Chapter 626: The Back Mountain

In the Sword Tomb of Grand Void, the old man's gaze shifted subtly.

"Since ten thousand years ago…"

"The celestial mechanism is corrupted, the mortal spirits are weak—there can be no divine beasts left…"

"What exactly… happened?"

A cloud of mist settled over his heart.

The old man's spirit turned into a sword, tracing the origin of the demonic disappearance.

His spiritual sense pierced through the fog like a blade, and the scene shifted—before him stretched a sea of crimson.

The horizon burned crimson as blood; amid mountains of corpses, a fearsome and majestic king of the dead slowly opened its eyes.

Those eyes brimmed with savagery, bloodlust, and twisted Dao essence.

"Dao Fiend!"

The bearded old man shook his head: "Feng Xiaoxiao demons infiltrated Grand Void—I intended to trace their karmic threads and cut them down with one sword, but somehow, inexplicably, I slashed out a Dao Fiend…"

The white-haired, bearded old man's face was pale, as if restraining something; across his features, sword qi crisscrossed, murderous intent swirling.

Manshan Sword Tomb showed no anomaly.

The old man's gaze turned horrified.

After a moment of stunned silence, a trace of pride surfaced on his withered face.

As if nothing had happened.

Thin threads of twisted, crimson Dao essence coiled around it.

The old man's expression hardened—he turned his spiritual sense into a sword and slashed.

Mr. Xun's face turned as dark as water; he swept his hand, carving a black fissure from empty air, then stepped into it—and reappeared within the forbidden sword tomb of the back mountain.

"Had this Dao Fiend not been low in realm and only half-step, lacking a complete form…"

"What exactly happened?"

The old man frowned and slashed again.

His spiritual sense coalesced into a stern sword intent—like primordial chaos, Grand Void swirling—suddenly, an arcane swordlight erupted, slashing forth.

The bearded old man exhaled deeply, a chill rising in his heart.

The corpse king's karmic threads entwined, as if existing within another illusory plane.

Every walking corpse and iron corpse that touched the swordlight was crushed to dust, utterly annihilated.

He gazed at the old man in the tomb, his eyes filled with complex emotion, then sighed: "Brother, you've drawn your sword again…"

This sword cut karmic threads.

But this sword intent of murder was imperceptible to ordinary cultivators.

Only the old man in the center seemed unsteady in his Dao heart, his spiritual sense leaking out—a sword intent brimming with earth-shattering murderous energy, held back but chilling to the bone.

But the old man knew: within his spiritual sense, there was a bite mark.

"Otherwise, with my residual spiritual sense and fractured Dao heart, I would already have been corrupted, become a puppet of the Dao Fiend—body human, Dao heart turned corpse…"

The mountains of corpses and seas of blood vanished instantly.

The wound was not severe, but a taint of bloodthirsty malice seeped into his mind sea, eroding his Dao heart, stirring icy murderous intent.

Mr. Xun, seeing this, sharply drew in a breath.

But it felt as if he had slashed at empty air.

"What is this?!"

But Mr. Xun knew.

In the blink of an eye, it followed the subtle karmic chain, lunged toward the old man, opened its bloody maw, and bit down on his arm.

"Murderous intent surges—spiritual sense becomes sword!"

At the same moment, Mr. Xun, seated among the elders, reading a formation scripture by candlelight, suddenly changed expression.

Grand Void sword intent surged like a celestial river, one slash severing the karmic chains and cutting off the corpse king's bloody Dao Fiend manifestation.

Seeing the corpse tide annihilated by swordlight, the corpse king roared, its karmic chains trembling.

Mr. Xun, hearing this, said solemnly:

In an instant, a chilling wind surged.

Boundless walking corpses and iron corpses flooded into his mind sea, fearlessly tearing at his spiritual sense.

Long after, he forced his Dao heart to stabilize with his profound cultivation, suppressed the murderous intent, and regained his composure—but his spiritual sense remained tainted by the karmic "corpse poison."

