Chapter 308: Palace Battle with the Heart Demon

“The Great Sun Demonic Art!” Gu Mo murmured. This was already the second person he had encountered who practiced the Great Sun Demonic Art.

“Does the Buddhist sect possess such a martial art?” Gu Mo asked.

Saint Monk Huineng chuckled softly, “This is the progenitor of demonic arts; how could it be a Buddhist transmission? Moreover, this martial art is different from others in the world, and it cannot be passed down conventionally; this art is alive. The Great Sun Demonic Art has always existed in the human world in a very special form, constantly seeking its destined practitioner. It is the martial art that chooses the person, not the person who chooses the martial art.”

Gu Mo nodded slightly, saying, “So, Saint Monk, you are the destined one chosen by the Great Sun Demonic Art?”

Saint Monk Huineng replied, “Actually, it's not about being chosen, but about inevitability. There are seven types of people in the world who are known as 'natural-born sages': firstly, double pupils; secondly, fused ribs; thirdly, dragon-like countenance and sun-cornered forehead; fourthly, high-ridged skull and river-like eyes; fifthly, unusual celestial phenomena at birth; sixthly, three holes in the ears; and seventhly, those born with innate knowledge. This monk happens to be the seventh kind, born with innate knowledge. The destined practitioners chosen by the Great Sun Demonic Art are precisely these seven types of people. As for why, this monk does not know; the Spirit of the Book only told this monk that much after I encountered the Great Sun Demonic Art.”

Gu Mo chuckled softly, “How did Saint Monk come to meet the Great Sun Demonic Art?”

Saint Monk Huineng explained, “Over forty years ago, this monk was searching for 'demons' amidst the mountains, wilderness, and rivers. One day, while resting on a forest path, I dreamt of a monk who sought to debate with me. That monk possessed the most profound Buddhist nature I had ever encountered in my life, and I was utterly convinced by his arguments. Finally, that monk asked me what I desired and what my ideals were.

"Knowing then that I was in a dream, and realizing the monk before me was either a god or a demon, I remained silent, unsure of their true intentions. Soon after, I awoke. From then on, that monk frequently appeared in my dreams. Furthermore, if I wished to meet him proactively, I only needed to repeat the actions of our first encounter.

"So, I often debated with him. Later, when I questioned him, the monk did not hide anything and stated frankly that he was the Spirit of the Book of the Great Sun Demonic Art, one of the legendary Thirteen Taboos. His mission was to seek out the natural-born sages of the human world and transmit the Great Sun Demonic Art.

"For more than a decade afterward, I never practiced the Great Sun Demonic Art. It wasn't until thirty years ago, when I found the Heart Demon's physical manifestation here on Feilai Mountain but was powerless to deal with it, that I sought out the Spirit of the Great Sun Demonic Art and expressed my desire to kill the Heart Demon. The Great Sun Demonic Art, however, said the Heart Demon could not be killed, only sealed. Therefore, I made a vow to seal the Heart Demon, and subsequently, I obtained the Great Sun Demonic Art. This Great Sun Demonic Art is incredibly unique. Its cultivation chants and formulas are incomprehensible, yet somehow, this monk was able to cultivate a type of Buddhist True Qi that can no longer be described merely as pure, but as sacred and holy, truly like the legendary Buddhist Dharma itself.”

As he spoke, Saint Monk Huineng slowly raised his hand, and a wisp of Buddhist True Qi diffused from it, like a golden lotus blooming. The aura it emitted was indeed the most sacred Gu Mo had ever witnessed in his life. Even the True Qi of Master Liansheng, the widely acknowledged leader of the Buddhist Grand Bright Temple, was far inferior to the sanctity and purity of Saint Monk Huineng's True Qi.

Gu Mo could clearly sense that this wisp of Buddha light had already surpassed True Qi, yet it was not the power of the Ascension Realm, nor Source Qi. It was a very unique kind of energy. However, although both originated from the Great Sun Demonic Art, the energy of Saint Monk Huineng was completely different from Ye Chen's "luck." Ye Chen's "luck" was illusory, difficult for even Ascension Realm power to interact with. The reason Gu Mo could absorb it was by using the Qi of Laws, which is beyond the Ascension Realm. In contrast, Saint Monk Huineng's wisp of sacred Buddha light was tangible, similar to True Qi, but its purity far surpassed that of True Qi.

