Be the Hardest Working Demon Cultivator!

Three tall, approximately ten feet high, blue stone steles crumbled into dust one after the other, and after all three steles had disintegrated into the dirt, a long staff carrying traces of black flame flew toward Tan Shuchang.

He reached out to catch it and the flames extinguished instantly, Tan Shuchang distinctly felt that he could no longer activate the magic artifact like before, but at the same time, he also felt that he could now nurture a spirit within this magic artifact.

This magic artifact had undergone a qualitative change.

It was like the difference between a Golden Retriever and a Tibetan Mastiff; the former could be friendly with anyone, while only the true master could get close to the latter.

After successfully nurturing the spirit in the magic artifact, Tan Shuchang would be its true master.

However, Tan Shuchang did not immediately begin to nurture the spirit within the artifact, but instead joined his fists in salute, nodding to the dark figure that was preparing to leave and thanked him, "Thank you, senior, for passing on the technique. I just do not know what this cultivation technique is called, as this is the first time in my life that I have witnessed such a profound technique."

"This demonic technique has a name, but you do not need to know it, for you may call this technique anything you like." the shadowy figure replied.

The name "Shadow Retaining Immortal Secret Tome" was not without renown in the cultivation world, especially among the older generations, who could describe its reputation as being as loud as thunder after that one battle.

However, there was no harm in merely cultivating it.

This demonic technique was peculiar; before one achieved mastery, it did not possess the ability to transform into innumerable shadows, and even in action, it much resembled a sword cultivator.

It showed not the slightest hint of demonic cultivation!

Only upon achieving great mastery of this demonic technique would it reveal its overpowering demonic phenomena.

Hearing the shadow speak so, Tan Shuchang naturally felt surprised, but after a quick thought, he did not further inquire about the demonic technique, but rather asked, "Could the senior perhaps tell me what specific role this chess piece is meant to play?"

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"Sword Cultivator Mountain has a righteous plan, which involves the appearance of a Son of the Heavenly Mandate. Originally, Heartless Old Man was to be one of the challenges for the Son of the Heavenly Mandate, and he was also meant to be the Guardian in the early stages.

But now that Heartless Old Man is dead, naturally, this part of the plan must be abandoned." as the shadow paused here, he stopped speaking.

Seeing this, Tan Shuchang immediately understood and thought for a moment before saying, "Because I impeded Sword Cultivator Mountain’s grand plan, should I complete that challenge for the Son of the Heavenly Mandate?"

"No!" the shadow shook its head, then where its featureless face was located, suddenly split open a mouth-like opening, "You do not count as a challenge; you are merely a stepping stone for that Son of the Heavenly Mandate’s early recognition in the Jiawu Realm.

Qitian Pavilion has seven judges called Examining Law, Examining Strength, Examining Technique, Examining Formation, Examining Talisman, Examining Treasure, and Examining Sword. Why do you think you are the Examining Sword judge?"

After saying this, the shadow immediately scattered into thousands and dove into a dark, sunless shadow, vanishing entirely.

This was one of the terrifying aspects of the "Shadow Retaining Immortal Secret Tome".

A scattered shadow was tantamount to an incarnation; although it could not replicate the Divine Skills of the original body, it had its own profound demonic techniques to employ.

The shadow’s attached black fire could seize people’s magic artifacts, and if the shadow itself pounced on someone, it could directly damage their soul, moreover, if it divided into thousands, wherever there was shadow, it could quickly escape, because it would instantly return to the original body.

Beyond this, each shadow was immensely strong, comparable even to the painstakingly nurtured top-quality "Strongmen".

"Strongmen" and "Heavenly Maidens" are essentially living puppets, but unlike the living puppets cultivated by demonic cultivators, these two types were graded into common levels: lower, middle, and top grade.

The top-grade "Strongmen" and "Heavenly Maidens" not only possess the strength of tens of thousands with a single shake of their arm but can also withstand powerful magic artifacts.

Some older cultivators, having trained for fifty or sixty years and caught off guard, could be killed outright by these top-grade "Strongmen".

