The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2247: Detonate! (part 4)

The layers of defensive formations surrounding Mo Hua had all but vanished.

Most of the junior brothers tasked with his protection had already fallen or suffered grievous wounds.

Linghu Xiao remained alongside a few others, their forms trembling with exhaustion, teeth gritted as they stood their ground before Mo Hua.

Facing them, over fifty elite talents from the Qian Learning State Boundary loomed like sharp spirit swords. Each emanated a profound aura brimming with killing intent, their gazes icy as they looked upon Mo Hua as if he were already a corpse.

"The Taixu Gate... has reached its end..."

Observers outside the battlefield drew sharp breaths, releasing heavy, mournful sighs.

Had this happened earlier, such words would have been laced with mockery or glee.

But now, their hearts were heavy with genuine pity and deep respect.

To challenge the Four Great Sects and Seven Great Gates to such an extent, fighting until they touched the brink of total annihilation—how could one not be moved by such brutal, magnificent defiance?

With powers like these, the Taixu Gate had earned its status as the pinnacle of the Eight Great Gates of Qianxue.

Indeed, labeling them the new "Four Great Sects" was no exaggeration at all.

The disciples of the Taixu Gate watched their seniors battle to the death, their eyes burning with intense emotion and a newfound, fervent passion.

The Sect Leaders and Elders were overwhelmed by a storm of conflicting feelings.

Even the leaders of the Three Mountains, having weathered centuries of existence, found their hearts torn between bitter sorrow and immense pride.

They finally grasped the true depth of "honor even in defeat."

These were their disciples, the sons of the Taixu Gate.

To see these youths unite with such unwavering resolve, sacrificing everything for the sect—how could they, as masters, not feel their hearts surge with pride?

At this moment, the result of the conflict mattered little.

In the quiet of the Sword Observation Tower, several sect ancestors cast envious glances toward Elder Master Xun.

Is it not said: 'We possess the same gear, the same dao'?

To foster such profound cohesion, such indomitable willpower, and absolute unity among disciples is a spiritual treasure beyond measure.

While finding one individual with a firm Taoist Heart is difficult, for a sect to possess an unyielding, collective Taoist Heart is truly priceless.

The Taixu Gate might have lost this Qianxue Debate, but in the process, they had garnered a far greater victory.

Elder Master Xun exhaled slowly, lost in contemplation.

Surely, the ancestors of the Taixu Gate were watching over them... Recruiting Mo Hua back then was the most righteous decision of his life.

...

Deep within the valley, the savage exchange of swords was drawing to its final, bloody conclusion.

Over fifty top geniuses circled Mo Hua. It was an inescapable trap.

Shen Linsu stared coldly, raising his Jinlin Sword toward Mo Hua as he demanded: "Will you choose to perish by your own hand, or suffer the bite of my blade?"

Mo Hua stood pale, his expression eerily tranquil. Silently, he tallied the formations he had inscribed, reassembling them within his mind to catalyze a complex Spirit Pivot, calculating the precise flow of Spiritual Power and the alignment of his formation.

Once satisfied, he lifted his gaze, a faint, cryptic smirk tugging at his lips: "None can claim my life within the confines of my own formation..."

That cryptic smile sent shivers down their spines.

An ominous sense of impending doom gnawed at their instincts.

Shen Linsu’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, he lashed out with his sword. Though he could not guess the specifics, he knew with absolute certainty that something had shifted.

"Finish him!"

Not just Shen Linsu, but Duanmu Qing, Xiao Wuchen, and Ao Zhan all felt a primal warning resonating through their own bloodlines.

The order was clear: eliminate Mo Hua!

Duanmu Qing unleashed his Wanxiao Magic, Xiao Wuchen sacrificed his blade in a lethal strike, and Ao Zhan roared like a dragon, his fists surging with force toward Mo Hua.

Linghu Xiao poured his waning strength into the Chongxu Sword True Art, desperately parrying the Purple Gold Jinlin Sword Qi from Shen Linsu.

But he was spent; the Chongxu Sword stood no chance against the Purple Gold Sword Qi. With no options left, he cast his own body as a bulwark, shielding Mo Hua and absorbing the full brunt of the strike.

Ouyang Shou charged at Ao Zhan, ignoring the cost, using every shred of his remaining strength to pin him down.

Ouyang Fu, his spiritual essence nearly dry, acted as a living wall of meat, using his own flesh to block Duanmu Qing’s lethal spells for Mo Hua’s sake.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Xuan fought tooth and nail against Xiao Wuchen’s relentless Sword Qi.

He hadn't particularly cared for Mo Hua before. However, after fighting alongside his comrades for so long, he acted on pure instinct, his mind focused on a single, burning goal: Mo Hua must survive.

Linghu Xiao and his companions were gambling with their lives to protect Mo Hua.

Tragically, having reached their physical limits, they were no match for the Qianxue Four Talents.

Within mere breaths, they were on the verge of being crushed and scattered.

Yet, just as the final, fatal blows were about to land, Mo Hua’s gaze darkened, and he uttered a single, chilling command:

"Explode!"