Saint Monk Huineng continued, “This monk has been using this Buddha light to seal the Heart Demon's physical manifestation for all these years. This Buddha light is incredibly sacred and marvelous. I have used it to set up formations. Any Buddhist True Qi, upon contact with this Buddha light, can also be purified and transformed into Buddha light, though it requires a significant amount of True Qi to convert even a small amount of Buddha light. Over the years, I established Feilai Temple here and recruited disciples, all for the purpose of sealing the Heart Demon's physical manifestation. Therefore, it wasn't just this monk alone suppressing the Heart Demon, but the entire Feilai Temple, with disciples coming and going. Over thirty years, a total of thirteen thousand five hundred registered disciples passed through.”

Gu Mo pondered for a moment, then asked, “Saint Monk, I have a doubt. Why are you so persistent in suppressing the Heart Demon's physical manifestation, rather than its divine consciousness? As you said, the physical manifestation is merely a strange stone, unmoving here, while its divine consciousness is active outside.”

“Amitabha!” Saint Monk Huineng replied, “This monk and Grand Hero Gu have different understandings of 'demons'. In your view, the Heart Demon, which severs the path to immortality for human cultivators, is a demon. But in this monk's view, that is merely natural selection, just as humans consume cattle and sheep.

"The Heart Demon's physical manifestation, however, is different. It is demonic energy itself. Once contaminated by its demonic energy, human desires are infinitely amplified until they are completely consumed by demonic craving. This is the true harm to the human world. The Heart Demon's divine consciousness guards the legendary Gate of Heaven. The people it 'consumes' are typically peerless talents, 'favored children of heaven', who appear only once every few decades or centuries. Its harm is limited to that single individual. But the Heart Demon's physical manifestation, wherever it goes, brings infinite slaughter and chaos, the collapse of order, and the distortion of morality and ethics.

"Grand Hero Gu, therefore, in this monk's view, the Heart Demon's physical manifestation is the true demon that harms the human world. As for the Heart Demon's divine consciousness, this monk sees it as no different from you now, or Su Qianqiu back then – merely a very powerful entity. Of course, this is merely this monk's personal opinion, as my realm is far inferior to yours, Grand Hero Gu. The height at which I stand limits my perspective, and it is very possible that my realm is insufficient, preventing me from perceiving the full danger of the Heart Demon's divine consciousness!”

Gu Mo waved his hand, saying, “Saint Monk, you are correct. The threat of the Heart Demon's divine consciousness is only to Ascension Realm cultivators. Although it may tamper with high-level martial artists in advance, most will never activate it even upon death, because the Heart Demon's divine consciousness seems to have no interest in those below the Ascension Realm.”

Saint Monk Huineng bowed and pressed his palms together, saying, “Thank you, Grand Hero Gu, for your guidance. It lets this monk know that my direction all these years has not been mistaken.”

Gu Mo cupped his hands and said, “Saint Monk, could you take me to see the Heart Demon's physical manifestation?”

Saint Monk Huineng shook his head slightly, saying, “Just now, Grand Hero Gu asked why I disbanded Feilai Temple. This monk had not yet finished explaining. Last night, the Heart Demon's physical manifestation was stolen.”

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, “What happened?”

“Alas,” Saint Monk Huineng sighed, saying, “For all these years, this monk has been far too optimistic. The Heart Demon's divine consciousness never truly paid much attention to my sealing of its physical manifestation, which gave me the false impression that things were always going smoothly. In reality, the reason my sealing of the Heart Demon's physical manifestation and its purification proceeded smoothly for so many years was merely because its divine consciousness regarded this physical manifestation as expendable.

"But over a year ago, ever since Grand Hero Gu, you ascended physically, making the Heart Demon's divine consciousness require this physical manifestation, it began to frequently attack Feilai Temple. It was then that I realized the Heart Demon's true power, but I believed that decades of cultivating the Great Sun Demonic Art would be enough to deal with its divine consciousness. However, it was proven that this monk was wrong. The Heart Demon's divine consciousness would tell me without reservation that it needed its physical manifestation to kill a physically ascended individual, precisely because it never truly regarded me as a threat. For over a year, it continuously incited the Zhou kingdom into war, with warlords fighting everywhere, cultivating demonic energy in the human world.

