Wandering Swordsman |

Hua Tianyou looked up and saw that the clouds were cut into fragments by the canyon, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate, and the world seemed to be imprisoned in a cage.

He murmured to himself, "How wondrous is nature... to have sculpted such a deadly place!"

The two traversed this labyrinthine canyon for two months, enduring countless perilous obstacles such as poisonous swamps, insect nests, miasma waterfalls, and bone-corroding winds. Shen Mo used sword energy to clear a path and demonic energy to ward off poison, carving out a way to survive in the most desperate situation.

Although Hua Tianyou was the strongest person in the Heavenly Demon God Sect besides Shen Mo, he was in danger several times, and only thanks to Shen Mo's help was he able to proceed safely.

Finally, at dusk on the sixtieth day, they stepped into the heart of this vast canyon—the Soul-Devouring Abyss.

The concentration of miasma here has increased more than tenfold! The gray-green poisonous fog is as thick as paste, almost solidified, and makes a strange "gurgling" sound as it surges, as if countless dead souls are struggling in their throats.

The air was viscous and sticky, and every breath felt like swallowing scalding hot, poisonous sand.

Even though Hua Tianyou was activating his Heavenly Demon True Qi with all his might, his protective aura was still being corroded, making a "sizzling" sound. His skin quickly developed blue spots, his ears were ringing, and his mind was almost blurred.

"My lord... the miasma here is too strong, I... can't hold on much longer..." He staggered and knelt down, his voice hoarse.

If Shen Mo hadn't cleared the way ahead, using his supreme demonic power to force back the core of the miasma and create a narrow passage, even though Hua Tianyou had reached the realm of returning to simplicity and possessed unparalleled Heavenly Demon True Qi, he would have long since turned into another withered, bluish-black skeleton in the valley.

He struggled to lift his head and looked at Shen Mo's back—the man's black robes fluttered in the wind, and within three feet of him, not a trace of poisonous mist dared to invade.

Hua Tianyou was shocked and finally understood why his father called this place "Soul Devouring Abyss".

This is not an exaggeration, but the truth—the poison here can truly devour souls!

In the dense miasma where visibility was less than a meter, Hua Tianyou stayed close behind Shen Mo, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge.

Suddenly, Shen Mo stopped in his tracks.

He slowly stopped, his brows furrowed slightly, and the demonic patterns in his eyes suddenly lit up, like stars in the dark night.

The next instant, he turned his head sharply, his gaze like a sword, piercing straight to the right front—the depths of that churning, boiling gray-green miasma!

Hua Tianyou was startled, and before he could react, he felt a chilling, bone-deep oppressive force coming from his right, as if the gaping maw of an abyss had silently opened. A moment later, he realized—something was approaching!

It wasn't a poisonous insect, nor a miasma beast, but an ancient, violent, and terrifying aura!

The aura was like a mountain pressing down, carrying the scorching heat of a purgatory furnace and the stench of millennia-old rust. It moved with incredible speed, tearing through the miasma and rushing straight towards the two of them!

"My lord, be careful!" Hua Tianyou shouted a warning, but it was too late to draw his sword.

In a flash, Shen Mo raised his right hand slightly, his palm facing the unknown direction.

Without gathering momentum or shouting, only a jet-black palm energy burst forth from his palm—it was not ordinary internal force, but a palm wind formed from the condensed demonic energy to its extreme!

Wherever the palm energy passed, the thick miasma was torn apart like cloth, making a sharp "hissing" sound, and leaving a vacuum trail in the air that lingered for a long time!

"boom--!!!"

The palm strike hit the target precisely, unleashing a deafening metallic clang!

Sparks flew everywhere, like meteors falling to earth, instantly turning the surrounding miasma into white smoke.

As the smoke and dust cleared, a colossal shadow suddenly appeared—

It was a colossal beast, three zhang tall, covered in dark red scales. The scales were like solidified lava, with eerie green venom flowing from the gaps. Its four claws were forged from fine steel, striking the ground silently, yet cracking the rock strata. Its head resembled a crocodile but was not; its fangs were interlocked, and its crimson crystalline eyes gleamed with a cold, eerie light.

