Chapter 738: Sword Formation

An hour later, Mo Hua looked at the tattered, inwardly rolled sword edge of the charred black broken gold sword in front of him, falling into deep thought.

This precious high-grade broken gold sword, in his hand for less than an hour, was completely scrapped.

Mo Hua confirmed one thing:

The sword array inside the spirit sword would indeed self-destruct.

At least this spirit sword in front of him had just self-destructed.

Although he had been extremely careful, using all the refining knowledge he could, it was still useless.

The broken gold sword would rather die than submit, and was completely destroyed.

The sword array inside also self-burned.

Mo Hua didn't even have time to glance at it, not even knowing what array system this sword array used, or how many array patterns there were in total...

Mo Hua sighed deeply, his heart aching.

What a good spirit sword, just gone like this.

A waste of heavenly treasures, alas...

Mo Hua observed a moment of silence for this high-grade spirit sword, and then considered when he would throw this "broken sword" to Gu Master to see if it could be melted in the furnace and put to use.

However, currently, he still had to first consider the "sword array" matter.

"The sword array will self-destruct. If I steal the spirit sword, I cannot obtain the sword array by dismantling it."

"So if I want to obtain the sword array, where should I start?"

Mo Hua was a bit troubled.

He began pondering ways to solve the problem.

Capture the Broken Gold Gate disciples and torture them severely?

Since he couldn't go out to capture evil cultivators, his improved array punishment board hadn't been used for a long time. Was it just right to make the Broken Gold Gate disciples kneel on it?

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then shook his head again.

Not good...

Too brutal.

This iron board was used to deal with evil cultivators, evil cultivators, and demonic cultivators.

Ordinary Broken Gold Gate disciples, although they had some friction with Tai Xu Gate and their behavior was cheap, their crime wasn't to this extent.

There needed to be a limit to good and evil.

The means of punishment also needed to be appropriate, otherwise, he would sooner or later become violent in nature and turn into a bloodthirsty great demon.

This violated the teachings of his parents, master, Old Mister Xun, and the various elders of Tai Xu Gate.

Moreover, even if he tortured them severely, it would probably be useless.

This kind of secret wasn't something ordinary disciples could know.

Furthermore, this sword array could amplify sword qi. Such a secret, even if not comparable to the Five Elements Source Array, was absolutely not ordinary.

The difficulty was necessarily extremely high.

Those disciples of the Broken Gold Gate didn't seem very clever, nor did they have many strong divine senses. It was not very likely that they could learn this kind of complex sword array.

Since they didn't know it in the first place, torture would be useless.

Then...

Inquire about the location of the Broken Gold Gate's sword casting and refining workshop, secretly sneak in, and steal the sword array secret?

Or, find a way to get a Broken Gold Gate sect token, and see if he could do something with it?

Mo Hua thought for a while, then denied himself again.

The Broken Gold Gate's sword casting workshop would surely have extremely strict defenses. How could he, a small cultivator in the Foundation Establishment mid-stage, possibly sneak in?

At least currently, it was absolutely impossible.

A Broken Gold Gate sect token would also be useless.

He was still completely ignorant of high-level yuan magnetic arrays and fundamentally didn't know how to do anything with them.

These two methods were currently unusable.

"None of them are good..."

Mo Hua lay on the bed, racking his brains. The methods he could use, he thought about over and over again several times. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he thought of a method:

"Derive Calculation!"

Divine sense derive calculation could reverse derive the array patterns of an array through its spiritual traces.

Suppose a sword cultivator urges sword qi through the sword array inside the spirit sword.

Then does that mean...

He could reverse derive the secret sword array sealed inside the sword weapon through the traces of sword qi?

Mo Hua inhaled a cold breath.

Wasn't he... going against heaven?

Later, whoever displayed sword methods in front of him, he would even strip away the ancient origins of their sword weapon inheritance!

Mo Hua himself found it a bit hard to believe.

But whether it could work, he still needed to find a way to try...

The next day, Mo Hua found Si Tu Jian again.

"Si Tu, there's a small matter I need your help with."

Si Tu Jian was a bit puzzled and immediately said, "Is it about the broken gold sword?"

"No," Mo Hua said, "That sword is already scrapped."

Si Tu Jian was startled, then completely dumbfounded.

"Scrapped?!"

"It's only been one night, hasn't it? A high-grade spirit sword, just like that, scrapped?" Si Tu Jian was shocked.

Mo Hua silently said in his heart:

To be precise, it was one hour, just scrapped...

