But now, with the destruction of Tianhe Sect, everything was gone.
How unlucky!
Xu Mu sighed.
Originally, if his avatar had another ten or twenty years, it could break through to the Golden Core stage naturally and be a true disciple of Tianhe Sect. By then, the martial method scrolls of Tianhe Sect would be at his disposal to choose from.
Speaking of the destruction of Tianhe Sect, it was directly rted to him.
The one who destroyed Tianhe Sect was none other than the Old Ancestor of Tongyou who stole the puppets remains, the one who is now known as the orchestrator of the demonic disaster across half of the continent.
The specific process of destruction was not very clear to the avatar, he only knew a rough idea.
The Old Ancestor of Tongyou somehow managed to persuade the neighboring Plum Blossom Sect and Ling Snake Valley, who cooperated to break the Mountain Protection Array of Tianhe Sect together.
From this point, it could be seen that the Old Ancestor of Tongyou still possessed his sanity, and became even more cunning and insidious.
After breaking through the mountain gate, the Old Ancestor of Tongyou alone killed the only Nascent Soul Elder of Tianhe Sect.
The formidable Old Ancestor of Tianhe had attained Nirvana several years ago, but Tianhe Sect, in order to maintain its deterrent power over the surrounding sects, did not release the news for a long time.
Arge number of Tianhe Sect cultivators died in that battle.
Even Tianhe City was destroyed along with it.
ording to the people who escaped, the scene was like hell, with corpses scattered everywhere, blood flowing into rivers, and the strong stench of blood that could be smelled even tens of miles away.
As for Xu Mus avatar, due to his extraordinary talent, together with a group of elite disciples, he was secretly sent out of the mountain gate, which saved him from the disaster.
At this moment, the avatar was hurrying to the Central Domain under the protection of the remaining Golden Core elders of Tianhe Sect.
On the way, they heard that the two sects that helped the Old Ancestor of Tongyou break Tianhe Sect, did not get any reward. After killing the Nascent Soul elder of Tianhe Sect, the Old Ancestor of Tongyou immediately attacked them. He used several terrifying puppets that suddenly appeared and killed the Nascent Soul Elders of the two sects.
Without the Nascent Soul Elders, the two sects didnt struggle for long and were destroyed one after another.
It was because of the fighting between these three forces that the remaining disciples of Tianhe Sect were able to escape sessfully.
It might be possible that the Old Ancestor of Tongyou didnt consider these remaining disciples important.
At this moment, nearly one third of the Southern Domain was upied by Tongyou Sect.
The current power of Tongyou Sect can be said to be the first in the Southern Wilderness, with only a few holynds in the Central Domain that could bepared to it.
Now, the loose demonic Dao cultivators hiding in various parts of the continent all rushing to the Southern Wilderness, wanting to join Tongyou Sect, using the power of Tongyou Sect to enhance their own strength!
If the Old Ancestor of Tongyou couldpletely subdue these people, his power would definitely expand further. By then, the entire Southern Wilderness might be upied by him!
If this continues, it may indeed lead to a huge disaster!
Because of their cruel methods, the demonic Dao cultivators were suppressed everywhere on the continent. The current Tongyou Sect was like heaven to them. As soon as they heard of the demonic disaster breaking out, these loose demonic Dao cultivators rushed over like flies smelling shit.
It was unimaginable what the world would be like if the demonic Dao became dominant on the continent.
I hope the holynds can take action soon! Xu Mu prayed silently in his heart.
No one knew better than him the potential of that puppets remains.
That was a puppet from the Immortal World. As long as the Old Ancestor of Tongyou could repair ten percent of it, it was estimated that it could sweep the entire continent.
Speaking of the puppet, Xu Mu thought of that woman, and his heart instantly red up with anger.
Just you wait! Ill get you sooner orter!
Just then, they reached the Law Transmission Pavilion, which had more than thirty floors!
Chapter 260: 229: Virtualization Skill_i
The Law Transmission Pavilion, treasuring most Martial Arts Manuals ranging from the Qi-cultivation stage to the Nascent Soul stage of the Fairy Moon Pce, is where the roots of the entire sect lie. Its importance goes without saying.
Three formations for protection are deployed on the perimeter: Two are tier nine and one is tier ten. These three rings of formations are interlocked. If fully activated, even a novice in the Nascent Soul stage wouldnt be able to break through in a short period of time.
After passing several rounds of inspections, Xu Mu finally entered the interior of the Law Transmission Pavilion.
Looking around, rows upon rows of bookshelves are nearly endless in sight. Every bookshelf is full and overflowing with innumerable books.
For a moment, it feels as if you have stepped into an ocean of books.
This is really spectacr!
Xu Mu sighed in admiration.
The books on this floor are all of tier one. They contain not only Martial Methods and skills, but also Pills, Formations, Talismans, Alchemy and others. Apart from these, there are a considerable amount of other books, for example, history, culture, arts, autographies and more. These are probably provided to broaden the disciples horizons.
All the books on this floor are free. Even newly enrolled disciples can peruse them at will.
Xu Mu briefly skimmed through a few books and surprisingly found several skills he had never heard of before. In his heart, he once again admired the profound strength of the Fairy Moon Pce.
Unfortunately, with his current realm of cultivation, these tier one skills, no matter how exquisite and interesting, had no use for him.
There were few people on this floor. Most people would directly ascend to the second floor after entering. Even those few who stayed on the first floor were in the misceneous book area, probably searching for certain information.
Xu Mu put down the books in his hand and followed the disciples who entered before him to the upper floor.
The disciples who noticed the sign of the Inner Circle Elder embroidered on his robes would take the initiative to greet or make way for him.
Upon reaching the second floor smoothly, he first nced around.
The second floor still housed tier-one secret martial arts manuscripts, much like mundane misceneous books. The only difference was that here, the forms used to record information were jade slips and a variety of special materials. Gold, silver, copper, iron, stone, wood, and animal skins were all present.
If one wanted to peruse the content here, one would have to pay Sect Contribution Points.
However, the prices were not high. Generally, one could exchange a Martial Method or a skill for ten to twenty Sect Contribution Points.
These jade slips were heritage slips that could be used multiple times.
Its worthy of being a major sect!
Although these were only the lowest-level tier-one skill jade slips, there were at least tens of thousands of them here. If they were sold, they could easily bring in several thousand top-grade Spirit Stones.
The value of jade slips was one hundred times that of ordinary books, and the heritage jade slips were one hundred times the value of ordinary jade slips.
Only a big sect like the Fairy Moon Pce could afford to record tier-one skills with heritage jade slips.
Xu Mu didnt waste his contribution points on these tier-one secret martial arts manuscripts and skills. After ncing over them, he continued to ascend to the next floor.
The third floor housed tier-two books; the fourth floor housed tier-two jade slips. The situation on the following floors was pretty much the same: one floor contained books and the other jade slips.
Xu Mu finally stopped on the thirteenth floor, which recorded tier-seven martial arts secrets.
This floor waspact, only three hundred steps across. All the secret manuals were shielded by formations on individual jade bookshelves. An identification waist card could open some of the formations and view introductions about the manuals.
If one decided to exchange, they could just open the remaining formations.
Xu Mu didnt rush to pick suitable skills, but instead started at the entrance and examined each and every bookshelf.
Although he couldnt see the specific details of cultivation, just looking at the introductions could improve his experience significantly.
If he encountered cultivators of these methods or skills, he could obtain an inherent advantage.
As the saying goes, to know oneself and the enemy is the key to winning every battle.
Time passed slowly, and Xu Mu stayed on this floor for a full day and night. He looked through all the martial arts manuals, various divine skills, and even information about pills and magical treasures. It could be said that his knowledge was greatly enriched.
Meanwhile, he also found a very suitable skill.
The Virtualization Skill!
It s a tier-seven skill, which enables the body to virtualize, transforming from solid to gas!
When he first saw this skill, Xu Mu was quite astonished.
Transforming from matter to gas, wouldnt that be invincible?
After all, no matter how powerful a cultivator is, its impossible to destroy a stretch of gas. The most they can do is disperse it.
However, after calming down, he quickly realized that such a powerful tier seven skill couldnt possibly exist.
Upon research, just as he thought, this skill was indeed mighty but came with its own constraints.
The first one, in the state of dematerialization, it was impossible to operate spiritual power or use any spells or treasures.
The second, once the skill was used, only the body and the lifebound treasures would dematerialize. Items like storage bags, robes, shoes, spirit stones, etc., couldnt be carried with.
The third, it couldnt withstand massive attacks. If the body got too dispersed, instant death was inevitable!
The fourth, in extreme environments, the consumption of spiritual energy would dramatically increase during dematerialization.
The fifth, the cultivation process was extremely hazardous and might pose a danger to life.
For ordinary cultivators practicing this skill, they could ept the first four restrictions. It was the fifth one that made them hesitate.
However, for Xu Mu, the most challenging fifth condition wasnt a concern for him at all.
After all, he had a system that could directly add points, eliminating the issue of cultivation errors.
What mattered most to him were the first four conditions!
Restricted by these four conditions, the effectiveness of this skill was greatly reduced.
Regardless, for Xu Mu, it remained a formidable spell that could be used for multiple purposes ranging from hiding, ambushing, infiltration, evasion, and more.
After all, one couldnt expect too much from a tier seven skill.
Aside from this Virtualization Skill, Xu Mu also chose a tier seven Body Refinement Skill called the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill.
The original Xu Mu, eager to develop his n and increase his Luck Value umtion speed, wasnt in a rush to cultivate resource-intensive skills like Body Refinement Skill.
On the other hand, he didnt fancy ordinary tier seven or eight Body Refinement Skills and wanted to go directly to the tier nine Body Refinement Skill for a one-step solution.
It would save both resources and the Luck Value.
But times have changed.
On the one hand, he needed to increase his strength to ensure his self-preservation.
On the other hand, he needed to rely on Body Refinement Skill to extend his lifespan, ensuring that he was always prepared.
A lifespan of just over 130 years made him uneasy.
He always had a feeling that he might die at any moment.
Apart from this, there was another very important reason.
Namely, this Great Sun Refining Shape Skill could help him break through the minor realms of the Golden Core Stage.
He was originally cultivating the Heavenly Extreme Purple Thunder Body, a thunder attribute martial method, and should logically continue cultivating the thunder attribute martial method.
Although thunder attribute martial methods were rare, the Fairy Moon Pce did possess them. He had just seen a thunder attribute body refining martial method called Divine Thunder Shining Body Skill.
The reason was simple. His lifespan was limited, and he had to break through as soon as possible.
Under such circumstances, things like power and potential had to be temporarily put aside until his lifespan was restored, at which point he could find ways topensate.
Each stage of the Golden Core Stage required re-refining the golden pill with
True me. Cultivating to Perfection through precisely nine stages was, therefore, known as the Nine Turns Golden Pill.
Once he had cultivated the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill, each time he broke through a stage and refined his golden pill with True me, it would be much easier for him.
After choosing, he didnt leave but continued up to the fourteenth floor to see if there were jade slips with the inheritance of the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill and Virtualization Skill.
If he could learn through jade slips, he could save a considerable amount of Luck Value.
Ever since White River City was destroyed, his daily acquisition of Luck Value had significantly decreased, so saving wherever possible was necessary.
To his surprise, as soon as he stepped onto the fourteenth floor, someone stopped him.
Chapter 261: 230: Wide Imagination^
Elder Xu, youre here to pick martial methods as well. What a coincidence!
A burly man who looked like a raging bear slowly walked towards Xu Mu.
The ground, inscribed with numerous formations, seemed to struggle under his weight, flickering with light continuously.
It turns out to be Elder Ying Tianhong! Xu Mu greeted him with a smile: Are you also here to pick martial methods?
Not really, Im merely here to look for some insights on crafting array artifacts!
Array artifacts? Friend, are you nning to be an array master? Xu Mu asked, surprised.
Ying Tianhong was an inner-branch elder and a tier seven artifact refiner from the Artifact Refinery Division.
Frankly, the two were not very acquaintant. Ying Tianhong had merely congratted Xu when he recently came out of his retreat and casually asked if he wanted artifacts crafted.
Friend Xu, you joke. Theres a vast sea of hundreds varieties of cultivation arts, yet one might spend his whole life without any real achievement, let alone having the energy to learn other skills!
But crafting array artifacts, I can manage with my current skills no problem!
Lately, the demand forrge-scale arrays in different forces has significantly increased. The market price has surged by fifty percent, and yet, supply still falls behind demand. I was merely thinking of taking this opportunity to make some extra cash. Ying Tianhongughed heartily.
Xu Mus eyes shimmered, he then asked: Could this be due to the South Wastnd Demon Cmity?
Ying Tianhong nodded: Currently, the entire Tianyuan Continent is buzzing the most around the southern wastnd. As our region is rtively close, its only normal that we would be impacted! I heard your Pill Hall also seems to be in high demand recently, Im rather envious of you!
The Artifact Refining Division should have also been affected, and gotten arge number of orders.
But unluckily, the rival pce of Fairy Moon Pce, the Tianyang Pce which expertises in artifact crafting, is in the nearby region. Cultivators, regardless if crafting or buying artifacts, would always prioritize them.
On contrary, when ites to formations, the Fairy Moon Pce has an absolute advantage. Whether its buying array artifacts, or hiring Array Masters to set up formations, they would always choose the Fairy Moon Pce.
In terms of earnings, the Formation Division is undoubtedly first, even the Pill Division could only rank second, and as for the Artifact Refining Division, they could probably rank only fourth or fifth.
Regarding Ying Tianhongs words, Xu Mu only smiled and didnt respond.
Elder Xu, did you hear about the recent news from the Southern Wastnd?
Ying Tianhong steered the conversation back to the Southern Wastnd.
What news? Xu Mu asked.
The three nascent soul sects nearest to the demon cmity have already been extinguished not too long ago! Currently, the nascent soul sects in the Southern Wastnd area are uniting tobat the disaster! Its hard to predict what will happen next!
Ying Tianhong expressed a bit of worry.
Oh, also! The cause of this demon cmity. It seems like it was instigated by a demonic sect called Tongyou Sect!
Tongyou Sect?
Xu Mu frowned, as if it was his first time hearing of it.
Yes! Exactly, its called Tongyou Sect! Initially, it was said to be just a small sect. Who knew how they stumbled upon a stroke of luck that their strength has improved so much!
Sensitively changing the topic, Ying Tianhong said: Friend Xu, are you really not thinking of crafting an artifact for self-defense? If the demon cmity continues to escte, it wont be so easy to craft an artifact then. Currently, various refining materials in the market have already risen by more than thirty percent! But since we are both in the same sect, if you ask me to refine one, I can give you a discount
Xu Mu was speechless.
I knew it, why would this guy be so enthusiastic.
All this talk and in the end, he just wanted to drum up some business.
Compared to concocting array artifacts to others, obviously crafting an artifact for Xu gains more profits, and also improves his own refining skills.
Unfortunately, even if Xu Mu thought about having him craft one, he didnt have any materials.
Besides, his initial n wasnt to let others refine for him
No wait, that could work too!
Xu Mu intended to refuse directly, but a change of thought made him hesitant.
He originally nned, after his other identity from the Sea Race obtained the Kun Peng feathers and spine, to personally perform the refinement.
But the current situation was, his Sea Race identity would have difficulty obtaining these two refining materials for a while, and even if he was lucky enough to get them, theres no way to deliver them considering the conditions near the space rift.
No one knows when the demonic cmity will be resolved, and if it drags on for decades, even centuries, it would be toote.
The power of a Golden Core Stage cultivator can vary significantly depending on whether they possess a lifebound magic artifact or not. Many martial methods require the use of specific magic artifacts to unleash their full power. Its the same with the Kun Peng Tun Tian Jue!
With the Tun Tian Pearl, his spiritual power can reach tens to hundreds of times that of an ordinary cultivator. Combined with the binding of the Kun Pengs wings, he could drain his opponents to death.
His Kun Peng Tun Tian Jue has reached proficiency,parable to the master realm of a tier seven martial method. However, inbat, it does not stand out due to theck of a lifebound magic artifact.
Seeing Xu Mus interest piqued, Ying Tianhong immediately upped the persuasion.
Friend Xu, youve just advanced not long ago; now is the best time to nurture your magic artifact. As long as you develop a telepathic connection with it, your power will significantly increase. Its much easier than cultivating skills and divine skills, it uses less spiritual power, and is way more powerful! Moreover
Cough,cough!
Xu Mu interrupted Ying Tianhongs words, saying: Friend Ying, its not that I dont want to refine a lifebound magic artifact. Its just that my martial method is rather unusual and the materials needed for a lifebound magic artifact are also unique. Even if I want to refine one, I cant!
Haha! Elder Xu, you are joking! In our vast central region, as long as youre willing to spend Spirit Stones, you can find any material!
Ying Tianhong thought Xu Mu was deliberately making excuses.
The materials I need are the feathers and spine bones of the roaming Kun Peng!
Pff!
Ying Tianhong almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.
The roaming Kun Peng is a True Spiritparable to the Mahayana Realm. Even if all the cultivators of the entire Tianyuan Continent were added up, they would still not be enough for Kun Peng to swallow in one bite.
Are you trying to refine a seventh-order magic artifact? Or a quasi-iminortal artifact of tier twenty-four?
Elder Xu, if you dont want me to refine an artifact for you, just say so. Why use such an impossible task as an excuse.
Ying Tianhong was somewhat displeased, feeling Xu Mu was making fun of him.
Elder Ying, dont be so hasty. I was talking about the ideal materials, if there are none, it can be reced by a monster beast with the bloodline of the Kun Peng! Xu Mu said with a smile.
Oh! If it can be reced, that would be easier to handle!
Ying Tianhong stroked his chin in thought.
Xu Mus heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, Elder Ying, could you actually have a solution?
He had spoken up initially, hoping for a miracle.
After all, anything rted to True Spirit is not simple.
But looking at Ying Tianhong, it seemed promising.
Forget about the materials from True Spirits. Even if there are any left on our continent, they would be treasured and hidden by those sacrednds! Even Nascent Souls might not be able to acquire them!
Materials with True Spirit bloodline are simrly extremely expensive and rare. Whether they can be found or not entirely depends on luck!
However
However what?
However, if youre willing, I can find some simr materials for you, and help you refine a replica!
Ying Tianhongs tone was noticeably tinged with excitement.
II II
Xu Mu felt as if this old fellow was trying to empty his Spirit Stones.
But anyway!
This proposal did appeal to him.
Xu Mus heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Ying Tianhongs words felt like a hammer, instantly opening up his imagination.
Right! Why do I have to use materials with the bloodline of Kun Peng?
I can fully utilize the system to experiment and find alternatives, or even better materials than the True Spirit Kun Peng!
Chapter 262: 231: Great Sun Refining Shape Skill_l
With Xu Mus profound ideas, the inessible Lifebound magic treasure suddenly became attainable.
Elder Xu, what do you think? Ying Tianhong asked, rubbing his big hands together in eager anticipation.
We can give it a try, but when you find the substitute materials, you need to show them to me first! Xu Mu replied.
He didnt n to leave Ying Tianhong and act alone because he didnt have much experience in crafting. Acting alone would consume too much Luck Value and energy.
It made more sense to let Ying Tianhong first make a replica, and then he would optimize it using the system.
Of course! What about the method of crafting the magic treasure?
Ill organize it when I get back and deliver it to you myself!
Haha! Then I will wait for you at home!
Having secured a deal, the bustling Ying Tianhong left to continue browsing various secret books in the Law Transmission Pavilion. Unfortunately, the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill and the Virtualization Skill did not have specific jade slips.
In the end, Xu Mu only exchanged two paper books of the secret scriptures.
ording to the rules of the sect, they needed to be returned within a year, and they could not be leaked to the outside.
Upon returning to his residence, Ye Bufan and his partner had already returned. They were busy in the yard and quickly came over to salute when they saw Xu Mu, then reported on the spiritual medicine seeds and living supplies they had bought.
Xu Mu didnt really care about these details. He gave Jade Lingzis spiritual roots to them, asking them to take good care of them, and then retreated to his room.
The reason he hadnt previously cultivated Jade Lingzis spiritual roots was because Xu Mu knew he wouldnt stay at that cave dwelling for long. He would definitely need to move once he reached the Golden Core Stage.
As for the current cave dwelling, it was unlikely to be reced within the next few decades.
This was a good opportunity to cultivate these spiritual roots. Even if they cant bear fruit, they could be directly exchanged for Spirit Stones.
Simply keeping them sealed in his storage bag was a waste.
After returning to his room, Xu Mu didnt hurry to study the two new secret books hed obtained. Instead, he first organized the crafting methods for the Sky Devouring Pearl and the Kun Peng Wings, then rushed to Ying Tianhongs residence to deliver them.
Elder Xu, rest assured! With my ability, there will be results soon!
Then Im counting on Elder Ying!
With some reluctance, Xu Mu left behind fifty top-quality Spirit Stones and took his leave.
Research and development inevitably take money. Ying Tianhong couldnt possibly pay for it himself. These fifty Spirit Stones were merely initial expenses. It would take at least three to five hundred top-quality Spirit Stones to even think about crafting a magic treasure.
This old man is taking advantage of me!
Typically, a cultivator at the early Golden Core Stage couldnte up with three to five hundred top-quality Spirit Stones. This was nothing short of extortion.
Luckily, Xu Mu didnt need him to actually craft the item. As long as Ying Tianhong found potential substitute materials, Xu Mu could craft it himself when the time came.
After returning to his residence, Xu Mu took out the secret book of the Virtualization Skill and began to study its contents.
After he had memorized all the content, the system interface immediately showed the name of the Virtualization Skill.
[Seventh-tier Mastery Virtualization Skill; 8/6400]!
Ive been studying this book for three days, and yet my skill level is only eight points. The difficulty of practicing this is quite high! Luckily I have the system, otherwise it really wouldnt be worth it!
For ordinary people, the difficulty of practicing this skill was probably higher than that of eighth or ninth-tier spells.
Xu Mu had no hesitation, immediately started to increase points.
[Virtualization Skill+10]!
[Virtualization Skill+10]!
[Virtualization Skill+10]!
u2026
[Transcendent Virtualization Skill; 0/0]!
By the time Xu Mu elevated the Virtualization Skill to the Transcendent level, more than three months had passed.
Virtualization Skill!
Xu Mu pinched the spell, and for the first time, he truly used the Virtualization Skill.
Under the influence of his handprint and incantation, his spiritual power was transformed into a peculiar form of mana. Under the influence of this mana, Xu Mu felt his body be light and floating.
With a thought, he instantly transformed into a wisp of red smoke that came out of his robe, shuttling in every corner of the room. Then, he tried to pass through the door, but was blocked by the Formation light curtain.
As expected, it wont work!
Xu Mu sighed inwardly.
No gaps existed in the Formation light curtain. Even if he turned into a gaseous state, he couldnt get out.
If this skill was able to permeate outside, then its utility would be unmeasurable.
In the end, after many trials, only two functions proved to be the most practical.
One is that after virtualizing, he could pass through small openings, the other is that he could shrink into a goose egg-sized ball and hide in small spaces without being easily spotted.
Most importantly, his aura would significantly weaken after virtualization, making it hard to detect unless the observer had a much higher level of cultivation.
If he hid in things like bottles, teapots, and pottery jars, it would be even more difficult to be detected.
Uh? Why do I feel a bit like the Genie in ddin!
Xu Mu ranted to himself.
Fortunately, he wouldnt be like the Genie, stuck inside a small bottle unable to get out, he can always break free using his skills if he wanted to.
Of course, he couldnt grant wishes like the Genie either.
Regardless, he was quite satisfied with this skill.
Then, Xu Mu took out the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill and prepared to continue his cultivation.
He still had some pills to replenish his energy, enough to raise the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill to proficient level.
Time swiftly passed, more than a month has gone by.
Fairy Moon Pce.
The training room.
Boom!
Xu Mu, bare-chested, was engulfed in pale white mes. His body shone as if coated in white gold. He swung his fists, slicing through the air, again and again, hitting the stone wall in front of him.
The deep thuds echoed from the stone wall; like powerful explosives detonating in a confined space.
The stone b in front of him was made of a special material. No matter how hard Xu Mu attacked, it only indentated half a finger-width and quickly restored itself.
After a long time, Xu Mu, exhausted, finally took a deep breath and stopped.
Who wouldve thought it would only be half a finger-width, seems like the gap between each Golden Core Stageyer really does getrger andrger!
The stone wall in front of him is made of obsidian soft crystal, nearly a meter thick. Not only can it withstand intense attacks, but it can also dissipate the impact, preventing any significant noise. Fairy Moon Pce specially produced it for Golden Core Stage cultivators to practice their spells.
ording to the information Xu Mu had, leaving a mark one millimeter deep on the obsidian soft crystal represents the attack power at the firstyer of the Golden Core Stage. Leaving a mark half a finger-width deep, which is about two millimeters, represents an attack power at the secondyer of the Golden Core Stage. Four millimeters represents the thirdyer of the Golden Core Stage.
One inch represents the fourth level of the Golden Core stage, one and a half inches represents the fifth level, and two inches represents the sixth level.
Four inches represents the seventh level of the Golden Core stage, six inches represents the eighth level, and eight inches represents the ninth level.
Of course, this is just a simple calction of attack power, it does not represent actual strength.
After all, many magical objects and skills do not have attack power, and some magical objects or skills have attack power far beyond their realm.
Xu Mu didnt have high hopes for the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill to begin with. He just wanted to use it to reduce the difficulty of breaking through. Now, having reached a proficient level of attack power equivalent to the secondyer of the Golden Core Stage, he was very satisfied.
After testing the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill, Xu Mu performed another skill he learned from Lu Jingkong C the eighth-tier Space Grasp Skill.
His Space Grasp Skill had now reached a level of perfection and could condense four magical arms.
The four arms, covered in runes, were like a giants, they mustered a massive amount of strength and heavily pounded on the wall made of obsidian soft crystal.
Boom!
Four nearly an inch deep fist marks were clearly visible.
No wonder its an eighth-tier skill!
Xu Mu was excited. This attack from the Space Grasp Skill was equivalent to the simultaneous attack of four mid-Golden Core Stage practitioners. A typical early Golden Core period practitioner would probably be shattered in one hit.
Unfortunately, it consumes a huge amount of spiritual power, I cant use it recklessly!
This one use of the Space Grasp Skill had consumed 80% of his spiritual power, and the spiritual power needed to maintain the spell was also immense. With his current quantity of spiritual power, he could only maintain it for ten breaths.
Its just too extravagant!
But theres no other way. After all, it was an eighth-tier skill, and it is at its perfection level. If it werent for his cultivation of the Kun Peng Tun Tian Jue which gave him a much higher spiritual power capacity than a typical early Golden Core period practitioner, he probably wouldnt be able to use this ability at all.
Back when he was in the Foundation Establishment Stage, one usage almost drained himpletely. Only by eating a pill did he manage to sustain himself for a while.
However, this spell was indeed extraordinary. Not only could it be used to attack, but also to defend. Most importantly, as long as he was willing to provide spiritual power, the spell could be maintained indefinitely.
I hope I can refine the Devouring Heaven Bead soon, then I wouldnt have to worry about theck of spiritual power anymore!
After finishing his meditation and recovering, Xu Mu continued to sharpen his skills.
Not only should one know how to perform a skill, but one should also know how to use it, and the system couldnt help him in this regard.
He didnt know how long it had been when the Pill Hall master, Du Yu, suddenly sent a message asking him to report to the Pill Hall.
I thought they had forgotten about me!
Chapter 263: 232 Difficulties one after another_1
In the main hall of the Pill Hall at Fairy Moon Pce, the air was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs and a radiant spiritual energy.
Elder, everyone is here!
An elderly man with white hair and a long beard reaching to his chest, handed a roster made of golden silk to Xu Mu.
In front of Xu Mu, thirty or so Alchemists of the Fairy Moon Pce are standing orderly, each dressed in the unique cyan silk robes of Fairy Moon Pce Alchemists.
Hmm!
Xu Mu nodded, took the roster, looked around, and then began to flip through it page by page.
Ni Wenjie, 280 years old, on the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, a tier five Alchemist!
Wang Peng, 170 years old, on the fourth level of Foundation Establishment, a tier four Alchemist!
Li Chen, 129 years old, on the third level of Foundation Establishment, a tier four Alchemist!
Fang Zheng, 53 years old, on the ninth level of Qi Cultivation, a tier three Alchemist!
Liu Fengzhen, 41 years old, on the eighth level of Qi Cultivation, a tier two Alchemist!
Duan Honglian, 35 years old, on the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, a tier two Alchemist!
The roster catalogued the information of thirty-five people, who were specifically the Alchemists standing before Xu Mu, including the elderly man who gave him the roster.
Xu Mu quickly flipped through it, his brows furrowing involuntarily.
A deep sigh formed within his heart.
He knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
The Alchemists that had been split off from others administrations were simply of poor quality.
There was only one tier five Alchemist, who turned out to be the old man who handed him the roster. And at a nce, it was clear that the man was on hisst legs, it was uncertain if he could still perform alchemy.
There were eight tier four Alchemists, the youngest among them was nearly a hundred years old, clearlycking in talent.
Twenty-two were tier three Alchemists, several of whom had already exceeded the optimal age for breaking through to Foundation Establishment, so their chances of advancing to tier four Alchemist were slim.
There were four tier two Alchemists, none of them showing any unique talents, they were not even as good as his two disciples.
He had already suspected that others wouldnt give him their best men, but he didnt expect them to be so shameless as to not give him a single good one.
He estimated that if it werent for his sudden appearance, these people would have probably been dismissed.
Xu Mu actually wanted to dismiss them all and recruit a new batch of talented people. But clearly, if he really did that, the two deputy hall masters he had met only once would definitely use this against him.
In the end, they might even use this as an excuse to kick him out of Fairy Moon Pce.
The situation before him was obviously intended to make things difficult for him.
They wanted to force him to quit!
Forget it, I didnt expect to benefit from them anyway! Once I reveal my identity as a tier seven Alchemist after a while, I should be self-sufficient!
He has to improve his strength as soon as possible, to get rid of the shackles of lifespan, and to leave the Fairy Moon Pce to protect his family sooner.
If it werent for hiding from the pursuit of Tianyang Pce, he wouldnt have stayed in Fairy Moon Pce, much less have taken on this troublesome task voluntarily.
Now, for the sake of staying in the Fairy Moon Pce, he had to tolerate it.
The people below saw Xu Mu frowning and staying silent, they all tensed up, fearing Xu Mu might cause trouble as the neer.
Alright, you may all leave! Continue as you were before!
Xu Mu didnt want to give himself trouble, hoping to make a smooth transition.
But upon hearing his words, the people below remained motionless.
Xu Mu was somewhat displeased.
Regardless of how new he was, or how low his status was, he was still an inner sect elder in the Golden Core Stage, not someone these poor Alchemists could defy.
Just as Xu Mu was about to open his mouth to admonish them and establish his authority, Ni Wenjie quickly came forward and handed him a sheet of paper. Elder, this is the task assigned to our Pill Hall, you need to review it first! Oh?
Xu Mu took it with a puzzled look, nced at it, and his face turned a bit ugly in an instant.
These bastards, theyre really trying toer me, arent they?
Its one thing to hand him a pile of rubbish, but the tasks assigned to him, they
all involve concocting some extremely obscure pills.
Pills like the Fragrant Consolidating Pill which enhances body scent, or the Peaceful Spirit Pill that aids in sleep, or pills for treating constipation and so on, so many unheard of by even Xu Mu.
These pills are obviously only concocted by just a few alchemists. Now that theyre all concentrated on him, its clear theyre doing this on purpose to give him a hard time.
Du Yu definitely knows about this and chose not to utter a word, hes either abandoning him or doesnt have enough control over the Pill Hall to handle this situation.
Small pond, too many bullfrogs; small temple, too much devil wind! (Chinese idioms indicating poor environment and too much interferences)
Looks like Ill have to step up!
You distribute half of the herbs to everyone based on their capabilities, and leave the rest to me! Also, have the pill recipes sorted out for me! Xu Mu ordered.
Elder, are you going to
Ni Wenjie widened his eyes. He naturally guessed that Xu Mu was going to refine the pills himself, but these pills are incredibly obscure. Even if Xu Mu is a tier six alchemist, it is impossible to learn to concoct them all in a short time. Dont ask so many questions! Just do what I tell you to!
Xu Mu didnt want to exin and saw no need to.
These people are all his subordinates, and they are just one step away from being kicked out of the mountain gate (sect), so they would not dare to disobey his orders.
Anyone with a brain should know that if Xu Mu falls, they wont farewell either. Yes, sir!
Ni Wenjie replied respectfully.
Ni Wenjie then went down to arrange things, and Xu Mu turned and entered his own alchemy room.
Within the Alchemy Room, a mass of silver-white me was rolling and burning continuously under the effect of the Formation.
The True Yin me! I wonder if the Pill Hall could be the Fairy Moon Pces second cash cow!
Looking at the me in front of him, Xu Mu praised.
The True Yin me is a form of spiritual me. It is formed by the condensation of True Yin power and is characterized by its stable temperature and easy control, making it one of the most suitable spiritual mes for alchemy.
Originally, Xu Mu struggled a bit with the loss of the beast souls assistance in alchemy, but now with the assistance of the True Yin me, things turned easy again.
Xu Mu used the Fire-controlling Skill to continue to familiarize himself with the characteristics of the True Yin me.
Before long, Ni Wenjie brought the herbs provided by the Pill Hall, as well as the pill recipes for the pills that needed to be concocted.
After Ni Wenjie left, Xu Mu began studying one pill recipe after another.
Although the highest tier of these pills is only tier four, even if upgraded to transcendence, it wouldnt consume too much Luck Value. But Xu Mu still only upgraded them to the master level.
In order to save Luck Values on one hand, after all, every bit counts, right?
On the other hand, with his high cultivation base, even at the master level, he
can easily concoct superior or even supreme grade pills.
Once everything was ready, he took out his tier six giant pill furnace and began batch processing.
A task that would have originally taken three to four dozen people half a year toplete, he managed to finish in just one month.
Xu Mu left only enough to meet the mission requirements, keeping the rest all to himself. Although it didnt amount to many spirit stones, it was still his hard-earned reward.
Then, Xu Mu called Ni Wenjie again and asked him to help purchase some materials for concocting Blood Qi Pills. He nned to make some while he had free time to enhance the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill.
Elder, what about those tasks?
Ni Wenjie was a bit anxious.
If youre not hurriedly finding a way toplete the tasks, how can there be spare time to concoct Blood Qi Pills?
Theres no need for you to worry about the tasks, just follow my orders! Also, purchase some Blood Yang Flowers as well! Xu Mu responded without emotion.
Understood!
Ni Wenjie dared not say more and left hurriedly to get the job done. Before long, it was time to hand in the tasks!
Chapter 264: 233: Making Friends_1
Chapter 264: Chapter 233: Making Friends_1
Fragrant Consolidating Pill: superior grade C forty bottles, middle-grade C six bottles, lower-grade C four bottles!
Peaceful Spirit Pill: superior grade C one hundred and twenty bottles, middle-grade C thirteen bottles, lower-grade C twenty-two bottles!
Skin Nourishing Pill: superior grade C one hundred and sixty-nine bottles, middle-grade C forty-eight bottles, lower-grade C seventy bottles!
Inside the Pill Hall, Xu Mu took out the pills one by one that he had concocted, and after each was checked and approved by an elder, they were recorded.
Du Yu, Qin Xiao, and Yun Zhan, the three Masters of the Hall, along with a group of Elders, stood on the sidelines, watching like spectators at a y, their expressions varied.
The faces of Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan were understandably shocked and incredulous.
They knew all too well what kind of person Xu Mu was.
Because they were involved with it all!
They both tampered with the task handed to Xu Mu.
They had anticipated a scene where Xu Mu couldnt produce the pills, and nned to join forces to pin the charge of ipetence on him.
Even if they couldnt expel him from the sect, they could at least strip him of his position.
Although Du Yu knew they were up to something, his prestige wasnt enough within the Pill Hall, so in order to keep his authority, he was forced to use Xu Mu as the scapegoat.
Originally, Du Yu wanted to bring Xu Mu forward to eat away at the others authority, and gradually take control of the entire Pill Hall.
But unfortunately, he underestimated the others, and overestimated himself.
When faced with their counterattacks, he barely offered any resistance and chose to submit, hoping to maintain the status quo.
Thus, the chess piece that was Xu Mu became a disposable existence.
No one expected that, against all odds, he would actuallyplete the task to an exceeding degree.
Now, under the watchful eyes of all present, Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan couldnt find any fault even if they wanted to, and could only stand to one side with gloomy expressions.
Well done! I knew I didnt misjudge you! Haha!
Once all the pills were checked, Du Yu couldnt help butugh triumphantly.
It was my duty to give my all for the sect!
Xu Mu looked as serene as ever, as if he had only done a trivial matter.
This is the next task!
Du Yu nodded and gave Xu Mu the task for the next six months.
Xu Mu opened it and saw that there was no difficulty this time.
The two obviously hadnt expected that he couldplete the task, and were toozy to bother with this matter.
I guarantee to fulfill my duties.
Hmm!
When everyone handed over their individual assignments, Du Yu briefly spoke about the Pill Halls recent situation, singled out Xu Mu for praise, and everyone dispersed.
Elder Xu, didnt expect you to have this trick up your sleeve!
Elder Xu, truly admirable!
Elder Xu, I have a junior
Now many of the Pill Hall Elders, who had only exchanged brief greetings with him before, came forward to greet him with warm expressions.
Previously, they hadnt been willing to associate with him because they didnt think he could stay.
Now they were willing to associate with him because they believed he could remain.
The position of the disciplinary officer, although not a big one, had many conveniences. If they could establish a connection, it would be a help in the future.
Of course, these people were mostly Du Yus confidants.
You all are too kind!
Xu Mu spoke and mingled with the crowd, building these weak connections.
In the following year, Qin Yun and the others seemed to retreat but did not make any new moves.
Xu Mu applied for new Alchemist positions and recruited a dozen Alchemists with good potential, including his two disciples, and thus temporarily settled down.
Now even if he didnt take action, the Alchemy Room could operate steadily.
In the cultivation room, Xu Mu was operating the Secret Skill of Yin and Yang Harmony, using Lu Jingkongs corpse for intense cultivation, his cultivation level increasing every moment.
After a while, Xu Mu put away his tools and checked his attribute panel.
The experience of his realm had reached more than 190,000, just a little short of 200,000. If everything goes well, he should be able to advance to the second level of the Golden Core Stage in at most two months.
It has been less than three years since he advanced to the Golden Core Stage; this progress could be described as extremely rapid.
However, the greatest progress was in Body Refinement cultivation. The Great Sun Refining Shape Skill had reached the mastery level, with attacking and defensive powerparable to the third level of Golden Core.
But even with this rate of progress, Xu Mu still wasnt satisfied.
The Great Sun Refining Shape Skill didnt need to be mentioned, it depended entirely on taking pills.
If he had enough pills, he could advance to the Transcendent within three years C his strength being equivalent to themon Golden Cores seventhyer.
So he wasnt too worried about his body refinement cultivation; what mattered was his cultivation level.
After all, cultivation level is fundamental. Without a cultivation level, no matter how strong ones fighting power is, its negligible.
