Wandering Swordsman |

Shen Mo was deeply shocked. He could sense that the "Heavenly Demon Divine Art" perfected by Xuan Yuanling was indeed extraordinary.

It not only brought the domineering power of the Heavenly Demon Qi to its extreme, but also incorporated the mystery and nature of spiritual energy. The two complemented each other, producing a miraculous effect where one plus one is greater than two.

"This 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art'... is indeed profound!" Shen Mo sighed inwardly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He recalled the "Divine Martial Return to Truth Technique" that he had practiced in the Central Plains. It was also a peerless martial art that had shaken the ages, emphasizing the path to enlightenment through martial arts and the return to one's true nature.

However, compared to the "Heavenly Demon Divine Skill" before us, it seems to lack some of the profound mystery that resonates with heaven and earth, and has more of the traces of human intervention.

"This 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art'... can actually rival the 'Divine Martial Return to Truth Technique,' and may even surpass it!" Shen Mo's heart was filled with turmoil, and his admiration for Xuan Yuanling arose spontaneously.

As time went by, the demonic energy within Shen Mo's body was completely enveloped and amplified by spiritual energy.

Its originally domineering aura now possessed a touch of agility and elegance, as if it had undergone a complete transformation.

He slowly opened his eyes, and two sharp glints flashed from them.

At this moment, although he appeared outwardly the same as usual, his body had already undergone tremendous changes.

He could feel that his connection with this world had become closer, as if he could mobilize the power of the world for his own use with just a thought.

"Is this... the perfected Heavenly Demon Divine Art by Senior Xuanyuan?" Shen Mo murmured to himself, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement.

Outside the window, the moonlight, like water, quietly spilled into the courtyard.

Inside the room, Shen Mo was immersed in a new realm of martial arts and could not calm down for a long time.

Shen Mo sat cross-legged on the couch. Within three feet of him, it seemed as if he had created his own world, and even the flow of air became slow and viscous.

Since returning from the Frozen Continent, Xuan Yuanling's words, "By gaining insight into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I have finally perfected the Heavenly Demon Divine Art," resonated in his mind like a thunderclap.

At this moment, Shen Mo's consciousness sank into the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness, as if traversing a thousand years of time, engaging in a silent dialogue with the first Heavenly Demon God.

He originally thought that the ultimate goal of martial arts was to accumulate strength, break through realms, and cultivate a technique to its peak.

However, Xuanyuan Ling used the "Heavenly Demon Divine Skill" to tell him that the true essence of martial arts lies in "comprehension" and "inclusivity".

"Spiritual energy... it's a natural force that surpasses internal strength and even the aura of the Heavenly Demon." Shen Mo's fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on his knees. Each tap seemed to be questioning the ultimate mystery of martial arts. "Senior was able to use his body as a furnace, sense the breath of heaven and earth, and integrate that ethereal spiritual energy into his martial arts."

The demonic energy within him flowed slowly, a domineering, cold, and destructive force. Deep within this energy lay the profound mysteries of the "Divine Martial Return to Truth Technique" he had obtained from the Martial God's Tomb at the bottom of Erhai Lake, and the indomitable will of the "Heaven-Defying Divine Skill" he had honed through life-and-death trials in the Demon Refining Mountain.

"The Heavenly Demon Qi is dominated by slaughter and is extremely domineering; the Divine Martial Return to Truth is dominated by defense and fierceness, returning to simplicity; the Heaven-Defying Divine Skill is dominated by change and resilience, never giving up." Shen Mo's thoughts were clearer than ever before, as if he had peeled away layers of mist and glimpsed the origin of martial arts. "And above all, there is the pure internal energy I cultivated in the Central Plains, and... the Buddhist power of compassion after being fused with the relic."

At this moment, Shen Mo's state of mind underwent a tremendous change.

He was no longer the martial artist who simply pursued power, nor the demon god who fought to protect. He became a true martial arts master, an explorer eager to fuse all his life's knowledge into one.

"Since the senior was able to use spiritual energy to perfect the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, why can't I take my own step?" A bold and almost arrogant thought grew wildly in his heart like a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil.

"I want to create a martial art that belongs only to me, Shen Mo."

Once this idea takes hold, it spreads like wildfire and can no longer be contained.

