After returning to Shennong Valley, the first thing Gu Mo did was head straight to the Tier-4 spiritual field and plant the two Tier-4 Sunflowers he had brought back.
From this point on, Gu Mo's main priority was to focus fully on cultivating more Tier-4 Sunflowers.
"Xiao Mo! Xiao Mo!"
Having just replanted the Sunflowers, Gu Mo returned to his little tree-leaf house. The mont they heard he was back, Xiao Hua and Xiao Li excitedly ca running over.
The two little ones handed him a stack of tree leaves, which recorded the amount of Solar energy they had delivered to Elder Liu during his absence.
"Well done!"
Gu Mo patted their heads with a smile and rewarded each of them with a portion of Tier-4 Sun Essence as compensation for their recent efforts.
With their rewards in hand, Xiao Hua and Xiao Li cheerfully scampered off to enjoy so tasty treats.
anwhile, Gu Mo entered his cultivation chamber, ready to begin comprehending the Sword Intent Stone he had just obtained. While his main body wasn't a sword cultivator, his avatar shared a unified consciousness with him—if the main body mastered the insight, so too would the avatar.
The mont his divine sense entered the Sword Intent Stone, Gu Mo imdiately felt two opposing streams of Sword Intent—this was the fad Yin-Yang Sword Intent.
He carefully imrsed himself in the flow of sword intent within the stone. As ti passed, Gu Mo's brow gradually furrowed. This Yin-Yang Sword Intent was far too profound. He wasn't one of those rare prodigies gifted in the way of the sword, and grasping such a lofty concept would be extrely difficult.
Of course, Gu Mo had never expected to fully comprehend the entirety of the Yin-Yang Sword Intent from the stone alone. He would be satisfied even if he managed to comprehend just one half of it.
In fact, the Sword Intent Stone only had enough power to allow comprehension of one side.
After a while, Gu Mo slowly opened his eyes. Even trying to understand just one side of the Yin-Yang Sword Intent was exhausting.
The Yin-Yang Sword Intent was simply too profound. Unless one was born with a Sword Heart or Innate Sword Bones, even a typical genius would have to spend an enormous amount of ti just to begin grasping it.
Gu Mo's judgnt was spot-on. Even within the Yin-Yang Sword Sect itself—with the assistance of their Sword Intent Wall—only a handful of disciples could actually master the Yin-Yang Sword Intent. Most ended up only learning the derivative, lower-tier forms, like Fla Sword Intent or Ice Sword Intent.
Still, if one could simultaneously grasp both Fla and Ice Sword Intents, they could partially wield the power of the Yin-Yang Sword Codex.
For Gu Mo, it wasn't impossible to comprehend the Yin-Yang Sword Intent with just one stone. After all, the Yin-Yang Sword Sect wouldn't have offered it if it were completely useless—it definitely held the potential to help sword cultivators comprehend at least one half of the Yin-Yang Sword Intent. The only difference was how long that process would take, which varied by person.
So, it wasn't fair to say the Nascent Soul Sword Lord from the Yin-Yang Sword Sect had been stingy. If this were a deception, the Hundred Blossom Sect's Sect Master would never have agreed to the deal.
In fact, the sword cultivator had included an official permit along with the Sword Intent Stone—authorizing non-disciples to comprehend the Yin-Yang Sword Intent.
Without such authorization, any cultivator caught using the Yin-Yang Sword Intent would be relentlessly hunted by the sect for leaking its core legacy.
But Gu Mo wouldn't have this problem—he had the sect's permission. Of course, the condition was that he actually succeeded in comprehending the intent.
"Extre Yang Sword Intent… Extre Yang…"
Holding the Sword Intent Stone, Gu Mo was currently focused on the Extre Yang side of the Yin-Yang Sword Intent. Between the two—Extre Yin and Extre Yang—he felt that Extre Yang was more suited to him, so he was pouring all his effort into that aspect.
Though his progress was still slow, Gu Mo knew very well that if he could comprehend the Extre Yang Sword Intent, it would lead to a massive boost in his combat power—especially for his sword-cultivating avatar.
"Extre Yang… The Sun…"
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Gu Mo—what could possibly represent Extre Yang better than the sun itself? If so, could he perhaps gain new understanding of Extre Yang by studying the sun?
For others, grasping the sun would be even harder than comprehending Extre Yang Sword Intent itself. But for Gu Mo, it was surprisingly simple.