The current rate of progress is fast for ordinary cultivators, but not enough for him. Moreover, the higher the cultivation, the slower the progress.
At present, it takes three years to advance a level. When he reaches the intermediate stage, it may take ten years, and at theter stage, it might take decades. Not to mention advancing to Nascent Soul.
Hence, he must elevate his cultivation level at a faster rate and have enough time to advance to the Nascent Soul stage.
The best way to quickly advance ones cultivation is, of course, to take pills.
However, the prerequisite for taking pills is that he must have enough Spirit Stones to buy them.
Recently, he spent a lot on buying Moon Dew, asking others to refine his lifebound artifact, and enhancing his Great Sun Refining Shape Skill. His purse has been almost emptied.
So, I need to find a way to earn money!
If he could reveal all his cards, with his ability to refine beyond-top-grade Dust Reduction Pill and Hao Yuan Pill, he could make a fortune in Spirit Stones, and the entire sect would respect him and cherish him like a gem.
Unfortunately, he cant!
As a Loose Cultivator who just joined the sect a few years ago, suddenly mastering such a powerful alchemy skill, anyone would find it suspicious.
When the timees, the best oue he could expect would probably be having his soul searched by a Nascent Soul Elder from the Fairy Moon Pce.
He cant reveal his identity, he cant dy things and he needs to make everything wless.
Consequently, earning Spirit Stones bes considerably more challenging.
However difficult, it still needs to be done.
Xu Mu took out a jade slip and sent a message to his disciple, Ye Bufan, informing him toe to his cave dwelling.
Newly d in a green robe, Ye Bufan was tall and slender, giving off an impression of being a learned and refined gentleman.
Upon receiving Xu Mus summon, he hurriedly flew over using his Wind Control Skill and waited outside the room.
Not long after, Xu Mus calm voice came from within.
I want you to go down the mountain and buy some things for me!
A piece of paper flew out of the room,nding in Ye Bufans hands.
Ye Bufan looked at the paper and saw that it listed somemon seeds for flowers and herbs. He couldnt understand why Xu Mu wanted these.
But habit prevented him from asking too many questions, and he simply epted the task.
Once you buy them, you can nt them directly in the courtyard! Im going to seclude myself for half a year, dont bother me unless its necessary!
Yes, Master!
Go now!
Yes!
Ye Bufan bowed and then turned to leave, but at that moment, strands of white mist flew out of the rooms gap, silently entering his sleeves.
Chapter 265: 234: Hidden Marketplace^
Chapter 265: Chapter 234: Hidden Marketce^
Immortal Moon City.
Outskirts of the slum area.
Rundown shanties, bustling crowds, randomly discarded rubbish.
No matter where, there will always be the rich and the poor, flying high-level cultivators, and low-level Qi cultivators who can hardly make ends meet, even in a ce like Immortal Moon City.
Inside an ancient shack, Xu Mu is tidying up his clothes. The air is filled with a damp and gloomy smell; insects of unknown species crawl around on the ground anders.
Xu Mu hangs a storage bag from his waist, steps on a cockroach that has no fear, and after confirming there are no omissions, he uses the Invisibility Technique, disappearing inside the room.
This dwelling was prepared by him a while ago. He hid a storage bag in advance, just to use the Virtualization Skill to get down the mountain.
The drawback of not being able to carry anything after virtualization has always been a thorn in his side, but he has no other choice.
As for why he used the Virtualization Skill to get down the mountain while still pretending to stay, it was all to create the illusion that he was still up there. Although, even if he came down in his real form, it would not necessarily be traced back to him. But for safetys sake, Xu Mu chose to y it safe and leave no trace.
The cost of being discovered is just too high.
I wonder if the Tianyang Pce is still looking for me after all these years, Xu Mu thought to himself.
Even though the streets are bustling, no one seems to notice Xu Mu, whos using the Invisibility Technique.
Back then, Xu had fooled a group of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators with this high-tier Invisibility Technique.
The slum area is the most rundown part of Immortal Moon City, mostly inhabited by low-rank cultivators at the early or middle stages of Qi cultivation, they could hardly see through his invisibility technique.
Xu Mu keeps walking, heading in the opposite direction of the city. He doesnt n to sell what he has got in the Fairy Moon Pce.
Having stepped out of the slum area after a while, he sweeps the surroundings with his Divine Intent, confirming no one is around, then he cancels his Invisibility Technique, taking out a mask imbued with white cloud patterns and puts it on.
The mask was given to him by a nameless woman when he was in the Cloud Peak Mountain Range. Xu Mu had tested it; its concealing ability is extremely strong; one would probably need to be in the Nascent Soul Stage to see through it.
In addition to this golden mask, he has two more, one purple and one blue, all taken from the faces of the two plump men and women he brought out.
In order to prevent his true face from being seen during the next part of his journey, he specifically brought this mask out to cover his face.
After putting on the mask, Xu Mu turns into a white Escape Light, flying in the southwest direction.
There lies a ce where the ck market is located.
Immortal Moon City is too close to Fairy Moon Pce, with many Golden Core stage masters stationed there, even a Nascent Soul Stage patriarch mighte for an inspection asionally.
What hes about to sell is extraordinary, selling it in Immortal Moon City would pose too much risk. If they were to discover it, it could lead to big trouble.
Its safer to sell in the ck market. With his power, as long as hes careful, there shouldnt be any significant problems.
After nearly an hour of high-speed flight, Xu Mu slows down his pace and finally stops in front of ake surrounded by green hills.
This is the location of the ck market. The obviousck of anything is simply due to a concealing formation.
Some of his magic artifacts were sold here back in the day.
At this moment, there are a dozen cultivators of different attires waiting in the surroundings. Seeing Xu Mu approach, people barely react; they just nce at him without initiating a conversation, and nobody dares to use their Divine Intent to inspect him.
Those whoe to the ck market to trade naturally want to conceal their identities. There is no ce for socializing orworking here.
Xu Mu also doesnt seek trouble, he chooses an unupied spot and waits with closed eyes.
For the sake of safety and concealment, the ck markets formation only opens periodically, hence why everyone is waiting here.
From what he knows, this concealed ck market should be safeguarded by over ten Golden Core Stage cultivators. Its nearly the match for Immortal Moon City in terms of safety and transaction volume.
The origin of these Golden Core Stage cultivators who operate the ck market is unknown to anyone.
They could be Loose Cultivators, sect cultivators, patriarchs of great families, or most likely, members of the Demonic Dao.
Their gathering here for onemon goal C to make Spirit Stones.
Certain treasures obtained through extreme means, such as the secret martial methods of some major sects, would easily be tracked if traded in ces like Immortal Moon City. However, theres no need to worry about that in the ck market.
The buyers here only care about the goods, not the people, and they wont ask about the origin of the items.
Of course, in such a ce, its very hard to hike up the price too much.
After approximately an hour, the previously desteke surface suddenly split open, revealing an entrance two people high and about ten feet wide.
Through the entrance, you could see the hustle and bustle inside, looking much like a bustling small town.
Xu Mu opened his eyes and followed the crowd inside.
At the entrance, two teams of cultivators, wearing armor and holding magical artifact spears, were standing guard.
Ten Lower-grade Spirit Stones for the entrance fee! said a guard C a cultivator who was at the Qi Cultivation Late Stage, with an unchanging facial expression.
The crowd entering didnt say a word, silently handing over the spirit stones and their identity wooden tablet. After passing by the guards, they entered the marketce.
Just like everyone else, Xu Mu paid in spirit stones, blended into the crowd, and quickly disappeared from sight.
The guards, long ustomed to this, didnt pay attention to where the people were going. After confirming that no one else wasing, they closed the entrance again and continued to wait for the next opening.
The number of people in the marketce wasnt necessarily a lot, but it wasnt few either. However,pared to bustling cities, the silence here felt eerily strange.
Even those bargaining at roadside stalls tried to lower their voices as much as possible, as if afraid that others would hear.
Passersby on the street were extremely careful, maintaining as much distance from others as possible. If they werent wearing masks, they would be wearing conical hats or using secret techniques to obscure their faces.
Xu Mus attire was not conspicuous within the crowd.
He didnt swagger around using his divine intent, instead he moved swiftly among the crowd and quickly arrived at a lofty building.
To avoid being pursued byrge sects nearby, the ck market could move at any time. Hence, building dedicated stores was a bit wasteful, so most of the merchants simply set up simple stalls.
To go to the extent of painstakingly building a loft in the ck market, one could only be the behind-the-scenes manager of the ck market.
The item Xu Mu wanted to sell wasnt cheap, and ordinary loose cultivators couldnt afford it, so he could only sell it in such a shop.
After entering the loft, a plump maid with a veiled face, and an alluring aroma swaying her hips, came over.
Esteemed friend, are you here to buy or sell something?
Im here to sell something! Take me to your shopkeeper! Xu Mu indifferently replied.
Honored guest, could I take a look at what you are selling first? The maid wasnt quick to agree, obviously thinking of evaluating the price first.
Hmm?
Xu Mus eyebrow slightly wrinkled as he immediately released his Golden Core Stage aura.
The maids pupils shrank sharply and she hastily said: Senior, please follow me. I will notify the shopkeeper right away!
A Golden Core Stage expert, no matter what he was selling, was not someone she could deal with.
Xu Mu nodded and followed the maid into a private room. Shortly after, the shopkeeper C a purple-robed cultivator wearing a white mask C hurriedly came in.
Sorry to keep you waiting! I am the shopkeeper of this store.
Seeing that the shopkeeper was only at thete Foundation Establishment Stage, Xu Mus eyebrows involuntarily furrowed again. In the end, he was still being looked down upon.
He didnt scold the other to bring a different person, instead, he took out two bottles of pills and ced them on the table.
I wish to sell these two bottles of pills. Can you give me a price?
Pills?
The shopkeepers gaze flickered.
He thought to himself, Just two bottles of pills, what are they worth? Could they be tier eight or nine that help breakthrough bottlenecks?
With curiosity, he opened the bottles for inspection, and when he recognized the pills, he couldnt help but gasp.
These are Dust Reduction Pills and Hao Yuan Pills. Given their grade, could they be
Chapter 266: 235:1000 Top Grade Spirit Stones_1
Chapter 266: Chapter 235:1000 Top Grade Spirit Stones_1
Top Quality Dustfall Pills and Haoyuan Pills! How is it even possible?!! The shopkeeper eximed in shock.
These two types of pills are excellent for assisting in the breakthrough from the Foundation Establishment Stage to the Golden Core Stage. They were rarely seen in the market, and even at the lower-grade level, they would be swiftly snapped up whenever they appear.
As for the middle and high grades, they are usually only avable in big sects.
The value of Dustfall Pills and Haoyuan Pills for the big sects is simr to Foundation Establishment Pills, and they are strictly controlled.
Because if these two types of pills are lost inrge quantities, it can easily affect their control over their subordinates.
The shopkeeper, who had lived over a hundred years, saw this top-grade Dustfall and Haoyuan pill for the first time.
What Xu Mu said next left him speechless in surprise.
This is not top quality, its beyond-top-grade, simply put, is one grade higher than top quality,
Xu Mus tone was indifferent, but to the shopkeeper, it was like a shock to his senses.
Beyond top-grade? Is there really someone in this world who can refine beyond-top-grade tier seven pills? Could it be a tier ten Alchemist?
The shopkeepers mind was a bit muddled.
The status of a tier ten Alchemist is even higher than that of an average Nascent Soul Stage cultivator.
Why would such a person be selling pills in the ck market?
As long as the party is willing, many sects would eagerly seek their alliance.
May I ask senior, where these pills came from
Hmph! When did this ce start to pry into buyers backgrounds? Or are you saying you dont want to take it?
As he spoke, Xu Mu began to put away the pills, preparing to leave.
Senior, do not be angry! Its all my fault, all my fault!
The shopkeeper immediately became anxious, realizing his mistake and promptly apologizing, with an exceedingly humble attitude.
Honestly, he was so tense looking at these pills that for a moment he lost his sense, and instinctively asked the question.
For him, at thete Foundation Establishment Stage, these pills were nothing short of divine lifesavers.
If he were to consume them, there would be a high probability of breaking through to the Golden Core Stage.
The Foundation Establishment Stage and the Golden Core Stage arepletely different levels. If he could break through to the Golden Core Stage, his status would immediately leap forward, bing a member of the ck market management.
In the face of such an opportunity, it was hard to keep fullposure.
Seeing the shopkeeper behaving in this way, Xu Mu reluctantly sat down again. I wonder what price the senior has in mind for these pills?
The shopkeeper asked with a smile.
What do you think? Xu Mu replied indifferently.
Well, that, that
The shopkeeper timidly rubbed his hands, as if summoning some courage, and then proposed, How about twenty high-grade spirit stones a pill?
Hehe!
Xu Mu chuckled and rose again, preparing to leave.
Senior, dont be hasty! Isnt negotiating prices part of doing business? We ask for the moon, then haggle down to the earth! Senior, if you think its eptable, five high-grade spirit stones!
The shopkeeper hurriedly exined.
This price for a typical tier seven pill would be a hefty sum.
Even the high-grade Yuan Yang Pills used to enhance the Golden Core Stage cultivation, only sell for 150 middle-grade spirit stones, equivalent to one and a half high-grade spirit stone.
Yet, the price for Dustfall Pills and Haoyuan Pills is twenty times greater.
Despite this high price, Xu Mu still showed no interest.
Senior, senior, could you please name your price!
The shopkeeper quickly chased after him, breaking into a cold sweat.
He had no choice; these pills were of great importance to him.
If he could handle this business, he might likely receive a reward which would give him the opportunity to break through to the long-desired Golden Core Stage.
Not only would his powers be greatly enhanced, he would also live several centuries longer, a chance anyone would go mad for.
Fifty high-grade spirit stones per pill! I have ten of each type of pill here, adding up to exactly one thousand high-grade spirit stones! I dont need to exin how precious these pills are, honestly, beyond-top-grade pills are several times better than top-grade. If I werent in need of spirit stones, I wouldnt even consider selling them. If you are willing, we can make the transaction now. If not, then Ill take my leave! But you should know, if you wish to buy pills of this grade in the future, you can only dream of it!!
Xu Mu cut to the chase when he spoke.
He understood better than anyone the value of these two types of pills.
Honestly, the price he was asking for was not high at all.
If he wasnt selling on the ck market, and if he wasnt trying to avoid attracting too much attention, even if he sold for sixty high-grade spirit stones, people would still want them.
As long as the foundation isnt too bad, with the help of the beyond-top-grade pills he refined, one could nearly achieve a 100% promotion.
Imagine, for just a hundred spirit stones one could advance to the Golden Core Stage, how many people wouldnt be moved.
One thousand high-grade spirit stones!!
The shopkeeper was so nervous that he began to sweat from his palms.
He had been working in this shop for many years and had nevere across such arge transaction.
One thousand high-grade spirit stones, it would be enough to buy dozens of decent magical treasures!
Moreover, Xu Mu directly doubled the price of the pills, which vastly exceeded his expectations. However, if these pills truly had the effect Xu Mu imed, of being several times better than top-grade, then this price wasnt high at all.
No wonder Xu Mu rose and was just about to leave when he heard his price.
This is a big matter; I cant make this decision on my own. Could I get permission from my superiors? The shopkeeper asked cautiously.
The price that Xu Mu gave was far beyond his authority, and he didnt dare to make a hastymitment without getting approval from his superiors.
I dont have a lot of time, you better be quick. Xu Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his tone still indifferent.
Yes, yes, yes!
The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, then quickly left the room to use a jade talisman to contact the Golden Core Stage who was in charge of the ck market.
Xu Mu calmly stood in the room waiting.
Dustfall Pills and Haoyuan Pills were frighteningly valuable, especially at the beyond-top-grade level.
If Xu Mu hadnt broken through to the Golden Core Stage and didnt have many backups, he wouldnt dare to casually sell them.
I just hope they wont pull any tricks! Xu Mu secretly thought.
If the pills could be smoothly sold, thatd be best, as he already had enough troubles and didnt want any more.
If it werent for the need to quickly improve his cultivation and hisck of other ways to earn money, he would not risk selling beyond-top-grade pills.
Of course, he could also sell the high-grade and top-grade Dustfall Pills and Haoyuan Pills, but the profit margin of these two grades of pills didnt meet his demands, and the other one wasnt much different than the beyond-top-grade.
Rather, the beyond-top-grade pills might intimidate his prospective counterpart a bit.
Not long after, three Golden Core Stage presences appeared in the shop.
However, only one of them, the most potent Golden Core Stage person, came in.
He was dressed in a green robe, slightly short, wearing a white mask simr to Xu Mus, with a long ck beard extending from underneath the mask.
His eyes, like that of exquisite gems, gave off a soft, subliminal glow, emitting a sense of profundity and weightiness.
I am Liu Wuheng! Greetings, fellow Daoist!
Chapter 267: 236: Playing Dumb to Catch a Tiger_1
Chapter 267: Chapter 236: ying Dumb to Catch a Tiger_1
Golden Core Late Stage!
Xu Mus brow furrowed slightly.
Liu Wuheng didnt deliberately conceal his cultivation level; Xu Mu noticed it at a nce.
Friend, you need not worry. I am only here to sell some pills, Xu Mu said calmly.
A meeting is fate! You shoulde to sit more often in the future. I would be very happy to wee you! As for the pills, may I have a look at them first? Liu Wuheng suggested politely.
Of course!
Xu Mu nodded, taking out the Dust Reduction Pill and Hao Yuan Pill and handed them directly to Liu Wuheng.
Looking at the pills handed over, Liu Wuhengs heart gave a start.
These two vials of pills were worth over a thousand top-grade spirit stones. If the other party could give them to him so generously, he was either incredibly naive or very confident in his powers, unafraid of being taken advantage of.
Anyone who could cultivate to the Golden Core Stage wouldnt be a fool, so the reason was clear.
This is my territory, and I have two men on the outside. Where does he get this confidence from?
Thoughts raced through Liu Wuhengs mind.
Initially, he thought he could easily handle Xu Mu, but now Xu Mus actions had left him somewhat uncertain.
After all, in the Cultivation Realm, there were many who loved to appear weaker than they truly were.
No one knew if the other person was intentionally hiding their cultivation level.
Liu Wuheng suppressed his thoughts and decided to finalize this deal first.
These two types of pills were rare in the marketce. They were of such a high quality that even he had never seen them before. If he could buy these pills, the strength of his forces would at least double.
Compared to the increase in power, a thousand top-grade spirit stones were nothing.
Once he had power, would he stillck spirit stones?
With lightning-fast thoughts, Liu Wuheng discreetly epted the pills, poured out one from each bottle and ced it on his palm. He then examined them carefully with his Divine Intent and various methods.
It took him about an incense sticks time to finish his examination.
After all, this was a transaction worth over a thousand top-grade spirit stones. Even as someone at thete Golden Core Stage, he had to be careful. If he were to buy counterfeit goods, the losses would be significant.
Moreover, these pills were rted to upgrades. Even a small problem could cost a cultivator their life. By that time, his loss would be more than just spirit stones.
The pills are fine, but isnt the price of a thousand top-grade spirit stones a little too high? What do you think of eight hundred spirit stones?
Liu Wuheng held the pill bottle in his hand and began to bargain.
Over a thousand top-grade spirit stones was not a small amount to any Golden Core cultivator. Without his backing from the ck market, he might not even be able to afford it.
I have said before that I do not negotiate. If you think the price is too high, then I can only find another ce to sell!
Xu Mu subtly touched his storage bag at his waist, then reached out towards Liu Wuheng.
The moment Xu Mu touched his storage bag, Liu Wuhengs heart skipped a beat. He inexplicably felt a sense of danger, as if something terrifying inside was fixating on him.
Ha ha! Well, lets just stick to your price!
Liu Wuheng suddenlyughed.
He put the two pill bottles into his storage bag and simultaneously took out over a thousand top-grade spirit stones to give to Xu Mu.
Xu Mu epted the spirit stones without any hesitations, counted them twice in front of Liu Wuheng, and then put them into his storage bag.
After the trade waspleted, Xu Mu didnt leave immediately. He took out a list from his bag and gave it to Liu Wuheng, saying, I would also like to buy some alchemy materials. Do you have any here?
Liu Wuhengs eyes flickered. He didnt speak, but took the list and began reading it.
Yuan Yang Heart Grass, Dried Heart Meteor Vine, Rare Heaven Chrysanthemum, tier nine Purple Ganoderma, Fall Heart Dew Tian Yuan Fruit, Cold Spirit Ghost Flower, me Blood Heart Lingzhi, Seven Star Purple Orchid
These are the materials needed to concoct tier seven Yuan Yang Pills and tier seven Hundred Revolving Pills!
Although Liu Wuheng was not an alchemist, he had been dealing with buying and selling alchemy materials and pills for many years in the marketce. He recognized them at a nce.
Yuan Yang Pills can be used to enhance the cultivation of a golden core cultivator, while the Hundred Revolving Pill can assist cultivators in transcending minor realms. These two types of pills are highly sought after in the Golden Core Stage. Although their shop sells them, the quantity is limited.
How many would you like? Liu Wuheng asked.
As much as you have! Xu Mu replied nonchntly.
Xu Mus reply gave Liu Wuheng cause for concern.
This young man seems reckless and unreserved. Who gave him such confidence?
Is he being backed by a Nascent Soul Stage master?
And what exactly is in his storage bag that makes me feel threatened?
Unable to see through Xu Mu, Liu Wuheng dared not act rashly.
However, considering this business has simply walked through their door, theres no reason not to take it. Never mind what might happenter, at least they can pocket the spirit stones now.
I think I can gather about a hundred doses of the medicinal ingredients for you. I can even take off 10% of the original price, but I do have a small request, Liu Wuheng carefully proposed.
Please proceed, Xu Mu replied.
If you have more of these pills in the future, I hope you will consider selling them to me first. You can still set the price. Do we have a deal? Liu Wuheng asked politely.
Okay! Xu Mu agreed without a second thought.
Liu Wuheng was all the more mystified.
Could it be that Xu Mu crafted these pills himself?
But how could that be possible?
A beyond-top-grade Hao Yuan Pill and a Dust Reduction Pill are exceptional, not easily crafted even by experienced tier-eight or tier-nine alchemists. Only tier-ten alchemists have a higher confidence in sessfully crafting them.
With alchemy, aside from talent, experience is needed. At the initial stage of the golden core, its impossible to craft a beyond-top-grade Dust Reduction Pill and Hao Yuan Pill unless an enormously wealthy supersect is willing to spend a massive amount of resources. No everyday sect is foolish enough to invest such vast resources for two types of pills.
While beyond-top-grade Hao Yuan Pills and Dust Reduction Pills are beneficial, they arent so world-altering as to impact a sects destiny. In the end, talent is paramount.
To invest all their resources in Alchemy would lead to inevitable failure.
The Pill Cauldron Sect, known as the best alchemy sect in the Central Continent, are only barely considered top-tier.
If these pills were indeed crafted by Xu Mu, then his cultivation level would be-
No wonder he doesnt take me seriously, he freely gives out alchemical pills.
Haha! Then I thank you, fellow cultivator! Liu Wuhengughed and bowed slightly, appearing particrly amiable. He now regarded Xu Mu as a wolf in sheeps clothing.
I will have my people prepare the medicinal ingredients immediately. Please wait a moment!
Shortly after, Xu Mu left the shop with hundreds of doses of medicinal ingredients required for crafting Hundred Revolving Pills and Yuan Yang Pills, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
At the same time, a blurred figure quietly followed suit.
Big brother, why didnt you act just now? With the Six-Adrift Water Wave Formation, even if he were in thete Golden Core stage, he would have had toply!
A man with long, narrow eyes and a slightly effeminate air walked into the room, sounding puzzled.
Robbery and murder aremon in such cities, and especially in their ck market. They usually do not target ordinary people because the potential rewards do not outweigh the risks. However, the man who just left was different. In addition to carrying resources worth thousands of top-grade spirit stones, he may also possessrge quantities of beyond-top-grade Dust Reduction Pills and Hao Yuan Pills. He was worth breaking their own rules over.
That man is no simple matter. We should tread carefully! Liu Wuheng carefully fiddled with the pill bottle in his hand.
Is he extraordinary in any way? Hes just at the early stage of Golden Core, isnt he? No matter how many cards hes got up his sleeve, he is no match for us! The effeminate young man was rather frustrated.
An opportunity like this, with such a fatmb, might note again in decades.
Dont rush. Lets wait for the fourth brother to return. Looking out the window, Liu Wuheng continued, If he truly is a paper tiger, I will surely find him.
Chapter 268: 237: Mid Period of Golden Pill 1
Chapter 268: Chapter 237: Mid Period of Golden Pill 1
Five Elements Escape Skill! Quite interesting!
After sensing the disappearance of the person who was tailing him, Xu Mu, who had used the Virtualization Skill, came out of the box that was hiding his presence and got dressed.
He did not even know at first that he was being followed, his pursuers hiding technique was very skilled.
He had cautiously hidden himself to see if someone was tracking him, soon after he detected someone nearby, who investigated for quite some time before leaving.
It was during this persons investigation that he realized they were practicing the rare Five Elements Escape Skill, at a high level at that, otherwise, he wouldnt have noticed at all.
There are countless experts in the world, caution is probably best!
After all, caution is the key to survival!
Taking this into consideration, even if he was certain he could defeat the person, Xu Mu chose not to confront them.
After sealing the storage pouch that held the medicinal ingredients using a secret technique, Xu Mu turned into Escape Light and flew in the direction of Immortal Moon City.
Before long, he safely returned to Immortal Moon City.
He didnt linger inside the city for too long, and after waiting for two days, when the time was right, he blended into a mountain-climbing group and returned safely to the Fairy Moon Pce.
Upon returning to his residence, no one was any the wiser.
In the following days, Xu Mu umtes Luck Value and elevates both pill refining skills to the transcendent level.
Afterwards, he was continuously engaged in alchemy, refining and consuming pills to break through his training barriers.
With his previous training experience, his training progression was smooth.
Eight years passed in the blink of an eye, and with the assistance of numerous pills, Xu Mus cultivation level effortlessly advanced to tier four of the Golden Pill, a middle-stage Golden Pill level, surpassing his highest level in his prime. The pace of his advancement, if known by others, would likely drop jaws. However, the one with the most progression was the Body Refinement Realm. His Great Sun Refining Shape Skill had already ascended to the master level, on par with a regr tier five body refinement, giving him the power to kill even ate-stage Golden Pill cultivator should he unleash his Bloodline potential.
Why hasnt he continued his progression?
Not that he doesnt want to, but the resource consumption is too vast.
It is precisely with the assistance of the master level Great Sun Refining Shape Skill that he easily advanced to the middle-stage Golden Pill level.
However, by this time, his savings were practically spent.
Fairy Moon Pce.
Cast Iron peak!
This is where the inner sect elder of the Refining Pavilion resides.
Elder Xu! Give me some time! At most three years, I guarantee I can replicate Xu Mus work!
Ying Tianhong pleads desperately, like a discarded wife, but Xu Mu shows no mercy and tly rejects him.
Elder Ying, lets forget this! My savings have beenpletely exhausted by your trials, if this were to continue, I may only have to sell myself! Throughout these years, Xu Mu invested over 200 high-quality Spirit Stones, but sadly, Ying Tianhongs research shows scarce progress, making Xu Mu firmly choose to give up.
In reality, he has already found a new method for crafting magical artifacts through the system.
Ying Tianhong no longer had any use, and of course, he indeed ran out of Spirit Stones.
After some pushing and pulling, Ying Tianhong eventually gave up and decided to sell the pile of scrap materials produced from his research on new magical artifacts to Xu Mu at a bargain, as a token of their sessful cooperation.
Xu Mu:
After leaving Ying Tianhongs cave dwelling, Xu Mu returned to his own and opened a scroll detailing a method of synthesizing materials.
Just as modern society has synthetic materials, the Cultivation Realm does too.
This particr synthetic material requires eight different elements topose.
Among them, six can be assembled as long as one is willing to spend Spirit Stones, since they are merely tier seven materials.
There are two especially difficultponents to get: one called Emptyfinity Stone, a rare material with spatial properties, also a main ingredient for making storage bags and rings. Normally, a tiny piece is enough for such items, but he needs a lot.
The other thing is Fossil Worm Molting, a shell produced by a spiritual bug called the Fire Eater during its evolution process, which possesses some magical properties.
Ifbined together, along with the other fiveponents, they can be crafted into a material that can rece Kun Pengs backbone.
As for the material that can rece Kun Pengs feathers, he has found that too, but like the Kun Pengs backbone substitute, it alsocks two essentialponents; one is also the Emptyfinity Stone, and the other is the feathers of an Ice Phoenix.
The Ice Phoenix is a legendary Monster Beast, carrying with it a fraction of the True Spirit Phoenixs bloodline, it is very powerful and extremely rare at the same time.
However,pared to the Kun Peng, the Ice Phoenix at least exists on this continent. Though powerful, they are still within an eptable range of difficulty, it just requires some hard work to obtain.
If these two mixed materials can be crafted, their effectiveness will be no less than that of the real Kun Peng backbone and feathers.
The times are always advancing, those who created this Martial Method in the past might not necessarily have knowledge surpassing theirs. Simrly, the Lifebound artifact he crafts might not necessarily be inferior.
Not dwelling on it, what Xu Mu needed to ponder was how to earn more Spirit Stones.
Because with Spirit Stones, he could gather the necessary materials for crafting.
Might as well take another trip to the ck market, with my current strength,
I neednt worry about protecting myself! Xu Mu thought to himself.
In addition to the newfound confidence from his personal power advancement, Xu Mu had also specifically studied the ck markets Formation. With his own understanding of formations, although he cant break the ck markets Formation on the spot, escaping from it shouldnt be a problem.
You must know, his studies on formations were as relentless as those of alchemy, plus the Fairy Moon Pce was already well-known for its formations, he was definitely reaping rewards as an early bird, receiving all kinds of convenience.
Over the years, not only did he consolidate his own formation system, he also learned a new powerful Formation called the Major Five Elements Reversal Formation, as high as tier eight. This was the strongest Formation he could ess at his current status.
Onceid out, it can inverse Yin-Yang and disrupt the Five Elements, even several Golden Pill period cultivators would be trapped for hours if they fell into it.
Because of all the preparations he has made, he dares to overlook the crowd at the ck market.
Once he decided, Xu Mu was just about to leave Fairy Moon Pce using the same method when Ye Bufan hurriedly came to report some news.
Master, there is trouble in the Pill Hall!
Ye Bufans face was full of anxiety, as if the sky had fallen.
What happened? Speak slowly!
Xu Mu spoke calmly.
Vice President Qin says that among the pills we submitted, one hundred high- quality Foundation Building Pills are missing. He demands we submit them within three days or we will all be arrested and handed over to the Enforcement Hall!
Sweat beaded on Ye Bufans forehead due to his anxiety.
Xu Mus brow furrowed, figuring Yun Zhan and Qin Xiao were up to their old tricks without even thinking.
Eight years have passed, they have quite the patience.
Probably they noticed him buyingrge quantities of medicinal herbs and rushed because they thought he would soon refine tier seven pills.
After all, once Xu Mu advances to tier seven, it would be difficult for them to have him thrown out.
One hundred high-quality Foundation Building pills, how could you guys miss such arge number? Xu Mu asked calmly.
The disciple in charge of keeping count miscalcted! Ye Bufan confessed sullenly.
Where is that disciple now?
He went into closed-door training!
Their little trick is most amusing indeed.
Chapter 269: 238: Marching to Seek Justice_1
Chapter 269: Chapter 238: Marching to Seek Justice_1
Although the Foundation Establishment Pill is only a tier-four pill, due to its unique nature, not many people can refine it.
Among the fifty alchemists managed by Xu Mu, only three can refine the Foundation Establishment Pill. The best among them is at the level of Perfection, with a 30% probability of producing high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills.
The disciple who recorded it was obviously intentionally negligent, otherwise such an important pill wouldnt have had errors in its records.
His decision to retreat into closed doors cultivation right now is clearly an attempt to avoid questioning.
The sect has rules that no matter what crime a person hasmitted, their closed-door cultivation cannot be disturbed.
Moreover, even if this matter is investigated thoroughly and the culprit turns out, Xu Mu, as the manager, cannot escape his responsibility.
The Foundation Establishment Pill is reserved for use in advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Cultivators generally require a trigger to break through, unless they are top-tier geniuses who dont care about such things.
Therefore, in order not to miss the trigger, cultivators often purchase Foundation Establishment Pills in advance, hoping to take them as soon as the trigger appears.
If they cant deliver the pills on time now and the customer fails to break through, they would be heavily sanctioned when the timees.
For arge powerhouse like the Fairy Moon Pce, sometimes face is more important than life itself.
If things go south, Xu Mu might be made an example of.
Furthermore, Xu Mu isnt a formal inner-door elder, so the sect wouldnt care much.
While other pill masters might escape responsibility, disciples like them under Xu Mu wouldnt be able to, which is why Ye Bufan is so anxious and concerned.
However, seeing the expression on Xu Mus face, it didnt seem to change much.
Could it be that the master doesnt worry about it at all?
Or is it just a facade?
Ye Bufan couldnt help guessing in his heart.
Xu Mu, unaware of what his cheap student was thinking, just said nonchntly, You go to the Pill Hall and have them prepare the ingredients. Ill refine it myself.
Whats considered an earth-shattering matter for other alchemists, to him, is nothing more than a simple task.
Possibly in their wildest dreams, Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan never imagined that Xu Mu, being a rogue cultivator, not only could refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, but also that his alchemy had reached a transcendent level.
Of course, if they knew, they would not go to all the effort ofying this plot.
Not only did Yun Zhan and Qin Xiao never expect this, but Ye Bufan was also taken by surprise.
When he heard Xu Mu say that he was going to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill himself, he thought he had misheard.
Although there are no sect prohibitions against anyone refining Foundation Establishment Pills in the Central Continent, due to the peculiarity of the Foundation Establishment Pill, rogue cultivator alchemists likely struggle to master this type of pill.
Because many powerhouse sects monopolize the herbs, pills, magical artifacts, formations and so on in their own regions, they are able to earn high returns.
Otherwise, how could the Fairy Moon Pce afford to support thousands of alchemists?
Master, you know how to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill? Ye Bufan asked incredulously.
Just go and prepare, no need for so much nonsense!
Yes! But
But there are only three days left, even if you know how to refine it, its toote. At best, even with excellent refining techniques, you could only make one batch.
Ye Bufan was too frightened by Xu Mus look to voice his doubts.
In order to save trouble, Xu Mu has always been decisive in his actions.
He doesnt have the patience to have a heart-to-heart with his subordinates talking about equality and respect. In his eyes, there is only obedience or scram.
Ye Bufan left in a hurry to alert the Pill Hall to prepare in advance.
Xu Mu tidied up his residence a bit before rushing over.
The process of refining the pill doesnt need to be mentioned. As soon as Xu Musrge pill furnace started, he refined over a hundred high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills at once, even unexpectedly producing a few top-tier Foundation Establishment Pills.
If he wasnt worried about drawing too much attention, he could have made all of them top-tier.
Im a bit rusty, otherwise there wouldnt be any top-tier ones! Xu Mu said to himself.
If other alchemists had heard him, they would have been so angry theyd spit blood.
Others would give anything to produce a top-tier Foundation Establishment Pill, as its value far exceeded that of a high-quality one, but Xu Mu seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
It really was true Cparing oneself to others could make one feel frustrated.
Master! Master! The hall master ising with others!
As soon as Xu Mu emerged from the alchemy room, Ye Bufan and Xiao Feng, nervous as ants on a hot pot, rushed over and spoke hastily.
Oh?
Xu Mu was somewhat surprised. They actually had the audacity to show up at his door.
Well, lets go then!
Master, the pills
Are you still doubting your master? Xu Mu said indifferently.
No way! Absolutely not!
Seeing Xu Mus confident demeanor, the two of them finally felt reassured. They had just managed to have such a great master and did not want any mishaps.
The two of them followed a step behind Xu Mu and left the area where the alchemy room is located.
The ce, which was originally used for meetings by Xu Mus alchemists, was now crowded. There were seven additional administrators, arge number of ordinary Pill Masters, over a dozen inner-door elders all present, not to mention the three main and deputy masters of the Pill Hall.
As Xu Mu and his two disciples appeared, all eyes converged on them. Different faces showed different expressions.
Some feeling regretful, some were worried, some curious, some taking delight in others misfortune.
Du Yu, who was in the lead, looked coldly at them with an icy stare, appearing as though he was ready to reprimand them.
Elder Xu, what the hell have you done? I had to fight hard just to get you this opportunity, but you ended up making such a huge error!
Do you realize that these pills were destined for our sects disciples? If the pill supply fails to meet the demand, causing a disciples breakthrough to fail, the entire Pill Hall would be implicated!
Hearing Du Yus words, Xu Mu finally realized why the good fortune of refining the Foundation Establishment Pill would fall into hisp.
However, he was more inclined to believe that this was something Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan intentionally left him to deal with, otherwise how could there be a traitor amongst his team just by coincidence.
Those two had probably been plotting for a long time, and now they were poised to reveal their sharp des.
The mocking and disdain in Qin Xiao and Yun Zhans eyes were almost undisguised.
Both were as if they had been certain that Xu Mu could not avoid his fate.
If it was the Foundation Establishment Pill for outsiders, it would still be fine, at most he would be punished andpensate some spirit stones.
But now, its for the sects own disciples. If anything goes wrong, not only will he lose face, but he will also be severely punished.
Not even being able to serve as an inner-door elder any longer, let alone a sector supervisor.
If Xu Mu had been a disciple of the Fairy Moon Pce from the start, there might still be some hope. But for a rogue cultivator like Xu Mu who joined mid-way, he could forget about it.
Hall master, please calm down! Xu Mu continued with a smile, I just had an epiphany while refining the pill and lost track of time, causing my dy in submitting the pills!
Hmm?
Du Yu was taken aback, You mean you forgot the submission time? So youve already finished refining?
Of course!
Xu Mu took out the freshly made Foundation Establishment Pills and handed them to Du Yu.
Du Yu checked them one by one, and when he saw one of the bottles, he couldnt help but exim in surprise.
Top-tier Foundation Establishment Pills?!!!
Chapter 270: 239: Tier Seven Pill Master 1
Chapter 270: Chapter 239: Tier Seven Pill Master 1
A beyond-top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill? How is that possible?!
The surrounding elders of the Pill Hall, hearing Du Yus astonished voice, took on incredulous expressions one after another.
They were quite clear about the skill level of the alchemists under Xu Mu. It was simply impossible for them to forge a beyond-top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
Yun Zhan and Qin Xiao quickly stepped forward to check. After their examination, their faces turned gloomy.
It was indeed a beyond-top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, and it appeared to have been forged recently. There was no possible way that it was prepared beforehand.
Upon confirming this, Du Yus icy expression immediately thawed, as if basking in a warm breeze.
Right! It seems Ive misunderstood you! Du Yu apologized, but still yfully admonished him. He asked Xu Mu to be more considerate in the future and notify him in advance if there was any need, so as to avoid such misunderstandings.
Xu Mu naturally admitted his mistake gracefully as he needed to maintain a good standing here. He couldnt afford to offend Du Yu, especially since hed already run afoul of Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan. If he also offended Du Yu, he wouldnt be able to stay here any longer.
