Chapter 241: Chapter 7: Everyone’s a 25-er
Li Mo remained calm and expressionless, but he was already prepared for any danger from the Land God Temple.
Before his Lifebound Flying Sword fully took shape, Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators would likely interfere in the Village Exam.
Da Ai Mi Tian exhibited a keen interest in the Sword Spirits. Li Mo could feel its instinctual desire to devour a portion of the Sword Spirits, seemingly beneficial for completing the Spirit Patterns of his Lifebound Magic Artifact.
A flicker of surprise passed through Li Mo’s eyes as he forcibly suppressed Da Ai Mi Tian.
Each Sword Spirit was formed by draining the scholar’s entire Body and Soul foundation, gradually shedding its old shell while Sword Intent filled the room.
"Not bad."
Elder Han Feng, noticing the exceptional quality of the Sword Spirits this time, couldn’t help but voice his praise.
The Sword Array hovering in mid-air intensified.
The Sword Spirits underwent an unexpected transformation, gradually revealing Dao Body traits.
They resembled newborn infants, curiously observing their surroundings, their attention soon drawn to the tongues before them, making them restless and eager.
Li Mo realized that Sword Cultivators rely heavily on their Lifebound Flying Swords.
A Lifebound Flying Sword requires draining the cultivator dry to be born. Since there was a Tongue Sword, there must also be a Heart Sword, Eye Sword, Hand Sword...
The subsidiary Immortal Sect of the Heavenly Sword Sect seemed to exist solely for providing Flying Swords.
In Li Mo’s examination hall, one Sword Spirit emitted an aura of the Innate Dual Dao Body, its strength at Foundation Establishment Stage even at birth.
"An Innate Dual Dao Body Sword Spirit can reach Foundation Establishment Stage at birth. If I possess an Innate Six Paths Body, would it be Core Formation or Nascent Soul?"
Li Mo scrutinized the Sword Spirit.
Its entire body emanated black smoke that constantly surged and receded—indicative of a Yin Attribute Dao Body—while occasionally spawning mouths, hinting at another Dao Body associated with facial features.
"Speaking of which, even after becoming Sword Spirits, could they still join the Devil Sect?"
Li Mo inwardly clicked his tongue in disbelief. After all, Sword Spirits were no longer human, entirely comprised of Three Souls and Seven Spirits, strange and monstrous.
He continued to remain expressionless, growing increasingly adept at swordsmanship.
With nimble movements and precise strikes, Li Mo’s sword frequencies soared, each hit so perfectly calculated it was almost mesmerizing to watch.
Even Elder Han Feng couldn’t help but secretly praise his technique, whispering that only decades immersed in Sword Dao could yield such mastery.
But of course, it was merely the stark contrast from before that made his display so shocking.
"Han Ya, who is he?"
"Wu Wei, a servant disciple from about thirty years ago. He kept to himself most days, perhaps immersed in practicing his swordsmanship."
Han Ya spoke without certainty. In his recollection, Wu Wei was more commonly found frequenting brothels—how he suddenly stood out as a rising talent was bewildering.
Li Mo paid no attention to the chatter around him.
Cancer cells had already spread across his flesh and bones. The special traits of mutation enabled him to exhibit unimaginable strength while also using cancerous transformation to temporarily weaken his body’s sturdiness.
No matter how anyone saw it, Li Mo struck them as an ordinary Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator.
His focus remained entirely on the examination hall, with merely one percent of his consciousness controlling his body to wield his sword and ward off the dispersing Sword Qi.
The scholars continued to write diligently, their tongues now covered in script. The Sword Spirits merged into these marked tongues, beginning the formation of the Lifebound Flying Swords.
"Interesting."
Witnessing the process of refining Lifebound Flying Swords made Li Mo feel that even if he left without cultivating Demon Sect Skills, this would be worth the journey.
After merging into the tongues, the Sword Spirits would transform into corresponding Dao Body Flying Swords.
Li Mo broadened his understanding of Dao Body Fusion, suddenly connecting dots in concepts that had previously baffled him.