"This monk thought it wanted to use external forces to deal with me. I even personally intervened to help the imperial court safely retreat into Wutong City, thinking that by drawing the court here and having a large army guard it, I could cut off the Heart Demon's divine consciousness's possibility of using external forces against me. But only yesterday did this monk realize that everything was merely my own delusion. The Heart Demon's divine consciousness never considered this monk a threat from the very beginning. Its instigation of chaos in the Zhou kingdom was solely to generate demonic energy. My disciples, all of them, had long been invaded by the Heart Demon and became its demonic slaves.

"Last night, while this monk was resting, the disciple in charge of guarding the demon's lair brazenly entered and took away the Heart Demon's physical manifestation. The patrolling disciples also cooperated. The entire Feilai Temple, apart from this monk, had long since been controlled by the Heart Demon. They themselves were unaware, and no abnormalities could be seen in their daily lives. Only when needed would the Heart Demon subtly guide them, causing them to become its slaves and be used by it. For over a year, the Heart Demon did not take its physical manifestation simply because the time was not ripe, while this monk deluded myself into believing I had repelled the Heart Demon.”

Gu Mo suddenly realized, “So, that's why you disbanded the Feilai Temple disciples.”

Saint Monk Huineng nodded, “Yes. Because this monk plans to fight the Heart Demon to the death today. Although those disciples are controlled by the Heart Demon, they are still my disciples. I wish to avoid them having to fight to the death as much as possible.”

Gu Mo asked, “Saint Monk, do you know where the Heart Demon is?”

“I do,” Saint Monk Huineng said. “For over a year, the Heart Demon's divine consciousness has been instigating wars. Since it wasn't to use external forces against this monk, then it must be to cultivate demonic energy so that, once the time is right, its physical manifestation can rapidly recover. And the place best suited to gather demonic energy is naturally where the nation's destiny resides. By leveraging the nation's destiny, all the demonic energy of a country can be concentrated in one place. Therefore, it must be the imperial palace!”

Gu Mo asked, “Saint Monk, how do you plan to subdue the demon?”

Saint Monk Huineng slowly replied, “Originally, I intended to fight to the death. Relying on the Great Sun Demonic Art, this monk's cultivation had actually reached the peak of the human realm over twenty years ago. However, due to limited talent, I have been unable to touch the threshold of the Ascension Realm for more than two decades. Nonetheless, this monk found a secret Buddhist technique that allows for a forced breakthrough and the condensation of a Nascent Soul, but at most, I would dissipate within twelve hours. Originally, this monk planned for such a desperate struggle, which was also one of the reasons I disbanded Feilai Temple.”

As he spoke, Saint Monk Huineng pointed towards the boundless demonic energy gathering towards Feilai Temple, saying, “This was also my intentional guidance, wanting to invite the Heart Demon to a battle. However, now that you, Grand Hero Gu, have arrived, this monk might still have a chance to survive. The Heart Demon's divine consciousness cannot overcome you, Grand Hero Gu, which is why it needed to steal its physical manifestation. Therefore, it can be understood that you, Grand Hero Gu, are the nemesis of the Heart Demon's divine consciousness, while this monk's Great Sun Demonic Art coincidentally restrains the Heart Demon's physical manifestation. If the two of us join forces, theoretically, we can defeat the Heart Demon.”

“Excellent method.” Gu Mo gave a thumbs-up, saying, “Then, without further delay, Saint Monk, shall we proceed to the imperial palace to confront the Heart Demon?”

“Very well.” Saint Monk Huineng said, “However, this monk is old and frail. For this battle, I will need to borrow some human world power. I ask Grand Hero Gu to protect me for a while.”

As a martial artist who cultivated inner and outer strength, martial true intent, and Qi manipulation simultaneously, Gu Mo naturally understood that what martial artists who train in martial true intent refer to as "borrowing human world power" is in fact building momentum. For a person like Saint Monk Huineng, who took it upon himself to save the human world, to build perfect momentum, he naturally had to draw from the mortal world and return to it.

Immediately, the two flew down from the tall pagoda.

Ye Chen quickly came forward, asking, “Big Brother, how was it?”

Gu Mo replied, “The Saint Monk says the Heart Demon is currently in the Northern Zhou imperial palace. We need to go there now.”

Ye Chen quickly said to the Yun family brothers, “You two can just stay here.”

The Yun family brothers looked at Gu Mo. After all, they had been ordered to follow Gu Mo here and only obeyed his commands.

