Chapter 237: Top-Grade Spirit Artifact
While feeling dissatisfied with his sect disciples' performance, the Ten-Thousand-Blood Demon Lord naturally also noticed the strange formation blocking the demonic sect's prodigies.
However, not being a spirit-plant master, his perception of spirit plants was nowhere near as keen as Azure Venerable's. Even so, with a single glance he discerned the source of the formation's tremendous power: that special nut-shaped spirit plant buried underground.
It was precisely that nut-shaped spirit plant which absorbed the attacks falling upon the formation's light curtain, preventing it from being broken.
Yet as a top-tier cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, with his powerful divine sense, the Ten-Thousand-Blood Demon Lord still managed to glimpse a few details.
"Not bad, you've got some ability. But even such a genius doesn't qualify to be a true disciple of your Shennong Valley. Seems your sect's disciple promotion standards have some serious issues." The Demon Lord could not help but sneer.
Although he saw less than Azure Venerable, the power displayed by the Nut Formation was more than enough to prove that Gu Mo's true body possessed the talent of a top-tier true disciple.
Naturally, such a talent was one the demonic sects wanted to eliminate. Unfortunately, Gu Mo was a Shennong Valley disciple. If the Demon Lord dared to act directly against him, Azure Venerable across the way would certainly not sit idly by.
Thus, at most, he could only mock a little. Instead, it was that Lin Wu whose potential seemed even greater than Gu Mo's, and who lacked the protection of a Nascent Soul-level background. Moreover, Lin Wu was a disciple of the Grand Yan Sword Sect, the one with the deepest hatred toward the demonic sect. He was the true top-priority target to be eliminated.
"No need for your reminder!" Azure Venerable replied coldly.
At this moment, she too felt a bit puzzled. With Gu Mo's level of talent, why hadn't the sect promoted him to true disciple status?
The difference in resources between an ordinary inner-sect disciple and a true disciple was like night and day. For Gu Mo to have displayed such astonishing strength as merely an inner disciple—if he had received the treatment of a true disciple, wouldn't he become even stronger?
But this was hardly the time to go question the Valley Master. For now, Azure Venerable could only suppress her doubts and keep observing the island, on guard lest the demonic sect secretly cheat.
Although Lin Wu wasn't a disciple of Shennong Valley, he was still one of the righteous path's top prodigies and a pillar of its future fight against the demonic sect. She did not wish to see him perish here.
However, restricted by the rules of the Heavenly Chosen Battle, Azure Venerable could only prevent cheating. She could not directly intervene to aid him.
"This… this…"
Ding Shiyan and Du Jinpeng both stared in a daze at the grim faces of the demonic sect prodigies outside the barrier.
That formation's light curtain looked paper-thin, yet it withstood the combined assaults of dozens of demonic prodigies. This was simply unreasonable.
But reasonable or not, the fact was plain before their eyes.
"I don't believe this damned formation is really that strong!" After several failed attempts to break it, one of the demonic prodigies grew vicious, preparing to unleash his full strength.
Of course, he didn't forget to rally the others: "Everyone, together! If we strike with all we've got, we can definitely shatter it!"
Yet few responded. Even if they succeeded, those who spent all their energy breaking the barrier would only let the righteous prodigies behind them swoop in and reap the spoils.
Thus, Gu Mo's Nut Formation didn't need to be strong enough to withstand the full force of all those demonic prodigies. As long as it could endure half that strength, it was already sufficient.
None of the demonic prodigies dared to exhaust themselves completely. Otherwise, the righteous prodigies watching from behind would seize the chance without hesitation.
All the more so since Gu Mo's Nut Formation, guarded by the fourth-rank Nut Sprite Little Dull, could indeed block their full power strikes. Only if the righteous and demonic prodigies joined forces could it be broken—something that would never happen, nor be allowed to happen.
Therefore, once the Nut Formation was set up, Gu Mo felt completely at ease to begin comprehending the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Secret Art.
Time passed.
At this point, three areas on the island drew the most attention. The first was the chase between Gu Mo's avatar and the black-clad demon lord; their outcome would directly determine the overall result of the Heavenly Chosen Battle.
For now, Gu Mo's avatar was clearly at a disadvantage, but since the black-clad demon lord could not catch him, there remained a thread of hope in everyone's hearts.
The second was the battle among the true disciples of both righteous and demonic sects. This was the fiercest clash. Already, three righteous true disciples had been forced to withdraw, and three demonic true disciples as well.
With their strengths fairly evenly matched and comrades covering each other, neither side found it easy to kill. As a result, all six had managed to activate their identity tokens and withdraw safely.
