"Sword, come!"

Following Li Mo's low shout, the courtyard descended into brief silence before dense dragon roars filled the air, the Sword Intent ready to explode forth.

The tide of the deceitful objects paused for half a breath and then, by some unspoken agreement, surged toward the courtyard where Li Mo stood.

"Bring more, hahahahaha."

Li Mo could sense the restless stirring of the Symbiotic Dharma Body; perhaps the key for the body's promotion to the Five Qi Period lay within the sea of Sword Ghosts scattered across the ground.

The group of Sword Cultivators all turned their eyes toward Li Mo.

They had some intent to challenge him, eager to see the means wielded by the rumored Innate Immortal Seed. Their expressions showed unyielding solemnity.

The Sword Cultivators were well aware of Li Mo's involvement in the affairs of the Tomb Sword Tomb.

In truth, the news of Li Mo becoming the chief of the Great Sun Sword Tomb had already spread far and wide.

Every hundred years or so, the Tomb Sword Tomb would erupt in a rebellion, typically suppressed by three Inner Sect Sword Tombs, which would leverage the Tomb Sword Tomb's strange taboos to recruit disciples during the chaos.

Since the Great Sun Sword Tomb had already determined its chief, disciples headed for the Grave Mound would surely include Li Mo.

Any chief of a Sword Tomb possessed talents that outshined their peers—such figures were so scarce in the eight thousand years of the Heavenly Sword Sect's history that there might not even be a hundred.

Including Li Mo, the sect had five chiefs, though all others had already reached the Void Refining Stage.

The flourishing of the Twenty-Eight Sword Tombs fueled a fierce competition among Inner Sect disciples for chief positions. The Qiu Shuang Sword Tomb saw heavy casualties, the open slaughter among Heavenly Palace Stage Sword Cultivators brought into the daylight.

Of course, not everyone cared for the title of chief.

Yu Xiao's pursuit of chiefdom stemmed primarily from his distaste for being overshadowed by any other Sword Cultivator. He seized the chance to eliminate those he found disagreeable.

Li Mo, secluded in meditation at the Daoist Temple, had yet to notice the controversy he had ignited.

It had become a widespread rumor within the Twenty-Eight Sword Tombs: Li Mo was able to ascend to the chief of the Great Sun Sword Tomb during the Five Qi Period merely by capitalizing on the calamity at Fire Spirit Hall, which had critically injured most Heavenly Palace Stage Sword Cultivators.

A Sword Cultivator in the Five Qi Period, who had been initiated into the sect for merely a hundred years?

Even if he were an Innate Immortal Seed, so what? Achieving comprehension of Superior Sword Intent was already the pinnacle; how could he bridge the gap with cultivators of the Heavenly Palace Stage?

Meanwhile.

Void Refining Stage Elders were also monitoring Li Mo.

Three figures stood atop the city walls, observing the escalating chaos of the Grave Mound Sword Tomb.

"Innate Immortal Seeds differ in kind. The Thirteen Immortals are, after all, not figures from ten thousand years ago; their talent cannot compare to Yu Xiao's," Duke of Thunder said with a smile, while the killing intent emanated faintly from Lu Yuan's gaze.

"Ha, Yu Xiao, both you and I must address him as Martial Grandsire, yet he has grandiosely taken the Thunder Constellation chief position. Duke, you're regressing with age," Lu Yuan remarked, his tone sharp and unyielding.

"Lu Yuan, I agree with your perspective, but I suggest you voice it directly to Yu Xiao. Who knows, Martial Grandsire might abandon the chief position on a whim," Duke of Thunder replied.

His body coursed with thunderbolts, all flesh and blood a void save for the golden-red shimmer radiating from his spine. One could faintly see his Externalized Dharma Body coiled within the Middle Dantian.

"Hmph."

Lu Yuan snorted lightly and chose silence.

He understood Yu Xiao's disposition; that man cared nothing for the bonds of sect brotherhood. Should Yu Xiao find displeasure in someone, even if spared their life, their fate would be nothing short of miserable.

The sect's records documented Yu Xiao's character: decisive, merciless.

Ten thousand years ago, a famous Land Immortal publicly mocked Yu Xiao's Sword Dao.

The moment Yu Xiao broke through to Land Immortal status, he raced to confront his detractor with a blade and lopped off the heads of over a hundred disciples belonging to the Land Immortal.

Void Refining Stage Elder Chi Baicheng of the Qiu Shuang Sword Tomb attempted to mediate, saying, "Enough. Admittedly, there was calamity at the Great Sun Sword Tomb, but not everyone could seize such an opportunity to ascend to chief."

