Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Soul Refining Flag_1

“Make your move,” Shen Mo said calmly.

“Alright!” Gu Ming took a deep breath. Seeing no room for reversal, killing intent finally glinted in his eyes.

“If I can’t avoid it, then… let’s give it a try!”

The mighty aura within his body swept out, causing the entire hall to sway. This was the might and spirit of a Martial Arts Legend!

Outside the hall, the martial arts heroes still chasing and killing the remnants of the Blood Robe Sect and searching for the sect’s secret treasures felt this aura, and their expressions changed dramatically.

Is this the aura of a Martial Arts Legend?

It’s truly powerful!

Just sensing it from afar created an unbearable pressure.

Some martial artists turned pale and dared not approach. They tried to stay as far away as possible, searching for the Blood Robe Sect’s Treasure Hall in the outer areas.

However, some with high spirits stepped forward, rushing towards the grand hall. They didn’t want to miss this great battle.

It had been hundreds of years since a Martial Arts Legend had emerged in the martial arts world of Tianyou City. If those obsessed with martial arts missed witnessing such a figure in action, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

“CLANG!”

When Gu Ming’s aura reached its peak, he retrieved the Flame Spear—forged from hundred-year-old cold iron—from the right side of the throne and thrust it directly at Shen Mo.

The incredibly powerful force was like a dragon emerging from an abyss, grand and glorious. Wherever it passed, the air fractured, waves of Qi swept through, and endless dust clouds arose.

The martial arts heroes watching from afar were terrified.

With this spear, even a Nature Master would meet their end! they thought, though they weren’t worried about Shen Mo. After all, Shen Mo is a legendary Immortal Master!

“Good strike!”

Indeed, Shen Mo faced this attack with an unchanged expression. He casually drew the Dragon Sparrow Sword from his waist and slashed a sword light forward.

“CRACK!”

The Flame Spear, renowned as a treasure of the martial world, actually emitted a strange sound upon contact with the Dragon Sparrow Sword, its edge suppressed. Immediately after, cracks spread across its spearhead. It had been shattered by the Dragon Sparrow Sword!

“That Flame Spearhead was forged from hundred-year-old cold iron! It’s rumored to be an incredibly hard divine weapon, impervious to blades and fire, suffering not even a scratch!”

“The treasured sword in the Immortal Master’s hand is likely a legendary immortal artifact!”

These martial artists, shocked, discussed this in hushed tones.

“SPURT!”

The sword Qi shattered the long spear and struck Gu Ming. His expression changed drastically as he staggered back three steps before regaining his footing, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

“If that’s all you’ve got, you’re going to die soon.” Shen Mo stood with his sword, looking at Gu Ming. “Whatever trump cards you’re hiding, use them now.”

By my reckoning, this so-called Martial Arts Legend realm seems stronger than an average cultivator at the Perfection of Body Tempering, but far weaker than a true cultivator at the Qi Gathering Realm. Its strength should be considered half a step into the Qi Gathering Realm. By mortal standards, reaching this level is indeed worthy of being called a legend. But I’ve already reached the Perfection of Body Tempering, cultivated my cultivation techniques and martial skills to the realm of mastery, and possess the Heaven’s Mandate Blessing, plus the enhancement from my Bloody Dragon-shaped Body. I could even fight a cultivator at Layer I of the Qi Gathering Realm. So, it’s normal for me to be somewhat dismissive.

“Whatever you’ve hidden in your sleeve, you’d better take it out. Otherwise, you won’t get the chance after my next strike!”

His gaze focused on Gu Ming’s robes; Shen Mo could sense his opponent’s hesitation.

“Alright! Since you want to see it, I’ll show you!” Upon hearing this, Gu Ming’s previously hesitant expression finally firmed.

“WHOOSH!”

He raised his hand, and from his sleeve, he withdrew a banner.

This banner, about three feet long, was entirely blood-red. Imprinted upon it were countless desiccated bones and human faces.

A wind arose. The banner fluttered slightly, its sharp, rustling sound echoed, exuding an endless surge of Blood Qi. Its mere appearance evoked an extreme sense of evil and terror.

“The Soul Refining Flag! Is this… an item for Blood Sacrifice?” Shen Mo’s eyes grew colder and colder as he looked at the banner.

Previously, when interrogating Gu Zhao, he learned that a cultivator secretly supported the Blood Robe Sect. Combined with the Blood Robe Sect’s acts of Blood Sacrifice, he had already made some guesses. Now, seeing this banner, my suspicions are confirmed.

“The person backing you seems to be an evil cultivator, the kind everyone despises.”

He had once heard Uncle Chen mention that in the cultivation world, some cultivators specializing in unorthodox paths would use the flesh and blood of living people for sacrifices, cultivate evil arts, and create demonic items. The Soul Refining Flag was one of the most infamous among them.

To create such an item, not only did one need various high-grade spirit ores and rare stones for forging, but one also had to find mortals born at specific special times to serve as sacrifices. The number of mortals required for the Blood Sacrifice varied depending on the desired quality of the Soul Refining Flag.

Judging by the density of Demonic Qi on this Soul Refining Flag, at least several thousand people must have been sacrificed to achieve this intensity. Such actions were absolutely forbidden in the cultivation world!

Shen Mo hadn’t been to other places and didn’t know their customs, but in the Red Flame Country, cultivators also had some unwritten rules. Cultivators were forbidden from wantonly slaughtering mortals. If mortals were used for Blood Sacrifice, cultivating evil arts, or creating demonic artifacts, they would be branded as evil cultivators and added to the blacklist. This blacklist was specifically for investigating and hunting down evil cultivators. Once on the blacklist, they would become targets for everyone in the cultivation world to eliminate.

The Red Flame Country was jointly controlled by the Five Great Sects: the Riverside Sect, Profound Moon School, Ghost Corpse School, Seven Stars Altar, and Heaven Sword Sect. These rules were naturally established by these Five Great Sects. If a cultivator discovered traces or clues of an evil cultivator, they could report it to any of the Five Great Sects or inform the Defense Division in the Divine Capital of the Red Flame Country. Then, the Five Great Sects would jointly fund and issue a bounty for their capture, ensuring the culprit would never know peace.

“Hmph! Since you’ve seen this treasure, I can’t let you leave alive!” Gripping the Soul Refining Flag, a morbid smile spread across Gu Ming’s face. “I’ve already made many concessions, yet you insist on pushing me! Do you really think cultivators are invincible? Your cultivation hasn’t even crossed the true threshold of the Immortal Path, yet you dare to be so arrogant! Today, with this mortal body, I will slay you, this high-and-mighty Immortal Master!”

As he spoke, he poured all his true Qi into the Soul Refining Flag.

“HUMMM!”

As the vast true Qi surged in, the Soul Refining Flag blazed with red light, and an incredibly terrifying aura swept out. Although this item was not yet complete, even as a semi-finished product, the Soul Refining Flag possessed considerable power, giving Gu Ming the confidence to fight Shen Mo to the death.

“AAAAH!”

“AAAAH!”

“AAAAH!”

Blood-red light and black mist enveloped the entire hall. Finally, figures of the sacrificed individuals emerged from the Soul Refining Flag, rushing towards Shen Mo. The souls within the banner, as if crawling out from the depths of the underworld, were chilling to the bone.

Even those seasoned martial artists, upon witnessing the terror of the Soul Refining Flag, were so frightened their legs went soft.

“My God!”

“What kind of technique is this? What kind of sorcery?”

“Will the Immortal Master be able to withstand it?”

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