Chapter 1551: Immortal?

Chapter 1551: Immortal?

"This kid, Mo Hua... how can he sound so convincing?"

Where was the original Mo Hua, the one who was acerbic and sharp-tongued, as if his mouth were coated in poison?

His aura was now lofty and ethereal, his voice resonant and melodic, and his demeanor noble. It felt as if he had been possessed by an immortal, becoming a venerable master following Heaven's Mandate to carry out the Dao...

This wasn't right, was it?

Bai XiaoSheng looked on in bewilderment.

Gu Changhuai was also stunned.

He knew Mo Hua had always been glib and skilled at deception, but he had never seen him adopt this mysterious and noble charlatan persona.

For a moment, he actually wondered if Mo Hua had truly practiced some unknown profession in the past...

As for Great General Chang, a tempest was raging in his heart.

The Tongxian Cult.

The Sect Leader True-Person, following Heaven's Mandate to carry out the dao, saving all people from suffering.

Infinite merit, the path to immortality, the way of immortality...

The moment he heard these titles, they radiated an aura of transcendence and ethereal mystery.

Those who could be associated with such things were either truly great cultivators who understood the way to immortality, or they were absolute frauds...

Great General Chang glanced at the three of them and pondered for a moment. In the end, he cupped his hands in a respectful salute and said:

"I am honored by the Esteemed Master's regard, but I am old, exhausted, and worn out. Such a great responsibility from Heaven as saving the world is truly beyond my capacity."

"I hope the Esteemed Master will choose another virtuous and capable person to entrust with this heavy burden, so as to aid the world and achieve infinite merit."

Great General Chang had self-awareness; these titles were too grand. Whether they were real or fake, he could not afford to be associated with them.

If this were true—with all this talk of immortality, following heaven, and inheriting the Dao—any single word of it could lead to the total annihilation of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Changshan Army.

If it were fake, then these three were great swindlers.

At his age, he truly had no time to play along with them. He would rather they find someone else to deceive and leave his old bones in peace.

However, Great General Chang remained very polite, not daring to be abrupt with these three honored guests, even if their origins were unknown and they might harbor ulterior motives.

Mo Hua glanced at Great General Chang and spoke slowly, "Old General, do you not wish for the soldiers under your command to survive in this bloody, chaotic world?"

"Do you not wish for the people of Changshan... to be spared from disaster and have a full meal to eat?"

Great General Chang froze.

Despite knowing that the person before him might be a calculating fraud, his heart couldn't help but tremble.

Had he not spent his old age fighting on the battlefield precisely so that the soldiers and citizens of his hometown could survive in this chaotic era?

Survival was not easy, and wanting to eat one's fill... was even harder than ascending to heaven.

Bitterness filled Great General Chang's heart as he slowly shook his head. "Life and death are predestined. This... does not require the Esteemed Master's concern..."

Mo Hua's brow twitched slightly.

The old man was stubborn after all. Having experienced war and witnessed life and death, he was indeed not easy to persuade.

Mo Hua calculated silently for a moment, his eyes shifting as he let out a soft sigh.

"Old General, to be honest, this may be your last chance..."

Great General Chang's expression changed. He looked directly at Mo Hua. "Esteemed Master, what do you mean by this?"

Mo Hua spoke with an air of mystery, saying slowly:

"If you do not agree, then within one month, the Changshan Army will suffer a crushing defeat."

"Three months later, less than ten percent of your forces will remain."

"Half a year from now, all supplies will be exhausted. The Changshan Army will be devoured by mobs from all sides; your soldiers will perish, and your people will die in the famine disaster. You will be unable to hold the line alone and will soon die at the hands of the Green-faced Fiend."

"The Green-faced Fiend will rip open your belly, cut off your head, and hang it before the gates of Qingchou City..."

"The lands of Changshan will be devastated, the villagers wiped out, and for three hundred years, no living soul will remain..."

Mo Hua spoke word by word, like a poisoned blade, cutting deep into Great General Chang's heart.

As if envisioning the scene of his soldiers dead, his people extinct, and his homeland desolate, Great General Chang's face grew paler and paler, his expression more terrified, until finally, he exploded in rage and shouted:

"Absurd! You are misleading the people with demonic lies! You deserve to die!"

