Chapter 1013: Lu Xianzi

After this battle, Mo Hua's reputation gradually rose rapidly.

This fame was not won through his arrays, but forged outright in the Sword Discussion Assembly by his own mastery of spellcraft.

Even disciples of the prestigious Qiandao Sect were crushed to death by Mo Hua using low-grade spells.

This clearly demonstrated Mo Hua's extraordinary spellcraft.

Of course, strictly speaking, Mo Hua merely "supplemented"—it was Linghu Xiao who slashed them to death.

But the ones who died were cut down by Linghu Xiao.

The blame was placed squarely on Mo Hua.

Linghu Xiao was a genius; dying in his hands was only natural.

To be suppressed to death by Mo Hua's low-grade spells was a profound humiliation.

Soon, this sense of "profound humiliation" from being crushed by low-grade spells spread far and wide.

More and more sect geniuses came to feel this exact torment.

The Xuanhuo Sect and Lingyin Workshop from the Twelve Streams.

The Xiaoyao Sect and Zixia Sect from the Eight Great Sects.

These four Sword Discussion matches, four sects, all lost to the Grand Void Gate.

More accurately, they lost to Mo Hua.

Their disciples were all rendered utterly powerless by Mo Hua's endless, ever-changing, overwhelmingly suppressive, universally versatile, countless, vast array of low-grade Five Element spells.

They had indeed considered countermeasures against Mo Hua.

But a single Fireball Spell, a single Water Prison Spell, or even just Water and Fire spells together, were relatively easy to counter.

Yet the Five Element spells of the Five Eight Sects left them at a loss.

To defend against them, one could only consider "spell defense"—crafting spiritual artifacts like "Spell-Repelling Robes" to counter spellcraft.

But artifact crafting follows fundamental principles.

The more singular the targeted spell, the better the artifact's effect.

The more diverse the targeted spells, the worse the artifact's effect.

Mo Hua possessed a Minor Five Element Spirit Root, a true jack-of-all-trades when it came to spells.

To craft a Spell-Repelling Robe against this "general Five Element," such all-around diversity meant it could block a little of everything—and thus blocked nothing at all.

Such robes were utterly useless, better left unused.

The Five Element cycle, generation, overcoming, complementarity, and unity meant there was no true counter-element, no true "weakness."

His this trump card was revealed too late; there was no time to prepare effective counters.

Moreover, Mo Hua's spiritual sense bore twenty patterns—far beyond ordinary spirit cultivators.

Thus, the disciples of the Xuanhuo Sect, Lingyin Workshop, Xiaoyao Sect, and Zixia Sect had no real answer to his vast array of Five Element spells in the Sword Discussion, and one by one fell in defeat.

Mo Hua's list of enemies grew substantially.

If they had merely lost to Mo Hua's low-grade Five Element spells, they wouldn't have truly hated him so deeply.

But Mo Hua had a "bad habit":

He loved to finish opponents off with Fireball Spells.

Often, when opponents were exhausted, their spiritual energy nearly depleted, Mo Hua would casually toss a tiny Fireball Spell to "end" them.

As a result, many Qiandao Sect geniuses now died under his Fireball Spells.

When these sect geniuses were ended by Mo Hua's Fireball Spells, their hearts were filled with utter despair.

They truly wanted to say:

Just let Linghu Xiao slash me to death with his sword.

Don't use your damn Fireball Spell!

Dying at the blade of a genius of Chongxu Sword Dao is not the same as dying to a mere Fireball Spell.

We are all respected sect geniuses.

Dying at the hands of a prodigy's sword was already hard to accept.

But compared to a Fireball Spell, it was far more acceptable—even desirable.

Dying at the Fireball Spell of a mere array specialist was true blood-stained "humiliation."

Unfortunately, Mo Hua had grown so accustomed to his Fireball Spell that he failed to empathize with their agony.

