"I boldly ask, did that female Sword Immortal achieve longevity?"

The corner of the Keeper Elder's eye twitched.

This inner disciple's cultivation realm isn't high, but his aspirations certainly are. Is longevity so easily attained?

"She attempted to slay a powerhouse who had just entered the Golden Core Realm while she herself was at Layer IX of the Spirit Sea Realm... She was outmatched and perished!"

"Then I choose the 'All-Encompassing Sword Canon'. Thank you for your trouble, Elder."

Shen Mo sighed inwardly. What a pity for this exceptionally talented female Sword Immortal! If she could have cultivated to the Golden Core Realm, perhaps he might have had a chance to consult her on swordplay. However, creating a magic technique like the Maiden Sword Mantra was enough to show her penchant for risk-taking and achieving victory as the underdog.

It wasn't like him. He constantly fought late-stage or peak Class II creatures with only a Layer III or IV Qi Gathering Realm cultivation, but that was fundamentally different! His ability to overcome stronger opponents was built upon investing countless resources, mastering numerous powerful techniques, and possessing a clear understanding of his own strength. His actual combat prowess was comparable to, if not greater than, that of a peak Class II expert. But the senior female Sword Immortal... she couldn't possibly possess a Destiny Panel like him. Therefore, no matter how extraordinary her combat power, it wouldn't have far exceeded her own cultivation realm! Thus, using the Maiden Sword Mantra to assassinate stronger cultivators was blatant recklessness; disaster was inevitable.

While Shen Mo was lost in thought, the Keeper Elder returned from the fifth floor with the All-Encompassing Sword Canon.

"It's registered. You can take this jade slip."

After handing over the jade slip, the Keeper Elder added, "This jade slip is protected by a Prohibition. It will self-destruct once you imprint your sense on it. Remember not to give this jade slip to others for inspection. Of course, if you bought it for someone else, that's a different matter!"

Shen Mo nodded in agreement, paid his respects, and strode out of the Magic Tower.

For the time being, he lacked sufficient Merit Points and Spirit Stones to purchase spiritual-level cultivation methods here. He decided to save up for a while before returning to acquire a spiritual-level main cultivation method.

Having experienced the potency of spiritual-level cultivation methods, Shen Mo now held profound-level methods in low regard. Instead of wasting Merit Points, Spirit Stones, and a great deal of energy constantly switching cultivation methods, why not get it right the first time! He could directly purchase and cultivate a spiritual-level method. Even a low-grade spiritual-level method was qualitatively different from a profound-level one. If he then used [Martial Performance] to deduce it to its highest state, the power it could unleash would be formidable!

Upon returning to his cave mansion in the Inner Door, Shen Mo immediately began using his Destiny [Martial Performance] to practice the All-Encompassing Sword Canon.

As he began to grasp this magic, Shen Mo quickly realized his previous speculations weren't far off the mark. The All-Encompassing Sword Canon indeed contained a sword move related to the "Heavenly Demon Invasion," named "Myriad Demons Extinguish the World"!

He wondered which senior was responsible for this, seemingly intending to bolster the Heavenly Demons' morale while demoralizing their own side. If the "Myriad Demons Extinguish the World" scenario truly came to pass, could the Riverside Sect even survive? If he had the chance, he would like to meet this powerhouse from his sect. As for why Shen Mo was confident this person was still alive... it was because the Heavenly Demon invasion of the Red Flame Country was a catastrophe of the past century. Without personal experience, it would be very difficult to grasp its True Intention and create a corresponding sword move. The one who cultivated this sword canon and created this move was likely a veteran elder of the Riverside Sect!

"It encompasses countless natural disasters, strange phenomena, and landscapes—nothing is left out! It truly lives up to the name 'Universe.' But many of the sword techniques are far too weak. Things like 'Dog Bite,' 'Eagle Claw,' 'Butterfly Transformation,' 'Water Drip'… And they're audaciously presented as sword techniques! The Riverside Sect seniors who practiced this sword canon were truly peculiar."

