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Chapter 217: Abyssal Contraction Step
Chapter 217: Abyssal Contraction Step
As Chen Mu opened the first page, he saw the steady handwriting come to life on the paper.
"...The mind is collected and refined, the qi is gathered and calm. As a heavenly sovereign, one's emotions remain unreadable, and their aura is undisturbed by the environment. The mind adapts to the changes of all things, and the body remains still, following the movements of the world."
As Chen Mu read the words on the book, he pondered for a moment, then continued reading. Soon, he finished reading the entire volume of the Heavenly Son's Qi Concealment Art from start to finish, memorizing every detail.
The Heavenly Son's Qi Concealment Art, based on the Heaven Earth Concept, allowed one to remain undisturbed even when the world changed. It was an exceptional method of concealing one's aura, effective in almost any environment.
Although this technique only concealed one's aura and not their physical form, for Chen Mu, hiding his body was a trivial skill. With his Water Abyss Concept, he could easily hide his physical form from ordinary people, achieving a 'divine trace' like ascending to the heavens in broad daylight. However, in the eyes of high-level warriors, it was merely a trick.
Only by concealing one's aura could one achieve the most crucial aspect of this art.
Moreover, this Heavenly Son's Qi Concealment Art did not have complex realm distinctions. As long as one practiced it, they could control their aura at will, releasing and retracting it effortlessly. For Chen Mu, this was precisely the technique he needed.
After deciding on the Heavenly Son's Qi Concealment Art, Chen Mu walked towards another wooden rack to search for body movement techniques.
The wooden rack held even more books on body movement techniques than aura concealment methods. At first glance, the variety was dizzying, with names like 'Shadowless Step' and 'Mystic Step' everywhere. Upon closer inspection, however, these techniques only required the Gale Wind Concept, the most basic level.
But soon, Chen Mu found another book.
- Abyssal Contraction Step!
This body movement technique was also based on the Heaven Earth Concept, and the description on the first page was quite domineering.
'Among all body movement techniques in the world, none can surpass this one!'
This bold claim suggested that all other body movement techniques in the world were at best equal to this one, but none could exceed it.
Such a boastful statement would have seemed absurd to Chen Mu in his previous life in Jade Prefecture. However, for a technique that required the Heaven Earth Concept, it was a different matter.
Moreover, the Abyssal Contraction Step clearly stated that one must reach the second step of the Heaven Earth Concept to master it.
"Excellent, these two will do."
Chen Mu memorized the contents of the Abyssal Contraction Step, then turned to leave the Power Transmission Hall.
Chen Mu followed the mountain path back to his residence.
However, as he walked, he noticed a group of Inner Sect disciples gathered in an open area, discussing something. Some of them looked surprised.
Chen Mu's footsteps were light as he followed the trail, and although the distance was far, he could still hear their voices. A faint light flashed in his eyes, but he didn't pay much attention and continued up the mountain.
The disciples were discussing the Rising Talent List.
After a year, the Rising Talent List was updated again. Some new names were added, and some old ones were removed, but Zuo Qianqiu's position remained unshaken at the top.
Zuo Qianqiu was only twenty-six years old, the same age as Yuan YingSong. Compared to Zhou Hao and Chen Mu, he was much younger.
"Did you hear? Zuo Qianqiu sparred with Yuan YingSong at the Northern Border, and Yuan YingSong barely lost by half a move... Yuan YingSong has reached the second step of the Thunder Rumble Concept. He only lacks the Gale Wind and Heavenly Sky Concepts from the Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth. I thought that once Yuan YingSong mastered the Thunder Rumble Concept, he would surpass Zuo Qianqiu."
"It's not that easy. They are both cultivating. Zuo Qianqiu adheres to the 'Man's Determination Surpasses Heaven' philosophy. The more undefeated he is, the stronger his sword intent becomes. Since he started practicing the sword, he has never lost to someone of the same level. His sword intent and martial will are now fused. Who knows how powerful he has become."
"Speaking of which, Zhou Qianqiu has reached the Mountain Earth Concept and is now ranked ninth on the Rising Talent List. Last month, he faced Zuo Qianqiu but couldn't force Zuo Qianqiu to use his seventh sword. He had to yield before Zuo Qianqiu's sixth sword."
In a corner, Ling HuShang, Shen Lin, and others sighed as they discussed.
Suddenly, they noticed Chen Mu walking up the mountain path and quickly greeted him.
"Senior Brother Chen."
Ling HuShang, Shen Lin, and the others all bowed.
Chen Mu glanced at them but didn't stop, soon disappearing towards the Upper Peak.
After Chen Mu left, the Spirit Profound Peak disciples looked at each other and resumed their discussion.
"Senior Brother Chen's ranking dropped on the new Rising Talent List."
Shen Lin tilted her head and whispered.
"Senior Brother Chen hasn't made any progress since joining the sect for a year. It's normal for his ranking to drop a few places, but with his talent, he has probably grasped the initial insights of the Heavenly Sky Concept. If he shows some strength, his ranking will rise again, and he might even enter the top twenty."
