Chapter 204 – Delayed Three Years, the Demon Saint Arrives at Demon-Sealing Pass!

【Year seventeen, you continued honing your swordsmanship, deepening your comprehension of the Earth Sword.】

【Finally, one day, your accumulated efforts bore fruit. You suddenly felt that your ability to command the forces of heaven and earth had become far more effortless.】

【Your comprehension of the Earth Sword successfully advanced to the Minor Mastery level!】

【After achieving Minor Mastery of the Earth Sword, you could keenly sense the augmentation of heaven and earth’s power.】

【By borrowing the power of the earth, you could make your sword strikes more stable and forceful, multiplying the strength behind each move several times over.】

【By borrowing the power of flowing water, you could deflect a thousand pounds of force with just four ounces, achieving the goal of overcoming hardness with softness, effortlessly blocking enemy attacks.】

【Mountains, rivers, grass, trees… flowing water, thunder and lightning… all things existing in nature could inspire you.】

【Augmented by these insights into the forces of heaven and earth, your sword strikes became more grounded, and your Sword Momentum grew ever more profound and unfathomable…】

【After achieving Minor Mastery of the Earth Sword, you continued to be active on the Slaughter Battlefield, still hunting Legendary demon beasts daily.】

【Three years passed quickly in this manner.】

【Year twenty. Over these three years, you slew over a hundred more Legendary demon beasts and refined their blood and flesh essence into Rebirth Pills.】

【After consuming them, your Body Tempering cultivation advanced further, not far from the Void Shattering Realm, Seventh Layer…】

【As you continued hunting Legendary demon beasts, the demon clan’s top-tier combat strength on the Slaughter Battlefield diminished greatly, and the pressure on the Beast Taming World’s forces against the demon clan was significantly reduced.】

【But what gave you a bit of a headache was that as you kept killing Legendary demon beasts, their numbers dwindled.】

【You often needed a month, or even longer, to successfully find a single Legendary demon beast to hunt. Your efficiency in hunting Legendary demon beasts had dropped considerably.】

【But you were actually happy about this, because it meant that the demon clan’s Legendary demon beasts on the battlefield had truly decreased substantially.】

【Without new Legendary demon beasts to replenish their ranks, it proved that the foreign races currently might not have spare Legendary demon beasts to send into battle either.】

Su Xing’s face lit up with joy when he saw this, and he murmured:

“As expected, the Innate Sword Physique’s effects are truly remarkable… In just over a decade of practice, my comprehension of the Earth Sword has already reached Minor Mastery.”

“At this rate, even if this simulation can’t reach the Major Mastery level, it probably won’t be far off…”

After a pause, Su Xing continued thinking:

“And the decreasing number of Legendary demon beasts… this also indirectly proves that the foreign races don’t have an infinite supply of demon beasts!”

“At least… when it comes to high-level demon beasts, their numbers are limited. Once too many fall in a short period, the demon clan has no way to immediately replenish with fresh blood.”

But at the same time, a faint sense of vigilance stirred in Su Xing’s heart.

“If these Legendary demon beasts are completely wiped out, will the demon beast army’s strength be diminished when they attack Demon-Sealing Pass in year twenty-five?”

“Or… will even more powerful enemies appear at that time?”

At this thought, Su Xing excitedly licked his lips.

Regardless of which possibility it was, it was worth trying.

With that in mind, Su Xing turned his gaze back to the simulation panel.

【Year twenty-one. You devoted yourself to cultivation, and your Body Tempering cultivation broke through to the Void Shattering Stage, Seventh Layer!】

【Congratulations on becoming a late-stage Void Shattering cultivator!】

【After your cultivation advanced, your strength was far greater than before, but you hadn’t had a chance to fight a Demon Emperor one-on-one, which left you somewhat disappointed.】

【Over the next two years, you continued practicing swordsmanship daily.】

【The Innate Sword Physique truly lived up to its gold quality. Through day after day of practice, your comprehension of the Earth Sword gradually approached the Major Mastery level.】

【At the same time, over these two years you also slew dozens of Legendary demon beasts. With this, the Beast Taming World’s forces held an absolute advantage on the Slaughter Battlefield.】

【Amidst the slaughter, two years slowly passed…】

【Year twenty-three. One day, a double-pupiled demon descended upon the Slaughter Battlefield.】

【Its terrifying power directly crushed all the Emperor-level powerhouses.】

【You watched with your own eyes as the previously arrogant silver-haired Demon Emperor stood before this being as deferentially as a servant.】

【This was none other than the powerful demon clan figure who had appeared in previous simulations. You strongly suspected this was a Demon Saint-level powerhouse!】

