Chapter 202: Mountain Root
Chapter 202: Mountain Root
Hmm!
The Earth Origin Lotus Seeds entered his stomach, and in an instant, they silently dissolved and vanished, leaving a cool sensation.
Chen Mu then felt as if the hazy world around him suddenly became brighter, as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes, revealing a clearer view. It was as if the barrier that had obscured his senses had suddenly disappeared, and he felt an unprecedented connection with the world around him.
He could sense the rich and powerful energy of the world, like a surging tide, ready to burst through his internal organs and forcefully flow back into him. But Chen Mu quickly mobilized his inner breath to control and suppress this energy.
"The feeling is indeed different."
Chen Mu's eyes gleamed with a newfound awareness.
He could sense that his thoughts were more agile than ever before. Standing between heaven and earth, he felt as if he could perceive all the rhythms of the world.
In this state, even without an intention pattern, he could gradually comprehend the mysteries of the world through his own insights. This was an experience he had never had before.
Perhaps, the world as perceived by those peerless geniuses, the legendary figures of their time, was like this.
After all, if one were to trace back to the true origins of the Martial Way, there were no intention patterns in those ancient times. It was the first people who comprehended the world, the wind, thunder, water, and fire. Step by step, they advanced, passing down their knowledge through generations, and no one knew how many years it took before someone reached the pinnacle of these realms. Then, after an unknown period, generation after generation of martial artists stood on the shoulders of their predecessors, summarizing and integrating various martial concepts, eventually leading to the comprehensive Yin-Yang and Five Elements realms.
Chen Mu looked down at the Mountain Root Chart. At this moment, the vague and profound concepts on the chart were incredibly clear, as if he were witnessing the vast and boundless mountains connecting heaven and earth.
He immersed himself in this comprehension.
In a daze, he felt as if he had arrived in a vast and towering mountain range.
It was as if the first mountain had emerged alongside the world, extending and undulating, grand and majestic, like the earth's backbone, supporting the entire firmament.
Chen Mu, lost in thought, took one step after another towards the mountain, as if on a pilgrimage.
One step,
Two steps,
Three steps,
The nearby mountain seemed both close and distant, and he didn't know how long he had walked. Time and age seemed forgotten, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close the distance. He could only gaze up at the towering peaks.
Suddenly, snowflakes danced in the wind, then raindrops fell densely, and the scorching sun shone down. Chen Mu felt the cold snow on his body, the heavy rain, and the burning heat, all immersing his mind and body.
But when he looked around, the mountains remained unchanged.
The mountains endured the snow, withstood the rain, and endured the sun's rays, standing firm.
This was one aspect of the Mountain Root's nature, but not its entirety, nor its core. Its true essence was immutability and stillness.
Still as a mountain, unmoving as a mountain.
The Mountain Root realm represented stillness, immobility, stability, and the eternal nature of all things. Among the Eight Trigrams, it emphasized the power of 'defense' the most. Defending not only with the body but also with the heart and mind.
With an unmoving body, a calm heart, and a focused mind, no evil or impurity could invade the body, and no external influence could sway the heart.
"The Mountain Root realm..."
Chen Mu murmured to himself.
He looked up and realized that he had somehow reached the foot of the mountain range, the distance that had seemed unbridgeable earlier had vanished without him noticing.
He understood that his comprehension of the Mountain Root realm had deepened significantly.
Gazing up at the towering peaks, he took a step forward, intending to climb the mountain, but his foot stepped into empty air, and his body fell into the valley. The sensation of falling jolted his consciousness awake.
In an instant, the mountains and ranges disappeared, and he found himself back in the underground chamber, still facing the Mountain Root intention pattern. But the oil lamp nearby had long since burned out, and he didn't know for how long.
Chen Mu's mind was still hazy.
He felt as if he had just awakened from a dream.
As his consciousness gradually returned, before he could recall his previous insights, a strong hunger arose in his stomach.
"So hungry."
He stood up abruptly, realizing how long he had been immersed in his comprehension. As a practitioner in the Organ Realms, his internal breath was connected to the world, and even after ten days and nights without food or water, he could endure. But now, he felt intense hunger and thirst throughout his body.
Chen Mu stepped out of the underground chamber.
He didn't have time to ask the astonished Wang Ni and Ku Er, who were standing nearby. Instead, he headed north to where some special demon meat and jerky were stored. He took a few pieces from the house and swallowed them, then went to the well and drank half a bucket of water.
The gnawing thirst and hunger in his stomach finally began to subside.
"Master..."
At this moment, Ku Er and Le Er, the maids, caught up with him, their eyes filled with shock at the sight of Chen Mu.