Since youve been able to forge a beyond-top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, Ill assign any simr tasks to you in the future! Du Yu grinned and turned to Yun Zhan and Qin Xiao: Dont you agree?
Qin Xiao and Yun Zhan nched, left without an option.
This was indeed an instance of lifting a rock only to drop it on ones own foot.
Not only did they allow Xu Mu to show off, but he also grabbed an even greater share of the pie.
Everyone knows out of all the foundation establishment-stage pills, the Foundation Establishment Pill yields the highest profit.
Elder Xu is indeed impressive. As a Loose Cultivator, you managed to forge a beyond-top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. I cant help but admire you, Qin Xiao remarked with a veiled insinuation.
Commotion stirred among the crowd as all eyes flickered with suspicion.
Xu Mus situation now seemed a bit problematic.
Elder Qin, not everyone learns at the same pace. Some people may study forever without mastering it, while others can grasp it in just a few days. Perhaps Im one of those natural talents! Hahaha! Xu Muughed triumphantly.
The crowd was rendered speechless.
However, the situation didnt seem unlikely.
Some Loose Cultivators dock resources, hindering them from revealing their true potential.
But once theyve obtained those resources, they rise rapidly.
That Xu Mu, a loose cultivator, became a tier six Pill Master, and miraculously advanced to the Golden Core Stage doesnt contradict calling him a genius.
Confronted with Xu Mus argument, Qin Xiao was left speechless as there was no way to disprove this.
They couldnt possibly ask him to learn a new pill recipe on the spot, could they?
At this point, Xu Mu spoke up again.
I originally nned to report this to the hall masterter, but since youre already here, it saves me a trip! This is a new tier seven pill Ive made, please check it!
Xu Mu took out the leftover Blood Sun Pill and handed it to Du Yu.
What?
Du Yu expressed his astonishment.
The unspoken implication of Xu Mu giving him the pill was clear.
He could already forge a tier seven pill, which made him a legitimate tier seven Alchemist, and he should also be epted as a formal inner sect elder.
Of course, there were no surprises. After a thorough inspection, Xu Mu officially became an elder of the inner sect. Amid Du Yu and Qin Xiaos livid countenances, he epted the congrattions from everyone.
From then on, unless Xu Mu voluntarily left the sect, chances were slim for the two to have him ousted.
A tier seven Alchemist was considered a precious asset in any sect. Unless he made a serious mistake, the sect would never throw him out.
After all, who would want to turn away from Spirit Stones?
The earning speed of a tier seven alchemist was quite frightening. Even though Xu Mu was a somewhat watered-down tier seven, capable of refining only Blood Sun Pills, he was still iparable to an ordinary Golden Core.
Xu Mu received the benefits he deserved, and his two disciples were visibly excited, their backbones seemingly straightened.
Upon hearing the news, his subordinates came one after another to give gifts and congrattions.
So, more than a month passed in merriness. Xu Mu announced once more he was going into seclusion, but in reality, he sneaked down the mountain.
Besides selling pills and buying medicinal ingredients for cultivation this time, I also need to prepare some resources for Ying Ying and the others!
Many years had passed, and the resources left for Ye Ying Ying and the others were almost used up.
Ever since leaving Southern Domain, in order to avoid any idents, Xu Mu only allowed them to hide and show their faces as little as possible, thus they had been living off their dwindling resources.
Recently, Chi Feiyan has been moring to go out, maybe its time to let go! Xu Mu pondered.
Their circumstances were indeed special, they had escaped from the Cloud Peak Mountain Range. If the people in the central domain discovered this, they would inevitably try to snatch them for questioning about the Tongyou Sects affairs.
The Southern Domain is currently quite heated, the Tongyou Sect not only held off the entire Cultivation Alliance of the Southern Domain but was also continuously expanding. Many forces in Central Domain had already gotten involved.
In order to defeat the Tongyou Sect, many sects were searching around for information about them.
As the earliest escapees from the Cloud Peak Mountain Range, the consequences of their identities being exposed could be easily imagined.
However, continuous hiding was not a solution either. Their numbers were toorge, the resources consumed too great, even he couldnt afford to support them.
So Xu Mu thought they could try to start rebuilding their power gradually.
However, the specifics of how to do this would require careful deliberation.
Xu Mu hoped that either his avatar or someone among Ye Yinglings group could reach the Golden Core Stage. That way, they would have the power to cope with any issues.
While pondering, Xu Mu donned his gold mask that concealed his aura and flew towards the direction of the ck market.
Arriving at the ck market once again, Xu Mu boldly sought out Liu Wuheng.
Seeing Xu Mu seeking him out again to sell pills, Liu Wuheng felt mixed emotions.
He had originally thought of investigating Xu Mus identity. However, the person he sent for the stakeout lost him halfway. The methods he had left also mysteriously failed, leaving him feeling a bit embarrassed.
He had thought that Xu Mu, knowing what he was up to, would nevere again. He never expected that Xu Mu would still dare toe.
This guy was genuinely fearless!
He didnt believe Xu Mu could be that stupid!
However, since Xu Mu didnt expose him, Liu Wuheng also pretended not to know. The two people happilypleted their transaction.
After Xu Mu left, his subordinate asked whether they should follow this time. Liu Wuheng shook his head.
Since the other party has such strength, lets not seek trouble for ourselves. After all, this is beneficial for us!
Xu Mus deal exceeded the ck markets profits for the past ten years. They could even take advantage of the rarity of the beyond-top-grade Hao Yuan Pill and Dust Reduction Pill to gain other benefits.
If they couldnt swallow the opponent, then they should trade fairly and maintain it as much as possible to maximize the benefits.
After leaving the ck market, Xu Mu remained cautious and hid for a while. Seeing no oneing after a long time, he finally revealed himself and left.
It seems this person is very cautious. Its no wonder the ck market has managed to survive unnoticed for so long!
Having returned to Immortal Moon City, Xu Mu did not return to Fairy Moon Pce immediately, but stayed in the town. It was not until a monthter when his avatar arrived and picked up some resources that Xu Mu returned to Fairy Moon Pce.
In a blink of an eye, another ten years passed. Xu Mus cultivation level rose to the sixthyer of the Golden Core, the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill reached the Transcendent realm,parable to the seventhyer of the Golden Core.
It was also on this day that after spending a lot of Spirit Stones, Xu Mu finally purchased the materials needed for crafting his lifebound magical weapon.
No matter the world, theres nothing money cant do!
Xu Mu opened a wooden box, inside neatly arranged were dozens of white feathers emitting a faint chill.
Chapter 271: 240 Lifebound Artifact_1
Chapter 271: Chapter 240 Lifebound Artifact_1
The process of refining the magical artifact did not encounter any idents, after all, Xu Mu had invested arge amount of Luck Value into it, elevating it to the transcendent level.
If there were still any mishaps, it would truly be strange.
Eventually, Xu Mu obtained twelve bone beads white as relics.
Because he used different materials, Xu Mu simply changed its name, naming it
the Void Beads.
When he refined the twelve Void Beads and incorporated them into his body, he immediately felt the power of his Lifebound artifact.
It directly amplified his Spiritual Power by twelve times the original amount, even the recovery rate greatly improved.
The Void Beads may not be capable of attacking or defending like the Lifebound artifacts of others, but its function far exceeds those used for attack or defense.
Originally, Xu Mus Spiritual Power was already ten times that of an ordinary cultivator. Now with the aid of the Void Beads, he has far exceeded the Golden Core Stage.
My cultivation may not be the first below Nascent Soul, but the quantity of
Spiritual Power is absolutely first beneath Nascent Soul!
With the power of the Void Beads, his Spiritual Power was almost limitless.
These can elevate the Space Grasp Skill to the transcendent level, with the
Space Grasp Skill and the Devour Sky Divine Skills, I have almost nothing to
fear without the Nascent Soul!
The increase in strength gave Xu Mu a sudden feeling of looking down on all things. After all, it is rare to reach the Nascent Soul Stage. As long as he is not extremely unlucky, he would not encounter it.
Apart from the Void Beads, the wings of Kun Peng were also sessfully refined, but now its called the Heavenly Phoenix Wings!
After all, its main material was the feather of an Ice Phoenix!
The Heavenly Phoenix Wings had three attributes: space, ice, and fire. Apart from basic speed boost, it could also be used to attack, but the attack power was rather limitedpared to speed.
After the two artifacts were ready, Xu Mu reported to the sect and decided to
take a long journey home.
His family has not seen each other for more than twenty years, even though his clone had always been there.
And theres the Cang Ming Ocean Territory
Sigh!
Xu Mu sighed internally.
The only good news was probably that the spatial rift has still not been discovered.
Having Xu Mu risk going through the Tongyou Sects area and infiltrate it, he simply does not have the courage.
ording to the news he received not long ago, the number of Nascent Soul experts in the Tongyou Sect has already exceeded two digits. The Old Ancestor of Tongyou is even suspected to have reached the Divinity Transformation Stage, otherwise, he or she wouldnt have been in a standoff with the major sects.
Although he is not afraid of any Golden Core, encountering Nascent Soul would still result in defeat.
The gap between the Nascent Soul Stage and Golden Core Stage is truly enormous!
The Southern Domain is now a gathering ce for various forces, so its best to stay as far away as possible.
Xu Mu turned into a white Escape Light, flying towards the bottom of the mountain. Unlike before when he would sneak down, this time, he descends the mountain openly.
After leaving the Fairy Moon Pce, Xu Mu directly flew towards the ck market, nning toplete the trade and then head to where Ye Yingying and others have settled.
Friend Daoist!
Liu Wuheng, who had interacted multiple times, was bing more easy-going now.
With the help of Xu Mus pills, the strength of his subordinates increased dramatically over the past decade, making the ck market even more thriving and profitable.
After the twopleted the trade, Liu Wuheng spoke again, Friend Daoist, I wonder how youve considered my proposalst time?
Im not in a hurry to break through to Nascent Soul yet, Ill think about it in a few years! Xu Mu shook his head and declined.
Thats such a shame! Liu Wuhengmented.
He had wanted to invite Xu Mu to explore the Heavenly Pce Secret Realm with him and seek out spiritual medicines that could aid breakthrough into the Nascent Soul Stage.
The Heavenly Pce Secret Realm is alleged to have been a temporary dwelling of a Celestial Emperor in ancient times, when the mortal world and the immortal world were not yet separate. After subsequent changes in thews of heaven and earth that led to the separation of the mortal and immortal worlds, this residence of the Celestial Emperor was left behind.
Of course, the authenticity of this legend is unknown to all.
After all, this event traces back to an antiquity beyondprehension. However, certain arrangements within the Heavenly Pce Secret Realm indeed defy the imagination and couldnt be the work of an ordinary cultivator.
Even cultivators at the Divinity Transformation Stage who have witnessed it are left in awe, suspecting that it mightve been left behind by the immortals.
This secret realm is always situated somewhere in the Central Domain. Every year, arge number of cultivators enter, but only a few manage to obtain treasures. Many, contrarily, end up dead.
Yet, humans tend to forget their past failures upon seeing treasures,pletely overlooking the potential danger.
Although Liu Wuheng leads many Golden Core cultivators, few are genuinely powerful. Xu Mu, with his mysterious origins and extraordinary skills, is an exception. If Xu Mu were to apany him, the chances of obtaining treasures would undoubtedly be greatly increased.
The reason for Liu Wuhengs invitation was his age. If he did not hasten the collection of resources for his advancement, it might be toote.
Unfortunately, Xu Mu didnt seem too interested in the Heavenly Pce Secret Realm.
Partly because he hadnt yet reached thetter stages of cultivation and was still a distance away from attempting a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage and partly because he had his own preparations and didnt need to risk entering a dangerous secret realm.
Just as Xu Mu was preparing to bid farewell to Liu Wuheng and leave, arge boom sounded from outside.
Whats going on?
Both of them were startled and rushed directly out of the shop.
They saw the originally calm Great Array shaking violently, as if it had suffered a powerful attack and seemed on the verge of breaking at any moment.
How is this possible? This is a tier eight Formation, with ten Golden Core cultivators maintaining it simultaneously. How could this happen?
Liu Wuhengs expression underwent a huge change, as if he had seen something unbelievable.
As the actual mastermind behind the ck market, he was acutely aware of the power of this defense array. Even severalte-stage Golden Core cultivators attacking simultaneously wouldnt cause this situation.
Big brother! Its bad! Theres a a Nascent Soul cultivator attacking our Great Array!
A middle-aged Golden Core stage cultivator rushed over, his face filled with panic.
A Nascent Soul stage cultivator? Who did we upset to bring such cmity upon us? Liu Wuheng desperately inquired.
Its the Old Ancestor of the Nascent Soul stage from the Tianyang Pce. They have been spying on us for a long time. If not for the arrangements made by Big Brother, they wouldve broken in a long time ago! the middle-aged cultivator exined.
Tianyang Pce! Indeed, it is them, damn it! Liu Wuheng could not help but curse out loud.
Considering its called ck market, it obviously operates outside the established norms. If any power were to seize an opportunity, theyd definitely try to eliminate it, as it is akin to a cancer absorbing their influence.
However, Liu Wuheng was savvy. He had connections with forces all around and used to pay some of the profits to allow them to turn a blind eye.
Otherwise, no matter how concealed they were, they could not avoid being hunted down by a Nascent Soul sect.
The situation was simr with the Tianyang Pce and Fairy Moon Pce initially. Unfortunately, a magic treasure of a Tianyang Pce cultivator appeared here once. Tianyang Pce, failing to find the owner here, vented their anger on them.
To pacify the Tianyang Pce, he had a price to pay. But the result was not only a failure topletely calm them down but aroused their greater greed. Awhile ago, they demanded he relinquish control and let the Tianyang Pce take full ownership.
Liu Wuheng naturally disagreed, leading to a deadlock. Apparently, the other party was now prepared to move directly.
in Liu Wuhengs opinion, the Tianyang Pces search for the criminal was a ruse to take over the ck market.
Fortunately, he was prepared in advance!
Take everything with you immediately, activate the Transmission Array, and let us go! Tianyang Pce wants to take advantage? Hmph! Dream on! Liu Wuheng gritted his teeth andmanded.
Daoist Liu, may I leave with you? Xu Mu suddenly asked.
Chapter 272: 241: Random Transmission Array 1
Chapter 272: Chapter 241: Random Transmission Array 1
Hm?
Liu Wuheng was somewhat puzzled by Xu Mus decision to escape together with them.
While the Nascent Soul elder of Tianyang Pce was domineering, it was impossible for him to make a killing spree here. There was no need for Xu Mu to take such risks with them.
Friend Liu, do not ask too much! I cant conveniently exin the reason! Xu Mu responded calmly.
Alright then! Liu Wuheng nodded without asking further and continued, However, this is a random transmission array, Im not sure where exactly it will send us to!
The reason they constructed the ck market here was because of an ancient transmission array. Regardless of what danger they might encounter, they could calmly escape.
No problem!
The potential dangers of the transmission array were clearly less riskypared to being caught by the Nascent Soul elder of Tianyang Pce.
Xu Mu didnt dare to bet that his grudges with the Tianyang Pce were over.
Follow me!
Liu Wuheng transformed into an escape light and flew towards the centre of the ck market. His brothers in the ck market also followed suit.
Rumble!
The formation was still shaking violently. It was estimated that in a few tens of breaths, it would bepletely broken.
Liu Wuheng squeezed his finger Jue, and a huge ancient transmission array emerged from the surface of theke, densely embedded with spirit stones.
The formation was activated, a beam of light rose into the sky, and Liu Wuheng and others entered one by one, vanishing in an instant.
The technology to create transmission arrays had long been lost. The transmission arrays that remained on the continent were all created in ancient times.
The most precious were the directional transmission arrays which could greatly shorten the distance between two ces.
Random transmission arrays, on the other hand, were basically used for escaping. Although their value was discounted, they were still expensive.
As the defensive array was about to break, Xu Mu didnt dare to hesitate and directly stepped in.
Originally, he had thought he would be teleported away like the others, but the Patch of Sky in his storage bag, whose purpose he didnt know, suddenly reacted. A massive spatial fluctuation appeared around him.
After a bout of dizziness, Xu Mu found himself in a strange ce.
Due to extreme vertigo, Xu Mu temporarily lost control of his spiritual power and fell from the sky.
A loud bang rang out, arge hole was smashed in the roof, and Xu Mu crashed heavily onto the ground. The few people discussing matters in the house were startled.
Xu Mu sat up, shook his head, but still felt a little dizzy.
This transmission array was really too unstable!
Also, what was the deal with that token? It didnt teleport him to some weird ce, did it?
Before Xu Mu could figure out the situation, an icy question came.
Who are you? Are you from the Palm Immortal Office of the Da Yuan Dynasty?
The dozen or so cultivators present drew their magic artifacts simultaneously. Two of them released restraint type treasures, firmly trapping Xu Mu.
Due to the lingering effects of the teleportation, Xu Mu had no strength to resist.
He shook his head vigorously, took a few deep breaths, and finally managed to concentrate enough to examine his surroundings.
He was in a rather shabby-looking room. A dozen cultivators, dressed in robes and with cultivation bases across Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Stage, were staring at him.
Some were wary, some were confused, some were curious, and some red at him with hatred. Their reactions varied.
The onlymonality was that they all carried a faint scent of blood, clearly not well-intentioned individuals.
Im sorry, I
Xu Mu tried to get up to speak, but found he was too tightly restrained to stand up.
Fellow cultivators, could you untie me first? Xu Mu smiled.
Everyone simply stared at him coldly, no one responded.
I identally ended up here because of a malfunction in the transmission array. I mean no harm! Xu Mu said with a bitter smile.
Judging by the demeanor of the crowd, it seemed as though they were conspiring something. His sudden appearance here in such a state was indeed unfortunate.
A teleportation ident? Hmm! You really are quite the fabricator!
One of them snidelymented.
If you want me to believe you, just open your sea of consciousness for me to see! Someone else sneered.
You really want to do this? I told you it was an ident! Xu Mu sighed, If you insist on this, then I have no choice but to resist!
Resist? Hahaha!
The crowd burst intoughter. Xu Mu was at the Golden Core stage just like them, but how could he break free now when he was bound by two magic treasures?
To them, Xu Mu was amb ready for the ughter.
Boss! Whether this guy is from the Palm Immortal Office or not, since he suddenly broke in and fell into our hands, we cant let him off! If we refine him into the Blood Pill, we can increase our Golden Core stage strength!
Someone muttered, secretly transmitting this to the leader.
The leaders eyes flickered and turned colder.
Enough talking! Dig out his Golden Pill first! The leading cultivator said coldly.
You really want to do this? Xu Mus smile faded, and he asked coldly.
Although these people did not seem to be good guys, this incident truly was idental. He did not want conflict.
Of course, no one paid him any mind. The two who controlled the magical treasures squeezed their finger Jue to maximize the power of their magic treasures, binding Xu Mu firmly.
Someone released a flying sword, preparing tounch an attack on Xu Mu.
Seeing this scene, Xu Mu knew that things would not end well today and could only sigh helplessly.
Why are you forcing me to do this?!
Roar!
A melodious roar emanated from Xu Mus body. The next moment, his body began to swell and his features twisted, transforming into a half-human, half-whale creature.
Xu Mu activated the bloodline of the Earth-splitting Whale within him!
As the bloodline was stimted, an oppressive aura radiated from Xu Mu.
Buzz!
The magic treasures binding Xu Mu, therge and rope artifact, started to flicker violently, as if they were about to break at any moment.
Quickly!
No one had expected him to possess such divine technique. The leader urgently issued an order.
Ahh!
Before anyone could attack, Xu Mu roared, and a fierce white me erupted from his body. It was the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill being activated.
Bang!
The restraints on Xu Mu, the magic treasure and rope, shattered under Xu Mus horrifying strength. The two cultivators controlling the magical treasures were affected and directly coughed up blood.
At the same time, the crowds attack alsonded on him!
Squish! Squish!
Xu Mus body was pierced in an instant, making him resemble a hedgehog. However, with the power of dual techniques, these magic artifacts barely breached his defenses.
Bang!
The Sky-splitting Halberd materialized in Xu Mus hand. Under the power of two abilities, he shed fiercely.
The two closest cultivators were instantly blown away under this force.
The Great Sun Refining Skillbined with the Earth-splitting Whales bloodline led to a formidable force that surpassed Xu Mus expectations.
Dont be scared! He must have used a desperate secret technique and cant hold on much longer! Lets take revenge for Friend Luo! Kill him!
Chapter 273: 242 Seizing the Secret Realm_1
Chapter 273: Chapter 242 Seizing the Secret Realm_1
Cant hold on much longer, huh? Hah!
Xu Mu sneered inside.
With him cultivating Kun Peng Tun Tian Jue and possessing the Space Grasp Pearl, protracted battles were the least of his worries.
Furthermore, the Great Sun Refining Shape Skill and Bloodline Power he was deploying consumed extremely little Spiritual Power, trying to exhaust him was a pure delusion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sky-splitting halberd in Xu Mus hands was swung around, tearing through the air and emitting a terrifying hum.
No one could withstand his attacks, truly demonstrating the power of overwhelming strength.
Ahh!
Blood was spraying everywhere, and screams were echoing in the air. As Xu Mu ughtered the leader, the remaining cultivators werepletely broken, scattering in all directions.
Trying to run away now? Thatsughable!
Since theyve already started fighting, the roots of the problem must be eliminated to prevent future trouble.
Space Grasp Skill!
Xu Mu squeezed the Finger Jue, chanted a spell, and activated the Spiritual Power in his body. Eight cyan-purple arms covered with mysterious runes stretched out from his back and were noticeably thicker than a normal persons legs.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The eight arms clenched their fists, swelled, and shot out like cannons at the fleeing crowd.
Each arm resulting from the Transcendent-level Space Grasp Skill had the attacking power of ate-stage Golden Pill cultivator giving it their all.
With every heavy collision, some were blown to smithereens, while others were severely wounded. Not a single person escaped.
After handling everyone, Xu Mu returned to his original form and caught one of them using his skill arm.
If you dont want to suffer, open up your mind!
After checking several peoples souls, Xu Mu finally figured out where he had ended up.
Ive ended up in the Eastern Region! This transmission array sure sent me far!
As far as he knew, the Fairy Moon Pce was millions of miles away from his current location. Even in non-stop flight, it would take half a year to get there. However, it worked out well for Xu Mu because the hiding ce of Ye Yingying and the others was near the Eastern Region. Starting from here would be much closer than starting from the Fairy Moon Pce.
Xu Mu pped the people to death and stripped them of all their belongings. After refining all their storage bags, Xu Mu opened all of them to take a look, only to discover quite a few items.
As expected of thieving cultivators who do business, they are indeed wealthy!
From what Xu Mu could gather from the soul search, all these people were notorious thieving cultivators of the Eastern Region,mitting every sort of crime, and this was their secret base. Regardless of the reason, Xu Mu would never be allowed to leave.
Of course, this also meant that Xu Mu had no qualms about dealing with them. Except for the Spirit Stones, Xu Mu didnt touch anything in their storage bags. ording to the soul search, these people were audacious enough to rob Da Yuan Dynasty not long ago and were currently being hunted down by the Palm Immortal Office of the Da Yuan Dynasty.
If it werent for their secret base being a rare small secret area, they probably would have been captured by the people from the Palm Immortal Office.
There were many of Da Yuan Dynastys possessions in these storage bags, and he dare not bring them out.
The Da Yuan Dynasty was not an ordinary mortal kingdom, but an entity on par with several major holynds in the central region. Rumour has it that they were invincible during the Divinity Transformation Stage, and they were the only Dynasty of cultivators throughout the entire Tianyuan Continent.
The Da Yuan Dynastys Palm Immortal Office was the same as ancient dynasties Six Doors in his previous life, targeting powerful cultivators in particr. They were widely known for their reputation.
The Fairy Moon Pce was powerful, but it was at least ten times weaker than the Da Yuan Dynasty.
Xu Mu did not want to conflict with the Da Yuan Dynasty over some trifle.
That said, these guys are pretty lucky to have found such a hidden secret ce!
Xu Mu took flight and used his Divine Intent to envelop the entire secret area. This secret area was not big, around ten kilometres in circumference, the surface was covered by low-level Spiritual Medicine and Spirit nts. There was a medium-sized Spirit Vein in the center with a Spiritual Spring nearby. Other than that, there was nothing else.
The house where Xu Mu currently was, was located near the Spiritual Spring.
This secret area had not been discovered for long, and these people had no intention to maintain it, making it look semi-wild.
The concentration of Spiritual Energy is not that high, and its not a super-sized secret area, but its pretty good. If it is used as a base for a family, it would be perfect!
If it truly was a super-secret area, they might not be able to keep it. If it was exposed, it might bring huge trouble.
Xu Mu was initially worrying about where to start, but this ce was undoubtedly the most suitable.
The Eastern Region was far enough from the Southern Domain. Even if the battle was fierce, it would not affect them.
But before that, I have to check the surrounding situation!
Xu Mu looked at the bodies of the thieving cultivators on the ground. Instead of destroying them right away, he set out a storage bag and temporarily collected them.
These bodies may be very useful in the future!
After dealing with these bodies, Xu Mu flew around the secret area. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, he headed towards the entrance.
As he was flying, he took out the token marked with the phrase Butian.
He originally thought this token was a symbol of the Butian Pavilion. Now it seems its not that simple.
Once Ying Ying and the others are settled, Ill find a way to investigate this secret area thoroughly. Since the token brought me here, it cant just be a simple random teleportation!
ording to Liu Wuheng, the random teleportation array would send people at most thousands of miles away, it couldnt suddenly increase a hundredfold.
The situation now must have been caused by this token.
Through the entrance of the secret area, Xu Mu easily went outside. After breaking the protective formation at the entrance, Xu Mu saw his surroundings: a deste jungle with a thin Spiritual Energy.
The thin density of spiritual energy here implies that there are mortals living nearby. I wonder whether no one has discovered this secret area! I also wonder how those thieving cultivators happened to find it!
This secret ce was discovered by the head of the thieving cultivators. However, that person was immediately killed by Xu Mus Space Splitting Halberd and his soul waspletely destroyed, so it would be impossible for Xu Mu to check his soul.
Xu Mu set up a concealment formation at the entrance, ensuring that no one would discover it before he hid his presence. Only then did he use the Light Body Skill to rush to the distance.
The reason for using the Light Body Skill was to avoid attracting attention in case anyone was around.
If people found out that a high-level cultivator was haunting these parts, some might start snooping around. If they came to investigate, it could possibly expose the secret area.
After traveling several hundred miles, he began to see signs of civilization. Xu Munded and dressed inmon attire. He began to walk forward slowly, looking like an old man gathering medicine in the deep mountains.
Soon, a very faint voice came from the distant bushes.
Theres prey! Get ready!
Chapter 274: 243 Hunter_1
Chapter 274: Chapter 243 Hunter_1
There are people!
Xu Mus ears pricked up, and he heard voices coining from a short distance away.
Though the voices were very soft, his hearing was so keen that he could hear them clearly.
With Celestial Intent, he found that the speakers were two mountain folk disguised as hunters.
The two were one old and one young. The older one appeared to be in his thirties, with dark skin and a steady demeanor. The younger one looked about fifteen or sixteen, with bright eyes that sparkled with wit.
Not far from them was a colossal wild boar with brown fur, rooting for food in the decaying leaves, its massive bulk weighing at least four to five hundred pounds.
Hmm? This boar seems off. It appears these two are about to be in trouble.
Through his Celestial Intent, he discovered that this enormous brown wild boar had a slight flow of Spiritual Power inside, indicating that it was not a regr beast, but a Monster Beast.
Despite it being low-ranked, it was not something two ordinary people could handle.
Xu Mus eyes flickered, and he walked in the direction of the two persons.
Uncle, why hasnt ite yet?
Chen Qingshan, hidden in the shrubbery, said anxiously.
They had been hunting for three days, and if they did not catch any game, their supplies would run out, forcing them to return.
He had begged his uncle, Chen Ying, to take him hunting and did not want their first trip to result in empty hands.
How many times have I told you to be patient! Before the game enters the trap, you cant make the slightest move!
Chen Ying was repeating his advice to Chen Qingshan while he watched the every move of the wild boar closely.
Looking at the brown wild boar, Chen Qingshans thick eyebrows knitted into a frown. His years of experience hunting prodded a sense of unease within him.
He had certainly killed wild boars of this size before, but this one gave him a different feeling.
However, Chen Qingshans anxiety seemed to have affected him too.
Taking his nephew hunting for the first time, if they were to return empty- handed, he indeed would lose face. Besides, his family urgently needed money, and hunting this wild boar would save them a great deal.
All these considerations led him to ignore his anxiety and continue with the hunt.
Perhaps Im overthinking. Ive hunted in this forest for years and have never encountered any problems. This time should be no different!
Chen Ying thought it was Chen Qingshans presence that made him worry more.
So, both of them waited quietly.
The brown wild boar, drawn by the food they had scattered, was steadily approaching the trap.
It was a pit that they had dug with significant effort, filled with sharp wooden spikes. Once the wild boar fell in, its thick skin would not save it from death.
For safety, the duo had alsoid manysso traps around the pit. In their hands were stout bows, with specially made poison arrows nocked ready. As soon as the wild boar was struck with a poison arrow, it would soon be anesthetized and lose its resistance.
Under the duos watch, the unsuspecting wild boar drew near the trap, slipped, and plunged forward.
Strike!
With Chen Yings low growl, two sharp arrows flew towards the wild boars buttocks.
Although the arrows did not prate the wild boars skin, the slight pain was enough to stimte it, causing it to instinctively lunge forward.
The next moment, with a ssh, the wild boar fell into the pit entirely.
We did it!
Chen Qingshan was delightfully surprised, getting up to rush over to the pit.
In his mind, given the depth of the pit, the wild boar had no chance of escape even if it fell in, especially as it would be impaled by the numerous spikes.
Dont go there!
At this moment, Chen Ying suddenly called out to stop Chen Qingshan.
Chen Qingshan instinctively stopped in his tracks.
Uncle, whats wrong? Chen Qingshan turned around and asked doubtfully.
Just now
As Chen Ying was speaking, his eyes suddenly widened as if he had seen something unbelievable.
Run!
Chen Ying shouted loudly, nocking an arrow and aiming at the space behind Chen Qingshan.
Roar!
A deafening roar came from behind Chen Qingshan. The roar made his head spin, and he instinctively turned to see. The brown wild boar that had just fallen into the pit had, improbably, climbed out and was now standing by the trap, snorting white breath from its long snout, its eyes glowing red as it fixed him with its gaze.
The next moment, the wild boar roared and charged at Chen Qingshan.
Simultaneously, the arrow Chen Ying had shotnded on the wild boar. A faint yellow glow shed on the boars body.
With a puff, the arrow hit the light and was deflected, ricocheting off as if it had hit a wall. It did not affect the wild boar at all.
Monster beast!
The thought shed through Chen Qingshans mind. He instinctively dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the wild boars charge.
The tree behind him was not so lucky C it was snapped from the roots by the impact.
After a sh of yellow light, the monstrous wild boar turned out to be unscathed.
It turned and charged again. His speed was faster this time, and Chen Qingshans attempt to escape was unsessful. A mere graze of the wild boars body hurled him away as though he were a rag doll.
Chen Qingshans body hit the ground with a thud. He convulsed a bit and then remained still, unconscious or possibly dead.
Chen Qingshan! You beast!!!
Chen Ying roared in anger. His eyes were bloodshot, and he kept firing arrows at the wild boar as if they were free.
Unfortunately, these ordinary hunting arrows were no match for the beast. The wild boar disregarded them entirely and continued to charge at Chen Qingshan.
Beast! Stop hurting people!
An elder in a green robe descended from the sky and snorted coldly. With a pat on the pouch around his waist, he released a golden light that instantly pierced the wild boar.
Chapter 275: 244: Treatment _1
Chapter 275: Chapter 244: Treatment _1
Moo!
The brown-haired wild boar opened itsrge mouth and let out a mournful scream. A bloody mark appeared on its forehead, pierced by a golden light. Its massive body swayed as if drunk, stumbling a few steps before crashing to the ground, all signs of life quickly disappearing.
The golden light that prated the wild boar traced an arc as it whistled through the air and returned to the animal skin pouch on the waist of the old man.
The older man dressed in blue was none other than Xu Mu who hade out of the small secret realm, preparing to investigate the surrounding news.
The golden light was nothing more than a tier three flying sword that he had refined at will.
After retrieving his flying sword, Xu Mu turned and walked towards Chen Ying.
Seeing Xu Mus miraculous methods, Chen Ying was shocked, but immediately realized that Xu Mu might be the so-called Immortal Master.
He tried to rise to his feet to pay his respects, but Xu Mu held out a hand to stop him.
Dont move yet, let me heal you first!
As he spoke, Xu Mu performed a Healing Skill, a spell that he had not used for a long time.
The green light transformed from the healing spell dropped onto Chen Yings body. A warm sensation immediately filled his body. The pain that had felt like a bone ache subsided, and a veryfortable feeling emerged.
In the blink of an eye, he felt no more pain. He moved his body and found that he was fully recovered.
This miraculous act left Chen Ying so amazed that he was speechless for a while. Once he recovered, he quickly fell to his knees to give thanks to Xu Mu for saving his life.
If Xu Mu had not acted, he would have either been killed by the wild boar or starved to death in the wilderness.
No need to thank me, I just did what I could!
Xu Mu stroked his beard, portraying the image of a wise and enlightened sage.
Could the Immortal Master please save my nephew! Seeing Xu Mu being reasonable, Chen Ying only then remembered Chen Qingshan and immediately begged for help.
Of course!
Xu Mu nodded, walked over to the unconscious Chen Qingshan and applied a healing spell, and Chen Qingshan soon woke up.
Although Chen Qingshans injuries were much more severe than Chen Yings, in Xu Mus eyes it didnt make much difference. With the level of his healing skill, as long as an ordinary person still had a breath left, they could be restored to full health.
Upon waking up and hearing Chen Yings exnation, Chen Qingshan immediately gave profuse thanks to Xu Mu.
Xu Mu waved his hand, indicating for both men to get up and speak.
When I was gathering medicinal herbs in the mountains, I unintentionally took a wrong turn. Could you tell me where this ce is? Xu Mu asked.
To answer the Immortal Master, this area, spanning around a hundred miles, is called Tiger Head Mountain. About thirty miles to the south is our vige and further to the south is Chi Lin Town. A dozen or so towns in the vicinity, including Jing Lin County, are all under the jurisdiction of Chi Zhou Prefecture. I have never been out of Jing Lin County, so I dont know about ces further away.
Although both of them were puzzled that an Immortal Master like Xu Mu could get lost, they honestly ryed the information they knew.
I see! Thank you!
Xu Mu thanked them and turned to leave.
The two were just ordinary mountain folk with limited knowledge, so Xu Mu didnt ask any more questions. He nned to go to Jing Lin County next, then to Chi Zhou Prefecture.
Seeing Xu Mu about to leave, Chen Qingshan hesitated for a moment, clenched his teeth and followed. He knew that if he missed this opportunity, he might not have another chance.
Chen Ying was thinking of holding Chen Qingshan back, but he ultimately could not bring himself to do it.
He knew what Chen Qingshan wanted to do, and feared the consequences of angering Xu Mu, but considering Chen Qingshans feelings, he couldnt muster the courage to stop him.
Lets just hope this Immortal Master doesnt get angry!
Chen Ying sighed helplessly to himself.
Immortal Master, please wait! I invite you toe back to the vige with me so that I can inform my family and repay you for saving my life! Chen Qingshan pleaded urgently.
Xu Mu looked back at Chen Qingshan, a faint smile appearing on his face.
With his cultivation, he could easily see through their intentions.
Speak your mind, dont beat around the bush, its quite irritating, Xu Mu said indifferently.
Chen Qingshans face flushed as he knelt again, keeping his head low and not daring to look at Xu Mu.
My father has been bedridden for years, I beg you to save him, Immortal Master! I am willing to be at your beck and call and work like a horse for you from now on! Chen Qingshan continuously knocked his forehead on the ground as he spoke.
No need to work like a horse for me, it happens that Im on my way, so I can check on your father! But whether I can cure him, I cant guarantee! Xu Mu said with a smile.
Thank you, Immortal Master! Thank you, Immortal Master!
Seeing Xu Mu agree, Chen Qingshan couldnt help but weep for joy, knocking his head on the ground a few more times before standing up.
Thankyou, Immortal Master!
Chen Ying also quickly came forward to thank Xu Mu.
He really didnt expect Xu Mu to agree to Chen Qingshans request.
In the rumors he had heard, Immortal Masters were lofty figures who held the power of life and death over ordinary people. Their willingness to save two such people was already a miracle. Now this Immortal Master was even going the extra mile to save another life, it was as if they were dreaming.
No need to be polite, lets hurry and leave! Xu Mu said with a nonchnt smile.
For him, it was indeed a simple task, and he could also gather some information in the vige along the way.
In the future, the Xu Family might well settle here, so it can also be considered building goodwill!
Just as the two were about to take the lead and show the way, Xu Mu stopped them.
Arent you taking this wild pig with you?
Xu Mu pointed at the wild boar lying on the ground, still twitching slightly.
This Chen Ying said hesitantly, Will this dy the Immortal Masters time?
To be honest, he was rather reluctant, but feared that dealing with the wild boar would dy them and upset Xu Mu.
No problem at all!
Xu Mu said.
Seeing this, both their faces lit up with joy and they quickly came forward to express their gratitude. They then took out their hunting knives, ready to carve up the wild boar.
With their limited strength, it was impossible to take everything, so they nned to take only a part and hang the rest on a tree for someone to retrieveter.
After all, carrying around 500 pounds of boar over a mountain road of over 30 miles would be too difficult for just the two of them. They probably wouldnt make it home until tomorrow.
Seeing their actions, Xu Mu couldnt help but shake his head and spoke to stop them, Forget it, Ill help you carry it! This is, indeed, a bit slow.
He walked forward, using his storage bag, directly putting the whole wild boar inside.
Seeing this magical scene, after their initial shock, both men repeatedly voiced their thanks, without daring to ask any further questions.
Chen Qingshan thought to himself, if only he had such ability, how much easier would hunting be in the future!
Without the wild boar slowing them down and with the Light Body Skill Xu Mu bestowed on them, the three of them moved swiftly.
Not long after, a vige surrounded by a fence with smoke gently curling up appeared in Xu Mus field of vision.
Immortal Master! Chen Family Vige is just up ahead! Chen Qingshan said impatiently.
Compared to the taciturn Chen Ying, Chen Qingshan had been eagerly trying to get closer to Xu Mu during their journey.
As for Chen Qingshans eagerness, Xu Mu just wore a smile, neither disying interest nor dislike.
As for his nephews behavior, Chen Ying was constantly breaking out into a cold sweat internally.
Although Xu Mu appeared to be amicable, the various legends surrounding Immortal Masters made him dare not be too presumptuous, fearful that he might displease Xu Mu, who could end him with a wave of his hand.
As soon as they reached the entrance of the vige, they were spotted by the vigers on patrol.
Chen Ying, who is this? How could you just bring a stranger into the vige?
Chapter 276: 245 Chen Family Village_1
Chapter 276: Chapter 245 Chen Family Vige_1
This gentleman is the Immortal Master! His visit is an honor for our vige. Go and notify the vige chief and the elders right now! Chen Qingshan announced loudly with a somewhat inted posture.
