Chapter 1295: Chapter 742: Test Sword (Added for Alliance Hierarch Xuan Chou Boss~)_3 Using spells to compensate is compensating, using fists to compensate is also compensating—there’s no need to be redundant by sacrificing a Spirit Sword just to compensate for damage using Sword Control. Mo Hua pondered for a long time but couldn’t come up with a good solution. Suddenly, a sharp cry came from the sky. Mo Hua froze for a moment, lifted his head, and saw a magnificent demon bird flying across the horizon. Mo Hua was slightly startled, then had a sudden realization. If it’s useless for hunting ground beasts, then use it to kill what flies in the sky! The beasts on the ground typically have thick hides and robust Blood Qi. But the flying monster beasts, by nature, have the advantage of wings to roam the skies, and compared to the ground beasts, they are not only smaller in size but their Blood Qi is also considerably weaker. Perfect for practicing Sword Control. Moreover, airborne monster beasts are harder to spot and hunt than their earthbound counterparts. Thus, materials from flying monster beasts are far more valuable than those from regular ones. Mo Hua tilted his head skyward and indeed spotted several demon birds, brown with hooked beaks and talons, leisurely flying about. Mo Hua smiled faintly. After returning to the sect, Mo Hua made preparations. He even specifically requested Master Gu to craft several Spirit Swords. The design inside the Spirit Swords still included the Gold-Cutting Sword Formation. But outside the Gold-Cutting Sword Formation, Mo Hua added a layer of Flame Fire Formation. The edges of the sword were also purposefully smeared with the poisonous blood of monster beasts. After finishing his preparations, Mo Hua headed once more to the Refining Demon Mountain. He found a concealed mountain peak, sat cross-legged, laid the Spirit Sword before him, and then unleashed his Divine Sense, scanning for airborne monster beasts in the sky. The sky was azure blue, the clouds as light as drifting steeds. Mo Hua sat solemnly with his eyes closed. Occasionally, venomous demon birds flew by, but he paid them no mind. Until a gray and bald hawk falcon soared directly overhead. Mo Hua finally stirred his Divine Thought, opened his eyes, which gleamed with a spirited clarity. Cangtou Eagle! A primary rank Second Grade hawk falcon monster beast, its feathers crimson, with gray plumes atop its head, capable of flight. Its beak is as hard as stone, talons like iron, fiercely savage, preying on both monsters and humans. This was the airborne monster beast Mo Hua carefully selected for testing his sword. There were many demon birds in the sky, but not all of them could be slain. Some had impenetrably hard feathers, Sword Qi might not break them; Some moved in flocks, killing one could provoke the pursuit of an entire group; Some were too powerful and couldn’t be messed with; Others were cunning and suspicious, with a sharp sensing ability... By contrast, Cangtou Eagles were the best choice. While their internal demonic power was strong, their feather and skin defense and monster sensing abilities were just average. They didn’t have a habit of traveling in packs, so they were the easiest to target. Mo Hua activated the Sword Controlling Technique, directing the sword via Divine Sense while simultaneously locking onto the Cangtou Eagle with his Divine Thought. Once it descended to hunt, less than 150 zhang above the ground... Killing intent flashed in Mo Hua’s eyes. A beam of golden light tore through the air. This golden light moved swiftly, streaking across the sky in strands, reaching the Cangtou Eagle’s position in mere moments. The Cangtou Eagle sensed impending disaster, shrieked desperately, but it was already too late. The golden sword pierced the body of the Cangtou Eagle, immediately activating the formations. The internal Gold-Cutting Sword Formation erupted with layers of Sword Qi, shredding half of the eagle’s wing, while the Flame Fire Formation ignited its feathers, filling the air with a mist of blood. The Cangtou Eagle plummeted like a kite with its string cut. Mo Hua utilized Water Passing Step, flashing swiftly to the spot where the eagle fell. The Cangtou Eagle wasn’t dead. Its savage eyes remained fixed on Mo Hua, filled with hatred as if it wished to peck out Mo Hua’s eyeballs and devour his flesh. But a grounded eagle is no better than a chicken. Its wing, torn apart by Sword Qi, left it unable to fly, its fate already sealed. Mo Hua spent some effort using both formations and spells before finally slaughtering the Cangtou Eagle. Afterward, he labored painstakingly to pluck its feathers, strip its flesh and bones, and extract its Demon Core. As Mo Hua wasn’t a Body Cultivator, his strength was lacking, making the task clumsy and time-consuming. Still, after nearly an hour of work, he managed to complete it. Yet during the process of skinning the eagle, Mo Hua couldn’t shake the feeling that the demonic power within it felt somewhat familiar. But it shouldn’t be... Mo Hua frowned slightly. He clearly remembered this was his first time hunting such hawk-like monster beasts. Why did it seem so familiar? Mo Hua thought over this for a while but couldn’t figure it out. As it was getting late, he temporarily set aside his doubts and descended the mountain. Arriving at the mountain gate, Mo Hua sold the Cangtou Eagle. As the eagle was relatively small in size, its materials limited, and its feathers partially destroyed by the sword formation, its selling price wasn’t exceptionally high. Nonetheless, it fetched a clean thousand Merit Points. After deducting the cost of the Spirit Sword, he still profited several hundred Merit Points. Mo Hua couldn’t help but feel delighted. If all his Sword Control practice continued like this, not only would he hone his skills, but he’d also earn a fortune in Merit Points! Mo Hua returned to the sect feeling satisfied. Following that, Mo Hua settled into a period of steady routine. He spent the days cultivating, attending lessons, and studying formations. During vacation periods, he would go to Refining Demon Mountain to practice his sword, kill eagles, and earn Merit Points. His days were exceptionally fulfilling and notably "wealthy." His Merit Points steadily piled up. The Refining Demon Mountain also remained tranquil. Currently, a large portion of the mountain’s outer territories were occupied by Taixu Sect disciples. Refining Demon Mountain is dangerous, and monster hunting is fraught with peril. For sect disciples lacking monster-hunting experience, it is even more so. Thus, newcomers typically wouldn’t venture recklessly into the mountain for hunting. During this period, disciples from other sects of the same generation mostly spent their time cultivating, waiting until their foundations were secure before attempting to hunt monsters later. Taixu Sect was the exception. Or rather, this generation of Taixu Sect was the exception. With Junior Brother Mo Hua leading the way, most Taixu Sect disciples adapted to the life of the Refining Demon Mountain much sooner. They claimed large swaths of prime territory early on. The Sever Gold Sect, for reasons unknown, also entered the mountain early. However, in their contest with Taixu Sect, they suffered defeat and were forced to avoid Taixu Sect, seeking alternative spots for monster hunting. Some disciples from other sects also entered the mountain ahead of time. But their numbers were few, only five or six, merely scouting the mountain’s conditions. Then they saw Taixu Sect, groups of disciples, team after team, organized, disciplined, equipped with uniform Spiritual Artifacts, and following standardized monster hunting procedures, executing their hunts in a "militarized" fashion. At just a glance, they understood the situation. Taixu Sect, at least this generation of Taixu Sect disciples, was temporarily unchallengeable—best to steer clear... Thus, while other parts of the mountain had skirmishes and conflicts. Within the territories occupied by Taixu Sect on the outer mountain, the disciples, all of the same sect, with the same Junior Brother leading them, maintained remarkable harmony. And so, time passed again, reaching the second half of the year. The Refining Demon Mountain’s outer territories began to see an influx of disciples. Many sect disciples, having solidified their cultivation over several months, began attempting monster hunting. This included disciples from Tai’a Sect and Rushing Void Sect, who had once been allies to Taixu Sect...