The elder’s heart suddenly surged like a raging sea.
Yet Mo Hua remained unaware. Chapters first released on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
His two hands, dirty and grimy, continued to scrape the soil and stones on the ground, burying the broken sword deeper, making it stand more upright, to prevent it from being blown askew by the wind.
Until he sensed a terrifying aura from behind him, which made his heart palpitate with fear.
Moreover, this aura was becoming extremely unstable due to emotional fluctuations.
Only then was he startled, turning back to see that long-bearded senior, whose eyes were bloodshot, with what seemed like tens of thousands of Sword Qi roaring past in his eyes, converging into a boundless ocean of swords like the vastness of the Taixu.
The aura around him was also filled with a fierce murderous intent, terrifying to the extreme.
Black light flickered, and even the void seemed unstable, with cracks appearing everywhere.
Mo Hua’s pupils shook with astonishment.
This was his first time directly facing the terrifying momentum of a Heaven Void Cultivator.
Only now did he realize just how powerful a true high-rank cultivator could be if they didn’t suppress their strength and went all out...
The gap in realms was too wide, and under such majesty, he had almost no power to resist.
Fortunately, the long-bearded elder had been diligently cultivating his mind for many years. Realizing things were going wrong, he was also trying his best to control his emotions.
No one knew how much time passed before all the Sword Intent receded, the cracks in the void healed, and the elder’s expression returned to that of an ancient well, calm and without ripples.
But his heart was not calm.
"This broken sword... where did you get it?"
The long-bearded elder’s voice was old and hoarse, with even a hint of sorrow in his tone.
Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat.
He immediately realized that this broken sword likely had an extraordinary origin.
Moreover, the Senior Xuan and this elder, whose cultivation was powerful and Sword Intent astonishing, very possibly had some unknown connection...
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then cautiously said:
"I once went to a small fishing village outside the Qian Learning State Boundary, by the Yanshui River. In the village, there was a hidden, abandoned River God Temple. Inside the temple, there was a Blood Pool, and this broken sword was suppressed at the bottom of the pool, corroded by Blood Qi."
"River God Temple, Blood Pool..." The long-bearded elder frowned slightly, "How did you find yourself there?"
Mo Hua replied: "I went there to fulfill a sect reward. Some human traffickers had kidnapped two children from the small fishing village. The Taoist Court issued a reward for disciples skilled in formations. I happen to be good at formations, so I joined them, entered the River God Temple, captured those traffickers, and happened to find something in the Blood Pool. When I fished it out, I discovered it was a broken sword..."
Human traffickers, small fishing village, Taoist Court reward.
These matters were all on the surface, and the Taoist Court had records of them, which could be verified easily.
However, the evil spirits like leech evil, water monsters and demon creatures, and the fallen River God, these matters, no one else knew except himself.
The elder pondered for a moment and asked again, "Then how did you know that the owner of this broken sword was buried in this Sword Tomb?"
Mo Hua had nothing to hide about this point.
"I inquired about the rumors in the small fishing village, and from the attire of the broken sword’s owner, I guessed he must have been a senior of my Taixu Gate."
"I also consulted the elders in the sect, but could not find out who the owner of this broken sword was, only that he might have learned a very powerful swordsmanship, and..."
Mo Hua paused, secretly glanced at the elder before him, and softly said:
"Lifebound Sword broken, foundation damaged."
"Therefore, I assumed that the owner of this broken sword might have faced an unknown formidable enemy, experienced a great battle, and then succumbed to his injuries, buried here in the Sword Tomb with other seniors of the Taixu Gate."
The long-bearded elder’s expression was indifferent, his gaze desolate.
Then he forced himself to think through Mo Hua’s words carefully and found nothing incongruent from his intuition.
This implied that these words were likely not far from the truth.
Even if there were some concealments, they probably weren’t much.
The long-bearded elder turned his head, deeply looked at Mo Hua, especially observing his pure temperament and clear eyes, and sighed deeply in his heart.
This matter had many coincidences.
But to put it another way, it could also be a kind of fate.
Heaven, through these coincidences, brought this child to him, perhaps out of pity for his solitude and hardship, thereby bringing this item of Xuan Er’s relic and this Lifebound Sword that had accompanied him in cultivation since childhood to the elder.
This might be the Heavenly Dao’s compassion.
Heaven still somewhat cared for this half-buried old bone, allowing him to have a remembrance in his remaining days.
The long-bearded elder sighed softly.
He looked at Mo Hua again and said:
"This broken sword is extremely important to me. Since you could bring it to the Sword Tomb, there must be some providence at work."
"I am a person who clearly differentiates between gratitude and grudge. If there is a grudge, I repay it, and if there is gratitude, I would never wish to owe anyone."
"I give you a promise to repay this cause and effect. Within the bounds of morality and law, I will grant you one wish."
"Speak, what do you wish for?"
The long-bearded elder’s tone was solemn and weighed heavy as gold.
Mo Hua was stunned, his heart shaken.
Could this powerful yet sealed Heaven Void Ancestor of the Taixu Gate fulfill one of his wishes?
He didn’t expect that this broken sword was so precious.
But, what request should he make?
Mo Hua was completely unprepared, caught off guard, and was in a bit of a dilemma.
The long-bearded elder did not rush Mo Hua either.
Indeed, this matter needed careful consideration.
A disciple’s wish is nothing more than entering the Inner Gate, learning the inheritance, becoming an instructor, or even being promised an Elder’s position in the future, as long as he reaches the Golden Core.