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Mo Yan's remarks left the northern talents of the Land of Quiescence completely taken aback.

Yu Yuan was a source of apprehension for Mo Yan?

How could that be?

Lin Zhuyun, who had been captured and placed within the Ethereal Vial, was gradually regaining her spiritual wisdom and overheard their conversation. Stricken by Tang Cen's death and her hopeless plight, Lin Zhuyun, whose face was as still as death, found the idea inconceivable.

Could the man she had always scorned, her fiancé in name only, truly be that powerful?

"How can this be possible?"

Even Yan Lu, who had always been supportive of Yu Yuan and had unwavering faith in him, gently shook his head, hardly able to believe it.

"You all are clueless!"

Mo Yan regarded the astonished onlookers with a look reserved for fools, internally scoffing. He thought to himself, If I told you that Yu Yuan has reached the eighth level in the Crucible of Evil, the Golden Sanctum acupoint, you'd be terrified!

Of course, Mo Yan had to be cautious of someone who had attained the eighth level of the Golden Sanctum, wielded a mysterious sword sheath, and traveled to the Embers Sea aboard the Silver Rainbow Shuttle.

Moreover, Liu Ying and Kong Banbi were not to be underestimated.

"Let them follow if they wish; there's no need for justification," Mo Yan instructed again. "Our departure is also to prevent the Blood Altar from tracking us down. Yet, it's odd. After such a prolonged battle and numerous deaths, the Blood Altar seems to have failed to detect it immediately and shows no signs of closing in."

While speaking, he glanced at the Devil Blade floating behind him.

It appeared that the Devil Blade could sense the presence of the Blood Altar.

...

"The name of the young man from the Devil Palace who emerged from the Crucible of Evil, his background—I don't know any of that," Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect mused, gazing in the direction the Ethereal Vial had flown. "But that Devil Blade should be the so-called Shadowblade."

"Shadowblade!" Du Huang exclaimed, startled.

Kong Banbi nodded slowly, "I'm quite certain of it."

Yu Yuan, gazing at the Abyssal Leviathan, was also taken aback by these words, "So it's actually the Shadowblade!"

"You've heard of it as well?" Liu Ying inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Yu Yuan gave a confirming nod, "I've heard some things."

In his past life, an old friend from the Devil Palace had told him about the Shadowblade, a weapon forged by an Unbound cultivator in the early days of the Palace. This cultivator had ventured beyond the Everlands, discovered an immensely heavy Shattered Star, and harnessed theurgy to extract its essence and infuse it into a blade. This blade came to be known as the Shadowblade.

Legend had it that the Shadowblade's weight was beyond belief. In battle, its sheer mass could obliterate any resistance.

Recalling the Shadowblade's strike against the Nebula Gem, causing it to burst apart, Yu Yuan felt there was a strong likelihood that Kong Banbi's account was accurate. The Shadowblade first shattered the gem, its oppressive force rendering Lu Baichan immobile, which then allowed the lightning devil light to cleave her in two. The subsequent attacks of the Devil Blade seemed to also rely on its formidable weight to gain a decisive advantage.

Given the Shadowblade's excessive heaviness, it would normally be exceedingly difficult for Mo Yan to wield. Fortunately, submerged beneath the sea, the water's buoyancy might just assist Mo Yan in managing to utilize the Shadowblade.

"The cultivator from the Devil Palace who refined the Devil Blade is said to have perished in a battle beyond our realm. After his death, the Devil Blade vanished. How it ended up with Mo Yan is a mystery," Du Huang remarked, his initial astonishment giving way to curiosity. "My sect elders mentioned that the Shadowblade was once a ninth level heavenly item, with the potential to ascend to the ranks of Divine Artifacts once its creator reached the primordial spirit stage."

Kong Banbi agreed, "Had he survived, the Shadowblade would have undoubtedly become a Divine Artifact."

"Exactly who is Mo Yan?" Liu Ying asked, visibly astonished.

"I'm not certain," Kong Banbi replied. "The defining feature of the Shadowblade is its incredible weight, not necessarily its sharpness. When used against the Azure Veil, the veil should disperse the blade's massive force. Mo Yan must be aware of the Shadowblade's properties and knows it's not suited for direct strikes, which is why he's leveraging Qi Nandou's abilities."

"That Mo Yan must have quite the formidable origins!" Du Huang exclaimed.

As they discussed Mo Yan and the formidable nature of the Shadowblade, a sense of trepidation filled their hearts.

Unbeknownst to them, within the nearby Ethereal Vial, Mo Yan too refrained from any rash actions due to Yu Yuan and the sword sheath in his possession.

