Be the Hardest Working Demon Cultivator!

"This is, of course, impossible," the Absolute Immortal Sword Immortal said without hesitation. "The Sword Dao cultivation technique of the Absolute Immortal Sword has always been exclusive to the sect leader, and without the sword's permission, you cannot cultivate it either," Song Wenjian declared.

"Then what should I study?" Tan Shuchang asked again.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Know the sword, cast the sword, serve the sword, understand the sword, comprehend the sword, wield the sword." Song Wenjian did not answer; this reply came from another elder sword cultivator of Mount Disciple.

"Oh, so I'm expected to waste ten years of my time." Tan Shuchang understood; these six phrases sounded fancy, but in reality, they had nothing to do with the Sword Dao.

Even if they did, they wouldn't be suitable for a Sword Dao novice; one would need to have achieved great success in the Sword Dao, reaching the level of a Sword Master of Heaven and Earth.

But Tan Shuchang couldn't even manage the integration of man and sword.

"If you're unwilling to cultivate these Companion Sword Six Methods, then your fate will be to perish here, just like your master, the Heartless Old Man." This elder sword cultivator of Mount Disciple seemed to be a no-nonsense character. At this moment, his expression was serious and his tone indifferent as he said this.

"You mean my master?"

Upon hearing this, Tan Shuchang immediately flicked his sleeve.

A figure tumbled out, enveloped in multicolored flames—none other than the Heartless Old Man who had become the spirit of fire.

"Master, these seniors have come looking for you," Tan Shuchang said.

The Heartless Old Man was initially confused, but after scanning the crowd, he was instantly startled. Among the dozens of elder sword cultivators present, several were ones he recognized.

And these individuals had already made their names long before he had become famous!

Instantly, the Heartless Old Man cried out loudly, "Esteemed sages, the Chaotic Life Dharma Bead has been forcibly taken away by this treacherous disciple. I implore you esteemed sages to seize this traitor, and I am willing to contribute to the righteous cause of Mount Disciple!"

The Heartless Old Man had recognized the familiar sword array, and thus concluded that his treacherous disciple was finally meeting his retribution!

However, the Heartless Old Man overestimated the elder sword cultivators of Mount Disciple and underestimated the treacherous disciple in his heart.

As such, after he finished speaking, he was not escorted away protected by beams of sword light, but instead was pressed into the palm by a slender, white-jade hand.

"Master, I'm glad that you have such a righteous heart. After all, we disciples of the Sacred Gate should also have aspirations. But it makes me rather unhappy when you speak like this." Tan Shuchang's tone was calm, his face even showing a hint of a smile, except for the blood-colored flame that spread from his palm.

Then the body of the Heartless Old Man, initially enshrouded with five-colored flames, suddenly displayed a sixth color. With the emergence of this sixth color, the Heartless Old Man seemed as if all his internals were ablaze, struggling in extreme agony.

"Tan Shuchang! Release that fire spirit! No, your master!"

"Patricide is a grave sin in the world of cultivation; you cannot compound one error with another!"

These shouts came from several elder sword cultivators of Mount Disciple, who couldn't help but rebuke loudly after recognizing the true form of the Heartless Old Man.

"Honorable seniors, kindly keep the noise down! Would you please remain silent while I conduct my business?" Tan Shuchang struck again with a palm, instantly causing the void to collapse, the world's energy rolling back, condensing into a giant palm of elemental energy.

Demon Realm Giant Handprint!

The force of 460 years of cultivation superimposed upon it!

In that moment, it seemed as if the sky had fallen and the earth had cracked, the void incessantly quaking as the grand seventy-two sword array couldn't even withstand a few breaths before shattering.

And as the sword array broke, the majority of the elder cultivators of Mount Disciple maintaining it were either killed or gravely wounded.

This divine skill, which purely relied on the force of one's cultivation to overpower opponents, had become terrifyingly potent with the support of 460 years of cultivation, almost equivalent to a strike from a talisman with power to slay spirits.

Figures plummeted to the ground, each bearing serious injuries—and these were the ones who had protective treasures. Those without such items had already turned to ash under that palm.

Once, Tan Shuchang could do nothing against a person with even one or two life-saving treasures; but now, even those with such items were left critically wounded and dying!

As bodies fell from the sky like dumplings, the brushwork shadow of mountain and water swiftly began to condense.

