Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

In recent times, due to the affairs of Xu'an County, Gu Chen's name has spread far and wide. While not everybody knows, the difference is trifling.

Across the entire martial world, anyone with a bit of insight has heard of the battle in Xu'an County; of course, as for exactly how many demon cult martial artists Gu Chen had slain, apart from those from Da Xia who knew the details, many warriors harbored doubts.

After all, the wider the story spread, the more bizarre it got. Some said Gu Chen, with a single sword, had slain hundreds of demon cultists; others claimed he had killed over a thousand. The most outlandish rumors were the ones claiming Gu Chen had cut down tens of thousands with a single stroke.

There were all sorts of tales, making it difficult to discern the truth.

Da Xia did not come forward to refute these rumors because, after all, Gu Chen was from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu, and the more his fame grew, the better.

However, rational individuals like Mo Zilin didn't believe any of the rumors about Gu Chen.

At the very least, the notion of slaughtering tens of thousands with a single sword strike was grossly exaggerated, nothing but a figment of the imagination.

To Mo Zilin, the idea that Gu Chen could take on a hundred men was plausible, but the rumors of him defeating hundreds or even a thousand seemed far-fetched.

After all, where would the demon cult get so many warriors for Gu Chen to kill?

Moreover, even though warriors at the Vajra Stage have seemingly unending vigor, it is only relative. Though their bodies at the Vajra Stage begin to transcend mere flesh and blood, they are still human, not gods. And humans tire.

Even if Mo Zilin were to fight against more than a thousand people himself, he could do it, but he would be utterly exhausted.

And he had been accumulating power at the Vajra Stage for a long time, possessing strong cultivation, but at the time, Gu Chen had only just entered the Vajra Stage; how could he possibly match him?

Thus, Mo Zilin completely disbelieved the rumors about Gu Chen circulating outside.

He also knew that in the battle at Xu'an County, some warriors from the Holy Shadows Sect controlled iron corpses and puppets with the help of demons, but in Mo Zilin's view, those things hardly counted for anything. As long as the warriors manipulating them were slain, those iron corpses and puppets would become useless.

Therefore, when it came to the rumors about Gu Chen that were spreading in the world, most of the larger sects and factions in the martial world did not believe them. Even if a martial artist who had just entered the Vajra Stage had reached the limit at the Gang Qi Stage and opened fifty-six meridians, they still couldn't accomplish such feats.

These martial factions believed that the Jing Tian Department had deliberately released these rumors, intentionally exaggerating Gu Chen's strength to increase his fame among the common folk and to create momentum for the Jing Tian Department.

After all, Gu Chen was one of their own.

It was only those scattered martial cultivators and commoners who knew nothing that would believe such preposterous rumors put out by the Jing Tian Department.

When the Internal Gang elder of the Heavenly Saber Sect heard Mo Zilin mention Gu Chen, he also said, "This Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department has indeed been causing quite a stir on the rivers and lakes. However, there's no need for you, Zilin, to fear him. After all, he has just broken through to the Vajra Stage not long ago, and he won't pose much of a threat for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Mo Zilin nodded. He had already reached the great completion of the Vajra Stage. By the time Gu Chen caught up to him, he would have already broken through to the Gang Qi Stage.

After all, although Gu Chen was a genius, he was not inferior either. Mo Zilin believed he was second to no one.

Yang Mingyue, who was standing nearby, heard the name Gu Chen and spoke with scorn, "Who is this Gu Chen to be compared with my Brother Zilin?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Zilin slightly smiled, quite pleased with himself, but he said, "Mingyue, one must never underestimate the people in the world."

Yang Mingyue snorted, "There's no need for you, Brother Zilin, to be modest. You've already reached the third level of the Vajra Stage, the realm where your body is as powerful as a savage dragon. Looking across the whole of Shen Zhou, you are a rarity. That Gu Chen—I've never even heard of him. How can he be your equal?"

Mo Zilin smiled faintly, his pride quite apparent. To have achieved the third level, the realm akin to a savage dragon, at the Vajra Stage, meant that he surpassed the vast majority of Vajra Stage martial artists in the world and was ranked at the pinnacle in Shen Zhou.

In all of Shen Zhou, including those in the Jing Tian Department, there were few at the Vajra Stage who could compare with him.

In fact, Mo Zilin was already making preparations to break through to the Gang Qi Stage. He had come to the Yao Platform gathering not only to enhance his own reputation and that of the Heavenly Saber Sect but also to use the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid to temper his body and refine his inner breath, aiming to reach the Gang Qi Stage faster and position himself at the peak of Shen Zhou.

After all, despite his strong talent, Mo Zilin was not the first in the world. There were others among Shen Zhou's top sects who could match him, so he felt an urgency in his heart.

The faster he broke through to the Gang Qi Stage, the sooner he could establish his advantage. The path of martial arts is such that among geniuses, if one is faster by a step, they're faster at every step. The situation of latecomers surpassing the early ones is extremely rare. At least Mo Zilin believed that such a situation would not happen to him.

Moreover, through this gathering at the Yao Platform, he could also take the opportunity to test the current strength of his peers and see where he truly stood.

Gu Chen was merely a junior, rumored to be merely twenty years old this year, a full three years younger than him. He did not believe that Gu Chen's talent was anything extraordinary because, at that age, Mo Zilin had also broken through to the Vajra Stage.