Xu Mu stood behind, smiled, and remained silent.
What? Immortal Master? Are you kidding?
The crowd was somewhat skeptical, but they dared not challenge his words. If he really was an Immortal Master and they upset him, the whole vige could be in danger.
Indeed, this is the Immortal Master! Chen Hong, Chen Liang, dont you trust my words? Get out of the way now! Chen Ying stepped forward to speak.
Compared to the young and naive Chen Qingshan, the elderly Chen Ying had much more credibility. With his confirmation, the viges patrol team hurriedly made way. Already, someone rushed off to notify the vige chief and the elders.
Under the leadership of Chen Qingshan and Chen Ying, and apanied by the crowd, Xu Mu entered the vige and headed towards Chen Qingshans house.
Chen Family Vige was small, covering merely a mile or two. The houses were arranged in a well-nned manner, with bluestone bs paving the ground, neat and clean.
Is that person the Immortal Master?
Why would an Immortal Master visit our vige?
How does that rascal Chen Qingshan know the Immortal Master?
Hearing that an Immortal Master hade to the vige, every household rushed out. They stood by the roadside, craned their necks, and kept their eyes on Xu Mu.
Some children from the mountain vige, not knowing the fear, desperately pushed forward to see the legendary Immortal Master. Their parents hurriedly pulled them back, admonishing them in fear of offending Xu Mu.
After walking about three to five hundred steps, they stopped in front of a house near the outskirts of the vige. Chen Qingshan hurriedly went up and knocked on the door.
Mother! Little sister! Im back! Chen Qingshans voice was full of excitement.
Theyre back!
A white-haired, in-clothed farmers wife wiped her hand with her apron while opening the courtyard gate. Upon seeing a crowd standing outside the house, she was taken aback.
My fellow vigers, whats going on? Did Qingshan cause some trouble? Chen Qingshans mother thought her son had gotten into trouble and everyone hade to confront him.
Mother! What are you talking about! Chen Qingshan said somewhat embarrassingly, Uncle and I ran into an Immortal Master while we were hunting in the mountains! Not only did the Immortal Master save us, he also promised to heal my fathers illness!
What?!!!
Chen Qingshans mother pinched her thigh to make sure she wasnt dreaming and stood still in shock, until Chen Qingshan led her to Xu Mu.
The woman, ignoring whether it was true or not, immediately knelt down before Xu Mu and thanked him with a bow.
Xu Mu shook his head helplessly. These people would kneel down at the drop of the hat, which was quite troublesome for him.
He didnt have much contact with mortals before, but he didnt expect that cultivators held such weight in the hearts of these ordinary people.
If he had known how good the worldly realm was, there probably wouldnt have been so many cultivators in White River City back then.
The White River City of the past was a ce where cultivators were treated worse than dogs!
Xu Mu thought silently.
While facing the womans tribute, Xu Mu did not feign familiarity by helping her up, he simply said after she had finished bowing, Lets go see your husband first!
Yes, yes, yes!
The woman nodded repeatedly, rose in a hurry, and didnt even have time to brush off the dust on her body before leading Xu Mu into the courtyard. The others followed, eager to see what would happen.
Xu Mu did not stop them, and neither did Chen Ying and Chen Qingshan feel it right to do so. After all, everyone was a neighbor. Many of them were even their rtives.
The courtyard housed a stone mill and a well, stacked with high piles of firewood. There was a date treeden with green fruits. Although it was simple, it was neat and tidy.
Chen Qingshans mother pushed open the wooden door of the main room, and a strong smell of medicinal herbs immediately rushed towards them.
Cough, cough! Yingzi, is it Qingshan who hase back? Cough, cough
As if he had heard the movement outside, there came a voice from inside the room, weak and frail.
Head of the house, Qingshan has brought back a fairy healer to treat you! said mother of Chen Qingshan as she walked into the room first, her face glowing with an excited smile. She was stuttering her words, clearly still overwhelmed by her excitement.
Healer?
Chen Xiong, who lied on the bed with a sickly, waxen face, thought he had misheard.
He must have been so desperate to recover that he started to hallucinate. How could a fairy healer possiblye to treat him?
Even in his dreams, Chen Xiong wouldnt dare to imagine such a thing.
But when Xu Mu walked in with Chen Qingshans mother, Chen Xiong couldnt help but widen his eyes, his breathing noticeably quickening. He mustered the strength to rub his eyes to confirm that someone really did walk in, that it wasnt a hallucination.
This person, cough cough, could they be
Dad! This is the Immortal Master! eximed Chen Qingshan as he ran from behind Xu Mu to the front of Chen Xiongs bed, speaking excitedly.
As a healer, his mana is boundless! He will definitely cure you!
.
Xu Mu was speechless.
So, all the things he had said earlier were in vain.
While mostmon illnesses were easy for him to cure, there were always exceptions. He didnt dare to promise anything in case something went wrong and hed end up embarrassed.
Enough! Make some space! Let me check on your father! dered Xu Mu as he stepped forward.
Yes, yes!
Chen Qingshan quickly sidestepped, standing to the side with his heart in his throat. He watched Xu Mus every move with unwavering attention.
Chen Qingshans mother did the same, clutching her chest as if her heart would leap out any moment.
At this moment, Chen Ying and others also walked in, but didnt dare toe too close. They crammed at the doorway, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the fairy healers miraculous techniques.
Most of these people havent left their area in their whole lives; the furthest ce theyve been to was Chi Lin Town. They have heard plenty of stories about fairy healers, but except for Chen Ying and Chen Qingshan who had met him not long ago, none had ever seen one.
If they were able to witness this, it would definitely be a story worth bragging about for the rest of their lives.
Xu Mu approached Chen Xiong and lifted the quilt to reveal a stomach swollen like a woman nine months into her pregnancy. The difference was that his belly was transparent and bulging; looking as if it were filled with water. It seemed like a mere prick from a needle would cause all the water within to gush forth.
Looking at it, it seemed like an abdominal edema induced by an infection. Quite problematic for ordinary physicians but not so much for him.
Get a bucket!
Xu Mu instructed Chen Qingshan.
Huh? Yes, yes!
Chen Qingshan was momentarily stunned, but quickly nodded and squeezed through the crowd to fetch a wooden bucket.
Immortal Master, what do we need this for?
ce it by your fathers bedside.
Oh?
Although Chen Qingshan was confused, he followed Xu Mus instructions obediently.
Once the bucket was in ce, Xu Mu simply pointed at Chen Xiongs stomach. His belly instantly appeared as though stirred by some invisible force, causing him to suppress a belch. Chen Xiongs originally yellowed face turned red instantly, and he couldnt help but turn his head toward the bucket.
He belched forth mouthfuls of thick, yellow fluid into the bucket until it was almost full. His distended stomach visibly shrunk, much to everyones relief.
Hm?
As Xu Mus brow creased, he increased his hold on Chen Xiongs stomach. A ck insect, resembling a slug, was forcefully expelled from Chen Xiongs mouth, only to be held in ce by an invisible force in front of Xu Mu.
A parasitic insect? It seems the situation is not as simple as I initially thought!
Chapter 277: 246: Black Fog Valley_1
Chapter 277: Chapter 246: ck Fog Valley_1
Under the pressure of Xu Mus spiritual power, the ck slugs body emitted a touch of ck light, proving it was not amon parasite.
Although it was a parasitic insect, it was merely a tier one parasitic insect. It was likely that Chen Xiong was inadvertently infected rather than deliberately bugged by someone.
Xu Mu did not spend too much time investigating. He used a sealing skill and sealed the bug away, storing it in his storage bag. Then, he performed a healing skill on Chen Xiong.
Chen Xiong, who was originally moribund, immediately rejuvenated.
Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving my life! Thank you, Immortal Master!
Chen Xiong got up and knelt on the ground, expressing his gratitude profusely. Chen Qingshan and her mother also knelt down again to thank him.
Xu Mu waved his hand, signaling them to stand up.
Just then, there was amotion outside the house. An elder with hair and beard as white as snow, walked into the room, assisted by a middle-aged man.
Old man pays his respect to the Immortal Master!
The elder, shaking visibly, wanted to salute Xu Mu but was stopped by Xu Mus gesture.
And you are?
I am an elder of Chen Family Vige! This is the vige chief of Chen Family Vige, my grandson, Chen Yan!
The elder indicated the robust middle-aged man who was assisting him.
I pay my respects to the Immortal Master!
Chen Yan also bowed to Xu Mu.
You are too courteous! Xu Mu nodded and said, This is my first visit here. I want to inquire about something. Who in the vige is well-informed and can help me?
When I was young, I joined the army and have seen a bit of the world. I might be able to answer Immortal Masters questions! the elder volunteered.
Thats great! Xu Mu smiled.
Immortal Master, this ce is a bit cramped. How about we move to my house? Chen Yan suggested tentatively.
Sure!
Xu Mu nodded.
The house of Chen Qingshan indeed seemed a bit small, and it was surrounded by curious onlookers.
Although the Chen family was somewhat reluctant to see Xu Mu leave their house, they didnt say anything. Their house was indeed small. If they insisted on keeping Xu Mu there, it might seem selfish and self-serving.
When Xu Mu stepped out of the house, he saw that the street was packed with people. He couldnt help but frown.
Have you all seen enough?
With a cold scoff from Xu Mu, the spectators felt a chill from head to toe. Some were even so frightened that they copsed to the ground.
At this moment, Chen Yan also reacted, yelling at several respected middle-aged men in the vige, Why are you not driving these people away? Want to lose your lives?
The crowd realized then that they were not dealing with an ordinary person but an Immortal Master who could take their lives with a simple gesture.
Under the urging of several leaders, the terrified vigers quickly dispersed.
Lets speak here in the courtyard! Its unnecessary to keep moving around!
Annoyed by these vigers, Xu Mu decided not to go to the vige chiefs house anymore and began to inquire in the courtyard.
Yes!
The elder and Chen Yan certainly did not dare to object, but they couldnt help feeling a bit regretful in their hearts. If Xu Mu had moved to their house, their prestige within the vige would have surely risen.
Seeing that Xu Mu was not leaving, Chen Qingshans family immediately began to prepare a meal for him. It was then that Xu Mu remembered the wild boar he had hunted. He took it out of his storage bag and handed it to them for preparation.
The Chen family, of course, was effusive in their gratitude. Just as Chen Qingshans sister, Chen Qinge, who had gone out to pick wild vegetables, returned home, she saw her father healthy again. Not understanding what had happened, she was dazedly drawn away to help out.
Chen Ying whispered a few words to his older brother, Chen Xiong. Seeing Chen Xiong nod, he rushed out and returned shortly with a bunch of things and a group of people. They set up a pot outside, chopped wood for fire, apparently preparing for a big feast.
This was probably the highest level of hospitality for a farming family.
As for the Chen familys actions, Xu Mu didnt pay much attention, focusing on asking the elderly about the situation around them.
Compared to Chen Ying and Chen Qingshan, the old man who had lived nearly a hundred years indeed knew much more.
ording to the old man, he had joined the army when he was young, travelled around four or five state capitals, and even met several immortal masters. Regrettably, hecked any talent for cultivation. Otherwise, he might also have had the chance to be an immortal master. Each time he mentioned this, he couldnt help but sigh with regret.
The two of them chatted until evening. To express his gratitude, Xu Mu gave the old man a Body Nourishing Pill, which would allow him to live a long and healthy life.
As expected, the Chen family hosted a grand banquet in the evening. They served chicken, duck, fish, and meat, everything was avable. They almost took out everything of value and even borrowed a lot from the vigers.
Many respected vigers were invited to dine with Xu Mu. However, in the presence of Xu Mu, an immortal master, everyone appeared very cautious.
Xu Mu was not particr about food, but it was unlikely for him to indulge in it. Golden Core Stage cultivators could bepletely abstinent from food, so ordinary food had no nutritional value for him. Faced with a table full of delicacies, he simply ate some vegetarian dishes as a gesture.
At the dining table, Xu Mu continued to inquire about the neighboring areas, like if there were any major sects or families, or any special ces.
Most vigers had limited knowledge, but Chen Xiong provided him with some useful information.
About fifty miles from their vige, there is a valley shrouded in dark fog year-round. Any viger or beast that mistakenly entered never came back, suggesting that demons took up residence there.
Chen Xiong also fell sick because he had inadvertently approached the valley while hunting. He thought there would be no problem as long as he didnt enter. But soon after returning, he fell ill. They sought medical help in town, but no one could cure him. Without Xu Mus help, he probably would have resigned himself to waiting for death at home.
Xu Mu spected that the dark fog might be a formation, and inside might dwell cultivators who practiced the Witch Bug Skill.
Didnt you all report this to the Palm Immortal Office? Xu Mu asked.
Unlike other ces, in the Da Yuan Dynasty, you cant just im a piece ofnd, delineate it, build a few houses, and dere the formation of a sect.
In the Da Yuan Dynasty, whether it was arge or small family or a sect, they all had to report it to the Palm Immortal Office for approval before it could be officially established, and they also had to pay taxes annually like ordinary people.
Xu Mu found that the situation of the Da Yuan Dynasty was somewhat simr to that of the Sea Race Kingdom, but with a moreplex system.
Only the Da Yuan Dynasty on the entire Tianyuan Continent could tax cultivators, showing the power of the Da Yuan Dynasty.
When Xu Mu said this, everyone looked at each other in dismay.
Immortal Master, were just ordinary folk. How dare we provoke such affairs? If the Palm Immortal Office couldpletely handle it that would be fine, but if there were any fish that managed to slip through the, how could we bear it!
In short, they feared retaliation.
The gap between powers was too great, and if there were to be retaliation, they would not be able to withstand it.
Adding to this, the dark fog, though perennial, was harmless as long as you did not provoke it.
With this in mind, nobody wanted to go looking for trouble.
After understanding the situation, Xu Mu didnt say much else, but he made a mental note to go there himself and check it out when he had the chance.
After all, the Xu Family was nning to move here in the future and they couldnt allow any unstable factors in the surroundings.
After dinner, Xu Mu refused the Chen Familys pleas to stay and set off under cover of darkness toward the nearest Chi Lin Town.
As he watched Xu Mus departing figure, Chen Qingshan appeared somewhat dazed. He had just plucked up the courage to ask Xu Mu to be his master, only to be refused by Xu Mu who said hecked the talent for cultivation. His disappointment was self-evident.
However, once the idea had been nted, it was hard to extinguish. Before long, Chen Qingshan quietly left home to pursue his dream of bing an immortal master.
On the other hand, Xu Mu, riding on the donkey given by the vige chief, was leisurely proceeding under the moonlight.
Halfway through his journey, he saw a fire in the distance.
Chapter 278: 247 Swarm of Insects_1
Chapter 278: Chapter 247 Swarm of Insects_1
Miss, someone is approaching!
Zhao Yan had just alighted the carriage and sat down to rest by the bonfire for a moment when Zhao Yunlong, her head of guards, hurriedly came to report.
Who is it?
Zhao Yans brow furrowed slightly, her cherry lips gently parted, her voice soft and calming.
Its an old man, around seventy or eighty years old, riding a donkey! warned Zhao Yunlong.
Now, with thete evening shrouding everything in darkness, and being in this deste and remote area, anyone would find the sudden appearance of an aged man suspicious.
This world was full of monsters, demons, and all types of eerie creatures.
Everyone, be on your guard and act ordingly! Zhao Yanmanded sternly.
Normally, she might not be this vignt, but this time she had found something particrly precious, so she couldnt help but be extra careful.
Yes!
Zhao Yunlong acknowledged before swiftly going off to ry the orders.
Before long, an old man dressed in green clothes and riding a donkey appeared in their line of sight.
At the sight of the old man, Zhao Yans gaze slightly hardened.
The weather hadnt yet reached midsummer but already, the wilderness was bone-chilling cold at night. The old man was sparsely clothed, so he probably wasnt ordinary.
He might even be a cultivator!
However, Zhao Yan found the mans choice of transportation C the donkey C rather odd.
At first sight, the donkey seemed to be a typical one owned by rural farmers. Not a mount a cultivator would prefer since even walking seemed to be faster.
This strange pair was confusing her.
The donkey appeared weak and had presumably been on its feet for quite a while. Despite not carrying its owner, it was huffing and puffing as if it was ready to drop.
Youzy beast! If you keep this up, Ill turn you into donkey meat buns once we reach the city!
The old man grumbled and grunted, pushing the donkey to a side of grasnd then, he himself sat down under a tree to rest.
The old man was apparently not interested in interacting with them, and kept a distance of several hundred steps. If Zhao Yan wasnt a cultivator herself, she probably wouldnt have been able to hear the old mans mumbling.
Given his actions, he was likely just passing by and not intentionally seeking them out.
It seems he merely happened to be passing by.
With that thought, Zhao Yan somewhat rxed and signaled her fellows to ease their scrutiny.
Shortly after, a prepared meal was delivered to her.
Zhao Yan was about to take a bite when she stopped and instructed, Send a portion to that old man.
Um, Miss, isnt that inappropriate? We dont know him at all! Zhao Yunlong questioned with confusion.
Meeting by chance is itself a kind of fate. We are not short of this small portion of food. Think of it as earning a favor. Zhao Yan said with a smile.
If the old man bore them no ill will, then there was potential for friendship.
When traveling, its always better to have more friends and connections. Even if he turned out to be indifferent, there wouldnt be any loss on her part.
I understand now!
Zhao Yunlong, who was familiar with the second misss character, said nothing more. He took a full tter of food and personally delivered it to the old man.
As the food was brought over, a sh of surprise flickered across the old mans eyes.
Zhao Yan distantly made a gesture of goodwill towards the old man, indicating her sincerity.
The old man took the food and a subtle smile flickered across his face. Without a word of thank you, he snatched up a perfectly roasted rabbit leg and started eating. However, after just one bite, he spat it out and threw the food onto the ground.
Sure enough, you cant carelessly eat food given by strangers. Youll get worms in your stomach!
The old man muttered and trampled the discarded food a few times.
Zhao Yunlong, who had just delivered the food and hadnt yet returned, watched the old mans rude behavior and was so furious he was about to draw his sword.
You little beast, do you want to keep eating? Do you want to get worms in your belly too!
The old man kicked the donkey, who was happily munching on the food on the ground, then drew on the donkeys reins, preparing to leave.
Zhao Yan, watching everything from afar, felt a surge of anger.
She had kindly offered him food, and it would have been one thing if he simply refused, but he threw it away and indirectly berated her in return.
How could such an ungrateful person ever reach his ripe old age?
Zhao Yan scolded in her heart.
At this time, another prepared meal was brought before her.
Zhao Yan was about to reach for it when she suddenly stopped.
A series of the old mans reactions shed through her mind. She had an odd sensation.
If the old man really had no intention of epting her goodwill, why would he take the food and even eat a mouthful?
He took a bite?
Worms?
Her father had mentioned a group nearby, Divine Gu Valley, who were adept at breeding insects.
She abruptly stood up and shouted, Everyone, dont eat!
The surrounding guards and workers were taken aback, oblivious of why their mistress suddenly seemed insane.
Miss, you Ah!
The steward, Zhao Tai, who was about to ask what was wrong, suddenly let out a scream and fell to the ground in pain, writhing about.
Not only was it him, but almost half of their group fell down almost simultaneously.
At the same moment, a buzzing sound like that of mosquitoes came from all directions. It was so dense it felt like a thick darkness was about topletely engulf them.
Light up all the torches! Everyone gather in the central carriage! Scatter the insect repellent!
While shouting orders, Zhao Yan quickly took out several talismans from her pocket andunched them into the air.
Ice spikes, Wind des, Fire Trees, and Water Arrows swept out in all directions in an instant.
Large clusters of ck clouds were shattered, revealing numerous small ck bugs that had fallen to the ground.
Its indeed people from the Divine Gu Valley!
Zhao Yans face darkened. She quickly pped an amulet onto herself for protection.
She looked at the three other cultivators in her group, and found that only one was barely able to fight. The others had fallen down.
A sinking feeling overcame Zhao Yan.
This was enemy territory, they were at a disadvantage from the start, and now they had been caught off guard. Their strongest defenses were greatly diminished.
The guards, essentially devoid ofbat strength, were brought along merely as a diversion. At the mercy of the swarms onught, they were falling quickly.
Despite the low individual strength of these insects, there seemed to be an endless number of them. Zhao Yan soon found it hard to hold them off.
The true disciples of the enemy had not even shown themselves yet.
Can you all stop already? I already said, Im only passing through!
A disgruntled voice came from the old man in the distance.
Suddenly, the old man let out a cry of rm.
My donkey!
The next moment, a streak of golden light shot out, darting rapidly through the forest like a golden shooting star. Then the sound of something soft being pierced echoed through the woods.
Buzz! Buzz!
The swarm of insects that were fiercely attacking everything in sight scattered and retreated in an instant, subsequently vanishing without a trace.
Zhao Yan ignored her fallenrades for a moment and swiftly raced towards the old mans location.
The old man was standing beside his fallen donkey, mumbling something under his breath.
I had wanted to find you a good home, but it seems now that youll end up as donkey meat buns after all! Sigh! Tsk, tsk!
Chapter 279: 248: Divine Gu Valley_1
Chapter 279: Chapter 248: Divine Gu Valley_1
I am Zhao Yan from the Zhao family of Chi Zhou Prefecture! I pay my respects to the elder!
Zhao Yan quickly approached Xu Mu, curving her slim waist slightly, her voice as sweet as flowing water.
Whats with this Zhao family, Qian family nonsense, if you have something to say, spit it out!
Xu Mu caught the flying sword that had flown back to him, making several cuts on the donkeys body, picking out ckrvae from within. Then he used a healing skill on the donkey and it immediately recovered its vitality.
Zhao Yan, who was witness to all this, couldnt help but narrow her eyes at the power of the healing skill that far surpassed what she knew.
The old man before her could very likely be a great cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage!
Thinking about this, Zhao Yan became even more respectful towards Xu Mu.
I have an unreasonable request!
If its unreasonable, then dont say it! Xu Mu waved his hand dismissively.
Zhao Yan almost choked but still steeled herself to say, Could I please request the senior to escort me back to the Chi Zhou Prefecture? I am willing to use a medium-grade spirit stone aspensation!
.
Xu Mu was speechless.
A medium-grade spirit stone?
Truthfully, he would be toozy to even pick it up if it fell on the ground.
However, considering that Zhao Yan was only at the fourth level of Qi cultivation, this was indeed a high price. It was enough to purchase a tier-four Grass Renewal Pill.
Not interested!
Xu Mu responded indifferently, then made a beckoning motion with his hands, and the bodies of several cultivators he had killed flew over.
These people were all dressed in ck robes, wore helmets, and had insect tattoos on their faces and necks.
There were bloody holes in their chests, looking as if they were pierced by a sharp sword. No doubt, it was the result of the golden light released by Xu Mu.
Zhao Yans heart jolted and she was even more certain about her suspicions.
How could he easily kill so many people, even when they were hidden, if he wasnt at the Foundation Establishment Stage?
Still pretending at this time!
Xu Mu reached out towards a disheveled-looking young man among them. Realizing that his identity has been exposed, the young man no longer tried to hide and threw the hidden weapon in his hand at Xu Mu.
Be careful!
Zhao Yan instinctively warned.
Whether he was too close or Xu Mu didnt intend to dodge, the thrown object uratelynded on him.
It was a ck pill that exploded upon contact with Xu Mu, turning into a sticky ck fluid that engulfed him.
Haha! Old fellow, you actually dare to meddle in other peoples affairs, now youre dead for sure!
Seeing Xu Mu hit, the disheveled youthughed triumphantly.
The ck pill, though unassuming, was a life-saving item left to him by his father. It was a poison pillposed of the venom of hundreds of poisonous insects. Amon person would die upon smelling it; even an expert in theter stages of Foundation Establishment wouldntst long once the venom enters their body.
Although the youth had great confidence in the poison pill, for safetys sake, he still took out his own magic artifact and attacked Xu Mu.
However, by this time, Zhao Yan had also reacted. She quickly released her own magic artifact to resist the attack.
This unidentified mans strength was not weak, and if his sneak attack had seeded, it would likely be her end today.
But she never thought that the seemingly powerful Xu Mu would be caught off guard so easily.
Perhaps he truly is declining due to old age!
Zhao Yan sighed inwardly.
The disheveled youth was obviously more powerful than Zhao Yan, but he had just been injured by the sword. Zhao Yan was also full of tactics and so, for a time, the two were equally matched, unable to determine the winner.
On the other side, Xu Mu, who was wrapped in venom, did not make a sound until the venom flowed down his body like rainwater, corroding the ground within a radius of ten feet into a circle of scorched ck. Naturally, he himself remained unscathed.
With his level of body refinement, forget about venom made by those at the Foundation Establishment Stage; even if a group of poison cultivators at Foundation Establishment Stage came to attack, they wouldnt be able to hurt a single hair on his body.
Only the donkey, which had been scared badly, was hiding in some distant bushes, making noise nonstop.
I didnt expect your life to be so tenacious. Xu Muughed.
The donkey had been gifted to him by the vige elder as a sign of gratitude. Xu Mu found it amusing, so he kept it with him.
Paying no mind to the scared donkey, Xu Mu turned his head towards Zhao Yan, who was still in the heated battle with the disheveled young man.
Seeing Zhao Yans spiritual power diminish, a cruel smile appeared on the young mans face.
Miss, I suggest you surrender obediently. Otherwise, once this young master captures you, Ill throw you into the parasitic pot and let you experience the pain of a thousand insects tearing at your flesh. Youll beg for death but wont be able to die! Ha, ha!
Faced with the young mans threats, Zhao Yan could only grit her teeth and keep hanging on.
At that moment, the disheveled young man nced over at Xu Mu, to see whether he was dead yet, and he nearly lost control of his dder when he saw Xu Mu looking back at him with an ambiguous smile.
How could that be possible? How did this happen?
Even if he couldnt kill him, at least some harm should have been done, right?
The young man was shocked and filled with doubt.
But no one seemed willing to provide an exnation.
The young man realized he stood no chance of winning and quickly pulled out a Tier Five talisman from his storage bag, sticking it on his body.
Next second, his body was enveloped in a yellow light and he sank into the ground.
The talisman he used was a Tier Five Earth Escape Talisman that his father had procured with great difficulty. Its purpose was to protect his life in danger.
He was very straightforward, sensing the trouble and immediately used it.
As long as he burrowed underground, only a Golden Core Stage cultivator could catch him in this forest.
The young mans body, shrouded in yellow light, disappeared into the ground like a droplet into the sea.
However, before he could rejoice, he felt a strong force pulling him from beneath the ground, and before he could process what was happening, a big hand was pressing against his forehead, followed by terrifying divine intents invading his brain.
Divine Intent! Foundation Establishment!
These two thoughts shed across his mind before his consciousnesspletely enveloped by darkness.
Senior, are you okay?
Zhao Yan turned back to look at Xu Mu, her face a mix of surprise and joy.
What, were you hoping that something would happen to me?
Xu Mu removed his hand from the young mans head. After conducting a soul search, he had learned of the mans identity and intentions.
Senior, thats not what I meant, I was
Zhao Yan was in a hurry to exin herself.
Okay, I know what you meant! I ept your offer, but my price of one Medium-grade Spirit Stone is too low. It must be increased by fifty Lower-grade Spirit Stones!
Huh?
Zhao Yan looked stupefied.
The topic changed so quickly that she didnt have time to react.
Meanwhile, Xu Mu walked over to his donkey, stroking his chin.
The reason he agreed to escort her wasnt out of greed or lechery.
It was due to the identity of the disheveled young man.
The young man was the son of the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley. Since Xu Mu has killed him, the Lord would definitely seek revenge.
Given Zhao Yans power, she was doomed without a doubt.
Since the matter was rted to him, he would feel guilty if he just let it be.
She was a cultivator, and he could use her familys reputation to get in touch with local cultivators, which was quite beneficial.
The Divine Insect Valley was located in the ck fog valley. Since he had to clear it out sooner orter, why not take this opportunity to deal with it? It would be killing two birds with one stone.
After Zhao Yan got over her initial shock and heard Xu Mus quoted price, she didnt dare to object, though she did feel a slight heartache over it.
And so, Xu Mu set off with Zhao Yans team.
After a day of travel, the team arrived at Jing Lin County.
Chapter 280: 249 Night Raid_1
Chapter 280: Chapter 249 Night Raid_1
Senior, we are not far from the Divine Gu Valley, and if we stay over in the county town, we risk encountering unforeseen dangers!
After the squad entered the county town, Xu Mu decided to stay the night. Zhao Yan took the opportunity to remind him.
All the people in your team are injured, I fear they wont be able to withstand the journey if we travel all night! Xu Mu casually replied.
Zhao Yan was speechless.
Why dont you realize the injuries?
Clearly, you could heal them with the wave of your hand, yet you say such things!
Although sheined incessantly in her heart, Zhao Yan dared not force him to heal her subordinates.
Besides, what good would it do even if they were healed?
They were merely ordinary people C however swift they were, how far could they possibly go?
Her main intention in saying these things was to leave with Xu Mu alone!
However, it was quite evident that Xu Mu was purposely feigning ignorance with her.
Zhao Yan didnt dare to leave on her own after Xu Mu agreed, so she could only obediently follow him.
Everyone had dinner at the restaurant and then booked rooms at the inn.
When they arrived at the inn, Xu Mu immediatelyid down and rested, offering no further instructions. He didnt seem worried about potential pursuers at all.
Zhao Yan didnt have the luxury of being so carefree. She carefully assigned night guards and, having learned from previous mistakes, even the food had been meticulously checked. Once sure it was safe, she let her subordinates eat. As for herself, she simply ate a Fasting Pill.
This operation was highly secretive; only a few family higher-ups knew about it, how could someone have set up an ambush beforehand?
Could there be someone from our family who leaked the news?
In her room, Zhao Yan sat at the table, contemting everything that had happened along the way.
On further thought, there was definitely a possibility. Those in the family, in their struggle for power, were capable of everything.
I only hope this senior is reliable, and no idents happen! Zhao Yan prayed silently in her heart.
Meanwhile, after returning to his room, Xu Mu immediatelyy down to rest, seemingly without any caution.
In the dead of night, a silhouette emerged out of nowhere from the darkness, unleashing several streaks of dark light towards the sleeping Xu Mu.
Old man! Give me back my son! The voice was filled with a vengeful spirit.
Your son sought his own death, you cant me me! Xu Mu seemed to suspect it, suddenly sprung up to defend himself with magic, but found an unusual difficulty in mobilizing his spiritual power, even his brain felt a faint dizziness.
Even this slight dy caused him to be directly hit by the dark light and sted out of the room.
Arge hole was blown into the inn, Xu Mus bodynded on the ground, creating a deep pit, which demonstrated the potency of the dark-light attack.
The figure didnt escape afternding the hit, instead it continuouslyunched fierce attacks on the grounded Xu Mu.
All sorts of talismans, magical artifacts, and poisons were poured down on Xu Mu with merciless abandon.
Zhao Yan, who had been on high alert all the time, rushed out of her room as soon as she heard themotion.
Seeing the figure that was continuously attacking, her pupils shrunk involuntarily.
Foundation Establishment Stage!
There was no attempt to conceal it anymore C the figure was undoubtedly on the Foundation Establishment Stage.
This person must be the Lord of the Divine Gu Valley, we are in trouble now! Zhao Yan looked towards the area enveloped by the glow of the skills, her heart skipped a beat.
Is he attacking the senior?
A deep dread settled in Zhao Yans heart.
The fierce attack would probably be fatal for our senior.
In the blink of an eye, without hesitation, Zhao Yan pped a talisman onto her body, which was enveloped in its glow as she flew off into the distance.
This was a lifesaving talisman that the ancient ancestor of her family had entrusted to her when she left home.
Just as Zhao Yan took off, a screen of light shed before her, blocking her path.
A formation? When did this happen?
Zhao Yans face changed dramatically.
Since entering the county town, she had been cautious, with guards patrolling around her at all times. How could the enemy set up a formation without her noticing?
But no one would exin anything to her at this time. Zhao Yan knew its not the time to dwell on this. She had to escape while her opponent was still upied. Any dy would reduce her chance of survival.
However, even before she couldunch an attack, three ferocious winged centipedes were already rushing towards her.
At the same time, screams sound continuously from the inn, indicating that her subordinates were also under attack.
ck winged centipedes!
Seeing the iing centipedes, Zhao Yan once again confirmed the identity of the intruderwithout a doubt, its the Divine Gu Valley.
Because this kind of parasitic insect is only bred by the Divine Gu Valley. It is impervious to swords and spears, can spit poisonous fire, feeds on humans and beasts, and if it can sessfully molt after a hundred years, it can evolve belly wings and its strength can rival a tier four monster beast.
The three in front of her were remarkable, clearly having reached the Qi Cultivation Late Stage, and she couldnt resist them. Her only option was to try to dodge via the speed of her flight talisman.
You bitch! Our Divine Gu Valley has been operating here for hundreds of years! Your petty tricks are no match for us! We reced everyone here with our own people even before you got to the inn! Surrender now and suffer less pain!
Dont worry! We will treat you well! After all, you are the missy of the Zhao family of the prefecture!
Three figures in ck robes appeared on the ground. They were making loud, mocking noises at Zhao Yan, who was constantly dodging in the sky, clearly not regarding her as a threat.
Indeed that was the case. All three of them had reached the Qi Cultivation Late Stage, and Zhao Yan couldnt even defeat one of them, let alone all three of them together.
By now, all sounds from the inn hadpletely subsided, indicating that her subordinates, including the three in the Qi Cultivation Stage, had lost all power to resist.
Several individuals were flying out of the inn again, and even the weakest of them had reached the middle stage of Qi Cultivation.
Did the Divine Gu Valley fully mobilize all its personnel?
Zhao Yan thought with desperation.
At that moment, the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, who was off on the side, had also stopped moving. He was panting slightly, indicating that the previous attack had been quite exhausting for him.
Lets see if you die this time. Heh!
A sneer appeared on the face of the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley. He had deployed all his trump cards, which could not have been easily dealt with by any cultivator of the same rank or even at the Golden Core Stage, let alone one who had already taken his poison.
Seeing this, a proud smile broke out across his face.
He, who had reached the Middle Foundation Establishment phase, would certainly not use such low-level poisoning tactics.
The method he used was abination of toxins, which were mixed from several non-toxic spiritual objects to form a poison that obstructed the operation of Spiritual Power and disturbed the release of Divine Intent.
In this case, even if the other party checked it very carefully, they would not find any clues, especially given his long-term operation in the area and his careful coboration with his ears and eyes.
This poison was also very precious to him. If he was not avenging his son, he would be unwilling to use it.
Speaking of his son, he couldnt help but sigh.
If he had disciplined him more strictly, he wouldnt have been in contact with outsiders randomly and been instigated to make a move against Zhao Yan.
The Divine Gu Valley they belonged to, because of not being registered in the Palm Immortal Office, was considered as conducting illegal activities. So they always acted with caution and refrained from causing any trouble.
However, this time his youngest son had been used as a scapegoat.
But regardless of the reason, his son may make mistakes and kill others, but others may not kill his son. Otherwise, they have to face his wrath.
Zhao Yan, seeing the Divine Gu Valley Lord stopped, felt herst hope extinguishing.
In her daze, her shield was shattered, causing her to fall to the ground.
Just when Zhao Yan considered ending her life to avoid further humiliation, a figure stepped out from the dust.
Dont you people know the rule, where theres smoke, theres no harm? Xu Mu said calmly.
Chapter 281: 250 Jiu Li Skill_1
Chapter 281: Chapter 250 Jiu Li Skill_1
Impossible!
Seeing Xu Mu stepping out untouched from the dust, the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley was greatly rmed.
He knew very well how strong his own attack was, and it would be impossible for anyone to withstand it, unless
The Lord of the Divine Insect Valleys pupils constricted harshly, he had a bad feeling. He immediately pped his pocket and two red centipedes flew out, darting towards Xu Mu like two red flying swords.
Dont bother with that woman, hurry up ande to help! The Lord of the Divine Insect Valley yelled loudly.
The disciples of the Divine Insect Valley were shaken, and they immediatelyunched an attack towards Xu Mu with a variety of magic artifacts and parasitic insects.
In an instant, Xu Mu was once again engulfed by dense attacks.
Buzzing insects are the most annoying.
Xu Mu uttered, his hands rubbing together and a fire dragon appeared. With a wide-open mouth, it swallowed all attacks, including the two centipedes from the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, which wereparable to tier four monster beasts, and immediately began to emit a delicious smell.
Roar!
The fire dragon roared angrily, suddenly exploded, and transformed into hundreds of fire snakes, attacking in all directions.
What no one noticed was that just as the Lord of the Divine Insect Valleyunched his attack and had his disciples assist him, he himself pped a high-tier talisman onto his body, immediately transforming into an escape light, and attempting to flee.
What a joke, the opponent was unscathed even after taking so many direct attacks, now that he had yed all his cards, wouldnt continuing to fight just be seeking death?
As for the grudge for his son?
He should just pretend he never had this son, he could always have another one in the future!
Ive waited so long, I will not let you escape!
Xu Mu smiled slightly, white wings emerging from his back. Like an angel, his figure disappeared in the next moment, and when he reappeared, he was blocking the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley.
Misunderstanding! Its all a misunderstanding!
Cold sweat broke out on the Lord of the Divine Insect Valleys face, and he managed to squeeze out a smile that was uglier than crying.
My son offended the senior, he deserved his death. I am willing to give up all of our family assets aspensation, I only ask the senior to spare my life!
Hehe!
Looking at the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, Xu Mu couldnt help butugh.
Such a cautious and sensible person was rare toe by.
So, he couldnt afford to let him live!
After your death, your belongings will naturally be mine. Theres no need for you to offer them aspensation.
As he spoke, white mes emerged from Xu Mus body. He reached out and grabbed the Lord of the Divine Insect Valleys head. The radius of a hundred meters was lit up by the mes on his body, as bright as daylight.
Damn it, if you wont spare me, then Ill fight you to the end!
The Lord of the Divine Insect Valleys face showed a ruthless expression, his internal energy surging, clearly intending to self-destruct.
However, in front of Xu Mu, a lowly Foundation Establishment Stage practitioner stood no chance of resistance. His palm pressed against his forehead, suppressing his energy.
Then, his mighty Divine Intent entered the consciousness world of the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, beginning the search for his soul.
Jiu Li Skill! Quite interesting!
Xu Mu discovered through the soul search that the parasitic bug cultivation method of the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley was extraordinary. If not for the ipleteness of his martial method, his strength would be much greater.
I sure was a bit careless this time!
Originally, he only thought he was dealing with an ordinary Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, but he didnt expect the opponent not only secretly poisoned him but could also impact him to a certain extent.
Although this impact was minute, it was already outstanding. After all, the opponent was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. If both were at the Golden Core Stage, he might indeed fall into the opponents hands.
The grand path has three thousand ways, not all of them are about fighting and killing. Some underhanded tactics are indefensible, I must be more cautious in the future!
Xu Mu silently warned himself in his heart. Just because his cultivation level was higher than others, he shouldnt underestimate them.
He collected the storage bag from the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, stripped him of all his valuable belongings, and finally burnt the body into ashes with True me.
