Inquiries About Longevity Chapter 748: Ling Huxiao - Novel Cool

Chapter 748: Ling Huxiao

Chapter 748: Ling Huxiao

The stoic Ling Huxiao, whose name ironically meant "smiling fox," introduced himself and then fixed his sharp gaze on Mo Hua.

Mo Hua returned the gesture with a bow, introducing himself as well, "Mo Hua of Tai Xu Men."

Ling Huxiao was taken aback for a moment, but then his expression softened as he recalled the connection between their sects. The hostility in his eyes gradually faded. "I see. Our sects share a common ancestor, so we are somewhat related."

A thought crossed Mo Hua's mind as he inquired, "Do you have a grudge against Duan Jin Men?"

Ling Huxiao hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. "Yes, in a way."

Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "What kind of grudge?"

Ling Huxiao was not one to engage in conversations often, but with Mo Hua's intense gaze fixed on him, he felt compelled to explain. "The disciples of Duan Jin Men are despicable and shameless. On this mountain, they have repeatedly stolen my prey, not once or twice, but several times."

"I have clashed with them numerous times and have made quite a few enemies."

"Today, when I saw this hawk fall off the cliff with golden sword marks on its body, I assumed it was hunted by someone from Duan Jin Men. Naturally, I took it for myself since it was their prey..." Ling Huxiao added, glancing at Mo Hua, "Also, you weren't wearing your sect's robe, so I didn't know your identity."

..."

"Oh, I see," Mo Hua said, understanding the situation.

Upon seeing the hawk-like demon, Ling Huxiao had suspected that the golden sword marks on its body were caused by the unique sword energy of Duan Jin Men. And he was right; those marks were indeed created by the sword energy of the Duan Jin Sword Formation. However, it was Mo Hua who had used the formation to simulate the sword energy and injure the hawk-like demon.

Before entering this mountain range, Mo Hua had changed out of his Tai Xu Men robe and donned plain gray clothes to keep a low profile, following the example of others. Naturally, Ling Huxiao couldn't recognize his sect, and so he assumed Mo Hua was from Duan Jin Men.

Since they had taken his demon beasts, Ling Huxiao felt justified in taking this one back. That explained his obvious hostility.

Now that the misunderstanding had been cleared up, Ling Huxiao didn't stubbornly cling to his mistake but instead admitted his fault and apologized. He even generously returned the injured Hawkwood Eagle, a mid-second-grade demon beast worth a significant amount of merit.

Mo Hua nodded slightly. Although Ling Huxiao appeared aloof and difficult to get along with, he seemed to have principles and a sense of honor.

Mo Hua waved his hand with a smile, "Let's forget about the misunderstanding."

Then, he stared at Ling Huxiao and looked around, puzzled. "Did you come into the mountains to hunt demons alone?"

Ling Huxiao lifted his chin slightly, exuding an air of confidence. "I'm enough by myself."

Mo Hua was surprised by his bold statement.

Although Ling Huxiao might come across as arrogant, he didn't seem to be lying. However, hunting alone, even for the strongest, was not an easy task in these mountains teeming with demons.

Mo Hua glanced at the sword energy wounds on the Hawkwood Eagle and recalled Ling Huxiao's sword technique during their clash. Based on his years of demon-hunting experience, he made a rough guess about Ling Huxiao's hunting style.

This Ling Huxiao was likely a "scavenger" type of demon hunter.

Some demons, wounded by cultivators, fled into the mountains, while others were severely injured in territorial battles with other demons. These injured demons were weaker than usual.

Ling Huxiao's sword technique was exquisite, and when combined with his inherited spirit sword, it could unleash extremely powerful sword energy, allowing him to swiftly defeat injured demons in a short amount of time.

With this strategy, he could hunt alone, claiming all the merit for himself.

Even if the efficiency was a bit lower, as long as he made a successful hunt, he would still earn a substantial amount.

However, as simple as it sounded, this approach was fraught with challenges.

Aside from requiring profound sword techniques and fierce combat skills, one also needed to sense demon auras, locate the demons, avoid risks, and ensure their own safety.

Moreover, it relied heavily on luck.

Injured demons were not easy to come by.

If one encountered unexpected dangers, they might find themselves in a perilous situation with no one to lend a helping hand.

