Chapter 220: Sand County
Chapter 220: Sand County
Deep within the Seven Mystic Mountains, Chen Mu was in his usual practice area, the secluded valley.
"Heavenly Earth Cycle Seal!"
With a low chant, Chen Mu didn't wield his blade but instead thrust his fist forward, instantly summoning the might of heaven and earth, which converged into a Heaven and Earth Seal and shot forward.
Accompanied by a buzzing sound, Chen Mu's punch created a straight line of devastation, turning the area in front of him into a void. Bushes, ancient trees, and even rocks were all crushed into dust, forming a tunnel nearly ten zhang long!
The most terrifying part was yet to come.
Furthermore, the power didn't dissipate at all. A tree with a trunk thick enough to embrace was pierced through the center, turning its insides into powder, yet causing no damage to the surrounding area, leaving the tree standing tall.
"After reaching the fourth layer of the Heavenly Earth Cycle Seal, I can indeed control twenty portions of heavenly and earthly power with ease. Adding to that, with my current nearly four and a half portions of Essence Energy, when I unleash my full power, I can perfectly control almost twenty-five portions of heavenly might."
Chen Mu slowly lowered his fist, a hint of satisfaction on his face.
Half a year ago, he had only just reached the threshold of the Gale Wind Rankings in terms of strength. But now, after mastering the Heavenly Emperor Qi Condensation Art, the Abyssal Contraction Step, and the fourth layer of the Heavenly Earth Cycle Seal, he had truly entered that realm!
What did the Gale Wind Rankings represent?
It wasn't just about the Rising Stars List, which was limited to the younger generation under thirty years old. The Gale Wind Rankings represented the pinnacle below the Grandmaster Realm, and every name on the list was already well-known, each with the ability to either fight or retreat from a Marrow Cleansing Master.
The current Chen Mu was no exception. After mastering the Abyssal Contraction Step and improving his control over heavenly might, even if he encountered an ordinary grandmaster, he could at least escape if he couldn't win. He could even fight those on the lower end of the Gale Wind Rankings and retreat from those higher up. Only a handful could catch up to him.
"Finally, I have some means to protect myself."
Chen Mu exhaled a sigh of relief.
After nearly a year and a half at the Seven Mysteries Sect, he had finally reached the heights of the Gale Wind Rankings. Of course, the experts on the list were no ordinary opponents. If he were to fight someone like Yan Jingqing, the outcome would still be uncertain. But at least now, he no longer feared those of that level, and he could travel through the eleven states of the Cold Northern Region without worry.
Furthermore, Chen Mu's cultivation had not yet entered the Six Viscera Realm. Once he did, his Essence Energy would increase significantly, and his strength would improve even further.
Swish!
Chen Mu drew his Flame Blade and casually swung it twice.
Several long streams of blade energy crisscrossed, erasing all traces of his practice in front of him.
Then, Chen Mu left the bottom of the cliff and swiftly moved through the forest. With each step, the ground beneath him seemed to shrink abruptly, allowing him to cover nearly thirty zhang with a single stride!
Abyssal Contraction Step!
Of course, this technique didn't truly shrink the ground to inches; that would be a divine ability, not a martial art. The illusion of shrinking the ground was actually the result of the combined power of the Original Eight Phases, causing the practitioner to seemingly merge with heaven and earth during movement, creating an optical illusion.
Chen Mu didn't use the Abyssal Contraction Step for too long. As he approached the Seven Mysteries Sect's mountain gate, he slowed down and resumed a normal walking pace, eventually returning to the Seven Mysteries Sect and making his way back to Spirit Profound Peak.
However, during this journey, Chen Mu noticed something amiss.
The outer sect disciples usually seen at the base of Spirit Profound Peak were nowhere to be found, and as he climbed the peak, he realized that many of the inner sect disciples residing on the lower and middle peaks were also missing.
"What's going on?"
Chen Mu's mind raced with questions.
In the past, the inner and outer sect disciples of Spirit Profound Peak often left the mountain to handle various tasks, such as hunting down bandits in Jade State, slaying roaming demons, or dealing with mundane affairs in Seven Mysteries Town.
But this time was different. At least half of the disciples from Spirit Profound Peak had been dispatched elsewhere.
"What's the situation?" Chen Mu asked Shen Lin, an inner sect disciple he recognized.
Shen Lin quickly explained, "The situation is... Chu Protector and Meng Protector have each taken a group of disciples to Sand County."
Sand County, one of the seven counties of Jade State, was even more remote than Jade Prefecture.
Located on the western edge of Jade State, Sand County was mostly desert and wasteland. Beyond the border gate of Great Xuan, the desert continued, with hardly any signs of human habitation.
Due to this vast desert, Jade State was one of the few border states not frequently harassed by the foreign tribes, such as the Xiongnu.
However, due to the fact that most of the region is desert and wasteland, Sha County experiences a unique natural disaster every few years, one that other states do not face—the 'Sand Disaster'. It begins with a rolling sandstorm that blocks out the sun and sky, often accompanied by large-scale demonic disturbances. These attacks coincide with the sandstorm, targeting the cities and towns of Sha County.
