These Remnant Souls who rushed here upon receiving Sword Elder's message were those with close ties to the Tianjian Sect or to Sword Elder himself.
"Sword Elder, we know your character well. I know you wouldn't jest about a matter like this, so we will all cooperate with you," a purple-robed elder nodded and declared.
"Indeed, Sword Elder, there's no need for excessive explanation. I've known you, old fellow, for far too long; we practically grew up together on the Sword Realm Continent all those years ago. Just tell us what needs to be done," a tall, somewhat plump elder in white robes also agreed. The other Remnant Souls then voiced their assent one after another.
"Good. Everyone, from this moment on, let us pool our collective strength to uncover just what secret lies deep beneath the Sword Realm Continent. Once we have clarity, we shall decide our next move," Sword Elder nodded softly.
All the Remnant Souls then began delving into the heaps of ancient texts piled within the great hall. Some of these tomes were from the Tianjian Sect's collection, but many had been brought by Remnant Souls from other sword sects, effectively gathering the accumulated records from numerous sword cultivation sects.
As they pored over the texts, the Remnant Souls from the various sects also shared everything they knew about the Sword Realm Continent.
At the same time, within the Divine Sword Sect headquarters.
"Elder Mo, word has it that members from many sword sects have entered the Tianjian Sect headquarters. For so many people from different sects to gather there is surely fishy business," a middle-aged man was currently reporting to Mo Chenzi.
This middle-aged man was a minor captain of the Hidden Sword Guards, tasked specifically with reconnaissance and message relay.
"It seems that aside from the Tianjian Sect, quite a few other sword sects are also growing suspicious. They're gathering most likely to deliberate about our Divine Sword Sect," Mo Chenzi mused darkly after hearing the report. "After that old fool Sword Elder's earlier antics, even if the others can't be certain our Divine Sword Sect are the Sword Realm's traitors, they undoubtedly harbor suspicions deep down. Sword Elder gathering them at the Tianjian Sect headquarters now is highly likely for the purpose of analyzing our Divine Sword Sect."
Mo Chenzi knew in his heart that if more and more Remnant Souls from the sword sects on this continent began suspecting the Divine Sword Sect, they risked facing united opposition from many factions.
Though those sword sects had ostensibly fallen, leaving behind only Remnant Souls, if those remnants truly joined forces against the Divine Sword Sect, they could inflict serious trouble and potentially disrupt the scheme the Divine Sword Sect was currently orchestrating.
"For all these years, our Divine Sword Sect and those fellows have coexisted peacefully. But now that they've started casting doubt on us, they shouldn't blame me for being ruthless," Mo Chenzi thought for a moment. After further discussion with other high-ranking Divine Sword Sect members, a dense killing intent flashed in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he reached a decision. "Come, we shall go see Shou Di Laoren right now. That old thing has been imprisoned and tortured by us for so many years; he should be obedient by now."
With those cold words, he vanished with a flash, disappearing from the Divine Sword Sect headquarters along with several other elders.
Back at the Tianjian Sect headquarters library, Sword Elder and the other Remnant Souls continued to sift through the ancient texts. So far, several dozen Remnant Souls had gathered there, studying the texts and deliberating together.
They had collected texts from the stores of at least nine ancient sword sects that had existed on the Sword Realm Continent for extremely long periods of time. Every single one of these volumes recorded various ancient secrets of the continent.
Furthermore, apart from the texts, five masters from five different sword sects had also come to the main hall of the library.
Throughout the ages in the Chaotic Void Sea, many major forces had cultivated one individual skilled in divination and deduction, generally called a Master or Sorcerer. The sword sects of the Sword Realm Continent were no exception, with most having their own such Masters. Within their sects, these Masters held high status and were considered part of the core leadership.
"Honored seniors, synthesizing all the gathered information and our deductions, we can now be fairly certain: the secret deep beneath the Sword Realm Continent is related to both Dao Mo Lao Zu and the Heavenly Net Sword God," a master clad in a golden robe who had halted his calculations finally spoke.
This was a Master of the Tianjian Sect. During the great war long ago, his body and soul had been blasted apart, suffering near-fatal injuries. However, a Remnant Soul of his remained and had been nourished all these years within a secret realm inside the Tianjian Sect headquarters—a realm containing advanced cultivation resources, treasures, and foundational reserves collected by the ancient Tianjian Sect. This had slowly strengthened his Remnant Soul to its current state.