Because he had Sun Essence—purest Solar energy—in his hands.
With that thought, Gu Mo imdiately retrieved a portion of Tier-4 Sun Essence and infused it into the Sword Intent Stone.
In that instant, the Extre Yang Sword Intent within the stone exploded to life, while the Extre Yin side rapidly dissipated. Soon, only a dazzling, blazing Sword Intent remained.
No… what remained was no longer just Extre Yang—it had evolved into the Great Sun Sword Intent, a level above Extre Yang.
Even more surprisingly, Gu Mo found that comprehending this newly erged Great Sun Sword Intent felt incredibly natural, almost intimate. After all, his cultivation had been built entirely upon Sun Essence.
The power within his body already carried the aura of the Great Sun—of course he would resonate deeply with this sword intent.
"It's actually working!"
After a while, Gu Mo slowly opened his eyes, a trace of disbelief in his gaze. Trying to comprehend the Yin-Yang Sword Intent had left him ntally exhausted with no real progress.
But now, in just a few hours, he had already grasped the basics of the Great Sun Sword Intent—so easily, it felt surreal.
Grand Yan Sword Sect.
At the sa mont Gu Mo's main body comprehended the Great Sun Sword Intent, his avatar abruptly opened its eyes. In the next instant, dazzling rays of brilliance flashed in the avatar's eyes.
"So this is the Great Sun Sword Intent…"
Gu Mo stood up. The sa Sword Intent manifested differently in his main body and his sword-cultivating avatar.
His main body's cultivation thods and condensed golden core weren't tailored for swordsmanship. But the avatar's techniques, its Sword Core—everything about it was built for the sword.
With a flicker of movent, Gu Mo appeared in the training arena of the Grand Yan Sword Sect. Now that he had grasped a new Sword Intent, he naturally wanted to test it out in combat—only then could he fully understand its power.
"Greetings, Acting Sect Master!"
The disciples in the arena bowed upon seeing him. Ever since Master Xuan Tianhen handed him the sect leader's token, he had never asked for it back.
What's more, Gu Mo's success in condensing the Immortal Sword Core had beco known even to the demonic sects—so of course the Grand Yan disciples knew too. Combined with the fact that he had previously purged demonic corruption from several sect disciples, his prestige within the sect was exceptionally high.
All the disciples fully accepted this young acting sect master.
"You may all go now," Gu Mo said with a smile.
"Yes, sir!"
The disciples quickly dispersed.
"Disciple, seems you've made so progress."
Once the arena was cleared, Xuan Tianhen appeared. Gu Mo's sudden end to closed-door training and his presence here clearly indicated that he had achieved sothing significant and now wanted to test it.
"Yes, Master. Please guide ."
Gu Mo nodded. Practicing alone could never compare to a real sparring match—especially with soone as strong as Master Xuan Tianhen. Among the entire sect, only a Nascent Soul Sword Lord like him could match Gu Mo in all-out combat.
The other elders had only recently reached the early or mid stages of the Core Formation Realm—not even close to Gu Mo's current level.
"Seems your harvest was substantial."
Xuan Tianhen raised an eyebrow, then summoned a practice sword from the rack nearby. "Co. Let your master see what you've learned."
"Alright!"
Just as Xuan Tianhen finished speaking, he sensed a radiant sun erge in the arena. It blazed with infinite light, searing even the killing intent he had released.
"What a powerful Sword Intent!"
As his own killing Sword Intent was scorched away, Xuan Tianhen instantly realized—this Sword Intent was a tier above his own.
Of course, a higher-tier Intent didn't necessarily an it was stronger in a fight. It still depended on the user's depth and breadth of mastery. The mont Xuan Tianhen got serious, his overwhelming killing intent tore through the blinding sunlight and pushed the Great Sun back.
"As expected of a Nascent Soul Sword Lord."
Gu Mo wasn't surprised. Although the Great Sun Sword Intent was indeed of a higher tier, he had only just entered its threshold. There was no way he could match Xuan Tianhen's deeply refined killing intent, cultivated over countless battles and years.
If Xuan Tianhen wanted, he could have shattered Gu Mo's Sword Intent in an instant—but he didn't. He was only matching Gu Mo's power to help him train.
Knowing this, Gu Mo didn't rush. Instead, he prepared to go all out—an opportunity to spar with a Nascent Soul Sword Lord was rare indeed.