And as Mo Hua's "finishing blows" multiplied, the "sin" of his Fireball Spell grew heavier.

The grudges he amassed grew ever greater.

Among them, the most bitter enmity stemmed from his match against the Zixia Sect.

The Zixia Sect, one of the Eight Great Sects of Qiandao, inherited the True Scripture of Purple Cloud—this cultivation method was gentle and profound, beneficial for longevity, and also remarkably powerful.

Before this, the Zixia Sect's ranking was higher than the Grand Void Gate, and its disciples were stronger.

But the problem was that Mo Hua, this spirit cultivator, was utterly unconventional, brimming with unorthodox tricks.

The Zixia Sect's disciples cultivated harmonious, orthodox methods, devoid of strange paths, and naturally had no effective means to counter this peculiar, monstrous aberration.

After a prolonged back-and-forth battle, the Zixia Sect's disciples were ultimately toyed with and killed by Mo Hua's endless Five Element spells.

Of course, Mo Hua's victory was not easy.

His greatest problem remained his spiritual energy.

His spirit root and the cultivation method he practiced ensured his spiritual energy foundation was shallow.

This was the greatest drawback of being a spirit cultivator.

Thus, even when casting low-grade Five Element spells that consumed little spiritual energy, Mo Hua could not use them freely.

Especially in prolonged battles, the later it went, the more he had to carefully control his spiritual energy—many spells had to be used with precise calculation.

Its suppression capability, naturally, became much weaker.

But regardless, Mo Hua still won the sword debate against the Zi Xia Sect.

He habitually ended the match by using the Fireball Technique to "collect" a head, then returned to the Grand Void Gate as usual, planning to first enjoy a good meal to reward himself before preparing for the next sword debate.

But when he sat down in the dining hall, Mo Hua noticed that all the sect disciples were secretly watching him, their expressions tinged with an inexplicable strangeness.

Mo Hua was puzzled and asked, "What's wrong?"

Hao Xuan hesitated a moment, then whispered, "Little brother, don't you have any sense of chivalry toward beauties?"

Mo Hua froze. "Chivalry toward what beauty? Cherish what jade?"

Everyone fell silent, unsure what to say.

Hao Xuan prompted, "Didn't you use the Fireball Technique to 'collect' a head during today's sword debate?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

"You used the Fireball Technique to hit her face to collect the head?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

"Were you aware she was a female disciple?"

Mo Hua paused, then nodded. "She seemed to be a girl…"

Hao Xuan's expression was complex. "Do you remember what she looked like?"

Mo Hua recalled…

Skin as white as snow, eyebrows curved like willow leaves, eyes large and bright, face pointed and delicate, lips red as cherries…

"I have a faint memory," Mo Hua admitted honestly, then asked, "What's the issue?"

Hao Xuan said, "Little brother, do you think she's beautiful?"

Mo Hua didn't understand. "What does whether she's beautiful have to do with it? This is a sword debate. Beauty doesn't fill your belly."

Seeing Mo Hua still didn't get it, Hao Xuan sighed helplessly and said:

"Little brother, do you know who this woman is?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

Hao Xuan sighed. "This female disciple… is the number one beauty of the Zi Xia Sect, Lu Zhenlong, the legitimate daughter of the Lu family of Kunzhou, rich and beautiful, renowned throughout the Qian Xue Prefecture, with countless admirers—her suitors could line up from Dao Mountain all the way to Yan Shui River…"

"Today, during her sword debate, countless people came just to catch a glimpse of her beauty, and then…"

Then you blasted her face with a Fireball Technique and sent her packing.

Mo Hua froze, then was stunned:

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Hao Xuan gave a bitter smile.

He wanted to tell him sooner, but he never got the chance.

Mostly because he never imagined that Lu Zhenlong, the number one beauty of the Zi Xia Sect, was completely unknown to Little Brother.

Even if he hadn't heard of her…

That delicate face right there—just one glance should've told you she was no ordinary person.

