Chapter 226: Convergence

Chapter 226: Convergence

"No wonder, no wonder, it turns out that Chen Shidi has cultivated the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention."

As Xia Hou Yan gradually realized this, he couldn't help but feel enlightened as he looked at Chen Mu. A surge of emotions filled his eyes, and it was no wonder that Chen Mu could resolve the troublesome Sand Phantom. It was the might of the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention.

Although the Sand Phantom was skilled at hiding its presence in the sandstorm, it still relied on its control over the wind and sand. Once the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention was cultivated, it had absolute compatibility and suppression over the subordinate Mystic Intentions. It was impossible to completely conceal its presence using the wind and sand in front of Chen Mu.

Once the Sand Phantom's true body was located, it would be subjected to the might of the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention. It could rectify the clarity of all things, and even the most violent wind and sand would be subdued by the power of the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention. The Sand Phantom couldn't rely on the power of the sandstorm, and its demonic energy alone was no match for the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention. With its fragile body, it was naturally killed by Chen Mu with a single flip of his palm.

On the other hand, if it were a demon with a sturdy body, it might be able to resist a little, and it would have a chance to escape back into the desert.

Unfortunately, Chen Mu relied entirely on his own abilities and didn't discover any weaknesses of the Sand Phantom. Others couldn't learn from him, and only Chen Mu had the advantage in dealing with this Sixth Stage Demon Beast. There was no way to protect the entire border from the threat of the Sand Phantom.

"It's no wonder that you rely on your own abilities. You are a genius who rose from the remote Jade Prefecture, and within just a year, you have mastered the Heaven and Earth Mystic Intention... Chen Shidi's current strength is probably not far from mine."

Chu Jing Su looked at Chen Mu and couldn't help but sigh.

He was once a True Disciple of Spirit Profound Peak, a proud genius who mastered the Gale Wind, Mountain, and Fire Mystic Intentions, and had reached the second step in all three. Now, after immersing himself in the Six Viscera Realm for many years, he had refined all six viscera to their peak. Even without using the Mystic Intentions, his Essence Energy alone could rival the top ten geniuses on the Rising Talent List. Moreover, with his own Mystic Intention not being weak, he was undoubtedly one of the top figures on the Gale Wind Rankings.

Chen Mu, after joining the sect for just a year and a half, had already reached a level where he could almost challenge Chu Jing Su. He was indeed the most talented existence in Spirit Profound Peak in the past few decades, far surpassing Chu Jing Su.

"Senior Brother Chu, you flatter me. Senior Brother has been in the Six Viscera Realm for many years, and is just one step away from the Bone Tempering Realm. Once he breaks through the Mystic Gateway and enters the Grandmaster Realm, he will be able to suppress even the Gale Wind Rankings with a flip of his hand."

Chen Mu smiled and said.

Chu Jing Su had once escorted Chen Mu from Jade Prefecture to the Seven Mysteries Sect. Although they didn't encounter any troubles along the way, he still remembered this. Moreover, Chu Jing Su, as the Guardian of Spirit Profound Peak, had taken care of many matters for the peak, allowing Chen Mu to cultivate peacefully for a year and a half.

"Difficult!"

Chu Jing Su sighed and said, "I have been standing before the Mystic Gateway for years, and have attempted to break through four times, but failed each time. Counting the days... I probably have only two more attempts left. If I can't make it, then I'll have no hope in this life."

The Grandmaster Realm was indeed extremely difficult for the true disciples of the major sects.

For the true disciples, entering the Six Viscera Realm was like water flowing into a river, with no difficulty at all. But among the true disciples who emerged every few years, how many of the Six Viscera Realm cultivators could step into the Grandmaster Realm?

There were countless cultivators in the Six Viscera Realm, but those in the Bone Tempering Realm were few and far between. It was like the difference between heaven and earth!

Even among the experts on the Gale Wind Rankings, those who could rival Grandmasters, and even the top ones among them, could suppress the weaker Grandmasters... But these so-called 'weaker' Grandmasters were only because they had just entered the Bone Tempering Realm.

Those who could truly cultivate to the Grandmaster Realm were not weak. After accumulating decades of cultivation, suppressing the Gale Wind Rankings was just a flip of the hand. The Gale Wind Rankings' so-called ability to rival Grandmasters sounded good, but they would remain at that level for life.