"Indeed," another, child-sized Master chimed in. "The Heavenly Net Sword God was the founder of the Sword Realm, while Dao Mo Lao Zu was the founder of the Blade Realm. It is said both were among the pinnacle experts of the ancient Chaotic Void Sea—one mastered the blade, the other the sword. For reasons unknown, these two supreme beings harbored a longstanding enmity, frequently clashing.
"Dao Mo Lao Zu represented the zenith of Blade Dao in the world, while the Heavenly Net Sword God represented the pinnacle of Sword Dao. At the time, many speculated which was superior, the blade or the sword. Later, the conflict between the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu erupted completely, leading to a fearsome final duel.
"However, apart from the very top experts of that era, no one knew who truly won that final clash. There is even a legend that both supreme masters perished together in that duel. After the battle, the two grand masters vanished completely, never to reappear.
"Eventually, they became legends, gradually fading from the world's memory. By now, they have likely been utterly forgotten by the Chaotic Void Sea, surviving only in the records of a few ancient texts like these."
"According to these records," a third Master spoke, his body suffused with shimmering, sword-like radiance, "there are over a dozen locations said to have been the site of their final duel—some claimed it was in the Blade Realm, some on the Sword Realm Continent, some in an ancient ruin within the Chaotic Void Sea, some within a famous cluster of worlds. Yet others claim they fought not in the Chaotic Void Sea, but traveled to another Void Sea for their final clash.
"But based on my deductions, their ultimate duel should have taken place precisely here, on the Sword Realm Continent. Or, to put it more accurately, there were several locations where they fought, but the final battle was here.
"I've perused several ancient tomes and have determined that they engaged in several fiercely intense confrontations across different locations. Eventually, Dao Mo Lao Zu rallied several other powerful experts and invaded the Sword Realm Continent. The Heavenly Net Sword God met them, slew all of Lao Zu's allies, and then clashed with Dao Mo Lao Zu in their final showdown.
"After that duel, both vanished. Not even the elders of the various sword sects on this continent knew the outcome. All that remained were ambiguous, contradictory legends.
"However, based on the current signs and my deduction work, I dare assert that the secret buried deep beneath this continent is most likely connected to those two ultimate masters: the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu."
"Honored seniors," the golden-robed Tianjian Sect Master interjected, his robes rippling softly, "according to my deductions, the final battlefield of the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu should lie deep within the heart of the Sword Realm Continent itself. I believe they perished together within a certain space in its profound depths. In other words, a location deep in the core of our Sword Realm Continent is the ancient burial ground of those two supreme beings."
"The heart of the Sword Realm Continent is the resting place of the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu?" The surrounding Remnant Souls all wore expressions of shock upon hearing this. If that were true, it would imply a great deal.
"If that's the case," Sword Elder took up the thread, "the two energies I sensed deep below earlier make sense. At the time, I perceived a formidable Sword Dao energy and a potent Blade Dao energy, both terrifyingly strong, pure, and ancient—even I could not withstand them. It seems those energies originated from the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu, respectively.
"Supreme masters of their level would undoubtedly leave behind remnants of their Sword Dao essence and Blade Dao essence after death—powerful traces that would linger for a very long time, perhaps eternally.
"Moreover, based on the perceptions of our Tianjian Sect descendant, Ye Yunfei, there exists a large-scale Earth Formation deep beneath the Sword Realm Continent, and Mo Chenzi of the Divine Sword Sect seems able to manipulate it. The Divine Sword Sect's Hidden Sword Guards have been able to move under our noses all these years precisely by utilizing that subterranean formation.
"I suspect that this enormous Earth Formation hidden deep beneath our continent was deployed by the Divine Sword Sect.
"Why would the Divine Sword Sect deploy such a large formation down there? Could it possibly have some connection to the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu?"
Sword Elder was, even in ancient times, a pinnacle sword cultivator on this continent, possessing exceptional insight and knowledge. Combining various clues and signs, he began to form numerous conjectures.
"If the depths of our Sword Realm Continent indeed serve as the burial site for the Heavenly Net Sword God and Dao Mo Lao Zu, then whatever they left behind—including their legacies and treasures—must surely be preserved deep below," an elder pondered aloud after hearing Sword Elder's words. "The Heavenly Net Sword God was the founder of the Sword Realm Continent; Dao Mo Lao Zu, founder of the Blade Realm. Their legacies and treasures are unquestionably beyond precious.
"That the Divine Sword Sect would erect such a large Earth Formation deep beneath our continent, covertly operating here for years... There must be something devious afoot!"