As for the disciples of the Divine Gu Valley on the ground, they met the same fate.
Its a pity that these peoples cultivation levels are too low to possess anything valuable!
But even a mosquitos meat is still meat, Xu Mu had no intention of sharing with Zhao Yan, and of course Zhao Yan wasnt foolish enough to ask for it.
Zhao Yan thanked Xu Mu and went back into the inn to check on her subordinates.
The enemy obviously wanted to capture them alive. Other than a few injuries, none of her subordinates were missing. This was a lucky break in an otherwise unfortunate situation, causing Zhao Yan to let out a sigh of relief.
These people were her trusted subordinates. If they all died here, she would have no one to rely on when she returned to the family.
At this time, Xu Mu was studying the jade slip containing the cultivation inheritance of the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley and learning the parasitic insect techniques recorded within.
Compared to the skills and Divine Skills he cultivates, the power of these insect techniques might not be much stronger, but had versatile applications and might have unexpected effects in special circumstances.
At the very least, learning these could help avoid being poisoned again in the future.
I heard that people in the Westernmost Land are proficient in the Witch bug killingSkill. If I get a chance, it would be nice to observe it! Especially the killing skill C if I can learn it, I can kill anyone who displeases me. Its untraceable, an absolute necessity for home and travel! Xu Mu thought to himself.
When dawn broke, the team set out again. This time, since there was no need to lure anyone, Xu Mu generously healed everyone. The teams spirit was even higher than when they first met, despite the damage to their equipment.
After dealing with the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley, they encountered no major problems along the way, aside from a few blind bandits.
After a six-day journey, they finally arrived at the city of Chi Zhou Prefecture. Looking at the city stretching out like a giant dragon in the distance, Zhao Yan was finally able to rxpletely.
Senior, I have a townhouse in the city. Would you mind staying there for a few days until I can pay you? Zhao Yan said somewhat awkwardly.
A hundred and fifty spirit stones may not mean much to Xu Mu, but to her, it was a huge amount. It would take a few days to gather the funds.
Of course, she had no intention of backing out of the deal. With the skills Xu Mu demonstrated, unless she was foolish, she wouldnt even entertain such a thought.
Okay!
Xu Mu nodded, not bothered by it.
A few spirit stones were nothing to him; his target was the Zhao family.
As soon as they reached the city gate, cultivators from the Zhao family who had received the news were there waiting for them. Zhao Yan instructed her subordinates to bring Xu Mu to her townhouse while she went to the familys ancestral house with a member of the Zhao family.
Zhao Yans townhouse was located in the southeast corner of the city, a huge courtyard that upied almost five acres. Inside there were hundreds of willow trees. It was summer and the trees were green and the cicadas were singing. It was like a paradise. Who could have imagined that such a wonderful ce existed in this bustling city?
However, Xu Mu took one look and shook his head.
Everything here was fine except for one thing C the Spiritual Energy was too sparse.
To a cultivator, Spiritual Energy was everything. Even ten courtyards like this would not be equivalent to a low-tier Spirit Land measuring three square inches.
No wonder Zhao Yan, who was only in the Qi Cultivation Stage, could afford such a big courtyard.
To cultivators, this courtyard was worthless.
Things were different here than in the Cang Ming Ocean Territory. There wasnt much Spiritual Energy in the city; it was mostly concentrated in the settlements of families and sects.
However, Xu Mu didnt care about it. His cultivation relied entirely on pills. Commercial value made no difference to him.
On the second day, after Xu Mu had just moved into Zhao Yans townhouse, Zhao Yan brought an elderly woman with an unusual aura to the house.
Chapter 282: 251 Send a Family_1
Chapter 282: Chapter 251 Send a Family_1
Zhao Jingrou from Zhao family greets Daoist friend! Thank you, Daoist friend, for the life-saving grace to the young members of our family!
The old woman, leaning on her iron crutch, bowed to Xu Mu, and Xu Mu graciously returned the gesture with a smile.
Upon the old womans signal, Zhao Yan gracefully stepped forward, carefully putting the flower pear wooden box she was holding onto the bluestone table in front of Xu Mu and carefully opened it.
Bursts of sweet scent wafted out from inside. Over ten spirit fruits, sculpted like yellow jade, were quietly ced inside, emanating a faint aura. One could tell at a nce that these were not ordinary.
We dont have anything special at home, only these spirit fruits are somewhat decent. I hope Daoist friend wont despise them! The old woman said with a smile.
Daoist friend, youre too polite. It was just a small effort on my part! Haha!
Laughing, Xu Mu stretched out his hand, putting the wooden box along with the spirit fruits into his storage bag with practiced ease.
Zhao Yan couldnt help butment in her heart.
While being polite in words, he didnt hesitate to collect the items.
These fruits, known as Yellow Lizi Fruits were produced by a tier four spirit root. Not only can they be consumed directly to enhance ones cultivation, but they can also be used to refine several precious pills. They were far more valuable than the one and a half medium-grade spirit stones she promised Xu Mu.
These fruits were rare treats even for Zhao family descendants, and they were as a gift to Xu Mu now, which couldnt help but make Zhao Yan feel a bit heartbroken.
However, this was a decision made by the familys ancestors, and no one in the family would dare to contradict it.
After she handed over the medicinal herbs yesterday and described Xu Mus situation, the ancestors decided to visit in person and brought these generous gifts.
As for Xu Mus behavior, Zhao Jingrou seemed not to notice. Her wrinkled face showed a smile as she turned to Zhao Yan and said: Yaner, you go down first. I have some things to talk with the Daoist friend.
Yes!
Zhao Yan retreated respectfully.
After Zhao Yan left, Zhao Jingrou began to speak again: Please forgive this ignorant old woman for not yet knowing the esteemed friends name and sect.
This was a necessary inquiry, and Xu Mu had expected it. He hesitated for a moment, showing a sign of hesitation, then finally gave an answer.
Its a long story. I am originally an elder of Fairy Moon Pce in the Middle Domain. Not long ago, when I was out, I identally fell into a spatial crack, and when I woke up, I was here.
The more one lies, the more holes appear in the story. Xu Mu thought it would be better to tell the truth and test her reaction at the same time.
His origin was strange, but it was not uneptable. The Eastern Region and the Middle Domain were just far apart, not entirely disconnected. He had never heard of any hostile rtionship between the two domains.
Of course, the reason why he boldly confessed was because he had enough confidence to deal with all variables. He had already investigated that there was no one in Chi Zhou Prefecture who could threaten him.
On hearing Xu Mus words, Zhao Jingrous eyes brightened as she realized: So, Daoist friendes from Middle Domain. No wonder the ent is a bit different from ours. I found it strange!
Zhao Jingrous smile was sincere, and Xu Mu didnt sense any malice from her. This indicated that his identity, though surprising to her, was not a big deal.
I have not noticed this before. You have a keen eye, Daoist friend. Said Xu Mu.
This ce is quite a distance from the Middle Domain. Im curious as to what ns you have next, Daoist friend? Would you like to settle down here or try to find a way back to Middle Domain? Zhao Jingrou asked.
Xu Mu sensed that this was the true reason behind Zhao Jingrous warm visit.
After a moments thought, Xu Mu replied with a tone of inquiry: I n to stay here for a while and then make a decision. I wonder what you think?
As an old woman, Ive never been to the Middle Domain, and I dare not hastily advise you. However, if Daoist friend ns to stay here, I have a humble request!
Daoist friend, please feel free to ask!
Zhao Jingrou is much older than him, and he would not tease her like a child.
I would like to invite Daoist friend to be the Supreme Elder of our Zhao family!
Zhao Jingrous words truly startled Xu Mu.
He had originally thought that she wanted to invite him to be a Guest Elder. He didnt expect her to want him to be a Supreme Elder, which was tantamount to handing over the entire Zhao family to him.
He had made time to inquire about the situation of the Zhao family over the past few days. He knew that it was a Foundation Establishment Family in Chi Zhou Prefecture that had been in existence for hundreds of years. However, it had been struggling for the past two generations, with only Zhao Jingrou barely managing to keep it afloat during the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Chi Zhou Prefecture had more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Families. Although the Da Yuan Dynasty controlled everything, the Foundation Establishment Families at the bottom were not honest with each other. They inevitably fought openly and secretly. The Zhao family was weak, and suddenly encountering a loose cultivator like himself, it was not strange to try to recruit him.
Zhao Jingrou had guessed this when she first came.
But what she never expected was to directly let him be the Supreme Elder.
Xu Mus eyes flickered, not replying to her.
In his opinion, Zhao Jingrou said these words with two possible purposes. One was to test him to see if he had ambitions towards the Zhao family, and so he deliberately approached Zhao Yan.
The other possibility was that the Zhao family was at the end of their rope, desperately seeking solutions.
Seeing Xu Mus silence, Zhao Jingrou revealed a bitter smile and said, I know that you dont believe it. To be honest, no one would believe this if they encountered such a situation!
Zhao Jingrou extended her withered arm and continued, Check my physical condition and youll understand why Im saying this!
Xu Mu skeptically extended his hand. Once his spiritual power entered Zhao Jingrous body, he immediately understood what was going on and his face showed a look of sudden realization.
This old womans life is nearing its end. At best, I canst a year, and at worst, just a few months. Although I have prepared several ways out for my sessors, they all fall shortpared to you! Zhao Jingrou said with a smile.
Friend, isnt this too hasty? Xu Mu said with a bitter smile.
It was their first meeting, and she was directly giving away her family to him, which was somewhat exaggerated. Even if it were desperate, it was not the way to go about it.
You, friend, can easily kill the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley. Your strength is far superior to this old womans. If you really want to take over the Zhao family, whats the point whether I say it or not. In any case, once this old woman dies, the Zhao family will either be wiped out by hostile families or it will fall apart. It might as well be given to you! However, Im actually more worried about whether you would ept! Zhao Jingrou said anxiously.
What do you mean were the same kind of people?
Xu Mu was somewhat slow to respond.
You, friend, are not young either. Instead of taking the risk of returning to the Central Region, why not enjoy a few years of luxury? You can enjoy all the resources of the Zhao familys women as you wish!
Shit!
Xu Mu cursed silently in his heart, finally understanding why this old woman was being so generous and magnanimous.
His life was in twilight, which was very easy for someone to misunderstand. Even from his appearance, he didnt look much younger than Zhao Jingrou.
An old man about to die, what could he do with a family? At best he could only use what little energy he had left!
As for the family resources, at his age, they were already optional.
As for women, he could only cry silently.
Such a good calction!
Xu Mu didnt know whether tough or cry.
However, on second thought, this might not be bad for him. He could use the Zhao family as a springboard toy the groundwork for the arrival of the Xu family.
Zhao Jingrou was like a sheep entering a tigers mouth!
I can agree to your request, but theres one thing I would like to ask for?
As long as its not too much, Ill agree. Even if you had ten requests! Zhao Jingrou said somewhat excitedly.
Her plot was not brilliant. As long as Xu Mu wasnt stupid, he could see through it. She had been worried that Xu Mu would not agree. Now that he had, as long as he was not asking for too much, she was willing, even if it meant her own life.
I want Zhao Yan to marry me!
Chapter 283: 252_1
Chapter 283: Chapter 252_1
This alright!
Strangely, Zhao Jingrou hesitated briefly but didnt put up much resistance to Xu Mus outrageous demands.
She assumed that Xu Mu wanted to leverage Zhao Yans status to legitimize his power, or else even with her backing, there could be issues.
It was just a pity for Yaner, who would have to endure a few years of a celibate life.
She didnt believe that Xu Mu, at his age, still had any virility to speak of.
However, it wasnt all bad news. This status would allow Yaner to easily take control of the family. If she could win Xu Mus favor and gain resource support to advance to the Foundation Establishment, it would be perfect.
Im not fond of forcing others. If shes unwilling, friend, you could help me find a recement, Xu Mu proposed.
His thoughts were simr to Zhao Jingrous. Indeed, he aimed to take advantage of Zhao Yans identity to manage Zhao family more conveniently.
As for physical matters, he was more than capable of managing that as well!
Once the deal was settled, they chatted for a long while. Xu Mu learned about the more intricate dynamics of the cultivation world in Chi Zhou Prefecture from Zhao Jingrou and gained a better understanding of the Da Yuan Dynasty.
When she learned that Xu Mu was an alchemist, Zhao Jingrou was pleasantly surprised, although she was somewhat disappointed because of his age.
But considering that Xu Mu must have agreed to her due to his age, she became more hopeful.
In the following days, while the Zhao Family prepared for the wedding, Zhao Jingrou took Xu Mu to visit the various forces and families in Chi Zhou Prefecture, especially those affiliated with the Palm Immortal Office.
Without the approval of the Palm Immortal Office, his position as Supreme Elder was hard to secure.
Fortunately, the Palm Immortal Office was quite lenient about this. As long as they were given enough spirit stones, they generally wouldnt interfere.
This was Xu Mus first exposure to the gigantic operation of the Palm Immortal Office.
Seeing how the Palm Immortal Office functioned, it may seem somewhat corrupt, but it wasnt rotten to the core. He could consider turning in the bodies of those he killed to earn Contribution Value.
The dozen cultivators he killed were notorious bandits well-known to the Palm Immortal Office. Turning them would bring a substantial amount of Contribution Value.
This value was roughly equivalent to that rewarded by sects. It could be exchanged directly for various treasures and martial methods, or even titles of nobility.
The title was significant, primarily for the establishment of families and sects. Without a noble title, it wasnt possible to establish these institutions.
Based on the rank of the title, the size and number of members of the sect were also regted.
Families like the Zhaos required at least the title of Viscount.
Fortunately, these titles were inheritable, otherwise many families would struggle to acquire one.
There were also limitations. On the one hand, only those from the same family could inherit. On the other hand, the title could only be held for a hundred years. After this period, it had to be exchanged again or risked downgrading.
For example, the Zhao familys Viscount title would degrade to Baron, and after another hundred years, they would bemoners.
This rule forced all the families and sects to constantly contribute to the Da Yuan Dynasty, or they would end up like the Divine Gu Valley, which could get exterminated by the Palm Immortal Office at will.
The bandits Xu Mu killed were at least worthy of the title of Earl. If he worked it right, even a Marquis title was possible.
For now, I should wait! Anyway, those corpses arent going anywhere, Xu Mu thought.
Being new, Xu Mu felt it was better to watch and make sure everything goes smoothly before making any moves.
In a blink of an eye, the day of the wedding arrived. Families from all over Chi Zhou Prefecture came to celebrate, even the Palm Immortal Office sent a gift.
Though they were at each others throats behind the scenes, they all tried to maintain a veneer of civility in public.
The wedding went off without a hitch. No sane person would openly make trouble for Xu Mu, a recognized alchemist who had killed the Lord of the Divine Insect Valley.
As for Xu Mu, he had little regard for these people. After all, as a Great Cultivator at the peak of Golden Pill cultivation, why would he care about merely Foundation Establishment Families, let alone that he only viewed the Zhao family as a stepping stone.
When the visitors had left and Xu Mu returned to the bridal chamber, Zhao Yan was sitting there, looking delightful.
Her red lips were inviting, her skin as white as jade, reminding one of a vibrant painting on rice paper.
Honored elder!
Zhao Yan rises respectfully, wishing to serve him tea.
Despite being married, she was seen more as a decoration rather than a wife.
She felt deste, but helpless as this was the fate of those born into influential families.
If she refused, Zhao Jingrou wouldnt force her. Plenty of others were willing to marry Xu Mu. However, she would then be ostracized and could barely retain her current level of cultivation, let alone advance further.
If she squandered this opportunity, her family would never rise to prominence again.
The attack on her was a result of information leaked by her own family members, aiming to weaken her branch.
Internal strife is deadly while external fights are bearable. Its one of the reasons why many families decline.
If she couldnt win over Xu Mu, Zhao Jingrou wouldnt stand up for her given the current state of the Zhao family. They couldnt afford more unrest.
Now that she agreed to marry Xu Mu, those who had conspired with outsiders to harm her were quietly disappearing.
Everyone knew where theyd gone.
Thus, both emotionally and rationally, she had to serve Xu Mu well, stick to him no matter what, and prevent any idents. This was also what Zhao Jingrou repeatedly instructed.
In dealing with Xu Mu, Zhao Yan seemed less like a wife and more like a personal maid.
You dont need to bother about that! Xu Mu waved his hand, preventing Zhao Yan from washing his feet.
Get up here. Lets rest early, Xu Mu said.
Ah?
Zhao Yans face alternated between white and red, her body trembling slightly.
Didnt the ancestor say nothing like this would happen?
Could this old guy have some weird fetishes?
Despite her deep reluctance, she had no choice but to endure. She only hoped that Xu Mu wouldnt be too excessive.
Seeing Zhao Yan with her eyes closed and a pitiful expression, Xu Mu couldnt help butugh, waving his hand to dim the room.
Watching from afar, Zhao Jingrou sighed deeply.
Yaner, Im sorry for making you go through this.
In the room, the humiliation Zhao Yan imagined never happened.
She knew Xu Mu was an alchemist!
It was only after a long while that the dense fog lifted, and she fell into a deep sleep as exhaustion took hold.
[Congrattions to the Host for achieving]
[You will receive 10 Luck Value points daily!]
[Luck Value: Can be used to advance skills proficiency, but cannot be used directly to improve cultivation!]
Chapter 284: 253 Recognize_1
Chapter 284: Chapter 253 Recognize_1
Growing old with strength?
Upon hearing the systems prompt, Xu Mu couldnt help but wear a dark expression.
Even the system thinks hes old now?
Murmuring aint in his heart, Xu Mu left the room, took out his tools and pills, and urgently started his cultivation.
For him right now, every minute and second had to be cherished, only breaking through to the Nascent Soul would he be able to rest easy.
Over the next few days, with the assistance of Zhao Jingrou, Xu Mu smoothly assumed the position of Supreme Elder, while Zhao Yan became the Zhao Family Patriarch, inheriting the noble rank of the Zhao Family.
Due to the loss of the Xu Familys residences, Xu Mu not only lost his family luck value, but also his unrivaled talent. Thus, after a year of hardships, Zhao Yan was able to conceive.
However, Xu Mus Secret Skill of Yin and Yang Harmony was still there, tidying up Zhao Yan, who was only at the Qi Cultivation Stage, was naturally a piece of cake.
Latter, Zhao Jingrou took him around to make connections with the people from the Chi Zhou Prefecture.
His strength was sufficient and he knew alchemy, naturally, everyone was willing to get to know him.
Time flew by and after a year, Zhao Jingrou passed away!
On this day, Xu Mu, as usual, was cultivating in the cave, with his tireless persistence, the bottleneck of thete Golden Pill Stage had begun to loosen slightly.
Just then, something came from outside.
Husband, theres a message from the Palm Immortal Office asking you toe over, saying they have important matters to discuss, Zhao Yuan said somewhat shyly from outside the door.
Although the formation prevented her from entering, she knew Xu Mu could hear her.
Not long after, the formation opened from the inside, Xu Mu, dressed in a green robe, and with a short beard, slowly walked out from the cave.
Seeing Zhao Yan standing at the door, a faint smile appeared on his lips as he asked, Do you know what its about?
The Palm Immortal Office was powerful, in control of everything, and rarely directly sought them out, the family members.
The messenger didnt say, only that you need to get there as soon as you get the message! Zhao Yan replied.
Has there been a simr incident before?
There have been a few instances, but I wasnt in a high enough position to know what happened!
I see!
Xu Mu pondered for a moment, then stepped on his magic artifact and left the Zhao Family, flying towards the Palm Immortal Offices dwelling.
The Palm Immortal Offices base was located in the center of the city and consisted of three tall towers. Due to the gathering of the surrounding earthly veins, the spiritual energy inside was quite dense. The cultivators guarding the ce wore iron armors, and carry steel des, emitting a chilling aura. They didnt resemble cultivators but looked more like mortal soldiers.
It is said that the martial methods practiced by the Palm Immortal Office were initially evolved from military formations. Not only is its lethal power astonishing, but it can also be linked together to form a powerful murder formation.
It is precisely because of this invincible killing formation that the Palm Immortal Office can deter the numerous cultivators in the entire Eastern Region.
The guards at the gate merely nodded slightly at Xu Mu, appearing very arrogant.
Xu Mu gave a slight smile and didnt take it seriously. After themunication inside waspleted, he stepped and walked in.
When he finally reached the main hall of the Palm Immortal Office, many people were already gathered there, mostly elders of various families who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
Friend Xu, youre here too!
An elder with scattered hair and disying a somewhat heroic demeanor walked over with a smile.
The elders name was Nangong Bo, the Supreme Elder of the Nangong Family. The Nangong Family and the Zhao Family had known each other for a long time, and their rtionship was rather good.
Friend Nangong! Xu Mu gave a bow and asked,Do you know why the people of the Palm Immortal Office have summoned us?
If Im not mistaken, it should be because they need our assistance for some task. There have been simr instances before!
Through Nangong Bos exnation, Xu Mu learned that some tasks required more manpower, and it would be troublesome to call people from outside, so the Palm Immortal Office would seek cooperation from the local powers.
Do you know what the task is?
It should be to capture some renegade cultivators. I heard that a messenger from the Headquarters ising, so I guess the renegades strength isnt weak. Be careful when you take action!
Thank you for the reminder!
The two of them stood to one side and whispered. Soon after, several others joined in, all of whom had a personal rtionship with each other.
Everyone waited in the hall for about two hours. When most of the family elders from the Chi Zhou Prefecture arrived, the so-called messenger, apanied by numerous high-ranking officials from the Palm Immortal Office, finally came in.
There were two in total, a young girl and an old man.
The aura of the young girl was like a refreshing orchid in a deep valley, elegant and otherworldly.
The old man, on the other hand, was like a decaying piece of wood, following the young girl at a calm and steady pace.
Upon seeing the two, Xu Mus pupils constricted and he narrowed his eyes, so as not to reveal too much.
The young girl led the old man to the top and then turned to survey the crowd. When her gaze fell on Xu Mu, she frowned slightly, but quickly moved on.
I am here following the order of the Palm Immortal Office to pursue a group of renegade cultivators. These people are hidden extremely well, and we need the help of Fellow Daoists to find them!
Envoy, dont be so formal. Since its an order from the Palm Immortal Office, we will, of course, cooperate fully!
The crowd echoed from below.
Let alone the fact that the envoys cultivation and strength were far superior to theirs, even her identity as a representative of the Palm Immortal Office was something they wouldnt dare to openly refuse.
Then Id like to thank you all in advance.
Having said that, the woman took out a jade slip and allowed the people below to pass it around and examine it.
When it was Xu Mus turn, he was shocked after reading the content.
The jade slip recorded the images of more than a dozen renegade cultivators. Coincidentally, it was the group of people that he had killed.
Actually, it wasnt a coincidence. With their strength and the fact that they had traced it to this ce, apart from that group of people, there were no others.
This result gave Xu Mu a bit of a headache.
Initially, he wanted to take the opportunity to hand these people over to gain merit, but the identities of this young girl and the old man were extremely sensitive. If his origin was exposed, he could likely run into trouble.
After everyone had checked the jade slip, the young girl gave a few more orders. She then let everyone return to organize their subordinates to carefully investigate. If there was any relevant information, they were to inform her immediately.
Xu Mu also excused himself to leave. However, he suddenly stopped halfway. In the end, he stood still and waited for a moment.
You two should show yourselves. Following me while hidden isnt what a righteous person would do, Xu Mu said with a bitter smile.
The figures of the young girl and the old man suddenly appeared.
I didnt expect to see you again after a year, it really seems like fate!
A soft smile appeared on the girls face.
Arent you afraid youve recognized the wrong person?
Coincidentally, I just happen to have a divine skill that can identify the aura. If it wasnt for that skill, I wouldnt have been able to recognize you! the girl replied.
The fairy is really talented. Even after Ive changed so much, you can still recognize me, I really admire you! said Xu Mu with a sigh.
The girl in front of him was none other than who he had encountered in Tianhe City C Fairy You Lan, with whom he had once traded.
And the old man beside her was still the Elder Jin who had followed her back then.
In just a few decades, Friend Dao has already reached the mid-stage Golden Pill, Im the one who should be admiring!
Chapter 285: 254: Her Highness the Princess _1
Chapter 285: Chapter 254: Her Highness the Princess _1
I merely stumbled upon some opportunities! I dontpare to Fairy You Lan in the slightest!
Xu Mu could sense that the Fairy You Lan before him had also reached the mid-Golden Core Stage. Her cultivation level was not much inferior to his.
It was the systems help that enabled him to get from the early Foundation Establishment Stage to mid-Golden Core Stage in less than a hundred years. Though Fairy You Lan was a little bit inferior to him,pared to ordinary cultivators, she was downright terrifying.
Friend, youre too modest. I am curious about your current appearance, however, Fairy You Lan said, perplexed.
Had she not been confident in her own divine skills, she couldnt have imagined in her wildest dreams that Xu Mu could transform into his present form.
One must know that when they first met, Xu Mu was still a young man who obviously had a great deal of lifespan remaining. He would not have be what he is now even had he failed to breakthrough to the Golden Core.
Furthermore, he had indeed broken through to the Golden Core; he was in the mid-Golden Core Stage. It was known that a cultivator in the Golden Core Stage could live up to seven or eight hundred years. Considering the circumstances when they first met, Xu Mu shouldnt have be like this.
In her heart, she guessed that Xu Mu might have cultivated through some method which depleted his life force, hence his old appearance.
This guess exined why Xu Mus dramatic progress in cultivation did not surprise her too much.
Thats a long story
Regarding this matter, Xu Mu already had a prepared answer. He concocted a half-true, half-fabricated adventure story, iming that when he was exploring a secret realm, he encountered a demonic enemy. With no other choice, he had to drain his life force.
It was precisely because of that opportunity that he fortuitously managed to break through to the Golden Core Stage. This also exined why he ended up here.
Originally, he was in the region of the Tianhe Sect, millions of miles away from here. If he didnt provide a suitable reason, he couldnt guarantee that You Lan wouldnt harbor any suspicions.
Although the Southern Domain was far from the Eastern Region, given Fairy You Lans strength, she must know a bit about the demonic catastrophe.
If she were to associate that with him, it would be troublesome. This was the main reason why he didnt want to acknowledge her back at the Palm Immortal Office.
Fate lies in both good and bad, theres a blessing in every curse. This is how worldly opportunities work. Friend, you must not let your mind subside in worry. As long as you can break through to the Nascent Soul Stage in the future, everything will be fine! Fairy You Lan reassured.
From her looks, it seemed Fairy You Lan had believed his words.
The Nascent Soul Stage is no ordinary mark. Given my current situation, Im afraid the chances are slim!
If he hadnt had the system, Xu Mu would have given up with his current condition. So, his words were not an underestimation.
After Fairy You Lanforted him a few more times, Xu Mu changed the subject and asked her, I did not expect that Fairy was originally from the Eastern Region. I wonder why you ended up in the Southern Domain?
Thats a long story too. If you dont mind, why dont we go to my cave and sit for a while? Fairy You Lan suggested with a smile.
Xu Mus eyes flickered and he nodded his head.
Elder Jins strength was in thete Golden Core Stage, while Fairy You Lan was in the mid-Golden Core Stage. Both were not weaker than him in cultivation, but Xu Mu was confident that if both moved against him, he would still be able to escape.
Moreover, since they were now on their territory, and he would have to interact with them in the future, it would be inappropriate for him to refuse their invitation.
Please.
After you.
The three of them turned into three escape lights, heading towards the temporary dwelling ce arranged for Fairy You Lan by the Palm Immortal Office.
On the way, Elder Jin, who was guarding behind Fairy You Lan, frequently nced at Xu Mu. After recognizing him, he was also taken aback by his cultivation level.
When Xu Mu had first met Fairy You Lan, Elder Jin had been present. At that time, Xu Mu had shown potential, but he had never imagined that Xu Mu could advance one major realm and more than ten minor realms within a hundred years.
Such cultivation talent, even if ced in the Da Yuan Dynasty, would be among the top.
If it werent for Xu Mus appearance, suggesting that he was nearing the end of his lifespan, he would have definitely tried to persuade Fairy You Lan to ept him.
Because of a formation barrier, the three of themnded at the entrance. The gatekeepers were two Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators from the Palm Immortal Office, whom Xu Mu had encountered before. They held quite a high position at the Chi Zhou Prefectures Palm Immortal Office. He did not expect that they were now assigned to guard the door for Fairy You Lan.
This strongly suggested that Fairy You Lan was by no means an ordinary envoy from the Palm Immortal Office.
The next moment, the two Foundation-building guards addressed Fairy You Lans identity.
We pay respects to Her Highness the Princess!
The guards greeted with respect at the entrance.
Xu Mus eyes flickered slightly, but his face did not show much surprise.
Nevertheless, Fairy You Lan being a princess of the Da Yuan Dynasty was indeed a surprise for him.
He had suspected her identity to be extraordinary, but he did not expect that she would be a princess of the Da Yuan Dynasty.
Fairy You Lan gracefully nodded her head. She led Xu Mu all the way to her residence. After both of them took their seats, she called for spiritual tea and incense to soothe the mind.
Soon after, the room was filled with spiritual mist and the scent of tea was suffused in the air.
After a few sips of tea, Fairy You Lan started talking, You must have heard about my identity. I am a princess of the Da Yuan Dynasty. The reason I was in Tianhe City was that I was just passing through on my journey.
No wonder, Fairy, youre so talented. You are of noble descent! I was so blind before, please forgive me if I have offended you! Xu Mu said.
Dont make fun, friend, Fairy You Lan replied with a smile, Theres an abundance of princes and princesses in the imperial n. I am just an ordinary one. Please treat me as amon person without making any fuss about my identity!
If a princess with Fairys talents is considered ordinary, are there any geniuses in this world? As for the status, I dare not cross any boundaries! Xu Mu said.
I guess the friend has never met the real geniuses of our imperial n. If you did, you wouldnt say so!
Fairy You Lan waved her hand, apparently not wanting to dwell on this topic. Instead, she asked Xu Mu why he had ended up being an elder in a minor n in the Chi Zhou Prefecture.
When I first arrived here, I was without a ce to stay. Therefore, I thought Id find a secure ce first to look at the situation before considering my next move.
I see.
The two sat in the room, sipping tea and chatting about all sorts of things. After a while, Xu Mu broached a subject, Im curious about these rogue cultivators that Your Highness is chasing. What kind of terrible crime did theymit that warrants your personal involvement?
They didntmit any major crime per se. They just kidnapped an offering from the court. Also, their strength is considerable, so I was dispatched here to arrest them.
Fairy You Lan was extremely intelligent. Upon noticing the change in Xu Mus expression, she subtly guessed something.
Could it be that you have information about these people?
That
Please feel free to speak up, friend. If the information is confirmed, I will surely not treat you unfairly! Given their identity, they would certainly allow me to help you find a decent background.
To tell you the truth, when I first arrived here, I happened to run into them. Without thinking, I killed all of them!
Chapter 286: 255 Sparring_1
Chapter 286: Chapter 255 Sparring_1
Fairy You Lan fell silent, and Elder Jin, standing behind her, also showed a shocked expression.
It was not surprising to them that Xu Mu would encounter the attacking cultivators, as their investigations suggested that the cultivators were likely hiding in Chi Zhou Prefecture.
However, the fact that Xu Mu imed to have dealt with all the attacking cultivators was a bit unbelievable to them.
After all, those cultivators were not weak in strength and were extremely cunning and scheming. It was by no means easy to destroy them.
Seeing their disbelief, Xu Mu didnt say much. He directly took out the bodies of the attacking cultivators from his storage pouch and ced them before the two.
He had been staying in Chi Zhou Prefecture for over a year, and had long taken the opportunity to bring these bodies out of the small space.
Originally, he was worried about how to hand over these bodies to gain merit.
A few of these cultivators had reached the Golden Core Stage, including two that were at the middle stage of Golden Core. As a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, it would be a bit inappropriate for him to hand them over all of a sudden. If his real cultivation level was exposed, it would certainly cause some problems.
Even if it could be resolved eventually, it would be quite troublesome. The appearance of Fairy You Lan, in a way, solved his urgent need.
Looking at the neatly arranged bodies in front of her, Fairy You Lan confirmed several times that these were indeed the culprits she had been after.
But even though the bodies were in front of her, it was still hard to eliminate all the doubts in Fairy You Lans mind.
Did you do this by yourself? Fairy You Lan asked.
Yes!
The more lies about this kind of thing, the more troublesome. Xu Mu simply admitted directly.
Fairy You Lan and Elder Jinmunicated with their divine intent for a while before she said, Friend, your origin is somewhat improper. If you report it directly, Im afraid there will be a lot of troubles. I have apromise here. I wonder if youd like to hear it?
I would like to know more.
Why dont you let me take credit for this time, and I willpensate you with treasures of equal value!
This mission was of great significance to her. If possible, she would like to keep it in her own hands.
For Xu Mu, this was just a simple achievement, but for Fairy You Lan, it was a great experience.
Although Xu Mu had never experienced such a thing, he had been living for many years in two lives and could see it at a nce.
He pondered for a moment, then said, Its not that I dont want to agree, but I n to live here in the future, so I want to use these merits to get a title, which will facilitate my actions.
What level of title does friend wish to exchange for? Rather than giving up directly, Fairy You Lan asked first.
At least an Earl, I think!
With Xu Mus cultivation at the Golden Core Stage, only the status of an Earl would be suitable.
Upon hearing Xu Mus words, a smile appeared on Fairy You Lans face.
Thats easy! The merit from this operation is enough to exchange for four or five Earl titles. When I report it, I just need to include you, give you a supportive merit, and its easy for you to get an Earl title!
Xu Mu thought about it and felt that this method was not bad.
If thats the case, I have no objections. However, I do have a small request.
Friend, dont hesitate to say.
If possible, I hope the princess can give me a formal identity, and how should the treasures on these people be handled?
The identity can be established easily with my guarantee! As for the magical treasures and storage pouch on these people, they must be handed over as evidence, but I will estimate the market price andpensate you with Spirit Stones.
Fairy You Lans arrangements were very sound. After thinking about it and feeling that there was no problem, Xu Mu nodded.
Then Xu Mu took out the magical treasures and representative items he had collected from these people and exchanged them with Fairy You Lan.
Fairy You Lan estimated a rough Spirit Stone price and settled with him.
Following this secret transaction, Xu Mu inevitably developed a bit of goodwill towards this princess.
After the transaction waspleted and the details were discussed, Fairy You Lan put away her things and said, I have a small request, and I hope friend can agree.
Please speak, princess.
I would like to have a discussion with friend, would that be OK?
Xu Mus eyes flickered and he took a sip of tea.
He could probably guess that she wanted to take this opportunity to test his strength and probe his depth.
Xu Mus mind was full of thoughts, but he finally nodded.
In the future, there would be many opportunities to deal with each other. If he hid his talents too much and made her cautious all the time, it would be difficult to act in the future.
Thank you, friend! This way please!
Fairy You Lan stood up and led Xu Mu to a venue specially used for practicing skills. The venue was protected by formations, allowing both of them to let go.
Elder Jin stood on the outside of the field, preventing others from approaching.
I practice the fire Martial Method, which is of dual cultivation nature. Friend needs to be cautious!
I too practice dual cultivation, no need to show mercy when making your move, princess!
Oh! Im indeed looking forward to this.
A smile appeared in Fairy You Lans eyes, the next moment she formed amand hand seal, her aura suddenly changed, revealing a murderous aura. A white jade-like Fangtian Huaji appeared in her hand, and a set of ferocious armor appeared on her body.
In just a few breaths, the refined beauty had turned into a killing god.
A hint of surprise shed in Xu Mus eyes, he hadnt expected her to cultivate such a weapon.
Ive always wanted to learn a method to use therge Sky-splitting Halberd, and perhaps I can find a breakthrough from this woman.
Xu Mu thought to himself.
While thinking about this, he wasnt slow with his moves. He cast the Space Grasp Skill and summoned eight arms.
What kind of Skill is this? Ive never seen it before.
Seeing the arms condensed by Xu Mu using the Space Grasp Skill, surprise appeared in Elder Jins eyes. He had lived for hundreds of years, and this was the first time he had seen such a Skill.
Fairy You Lan had a gleam in her eyes. She was the first to attack. Her figure disappeared from where she stood, and when she reappeared, she was above Xu Mu, swooping down with herrge Fangtian Huaji.
Xu Mu didnt dodge but shouted in a loud voice, with eight arms forming fists simultaneously, they moved like a wave towards the Fangtian Huaji that was smashing over.
The two collided with a bang, sounding like a thunderp on a clear day and shaking the ground.
I really underestimated this kid!
Elder Jin praised inwardly.
He could feel that both of their attacks had reached thete Golden Core Stage, but Xu Mus attack was even stronger.
The use of Skills and magical treasures for a showdown truly surprised him, Fairy You Lans eyebrows even frowned slightly.
Even though it was just a discussion, as a princess, she didnt want to lose to a Loose Cultivator. Although she guessed that Xu Mus strength would not be weak, she was also confident in her own abilities.
After the strike, Fairy You Lan did not stop. Therge Halberd in her hand seemed to turn into countless dragons, attacking Xu Mu.
Simrly, Xu Mu was not polite either. The eight arms turned into endless shadows of fists, punching the air into a vacuum, colliding head-on with Fairy You Lan without fear.
Neither of them used any other methods, they just fought hard against each other.
Chapter 287: 256: Invitation_1
Chapter 287: Chapter 256: Invitation_1
Boom!
Their attacks were incredibly fast. In just a blink of an eye, they had shed over a hundred times, with the violent shockwaves of spiritual power spreading out in all directions, forming a spectacr rainbow of tidal waves.
The formation protecting the battlefield, under the impact of the energy, continued to emit faint spiritual light.
Celestial me Dragon sh!
Seeing that she couldnt suppress Xu Mu, Fairy You Lans eyes suddenly hardened, and her body exuded endless red spiritual mes. Her armor, like a magic tool, began to burn like moltenva.
Crackle!
The emptiness in the formation began to twist and warp under the scorching heat of the spiritual mes, the temperature rising to extreme heights. If anyone ced ordinary iron around it, it would melt into a puddle in an instant.
Boom!
The Fangtian Huaji in Fairy You Lans hand was wrapped in the zing fire dragon; she looked like a war god born from fire, bringing terrifying pressure as she relentlessly broadsided towards Xu Mu.
Fairy You Lan is an Alchemist; when they first met, she had already reached tier seven, and now after nearly a hundred years, she may already be at tier eight.
Alchemists are masters of fire maniption; Xu Mu was not surprised at all by Fairy You Lans terrifying disy of fire divine skills.
However, he believed his own abilities in using fire were not inferior to hers. Facing Fairy You Lans fire-enhanced attacks, Xu Mu was undaunted, immediately pushing his Great Sun Refining Shape Skill to its limit.
Bang!
White True mes covered his entire body, then spread to all eight magical arms, boosting the power of the Space Grasp Skill further. With an attack power not at all inferior to his opponent, he tore through the air andunched a counterstrike.
Boom!
The two of them shed tooth and nail, neither one giving any room to the other!
The intense shockwave made the formations light curtain fluctuate violently, risking breaking at any moment. Seeing this scene, Elder Jin was left with no choice but to intervene and maintain the formation.
However, while maintaining the formation, his eyes never left the duel, fearing he would miss the slightest detail.
