The stars of the Heavenly Sword Sect numbered in the tens of thousands, and over time, the sword tombs continued to increase, each imbued with varied sword intents.
The higher the sword tomb, the more powerful it grew, mixed in with the occasional bizarre tombs.
It seemed as though some of these sword tombs, perhaps due to their contained sword intents, were plagued by traces of Death Disease, appearing like grotesque tumors.
At the very peak were the twenty-eight sword tombs belonging to the Inner Sect, representing Taoist inheritances capable of reaching the Nine Realms of Immortality.
One of these twenty-eight sword tombs was named [Thunder Constellation].
The structure of Thunder Constellation was exceedingly peculiar.
The tomb was covered in a viscous, whitish thunder, interwoven and transforming into shapes resembling an eye, revealed across its surface.
Deep within Thunder Constellation was the Daoist Temple where the Inner Sect disciples cultivated.
The surface of the temple appeared unremarkable.
Yet inside, the structure was made entirely of flesh and bone, veins and arteries faintly writhing, evoking a spine-chilling horror.
A plaque hung in the main hall, engraved with the words [Refining Residence].
The furnishings in the Refining Residence were exceedingly sparse, almost devoid of furniture, with nothing but bricks resistant to thunder laid upon the floor and a few meditation cushions scattered around.
Two individuals sat facing each other, with a hundred or so onlookers standing nearby, too afraid to look directly.
All of them were old men with crane-white hair and childlike faces, though their visages carried an oddly novel appearance.
The Floating Vessel Taoist, hailing from the Thunder Qiong Sword Tomb, bore skin stitched together like that of a beast, with extraneous limbs occasionally sprouting.
Qiu Ranzi, emerging from the Earth Qian Sword Tomb, had a chest and abdomen covered by dense clusters of holes, exuding thick plumes of smoke.
Before them sat a porcelain jar, half the height of a man, its surface adorned with blue-and-white patterns, filled with an indescribable sword intent.
The Floating Vessel Taoist shook his head and remarked, "From what I can see, only twenty-three thousand five hundred Sword Sheaths are likely to survive until the Cocoon Sword Meeting begins."
Qiu Ranzi added, "Among the tombs summoned for the Cocoon Sword Meeting, there are sixty-three lower-grade ones, twelve mid-grade ones, and not a single upper-grade Taoist inheritance."
As the porcelain jar suddenly shuddered, the two immediately ceased speaking further.
From the jar’s mouth came a peculiar bubbling sound, followed shortly by the emergence of a delicate, jade-like hand, which soon receded back inside the jar.
"She... still has energy to spare? Didn’t she already enter that [Yin Armor]?"
"Speak no more of forbidden matters."
"Since we’ve been invited to observe this Sword Meeting, let’s keep our eyes open."
The two exchanged glances, their faces splitting from forehead to chin, revealing an eye embedded in their brains, forcibly pressing through their skulls.
They scanned seventy-five sword tombs, and the struggling figures of cultivators were reflected in their eyes.
No matter their cultivation level, under the suppression of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Mountain Protection Array, all these cultivators appeared exceptionally bedraggled, forced into desperate survival.
With over twenty thousand cultivators entering the tombs, fewer than five thousand remained.
The flying swords, like packs of predators feasting on prey, reduced those harboring faint hopes to corpses in the overwhelming atmosphere of despair.
"How many will manage to stand out?"
"There’s a notable Sword Sheath in the Bone Marrow Sword Tomb, who’s already comprehended a white bone type of sword intent, though it’s merely lower-grade."
Qiu Ranzi pointed towards the southwest.
In the tomb filled with white bones, Mu Jin had already twisted into a banyan tree shape, fungi growing from his marrow engulfing his flesh entirely.
His eyes were lifeless and remained immobile within the sword tomb.
The Floating Vessel Taoist nodded in agreement, "It’s rare to comprehend sword intent before joining the sect, though it’s unfortunate his state doesn’t align with our Taoist inheritance."
The two casually discussed Mu Jin, as though his mutated and out-of-control body was considered a commendable trait within the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Qiu Ranzi suddenly furrowed his brows, "How can there still be someone who hasn’t drawn a sword tomb’s descent? What could be happening?"
