"Heh heh…" Zhao Yuanming suddenly let out a cold laugh, his smile strangely altered, as if he were a different person; his aura had turned sinister, a stark contrast to his usual upright and imposing demeanor.

Seeing this, Mo Guiyi and the others knew he had truly unleashed the demonic artifact, and their hearts sank; their expressions grew grave.

Mo Guiyi said in a deep voice, "Zhao, bring it on!"

As the sword light suddenly flared, the four surrounding him hastily retreated, and the rest of the group did the same. The sword light intensified sharply, forcing back the disciples of the Divine Sword Sect who were entangled with them.

A dozen figures converged, encircling Zhao Mingyue.

"Big Brother…" Yi Xiaoru quickly turned to look at Li Muzhan, only to see that Li Muzhan's already pale face had turned even whiter, overlaid with a layer of gold, his gaze dimmed.

She gasped in alarm and cried out, "Big Brother!"

Li Muzhan shook his head, offering a wry smile, "I'm fine."

"Big Brother, what's wrong?!" Yi Xiaoru quickly grasped his arm, sending her inner force to check his pulse—it was floating and weak, a sign of severe injury.

She glanced over; more than twenty people surrounded them, resembling bodyguards more than anything. In this situation, a stealth attack would be difficult.

Moreover, assassins capable of striking Big Brother were exceedingly rare in this world.

She looked at Li Muzhan in confusion, "Big Brother, what happened?"

Li Muzhan smiled bitterly, "The backlash from the Soul-Searching Art. I didn't expect it to be this severe, but it's nothing major; I just need to weather it out!"

"Big Brother, let's retreat!" Yi Xiaoru whispered, "Zhao Yuanming is using the demonic artifact; the outcome is uncertain. Let's leave first!"

Given her usual temperament, she would never consider fleeing mid-battle, especially at such a crucial moment when they needed to stand firm. But Li Muzhan was injured, and if they stayed, his life might be in danger.

Seeing Li Muzhan like this, she could disregard everything else; Li Muzhan's life was the priority.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "Let's see what happens first."

Yi Xiaoru murmured, "Big Brother, once the demonic artifact is out, it's unstoppable. I fear for Uncle-Master Mo and the others…"

Li Muzhan frowned, "When we set out, they should have anticipated that Zhao Yuanming might use the demonic artifact, right?"

"We didn't expect it," Yi Xiaoru shook her head, her brow furrowed. "Hearing from Uncle-Master Tang, Zhao Yuanming shouldn't be able to use the demonic artifact again, or it will backfire!"

"What happens from the demonic artifact's backlash?" Li Muzhan quickly asked.

This was a secret about demonic artifacts. Ordinary people truly didn't know; he had asked Liu Biyun, but even she didn't know. Everyone else was guarded about the topic.

Yi Xiaoru whispered, "If it backfires, one becomes an artifact slave."

"Artifact slave?" Li Muzhan pondered, frowning, "Meaning controlled by the demonic artifact?"

"Yes," Yi Xiaoru whispered, "I only heard it from my Master. I haven't seen it, but they say becoming an artifact slave is an agony beyond words, a life worse than death, forced into endless slaughter against one's will. In the end, death is inevitable, often taking the form of suicide to consecrate the artifact."

Li Muzhan frowned, "Consecrate the artifact… Hmm, demonic artifacts grow stronger through slaughter…"

He nodded thoughtfully, understanding the profound secret… Demonic artifacts are coalesced Sha Qi (baleful energy), and the acquisition of Sha Qi can only be achieved through killing. Killing one person condenses a layer of Sha Qi onto the body; the more one kills, the heavier the Sha Qi. This Sha Qi is ultimately transferred to the demonic artifact, the method being the artifact's owner committing suicide.

This move was ruthless, a path leading to certain death. Li Muzhan now didn't believe anyone could break free from the demonic artifact's control. When he had used the Ta Xin Tong (Mind-Reading/Penetration Art) earlier, his spirit had clashed with the artifact's Sha Qi, allowing him to witness its terrifying power.

