Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Black Cloud Fiend's poisonous black claws, swift as lightning and ferocious as thunder, carrying a nauseating stench, had already touched Shen Mo's forehead hair!

That condensed, almost tangible killing intent nearly tore his soul apart!

Life and death are separated by the slightest difference!

Shi Tie's roar, Su Xiao and A Yuan's exclamations in the back hall, the indifferent or excited gazes of the onlookers in the shadows... everything seemed to become a slow-moving background.

Shen Mo's pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum size! Yet, his mind was exceptionally clear due to the extreme crisis!

All fear and distractions were cast aside, leaving only one pure thought—to live!

Bet everything! Now!

"System! Activate the stone lion! Edit cause and effect: The ancestor slays evil, backlash strikes! All cause and effect points, invest them all!" He roared silently in his heart!

[Command received! Consume all 10 Causal Points! Forcibly activate the preset Causal Imprint "Exorcising Sword Qi"! Overload warning! Maximize effect!]

[WARNING! Target energy level too low! Causal editing strength severely insufficient! Forced manifestation will overdraw the carrier! Effect and duration will be greatly reduced! Confirm?]

"Confirmed!" Shen Mo roared in his heart; he had no other choice!

All of this happens at the level of thought; in the outside world, it's just a fleeting moment.

Amidst Hei Yun Sha's sinister laughter, Shi Tie's furious roar, and countless eyes watching from the shadows—some indifferent, some regretful, some gloating—

A sudden change has occurred!

The stone lion, covered in moss, with missing ears and claws, and regarded as a broken piece by everyone, suddenly had two faint but incredibly dazzling scarlet lights shining from the depths of its originally empty and lifeless stone eye sockets!

The stone lion, like a sleeping ferocious beast, suddenly opened its eyes!

"Buzz—!"

A deep, desolate, and seemingly ancient hum resounded not through the air, but directly into the depths of the souls of every living being present!

The pebbles on the square trembled slightly, and an indescribable ancient sword intent, carrying both majestic righteousness and sharp killing intent, swept outwards from the stone lion like a tide!

Although the sword intent was extremely thin, like a candle flickering in the wind, its high quality and the pure Daoist charm it contained, which could slay demons and eliminate evil, made the souls of everyone who felt it tremble!

"What?!" The sinister smile on Hei Yun Sha's face froze instantly, turning into utter horror!

His hand, which was about to strike Shen Mo, froze in mid-air, because a piercing chill did not come from outside his body, but suddenly erupted from the old wound in his lungs!

The dark, malevolent wound left by the enemy's "Mysterious Yin Palm" in the past, under the influence of this sudden evil-slaying sword intent, suddenly went out of control, boiled, and backfired, just like boiling oil poured on snow!

"puff--!"

A large mouthful of black, foul-smelling blood, mixed with a chilling aura, gushed out of Black Cloud Demon's mouth like a fountain!

His forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, his spiritual pressure instantly dissipated, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the bluestone slabs of the square with a "thud." He rolled several times before finally stopping, his face ashen and his aura extremely weak!

"Chieftain!!" Steward Wang, Zhao Hu, and the others were terrified and rushed forward to help him up.

The red light in the stone lion's eyes flashed and disappeared in an instant, and the terrifying sword intent receded like a tide. But on its surface, several clearly visible cracks appeared, as if it had exhausted the last bit of its spirituality.

The entire Qingyunmen Square fell into a deathly silence!

The wind stopped, and the birds were silent.

Shi Tie remained in his forward-leaning posture, his mouth agape and his eyes nearly bulging out. The gasps from the rear hall abruptly ceased.

Those onlookers hiding in the shadows were completely petrified!

"What...what was that just now? A stone lion...its eyes turned red?"

"What terrifying sword intent! Although it's weak, but... but that feeling is definitely from the ancient swordsman's path!"

"Black Cloud Fiend... Black Cloud Fiend coughed up blood and flew backward?! My God! One strike! Just one strike!"

"Qingyun Sect... Just what is the background of this Qingyun Sect?! Could that stone lion be a magical artifact?!"

"Run! This place is no place to stay! We mustn't get involved in this mess!" Some of the more timid cultivators were so frightened that they wet themselves and turned to flee.

"Record it! Record it quickly! Something strange is happening at Qingyun Sect! It seems to be protected by an ancient restriction or a precious treasure!" The scout from the small family was both shocked and frightened, and hurriedly sent the message back.

The crowd that had been hoping to snag a bargain was now filled with deep fear and lingering dread. They stared at the now lifeless stone lion and Shen Mo, who stood calmly beside it, their eyes filled with awe and disbelief!

With the help of Steward Wang and others, Hei Yun Sha struggled to his feet, then coughed up a mouthful of blood. His eyes, as he looked at Shen Mo and the stone lion, were filled with resentment, fear, and uncertainty.

"Slay... Slay Evil Sword Qi... Qingyunzi... you... you're so ruthless!" His voice was hoarse, filled with lingering fear. Just a moment ago, he truly felt the threat of death!

Shen Mo was breathing heavily, his back completely soaked with cold sweat, but he forced himself to maintain an inscrutable calm on his face.

He didn't even look at the departing Black Cloud Demon, but gently raised his hand to brush away the dust that wasn't actually in the corner of the stone lion's eye, his movements so gentle, as if he were comforting a sleeping old friend.

This subtle movement, witnessed by Hei Yun Sha and all the observers in the shadows, sent shivers down their spines! Could he control that stone lion?

Or is it that... he is connected to this restriction?

"Black Chieftain," Shen Mo finally turned his head slowly after a long while, his gaze calmly meeting Hei Yunsha's, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness, "Now, can we properly discuss that one-month deadline?"

His tone was calm, but combined with the earth-shattering scene just now, it carried an undeniable authority!

Hei Yunsha's expression shifted rapidly; his old injuries flared up, causing him excruciating pain. He stared intently at Shen Mo, then glanced warily at the stone lion, finally squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth: "We...go!"

After saying this, supported by his subordinates, the once arrogant Black Wind Chieftain, filled with fear and resentment, fled Qingyun Mountain in a disheveled and desperate manner, like a stray dog.

Once they disappeared from sight, the hidden spy scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing this place of trouble.

Hei Yun Sha and his group disappeared in a disheveled state at the end of the winding mountain road, and the suffocating and terrifying spiritual pressure dissipated as well, like the receding tide.

On the dilapidated square of Qingyun Sect, only deathly silence remained, along with a faint, lingering smell of blood in the air.

The cold wind began to blow again, stirring up the dust and fallen leaves in the square, making a soft rustling sound, which only served to highlight the previous thrilling events.

"The... Sect Leader?"

A trembling, incredulous voice came from the entrance of the main hall. It was Shi Tie.

He remained in his forward-charging posture, his rugged face filled with shock, lingering fear, and an almost blind fanaticism.

He witnessed firsthand how the arrogant Black Wind Stronghold Chieftain was defeated and vomited blood under the divine power of the sect leader... no, under the manifestation of the ancestral master!