CHAPTER 365: CHAPTER 365: REMOVING THE PROBLEMS LEFT BEHIND_1

"It seems that I have still underestimated the Spirit Sea Realm cultivators of the minor sects within the Immortal Sect," Shen Mo said, his expression calm.

Cultivators who reach this level, whether from the Five Great Sects, a minor sect, or as rogue cultivators, generally possess considerable talent. Even if their cultivation method is not high-grade, years of diligent practice can lead to remarkable achievements... like Fire Sparrow Master before me! The fact that he had managed to comprehend even a hint of the True Intention of Nirvana proved that his innate talent and understanding were far from ordinary! But that’s all it amounted to. If he had fully mastered the Nirvana Skill, perhaps... he might have stood a chance against me.

"The Big Dipper Array, Conversion!"

With a flick of Shen Mo’s sleeve, seven inch-long Dao swords, previously wrapped around his wrist, shot out. Each blade was of extraordinary quality, like stars in the night sky.

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM!

In the blink of an eye, the seven Dao swords appeared above Fire Sparrow Master’s head. As light flowed between them, they formed a grand sword array, configured like The Big Dipper.

Boundless, terrifying sword light filled the array, pressing down on Fire Sparrow Master. His fiery aura dimmed, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Shen Mo had cultivated this sword array to the ’Epic’ level. Moreover, by leveraging it, he had touched upon Godlike mastery and obtained the ’By the Stars’ Skill. This combination made the array’s power... incomprehensible to ordinary people!

Fire Sparrow Master had intended to use the profundity of the True Intention of Nirvana to defeat Shen Mo. Yet, before he could even touch Shen Mo’s robes, he was trapped by the terrifying sword array, his heart filled with both frustration and terror.

BOOM!

A torrential wave of fire, capable of incinerating all things, surged from him, sweeping in all directions. He intended to burn the sword array to ashes!

SWOOSH!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Under the dazzling sword light, the raging inferno was slashed into wisps of green smoke, which quickly dispersed and vanished.

Within moments, the fierce flames were suppressed to within three inches of Fire Sparrow Master.

PFFT!

The flames were completely extinguished, leaving only embers, just as when they had been previously cut apart by the furious wave of sword Qi.

This patriarch of Dasheng Mountain, still struggling, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood onto the embers. Activated by the True Intention of Nirvana, it seemed as if life was stirring anew from the ashes!

"Conversion!" Shen Mo stated faintly.

The pale golden Mana, or True Yuan, in his Spirit Sea gushed out as if a floodgate had been opened. Through a mystical connection, it surged into the sword array above, enhancing its power.

BUZZ!

BUZZ!

BUZZ!

Every one of the seven Dao swords, along with the entire The Big Dipper Array, began to vibrate slightly, their formidable might growing even more intense!

Under the terrified gazes of the Dasheng Mountain disciples, Fire Sparrow Master was completely engulfed by the sword light. He was like a twig tossed into a vast ocean, not even a wisp of smoke rising in his wake.

Then, Shen Mo performed a hand seal.

The sword array gradually slowed. The seven small swords joyfully flew back into his sleeves, aligning parallel to his wrists and orbiting them like a set of inch-long armguards.

In a flicker, Shen Mo appeared beside Fire Sparrow Master.

At this moment, the patriarch of Dasheng Mountain cut an utterly miserable figure, lying stiffly on the ground. His rust-brown Dao robe was shredded by the sword light, and his exposed skin was covered with gruesome sword wounds. His topknot had been slashed apart, and his slightly graying hair was in utter disarray. His aura was feeble, as if his life lamp was about to be extinguished at any moment!

Due to his severe injuries, Fire Sparrow Master couldn’t even perform the action of opening his Universe Bag to retrieve an Elixir.

This time, the distress on his face was utterly genuine. Only his eyes could still move. He stared blankly at Shen Mo, his lips quivering, but no words could be formed.

