The journey back to Flame Mountain City went smoothly and Xuan Hao decided to head back to the Flying Sword Sect immediately, while trying to avoid the detection range of the Nascent Soul elder from the Raging Flame Sect along the way.
Exiting the Explorer Unions building, Xuan Hao threw the few spirit stones that he earned from assisting in the investigation mission into a bag before making his way back out of the city.
For dealing with the Nascent Soul expert at the outpost leading into the Burning Mountain Range, Xuan Hao thought about several things.
From flying high in the air to try and enter a neighbouring kingdom and slip past the outpost without alerting the expert sent to monitor the border area.
Sadly, both ideas had flaws in them. Flying too high would not help as the pressure one would experience increased the higher one went. At the same time, the density of qi between heaven and earth also increased. Making it easier to cultivate, but at the same time harder to ascend.
This was also one of the reasons why strong cultivators normally cultivated as high as possible, meaning most sects could be found on mountain tops or peaks.
While entering a neighbouring kingdom was more doable, the risk of being found lower, Xuan Hao decided against it. After all, he'd rather end up being found by the Raging Flame Sect than the border guard…
This was even more so after he removed his core elder clothes and put on some more normal clothes.
Even if the Raging Flame Sects Nascent Soul expert found him, at most it would just be a foreign Nascent Soul expert passing by. This was not too unusual, considering that he came from the Burning Mountain Range that stretched through countless kingdoms.
Things like foreign Nascent Soul experts entering the Heavenly Sky Kingdom was something for the imperial family to deal with, not the Raging Flame Sect!
Now, the only problem that remained was the fact that he had the Infernal Heart Grass. The spirit herb was constantly amplifying the fire qi surrounding the small bag Xuan Hao had put it in.
Hiding it from Core Formation experts was easy, as all Xuan Hao needed to do was cover it with his divine sense.
But something like that would not work against another Nascent Soul expert…
At this moment, Xuan Hao wished he had a storage bag or treasure to store it in, that way his problem would be solved.
Sadly, such things required a Domain Lord to use his domain to carve out a part of space and bind it together with something like a bag or a ring.
From what Xuan Hao knew, only the imperial family had something like that, and it was mostly because they had a founder who reached the half-step Domain Lord Realm in the past.
A half-step Domain Lord had a pseudo domain and also had the ability to carve out space to some degree, while clearly inferior to something made by a Domain Lord, it still had the storage ability. Though way smaller and more fragile.
Jumping atop his sword, Xuan Hao quickly flew towards the Flying Sword Sect. Hoping that the Nascent Soul expert would either miss him or ignore him.
At that moment as Xuan Hao passed by the outpost of the Raging Flame Sect a long sword made from fire slashed towards him from the outpost reaching far into the sky. It was a furious slash made from the Nascent Soul expert at the outpost.
So much for not being noticed or ignored...
"Arrogant fellow, you are asking for death!" A could shout spread out from inside the outpost. The sound was arrogant, filled with a strong aura which suppressed everyone in the surroundings and sent a chill down one's spine.
This was the aura of a Nascent Soul expert!
The aura from the flaming sword slash surged. It was like a giant sun rising into the sky. The burning sword soon smashed into Xuan Hao as it exploded, lighting up the surroundings.
Engulfed by the now exploding flame sword, Xuan Hao's body let out a sharp sword intent. This sword intent went against the burning sword slash and caused the few people caught up in the surroundings to look on in shock with bated breath, as they felt the strength of a Nascent Soul expert.
Xuan Hao, who was the target of the sword looked in the direction where the sword came from.
This wasn't an actual sword, but it was instead a sword slash formed by fire qi. It came from the Nascent Soul expert stationed at the outpost.
Xuan Hao did not expect that the elder from the Raging Flame Sect would attack the moment that he appeared.
The first slash of the elder from the Raging Flame Sect was not that strong and was mostly used to gauge his opponent, so before even a second passed, an even more powerful sword slash was sent in Xuan Hao's direction.
When the sword slash appeared directly in front of him, Xuan Hao unsheathed his sword and gathered his sword intent before slashing down with all his might.
The extraordinary Fire Sword quickly shattered under Xuan Hao's sword. The fire qi was extinguished as the sword continued towards the outpost.
As for Xuan Hao, he was perfectly fine as he stood on top of his sword and looked at a giant screen made of fire appear to block his sword slash from doing any damage to the outpost.
At least he didn't use his strong Soul Rank sword to fly on… If he did, he would most likely have ended up falling to the ground as he tried to block the second flaming sword earlier.
In the next second, a person appeared in front of the outpost.
The Nascent Soul elder from the Raging Flame Sect! His aura was really terrifying, and the aura surged into the sky towards Xuan Hao.
Xuan Hao just shrugged it off and looked directly down at the elder from the Raging Flame Sect standing in front of the outpost.
Xuan Hao was not nervous at all, as long as he manged to deal with the elder from the Raging Flame Sect, he would be able to run away before the reinforcements arrived.
From the attack earlier, Xuan Hao had sensed that he was stronger than he had expected and even though the other party was at the fifth stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, he had clearly taken some sort of short cut and his cultivation was far from stable at the moment.
Xuan Hao did not say anything and instead unleashed another sword slash towards the elder from the Raging Flame Sect.
The moment this sword slash was used, Xuan Hao looked like a sword god unleashing his wrath upon the mortal world as the sword descend from the sky.
Hong!
Xuan Hao's sword went all out and was even stronger than before!
The elder's expression changed as well when he sensed the strength behind the sword.
Hong long long!
In the next second, he was hit by Xuan Hao's attack. Fire qi spread out from him and formed a shield, but it was not enough to block the sword and soon his chest felt an intense pain and he screamed. He struggled and blood splashed out onto the ground beneath his feet.
A wound appeared on his chest.
"It seems I underestimated you. You are strong, but you are only one! When the rest of my Raging Flame Sect arrives, you are dead!" The elder covered his wound and turned into a bright flame as he quickly disappeared into the distance.