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.