Chapter 231: The Celestial Demon Sect's Expedition

Chapter 231: The Celestial Demon Sect's Expedition

At the city gate, Xia Hou Yan stood tall at the forefront. Some Bone Forging Realm cultivators could be seen slowly descending from the towering hundred-foot-high Cloud Summit Cliff, while a few Organ Realm stewards leaped and plummeted a hundred feet.

In the distant desert, the sandstorm had subsided, revealing vague human figures moving within. Most of them were Sinew and Bone Strengthening Realm cultivators, and every time after a sandstorm, the wind and sand indeed brought some opportunities.

Many officers guarding the Cloud Summit Frontier included those from Sand County, some dispatched by the Seven Mysteries Sect, and others who came for the opportunities within the desert.

"Alright, it's time for us to set off as well."

Xia Hou Yan glanced at the distant figures and smiled at Chu Jing Su and the others.

"Let's go," Chu Jing Su responded, his voice still at the original spot, but his body had already drifted down into the desert.

Meng Danyun looked into the distance, then suddenly raised her hand and threw a compass-like object towards Chen Mu, saying, "Chen Shidi, although your strength is formidable, you haven't yet entered the Six Viscera Realm. You still need food and water. If you encounter any anomalies in the desert, lose your sense of direction, or face any dangers, and you want to venture deeper, take this. It will at least provide some guidance."

Generally, Sinew and Bone Strengthening Realm cultivators wouldn't venture too deep into the desert. The farthest they would go is within the visible range of Cloud Summit Pass. Organ Realm stewards could go a little deeper, but without reaching the Six Viscera Realm, they couldn't go without food and water for long. If they encountered any mishaps and became trapped deep in the desert or underground, the risks would be significant. Therefore, they wouldn't venture too far.

Chen Mu's situation was special. His strength was even greater than that of a typical Six Viscera Realm cultivator, and his movement techniques far surpassed ordinary people. Exploring the desert was much safer for him than for Meng Danyun. He wouldn't just explore the outskirts superficially.

"Thank you, Shijie," Chen Mu said, taking the compass-like object used for positioning. He initially thought it was a magnet, but it seemed to be something else—a crystal-clear bead with a blood-red silk thread always pointing downwards towards the city gate. He wondered about its origin.

Unable to understand it, Chen Mu didn't dwell on it further. He estimated it was either related to the earth's meridians or utilized some kind of demon beast, and such mystical objects were diverse and numerous compared to spirit armaments, which were just small toys.

Swish!

After seeing Meng Danyun leap down towards the desert below, Chen Mu took a step forward, drifting down a hundred feet from the city gate, and then proceeded into the desert, his figure gradually disappearing into the vast sands.

Almost simultaneously, high in the sky, a gray demonic bird circled above, observing everything below at Cloud Summit Pass. It soon flapped its wings and flew towards the distance.

...

Heat.

Aridity.

These were Chen Mu's most immediate sensations upon entering the wilderness. Although it was already the frosty winter season, and the water in most counties and prefectures within the pass had started to freeze, the desert remained unbearably hot.

The Gales Wind Concept had weakened significantly, while the Flame Blade Concept had risen sharply, constantly suppressing the Water Cavern Concept. As a result, there was hardly any sense of moisture in the desert, and even with the Water Cavern Concept, it would take a long time to extract a cup of water.

"A Bone Forging Realm cultivator wouldn't last more than ten days without water in this place," Chen Mu thought as he walked on the sandy plains. He carefully sensed the surrounding environment with each step, leaving no trace on the rolling yellow sand, as if his entire body were as light as a feather, ethereal and graceful.

As he walked, he perceived the earth's meridian power through the vast sea of sand. The meridian power in the entire wilderness was noticeably weaker than usual.

If he were behind the city gate or in places like Sand County, with his current strength, he could forcibly dive thirty zhang underground. Here, he could dive fifty zhang or even deeper.

At this depth, he had already reached the region where the earth's meridians flowed, and various minerals could be found.