Upon learning that the Devil Blade was, in fact, the Shadowblade, Yu Yuan fixed his gaze on the Abyssal Leviathan and inquired, "What do you know about Mo Yan? Is the Devil Blade he wields truly the Shadowblade?"

"I'm not acquainted with him," the Abyssal Leviathan replied through its remnant soul. "Once we break through the Azure Veil, we'll each go our own way without meddling in each other's affairs. Rest assured, I won't disclose anything; I'm not of the evilkind. I won't let you be tarnished with the infamy of colluding with extraterrestrial forces."

Yu Yuan communicated through his own remnant soul, "That doesn't concern me."

"It seems as though something is following us…"

Liu Ying, whose spirit was linked with the Fallen Star Eyes, furrowed her brows slightly and gently tapped the luminous stone platform that could reveal many oddities.

The platform shone brightly, revealing faint traces of bizarre smoke.

The smoke shifted constantly, at times taking on a vicious visage, at others a terrifying expression, and sometimes it conveyed utter despair and helplessness. It was truly peculiar.

The smoke exhibited no extraordinary spiritual energy or vitality, nor did it possess any spiritual sense. It appeared to be merely a manifestation of emotion.

Without the Fallen Star Eyes, Liu Ying, despite her level of cultivation, likely wouldn't have been able to detect it.

The smoke was an intangible entity, more elusive than spiritual sense. Thanks to the potency of the Fallen Star Eyes, it was possible to see the smoke, which, while seemingly languid, was actually quite swift in its pursuit of the Fallen Star Eyes.

"What is this thing?"

Su Yan drew near, peering intently, yet she could discern nothing out of the ordinary.

Kong Banbi, Du Huang, and several survivors from the Sword Sect and Forgeroses watched the enigmatic smoke as it continued to morph. They were all filled with curiosity and astonishment.

Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect paused, visibly shaken, as he suddenly turned his gaze to Yu Yuan. His insights exceeded those of many others present. Accustomed to spending time in the Ancient Scrolls Hall of the Sword Sect, poring over numerous fragmented texts, he had a rudimentary understanding of many peculiar objects and phenomena.

Had it not been for the reflection cast by the Fallen Star Eyes, revealing the ever-changing cloud, he might not have made the connection.

"What is it?" Du Huang demanded.

Liu Ying also directed her attention toward him, discerning from the subtle shifts in his demeanor that the Sword Sect's leader might have discovered something extraordinary.

"It's an evil spirit," Kong Banbi began, his eyes still fixed on Yu Yuan. "The intense emotions experienced by mortals and cultivators alike at the time of death can coalesce into evil spirits. An evil spirit is purely an emotional force, distinct from spiritual energy, vitality, or a remnant soul. Typically, an evil spirit dissipates swiftly, soon ceasing to exist."

"However, in certain unique locales, under the influence of strange powers, an evil spirit can linger for extended periods without naturally fading away."

"Given enough time, an evil spirit can undergo a remarkable transformation, solidifying into a more substantial form. Once formed, it begins to accumulate various energies, progressively growing stronger."

"Most evil spirits lack spiritual wisdom and intelligence, operating solely on instinct."

"Only those well-versed in these matters can locate evil spirits and harness them. Through subsequent refinement, they can endow these spirits with spiritual wisdom, enabling them to act in accordance with their master's intentions."

"An evil spirit that can comprehend commands and possesses spiritual wisdom is known as a Bane," Kong Banbi elucidated meticulously.

"Bane!"

"Terror Claws!"

Su Yan and Du Huang looked at Yu Yuan, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.

Meanwhile, the Soul Voice of the Abyssal Leviathan echoed a cold snort within Yu Yuan's Heart Lake.

Yu Yuan remained unfazed. "I practice the Evil Body Refining technique of the Terror Claws. Once I achieve the Veil Breaking level, I might naturally attract the nascent evil spirits."

"It's not as straightforward as you think," Kong Banbi countered, shaking his head. "You didn't engage the Evil Body Refining technique within the Fallen Star Eyes, nor did you draw the evil spirits to you. Besides, you've already departed with the Fallen Star Eyes. Those formless entities, not even qualifying as evil spirits, won't follow you."

Yu Yuan was at a loss for words. "Kong Banbi, what exactly are you getting at?"

"Do you have the Crucible of Evil with you?" Kong Banbi inhaled deeply. "In this world, there are things other than the Crucible of Evil that can influence evil qi to such an extent. Yet, within the Embers Sea, I can't imagine anything else that would draw the evil qi to converge so naturally."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Abyssal Leviathan's tiny eyes gleamed with an alarming intensity.

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