But it took him three years, along with relentless cultivation and countless resources, to reach the third level of Vajra Stage, the realm akin to a savage dragon. With such a short time frame, what did Gu Chen have to compare with him?

He mentioned Gu Chen simply out of curiosity about the Yao Platform Sect's decision to invite members of the court.

"This time, Brother Zilin, you will definitely seize first place at the Yao Platform grand event!" Yang Mingyue looked at Mo Zilin with adoration, even more confident in him than he was in himself.

Upon hearing this, Mo Zilin nodded as well. This time, he had come to claim first place at the Yao Platform grand event.

Although the top three could all receive the Yao Platform Sect's Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, the amount awarded to the first place was more than that for the second and third place combined.

In the effective range of such a treasure, it was certainly better to have as much as possible.

Moreover, Mo Zilin had heard rumors that the Yao Platform Sect's grand event was not just for allocating Jade Spirit Ice Liquid. There was also an underlying intention to select a spouse for the most outstanding descendant of the Yao Platform Sect's current generation.

Of course, whether it could happen would still depend on the respective wishes of both parties.

And as everyone knew, the women of the Yao Platform Sect were each as beautiful as flowers, gentle in character, and most suitable to be taken home as wives. This generation's successor of the Yao Platform Sect was rumored to have celestial beauty, resembling a fairy descending from the heavens with an exquisitely delicate face.

Her fame spread far and wide throughout Qiongtian Mansion, with some even calling her the most beautiful woman in Shen Zhou.

As an outstanding young hero of the Heavenly Saber Sect, to say Mo Zilin had no thoughts about her would be completely impossible.

In the world of martial arts, strength, fame, and beauty were coveted by all; wasn't the pursuit of martial arts meant to wield power while enjoying the finest life has to offer and being revered by countless others?

Although Mo Zilin knew that his junior martial sister Yang Mingyue had feelings for him, and they were to be engaged soon, if he truly managed to marry the current successor of the Yao Platform Sect, even his master, the head of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Yang Ling, would not disapprove. Instead, he would show full support.

This would mean that the Heavenly Saber Sect and Yao Platform Sect were joined in alliance; with such a strong union, why would Yang Ling object?

Besides, in Da Xia, there's no law saying a man could only marry one wife.

Thinking this way, a smile unconsciously appeared on Mo Zilin's lips as he dreamt of a future where he would be embraced by women on both sides.

Just then, the inn's large door creaked open as seven or eight armed martial artists strode in.

They were dressed in azure blue robes, one of them young with handsome features, bearing a long sword—it was Yu Qiushi from Canghai Sect, who had once crossed swords with Gu Chen at the martial arts tournament.

Several groups of guests had just left, so the server hurriedly went up to the members of the Canghai Sect and led them to an empty table.

At that moment, the leading elder of the Canghai Sect saw Mo Zilin, Yang Mingyue, and the old man from the Heavenly Saber Sect, and immediately smiled, greeting them with a fist salute, "May I ask if you are comrades from the Heavenly Saber Sect?"

Seeing this, Mo Zilin, with a smile, returned the salute and said, "I am from the Heavenly Saber Sect, Mo Zilin. This is my junior sister Yang Mingyue, and this gentleman is Master Hu Wanyuan of our sect."

The elder from the Canghai Sect also greeted them with a loud, cheerful voice, "Indeed, comrades from the Heavenly Saber Sect. I did not expect to meet the most outstanding young hero of the Heavenly Saber Sect today. It seems today is indeed a good day. I am Lu Changyun, at your service."

"Elder Lu is too kind," Mo Zilin replied with a smile.

Then, Lu Changyun introduced some of the younger members of his group, including Yu Qiushi, to Mo Zilin and the others. Though the Canghai Sect had been in decline since the death of their former leader, they had once been glorious.

And as the saying goes, the skinny camel is bigger than the horse; thus the Heavenly Saber Sect did not look down on the Canghai Sect, and the two sides began to converse.

Since parting in Phoenix Sun City last time, Yu Qiushi had now broken through to the middle stage of the External Qi Stage. He was still the youngest outstanding member of the Canghai Sect, but compared to Mo Zilin of the Heavenly Saber Sect, the disparity was quite large.
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The age difference between them was not great, but the other side already possessed the great complete stage of Vajra Stage cultivation, while he was just at the middle stage of the External Qi Stage—there was a huge gap between them.

During the conversation, Mo Zilin did not focus his attention on Yu Qiushi, but instead, engaged in conversation with the elder Lu Changyun.

Clearly, in Mo Zilin's eyes, Yu Qiushi was not on the same level as him. After a nod and a polite smile, Mo Zilin's gaze no longer lingered on Yu Qiushi.

Yu Qiushi was a proud individual, and hidden within his sleeves, his fists clenched tightly, feeling extremely bitter inside.

But just then, his gaze suddenly swept across the room and landed on Gu Chen, who was dining not far away.

Yu Qiushi's eyebrows raised as he looked towards Gu Chen, and uncertainly said, "Gu Chen?"

At his words, everyone from the Canghai Sect and the Heavenly Saber Sect stopped talking and followed Yu Qiushi's gaze.

"Gu Chen, what Gu Chen, could it be Jing Tian Department's Gu Chen?" Mo Zilin also looked surprised, following the gaze over.