the depths of the Refining Demon Chart, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time.

Jin Gui's eyes glinted with murderous intent, and he let out a bestial growl, his body expanding as yellow-brown fur sprouted, transforming him into a bloodthirsty and powerful tiger demon.

With a flash of his body, he pounced towards Jian Goutou, the wind of his movement carrying a bloody stench.

A tiger demon and a Sword Demon clashed in battle.

Demonic energy and sword energy intertwined.

The tiger roared, and the sword wailed, both demons unleashing their ferocity as they fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.

Mo Hua watched silently from the side, his eyes calm.

At the same time, he was quietly calculating in his mind.

Taking advantage of the stalemate between Jian Goutou, the Sword Demon, and the transformed Jin Gui, he studied the four tiger stripes on Jin Gui's back.

He had his eyes on those tiger stripes from the start.

The tiger was the king of beasts, and among the numerous demon beasts, its strength was also at the pinnacle.

In the Myriad Demon Valley, demonic cultivators with tiger stripes were extremely rare.

To obtain them, one would either have to kill Jin Gui, flay his body, and copy the patterns from his corpse.

Or they would have to make him go all out, activating the patterns, and then fight someone, taking the time to deduce and record these "demonic patterns."

Both methods were troublesome, and there hadn't been any opportunities before.

Now that Jian Goutou was here, and he and Jin Gui were evenly matched, their "chicken fight" provided the perfect opportunity for Mo Hua to "deduce" the patterns.

Mo Hua's gaze turned slightly profound as he quietly deduced the patterns.

Jin Gui and Jian Goutou, on the other hand, transformed into a Sword Demon and a Tiger Demon respectively, their auras surging as they fought with the intensity of a life-and-death battle.

Mo Hua deduced as they fought.

When he finished deducing, they were still fighting.

After silently memorizing the complete "Four Symbols Mysterious Tiger Demonic Pattern Formation," Mo Hua looked up at the two demons' battle, finding it rather dull and even a little sleep-inducing.

The combatants, however, were not faring well.

Jian Goutou had been "ravaged" by Mo Hua earlier, damaging his demonic energy, so while he could hold his own in a short fight, he would struggle in a prolonged battle.

Jin Gui, on the other hand, realized that he couldn't take down this formidable Sword Demon in a short amount of time.

He had to end the fight quickly!

Jin Gui swiped a tiger claw, deflecting Jian Goutou's sword, and said loudly, "Fellow cultivator, with your abilities, why do you submit to this child and protect him so diligently?"

Jian Goutou was taken aback, speechless.

What nonsense was this fool spouting? What abilities did he have to protect this brat?

Hearing these words, he felt ashamed.

But with his skeletal body, no matter how turbulent his emotions were, he maintained a sinister and cold exterior, not revealing a hint of them.

Jin Gui continued, trying to persuade him, "Fellow cultivator, why not abandon your dark path and join me in the Myriad Demon Valley? Who knows, maybe one day you'll become a mighty demon lord ruling over all!"

Jian Goutou sneered inwardly.

Ignorance is bliss, a demon lord ruling over all? You wish!

Jin Gui frowned, marveling to himself, "What a loyal old demon!"

He tried to sow discord, but Jian Goutou remained unmoved, determined to protect this child. Who was this child, to earn such unwavering loyalty from a Sword Demon?

"If that's the case, I'll have to think of another way..." Jin Gui thought to himself.

Then, he clenched his fangs and roared, his voice like a vicious tiger.

The tiger stripes on his body spread, shining brightly and emitting a surging demonic energy that seemed to tear through his flesh, even causing his blood and flesh to rupture.

Jian Goutou's heart trembled.

This beast was going all out?

"Damn it, what a streak of bad luck, to encounter such a stubborn fool. Why go all out? Why not just put on a show? What's the point of risking your life?"

"Those who cultivate the demonic path truly have no brains!"

Jian Goutou cursed inwardly but remained vigilant.

As a surge of demonic energy rose, Jian Goutou's skeletal body transformed into the final "Sword Demon" form, white bones gleaming.

This battle would decide their fates.

However, just as Jian Goutou braced himself for a life-or-death battle with Jin Gui, the latter suddenly feinted and dodged past him, rushing toward the slightly distant Mo Hua.

Jian Goutou froze.

Instead of fighting him to the death, he was going after that brat?

He looked at Jin Gui with a puzzled expression, which then turned into one of "admiration."

The aura Jin Gui exuded, that unwavering determination, perhaps that was what "courage" was...

On the other hand, Jin Gui sensed that Jian Goutou wasn't pursuing him, and he thought, "As expected, this Sword Demon is powerful, able to match my demon-form. He must be an independent entity, unable to submit to anyone."

"Since that's the case, I'll capture the leader first to capture the gang. I'll kill this brat first, and this Sword Demon might even be grateful to me..."

With this thought, Jin Gui's expression turned grim, and he sped up.

That hateful brat's face was getting closer and closer.

Jin Gui's smile became more and more sinister.

He could even imagine tearing that delicate face to shreds with his sharp claws.

Soon, he was close to Mo Hua, and with a vicious smile, he lunged at Mo Hua with his tiger claws, carrying a putrid stench.

However, the next moment, the scene he had imagined did not unfold.

Mo Hua was unharmed, not even moving a muscle.

Instead, Jin Gui felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.

He turned his head and saw that his arm had been completely sliced off!

Moreover, he didn't even see when or how it had been cut off!

"Who?!"

"Who cut off my arm?!"

Jin Gui's pupils shook violently.

The next moment, he saw Mo Hua standing before him, his expression calm as if looking at an insignificant ant.

An incredulous thought surfaced in his mind.

"How... How is this possible?!"

"Outside, it would take some effort to kill you..." Mo Hua's voice was crisp, his tone indifferent:

"...But here, killing you is not much harder than squishing an ant..."

Then, Mo Hua casually pointed a finger.

A golden thread flashed by.

An irresistible killing intent descended.

Jin Gui's sinister expression froze on his face, and in the next moment, it was shredded to pieces by the golden light, completely dissipating.

It took less than three breaths from start to finish.

Jin Gui's soul was completely annihilated.

Mo Hua didn't even move from his spot.

The surroundings became noticeably quieter.

Jian Goutou's skeletal body trembled, feeling a chill run through his bones.

He and Jin Gui had been evenly matched.

It took Mo Hua three breaths to kill Jin Gui. If he wanted to kill him, it probably wouldn't even take two breaths.

Perhaps it would only take an instant...

Jian Goutou's expression turned solemn, and he silently reminded himself, "I've been far too arrogant toward this brat. From now on, I must be more 'polite.'"

Dedicated to Alliance Leader Xiao Bai Bai and Radish Da Luo.

(End of Chapter)

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