Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

The biting winds of the far north snow-capped mountains whipped up snowflakes, stinging the face like knives. Before the golden-robed man's demonic claws could even fall, a suffocating pressure arrived first, grinding the icy ground into a spiderweb of cracks, as if even the air itself had frozen.

"Bone Demon?" Wang Xiaohu gripped the Demon-Suppressing Sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. The Demon-Suppressing Sword was unusually hot at the moment, and the seals on its blade, interwoven with dragon and snow patterns, trembled incessantly, as if warning of the terror of this opponent. He could sense that the demonic energy within this Bone Demon was far beyond that of the Corrupted Bone Old Monster or the Ink Raven; it was a near-pure dark power, carrying the most primal destructive aura of the demon realm.

"Hand over the Frozen Sword, and I'll spare your life." The Bone Demon's voice seemed to come from the depths of hell, his eyes beneath the bronze mask flashing with crimson light. He slowly raised his left hand, his five fingers spread wide, revealing five sharp bone blades that gleamed with a cold, metallic light.

Su Qingwan held the pipa horizontally in front of her chest, her fingertips brushing against the broken string. Two invisible blades of energy shot out along the strings, aiming straight for the Bone Demon's eyes. This was "String Breaking the Moon," a technique she created by combining the sword intent of "Misty Rain Locking the River," specifically designed to break through protective qi. However, the blades of energy were frozen into ice shards by the demonic energy surrounding the Bone Demon as soon as they got within three feet of him, falling down in a flurry.

"A mere trick." The Bone Demon sneered, slamming down his right demonic claw. Wang Xiaohu touched the ice with his toes, his body spinning like a top, the Demon-Suppressing Sword drawing a blue-white arc—this was his new move, "Frost Star Break," a fusion of Starry Sky Sword Qi and Frozen Sword Intent. Wherever the sword light passed, snow flakes condensed into ice crystals, crashing into the demonic claw like a meteor shower.

"clang!"

The ice crystals collided with the demonic claw, producing a metallic clang. The demonic claw was momentarily stunned, but then unleashed an even denser black aura, engulfing the ice crystals completely. Wang Xiaohu felt a tremendous force travel along the sword, causing his blood to surge and forcing him to stagger back three steps before regaining his footing; his tiger's mouth was already numb.

"Such powerful strength," he thought to himself in surprise. This Bone Demon not only possessed pure demonic energy, but its physical strength was also comparable to that of a divine weapon. No wonder the old man said it was invulnerable to swords and spears.

The old man, having caught his breath, pulled a crystal-clear jade talisman from his robes and tossed it into the air: "Snow Mountain Spirit Vein, lend me your ice seal!" The talisman exploded in mid-air, transforming into a sky full of icy mist. Where the mist landed, it instantly solidified into an ice wall over ten feet thick, blocking the bronze-masked men who followed. "Sword Master, I'll hold off the minions. You focus on the Bone Demon!"

"Thank you, senior!" Wang Xiaohu was no longer distracted, and the Demon-Suppressing Sword spun in his hand. He recalled the "Boundless Sword Realm" recorded in Fu Shaoping's notes—using the heart as the sword, not bound by form, only then can one break through all laws. He slowly closed his eyes, and the blue mark between his brows resonated with the seal of the Demon-Suppressing Sword. Countless images flashed through his mind: the protection of Black Wind Valley, the redemption of Bone-Eroding Cave, the purification of Taihu Lake... These insights accumulated during his experiences now transformed into sword intent, flowing within his body.

"Hmm?" The Bone Demon saw Wang Xiaohu close his eyes and a look of disdain flashed in his eyes. "Give up the fight?" He stepped forward, his demonic claws carrying a world-destroying force, aiming straight for Wang Xiaohu's heart.

Just as the demonic claws were about to touch his clothes, Wang Xiaohu suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was as calm as a mirror, and the Demon-Suppressing Sword in his hand had vanished—the sword had merged into his aura.

