196: Demonic pollution, a secret from ten thousand years ago

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Sword Ancestor flicked his sleeve, and tens of thousands of Sword Qi swirled around it, converging into a Sword Dragon that slashed through the Void Realm, instantly annihilating countless Sacred Race beings.

"Hehehe... Jiansheng Yi... I've long wanted to test your methods..."

The giant skull roared, and boundless Devilish Qi, accompanied by Sword Qi, swept through the depths of the Void Realm.

The two fought into the unseen depths of the Void Realm, and the distant tremors of residual power still made everyone feel a lingering fear.

"Sword Ancestor..."

Ling Xuzi wiped away the blood, his gaze solemn as he looked towards the depths of the Void Realm.

Only he knew how severely Sword Ancestor was injured after forcefully enduring the sixth Heavenly Tribulation.

"Everything hinges on this one action..."

"All Shu Mountain Disciples, follow me and kill!"

"Kill!"

Gu Changsheng repelled the encroaching Sacred Race with a single sword, shielding Qian Ya and Le Xiaoyao, and tossed out several bottles of Medicinal Pills for restoring magical power.

"Thank you, Revered Master!"

Both were covered in blood, their Killing Intent boiling, and their magical power significantly depleted.

"The three of us will assist each other in offense and defense to overcome this tribulation."

"Good."

At this moment, many Old Ancestors from various affiliated Sects in the outside world appeared in the Void Realm, their eyes filled with apprehension as they looked towards the horizon.

There, devil clouds and Sword Qi were mixed together, and the occasional bursts of residual power seemed capable of overturning heaven and earth.

"Indeed, Sword Ancestor has finally emerged..."

"Now, we'll see whose Dao is superior..."

Shu Mountain exerted pressure on many affiliated Sects, limiting their development and even secretly taking action against them.

But ultimately, they were of the Human Race.

Many hoped that Sword Ancestor would win.

In the depths of the Void Realm, black lightning raged, making the entire world seem like the end of days.

Sacred Ancestor Qilan, whose body was covered in green scales, suddenly thrust his arm through the Void Realm, his sharp claws sweeping across, violently tearing apart Sword Ancestor's immortal Sword Body, and forcefully extracting large chunks of crystal-clear, jade-like flesh and blood.

Immediately, Sword Ancestor's aura faltered.

"Jiansheng Yi... you forcefully endured three disasters and were injured by the Cursed Flame Wind, yet you haven't fully recovered. You actually forced yourself out of seclusion to protect these Disciples and grand-Disciples.

Foolish!

With your cultivation, why not join me in the Sacred Realm, enter the True Devil Pool, and then, after refining a True Devil Body, your Lifespan can extend for tens of thousands of years.

Wouldn't that be wonderful!"

Sword Ancestor's flesh and blood squirmed, and a mystical light swept over the injured area, instantly restoring his body to its original state.

His face remained as calm as an ancient well, saying, "Qilan... perhaps I should use a different address... Fellow Daoist Lanshan, is this why you sacrificed Burial Corpse Valley with blood and betrayed your Sect and the Human Race?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the green-scaled Sacred Race's pupils contracted.

Sword Ancestor actually knew this secret buried deep in his heart.

Ten thousand years ago, he was originally Grand Elder Lanshan of Burial Corpse Valley, renowned and formidable.

At that time, with his support, Burial Corpse Valley was a Yang Shen Great Sect not inferior to Shu Mountain.

But as his Lifespan dwindled and the Heavenly Tribulation approached... he understood.

In the face of eternal life, what did all of this matter?

Suddenly—

A green lotus Sword Qi bloomed from his heart, and tens of thousands of Sword Qi erupted, severely injuring the Divine Soul within the demonic body.

Visibly, Sacred Ancestor Qilan's body disintegrated inch by inch.

"What kind of sword art is this... it can even reflect my mind..."

A hint of surprise flashed across Sacred Ancestor Qilan's face.

Just now, he had actually been moved by the words, and for a fleeting moment, his mind wavered.

"This is a secret art I gained by chance after enduring the three disasters—the Heart Sword.

Please, Fellow Daoist, have a taste."

"Heart Sword... hehehe... I have been enlightened, and I will surely return the favor a hundredfold on another day..."

Bang—

The demonic body exploded, and a wisp of incomparably pure Devilish Qi, wriggling like a black snake, drifted away.