The two then noticed Li Mo standing on the ground, lost in contemplation.
"Must be poor talent."
Due to the Mountain Protection Array’s cover, even Sword Cultivators capable of divine splitting and virtual practice found it difficult to discern the true body and soul of others.
The Floating Vessel Taoist noticed Li Mo’s Sword Tongue Sect magic robe, "He’s a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator from an affiliated sword sect, likely of the Sword Tongue Sect."
"With no Lifebound Flying Sword and most of his Dao Body presumably ruined, he’s unable to sense even the lowest-grade sword tomb. Might as well kill him and be done with it."
Qiu Ranzi removed a tooth, infusing it with sword intent until it transformed into a black-brown flying sword.
"After all, he is from the Nascent Soul Stage; his flesh and bones could still be used to seed swords."
The black-brown flying sword tore away from Qiu Ranzi’s palm, crossing ten thousand meters in an instant, slashing straight for Li Mo’s throat.
"Qiu Ranzi, your Planting Beans into Soldiers technique is becoming more advanced by the day. Before long, perhaps you’ll ascend to even greater heights."
The Floating Vessel Taoist gave a quick remark before turning his focus on the black-brown flying sword dispatched for beheading Li Mo. The two promptly began discussing the Planting Beans into Soldiers spell.
Much time passed without the black-brown flying sword returning. Unable to contain their curiosity, they directed their gaze towards the ground, only to see Li Mo holding the sword and inspecting it with a perplexed look.
"How could this be? Though I didn’t actively control the sword with divine splitting, no ordinary Nascent Soul Stage cultivator could manipulate it! What the hell...?"
Qiu Ranzi tried to link with the sword, but suddenly sensed an indescribable Taoist body aura emanating from Li Mo.
Below the Heavenly Sword Sect, numerous sword tombs began to stir uneasily.
The sword tomb [Yin Wood], sword tomb [Fluorescent Light], sword tomb [Tai Fei], sword tomb [Green Moon], sword tomb [Liu Fire]...
When they looked at Li Mo again, he was no longer a figure with poor talent.
The aura of Li Mo’s Taoist body radiated unparalleled purity, composed of at least four Superior Dao Bodies, nearing the level of an Immortal Body.
Qiu Ranzi cried out in shock.
Mixed Element, as the ultimate Earth Attribute Dao Body, could trace its origins to an Immortal Body, sufficient to inherit several top-grade flying swords from the Earth Qian Sword Tomb.
The Floating Vessel Taoist then noticed the presence of the Great Wilderness Immortal Body, "An unprecedented beast-like Dao Body, just right for the Thunder Qiong Sword Tomb."
"Nonsense! Look at the Mixed Element—flesh as meat, treasure as bone, saint as skin, ephemera as soul. To squander it on a Beast Sword would be a pity."
"Thunder Qiong and Earth Qian are both part of the twenty-eight sword tombs; there is no superiority or inferiority between the two."
The Floating Vessel Taoist sneered coldly, his spine inexplicably expanding outward, resembling a beast’s egg, and half-transparent skin revealing creatures seemingly gestating within.
"A cosmic joke indeed! Earth Qian, as belonging to the Five Elements, is the foundation of the great Dao, while Beast Sword is merely an imagined swordsmanship system of predecessors."
Qiu Ranzi grew extra pairs of arms, each clutching rib-shaped sword weapons.
Although their relations had been amicable, due to Li Mo’s revealed terrifying potential, there was now a noticeable tension in their words.
Li Mo furrowed his brows slightly.
He noticed a Fake Buddha still hidden among the stars, intensifying the output of his Taoist body aura, as a Seven Treasures Halo emerged behind him.
Sword tombs competed to descend, quickly surpassing a hundred, including several middle-grade sword tombs.
Li Mo was particularly taken aback when some of the strange and grotesque tombs showed signs of movement. The aura of danger from his Five Dao Body grew harsher.
One tomb, brimming with swollen flesh and cysts, seemed to have been summoned by an innate saint.
Qiu Ranzi and the Floating Vessel Taoist exchanged glances, their expressions deeply grave.
"Yu Xiao deliberately invited you and me to observe. It seems they’re aiming to bring the Sword Tongue Sect Daoist into the Inner Sect. We mustn’t let them fall into their hands."
