The Quest for Immortality

Elder Master Xun was brewing a grand plan in his mind.

As for Mo Hua, he continued attending classes and cultivating diligently, completely focused.

Soon, it was time for the monthly break again.

At Refining Demon Mountain, Mo Hua sat on a large tree with a Spirit Sword placed in front of him, bored as he killed the hawks and falcons flying overhead.

Second Grade Primary Rank hawks and falcons were no challenge for him now.

He could kill one with just one sword strike.

After hunting for a while, he inevitably felt bored.

At the same time, he patiently waited.

Waited for Ling Huxiao to show up.

Once that happened, he’d have a ”Sword Dao Genius” to act as his ”enforcer.”

And this Sword Dao Genius was one with potential for growth—perhaps someday he would become increasingly powerful.

Mo Hua continued waiting on the tree, all the way past noon, nearing dusk, as the setting sun tilted west.

Still, Ling Huxiao was nowhere to be seen.

”Is he not coming?”

Mo Hua sighed.

Failed to catch the fish...

Well, then we’ll try again next time.

Mo Hua prepared to pack up and leave, but after reconsidering, decided to wait a little longer.

What if that young man was waging an internal battle within himself?

These introverted youths, although they seemed indifferent on the outside, often had plenty of inner turmoil.

Sitting atop the tree, Mo Hua took out a flask of fruit wine and leisurely waited while enjoying the sunset.

Soon enough, after another thirty minutes had passed, a figure appeared in the mountain trail hidden within the dense forest.

It was Ling Huxiao, wearing his signature pale-green robe.

”He’s here!”

Mo Hua perked up, standing on the tree and waving from afar:

”Ling Huxiao!”

Ling Huxiao froze momentarily and looked up, noticing a young cultivator waving at him from a large tree hidden within the dense mountain forest.

Judging by his figure and demeanor, it was undoubtedly Mo Hua.

Ling Huxiao frowned slightly.

From such a distance, how could this ”Mo Hua” little cultivator have noticed him?

Both were Foundation Establishment cultivators. Was his Divine Sense really this strong?

Ling Huxiao was puzzled but continued striding toward Mo Hua.

When the two met, Mo Hua skipped the idle chit-chat about why he had come so late or any pleasantries, and instead directly got to the point:

”The day is getting late. I’ll take you to hunt some Monster Beasts.”

Ling Huxiao kept his expression cold and asked:

”What kind of Monster Beasts?”

”You’ll find out soon enough,” Mo Hua replied.

After speaking, he took the lead and walked ahead.

Ling Huxiao hesitated for a moment, reluctant, but eventually followed Mo Hua at a slow pace.

”Let me show you how we at Taixu Gate hunt Monster Beasts.”

Mo Hua explained as they walked.

Initially, his plan was to have someone else guide Ling Huxiao through the process.

But Ling Huxiao, being a Sword Dao Genius from Rushing Void Sect, prompted Mo Hua to reconsider—he decided it would be better to personally teach him to demonstrate respect.

After all, although his days were fulfilling, they were also somewhat dull.

This was a good opportunity to make friends and spend some time with Ling Huxiao.

Taixu Gate’s Monster Hunting procedures, refined after repeated study, practice among disciples, and optimization based on practical situations, had become incredibly stable and efficient.

The target this time was a Kui Wood Wolf.

Mo Hua identified its trail, set traps, laid the Formation, and then pulled Ling Huxiao to hide behind a large stone.

The Kui Wood Wolf triggered the Formation, which exploded with lethal force.

Flames surged, smoke rose.

The Kui Wood Wolf was severely injured by the blast.

”Slash it!” Mo Hua commanded.

Ling Huxiao drew his sword, and a radiant, sharp Sword Qi, shimmering like moonlight, tore through the air and struck the injured Kui Wood Wolf.

The Kui Wood Wolf died instantly.

The Monster Hunt was over.

Ling Huxiao was stunned.

The entire process had taken less than two hours.

Most of the time had been spent tracking the Monster Beast, stalking it, setting traps, and laying the Formation.

The actual combat only lasted from when the Formation was triggered, to his sword strike, to the Monster Beast collapsing dead—no more than thirty minutes.

Just like that, simple and straightforward, a Second Grade Primary Rank Monster Beast was hunted.

It was so simple that he felt even a ”fool” could follow the procedures step-by-step and achieve the same result...

Was this how Taixu Gate had always hunted Monster Beasts?

What Monster Beast could withstand such methods?

Ling Huxiao felt his perception was completely overturned.

Mo Hua glanced at the sky. ”There’s still time; we can hunt one more. After that, we can head back.”

Using the same method, under Mo Hua’s well-planned Monster Hunting arrangement and Ling Huxiao’s powerful Sword Qi attack, another Monster Beast fell easily.

They stripped the materials and took them to the Mountain Gate to sell.

”Two Monster Beasts. After deducting the Formation costs, the rest is split evenly—eight hundred Merit Points per person,” Mo Hua said, transferring eight hundred Merit Points to Ling Huxiao.

Ling Huxiao was momentarily dazed.

Just like that...

In a little over half a day, strolling in the forest, swinging his sword two or three times, he had earned eight hundred Merit Points?

This made him reflect on his previous solitary hunts. Deep in the mountains, he’d been in constant vigilance, pushing his Sword Heart to its limit, battling Monster Beasts to the death, scheming against Sever Gold Sect, often spending several days—or even two or three months—to kill a single Monster Beast and earn around a thousand Merit Points. Now, he felt like a ”fool”...

On the way back, Ling Huxiao mulled it over for a long time before finally speaking indifferently:

”This kind of Monster Hunting isn’t good. I won’t participate next time.”

Mo Hua asked in confusion, ”What’s wrong with it? Isn’t it quick?”

Ling Huxiao shook his head. ”It’s too opportunistic. It’s not conducive to refining Sword Dao. It can also numb the Sword Heart, leading to carelessness and laziness.”

”Moreover, relying on ambushes and Formations beforehand is somewhat dishonorable.”