He knew that if it were him, once the artifact invaded, it would be difficult to resist. His spirit was like a dragon, incomparably formidable, but it was acquired only through his cultivation thus far. In contrast, the demonic artifact was condensed from millennia of Sha Qi. Usually contained within the vessel, once activated, it was truly unstoppable.

That was why the last time he had seized the Zhan Tian Sword from the Linhai Pavilion, his instincts had constantly warned him, and he had managed to suppress the urge to draw it. Now, he felt immensely relieved; had he not held back, he would already have become a sword slave.

He sighed inwardly. It was worthy of being a demonic artifact capable of blocking a Sacred Artifact. He wondered who had devised such a method of artifact creation—a genius to be both admired and detested, for such artifacts were destined to bring disaster upon the world.

The Sword Driving Incantation was absolutely crucial; it was the only way to command a demonic artifact. There was no other path; attempting to forcibly control it through sheer mental cultivation was guaranteed to fail.

He had previously used the Ta Xin Tong, merging his soul with the artifact's essence, thereby obtaining the method to control it.

With a "Heh heh" cold laugh, Zhao Yuanming suddenly flashed before Mo Guiyi. A streak of sword light followed, and Mo Guiyi rapidly retreated: "Zhao Yuanming, you dare use the demonic artifact again!"

"Die!" Zhao Yuanming sneered, his sword light flashing once more.

He seemed intent on pursuing Mo Guiyi, but his long sword abruptly shifted, stabbing an elder standing nearby. Li Muzhan recognized him as Wen Hua from the Yuan Sect, known for his exceptional swordsmanship.

Wen Hua was an Elder of the Yuan Sect who usually kept a low profile, cultivating deeply in seclusion. His cultivation was profound, and his sword techniques exquisite.

However, his experience in direct combat was somewhat lacking; he was adequate for handling ordinary situations. Seeing Zhao Yuanming’s ferocious expression and recalling what Tang Tianyu had said—that Zhao Yuanming couldn't use the artifact again—he was momentarily distracted. He hadn't expected Zhao Yuanming to be so cunning, and the sword was too fast.

Wen Hua forcefully twisted his body; the strike aimed at his heart pierced his left shoulder instead, blood pouring out like a pillar.

He swung his right sword, using his left shoulder to hook the blade. Zhao Yuanming’s right wrist flickered slightly, and the blade slipped free from Wen Hua's shoulder, stabbing toward his throat.

Wen Hua reluctantly retreated, narrowly evading the thrust; Zhao Yuanming’s sword was too swift.

He watched Zhao Yuanming turn with lingering fear, frowning, "He is close to falling into demonhood. We must kill him!"

"Yes, we must kill him!" Mo Guiyi said gravely.

The surrounding people shouted, "Everyone attack together!"

Mo Guiyi and his group were surrounded, needing to contend with Zhao Yuanming internally while dealing with the crowd externally. They were soon overwhelmed, and people started sustaining injuries… "Big Brother, what do we do?" Yi Xiaoru stamped her foot anxiously.

Li Muzhan frowned, "The demonic artifact is indeed formidable!"

Yi Xiaoru tugged at him, "Big Brother, you can't force yourself! … I'll go!"

Li Muzhan smiled wryly, "If you go, it might be worse than if I went. You leave first, and I'll lure Zhao Yuanming away!"

"No," Yi Xiaoru shook her head repeatedly, clutching his arm tightly, "Big Brother, you're hurt. You cannot fight again. If anything happens…"

Li Muzhan waved his hand, "Xiaoru, I'm not that delicate. If I don't act now, I fear…"

Yi Xiaoru kept pulling his sleeve, refusing to let go.

Li Muzhan sighed helplessly, took a deep breath, and suddenly exhaled. A long roar shot out, surging forward like tidal waves.

Those with lower cultivation in the area immediately swayed, collapsing weakly. The roar seemed to be right beside them, overwhelmingly fierce and dominant.

The roar deepened, not soaring into the sky, but resonating in everyone's ears, causing their blood to surge, rising and falling like the tide. They felt as if they were moments from life or death.

Yi Xiaoru’s cultivation was lower, but since Li Muzhan was holding her hand and channeling his internal force into her, the roar entering her ears did not agitate her blood; she merely felt the sound was louder.