Although his cultivation exceeded both of theirs, in terms of actual strength, he might not be able to suppress either of them.
I hadnt expected this youngster from the Southern Domain to have such a high aptitude in skill cultivation! Elder Jin marveled to himself.
Cultivation could still be improved through fortunate encounters, but skill cultivation entirely relied onprehension. If onesprehension wascking, even ten thousand years of cultivation would be futile.
Of course, anyone who managed to reach the Golden Core Stage generally demonstrates fairprehension. However, Xu Mus aptitude was clearly far beyond that of a typical Golden Core cultivator.
With his strength, hes quite suitable to help the princess with that matter, Elder Jin thought to himself.
He knew well that Fairy You Lans invitation to Xu Mu for a friendly match was not merely to gauge his strength; she was most likely aiming to enlist his help with something.
The endless explosion in the formation never ceased. If not for Fairy You Lans prior instruction, the people of the Palm Immortal Office might have already rushed over.
All that took just fifteen minutes. Fairy You Lan had thrown all sorts of attacks, but Xu Mu, with only his Space Grasp Skill, had kept his defense perfect, matching her stride for stride.
Naturally, neither used their full strength. However, just from this battle, Xu Mu was not weaker than Fairy You Lanin fact, he even seemed slightly superior.
Enough! Enough! Your strength is formidable, I admire you!
Dodging another attack from Xu Mu, Fairy You Lan retreated to the edge of the field, sheathing her armor and putting away her Fangtian Huaji, she waved her hand in resignation.
After such a long bout, she couldnt even make Xu Mu reveal his magic tool, which was somewhat frustrating.
Your highness, the Princess has remarkable strength and abundant spiritual power. If the duel were to continue, I would undoubtedly be the one to lose. Xu Mu said, canceling his skill with a smile.
You really are modest!
Although Fairy You Lan knew that Xu Mu was being polite, a smile still inevitably appeared on her face.
ttery never hurts!
Elder Jin deactivated the formation, and the two exited it.
Fairy You Lan invited Xu Mu to sit in her room for a bit longer, iming she had something important to discuss. Xu Mu did not refuse, as he had sensed there was more to their spar than met the eye.
After they entered the room, Fairy You Lan activated the formation without hiding anything.
No forces in this world do not fight amongst themselves, and our Da Yuan dynasty imperial family is no exception. In order to avoid excessively harsh covert attacks, our ancestors established a rule to hold magic duels, allowing for openpetition.
To minimize the losses to our imperial family, we have started to invite external aids, while also demonstrating the strength of our subordinates!
Those who win the magical duels not only receive arge number of spirit stones, but can also obtain pills which aid in advancing cultivation levels and secret martial methods!
Do you wish for me to assist you, Princess?
Given the extent of the conversation, even if Xu Mu were foolish, he could guess this much.
Indeed!
Fairy You Lan nodded.
If it werent for this matter, she would not have personally taken the stage to test Xu Mus strength. Of course, it was also because Xu Mu defeated that group of rogue cultivators that she believed he may have the power level she needed.
Hearing Fairy You Lans affirmative answer, Xu Mu didnt immediately agree.
If this were before, he would not participate in such self-promotion.
However, times have changed, his lifespan is limited, and he must elevate his cultivation level quickly.
His body, having been drained of its life force once, now had a poorer natural aptitude. Without the appropriate pills and secret techniques to aid him, each breakthrough would take a lot of time.
His current pill recipes and martial methods were not enough for him to make the next breakthrough. He needed to find higher-level pill recipes and secret techniques, which was one of the main reasons he left the mountain retreat.
But high-level pill recipes and martial methods are notbwhite cabbages you find on the street. Even withinrge sects, they are cherished greatly.
Originally, he could have slowly collected them through his survived identity within the Tianhe Sect but now, not only has the Tianhe Sect been destroyed, even his lifespan is limited. He simply no longer has the time to n slowly.
If he wants to quickly improve his cultivation level, he has to seize every opportunity.
The magical duel that Fairy You Lan mentioned, despite potential troubles and dangers, presents itself as a golden opportunity.
The Da Yuan dynasty is much more powerful than the Tianhe Sect and Xianyue Sect. If Xu Mu could borrow their power, his strength would surely increase by leaps and bounds.
However, he had some unresolved issues regarding this matter.
Considering the prestigious status of the Princess, it shouldnt be difficult to recruitte Golden Core Stage cultivators. Besides, with Elder Jin here, I wonder why you would choose me? Xu Mu asked.
The strength of Elder Jin before him may be unknown, but his cultivation level is certainly far higher than his, making him a more advantageous choice for thepetition.
There is a requirement for participating in the magical duel that you must hold a title and have your own family. Elder Jin cannot possess any titles due to his unique identity! As for why I invited you
Fairy Gong Lan showed a slightly awkward smile.
In these years, I have concentrated on my own cultivation, and honestly, I havent trained any capable subordinates! If it werent for this, I wouldnt have personallye to deal with these rogue cultivators!
Chapter 288: 257: Imperial Capital_1
Chapter 288: Chapter 257: Imperial Capital_1
Focused on cultivation and have no one undermand?
In other words, it probably means being weak and powerless!
If he was an ordinary disciple from a sect, it wouldnt matter if he didnt have any power. However, as a member of the Imperial family, he was destined to fight from birth. This kind of struggle was even more brutal than the internal disputes in a sect.
If Fairy You Lan were an average talent, she might be able to escape, but clearly, her talent was not only not average, but extraordinarily good. As a result, she was inevitably swept up in the struggle.
In the Cultivation Realm, there is no discrimination between men and women, only the stronger is revered. As long as Fairy You Lan is strong enough, she can also inherit the throne.
If Xu Mu agreed to Fairy You Lan, he would likely be involved as well.
If Fairy You Lan was not strong enough, then he would undoubtedly be implicated.
If things really got out of hand, he would have to leave as soon as possible.
However, if he could leverage the power of the Da Yuan Dynasty to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage, there would be nowhere in the world he couldnt go.
By then, no matter how the struggle ended, he could retreat safely. After all, in this world, ones power was what truly mattered.
Alright! I agree to your proposal!
After much contemtion, he nodded.
Wonderful! I thank you in advance, Friend Xu!
A hint of joy appeared on Fairy You Lans face.
Although she didnt expect her underlings to win the final victory at the Competition of Martial Methods, she didnt want them to lose too disgracefully either.
Given Xu Mus demonstrated power, even if he didnt win the final victory, he could at least achieve a decent rank and would not humiliate her too much.
After discussing the details of the matter, Xu Mu stood up and bid farewell to leave, while Fairy You Lan did not retain him. They agreed to meet here again in a month and then head to the imperial capital together.
The group of rogue cultivators were Golden Core Stage cultivators, after all. And the ceremony to bestow the title of Earl was not something that could be done casually. It would require a trip to the imperial capital.
The Competition of Martial arts, which is organized by the Imperial family, would also be held in the imperial capital. This trip would require him to stay in the imperial capital for at least three to four years, so he had to go back and make arrangements first.
Xu Mu wasnt worried about safety issues. With Fairy You Lans warning, no one in Chi Zhou Prefecture would dare to harm the Zhao family.
After returning home and dealing with a bunch of trivial matters, the most important of which was that there would soon be a group of peopleing here. He asked Zhao Yan to receive them.
A monthter, Xu Mu and Fairy You Lan set off together, riding the Palm Immortal Offices treasure ship to the imperial capital.
After flying on the treasure ship for three months, a majestic ancient city with walls hundreds of feet high came into Xu Mus sight. The city walls were made of pure stone and were filled with a sense of destion and antiquity, as if they had existed for an unknown number of years.
The treasure ship docked in a specially designated area near the city gate, and people were ready to greet them as soon as they disembarked.
A luxurious carriage drawn by the Swift Wind Beast was big enough to carry a hundred people. Nearly a hundred guards with extraordinary auras stood quietly waiting their turn topete. The procession was quite grand.
Fairy You Lan was, after all, a princess. This scale was not excessive for her.
Your humble servant pays respect to Your Princess Highness!
An emotionless old woman with silver hair, seeing the three arriving, immediately left the procession, went forward and paid her respects.
Paying respect to Your Highness the Princess!
The guards also went down on one knee to pay their respects.
Mmm-hmm! Rise! Fairy You Lan nodded, emanating an aura of authority and majesty.
Once a person ascends to high power, they inevitably cultivate this kind of demeanor.
Friend Xu, please get in the carriage!
Fairy You Lan gestured towards her coach.
Is this appropriate? Xu Mu said.
This, after all, is the princesss phoenix coach. It was fine while they were in Chi Zhou Prefecture, but now they were under the imperial capital. He was still just amoner. If seen by others, it might not look good.
Youre not some handsome young man, no one would notice! Fairy You Lanughed.
Almost forgot that hes an elder who couldnt be any older, no one would take wild guesses.
Well! This should be one of the advantages of being old, right?
Xu Mu looked back at Elder Jin and saw him nod. He stopped saying more and shared the carriage with Fairy You Lan.
Elder Jin got on a Monster Beast mount and followed the procession slowly towards the city gate.
The city gate of the Imperial capital was extremely spacious, allowing concurrent passage of hundreds of carriages. After showing their royal identity, the team did not undergo any inspection and smoothly entered the capital.
This was probably one of the reasons why Fairy You Lan invited him to join her in the carriage. Otherwise, the inspection might be troublesome.
In the Imperial capital, Spiritual energy was abundant; the streets were bustling. The only downside was that they couldnt fly. Everyone had to travel by foot, so the pace was slow. This slow, of course, was rtive to flying. In actual fact, it was a lot faster than galloping on horseback.
Xu Mu lifted the window curtain to observe the street views while Fairy You Lan sat on the other side, immersed in contemting her martial methods secret book.
In reality, aside from a private transaction, they didnt have much connection. During the three months on the Flying Boat, they cultivated independently, so there wasnt a scene of intimate conversation.
Fairy You Lan probably considered him more as a potential hanger-on worth recruiting, and his status wasnt too high.
If he had not had good talent and an unusual background, Fairy You Lan might not have been as courteous to him.
The carriage rode through the grand avenues, passing by some well-known buildings. asionally, Fairy You Lan would open her eyes to introduce them to him.
About an hourter, the carriage stopped in front of arge gate, behind which stood a group of towers that were hundreds of feet tall, seemingly reaching for the stars.
A redcquered, golden que was hung on the gate with three big characters written on it
Palm Immortal Office!
Lets hand over the quest first, and then Ill take you to my pce, said Fairy You Lan.
All shall be done under Your Highnesssmand! Xu Mu said.
They both disembarked from the carriage and headed towards the Palm Immortal Office, while the other people, including Elder Jin, waited outside.
The rules of the Palm Immortal Office are strict, stick with me and dont wander off! Fairy You Lan warned Xu Mu before they entered.
Rest assured, Your Highness! Xu Mu solemnly replied.
Even though he had not entered yet, he could already sense the extraordinariness of the Palm Immortal Office. There was a terrifying aura seething around, watching him at all times.
If Xu Mu guessed correctly, this aura likely belonged to a cultivator in the Nascent Soul Stage, otherwise, it wouldnt pose as big a threat.
The Palm Immortal Office was guarded by someone at the Nascent Soul Stage, and possibly more than one.
Were here to hand over a mission! This is the person who helped meplete the mission!
Fairy You Lan walked to the entrance, took out a token and said.
Commandant General, please!
The gatekeeper said after a careful inspection.
They didnt address Fairy You Lan as a princess, but as Commandant General, demonstrating the unique independence of the Palm Immortal Office.
Following Fairy You Lan, the two of them passed through the grand entrance and entered the inner part of the Palm Immortal Office.
As soon as Xu Mu crossed the threshold, he couldnt help but furrow his eyebrows.
Theres no spiritual energy?
Chapter 289: 258: Palm Immortal Office_1
Chapter 289: Chapter 258: Palm Immortal Office_1
Not only is this ce the headquarters of the Palm Immortal Office, but it is also the imperial prison of the court, containing many extremely wicked criminals. To avoid any trouble from the prisoners within, a formation that istes spiritual energy has been set up! Fairy You Lan exined to Xu Mu.
Besides that, it is also a strict reminder for the people of the Palm Immortal Office to keep away from indulging in cultivation and neglecting their actual duties.
I see!
Xu Mu nodded his head, carefully observing while following Fairy You Lan as they went on.
Theyout of the Palm Immortal Office is very in. Apart from several enclosed lofts, every other ce is vacant without any gardens, bridges over running water, or any decorative items.
The people working inside were also odd. They had nk faces, did not look anywhere else, and rushed past like emotionless puppets.
Everywhere here gave off a sense of oppression ordinary people would be frightened out of their wits if they were to step foot in here.
But Xu Mu was not an ordinary person. He had lived many years, been to all sorts of ces, so this slightly bizarre environment wasnt of any concern to him.
Under the guidance of Fairy You Lan, the two of them passed numerous lofts, finally stopping at a location near the southwest corner. Here stood a small loft only about ten feet tall, looking rather conspicuous among so many giant lofts.
This loft had neither an entrance nor windows, and its surface waspletely flush. Without Fairy You Lans exnation, Xu Mu might have mistaken it for a piece of art.
There were no guards in front of the loft. Fairy You Lan stopped, bowed respectfully, and called out, Master.
Creak!
The loft automatically opened an entrancerge enough for both of them to pass side by side.
Fairy You Lan didnt hesitate to step inside, Xu Mu following closely behind.
When both of them just entered, it was pitch ck inside. Xu Mu didnt dare to casually emit his Divine Intent, only following closely behind Fairy You Lan. After about ten steps, the entrance slowly disappeared behind them, and the entire space was swallowed by darkness, so dark that they couldnt see their hands in front of them.
Pop!
Threads of spiritual energy suddenly shed in the darkness, illuminating everything in front of Xu Mus eyes.
Xu Mu blinked, looking around.
It was apletely empty room with nothing but the mirror-smooth floor, which resembled the overall style of the Palm Immortal Office.
The ceiling was arched, and apart from being smooth, it was also empty.
There were no skylights, or any exits to be seen.
The only thing in this closed space was a middle-aged man, sitting in the center of the room, his hair scattered about, looking just like a stone statue.
As if sensing their presence, he slowly opened his eyes.
The instant Xu Mu saw his eyes, a shiver ran down his spine.
Those werent eyes, they were more like the entrance to hell. Just a single look, and Xu Mu seemed to see the entirety of hell, with various evil spirits struggling, screaming, and roaring in suffering. That resentment was enough to make a persons spirit shatter.
Master!
Fairy You Lan called out.
Lord!
Xu Mu hurriedly expressed his greetings.
On their way here, Fairy You Lan had already told him that her master was the master of the Palm Immortal Office.
Even though Fairy You Lan referred to him as master, Xu Mu did not naively consider him an ally, for ording to Fairy You Lan, this master of the Palm Immortal Office had once been a teacher for the imperial familys children. Any imperial family child could call him master, so the title wasnt particrly valuable. Fairy You Lan had simply referred to him as such to close the gap between them.
Hmm.
The master of the Palm Immortal Office only responded with a nod, his gaze sweeping past Xu Mu without lingering any longer than necessary.
Youpleted the mission quite quickly!
All thanks to your excellent teachings, Master! Fairy You Lan replied with a smile.
Tell me about the specific details of the mission.
Yes!
Fairy You Lan expressed a set of arguments shed previously devised. The Master of Palm Immortal Office did not challenge them, only paused for a moment before speaking: I understand.
Your name is Xu Mu, correct?
Yes!
Xu Mu remained tense, always ready to answer whatever question the other party posed. Before arrival, he and Fairy You Lan had discussed their story; he was not worried about mistakes unless they intentionally created difficulty.
You have done well. Our Palm Immortal Office does not let anyones valuable efforts go unrewarded. You may go out and wait. I have a few words to say to the princess.
Uh?Yes!
Xu Mu had not expected this, but it suited him fine. He obediently left.
He waited for the duration of a pot of tea before Fairy You Lan walked out with a smile on her face.
The Master has a favorable impression of you. Lets go register you. In a few days you will be sent to the six departments. As long as you pass the review, the imperial edict dering you an earl will be issued! Rest assured, its just a formality. There wont be any problems with me around.
Thank you, Princess!
Dont mention it, I promised you this long ago!
In high spirits, Fairy You Lan led Xu Mu out of the Palm Immortal Office after hepleted his registration.
Do you want to take a stroll around town?
No need!
Xu Mu shook his head.
Even if he wanted to wander the town, it wasnt fitting to make her apany him. Besides, hed have plenty more time in the Imperial City to exploreter.
Very well, lets head back then! A feast has been prepared to wee you at my mansion. Ill introduce you to my guests there. Be careful when the timees!
A mysterious smile appeared on Fairy You Lans face.
Princess, might as well exin clearly so I can be prepared! Xu Mu replied bitterly.
No need for games at this point.
These guests were all skilled people I gathered from various ces. Theyre either gifted or very skilled in their field. Theyre aware youll be attending the magic duel on my behalf, however, they do not know your strength. It is likely that they will challenge you during the feast.
Fairy You Lan said with augh, not hiding from Xu Mu what her intentions were.
Princess, may I ask how strong these people are? Xu Mu inquired.
Naturally, theyre not as strong as you; otherwise, I would not have asked you to participate in my stead. But they arent much weaker than you, and have some unique methods. If you are not careful and fall for their tricks, you might indeed be defeated, Fairy You Lan responded with a chuckle.
In battles between cultivators, it wasnt just magical items and divine skills that mattered, but also the ability to harness a wide range of cultivator skills. If one mastered these, they could unleash a power far surpassing their own realm. This was evident when Xu Mu defeated the Lord of the Divine Gu Valley. If they were both at the same level, Xu Mu might not have been able to subdue him.
Speaking of which, over the past year, Xu Mu had honed the Parasitic Skill inherited from the Lord of the Divine Gu Valley to a high degree. Although not as powerful as his full strength, it had many wonderful uses.
Thank you for the warning, Princess. I understand how to handle it now! Xu Mu acknowledged.
The reason I warned you is to avoid any unforeseen idents. If something were to happen to you, it would not only be embarrassing for you, but for me as well!
Rest assured, Princess, If I cant handle such a small matter, I wouldnt be qualified to participate in the magic duel!
As long as you understand, thats good!
Fairy You Lan didnt say much after that.
The battles in the magic duel wouldnt be like their usual practices of open confrontation. His opponents would surely use unpredictable techniques, so Xu Mu must prepare ahead of time. This uing banquet challenge from her guests would serve as a good pre-duel practice.
After a long carriage ride, they finally arrived at the pce where Fairy You Lan resided.
If Xu Mu cant even handle a group of people whose strength is-
Chapter 290: 259 Hanger-on of an Aristocrat_1
Chapter 290: Chapter 259 Hanger-on of an Aristocrat_1
The two got off from the carriage, one after the other. Many servants had long been standing at the entrance to the mansion, waiting for them to arrive.
Five people, all cultivators who had reached the Golden Core Stage, stood in the forefront.
Their clothes, mannerisms, and temperaments all differed, clearly indicating that they were anything but ordinary servants.
Your Highness, you must be tired! the five of them said in unison.
Hmm!
Li Yon nodded slightly and introduced the people to herpanion with a smile, This is Friend Xu Mu, my good friend from Chi Zhou Prefecture. He will be living here as a hanger-on of an aristocrat in the future. Please take good care of him!
Understood!
All the servants bowed in acknowledgement. Only the five in the forefront simply sped their hands as a sign of respect. They made no attempt to hide their divine intent, openly evaluating Xu Mu.
Xu Mu remained calm and in turn used his divine intent to examine the five individuals.
All five of them were in the early stages of the Golden Core Stage, and there were four men and one woman.
Friend Xu, let me introduce you!
Li Yon pointed at a middle-aged man, whose eyes were squinted as if he was always smiling, much like an old fox. He said, This is Friend Lu Kui. Like you, he is also a hanger-on of an aristocrat in my mansion. He manages the entire mansion along with Amu.
Amu, mentioned by Li Yon, was the elderly maid with silvery hair who met them when they got off the ship. With a cultivation at thete Foundation Establishment stage, she had been a pce maid and had stayed with Li Yon for over two hundred years.
Nice to meet you, Friend Lu! Xu Mu greeted, sping his hand.
Youre too kind, Friend Xu!
Lu Kui smiled back. His hand naturally extended for a handshake, but seeing no response from Xu Mu, he discreetly pulled it back. He didnt say anything about this sligt, but his eyes shed with a hint of frostiness.
Li Yon pointed to the next person, a middle-aged man who looked like a farmer ready for fieldwork with his trouser legs and sleeves rolled up, and said: This is Friend Jia Zhiyi, who is remarkably proficient with The Way of Beast Tamer. He is responsible for all of the monster beasts and spirit birds in the mansion.
Nice to meet you, Friend Jia! I hope for your guidance in the times toe! Xu Mu said.
Friend Xu, youre too kind. If you ever need anything, dont hesitate to let me know. Jia Zhiyi replied with a hearty smile that instantly made him seem approachable.
This is Friend Hong Xi, who is renowned for his proficiency in Body Refinement throughout the imperial capital!
Li Yon pointed at a man who was twice asrge as the norm and was decked out in a sleeveless training garment.
Nice to meet you, Friend Hong!
Dont mention it!
Hong Xi replied in a deep, resonant voice but didnt say anything more, as if he was a man of few words.
Li Yon pointed to the fourth person, the only woman in the lot.
This is Qiao Qianqian, also known as Friend Qiao, a rare tier seven spirit nt cultivator. Shes temporarily in charge of all spirit nts, spiritual medicine trees, and unusual flowers and nts in the mansion. If you need to buy any spiritual medicine, you can contact Friend Qiao. She has many sources that not only provide high-quality herbs but also offer them at very reasonable prices!
On hearing Li Yons words, Xu Mus eyes sparkled as he said with utmost courtesy, I might have to inconvenience you in the future, Friend Qiao. I hope you dont mind.
Friend Xu, dont mention it! We are all here to serve the princess. If you ever need anything in the future, dont hesitate to instruct me, Qiao Qianqian replied cheerfully.
She bore a resemnce to Li Yon in terms of temperament, being fresh and elegant. Butpared to Li Yon, she exuded an even greater sense of vitality, her whole being radiating an exuberant life force as if she was a bamboo shoot after a spring rain, ready to burst forth at any moment.
Her smile also carried a warm and friendly vibe, making people feel as if they were bathed in spring breeze, reminding them of the goddess of life.
Finally, Li Yon pointed to thest person, a beautiful youth with a jade-like face, rosy lips, and silk ribbon obscuring his eyes. He had an androgynous air about him.
This is Xu Lingyu, also known as Friend Xu. He is highly proficient in soul techniques! Li Yon said lightly.
Greetings, Friend Xu!
Facing Xu Mus greeting, Xu Lingyu made a gesture with his hands but said nothing. It was unclear whether he could not or chose not to speak, but Xu Mu did not mind.
Friend Xu, I will take you to your quarters first for a brief rest. The banquet will still take a while! How does that sound to you?
I will do as the princess instructs.
Very well! Lets go inside!
Li Yon took the lead as everyone followed her into the princesss mansion.
The entire mansion was divided into east, central, and west sections. Each section wasid out strictly along the central axis from south to north, forming multiple courtyards. Apart from the three great halls along the central axis, there was no sense of grandeur. Theyout of the entire mansion seemed to haphazardly incorporate arge number of residential areas around the three pces.
Theyout was not as good as Zhao Yans private residence in Chi Zhou Prefecture. It was unclear whether Li Yon was being discreet or simply toozy to make changes.
Beyond criticisms about the housing arrangement, other aspects were eptable.
Especially the decorative nts and trees, they were interspersed very appropriately. Each one was bursting with life, filling the air with the fragrance of flowers. This injected a certain charm to the ordinary mansion.
It seems that this Qiao Qianqian is indeed extraordinary. All these nts are spiritual, and though not of high grade, to keep them so vibrant in such narrow gaps between buildings is no easy feat! Xu Mu praised inwardly.
Peoplee and go in the mansion, and the cultivators take a share of the spiritual energy, causing a chaotic mixture of energies. Normal spirit nts would struggle to survive in such an environment, let alone flourish.
Such talents are essential for the familys development. Perhaps it would be beneficial to build a good rtionship with them. After settling in Xu Family, they can help cultivate some more! Xu Mu thought quietly to himself.
During his observation of these spirit nts, he discovered an anomaly, that is, the blue spirit flowers were particrly favored, making up almost half of all spirit nts.
Was it due to the name? Or did Li Yon just prefer these flowers?
Most people have a certain fondness for the things represented in their names.
The word for orchid in Li Yons name is n, which also means blue. A preference for blue flowers was understandable.
Looking at Li Yons clothes, they were also blue.
Everything seemed to fit.
This information might be useful in the future, Xu Mu made a mental note of it.
As they were crossing through the second pce gate along the central route, Li Yon let Lu Kui and the others disperse. There were just a few maidservants with her, Elder Jin following behind, continuing on with Xu Mu.
This indicated that Xu Mus quarters were further inside, and the conveyed information of privilege made a few in the party turn around to sneak a few more nces at Xu Mus back.
Anyone would know that the closer to the center, the better the location.
Li Yon, as the owner of the mansion, lived in the Tengluo Court on the east side of the central sacrificial hall. The sacrificial hall, which housed the ancestral tablets, was not a suitable living area. The four courtyards situated around it were considered the most central and best locations in the mansion.
In Da Yuan Dynasty, the east is considered more prestigious, and hence, Li Yon resided in the eastern Tengluo Court.
The other three courts were the Purple Heart Courtyard to the south, ckwood Courtyard to the north, and Falling Star Courtyard to the west.
Apart from these four courts, there were eight other courts that held slightly lesser status, located adjacent to the four. These twelve courts were all located within the third pce gate.
Originally, only three people lived within the three pce gates. There was Li Yon, Elder Jin, and another who was also a retainer of an aristocrat, who was the only such person living there and currently not inside the mansion.
It now seemed that Xu Mu would be the fourth person to move in.
Soon after, everyone received the news that Li Yon had arranged for Xu Mu to stay in the Falling Star Courtyard.
The princess has actually arranged for him to stay in Falling Star Courtyard, there will certainly be quite the show now!
Chapter 291: 260: Divination_1
Chapter 291: Chapter 260: Divination_1
Falling Star Courtyard.
The east wing.
On the wall hung a painting of loquat birds in a mountain, the birds flew about within the painting, and the loquat trees swayed as if caressed by the wind.
A brass incense burner sat on the rosewood table, tendrils of smoke wafted out, filling the entire room with a rich fragrance.
After bathing and changing his clothes, Xu Mu sat quietly in front of the mirror, his spine straight and eyes slightly closed.
Two young and attractive maids dressed in cyan costumes were meticulouslybing his long hair withbs made from animal bones.
One of the maids was called Rouer, and the other was called Xiner. They were specifically selected by Li Yon to serve Xu Mu, and he couldnt refuse their help.
Xiner, why is this yard called the Falling Star Courtyard?
Xu Mu suddenly asked.
In response to your question, Sir, it is because
Xiner attempted to answer but was interrupted by Rouer, whoughed and said: Sir, if you dont mind, why dont we wait untilter? Rouer will tell you then. Perhaps by that time, you wont need me to exin, and youll understand on your own!
Alright!
A slight smile yed at Xu Mus lips as he replied.
He only thought to ask in passing; it didnt matter whether he knew sooner orter. Even if the girls didnt tell him, he could probably guess the origin.
Rouer was teasing him, trying to win his favor.
Li Yon probably had ulterior motives in sending these two girls to seduce him.
If these girls could win Xu Mus favor, it would be like they had turned from sparrows into phoenixes given their status.
In terms of age, it was never an issue for cultivators.
However,pared to Xiner, who was gentle and serene, Rouer seemed to be more proactive and bold.
Xu Mu changed the subject and asked, How much do you know about the other hangers-on in the mansion?
This
Rouer stammered, seemingly hesitant to say more.
Sir, we maidsck status and not often interact with these gentlemen. We can only offer hearsay. However, if Sir is willing to listen, I can share what I know. Xiner answered indifferently.
At her side, Rouer tried to signal Xiner to stop talking.
They did not know Xu Mu well yet. Even though he seemed kind and gentle, no one knew what he was like when their back was turned. If their words reached the ears of others, their lives could be at risk.
Go ahead, tell me! Xu Mu replied withughter.
Even though his eyes were closed, he was keenly aware of their every gesture and expression.
Xiners actions had indeed caused him to reassess her.
It seemed that she was not timid but simply did not like topete.
Rouer was still sending nces, hoping to stop her close friend, but Xiner ignored it and continued, Mr. Lu, the house steward, is known behind his back as the Smiling Tiger. He is notorious for his double-dealing ways, and many servants and maids who crossed him have vanished without a trace.
Could she really be so bold as to say these things aloud?
Xu Mu was slightly astonished. If he were in her shoes, he wouldnt dare say such things.
However, he quickly realized why Xiner was so daringit was probably Li Yons doing.
Li Yon couldnt say these things herself, so getting a maid to do it was the perfect solution.
Clueless of the situation, Rouer looked terrified.
If Mr. Lu found out about this, they could be the ones disappearing next.
Woe is her!
What about the others? Xu Mu pressed.
Mr. Jia Zhiyi is loyal and friendly to everyone! Mr. Hong Xi is taciturn and only interested in cultivation! Ms. Qiao Qianqian is easy-going and kind-hearted. Everyone in the mansion likes her! Xu Lingyu, despite being the youngest among them, was the first one recruited by the princess. He tends to stay aloof and doesnt interact much with others apart from performing tasks for the princess. Xiner continued to exin in a in tone.
Arent there six of them? Who is the other one?
Thest gentleman is Wang Yongan who resides in the Rich Flower Yard behind your quarters. He is the one whom the princess values the most. He is a bit dissolute and rarely stays in the mansion; he only returns when summoned by the princess.
Oh! Thats interesting!
Xu Mu opened his eyes and chuckled, stroking his chin.
On the side, Rouer had already given up struggling and was only praying that Xu Mu wouldnt betray them. To please Xu Mu, she devoted herself more and more to serving him.
Later, Xu Mu didnt continue to inquire. Afterbing his hair and adjusting his attire, led by the two maids, he left the courtyard and headed for the banquet being held on the Inviting Moon tform.
Rouer, whats the Inviting Moon tform? Xu Mu asked.
In response to your question, Sir, it is the loft located on the highest point of the rear garden!
Rouer pointed to a lofty loft built on a man-made hill in the garden behind the mansion.
From the Inviting Moon tform, you can overlook the entire garden. Its the ce with the best view in the entire mansion. Typically, its only used to host banquets for esteemed guests or during festivals.
I am quite honored indeed. Xu Mu said with a smile.
The three of them passed through three pce gates and entered the rear garden. They were greeted by stacked rockeries, winding corridors and pavilions, ponds, and floral arrangements. Although not as spectacr as some fantastdscapes, it was still breathtaking and interesting in its own way.
Mr. Xu, what a coincidence!
Lu Kui quickly walked over with his sleeves rolled up, catching up with the trio with augh.
Rouer and Xiner promptly stepped aside, letting Lu Kui walk side by side with Xu Mu.
Its some time before the banquet begins. Why have you arrived so early, Mr. Xu? Lu Kui asked.
I just arrived and wanted to get a good look around, so I came a bit early.
Oh, I see! Ive been the house manager for over a decade and know the mansion quite well. How about I show you around?
That would be of great help.
No trouble at all! Lu Kuiughed.
Under Lu Kuis guidance, Xu Mu visited several famous spots in the garden. Lu Kui even shared some interesting anecdotes, making them seem to enjoy each otherspany.
After having toured most of the garden, with the time for the banquet drawing near, Lu Kui abruptly changed the topic, I have some knowledge of fortune-telling. Given that this is Mr. Xus first visit to the imperial capital, how about I predict your future?
Xu Mu was slightly taken aback, not sure what this old coot was up to.
Predict his future?
If he really possessed such skills, why would he be serving as a hanger-on in this mansion?
Sure!
Xu Mu nodded with a smile, curious about what the other party was up to.
Could you please tell me your birth date and time?
The 543rd year of the Qingan Era
Xu Mu made up a birth date and time ording to his appearance.
Lu Kui pretended to calcte using his fingers for a while before his face suddenly darkened. He took out a few oracle bones with patterns carved on them and threw them on the ground a few times before looking up with a troubled expression, Mr. Xu, the result is not so good, are you sure you still want to hear it?
Dont hesitate to tell me, Mr. Lu! Xu Mu replied with a smile.
Its a very bad omen. If you continue to stay in the imperial capital, I fear your life might be in danger!
Chapter 292: 261 Banquet_1
Chapter 292: Chapter 261 Banquet_1
Oh!
Facing Lu Kuis rmist talk, Xu Mu only responded lightly, his expression barely changing.
Sigh! Im just trying to look out for you, Friend Xu. But if you wont believe me, then forget it!
Seeing that Xu Mu didnt seem to believe him at all, Lu Kui shook his head and sighed.
I only believe in making my own destiny! Xu Mu smiled and said.
Just as Lu Kui was about to say something, Qiao Qianqians voice came from nearby.
What are you two talking about? Can I also listen in? Qiao Qianqian asked with a yfulugh.
Oh, its nothing, its nothing! Lu Kuiughed, The banquet is about to start, lets go up. It wouldnt be good to keep her highness waiting!
Lu Kui strode towards the small hill where the Inviting Moon tform was located.
Friend Xu, what were you talking about? Qiao Qianqian pressed.
Nothing!
Really, nothing?
Qiao Qianqian seemed somewhat disbelieving.
Really nothing!
Alright then!
Qiao Qianqian didnt press any further and walked alongside Xu Mu toward the small hill.
The Inviting Moon tform was on top of the hill, with stairs on both sides. They chose to climb from the left. On reaching the top, apart from Lu Kui, Jia Zhiyi and Hong Xi had also arrived.
Now, including them, only Xu Lingyu was missing from the hangers-on of the aristocrats.
As for Li Yon, they might have to wait a little longer.
This way, please, honorable guests!
A maid on the Inviting Moon tform guided them to their seats.
The banquet seats were arranged in two columns centered on the Inviting Moon tform. Four seats on one side, three on the other, and one seat at the head in the middle.
The head seat was reserved for the host, surely it was for Li Yon.
Xu Mu was seated in the first position to the left of the head seat, with two maids standing dutifully behind him. Qiao Qianqian was seated to his left. The seat to be assigned for Qiao Qianqian was still vacant, presumably reserved for Xu Lingyu.
Apart from Xu Lingyu, there was only Wang Yongan, whom they had not yet met.
Across from them was also an empty table, presumably for Wang Yongan. Next to it was Lu Kui, followed by Jia Zhiyi, and at the end, Hong Xi.
Her highness really favors you!
Qiao Qianqian lightlyughed.
How so, Friend Qiao? Xu Mu asked with confusion.
Are you really naive, or are you feigning ignorance? Qiao Qianqian expressed surprise.
I am genuinely confused!
Seeing that Xu Mu didnt seem to be pretending, Qiao Qianqian exined: In the Da Yuan Dynasty, the left side is considered the more respected side. In the past, her Highness would always leave the seat to her left vacant. Letting you sit here now just goes to show just how much regard she has for you!
I see!
Is this being favored? Isnt it just setting me up to be roasted on the fire!
I may not be a fool, but I understand Li Yons intentions. Whether its arranging amodations or seating, she deliberately incites conflict.
Its only a matter of who will be the scapegoat.
Xu Mu nced at the empty seat opposite him, then looked at Lu Kui, who was holding a wine cup and cheerfully offering a toast.
As for Hong Xi and Jia Zhiyi, one was engrossed in eating, and the other seemed to be constantly teasing a small ck bird on their shoulder.
Next to him, Qiao Qianqian was inspecting the Spirit Fruit on the table.
This fruit was picked a bit early, I bet it would be hard for its seed to grow!
Qiao Qianqian held a bright red Spirit Date in her hand and murmured to herself.
She turned her head to look at Xu Mus table and noticed a green fruit with white tendrils that her tablecked.
A Dragon Whisker Fruit! How partial of her highness! Qiao Qianqianmented a bit sourly.
I didnt y favorites!
Three beams of Escape Light flew over from the distance,nding in the center of the Inviting Moon tform. A voice emanated from inside.
The Escape Light dissipated, revealing Li Yon, Elder Jin, and Xu Lingyu.
I just went out for an urgent matter. I hope all of you havent been waiting too long! Li Yon greeted the crowd with a sp of her hands.
Your Highness is too courteous!
Everyone stood up to return the salute.
Li Yon didnt take her seat right away, she looked at Qiao Qianqian and said, The Dragon Whisker Fruit is only effective the first time you consume it. Since you have all tried it, thats why we only prepared one for Xu Mu!
Hehe! Dont worry, your highness! I was just joking! Qiao Qianqian stammered.
Li Yon didnt mind her casualment, she walked to the top seat and sat down. Elder Jin stood silently behind her, like a wooden figure.
Xu Lingyu sat down next to Qiao Qianqian. His eyes were still covered with a cloth bandage, hinting that there was indeed something wrong with his eyes.
After everyone took their seats, Li Yon nced at the empty seat on her right hand side and frowned slightly with a touch of displeasure, Didnt anyone inform him? Why is he not here yet?
Your highness, Friend Wang said he was busy with something crucial and might be a littlete! Lu Kui stood and responded.
If thats the case, lets not wait for him! Li Yon signaled to the serving maid, Serve the food and wine!
Dish after dish of exquisite meals made from exotic beasts were served, including Spiritual Wine worth several high-grade Spirit Stones. They were ced on everyones table for them to enjoy.
First, I will toast to Friend Xu. Im very grateful you woulde to the imperial capital to assist me!
Li Yon raised her ss towards Xu Mu.
Your Highness, you are being too kind! It is my honor to be able to help!
Xu Mu stood up and drank all the wine in his cup.
Ill also propose a toast to you, Friend Xu. We will all be serving under her Highness together in the future, we will need your guidance! Lu Kui got up and said.
Youre too polite. If you need anything, feel free to tell me!
Then Qiao Qianqian and others each toasted Xu Mu in turn. Only Xu Lingyu kept silent, and from afar, he just saluted Xu Mu.
Friend Lu, during my absence, has anything significant happened in the imperial capital? After drinking, Li Yon asked Lu Kui.
Your Highness, I was just about to report. During your absence
Lu Kui mentioned several incidents that urred in the imperial capital, none too serious but neither were they trivial. Most of them had to do with other princes and princesses.
In this manner, Li Yon continued to eat and drink, during which she inquired about their situations one person at a time. Lu Kui, Jia Zhiyi, and Qiao Qianqian were the ones with the most updates, whereas Hong Xi only got asked a few simple questions and Xu Lingyu wasnt asked anything at all.
After the inquiries, Li Yon called for a dancer, who began dancing in the center of the moon tform.
The bright moon was hanging high, and the cold moonlight was shining down, making the entire Inviting Moon tform spotless and pure. The dancer, dancing under the moonlight, looked as beautiful as a celestial maiden, extremely enchanting.
Everyone felt as if they were in the Wide Cold Fairy Pce for a moment.
Just then, a trail of blue Escape Light flew over from afar andnded on the tform.
Once the light disappeared, a disheveled young man was revealed.