"An Innate Immortal Seed is still an Innate Immortal Seed. Talent is not something others can freely speculate on."

Duke of Thunder responded with a chuckle, "With the Yang Lei Sword Body, the Thirteen Immortals clearly possessed a keen eye. At the very least, they recognized that only the Thunder Attribute could unleash the sharpness of Sword Dao."

Chi Baicheng's gaze grew sharp as he stared toward a northern building.

"Chang Yi, Chang Yi… If even the Five Qi Period's Taiyi is not enough to prevail, then whether you ascend to chiefdom in the Qiu Shuang Sword Tomb or not, your fate will be to serve as a mere stepping stone for the Innate Immortal Seed's rise."

Defeat by Yu Xiao was no shame.

Yu Xiao, after all, was the reincarnation of a Land Immortal from ten thousand years past. His status surpassed even ancient cultivators who barely clung to life; his eventual ascension to Immortal status was inevitable.

The disciples of the Qiu Shuang Sword Tomb had been strategically arranged, forming a Sword Array that blanketed the city.

At its center, of course, stood Chang Yi.

With the support of surrounding Sword Cultivators, Chang Yi minimized his Spiritual Power consumption, maintaining peak spirit, readying himself for his clash against Li Mo.

Compared to Lu Yuan, who brought only one subordinate, and Duke of Thunder, who rallied a handful of Sword Cultivators for appearances, Chi Baicheng had invested even his direct disciple Chang Yi into the fray.

"Sigh…"

Chi Baicheng shook his head lightly, noticing even Lu Yuan's disinterest in rebutting Duke of Thunder. A tinge of regret began to seed in his heart.

Lu Yuan appeared to be meditating, though he was actually assessing whether Li Mo had exerted his full strength.

He held Li Mo's talent and Tao Heart in high regard; but when it came to the latter's rebellious disposition, he found it tiresome. Despite possessing the power to single-handedly suppress his peers, Li Mo preferred to quietly amass fortunes instead.

"Taiyi, if you dare let me lose face, becoming chief won't be as comfortable as you imagine."

The streets surrounding Li Mo's courtyard were already teeming with a torrent of Sword Ghosts, frantically converging toward the space, monstrous and grotesque deceitful objects jammed together in horrifying masses.

Eighty percent of them comprised Nascent Soul Stage Cocoon Swords, yet they remained bone-chillingly unnerving.

...…

"Just about enough. Time to reap a harvest," Li Mo muttered.

He opened his eyes; his pupils had transformed into dragon-like slits, the Cave God's Eye enshrouded by a layer of delicate dragon scales, horns sprouting atop his head.

The Candle Dragon's true form merged with him, causing his body to uncontrollably expand.

After half a breath.

Li Mo's figure reached over a hundred meters tall, the Candle Dragon's characteristics sprawled across his frame. The aura of the Symbiotic Dharma Body had grown too immense to conceal and naturally radiated outward.

BOOM.

Expressions of shock washed over the Sword Cultivators, their Externalized Dharma Bodies unexpectedly threatened by the overwhelming presence.

Li Mo opened his mouth as his Yin Yang Attribute Lifebound Flying Swords surged forth, numbering over two thousand blades, creating a scene of unparalleled grandeur.

He plucked at his left and right eyes.

The sun and moon ascended into the sky, casting half the city into the brilliance of daylight and the other into the depths of pitch-black.

"Go."

The two thousand Lifebound Flying Swords rushed toward the deceitful objects, their Sword Intent manifesting into tangible forces, creating an asymmetric slaughter against the Sword Ghosts.

The Superior Sword Intents—Sun Sword Intent, Ghostly Light Sword Intent, Extreme Day Sword Intent, Taiyin Sword Intent, Great Darkness Sword Intent—

Among them were five of the highest rank; as for the mid-to-lower tier intents, they were innumerable, even Li Mo himself was unsure how many Sword Intents he had comprehended.

Li Mo sat immovable within the courtyard.

The gathered Sword Cultivators had never witnessed such techniques. How could anyone master countless Sword Intents while having flying swords that resembled dragon-like forms?

Dragon roars echoed incessantly, with flying swords carrying the carcasses toward the Corpse Mountain Mini World.

Duke of Thunder furrowed his brows tightly, remarking, "His comprehension surpasses Yu Xiao's, and his Taoist Body is key. Could the Thirteen Immortals truly possess an Immortal Body?"

He had previously heard of Li Mo's distinctive Taoist Body, which was immune to the erosion of Sword Intent.

Coupled with the Thirteen Immortals' unprecedentedly terrifying comprehension, Li Mo bore multiple Sword Intents, even capable of infinitely refining Lifebound Flying Swords.