Hao Xuan couldn't help asking, "Little brother, didn't you notice she was beautiful?"

Mo Hua frowned, then truly recalled:

"Her appearance… was decent enough, features quite refined, but her aura was lacking, temper terrible, attitude arrogant, her soul not even pretty—just empty beauty…"

Not as good as my little sister.

Hao Xuan sighed. "Alright…"

Little Brother isn't ordinary—he sees things differently from normal people.

But he still warned, "Little brother, you must be careful when you go out in the future."

"Why?" Mo Hua asked.

Hao Xuan said, "You were inside the arena, so you don't know—your Fireball Technique to the face during the debate sent Lu Zhenlong flying, and the entire outer arena exploded like a volcano erupting. The noise was deafening; countless male disciples were burning with rage, eager to settle scores with you…"

Mo Hua felt a pounding headache and couldn't help shaking his head:

"These people don't think about cultivation—they spend all day dreaming about chasing women. No wonder they could only watch from outside during your sword debates…"

Although Little Brother's words sometimes really were infuriating.

Still, Hao Xuan was startled and quickly covered Mo Hua's mouth:

"My little brother, you absolutely must not say this out loud…"

Otherwise, it would only add fuel to the fire.

The volcano you ignited with that Fireball Technique won't just explode—it'll blast straight into the sky.

Mo Hua, with his mouth covered, nodded obediently, signaling he wouldn't say another word.

Hao Xuan finally relaxed.

After finishing the meal and returning to the disciples' quarters, Mo Hua grew increasingly frustrated as he thought about it.

He used the Fireball Technique to collect a head simply to save time.

But now, saving time had brought him a huge headache.

If he'd known, he'd have let Xiao Xiao go kill that Zi Xia Sect member.

Or even Ouyang Xuan—he's unpopular, doesn't care about offending people. But then he thought: right now, he was in a sword debate, protected by ancestral elders in his sect, and at Dao Mountain, guarded by a fifth-rank array—no one could truly harm him.

With that thought, Mo Hua felt reassured.

He began calmly preparing for the next sword debate.

…

Outside the Grand Void Gate, Mo Hua had once again drawn massive hatred by blasting the Zi Xia Sect's number one beauty's head with a Fireball Technique.

Many sects thus changed their strategy toward Mo Hua.

They decided to forcibly kill Mo Hua.

On one hand, Mo Hua's actions were truly infuriating.

Unless they killed him once, their heart's rage could not be quelled.

And up to now in the Discourse Sword, Mo Hua has never once "died," which many simply could not accept.

If Mo Hua does not "die," heaven's justice cannot stand.

On the other hand, tactical necessity in the Discourse Sword had reached the point where Mo Hua must be forcibly killed.

They must kill him now.

Originally, in the Grand Void Gate's team, the most feared was Linghu Xiao; Mo Hua was not worth mentioning.

But now, Mo Hua's Five Elements spells flowed endlessly—deviously strange, diverse in type, and overwhelmingly suppressive—making him a major threat.

If left unchecked, his myriad spells would manipulate them all at will.

With Mo Hua's spells supporting him, Linghu Xiao's sword qi became unstoppable.

Therefore, one of Linghu Xiao or Mo Hua must be killed first.

Forcibly killing Linghu Xiao would be extremely difficult.

But forcibly killing Mo Hua would be much simpler.

After all, how weak Mo Hua's physical body was, how fragile his Discourse Jade was—any cultivator with eyes could see it.

Killing Linghu Xiao might take a hundred or more swords.

But killing Mo Hua requires only one.

Yet killing Mo Hua was not that simple—at least Linghu Xiao would not agree, and the other Grand Void Gate disciples would never stand idly by.

Some sect teams had previously considered forcibly killing Mo Hua first.

But doing so would inevitably fail to restrain Linghu Xiao.

Once Linghu Xiao was unimpeded, his teammates might be slaughtered by him before they even reached Mo Hua.