Therefore, it was generally safer to hunt demons in small teams with fellow sect members who could watch each other's backs.

"Don't you go with your sect members?" Mo Hua asked, curious about his solitary hunting.

A hint of displeasure flashed across Ling Huxiao's face as he coldly replied, "I already said, I'm enough by myself!"

Mo Hua understood.

His sect members didn't include him.

It was unclear if it was because his talent was too high, invoking jealousy and ostracism, or if his cold temperament and poor interpersonal skills left him without friends, forcing him to hunt alone in the mountains.

Mo Hua asked, "What about Duan Jin Men? Can you handle them by yourself?"

Ling Huxiao's eyes turned cold. "Three or five of them are no match for me. If there are more, I can use my sword to escape, and they won't be able to catch up. However..."

A hint of anger and disdain flashed in Ling Huxiao's eyes as he continued, "Those scumbags from Duan Jin Men use deceitful tactics, like feigning attacks to distract me while a couple of them hold me back, allowing the others to steal my demon beasts."

"They take my prey and run away like cowards. Truly despicable and shameless!"

Mo Hua realized that Ling Huxiao wasn't very good at insulting people. Despite his anger, he could only repeat "despicable and shameless" over and over again.

However...

Mo Hua furrowed his brows in thought.

To be able to take on three to five people head-on with his sword skills, this young man named Ling Huxiao was definitely not an unknown figure in Chong Xu Men. Even if he wasn't one of the top geniuses, he was likely an outstanding talent in the way of the sword.

As Mo Hua was pondering this, Ling Huxiao suddenly looked at him with sharp eyes and said seriously, "Mo Hua, I want to fight you again."

Mo Hua was taken aback, "Why?"

Ling Huxiao's eyes narrowed slightly, "You don't seem strong, but I have a feeling that your true strength is unfathomable, and you might be an expert. I want to test my skills against you."

Mo Hua now understood why this person had no friends.

Despite his talent, his aloof and belligerent personality, as well as his peculiar way of thinking, made it difficult for others to get along with him.

"No," Mo Hua shook his head.

"Why not?" Ling Huxiao asked, puzzled.

Mo Hua argued, "Although I dealt the final blow, it was your sword that initially injured it. We can consider it a joint effort, so you should get a share."

"I may not like being taken advantage of, but I also don't want to take advantage of others," Mo Hua added.

"A fair split ensures neither of us loses out," he concluded.

Ling Huxiao remained silent. After a moment's thought, he asked, "You really don't want it? This is a mid-second-grade demon beast, a flying creature worth around two to three thousand merit points. We could each get over a thousand points if we divide it equally."

"Over a thousand merit points," Mo Hua emphasized.

Merit points!

The mention of this significant number made Ling Huxiao's heart skip a beat, and he found himself wavering once more.

He knew very little about avian demon beasts, so he couldn't identify their grades. However, when he had used the Chong Xu Sword Qi to slay this creature, he had felt an unprecedented pressure, indicating that it was likely a high-grade demon beast, possibly between the initial and middle stages.

But he had never expected it to be a mid-second-grade flying demon beast!

And this disciple from the Great Void Sect, Mo Hua, had single-handedly brought down this hawk-like demon with his family's sword technique, despite only being at the mid-Qi Condensation stage himself.

The more Ling Huxiao thought about it, the more astonished he became.

At the same time, he felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of facing such a formidable foe.

"Fight me again," he blurted out.

"Maybe some other time," Mo Hua casually replied, brushing him off.

Ling Huxiao persisted, "What about those thousand-plus merit points? Do you want them or not?"

Once again, Ling Huxiao fell silent.

Mo Hua could tell that he wanted them. Hunting demon beasts alone was not an easy task, and earning merit points was likely challenging for him. A thousand points would undoubtedly be a substantial sum.

However, Ling Huxiao's proud nature made it difficult for him to ask for help.

Mo Hua sighed. "If you really don't want it, then help me skin and bone the hawk. Then we can go to the mountain gate together to exchange it for merit points, and we'll split it evenly."

Without waiting for a response, Ling Huxiao began to silently skin and bone the demon beast, his actions speaking louder than words.

The offer of over a thousand merit points was too tempting to refuse.