Even so, the fight continued unabated, as if determined to grind everyone down to the last. Both sides understood well: they absolutely could not allow any enemy to remain. If the righteous side preserved their numbers, they could aid Lin Wu, making it harder to kill him. If the demonic true disciples survived, the danger would only escalate.
The third focal point, naturally, was where Gu Mo's true body resided. Although the largest crowd gathered here, this place appeared the calmest.
Inside the Nut Formation, Gu Mo and his companions sat composed and unruffled, while the demonic prodigies raged helplessly outside and the righteous prodigies watched from further away.
But as time ticked by and the opening of the Jade Stone Treasure Chest drew near, both demonic and righteous prodigies grew increasingly restless.
If they couldn't break the Nut Formation, then the treasures within would end up in Shennong Valley's hands.
The demonic prodigies had long since abandoned trying to break it, having tested every method to no avail.
"You think you can just stay in there forever?" one of them snarled, glaring hatefully at Ding Shiyan and Du Jinpeng inside.
As for Gu Mo, still immersed in comprehending the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Secret Art, he ignored them completely. Ding Shiyan and Du Jinpeng, however, watched with relish the fury twisting the faces of the demonic prodigies outside.
"The time's up, is it? How convenient."
Gu Mo withdrew from his state of comprehension, slowly opening his eyes. At once, he saw the radiance on the Jade Stone Treasure Chest fading away—signifying that the full day had passed and its opening condition had been met.
Naturally, all the prodigies outside also noticed the fading radiance and knew the condition had been fulfilled. But the thin barrier still stood in their way.
Thus, they could only watch helplessly as Gu Mo opened the chest.
Ding Shiyan and Du Jinpeng understood well: the only reason they still stood safe here was because of Gu Mo. Therefore, the treasure inside rightfully belonged to him.
Buzz!
As Gu Mo opened the Jade Stone Treasure Chest, a surge of murderous intent burst skyward. Along with it came a sharp aura so intense it stung the skin.
The previous treasure guarded by the spirit-plant demon king had been a support-type item. This one, however, was a weapon—specifically, a top-grade spirit artifact sword.
To be exact, it was a metal-element flying sword infused with a Sword Spirit of Slaughter.
"Hahaha!"
Up in the sky, the Ten-Thousand-Blood Demon Lord burst into laughter at the sight. He was very eager to see how a spirit-plant master would handle the lethal weapon he had prepared.
By the rules, every treasure in the Heavenly Chosen Battle had to be ownerless. Thus, the top-grade spirit artifact flying sword he had placed here was, of course, unclaimed.
A spirit-artifact-grade alchemy furnace contained a spirit that could assist the alchemist in refining pills. By the same logic, if a flying sword reached the level of a spirit artifact, and if its sword spirit was properly nurtured, it too could comprehend Sword Intent. Once imbued with that Sword Intent, the sword's power would soar.
Moreover, the sword spirit's comprehension of Sword Intent could in turn aid its master in grasping that very Intent. When sword spirit and master's Sword Intent resonated together, their combined might would erupt with even greater force.
But a sword spirit that had mastered a formidable Sword Intent was never easy to subdue. A sword was, after all, a weapon of slaughter. Without sufficient strength, one who tried to forcefully claim ownership would be struck back by the sword spirit itself.
According to the Demon Lord's estimation, only after one of his disciples broke through to the Nascent Soul stage and relied on the sect's secret arts could they barely manage to bind such a weapon. As for others, even if they obtained this sword, they would be unable to claim it.
Thus, even though their previous plan had been ruined by Qing Sovereign, this top-grade spirit-artifact flying sword could only recognize one master.
"Hmph!"
Feeling the oppressive wave of slaughter Sword Intent, Gu Mo gave a cold snort and directly seized the flying sword with his hand. As for the invading surge of Sword Intent, he blocked it outside his body with his Great Sun Sword Intent.
If not for the need to conceal himself, his true body could also have used Great Sun Sword Intent to suppress it outright.
Even so, this Slaughter Sword Intent still gave Gu Mo a great deal of insight. When his sword-cultivator avatar first joined the Grand Yan Sword Sect, Xuan Tianhen had guided him toward comprehending Slaughter Sword Intent. Yet in the end, with the aid of the Yin-Yang Sword Sect's Sword Intent Stone and Sun Essence, Gu Mo had grasped the Great Sun Sword Intent instead.
Since then, he had put Slaughter Sword Intent aside. But now, with this top-grade spirit-artifact flying sword, Gu Mo could fully pick it back up again.
If that time came, he would wield both Great Sun Sword Intent and Slaughter Sword Intent. Taken to great heights, Slaughter Sword Intent was no weaker than the Great Sun Sword Intent.