"These are small matters, no need to mind."

Si Tu Jian felt a bit heartbroken.

How could these be small matters? A high-grade spirit sword!

His heart suddenly ached a little for that little white face from the Broken Gold Gate.

A good broken gold sword, he must have worn it himself, meticulously nurtured it for a long time, yet in one night, it was just played with and scrapped by Little Senior Brother.

Si Tu Jian subconsciously tightened his grip on his own Li Huo sword again.

The broken gold sword, scrapped is scrapped.

His own Li Huo sword, no matter what, absolutely cannot fall into Little Senior Brother's hands again!

Just as he was hesitating, wondering whether to be a bit low-key later, not flaunting his sword cultivator identity again, and safely hiding his Li Huo sword inside his storage bag, Mo Hua then continued:

"Lend me your Li Huo sword to use for a bit."

Si Tu Jian's whole body shivered.

Mo Hua immediately said mildly: "Don't be nervous, I won't dismantle your Li Huo sword. I just need you to use your Li Huo sword to urge sword qi and let me look at it."

Si Tu Jian let out a breath of relief, but still couldn't help but confirm once, "Really?"

"En!" Mo Hua affirmed.

Si Tu Jian then felt relieved.

After finishing class that day, Mo Hua then pulled Si Tu Jian and went to a Dao Fa room.

Tai Xu Mountain had numerous disciples, so practicing sword methods wasn't very convenient.

Only the Dao Fa room was closed and relatively quiet, with no one to disturb.

"You just keep urging the Li Huo sword qi and chop that Dao Fa puppet."

Mo Hua said to Si Tu Jian.

"That simple?" Si Tu Jian said.

"En," Mo Hua nodded, "Just that simple."

Si Tu Jian didn't ask what Mo Hua wanted to do, because past facts proved that Little Senior Brother's actions generally had profound meaning.

If it was about array law matters, even if Little Senior Brother explained, he might not necessarily understand.

"Good!" Si Tu Jian simply said.

Then, in front of Mo Hua, he sacrificed his Li Huo sword, urged the Li Huo sword qi, and chopped the Dao Fa puppet's body with one sword after another.

Mo Hua sat in meditation at the side, his eyes pitch black, Heaven Machine patterns emerged, amplifying the Heaven Machine Derive Calculation with the Heaven Machine Strange Calculation, and began to derive Si Tu Jian's Li Huo sword qi.

The Li Huo sword qi was fire-element sword qi, wrapped in fierce flames, red as a whole.

At first glance, there was only the shape of scorching hot sword qi.

Mo Hua urged his divine sense, heavy shadows appeared in his eyes, and he continuously tried to derive deeper levels of qi with the Heaven Machine Derive Calculation.

While Si Tu Jian was urging his sword qi, being looked at by Mo Hua, he felt a chill in his heart.

Although he didn't know exactly what Little Senior Brother was doing, he felt that his own sword qi seemed to be being seen through little by little...

Si Tu Jian's heart was alarmed.

This... how was it possible?

Little Senior Brother wasn't a sword cultivator. Just by looking from the side a few times, how could he see through sword qi?

"An illusion, perhaps..."

Si Tu Jian was a bit uneasy in his heart, but since he had promised Mo Hua, he couldn't go back on his word for the time being. He could only brace himself and chop the Dao Fa puppet with one sword after another.

He didn't know how long he had been chopping. Just as Si Tu Jian's unease was growing stronger, he heard Mo Hua say:

"Okay."

Si Tu Jian stopped his hand, turned his head to look, and saw that Mo Hua's expression was clearly a bit lost.

He hadn't calculated it out...

Mo Hua sighed.

Si Tu Jian was silent for a moment, still unable to help but ask:

"Little Senior Brother, what did you want to do..."

Mo Hua said: "I'm researching sword qi to deal with the Broken Gold Gate."

Si Tu Jian breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he still didn't quite understand why Mo Hua would research his Li Huo sword qi if he wanted to deal with the Broken Gold Gate.

Moreover, just by looking like this, what could he see?

Si Tu Jian's expression was puzzled.

Mo Hua was still silently pondering at the side.

Through sword qi, reverse-pushing the sword array inside the spirit sword, this idea was feasible.

He could indeed derive calculation a little, but it was very difficult, and he could only glimpse some fuzzy traces of the sword array.

His derive calculation method was still not strong enough.

Even with the amplification of the Heaven Machine Strange Calculation, he was still unable to see through the secret sword array.