Shen Mo retrieved a Flesh Bone Pill and a Ganoderma Marrow Pill from his Universe Bag. He placed them into Fire Sparrow Master’s mouth and, with a surge of his vital energy, helped him absorb some of the medicinal properties.

"Senior Fire Sparrow, you mustn’t die!" Shen Mo joked. "Otherwise, the Elders of the Enforcement Hall will surely trouble me."

Fire Sparrow Master couldn’t manage a smile. He silently swallowed the Elixirs and used his newly generated Mana to refine them.

As for White Ape Master, who had been severely injured earlier... Shen Mo still remembered how this man had attacked him to avenge Liu Yu.

He wouldn’t waste Elixirs healing him. If he died, it was his fate; if he survived, it was because he was fortunate! The idea of being investigated by the Enforcement Hall was merely a joke. Given his current cultivation and status, unless he were to annihilate the entirety of Dasheng Mountain and Purple Bamboo Valley, the Enforcement Hall would likely not punish him!

A moment later, Fire Sparrow Master finally managed to regulate his breathing and struggled to rise from the ground. After donning a fresh Dao robe, he uttered bitterly, "Fellow Daoist, your power is immense. My Dasheng Mountain is no match for you! Your close friend’s family treasure, the Yin-Yang jade disk, is kept in the Ancestor Hall... I’ll have someone fetch it!"

Shen Mo nodded slightly and added, "One more thing. Your Dasheng Mountain has twenty-six disciples from the Liu Family who are at the Body Tempering Realm. Bring them all out!"

COUGH! COUGH!

At this moment, the severely injured and unconscious White Ape Master slowly regained consciousness. Hearing Shen Mo’s words, he struggled to call out, his voice hoarse and filled with anguish, "Senior Brother Fire Sparrow... he must be the one from that night..."

Before he could finish, Fire Sparrow Master’s expression turned cold. A talisman shot out with a SWOOSH! It landed on White Ape Master, silencing his subsequent words.

A faint smile touched Shen Mo’s lips; he had no intention of further troubling the two patriarchs of Dasheng Mountain.

Times were different now. If he hadn’t yet opened his Spirit Sea, he would naturally have many concerns. But now, even if his identity was exposed, so what? As always, strength determined one’s status! The Enforcement Hall of the Riverside Sect might severely punish two Qi Gathering Realm disciples over matters concerning the Liu and Wu Families. However, to severely punish a Spirit Sea Realm core candidate—one who had slain multiple Third-order Heavenly Demons and countless low-class Heavenly Demons—was a different matter entirely. That would only happen if the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall himself hailed from the Liu or Wu Families!

Fire Sparrow Master naturally understood this as well. One misstep in handling this, and Dasheng Mountain could very well meet the same fate as the Liu and Wu Families today! That was why he had stopped White Ape Master from speaking further. Besides, even if they guessed that Shen Mo was the "culprit" who had annihilated the Liu and Wu Families back then, what could they do? They didn’t have a shred of evidence. Shen Mo hadn’t even used the Demon Slaying Sword or the Soul Refining Flag! Their strength was inferior; they had to yield when necessary and admit defeat when appropriate. If they insisted on being stubbornly defiant, the other party could annihilate their entire sect with a single thought!

Under Fire Sparrow Master’s arrangements, his sect disciples fetched the Yin-Yang jade disk and brought nineteen disciples from the Liu Family before Shen Mo.

"Fellow Daoist, please understand," Fire Sparrow Master said, a trace of sorrow and helplessness in his eyes. "The other seven disciples from the Liu Family were devoured by Heavenly Demons."

Shen Mo took the Yin-Yang jade disk. He confirmed it was an extraordinary treasure and not just some random magic artifact brought out to fool him. He wasn’t in a hurry to study it, so he stored it in his Universe Bag.

Then, his gaze fell upon the nineteen trembling Liu Family disciples.

"Soul Search!"

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Mo’s eyes. His powerful soul power, in a mysterious surge, swept towards the dozen or so individuals.