Wandering Swordsman |

Shen Mo's vision began to blur, as if the surrounding scenery was covered by a thin veil, gradually losing its clarity. His thoughts also began to slow down, and each idea required great effort to form. It felt like being trapped in a shrinking cage, with the surrounding walls getting closer and closer, pressing down on him and making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

"No, I can't give up like this!" Shen Mo cried out in his heart. He tried to mobilize the true energy within his body again, but found that the originally surging power had become extremely weak, as if it had been suppressed by some invisible force. Every breath became extremely difficult, as if the air itself had become heavy.

"What are you struggling for? It's all in vain." The voice of the black-flamed figure seemed to come from all directions, echoing throughout the entire inner world, sending chills down one's spine. "Once the demonic energy invades your soul, it will completely devour you. Your last bit of consciousness will vanish into nothingness."

Shen Mo closed his eyes, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He recalled the arduous journey he had taken. The promise he made to find Murong Qing in Luoyang when they parted, the agreement with Master Zhang to go to Wudang... these memories flashed through his mind like a series of paintings.

"I'm not resigned to this! I can't stop here; I have to keep going." Shen Mo silently vowed in his heart. Although the current situation seemed hopeless, he knew that as long as he had a sliver of strength, he couldn't give up easily.

However, reality remained cruel. No matter how unwilling Shen Mo was, he couldn't resist the devouring power of the demonic energy. He watched helplessly as the demonic energy spread from his limbs, gradually engulfing his neck, then his face, and finally slowly eroding his eyes. The icy yet burning sensation coiled around every inch of his skin like a venomous snake, slowly eroding his consciousness.

Finally, the demonic energy had completely engulfed Shen Mo. The black-flame figure swiftly approached Shen Mo, merging with him as he was completely enveloped by the demonic energy. At that moment, his entire inner world seemed to fall into eternal darkness, with only the eerie black light emanating from the demonic energy flickering.

Just then, suddenly, Shen Mo's inner world was illuminated by a blue light. The surrounding blackness was completely replaced by blue, as if the night had been dispelled by the dawn. Upon seeing this, the black flame figure that had merged with Shen Mo immediately looked around, only to see a blue ox that had appeared in front of him at some unknown time. The blue ox was majestic and exuded an ancient and mysterious aura.

Upon seeing the Green Ox, the black-flamed figure froze completely, as if lost in endless memories, seemingly recalling some distant recollections.

Before long, the green ox spoke in human language: "Master, in these endless years, your soul has ultimately failed to ascend to immortality and has fallen into demonic possession."

As soon as he finished speaking, a dazzling blue light suddenly emanated from the green ox, and the light instantly condensed into an incomparably sharp blue longsword.

The swords that the green ox transformed into pierced through the air with a whooshing sound, directly penetrating the body of the black-flame figure. In that instant, the black-flame figure seemed to collapse to his knees in excruciating pain, utterly powerless to resist.

"Azure Ox, you..." The black-flame figure's voice trembled, as if he couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes. As the sword that Azure Ox had transformed into pierced through his body, the black-flame figure's body began to shatter at a visible speed, falling like a broken eggshell, eventually turning into a white-flame figure.

At the same time, the scene shifts away from Shen Mo's inner world.

Within the vast space, Yue Linglong and the others only saw a burst of azure light emanating from the weapon wrapped in cloth behind Shen Mo. This light seemed to echo the special symbols on the seven blue stone walls within the space, each ray of light appearing to search for its corresponding rune, forming a mysterious and harmonious scene. At the same time, the light from the seven luminous pearls on the ceiling of the space grew even brighter, and the entire cave was instantly enveloped in a soft yet sacred radiance.

The oppressive aura of the celestial demon vanished instantly, replaced by a more mysterious fluctuation of power, and everyone regained their mobility.

Although Yue Linglong and Lü Yan were able to move freely again, they didn't even have time to catch their breath before immediately keeping a watchful eye on the motionless 'Shen Mo'. Their eyes were filled with vigilance and unease, unsure of what would happen next.

Then, the scene returns to Shen Mo's inner world.

The white-flame figure, now stripped of its black flame shell, took a step forward, while Shen Mo's consciousness remained motionless. This action caused the white-flame figure to dissolve its fusion with Shen Mo.

After breaking free from the fusion, Shen Mo was filled with surprise, but a sudden feeling of powerlessness overwhelmed him. He immediately bent over, put his hands on his knees, and gasped for breath, as if he had just gone through an extremely difficult battle.

"Who...who are you?" Shen Mo raised his head, his eyes filled with a hint of doubt and wariness as he stared at the white-flamed figure before him. However, at this moment, the white-flamed figure gave Shen Mo no sense of hostility; instead, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

The white-flamed figure spoke with an indescribable sense of vicissitude and relief: "I am Li Er. After my soul became a saint, I have been cultivating here, trying to ascend to immortality."

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat; the white-flame figure before him was actually Li Er's soul. "Senior Li Er, was that black flame you just now?"

Li Er's soul sighed softly: "In the long years of cultivation, my soul gradually became lost and fell into endless darkness. It was the Green Ox Sword you brought that awakened the sliver of clarity deep within my heart, which is why I was able to temporarily regain my true self."

"Alright, I don't have much time left. Since I've failed to attain immortality, this remnant soul is useless now." Li Er's voice was deep and firm. "Shen Mo, I'll give you a chance."

"Merge with this soul of mine, and I will find true liberation."

Shen Mo frowned, clearly puzzled by the suggestion: "Senior, now that you have regained your true self, why not continue your cultivation instead of seeking liberation?"

A hint of helplessness flashed in Li Er's eyes: "The sliver of clarity awakened by the Green Ox is only temporary. I can sense that I will soon fall into a demonic state again."

Shen Mo pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. He knew that accepting the request might bring unknown risks; but refusing might cause Li Er's soul to be possessed by demons again, facing even greater danger. "Alright! Senior Li Er, what do I need to do?"

Li Er nodded, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes: "You only need to connect your consciousness with my soul, and then guide my soul into your body. During this process, you will feel a powerful surge of energy, but as long as you remain steadfast, there will be no problem."