The Earth Fire formations unexpectedly performed remarkably well.
Yu Chengyi's expectations were met; by setting up the Earth Fire formations, just a few Qi Refinement stage six demon hunters could hunt down a mid-stage First Rank demon beast with minimal casualties, as long as they were careful.
Previously, the demon hunting team operated with senior hunters mentoring newcomers. This approach ensured the protection of the new recruits, allowed them to familiarize themselves with the environment, gain experience, hone their skills, and earn some spirit stones to support their families.
However, this division into teams significantly reduced the hunting efficiency of some experienced demon hunters.
Now, with the formations in place, after teaching the newcomers some basic techniques, they could hunt independently. The Earth Fire formations could severely wound demon beasts, disrupting their meridians and hindering their demonic energy flow, making it safer for these newcomers.
Thanks to the Earth Fire formations, novices could earn spirit stones, and veterans found demon hunting more relaxed. Life for demon hunters became somewhat comfortable.
However, Mo Hua was just one person, and despite his fast drawing of formations, the number of Earth Fire formations he could draw in a day was limited.
After some thought, Yu Chengyi decided to save a few formations and deploy more manpower.
Five sets of Earth Fire formations required three or four hunters to finish off the wounded beasts.
Currently, three sets of Earth Fire formations were being used, with six or seven hunters finishing off the beasts.
The results were not far off.
Mo Hua had mastered the Earth Fire formations long ago. The more he drew, the faster he became, and the more demon hunters used Mo Hua's Earth Fire formations to hunt demons, the more they became familiar with him.
Over time, most mid-stage Qi Refinement demon hunters were acquainted with Mo Hua.
Some wore Mo Hua's Vine Armor, made with the Iron Armor formation; some used Mo Hua's Earth Fire formations for hunting; and some had Mo Hua's formations on the doors and windows of their homes.
Even late-stage Qi Refinement demon hunters mostly knew Mo Hua.
Some had a life-saving connection with Mo Hua; some had asked Mo Hua to draw formations for them; some had no direct dealings with Mo Hua but had heard of him from relatives and friends.
Some were individually instructed by Yu Chengyi to take good care of Mo Hua in the Great Black Mountain.
In this way, Mo Hua spent over a month in the mountains and became familiar with almost everyone outside the mountain.
Often, as he walked, familiar cultivators greeted him.
Some cultivators picked wild fruits in the mountains and invited him to eat.
In addition to wild fruits, there were also people who offered dried food, jerky, pine nuts, rice wine, and so on.
Mo Hua could go into the mountains for a day without carrying anything and still eat and drink his fill when he returned...
He wouldn't take others things for nothing as he believed in giving and taking.
Afterward, Mo Hua would ask his mother to put a few pounds of pre-cut beef in his storage bag each time he went into the mountains.
When others invited him to eat, he would treat them to beef.
As this became a habit, some people eagerly hoped to encounter Mo Hua in the mountains.
Especially some old demon hunters who liked to drink but had no meat to accompany it.
Previously, when they weren't hunting demons, they didn't want to stay in the mountains for a moment.
Now, when they had free time, they even sat on the mountain roads outside, eagerly waiting for Mo Hua. Then they would treat Mo Hua to snacks and wild fruits, and Mo Hua would treat them to beef to go with their drinks.
Yu Chengyi had instructed these demon hunters to take care of Mo Hua. Sometimes, when Mo Hua encountered difficulties in the mountains, they would lend a helping hand.
Mo Hua remembered their kindness.
So sometimes, when he had nothing else to do, Mo Hua would bring some meat up the mountain and sit with them on rocks in the mountains, looking at the scenery, eating meat, and listening to their stories of demon hunting.
Occasionally, they would also give advice on the beef.
For example, if it's not spicy enough, cooked too soft without texture, or if the gamey taste is too light, lacking that distinctive flavor...
They critiqued as they ate, enjoying the food more than anyone.
Some demon hunters also gave suggestions, saying there were excellent spices in the mountains. Adding these to the meat while cooking would enhance the flavor.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he asked where these spices could be found.
"There are plenty in the mountains; you'll have to find them yourself," the demon hunter said, pulling out a thin booklet. It depicted various flowers, herbs, and trees, indicating which parts of them could be used as spices.
Some were flowers, some leaves, some branches, and there were also grass juices, flower pastes, resins, and more.
There were dozens of varieties in total.
The demon hunter gave the booklet to Mo Hua with one condition: to make delicious meat for him to taste.
Mo Hua eagerly agreed.
From then on, when Mo Hua traveled through the mountains, he kept an eye out for the spices listed in the booklet.
If he found any, he would collect them and bring them home to his mother.
Liu Ruhua also couldn't hide her excitement. She had always focused on studying various dietary practices for cultivators, and with these spices, their meals could become even more exquisite.
Liu Ruhua used the spices to cook some meat, and Mo Hua tasted it. Indeed, the flavor improved, and the aftertaste was richer.
As promised, Mo Hua delivered some of the meat to the demon hunter to taste.
After eating, the demon hunter remained calm and serene, as if he had a sense of "dying without regrets"...
The expression was too exaggerated, leaving Mo Hua unsure of how to respond.
Mo Hua also sent some to Zhang Lan.
After tasting it, Zhang Lan felt the flavor was even better and admired, "Mo Hua, your mother is really talented!"
He then had a sudden idea and said, "Why don't you ask your mother if she'd like to adopt me as her godson?"
Mo Hua rolled his eyes at him.
Bai Zixi couldn't resist either, throwing a paper ball at Bai Zisheng's head.
Mo Hua's beef sent to Master Zhuang was the best, beautifully presented, with five or six plates adorned with either fresh green onions or spicy red chilies, each plate offering a different flavor.
Mr. Zhuang frowned after taking a bite. After a moment, he sighed, "Desires of the palate disturb one's peace of mind!"
Having said that, he couldn't help but take another bite.
The spices were excellent, and the restaurant's business improved.
Mo Hua was very happy. Subsequently, while gathering spices, he decided to collect some herbs and other things incidentally.
After all, setting up formations and hunting demons didn't actually require his presence. He only needed to draw the formations well and go to bleed the beasts at the end.
With spare time, he generally wandered outside the outer mountain.
Gathering spices was one thing, and collecting herbs and mining minerals was another.
Mo Hua found Mr. Feng and obtained a book titled "Herbal Medicine for Cultivation." He also found Master Chen and obtained a book titled "Mineral Records for Cultivation."
Following the descriptions in both books, he began searching for herbs and various minerals.
This not only broadened his knowledge of cultivation but also provided him with herbs and minerals, which were useful in their own right. Not collecting them would be a waste.
He gave the herbs he collected to Mr. Feng and the minerals he dug up to Master Chen.
They were not formal with Mo Hua but asked him to request for any elixirs or spiritual artifacts he needed.
Mo Hua continued in this manner, drawing maps in the Great Black Mountain's outer mountains, searching for spices, gathering herbs, mining minerals, and after other demon hunters killed the beasts, he would go to bleed them and store and blend spiritual ink.
Until one day, he noticed that there were more and more demon hunters using the Earth Fire formations. Often, when a demon was killed in the south and he hadn't finished bleeding it, another demon was killed in the north.
By the time he found out, the demon in the north had already gone cold, making it impossible to bleed it.
Ten bottles of demon blood, gone just like that...
After this happened several times, Mo Hua frowned and pondered, "I need to come up with a solution; otherwise, it's too wasteful..."
(End of the Chapter)