The Hammer Anvil artifact benefitted greatly as well, revealing subtle ties to Artifact Refining.
Han Ya couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, but Elder Han Feng seemed to hold Wu Wei in high regard, often glancing at him.
Boom.
A black-haired Flying Sword intentionally or unintentionally released thousands of strands of Sword Qi in Li Mo’s direction. Though none was particularly potent individually, their dense concentration meant that even the slightest misstep could result in serious injury.
Li Mo showed no intention of dodging, his eyes darting erratically to lock onto the incoming Sword Qi.
Han Ya planned to intervene, fearing for the integrity of the examination hall, but Elder Han Feng gestured for him not to get involved.
What followed left Han Ya utterly stunned.
A cascade of metallic clanging echoed as Li Mo’s Leg Bone Flying Sword tirelessly struck the tail ends of each strand of Sword Qi with pinpoint accuracy.
It was dazzling and chaotic.
Clink, clink, clink...
Despite possessing a physique barely superior to mortals, Li Mo wielded the sword alternately with both hands and managed to fend off the entire storm of Sword Rain.
When it ended, Li Mo stood motionless, radiating the sharpness of an unsheathed treasure sword.
With a burst of force from his legs, he vanished from their sight, positioning himself at the side wall of the Eastern Examination Hall to block streams of Sword Qi.
"How did Wu Wei end up in Qing Town?"
Han Ya swallowed nervously, "His Lifebound Flying Sword was confiscated by the Upper Sect; otherwise, he might have had a chance to enter the Inner Sect."
"No wonder."
Elder Han Feng said no more, his expression thoughtful.
"Finally, the Devil Sect arrives."
Li Mo snapped to attention, his Divine Sense—though not openly displayed—far sharper than Elder Han Feng’s.
A faint gray-white mist silently enveloped Qing Town, rapidly reducing visibility at the Examination Hall—a detail Elder Han Feng was only now beginning to notice.
But by this point, it was too late.
Soon, even the examination hall faded into obscurity.
Li Mo frowned.
The Demon Cultivators’ invasion of the Examination Hall had been more seamless than anticipated, clearly a premeditated effort.
Sensing danger, he decisively abandoned his posts in the Eastern Examination Hall. His right arm detached, and the shadowy Ghost Tiger dragged him into the corner of the Examination Hall.
"Let’s see how this unfolds."
Trembling, Han Ya turned nervously to Elder Han Feng, who remained emotionless, gazing intently at the faintly visible Taiyang.
"Elder Han Feng, could Qing Town harbor a deceitful object..."
Han Ya attempted to send a mental communication to the Sword Tongue Sect but found that his Spirit Talismans and Magic Artifacts were entirely ineffective, as though sealed in a void space.
Above, the Sword Cultivators ceased exhaling Sword Qi, merely maintaining the Sword Array.
Soft, fragmented noises emerged from the nearby houses surrounding the Examination Hall, resembling the sound of hand drums being struck, or perhaps of incessantly beating hearts.
Countless mortals began filling the streets.
They wore blank expressions, their actions synchronized as they repeatedly pounded their chests and abdomens, creating muffled drum-like sounds akin to puppets on strings.
Within ten minutes, the streets were packed with tens of thousands of people.
Every one of them fell to their knees.
The color of their bodies visibly faded at an alarming rate, leaving unblemished shades of pure gray-white that made one’s scalp tingle.
"Infinite Pure Void Supreme Holy Three Realms Ten Directions Myriad Spirits True Master, lifeless and eternal."
The citizens chanted in unison.
They clawed open their abdomens with manic fervor, clutching their Five Internal Organs with both hands.
Their organs—still fresh, pulsating with remnants of life—twitched and grew in their grasp.
The sight unsettled the Sword Cultivators maintaining the Sword Array, their composure faltering.
Elder Han Feng maintained his aloofness, his hands folded behind his back. "It appears to be the No-Life Sect. This may prove troublesome."
Before he could finish, the Land God Temple’s main hall suddenly collapsed, leaving the Blessed Earth Immortal statue lifelike and standing in its original spot.
"Devil Sect!"