With a single thought, the twelve Sword Cores in Gu Mo's dantian began to move. In the next instant, the Twelve Sword Fiends Formation activated.
Thanks to the enlightennt state brought by Chu Feifei's special divine ability, Gu Mo had just barely achieved initial mastery of this formation.
Now was the perfect ti to practice.
As the sword formation activated, powerful energy erupted from his dantian. The blazing sun above grew ever brighter, pressing back Xuan Tianhen's killing intent.
And from within that blazing sun… a Golden Crow erged.
The mont the Golden Crow appeared, Gu Mo entered a state of near-epiphany. Almost instinctively, he struck with the first true sword of this battle.
Up to now, they had only exchanged Sword Intent. Now, Gu Mo was making his first real move.
"What's this?!"
As his sword swung forth, the Golden Crow let out a sharp cry and transford into a blazing sword light, slashing straight at Xuan Tianhen.
Faced with that strike, Xuan Tianhen grew serious. The power behind it was already comparable to a Nascent Soul Sword Lord's sword.
To unleash a blow of this level while still at the Core Formation stage—what terrifying talent!
"Very good! My disciple, co—feel the true power of a Nascent Soul Sword Lord!"
Laughing heartily, Xuan Tianhen drew his sword. Gu Mo had already set foot into the threshold of that realm—he was now qualified to experience its true strength.
With his words, overwhelming killing intent ford storm clouds, blotting out the Great Sun. But that blazing sword light—transford from the Golden Crow—pierced straight through, slashing toward Xuan Tianhen without hesitation.
"Sword formation—rise!"
Xuan Tianhen waved his hand, summoning several flying swords into formation. The killing intent condensed into a monstrous beast, which devoured the blazing sword light whole.
BOOM!
In the next mont, both sword light and beast exploded and vanished without a trace.
"Master, that wasn't your true strength."
Gu Mo exhaled deeply, erging from that mysterious ntal state.
At this mont, a sword technique was etched into his mind—Golden Crow of the Great Sun Sword.
"I said it was the power of a typical Nascent Soul Sword Lord," Xuan Tianhen chuckled. Even among Nascent Soul experts, there were vast differences in strength. He had no intention of crushing Gu Mo with his real power. Instead, he had carefully matched Gu Mo's strength, letting both forces cancel each other out.
Too much power could injure Gu Mo. Too little would be shaful for the master.
"Then… does that an this sword strike already has the power of a Nascent Soul Sword Lord?" Gu Mo asked, eyes lighting up.
He hadn't used any Immortal Force at all—just the Great Sun Sword Intent and the Twelve Sword Fiends Formation—yet the resulting attack had reached that level.
As expected from the most aggressive type of cultivator—sword cultivators had terrifying explosive power. Few other cultivation paths could achieve this.
"Of course!"
Xuan Tianhen couldn't help smiling. This disciple kept exceeding expectations.
From the mont Gu Mo ford twelve Sword Cores, Xuan Tianhen had known his combat strength would be abnormal. But even he hadn't anticipated that Gu Mo would unleash a strike surpassing his own realm.
Naturally, achieving this required extrely strict conditions.
First were the unprecedented twelve Sword Cores. Then ca mastery of the Twelve Sword Fiends Formation, which was considered a high-tier formation even in the Grand Yan Sword Codex—one that wasn't easy to master.
If those two were things Xuan Tianhen already knew about, then Gu Mo's Great Sun Sword Intent and the Golden Crow Sword Strike were complete surprises.
Both were incredibly high-tier powers—and key to Gu Mo surpassing an entire realm with one strike.
"Then, Master… may I go on a training journey now?" With his master's confirmation, Gu Mo's mind turned to that hidden cave realm.
The core of that domain was very important to him—he'd been thinking about it for a long ti. Previously, he hadn't been strong enough. Now, he believed he was ready.
That peerless sword strike—if enhanced with Immortal Force—would grow even stronger. Even if he encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator, he was confident he could at least land a decisive blow.
And possibly… even injure one.
"This…"
Hearing this, Xuan Tianhen hesitated.
He knew full well that sword cultivators couldn't rely solely on cultivation. They had to grow through battle.
But Gu Mo was now ranked in the top ten of the Demonic Sect's assassination list. If he left the Grand Yan Sword Sect now, and word got out, their spies would stop at nothing to eliminate him.
As for secretly following him—that would defeat the purpose of the training. It wouldn't nurture a true sword cultivator.
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