In front of the temple, Mochizuki Chikako knocked several times, but still, no one responded from within.
Lu Jun's heart sank. Don't tell him… he was already dead? He had rushed so hard and still arrived this many days in advance…
Just as Mochizuki Chikako was still patiently waiting, Lu Jun suddenly pushed her aside, walked up to the wooden doors, and under the confused gazes of the other two, delivered a heavy kick.
Bang! A loud boom echoed. The two of them winced at the sound. Even Mo Fan, known for his recklessness, hesitated and said, "Damn, Lao Lu, aren't you afraid of offending the master like this?"
Although Mochizuki Meiken was mild-mannered, he was a solid Super Mage as one of the leaders of Twin Watch Pavilion. As his old friend, this Master Qixiu shouldn't be far off.
Lu Jun didn't reply. He quickly walked toward the side room. As a candidate for the Lord of the Underworld, he immediately sensed a thick aura of death.
The two behind him quickly followed and saw Lu Jun halt at the threshold.
When they looked inside, they were stunned and quickly covered their mouths. An old man had collapsed on the floor. Signs of struggle surrounded him—he had likely been down for a long time, his breath faint and weak.
"Quick, help him!"
Mochizuki Chikako rushed over, carefully lifting the old man. Her hands extended pale blue-gray vines that wrapped around the man's broken leg and arm as a stabilizing splint.
She gently patted the man's back, trying to regulate his breathing.
Lu Jun wasn't idle either. His eyes shimmered with the light of Psychic Vision, awakening the soul teetering on the brink of darkness.
With the dual stimulation, the Old man finally groggily woke up, erupting into a fit of violent coughs. Cough cough cough!
Beside them, Mo Fan quickly found a small bowl, filled it with water, and carefully fed it to him, one spoonful at a time.
The tricky part was that none of the three possessed healing abilities. They had no way to assess his condition.
Fortunately, the Old man's cultivation seemed solid. He quickly regained basic consciousness. However, Lu Jun—this future Lord of Death—saw through his condition in a single glance and subtly shook his head.
The old man didn't have long left. His body was steeped in death energy. It wasn't illness; it was simply the end of his life. In this state, no medicine could save him.
Even Xin Xia's Resurrection Spirit wouldn't be able to do anything.
Unless they went to Tianshan of the Nine Provinces to find a Celestial Snow Lotus to extend life, but such an endeavor had never succeeded. Many powerful figures worldwide had tried hiring hunter teams to retrieve one when facing death.
Soon, the old man's cloudy eyes cleared, and he gratefully said, "Thank you, young ones. If not for your timely arrival, these old bones of mine would've been done for."
"As thanks, I'll give you something." The old man said generously, "After all, I'm already old. Any remaining possessions can't be taken to the grave."
"Master Qixiu!" Mochizuki Chikako quickly said, "It's me, Chikako! I met you when I was a child."
Hearing this, Master Qixiu examined Chikako. His expression grew more and more surprised before he let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, my memory! So it's little Chikako. You've grown up—blossomed beautifully—I almost didn't recognize you."
The monk's tone was kind and gentle. "So, what brings you to me?"
Hearing this, Mochizuki Chikako felt bitter. This once-legendary Hunter King now in old age was far from the heroic figure he once was, his twilight years bleak and somber.
Lu Jun sighed, a pang of sorrow striking him. No matter how powerful, no matter how dazzling a hero once was, they too would one day return to dust.
Even with such high cultivation, old age still brought its woes. At this age, a single fall without help could be a death sentence.
Mo Fan had his doubts. At this age… was this really the one Mochizuki Meiken spoke so highly of, the one said to be capable of purifying the Condensed Evil Bead?
Forget it. He brought out the bead wrapped in silver gauze and explained the reason for their visit.
"It's the Red Demon."
Master Qixiu sucked in a cold breath, then gave a bitter smile. "Look at me now… do you think I can still purify the Condensed Evil Bead? My spiritual world is nearly collapsing."
As expected, the three of them looked disappointed.
For Mages, advancing age often meant declining magical strength.
Just like in the original—Old Bao during the Battle of Magic City nearly died. Even though he survived, he was ruined unable to use magic again without burning what little life he had left.
Soon, Master Qixiu opened a letter from an old friend. A glint of nostalgia flashed through his eyes.
He looked at Lu Jun and Mo Fan and said, "I understand your purpose now. But after years of pursuing the Red Demon, I've exhausted much of my resources. What remains may be sufficient for common people, but for high-level mages… far from enough."
"So if you're hoping for some treasure, you might be disappointed."
"Damn it." Mo Fan grumbled. "He couldn't purify the bead and just dumped it on us. We came all this way for nothing."
Mochizuki Chikako looked embarrassed. Her father had clearly passed the buck.
Lu Jun remained calm, noticing a detail the others had missed. He said, "Old Mo, keep the Condensed Evil Bead. Go find Old Bao. He's a Cleric of the Holy City—he'll know how to handle it."
"Really? Then I won't be polite."
Mo Fan was surprised and delightedly tucked away the bead. Though the whispers in his ear continued, it was far better than the explosive outbreaks it used to cause.
Then Mo Fan asked Lu Jun, "What about you?"
"No worries." Lu Jun fixed his gaze on Master Qixiu and asked, "Master, you've been a hunter for decades, traversing numerous city forbidden zones. You must have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and intelligence."
"I'd like to ask: do you know where a Water Elemental Spirit can be found?"
Hearing this, Qixiu smiled in comfort. "Good, young man. You didn't set your greedy eyes on superficial wealth—you've come to seek precious knowledge."
He said proudly, "Indeed, over these years, I've traveled far and wide, witnessed much. Some knowledge is cursed, under confidentiality pacts, or erased from memory, so I cannot speak. But the rest? Quite abundant."
As he spoke, his emotions stirred, causing another violent cough. He waved away Mochizuki Chikako's support and continued:
"Admittedly, you've posed a difficult question. If you sought Soul Seeds, heavenly treasures, or sacred cultivation grounds, I could give you dozens of confirmed locations—some I personally scouted and withdrew when they weren't yet ripe."
"But a Water Elemental Spirit… that's something on par with an Elemental Seed. What I have is solid intelligence, but I won't claim 100% certainty."
Lu Jun's eyes lit up. As expected, these old-timers always held back something. This was a goldmine.
After a brief exchange, Lu Jun and Mo Fan took their leave, both grinning ear to ear.
Mochizuki Chikako stayed behind to care for Master Qixiu and contact the hospital. From the dimness in her expression, it was clear she knew Qixiu didn't have much time left. All she could do now was stay for his last days, to see him off.
Mo Fan asked curiously, "Well? Worth the trip?"
"It was."
Lu Jun was in high spirits. Even in the original, a single Soul Seed lead was worth hundreds of millions. And this… was a Water Elemental Spirit.
He had entrusted the Zu family to search, yet surprisingly, he found the first lead here in Japan. An island nation surrounded by sea—it made sense. And the old man had spent his life entangled with the ocean.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
Patreon. Com/ALLISWELL123