"Unfounded—"

With a single word uttered, an invisible sword intent suddenly erupted. This sword intent lacked earth-shattering power, yet it carried a simple and unadorned charm, seeping into the Bone Demon's demonic energy like melting snow. The Bone Demon's expression changed drastically; he felt his demonic energy gradually subside under this sword intent, as if it had encountered a fundamental restraint.

"Impossible!" he roared, unleashing his demonic energy in an attempt to devour the sword intent. But Wang Xiaohu's sword intent was already connected to the spiritual veins of the snow mountain. With the help of the spiritual vein power drawn by the old man's jade talisman, it flowed out like a trickle, entangling the bone demon's limbs and bones.

Su Qingwan also moved at this moment. She picked up a broken icicle from the ground, used her finger as a sword, and infused it with the sound of a pipa. The icicle transformed into a stream of light, which entered through the gaps in the bone demon's demonic energy. This was the "Bone-Penetrating Sound" that she had comprehended from the "Hundred Herbs Detoxification Scripture," which was specifically designed to break the spiritual energy nodes within evil spirits.

"Pfft!" The golden robe on the Bone Demon's chest suddenly exploded, revealing the stark white ribs inside—there was a pitch-black magic crystal there, which was being struck by the ice shards and sword intent at the same time, and a crack appeared on the surface of the magic crystal.

"Ah—!" The Bone Demon let out a shrill scream; this was the first time he had been injured. He recoiled violently, his eyes beneath the bronze mask filled with madness and fear. "I will kill you all!"

His demonic energy suddenly surged, and he began to devour the life force of the bronze-masked men around him. Those masked men who were blocked by the ice wall instantly turned into ashes. The pure life essence was absorbed into the Bone Demon's body, and his body expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye. His original golden robe was torn to shreds, revealing a terrifying body made of white bones and demonic energy.

"Oh no! He's going to sacrifice his accomplices to forcibly boost his strength!" The old man's face turned deathly pale. "This is the forbidden demonic technique 'Bone Devouring.' Once completed, his power will increase tenfold, but he will also completely lose his mind!"

Wang Xiaohu's eyes narrowed. He could sense that the magic crystals within the Bone Demon's body were rapidly repairing themselves, and the crack was closing. If he were to complete the Bone Devouring technique, not only would he be able to stop the spatial rift, but he might even level this snow-capped mountain.

"Miss Su, may I borrow your pipa?" Wang Xiaohu suddenly called out.

Although Su Qingwan was puzzled, she immediately tossed the pipa over. Wang Xiaohu caught the pipa, pressed the strings with his left hand, and held the sword in his right, simultaneously unleashing swordsmanship and sonic power. The bluish-white sword light of the Demon-Suppressing Sword and the clear, melodious sound of the pipa intertwined to form a giant net, within which one could vaguely see the stars shifting and ice and snow melting—this was his ultimate move, "Three Realms United," created by fusing the Starry Sky Sword Sect's "Starry Sky," the Icebound Sword's "Ten Thousand Miles of Icebound Land," and the Misty Rain Pavilion's "Sound Beyond the Strings."

"This is... a three-element resonance?" The old man's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. He had lived for hundreds of years and had never seen anyone who could simultaneously wield three completely different powers—sword, ice, and sound—let alone fuse them into one.

The Bone Demon, halfway through its Bone Devouring process, was trapped by the giant net, its demonic energy flow immediately halted. It frantically pounded on the net, but this only caused the stars and ice within to become more active; with each impact, a large amount of demonic energy was purified.

"Break! Break for me!" the Bone Demon roared, pouring its last bit of power into the magic crystal in an attempt to blast open the giant net.

Wang Xiaohu's gaze was resolute as he completely merged the blue mark between his brows into the giant net. He remembered Nangong Wan's entrustment, Li Gou Dan's dagger, A Man's Soul-Gathering Flower, and everyone he wanted to protect. These thoughts transformed into the purest sword intent, flowing along the strings of the zither and the blade, causing the giant net to radiate a warm yet powerful light.

