Wandering Swordsman |

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Shen Mo muttered to himself as he looked at Su Ming, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. "If I don't yet have enough strength to wield it, then the existence of this sword will only bring me danger."

Upon hearing this, Su Ming naturally knew that Shen Mo's concerns were not unfounded, so he nodded slightly and agreed, saying, "Brother Shen is absolutely right. I will keep today's matter to myself."

Shen Mo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He decided to sheathe the Azure Ox Sword before his strength reached its peak and not draw it easily for the time being. Although the Azure Ox Sword's power tempted him greatly, he understood that it was safer to continue using the Tai'a Sword until he had sufficient power.

Then, Shen Mo carefully sheathed the Green Ox Sword and carried it on his back. At this moment, he gripped the Tai'a Sword tightly in his hand again, feeling that familiar weight and sense of balance.

......

Shen Mo and Su Ming emerged from the stone chamber and stood once again before the stone slab containing the hidden mechanism. The circular plaza was now completely silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Shen Mo stared intently at the circular stone pillar mechanism, his eyes resolute. He took a deep breath, concentrated his inner strength into his toes, and gently stepped on the mechanism, unleashing a tremendous force.

With a muffled tremor, the passage slowly closed until it disappeared completely, as if it had never existed. Then, Shen Mo carefully placed the stone slab that had covered the mechanism back in its original position, meticulously adjusting the gaps between the slab and its surroundings until it fit perfectly. His movements were gentle and cautious, his eyes focused, as if afraid that the slightest mistake would shatter the tranquility.

Even after completing all this, Shen Mo remained uneasy, his brow furrowed. He drew his Green Ox Sword from his waist, and with a swift, swift motion, streaks of sword energy flashed through the air, precisely striking the stone slabs engraved with special symbols. Each strike contained just the right amount of power, neither damaging the slabs nor obliterating the symbols. With a crisp cracking sound, the characters carrying the secrets gradually dissipated, turning into dust and drifting away on the wind. Shen Mo silently prayed, hoping that this action would truly protect the old man's body from unnecessary harm.

"In this way, no one but us will be able to find Senior Li Er's physical body," Shen Mo said softly, his tone tinged with relief. Su Ming nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with trust and admiration for Shen Mo.

As they left the circular plaza, they passed through the narrow passageway entrance once more. The two demon-refining beasts remained there, motionless like loyal guards. They seemed to sense Shen Mo's presence but dared not approach, only watching from afar. When Shen Mo's figure came into view, the two demon-refining beasts, as if encountering a natural enemy, immediately turned and fled.

Looking in the direction the demon-refining beasts had left, Su Ming couldn't help but sigh, "Since there are two demon-refining beasts guarding this place, I imagine very few people would have the strength to enter the circular plaza."

Shen Mo smiled slightly upon hearing this, but did not say anything more. In fact, Su Ming was not wrong. According to the rules of the Heavenly Demon God Sect, only those under the age of thirty could enter the Demon Refining Mountain when it was opened, which already limited the strength of most people. If it weren't for someone like him who possessed the Heavenly Martial Body and had a fortuitous encounter, it would be absolutely impossible to defeat the Demon Refining Beast.

......

Time flies, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Over the past three years, the martial arts world of the Central Plains has undergone tremendous changes and reorganization. With the resurgence of demonic energy, the major sects, gangs, families, and academies realized that only by uniting once again could they resist the impending threat. Thus, under the leadership of Situ Dengfeng, the nine sects, one gang, eight families, and four academies jointly discussed and decided to rebuild the long-disbanded Martial Alliance.

The newly established Martial Alliance has set up a brand-new structure: with nine sects, one gang, and eight great families as its core, plus four academies, together forming the new highest authority of the Martial Alliance - the Council of Elders.

To ensure the fairness and broad representativeness of decision-making, an Elders' Council was established, composed of respected individuals elected by all factions to serve as elders and oversee the deliberation and decision-making on major matters. Situ Dengfeng was elected as the acting leader, responsible for leading and managing the entire Martial Arts Alliance until a new leader is elected.

The Martial Arts Alliance has multiple branches, each responsible for different tasks, such as intelligence gathering, martial arts instruction, and resource allocation. Each branch also has several subgroups dedicated to specific tasks.

This rigorous organizational system not only improved the operational efficiency of the Martial Arts Alliance but also strengthened its internal cohesion. More importantly, the orders issued by the Martial Arts Alliance have absolute authority, and all sects that join the alliance must obey unconditionally; those who disobey will be severely punished.

Meanwhile, the Black Wind Gang kept an unusually low profile during this period.

They, who were once arrogant and domineering, now rarely participate in public activities, as if they have disappeared overnight.

Some speculate that the Black Wind Gang might be conserving their strength, preparing to strike at the opportune moment; others believe they are wary of Situ Dengfeng's return as the leader of the martial arts world, given that the Black Wind Gang's kidnapping of Situ Meng years ago is already widely known and a secret. Whatever the reason, at least for now, the Black Wind Gang has temporarily halted its series of notorious crimes.

......

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Demon Sect, far removed from the Central Plains martial arts world, a year and a half remained before the events at Demon Refining Mountain concluded. Unsure of the specifics of what happened within Demon Refining Mountain, the three Demon Lords anxiously awaited the outcome.

In particular, the Flame Demon Lord still maintains contact with spies infiltrating various sects in the Central Plains. He seems to be fully prepared, waiting only for the results of the Demon Refining Mountain to be revealed before he immediately leads the Heavenly Demon God Sect to launch a full-scale attack on the Central Plains.

Standing in the training room of the Flame Demon Pavilion, the Flame Demon Lord gazed intently at the rolling mountains outside the window. He knew that once the Demon Refining Mountain was over, it would mean a new chapter for the Heavenly Demon God Sect. At this moment, the Flame Demon Lord firmly believed that the Flame Demon Pavilion and the Blood Demon Pavilion would eliminate the Moon Demon Pavilion members as planned, and that Lü Yan was stronger than Tu Yuliang, so Lü Yan would definitely become the new Heavenly Demon God. At that time, relying on the Heavenly Demon God Sect's emergence, using Qilin Village as a stepping stone, and combining it with spies throughout the Central Plains, the Heavenly Demon God Sect would be able to immediately conquer that rich land.

Thinking of this, the Flame Demon Lord's lips curled into a slight smile, as if he could already see the future he sought—a world dominated by the Flame Demon Pavilion. However, at that moment, a soft sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He turned around and saw a martial artist from the Flame Demon Pavilion hurriedly enter the training room, his face showing a hint of urgency and unease.