Chapter 6: Return to the Village and the Looming Storm
Su Mo stepped out of the ancient ruin, the warm golden glow of the setting sun wrapping around his slender figure, instantly chasing away the bone-chilling darkness that had lingered with him deep in the cave's narrow passages. The Azure Nether Blade hanging at his waist hummed gently, a faint yet captivating blue light flickering on its cold surface, blending perfectly with the soft sunset glow, as if the blade itself was celebrating its master's huge gains in the ruin. The surging spiritual energy within his body flowed smoothly and steadily, like a tranquil river coursing through his meridians, a stark contrast to the chaotic and untamed power he had struggled to control before obtaining the Ancient Scripture.
The profound Ancient Scripture he had acquired from the ruin was now deeply engraved in his mind, every obscure and mysterious rune, every profound cultivation principle clear and vivid, as if he had studied it for hundreds of years. With the blessing of this ancient legacy and the careful guidance of Master Cang Qiong, whose soul resided in the Heaven-Defying Stone, Su Mo's cultivation had firmly stabilized at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm. He could clearly feel the thin barrier separating him from the next major realm—the Qi Refining Realm—already trembling slightly, waiting only for a suitable opportunity to shatter completely, allowing him to step into a brand-new level of cultivation.
He turned his head and glanced back at the ancient ruin, which was once again shrouded in a thin, ethereal mist, as if the thrilling Soul Trial, the mighty and solemn Ancient Guardian, and the life-changing inheritance he had obtained were all just a vivid and unforgettable dream. However, the surging power flowing through every inch of his body, and the ancient knowledge that continuously enriched his soul, were irrefutable proof that everything that had happened was real, and his fate had already begun to change drastically.
"Your gains from this trip are far beyond my expectations." Cang Qiong's gentle and wise voice echoed slowly in Su Mo's mind, filled with sincere approval and relief. "The Ancient Scripture is the most fundamental and precious foundation of the heaven-defying path. With it, your future cultivation will be twice as effective with half the effort, and you will avoid countless detours that ordinary cultivators face. But you must always remember: in the cruel Mystic Spirit Continent, peerless inheritance means endless trouble. The stronger you grow, the more eyes will be fixed on you, and danger will follow you wherever you go from now on."
Su Mo nodded solemnly, his dark eyes shining with unshakable determination and sharpness. He understood Cang Qiong's words better than anyone. In this world where the strong prey on the weak and strength is the only rule, possessing a rare ancient legacy was not just a blessing, but also a target for all greedy and ambitious people. But he never feared this. The power he had worked so hard to obtain was not only for pursuing the long road of immortality, but more importantly, to protect Lin Mengqi, the kind girl who had never abandoned him, and the villagers of Cloud Hidden Village who had finally put aside their prejudice and respected him. He swore to himself that he would never let himself be a weak and bullied boy again, never let the people he cared about get hurt.
He quickened his pace and rushed towards Cloud Hidden Village at full speed. However, as the familiar outline of the small village came into his view, a thick and oppressive tension hit him, making his brows furrow slightly. The villagers who used to gather at the village entrance to chat, work, and enjoy the quiet time were nowhere to be seen. The doors of every household were tightly closed, and only a few elderly villagers with worried faces stood guard at the village gate, their eyes full of fear and anxiety.
When the elderly guards saw Su Mo, their dim eyes instantly lit up with hope, as if they had seen their only savior. They stumbled towards Su Mo, and one of the oldest villagers grabbed his arm tightly, his voice trembling with urgency and fear: "Young Master Su, you're finally back! We've been waiting for you for days! Terrible things have happened—several ferocious demonic beasts have been wandering around the village these days, they are more violent and powerful than the beast you defeated before! Two villagers who went out to collect herbs were seriously injured by them, and their lives are in danger!"
Su Mo's expression sank instantly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. He had just killed the powerful Netherworld Wolf in the ancient ruin, and now a group of demonic beasts gathered around the village, which was definitely not a coincidence. He quickly guessed that it must be the strong spiritual energy fluctuation released when he obtained the ancient legacy that alarmed the surrounding demonic beasts, luring them to the village to look for opportunities.
"Where are the injured villagers? Are their lives still safe?" Su Mo asked in a deep, calm voice. His steady tone was like a reassuring pill, instantly calming the panicked and flustered elderly guards.
