Wandering Swordsman |

Seeing the situation was turning against him, Blood Demon Lord hurriedly stepped forward to apologize: "Moon Demon, I'm truly sorry. This child acted impulsively and committed a grave mistake." With that, he drew his longsword and, without hesitation, went to Tu Yuliang's side and severed one of Tu Yuliang's arms, the blood instantly staining the ground red. This action shocked everyone present, but it also made them feel Blood Demon Lord's determination to salvage the situation.

Seeing the Blood Demon Lord's stance, the Moon Demon Lord suppressed her inner resentment and, for the sake of the overall situation, decided not to pursue the matter. However, her eyes still flashed with anger, clearly showing her extreme dissatisfaction with Tu Yuliang's actions.

"Let this matter rest," Moon Demon Lord said coldly. "But I hope some people remember that if there is a next time, Moon Demon Pavilion will spare no effort to make those who harmed my granddaughter and the forces behind them pay the price."

Her voice was icy and chilling, each word carrying an endless chill that pierced the entire hall. Her gaze was as sharp as a blade, first sweeping over the Blood Demon Lord, then landing on the Flame Demon Lord, as if warning them to remember what happened today.

After leaving those words, the Moon Demon Lord immediately helped his granddaughter up, his movements filled with tenderness and concern, yet his cold expression betrayed his inner anger and resolve. The two slowly walked out of the Heavenly Demon Palace, and the surrounding people quickly parted to make way, their gazes filled with awe and a hint of pity. The Moon Demon Lord's subordinates immediately followed him, leaving the venue.

After the Moon Demon Lord left, the Flame Demon Lord wore a smug smile, his eyes gleaming with victory. Lu Yan stood to the side, silent, but his eyes also revealed a hint of triumph. In his view, Yue Linglong's serious injury meant he had no more powerful enemies on the journey to Refining Demon Mountain, and he would become the most likely successor to the Heavenly Demon God Sect.

"Grandpa," Lu Yan said softly, "Yue Linglong is seriously injured and will not recover for a long time. Should we speed up our preparations to enter the Demon Refining Mountain?" His voice was steady and confident, clearly showing his confidence in his future.

The Flame Demon Lord nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "That's right. Although the outcome of this competition didn't entirely go as we expected, Yue Linglong's serious injury undoubtedly cleared a major obstacle for us. Now, you just need to prepare with all your might, ensuring that you overpower everyone in the Demon Refining Mountain, be accepted by the Heavenly Demon Qi, possess the Heavenly Demon Qi, and become the new Heavenly Demon God."

At this moment, the Blood Demon Lord also walked over. His expression remained calm, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, as if he was quite satisfied with everything that had just happened. "Flame Demon Lord, don't forget what you promised me." His voice was indifferent, but it contained a hint of a smile that was hard to detect.

The Flame Demon Lord turned to look at the Blood Demon Lord, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes: "Blood Demon Lord, that's natural. However, I hope this is just the beginning of our cooperation, not the end."

The Blood Demon Lord smiled slightly and nodded: "Don't worry, as long as you do what you promised me, I will continue to support your plan."

......

As the three were talking, the Moon Demon Lord had already brought Yue Linglong back to the Moon Demon Pavilion. She quickly arranged for her disciples to prepare various herbs and pills, and personally treated Yue Linglong's injuries. The room was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance. Yue Linglong lay on the bed, her face as pale as paper, her breath weak. The Moon Demon Lord gently placed her fingers on her pulse, carefully sensing the flow of her internal energy.

"Grandma..." Yue Linglong weakly opened her eyes, her voice faint, "I'm sorry, the Demon Refining Mountain is about to open, but I have suffered such a serious injury."

The Moon Demon Lord gently stroked her forehead, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "Linglong, this is not your fault. You don't need to worry about the opening of the Demon Refining Mountain."

......

A few days later, Yue Linglong's injuries had basically stabilized. Subsequently, the Moon Demon Lord immediately summoned all members of the Moon Demon Pavilion under the age of thirty, including Shen Mo and Xie Xin.

The atmosphere inside the Moon Demon Pavilion was tense and serious at this moment, and every member who had been summoned felt the challenges and responsibilities that were about to come.

"Everyone," Moon Demon Lord's voice was steady and powerful, "those present here today are all talents who will soon participate in the Demon Refining Mountain, a total of 368 people."

"However, Yue Linglong's injuries won't heal anytime soon, so we need a new leader to guide everyone in the upcoming Demon Refining Mountain. Therefore, I have decided to appoint Shen Mo as your new captain."

These words immediately sparked a murmur among the crowd, clearly indicating that not everyone agreed with the decision. Some team members immediately objected: "Moon Demon Lord, we only respect Miss Yue Linglong; she is our leader."

Faced with these doubts, Moon Demon Lord did not respond immediately. Instead, he looked at Shen Mo with a profound gaze, as if to tell him, "It's time to show your strength." Shen Mo naturally understood that he couldn't do nothing at this moment, so he stepped out of the crowd, his gaze sweeping firmly across the entire scene, already having a plan in mind.

"Since that's the case, then let me prove my abilities," Shen Mo said slowly, his voice low but full of confidence and determination. He walked to the front of the crowd, gently raised his hands, and a powerful aura instantly spread out. A faint light emanated from his body, as if an invisible force was surging around him.

As the Heaven-Defying Divine Art - Heavenly Scroll - was activated, his aura surged dramatically, and he stood firm like a towering mountain. The surrounding air seemed to be compressed by this power, becoming heavy and even making it difficult to breathe. The disciples all took several steps back, their eyes filled with shock and awe.

Everyone was stunned. They had never seen such power before. Even the disciples who had previously harbored doubts about Shen Mo couldn't help but show admiration at this moment.

"What...what kind of technique is this?" a disciple exclaimed in surprise. "It's somewhat similar to the 'Heaven-Defying Divine Skill' we practice, but it far surpasses it!"

The Moon Demon Lord nodded slightly, a satisfied smile on his face: "As you all have seen, Shen Mo's strength far exceeds your expectations. He will serve as the captain for the opening of the Demon Refining Mountain. Any objections?"

However, some people remained unconvinced. One of the older disciples stepped forward and said, "Moon Demon Lord, if you really want us to be convinced, we need to see more substantial performances, not just a momentary burst of energy."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile: "Since that's the case, then I'll show you my true strength again." He adjusted his posture once more, his internal energy circulating, and his entire body emanated an even purer power fluctuation.