In that case, even if they killed Mo Hua, they would still lose.

Thus, a sect team was needed that could directly withstand Linghu Xiao's sword qi while also freeing up members to forcibly kill Mo Hua.

This heavy burden fell upon the "Golden Steel Sect."

The Golden Steel Sect was one of the Eight Great Sects of Qian Xue.

Its disciples primarily practiced body cultivation, inheriting the Golden Steel Indestructible Art, with bodies of bronze skin and iron bones, impervious to blades and spears, immune to fire and water.

This sect could withstand Linghu Xiao's sword qi and also partially resist Mo Hua's spells.

And the team Mo Hua faced was led by the Golden Steel Sect's senior brother.

This team, relying on their unified offense-defense Golden Steel Indestructible Art, had swept all opponents since the Discourse Sword began, undefeated.

In a sense, this was the strongest and most counter-effective team Mo Hua had encountered in the Tian Xuanzi arena.

Before the Discourse Sword began, many cultivators had gathered outside the arena.

They had all come for Mo Hua.

More accurately, they came to watch the Golden Steel Sect's senior brother, with his hardened body cultivation, brutally beat Mo Hua, the despicable junior brother of the Grand Void Gate.

Someone declared first: "I can't imagine how the Grand Void Gate will win this round."

"Same here, so I came early and secured a good spot to watch this show…"

"I usually dare not come to watch—I'm afraid I'll be enraged to death by that brat Mo Hua…"

"To be honest, my own brother from the Free and Easy Gate—my flesh and blood—was killed by Mo Hua using low-grade spells. A man may be killed, but not humiliated. Just thinking of it makes my blood boil—I want to step down and beat him myself…"

"He uses Fireball Technique to finish off people every day—is that even decent?"

"Don't our Qian Xue Province's prodigies have any dignity?"

"Killing others is one thing—but could he really bring himself to strike Lady Lu of the Purple Cloud Sect?"

"Such a woman, as ethereal as a clear moon, as blooming as spring blossoms, as misty as autumn waters, as crystalline as winter snow—with a face as exquisite as Ji Furong—how could he possibly bring himself to strike her?"

"With Fireball Technique?"

"Right to the face?"

"Without even blinking…"

"I understand human nature well—this boy is either utterly insane and inhuman, or he's using his coldness to draw Lady Lu's attention, like a toad dreaming of swan meat—despicable and shameless!"

"I only regret I've already graduated—I can't step down myself to slay the villain Mo Hua and avenge Lady Lu."

"Speaking of Lady Lu…"

"The Lu family is truly wealthy, and Lady Lu is truly beautiful…"

"I wonder who will get to enjoy this sweet soft meal…"

…

Outside, voices buzzed; inside, the great bell rang.

The Discourse Sword began.

Five massive men of the Golden Steel Sect stepped forward; their leader was towering, muscles coiled like forged steel, imposing and majestic.

Yet his face was not coarse at all—instead, handsome and composed, eyes gleaming with inner light.

This man was the senior brother of the Golden Steel Sect, the top disciple of this generation among the Eight Great Sects, surnamed Shi, named Tiangang.

The Shi family was a great clan.

Shi Tiangang had been extraordinary since childhood, born with unparalleled physical roots, a prodigy of body cultivation. His foundation in the Golden Steel Indestructible Art surpassed all others in the Golden Steel Sect, unmatched and peerless.

Under his leadership, this Golden Steel Sect team had remained undefeated.

And in this Discourse Sword, Shi Tiangang's goal was to forcibly kill Mo Hua.

First, Mo Hua's magic is bizarre and unfathomable, and he must be killed.

Another reason, naturally, is Lu Zhenlong.

Lu Zhenlong was humiliated by Mo Hua's Fireball Spell and was furious beyond measure.

Killing Mo Hua would win favor with Lu Zhenlong.