Gu Mo nodded slightly. He agreed with Ye Chen's arrangement. Although the Yun family brothers' martial arts were not bad, they were only sufficient for ordinary martial world conflicts. Dealing with something like the Heart Demon was completely beyond their capabilities. Not to mention them, theoretically, even Ye Chen, the third most powerful expert in Chu, would not be qualified. However, Ye Chen was a natural-born sage with a 'Thunder-Stepping Sacred Physique,' so he could participate in this battle. Of course, the most crucial aspect was his Thunder-Stepping Sacred Physique. Against an enigmatic existence like the Heart Demon, Gu Mo feared he wouldn't even be able to locate it without Ye Chen's Thunder-Stepping Sacred Physique.

The three descended Feilai Mountain and entered Wutong City.

The scene before them astonished both Gu Mo and Ye Chen. When they ascended the mountain, the city had only been eerily desolate. Yet, in just about an hour, it had completely plunged into an abyss of purgatory!

The city gates stood wide open, unguarded. In the streets, demonic energy so thick it seemed tangible, like a solid black mist, billowed and surged, almost obscuring the leaden-gray sky. The entire city's population had fallen into a state of madness; the whole city had become a mad city.

A ragged, emaciated beggar was pressing another even scrawnier companion firmly into the mud, frantically snatching at a half-eaten, mud-stained bun in the other's hand. His eyes were bloodshot, and animalistic growls rumbled in his throat. The beggar pinned beneath him had long since stopped breathing, mud and bloody foam still clinging to the corners of his mouth.

Not far away, a once respectable inn had its doors smashed open. Rags-clad crowds swarmed in like locusts, not to fill their stomachs, but for pure destruction. The sounds of shattering crockery, collapsing tables and chairs, maniacal laughter, and screams mingled together. Some embraced wine jars, guzzling wildly before smashing them against walls; others snatched raw meat from the kitchen, stuffing it into their mouths and chewing frantically, blood dripping down their chins. Even more horrifying, for a tiny piece of pastry that had fallen to the ground, several beggars wrestled together, teeth tearing at each other's flesh, their eyes devoid of any humanity, only crimson greed and savagery.

A squad of constables, who should have been maintaining order, rushed over. Instead of stopping the chaos, they joined the revelry. One constable grinned viciously, striking down a beggar clutching half a roasted chicken with his blade, then snatching the chicken and tearing into it ravenously. Another constable seized a hidden woman, roughly tearing at her clothes. Yet, the woman did not cry out or resist; instead, she was extremely agitated.

“Amitabha!” Saint Monk Huineng softly recited a Buddhist chant. His clear eyes showed even greater compassion, yet also a hint of solemnity. The faint, sacred golden light around him subtly brightened, silently purifying the wisps of demonic energy that approached the three.

Gu Mo's expression was indifferent as he surveyed this human hell. He clearly saw countless fine strands of black energy emanating from every crazed person, converging into the immense torrent of demonic energy in the air, its target none other than the imperial palace at the city's center.

Ye Chen's face was pale, and he suppressed his discomfort, whispering, “Big Brother, this... this is a hundred times more terrifying than Little Leiyin Temple. The whole city has gone mad!”

Gu Mo said, “In Little Leiyin Temple, only the old monk was demonized. But here, everyone has fallen to demonic influence!”

Immediately, Gu Mo formed a sword-finger gesture and lightly waved it before Ye Chen's eyes. At that moment, Ye Chen saw the boundless demonic energy filling the sky, and on everyone's forehead, a character for "slave" formed from concentrated demonic energy.

Saint Monk Huineng said, “It seems the Heart Demon was waiting for you, Grand Hero Gu. It appears it didn't make a move earlier because it was concerned you wouldn't dare enter upon seeing the city filled with demonic energy. Now, it has no qualms!”

“I was more afraid it would flee!” Gu Mo retorted, then continued forward, with Ye Chen and Saint Monk Huineng immediately following.

The further they advanced, the more formidable Saint Monk Huineng's aura became.

Soon, they arrived at the imperial palace.

The imperial palace, once solemn and majestic, had now become a demonic lair overflowing with unrestrained desires and utter depravity. Every corner was filled with slaughter, debauchery, and plunder. The "slave" character on everyone's forehead was clearly visible, and the demonic energy was so dense it seemed almost liquid. The air echoed with maniacal laughter, shrill wails, vulgar curses, and the crisp sounds of bones shattering, all combining to form a symphony of doomsday.