"Junior Brother Gu Mo, don't push yourself."
Ding Shiyan gazed at Gu Mo with tense worry. As a sword cultivator herself, she knew all too well the dangers of letting Sword Intent enter the body. That terrifying Slaughter Sword Intent was something even she dared not face head-on.
"It's fine. I don't plan to keep this thing anyway." Gu Mo waved it off, his gaze lifting toward the distant horizon.
His words left Ding Shiyan somewhat puzzled. And not only her—everyone watching Gu Mo was equally baffled. If he didn't plan to keep it, did that mean he meant to throw it away?
Perhaps he intended, while the others were busy scrambling over the spirit artifact, to activate his identity token and leave the island altogether. That, too, seemed like a possible strategy.
But then, as a streak of sword light sped over from the horizon, everyone was struck by a chilling realization.
"Stop right there!"
The black-clothed Demon Lord's heart jolted when he saw the direction Gu Mo's avatar was moving. The other was clearly heading for that top-grade spirit-artifact flying sword. If Gu Mo managed to seize such a treasure, the consequences would be dire.
Without hesitation, the black-clothed Demon Lord slashed out a blood-red beam. But Gu Mo's avatar was already prepared. His figure dissolved into a wisp of wind, slipping past the strike.
All along the way, Gu Mo kept unleashing Wind Escape and Wood Escape, pushing his mastery of Wind Escape to perfection.
That made him all the harder for the black-clothed Demon Lord to catch. Of course, mastering an escape art alone would not let Gu Mo's avatar defeat the opponent.
But if he combined it with the Heaven-Demon Disintegration Secret Art—and with that top-grade spirit-artifact flying sword—things would be different.
"Out of the way!"
Seeing Gu Mo's avatar drawing near, the demonic prodigies surrounding the Nut Formation quickly scattered. None of them wished to face someone capable of holding out this long against a Demon Lord.
With no one in his way, Gu Mo's avatar passed straight through the barrier that the other demonic prodigies had thought unbreakable, and entered the Nut Formation.
True body and avatar met again. They spoke no words. The avatar handed over the spirit-stone meditation mat and a spirit-artifact alchemy furnace gained from another jade chest, while the true body gave the top-grade spirit-artifact flying sword to the avatar.
To the onlookers, this exchange looked perfectly natural.
"Rumble!"
Just then, as true body and avatar were trading treasures, the black-clothed Demon Lord appeared and unleashed a full-force punch at the Nut Formation. If the blow succeeded, he could annihilate both Lin Wu and Gu Mo—two prime targets—in one strike.
"What—this, this…"
When the might of his attack faded, the spectators saw the Nut Formation still intact, and they cried out in disbelief. Even beneath the ground, several of the nuts had cracked, and even Little Dai, a fourth-rank nut beast, bore fissures on its shell.
But the damage was minor. At that moment, Little Dai was rapidly absorbing the underground spiritual energy to restore itself and the other nuts.
"No wonder it's so unbreakable—this formation can't even be shattered by a Nascent Soul Demon Lord. And not just any, but one who had advanced through true inheritance." The sight left the demonic prodigies utterly hopeless. All their earlier efforts had been in vain.
"Buzz!"
As the crowd reeled at the Nut Formation's power, two mighty Sword Intents flared forth. Gu Mo's avatar was suppressing the spirit of the top-grade flying sword.
For a weapon of slaughter, there was only one way to claim ownership: force it to submit. Now, the vast might of the Great Sun Sword Intent pressed down upon the sword spirit.
But the sword spirit of a top-grade artifact was incomparably strong. Such a treasure was coveted even by Nascent Soul experts at the great circle. Faced with Gu Mo's suppression, it refused to yield.
Seeing this, Gu Mo didn't bother with patience. At another time, he might have worn it down slowly. But now, he had no such luxury.
Without hesitation, he activated the first stage of the Heaven-Demon Disintegration Secret Art. In an instant, his avatar's strength surged, crushing down on the sword spirit.
"Heaven-Demon Disintegration!"
The black-clothed Demon Lord instantly recognized the technique. Many already knew that Gu Mo's avatar had obtained the Heaven-Demon Disintegration Secret Art.
But no one expected him to have mastered it so soon. Entry into this technique was considered relatively simple, true—but this speed was still far too shocking.
It had been so little time, and he had been fleeing for his life the entire while!
"Still not submitting?"
As the top-grade flying sword continued to tremble, Gu Mo's eyes narrowed. A sword core flew out from his body—and ignited.
The moment they saw this, everyone's hearts clenched in unison.
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