In his fury, he twisted his long spear, intending to pierce Mo Hua dead in one strike.

Bai XiaoSheng crossed his longsword, his Sword Qi fierce, suppressing Great General Chang's spear.

The Sword Qi stung his skin slightly, causing Great General Chang to startle. He regained his composure and slowly lowered his spear, looking at Mo Hua with cold eyes.

"Esteemed Master... are you perhaps cursing the soldiers of Changshan?"

Mo Hua's aura remained lofty as he said, "I am the Dao Preaching Esteemed Master of the Tongxian Cult, a disciple of Sect Leader True-Person Mo. I have comprehended the principles of Heavenly Secrets, studied the laws of cause and effect, and am proficient in Unorthodox Dao Mystic Arts, allowing me to know the future and predict calamity and fortune before they arise."

"What I have just told you are omens within the Heavenly Secrets, as well as your future destiny... the endgame of your Changshan Army."

"The Changshan Army will all perish at the hands of the Green-faced Fiend's followers. And you, Great General, will be skinned alive by Lord Qingchou."

"If you do not believe me, then so be it."

"When the Heavenly Secrets shift and the time arrives, you will know for yourself whether the words of this Esteemed Master were true or false..."

Great General Chang's face was pale, his heart filled with apprehension.

He hoped that everything this black-robed Esteemed Master said was a lie, yet deep down, he knew these omens were not without basis.

The Changshan Army was weak and lacked supplies. If things continued this way, casualties would inevitably increase within half a year.

Furthermore, Lord Qingchou was powerful and brutal.

With his old bones, if he fought to the bitter end, there was a very high probability he would indeed die at Lord Qingchou's hands.

If he, the only Late Golden Core Stage cultivator, died at the hands of Lord Qingchou, then the entire Changshan region and all its people would be doomed.

The moment he thought of the black-robed Esteemed Master's words: "soldiers perish, villagers extinct, no living soul for three hundred years"—Great General Chang's heart turned ice-cold.

"Old General, are you willing to convert to my Dao and follow the commands of the Tongxian Cult?" Mo Hua asked slowly.

Great General Chang's heart trembled. "But..."

His aged eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Your cult possesses great Divine Power, and your Dao is lofty, Esteemed Master. Why did you choose me? Why choose the Changshan Army?"

Mo Hua asked in return, "Why should I not choose the Changshan Army?"

Great General Chang sighed. "I am old, a decayed piece of wood. The Changshan Army is weak and has suffered consecutive defeats. I am truly... not fit for great use... I fear I would fail the Esteemed Master's high expectations."

Mo Hua's tone was indifferent. "It matters not. Our Tongxian Cult follows the Heavenly Dao and seeks to deliver all people of the world.”

“Within Qingchou City, many generals and commanders have taken advantage of the ravages of war and famine to prey upon the common people; the cruel and ruthless are legion.”

"You, Old General, care for your fellow townsmen and possess benevolence and righteousness."

"The Tongxian Cult proclaims the will of Heaven; we only aid those with the Dao, not the cruel and ruthless."

Hearing this, Great General Chang was momentarily shaken.

Though he didn't know if the black-robed Esteemed Master's words were true, anyone capable of speaking such words of great righteousness must possess some level of Dao Heart.

Moreover, Great General Chang did not dare to gamble.

If the prophecy of the black-robed esteemed master were true, the fate of his Changshan people would be utterly miserable.

By the time that happened, at the end of the road, it would be too late for regrets.

Great General Chang let out a deep sigh and cupped his hands. "I am untalented, yet I am honored by the Esteemed Master's regard. From now on, I shall obey the Esteemed Master's orders and follow the people of the Tongxian Cult."

"However..." Great General Chang looked deeply at Mo Hua, a hint of pleading appearing in his aged eyes.

"The people of Changshan have farmed for generations, enduring countless hardships. I beg the Esteemed Master to show mercy and spare their lives..."

Mo Hua looked at Great General Chang in silence, then slowly nodded and said seriously:

"Old General, rest assured..."

"From now on, the people of Changshan shall be protected by the power of my Tongxian Dao."

...

Inside the chaotic Qingchou City.