Elder Han Feng frowned, his Tongue Sword revealing insect-like backward barbs.
The Flying Sword’s design pointed unmistakably to a Dao Body belonging to the insect category—a Poison Element Dao Body that produced sinister, Yin-focused weapons.
Elder Han Feng radiated Sword Intent so tangible it almost materialized, but it dissipated after mere seconds.
From behind the Blessed Earth Immortal statue sprouted numerous arms, all mimicking the gesture of Nianhua Finger, momentarily dazing the floating Sword Cultivators.
Han Ya noticed this and, observing the similarly Foundation Establishment Stage Sword Cultivators’ increasingly fervent gazes, tentatively asked, "Elder Han Feng, what should we do?"
Han Feng, uncharacteristically solemn, replied, "The Demon Cultivators of the No-Life Sect cannot be bested."
"Carry on with the Village Exam. Don’t forget: we’re within the bounds of the Sect. Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators will arrive to aid us within half a day."
"But..."
"There’s no time for ’but.’ Just do as I say."
With a grim expression, Elder Han Feng focused on the Blessed Earth Immortal statue, lost in thought.
Li Mo felt apprehensive about the Nascent Soul Demon Cultivator’s presence. Thankfully, the Nearby Array was still operational, providing some relief.
He secretly noted that Elder Han Feng’s Flying Sword attributes closely resembled those of insects, suspecting the elder’s true identity as the Xuanling Heavenly Dragon—a notable member of the No-Life Sect.
To his surprise, such a figure had infiltrated the Sword Tongue Sect.
"Could the No-Life Sect really have been founded by the No-Life Mother as part of the Devil Sect?"
Li Mo raised an eyebrow. He had overheard the Sword Cultivators’ conversation clearly. Although the Creation Book lacked any memories of the No-Life Sect, it seemed highly probable to be connected to the Dao Body known as the Body of No Life.
Before leaving the Inner Sect, he’d acquired the Body of No Life Dao Body.
The Demon Cultivators’ penchant for spreading corruption and idol worship mirrored the capabilities of the Body of No Life. As for the mysterious No-Life Mother behind it all, her cultivation realm remained unknown.
Li Mo was glad he hadn’t carved the Body of No Life into himself.
Swish, swish, swish...
The Sword Array began to show signs of collapse.
Elder Han Feng coldly snorted, pointing toward the Sword Cultivators above. "Stay focused!!"
"Yes, Elder."
The Sword Cultivators replied in unison, but the Sword Array had barely stabilized when the side hall of the Land God Temple started to quake.
This was the side hall housing the Xuanling Five Internal Organs Immortal God Statue, the scent of blood saturating the air.
The wooden door shattered.
Piles of rotting internal organs gushed out, filling the courtyard completely—enough to take thousands of lives to collect normally.
The organs mutated in the blink of an eye, transforming into bird-like beasts.
The monstrous birds, stitched together from raw flesh, swarmed toward the Sword Array, their veins forming grotesque feathers that made anyone watching shudder.
Mid-air, the Sword Cultivators were quickly entangled in combat with the bloodied avian monstrosities, as blood rained down like a storm.
"Ah."
A Loose Cultivator in one of the exam halls was caught off guard, sliced cleanly in half by the scattered Sword Qi, his innards showing signs of sentience.
The massive reserves of Sword Qi from the Sword Array started spilling into the Examination Hall, blanketing everything in smoke and dust, obscuring the view entirely.
"Han Ya, go help the Loose Cultivators fend off the Sword Qi."
Elder Han Feng stepped forward, a faint chill flickering in his eyes.
Noticing Han Ya’s hesitation, he explained, "The mastermind behind this is likely at Nascent Soul Stage. If I act recklessly and can’t resolve this quickly, we will both perish."
Though Han Ya sensed unease, he followed Elder Han Feng’s orders.
As he entered the Array within the examination hall, he found that the dense fog now filled the Examination Hall entirely, leaving the Loose Cultivators stationed at its four corners all dead or dying.
Despair overtook Han Ya’s expression as his chest was suddenly pierced by an insect-like Flying Sword.
"Elder, you..."