Once Ling Huxiao finished preparing the demon beast's materials, he handed them over to Mo Hua, who stored them away.

"Let's go," Mo Hua said to Ling Huxiao, tucking the materials into his robe. Without waiting for a reply, he strode down the mountain with a swagger.

Ling Huxiao watched Mo Hua's retreating back for a moment before hesitantly following after him.

...

After the two had left, a cultivator emerged from the nearby forest, his gaze lingering on their departing figures.

He turned his head slightly, and his eyes widened as he noticed another figure standing to his right, seemingly having appeared out of thin air.

The two newly arrived cultivators stared at each other, both surprised by the other's presence.

"Zi You?"

"Xuan Jian?"

"What are you doing here?" they asked simultaneously, already knowing the answer.

"The elder of your sect, Chong Xu Men, asked you to keep an eye on their sword genius, didn't he?" Xuan Jian, the Chong Xu Men elder, inquired.

Zi You nodded. "With a clear sword heart, he's a once-in-five-centuries talent. Of course, they'd want to protect him like a treasure."

"The main issue is his solitary nature. If I don't keep an eye on him, he might die in these mountains, devoured by a demon beast, bone and all, without anyone even knowing," Xuan Jian added with a sigh.

Zi You agreed. "Indeed... A once-in-five-centuries talent like that would be a treasure to any sect, including Tai Xu Men."

While the Demon Refining Mountains served as a trial to cultivate the disciples' ability to face crises, the presence of such a rare genius warranted special treatment. If he were to perish in these mountains, it would be a significant loss for the sect.

Elder Xuan Jian turned to Zi You and asked, "What about you? Why are you here?"

Zi You's gaze shifted slightly. "I was just... passing by. I happened to be in the area."

Xuan Jian frowned, clearly displeased. "Don't treat me like a fool. You were hiding your presence and concealing your aura like a thief."

Zi You remained silent.

Xuan Jian huffed and glanced back at the departing figure of Mo Hua. "His demeanor and bearing are indeed unique, but his talent seems rather ordinary."

He turned to Zi You with a curious expression. "What's his background? What's so special about him that you're personally keeping an eye on him?"

Zi You knew he couldn't hide the truth. "He has a decent talent for formations..."

"Formations?"

The Chong Xu Sect elder continued with a hint of frustration, "Even the Tai Ah Men, known for their sword forging, have shifted their focus to sword techniques. While our Chong Xu Sect may lag in other aspects, our sword qi is still unparalleled in Qian Xue State. What about your Tai Xu Men? What of your sword techniques?"

Xun Ziyou shot him a disdainful glance, "Who would dare to learn the self-mutilating Divine Consciousness Sword Technique?"

The Chong Xu Sect elder hesitated, considering the words, and then nodded, "That's true. I wouldn't dare either; I'm not worthy..."

Only a lunatic would practice such a self-harming technique.

Xun Ziyou sighed heavily, "With the three sects going their separate ways, the true essence of our Tai Xu Men cannot be easily passed on, leaving us with no choice but to muddle through..."

The Chong Xu Sect elder fell silent.

Indeed, from the perspective of the Tai Xu Sect, the situation was rather challenging.

"However," the Chong Xu Sect elder continued with a puzzled expression, "that boy, Mo Hua, right? How exceptional can his array formation skills be to warrant your personal attention?"

Xun Ziyou thought to himself:

If I told you, it would scare you to death.

But I won't tell you.

"He's just slightly better than his peers, standing out among the short ones," Xun Ziyou replied ambiguously.

The Chong Xu Sect elder didn't believe him.

A disciple worthy of the sect elders' attention and the secret protection of a Golden Core elder must possess extraordinary array formation skills.

Xun Ziyou, with his thick-skinned nature, was definitely lying.

The Chong Xu Sect elder thought to himself.

However, he couldn't bring himself to believe that the boy was truly exceptional...

After all, the Tai Xu Sect wasn't known for their expertise in array formations, nor was it their forte.

How could this boy's array formation skills surpass those of the Wan Zhen Sect, one of the Twelve Flows, or even the Four Great Sects, especially the Qian Dao Sect, which had a deep connection with array formations?

Given the circumstances, it was like asking a chef to cook without providing any ingredients.

The Tai Xu Sect had done their best, and this was the most they could manage for now.

