3: Chapter 3 Seeking Ascension at the Demon Cliff

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According to Shen Moyan's explorations in his previous life, he concluded that this Final Stroke of "As I Have Written" meant that the minimum requirement for a new life was for him to live for at least ten years.

If he did something with significant influence, he could also reach the lower limit of the Final Stroke faster.

In other words, to achieve a Final Stroke, one's life must at least have a clear beginning and end, with definite goals, and not "end badly" or be "unfinished."

"I wonder what would happen if I died before I could write a Final Stroke."

Shen Moyan naturally dared not gamble with his life.

Even though no one in the world was his match, he dared not be careless.

"The goal for this life is to first interrogate Ren Wuchang and find out what his 'Heaven Worship Ceremony' was really about back then."

It was strange to say, but in the entire Great Qǐ Kingdom, Shen Moyan had never heard of a martial artist achieving Ascension.

He had traveled all over the Five Mountains and Ten Sects, flipped through ancient texts, and only from scattered words did he glean some information about 'Ascension.'

However, there was no record in the texts of any Ancestral Master achieving White Day Ascension.

Ascension, this obscure concept, was it real or fake?

There was nothing in the orthodox sects; only in the ruins of the Demonic Cult did he find a major event record of the First Cult Leader's Ascension, which was truly baffling.

In the previous life, because Ren Wuchang died too suddenly, Shen Moyan had no way of understanding the Demonic Cult's secrets.

"No matter, I have brought back the Internal Energy and experience of the Peak of the Mortal Realm. Ren Wuchang, who once required a hundred schemes to defeat, can now be crushed with sheer strength."

Shen Moyan pondered, carefully comparing the difference between the Ren Wuchang who swept across the land in his memory and himself.

He concluded that Ren Wuchang was merely a nobody on the roadside.

"However, if life continues as it did in my previous life, it would be quite boring."

In this mortal realm, Shen Moyan already stood above billions.

Money, beauty, fame, status—he lacked none of them.

In terms of power, he was the Peak of the Mortal Realm. In terms of authority, he held absolute sway in the imperial court. In terms of reputation, he was revered as a myth in the Jianghu.

As for beauty, it was merely a fleeting illusion.

Those Jianghu heroines, courtesans, and noble ladies, he had indulged in them all during his later years.

Although the fleeting pleasure was good, whenever he sat alone on Ziyang Mountain Peak at night, gazing into the distance, thoughts would always arise in his heart.

What is the meaning of life?

At sixty years old, he watched the sun rise and set, as his friends and family died one after another.

If life continued like this, generation after generation, one day his mind would become numb, his humanity would be lost, and he would become nothing more than a walking corpse.

But the appearance of the two Cultivators, Gao Sheng and Zheng Quan, shattered all of this.

"I must leave this plane before those two Cultivators descend."

Recalling that world-ending scene, Shen Moyan still felt a chill down his spine.

The power of Cultivators could reach such a level, disintegrating the surface and collapsing worlds.

That feeling of powerlessness during the end of the world was like a bone-marrow parasite, deeply rooted in Shen Moyan's Soul.

But at the same time, it also filled him with longing, his eyes brimming with ambition.

Beyond this small world, there was a whole new world!

If there was longevity in that world, then eternal life was naturally not impossible!

"Then, let's begin, my new life!"

Shen Moyan pushed open the sandalwood door and strode out... At 13, just as he did in his previous life, Shen Moyan massacred the entire Ye family, leaving no one alive.

At this time, the Demonic Cult had not yet risen; it was still recruiting members and building up its strength.

At 15, Shen Moyan chose to join the Demonic Cult, and with his ruthless methods and unfathomable Internal Skill, he quickly rose to the position of Protector, and reforged the startling swan sword.

Jiangbei, Blackwood Cliff.

Inside the deliberation hall, Ren Wuchang sat in the main seat, looking with interest at the impossibly young man before him.

"Who are you? Why have I never heard of you in Great Qǐ?"

