"Was that really a monster just now?"

Li Mo pondered, feeling something was off.

The Divine Edge Cavern was within the Qingyuan Sect, and the entrance was guarded by an Inner Sect Steward.

How could a monster get in?

Perhaps it was just a particularly ugly senior brother...

Li Mo decided not to dwell on it.

Step—

His foot landed on the ground of the fourth level.

The sharp murderous aura hit him in the face, and even though his body refining had shown initial results, he instantly felt an almost overwhelming pressure.

His physique, comparable to the peak of a Common Weapon, felt a slight sting.

"Just the lingering aura is this terrifying."

"It's more than ten times stronger than the third level."

Li Mo took a light breath, and even his internal organs felt a slight numbness.

Fortunately, he had trained his organs and meridians as well, otherwise, he might not have been able to endure it.

"What kind of weapons are being nurtured on this level?"

Li Mo looked up.

The vast fourth level was half covered in frost, while the other half was so hot it distorted the air.

This was, after all, inside a cave.

The scene was simply too bizarre.

There were far fewer weapons left.

In total, there were only nine stone platforms, each with a weapon embedded in it.

On the first one lay a long sword, entirely crimson and crystalline.

Li Mo approached and found words engraved in front of the stone platform:

"The first Divine Weapon Peak Master, Zhu Zichong, inspired by the sight of twin suns in the sky, crafted this sword based on the fifth-ranked 'Sky-Scorching' sword from the Divine Weapons Ranking of the Nine Provinces. The weapon became a Mystic Armament and was named Scarlet Firmament."

This was the first line of words on the stone platform.

A Mystic Armament!

Weapons were categorized as Common Weapons, Sharp Weapons, Keen Weapons, Named Weapons.

Above Named Weapons were the fifth-rank Mystic Armaments.

A Mystic Armament...

As for what was above Mystic Armaments?

Li Mo didn't know; he had never even heard of it.

But according to the words left on the stone platform, if this Mystic Armament was merely an imitation, then the original Sky-Scorching Sword must be even more formidable.

"Divine Weapons Ranking of the Nine Provinces..."

"The first Divine Weapon Peak Master."

Li Mo was amazed.

As far as he knew, the current Divine Weapon Peak struggled to produce even a Named Weapon.

In the past, they could forge Mystic Armaments?

Doesn't that mean when this sword was forged, the Great Yu Dynasty had just unified the realm?

There were more words below, so Li Mo continued reading.

[Qingyuan Sect's fourth Qunyu Peak Master—Qin Xiaomeng, retrieves the sword today!]

[Qingyuan Sect's sixth Qunyu Peak Master—Luo Rulong, respectfully requests the Scarlet Firmament Sword!]

[Qingyuan Sect's thirteenth Luoxia Peak Master—Yue Hong, achieves Transcendence in the Blazing Sun Sword Technique, requests the Scarlet Firmament Sword!]

...

The further down the list, the longer the intervals between peak masters retrieving the sword.

Li Mo's thoughts surged.

This indicated that fewer and fewer people in the Qingyuan Sect were qualified to wield this Mystic Armament.

Moreover...

It seemed this sword had been lost for a period.

[Qingyuan Sect's thirty-third Qunyu Peak Master—Shang Wu, kills the Heaven-Ranked Assassin of Drizzling Rain Pavilion, retrieves the Scarlet Firmament Sword.]

Li Mo scanned the nine stone platforms.

There was a clear chronological order, but the records were similar to the first one.

Three of them were empty, perhaps lost or held by some sect elder.

He roughly understood.

These were all Mystic Armaments forged by the Divine Weapon Peak over the generations.

Anyone who could gain the recognition of a Mystic Armament could become its master.

When one could no longer wield the Mystic Armament, it had to be returned.

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"How can one become a Weapon Master?"

Li Mo couldn't deny his envy.

A Mystic Armament.

He dreamed of having a handsome long sword.

There were only two swords on these stone platforms.

One named Tianshuang, the other was this Scarlet Firmament.

Buzz—

Suddenly, the sound of a sword resonated.

It seemed to have sensed Li Mo's approach.

The Scarlet Firmament Sword vibrated incessantly on the stone platform.

In the next moment.

Li Mo's vision blurred.

Not far away, a swordsman appeared, standing with a sword on his back.

The swordsman's face was unclear, dressed in the simplest of short shirts, yet exuding an aura of sharpness.