"boom--!"

The giant net and the magic crystal erupted simultaneously. A dazzling light engulfed the entire snow-capped mountain peak, even the howling winds seemed to freeze in that instant. Su Qingwan and the old man instinctively closed their eyes, only to hear a deafening explosion followed by deathly silence.

After an unknown amount of time, the light faded. The ice layer atop the snow-capped mountain had vanished, revealing the dark blue-green rocks beneath. The Bone Demon's body had turned to ashes, leaving only a cracked black magic crystal lying quietly on the rock, devoid of any demonic energy. Wang Xiaohu, leaning on the Demon-Suppressing Sword, knelt on the ground, his face as pale as paper, the blue mark between his brows dim and lifeless, clearly indicating that he had exhausted too much of his sword spirit power.

Su Qingwan rushed forward to support him, her eyes red and swollen: "How are you?"

"It's nothing..." Wang Xiaohu smiled weakly, looking at the Demon-Suppressing Sword. The seal on the sword remained firm, and the aura of the Ice-Sealing Sword was unaffected. "The Bone Demon... is it gone?"

“It’s resolved.” The old man stepped forward and picked up the broken magic crystal. “This magic crystal was made from the Demon Lord’s rib. Now it has completely lost its power. The plan to create a spacetime rift will not succeed.” He looked at Wang Xiaohu with admiration in his eyes. “The Sword Master is so young, yet he has comprehended the ‘Boundless Sword Realm.’ Even Fu Shaoping might not have been able to do it back then.”

Wang Xiaohu shook his head: "It wasn't my achievement alone. Without the snow mountain spiritual veins of the senior and Miss Su's penetrating voice, I couldn't have won."

The three rested in the snow-capped mountains for seven days. The old man took out his treasured snow lotus to nourish Wang Xiaohu's sword spirit. Su Qingwan helped clean up the battlefield and cremated the corpses of the bronze-masked men to prevent demonic energy from polluting the snow-capped mountains. During this time, the old man recounted the history of the Icebound Sword—he was a descendant of the "Ice Clan," who guarded the Icebound Sword in ancient times and had lived in the far north snow-capped mountains for generations. The Bone Demon's faction was called the "Reverse Time Cult," a group of extremists who attempted to change history through spacetime rifts. They worshipped the Demon Lord and believed that as long as the Demon Lord did not die in the past, they could overturn the present martial arts world.

"The foundation of the Reverse Time Cult is not in the far north." The old man handed a token engraved with ice patterns to Wang Xiaohu. "Their headquarters is hidden in the 'Misty Swamp' in the Central Plains. This is the Ice Clan's 'Mist-Breaking Token,' which may help you find the entrance."

It was deep winter when they left the far north snow mountain. The snow on the mountain was still there, but the sunlight reflected off it, casting a warm glow. The old man stood atop the snow mountain, watching them go until their figures disappeared into the horizon, before turning and walking into the ice cave behind him—a forbidden place guarded by the Ice Clan for generations, hiding more secrets about time, space, and the divine sword.

The return journey was relatively smooth. Wang Xiaohu's sword spirit power gradually recovered under the nourishment of the snow lotus, and the blue mark between his brows became warm and gentle again. When passing through Duanyun City, they saw Aman again—the child had actually found the traces of Senior Shi Qing, but Shi Qing had already passed away, leaving behind only a notebook recording the secrets of the Reverse Time Sect.

"Brother Xiaohu, this note says that the leader of the Reverse Time Cult can control the flow of time. You must be careful." Aman handed the note to Wang Xiaohu, his face serious beyond his years.

Wang Xiaohu took the scroll, a chill running down his spine. Able to manipulate time? This was even more terrifying than the Bone Demon.

