Chapter 293: Human Life

"Human Life Pill?"

Mo Hua had never heard this term before, so he asked: "Can it extend one's lifespan?"

Zhang Lan pondered: "It can be said to extend lifespan, yet it is not truly extending lifespan."

Elder Yu and the others exchanged glances, all looking confused.

Mo Hua said: "Uncle Zhang, stop teasing."

Zhang Lan paused, thought for a moment, then asked Mo Hua: "What is most important to cultivators?"

"Cultivation level?" Mo Hua thought and answered.

"No," Zhang Lan shook his head. "Cultivation level is the foundation of a cultivator, but what matters more is lifespan. Only with lifespan can one pursue cultivation, seek immortality."

"True immortality is, in essence, the ultimate eternal lifespan."

Mo Hua understood: "Simply put, no matter what one does, one must first be alive. Without life, nothing else matters."

Everyone drew a sharp breath; in an instant, the room fell deathly silent.

"One way is through cultivation methods or pills, regulating the body and meridians, removing excesses and curing illnesses to prolong life."

"If this truly is a Human Life Pill, then is this pill meant for the Young Master?"

Mo Hua listened intently, waiting for Zhang Lan to continue.

Zhang Lan, startled, asked: "Who told him that?"

I had not noticed until now, but when you mentioned spiritual sense, I opened my spiritual sense and peered at Mo Hua.

"Refining Human Life Pills is top secret; the pill chamber for refining them is a forbidden zone—none of this is allowed to be known by outsiders. How did you get in?"

Mo Hua thought, then asked again:

As Zhang Lan spoke, his spiritual sense suddenly stirred, his expression changed drastically, disbelief in his voice: "Your spiritual sense..."

Zhang Lan nodded: "Human Life Pills are hard to refine; they require killing many people."

Within his spiritual sense, Mo Hua's aura was hazy, his energy faint—he could not perceive him clearly, nor gauge his true strength.

"Refining Human Life Pills to extend life is equivalent to using humans as ingredients, borrowing life from others. But such acts defy the Dao—extremely difficult, requiring immense effort; one person can borrow only a little life, so one must accumulate little by little, killing many to extend one's own life..."

Mo Hua said: "True."

If this were true, then suppressing Shanzhai would be far more difficult than thought.

"And once a cultivator's lifespan nears its end, bound by the Dao's limits, death is inevitable. If one refuses to die, one must turn to demonic paths, practicing forbidden arts and refining forbidden pills."

"Your cultivation is Qi Condensation, yet your spiritual sense has already surpassed Foundation Establishment..."

"Possession?" Zhang Lan was startled, and asked involuntarily: "Why?"

Elder Yu and the others stared at Mo Hua curiously.

"What misunderstanding?"

Elder Yu was also slightly startled, and looked toward Mo Shan.

Mo Hua said: "So cultivators will do anything to extend their lifespan?"

"Families and clans grow rich by exploiting spiritual stones; the Dao Court monopolizes power; demonic cultivators are even crueler—some drink blood, exploiting life force; some absorb spiritual energy, exploiting spiritual power; refining Human Life Pills directly exploits human lives..."

"His mind is fine, but perhaps he misunderstood."

"If a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator caught you, how could you have escaped alive?" Zhang Lan said in shock. "How did you get out?"

"That's why I said these so-called 'lifespan-extending' methods are not true 'lifespan extension,'" Zhang Lan said.

Mo Hua tried to appear humble, yet could not help sounding slightly proud:

The Eighth Boss muttered: "Qi Condensation cultivation, Foundation Establishment spiritual sense—how is that possible..."

"These demonic cultivators are so brazen—aren't they afraid their actions will be exposed, alerting the Dao Court and drawing a Dao Army crackdown?"

"The Eighth Boss sent me out," Mo Hua said.

Mo Hua's heart turned cold, and he asked: "Does refining Human Life Pills require killing many people?"