This sword struck the corpse king.

The bearded old man looked up at Mr. Xun and smiled bitterly:

"I never expected… it was a Dao Fiend."

The back mountain was silent, the sword tomb desolate, littered with broken swords.

All elders and disciples of Grand Void Mountain slept peacefully, unaware of what had transpired in the forbidden zone.

Mr. Xun's gaze turned solemn: "Someone is scheming, cultivating a Dao Fiend?"

The old man pondered a moment, then shook his head: "It doesn't seem so—not like a carefully nurtured Dao Fiend. It's more like…"

"I slashed at karmic threads, accidentally touched something I shouldn't have, broke a taboo, and provoked this fiend…"

Mr. Xun frowned: "Karmic Dao Fiend?"

The bearded old man nodded: "This half-step Dao Fiend… seems already 'dead,' but its resentment lingers, dwelling within some 'thing'…"

"The Dao Fiend… is dead?" Mr. Xun's brow furrowed deeper. "Under the laws of this realm, how could a Dao Fiend die so easily?"

"What divine being possesses such power to bypass the Heavenly Dao's laws and slay a Dao Fiend?"

The bearded old man closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, then opened them, his expression grave, and spoke slowly:

All things in the world, when born, must die.

The Dao Nai is merely a deformed product of the Great Dao; under the laws of Heaven, it is invincible within one realm, but that does not mean it is immortal…

If it can be born, it can also die.

I never expected that, while guarding the Sword Tomb in solitude and sealing the mountain, I would still be bitten by a Dao Nai for no reason…

The bearded elder raised his head, gazing at the starless night sky, and sighed:

"That man is dead. The immortal fortune of the Gui Xu Heavenly Burial has emerged. The celestial mechanism has quietly shifted, and the unfathomable grows ever more numerous…"

Master Xun frowned.

In the realm of Qianxue, clans flourish, and peace has endured so long that the words "Dao Nai" have not been heard in ages.

Now hearing them, it feels as if centuries have passed.

Master Xun pinched his fingers in calculation, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, silently lowered his hand, and asked:

"What kind of Dao Nai?"

"A Corpse King, amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood…"

Corpse King…

Master Xun silently noted it down, then looked up at the bearded elder, his gaze heavy with deep concern:

"Brother… are you alright?"

The elder coughed several times, his voice hoarse:

"A few days of rest will suffice… Though times are no longer as they were, a single karmic Dao Nai is not enough to severely damage my spiritual insight…"

After speaking, the elder coughed again, repeatedly.

His aura gradually weakened, as if his original injuries had worsened.

Master Xun felt pity and sighed:

"Brother, don't use Spiritual Insight turned into Sword anymore."

"I know my limits…"

"Brother!"

The bearded elder's expression was indifferent.

Master Xun sighed, his gaze solemn, and said gravely: "You, who cultivate the Sword of Spiritual Insight, should know better than anyone—though the Sword of Spiritual Insight carries supreme sword intent, capable of cutting through tangible forms and intangible spirits, yet…"

"It is sword intent that saves you, and sword intent that destroys you."

"This sword intent is not an external blade—it is your own spiritual insight."

"Once the sword intent is unleashed, it either wounds others or wounds yourself—even when wounding others, it drains your own spiritual insight."

"Ordinary sword cultivators use blades to cut down foes. When the blade is damaged, it can be repaired; when broken, it can be reforged; when destroyed, another can be forged…"

"But spiritual insight is different…"

"When spiritual insight becomes a sword, if the sword is damaged, the spirit is wounded; if the sword breaks, the spirit falls silent; if the sword is destroyed, the spirit dies…"

"And that is not the most terrifying thing…"

"The most terrifying thing is…"

Master Xun looked at the bearded elder: "When spiritual insight becomes a sword and the sword intent leaves the dantian, it is easily contaminated by malevolent forces. Once tainted, the Dao heart becomes polluted, making it nearly impossible to reach the Great Dao—even..."