Like many swordplay styles derived from observing phenomena, the power of its moves mostly matched their conceptual basis. Techniques like the "Dog Bite Sword," "Water Drip Sword," or "Fierce Wind Sword" weren't profound, and their power was pathetically weak. Even the stances for executing them were rather unsightly!

In contrast, techniques based on grand natural phenomena were generally powerful. For instance, 'City Toppler,' 'Nation Ender,' 'Mountain Crumbler,' 'Earth Shaker,' 'Starfall,' 'Solar Eclipse,' and so on, were all grand in concept, and their corresponding sword moves were immensely powerful. Even "Myriad Demons Extinguish the World," when executed, allowed Shen Mo to feel the chilling horror of billions of Heavenly Demons invading the Red Flame Country, annihilating all life with devastating ease.

"Generally, the sword moves personally created by cultivators of this sword canon are more formidable. Furthermore, they come with various profound benefits! However, the sword canon already contains tens of thousands of moves. Almost anything I can conceive of, a predecessor has already created a corresponding sword style for. Trying to invent one purely from imagination would mean failing to grasp its essential True Intention!"

If one could create sword moves purely through conjecture, Shen Mo could easily invent terrifying techniques like 'Star Burst,' 'Heaven Breaker,' or 'World Ender.' But he himself had never witnessed an actual 'Star Burst.' How could he possibly manifest its power with the three-foot-long sword in his hand? It was nothing more than a fool's errand!

"For now, I'll focus on advancing my cultivation of the All-Encompassing Sword Canon. Mastering a few dozen of its more powerful sword moves should suffice! As for creating original sword moves, I'll think about it later when I have some inspiration!"

Thinking this, Shen Mo began to use [Martial Performance] to deduce and cultivate the All-Encompassing Sword Canon. At the same time, he took out the newly acquired spiritual items and spiritual medicines, summoned the Nether Fire and the Fire Chi Cauldron, and started refining Elixirs.

He planned to make another trip to Tianshan City in a few days. Firstly, to slay Heavenly Demons and earn battle merits. With these, he could exchange for spiritual items of the extreme element to upgrade his remaining four Dao swords to the high-grade profound level. Secondly, to hone his various cultivation methods and martial arts. Simply learning them didn't mean he could flawlessly execute them against opponents. Without the tempering of actual combat, his various magic and martial arts techniques wouldn't always flow as smoothly as desired.

「A few days later.」

By the Lancang River.

Shen Mo, facing the river tide, bathed in moonlight, danced with his Demon Slaying Sword, practicing the All-Encompassing Sword Canon.

CLANG!

CLANG!

Sword Light flared violently, making him seem as if he were enveloped in a barrier of blades.

Abruptly, the sword in his hand slowed. It transitioned from the blur of a bee's wing in frantic dance to a spider hanging motionless on its thread. This abrupt shift from rapid to slow was enough to make any observer want to cough up blood in frustration.

Yet Shen Mo seemed oblivious, slowly pressing the Demon Slaying Sword forward. It carried the weight of a thousand jun, pressing down inch by inch.

"Universal River Opening!" Shen Mo muttered under his breath.

As the words left his lips, his sword descended with immense weight. Suddenly, it was as if a crumbling mountain had tumbled into the Lancang River. Instantly, the entire river was severed in two!

BOOM!

RUMBLE!

Only then did the sound of the sword move propagate. The severed river's upstream waters rapidly accumulated, surging to a height of a hundred zhang in the blink of an eye. Yet, under Shen Mo's "Universal River Opening" sword move, the water was like a true mountain, unable to surge downwards.

Downstream, the river lost its water source and rapidly dwindled. Before long, the riverbed was exposed, teeming with aquatic plants, fish, and shellfish.

Shen Mo's Demon Slaying Sword remained pressed down, unlifted. And so, the Lancang River remained in this state, its upper and lower reaches severed.

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