That was the Mountains and Rivers Map attempting to activate again to retrieve the people.

But of course, that was impossible.

Because Tan Shuchang manipulated the world's energy, drawing numerous shadowy mountains and rivers and constantly disrupting the brushwork shadow. In the end, the elder cultivators of Mount Disciple, originally only critically wounded and dying, all plunged to their deaths.

Such an ignoble death registered with the brushwork shadow, prompting a furious roar from afar: "Tan Shuchang!!!"

Then, the ink shadow completely faded.

It turned into nothingness.

This was the opponent giving up on activating the Mountains and Rivers Map.

"He who kills, must be prepared to be killed. Since these dozens of seniors came with the intent to kill, how could they leave unscathed? With the thought of murder comes the preparation to be murdered,"

Tan Shuchang said in a gentle tone.

Then, he glanced at the Heartless Old Man, whose spirits were now extremely low, and asked, "Mentor, do you understand this principle?"

At this moment, where could the Heartless Old Man even respond? He was like a precious natural resource at this point, not truly a living being, since Tan Shuchang's Blood-colored Demonic Flame had nearly severed most of his spiritual essence.

"Since you don't reply, Mentor, I take it you understand. That's good, then. In a while, I will use you for artifact refining," Tan Shuchang nodded and then retracted the spirit of the flame.

Although he didn't know how to refine artifacts, it didn't matter; he would learn.

No one is born knowing how.

Learn slowly. It doesn't matter if talent is lacking; at worst, fail a few more times.

After that, Tan Shuchang began to collect the spoils of war.

Unsurprisingly, it was another pile of swords, and without exception, all were top-grade flying swords of the spirit-communicating magic artifact level.

For someone who was not from Untamed Sword Mountain and did not know the ritual of consecration, this pile of flying swords would only be good for looking at. Fortunately, besides these top-grade flying swords, there were other items of some use.

This time there was no Supreme Profound Seal, not because these ancient sword cultivators from Untamed Sword Mountain had a habit of not carrying money, but because they were annihilated along with everything else under Tan Shuchang's violent palm.

But he didn't care for such useless paper; after all, just one letter from him, and currently in the Jiawu Realm, there wasn't anyone who dared not pay him.

However, during this customary search of the bodies, Tan Shuchang made an unexpected discovery.

Before the Dry Wood left, it had mentioned being controlled by the Ghost Suppressing Technique while in the Blood Pool with Tan Shuchang. Tan Shuchang had presumed these ancient sword cultivators from Untamed Sword Mountain were different from Dry Wood since they all radiated with vitality.

But now it seemed they were the same.

Because the decay of these bodies was very fast, somewhat resembling the body of the Heartless Old Man who had been killed by a ghost previously.

The Demon Realm Giant Handprint, despite having the word 'demon' in its name, was in fact a most pure physical attack. It relied on sheer brute force, and for those whose cultivation was weaker than Tan Shuchang's, facing this palm strike was like experiencing the sky falling and the earth shattering.

However, as long as one's cultivation was comparable to or higher than Tan Shuchang's, this palm strike wouldn't affect them at all.

Therefore, such an attack, full of weaknesses, would never carry such a "rotting" power.

"According to Senior Dry Wood, he was affected by it after being bestowed the technique by the ancestors. So, these people must also be..." As he pondered this, Tan Shuchang suddenly looked towards a spot with a bit of surprise.

Because another body had started to undergo transformation.

More accurately, a small mound of flesh was undergoing a strange transformation.

Threads of invisible black qi were emanating from it, and then a flattened and exceedingly thin figure of an old man began to emerge. This old man seemed quite familiar; it was the shape of Song Wenjian.

But before this mound of flesh could complete its eerie transformation, two Ghostly Underworld Messengers appeared.

A chill wind howled, with two faint black silhouettes visible within it.

Just like the previous time, one of the Ghostly Underworld Messengers extended a finger towards Tan Shuchang in a gesture, asking if he was willing to exchange a piece of merit bamboo.

Seeing that it was a ghostly entity, Tan Shuchang nodded warmly.

The transaction was quickly completed.

However, as he watched the two Ghostly Underworld Messengers depart, a trace of Bloody Sword Qi silently infiltrated the body of one of them.

It was the Calamity Witnessing Sword Qi! This time, Tan Shuchang decided to spend some "blood capital."