After my rebirth, my Martial Sect will surely sweep the martial world in blood.

76. Entrance

Lin Mo acted swiftly. After confirming that the rumors about the Sword Tomb were not unfounded, he did not linger at the Seven Absolutes Sect. He publicly claimed that he needed to go into seclusion for a period of time, but in reality, he quietly left the sect with a few trusted confidants and headed southwest at high speed.

Following the guidance of that handwritten note and the scattered information gathered later, combined with his understanding of mountains and ley lines, Lin Mo focused his attention on a treacherous place on the southwestern border called "Ten Thousand Miasma Mountains." This place is a continuous range of mountains, shrouded in mist all year round, and its depths are filled with poisonous swamps and miasma, rarely visited by humans, which perfectly matches the environment in which ancient ruins are hidden.

They traveled in silence. The closer they got to the miasma-ridden mountains, the sparser the population became, and the more rugged and difficult the roads grew. A faint, cloyingly sweet smell, carrying a hint of decay, began to permeate the air—a sign that miasma was beginning to appear. Lin Mo was prepared; he took out specially made miasma-avoiding pills and distributed them to everyone, instructing them to cover their mouths and noses with face towels soaked in the medicine.

That evening, the group finally arrived at the outer edge of the Wanzhang Mountains. Looking ahead, endless mountain ranges stretched before them, shrouded in thick, impenetrable gray-white mist. Only the vague outlines of some massive peaks could be seen, like lurking beasts. The setting sun's rays attempted to pierce the clouds, but only painted an eerie, hazy dark red, adding to the mystery and oppressive atmosphere.

"Master, based on the vague description we obtained from the hunter, and the unusual flow of earth veins and vital energy we've observed these past few days, the most likely location for the entrance should be in that valley ahead," a trusted confidant skilled in geomancy and tracking said in a low voice, pointing to a valley flanked by two mountains and shrouded in particularly thick clouds.

Lin Mo stared intently, a glint of light flickering in his eyes. He could indeed sense that the spiritual energy in the area ahead was unusually active, carrying an ancient and sharp aura that resonated with the subtle connection he felt within his body due to the manuscript.

"Let's go, be careful and on guard," Lin Mo ordered, and took the lead towards the valley.

As they stepped into the valley, the surrounding mist seemed to come alive, flowing slowly and drastically reducing visibility to just a few feet in front of them. Underfoot were slippery, moss-covered rocks, and the silence was terrifying; even the sounds of birds, beasts, and insects had vanished, leaving only the suppressed breathing and soft footsteps echoing through the valley.

As they ventured deeper, the sharp, ancient aura became increasingly pronounced, and even faint, invisible sword energy, seemingly capable of slicing through skin, began to linger in the air. Lin Mo signaled to everyone to circulate their inner energy to protect themselves.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the mist ahead seemed to thin out a bit, and a massive mountain wall, as if cleaved by a giant axe, could be vaguely seen stretching out before them. Below the mountain wall was a dark cave entrance, about two people high, its depths unknown. The rocks surrounding the cave entrance were covered with various crisscrossing carvings. These carvings were not words or patterns, but rather resembled remnants of sword marks, still exuding a chilling sword intent despite the passage of time.

"This is it!" Lin Mo thought with certainty. The strong sense of attraction and the lingering sword intent at the cave entrance clearly indicated that this was the entrance to the Sword Tomb.

However, just as he was about to step forward, a deep and threatening roar, like muffled thunder, exploded from the thick fog beside the cave entrance.

"roar--!"

The mist billowed, and a massive black shadow slowly emerged. It was a monstrous beast, comparable in size to an elephant, with a ferocious appearance, a single horn on its head, and its entire body covered in thick, dark blue scales, the edges of which gleamed with a cold, metallic light. Most striking were its four claws, not of flesh and blood, but as if forged from some dark golden metal, their tips gleaming coldly. With a light scratch on the ground, they left deep grooves in the hard rock. Its pair of vertical pupils were pure gold, now coldly locked onto the uninvited guest approaching the cave entrance, filled with warning and hostility.

"Sword-Scale Beast!" Lin Mo's pupils constricted slightly as he recognized this guardian beast, which had been mentioned sporadically in ancient texts. Legend has it that this beast feeds on metals and scattered sword energy, and guards places like sword tombs year-round. It is incredibly powerful, especially with its indestructible scales and claws that are comparable to divine weapons.

"Form ranks, prepare for battle!" Lin Mo whispered. Several trusted men immediately moved swiftly, forming a small defensive battle formation. They drew their weapons, unleashed their inner strength, and nervously watched the slowly approaching giant beast.

The sword-scaled beast clearly regarded Lin Mo and his group as intruders. It lowered its massive body, assuming a pouncing posture, and emitted a continuous, teeth-grinding gurgling sound from its throat, its golden pupils filled with murderous intent.

Lin Mo knew that this battle was inevitable. The entrance to the Sword Tomb was not a place to be entered lightly. He took a deep breath, and the pure internal energy formed by the fusion of his cultivation from two lifetimes surged within him. A powerful aura, no weaker than that of the Sword Scale Beast, rose from his body, faintly resisting the sword intent remaining at the cave entrance.

He slowly drew the sword from his waist—a finely forged steel longsword, though not a divine weapon. The blade reflected the dim light of the valley, gleaming with a chilling luster.