The three paid no heed, moving like phantoms through the chaotic plaza, straight to the grand hall that symbolized ultimate power. The hall doors stood wide open, and the scene inside epitomized "absurdity" to its extreme. In the center of the hall, several armored generals openly engaged in lewd acts, embracing disheveled and unrestrained imperial concubines and palace maids. Nearby, several individuals who appeared to be civil officials were fiercely fighting over the imperial seal, smashing each other with inkstones and brush holders until their heads bled. In a corner, a person dressed in princely attire was tightly strangling a eunuch, a morbidly satisfied smile on his face. The entire hall was like a den where demons danced wildly. Etiquette, hierarchy, ethics... all foundations of human civilization were utterly shattered here, leaving only the most primitive, instinctual desires, twisted and amplified by demonic energy, to run rampant.

And in the deepest part of this chaotic scene, upon the golden dragon throne symbolizing supreme imperial authority— A figure clad in a bright yellow dragon robe sat enthroned, emanating a suffocating, incomparably tyrannical aura. The corners of his mouth were slightly curved, revealing an indifferent and playful amusement, as if looking down on mere ants and controlling everything. This person was Emperor Yuwentai of Northern Zhou, but at present, he was—the Heart Demon.

It tilted its head slightly, its abyssal "gaze" piercing through the chaotic crowd, landing precisely on the three uninvited guests who had just entered the grand hall. Finally, its gaze fixed on Gu Mo, and it slowly spoke, “Gu Mo, you've finally arrived. Time passes slowly in the human world; I've been waiting for you here for a full twenty days!”

Gu Mo said calmly, “Are you so eager to die?”

“Die?” The Heart Demon tilted its head and grinned, “That's a very unfamiliar word to me. In over seven hundred years since my consciousness was born, I have never had such an awareness.”

Gu Mo said nothing more.

The Heart Demon then looked at Saint Monk Huineng and said, “Monk, your Great Sun Demonic Art is still lacking; it couldn't purify and seal my physical manifestation. Yet, it also granted you the ability to preserve yourself. Why insist on coming here to die?”

Saint Monk Huineng pressed his palms together, his martial true intent building momentum until it was like a volcano on the verge of eruption. He said calmly, “The Buddha said, 'If I do not descend into hell, who will?' Heart Demon Benefactor, you have plagued the human world for over seven hundred years. As a human of this world, this monk shall seek justice from you today on behalf of all sentient beings!”

The Heart Demon clapped its hands and laughed, “Good, good, very good. For seven hundred years, there hasn't been a single formidable opponent in the human world. I've indeed been quite bored. I hope the two of you can bring me some surprises today!”

At the same time, Saint Monk Huineng transmitted a message to Gu Mo, saying, “Grand Hero Gu, I can sense that the Heart Demon's physical manifestation is currently within Yuwentai's body. You are responsible for resisting its divine consciousness and protecting my Nascent Soul, while I will go and seal its physical manifestation!”

“Good!”

At this very moment, deafening roars and the clang of metal suddenly erupted outside the palace! Armored soldiers surged forth like a black tide, each with bloodshot eyes, the "slave" demonic symbol on their foreheads flickering with eerie light, completely lost in madness. They charged frantically towards the hall entrance, like driven beasts, emitting hysterical roars, their blades, spears, swords, and halberds glinting with ominous cold light.

“Leave them to me! If even one gets in, I lose!” Ye Chen let out a low cry. His long sword flashed out of its sheath, instantly splitting into two sharp, cold blades! He moved like lightning, charging defiantly towards the hall entrance. His twin swords spun like wheels, instantly forming an impenetrable storm of blades, firmly pinning him before the doorway. Wherever his sword light swept, severed limbs and broken arms flew, and bloody rain splattered. With his own strength, he constructed a barrier of flesh and blood, determined not to let a single demonized soldier step inside the hall and interfere with the main battlefield!

At the same moment, Gu Mo and Saint Monk Huineng, like two arrows shot from a bowstring, aimed directly for "Yuwentai" on the dragon throne!

“Buzz—!” A heart-stopping ripple suddenly spread, and the entire hall's space seemed to be violently twisted and squeezed by an unseen hand. Inescapably dense, pitch-black demonic energy instantly formed an indestructible barrier, enveloping both Gu Mo and Saint Monk Huineng. Within the barrier, demonic energy churned, transforming into countless ferocious ghostly shadows and sharp claws, frantically tearing at the intruders' minds and bodies.