Great General Chang tentatively trusted Mo Hua's promise and accepted him as the Esteemed Master. In the Changshan military camp, he selected a massive tent reserved for honored guests to serve as the Esteemed Master's residence.

Mo Hua, Bai XiaoSheng, and Gu Changhuai thus took up temporary residence in the Changshan camp.

Inside the spacious but simple tent.

Mo Hua inspected the area and personally set up several Formations to block eavesdropping and spying. Only then did he have a moment of leisure to throw off his cloak, revealing his fair face, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Bai XiaoSheng stared at Mo Hua's face for a long time.

Mo Hua asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, it's just that..." Bai XiaoSheng frowned, "you suddenly seem... a bit like a stranger..."

Gu Changhuai also couldn't help but stare at Mo Hua.

He also felt that today's Mo Hua was somewhat different from the Mo Hua in his memory.

It was as if beneath Mo Hua's skin, there were hidden pasts and identities that no one knew about...

Mo Hua ignored Bai XiaoSheng and found a hide chair to lie down in comfortably.

He had been rushing around these past few days, witnessing various sufferings and bloody slaughter; it was rare to be able to relax.

Bai XiaoSheng suddenly thought of something, his gaze sharpening as he asked, "This 'Tongxian Cult' you mentioned... what exactly is it?"

Hearing this, Gu Changhuai's pupils also contracted as he looked toward Mo Hua.

Mo Hua didn't seem to care and said, "The Tongxian Cult is the Tongxian Cult. What else could it be?"

Bai XiaoSheng pressed, "Which region did this cultivation sect originate from?"

Mo Hua replied, "Let's say Li Province..."

Li Province was his hometown.

Bai XiaoSheng's expression changed slightly. "How long has the heritage existed?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "About half an hour?"

Bai XiaoSheng froze. "Half an hour?"

Mo Hua nodded and spoke the truth. "I just made it up."

Bai XiaoSheng was speechless.

"I'm being serious."

Mo Hua said, "Why would I lie to you? The Tongxian Cult was founded half an hour ago. Currently, it has one Esteemed Master and two Dharma Protectors..."

Gu Changhuai covered his forehead, feeling a massive headache.

Bai XiaoSheng was even more furious. "You brat, are you trying to screw me over again?!"

Mo Hua said, “When I tricked you, you said I was trying to harm you, and I didn't hold it against you…”

“But now, I've given you an enormous favor, making you one of the founding elders of a newly established sect.”

“There are only three founding members, and you're one of them. And you're still not happy?”

“It's truly hard to be a good person these days…” Mo Hua sighed.

Bai XiaoSheng was left speechless.

Gu Changhuai also frowned. "This Tongxian Cult of yours... was it really just made up? There are no other connections?"

Mo Hua nodded. "I really just made it up."

The words 'Tongxian' were taken from Tongxian City. When he was a child, he had studied at the Tongxian Sect.

When he was fabricating the lie, the words had just slipped out.

After all, technically, he had once been a disciple of the Tongxian Sect.

Of course, the Tongxian Sect was just a tiny, insignificant sect in the remote countryside of Li Province used for the enlightenment of rogue cultivators; it was truly unremarkable.

Using the name of the Tongxian Sect directly wouldn't be ideal, so to avoid duplication, Mo Hua changed "Sect" to "Cult" to serve as his temporary Unorthodox Path sect.

Seeing that Mo Hua didn't seem to be lying and that there wasn't actually such a Tongxian Cult, Gu Changhuai finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However...

Gu Changhuai sighed. "This name of yours is far too taboo..."

Mo Hua asked, "The word 'Immortal' is taboo?"

(TN: Tongxian = Immortal-Connecting / Gateway to the Immortal)

Gu Changhuai nodded. "Look at any sect; do any of them dare to use the word 'Immortal' in their name casually?"

Mo Hua was surprised. "The word 'Immortal' can't be used casually?"

Bai XiaoSheng sneered, "Isn't that obvious? Not just 'Immortal,' but words with great cause and effect like 'Heaven' and 'Dao' cannot be used casually either."

"Unless your ancestors had the cause and effect and your current power is strong enough to dominate a region, otherwise the Dao Court will forcibly order a name change."