Zhang Lan paused: "I knew your spiritual sense was strong, but not this much..."

Mo Shan shook his head, indicating he had not taught him, and did not know how Mo Hua could say such things.

Zhang Lan sighed, but his expression grew tense: "Refining Human Life Pills incurs heaven's wrath and human hatred. If this is reported, the Dao Court will take it extremely seriously and dispatch Dao Soldiers to exterminate these demonic cultivators!"

"And then?"

Everyone's expressions changed sharply; Mo Shan's heart lurched, his face filled with worry.

"The Dao of man: taking from others insufficiently to enrich oneself..."

"Cultivators nearing their lifespan's end cannot extend it—that is the Dao's limit. Cultivators' so-called 'lifespan extension' usually falls into two categories."

"Human Life Pill is one such forbidden pill."

Zhang Lan asked: "His mind is better?"

Zhang Lan still frowned, pondering Mo Hua's words; only now did he remember—the most urgent matter was Shanzhai. He speculated:

Zhang Lan nodded: "The phrase 'lifespan extension' is misleading. The Dao operates with constancy; cultivators have finite lives. When their lifespan ends and their vital energy is exhausted, death is unavoidable."

Zhang Lan wanted to say no, yet vaguely felt it was indeed true—he simply could not untangle his thoughts yet.

Then Zhang Lan thought of another question and asked Mo Hua:

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked Zhang Lan:

But how could this be? He is Foundation Establishment, while Mo Hua is only Qi Condensation! This has shattered my understanding of cultivation...

Mo Hua scratched his head, embarrassed:

The stronger the spiritual sense, the more obscure it becomes.

That means Mo Hua's spiritual sense has grown so strong it rivals mine—and even obstructs my perception!

Mo Hua spoke lightly.

Elder Yu and the others also breathed a sigh of relief.

"It might be because your spiritual sense is weak."

"This young master is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, with a lifespan exceeding eight hundred years; those in the early and middle stages live longer, but still over seven hundred years. So calculating it, this young master is likely nearing his lifespan limit, which is why he built a Shanzhai deep within Great Baishan, gathering evil cultivators, murdering and plundering, refining pills to extend his life…"

"But before, you were delayed by something, and the Eighth Master caught you…"

I realized I was right.

Mo Hua's heart tightened, and gradually he understood:

"I mistook you for an ancient spirit who had taken over another's body."

Zhang Lan asked again: "I know that matter couldn't be that complicated."

Meanwhile, deep in Shenshan.

Elder Yu's expression turned horrified, "His spiritual sense…"

"Nothing much—just slipped in while the Eighth Master was out."

Zhang Lan pondered briefly, then nodded. "Very possible, but…"

Zhang Lan's face grew solemn, and he continued:

Mo Hua scratched his head. "Isn't that how it is?"

Zhang Lan disbelieved: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"These acts are all forbidden by the Dao Code," Mo Hua said.

"But some pills and cultivation methods truly can extend lifespan…" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

Yet after merely glancing for a moment, he could no longer sit still.

Upon hearing this, Elder Yu released his spiritual sense, and in an instant his eyes widened, as he leapt to his feet.

"But in such cases, the cultivator's own lifespan limit has not yet arrived, his life force has not been exhausted; this extension of life is not his own, so it cannot be called extending lifespan."

"Correct—it's mostly crimes punishable by beheading, lingchi, or even execution by array."

"You're right," Zhang Lan said. "No matter how powerful a cultivator is, he must first stay alive. Without lifespan, he cannot survive. Even if his cultivation reaches the heavens and earth, he will still perish and lose his Dao."

Mo Hua had never seen pills or methods for extending lifespan with his own eyes, but such things were frequently recorded in Daoist scriptures—not at all unusual.

Dragon Boat Festival is here—wishing everyone a happy holiday~

The plot of Volume One is nearing its end, and some plot threads need tying up, so I'll be writing more slowly.

Currently still two updates per day; it should improve later.