However, Mo Hua was not discouraged.

This kind of matter was the same as drawing array laws: practice makes perfect.

If he couldn't calculate it out once, then he would try twice, three times... until he calculated it out.

So thereafter, whenever he had free time, Mo Hua would let Si Tu Jian practice sword in front of him, and he would use this as practice to derive calculation the sword array.

But always bothering Si Tu Jian, Mo Hua also felt a bit sorry, so he decided to transfer some merit points to him.

This time, it was Si Tu Jian who was embarrassed.

"Little Senior Brother, how can you do this."

Mo Hua said: "Close brothers still need to settle accounts clearly. Your willingness to help is a favor, but I cannot let you suffer a loss!"

Si Tu Jian still wanted to decline.

Mo Hua then said with a serious face: "Just take it if I give it to you, I don't lack these few merit points!"

He had hoarded merit points for a long time and was now a big household of merit points.

If it was about origin, he was a loose cultivator, and his fellow disciples were disciples of aristocratic families.

But to talk about merit points, he was the real "aristocratic family" disciple, far "richer" than ordinary fellow disciples.

Si Tu Jian then accepted with gratitude.

He indeed couldn't refuse the sect's merit points.

After receiving the merit points, Si Tu Jian was more serious and focused when displaying his Li Huo sword qi for Mo Hua.

He couldn't let Little Senior Brother's merit points be spent in vain.

As for that feeling of his sword qi being seen through...

Si Tu Jian thought about it and still felt it was probably just an illusion.

He normally used the Li Huo sword art, borrowed the Li Huo spirit sword, and drove the Li Huo sword qi. How could it be just "seen through"?

If just by sacrificing a spirit sword and moving sword qi, one could be seen through, then all the sword cultivators in this world wouldn't be able to draw their swords?

This was obviously impossible.

What kind of sword cultivator would a sword cultivator who doesn't draw his sword be called?

Si Tu Jian's heart was then at ease.

Moreover, the kind-hearted Little Senior Brother had paid him quite a few merit points.

Si Tu Jian felt even more that he couldn't measure a gentleman's belly with a petty person's heart.

And with Si Tu Jian's cooperation, Mo Hua's proficiency in deriving calculation of sword qi was also increasing little by little... it was just that Si Tu Jian didn't always have free time.

Occasionally, when Si Tu Jian had matters, Mo Hua would also hire other sword cultivator disciples to demonstrate sword qi for him.

However, the sword dao level of these disciples was not very high; Si Tu was still the best.

Just like this, Mo Hua practiced again and again, derived calculation again and again, constantly deepening the depth of derive calculation and enhancing his insight into sword qi.

In his eyes, the sword qi gradually began to dissipate its sword shape and was no longer its original appearance...

Finally, after seven days, after undergoing countless tedious, boring, and layer-by-layer progressive derive calculations, Mo Hua suddenly enlightened.

His divine sense suddenly brightened, and his field of vision suddenly opened up.

Within the divine sense field of vision, the bright red Li Huo sword qi, as if flowing magma, gradually collapsed, decomposing inch by inch, revealing the sharp sword marks contained within its essence, as if cut and chopped by a knife and axe.

These sword marks were the sword array inside the spirit sword!

Mo Hua was overjoyed in his heart and immediately, with a pen like the wind and flowing clouds and water, recorded these sword marks.

These sword marks seemed like array patterns, but they had no curves, only sharp straight lines, full of sharp sword intent, as if carved by someone with a knife or sword.

This was...

The Si Tu family's sword dao inheritance: the Li Huo sword array!

It was also the most crucial inheritance of the Si Tu Sword Ancestor's Li Huo sword art, at least within the second-grade Li Huo sword art.

And at this time, this secret sword array was thus derived and restored by Mo Hua...

Mo Hua raised his head and looked at Si Tu Jian in the distance who was unaware and still concentrating on controlling his sword qi to chop the puppet. He pondered for a moment and then wiped off the sword array he had just recorded.

At the same time, he also forced himself to forget the Li Huo sword array in his mind.

This sword array could not be kept.

The sword array was a secret of a sword dao family.

This Li Huo sword array, once leaked, would inevitably bring disaster to the Si Tu family.

Although Si Tu Jian was unintentional and unaware, he couldn't be blamed. However, tracing back the source, the sword array was leaked from him, and he couldn't escape the connection.

In this way, he would be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Since Si Tu called him Little Senior Brother and trusted him, he absolutely couldn't betray him.

