Wandering Swordsman |

Time passed quietly, and before they knew it, an hour had gone by. The Moon Demon Lord had also withdrawn his demonic energy. Shen Mo slowly opened his eyes, feeling an unprecedented clarity and tranquility.

He stood up, stretched his limbs, and found his body incredibly light, as if every muscle had been infused with new vitality. He then tried circulating his internal energy and found that the vast internal energy within him was flowing through his lower dantian. The feeling of abundant power made him smile slightly. At this moment, Shen Mo even had the illusion that he could defeat the Moon Demon Lord who had already reached the realm of returning to simplicity.

Seeing that Shen Mo was in good condition, the Moon Demon Lord was quite pleased.

The Moon Demon Lord gently patted Shen Mo's shoulder and asked in a gentle tone, "Shen Mo, where did you learn the 'Nine Revolutions of Yin and Yang' that you just used?" Her eyes revealed a hint of curiosity, as well as a touch of concern.

Shen Mo was slightly taken aback. He knew this question wasn't easy to answer, since the "Nine Revolutions of Yin and Yang" was a demonic art, and he wasn't a member of the demonic sect. Practicing such a martial art would inevitably cause misunderstandings. After thinking for a moment, he replied briefly, "I obtained it by chance."

Shen Mo's answer was concise, his tone firm, and without the slightest hesitation. He also did not specify in detail where he had obtained the information.

After listening, the Moon Demon Lord nodded. She had now noticed what Shen Mo was hiding, but she didn't seem to intend to delve any further. "Although the 'Nine Revolutions of Yin and Yang' is a superior demonic technique, it is extremely harmful to the body. In Fallen Sword Valley, it has long been listed as a forbidden technique." Her voice was slightly serious. "I hope you will use this martial art as little as possible in the future, unless it is a matter of life and death."

Shen Mo was slightly taken aback. It turned out that the Moon Demon Lord was concerned about him, so he respectfully replied, "Thank you for your guidance, Moon Demon Lord. I will keep it in mind."

The Moon Demon Lord smiled slightly, then asked, "Do you know any other demonic arts?"

Shen Mo's heart stirred, so he truthfully said, "Besides the 'Nine Revolutions of Yin and Yang,' I also learned the 'Blood Fiend Demon Art' and the 'Blood Shadow Technique.'"

Upon hearing Shen Mo's reply, the Moon Demon Lord's expression turned serious. "Since you already possess a few demonic arts, then you should no longer use righteous martial arts. Within Fallen Sword Valley, you can only use demonic arts. Unless you want others to notice your special constitution." Her gaze was piercing, as if she could see through all of Shen Mo's secrets.

Upon hearing the phrase "special physique," Shen Mo was startled. He realized that the Moon Demon Lord already knew he possessed the Heavenly Martial Physique. Only the Heavenly Martial Physique could simultaneously possess internal energy and demonic energy. The Moon Demon Lord's words clearly indicated his desire for Shen Mo to conceal his Heavenly Martial Physique identity to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Shen Mo nodded, indicating his understanding. "Thank you for the reminder, Moon Demon Lord. I will be careful and avoid putting myself in danger." He knew that the Moon Demon Lord's instructions were meant to protect him.

Afterwards, Juechenzi wanted to personally test how much Shen Mo's strength had increased after absorbing the Great Rejuvenation Pill. So he said to Shen Mo, "Come, Shen Mo, use all the strength you have right now and exchange a few blows with me."

Before Shen Mo could even agree, Jue Shenzi slowly raised his hands, a faint light emanating from his palms. Then, with a flash, he appeared before Shen Mo like a ghost and gently pushed out with one palm.

Shen Mo's heart tightened, and he immediately mobilized all his inner strength to counterattack. The two clashed instantly, their moves fierce and their swords flashing, creating an invisible storm that seemed to sweep through the hall. Although Shen Mo was doing his best to defend, he could clearly sense that Juechenzi was not using his full strength. Juechenzi's movements seemed casual, yet each time he precisely found Shen Mo's weakness, forcing him to go all out.

As the battle progressed, Shen Mo gradually felt the strain, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Just as he was finding it increasingly difficult to cope, Juechenzi suddenly stopped, took a step back, and revealed a satisfied smile: "Your current skill level is already about the same as Fu Sheng's; you just need time to accumulate the corresponding experience."

Shen Mo, slightly out of breath, nodded in understanding. If he hadn't sparred with Juechenzi, he would never have known how ridiculous his illusion of being invincible after absorbing the Great Rejuvenation Pill and ginseng's medicinal power was.

Now that he had consumed the Great Rejuvenation Pill and tested his strength, Shen Mo felt a surge of curiosity about his purpose in coming here. He then turned to the Moon Demon Lord and respectfully asked, "Moon Demon Lord, what do you need me to do next?"

The Moon Demon Lord gently straightened her sleeves, looking at Shen Mo with a gentle gaze. "Since you've asked about this, let me give you a detailed explanation of the current situation." Her voice was steady and clear, as if recounting an ancient history. "The three building complexes within Fallen Sword Valley represent the territories of the Flame Demon Lord, the Moon Demon Lord, and the Blood Demon Lord, respectively. Below the three Demon Lords are the Twelve Venerables, one of whom is Juechenzi. The Twelve Venerables reside in Heavenly Sword Ridge. Due to their scattered locations and different personalities—some living alone, others establishing their own territories in Heavenly Sword Ridge—I won't go into detail."

Shen Mo listened carefully, and a new question arose in his mind: "These forces are scattered everywhere, isn't there a unified sect?" he asked curiously.

Moon Demon Lord nodded and continued, "All forces within Heavenly Sword Ridge belong to the Heavenly Demon God Sect. This name may sound somewhat intimidating, but in reality, the Heavenly Demon God Sect's mission is to pursue the ultimate and breakthroughs in martial arts."

"Since it's called the Heavenly Demon God Sect, where is the Heavenly Demon God?" Shen Mo's curiosity was completely aroused, and his eyes were filled with a thirst for knowledge.

The Moon Demon Lord remained silent for a moment, seemingly recalling some distant memories, before slowly speaking: "The previous Heavenly Demon God, in order to break through to a higher realm, went to explore further west a hundred years ago. Before leaving, she left a decree that if he did not return within a hundred years, he should restart the Demon Refining Mountain, select someone who could be accepted by the Heavenly Demon Qi, and establish him as the new Heavenly Demon God." Her words exuded a mysterious aura, as if they concealed countless unknown secrets.

Shen Mo listened intently, a surge of inexplicable excitement welling up within him. The Moon Demon Lord had already reached the legendary Return to Simplicity Realm; the realm of the Heavenly Demon God, even stronger than the Moon Demon Lord, was unimaginable. The Heavenly Demon God, with such an unattainable realm, hadn't even reached the pinnacle of martial arts. While astonished, Shen Mo also felt a deep sense of admiration.

Then, the Moon Demon Lord paused for a moment, looking intently at Shen Mo, "Now, there are less than three months left until the centenary of the Heavenly Demon God's westward journey. Therefore, in recent years, the three Demon Lords have used various means to recruit martial arts talents from all over the world. They all hope that when the Demon Refining Mountain is reopened soon, someone from their own forces will stand out and become the new Heavenly Demon God."

Her voice was deep and magnetic, each word carrying immense weight, making the atmosphere in the room even more somber. The wind outside seemed to quicken, the leaves rustling as if telling of an impending catastrophe.