Shi Tiangang's nature is steady; he is not a man blinded by lust. He does this primarily for a marital alliance, to secure family interests.

The Shi family is a body-cultivation clan; their disciples must cleanse their sinews and marrow, nurture their foundation and stabilize their origin, requiring vast quantities of heavenly and earthly spiritual items.

Though the Shi family's influence is great, their cultivation industry is weak, and they are unskilled in management, so they are not wealthy.

The Lu family is a powerful clan of Kunzhou, with spiritual stones as numerous as cow hairs, and spiritual items abundant like mountains.

If the Shi family could form a marital bond with the Kunzhou Lu family, they could complement each other's strengths and fulfill mutual needs.

Shi Tiangang has been the standout among his peers since childhood, burdened with strong responsibility; he knows his cultivation and growth owe to his family's protection and the benefits they provide. Thus, if it benefits the family, he is willing to do many things.

In matters of marriage, only family interests matter—he has no right to say whether he likes it or not.

The vast majority of aristocratic youths could never marry the person they truly love.

It is all cold, calculating self-interest.

Of course, Shi Tiangang admits Lu Zhenlong is indeed beautiful.

Not only is her appearance fine, her family background excellent, and her talent outstanding.

Young admiration is natural.

Such a woman, though arrogant and capricious, with that face, that extraordinary talent, and that distinguished lineage, could not fail to be loved by anyone.

Therefore, Mo Hua must die.

If, in the Sword Discussion Assembly, he is the first to "kill" Mo Hua, it will create an opportunity.

In the future, when the Shi family discusses a marital alliance with the Lu family, this Sword Discussion Assembly will also be an advantage…

The Sword Discussion, a clash of blades, is about to begin.

This Sword Discussion is a regular free-for-all battle.

In the Sword Discussion arena, five giants from the Golden Vajra Sect, like five golden statues, charged toward the Grand Void Gate.

Four of them, with their bronze skin and iron bones, closed in and pinned down Linghu Xiao and his companions.

The Golden Vajra Sect's Golden Indestructible Art is a supreme body-cultivation scripture; even when clashing directly with Linghu Xiao's sword qi, they would not fall behind in the short term.

This is the Golden Vajra Sect's advantage.

To show respect, their senior brother Shi Tiangang will personally "kill" Mo Hua.

The now "all-arts-competent" Mo Hua deserves such treatment.

At the start of the battle, Mo Hua clearly sensed the Golden Vajra Sect's intent; without a word, he turned and ran, flashing several times before vanishing into a nearby grove.

"He runs quite fast…"

Shi Tiangang's gaze darkened slightly; he sneered inwardly, then activated his movement technique, becoming a golden figure that surged toward the grove.

Linghu Xiao and his companions tried to stop Shi Tiangang, but were held back by the other four burly disciples of the Golden Vajra Sect.

These four giants activated the Golden Indestructible Art, clad in golden armor, their flesh glowing with a golden sheen; even the sharp sword qi of the Void-Cutting Sword could only leave faint scratches on their bodies.

To truly subdue them would take immense time and countless Zhou Zhe.

Linghu Xiao's gaze grew cold, but he could only endure and fight them patiently.

On the other side, Shi Tiangang charged into the grove.

A flash of firelight in the air—several fireballs flew toward him.

Shi Tiangang's skin, like gilded metal, was impervious to water and fire; these fireballs exploded against him, leaving only wisps of smoke, not a single burn on his skin.

Then came several Water Prison Spells, but they could not hold him long.

Followed by Golden Blade Spells and Water Arrow Spells—none could harm him in the slightest.

Bearing these spells, Shi Tiangang strode into the forest.

Then he swept his spiritual sense; his gaze shot like an arrow to the right, and through the trees he saw a frantic figure fleeing deep into the grove.

Shi Tiangang sneered, clenched his fist, each knuckle popping like firecrackers:

"Let's see where you can run now?"

(End of Chapter)