Li Hu Shang waited for a long time after Chen Mu's silhouette disappeared before turning to Shen Lin and responding.
"Hmm."
Shen Lin nodded in agreement.
Chen Mu's astonishing talent and comprehension couldn't possibly have diminished after entering the Seven Mysteries Sect. He was obviously still immersing himself in secluded cultivation, and when he reached a bottleneck and went out for training, his progress would naturally become apparent.
...
Upper Peak.
Chen Mu returned to his bamboo residence.
He wasn't particularly interested in the Rising Talent List, the discussions among the Inner Sect disciples about Zuo Qianqiu, or other related matters.
He had glanced at the newly revised Rising Talent List published by the Celestial Wind Pavilion this year. His ranking had dropped from twenty-seventh to thirty-third, but he didn't care much about it.
The Rising Talent List was just a list of 'rising talents,' and the fame it brought in the Cold Northern Region held no significance to him. It only served to make others marvel at his extraordinary talent and aptitude.
Only by ascending the Gale Wind Rankings or becoming a Marrow Cleansing Master could one truly become a formidable figure in a state, renowned throughout the eleven states of the Cold Northern Region.
Throughout history, there have been countless peerless geniuses who failed to break through the Marrow Cleansing Gate and stopped short of the Grandmaster Realm. While they could still rank on the Gale Wind Rankings after soaking in the Six Viscera Realm for some years, and even be unafraid of ordinary Grandmasters, the term 'unaFraid' was just that—unaFraid. Whether they could achieve the Grandmaster Realm was still a separate concept.
After all, only by entering the Marrow Cleansing Realm could one finally glimpse the 'Blood Exchange Realm' at the pinnacle.
Moreover, every Grandmaster had once been a genius. Although they might have struggled against a Gale Wind Rankings expert when they first entered the Grandmaster Realm, after soaking in the Marrow Cleansing Realm for several decades, even if they couldn't ultimately step into the Blood Exchange Realm, they could still surpass the Gale Wind Rankings.
The lifespan of a Marrow Cleansing Master far surpassed that of the Six Viscera Realm. Once they entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm, they could live to at least one hundred and fifty years old. If they cultivated a life-prolonging technique, they might even approach two hundred years of age.
In contrast, those in the Six Viscera Realm had a lifespan of around one hundred and twenty years at most. Their strength couldn't be maintained for that long, and while they fared better than those in the Organ Realms, they could only maintain their power until around one hundred years old.
Marrow Cleansing Masters, on the other hand, could live to one hundred and fifty years old.
Perhaps even longer.
Marrow Cleansing Masters under one hundred years old still had the hope of entering the Blood Exchange Realm. Although that step was incredibly challenging, who could say that a Grandmaster didn't have the chance to take that step?
"Zuo Qianqiu, the Celestial Sword Concept..."
Chen Mu shook his head slightly.
Perhaps it was because he had clarified his Martial Will that his mindset had gradually changed from the past. Just as a Grandmaster wouldn't bother with trampling on young sprouts, he had no interest in dealing with Zuo Qianqiu.
He no longer considered anyone on the Rising Talent List to be his rival. His gaze was already fixed on the Gale Wind Rankings.
As the embodiment of the Heaven and Earth Concept, if he still had to look back at those behind him, how could he possibly master the Heaven and Earth Concept?
If Zuo Qianqiu truly had the opportunity to catch up to him with the Celestial Sword Concept, then so be it. Whenever he wanted to draw his sword against Chen Mu, Chen Mu would break that Celestial Sword. His gaze was no longer directed at the younger generation.
Chen Mu followed the mountain path upwards.
Just as Chen Mu approached his familiar bamboo residence, he noticed a figure standing there, as if they had been waiting for some time.
"Senior Sister Meng, what brings you here?"
Chen Mu walked towards the bamboo residence and smiled at the figure beside it.
The visitor was indeed Meng Danyun.
Meng Danyun turned around, but her expression wasn't one of joy. Instead, she looked at Chen Mu with a hint of gravity and complexity in her eyes. Then she spoke, "Master said..."
At this opening, Chen Mu's smile instantly faded.
Meng Danyun pursed her lips and finally spoke softly, "Master said that she's becoming less and less lucid, and this time, she might sleep for a very long time. She said that she's been waiting to guide you in the Martial Dao, but perhaps you haven't encountered any bottlenecks, which she's glad about. She believes you have the potential to cultivate the Heaven Concept. She asked me to tell you that once the concept reaches the second step, relying solely on the concept chart won't be enough to take the third step. Those who merely copy the concept charts haven't comprehended the third step themselves."
"If you want to reach the end of the concept, you'll need the guidance of the Primordial Eight Phases Diagram. Otherwise, even if you find the Fragmented Eight Phases Manuscript, it won't be of much use. To comprehend the Martial Dao and take the third step, you must rely on yourself."
Meng Danyun paused here.
She slowly took out a small jade seal and handed it to Chen Mu, saying, "This is the 'Heavenly Seal' that Master crafted for you during her lucid moments. It can block a regular Grandmaster's attack during a life-or-death crisis and protect you in your future journeys."
(Chapter End)
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