Chapter 149: Departure Fire
Chapter 149: Departure Fire
"The Hao Family... Sky Corpse Sect... Yan Jingqing..."
Chen Mu pondered these names in his mind.
In his opinion, if there were signs indicating a connection between the Hao Family and the remnants of the Sky Corpse Sect, then given Yan Jingqing's character, it would be normal for him to directly take action against the Hao Family. The fate of the Hao Family would depend on the extent of their involvement with the Sky Corpse Sect.
If it was merely a mutual exploitation, then the issue would still be manageable. But if the Hao Family had completely sided with the Sky Corpse Sect and was working solely for them, there was no doubt that their annihilation was imminent.
Judging from Yan Jingqing's recent reaction...
It was highly likely that the Hao Family was indeed involved with the Sky Corpse Sect, but perhaps not as deeply as one might think. It could be a certain level of mutual exploitation, such as exchanging resources with the Sky Corpse Sect's remnants.
In the past, this would undoubtedly have been a grave offense punishable by the extermination of the entire family. However, in the current turbulent times, even the Blood Veil Tower, a sect known for its assassination methods, dared to operate openly. The situation was naturally different, and Chen Mu felt that the more significant possibility was that Yan Jingqing wanted to use the Hao Family to uncover more information about the Sky Corpse Sect's remnants.
After all, in Yan Jingqing's eyes, the Hao Family was not a significant concern. They were right under his nose, and there was no escape. He could easily wipe them out if he wanted to.
But the remnants of the Sky Corpse Sect hidden within Yu County remained shrouded in mystery, and no substantial findings had been made so far.
"Sky Corpse Sect..."
Chen Mu shook his head.
Since this matter involved the Sky Corpse Sect, he had no intention of further investigation. It wasn't his responsibility at the moment, and he didn't want to speculate on Yan Jingqing's or the Seven Mysteries Sect's intentions.
Moreover, this mysterious situation gave him a sense of impending doom, like a storm gathering in the distance.
It was time to enhance his strength.
At the very least, with his current level of power, he could only handle inner disciples of the Four Sects. He was still far from being able to confront the true disciples of the Four Sects, let alone deal with the remnants of the Sky Corpse Sect, which remained an enigma.
...
Yu Family Armory.
In the cold winter, snow and wind raged.
The blacksmith, his bare torso glistening with sweat, wielded an extremely heavy hammer with both hands. He continuously struck a blade mold on the anvil, gradually shaping a sword.
Under his skilled hammering, the sword slowly took form.
Finally, he placed the forged blade back into the furnace to heat it up. Once the blade turned red-hot, he quickly plunged it into the ice water beside the furnace, repeating this quenching process several times. Eventually, a treasure sword was born.
"Success!"
A smile spread across the blacksmith's face as he held the finished sword in front of him, carefully examining its shape. "This sword is likely the highest-quality treasure sword I've ever forged. Aside from those legendary blades forged with the essence of demons and spirits, few treasure weapons can surpass it."
Chen Mu stood by, observing the newly forged treasure sword. Even without a sharpened edge or a completed hilt, he could already feel the difference between this sword and the standard-issue iron swords he had used before.
"Treasure weapon... Spirit weapon..."
Chen Mu's expression turned contemplative.
From the various books he had read, he knew that all weapons in the world were categorized into three levels: common weapons, treasure weapons, and spirit weapons.
The standard-issue iron swords he had used previously, including those from the Demon Slayer Bureau, were common weapons. Even though the quality of the Demon Slayer Bureau's iron swords was slightly better due to their hundredfold refinement, they still couldn't be considered treasure weapons.
Treasure Weapons.
Deserving of the title 'treasure,' these weapons were inherently valuable. The mystic iron used to forge this sword was relatively abundant, and with Yu Zu Tian taking over as the Deputy Director of the Smelting Inspectorate, it was easy for the Yu Family to secure a supply of it. However, flexible silver ore was extremely rare, and a single piece was worth over 100,000 taels of silver.
Therefore, a sword forged from this material was indeed a treasure weapon, its value as heavy as its weight in silver.
As for spirit weapons...
Chen Mu had only heard of them but had never seen one.
It was said that only demons of the eighth rank and above possessed 'spirit,' and weapons forged from their essence would possess unimaginable power. In the past, the founding emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty sought out and slew nine eighth-rank demons, using their essence to forge nine spirit weapons as the dynasty's protective treasures. Wielding these weapons, one could stand against a thousand armies!
The existence of spirit weapons was the true foundation of the major sects and the Great Xuan Dynasty. Even as the dynasty declined, no one dared to openly rebel, all cowed by the dynasty's thousand-year legacy.
Chen Mu shook his head.
He quickly dismissed these thoughts.
Spirit weapons, considered divine artifacts, were not something he needed to concern himself with.
With the treasure sword's overall shape complete, the blacksmith seamlessly proceeded to refine and sharpen the blade. In no time, a treasure sword with a body like flowing silver, shimmering in the sunlight, was born.
Swish! Swish!
Chen Mu took the treasure sword and casually swung it a few times, feeling its weight and balance to be just right.
"Very good," he said with a smile.
Despite the unexpected twists and turns, the outcome was as he had hoped, and he had also secured a supply of mystic iron for the Yu Family. Acquiring this flexible silver ore felt like a fair exchange.
"Since it's forged from flexible silver ore, let's call it the Flowing Silver Blade."
Chen Mu examined the newly forged Flowing Silver Blade in his hand. He had never been one for naming things, and the previous swords he had used didn't warrant such attention. But this treasure sword was different, and the name was straightforward and fitting.
Holding the newly forged Flowing Silver Blade, Chen Mu soon returned to his underground chamber.
"Wind Thunder Shock."
"Wind Fire Burn."