【The Double-Pupiled Demon Saint, with merely a wave of his hand, slew two Emperor-level beast tamers, and dozens of Legendary beast tamers were annihilated with a mere flick of his fingers.】

【From afar, you saw the silver-haired Demon Emperor lean close to the Double-Pupiled Demon Saint’s ear and whisper a few words.】

【The Double-Pupiled Demon Saint then raised his head, his gaze reaching across the distance to find you, a hint of amusement playing on his face.】

【The instant your eyes met, an overwhelming sense of alarm surged through your heart.】

【Blessed by Fortune and the Eight Trigrams Divination Art screamed warnings frantically. The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end.】

【Without a moment’s hesitation, you retreated into the spirit field grotto-heaven.】

【Back in the spirit field grotto-heaven, you collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.】

【The Demon Saint had not pursued you. You were temporarily safe.】

【But unease still lingered in your heart. You weren’t sure whether the Demon Saint could see through this portable pocket dimension.】

【So you waited anxiously in the spirit field grotto-heaven for several days. The Double-Pupiled Demon Saint did not come after you.】

【This let you breathe a sigh of relief, but you didn’t let your guard down. Instead, you continued staying in the spirit field grotto-heaven, practicing your swordsmanship.】

In the Real World, Su Xing was somewhat shocked when he saw this, murmuring:

“The timing… it actually moved up!”

“I clearly remember that the Beast Taming World was destroyed in year twenty-four… Why has it become year twenty-three this time?”

Su Xing’s vigilance heightened as several ideas formed in his mind.

“Could it be that the passage of time in the Real World happened to coincide with the Beast Taming World’s destruction timeline?”

“Hmm, that’s possible… but not very likely!”

After a pause, Su Xing muttered:

“The more likely explanation is that the demon clan suffered devastating losses on the Slaughter Battlefield…”

“And because of that, they had no choice but to deploy the Demon Saint powerhouse ahead of schedule, hoping for a swift and decisive victory to finish off the Beast Taming World!”

Su Xing nodded. Compared to the first explanation, he clearly thought the latter was more probable.

At the same time, a question arose in Su Xing’s mind.

“The Beast Taming World was destroyed ahead of schedule… so what will happen to Earth?”

With that thought, Su Xing turned his gaze back to the simulation panel.

【As a precaution, you remained in the spirit field grotto-heaven for an entire year.】

【During this year, you still practiced swordsmanship and improved your Body Tempering cultivation daily.】

【Year twenty-four. You steeled your nerves and left the spirit field grotto-heaven, returning to the Slaughter Battlefield of the Beast Taming World…】

【Sure enough, just as you had expected, the entire Slaughter Battlefield was littered with the corpses of spirit beasts and humans.】

【The demon beast army from before, along with that Demon Saint powerhouse, had already withdrawn.】

【You carefully surveyed the Slaughter Battlefield. There were no signs of any living creatures.】

【Afterward, you traveled to the Beast Taming World proper. The entire Beast Taming World had been slaughtered to extinction by the demon clan.】

【The once lush and verdant mountain forests had turned into barren wastelands…】

【The entire Beast Taming World was filled with signs of desolation and decay.】

【After your fruitless search, you returned to the original red dragon’s lair.】

【From the red dragon’s lair, you returned to Earth.】

【To your relief, Earth was still at peace. The humans at Demon-Sealing Pass still held the upper hand, with no signs of the fortress falling.】

【So you continued to stay at Demon-Sealing Pass, defending the fortress while honing your swordsmanship.】

【Year twenty-five. Your swordsmanship still remained at the Minor Mastery level.】

【One day, you calculated the time and estimated that the demon army should be arriving soon.】

【But to your surprise, the demon clan did not come as expected.】

【You were puzzled, but simply continued cultivating while waiting.】

【And so, another year passed.】

【Year twenty-six. A calm and uneventful year. You practiced swordsmanship daily.】

【Year twenty-seven. Practicing swordsmanship…】

【Year twenty-eight. One day, the demon clan finally attacked!】

【But what you hadn’t expected was that it wasn’t a countless demon army that came. Only four demons appeared on the battlefield.】

【Three Demon Emperors and one Demon Saint… and that Demon Saint was none other than the Double-Pupiled Demon Saint!】

【The Double-Pupiled Demon Saint descended upon Demon-Sealing Pass with three Demon Emperors in tow.】

【From afar, he spotted you standing atop the city wall with a single glance.】

【A sense of foreboding immediately gripped your heart. You tried to enter the spirit field grotto-heaven, only to find that the surrounding space had become extremely unstable. You failed to enter.】

【The next second, the Double-Pupiled Demon Saint appeared at your side.】

【With just a single palm strike, he reduced you to a mist of blood filling the sky — you didn’t even have time to raise your Protective Astral Aura…】

【In the instant before death, you saw the mocking expression in the Double-Pupiled Demon Saint’s eyes.】

【Your soul left your body, and the Demon Saint mercilessly annihilated it…】

【You died!】

【Ding — this simulation has ended!】

After the simulation ended, Su Xing stared at the text before him in a daze for a long time.

