[Sword Hidden in the Mountain, To Gaze Upon It Is Death]

Lu Xun descended the mountain with Shen Yan, as he was not yet capable of flight and temporarily used Shen Yan as a taxi.

His inability to fly was the main reason he hadn't visited Ji Li recently. It was simply too troublesome, and definitely not due to a man's heartlessness.

As one of the few eighth realm experts on the Tian Chen Continent, Shen Yan waved his hand, and a current of air lifted Lu Xun, carrying him towards the mountain peaks where the Outer Sect Disciples resided and cultivated.

Flying to a higher altitude, among all the outer mountain peaks, the most conspicuous was Reception Peak, located at the very edge.

It was from there that Lu Xun had jumped off the cliff a few days prior.

Like Shen Yan, it was barren, devoid of trees and even weeds, practically lifeless.

The platform at the peak looked as if it had been flattened by a single sword strike. From a distance, it truly resembled a massive sword sheath plunged into the earth!

Although it wasn't his first time seeing it, Lu Xun was still deeply captivated, marveling at the mountain peak's uncanny craftsmanship.

Seeing Lu Xun's gaze linger on Reception Peak, Shen Yan couldn't help but ask, "Does Little Martial Uncle find Reception Peak somewhat unique?"

"Yes," Lu Xun replied.

Shen Yan also glanced at Reception Peak, sighing, "Does Little Martial Uncle know who is responsible for shaping this mountain peak into its current form?"

Lu Xun shook his head, awaiting Shen Yan's answer.

"It was the founder of the Demon Sect, Teacher's eldest disciple, and also my master."

Indeed, the founding patriarch of the Demon Sect was Lu Xun's First Senior Brother.

On the Tian Chen Continent, the righteous path was led by the Four Great Sects, while the Demonic Path was dominated by the Three Great Demonic Sects.

Among these seven major sects, four had a long and storied history, but three were different.

They were One Sword Mountain, Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, and the Demon Sect.

One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Swords Mountain did not have long histories, for a simple reason: they were branches that had split off from Sword Mountain, which was one of the oldest sects on the entire Tian Chen Continent.

The Demon Sect, however, was different. Shen Yan was the second-generation Sect Master of the Demon Sect, and the position had only been passed down once.

In terms of foundation, the Demon Sect couldn't compare to the other six major sects, but in terms of the strength of the Sect Master and the sect's higher-ups, the Demon Sect was not to be underestimated!

On the surface, Sect Master Shen Yan was an eighth realm Tongtian expert, and the various Peak Lords were also at the peak of the seventh realm.

Hidden from view, the other six major sects might have some hidden forces like Supreme Elders, but the Demon Sect had Teacher.

With Teacher alone…

—that was enough.

This history also proved that… even someone as strong as Teacher was just a rogue cultivator!

It was precisely because Teacher had no sect or faction that his eldest disciple also had no sect or faction, which allowed him to create the Demon Sect. Otherwise, it would have been a betrayal of his original sect.

Lu Xun's First Senior Brother was named Yan Li. He hadn't met him yet, and even Mao Nanbei had never met the First Senior Brother.

Everyone in the Demon Sect knew that the founding patriarch was in Secluded Life-or-Death Cultivation.

The difficulty of Secluded Life-or-Death Cultivation could be felt from the words themselves.

Take a step forward and live, fail to take it and die.

Until now, the First Senior Brother had not emerged from seclusion.

Throughout the entire Tian Chen Continent, many people hoped for his survival, and many hoped for his death.

Especially One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, whose emotions were particularly complex.

The reason was simple: as the two most famous Sword Cultivator sects on the Tian Chen Continent, the holy land for sword dao practitioners, they were overshadowed by a man from outside their sects.

The First Senior Brother practiced the sword.

An unparalleled sword.

If one were to create a ranking of the world's Sword Cultivators, then perhaps the 2nd to 10th places would all be from One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, but the undisputed number one was in Secluded Life-or-Death Cultivation in the Demon Sect.

As long as he didn't die, he would always be the number one sword dao practitioner of this era!

Lu Xun couldn't help but look at Reception Peak again. When he joined the sect, he had said that this mountain peak, which resembled a sword sheath, gave people a feeling of—solitude!

To be the best in the world is to be alone!

Looking at the platform on the mountaintop, Lu Xun felt an inexplicable surge of heroic spirit!

Shen Yan seemed to sense Lu Xun's emotions and smiled, "Back then, Teacher cleaved this Reception Peak with a single sword, and to this day, remnants of Teacher's sword intent linger, which is why this mountain is barren."

So that's the setup, Lu Xun thought to himself.

He really didn't know about this, it seems to be one of the Demon Sect's secrets.

Shen Yan seemed to be in a talkative mood today and continued, "This remnant of sword intent hidden within the mountain is actually the first layer of my Demon Sect's mountain protection array."

He pointed to a small hill opposite Reception Peak and said, "Not many outsiders know this secret, but it's not like no one knows. Every few years, some old, undying Sword Cultivators come to that small hill to gaze at Reception Peak from afar. Unfortunately, with the Sword Hidden in the Mountain, most people can't see through it, let alone comprehend it."

Lu Xun looked at the small hill and wondered, "Why do I feel like that small hill has been cut in half at the waist?"

He felt that the hill used to be taller, and that it had been artificially destroyed by a great cultivator.

"Little Teacher Uncle has a good eye, that mountain… I cut it," Shen Yan said.

He raised his bald head slightly, displeased, "These Sword Cultivators trying to steal our secrets is one thing, but why stand so high?"

Lu Xun couldn't help but laugh.

By cutting the opposite mountain in half, these Sword Cultivators would have to stand on the small hill and look up at Reception Peak.

As for flying in mid-air to look at Reception Peak from a level or downward angle… do you really think my Demon Sect disciples are easy to bully?

Lu Xun's main account in his previous life only reached level 60, because that was the level cap at the time, so he was curious about the strength of an eighth-realm expert at level 80-something, and asked:

"I'm curious, how many swords did the Sect Master use to cut the mountain back then?"

Shen Yan said, "Also one sword."

Then, he added, "Although I used only one sword like Teacher, the gap between my sword and Teacher's sword is vast, and I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to follow in Teacher's footsteps in this lifetime."

"Then can the Sect Master see First Senior Brother's remnant of sword intent hidden in Reception Peak?" Lu Xun asked again.

"I can. Whenever I have doubts in my cultivation, I come here to study it," Shen Yan said honestly, without the slightest embarrassment.

Seeing Lu Xun's longing expression, he said, "Does Little Teacher Uncle want to see it?"

Lu Xun nodded, there was no point in denying it.

Who wouldn't want to see the remnant of sword intent of the world's number one Sword Cultivator?

Shen Yan pondered for a moment and said, "I can help Little Teacher Uncle with this."

Lu Xun's eyes lit up immediately.

But Shen Yan said solemnly, "Comprehending on your own is different from helping someone else comprehend. I will only let Little Teacher Uncle take one look, and only one look. Little Teacher Uncle must not be greedy."

"What happens if I look more?" Lu Xun asked curiously.

Shen Yan said, "You are observing the sword intent, and the sword intent is also observing you."

This sentence reminded Lu Xun of the saying, [When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you].

Shen Yan's next sentence was:

"And if the sword intent glances at you, you will die."