No longer hesitating, the two rode their flying swords toward Li Mo’s location.
Although they could not alter the Cocoon Sword Meeting, they could certainly coerce and bribe Li Mo into joining their respective Taoist inheritances.
Their goals aligned, but sharp disputes broke out nonetheless.
"Sword Tongue Sect Daoist, you are a unique Sword Slave of the Beast Sword. Don’t overthink—follow me up the mountain."
"Don’t listen to his nonsense; Earth Qian has always been a leading force in the Inner Sect."
Their arguments echoed across the stars.
Soon, the Heavenly Sword Sect erupted with excitement, as Li Mo’s talent was simply too shocking.
Not only did he have the potential to ascend to Land Immortal in the future, but his body could accommodate top-grade flying swords, which immediately tempted every Sword Cultivator from every inheritance.
"What a prodigy, uniquely gifted. The Soul Wandering Sword will undoubtedly reach the twenty-eight sword tombs. If you join the sect, you’ll instantly become the chief disciple."
"The middle-grade inheritance is too inferior. Come be the Sacrificial Spirit of the twenty-eight sword tombs."
"Heh, everyone knows a flying sword of the Sacrificial Spirit is soon to lose control."
Li Mo’s lips twitched slightly, surrounded by countless flying swords.
These were all messengers of intent transmitted by the various Taoist inheritances.
Pretending to show hesitation, Li Mo continued to communicate with the Fake Buddha mentally.
However, the problem was the sword tombs he summoned had already surpassed a thousand, and the Fake Buddha was deeply connected to the Sunlight Bodhisattva’s Great Light True Body.
Li Mo could not release the Sunlight Bodhisattva, which left him temporarily unable to locate the sword tombs.
Qiu Ranzi unleashed his spiritual power, and terrifying sword intent surged forward.
"Witness the residual might of Earth Qian."
He ignored the rules of the Heavenly Sword Sect, producing a kidney-shaped rock in his palm, pointing it toward Li Mo from a hundred meters away.
"Prepare your defense; here comes my strike."
The Floating Vessel Taoist opened his chest, his Beast Head erupting into fumes.
The other Sword Cultivators followed suit, unleashing a torrent of sword qi, causing the halted rain of swords to resume its torrential descent.
"These maniacs are relentless."
Even though the sword qi barely missed him, Li Mo reflexively drew the Illusion Fish Sword.
The Universal Illumination Sword Intent exploded forth, with the Illusion Fish Sword radiating Seven Treasures’ brilliance to envelop him. The residual sword rain caused constant metallic clashing sounds around him.
"Sword intent? No, it’s already Perfect."
Qiu Ranzi almost tore his long beard off, his eyes red as he cursed, "You bastard! How can an Earth Attribute Dao Body comprehend Yang Attribute Sword Intent?"
"Yang Attribute poses no issue; the Beast Sword of Thunder Qiong encompasses all..."
The situation spiraled out of control.
Li Mo swallowed nervously, intending to control his flight closer to the sword tombs, unwilling to delay further lest the Sword Cultivators launch a collective attack.
He held no interest in the Heavenly Sword Sect’s top-grade flying swords.
The sect’s swords, at their core, required a Sword Slave’s Dao Body for growth, introducing too many uncontrollable factors.
Even if Li Mo was dissatisfied with merely possessing the Fake Buddha, he would refine his own swords later on.
A voice echoed in Li Mo’s ears, with sparks of micro dust flickering around him.
"Taiyi — the True Word Sect Flying Sword is in the Three Suns Sword Tomb. Do not resist; come with me."
Li Mo recognized the voice originating from a Charcoal Sword Cultivator he had briefly encountered before.
The tone sounded slightly peculiar, as though even this skilled cultivator could not grasp why Li Mo insisted on pursuing a Yang Attribute Flying Sword incompatible with his Dao Body.
Li Mo vanished instantly from his spot.
The Cocoon Sword Meeting did not calm the ensuing chaos. As the Taoist inheritances realized their ploy was intercepted, they desperately sought to track Li Mo’s whereabouts.
After all, he was the first to summon the gathering of All Swords Return to the Sect.