Wandering Swordsman |

Just then, Shen Mo noticed some mysterious runes engraved on the stone ox. These runes were intricate and seemed to conceal some important information. He immediately realized that deciphering the secrets of these runes might be the key to uncovering everything.

"Su Ming," Shen Mo turned to Su Ming and said, "Take a look at these runes and try to translate them."

Su Ming nodded, approached the stone ox, and began to carefully examine the runes. His fingers gently traced each symbol, his eyes focused and serious. After a moment, he looked up, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Shen Mo stood aside, quietly awaiting Su Ming's translation. The stone chamber was dimly lit, with the faint glow of the luminous stone barely illuminating the surroundings. An ancient aura permeated the air, as if time had stood still here for hundreds of years.

As Su Ming gently traced the ancient inscriptions on the stone slab with his fingers, translating them word by word, Shen Mo's expression grew increasingly solemn.

"My name is Li Er. Years ago, I traveled west from Hangu Pass and arrived here. Seeing the abundant spiritual energy of this place, I set up an array here to cultivate." Su Ming's voice echoed in the empty stone chamber, as if traversing a thousand years of time, because the old man whispered in his ear. "However, after cultivating for over a thousand years, although my soul has become a saint, my physical body has decayed."

Shen Mo stood to the side, his brows furrowed, his eyes revealing deep doubt and shock. He thought to himself: How is this possible? How can a person live for a thousand years?

Su Ming continued, "I have separated my soul and sealed it somewhere on this mountain to continue cultivating the Great Dao. If a destined person in the future encounters it, they will obtain unparalleled martial arts and be able to dominate the world. However, it is imperative that they do not commit any acts of killing and must prioritize cultivation. Otherwise, they will face eternal damnation..."

Upon hearing these words, Shen Mo couldn't help but gasp. No wonder the Heavenly Demon God Sect established itself with the pursuit of the ultimate in martial arts as its founding principle.

At the same time, countless images flashed through his mind: the mysterious power of soul separation, such a transcendent existence, as if it were from another dimension, which could no longer be explained by common sense.

"...My physical body is the eye of the Demon Refining Mountain array within this secret chamber," Su Ming continued. "If any future person with the right destiny enters this place, they must not touch my physical body, lest they damage the Demon Refining Mountain array and cause irreversible consequences. If a person with the Heavenly Martial Body enters this place, they may take the divine sword from the belly of the stone ox, inherit my mantle, and explore the supreme Dao."

"Heavenly Martial Body?" Upon hearing this, Shen Mo's gaze deepened, as if he had fallen into deep thought. Could it be that this old man named Li Er had foreseen his arrival here? If so, it would be truly unbelievable.

"...The divine sword inside the stone ox's belly is called the Azure Ox Sword. It was forged from the soul of my mount, the Azure Ox, after its death, using meteorite iron from outer space," Su Ming added at the end.

After hearing this, Shen Mo was deeply shocked, as if his understanding of the world had reached an unprecedented new height. He slowly approached the stone ox, carefully examining its outline and sensing the faint aura emanating from it. Then he reached out and gently stroked the surface of the stone ox, feeling the texture of the stone in his palm, as if he could touch a distant and mysterious history through that touch.

At this moment, the air inside the cave seemed exceptionally heavy, every gust of wind carrying an ancient aura, whispering forgotten tales in his ears. Shen Mo closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and experience the secrets hidden deep within this land. This newly discovered opportunity might lead him to a completely new starting point, allowing him to achieve what no one before him could.

Shen Mo crouched down, his gaze fixed on the lower abdomen of the stone ox. Sure enough, there was a slightly recessed space there, as if it were a secret deliberately hidden. He took a deep breath and slowly reached out his hand. The moment his fingers touched the cold metallic texture, a chilling sensation instantly spread from his fingertips throughout his body, as if touching the deepest memories in his heart.

"This..." Shen Mo murmured to himself, his voice tinged with barely suppressed excitement, "Is this the Azure Ox Sword?"

As his fingers penetrated deeper, a strange power seemed to be silently communicating with his skin. Shen Mo's heartbeat and movements involuntarily quickened. Finally, his hand grasped the hilt of the sword, and with a gentle lift, he pulled the sword out of the stone ox's belly.

As Shen Mo fully drew his sword, a faint light emanated from the gap in the scabbard, instantly attracting his attention.

Carefully examining the Azure Ox Sword in his hand, he saw that the scabbard emitted a faint blue light, like a twinkling star in the night sky, or a cold spring flowing beneath a glacier. The hilt was engraved with exquisite patterns, each stroke seemingly telling a story of the past. The icy feeling of holding the Azure Ox Sword was like a greeting from another time, causing Shen Mo to shiver involuntarily.

At this moment, an unprecedented feeling of clarity and understanding arose spontaneously, as if the sword had recognized him, and the sword seemed to have become Shen Mo's third hand.

"This is absolutely a divine sword! Far surpassing the famous sword Tai'a, the divine sword Qingniu." This thought immediately surfaced in Shen Mo's mind. He could feel that this sword was not just a weapon, but more like a long-lost old friend.

"Incredible..." Su Ming stood to the side, his eyes filled with amazement, almost unable to believe his eyes. "This is the Green Ox Sword left behind by Senior Li Er?"

Silence speaks louder than words. Shen Mo didn't answer, but simply gazed quietly at the sword in his hand. At this moment, everything around him seemed to have disappeared, leaving only him and the sword. He closed his eyes, trying to feel the sword's aura—an ancient and powerful force, seemingly telling him of countless years of waiting and anticipation.

Shen Mo slowly drew the Azure Ox Sword, its blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light in the dim stone chamber. He gently swung the sword, and the tip sliced ​​through the air with a crisp sound, as if even the surrounding air itself was being cut by its sharpness. However, a shocking scene unfolded—the air that had been sliced ​​through actually formed a clearly visible sword aura, striking the wall of the stone chamber with a muffled thud, causing the entire chamber to tremble.

Su Ming's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at what was happening before him. "This...this is...?" His voice was filled with astonishment and awe. "Even a simple swing can unleash sword energy that only a peerless master could wield?"

Shen Mo was equally stunned by the sight before him; the Azure Ox Sword in his hand seemed to possess unimaginable power. A strong sense of shock and unease welled up within him: 'Such a divine sword—unless my strength has reached a point where I can stand proudly above the world, I should not let the Azure Ox Sword be drawn again.' This feeling was like possessing a treasure that invites trouble, weighing heavily on his mind. He knew that once such a divine sword was exposed, it would inevitably attract countless covetous eyes, and might even bring him utter destruction.