This person, after joining his Holy Cult, had been looking for opportunities to approach him. To kick out the former Protector, he must be at least a First-rate master.

"Just an unknown nobody." Shen Moyan's expression was calm; he had disguised himself, so no one knew his identity.

"Cult Leader Ren, let's be frank."

"How much do you know about 'Ascension'?"

Shen Moyan's back was straight, showing no fear. The startling swan sword, darkened at his waist, seemed to sense something, emitting a faint hum.

As long as he could obtain definite news about Ascension, everything in this world could become his stepping stone.

Hearing this, Ren Wuchang's face turned cold, his narrow eyes suddenly constricted, like an owl meeting its prey.

His figure suddenly vanished from the throne, reappearing behind Shen Moyan in the next second. The heavenly demon sword was unsheathed, striking towards the back of his head with a whooshing sound.

This strike condensed the bloody Internal Energy of the Blood Transformation Demonic Art; an ordinary First-rate master would be severely injured upon contact.

But Shen Moyan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He lightly tapped his toes, his figure darting several zhang like a startled swan, narrowly avoiding the sword wind.

Crack—

Their True Qi erupted outwards, and the floor tiles instantly shattered, cracks spreading like a spiderweb.

Ren Wuchang no longer underestimated his opponent. As the demonic sword danced, countless black Qi currents coiled around Shen Moyan like venomous snakes.

Shen Moyan no longer concealed his strength. The startling swan sword was unsheathed, its light blossoming like frost and snow, each strike precisely deflecting the Qi currents.

His sword moves were steady and fierce, carrying the majestic aura of the Five Peaks Sword Art, yet also infused with the cunning and agility of Demonic Cult martial arts.

"Peak Realm? Who exactly are you?"

The more Ren Wuchang fought, the more alarmed he became. This person's aura was stable, clearly having entered the Peak Realm some time ago.

"Well, am I worthy of exchanging secrets with the Cult Leader?" Shen Moyan's tone was calm.

"Naturally."

Ren Wuchang smiled, but in reality, he was panicking.

This person's origin was mysterious, and his strength was definitely above his own. Damn it, who leaked the news? He thought he hadn't told anyone the secret of Ascension. It seemed the cult needed a cleansing soon.

Damn it, who leaked the news? He thought he hadn't told anyone the secret of Ascension. It seemed the cult needed a cleansing soon.

"However, to speak frankly, there must be at least a basic sincerity, right?" Ren Wuchang said.

"Of course."

Shen Moyan stood still, sheathing his sword, and spoke slowly:

"The Holy Cult's plans, the specific contents of the Heaven Worship Ceremony, have already been discovered by the higher-ups of the Five Mountains and Ten Sects. The imperial court is also closely monitoring this matter, and has been secretly preparing the Imperial Army for years, dispersing them near Blackwood Cliff."

Of course, these were merely smoke and mirrors spread by Shen Moyan; the truth was not so.

Ren Wuchang's face stiffened. In his plan, dealing with only the Five Mountains and Ten Sects was manageable for him alone.

But if the imperial court intervened, and those uniformly equipped Imperial Army soldiers came to harass them, he might very well be overwhelmed.

"Your Excellency's meaning, I understand."

Ren Wuchang wanted to complete the Blood Sacrifice and gather materials, which required someone to block the imperial court's forces for him.

In other words, he needed Shen Moyan.

"Your Excellency wishes to exchange one act of assistance for the secret of Ascension?" Ren Wuchang's expression was complex.

"No."

Shen Moyan slowly shook his head, his eyes profound.

"I want to tell you this."

"If you don't tell me the secrets of Ascension, your Demonic Cult will face a dead end."

"Even you, as a Peak master, will certainly die."

Shen Moyan said with an undeniable tone.

"After all, your Peak, and my Peak..."

"Are not the same."

Shen Moyan's aura of the Peak of the Mortal Realm completely erupted, causing the entire hall to shake precariously. The space within thirty zhang around him was crushed into dust by his profound True Qi.