Beneath the roar, even Zhao Yuanming had to exert his full power to resist. This was a method Li Muzhan had devised on the spot, the only approach he could think of against the demonic artifact.

He shook his head and sighed; it seemed this method wouldn't work to break the artifact.

Li Muzhan considered that the artifact's power came from Sha Qi. While Sha Qi entering the body did enhance internal power, it wasn't limitless and wasn't the truly terrifying aspect. Some exquisite secret arts could stimulate potential to achieve similar effects.

The true terror of the demonic artifact lay in the spirit. Once activated, it was like a swordsman of peerless skill manipulating the artifact's host, displaying ultimate swordsmanship.

Li Muzhan was confident in his transcendent swordsmanship and his comprehension of all sword arts, yet compared to the demonic artifact, he was still a step short, as he found when facing the Zhan Tian Sword previously.

Li Muzhan judged that his cultivation surpassed Zhao Yuanming's. He unleashed the Buddhist Lion's Roar, intending to suppress the demonic artifact, but judging by Zhao Yuanming's reaction, it hadn't been suppressed effectively.

After a long while, the roar ceased.

Li Muzhan let out a breath, his face growing even paler, the golden hue intensifying slightly.

"Big Brother…" Yi Xiaoru looked at him worriedly and whispered, "Let's leave now and let Uncle-Master Mo and the others handle it!"

Li Muzhan slowly nodded, sighing, "I lack the strength to help further even if I wanted to. Let's go!"

He cupped his hands toward Mo Guiyi and the others, offering an apologetic smile, "Uncle-Master Mo, we will take our leave now."

Mo Guiyi and his companions had also suffered internal turmoil from the shock, sustaining minor injuries. Seeing Li Muzhan’s condition, they knew he was severely wounded. Mo Guiyi said gravely, "Go!"

Li Muzhan and Yi Xiaoru gracefully retreated backward, paying no heed to Zhao Yuanming's watchful glare… Li Muzhan and Yi Xiaoru reached the shore where Xiuxiu was standing at the bow of a small boat. Seeing them approach, she hurriedly rowed the boat over.

Yi Xiaoru helped Li Muzhan onto the boat. The hull swayed slightly. Xiuxiu's expression changed drastically upon seeing Li Muzhan's state, and she rushed forward to support him, "Young Master, you're injured!"

Li Muzhan waved his hand, "Enough, don't make a fuss; I won't die!"

Xiuxiu insisted on helping him, chiding gently, "Young Master, you are too careless! With your martial arts, how could you possibly get hurt!"

Li Muzhan said, "Just stop nagging for a bit; I need to circulate my energy to heal!"

Saying this, he entered the cabin and sat cross-legged on the low couch. Yi Xiaoru supported one arm, and Xiuxiu supported the other. "Young Master, are we going back?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "Let's wait and see; there's no need to set sail yet."

Xiuxiu hurried, "Young Master, you still want to get involved? You're already this badly hurt!"

Li Muzhan waved his hand and closed his eyes, beginning to circulate his energy to heal. This injury was to his spirit, and it would take a while to recover.

At the time he used the Soul-Searching Art, his pale face had been a disguise; if he hadn't acted that way, the immense power of the technique might have cast a shadow over others.

However, when he later used the Ta Xin Tong and obtained the driving incantation for Zhao Yuanming’s demonic artifact, he was genuinely injured, failing to withdraw his consciousness in time, getting struck by the artifact's Sha Qi.

Only then did he truly grasp the demonic artifact's might, feeling fortunate that he hadn't rashly drawn the Zhan Tian Sword; otherwise, he might have fallen to demonization by now, controlled by the weapon.

While practicing the Boundless Bright Heart Sutra, he opened his Void Eye to observe the situation in the distance, watching the battle between Mo Guiyi and his allies.

Seeing him like this, Xiuxiu and Yi Xiaoru left the cabin, each standing at opposite ends of the bow to guard him, lest anyone disturb his healing.