Hearing Chu Jing Su's words, the atmosphere in the stone chamber became heavy.

For Chu Jing Su, Zhao Zhenchuan, and the others, if they couldn't break through to the Bone Tempering Realm, they could only watch as Chen Mu, the genius, gradually surpassed them.

Even Meng Danyun's heart sank for a moment. In three to five years, when she refined her six viscera to perfection, she would also face the difficulty of the Mystic Gateway. Crossing it would be like turning heaven and earth upside down.

"Cough, cough, if you talk about this, Senior Brother won't be happy."

Just as the atmosphere in the stone chamber became heavy, Xia Hou Yan suddenly spoke up, looking at Chu Jing Su with feigned displeasure, "Senior Brother Chu, you still have a chance to challenge the Mystic Gateway. What about me? When you become a Grandmaster, if I see you again, won't I have to call you Senior Uncle Chu?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun couldn't help but laugh.

Chu Jing Su couldn't help but laugh as well. He bowed to Xia Hou Yan and said, "Senior Brother Xia, how can you say that? Even if I can cross the Mystic Gateway, you are still my senior brother. How dare I ask you to call me Senior Uncle."

If a cultivator could cultivate to the Grandmaster Realm, their status and position would immediately rise far above the Six Viscera Realm. In the Seven Mysteries Sect, they would become elders. However, whether other Six Viscera Realm cultivators would change their address to 'Senior Uncle' would depend on the situation. For example, Xia Hou Yan and Chu Jing Su were both from Spirit Profound Peak. Xia Hou Yan was older, and he had helped Chu Jing Su many times in the past. Even if Chu Jing Su became a Grandmaster, he wouldn't ask Xia Hou Yan to call him Senior Uncle.

Of course, everyone knew that Xia Hou Yan was joking, and they all laughed heartily.

"However, the difficulty of the Mystic Gateway is indeed like ascending to heaven. I tried my best back then, but I couldn't cross it. Now I'm getting old, and in three to four decades, I'll be a useless old man."

After laughing with everyone, Xia Hou Yan sighed and spoke again.

Everyone gradually stopped laughing.

Chen Mu's mind was filled with thoughts.

Xia Hou Yan was sixty-seven this year. Although he had refined the Six Viscera to perfection, he hadn't entered the Grandmaster Realm. After passing a hundred years old, his strength would gradually decline, and then he would live until around one hundred and twenty years old before reaching his limit.

Of course, compared to the average lifespan of those in the mundane world, which is barely forty years during these chaotic times, even newborns of this year may not live as long as Xia Hou Yan. The path of a warrior's cultivation is ultimately different.

Not long ago...

At Seven Mysteries Sect, Chen Mu received a letter from Jade Prefecture, written by Xu Hong Yu. It included messages from Xu Hong Yu, Ning He, Chen Yue, and Yu Ru, among others. Additionally, it mentioned that Yu Jiujiang could no longer maintain the circulation of his internal energy within his organs.

Yu Jiujiang, in the twilight of his life, had finally reached that stage. Unable to sustain the circulation of his internal energy, he could no longer maintain his Organ Realms strength. The next step would be the gradual decline of his vital energy, eventually leading to the end of his lifespan.

So, what about his future self?

Chen Mu's mind flashed with such a thought, but he quickly shook his head slightly, dismissing it as too distant for him at present. Currently, he was still a young talent on the Rising Talent List, an undisputed rising star in the martial world.

With Yu Jiujiang's retirement, his era in the martial world had truly begun.

"Where did Xia Hou Shixiong say that? His descendants are thriving, and the most outstanding among his grandchildren directly entered the Inner Sect of Spirit Profound Peak, carrying on his martial arts will. Perhaps, in the future, he will become a new True Disciple."

Zhao Zhenchuan broke the silence in the stone chamber.

The atmosphere lightened as Xia Hou Yan smiled and said, "Not bad. That child is exactly like me when I was young, and even better. He might become a Grandmaster in the future. I might even live to see that day."

The group exchanged glances, their eyes moving around, but they all looked at Meng Danyun, who wasn't the youngest among them but was the only one without a family.

"..."