“Hmph!” Gu Mo coldly snorted. Moon-white true energy diffused around him—the Innate True Energy enhanced by the Battle God's Tome—directly protecting both him and Saint Monk Huineng within its embrace. Simultaneously, the Primeval Void Sword in his hand burst forth with a clear, resonant hum. His wrist trembled rapidly, and the sword light transformed into an impenetrable silver screen, precisely and swiftly cleaving through waves of materialized demonic energy that surged towards Huineng, directly carving a path within the barrier.

“Om!” Saint Monk Huineng uttered a true mantra, and the Buddha light around him suddenly blazed intensely! That sacred golden radiance was no longer a gentle lotus, but transformed into an incredibly condensed golden pillar of light, imbued with supreme suppressive power. Like a spear of judgment cast down by a Buddha, it tore through layers of demonic aura, carrying the mighty power to purify all demons, and struck down upon Yuwentai on the dragon throne!

However, "Yuwentai," sitting on the dragon throne, merely lifted his eyelids indifferently.

“Buzz!” The demonic energy around him suddenly boiled, instantly solidifying into a spherical domain as profound as a black hole. Demonic patterns flowed across its surface, emitting an indestructible, all-devouring, terrifying aura. Saint Monk Huineng's incomparably sacred and brilliant Buddha light struck this domain, yet it was like an ox made of mud entering the sea; it only stirred up a fierce ripple before being firmly blocked, unable to advance even an inch! Sacred lotus flowers continuously bloomed and closed, yet they had no effect whatsoever.

Gu Mo swiftly unleashed immense, sharp sword light, surging like ocean waves, but it too was instantly blocked and devoured by the bizarre demonic energy domain!

“Hah…” "Yuwentai's" lips curled into a cold, mocking arc, as if enjoying their futility. He said, “Your ideas are not bad. Gu Mo, your physical strength from the Ascension Realm can block my demonic energy's erosion, and Monk Huineng's Great Sun Demonic Art can seal my physical manifestation. But if you can't even break through my defenses, how will you seal me? How much longer can Monk Huineng last? The time it takes for an incense stick to burn? Or half an hour? By then, Gu Mo, I'll first shatter your physical body, then devour your Nascent Soul!”

A look of disdainful amusement appeared on "Yuwentai's" face.

A chilling glint flashed in Gu Mo's eyes! With his left hand, he formed a sword-finger gesture and lightly traced it across the blade of the Primeval Void Sword—

“Rip!” At the sword's tip, a point of intensely condensed red light suddenly flared! More accurately, it was a red beam of light, like a laser shot forth. Fine as a strand of hair, yet it contained a terrifying sharpness capable of piercing through void and severing laws!

“Break!” Gu Mo exhaled and shouted, exerting force with his wrist. The Primeval Void Sword, carrying that hair-thin yet blinding platinum light, fiercely slashed towards the indestructible demonic energy domain ahead! This was the "Sword that Separates Worlds," enhanced many times over by Gu Mo's use of the Battle God's Tome, applying the theory of breaking a surface with a single point to its absolute extreme.

With a single sword stroke, there was no earth-shattering roar, no great turbulence. On the surface of the demonic energy domain, as profound as a black hole, a straight, smooth crack, its edges shimmering with platinum electrical light, instantly appeared! The crack spread and expanded rapidly, as if alive! What was even more horrifying was that this crack did not just appear on the domain itself! In the very center of "Yuwentai's" forehead, within the domain, a faint yet incredibly distinct bloodline appeared out of thin air, and crimson blood beads slowly seeped out!

The smile on his face suddenly froze, and for the first time, an expression of incredible horror appeared in his eyes. The indestructible demonic energy domain around him, which even Saint Monk Huineng's sacred Buddha light could not shake, was instantly cleaved open with a long, deep gash, as if a red-hot blade had sliced through congealed grease!

Simultaneously, a tiny, bottomless crack, at an unbelievable speed, pierced through the entire magnificent imperial palace hall! Starting from Gu Mo's sword, it extended all the way, tearing through thick floor tiles and towering hall walls, forcefully carving a hair-thin crack through the entire grand imperial city and its foundations. Then, in the next instant, the imperial city split apart with a thunderous roar, collapsing and dividing into two sides. Wherever the crack passed, bricks and stones turned to dust, and the immense demonic energy permeating the sky let out a shrill shriek, then wildly dispersed, as violent energy turbulence surged skyward!