Wandering Swordsman |

The fight between the two lasted for half an hour. As time passed, the battle intensified, with each clash between Lü Yan and Chi Shazi accompanied by violent explosions, flames and light intertwining to create a breathtaking scene. Their movements became increasingly faster, almost too fast for the naked eye to follow. The spectators outside the arena held their breath, afraid to miss a single exciting moment.

After a fierce exchange, both men collapsed to the ground almost simultaneously, their bodies covered in wounds. However, just when everyone thought the match would end in a draw, Lü Yan suddenly struggled to his feet. Although his steps were unsteady, he stood firmly in place. Chi Sha Zi, on the other hand, collapsed helplessly to the ground, clearly having lost the ability to continue fighting.

A hush fell over the entire arena, all eyes fixed on Lü Yan, who had stood up. Seeing this result, Shen Mo smiled slightly, then announced loudly, "Lü Yan wins!"

Upon hearing the result, the Flame Demon Lord's face lit up with undisguised joy and excitement. His eyes shone with pride and satisfaction, as if he saw hope for his future. The Flame Demon Lord immediately went to Lü Yan's side, put his hand on his shoulder, and said in a voice full of praise, "Well done, Lü Yan!"

Lu Yan smiled slightly, though exhausted from carrying Shang Tong, his gaze remained resolute. He knew this wasn't just a personal victory, but also the glory of the Flame Demon Lord. He looked at the Flame Demon Lord, his eyes filled with determination: "Grandpa, let's discuss the matter you've been planning tonight in detail."

Upon hearing this, Yan Mojun was taken aback. He naturally knew that Lü Yan was referring to his ambition to dominate the world, so he nodded and said, "Alright! After five years, let's have a good chat tonight, grandfather and grandson."

Then, Shen Mo announced, "From this day forward, Lü Yan officially becomes one of the new Twelve Venerables." As soon as he finished speaking, cheers and thunderous applause erupted all around, echoing throughout the valley.

After the cheers subsided, Shen Mo glanced at the group who had followed him out of Demon Refining Mountain and asked in a steady, powerful voice, "Anyone else want to challenge me?"

Upon hearing this, Tu Yuliang saw that Yue Linglong and Lü Yan had both become Twelve Venerables, and a surge of eagerness welled up within him. He secretly clenched his fist, preparing to step forward and respond to Shen Mo.

However, just as he took a step, a hand landed on his shoulder. Tu Yuliang turned around sharply and saw Hua Tianyou standing behind him, shaking his head slightly and whispering, "With your current strength, you can't defeat the remaining superiors." Hearing this, Tu Yuliang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately withdrew his step.

A hint of resentment and helplessness flashed in his eyes, and he understood that Hua Tianyou's words were not unfounded. He knew that Yue Linglong's martial arts were the strongest besides Shen Mo and Hua Tianyou, so it was not surprising that she could defeat the Master; secondly, although Lü Yan was slightly weaker than Yue Linglong, with the blessing of the Heavenly Demon Qi, Lü Yan could also fight the Master to a draw.

Tu Yuliang pondered to himself, "As for myself, although I am only slightly weaker than Lü Yan, I do not possess the Heavenly Demon Qi, so my chances of defeating the master are less than 40%."

Thinking of this, Tu Yuliang couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, especially as the scene of betraying Shen Mo outside the cave resurfaced in his mind. His choice back then had cost him many opportunities, and now he could only watch helplessly as the gap between him and Yue Linglong and Lü Yan widened.

Meanwhile, Lü Yan silently observed everything. His heart was also filled with turmoil as he recalled his days on Demon Refining Mountain and how he had gradually come to where he was today. Lü Yan knew all too well that without Shen Mo's trust and support, he would never have achieved what he had.

Looking at Tu Yuliang, Lü Yan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. He knew Tu Yuliang's feelings must be complicated, given their past collaboration. However, Lü Yan couldn't say anything at this moment, because Tu Yuliang had chosen to betray Hua Tianyou after witnessing his martial prowess outside the cave. Shen Mo's decision not to kill Tu Yuliang was already Tu Yuliang's greatest gain within the Demon Refining Mountain.

Just then, Shen Mo's voice rang out again: "Since no one else is going to challenge us, then today's ceremony will end here. I hope that in the future, the entire sect can continue to unite as one and create a glorious future for the Divine Sect."

As Shen Mo finished speaking, the crowd began to disperse in an orderly fashion. The three Demon Lords stood on high ground, looking down at their disciples as they slowly retreated like a receding tide.

From this day forward, Shen Mo has officially become the new Heavenly Demon God of the Heavenly Demon God Sect, while Hua Tianyou, as one of the newly promoted Demon Lords, has not yet chosen his own base, so he decided to temporarily move into the Heavenly Demon Palace with Shen Mo.

Located deep within Fallen Sword Valley, the Heavenly Demon Palace is a magnificent and solemn architectural complex. Upon entering its gates, the first thing that catches the eye is the incredibly spacious main hall, where the Heavenly Demon Sect holds important discussions. Besides the main hall, it also includes studies, gardens, guest rooms, and side rooms, all arranged in a rational yet elegant manner. The entire Heavenly Demon Palace exudes grandeur while maintaining meticulous detail, showcasing its antiquity and mystery in every aspect.

As night fell, the moonlight bathed the courtyard of the Flame Demon Pavilion like water. Lü Yan walked quietly into the study, where he saw the Flame Demon Lord sitting at his desk, carefully flipping through an old book. Hearing footsteps, the Flame Demon Lord looked up, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Grandpa," Lu Yan bowed respectfully, "there are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

The Flame Demon Lord put down the book in his hand and gestured for Lü Yan to sit down. "What makes you so serious?" His voice was deep and magnetic.

Lu Yan took a deep breath and looked at Yan Mojun with a firm gaze: "Grandpa, now that a new Heavenly Demon God has been born, I want to advise you to give up your ambition to dominate the world." He paused and continued, "The new Heavenly Demon God's strength is unimaginable, even stronger than all previous Heavenly Demon Gods. Do you know? The inhuman power he displayed at the entrance of Demon Refining Mountain was actually only a small part of his total power."

The Flame Demon Lord frowned slightly, clearly shocked by these words. He remained silent for a long time, looking at Lü Yan with a complex expression, "How do you know all this?"

"I witnessed firsthand how powerful Shen Mo's martial arts truly were after he became the Heavenly Demon God within the Demon Refining Mountain," Lü Yan replied. "If you still refuse to relinquish this ambition and accept the current situation, I'm afraid there won't be a good outcome. Shen Mo's strength far exceeds our imagination; confronting him will only lead to the destruction of the Flame Demon Pavilion."

The Flame Demon Lord fell into deep thought, and the study was so quiet that only the two of them could be heard breathing.