"You guys hold the rear to prevent it from suddenly attacking and hurting people. I'll deal with it." Lin Mo's voice was calm and firm.

Seemingly enraged by the fighting spirit and aura emanating from Lin Mo, the Sword-Scaled Beast could no longer hold back. It let out a deafening roar, and its massive body moved with unexpected speed, transforming into a bluish-black afterimage, carrying a stench of blood as it pounced straight at Lin Mo! Its dark golden claws tore through the air with a piercing shriek as they slashed down!

Before the claws even arrived, the fierce wind already made Lin Mo's clothes flutter loudly, and the pebbles on the ground were whipped up.

Lin Mo's eyes narrowed, his footwork shifted, and his figure slid half a step to the side and back like a ghost, narrowly avoiding the ferocious grab. At the same time, he flicked his wrist, and his longsword drew a mysterious arc. It wasn't a direct confrontation, but rather the tip of the sword trembled slightly, pointing towards the relatively weak point where the sword-scaled beast's claws connected to its scales—its wrist!

"Ding!"

A crisp metallic clang rang out as the sword tip struck precisely, yet it seemed to have pierced the hardest refined iron, sending sparks flying. Lin Mo felt a tremendous recoil, his wrist slightly numb, and he was secretly astonished by the beast's truly monstrous defense.

With his attack missing its mark and his wrist struck, the Swordscale Beast became even more enraged. Its thick, long tail swept across like a steel whip, creating a whistling sound. The area it covered was so vast that it almost completely blocked all of Lin Mo's possible escape routes.

Lin Mo remained calm under pressure. He rapidly circulated his internal energy, his figure suddenly rising into the air, as light as a willow catkin, narrowly avoiding the sweeping attack. While in mid-air, his sword technique changed, transforming into countless cold stars that pierced towards the relatively vulnerable parts of the sword-scaled beast, such as its eyes and nostrils, like a sudden storm.

"Jingle bells..."

The sword-scaled beasts either closed their eyes or shook their heads, using their heads covered in thick scales and their sharp claws to block the attacks, sparks flying everywhere. Lin Mo's sword was extremely fast and its angles were tricky. Although it failed to cause any real damage, it still forced the sword-scaled beasts to roar repeatedly, making it unable to effectively retaliate for the time being.

After several exchanges, Lin Mo gained a clearer understanding of the Swordscale Beast's strength. It possessed immense power, exceptional defense, and considerable speed, but its attack methods seemed to rely more on instinct and physical reflexes, lacking variety.

He stopped simply fighting and seized an opportunity. The moment the sword-scaled beastman stood up and slammed down with both claws, Lin Mo moved forward instead of retreating. Like a shadowy figure skimming the ground, he slipped through the gap between its claws and instantly got close to its relatively weak abdominal area!

"Breaking through the clouds!"

Lin Mo let out a low shout, and his inner force condensed at an unprecedented speed at the tip of his sword. The longsword emitted a clear, resonant hum, and a faint, invisible aura, seemingly capable of cutting through everything, even enveloped its blade. This was one of his killing moves, created by fusing the essence of swordsmanship from two lifetimes, concentrating all his strength and sharp sword energy into a single point, pursuing ultimate penetration!

"puff!"

This time, it wasn't a crisp clang, but a dull sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh!

Lin Mo's sword strike, imbued with all his might, finally pierced through the relatively soft scales on the belly of the Sword Scale Beast, penetrating more than a foot deep!

"roar--!"

The excruciating pain caused the Swordscale Beast to let out a deafening scream. Its massive body writhed wildly, its claws flailing wildly toward Lin Mo beneath its belly, and its long tail lashed out at the surroundings, shattering rocks and cracking the ground.

Having landed a successful blow, Lin Mo did not greedily seek credit. He immediately drew his sword and retreated, his figure as swift as smoke, instantly escaping the attack range of the Sword Scale Beast.

Blood gushed from the wound on the sword-scaled beast's abdomen, staining its dark blue scales crimson. Its golden pupils were filled with pain and ferocity, but even more so with the terror of being severely wounded. It stared intently at Lin Mo, letting out a low whimper, but no longer dared to approach rashly.

Lin Mo stood with his sword in hand, his breathing slightly rapid, but his eyes remained sharp as swords, firmly locked onto the Sword Scale Beast. He did not pursue it; killing this guardian beast would be pointless. As long as he repelled it, he could achieve his goal of entering the Sword Tomb.

The Swordscale Beast confronted Lin Mo for a moment, seemingly assessing that the human before it possessed the ability to severely injure or even kill it. Finally, it let out a low growl of resentment, dragged its wounded body, and slowly retreated into the thick fog beside it, disappearing from sight.

Silence returned to the valley, with only the ravaged ground and the lingering smell of blood in the air bearing witness to the brief but intense battle that had just taken place.

Lin Mo calmed his inner energy and sheathed his sword. He glanced in the direction where the sword-scaled beast had disappeared, then fixed his gaze firmly on the dark cave entrance that exuded an ancient sword aura.

"You all stay here and guard the place. No one may enter without my order," Lin Mo instructed his trusted men. The Sword Tomb was fraught with peril; too many people would only be of no benefit.

"Yes, Master!" Several trusted men responded in unison, their gazes towards Lin Mo filled with awe.

Without further hesitation, Lin Mo adjusted his breathing, took a step forward, and resolutely stepped into the unknown entrance to the Sword Tomb. His figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness within the cave.