"They are being treated at the village chief's house, but their injuries are too serious." The old man sighed heavily, his face full of helplessness and sorrow. "The wounds on them are not ordinary physical injuries, but spiritual wounds caused by demonic power. We only have ordinary herbal medicine, which can't heal these wounds at all. We have closed the village gate and set up simple traps, but those demonic beasts are too powerful, we really can't hold on for long. The whole village is counting on you to save us!"
Su Mo comforted the anxious elders a few words, then strode quickly towards the village chief's house. As soon as he entered the door, he saw Lin Mengqi busy by the bed of the injured villagers, carefully applying herbal medicine to their wounds. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face was full of worry and heartache. When she turned around and saw Su Mo, the big stone hanging in her heart suddenly fell to the ground, and the tension and fear of the past few days dissipated in an instant.
"Su Mo, you're finally back!" Lin Mengqi ran towards him quickly, her voice choked with emotion, and her eyes were slightly moist. "Those demonic beasts are so terrifying, I'm really afraid they will break through the village gate and hurt everyone."
"I'm here now, don't be afraid, everything will be fine." Su Mo looked at the girl in front of him, his cold eyes instantly softened, and he spoke in a gentle tone. Then he turned to the village chief, his voice becoming firm and powerful again: "Chief, please inform all the villagers to stay at home and never go out. Those demonic beasts, I will go and deal with them right now."
The village chief looked at Su Mo, and in just a few days, he clearly felt the earth-shaking changes in this young man. Su Mo's temperament was calmer and more stable, his aura was restrained but profound, like a sharp sword hidden in its scabbard, which could cut through all dangers with a single draw. The village chief nodded without any hesitation, completely trusting Su Mo with the safety of the entire village.
Before leaving to deal with the demonic beasts, Su Mo took out a small white jade bottle from his pocket, which contained the spiritual liquid condensed by the power of the Ancient Legacy. He handed the jade bottle to Lin Mengqi and said softly: "This spiritual liquid can heal spiritual wounds and help the injured villagers recover quickly. You give it to them later, I will be back soon."
After saying that, Su Mo turned around and walked firmly towards the village gate. He gently pulled the Azure Nether Blade out of its scabbard slightly, and a cold blue light burst out instantly, filling the air with a sharp sword aura. Cang Qiong's voice sounded in his mind again, with a hint of warning: "These demonic beasts are affected by the spiritual energy of the ancient ruin, their minds have been completely occupied by killing intent, they are extremely ferocious. You must not hold back, you must kill them with one blow!"
Su Mo stepped out of the village gate calmly. In the dim twilight, he clearly saw three huge black shadows lurking in the dense forest not far away. They were three ferocious demonic beasts, stronger than ordinary mountain beasts, their eyes glowing with bloodthirsty red light, staring greedily at the village, as if they wanted to tear everything in front of them to pieces.
As soon as the demonic beasts saw Su Mo, they immediately let out deafening, ear-piercing roars, and rushed towards him frantically. Their sharp and hard claws tore through the air, bringing a strong gust of wind, and the suffocating murderous aura rushed towards Su Mo. But Su Mo stood motionless on the spot, his body surging with powerful spiritual energy, and the power of the Ancient Scripture circulated rapidly in his meridians.
He did not choose to dodge, but took a firm step forward, raised the Azure Nether Blade high. The blue light on the blade bloomed wantonly, perfectly merging with the profound power of the Ancient Scripture. In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the fierce murderous aura of the demonic beasts was completely suppressed in an instant.
"Azure Nether Slash!"
A clear and loud sword cry instantly cut through the silent night sky. A bright blue blade light swept across like a crescent moon, carrying an unstoppable powerful force. The three ferocious demonic beasts didn't even have time to let out a final scream, their bodies were instantly torn apart by the sharp sword energy, and fell heavily to the ground, completely losing their lives.
Su Mo slowly sheathed the Azure Nether Blade, his face calm and unhurried. This battle was far easier than the previous life-and-death fight with the Netherworld Wolf, which was the most intuitive manifestation of his rapid strength improvement. He raised his head and looked towards the deep and endless mountains in the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly. He knew very well that these three demonic beasts were just the beginning. A bigger crisis and a more terrifying storm were quietly brewing in the depths of the mountains, and would soon sweep towards Cloud Hidden Village.
He turned around and walked back to the village, his steps firm but with a hint of determination. He understood that the peaceful and ordinary life in Cloud Hidden Village was about to end completely. The real road of defying the heavens and cultivating immortality had officially opened up for him, and from this moment on, he would face more powerful enemies and more dangerous challenges. But he was not afraid, because he had the power to protect everything he cherished, and the faith to go forward bravely on the road of immortality.