“The simulation time really did extend… from twenty-five years to twenty-eight years?”

“And after I killed those armies of Legendary-stage demon beasts, the Demon Saint actually descended upon Demon-Sealing Pass… That’s obviously not good news.”

Su Xing shook his head slightly.

The Demon Saint’s strength was far too terrifying — he had instantly killed Su Xing! Su Xing couldn’t even escape back to the spirit field grotto-heaven…

“Has a Demon Saint-level powerhouse really grown strong enough to control space? Or is it that… this Double-Pupiled Demon Saint possesses some kind of supreme treasure capable of interfering with space?”

Su Xing had no way of knowing.

After a long while, Su Xing let out a sigh and said:

“Well, extending from twenty-five years to twenty-eight years… that’s a good thing overall! No matter what, the simulation time increased by another three years!”

Thinking this, Su Xing turned his gaze toward the reward options for this simulation.

【Innate Sword Physique】: Gold talent. Price: 10,000,000 energy points.

【Twenty Years of Alchemy Experience】: After redemption, existing alchemy insights will increase by a small margin. Price: 2,000,000 energy.

【Void-Breaking Realm, Seventh Layer】: Void-Breaking Realm cultivation. Shatter falsehood through one’s own mighty power. Price: 200,000,000 energy.

【Earth Sword (Minor Accomplishment)】: The Earth Sword chapter of the Three Talents Sword Art. By borrowing the power of heaven and earth to bolster oneself, sword technique power is greatly increased. Not far from Earth Sword Major Accomplishment. Price: 200,000,000 energy.

【Rebirth Pills x1,000】: Developed by the ancient Wu Clan… cultivators at the Divine Power realm who take them will rapidly increase their cultivation. Cultivators at the Void Shattering stage who take them will benefit their Body Tempering cultivation, though with certain side effects. Price: 2,000,000,000 simulation energy.

Su Xing didn’t agonize over the rewards this time and said decisively:

“I’ll take the gold talent Innate Sword Physique… and the Earth Sword Minor Accomplishment insights!”

As his words fell, the simulator’s notification chimed in his ears.

【You have successfully extracted the gold talent Innate Sword Physique. Cost: 10,000,000 energy. Remaining energy: 1,650,440,000 points.】

【Detected existing purple talent of the same type: Sword Maniac. Auto-replacing…】

【You have successfully extracted Earth Sword (Minor Mastery-level). Cost: 200,000,000 energy. Remaining energy: 1,450,440,000 points.】

As the simulator’s notifications faded, two streams of mysterious energy surged into Su Xing’s body.

A golden radiance was the first to flood into Su Xing’s mind.

Su Xing felt some subtle change occurring within his body — his perception of the Sword Dao seemed to have grown far sharper.

The spirit sword Blackice in his hand became completely attuned to his will, moving as naturally as an extension of his own arm.

“As expected of a gold talent… the enhancement is nothing short of terrifying!”

Immediately after, a vast flood of knowledge and memories regarding Earth Sword cultivation poured into Su Xing’s mind.

Su Xing closed his eyes and began digesting this knowledge.

Moments later, Su Xing slowly opened his eyes, and an inexplicable ripple of energy flashed through them.

“So that’s how it works… by borrowing the power of heaven and earth, your enemy isn’t just fighting the sword — they’re fighting the very world around them!”

“Such swordsmanship is truly terrifying… it points straight toward the Grand Dao! No wonder possessing Earth Sword allows one to fight opponents above their level…”

A look of satisfaction appeared on Su Xing’s face.

“In just over twenty years, my comprehension of Earth Sword went from complete ignorance to beginner level… then to Earth Sword Minor Accomplishment! And Major Accomplishment isn’t far off either…”

“At this rate, reaching Perfection in Earth Sword should take roughly fifty years — about two simulations’ worth of time…”

Fifty years to cultivate the Earth Sword chapter of the Three Talents Sword Art to Perfection — such speed was utterly astonishing! And this was without Su Xing triggering Spontaneous Epiphany.

If he did trigger Spontaneous Epiphany, he could probably reach Earth Sword Perfection in a single simulation!

After all, the Three Talents Sword Art was no mere mortal sword cultivation manual — it was a true sword cultivation technique!

An ordinary sword cultivator, let alone fifty years, might struggle to bring Earth Sword to Perfection even in a hundred or five hundred years…

“Tsk tsk, what a shame… my luck wasn’t great this time. If I had triggered Spontaneous Epiphany, it would have been perfect!”