He wanted to incorporate all the elements of righteousness, evil, Buddhism, and demonism, as well as the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth, into his martial arts system.

What he wanted to create was not a simple technique, but a complete and comprehensive explanation of martial arts!

Shen Mo took a deep breath, a long and deep breath that seemed to suck all the air out of the room.

Without further hesitation, with a thought, the several distinct forces within him slowly awakened, like subjects hearing the king's command.

First is the mental cultivation method of the "Heavenly Demon Divine Art," which manipulates the Heavenly Demon Qi like a pitch-black demonic dragon, roaring and roaming through his meridians.

That domineering aura seemed to cause the room temperature to drop several degrees.

Immediately afterwards, he silently recited the incantation of the "Divine Martial Return to Truth Technique" in his mind. A profound, ancient, and earth-like aura rose from his dantian, standing in opposition to the demonic energy of the heavens, yet miraculously not interfering with each other.

"Not enough!" A glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes.

The cultivation path of "Heaven-Defying Divine Skill" then unfolded. This skill, which emphasizes survival in dire straits, is like a nimble venomous snake, weaving between the demonic dragon and the giant elephant, cleverly connecting two completely different forces.

However, the real challenge lies in "integration".

The aura of the Heavenly Demon is domineering, the pure inner strength is gentle, the Buddhist power is compassionate, the demonic energy is violent, and with the ethereal spiritual energy, if these five forces are forcibly combined, it is no different from forcibly stuffing water and fire, ice and charcoal into the same container. The only outcome is self-destruction!

A fine layer of sweat finally appeared on Shen Mo's forehead.

Using his mind as a guide and his meridians as a furnace, he began a thrilling experiment.

He first used the "Heaven-Defying Divine Skill" as a foundation to build a robust framework, like a furnace for forging weapons.

He then carefully channeled the true energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art into it. The domineering power immediately tried to break free of the restraints, but was tightly bound by the resilience of the Heaven-Defying Divine Art.

At the same time, he silently circulated the "Divine Martial Return to Truth Technique," and a pure and righteous inner force, like warm jade, enveloped the raging demonic energy. One force, one gentle; one yin, one yang, began to slowly harmonize.

But that's not perfect yet.

Shen Mo's thoughts shifted again, and deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, the Buddha's heart, which had merged with the relic, trembled slightly.

A wisp of Buddhist power, warm and smooth as jade, yet containing boundless vitality, slowly flowed out.

This Buddhist power, like the finest adhesive, soothed the tyranny of the demonic energy and softened the rigidity of pure internal energy wherever it passed. With the cultivation of both Buddhism and demonic arts, and the balance of Yin and Yang, these two forces, originally incompatible like fire and water, began to slowly merge under the harmonizing power of the Buddhist power, transforming into a grayish-white, chaotic, and inexplicable true energy!

"Just one last step!"

Shen Mo's eyes shone with an unprecedented light. He sank his mind into the deepest part of his dantian, where he had absorbed the wisp of "spiritual energy" from the remains of Xuan Yuanling beneath the frozen volcano.

It was a blue, vibrant, and mysterious power.

Shen Mo guided this spiritual energy, which slowly rose, like a blue dragon coiling above the chaotic true energy.

"Mix it up!"

Shen Mo roared inwardly.

The azure spiritual energy, as if summoned by some force, slowly descended with countless threads, gently enveloping the chaotic true energy below.

And the chaotic true energy seemed to have found its home, beginning to slowly rotate around the spiritual energy.

The universe revolves!

Its bones are imbued with the aura of a celestial demon, making it incomparably domineering.

Pure internal energy forms the flesh, and righteous spirit prevails.

The power of Buddha is the essence, compassion and all-encompassing.

Demonic energy is blood, surging and turbulent;

And spiritual energy is the soul, transcending the mundane!

The five elements converge, and the five elements unite as one!

Within Shen Mo's body, a completely new energy cycle was born. It was no longer limited to a single attribute, but rather inclusive and all-encompassing.

It can be as domineering and murderous as the aura of a celestial demon, or as upright and unyielding as pure internal energy; it can heal and protect the body like the power of Buddha, or perceive the world like spiritual energy.

This is the true pinnacle of martial arts!