Wandering Swordsman |

Before he finished speaking, Shen Mo gently raised his right hand, as if merely brushing away the dust from his shoulder, but in the next instant, he unleashed an invisible surge of energy that swept across the surroundings like a tidal wave. Duanhun Daosha felt a tightness in his chest, as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on his heart, making even breathing incredibly difficult.

"Cough cough!" He coughed violently, blood spilling from his throat. His body felt as if it were bound by invisible chains, and he couldn't even stand up.

"Hahaha..." The Soul-Severing Blade Demon suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, his voice filled with madness and resentment. "No matter how strong you are, you will never be a match for Lord Oda! Lord Oda will dominate the Central Plains sooner or later!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and muttered a difficult-to-understand incantation. In an instant, a cold and sinister aura erupted from his body, and his previously weak energy surged dramatically, even showing a hint of ancestral power!

"Die!" Duanhun Daosha roared, his figure transforming into a black rainbow. The long sword in his hand tore through the air, whistling as it aimed straight for Shen Mo's throat. The speed was so fast that even light seemed to be torn apart!

However, Shen Mo simply raised his hand slightly, without even moving the hem of his clothes.

Without any technique or preparation, he simply thrust out a palm, a faint white light emanating from his palm, like the rising sun, warm and irresistible. The white light collided with the black energy, like the sun melting snow; the black energy instantly dissipated, and the Soul-Severing Blade's attack was like hitting an impenetrable wall. He was violently blasted back by an overwhelming force, crashing heavily into a boulder, sending shards of stone flying and dust billowing everywhere.

"You... what kind of monster are you..." Duanhun Daosha's voice trembled so badly it was incoherent, his eyes filled with despair. He finally understood that his proud and unique skills were nothing more than the struggle of an ant in front of Shen Mo.

"No...this is impossible..." Duanhun Daosha coughed up a mouthful of blood, the last trace of madness in his eyes replaced by fear. He struggled to get up, but found that his legs were no longer under his control, and he could only writhe on the ground like a dying snake.

"Escape...I must escape..." Only this thought remained in his mind. "Lord Oda...must know...that such a monster exists in the Central Plains..."

He turned around abruptly and used his last bit of strength to crawl into the darkness, determined to crawl back and deliver the message!

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the grass, an indescribable pressure descended from the sky. Deep within Shen Mo's eyes, it was as if the gates of the underworld had opened, and an ancient, savage aura, imbued with endless killing intent and a thirst for devouring, emanated—the aura of the "Demon-Refining Beast King"!

The Soul-Severing Blade Demon's body suddenly stiffened, as if bound by invisible chains, unable to move even a finger. His pupils dilated to their limit, and a tearing pain shot through the depths of his soul, as if countless ferocious beasts were gnawing at his spirit. Despair, like an icy tide, instantly engulfed him.

"Please...please...spare my life..." he trembled, his voice broken, tears mingling with blood streaming down his face. "I'm willing...willing to be a slave...just to...live..."

Shen Mo looked down at him, his eyes still cold and unwavering. In his eyes, this was nothing more than a venomous snake wreaking havoc on the world, an evil root that must be severed. Pity? Unworthy of such a wicked cultivator.

Shen Mo slowly raised his right hand, his fingertips lightly tapping, and a sharp burst of energy shot out like a cold star piercing the sky, carrying the omen of death.

"puff--"

A thin, yet tangible golden energy shot through the air, faster than the limits of sound. It precisely pierced the throat of the Soul-Severing Blade Demon, leaving only a faint scorch mark, as if burned by heavenly fire, without any blood spurting out.

The breath pierced through his throat, and the Soul-Severing Blade Demon's eyes widened. A gurgling sound came from his throat, and blood gushed from between his fingers. The Soul-Severing Blade Demon's head tilted slightly involuntarily, and the light in his eyes visibly went out.

He tried to struggle, but all his strength had been drained away, and he could only watch helplessly as death devoured him.

He could never understand why there was such a young man in the Central Plains martial arts world who was so ridiculously strong at such a young age.

Shen Mo looked down at his corpse, his gaze calm and undisturbed.

"You're wrong. You shouldn't have underestimated me, and you shouldn't have implicated the innocent," he said softly, as if speaking to a corpse.

A moment later, Shen Mo used the Heavenly Demon Qi to turn the corpse of the Soul-Severing Blade Demon into dust.

Shen Mo then turned and left, his shadow stretching long in the sunlight, seemingly blending into his surroundings. A cool breeze blew from behind him, carrying the stench of blood and the chill of the night, as well as an indescribable loneliness.

......

That night, the wind was like a knife, cutting through the mountains and forests, whipping up a few withered leaves that rustled against the windowpane.

In a secluded valley more than ten miles from Dali City, an abandoned ancient temple has been temporarily occupied by evil cultivators from overseas, becoming their hideout and stronghold for plotting conspiracies. At this moment, the temple is dimly lit, the flickering firelight illuminating several sinister and terrifying figures.

Standing by the window, Oda stood with his hands behind his back, his black robe fluttering slightly in the wind. His gaze was deep as he stared at the distant night sky, his brows furrowed, as if some ominous premonition lurked in that deep darkness.

"The Soul-Severing Blade Demon... why hasn't it returned yet?" he murmured, his voice low and deep like the clash of metal, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

Standing behind him was a short, sinister-looking evil cultivator—the Immortal Child.

He was no taller than a child, yet his hair was as white as snow, his skin as pale as paper, and his eyes as deep as wells, as if harboring countless dead souls. His voice was high-pitched and chilling, like the hiss of a snake slithering through the grass.

"The martial arts of the Soul-Severing Blade Demon are on par with the leaders of the Nine Sects. In the Central Plains martial arts world, apart from those few old fogies, who can possibly harm him?"

He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips, his voice tinged with disdain: "Lord Oda, aren't you being too nervous? If something really happened to him, it would only be because he was too engrossed in his game and forgot to come back."

Oda didn't turn around, but simply gave a soft "hmm," though his gaze became even more serious.

At this moment, another evil cultivator slowly emerged from the shadows. He wore a gray robe, the empty sleeve of his left arm fluttering in the wind, while his right hand gripped a short, jet-black sword. His face was bisected by a scar running across his brow; his left eye was long gone, leaving only an empty hole, while his right eye shone with an unusual brightness, flashing with a cold light like a venomous snake.

He is the "Three-Handed Sword Demon"—another wanted criminal by the martial arts alliance among the overseas evil cultivators. It is rumored that he has three hands, and his swordsmanship is ruthless and his whereabouts are mysterious. He has committed many evil deeds in the Central Plains.

"The Soul-Severing Blade Demon has always been bloodthirsty, enjoying toying with his opponents before killing them," he said coldly, his voice low and hoarse, as if it came from the depths of hell. "Perhaps he's somewhere... practicing his skills by killing." A cruel smile crept onto his lips. "Let's wait a little longer."