When they returned to the Star Sword Sect, it was already early spring of the following year. The plum blossoms on both sides of the mountain gate were in full bloom, and the disciples of the Puhui Hall were practicing their swordsmanship in the training ground, their sword energy surging and full of vitality. Nangong Wan was waiting for them in front of the Sword Tomb, and when he saw Wang Xiaohu return safely, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

"It's good that you're back." He took the note from Wang Xiaohu, and after flipping through a few pages, his brows gradually furrowed. "The Reverse Time Cult... is indeed not simple. They not only want to open a spacetime rift, but they are also searching for four other ancient divine swords. It is said that if all seven divine swords are collected, the 'God of Time' can be summoned, and history can be completely rewritten."

"The other four divine swords?" Wang Xiaohu asked.

“They are the ‘Burning Heaven Sword’ of the East, the ‘Earth-Splitting Sword’ of the West, the ‘Vast Ocean Sword’ of the South, and the ‘Suppressing Yuan Sword’ of the Center.” Nangong Wan pointed to the three divine swords in the sword tomb, “Adding Qing Shuang, Zi Dian, and Xuan Tie, there are exactly seven.”

Wang Xiaohu gripped the Demon-Suppressing Sword tightly, the icy aura emanating from its blade trembling slightly. He knew a new trial was about to begin. The threat of the Reverse Time Sect had not yet been eliminated, the secrets of the Seven Divine Swords remained unrevealed, and this martial world still needed him to protect it.

Su Qingwan walked to his side, looked at the sea of ​​clouds in the distance, and whispered, "Where to next?"

Wang Xiaohu looked eastward, towards the Flaming Mountain, the legendary location of the Burning Heaven Sword. He smiled, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Let's go see what this divine sword, capable of burning everything, really looks like."

The Demon-Suppressing Sword hummed softly in his hand, as if in response to his words.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the Star Sword Sect's mountain gate and gilding the four large characters "Star Sword Sect" with a golden edge. Wang Xiaohu knew his story was far from over. The conspiracies hidden in the mists, the divine swords waiting to be discovered, and the people who needed protection—all awaited him ahead. And the sword in his hand and the path in his heart would accompany him on his journey until the day the martial world truly found peace.

The heat waves from the Flaming Mountains can scorch a person's skin from ten miles away.

Wang Xiaohu and Su Qingwan stood at the foot of the mountain in "Zhuoshi Town," gazing at the distant, entirely crimson mountain peak. Even their breath felt scorching. The houses in the town were all built of blue-green stone, with their doors and windows tightly shut. Occasionally, residents would come out, but they were all wrapped in thick burlap and their faces were covered with damp cloths.

"No wonder it's called Flaming Mountain." Su Qingwan used her pipa to shield herself from the sweltering heat. "At this temperature, you could probably cook an egg."

The innkeeper in town was a burly man with a thick beard. Seeing them carrying weapons, he offered them two bowls of cold tea: "Are you here to find the 'Burning Heaven Sword', sir?"

Wang Xiaohu took the herbal tea and drank it all in one gulp. The icy tea flowed down his throat, finally calming him down a bit: "Boss, do you know about the Burning Heaven Sword?"

“How could I not know?” The boss added a black stone to the furnace. “A while ago, a group of people dressed in black robes came and said they were going to dig up some kind of ‘divine fire vein’ in the mountains, and that the Heaven-Burning Sword was hidden in the vein’s eye. But after only two days, they brought out several charred corpses, with not a single intact bone left on their bodies.” He lowered his voice. “I heard those people were from the ‘Reverse Time Cult,’ and they died a terrible death.”

Wang Xiaohu and Su Qingwan exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes. The Reverse Time Sect was indeed also searching for the ancient divine sword, and it seemed they knew perhaps more about the Burning Heaven Sword than the Star Sword Sect.

"Boss, which way do I get into the mountains?" Su Qingwan asked. (End of Chapter)