Chen Mu rubbed his chin and then his hair. His beard and hair had grown noticeably, but he wasn't too concerned about his appearance at the moment. He turned to the two young maids and asked, "How long have I been in seclusion?"
"Master, you've been in there for thirty-three days," Ku Er replied, blinking her eyes and counting on her fingers in a hushed voice.
"Quick, don't just stand there. Go fetch some water."
In the quiet room, Chen Mu flipped through the books, his eyes scanning the pages.
Wang Ni bustled over with a basin and a handkerchief, instructing Ku Er and Le Er before turning to Chen Mu and letting out a sigh of relief. "Brother Mu, you've been down here for too long. If it weren't for Sister Xiao He and Sister Chen Yue saying that we shouldn't disturb you, Ku Er, Le Er, and I wouldn't know what to do."
Chen Mu gradually came to his senses, realizing that the Earth Origin Lotus Seeds' effects were even more potent than he had anticipated. Immersed in his insights, he had lost track of time, and over a month had passed in the blink of an eye. No wonder it was said that this item was not suitable for those below the Organ Realm; even this effect alone made it unsuitable for those who hadn't cultivated their organs.
Even for those in the Bone Forging Realm, going without food and water for over a month would be pushing their limits. But as a cultivator in the Organ Realm, he only experienced slight discomfort in his intestines and body, which could be quickly alleviated by replenishing his diet and hydration.
Xiao He and Chen Yue were aware of this, which was why they didn't allow the worried Wang Ni and the others to disturb him. They knew that as a cultivator in the Organ Realm, a month of seclusion without food or water wouldn't cause any significant issues.
"Oh, I made you worry, Ni'er." Chen Mu, now fully aware, smiled at Wang Ni.
Wang Ni, holding the basin, hesitated and spoke softly, "I... I know Brother Mu's martial arts are powerful, but after a month without food or water, are you sure there won't be any problems?"
Chen Mu rubbed his cheeks, and his beard fell off. He then cut off some of his overgrown hair and picked up the handkerchief, washing his face in the basin Wang Ni was holding. Looking at his reflection in the water, he saw that his face hadn't become emaciated despite the lack of food and water for over a month. It was still handsome and youthful. He nodded slightly.
Smiling at Wang Ni, he said, "Your Brother Mu is an immortal. There's no need to worry. You can go now."
Wang Ni examined Chen Mu closely and noticed that there weren't any significant changes after his beard and hair were trimmed. She felt relieved, turned to pour out the water, and then helped Ku Er and Le Er fetch more water.
After a while, they filled a large wooden tub with water, tested the temperature, and then assisted Chen Mu in changing his clothes and bathing.
Having reached the Organ Realm, Chen Mu's body didn't easily accumulate dirt, but he still maintained the habit of bathing, albeit less frequently than before. As he lay in the hot water, he let out a long sigh of relief, and Wang Ni temporarily left, allowing him to clear his mind and summon the system panel.
[Martial Arts: Earth Mountain Intention]
[Experience: 37,146 points]
[Available Simulations: 0]
"These Earth Origin Lotus Seeds are indeed very effective. The effects are so good that they're almost excessive."
Chen Mu was momentarily speechless as he looked at the accumulated experience points on the system panel. He had been immersed in the insights of the Earth Mountain pattern, and in that state, thirty-three days had passed in the blink of an eye—over a month. He had never had such a long seclusion before, but the effects were extraordinary. In just one month, he had gained nearly three times the usual amount of experience points from comprehending an intention pattern.
Chen Mu was well aware that he hadn't directly advanced to the second step of the Earth Mountain Intention, but he wasn't far from it. With just one simulation, he could likely advance to the second step.
In other words, his comprehension of the Earth Mountain Intention had unintentionally overflowed with over twenty thousand experience points.
If he were to convert these twenty thousand experience points into advancing the Water Cavern Intention, it wouldn't take long before he could bring it to the second step as well. But currently, experience points couldn't be transferred between intentions, so they could only be used to enhance his Earth Mountain Intention.
"Oh well, it's all a matter of time anyway. Might as well see how far it is from the second step to the third step of an intention... No, from the second step to the 'half-step' of martial arts, to truly understand the distance." Chen Mu's mind soon calmed.
After all, the second step of an intention wasn't his final destination. For now, he intended to master all six trigrams except for Skyward Primal and Earthly Primal by reaching only the second step in each, and then he would cultivate Skyward Primal and Earthly Primal.
Since the experience points for Earth Mountain Intention had overflowed due to the Earth Origin Lotus Seeds, he might as well see how far it was to the third step and beyond. According to his knowledge, the distance from entering the second step to comprehending its limits and taking that half-step into martial arts was often a lifelong pursuit for most cultivators in the Six Viscera Realm.
(End of Chapter)
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