Master Xun's heart ached, and he did not finish.

The bearded elder let out a bitter laugh, mocking himself:

"... even like me—neither man nor ghost, clinging to a withered shell, imprisoning myself within these walls…"

"Brother…"

"I know…"

The bearded elder sighed, "I know—I must not cultivate this sword art anymore…"

"I am the last one to have cultivated it…"

"From now on, all future disciples of Grand Void Gate must not cultivate the 'True Scripture of Spiritual Insight Turned Sword,' nor may they even be told of its existence…"

"This lineage ends with me."

"Let it perish and wither alongside me in this Grand Void Sword Tomb."

"But I am not yet dead…"

The bearded elder's face was withered and aged, yet his eyes blazed with sharpness:

"I am still the heir of the Grand Void Sword Art…"

"The malice born from spiritual insight, karma, and celestial mechanism—those who have violated Grand Void—I must cut them down with the sword…"

"Even if my spiritual insight is depleted, even if my spirit dies and my Dao fades…"

"This is the last thing I can do."

Master Xun felt both admiration and sorrow, and sighed, offering comfort:

"In Qianxue Realm, clans stand strong, sects thrive, and prosperity abounds. Demons, goblins, and petty villains dare not defy the Eight Great Sects…"

"Brother, you need not…"

The bearded elder's expression turned cold, and he smiled faintly: "Do you even believe those words yourself?"

Master Xun froze.

The bearded elder looked at Master Xun and sighed: "Brother, you are a master of formation arts—surely you know better than anyone…"

"Our Grand Void Gate has no inheritance of celestial mechanism calculation."

"Our Grand Void Gate has never relied on calculation—it relies on sword art…"

"When demonic or evil forces invade, we cut them down with Grand Void Spiritual Insight turned Sword, severing karma, and isolating the dangers within celestial mechanism…"

"We can only kill…"

"We cannot learn or master the true algorithm, so some things are simply invisible..."

Mr. Xun fell silent.

He knew in his heart that his senior brother spoke the truth.

The Celestial Algorithm far surpasses the Array Algorithm.

All my derivations are based solely on the Array Algorithm, not the true Celestial Algorithm, so I can only glimpse some cause and effect, but never the root...

The bearded elder spoke again: "If you cannot calculate it, and rely only on your eyes, how do you know that what appears as prosperity and splendor is the truth?"

Mr. Xun frowned: "Our Grand Void Gate does not master algorithms, but other sects..."

The bearded elder shook his head: "Throughout the Qianxue Continent, whether the Array Algorithm or the Celestial Algorithm, both have declined..."

"In the past, the Qianxue Continent flourished in array arts; cultivators had firm Dao hearts and broad ambitions, so Celestial cultivators emerged in abundance..."

"But now..."

"The algorithms still exist, but the Shijia Sects calculate only for their own selfish interests, not for the people, not for Zhao Tianming."

"The sect leaders and elders who control the sects and hold key positions in the clans grow fat on their gains; there are things they simply cannot see—or rather, they do not want to see, refuse to see."

"When greed and desire cloud the mind, the Celestial Algorithm is obscured."

"Once the Dao is obscured, the Outer Heavenly Demons and the Wild Heretical Gods will stir, using human hearts as breeding grounds, spreading and multiplying..."

The bearded elder's expression was cold and indifferent:

"Those people see only the surface of prosperity, never the decaying foundation..."

"They cannot foresee how, within the Celestial Algorithm and its karmic threads, human hearts rot, and how terrifying demons arise..."

"One day, these demons will destroy the Grand Void Gate's Dao lineage."

"As long as I live, I can cut them down with my sword."

"But what if I die...?"

The bearded elder bore a death-defying coldness, yet also carried a touch of sorrow.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Xun sighed deeply:

"Senior brother, you speak too harshly..."