The swordsman didn't speak, but Li Mo seemed to understand his intent.

"Draw your sword."

Draw my sword?

Li Mo retrieved a Bluesteel Sword from the System Space.

This was his first time using a sword technique in actual combat, and he felt a bit excited.

With my Upper-Tier Sword Technique at Minor Mastery, why should I fear you?

...

Ten minutes later.

Li Mo instinctively clutched his chest, suddenly opening his eyes.

Moments ago, in a daze, he felt a sword pierce his chest. Though he wasn't truly injured, there was still a burning phantom pain.

His sword technique at Minor Mastery couldn't even withstand five strikes.

The Scarlet Firmament Sword ceased its buzzing, falling silent once more.

"It seems I must master an Upper-Tier Martial Skill to Transcendence to become a Weapon Master."

Looking at the words on the stone platform, Li Mo regained his composure.

After hesitating for a moment, he shook his head and sat down to train his body.

The difficulty of martial skills increased exponentially as one progressed.

Seventy-six years of Martial Dao Comprehension wasn't enough to push the Thousand Feathers of the Fire Crane to Transcendence.

Saving up a hundred years might be worth a try.

With this thought, he turned his gaze to the stone wall not far away.

"On the first day in the Divine Edge Cavern, I felt something calling to me."

"But there's clearly no path ahead."

"Could it be, I need to break through this stone wall?"

...

At the entrance of the Divine Edge Cavern.

Everyone was silent.

Because Yin Huacheng, who had been so high and mighty, was now emerging from the cave in a rather sorry state.

His eyes were filled with a gloomy anger, his cloud-patterned robe torn to shreds, his body covered in blood marks.

His injuries weren't severe; after all, those Named Weapons were unmanned and only activated on their own. With his physique, at most, he suffered some superficial wounds.

But what he couldn't understand was why all the Named Weapons were so resistant to him, yet flocked to a newly admitted disciple.

It was like the goddess he'd pursued for years suddenly turned to embrace a stranger she'd just met.

It was infuriating!

"I'm still not strong enough."

Yin Huacheng clenched his fists and walked to the back mountain of Divine Weapon Peak.

From afar, he could see someone waiting there.

The man was tall and burly, none other than Futu.

"What happened to you?"

Futu raised an eyebrow at his disheveled appearance.

"Where's the new vessel I wanted?"

Yin Huacheng, hands behind his back, didn't answer his question.

"His name is Wang Hu, with tiger arms and leopard waist. I've already fed him the beast seed."

Futu's lips curled into a mocking smile. "He even thanked me."

"Good."

Yin Huacheng nodded, his eyes flickering.

Futu knew he was someone who couldn't stand any loss, so he added:

"Patience is a virtue. Stick to the old plan and wait for the Sect Trial to make your move."

"I know what I'm doing."

Yin Huacheng was somewhat impatient.

After a moment, he spoke again:

"Soon, a batch of Outer Disciples will be leaving the sect to return home."

"You won't spare even them?"

Futu seriously studied his expression.

Yin Huacheng snorted coldly. "After benefiting from the Qingyuan Sect, it's not so easy to return home in glory. Those useless ones can at least serve some purpose for me; it's their good fortune."

No wonder the Hundred Beast Blood Tempering is a forbidden technique.

Too much practice and it messes with the mind.

Futu sneered internally but feigned hesitation on the surface.

"Don't forget who vouched for you to enter the Qingyuan Sect."

Yin Huacheng's tone carried a hint of threat.

Futu never intended to refuse, so after showing a bit of reluctance, he nodded:

"Alright, I'll think of something."

Futu was about to leave, but after taking a few steps, Yin Huacheng's voice called out again:

"That new True Disciple named Li, what's his background?"

"He's the sole heir of Qunyu Peak."

Futu squinted with a half-smile. "You'd better not mess with him. If you anger Shang Wu, not even Master Yin can protect you."

"Qunyu Peak... Li Mo."

Yin Huacheng murmured, as if committing the name to memory.

The fourth level of the Divine Edge Cavern!

Only the elders of the peaks or those at Major Mastery in the Spirit Observation Realm could possibly enter and face the Mystic Armaments.

That kid must have some kind of treasure!

Yes, it must be because of a treasure.

Yin Huacheng's anger dissipated, replaced by intense excitement.