The young man had a pear-shaped head, with puffy eyes and a clean-shaven face. He was dressed in a white robe embroidered with various blue flower patterns.
I am sorry for beingte due to an urgent matter! I hope Your Highness will forgive me!
The young man showed a hint of nonchnce as he apologized to Li Yon.
If its because of work, then its fine! Please take a seat! Li Yon said indifferently.
Thank you, Your Highness! I happened toe across an Ice Jade Begonia flower. I hope Your Highness would regard it favorably!
Having said that, the young man took out a jade box made of white jade from his storage bag and walked over to Li Yon while holding it with both hands.
The dancer on the tform automatically cleared a path, allowing the young man to walk in front of Li Yon and present the jade box.
As the young man approached, Xu Mu caught a whiff of a strong exotic fragranceing from him. Xu Mu could only guess what it was.
Youre thoughtful!
Li Yon didnt extend her hand to ept the gift. Instead, she instructed a maid nearby to receive it.
As long as Your Highness is happy, I am willing to pay any price!
Having said that, the young man turned to look at Xu Mu, a trace of disdain in his eyes. Only then did he sit down by Li Yons right side. The banquet continued without interruption, and Li Yon did not stop the dancers nor introduced the young man to Xu Mu.
Even without an introduction, Xu Mu could guess who the young man was. Apart from Wang Yongan, there was no one else it could be.
But Xu Mu was somewhat surprised by the extent of the young mans arrogance.
This guy doesnt do any meaningful work and is always messing around with these shy trivialities!
Qiao Qianqian muttered in disbelief near Xu Mus ear. Xu Mu chose not to respond.
Chapter 293: 262: Soul Stabilization_1
Chapter 293: Chapter 262: Soul Stabilization_1
This guy!
Upon seeing that Xu Mu didnt respond, Qiao Qianqian couldnt help but grumble internally.
The words she had prepared went unsaid.
She had tried to show goodwill, but it was like casting amorous nces at a blind man.
This was a misunderstanding on Qiao Qianqians part. Xu Mu didnt respond not because he didnt want to, but because he didnt know how to. Even though she showed clear hostility, Xu Mu still didnt want to cause unnecessary trouble.
Its best not to provoke opponents that cant be dealt with directly.
After Wang Yongan took his seat, the banquet continued. Li Yon, sitting at the main seat, held a jade cup, her expression focused on the song and dance in the middle of the banquet.
Time passed unnoticed until the banquet finally neared its end. Li Yon dismissed the dancers and musicians, stood up, and asked, Is everyone enjoying themselves?
Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness! Were having a great time! the crowd responded as they stood up.
In that case, lets call it a night! Everyone, go back and rest!
Having said that, Li Yon left her seat, seemingly about to bring this banquet to an anticlimactic close.
Wait a moment, Your Highness!
At this moment, Lu Kui stood up.
Friend Lu, what else could you need?
I heard that Friend Xu has profound Divine Skills and am quite curious. I wonder if Your Highness would allow Xu to give us a demonstration and allow us to broaden our horizons!
What do you think, Friend Xu?
Li Yon didnt follow Lu Kuis remark but instead asked Xu Mus opinion.
All the skills I practice are forbat, so it might not be suitable for demonstration, Xu Mu tried to decline.
Who would want to be made a spectacle of?
However, it was clear that Lu Kui, after mulling over for a long time, did not intend to let him off so easily.
If Friend Xu doesnt mind, I can be a sparring partner and have a friendly match with him, which could facilitate your demonstration, Lu Kui, with narrowed eyes, suggested in a friendly manner.
It looked as if he was thoughtfully providing Xu Mu with an opportunity to perform.
What if I identally hurt you? Xu Mu continued to decline.
Friendlypetition can inevitably lead to injuries. Theres no need to worry about it, Lu Kui persisted.
In that case, the two of you can spar. It will add to the liveliness of this banquet! Li Yon made a final decision bluntly.
As youmand!
Xu Mu responded with a bow.
Lets stop at the indicative point. Instead of going to the practice field, why dont we have a simple spar in the air? Lu Kui proposed.
Alright!
Xu Mu nodded.
All the Golden Pill Cultivators quickly flew up into the sky, leaving only maids and servants on the ground.
Will Sir be alright? Rouer looked up at the sky with a worried look on her face.
She had just been assigned to Xu Mu and didnt want anything bad to happen to him so soon.
I dont know!
Xiner shook her head, revealing a trace of nervousness in her expression.
The other maids and servants also looked up, but the people flew too high, further obscured by the night, making it impossible for them to see clearly. They could only see a few ck spots.
High above in the sky, against the fierce wind and the moonlight shining on their shoulders, several people appeared like Immortals freely wandering among the clouds.
His Lifebound weapon is the Soul Chasing Spike that can directly attack the soul. Be careful!
Qiao Qianqian transmitted her Divine Intent to Xu Mu, once again showing her goodwill.
Xu Mu didnt understand why she was helping him, but he thanked her anyway.
Thank you!
Hearing Xu Mus words of thanks, a smile spread across Qiao Qianqians face.
Xu Mu and Lu Kui stood facing each other a good distance apart, with others dispersed around them.
Are you ready, Friend Xu? Lu Kui asked amicably.
Please begin, Friend Lu!
Xu Mu, with his hands sped behind him, spoke nonchntly.
Then I wont hold back!
Lu Kui opened his mouth, and from it spat out seven red flying nails that shot towards Xu Mu at high speed.
Just as Xu Mu was about to use the Space Grasp Skill to defend himself, his mind experienced a moment of confusion. By the time he regained his senses, the seven red flying nails were already in front of him and were about to pierce his body.
Whats going on?
Xu Mu couldnt help but be taken aback.
At this point, it was already toote to dodge or to use magic to defend himself.
While Xu Mu was surprised, others on the field found it strange because, in their eyes, Xu Mu stood there foolishly, allowing Lu Kuis magic weapon to fly towards him as if he didnt react.
A devilish, cold smile appeared at the corner of Lu Kuis mouth.
The fight had actually already begun from the moment they met in the garden.
Just a Loose Cultivator from the mountains, you really thought I would tter you?
This is the Da Yuan Dynasty, a gathering ce for talents from all over the world. Being a few minor realms higher doesnt mean much to anyone here.
Him feigning friendship was just for him to pick up on Xu Mus aura, making it easier for him to use the Soul Imprinting Skill.
Once you taste hardship, behave well in the mansion and dont think youre important just because the princess favors you!
Lu Kui sneered internally.
However, the time it took Xu Mu to break free from the spell slightly surprised him.
Although his Soul Imprinting Skill is only a tier seven skill, whenbined with the Soul Imprinting Mirror in his hand, it can precisely hold any average person at the middle stage of the Golden Pill realm for three to five breaths time, yet Xu Mu broke free in just half a breath.
He must have cultivated some secret skill rted to the soul, but half a breath was enough for him. Xu Mu couldnt escape.
As long as he was nailed down by the soul-piercing nails, even if he was in theter stages of the Golden Pill, he would just have to submit to his mercy.
Looking at the scene on the stage, Li Yons expression didnt change much, but Wang Yongan sneered as if he didnt need to lift a finger. Qiao Qianqian appeared worried, Jia Zhiyi looked somewhat nervous, and Hong Xi blinked, seemingly not having reacted yet. Xu Lingyu on the other hand, crossed her arms raising an eyebrow slightly.
Phut, phut, phut!
The seven soul-piercing nails passed through Xu Mu, ending up behind him, as if theyd passed through just an illusion.
How is that possible?
Lu Kuis eyes went wide, showing a look of disbelief.
His soul-piercing nails are designed to track his opponents aura; theres no chance for them to be deceived by an illusion.
Before he could figure out what was going on, Xu Mu had already squeezed the Finger Jue to perform the Space Grasp Skill, forming eight mana arms that twisted in the opposite direction to grasp the seven flying nails, and then he exerted force all of a sudden.
Crack, crack, crack!
Dontugh!
Lu Kui tried to scream, but it was toote. The seven flying nails were immediately crushed. Affected by the damage to his Lifebound magic weapon, Lu Kui spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Im sorry! I didnt expect your magic weapon to be so fragile! said Xu Mu.
With bloodshot eyes and an ashen face, Lu Kui bitterly took back his broken magic weapon.
Soul-rted magic weapons arent particrly strong, but theyre never so fragile that they shatter at a touch. Xu Mu must have used his full strength.
This was his Lifebound magic weapon. Since it has special properties, it was extremely difficult to refine. He obtained it by chance after great difficulty and now Xu Mu had destroyed it C his heart was metaphorically dripping blood.
Friend Xu really has good methods! said Lu Kui through gritted teeth.
He didnt feel like pretending anymore.
The reason he had directly challenged him and sought trouble wasnt because he had any conflicting interests with Xu Mu, but merely because he wanted to bully the newbie.
However, he didnt expect to end up losing his own Lifebound magic weapon when trying to steal a chicken.
Now, he thoroughly hated Xu Mu, and had started brewing various nasty plots in his mind to take his revenge.
Method? I havent even started yet. Why dont you switch to a sturdier magic weapon, and we can continue! said Xu Mu innocently.
Hearing Xu Mus words, Lu Kui was so angry that he almost spat out blood again.
Suppressing the anger in his heart, he retorted with a coldugh, Friend Xu is indeed mighty. I admit my defeat. In the mansion, I fear everyone except the princess will regard you as supreme. At this years magic duel, I believe you will certainly glorify the princess!
His words had a mocking undertone, and while Li Yon said nothing, the expressions of the others were odd. Only Wang Yongan wore an unhappy face.
Previously, everyone in the Mansion treated him as superior and the magic duel was meant to be his alone. Now, Lu Kuis words were, in fact, an indirect jab at him.
Since Friend Lu doesnt want to, let me take his ce! Wang Yongan stepped forward, saying coldly.
Chapter 294: 263 Tie_1
Chapter 294: Chapter 263 Tie_1
Its on!
Two tigers cannot upy the same mountain, a fight between these two was something everyone could predict. It was just a matter of time before the battle would ensue.
Ive long heard of Friend Wangs great reputation, Ive eagerly wanted to learn from you! Xu Mu said with polite gestures.
In response to Xu Mus greeting, Wang Yongan snorted coldly, his face full of disdain.
Xu Mu didnt take offence, smiling slightly and withdrew his hand.
Just make your points clear, dont break the harmony! Li Yon said indifferently.
I obey!
Princess, rest assured!
Both of them responded.
Wang Yongan lunged forward to stand opposite Xu Mu, without any pretense of politeness. pping on his waist pocket, countless white butterflies, as small as a palm, flew out, covering in all directions for hundreds of feet.
The crowd moved back a significant distance to avoid getting involved.
Go!
Wang Yongan squeezed the Finger Jue, snorted coldly, and the butterflies flew towards Xu Mu quickly.
These butterflies are interesting!
He didnt sense any life force or murderous intent from these butterflies with his Divine Intent. It was somewhat simr to a puppet, but not quite.
Xu Mu marveled again internally, anyone who can be recruited by Li Yon is indeed remarkable.
Like Lu Kui, who he fought earlier, had an extremely insidious method. If he had not timely used the Virtualization Skill, he might have suffered considerably.
Therefore, he must be careful!
Bang Bang Bang!
Facing the swooping white butterflies, Xu Mus eight arms of Mana swinging relentlessly behind him.
The terrifying power made the air constantly explode, forming a visible white tide.
In an instant, arge number of white butterflies were shattered and exploded.
The expression on Wang Yongans face changed subtly. He pped his pocket again, and hundreds of winged green snakes flew out at lightning speed past the flock of butterflies, and spat out ck fog towards Xu Mu again and again, covering all directions.
Xu Mus attacks had fallen on this ck fog, as if they were falling on cotton, unable to disperse them, let alone eradicate them.
This ck fog seemed to naturally restrain the Space Grasp Skill.
Moreover, the ck fog could also obscure his Divine Intent, leaving him unaware of his whereabouts.
Xu Mus eyes shed, retreated while continuously attacking as if somewhat unwilling.
However, he couldnt keep retreating forever, and the ck fog spread very quickly. If he hesitated slightly, he would bepletely surrounded.
Huh! This is troublesome! Xu Mu revealed an expression of helplessness, retracted the Space Grasp Skill, and squeezed Finger Jue, instantly gathered hundreds of green fireballs, and threw towards the ck fog.
Rumble! Rumble!
The fireballs instantly exploded violently upon contact with the ck fog, forming a terrifying impact, forcefully dispelling the surrounding ck fog.
Such a brilliant Fire-controlling Skill, surprisingly able to directly condense the green spirit me! This seems to be the simplest Fireball Skill. I never expected it would have such power! eximed Qiao Qianqian.
Green Spirit me? Could it be his Alchemy Skill has reached tier eight as well? Li Yon wondered.
Generally, cultivators who practice fire element martial methods are either Artifact Refiners or Alchemists. She already knew that Xu Mu is an alchemist. Now that he has disyed such a brilliant Fire-controlling Skill, it goes without saying that Xu Mus Alchemy Skill certainly wouldnt be bad.
This fellow really knows how to hide his skills!
For the task of the Spirit Jade, perhaps I could ask for his help! Li Yon thought to herself.
Under the bombardment of Xu Mus fireballs, the ck fog was finally dispersed, and he had already created a gap of several hundred feet from the opponent.
Xu Mu took a deep breath, once again used the Space Grasp Skill, intending to seize the opportunity to attack, only to find that the white butterflies had surrounded him while the fog was spreading.
The green flying snakes were taken back by Wang Yongan at some point.
It seems that the ck fog was just a cover, the opponents consistent offensive methods were these white butterflies.
Although these butterflies seemed weak, Xu Mu did not dare to take it lightly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The eight magical arms on his back were forcefully propelled forward. He wanted to rip open an exit and break free.
Huh? Whats happening?
The white butterflies that should be easily crushed only retreated a little before neutralizing his attack.
Xu Mu incredulouslyunched attack after attack, but his attacks became weaker with each attempt. It felt as if an invisible entity was continuously weakening his strikes.
Idiot! You havent noticed yet?!
Looking at Xu Mu, who seemed to struggle like a trapped animal, Lu Kui showed a gleeful smile.
Its silk threads!
Li Yon nced at Wang Yongan, unclear whether he had just learned this, or if he had mastered it long ago but had never shown it in front of her.
Xu Mu too realized that something was off, as the butterflies did not seem to beunching an attack on him; rather, they were fluttering around him.
Xu Mu extended his right hand to pull at the empty space, meeting with some resistance. Drawing his hand back, he found himself staring at fine transparent threads, thinner than silkworms fments and countless times more tenuous, which even his divine intent could not sense. Had there not been so many of them umted, he might not have been able to see them even up close.
The strength of each individual thread was extremely weak; even when they wrapped around him, he couldnt sense them.
But these threads stuck to his body, making each subsequent thread stronger and stronger.
Now, he felt as if he were trapped in an invisible giant cocoon; with time, the threads on his body increased, as did their resistance.
Until ultimately, he would be akin to an insect stuck in glue.
Wang Yongan crossed his arms and smirked. In his eyes, hed already won.
No matter how Xu Mu struggled or evaded, if he attacked, these white butterflies, like fly maggots, incessantly swirled around him, spitting silk, until he was thoroughly trapped with all hope of resistance gone.
Cant he really lose like this?
A frown wrinkled Qiao Qianqians brow, unaware that Wang Yongan had such a peculiar attack style. If she had known, she could have warned Xu Mu.
Seeing that there was no way to escape, Xu Mu simply gave up dodging and let the butterflies weave silk around him like building a snowman.
Your highness, should you not interfere? Qiao Qianqian suggested to Li Yon.
If things continued this way, Xu Mu would lose in a very embarrassing way.
Friend Xu, why dont we call it a day? Li Yon suggested with a slight frown on her face.
She had assumed Xu Mu had some unknown trump cards, but he seemed to have given up. Such limited strength might call for a recement, although she had no fondness for Wang Yongan.
At yourmand, your highness. Xu Mu chuckled as he looked over at Wang Yongan, How about we agree on it being a draw?
Everyone was speechless and wholly unprepared for Xu Mus thick-skinned response.
Hehe!
Wang Yonganughed in fury.
A draw? Youre really rgh!
Before he could finish his sentence, he spat out a mouthful of blood. At the same time, he lost control of the spiritual power in his body and started falling uncontrobly. Luckily, Li Yon reacted in time and had Elder Jin catch him. Otherwise, falling to the ground might have caused damage to the surrounding flowers and grasses.
On the other hand, Xu Mu turned into a wisp of blue smoke and escaped from the barrage of butterflies, effortlessly. Then, he activated the Space Grasp Skill, instantly annihting the majority of the white butterflies. The remaining ones were caught as he nned to research them after returning.
After adjusting his robe, Xu Mu turned towards Wang Yongan, held by Elder Jin and said cheerfully, I said it was a tie, and I will not renege. Theres no need for you to get so worked up, friend!
You rgh!
Upon hearing Xu Mus words, Wang Yongan was so furious that he spat out another mouthful of blood.
What on earth just happened?
Why did Wang Yongan fall all of a sudden?
This sudden turnaround left everyone shocked and unable to react.
Lets get out of here before the patrol team spots us!
Li Yon smiled faintly and turned into an escape light to fly to the ground towards the Inviting Moon tform. One after the other, the others turned into escape lights and followed.
Friend Xu, when exactly did you poison him?
Chapter 295: 264: Corpse Puppet_1
Chapter 295: Chapter 264: Corpse Puppet_1
Friend Xu, when did you poison him? Qiao Qianqian followed behind Xu Mu, curiously asked through telepathy.
Didnt you notice that he was standing in the same ce I had been in before! Xu Muughed.
Only after thinking it over did Qiao Qianqian realize that Xu Mu had been retreating constantly since the start of the battle, while Wang Yongan kept moving closer to control the puppet corpse.
It seemed that before the actual fight began, Xu Mu had set up poison around him, and then he appeared weak, luring Wang Yongan into the poisoned area through gradual retreats.
I see, but what kind of poison did you use that he didnt notice it even after such a long time! Qiao Qianqian pursued.
Just a trifle, its not worth mentioning. Xu Mu casually replied.
Just a trifle? He clearly doesnt want to tell me.
Qiao Qianqianined internally.
She wanted to continue questioning him, but unfortunately, they had arrived at the high tform. She could only let it go and decide to ask againter.
Upon seeing Xu Mu return safely, the two apanying servants showed a hint of delight. But when they saw Wang Yongan vomiting blood from poisoning, they couldnt help but show a shock.
Friend Xu, I didnt expect you to be proficient in Parasitic Skill! Li Yon said with a smile.
I just dabbled in it when I had some spare time. Its nothing, I am sorry to have made youugh, princess. Xu Mu replied with a smile.
Li Yon was lost for words.
You are being too modest. A few days of dabbling and you were able to poison a Golden Pill cultivator. But if you were to dabble for a few years, wouldnt that mean you could poison a Nascent Soul?
Treat Friend Wang of his condition. Lets all scatter! Li Yonmanded.
Yes!
Xu Mu nodded, took out a pill and gave it to Elder Jin to feed Wang Yongan.
After consuming the pill, Wang Yongan quickly regained his normal breath, and stopped vomiting blood.
Your Highness, I am not convinced! This mans method is despicable, and I want to fight him again! Wang Yongan starting to kick up a fuss as soon as his condition got somewhat better.
Friend Wang, I forgot to tell you, you need to take the pill for seven days topletely eliminate the toxin. Before Li Yon could respond, Xu Mu took out a vial of medicine and spoke first.
You, you, you
Wang Yongan nearly vomited blood again from anger.
Alright! It was just a friendly contest. Dont take it to heart! Li Yon spoke lightly.
She herself didnt like Wang Yongan anyway, insensitively assuming that someone might be interested in her. Furthermore, if she could afford it, she would have kicked him out long ago.
Damn it! Ill let you off just this once for the princesss sake! Wang Yongan said hatefully.
Xu Mu merely chuckled, unconcerned.
As far as Xu Mu was concerned, Wang Yongan was onlypetent in terms of his abilities- in every other way he was inferior even to Lu Kui; at the very least, Lu Kui had been cunning at the beginning.
Give me back my puppet corpse! After receiving the thrown pills, Wang Yongan spoke coldly.
Puppet corpse?
Xu Mu immediately understood that Wang Yongan was talking about those white butterflies that he had taken.
So these things are called puppet corpses. Could it mean corpse puppets?
The thought shed across Xu Mus mind as he broke into a smile.
Friend Wang, I spent a lot of spirit stones making this antidote, we can consider these puppet corpses as apensation. If you disagree, you can return the pills to me and I will immediately surrender your puppet corpses!
You, Damn it!
Wang Yongan had no choice but to swallow his fury. He couldnt possibly return the medicine to Xu Mu.
Its a pity though; those puppet corpses had taken him a lot of effort to create.
Friend Xu, we are all working for the princess. Isnt this a bit inappropriate for you to force a trade? If word gets out, who will dare to help the princess in the future? Lu Kui said sarcastically from the side.
He was quite determined to pick a fight with Xu Mu.
Friend Lu, since youre proficient in fortune-telling, maybe you should predict whether youll have a bloodbath in the future before you speak! Xu Muughed lightly.
You
Lu Kui gritted his teeth in anger. This was clearly an outright threat.
Enough! Do you want people tough at you for fighting in public? Li Yons face darkened as she spoke coldly.
Pardon us.
Everyone immediately shut their mouths.
Go back and rest! Xu Mu,e with me!
Yes!
Xu Mu led the two servants away with Li Yon, and the others scattered.
Watching the retreating figures of Xu Mu and Li Yon, Wang Yongans eyes revealed a resentful look. Not only did he lose face today, but he was also afraid that he wouldnt be entrusted with important tasks by Li Yon in the future.
A look of determination shed in his eyes and he turned to leave with long strides.
Lu Kui opened his mouth as if to call out to him, but considering the circumstances, he eventually chose to give up.
Ill find an opportunity to speak privatelyter!
When Xu Mu arrived at the Vineyard, where Li Yon was, he let the two maids stay by the door, and Elder Jin went back to his own residence, leaving only him to follow Li Yon into the courtyard.
Friend Xu, do you know why this ce is called the Vineyard?
Li Yon stood in the courtyard and began to speak.
Its probably because of this vine tree, right?
Xu Mu looked at the vine tree hanging down from the rooftop like a purple waterfall and responded.
Correct! This vine tree has a thousand-year-old spirit, and its a rare tier six spirit nt. Its roots, leaves, stems, and flowers can all be used in remedies! Li Yon nodded and said.
After a moment of silence, she suddenly showed a touch of mncholy.
I dont like the vine tree itself, but I have to live here to maintain the spiritual energy in the courtyard and for the spiritual objects it produces. Its just like living in the royal family, where there are things you have to fight for and things you have to do.
She turned her head back towards Xu Mu.
I hope you wont hold it against me for not standing up for you tonight!
Your Highness need not speak like that! If I cant handle just the two of them, then I have no right to participate in the magic duelpetition! Xu Muughed.
Friend Xu, you truly are an intelligent person! Li Yonughed.
Your Highness didnt bring me here just to talk about this trivial matter, did she?
Not at all. I just wanted to ask, what kind of skill was the body virtualization technique you used?
Tier seven Virtualization Skill!
Tier seven Virtualization Skill?
Li Yon thought for a moment but had no recollection.
She didnt dwell on it. It was normal not to recognize one particr skill among countless ones in the world.
Can you sell it to me?
But this is my unique skill!
What do you mean?
At least one hundred top-grade spirit stones!
Li Yons mouth twitched.
One hundred top-grade spirit stones were enough to buy a top-tier martial method inheritance.
She wanted to purchase it just because she thought it was interesting and mighte in handy in the future.
Ill pass on the one hundred top-grade spirit stones.
Li Yon shook her head.
Although she was not short of spirit stones, she did not want to be the one to lose out either.
No, Your Highness! We can negotiate the price! Xu Mu hurriedly said.
For him, copying a skill was as easy as a snap of the fingers, and it was essentially free spirit stones. There was no reason to refuse.
One top-grade spirit stone!
Youre a princess, and you bargain too hard!
Deal!
Li Yon was speechless.
After reviewing the content of the copied skill by Xu Mu, Li Yon immediately realized C
I overpaid!
How did you practice this skill?
She doubted if the skill given by Xu Mu was a fake, as ording to its introduction, the difficulty of practice was not only terrifying but even life-threatening.
Just practice step by step ording to the jade slip.
Its as if she hadnt said anything.
Li Yon stored away the skill jade slip. It was just one top-grade spirit stone anyway; if she lost out, she lost out.
Does Your Highness have any other business? If not, Ill take my leave! Xu Mu said.
How proficient are you in Alchemy? Li Yon suddenly asked.
Why would Your Highness ask about this?
There is a task here that requires someone proficient in Alchemy toplete. If its done well, you could obtain resources good enough for advancing to thete stage of the Golden Pill!
Is tier eight enough?
Chapter 296: 265 Task_1
Chapter 296: Chapter 265 Task_1
Xu Mu left the vineyard of Li Yon, apanied by two maids, walking towards his own residence at the Falling Star Courtyard, his mind still pondering over the task assigned by Li Yon.
The task seemed easy enough with no potential dangers; it could even be seen as an opportunity.
The job was to assist the officials of the Palm Immortal Office in purging the lingering spirits and resentments from the celestial prison.
Ever since the establishment of the Da Yuan Dynasty, the celestial prison was built and every year, numerous cultivators were incarcerated within. Many were secretly executed over the years, leading to the build-up of lingering spirits and resentments in the prison.
If these spirits and resentments were not cleared out in time, there was a likelihood of them coalescing into some sort of terrifying creature.
To avoid such a situation, the Da Yuan Dynasty had crafted nine colossal cauldrons and one Heavenly Spirit Treasure. The celestial prison was cleansed once every century with these.
As a hundred years were about to pass, the Palm Immortal Office was in the process of gathering people for controlling the nine giant cauldrons to cleanse the celestial prison once more.
The controller of the cauldrons had only one requirement, they must be an Alchemist and at least at tier seven.
Li Yon had managed to secure this opportunity thanks to her mission to hunt down fugitive cultivators, initially intending to hire a rogue cultivator alchemist toplete the job.
Though she qualifies for the requirements, her status as a princess inherently prevented her from entering the celestial prison due to the public attention.
Now that Xu Mu met the prerequisites, the opportunity naturally shouldnt go to waste.
As for the resources mentioned by Li Yon, they too were rted to the purging of the lingering spirits.
The Heavenly Spirit Treasure could purify the resentment within the lingering spirits and extract the pure Soul Power within, condensing it into a miraculous pill called the Lianhun Pill.
This pill could quickly replenish the Soul Power of the one who cultivates, having miraculous effects when consumed during breakthroughs in cultivation.
If he could acquire this pill, his chances of breaking through thete stages of the Golden Core were almost certain.
I must get my hands on this pill!
Xu Mu swore silently to himself.
Sir, we are here! Rouer said with a smile.
Oh!
Xu Mu nodded, activated the Formation and walked in.
His next impression caused him to pause.
Glowing spots were everywhere, on the ground, the walls, the roof, giving the illusion that he was in a vast expanse of a starry sky.
Xu Mu finally understood the naming of the Falling Star Courtyard.
Sir, when this courtyard was being constructed, arge number of Star Drawing Stones were added. Not only does this fill the area with dense Spiritual Energy, but it also draws upon the power of the stars to emit starry light every night. Its as if the stars from the sky have fallen down, hence the name, Falling Star Courtyard! Rouer exined with a hint of pride in her voice.
It certainly is quite interesting!
Xu Mu chuckled, scratching his nose.
Li Yons courtyard was named Vineyard because it had a thousand years old Wisteria vine. Not only was the Spiritual Energy the richest amongst all courtyards, but the fragrance of the vine also had a calming effect.
His courtyard had Star Drawing Stones that could enhance the Spiritual Energy and also increased the defensive power of the courtyard.
He was curious about the uniqueness of the other two courtyards.
You two can go rest! You dont have to attend to me anymore!
Once in his room, Xu Mu spoke.
After a nce at each other, Rouer coyly said, If the master needs anything, we can
What are you waiting for then!
Ah!!!
Wasnt that way too straightforward?
Wasnt that quite different from what they had imagined?
The older man was disregarding martial virtue!
The two women were a bit stunned.
Xu Mu did not care about their reactions, these were gifts delivered to his doorstep and he had no reason to refuse. It would also put Li Yons mind at ease.
Being viewed as a lecherous and greedy person would obviously make him easier to control.
It was indeed a long night!
Within his room, Xu Mu was studying the white butterfly he had snatched from Wang Yongan.
It really is a puppet made from a corpse. This Corpse Puppet not onlybines the advantages of durability and easy maniption of puppetry techniques but retains some of the original bodys inherent divine abilities, exhibiting various effects. Those who can be recruited are indeed not simple! Xu Mu couldnt help but praise while observing the various skills disyed by Corpse Puppet.
The manufacturing technique of this puppet somewhat resembles that of my White Fox Puppet. Sadly, with only these corpses, it is impossible to research the manufacturing technique. Otherwise, it would be great to upgrade my White Fox Puppet!
In fact, the strength of the White Fox Puppet was not weak. Whether it was the crystallized rays or its terrifying defensive power, it was enough for it to move unhindered in the Golden Core Stage.
However, who wouldin about the power of the puppet they have? With a puppet as sturdy as a White Fox puppet, it could be upgraded to the level of a Nascent Soul Stage puppet.
If one had a Nascent Soul Stage puppet, whether for personal use or to keep at home, it would be a good choice.
Besides, its consumption of Spirit Stones is staggeringly high, so hes been wanting to improve it.
However, the puppetry technique used might be the other partys secret skill. At least Xu Mu has never seen it before, and now they are at odds with each other, so it would be unlikely to acquire it.
I heard that he likes to frequent Hook bars, I might as well find an opportunity to tie him up!
As Xu Mu was contemting, Xiners voice came from outside the room.
Sir, Ms. Qiao Qianqian is here!
Oh?
Xu Mu was slightly surprised.
From the first day she visited his residence, he noticed that Qiao Qianqian was particrly friendly towards him, constantly expressing goodwill.
Could it be that Qiao Qianqian had a special fondness for older men?
Even though Li Yon favored him, he didnt think she would be this enthusiastic upon first meeting.
Lu Kui was purposely trying to get close to him to collect his energy. Apart from the initial meeting, the others barely spoke to him.
Only Qiao Qianqian actively made conversation, warned him multiple times, and now was the first toe to him.
Please show her into the hall!
As you wish, sir!
Xiner left, Xu Mu straightened his clothes and walked out. By the time he got to the hall, Qiao Qianqian was already there waiting.
Her slender waist was like a willow in the wind, her face youthful and radiant, giving off an irresistible vibe, tempting one to take a bite.
I apologize for keeping you waiting, Friend Qiao, Xu Mu apologized.
You are too courteous, Friend Xu.
Please, have a seat!
Xu Mu gestured for Qiao Qianqian to sit, then Xiner served fruit snacks and spiritually-infused tea. Some of these were awarded to him by Li Yon, while others were his own.
Hmm? Qiao Qianqian sipped the tea, her eyes lighting up in surprise. This tea has a gentle aroma and the vor stays for a long time. It produces pure spiritual energy when drunk. Ive never tasted such a drink before, whats it called?
This is Moon Laurel tea, made from fresh tender buds of the Moon Laurel tree, mixed with its seasonal flowers! Xu Mu said.
This Moon Laurel tea was a gift from an Alchemist at Fairy Moon Pce, a special product of the pce. The taste varies slightly depending on the makers technique.
Ive had Moon Laurel tea before, and Ive even nted some of the trees myself. Butpared to yours, they fall short! Would you mind telling me where the Moon Laurel tree that made the tea leaves is located? Id like to transnt one! Qiao Qianqian said.
I dont know. These tea leaves were given by a friend! Xu Mu shook his head.
The Fairy Moon Pce is in the Central Region, millions of miles away from here. How would he bring you a tree from there?
Not to mention, most of the high-quality Moon Laurel trees in the pce were transnted from a tenth-tier mother tree and are not for sale.
Could you introduce me to your friend?
Has the topic gone astray?
Xu Mu coughed twice, faked not hearing, and asked directly, What brought you to me, Friend Qiao?
Seeing Xu Mu unwilling to say, Qiao Qianqian seemed slightly disappointed. She drank arge sip of tea and said, Nothing serious, just wanted to have a chat. Or is it that you would not wee me, Friendship Xu?
You jest, Friend Qiao! Your presence is an honor to me!
The two chatted casually for a while, and then Qiao Qianqian excused herself to leave. It seemed she had trulye just to chat.
However, before leaving, she asked one more time about the Moon Laurel tree, obviously still interested.
For Spirit nt cultivators, the interest in unique spiritual roots is literally ingrained in their bones.
After seeing Qiao Qianqian off, Xu Mu stood in the courtyard, chin in hand, deep in thought.
He didnt believe that she hade just for a chat.
I originally wanted to buy some medicinal herbs through her, but it seems I should wait a bit longer!
A monthter, the edict of Li Yon arrived: Xu Mu was named Earl, entitled to select a state residence within the Da Yuan Dynasty to establish his family.
Shortly after, Xu Lingyu and Xu Mu received an order from Li Yon to go to the heavenly prison managed by the Palm Immortal Office and carry out the task of cleansing the residual souls.
Chapter 297: 266: Sky Prison_1
Chapter 297: Chapter 266: Sky Prison_1
Xu Mu and Xu Lingyu traveled by carriage from the princesss mansion to the imperial capitals Palm Immortal Office. On the way, Xu Mu wanted to bond with Xu Lingyu, but thetter stayed quiet as a closed bottle without uttering a single word.
If he hadnt known that the other party wasnt mute, he wouldve suspected him of being so.
Of course, for a cultivator at the Golden Core Stage, unless practicing a distinct martial method, they wouldnt be mute.
I really dont know how Li Yon managed to recruit him, and it seems like she trusts him a great deal!
He also learned that Xu Lingyu had joined earlier than the others.
Soul Cultivator!
He remembered Li Yons introduction of Xu Lingyu.
A Soul Cultivator, put simply, is someone who focuses on cultivating soul power. These people tend to have stronger spiritual power than cultivators of the same level and are rumored to project their souls out of their bodies, exist for extended periods in the external world, and have profound spiritual attack methods.
The focus of endeavors varies between Soul Cultivation, Body Cultivation, and Law Cultivation. If one were to speak of differences, they wouldnt be so drastic as to bepletely divergent.
On this mission, Xu Mu was tasked with refining souls, whereas Xu Lingyu was in charge of attracting them.
In simple terms C bait!
Seeing that Xu Lingyu was unwilling to talk, Xu Mu stopped prying and closed his eyes to recharge, waiting for the carriage to approach the Palm Immortal Office.
Clop clop clop! Clop clop!
Why is it so slow today?
He calcted the time and mumbled curiously.
My lord, the city is crowded because of a festival!
The loyal coachman outside answered respectfully.
Festival?
Xu Mu was puzzled for a moment. He opened the carriage window and saw that indeed there was a significant crowd. The roads were packed. If their carriage hadnt belonged to the princesss mansion, their journey might have been even slower.
The dressing style of these people varied considerably. It was evident they werent locals.
It would be nice if we could fly!
Xu Mu muttered to himself as he closed the carriage window.
The coachman outside didnt respond.
The carriage took double the usual time to arrive at the entrance of the Palm Immortal Office.
We have arrived, my lords!
The coachman pulled back the curtain and said respectfully.
Mmm.
Xu Mu nodded. As he was about to get up, Xu Lingyu arrogantly got up first and stepped out.
Hes pretty proactive in this aspect!
Xu Mu thought to himself.
He followed Xu Lingyu and stepped out of the carriage.
My lords, Ill return first! Ande to pick you up as your task nearspletion!
Okay.
Xu Mu waved his hand. The coachman drove the carriage away down another street, back to the princesss mansion.
They had to stay here for quite a long time, and the coachman couldnt wait indefinitely.
Ignoring their conversation, Xu Lingyu quickly walked to the gate and handed a token to the guard.
Mission!
Xu Lingyus voice was indifferent, like an emotionless robot. Coupled with his hidden eyes, it gave a cold, standoffish impression that was hard to approach.
I wonder how he doesnt get beaten up acting so high and mighty every day!
Xu Mu grumbled inwardly.
The guard was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, even if he was annoyed with Xu Lingyu, he dared not offend him on a whim. After epting and verifying the token, someone from the Palm Immortal Office quickly came and ushered them in.
Please follow me!
Leading them was a guard from the Palm Immortal Office, dressed in ck armor, and the two closely followed three steps behind.
Xu Mus eyebrows knitted slightly. Being in an area devoid of spiritual energy after a long period in a region full of it was rather ufortable.
I wonder how those remnant souls in the sky prison manage to survive in this environment? Xu Mu spected inwardly.
Under the guidance of the Palm Immortal Offices guard, they entered a gloomy underground passage. Xu Mu felt an inexplicable chill over his body, like stepping into an ice cave, and a sense of despair began to grow in his heart.
Xu Mu circted his martial method and managed to dissolve this unexpected sensation.
This is not simply caused by the yin qi but also by some other energy, its very strange! he thought to himself.
At this point, the guard leading the way spoke up, This is where the sky prison is located. Although both of you have high cultivation skills, you still need to be cautious. There are many formations in here, try not to use divine intent and spiritual power as much as possible to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Alright!
Both of them nodded simultaneously.
Just thinking about the fact that this ce could detain even cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage, they could imagine how strong the defenses must be. The two of them clearly wouldnt cause trouble willingly as long as their brains were functioning properly.
After walking down the tunnel for who knows how long, a metal door appeared before them. They didnt know what the door was made of. Its dark and shiny surface was embossed with two monster beasts that each resembled a horned lion, and their eyes emitted a sense of strong suppression.
Two guards wearing ck armors were sitting with lowered heads as if they were sleeping. Each of them held a long spear in their hands which crossed and blocked the massive iron door.
These two are here to clean up the remnant souls. Can you please open the prison gate? The guiding Palm Immortal Offices guard approached and said.
Token!
The two lifted their heads, revealing a pair of uncanny ruby-like eyes.
The guiding guard took out a token. After the two checked it, they lifted their spears.
Squeak, squeak!
The heavy iron door slowly opened, revealing a two-man high and one zhang wide passage. Lucienmps illuminated the passageway with a bleak, snowy white light, exposing one iron door after another.
The guard took back his token and continued on, while the two followed closely.
Friend, are all prisoners locked up behind these doors? Xu Mu asked.
Without turning back, the guard replied, Thats right!
Why cant we hear any noise? Xu Mu asked.
The guard turned around with a puzzled look and said, My friend, you jest! Prisoners locked up here have either been stripped of their cultivation or sealed with numerous prohibitions. They wouldnt be able to make a sound, let alone make a move! Moreover, the prison walls are engraved with sound-proofing formations, so even if they were to cast spells, it wouldnt pass through!
Hehe! Sorry for the ignorance! Its my first time in such a ce, you must excuse me! Xu Mu said with some embarrassment.
He had thought that this sky prison was like a mortals prison, needing venttion and whatnot.
No worries! This is usually the reaction of those whoe here for the first time.
The guard didnt say much and continued leading the way. Instead, Xu Lingyu looked at him a bit surprised.