"The Qianxue Continent has countless strong cultivators; there must be a way. You need not burden yourself so greatly—rest and recover properly..."

The bearded elder fell silent, saying nothing more.

Mr. Xun said no more, but his gaze remained deeply troubled.

What cannot be seen is the most terrifying...

He sighed and turned to leave.

After an unknown length of time, the bearded elder slowly opened his eyes, caressing the broken sword beside him, whispering softly:

"I'm sorry..."

"I have to make you accompany me..."

"To 'die' here with me in this Sword Tomb..."

The ancient broken sword remained silent, utterly still.

The entire back mountain was empty and desolate.

Within the dark Sword Tomb.

The elder sat motionless on the ground, surrounded by broken swords, ancient chains densely woven—as if the swords themselves formed an array, imprisoning him within the Grand Void Forbidden Zone, forever bound.

Disciples in the center.

The "Little Divine Beast" Mo Hua "ate" the demon, digested it, then rested for a while.

At dawn the next day, he went to class as if nothing had happened.

The Celestial Algorithm is obscure; karmic threads lie hidden.

He did not yet know that a sect Laozu had been bitten by the Corpse King he carried on his person.

He continued as always with his cultivation and classes.

But in his spare time, one new thing had been added:

Taking second-rank array tasks to earn merit.

Mr. Xun had upgraded his permissions; though he had not yet been officially ranked, within the Grand Void Token, he was now recognized as a "Second-Rank Array Master."

During the ten-day break, taking tasks to apprehend criminal cultivators earned considerable merit.

But comparatively, drawing second-rank arrays yielded higher merit-to-effort value.

After all, the ten-day break lasted only two days—barely enough time for one task.

But during sect classes, there were eight days; whenever free, he could take tasks and draw arrays daily.

Moreover, the two did not conflict.

He drew arrays daily to earn merit, and during the ten-day break, went out to "relax."

He captured a few villains, continued testing and improving his "Iron Plate," seized a few spells, and earned even more merit.

With this dual approach, he earned merit faster and more abundantly...

For second-rank array tasks, Mo Hua no longer needed to seek Elder Murong—he could take them himself.

He stared at the Grand Void Token, searching constantly for tasks.

Yet after applying all morning, as expected, no one was willing to assign him a task...

Within the Grand Void Token, beneath each disciple's name, there were entries with descriptions.

Beneath Mo Hua's name, a new entry had appeared:

Second-Rank Beginner Array Master.

Under this entry, there would be some notes recording how many arrays Mo Hua had drawn, how many tasks he had taken, and how well he completed them, and so on…

This counts as a record of merit.

It is also a form of seniority certification.

Yet under Mo Hua's current entry as "Second-Rank Beginner Array Master," it was utterly empty.

Because up until now, he had not taken a single Second-Rank array task in the Grand Void Token, nor drawn a single Second-Rank array, so this entry was naturally blank.

In other words, he was a complete and utter "newcomer."

Thus, others generally did not seek him out to draw their arrays.

Mo Hua could only keep lowering his standards—from Second-Rank Thirteen-Stripe, to Second-Rank Twelve-Stripe, then to Second-Rank Eleven-Stripe…

But his seniority was too shallow; still, no one agreed to assign him a task.

Mo Hua grew resentful, and persistently kept applying…

Finally, after applying nearly thirty times, he succeeded in securing his first task:

Second-Rank Ten-Stripe Array: Flower Fire Array.

Mo Hua sighed.

Second-Rank Ten-Stripe was far too low-tier!

But there was no help for it—everything is hard at the start.

Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles; without starting from low-rank arrays to build up "seniority," others would never entrust him with higher-rank arrays to draw.

Mo Hua calmed his mind, settled into focus, and prepared to complete his first Second-Rank array task within the Grand Void Gate…

(End of Chapter)