However, Chen Mu didn't dive into the sea of sand. On the one hand, moving underwater was much slower than on the surface, and the deeper he went, the more difficult it became. On the other hand, he wasn't interested in ordinary minerals and the like.

He had learned from Xia Hou Yan that the primary opportunity after a sandstorm was to find the voids in the earth's meridians. Just like the cavities that appeared after the earth's meridians erupted during floods, similar phenomena occurred in the desert. Often, quicksand would form, swallowing people into the underground, a deadly trap for ordinary people but a safe passage for cultivators to reach deeper into the earth's meridians.

In such quicksand depths, the chances of finding rare spirit treasures were higher.

Of course, there was also the possibility of encountering fifth-rank or sixth-rank demons or even seventh-rank demon kings. Even Xia Hou Yan and Chu Jing Su might face danger, but the probability of encountering a demon king was ultimately low. Their demonic energy was often more potent than that of sixth-rank demons, making them easier to detect and avoid.

Chen Mu continued his journey through the vast sea of sand, not knowing how far he had traveled until the sky gradually darkened, and the heat subsided, replaced by a chilling cold.

Soon, he approached a low valley in the desert. The nearby yellow sand seemed to flow slowly, as if it were slowly sinking and being swallowed, centered around him.

"This must be the place," Chen Mu thought, taking a step forward and walking towards the yellow sand. Instantly, he felt his feet floating, and he was about to sink into the sand.

However, instead of retreating, Chen Mu stepped forward, not only stepping into the sand but also diving down, quickly disappearing into the quicksand and vanishing from sight.

Following the sandy path, Chen Mu descended deeper into the desert. He could sense the Earth Meridian power flowing sluggishly nearby, forming a channel similar to the aftermath of a flood eruption, but more stable than the cavities left by the Earth Meridian's outburst.

It seemed that the recent sand disaster had depleted a significant amount of Heaven-Earth energy, causing the Earth Meridian cavity to repair at a snail's pace. Without at least three to five days, it would be challenging for the area to recover to normal conditions.

And so, Chen Mu continued his descent, reaching a depth of about a hundred feet before suddenly plunging out of the sandy path and into an underground cavern.

Although called a cavern, it was filled with flowing sand, and the space was cramped.

"Hmm... Hmm?"

As soon as Chen Mu landed in the yellow sand, his gaze swept across his surroundings, and he immediately sensed a change in the energy beneath his feet. A black, pointed spike emerged from the sandy bottom with lightning speed, aiming directly at his body.

However, he merely coldly snorted, casually swiping his right hand sideways, bending the black, hooked spike with a single slap. Simultaneously, he stomped his foot, causing the sand beneath to rumble, accompanied by the sound of something being crushed.

Then.

Chen Mu grabbed the unyielding hooked spike and pulled it upwards, extracting a giant scorpion from the sand, comparable in size to a human body. Despite its vitality gradually fading, the demonic energy brewing within remained formidable.

It was a fifth-rank demon scorpion.

Chen Mu looked at the scorpion, its body nearly crushed by his previous strike, and tossed it aside without expression. Then, he stomped his foot again, causing the sand beneath to surge, revealing a large number of semi-transparent demon eggs.

Crack! Crack!!

Cracks appeared on the surface of some demon eggs, and one by one, they shattered, releasing a swarm of tiny, semi-transparent scorpions, each no larger than a fingertip.

Chen Mu's expression remained unchanged as he struck his palm downward, instantly crushing all the hatched and unhatched demon eggs into a pool of sauce, mixing with the sand to form a sticky mess.

Although demons were considered a valuable resource for humans nowadays, the desert scorpions were not among them. There was no need to preserve them specifically.

Swish.

After eliminating the nest of demon scorpions, Chen Mu roughly sensed his surroundings and eventually dug up a piece of withered-yellow ore with obvious gnawing marks in a corner of the sand.

"Mystic Sand Ore..."

He shook his head and casually tossed the ore aside.

