Wandering Swordsman |

"What... what kind of power is this?" Xue Lingzi murmured to himself, his voice trembling with disbelief.

With a gentle wave of his right hand, Hua Tianyou unleashed an invisible force that transformed into a gray aura, completely neutralizing Xue Lingzi's sword strike. Everyone present was stunned by this sight, especially the three Demon Lords—Flame Demon Lord, Moon Demon Lord, and Blood Demon Lord—who immediately recognized the power.

"That's the Heavenly Demon God's Heavenly Demon Qi!!!" Flame Demon Lord was shocked. His face instantly turned extremely ugly, and his eyes were filled with disbelief. He knew that Heavenly Demon Qi could only be obtained through the Demon Refining Mountain, but Hua Tianyou had never entered the Demon Refining Mountain, so how could he possess this power?

At the same time, both the Moon Demon Lord and the Blood Demon Lord were shocked. They knew that the Heavenly Demon Qi was not only a symbol of power, but also one of the core elements of the Heavenly Demon God Sect's inheritance. And Hua Tianyou could use this power so easily—what did that mean?

Although Xue Lingzi was shocked by Hua Tianyou's formidable strength, his resentment grew even stronger. As one of the Twelve Venerables, renowned within the sect, he couldn't accept being so easily defeated by a young junior. Moreover, he had an even more important mission—to prevent Hua Tianyou from joining the Demon Refining Mountain midway.

"I absolutely cannot lose to him!" Xue Lingzi thought through gritted teeth. "If I lose to him, what will the others in the Heavenly Demon God Sect think of me? Besides, the Flame Demon Lord is counting on me to stop him from entering the Demon Refining Mountain." Thinking of this, a resolute look flashed in his eyes, and the demonic energy in his body instantly erupted, making him seem like a bloodthirsty beast.

At this moment, Xue Lingzi's eyes became even more ferocious, the surrounding air seemed to be dyed black, and cracks appeared on the ground, as if the earth itself was trembling.

Seeing Xue Lingzi use a forbidden move from the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, Moon Demon Lord immediately shouted, "Xue Lingzi, stop now!" Her voice was filled with anxiety, clearly not wanting to see fellow disciples killing each other. However, Xue Lingzi had already gone mad and wouldn't listen to any advice.

The Blood Demon Lord sighed softly, "He actually used that forbidden move from the Heaven-Defying Divine Art that would shorten his lifespan! It seems he's prepared to risk his life." He shook his head, seemingly helpless about Xue Lingzi's choice.

The Flame Demon Lord remained silent, a slight smile playing on his lips as he stared intently at Hua Tianyou, his eyes flashing with complex emotions. He knew that the outcome of this battle would directly impact his plans.

At the same time, Hua Tianyou's expression turned serious. He sensed that the demonic energy within Xue Lingzi's body was constantly rising, having increased more than tenfold.

Hua Tianyou knew he could no longer hide his abilities. With a slight movement of his hands, an equally powerful aura emanated from him—it was also a heaven-defying divine skill!

"Since you insist on fighting me to the death, then let me see what you're capable of." Hua Tianyou's voice was deep and firm, carrying an undeniable power. As his words fell, a powerful force surged forth, colliding with Xue Lingzi's demonic energy and producing a deafening roar. The surrounding air seemed to be torn apart, forming invisible ripples.

The two men's internal energies clashed fiercely in mid-air, and at the same time, they exchanged blows at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

Each exchange between the two seemed to trigger a small storm. Xue Lingzi's every strike carried a violent force, attempting to defeat his opponent in one fell swoop; while Hua Tianyou dealt with his opponent's attacks with ease, each dodge perfectly timed, as if he had already seen through Xue Lingzi's every move.

Hua Tianyou's figure moved like a ghost, each move precise and accurate, forcing Xue Lingzi into a steady retreat...

In just a quarter of an hour, Hua Tianyou's powerful strike secured victory in the challenge. Xue Lingzi felt an immense force emanating from Hua Tianyou's sword; he tried to block it, but Hua Tianyou's sword cleaved his own sword in two.

Seeing this, Xue Lingzi staggered back a few steps to avoid Hua Tianyou's sword, his face as pale as paper, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Hua Tianyou immediately stopped his heaven-defying divine skill and ceased his attack. Instead, he sheathed his sword, smiled slightly, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes: "Senior Xue Lingzi, you flatter me."

At this moment, the hall was completely silent, everyone was shocked by the scene before them. The Flame Demon Lord's face turned extremely ugly. He had originally thought that he could stop Hua Tianyou from entering the Demon Refining Mountain through Xue Lingzi, but the result was so unexpected.

The Moon Demon Lord gazed at Hua Tianyou, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She knew that if this suddenly appearing young man were to become the Heavenly Demon God, his martial arts would surely surpass his father's. How to guide him to lead the Heavenly Demon God Sect correctly became the key consideration for the Moon Demon Lord.

The Blood Demon Lord remained silent, simply watching everything unfold, secretly planning his next move.

Hua Tianyou stood in the center of the hall, looking at Yan Mojun with unwavering eyes, as if everything was under his control.

"Now that you have proven your strength, according to the sect's rules, you may enter the Demon Refining Mountain now." After a long while, the Flame Demon Lord finally spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

Upon hearing this, Hua Tianyou smiled slightly and respectfully cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your fair judgment, Lord Yanmo."

He then turned and bowed to the crowd, expressing his gratitude for their witnessing. Despite having just experienced a fierce battle, his expression remained calm and composed, as if everything was under control.

......

With Hua Tianyou's successful challenge against Xue Lingzi, the three Demon Lords—Flame Demon Lord, Moon Demon Lord, and Blood Demon Lord—brought him to the front of the Demon Refining Mountain.

Standing before the gates of the Demon Refining Mountain, Hua Tianyou gazed at the towering peaks enclosed by the high walls, his eyes gleaming with excitement and anticipation. His chest heaved slightly, and his breathing quickened. This land was not only the sacred ground where his father had become the Heavenly Demon God, but also the key to his own ascension to that position.

Hua Tianyou murmured to himself, his voice filled with excitement, "Father, I have finally arrived here."

Looking at Hua Tianyou's expression, Yan Mojun remained wary, but he had to admit that this young man indeed possessed an extraordinary aura. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence: "Since you have proven your strength, then according to the sect's rules, you may enter the Demon Refining Mountain once we open the entrance."