Meng Danyun was speechless for a moment. Looking at Xia Hou Yan's white temples, a complex thought crossed her mind. If, in the future, she also stopped at the Mystic Gateway... Should she find someone to bear a child and inherit the martial arts will?

But this thought only flashed through her mind.

As the people in the stone chamber either organized their thoughts or chatted about their families, the guard, sensing the earth meridian's vibrations, suddenly stood up, causing everyone to focus their attention.

"The Sand Disaster is approaching the Southern Forty-Fifth Fortification. There's a Fifth Rank Demon Beast!"

With the news of the Sand Disaster, everyone, including Xia Hou Yan and Chen Mu, became calm and collected. Xia Hou Yan spoke in a composed tone, "Understood."

When a Fifth Rank Demon Beast attacks, they usually don't ask for help, especially since many people from Spirit Profound Peak, including several Organ Realms officials, had arrived and were patrolling and guarding various locations.

Since they had actively requested aid, it meant there were more of them, or there were other reasons.

"Chen Shidi has already gone once. This time, I'll go."

Chu Jing Su volunteered.

"Good."

Xia Hou Yan nodded slightly at Chu Jing Su.

Chu Jing Su turned and left, soon disappearing into the stone chamber.

Xia Hou Yan looked at Chen Mu and said seriously, "Since you've mastered the Heavenly Firmament Concept, your movement techniques must be extraordinary. In terms of speed, we probably can't match you. This Sand Disaster will likely require your hard work, Shidi."

"It's my duty. What hardship is there to speak of?"

Chen Mu replied calmly.

Xia Hou Yan nodded and then looked at Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun. "Zhao Shidi, Meng Shimei, I ask you two to be responsible for patrolling the north and south lines. Since Chen Shidi's movement techniques are faster, he'll stay at the main pass to provide support whenever needed."

"Good."

"Mhm."

Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun had no objections and nodded before leaving the stone chamber.

"Good."

Chen Mu responded to Xia Hou Yan and saw him off. After he left the stone chamber, Chen Mu's gaze swept around the chamber and finally landed on the heart of the Mystic Earth Array. He walked over, placed his hand on the Earth Quintessence Stone, and began to carefully sense and comprehend.

"Once I've further improved the Heaven and Earth Concept a few more times and advanced to the Six Viscera Realm, perfecting the refinement of my six viscera, I'll be at the pinnacle of the Gale Wind Rankings. If I can take another step forward and cultivate the Heaven and Earth Domain... I wonder if I'd be able to challenge my master."

This thought flashed through Chen Mu's mind.

Just like Yan Jingqing, who cultivated the Gale Whirl Intent or Water Cavern Intent and managed to climb the Gale Wind Rankings, Chen Mu believed that if he could cultivate the Heaven and Earth Domain, it would be like the difference between a firefly and the bright moon. At that time, he might even be able to approach the level of a Grandmaster like Qin Mengjun, who possessed such a domain.

Of course, this was just his speculation. After all, he had never witnessed the true strength of a top-tier Grandmaster like Qin Mengjun, so it was difficult to make an accurate judgment, let alone dare to offend such a figure.

...

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

With the reinforcements led by Chu Jing Su and Meng Dan Yun, the main forces of Spirit Profound Peak, the defenses at various fortifications around Yunlu Pass were strengthened. Although Spirit Profound Peak didn't have a large number of disciples, their strength was at least at the Sinew Transformation Realm and above, with many Bone Forging Realm experts among them. With figures like Linghu Shang and Shen Lin, they could barely hold their own against weaker Fifth Stage Demon Beasts, and even if they couldn't defeat them, they could still hold them off for a while.

At this moment, in the desert far from a certain fortification.

Violent sandstorms obscured the sky, making it impossible to see what was happening within.

But behind this oppressive sandstorm, in the depths of the desert, a large number of dark shadows had gathered. Some wore black robes, their bodies enveloped in surging black mist, while others resembled humanoid figures with scaly armor and antlers.

"Kunjia, you've brought quite a few members from the Heavenly Demon Sect."

A dry corpse, shrouded in a black robe and mist, stared at Kunjia and the three powerful demons behind him. With a hint of displeasure in his tone, he said, "With your numbers, you should be sufficient. Why involve us?"

