The Epiphyllum Seal quietly faded away.
Simon landed, standing directly in front of Mo Yun.
Upon witnessing such terrifying power, beyond all worldly imagination, the young swordsman couldn't help but feel a little lost.
"How are you holding up? Can you still bear it?"
Mo Yun's face was unnatural, but he was very stubborn, saying, "Of course!"
Simon looked at his distraught appearance and shook his head. This kid was going to have nightmares when he slept from now on!
"For you, seeing such a battle is beneficial. At least you should understand how to proceed. If you want to complete your Xin Jian Jing (Heart Sword Sutra), you need to learn from various schools. In the future, seize opportunities to spar with the successors of different martial arts sects."
"Yes, I understand."
"Let's go, we'll go see where Demon God Shu was killed."
Simon strode forward. The towering mountains that once stood before them had already become a wisp of historical smoke, now a flat plain.
Beautiful sunlight illuminated the earth, and a gentle breeze stirred their robes, lifting their spirits.
The pilgrims awoke as if from a dream, their faces adorned with happy smiles, and they too followed the Saint forward.
Using his Heavenly Eye to observe the world, Simon found a deep, sunken pit within the continuous mountain ranges of Kunlun Mountain. Inside, there were remnants of black traces, like foul blood, similar yet different from the power of Xiang Shu. To understand precisely, he would need to make direct contact.
After another ten days of arduous travel, by now, it was already April.
Many followers had already fainted, and a portion chose to stay behind to care for them, intending to continue their journey once their companions recovered.
Simon remained full of vigor. In his past life as an insect, he could replenish his energy with Soul Energy; now, with an inexhaustible superior affinity, he could walk until the end of time.
The swordsman beside him had followed closely, his body, internal energy, and will pushed to their limits. Fortunately, the stimulation he received while observing the battle earlier had ignited his sword intent, making his cultivation even purer, which allowed him to constantly hone himself.
He took a big step onto the snow-covered ridge, reaching the very top, which made one sigh and then let out a long cry.
Looking out, he saw the vast, clear blue sky. Sunlight shone on the Heavenly Lake, surrounded by mountains in the distance. This expanse of water was surprisingly bright and clear, like a deeply affectionate breath of air. A gentle breeze swept across, creating fine ripples, and the shimmering water reflected the mountains, clouds, snow, and the sky, as if encompassing all of heaven and earth within a single drop.
The vast lake was unfathomably deep; in the shallow parts, one could still see the mud and sand at the bottom, but towards the middle, even light could not penetrate, making the whole surface look like a glazed mirror inlaid with black gemstones.
Yet, in such a beautiful body of water, there was not a single living creature, which made one marvel at the wonders of creation while also raising some suspicion. It was understandable if such a majestic and clear water didn't harbor long dragons or strange fish, but it was impossible for there not to be even a tiny shrimp. If it truly was a dead place, it would be a pity. People always admire vibrant scenery; if it's utterly silent, then even the most captivating beauty, once seen enough, becomes no different from a roadside rock.
Mo Yun leaped down, sliding along the cliff face to the water's edge. He cupped a handful of water, examined it closely, then frowned and poured it out. He returned to Simon and said, "Lu Yuan Chan Shi, this water is quite peculiar. I observed it with my mind, but my clear sword heart didn't detect any sign of life. Normally, even the cleanest mountain springs have small insects. As the saying goes, 'The Buddha sees forty-eight thousand insects in a bowl of water.' Chan Shi, please take a look; is it my skill that is lacking, or is this water truly strange?"
Simon narrowed his eyes. These lake waters were all melted snow and rainwater, inherently lacking in minerals. However, they should still be more than sufficient to support some bacteria and algae. Yet, these tiny living things were being killed off by the aura emanating from the black bloodstains at the bottom of the lake, preventing them from multiplying.
As expected, this was the place Xue Feng had mentioned, where the Outsider had slain Demon God Shu.
It was indeed a powerful existence; the residual aura from tens of thousands of years ago could still suppress the vitality of an entire region.
At the heart of the lake, there was an even more terrifying, abyss-like presence. Black blood, like root tendrils, penetrated deep into the superior affinity, forming knots and tumors, resembling a massive, evil gestation chamber. Now, a large section of The Core was empty, as if something had already broken free from its chrysalis.
What exactly had happened back then could only be known after establishing a connection. Since Simon had decided to investigate thoroughly, he naturally wouldn't back down, but he worried that this venture might lead to unforeseen circumstances.
Though the current Simon was powerful, he was only dominant in shallow waters. The world was vast, history was profound, and each era had its own strong individuals. He had not yet reached a point where he could be reckless and careless.
So, Simon instructed Mo Yun: "Later, I will go to the bottom of that lake. I will use my divine ability to trace back through time and space to see what happened back then. It's hard to guarantee that there won't be any unforeseen changes. Go and inform my followers not to push themselves too hard; calculate the time and leave when they should."
Mo Yun accepted the command. Simon pondered for a moment, then separated the Pure Land Pearl from his own superior affinity pearl. This way, even if something happened to him, the Pure Land could still exist in the world.
He always took risks in his actions, but he also always made arrangements for his affairs, trying his best not to let his matters affect the lives of others. This was Simon's greatest kindness to the world.
Having made his preparations, he took a step, and his figure appeared at the deepest part of the lake.
This place was already thirteen li beneath the surface of the water. Ordinary martial arts masters would have their protective true qi crushed under such immense pressure, yet Simon still strolled leisurely.
It wasn't that his true qi was incredibly strong, but rather that his avatar was like a phantom, inherently without a solid form, so it was the same no matter where he was.
There was no light at the bottom of the lake. Simon's aura mingled with the water, and his perception spread out. Although he couldn't see with his eyes, the surrounding scenery was perfectly clear.
No mud or sand.
Underfoot were smooth stone slabs.
Stone pillars lay strewn everywhere, with patterns on them so weathered they were extremely blurry.
After walking a distance, there were several high platforms. After walking around them, Simon could confirm there were fourteen platforms.
Each platform was a hundred feet high and a hundred feet long and wide, covered in black bloodstains, clearly visible within the bright superior affinity.
The distribution of these platforms, their distances and orientations, roughly formed a human shape.
One platform to the north, one in the middle, five each to the east and west, and two to the south.
It was not difficult to see that Demon God Shu seemed to have been dismembered.
Head, torso, two feet, ten arms.
These parts were once placed on the high platforms.
But now, only indelible bloodstains remained.
Was this a seal? Like Chi You?
Then the seal was clearly broken, and these bodies were now nowhere to be found.
Simon connected with these platforms, and his Heavenly Eye began to trace the upstream of time.
...
Once, the Kunlun Mountains were a gently undulating plain.
There were only a few scattered hillocks.
Demon God Shu's massive body lay sprawled on the ground.
His grey-black, smooth skin glowed with a fiery red light, covered in crimson, demonic face runes. He had three faces, all with protruding fangs, and seven eyes—three pairs distributed on his cheeks, and one vertical eye on his brow. Along his sides were ten arms, each gripping a weapon, adorned with ancient, beautiful patterns that formed naturally.
The magnitude of Shu's physique was immeasurable; a single arm was longer than the nearby hillocks.
A man in a black robe with a tall crown and wide sash stood holding a broadsword on Shu's body, like a mosquito in the mountains.
He lightly swung his blade.
The next moment.
Demon God Shu was decapitated.
Molten gold-red blood, hot as lava, splattered upwards, showering the floating clouds in the sky, falling to the earth like a torrential downpour.
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