Qingmo City, a border city between Qingzhou and Mozhou, was a place where Su Han and Tongyan had once spent some time. Regrettably, while Qingmo City still stood, the woman he once knew was nowhere to be found.

Su Han disguised himself as an ordinary young man and entered the city with the crowd. The most common topics of discussion he overheard were the various speculations about the destruction of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

The guesses were wildly varied, with some being quite absurd. A few people, however, speculated that it was the work of Saint You Heng or Su Han, since the Heavenly Demon Cult didn’t have many enemies. But no matter what they guessed, they could never know the truth, let alone realize that the mastermind who had orchestrated the cult’s demise had just brushed past them.

First, I’ll go to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion to buy Array Formation materials, then I’ll find a place for secluded cultivation.

The main reason Su Han came to Qingmo City was to purchase Array Formation materials. The art of formations was exceedingly profound, and as the saying goes, one can’t make bricks without straw; he needed the proper materials to set one up. Even Master Gong Ming, who seemed to create formations with a mere wave of his hand, could only do so because he had inscribed a hundred thousand Formation Patterns into the Myriad Laws Holy Banner. Without them, even he couldn’t conjure a formation so effortlessly.

"Welcome!"

Although the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Demon Slayer Sect were at war, the five Daozhou under Saint You Heng’s jurisdiction had long been purged of the sect’s influence. As a result, the Branch Pavilion here was still conducting business as usual. Su Han did not reveal his true face, instead using a fake identity to purchase a large quantity of Array Formation materials.

He planned to enter seclusion next and needed a quiet environment, so he decided not to contact even Saint You Heng for the time being. Soon, Su Han finished purchasing all the materials he needed. He promptly left Qingmo City but didn’t go far, instead heading into a dense, nearby jungle. This area was a well-known habitat for demonic beasts, filled with soaring mountains and lush trees, a place rarely trodden by people. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Su Han ventured deep inside until he found a secluded canyon. He immediately began to sketch Formation Patterns and refine the materials he had bought. Afterward, he established a Superior Grade Dao Formation focused primarily on defense and vigilance. Once all this was done, Su Han dug out a cave to serve as his temporary residence.

WHOOSH!

With a sweep of his hand, a corpse suddenly appeared before him. It was the body of Swordsaint, but it was caked in stinking, black muck and had long since lost its former peerless grace. Su Han used his Samadhi True Fire to burn away the filth, revealing Swordsaint’s true form.

This time, Swordsaint’s injuries had been far too severe. First, his left arm was bitten off by Saint You Heng’s Hell Nether Serpent. Then, he was gravely wounded again by the saint himself. He had come to the Heavenly Demon Cult this time hoping to heal and recover, only to run into Su Han, who afflicted him with the Forbidden Curse Poison. Now, after a series of brutal battles, Swordsaint’s corpse was battered and mangled, covered in wounds like a tattered sack. It was a sight too gruesome to behold.

But a saint was a saint. Even in this state, Su Han could feel the massive energy contained within the corpse. It was as vast as an ocean and as volatile as volcanic magma; once unleashed, it could destroy heaven and earth. If Swordsaint had been bent on mutual destruction, and his final attack had been self-detonation instead of a strike at Su Han, it was likely Su Han would not have been able to withstand it. He would have been blasted to smithereens, and even the Secret of Healer would have been useless.

Unfortunately for the Swordsaint, he did not want to die. Even in his desperate struggle, he held back, and that hesitation gave Su Han his chance to survive.

A Great Accomplished Great Sun Sword Body, and a saint’s body at that. I wonder if devouring it will give me a chance to break through to the Supreme Realm!

Su Han’s eyes burned with anticipation as he gazed at Swordsaint’s corpse. This was the first time he had ever encountered a saint’s corpse. Moreover, it was one with a Great Accomplishment physique—the Great Sun Sword Body, a Special Physique ranked in the top hundred.

Su Han had a premonition that his strength would increase tremendously after devouring and refining it, but he wasn’t sure if it would be enough to break through to the Supreme Realm. After all, the amount of energy he required for each advancement was always immense. Furthermore, Swordsaint had been seriously injured before death, consuming much of his physical body’s energy and leaving little behind. Regardless, devouring Swordsaint’s corpse would undoubtedly bring him one step closer to the Supreme Realm.

Let’s begin!

Taking a shallow breath, Su Han no longer hesitated. He immediately activated the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art and began to consume Swordsaint’s corpse. The black currents of energy crept over the corpse like tentacles. Su Han immediately felt a searing sharpness, as if from a million sword radiances condensed from pure sunlight, making his entire body ache as if it were about to be riddled with holes.

"Ghostly Face Mask!"

A saint was a saint. Even in death, his body was not something Su Han could easily devour and refine. Quickly, Su Han donned the Ghostly Face Mask and activated Physique Fusion, pushing his Devouring Heaven Demonic Art to its absolute limit.

"Phenomenon: Dual Black Holes!"

Su Han unleashed his Phenomenon. The first black hole orbiting him shot forward, unleashing a powerful Devouring Power, but it still wasn’t enough.

"Energy Physique!"

Su Han activated his Great Accomplished Holy Body, immediately triggering his Black Hole Transformation. His entire being erupted with an even more terrifying Devouring Force. At this moment, Su Han was operating the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, manifesting Dual Black Holes, and transforming his body into a black hole. With all three active, his Devouring Power reached a horrifying level.

Yet even with all this, he had only just managed to affect Swordsaint’s corpse. Had he been any weaker, he might not have been able to devour it at all—a testament to the power of a saint.

BOOM!

The moment Su Han began absorbing the energy, it felt like being baked under a scorching sun. His mouth went dry, his skin cracked, and his organs began to burn as if his very blood was evaporating. On top of that, an agonizing pain, like ten thousand arrows piercing his heart, spread through his body, causing his face to twist into a ferocious grimace.

The Great Sun Sword Body was not easily refined, especially not one at the Great Accomplishment stage. To do so, Su Han had to endure indescribable, immense pain. However, he was long accustomed to hardship and could tolerate this level of suffering. He gritted his teeth and persisted, pushing the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art with all his might. Finally, he succeeded in refining the first stream of energy and integrating it into his body.

The body of a saint isn’t so easily refined, just as I thought. It will probably take a long time to finish the process.

The difficulty of refining just the first wisp of energy astonished him, yet his eyes shone brighter with even greater anticipation. How much stronger would he become if he completely devoured and refined Swordsaint? Su Han was filled with both hope and confidence.

Continue!

His will unwavering, Su Han no longer hesitated. He closed his eyes and continued the process of devouring and refinement.

Inside the cave, Su Han endured ceaseless pain in his quest to grow stronger. As the days passed, his strength steadily increased, drawing him ever closer to the Supreme Realm.

Meanwhile, while Su Han was in seclusion, a storm erupted in the outside world. The war between the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Demon Slayer Sect had fully ignited, engulfing the entire Eastern Region in chaos and turmoil.