However, the power of this shadow was something Tan Shuchang was unintentional to experience.

It wasn’t because of the shadow’s parting words before it left.

But because what had split off was not the shadow!

Suddenly, trickling blood surged from beneath the ground, and four fierce and imposing figures also materialized, emitting a violent aura, constantly struggling, trying to escape from this blood-soaked scene.

These four fierce ghosts were the four ghost officials from the Street of Forgotten Dwellings, where humans and ghosts dwelled together.

However, despite the struggles of these four fierce ghosts, they had already been refined and absorbed by Tan Shuchang; he presumed this was due to the call from the place where humans and ghosts coexisted.

After all, these were registered ghost envoys, not the common fierce ghosts found in an instance.

Having refined the four fierce ghosts naturally augmented one of Tan Shuchang’s unique abilities considerably. Thus, when the Cultivation Technique engraved on that stone stele resonated from afar with his special abilities, the power obtained from the refined fierce ghosts also amplified Tan Shuchang’s cultivation of this demonic technique.

Crack!

Like thunder tearing through the heavens, a blood-red shadow stood up from the pool of blood. After this blood-red shadow appeared, the four ghost envoys instantly reduced to three.

Immediately afterward, another blood-red shadow rose from the pool of blood.

Simultaneously, the number of refined ghost envoys decreased to two.

Before long, four blood-red shadows stood around Tan Shuchang, and naturally, there were no traces of ghost envoys left in the pool of blood.

Crack!

It wasn’t the sound of another blood-red shadow being nurtured, but rather the previously clear sky had suddenly become overcast with dense clouds, where heavy cloud layers had begun sparking with silver arcs of electricity.

"This July’s sky is no less fickle than June’s, changing at the drop of a hat..."

Tan Shuchang casually remarked and then retracted the phenomena surrounding him, lifted an umbrella with ease, and descended the mountain.

For cultivators like Tan Shuchang, with decades of cultivated power, it is possible to remain unharmed by the heat or cold; hence, the rainwater could not touch him at all.

But that was unnecessary.

Although Tan Shuchang was walking, with each step forward and the next following up, although it seemed only one step was taken, he had already moved tens of yards away.

At this time, as he walked, Tan Shuchang pondered over the words spoken by the shadow before it departed, and the intentions behind the shadow’s actions.

In this world, in the eyes of adults, there are only interests.

And the only people who will be kind to you without reason are your parents.

"So, excluding the possibility that this shadow is my father, it must be trying to use me for something. Giving me this demonic technique, telling me about the Son of the Heavenly Mandate, does it intend for the Son of the Heavenly Mandate to trip when he steps forward?"

...

On the side of Black Heart Mountain, the sky was overcast, and thunder was rumbling, while on the side of Sword Dao Mountain, it was still a bright sunny day.

Inside the great hall of the sect leader.

At Sword Dao Mountain, the highly respected sect leader, Su Huan’an, was currently frowning deeply.

"Sect leader brother, the Son of the Heavenly Mandate has been successfully guided into our sect, and with the treasures left by our ancestors, this Son of the Heavenly Mandate already possesses quite impressive strength.

Even disciples with fifteen years of cultivation within our sect are no match for him, so you can rest assured," a Sword Dao Mountain elder, thinking that Su Huan’an was worried about the Son of the Heavenly Mandate’s insufficient strength, hurriedly said so.

After all, instructing the Son of the Heavenly Mandate in mountain cultivation was his current responsibility. If he did not clarify, it might lead others to doubt his capability.

"It’s not because of this, Elder Chen. I have always had the utmost trust in your work," Su Huan’an sighed.

"Then what is it that has you looking so troubled, sect leader brother?"

"Elder Chen, as you know, I cultivate the ’Absolute Immortal Sword Tome,’ and this Heavenly Power Treasured Tome is particularly sensitive to the ultimate malevolence in the world. Just a moment ago, I felt a supremely malicious and ominous power being born between heaven and earth..."