Mystic Sand Ore, similar to Mystic Iron, had unique value, but it wasn't worth keeping for him at this point. Moreover, this particular piece had been gnawed on by the demon scorpion, its essence depleted, leaving the ore with significantly degraded quality.

Crack.

Finally, Chen Mu grabbed the scorpion's tail, easily snapping off its stinger. This item still held considerable value, and when crafted into specific hidden weapons, it could pose a threat even to those in the Organ Realms.

After one last check to ensure there was nothing else, Chen Mu leaped upwards, emerging from the sand path and returning to the surface.

Swish.

Chen Mu's figure burst out of the flowing sand, landing on a sand dune, and then he looked up at the already dim sky, squinting slightly.

Although the sky was dark, he could vaguely make out a demonic bird circling high in the clouds. However, due to the distance, he could barely see it and couldn't sense its energy.

Demon birds in the desert were quite common.

During his time defending the city gate, he had also killed some demonic birds.

"Have I encountered this demonic bird before?"

Chen Mu paused in thought.

While guarding Yunlu Pass, he had seen demonic birds circling high in the sky on more than one occasion. Some flew too high for him to shoot down, but he also couldn't see them clearly enough to identify their species.

However, since they flew so high, Chen Mu didn't pay them much mind. Without the aid of wind and sand, he couldn't fly into the sky unless he used the Demon-Slaying Thunder Spear... But even that had its limits, and for extremely high altitudes, it was still out of reach.

"If I didn't rely on wind and sand, I could fly freely in the sky."

Chen Mu quickly averted his gaze.

Flying freely in the sky was one of the hallmarks of a Marrow-Washing Grandmaster.

Although he couldn't achieve this yet, he had cultivated the complete Heaven-Earth Concept, and perhaps without reaching the Grandmaster stage, by stepping into the Six Viscera Realm and further deepening his Heaven-Earth Concept, he might be able to fly.

Continuing his journey through the vast desert.

At that moment.

Night had fallen, and the entire desert seemed to have transitioned from scorching summer to frosty winter. The frigid cold could freeze frost, but Chen Mu remained calm, walking through the sandy sea under the night sky while contemplating the changes in Heaven and Earth.

The Heaven-Earth Concept encompassed all things in the universe, and Chen Mu could now use the Yin and Yang attributes of the Gale and Water Domains, gathering the Yin essence of Earthly Primal to freeze water and ice, encasing everything in ice.

"The changes in Heaven and Earth, the waxing and waning, are truly profound."

The more Chen Mu walked, the more he marveled at the profundity of Heaven and Earth. Before he comprehended the Heaven-Earth Concept, his concept had been incomplete, like a blind man touching an elephant, only able to perceive a fraction of the changes in Heaven and Earth. Now, no matter where he was, he could grasp their entirety.

In the desert, for example, the Fire Concept thrived during the day, with the Yang attribute of Sky Primal reaching its peak. But as night fell and Yin prevailed, the Yang attribute transformed into Yin, and the previously suppressed Water Concept showed signs of revival, slightly more vigorous than during the day.

The Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth are ever-changing, ever-flowing.

At this moment, Chen Mu gained some insight into the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal technique. It was no wonder it was called the 'Wheel Seal', for it represented the flowing and transforming nature of the universe. This was the essence of Heaven and Earth, unchanging yet ever-changing, acting without effort, and unmoving yet ever-flowing.

The world that appeared before Chen Mu was no longer the tangible night and desert, but a scroll painted with countless colors. These colors flowed on the scroll, constantly blending and transforming into each other.

Suddenly, Chen Mu summoned the system interface and took a glance.

[Martial Arts: Heaven-Earth Concept (Second Step)]



[Experience: 377 points]



"Very good."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

As he walked through the vast desert, comprehending the transformations of Heaven and Earth, he gained a substantial amount of experience. Even if he didn't obtain any spirit treasures in the end, the accumulation of experience in the Heaven-Earth Concept was still a worthwhile journey for him.

