The outline of the town gradually came into view ahead.
Uchiha Xiuren took a deep breath, pressing all his emotions back into the depths of his heart, once again becoming that inconspicuous Uchiha Xiuren.
But this time, there was a glimmer in the depths of his eyes that had never been there before.
"We've arrived, you two."
Jiu Shu stopped in front of a quaint residence.
Blue bricks, gray tiles, and an Eight Trigrams mirror hanging above the entrance exuded an indescribable sense of authority.
Qiusheng strode ahead and shouted toward the inner courtyard, "Wencai! Master and I are back—hurry up and come out!"
As soon as his voice fell, a young man in coarse clothing hurried out from a side room.
The moment he saw Jiu Shu and Qiusheng, his face immediately broke into a simple, honest smile—but when his gaze landed on the Uchiha brothers, he froze.
"M-Master… who are these two?"
Jiu Shu shot him a glare. "What are you standing around for? Go prepare hot water and glutinous rice! This young brother Mo is injured and needs treatment."
"O-Okay, right away!" Wencai nodded quickly, sneaking another glance at the Uchiha brothers before leaving.
"Hey, wait—I'll go with you!" Qiusheng hurried after him, still feeling uneasy around the two.
Watching their retreating figures, Jiu Shu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
On the road just now, both he and Qiusheng had clearly heard the conversation between the Uchiha brothers.
Those remarks about clan crises, the Hokage, the Nine-Tails, the masked man—
It might have sounded like a private conversation between the two, but given their abilities, if they truly didn't want others to hear, they had countless ways to prevent it.
This had clearly been intentional.
Recalling the strength Mo and Xiuren had displayed earlier—
Their control over fire and lightning was far beyond that of ordinary cultivators, and they were only the younger generation.
From this, one could infer—
The elders of their clan must be even more unfathomable, perhaps comparable to great powers who once dominated entire regions in ancient times when spiritual energy was abundant.
Yet such a powerful clan had been driven to this point.
That so-called Hokage… and the masked man from their own clan who sought its destruction—
Just how strong were they?
The waters behind these two brothers ran far deeper than he had imagined.
As Jiu Shu sank into thought, Uchiha Mo's voice interrupted him.
"Daoist, we spoke carelessly on the road just now, discussing some family matters. I hope you won't take offense."
Those polite words only confirmed Jiu Shu's suspicions.
Keeping his expression neutral, Jiu Shu replied, "No matter. Every family has its own troubles. Since you've come here, it is fate. If you need any assistance, feel free to ask."
Uchiha Mo smiled. "I actually do have something I'd like to inquire about…"
At that moment, Qiusheng and Wencai returned carrying hot water and glutinous rice.
"Master, the hot water's ready," Qiusheng said as he walked in. "But we're running low on glutinous rice—we'll need to buy more."
Jiu Shu nodded, then turned to Uchiha Mo. "Young brother Mo, treating your wound comes first. We can discuss other matters later."
Mo nodded readily. "Many thanks, Daoist."
Inside the side room of the mortuary, steam filled the air.
Uchiha Mo removed his upper garment, revealing a well-built physique and the claw wound left by the hairy zombie.
The flesh around the wound had already mostly healed, leaving behind a faint reddish mark, though a trace of cold energy could still be sensed.
This young man's recovery ability is truly astonishing…
A normal person struck by a hairy zombie would need at least half a month of rest to recover—if not suffer irreversible damage. Yet he seemed almost unaffected the entire time.
After examining the wound carefully, Jiu Shu's eyes showed a hint of surprise. He then took out a packet of specially prepared medicinal powder and poured it into the hot water Qiusheng had brought.
"This is a purification decoction I formulated. Combined with glutinous rice water, it can completely remove the remaining corpse qi from your body. Soak for half an hour."
Uchiha Mo followed the instructions and stepped into the bath.
The warm water enveloped his body as the medicinal properties seeped through his pores.
That lingering chill gradually faded.
Taking advantage of the moment, Jiu Shu turned to Uchiha Xiuren, who stood quietly nearby.
"Brother Xiuren, would you like to be examined as well?"
"No need, thank you for your concern, Daoist." Xiuren adjusted his glasses. "I wasn't injured."
Half an hour later—
Uchiha Mo stepped out of the bath, feeling refreshed, the last trace of coldness completely gone.
At that moment, Wencai poked his head in. "Master, dinner is ready."
Jiu Shu nodded and gestured to the Uchiha brothers. "Let's eat first. You two must be hungry as well."
"Sounds good," they replied with a smile.
In the dining hall, Qiusheng had already set the table.
Four simple dishes and a soup—nothing extravagant, yet the aroma was enticing.
During the meal, Qiusheng and Wencai kept sneaking glances at the Uchiha brothers, clearly curious about these mysterious guests.
Jiu Shu gave a light cough, and the two disciples quickly restrained themselves.
After dinner, Jiu Shu invited the Uchiha brothers into the study.
Candlelight flickered within, illuminating walls covered in talismans and ancient texts.
Without small talk, he went straight to the point.
"You two—there are no outsiders here. You deliberately let me hear those words and displayed your strength. Now, it's time to explain your true purpose."
The moment those words were spoken, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
Uchiha Mo and Xiuren exchanged a glance, knowing the phase of testing had come to an end.
"Daoist, you speak plainly. We do indeed have a request."
"Our clan numbers in the thousands, yet we are facing a crisis of life and death. Internally divided, externally surrounded by powerful enemies—the threat of annihilation may come within months."
Jiu Shu frowned but did not interrupt.
"We urgently need strength. Any method that could enhance our power cannot be ignored," Xiuren continued.
"The Daoist talismans and formations you use operate on principles entirely different from ours. That difference itself may hold the key to breaking through our current predicament."
"So—you have set your sights on Maoshan Daoist arts." Jiu Shu understood.
"It is both an exchange and a cooperation," Uchiha Mo said frankly. "We won't take anything for free. We can trade our clan's secret techniques, or use our strength to help you deal with the demonic entities of this world."
"We can even… become an external force at your disposal when needed."
His words were direct.
Displaying strength proved their value. Revealing their crisis explained their motive. Now, they were proposing a transaction.
Jiu Shu lightly tapped the table with his fingers, his expression shifting with the flickering light.
"Maoshan Daoist arts are part of orthodox mysticism. To learn them, one must enter the sect and undergo strict trials. This is a rule I cannot break."
The answer was exactly as Uchiha Mo had expected. His heart remained unmoved.
After all, that wasn't truly what they were after.
Xiuren smiled faintly. "In that case, Daoist—you have traveled far and wide, seen much of the world. Have you ever encountered… certain unconventional methods that yield quick results?"
A sharp glint flashed in Jiu Shu's eyes.
"You… are seeking heterodox techniques?"
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