Mo Hua nodded.

The Li Huo sword array on the drawing was wiped off by him, and the Li Huo sword array in his mind was also forcibly forgotten by him.

Mo Hua was a bit relieved, then said: "Si Tu, okay."

Si Tu Jian withdrew his hand and said a bit astonished:

"Is it over?"

"En." Mo Hua nodded and smiled: "I'm treating you to good food!"

Si Tu Jian modestly declined a few times, then followed Mo Hua to the dining hall to eat a big meal.

Yu Er was naturally also there, along with the freeloaders Yang Qian Jun, Hao Xuan, Xie Ling, and Cheng Mo.

At the banquet, the guests and host enjoyed themselves fully.

But Mo Hua was particularly attentive to Cheng Mo, even specially ordering a plate of elbow and placing it in front of Cheng Mo, "Cheng Mo, eat more."

Cheng Mo was a bit flattered, but also a bit confused, "Little Senior Brother, aren't you treating Si Tu to eat? Why are you always telling me to eat more..."

Mo Hua said: "Because next, it's your turn to help."

Cheng Mo looked at the fragrant, spicy, and oily elbow in front of him, patted his chest, and guaranteed: "Little Senior Brother, rest assured, whatever the matter is, just leave it to me."

Mo Hua nodded, "Then eat more, eat full, then it's good to get beaten."

Cheng Mo, who had a wide open mouth and was just gnawing on the elbow, was instantly stunned.

"Get... beaten?"

"Right," Mo Hua nodded, "Get beaten."

Two days later, on a rest day, in Refining Demon Mountain, Mo Hua put three layers of armor on Cheng Mo: one layer of Ke Jin armor, one layer of soft silk armor, and one layer of refined iron armor.

"Wait a moment, I'll call people from the Broken Gold Gate to duel with you. Be a bit arrogant, don't seek to win, only seek to drag, the longer you drag, the better."

Cheng Mo had a bitter face.

Hao Xuan was very puzzled, "Little Senior Brother, what exactly do you want to do?"

Mo Hua kept them in suspense, "You'll know later."

Hao Xuan seemed to understand and nodded.

Mo Hua patted Cheng Mo's shoulder again and said, "You'll have to endure a bit, get beaten more. These three layers of armor are specially refined. Although they can't withstand sword qi, they can reduce gold spiritual power and force. You have a strong physique and should be able to hold on for a long time."

Cheng Mo looked at Mo Hua with a face full of grievance.

Mo Hua said seriously: "This matter is extremely important, related to the territory dispute between our Tai Xu Gate and the Broken Gold Gate disciples, and the subsequent demon hunting income. Such an important task can only be undertaken by you!"

Cheng Mo was a bit disbelieving, "Really..."

"I'm your Little Senior Brother, don't you still believe me?" Mo Hua said.

Cheng Mo's expression was a bit complex.

Mo Hua then decided to draw a big picture, first giving him some "dates". "You go get beaten, I'll pay you merit points, one hundred merit points for half an hour!"

Cheng Mo was startled, "Really?"

Mo Hua nodded: "Paid on the spot."

Cheng Mo suddenly became a bit shy, "That's so embarrassing..."

"If you don't take it, then forget it, I'll find others."

"Don't!" Cheng Mo immediately said, "Other disciples are definitely not as good at getting beaten as I am. This kind of hard work still needs me to do it."

Afterwards, he confirmed again: "Half an hour, just one hundred merit points..."

"Correct," Mo Hua said, "If you can drag for five hours, that's one thousand merit points!"

One thousand merit points!

Cheng Mo's eyes were all red.

Beside Si Tu Jian and others, they were also extremely envious, but it was a pity that their blood energy was not as strong as Cheng Mo's, and they were not as "resistant to beating" as Cheng Mo, so they couldn't earn this sum of merit points.

Cheng Mo immediately swore: "Little Senior Brother, rest assured, let alone getting beaten, even climbing mountains of knives and diving into seas of fire, as long as you speak, I, Cheng Mo, will absolutely not wrinkle a brow!"

"Okay," Mo Hua was a bit helpless, "Don't boast, quickly prepare. Take some pills to recover blood energy beforehand. I'll go find someone to beat you."

Cheng Mo smiled foolishly, "Good!"

Mo Hua left everyone, concealed himself, and wandered inside Refining Demon Mountain, looking for his chosen target.

Not long after, he discovered that little white face from the Broken Gold Gate.