The Chong Xu Sect elder was understanding.

"Let's drink together sometime," the Chong Xu Sect elder suggested.

"Maybe some other time..." Xun Ziyou responded with a complicated expression.

That boy, Mo Hua, was anything but reassuring.

The Chong Xu Sect elder's invitation was merely a casual suggestion, as he too was busy keeping an eye on this proud and aloof sword genius with a clear sword heart.

However, before taking his leave, he reminded Xun Ziyou, "You should be aware of the sect's reformation plans. Be careful and watch your steps."

Xun Ziyou frowned, "Does the Tai Ah Men want to join the Four Great Sects? Are you, the Chong Xu Sect, also aiming for that?"

The Chong Xu Sect elder laughed bitterly, "Our Chong Xu Sect is far from that level. It's just that..."

He sighed softly, "Once the reformation takes place, the landscape will change, and our sect will be like a boat against the current—if we don't advance, we will retreat."

"Our Chong Xu Sect just wants to maintain our position among the 'Eight Great Sects' for now. We won't consider the Four Great Sects, at least not in the near future..."

Xun Ziyou nodded.

The Chong Xu Sect elder smiled faintly but remained deep in thought.

"...at least not in the near future."

If Ling Huxiao could fully unleash his talent and cultivate the Chong Xu Sword Qi to its peak...

Perhaps the Chong Xu Sect could take a step further.

On the surface, the Tai Ah Men seemed stronger, but it was hard to predict which sect would be the first to enter the ranks of the Four Great Sects.

Only time would tell.

Ling Huxiao's talent in the sword path was far more terrifying than what outsiders imagined...

In fact, within the Chong Xu Sect, only the sect leader and a handful of core elders knew the extent of his talent.

The world only knew of the Chong Xu Sect producing a once-in-five-centuries sword genius, but they had no idea just how extraordinary this genius truly was...

The Chong Xu Sect elder's heart trembled at the thought.

Xun Ziyou, of course, was unaware of his thoughts.

After some more small talk, the two bid each other farewell.

...

At that moment, the Chong Xu Sect's sword genius was quietly trailing behind Mo Hua, traversing mountains and valleys, as they arrived at the mountain gate of the Demon Refining Mountains.

"The materials from a mid-second-grade Yao Wood Eagle. Exchange them for merit points, please," Mo Hua said politely as he handed over a storage bag.

"Mid-second-grade?" The disciple in charge of collecting and exchanging materials was taken aback, "I thought you were hunting the initial second-grade ones. Did you manage to take down a mid-second-grade as well?"

This disciple was quite familiar with Mo Hua, as he often came to exchange materials for the eagle-like demon beasts he hunted.

Mo Hua smiled, "Lucky me, I stumbled upon a rare opportunity."

The disciple shook his head.

Such luck was hard to come by...

However, it wasn't his place to ask further questions.

Regardless of the methods used, being able to take down a demon beast was an accomplishment in itself.

He proceeded to count the feathers, bones, claws, teeth, and skull of the Yao Wood Eagle, mentally calculating their value, and then said, "In total, these amount to two thousand six hundred and seventy-two merit points. Take a look."

Mo Hua checked the list and confirmed that there were no issues before nodding.

The merit points were transferred to his Tai Xu Token, and he then divided them equally, transferring half to Ling Huxiao.

Ling Huxiao was stunned.

He hadn't expected Mo Hua to be so generous, giving away half of the substantial amount of merit points without hesitation.

Up until now, he had never encountered such a generous and open-handed sect disciple.

Moreover, this generosity was extended to him, a stranger from another sect, with whom he had only crossed paths once and had a misunderstanding with...

Ling Huxiao's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Mo Hua, on the other hand, fixed his gaze on Ling Huxiao, his eyes glinting with a cunning light.

This young sword genius was indeed formidable.

From his sword qi, it was evident that he cultivated the Chong Xu Sect's signature technique, the Chong Xu Sword Qi Manual.

Such a technique was beyond Mo Hua's capabilities.

The sword qi he cultivated was not something Mo Hua could attain.

However, having such a powerful swordsman as an ally would be beneficial...

Mo Hua's eyes twinkled, and he flashed a smile, resembling a cunning little fox.

(End of Chapter)

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