Although the forms are slightly different, the aura originating from the ancient demon-refining formation is definitely the same!

"A Demon-Refining Beast?!" Hua Tianyou exclaimed in shock, his voice trembling. "But... how could there be a Demon-Refining Beast from Demon-Refining Mountain here?! And its size and aura far surpass those of the Demon-Refining Beasts from Demon-Refining Mountain!"

Shen Mo's eyes flashed like lightning as he stared intently at the giant beast, his voice deep and thunderous: "Although there are differences, that aura is undoubtedly that of the Demon Refining Beast King!"

Before the words were finished, the Demon-Refining Beast King suddenly raised its head and let out a roar that shook the abyss—not a beast's roar, but a sharp shriek like the clash of metal!

The sound wave, carrying with it a thick toxic fog, exploded with a deafening roar. Wherever it passed, the rock walls on both sides were instantly eroded into countless honeycomb-like holes, as if wax had been ignited by fire. Blue smoke rose, and the stench was pungent and acrid.

The next instant, it kicked off with all four limbs, the earth cracked, and rubble shot out like bullets.

Its massive body, carrying immense force, charged forward like a steel fortress forged from hellfire and ancient runes—its target was none other than Shen Mo!

At the critical moment, Shen Mo's eyes turned cold, and his aura suddenly changed.

He stopped suppressing it and instead released it on his own—an ancient and violent pressure burst forth from his body!

That was the beast king's aura that he had absorbed into himself after defeating the demon beast king at the Demon Refining Mountain!

Sensing the aura of a beast king emanating from Shen Mo, the Demon Refining Beast King abruptly halted its charge, and a hint of human-like surprise flashed in its crimson, crystal-core-like eyes.

Its massive head was tilted slightly, and its nostrils flared, as if it were confirming something.

This aura... it's clearly the same aura as mine, the unique mark of being a Demon-Refining Beast King!

But the person in front of me is clearly a human being of flesh and blood, so how can he emit such an aura?

Its steps faltered, its claws scraping four deep gashes in the rocky ground, its scales clicking and cracking as if it were struggling to decide whether to retreat or tear this "usurper" apart.

However, just a moment later, the crimson light in its eyes suddenly turned into fury!

—Perhaps it realized that this human was not the true Beast King, but merely a "thief" who stole its Beast King aura!

The Demon-Refining Beast King roared to the sky again. This time, the roar was mixed with the pure aura of a beast king—a superior's intimidation that originated from its bloodline and was engraved into its bones, enough to make all beasts kneel down and their souls shatter!

The oppressive force crashed down on the two of them like an invisible giant wave.

Although Shen Mo felt nothing in the face of the approaching beast king's aura, Hua Tianyou felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer, and a sweet taste rose in his throat as blood welled up in his mouth.

His knees buckled, his mind churned, and illusions arose before his eyes: countless demonic beasts tore at his flesh, his father Hua Shenyong howled in the abyss... It was a crushing defeat on the soul level!

Just as his consciousness was about to fade, a hand gently landed on his shoulder.

The gentle Buddhist power mixed with the domineering demonic energy surged in like spring water, instantly cleansing the gloom in one's mind.

Hua Tianyou shuddered, cold sweat pouring down his face, but his eyes regained their clarity.

He looked up and saw that Shen Mo's expression was normal, his black robes fluttering, and he showed no reaction to the beast king's pressure!

The oppressive force was like a tsunami crashing against the shore, the poisonous mist surged into waves, and even the rock walls trembled and cracked. Yet Shen Mo stood amidst it all, like a lone peak calming the sea—unmoved, unshaken, and unyielding.

Within three feet of him, even the air seemed to freeze like glass, as if time itself held its breath.

The Demon-Refining Beast King was already upon them, its giant claws tearing through the void, its fangs shattering the poisonous mist, and it charged forward with immense force!

A foul stench filled the air, and Hua Tianyou could even see the eerie green venom dripping from the gaps in its scales, forming corrosive pits.

"I gave you a chance." Shen Mo's voice was deep, yet resonant like an ancient bell, piercing through the thick miasma and reaching the ears of the Demon-Refining Beast King. "Since you want to die... then I will grant your wish."