Su Xing let out a sigh, but the corners of his mouth curved upward involuntarily — a rather humble-brag sort of feeling.

“Not bad! In the next simulation, I should be able to bring Earth Sword to Perfection… and then push my Body Tempering cultivation to Void-Breaking Realm Perfection. At that point, even Emperor-level powerhouses — I’ll be able to fight and defeat them!”

A fierce battle intent flashed through Su Xing’s eyes.

Afterward, Su Xing opened his personal attribute panel and glanced over it.

【Name: Su Xing】

【Age: 22】

【Profession: Immortal Cultivator】

【Cultivation: Void Return Great Perfection, Void-Breaking Realm Fifth Layer】

【Techniques: Ruyi Visualization Diagram, Eternal Spring Art, Thousand Blazing Flame Art】

【Talents: Wisdom in Foolishness, Innate Sword Physique, Spontaneous Epiphany, Alchemy Prodigy, King of Gluttons, Lightning-Wood-Fire Triple Heavenly Spirit Root, Strength to Uproot Mountains, Fortune in Commerce, Peerless Adonis, Descendant of Shennong, Die With Eyes Open, Blessed by Fortune, Blessed by Fortune, Self-Help Guru…】

【Skills: Separation Fire Technique (Mastery-level), Alchemy Art (Minor Mastery), Spirit Detonation Art (Major Mastery), Shennong Spirit Cultivation Technique (Beginner-level), 31,000-zhang Spiritual Sense (Subtle Realm), Elemental Force (Projection-level Perfection), Three Talents Sword Art (Human Sword Perfection, Earth Sword Minor Mastery), Protective Hardened Qi (Perfection), Myriad-Mile Tracking Art (Beginner), Eight Trigrams Divination Art (Major Mastery), Ruyi Golden Cauldron (Major Mastery), Formation Dao (Beginner), Sword-Controlling Technique (Minor Mastery)】

【Special Physique: Heavenly Lightning Body】

Compared to before, Su Xing’s attribute panel had become incomparably more impressive.

Over a dozen talents, each providing Su Xing with significant enhancements or possessing unique use cases.

And over the past year or so, Su Xing had relied on his accumulated foundation to master an ever-growing number of supernatural arts and techniques, learning multiple cultivator disciplines including alchemy, spirit cultivation, and formation arrays.

Su Xing studied his simulation panel and began planning his future path of advancement.

“As things stand, what still needs improving is my swordsmanship and Body Tempering cultivation…”

“After that, I’ll need to consider entering the Void Realm and attempting to cultivate my spiritual sense.”

Su Xing nodded slightly. He still had plenty of time.

Proceeding step by step, advancing steadily — that was the most prudent approach.

Over the following days, Su Xing continued his daily pill refinement.

However, he now focused his primary efforts on refining Fasting Pills.

It wasn’t until November 8th that Su Xing suddenly remembered his earlier arrangement with Luo Shuying.

So Su Xing disguised his appearance, concealed his aura, and shielded his fate from divination before flying by sword toward the agreed meeting place.

When he was about a hundred kilometers from the location, Su Xing extended his spiritual sense for a thorough scan.

“Mm… aside from Luo Shuying, there are no other auras. It seems she hasn’t been exposed!”

Su Xing nodded slightly, then headed into the mountain.

“Senior!”

The moment Su Xing appeared, Luo Shuying walked over with delight.

Seeing Luo Shuying again, Su Xing naturally felt pleased as well.

But he maintained the bearing of a senior expert, nodding slightly and saying:

“Good. You came as promised… Have you been waiting long?”

Luo Shuying quickly shook her head, then took out the Condensing Wood and handed it to Su Xing.

Su Xing regarded the Condensing Wood before him — three zhang in length and as thick as an arm.

Ancient patterns adorned the Condensing Wood naturally, emanating a mysterious and profound aura.

“Truly worthy of being a heavenly treasure capable of enhancing spiritual sense… Remarkable indeed!”

Su Xing nodded with satisfaction, silently praising it.

He put the Condensing Wood away, then said to Luo Shuying:

“On this same day next month, come find me here again… If I’m not here, delay by one month…”

“Next time, I’ll bring you a pill that will allow you to advance to the Legendary stage…”

Luo Shuying was naturally overjoyed to hear this, but a hint of hesitation appeared in her eyes.

Seeing her reluctance, Su Xing spoke:

“Though you are a junior, we are fellow Dao friends fighting against the foreign races…”

“If you have something to say, speak freely. There’s no need for such hesitation…”

Luo Shuying nodded, then steeled her resolve and said:

“Senior, I want to leave the Advent Cult… and devote myself entirely to following you!”