Li Muzhan practiced the Boundless Bright Heart Sutra while observing with the Void Eye. As time passed, the battle grew increasingly tragic. Mo Guiyi and the others were all injured. Fortunately, their martial arts were formidable, and even cooperating against Zhao Yuanming, they were still in a perilous situation.

Suddenly, Mo Guiyi erupted with divine might, using some secret technique. His sword light was like snow, incredibly fast, and for a moment, he managed to hold off Zhao Yuanming, locked in an even fight.

Li Muzhan frowned. This must be a secret art of the Sword Sect, one that placed an immense burden on the body and couldn't last long. As he was thinking this, the other few activated secret arts as well; each fought bravely. The combined effort managed to suppress Zhao Yuanming's sword momentum, resolving to kill him even at the cost of injury.

Zhao Yuanming was quickly wounded, taking a sword strike to his left shoulder—a mutual blow in the clash with Mo Guiyi, resulting in injuries on both sides, as Mo Guiyi took a sword thrust to his chest.

Zhao Yuanming suddenly gave a strange, cold laugh, turned, and fled, completely abandoning the remaining disciples of the Divine Sword Sect. In an instant, he vanished into the night.

Seeing this, the others shook their heads helplessly. The disciples of the Divine Sword Sect scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in all directions. The people of the Myriad Saints Sect had no intention of pursuing; they rushed to check on Mo Guiyi… Li Muzhan suddenly spoke, "Xiaoru, go tell them I can save Uncle-Master Mo's life. Hurry and bring him over!"

"Big Brother, Uncle-Master Mo, he…?" Yi Xiaoru hurried back into the cabin and quickly asked.

Li Muzhan opened his eyes and sighed, "Senior Mo's injuries are severe; I fear they might not… Bring him over quickly; I'll try."

Yi Xiaoru turned to leave but stopped suddenly, looking back at him hesitantly, "But Big Brother, your injuries…"

Li Muzhan said, "I won't die; it will just take longer to heal."

"…Alright," Yi Xiaoru considered for a moment, nodded resignedly, and floated off the small boat. Xiuxiu entered, pouting, "Young Master, why do you worry so much? They might not even appreciate your kindness!"

Li Muzhan said, "I can't just watch someone die when I have the means to help."

Xiuxiu snorted, "I don't think they are good people either! … Young Master, are your injuries truly not serious?"

"Mhm," Li Muzhan replied.

Xiuxiu asked, "Young Master, have the people from the Divine Sword Sect been dealt with?"

"More or less. They won't be able to cause trouble for a while now," Li Muzhan nodded.

Xiuxiu exclaimed admiringly, "This is truly satisfying! Most of the brothels in Jingzhou City are run by the Divine Sword Sect; they are truly wicked!"

Li Muzhan's eyebrow twitched slightly. Xiuxiu said proudly, "The Five Sisters told me. They are much more familiar with Jingzhou City than I am. I've lived all these years for nothing!"

She had grown up in Jingzhou City, but only when the five spoke did she realize how little she truly knew about it; she was far behind.

Li Muzhan nodded, "You should learn more from them."

Xiuxiu suggested, "Young Master, should we also establish such a place?"

"What do you want to do?" Li Muzhan asked.

Xiuxiu pursed her lips and smiled, "It's no good having poor channels for information. Young Master, let's also build a place specifically for gathering intelligence. I can open an inn!"

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded, "Mhm, alright."

Xiuxiu instantly beamed, "Young Master, you really agreed?"

Li Muzhan said, "If you don't mind the trouble, open an inn. Secretly find some people to gather information."

Xiuxiu patted her chest excitedly, "Don't worry, Young Master, I will do it well. I have plenty of experience now!"

Li Muzhan smiled and waved his hand. Yi Xiaoru’s voice came from the riverbank, "Big Brother, Uncle-Master Mo is here."

Li Muzhan called out, "Please invite Senior Mo onto the boat!"

Yi Xiaoru and Wen Hua floated onto the boat, Wen Hua carrying Mo Guiyi, causing the small boat to rock slightly.

More than twenty people stood on the riverbank—all the top experts who had come for this confrontation—but the boat was too small to accommodate them, so they watched from the shore. (To be continued)RQ