Xu Mu continued to ask, Could you briefly introduce the situation of the Sky Prison to us, just for some mental preparation?
Okay!
The guard nodded and said, The entire sky prison is divided into nineyers, housing prisoners ording to their cultivation level and the severity of their crimes. There are guards on everyyer, but Im sorry that I cannot disclose the specific cultivation level and number. The number of cells decreases as one goes further down
The guard spoke of things that were hardly secret, but it helped to prevent the two frommitting any taboo.
They traversed through to the eighth level of the dungeon before they stopped and entered into a spacious hall. In it, there stood tenrge ding pots, each with three legs and two ears. Nine of them, roughly the same size, were arranged in a special pattern around the hall. There was another that was ten times bigger than the others, standing tall in the center.
There were already quite a few people in the hall by then, shuttling between the tenrge ding, seemingly observing the text on them. Hearing the noise of the two entering, many of them turned to look at them, but quickly looked away again, seemingly uninterested in their arrival.
The spell controlling methods are recorded on these dings. You two can study them carefully. As for the exact start time of the task, well have to wait for the Princes arrival,
The guiding guard finished speaking and excused himself, leaving the two of them behind.
Xu Mu went towards one of the dings.
Chapter 298: 267: Get out of the way_1
Chapter 298: Chapter 267: Get out of the way_1
Upon entering the main hall, Xu Mu nced around and then walked towards one of therge cauldrons that no one was observing. Just as they had reached and were about to inspect it, a venerable old man with a youthful face and silver hair, apanied by a chubby middle-aged man, approached them with smiles on their faces.
Our esteemed friends, Xu Mu and Xu Lingyu, I presume? the old man greeted with a salute.
Indeed! May I ask who you are? Xu Mu responded in kind.
Xu Lingyu also turned her head towards the old man and the middle-aged man with the round face.
I am Wu Chun, an attendant of the Fifth Prince. Pleased to meet you both! the old man introduced, pointing to the young man beside him, This is Xie Chu, a fellow attendant of the Fifth Prince.
Its a pleasure to meet you both! Xie Chu greeted with a smile.
Ah, our esteemed friends Wu and Xie! Your reputations precede you, and finally meeting you, I see they are indeed well deserved! Xu Mu replied with a grin.
This wasnt just a customary response. He had indeed heard of them both from Li Yon.
Wu Chun was ate-stage Golden Pill cultivator, a tier nine alchemist, and one of the top three attendants under the Fifth Prince.
Xie Chu was a novice Golden Pill cultivator and a Soul Cultivator like Xu Lingyu.
Li Yon mentioned them because she shares a close rtionship with the Fifth Prince, being of the same bloodline. They had contacted each other beforeing here, each aware of the others circumstances.
This mission was seen as a privilege, involving little danger and a promise of a Sin Refining Pill. Naturally, outsiders couldnt interfere. Those participating in the mission were primarily associated with the imperial family.
Especially amongst them were the princesses and princes eligible for the throne. Aside from the dedicated Eighteenth Prince, all had sent representatives.
In response to the greetings, Xu Lingyu politely nodded as well.
No need for such formalities among friends! Wu Chun said.
After some small talk to get acquainted, Wu Chun said, We wont detain you from your spell contemtion. We take our leave now. We can chat more when we have more time!
Farewell!
Xu Mu bid them farewell with a salute.
Wu Chun and Xie Chu returned to their original spots by therge cauldron, continuing their study of the spells. Xu Mu also focused on examining therge cauldron before him.
Each cauldron contained different spells, with nine teams of people, it was just right for each person to possess one cauldron. As for thergest cauldron, it was managed by the Nascent Soul elder overseeing the mission.
ording to the guards, the Nascent Soul cultivator should be a prince of the royal family. Xu Mu wasnt sure which prince it was though.
Xu Ling was here as bait and didnt need to control the cauldron. She stood by Xu Mus side, unmoving, like a bodyguard.
The others on site were in simr situations, with the alchemists studying and researching the spells on their cauldrons, while the Soul Cultivators stood idly by.
In total, there were seven teams present; two more were yet to arrive.
Written on the cauldron were ancient characters, each embodying profound meanings. It was rather challenging to remember them, and it took Xu Mu a whole day to barely memorize them.
A new skill named Yuan Ding Skill appeared on his system panel, ssified as a tier seven skill.
The spell itself is not too difficult. However, for an ordinary Golden Pill Cultivator to gain proficiency in a month might be challenging. Striving for Perfection or the Grandmaster Realm is almost impossible, not to mention reaching the Transcendent level.
Of course, the impossible didnt include Xu Mu.
With the help of the system, he could quickly enhance the spell to a transcendent level, simply by allocating points.
For him, enhancing a tier seven skill was now a trivial task.
Just as he had raised the Yuan Ding Skill to Proficiency level and was considering whether to study other spells, a new team was led in by the guard.
The two neers, a man and a woman, looked diverse; the man slightly stooped and wooden-faced, while the woman held her head high and walked with a sense of arrogance as if she looked down on everyone else.
After the guide had left, the woman scanned the room and headed towards an unupied cauldron. She stopped halfway, took a second look at everyone present, and strode over to Xu Mu and Xu Lingyu.
Xu Mu initially thought she hade to greet them and was surprised as Li Yon hadnt mentioned her; however, the first sentence from the woman left him dumbfounded.
Weve taken a liking to this spot! You two move elsewhere! she ordered coldly, her tone simr to that of reprimanding a servant.
Xu Mu was speechless.
Is something wrong with this woman?
All the cauldrons were simr. What was there to choose from?
Even if there were differences, it should be whoeveres first that gets it. They had merely arrived a step ahead of her.
Hmph!
Spiritual power surged in Xu Lingyu, clearly ready to retaliate. She usually acted reserved and silent, but now she was quite proactive.
The woman clearly realized they wouldnt leave willingly and mirrored Xu Lingyus aggression, ready for a fight.
Everyone surrounding them looked over with varying expressions, yet none stepped forward to help.
Since you are so attached to this spot, we will yield it to you!
Just as a conflict was about to erupt, Xu Mu stepped in front of Xu Lingyu and courteously said with a cheeryugh, preempting a brawl.
Uh
The woman seemed taken aback, probably because she did not expect Xu Mus reaction. As she recovered, a triumphant look appeared on her face.
Looks like you know your ce! Now go away!
We take our leave!
Xu Mu saluted and ushered Xu Lingyu away.
The onlookers were taken aback, never expecting Xu Mu to be so agreeable.
Xu Lingyu, who was being led away, turned to face Xu Mu. She didnt say anything, but the clear contempt on her face spoke volumes.
Xu Mu tolerating such an unjust situation garnered no respect from her; only disdain.
However, Li Yon had instructed her to listen to Xu Mu before they arrived. Although she was not satisfied, she didnt say anything to avoid causing an internal conflict.
Seeing Xu Lingyus reaction, Xu Mu gave an awkwardugh, rubbing his nose sheepishly.
He wasnt afraid of a conflict, but had wanted to seize this opportunity to learn a new spell. Even though these spells seemed only useful for controlling the cauldron and did not appear to have great value, Xu Mu felt that if he could master all of them, there might be unexpected benefits.
Besides, they were only tier seven spells. He could afford to spend that much Luck Value.
Friend Xu, that woman is Ling Ying, a member of the Second Princes faction. She probably arrivedter than she wanted to and was worried that shed best, so she purposely upied your spot! Wu Chun exined through a transmitted message.
Understood! Thanks for the heads up! Xu Mu responded.
Seeing that Xu Mu didnt seem to care, Wu Chun didnt say anything more.
If Xu Mu, the person involved, didnt care, why would he, Wu Chun, need to interfere?
Xu Mu examined the spell on the cauldron, acting as if nothing had happened, and soon another couple arrived, thest team to do so.
This time, it was two women, both looking like beautiful wives. After taking a look around, they too headed towards Xu Mu.
Weve taken a liking to this spot! You two move elsewhere!
Xu Mu:
The crowd:
Chapter 299: 268: Yuan Ding Skill_1
Chapter 299: Chapter 268: Yuan Ding Skill_1
No one expected Xu Mu to be so unlucky, with two groups in a row targeting him, deliberately causing trouble.
The expressions of these two people were even more arrogant, as if they were looking down on everything, their noses almost pointed to the sky.
Just as Xu Mu considered putting up a fight to prove he wasnt a pushover, Wu Chuns voice transmitted to him again.
This time it was quite anxious!
Friend Xu, they are from the Seventh Princess, you must not provoke them!
Seventh Princess? Uh! Okay!
With a sigh in his heart, Xu Mu, pulling Xu Lingyu along, moved to the other side.
The Seventh Princess had the highest talent among all princesses and princes, had been praised by the ancestor of the imperial family, and was one of the most likely to inherit the throne.
If thepetitors for the throne were arranged in three tiers, Li Yon could only be ced in the third tier, while the Seventh Princess was in the top tier.
The opposition exceeded Li Yon not only in personal strength but also in the strength of their followers.
For example, the two veiled beauties before them, both were in theter stages of the Golden Pill, had vibrant life forces, and could potentially evolve into Nascent Souls. Just by this point alone, they were almost the best among those present.
Even the woman named Ling Ying who was with the Second Prince just now, seemed to beying low.
Of course, these two women who have cultivated to this realm are not fools, otherwise they would not choose to bully Xu Lingyu and Xu Mu, but instead should choose the two people with the strongest abilities.
Out of the nine groups present, these two should have the most potent innate talents. In terms of strength, they could only be ranked second. First ce was upied by two middle-aged men, both in theter stages of the Golden Pill, one of whom had clearly already achieved perfection at the ninth level.
These two were with the First Prince.
Humph! Consider yourselves sensible! The two women sneered and began to study the spell on the giant cauldron in front of them.
Xu Lingyus face had already turned unsightly. Xu Mus consistent yielding would not only make Li Yon lose face, but also be very detrimental to their mission.
Their task was to attract residual souls and control the cauldron to aid in refining them.
Attracting residual souls is not an issue, pretty much straightforward, but aiding in refining them could be quite difficult.
The difficulty is not about whether they could control it, but rather, to what extent.
The higher the level of control, the better the effect of refining the residual souls, and the more rewards they will ultimately receive.
The rewards for this mission are not distributed equally, but calcted based on effort.
The person in charge of this calction is none other than the Nascent Soul elder who leads this mission.
Now they keep being chased away, constantly having to switch spells they are studying. As one can imagine, they must begging behind in understanding the spells. Not to mention, Xu Mus cultivation is subpar inparison to others, his Alchemy Skill is inferior, it is likely that they receive the least reward at the end.
The total rewards can only be so much. With them getting less, its more for others, hence why two groups in a row have been causing them trouble.
If the rewards are too slight, not only would it be a waste of the opportunity that Li Yon had finally secured, but it would also turn the whole thing into aughing stock.
Once the mission is over! You exin to the princess yourself!
Xu Lingyu said coldly.
There seemed to be disappointment!
For the first time hearing Xu Lingyu say such a long sentence, Xu Mu was somewhat surprised, it seemed like Lingyu was really a die-hard fan of Li Yon!
Dont worry! If theres a problem, Ill shoulder it! Xu Mu said with a slight smile.
With the system in ce, no one couldpare to him when ites to understanding the spells.
But he didnt want to stand out. Now being treated like a soft persimmon was the best oue. As long as the finest reward was not too meager, it would be fine.
Humph!
Xu Lingyu snorted coldly, didnt want to pay any attention to Xu Mu, and simply went to meditate on her own.
Xu Mu shook his head helplessly, continued to memorize the Martial Method above, before long, another Yuan Ding Skill appeared on his system.
Just that it turned into Yuan Ding Skill three tiers.
These spells, there really is a catch!
A notion shed across Xu Mus mind, and he elevated one of them to the Proficiency level.
Discovered the fusion of spells. Do you wish to proceed with fusion?
Just as I thought!
With a joyful heart, Xu Mu immediately chose fusion, having already decided to learn all the avable spells.
Spell fusionpleted. Please name it?
Yuan Ding Skill!
Naming Sessful!
Next, Xu Mu raised proficiency in one of the skills, triggering the systems fusion option once again.
After this fusion, the Yuan Ding Skill had reached the tier eight level.
Xu Mu left hisrge cauldron and headed to the one where Wu Chun was.
Friend Xu, what are you doing?
Wu Chun asked, puzzled to see Xu Mu approaching.
With little time left, why wouldnt you focus on understanding your cauldron bute here instead?
I want to learn more to see if can draw parallels! Xu Mu replied with a smile.
There are indeed connections between these spells, but unless you study all nine at once, it would not be of much help. On the contrary, the difficulty will greatly increase if you study all of them together. Even a Nascent Soul wouldnt grasp it quickly. After thousands of years of summarizing experience, its better to go back ! Wu Chun advised kindly.
If it really were possible to draw such parallels, someone would have told them already, saving them time here.
I want to try it anyway! It wont take much time!
Wu Chun tried to persuade him again, but upon seeing Xu Mus firm attitude, he gave up persuasion. His evaluation of Xu Mu inevitably dropped a few points.
At first, he thought that Xu Mu was a man of substance, capable of exercising restraint. Now, it seems hes somewhat overconfident.
Such an obvious matter, yet he insists on trying. Its almost mindless behavior.
If it was actually useful, other people would have done it by now. Theres no chance left for him to say so.
He had practiced for so long, only to be at the Golden Pill intermediate stage. Does he really believe his enlightenment is heaven-defying?
Wu Chun despised him in his mind.
Xu Mu, oblivious to Wu Chuns thoughts, finished recording the spells on his cauldron and moved on to the next one.
Perhaps because he had already practiced three spells, it was now much easier for him to memorize the others.
Friend, this is our chosen one!
Seeing Xu Mu approaching, the person learning by the Cauldron couldnt help but frown and speak coldly.
Im just looking, I wont disturb you two! Xu Mu responded with a smile.
To avoid upsetting them, Xu Mu deliberately kept his distance, staying just close enough to see the text on the cauldron. Only then did the two reluctantly suppress their annoyance.
In this manner, Xu Mu recorded the spells from four different cauldrons. At this point, he had learned eight spells, with only one remaining.
As he approached the final cauldron among the nine, the two people studying beside it suddenly scolded him, Get lost!
You two, I am just looking from afar Xu Mu began to exin.
Didnt you hear us? Go away! They remained upromising, not even allowing Xu Mu to watch from afar.
Thismotion attracted the attention of others, causing many who were practicing with their eyes closed to open their eyes.
Friend Xu,e back! Those two are the henchmen of the great prince! Wu Chun hurriedly ryed a warning message.
After all, they were allies, and he couldnt just stand by or it would be difficult to exin things to the Fifth Princeter.
However, Xu Mu behaved as though he hadnt heard, and continued to smile at the two men, There are no rules stating we cannot observe the skills on other cauldrons. I cannot ept your request!
The entire hall fell into a sudden silence. Nobody expected Xu Mu, who seemed aspliant as a soft persimmon, to suddenly assert himself!
Both Ling Ying, henchwoman of the second prince, and the two beauties under the Seventh Princess showed surprised expressions.
Could this old man have taken leave of his senses, trying to prove to them that he is no pushover by picking a fight with these two?
Youre asking for death!
Chapter 300: 269: Anger Born of Shame_1
Chapter 300: Chapter 269: Anger Born of Shame_1
Youre courting death!
Murong Shun angrily retorted.
At first, when he saw Xu Mu being lectured by the second prince and the seventh princess, he thought Xu Mu was easy to bully, so he thought of putting Xu Mu in his ce to establish his authority.
Otherwise, if others found out, that Xu Mu was afraid of the people of the second prince and the seventh princess, yet not afraid of the people of the grand prince, he would lose face.
Both the grand prince and the seventh princess have always been the most powerful contenders for the throne. Even for insignificant matters like this, he must stand and fight to save face for the grand prince.
He had never imagined that Xu Mu was so audacious and actually dared to talk back to him.
He was somewhat embarrassed!
When facing the people of the second prince and the seventh princess, he waspletely subdued without hesitation, why does he have to make things difficult for himself?
Murong Shun was confused and furious.
Your mouth is kind of foul! Xu Mu said, frowning.
Initially, he didnt want to cause trouble, he wanted to keep his abilities hidden, and there was no need because he had already learned the spell up there.
He still hadnt memorized the spell on the present tripod, and he had to look at it,
In his opinion, he was already very polite by standing far away and watching. Others didnt say anything, Murong Shun must be treating him like trash.
Damn it!
Seeing he not only refused to apologize but even dared to talk back, Murong Shun was truly outraged this time.
The corner of his eyes seemed to catch others mocking faces.
His face was hot as he blushed with shame,pletely losing rationality in his anger.
Die!!
Murong Shun spat out a flying sword, which turned into a streak of light and shot towards Xu Mu.
No one expected Murong Shun to dare to make a move here.
Xu Mus gaze turned cold, with a squeeze of his fingers, and he used the Space Grasp Skill, eight arms simultaneously bombarded the flying sword.
ng!
A sound of metal shing rang out, Murong Shuns flying sword was sted back.
Damn it!
Murong Shuns face twisted as he squeezed the Finger Jue, and the flying sword instantly turned into hundreds of sword shadows, exuding a fierce Sword Qi, and shot towards Xu Mu.
Xu Mu did not hesitate either, his body radiated with the scorching suns real me, the power of the Space Grasp Skill greatly increased, and shed with the flying sword.
Murong Shuns strength and cultivation far surpassed Wang Yongans, so Xu Mu had no choice but to bring out most of his strength to fight back right from the start, or he could be seriously injured.
This guy is so powerful!
Seeing Xu Mu block Murong Shuns attack, the crowd was shocked.
The grand princes team also consisted of two people, besides Murong Shun, there was another called Jiang Wu. Both were in thete Golden Pill stage. Jiang Wu was a Soul Cultivator in the eighth stage of the Golden Pill, while Murong Shun was an Alchemist in the tier nine of the Golden Pill stage, his strength ranked in the top three among all of them.
Xu Mu was only in the middle stage of the Golden Pill, and appeared quite old. Both hisbat power and cultivation should be at the bottom.
No one thought Xu Mu couldst more than two rounds.
So no one expected that Xu Mu not only withstood the attack, but also seemed to have a feeling of equally matched strength.
This guy has such strength, why was he so weak just now?
The crowd was somewhat confused, even if he was hiding his abilities, wasnt he hiding it too excessively?
What they didnt know was, Xu Mu was just toozy to take action.
If it werent for learning all the spells on the tripod, he wouldnt have taken action this time.
Brother Wu, what do we do now? Should we help? Xie Chu asked, looking at the fighting duo.
Well..
Wu Chun hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to take action or not.
If he took action, it was equivalent to openly offending the grand prince. On the other hand, as allies, it seemed somewhat wrong to not help.
Looking at the others, they were basically watching the show from the sidelines.
They were inpetition with one another and wished nothing more than for the two to smash each others brains out.
The only one on the field who took action was Xu Lingyu. Without any hesitation, he stood up andunched a mental attack at Murong Shun, but it was blocked by the well-prepared Jiang Wu.
In this way, a fight finally broke out amongst the two groups.
Xu Mu and Murong Shun were evenly matched, while Xu Lingyu was thoroughly suppressed by Jiang Wu. Fortunately, Jiang Wu was cautious enough not to fatally injure Xu Lingyu and was merely stopping him from assisting Xu Mu.
In the end, Wu Chun chose to sit by and watch.
With such amotion, the guards of the heavenly prison would inevitably intervene. They should put an end to it soon!
Wu Chuns thoughts were correct. Within a few breaths, a dominating Divine Intent probed in.
This is a critical area of the Heavenly Prison! What do you two think youre doing!
The anger conveyed through the Divine Intent made everyone present shudder involuntarily.
The four people who were engaged in hot battle immediately stopped.
We pay our respects to the Master!
Everyone bowed in unison.
Although many of them were backed by princes and princesses, they still had to show absolute respect to the Master of Palm Immortal Office.
Let alone them, even the princes and princesses they were backed by had to behave respectfully in front of the Master of Palm Immortal Office.
He was one of the three most powerful individuals in the entire Da Yuan Dynasty, excluding the Emperor himself.
Master, he Murong Shun wanted to argue and ideally smear Xu Mus reputation and drive him out, but the Master of Palm Immortal Office did not bother to listen to his nonsense.
Shut up! If theres any moremotion, all of you get out!
The Master of Palm Immortal Office gave a coldmand and quickly withdrew his Divine Intent, silencing everyone present. No one dared to speak anymore.
With the Master of the Palm Immortal Offices status, cancelling their mission qualification would be easy.
Old fool! You just wait and see!
Murong Shun now utterly despised Xu Mu, feeling that he had been made aughingstock in front of everyone because of him.
I am at your disposal till the end!
Xu Mu responded lightly, taking a few steps forward to continue watching the Spell on the Tripod.
Having lived so many years, he had encountered all sorts of hardships and certainly did not fear this little threat.
Although he would very much like to drive Xu Mu away, considering the importance of this mission, Murong Shun could only glower at Xu Mu and concentrate onprehending his own spells.
Friend Xu, I wanted to help you, but I fear it might escte the situation. I hope you can understand!
The moment the incident ended, Wu Chun immediately sent a message to Xu.
I understand! Friend, you dont have to worry about it!
Thats good! But you should be more careful in the future! I heard Murong Shun is quite petty!
Thank you for your warning, friend! I understand!
After the two finished their conversation, Xu Mu continued to memorize the spells, while Xu Lingyu stayed beside him, his expression towards Xu Mu somewhat better.
When Xu Mu memorized the spells on the Tripod, he returned to his ownrge Tripod, starting to improve the realm of the spells one by one, and integrating all of them.
When all the spells werepletely integrated, the Yuan Ding Skill went straight from tier seven to tier nine.
Is it just tier nine?
Xu Mu carefullyprehended thepleted Yuan Ding Skill, finding that aside from being more profound andprehensive, it did not exhibit much mysteriousness.
The original caster of the nine Tripods must have cultivated this skill to an extreme realm, otherwise, it would not be possible to divide it into nine different spells!
If this skill indeed has some extraordinary capability, the other party probably wouldnt be so kind as to leave it here for me toprehend!
Although hede to this realization, Xu Mu did not intend to give up as he still had onerge Tripod left toprehend.
That vastly superior and priceless Heavenly Spirit Treasure, the most precious item of the whole Heavenly Prison C
The God Refining Tripod!
Chapter 301: 270: Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron_1
Chapter 301: Chapter 270: Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron_1
Xu Mu left therge cauldron he was working with and moved towards the gargantuan Divine Cauldron at the center.
The crowd, who were focused in contemtion with their eyes closed, immediately opened their eyes upon hearing the footsteps. They couldnt understand what Xu Mu was up to this time.
By now, they were genuinely scared; if Xu Mu messed up, they might all get dragged down with him:
If they were kicked out, they wouldnt know how to exin to the people behind them.
Fortunately, Xu Mu only went to the center to observe the text on the Divine Cauldron and didnt do anything else, which put their minds at ease.
They were just confused. After all this time, why hadnt this guy given up? Had he really figured something out?
Hmph! Id like to see how long you can keep this up!
Murong Shun thought disdainfully.
After Xu Mu had previously shown him up, he had thoroughly developed a dislike for him.
The others nced at Xu Mu standing in front of the Divine Cauldron with furrowed brows, and once they saw that there was nothing unusual, they too, gradually turned their attention away, getting back to deciphering their own spells.
This guy has no idea of the trouble hes getting himself into, They thought, taking delight in his expected misfortune.
Only Wu Chun sighed. His ally was being a bit stubborn.
I dont understand!
Xu Mu frowned, staring at the text on the cauldron, reading it over and over again, only to find that he didnt understand most of it.
Even the small part that he did understand, he wasnt certain about.
The characters on the cauldron were better described as mysterious symbols or even patterns that were all steeped in abstraction.
If these characters are indiscipherable, how did the original people understand them?
Xu Mu opened the system, looked at the newly learned skill, hesitated for a moment, and once again invested some Luck Value to elevate it to the Perfection level.
Now, gazing upon the symbols on the Divine Cauldron, he seemed to understand a bit more.
As I thought! There is a connection between the two!
The Nine Cauldron skill he had mastered was likely the prerequisite to understanding the spell on the Divine Cauldron.
Perhaps it was a simplified version written by a highly skilled cultivator who pondered over the Divine Cauldron, serving as annotations.
As long as the Nine Cauldron Skill was fully practiced, learning the spell of the Divine Cauldron should not be a problem.
This feeling of solving a puzzle excited Xu Mu.
With a clear idea in his mind, Xu Mu continued to enhance the realm of his Yuan Ding Skill.
Master!
Grandmaster!
Transcendent!
The moment he reached the Transcendent stage, Xu Mu felt as if he experienced an epiphany. The once obscure and mysterious text on the Divine Cauldron seemed toe alive and the hidden meanings naturally made their way into his mind.
A new skill appeared on his system panel C
Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron!
The spell was tier ten!
At the same time, the Yuan Ding Skill he began learning showed a fusion prompt.
Just a spell to control the Divine Cauldron can reach tier ten!
Xu Mu was quite shocked.
After blending the two spells, the level of the Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron remained the same, just its proficiency level reached afortable level.
By this point, Xu Mu began to feel a headache, unsure if he should continue upgrading the level of the Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron.
This was very much a control spell specifically developed for the Divine Cauldron. Once mastered, it could manipte the Divine Cauldron to perform various functions.
This included refining remnants of souls, extracting Soul Power, and even alchemy.
The grade of this Divine Cauldron was rmingly high, it had its own independent space inside that could be used for storage and even to suppress enemies. Unless it was a Refining Void Stage cultivator who could control the Law of Space, escaping was impossible.
If Xu Mu could elevate the Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron to the transcendent realm, he might be able to fully refine it even at the Golden Core Stage.
Know that this great cauldron has been left in the heavenly prison for so many years, and no one has ever fully refined it, otherwise it wouldnt be here.
When using it, there is no need for the assistance of the other nine tripods. One person can easily use it.
The spell is good! The tripod is also good!
But
This isnt mine!
If he really dared to refine this God Refining Tripod, he might immediately get his own cell in the heavenly prison.
Is it necessary to invest so much Luck Value just for this one use?
Given his current spell realm, its easy for him to control any of the nine great cauldrons. He can easilyplete the task as others definitely cantpare to him.
The God Refining Tripod need not be controlled by him, there really is no need for him to learn.
As Xu Mu was worried and hesitating, someone walked into the hall again.
A young man in a purple-gold flood dragon robe, upright in stature, with an indescribably noble demeanor.
Greetings, Prince Jade!
Someone recognized the young man and immediately knelt down on one knee to salute him. Everyone else followed suit. Naturally, Xu Mu didnt dare to stand out. The young mans Nascent Soul Stage aura waspletely unhidden.
Hmm!
The young man nodded expressionlessly as if he were a graceful nobleman, and walked to the side of the God Refining Tripod.
He didnt bother looking at everyone else, only giving Xu Mu an extra nce. Not because Xu Mu was special, but simply because he was standing next to the God Refining Tripod.
However, this Prince Jade was not arrogant or overbearing. He didnt use Xu Mu to gain prestige. After arriving next to the God Refining Tripod, he nced at him, then flew to the lid of the God Refining Tripod and sat cross-legged.
A wave of spiritual power emanated from Prince Jade and seeped into the God Refining Tripod, obviously running the Martial Method to refine it.
Everyone else got up and continued their study, some also followed Prince Jades lead and began to try to refine the great cauldron in front of them.
Seeing this scene, Xu Mupletely abandoned the idea of enhancing the Jue of Heaven and Earth Moving Cauldron. He returned to his spot, pretending toprehend the spells on the cauldron.
Just do the task honestly. Thought there would be some secret, really wasted so much of my Luck Value for nothing.
Xu Mu sighed in his heart, a dejected expression on his face.
Seeing Xu Mus change in expression, Xu Lingyu couldnt help but worry, Do you have any problems?
If he cannotplete the task, it will be not only awkward, but also impossible to give an ount to the princess.
Huh?
It was the first time Xu Lingyu actively spoke to him, causing Xu Mu to be slightly surprised. Then he smiled and said, Dont worry!
He had already elevated the single spell to the transcendental level. It would be easy for him to refine it, he just didnt want to stand out too much.
Are you sure?
Xu Lingyu was still a little worried.
If I fail toplete the task, I will go see the princess with my head! Xu Mu had no way to exin, so he gave her an assurance.
Only then did Xu Lingyu feel a little bit at ease.
Although she did not expect Xu Mu to really go to see Li Yon with his head, but daring to say so, at least shows that he was confident.
Time passed day by day. Out of the nine groups participating, eight had already finished refining the great cauldrons and were prepared. Only Xu Mu seemed to be gritting his teeth and working hard. Everyone was worried that he wouldnt be able to refine the cauldron in time and drag everyone down.
Fortunately, he sessfully refined the cauldron before Prince Jade, giving everyone a sigh of relief.
A part of the crowds resentment towards him grew stronger!
This bastard is really looking for trouble. He insists on wasting so much time studying the spells on the other great cauldrons. You better not cause problems when the Great Array starts, or well make you pay.
The subordinates of the first prince, second prince, and the seventh princess, all looked at Xu Mu with malicious intent, even threatening him.
Xu Mu simply ignored them.
At this point, Prince Jade opened his eyes and looked at Xu Mu again, saying, Lets get started if you are ready!
Chapter 302: 271: Soul Collecting_1
Chapter 302: Chapter 271: Soul Collecting_1
Hum!
Prince Jade squeezed the finger Jue, causing the entire hall to quiver slightly. A ck curtain of light rose, enveloping everyone within.
This ck light curtain was something Xu Mu had seen for the first time, and a trace of surprise couldnt help but appear in his eyes.
As the curtain rose, Prince Jade soared to the front of the God Refining Tripod, casting spell after spell into it. The originally calm God Refining Tripod began to show faint traces of golden light, and the dim runes also gradually took effect.
The others quickly flew up to the tripod and started executing their spells, harnessing the power from their respective tripods.
The originally ordinary ground began to disy a web of veins giving off a golden light. These veins connected to form aplex formationwork.
The light rose from the ground and converged towards the central God Refining Tripod. Xu Mu felt his own spiritual power beginning to be absorbed and depleted.
What it boils down to is that I am basically a battery!
Heined in his heart.
However, this was quite normal. Based on their cultivation and abilities, even if the God Refining Tripod was given to them, they couldnt control it either.
The majority of the work was to assist. While Prince Jade operated the God Refining Tripod, they could use the nine tripods to help lessen the pressure on him.
The God Refining Tripod, which at first only glowed faintly, immediately shone brightly like it hade to life and turned golden once it received the assistance of the nine grand tripods.
Open!
Prince Jade huffed lightly, and the lid of the God Refining Tripod gradually opened.
If not now, when!
Prince Jade scanned his surroundings, and people like Xu Lingyu immediately sat cross-legged. Then, ethereal soul bodies flew out of them.
This was a method of soul leaving the body that only soul cultivators could effortlessly employ. It was greatly different from ordinary cultivators simply releasing their souls.
These soul bodies hovered in front of each person. After executing some unknown spell, they suddenly emitted pulsating waves of exceptional fluctuations.
Xu Mu could feel the fluctuations, as if his hand was ced in water. The force of the surge was very clear, but he was not able to see, nor could his Divine Intent capture, anything.
With the mysterious soul waves being released, the originally calm Nine Layered Hell suddenly started howling with gusty winds.
Whoo, whoo!
Just like the eerie winds blowing across the mountains!
The sound of the wind grew louder, and indistinct murmurs of people could be heard.
Like shrieks of pain and despair, mixed with cursing and begging, as if the world was being cursed constantly.
This scene would scare an ordinary person out of their wits, but for the people present, it was nothing to bother about.
They were cultivators, all of whom were great individuals in the middle andter stages of the Golden Pill cultivation. Even if real demons and ghosts appeared, they would have no option but to bow down before them.
They are here!
Xu Mu opened his eyes to see strands of ck smoke passing through the ck barrier and entering the hall.
Its targets werent Prince Jade or the grand tripod, but Xu Lingyu and the other cultivators who had their soul bodies outside.
This is the role of bait!
They would attract all the resentful remnants lingering in the prison.
Hum!
At this juncture, Prince Jade activated the power of the God Refining Tripod. An invisible aura appeared, generating a powerful suction force that pulled all the ck smoke into the grand tripod.
Aaaaah!
Faint cries, like mosquito whines, came from the grand tripod.
Xu Mu also felt that the depletion rate of his spiritual power had greatly increased.
This is soul refinement!
You all take turns presiding over it!
Prince Jades voice came out.
Everyone could only nod in agreement.
Then Prince Jade left the control of the grand tripod. Relying on the nine separate tripods, everyone took turns to stimte the power of the God Refining Tripod, absorbing the constant surge of ck smoke.
Prince Jade focused on restoring his spiritual power in order to remain in the final moments when he could refine the remnants souls.
Xu Lingyu and others concentrated earnestly, continuing to disy the soul fluctuations and attracting more and more remnants.
Initially, these fragmented souls were simply formless blots of ck, slowly, faces of ghosts began to appear in the ck mist, then came fragmented souls with hands and feet.
It was clear that these fragmented souls had merged, devoured each other, and pieced together, all appearing extremely eerie.
Some had eight eyes, some had three hands, others had eight feet. None resembled a normal human being.
Once the fragmented soulspleted their whole formation, the pressure on everyone significantly increased.
The strength of the God Refining Tripod was getting stronger and stronger, otherwise, it wouldnt be able to absorb the fragmented souls.
Simultaneously, these fragmented souls began to resist the force of the God Refining Tripod, seizing the opportunity to attack everyone within the hall.
In other words, everyone not only had to hold control of the God Refining Tripod, but also block the attacks of the fragmented souls that could strike at any time.
Multi-tasking!
The difficulty was evident.
On the other hand, individuals like Xu Lingyu, who were used as bait, found it rtively easier andfortable to handle the situation.
Their martial methods were inherently effective against the fragmented souls, and unlike people like Xu Mu, they also did not need to split their attention to control the God Refining Tripod, hence they found it much easier to handle.
At this point, individual differences began to show.
Those with a high realm, strong abilities, and deep understanding of the spell managed it more easily.
However, those whocked martial development, who were weak and had a shallow understanding of martial methods found it much tougher.
Xu Mu was one of them.
Of course, Xu Mu intentionally exhibited such a demeanor, as he didnt want to attract too much attention.
After all, he had spent the least timeprehending and his martial level was not high. If he had been too conspicuous, he would definitely arouse suspicion.
Seeing Xu Mus situation, a smug look of schadenfreude inevitably spread across Murong Shuns face.
The control of the God Refining Tripod constantly rotated among the nine individuals, seemingly without end.
Seven days had passed, and countless fragmented souls continued to pour into the Celestial Prison, causing Xu Mu to feel a chill down his spine.
Just how many fragmented souls were hidden inside this Celestial Prison? Or how many people had died here over the past hundred years?
Otherwise, how could there be so many fragmented souls?
Moreover, the God Refining Tripod was terrifying enough to be able to contain so many fragmented souls, and it didnt seem to have reached any kind of limit.
ording to the time, it should almost be over.
Xu Mu thought to himself.
Except for him, the other eight people were also feeling different degrees of exhaustion, clearly reaching their limits.
In charge of serving as bait, Xu Lingyu and others were also sweating, constantly needing to retract their spirits to regenerate their strength.
At this point, the entire hall was almost covered by fragmented souls, everyone being constantly attacked by a few fragmented souls, draining their increasingly limited energy.
Atst, Prince Jade finally opened his eyes, personally taking control of the God Refining Tripod and in a blink of an eye absorbed all the fragmented souls in the hall.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief, believing that they can now wait for the mission to conclude.
Murong Shun shot Xu Mu a resentful nce, wondering how he managed to hold on until the end, when every time it was his turn, he seemed to be on the verge of giving up.
This damn guy has quite the luck!
The others nced at him too, feeling his luck was truly amazing.
Xu Mu wore a relieved smile, which irritated Murong Shun even more.
Xu Lingyu also took a breath, recalled his spirit back into his body.
Just as everyone thought Prince Jade would cover the God Refining Tripod to initiate the process of soul refining, Prince Jade took out a Magic Artifact wrapped in a grey cloth strip and threw it in.
On the cloth strip, peculiar faces of ghosts were drawn, looking extremely ferocious and eerie.
Everyone in the field was taken aback.
Had they ever heard about this step in the process of soul refining?
As soon as the grey cloth strip was thrown in, the ghost faces on the fabric immediately came alive, flying out, turning into nine green-faced and sharp-fanged evil ghosts, and began devouring the fragmented souls inside.
Seeing this scene, the soul cultivators seemed to have thought of something and their faces turned pale.
The Myriad Souls Banner!!!
Chapter 303: 272: Banner of Ten Thousand Souls_1
Chapter 303: Chapter 272: Banner of Ten Thousand Souls_1
The Banner of a Thousand Souls? What does that mean? Isnt that a Demonic Dao artifact?
Everyone could tell that something was not right with the scene inside the God Refining Tripod, especially after being alerted by the soul cultivators, which made everyones faces change.
Could they really be so unlucky? They always run into trouble even when handling routine tasks!
Xu Muined in his heart.
Though the scenery was somewhat bizarre, no one there dared to overreact.
After all, the one who was doing this was Prince Jade, a Nascent Soul Stage expert.
Dont panic, this Banner of a Thousand Souls has other uses, it has obtained permission from the court. Prince Jade said calmly.
This statement was hard for people to believe because when they came, they had never heard that refining souls involved using a Banner of a Thousand Souls.
Moreover, cultivating Demonic Dao artifacts should be explicitly forbidden, even if the person in question was a prince from the imperial family.
Everyone looked at each other. Despite having doubts in their hearts, no one dared to protest or even send a message to the outside to inquire.
Everyone was maintaining the operation of the formation amidst this eerie atmosphere, unavoidably reducing the influx of spiritual energy while preparing for any unexpected situation.
While Prince Jade controlled the God Refining Tripod so that the residual souls inside could not escape, he removed a bottle of pills, dividing them among the people present.
We still have a long way to go; consume these Melting Spirit Pills! Replenish your energy! Prince Jade said.
Xu Mu had heard of the Melting Spirit Pill; they were tier ten restoration pills, extremely precious.
For those at their level, taking one of these pills couldpletely restore their vitality in a short period.
However, not one of those who received this valuable pill dared to take it on the spot.
Thanks for your generosity, Prince, but I currently!
Murong Shun, who tried to refuse the offer, was immediately chastised by Prince Jade.
If I tell you to eat, you eat. No more nonsense!
Prince Jades face turned frosty, immediately exerting a terrifying pressure on the people around him.
After all, he was a Nascent Soul elder, not someone they could offend.
The faces of the crowd turned ugly, trapped in a dilemma.
They felt uneasy about consuming the pill, but neither dared to upset Prince Jade.
At that moment, Xu Mu was the first to take the pill and swallow it. This action made Prince Jade take a second look at him.
When Xu Mu took the pill, his aura swiftly started to recover.
Seeing this, everyone else stopped hesitating and followed suit.
Only then did Prince Jades expression return to normal.
You all continue to attract residual souls, while others take turns controlling the God Refining Tripod!
Despite being close to the end, they still had to continue. Despite their unwillingness, everyone had no choice but toply.