"Thunder Fire Ash."
One after the other, the three moves flowed seamlessly.
With the final strike, the power of wind, thunder, and fire converged, causing the flexible silver blade to crackle and spark with lightning-infused flames. The intense flames gathered into an elongated blade shape in the gusting wind and slashed downward with tremendous force.
"Heaven's Wrath!"
As wind, thunder, and fire were all subordinate to the Heavenly Firmament Intention, the combination of these three elements formed the most powerful move in Chen Mu's current swordplay. Hence, he named this technique 'Heaven's Wrath'!
Boom! The strike landed with devastating force.
The thick block of raw iron, under the relentless assault of the lightning-infused blade, shattered into countless fragments of iron and stone, spraying forward and embedding themselves densely into the wall.
"Excellent, truly a treasure of a blade."
Chen Mu examined the flexible silver blade after the powerful strike. Despite the intense display, the entire blade still shimmered with flexible silver light, showing no signs of damage. It was evident that the blade could withstand the full force of his attack.
In the realm of martial arts cultivation, reaching the level of Intentions meant that even the most delicate actions, like plucking a flower or picking a leaf, could inflict harm. However, this was often effective only against weaker opponents, such as crude martial artists like Yan Wan Si, who lacked the understanding of Intentions. When it came to a battle of Intentions, the power exerted through a flower branch was naturally inferior to that of a treasure blade like the flexible silver sword.
In the 1619 version of the book, this was clearly stated!
Chen Mu exhaled lightly, surveying the chaotic scene around him. However, he didn't bother with the cleanup, turning around and heading towards the Flame Jade Bed at the back. He removed his boots, stepped onto the bed, and placed the flexible silver blade aside, picking up the Departure Fire Diagram.
With his current strength and the flexible silver blade, he wouldn't be overly concerned about facing a Five Viscera Realm opponent like He Wu You. Nonetheless, it was always better to be stronger, and his Bone Forging cultivation still had a short distance to reach the Jade Bone stage. According to his progress, it would take about two months. Before then, he could cultivate the Departure Fire Intention to the second step.
After that, Chen Mu considered visiting the Demon Slayer Bureau to gain insights into the Whistling Wind Diagram.
As the Inspector General Director, he also held the position of Director of the Demon Slayer Bureau. This role came with many resources, such as access to Intention Diagrams. With a small amount of merit points, he could exchange them for a significant amount of study time, unlike the Deputy Commander or the White Robed Guards, who had to spend more. With his accumulated merit points, cultivating two or three Intentions to the second step was feasible.
The Demon Slayer Bureau had Intention Diagrams for all six elements except for the Heavenly Firmament, Earthly Firmament, and Water Hexagram.
For Chen Mu, the Whistling Wind Intention was not only the first Intention he mastered but also possessed the Autumn Wind Sensation perception ability, which was particularly useful to him. Previously, when searching for Yan Wan Si, he couldn't discern the difference between Bone Forging and Sinew Transformation Realms through subtle breathing in a noisy environment. However, if he could further improve his Whistling Wind Intention, he might be able to perceive such subtle differences.
"Actually, the Water Hexagram Intention should also have perception abilities."
Chen Mu's expression showed a hint of contemplation.
With a calm heart like water, reflecting all things... The perception of the Water Hexagram Intention was another unique ability. These perception-like abilities were naturally more beneficial the more one possessed. If all went well, after mastering the Whistling Wind Intention, he might cultivate the Water Hexagram next.
For now, Chen Mu decided to focus on comprehending the Departure Fire Intention.
He summoned the system interface and took a look.
[Martial Arts: Departure Fire Intention]
[Experience: 9529 points]
[Available Simulations: 0]
"Just a few more days of effort..."
Chen Mu nodded slightly and then quieted his mind, carefully studying the Departure Fire Diagram.
...
Time flew by, and several days passed in a blur.
Chen Mu sat cross-legged on the Flame Jade Bed, motionless. Suddenly, a flame ignited from his feet, gradually burning its way up, setting his thin clothing ablaze. Soon, his entire body was engulfed in raging flames, which consumed his garments but mysteriously left his skin unharmed.
The fire grew more intense, raging fiercely on the Flame Jade Bed and spreading towards the Departure Fire Diagram.
Just as the flames were about to touch the edge of the diagram, Chen Mu's tightly closed eyes opened slightly. He extended his fingers through the fire, and the flames on his fingertips quickly receded. He pointed at the diagram, sending it several feet away.
Chen Mu remained seated, his body still enveloped in flames, feeling the intense heat nearby. But when he looked down at his surroundings, the flames were surprisingly docile, obeying his will, and not even a strand of his hair was singed.
"Departure Fire."
Chen Mu slowly opened his palm.
In an instant, the flames on his body seemed to be drawn towards his hand, gathering into a cluster of crimson fire that flickered in his palm, illuminating the entire cultivation chamber with its radiant glow.
"This is the second step of the Departure Fire Intention..."
Chen Mu murmured, closing his palm, and the flame instantly vanished.
When he initially grasped the Departure Fire Intention, he could unleash blazing flames but lacked control. He could only release them in an uncontrolled burst, and even with the assistance of the Whistling Wind Intention, he could only slightly manipulate their shape.
Now, without relying on the Whistling Wind Intention, Chen Mu's profound understanding of the essence of Departure Fire in the world allowed him to control its power effortlessly, like an extension of his arm. The strength of this technique far surpassed his previous abilities.
Chen Mu clenched his fist.
"With Wind Thunder Shock, Wind Fire Burn, and Thunder Fire Ash all at the second step, and my Bone Forging cultivation at Perfection, I possess a horizontally trained body... I wonder if I can now exchange a few moves with Elder Yu Jiujiang."
(End of Chapter)
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