Infinite Devilish Qi permeated the heavens and earth, spreading wildly like a dark cloud, enveloping the entire Shu Mountain.

Sword Ancestor's eyes were grave.

"Whispers are descending... it seems to be combined with Burial Corpse Valley's Corpse Life secret art... merely an Incarnation..."

He was about to personally dispel the scattered Devilish Qi when suddenly, his expression changed, becoming dazed.

Several distinct auras emerged from his body.

His expression was at times frenzied, at times indifferent, his hair disheveled, appearing like a mad demon.

"Why at this moment... Damn it, I need to find a spiritual object to suppress this... demonic heart crossing..."

He vanished into the Void Realm.

In an instant, an endless True Devil aura surged forth.

"This is... Devilish Qi..."

"Damn it, ah..."

"Old Ancestor, save me..."

Large numbers of Shu Mountain Disciples mutated into bizarre Sacred Race beings, frantically attacking their fellow Disciples.

In an instant, at least eighty percent of the Disciples mutated into monsters.

Roar—

Scales and sharp bones grew from their spines, tearing through their clothes, and Shu Mountain Disciples with mouths full of sharp teeth rushed to kill their fellow Disciples.

Such rapid changes almost caught the Elders and True Disciples off guard.

"Li Hengsheng, I am your Revered Master..."

"Ah..."

"Damn it!"

Sounds of fighting and wailing echoed through the clouds.

"Revered Master, you..."

Le Xiaoyao and Qian Ya looked at Gu Changsheng with complex expressions, only to see green scales appearing on his left arm and one eye turning crimson.

Just now, Gu Changsheng had tried to block the Devilish Qi, but he hadn't expected the purest part of it to penetrate his body.

A feeling of irritability and murderous thoughts inexplicably arose in his heart, and his vision in his left eye was a bloody red.

"Troublesome..."

Gu Changsheng's Qi and blood surged, and his golden origin blood flowed backward, forcing the Devilish Qi within his body into a corner, where it transformed into a black snake and was Seal in a blood sac.

However, trying to grind it away with Qi and blood and magical power was incredibly difficult, like a maggot clinging to bone.

Shu Mountain was, after all, the home ground of the Human Race. With the help of the Sword Tower and Formations, even with a large number of Disciples mutating, the situation was forcefully suppressed.

Three days later.

In the dilapidated main hall, the number of Profound Cave Elders was noticeably much smaller, less than thirty percent of the original.

Ling Xuzi looked exhausted, his left arm empty.

Not only him, but many Elders had their Dharma bodies damaged and their cultivation greatly reduced.

Shu Mountain had established its foundation for thousands of years; when had it ever been so disheveled?

"This is bad. The Disciples in the Sect are infected with Devilish Qi, like maggots clinging to bone. And... as time passes, it's gradually merging with their Divine Souls."

The Elder in charge of the Dan Hall sighed softly.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heavy.

They had Seal many Disciples infected with Devilish Qi, and many of them were even watched as they grew up by the Elders present, with deep affection.

Hearing this, their faces all showed sadness.

Ling Xuzi's voice broke the mournful atmosphere: "Right now, the most troublesome thing is not how to remove the Devilish Qi infecting the Disciples in the Sect.

Sword Ancestor has disappeared..."

Immediately, all the Elders in the hall looked astonished.

At this moment, Shu Mountain was at its weakest, yet Sword Ancestor, who was considered the pillar of stability, had disappeared... "Can he truly not be contacted?"

An Elder couldn't help but ask.

Ling Xuzi shook his head.

"This is troublesome... those affiliated Sects have long been eager to make a move... this time, our Sect suffered a calamity, and they stood by and watched, I'm afraid..."

A man is innocent, but his wealth makes him guilty.

Originally, Shu Mountain had a Yang Spirit Realm expert overseeing it, coupled with a constant stream of Profound Cave Elders within the Sect, naturally occupying most of the resources and pressuring the various affiliated Sects.

Now, resources had instead become a disadvantage.

"Why don't we withdraw from most of the resource points..."

A one-armed Elder suggested.

"This is absolutely not allowed!"

Ling Xuzi sternly refused.

"Those affiliated Sects are all like dogs; once we show weakness, they will instead turn on us and bite.

We only need to suppress the first batch that jumps out, and the crisis will naturally be resolved."

Gu Changsheng's eyes moved slightly.

'I'm just afraid that Shu Mountain, as it is now, won't be able to hold on...'