Back during the Cocoon Sword Meeting, Li Mo's mere glimpse of his abilities garnered the awe of the stars.

In the realm of Sword Dao talent, the Thirteen Immortals undoubtedly stood as the foremost figure within the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Duke of Thunder had previously scoffed, arguing that Sword Dao demanded singular focus—how could any cultivator embrace countless Sword Intents?

Yet staring at Li Mo's ease in wielding his abilities, his internal beliefs began to crumble.

Lu Yuan remarked coldly, "Innate Immortal Seeds do differ among themselves. You were right, Duke of Thunder. Taiyi's aptitude… stands unmatched in this era."

Duke of Thunder made no rebuttal, intrigued by the possibility of Li Mo possessing an Immortal Body.

"Perhaps it's a Yin Yang Immortal Body that has enabled him to perceive the Yin Yang Attribute Sword Intent with such ease. How was such an Innate Immortal Seed ever consigned to the No-Life Sect? Utter waste!"

Chi Baicheng pursed his lips in astonishment, hesitating on whether he ought to intervene with his disciple Chang Yi's actions.

At this moment.

Li Mo shed the facade masking his Sword Bone.

The Ten Thousand Sword Immortal Bone erupted, unleashing outward Sword Intent that created dazzling phenomena—lightning and Huo Yan interwoven—with a solar halo rising behind his head.

He understood there was no way for him to conceal the Ten Thousand Sword Immortal Bone.

Li Mo needed to provide the outside world a plausible explanation—that he wasn't resisting Sword Intent through ignorance of mutation but through the suppression provided by his Immortal Body.

"Yin Yang unites, all swords return to the sect!"

The Mahayana Sword Intent [Yin Yang] manifested; the Taiyin Star and Sun Star collided.

The sun and moon vanished, leaving only the enigmatic Yin Yang Tai Chi principles revolving, as Lifebound Flying Swords unleashed surging Sword Qi.

As if weeds under scythes, heads of Sword Ghosts rolled away, amidst the cyclical alternation between day and night at the Grave Mound Sword Tomb.

Duke of Thunder murmured in disbelief, "An Immortal Body—it must indeed be an Immortal Body. But why isn't it Yin Yang Attribute? This is entirely unheard of..."

The Ten Thousand Sword Immortal Bone glimmered briefly before disappearing again. Li Mo ensured it remained unnoticed that his Immortal Body was incomplete; otherwise, his ability to withstand Sword Intent would defy interpretation.

Lu Yuan nodded slightly.

He never understood what kind of Immortal Body Li Mo possessed, given the mixed signals emitted by his Taoist Body aura, but he had never doubted its presence.

Chi Baicheng lamented bitterly; Li Mo's strength had already exceeded common norms.

"No way, if Chang Yi acts rashly, he may even have his Tao Heart marred by the Thirteen Immortals. How could a Mortal Body ever compare with an Immortal Body?"

He began to cast spells, attempting to contact Chang Yi's flying sword.

Yet Chang Yi had already made his move.

The chilling wind howled.

A man whose skin was riddled with fissures wielded his Lifebound Flying Sword. From his figure as the center, thick frost spread rapidly outward.

The Mahayana Sword Intent [Frost Fall]

Stacks of Sword Ghosts froze where they stood, their flesh and bones gradually eroded into nothingness.

Frost Fall Sword Intent contended fiercely against the Yin Yang Sword Intent.

Even though Frost Fall Sword Intent paled slightly in power, Chang Yi was unwavering, the cracks on his chest bursting with Spiritual Power.

The Externalized Dharma Body [Water Frost Ghost] clawed its way out of his Middle Dantian bit by bit.

Chi Baicheng's pupils shrank; even he hadn't known Chang Yi had mastered the Mahayana Sword Intent. With such a development, he did indeed possess the qualifications to challenge.

He didn't hope for a victory over Li Mo—merely standing on equal ground would suffice.

Duke of Thunder spoke with deep intent, "When did Chang Yi comprehend the Mahayana Sword Intent? The Qiu Shuang Sword Tomb appears to have birthed another chief."

"But he still cannot compare to the Innate Immortal Seed. The chiefdoms of Thunder Constellation and Great Sun Sword Tomb will remain unmatched."

Chi Baicheng restored his amicable demeanor, though his mirth shrank when he noticed Lu Yuan pulling out the Yang Niu while speaking solemnly.

"You call this an Immortal Body? Tell Taiyi not to hold back. If he continues this dithering nonsense, I'll personally step in and award him a strike of my blade."

The Yang Niu plunged into the earth.

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