Four Sixth Stage Demons!

Among them was Kunjia, whose strength was formidable.

Kunjia replied lazily, "My brothers heard the news and insisted on joining the fun. We're allies now, and I won't harm you. What are you worried about? Your corpses stink and are as hard as rocks. Do you think I'd be able to take a bite out of you? Besides, you've brought quite a few of your own people."

At his last sentence, Kunjia's lazy demeanor vanished, and he gave a cold snort.

Just then, the black-robed dry corpse opposite Kunjia revealed itself to be one of eleven such corpses! One of the 'dry corpses' suddenly cackled with a sinister laugh and said, "Kunjia, you want to take action, but you think there are too many people? My two senior brothers and I only brought eight mystic corpses... Don't forget that when we ambushed Zuo Qianqiu last year, not only did that kid escape, but we also lost six mystic corpses and your two Sixth Stage Demon Beasts."

"Zuo Qianqiu was ranked first on the Rising Talent List, he can't be compared to this Chen Mu."

A woman with a slightly enchanting voice stood behind Kunjia's Power, and Secrets

One of the demons behind Kunjia, a woman with a body covered in pitch-black feathers, eagle-like feet, and a pair of wings on her back, spoke up. "Besides, Zuo Qianqiu's escape last time wasn't solely due to his own abilities. He relied on the mystic weapon 'Mystic Heavenspan Sword Chart' bestowed by his sect. He severely injured himself to forcefully activate a secret technique, unleashing power almost on par with a Grandmaster. Otherwise, he would have become our meal long ago."

The dry corpse, Liao Chu, spoke with a sinister tone, "How do you know that Chen Mu doesn't possess a mystic weapon like the Mystic Heavenspan Sword Chart?"

Wu Li's voice was indifferent as she replied, "The Mystic Heavenspan Sword Chart is a renowned mystic weapon, ranked highly on the Cold Northern Region's Mystic Weapon Rankings. Zuo Qianqiu is a century-old genius of the Heavenly Sword Sect and is ranked first on the Rising Talent List. Only then did the Heavenly Sword Sect bestow such a precious weapon for his protection. Chen Mu's ranking doesn't even compare to Zhou Hao, so even if he has a mystic weapon, it's unlikely to rival the Mystic Heavenspan Sword Chart."

"That's a reasonable point."

Liao Chu scrutinized Wu Li, surprised that the Heavenly Demon Sect had demons with sound judgment.

Liao Chu's expression turned sinister as he said, "However, if Chen Mu has cultivated the Skyward Primal Concept, his movement techniques will undoubtedly be exceptional, allowing him to move freely and elude capture by anyone below the Grandmaster realm. We'll need to set up an ambush to eliminate him... But before that, when you say Chen Mu has cultivated the Skyward Primal Concept, it's just talk. I think it's best to confirm this information to avoid any mishaps."

Kunjia frowned slightly and asked, "How can we confirm that? If you make a move to test him, won't you alert him?"

"It's an easy matter."

Liao Chu's expression remained calm, masking his disdain. "If Chen Mu has cultivated the Skyward Primal Concept, his movement techniques will surely be extraordinary. He'll be responsible for providing support across various areas. You just need to drive away some of the demons... There's no need for us to take action."

"Alright."

After hearing this, Kunjia casually replied, "Wu Li, you go and drive away some of them."

Wu Li nodded lightly, and her black wings behind her fluttered, lifting her entire body into the air from the sandstorm. She then disappeared into the depths of the desert.

Liao Chu watched Wu Li fly away, and a glint of coldness flashed in his sunken eyes. For the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the ability to fly was a thorny threat. While Grandmasters from various sects who cultivated techniques like Gale Whirl Intent could barely manage to fly, even if the Heavenly Corpse Sect cultivated 'Earth Corpses' comparable to Grandmasters, they couldn't fly. Only the highest-level Heavenly Corpses were capable of such feats.

Although the Heavenly Corpse Sect and the Heavenly Demon Sect were temporarily allied, it was a fragile partnership. These flying, troublesome demons... If they were to clash, it would be ideal for Chen Mu and the people of Seven Mysteries Sect to possess the same means as Zuo Qianqiu, dragging Wu Li down with them in their final moments.

(End)

Chapter end