In terms of the number of demonic creatures, Sha County actually has the most. Aside from the times when the Seven Mysteries Sect sends people to defend against the disaster, there are rarely any who venture deep into the desert to hunt down these creatures. While the desert is inhospitable to humans, it has little impact on the demons, making the demonic disturbances during a sandstorm particularly severe and beyond the capabilities of Sha County to handle on their own.
"Sand disaster, I understand."
After a slight nod, Chen Mu continued up the path.
Shen Lin watched Chen Mu's departing figure, hesitated for a moment, and then asked with uncertainty, "Senior Brother Chen, are you going?"
As an inner disciple, one could decline the sect's orders during crucial moments in their cultivation. This privilege was not even granted to the sect's elders or protectors.
"I am going."
Chen Mu's voice trailed off as his figure disappeared from the mountain path.
If it had been when he first joined the Seven Mysteries Sect, before he had mastered the Heaven and Earth Concept, he would likely not have gone. There were countless individuals in the sect who were stronger than him, and his presence would not have made a significant difference in such a large-scale demonic disturbance.
However, now that he had mastered the Heavenly Emperor Qi Condensation, Abyssal Contraction Step, and the fourth layer of the Heavenly Earth Cycle Seal, further cultivation progress was becoming increasingly slow. To accelerate his progress, he needed to repeatedly practice the Heaven and Earth Concept and delve deeper into it.
"Sand disaster..."
"All disasters are part of the changes in Heaven and Earth. For me, who has already mastered the second step of the Heaven and Earth Concept, facing a heavenly calamity can provide experiences and insights that might even surpass what I could gain from secluded meditation and comprehending the Mystic Intention Chart."
Chen Mu quickly returned to his bamboo house.
After a quick tidy-up, he equipped himself with the Flame Blade and Demon-Slaying Thunder Spear, donned his Treasure-grade Soft Armor, and wore the Heavenly Seal crafted by Qin Mengjun. He changed into more lightweight clothing and stepped out.
Chu Jing Su and Meng Danyun had already led a group of disciples to Sha County, leaving behind only new initiates or those unsuitable for the journey. Chen Mu did not plan to bring more people, as the sand disaster was not just a concern for Spirit Profound Peak but for the entire Seven Mysteries Sect. Disciples from other peaks were also dispatched, so there was no need for Spirit Profound Peak to send everyone.
"Sha County."
As Chen Mu descended the mountain, a map of Sha County appeared in his mind.
The Seven Mysteries Sect naturally had a detailed map of the entire Jade State, and Chen Mu had long ago memorized it. He had studied it early on, and with just a slight recollection, the map appeared in his mind, eliminating the need for a guide.
"Senior Brother Chen!"
As Chen Mu continued down the mountain, a hurried voice called out from behind.
Shen Lin had changed into a new set of clothing and was running to catch up, a map of Sha County in her hand. "Senior Brother Chen, wait for me! I haven't told you yet. Sha County has seven major passes, and our Spirit Profound Peak is guarding the Cloudy Peak Pass."
"Cloudy Peak Pass..."
Chen Mu glanced at the map in Shen Lin's hand, and a map also appeared in his mind.
Sha County had a unique environment. The western half was mostly desert with no human habitation, and due to the scarcity of resources, it was not like Jade Prefecture with settlements and towns scattered everywhere. Instead, the population was more concentrated.
On the map, one could see several intermittent mountain ranges and a series of passes forming an arc, dividing Sha County in half. Inside the arc was the inhabited area, while outside was a vast desert.
Along this arc were seven key passes, the seven border passes of Sha County. One of them, located closer to the northern side, was the Cloudy Peak Pass, the area assigned to Spirit Profound Peak this time.
"Good, thank you, Senior Sister Shen. Then I'll take my leave first."
Chen Mu turned to Shen Lin, gave her a slight nod, and with a quick acceleration, he swiftly disappeared into the distance.
"Chen..."
Shen Lin watched Chen Mu's rapidly vanishing figure, her mouth agape, momentarily frozen in place.
Senior Brother Chen was running too fast!
Shen Lin had been specifically instructed by Chu Jing Su to wait for Chen Mu. She had thought that she would finally have a chance to accompany Chen Mu.
Although it was no secret that Chen Mu was already married, as the talented true disciple of the Seven Mysteries Sect who could rival Zhou Hao in terms of talent and comprehension, he was admired by many female disciples, including Shen Lin.
However, Chen Mu had always been elusive, dedicating himself entirely to his cultivation and showing no interest in women. Many female disciples on Spirit Profound Peak had tried to get close to him without success.
It seemed that Chen Mu was not interested in any of the female disciples. His wife was said to be two years older than him, so perhaps he preferred senior sisters? In that case, she truly had no chance.
But the same was true for the other girls.
Shen Lin's heart suddenly felt more at ease. After glancing at the map in her hand, she also exited the sect gates.
---
Thank you, Happy Dragon Alliance Leader!
(End of Chapter)
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