The man who had barged into Golden Daoist's cave abode was strikingly handsome and young, carrying a golden flying sword in hand, looking every bit like a disciple of some orthodox Mystical Gate sect.
In truth, he was another local Rogue Cultivator named Shen Xuexing. He had once been a failed scholar, repeatedly sitting for the imperial examinations without success. Later, by a twist of fate, he found several fragmented pages of Daoist scripture in an ancient book and thus stepped onto the path of cultivation.
Though Shen Xuexing appeared refined and elegant, he actually delighted in using spells to beguile respectable women before robbing them of their chastity.
When Golden Daoist came to this area, the two had clashed repeatedly over swindling wealthy households and seizing riches through trickery. Over time, they had become mortal enemies!
In terms of cultivation, both had condensed Killing Intent, and the quality of their Killing Intent was equally mediocre and inferior. They were evenly matched. But Golden Daoist was skilled at commanding venomous insects, and Shen Xuexing had suffered a crushing defeat at his hands before fleeing.
Shen Xuexing had some luck of his own. Somehow, he obtained a spiritual medicine that cured the poison from the insects in his body. After reflecting bitterly on his defeat, he refined a Golden Snake Hook and came seeking revenge!
In this world, the sword arts of the Mystical Gate stood unrivaled beneath heaven!
Whether Daoist or demonic, aside from their fundamental cultivation methods, all regarded sword arts as their foremost true transmission.
Only after that came inheritances such as lightning arts, formations, demonic fire, true fire, and the like.
Even among unorthodox schools, those that possessed a legacy of sword-refining methods were vastly superior to those that did not.
When orthodox and demonic cultivators fought,