High Martial Arts: I Travel Through Heaven and Earth Through Dreams

Chapter 299 The Old World Has Deep Waters

"yes!"

The black-armored warrior took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and continued to report on the recent affairs of the Demon-Slaying Hall.

From resource allocation to the repair of the protective array, and the recruitment of independent cultivators from various continents...

Until the very end, the black-armored warrior seemed to remember something, his tone tinged with a hint of amazement and admiration.

"By the way, Lord."

"Regarding Sword Twelve, who triggered a tribulation of lightning and successfully attained the ninth level of Dao shortly after the world was restored to its original state, he is now revered by the world as the 'Eastern Continent Sword Immortal'."

"Our people have already made contact with them."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this name, Duanmu Hong, who had remained indifferent, finally showed a hint of interest in his eyes.

"Sword Twelve? That sword fanatic who sat in meditation on Immortal Cliff for ten thousand years?"

"Exactly!"

The black-armored warrior nodded.

"This person is truly exceptionally talented and brilliant!"

"According to the scouts, when he broke through to the ninth level, he triggered the extraordinary phenomenon of ten thousand swords paying homage to the mortal realm. The swords of several continents resonated with this phenomenon, and his swordsmanship was unfathomably profound."

"What's even more remarkable is that after his breakthrough, he did not establish a sect or vie for supremacy. He remained a man with only his sword, wandering the world."

"Now, the other party is a nominal guest elder of our Demon Extermination Hall."

Duanmu Hong nodded slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"He is indeed a talented person."

"To be able to cultivate such a sword heart in such an environment where the Great Dao is incomplete, and to seize the opportunity to soar to the sky at the first moment, this person's potential is limitless."

"If given the opportunity, I would also like to meet this fellow Daoist."

"If we can recruit him into the Demon Slayer Hall and let him lead a Demon-Slaying Sword Guard, he will definitely become a sharp blade in my hands."

"It's such a waste of his talent to only hold the empty title of guest advisor."

"However, pure sword cultivators like them are often proud and unwilling to be restrained, so recruiting them is not an easy task."

"This matter is not urgent. Let's send someone to deliver a generous gift first to establish a good relationship."

"Right now, I have more important matters to attend to."

Duanmu Hong waved his hand, signaling his men to leave.

"Yes! I'll take my leave!"

The black-armored warrior bowed respectfully, then transformed into a streak of light and disappeared outside the hall.

The heavy door slowly closed.

In this empty hall, only Duanmu Hong remained.

The composure and smile on his face slowly faded at that moment, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

"call……"

Duanmu Hong let out a long breath and waved his sleeve.

"Buzz—!"

Four orbs of light, radiating an ancient, weathered, yet fragmented aura, appeared out of thin air before him.

It was an ancient bronze mirror covered in cracks, as if it might collapse at any moment—the [Taiyan Mirror]!

A tattered, eerie, and somewhat withered black banner—the [Banner of Ten Thousand Souls]!

A small golden tower with a missing corner, and a blue divine bell broken into three pieces.

These four items were the treasures of their respective sects, four broken ninth-tier treasures, which were seized from the four old holy lands that had submitted to them.

Looking at these four pitifully damaged treasures, Duanmu Hong's eyes became unusually deep, even carrying a hint of fear.

Others may not yet realize the true value of these four ninth-tier treasures.

But as an old man who has lived since ancient times, he knows this very well.

"The Taiyan Mirror... is a 'Heavenly Treasure' crafted by the ancient Human Emperor, containing the laws of spacetime. Although it is not an offensive treasure, its sturdiness is such that even a full-force attack from a ninth-tier powerhouse might not be able to completely shatter it!"

"The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls... that was the natal artifact of the Grandmaster of the Demonic Path, having devoured countless lives, its ferocity is overwhelming!"

"These are all genuine, top-tier ninth-grade treasures!"

"It is second only to the legendary celestial artifacts!"

Duanmu Hong reached out and gently stroked the shocking crack on the [Taiyan Mirror].

He could clearly sense that deep within the crack, a terrifying power remained that had not yet dissipated.

That force was domineering, tyrannical, and unreasonable!

It was as if it were a strike from a higher dimension, transcending the rules of this world!

"Even if I were to use my full strength, along with several powerful offensive treasures, I wouldn't be confident I could destroy such a treasure to this extent..."

"Who is it?"

"What kind of being could shatter all the ninth-tier treasures of these four holy lands in a single night?!"

A deep chill rose in Duanmu Hong's heart.

Although he claimed to be invincible, he knew in his heart that there were always people more capable than him, and there was always something beyond his reach.

In order to find out the truth, Duanmu Hong used the Soul Searching Technique the moment Taiyan Holy Lord and others surrendered to examine their memories of the "catastrophe".

However, the result left him even more puzzled.

Among those blurry fragments of memory, he only saw a black figure with tattered clothes and covered in blood.

That person descended upon the Heavenly Profound Realm without warning, and his appearance immediately resonated with all the Dao and caused the laws to surge, undoubtedly making him a ninth-order powerhouse.

However, the process by which the other party destroyed the ninth-tier treasure was too unbelievable, and they didn't even use any earth-shattering supernatural powers.

It's just a casual punch, or a simple flick of the wrist.

Those indestructible ninth-tier treasures shattered like glass.

Even with his exceptional knowledge, he couldn't discern the other party's origins from such methods and aura.

Duanmu Hong stared intently at the four damaged treasures, his brows furrowed, lost in deep thought.

"Could it be... an avatar of a true immortal descended from the upper realm?"

"Or is it... a hidden trump card from the demon race?"

If it's the former, then it's easier to say, since the human race and the upper realm still have some ties.

But if it's the latter, or some unknown third-party force whose allegiance is unknown...

For the Demon Extermination Hall, which is about to engage in a full-scale war with the demon race, this is undoubtedly a huge and unavoidable hidden danger.

"A mysterious powerhouse capable of crushing ninth-tier treasures with a flick of his wrist lurks in the shadows..."

Duanmu Hong muttered to himself, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

"What exactly is his purpose?"

"After making a move more than three thousand years ago, he has never appeared again..."

"Has he already left this world?"

Or perhaps...

Duanmu Hong suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on the vast void outside the main hall.

"He's always been there..."

"Is he watching all this coldly from somewhere in the shadows?"

Thinking about this...

The Demon Slayer Palace Master, who ruled the world, felt a chill run down his spine, and an unprecedented sense of crisis surged into his heart.

"It seems..."

"The waters of this Old World are much deeper than I imagined."