The little white face, Song Jian, was looking gloomy, leading ten Broken Gold Gate disciples, searching everywhere in the hills for something.

Mo Hua showed himself and shouted, "Little white face."

Song Jian was obviously startled. When he saw Mo Hua alone, appearing ten zhang away, he was a bit unbelievable.

This little devil actually dared to appear alone in front of him?!!

Song Jian's pale face turned red with anger.

This clearly meant he didn't take him seriously!

Bullying too much!

Song Jian waved his hand and said coldly: "Catch him, beat him to death!"

The other Broken Gold Gate disciples immediately wanted to rush and kill Mo Hua.

Mo Hua, however, said: "Don't you want your sword back?"

"Stop!" Song Jian immediately said.

The crowd of Broken Gold Gate disciples stopped abruptly again, standing in place.

Song Jian's eyelid twitched wildly, and he looked at Mo Hua angrily, "Where is my broken gold sword?"

It had already become scrap iron...

But it was definitely not good to say such words. Mo Hua then vaguely said: "Let's have a duel. If you win, I'll return the 'sword' to you."

Song Jian's gaze narrowed, and he snorted coldly: "Why should I duel with you?"

"If you don't duel, then forget it," Mo Hua said casually, "I'll just find a refining master, dismantle your broken gold sword into scrap iron, and throw it into the furnace to melt..."

"How dare you?!" Song Jian's eyes were about to crack.

Mo Hua had an indifferent face.

What dare or not... he had already done it, just missing the last step...

Song Jian inhaled a long breath, suppressing the anger in his heart.

Under the eaves, one had to bow one's head.

With the sword in Mo Hua's hand, he had to compromise.

"Good," Song Jian said, "I'll duel with you."

"It's not you dueling with me," Mo Hua shook his head, "It's you dueling with my 'big brother'."

Mo Hua slightly elevated Cheng Mo's status.

Song Jian frowned, "Your big brother?"

Mo Hua nodded, "Yes, just that big guy who chopped you with an axe that day."

Song Jian immediately thought of that leading big guy and the two axes framed on his neck, and his anger intensified.

"Good, new grudges and old hatreds, settle them together."

However...

Song Jian's gaze slightly sank, looking towards Mo Hua, "Why specifically duel with me?"

Mo Hua sighed, a bit difficult: "We entered Refining Demon Mountain just to hunt and kill demon beasts and earn some merit points. We don't want to waste time with your Broken Gold Gate. This way, neither of us benefits."

"Since that's the case, why not have a duel?"

"If you win, we'll return the sword to you."

"If you lose, the Broken Gold Gate will stop here and not make things difficult for us anymore."

Song Jian frowned, secretly thinking Mo Hua was naive.

The matter of Refining Demon Mountain was related to the sect and the interests of numerous disciples. How could a duel decide it?

Furthermore, as a disciple of the Broken Gold Gate, even if he was of the direct line and had a high status, how could he possibly decide matters for the Broken Gold Gate?

However, the current priority was to first win back the broken gold sword.

He was now in the Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

After his realm reached the Foundation Establishment late-stage, he would need to prepare to nurture his "life treasure". This spirit sword was a treasure embryo, extremely important to him, and absolutely could not have an accident.

A promised matter without a verbal guarantee, no one could take it seriously. First coax this little ghost, promise to duel, and then seize back his own broken gold sword.

Song Jian then pretended: "Good, it's settled with one word!"

But Song Jian didn't know that Mo Hua was actually also talking nonsense.

He could indeed return the broken gold sword, because it was just scrap iron itself, and keeping it was of no great use to him.

But Refining Demon Mountain was an important territory where he could hunt and kill demon beasts, extract demon blood, peel materials, earn merit points... How could he give it up?

Whoever agreed, he couldn't agree.

Mo Hua nodded: "Follow me."

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked away.

Song Jian hesitated a little.

The surrounding Broken Gold Gate disciples, mostly from the Song family, saw the situation and said one after another: "Young Master, be careful of fraud."

"This little devil is likely to have ulterior motives."

"It's better to make a long-term plan..."

Song Jian hesitated, but Mo Hua kept walking forward without looking back, about to walk far away.

Once Mo Hua really walked far away, Song Jian was afraid his broken gold sword would never be recovered in this life.

After a long entanglement, Song Jian still gritted his teeth and instructed: "You all wait here."

Then he immediately used his escape gold body method, his body turning into golden light, chasing after him, always following behind Mo Hua, and walked into a small woods...