Mo Hua was stunned, feeling vaguely that something was wrong.

Bai XiaoSheng continued, "You participated in the Qianxue Sword Debate back then, so you should be somewhat aware..."

"One of the core conflicts between the Dao Court and the Four Sects and Eight Gates is actually the issue of 'Names'."

Bai XiaoSheng nodded. "The Heavenly Dao Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect can use 'Heaven' in their names because they are benefiting from the legacy of their ancestors, but now the Dao Court doesn't want them to benefit anymore."

"Why?" Mo Hua asked.

"Because when the name is correct, the words are smooth. When the words are smooth, the matter is accomplished..." Bai XiaoSheng said slowly. "If a cultivation sect uses 'Heaven' in its name and conducts itself properly, it can directly receive the blessing of 'Fortune' from the Heavenly Dao, protecting the sect's prosperity for thousands of years."

"Though the theory of Fortune is ethereal, it doesn't mean it doesn't actually exist."

"Everything under heaven is the land of the Dao. If you consume the Fortune of 'Heaven,' then what happens to the Dao Court?"

Mo Hua's gaze shifted. "What about the Earth Sect? Is it the same?"

Bai XiaoSheng nodded. "The Earth Sect is actually even more excessive. The fewer the words, the more correct the position, and the stronger the Fortune."

"The Dao Court takes only the word 'Dao' to monopolize the Fortune of the Great Dao."

"But the Earth Sect named itself with a single word, 'Earth.' You can imagine how arrogant they were back then."

"That is why the Dao Court has tried every means to suppress and marginalize the Earth Sect. There are many overt methods, and as for the covert conflicts, ordinary people have no idea."

Mo Hua thought for a moment and suddenly had a doubt, hypothesizing:

"Then... what if the Earth Sect changed its name? If they weren't called the Earth Sect and didn't fight for Fortune, would the Dao Court stop making things difficult for them?"

Bai XiaoSheng shook his head. "The Earth Sect would rather be wiped out than change its name."

"You don't know how much of Kun Province's Heavenly Secret Fortune is carried by the 'Name' of the Earth Sect. This was something generations of their ancestors fought desperately to obtain."

"The weight of those two words is unimaginably heavy, far beyond what ordinary people can conceive."

Mo Hua understood and nodded.

Previously, he had only felt that the name "Earth Sect" was very domineering for using "Earth" directly, but he hadn't expected such a massive history behind it.

If "Earth" was like this, then... what about the word "Immortal"?

Mo Hua recalled and realized that, so far, he really hadn't encountered any power that dared to name itself with the word "Immortal."

But...

Mo Hua felt increasingly uneasy and asked:

"If the Dao Court manages large powers that use 'Immortal' in their name, what about small powers?"

"Very small powers—so small that the Dao Court might not even glance at them. Would the Dao Court be too lazy to care about them?"

Bai XiaoSheng pondered. Coming from a great clan, he naturally had blind spots regarding such small matters.

Instead, Gu Changhuai, who was within the Dao Court system, spoke slowly: "They would care."

Mo Hua was stunned. "They would?"

Gu Changhuai nodded. "I can't explain exactly how... but the Dao Court indeed uses various means to conduct screenings."

"The Heavenly Authority Pavilion, which is responsible for grading, has archives of all the major Immortal Cities and powers in the world. The names are clear at a glance."

"Besides that, the Imperial Celestial Bureau seems to use some special Heavenly Secret Supreme Treasures, borrowing the power of the Seven Stars to illuminate the Nine Provinces. With vast Heavenly Secret Computational Power, they screen the Nine Provinces to see where the taboos have been broken and the word 'Immortal' has been used without permission..."

"If they find it, the Dao Court will definitely intervene. Usually, they order a name change; if the name isn't changed, they will use some... forceful means..."

"Generally, no Prefecture Realm or power can retain the word 《Immortals》..."

Hearing this, a strange chill ran down Mo Hua's spine...

Tongxian City... had retained it.

For so many years, it seemed no one cared, or perhaps no one realized, that Tongxian City was named with the word 《Immortals》...

It was as if everyone had forgotten.

As if everyone had forgotten that Tongxian City was the city for communicating with 《Immortals》...

(End of Chapter)