Chen Mu continued striding forward, not knowing how long he had walked, until the sky grew bright. He found another place with quicksand, and this time, after entering it, he finally reaped a decent harvest.

"Earth Essence Core."

Chen Mu held a gray-brown earth core, the size of a fingertip, and a faint light flashed in his eyes.

The Earth Essence Core was a different type of spirit treasure from the Earth Essence Orb. It was similar to the Earth Essence Stone, but often much smaller. It could be used as the foundation for Earth Meridian Array formations, though it wasn't the kind of spirit treasure he needed to enhance his organ refinement. Still, the value of the Earth Essence Core he held was no less than that of the Earth Essence Orb, and he could directly exchange it for what he needed at the Seven Mysteries Sect.

After just one day and night of exploration, he had already made a discovery, gained insight into the transformations of Heaven and Earth, and accumulated a lot of experience. Chen Mu's mood improved significantly, and he emerged from the quicksand onto a sand dune once more.

Coincidentally, the sun was rising.

A ray of dawn rose from the horizon, illuminating the entire desert.

In Chen Mu's perception, the power of Heaven and Earth was swiftly transforming and changing. The Yin retreated, the Yang grew, the Water Cavern receded, and the Fire of Detachment brewed. This transformation was so natural that no brushwork could capture it.

"I wonder what the end of this world looks like."

Chen Mu murmured to himself.

The Great Martial Emperor Xuan Wu's territory was vast.

Each of the ninety-nine states was ten thousand miles in radius.

For most people, from birth to old age, they would only stay within a county or a commandery. Few people could travel across an entire state, let alone the ninety-nine states of the world.

Beyond the ninety-nine states, according to the classics, were barren lands inhabited by foreign races, considered barbaric.

Adjacent to Jade State was the Ice State, already part of the extreme north. Beyond the borders of the Ice State, there was only an endless ice field, and no one knew where it ended. Perhaps some Blood Exchange Realm martial arts experts knew, but at least, for now, Chen Mu didn't know, and he hadn't seen any records of it in the classics either.

As for the desert beyond Jade State and Sand County, after crossing this desert, there was still more desert, and the end was just as uncertain.

But Chen Mu was certain of one thing: this world was indeed flat.

This didn't require reaching the border of the Great Martial Emperor Xuan Wu's territory; it was easy to measure that this land seemed to follow the 'round heaven and square earth' principle.

"If it's truly round heaven and square earth, then at the world's edge, there should be a connection between heaven and earth... However, beyond the border, there are more demons and barbaric foreign races, which isn't a place suitable for me to explore right now."

Chen Mu quickly gathered his thoughts and shook his head.

If he could witness the scene at the world's edge, it would undoubtedly be an immense accumulation of experience for him. However, based on his current understanding, the land beyond the border was all barren and extremely dangerous, and even Marrow-Washing Grandmasters were often reluctant to venture there.

For him at this moment, it was still far from the time to do so.

Continuing forward, after a while, Chen Mu's gaze flickered as he sensed a surging demonic energy to his right.

"A Sixth Stage Demon?"

With a single step, he was far away in an instant.

Soon, after crossing a towering sand dune, he encountered a gust of wind carrying a powerful demonic aura.

Chen Mu approached cautiously, observing the situation within the wind. When he drew near, he looked into the wind and immediately saw a massive black shadow standing deep within.

"A Sand Phantom?"

Chen Mu recognized its blurred silhouette from afar.

The Sand Phantom was a Sixth Rank Demon of the desert, contrasting with the Sand Phantom. The Sand Phantom was a completely different type of demon, possessing immense demonic energy but not skilled in controlling wind or long-range attacks. However, its body was incredibly resilient, perhaps the toughest among Sixth Rank Demons, similar to the Sand Phantom.

"Killing a Sand Phantom is a bit more troublesome, but..."

Chen Mu took a few more steps into the wind, and a faint light flashed in his eyes as he noticed a different kind of aura, one he was very familiar with, having experienced it countless times at Yunlu Pass.

Earth Essence Stone!

This Sand Phantom held an Earth Essence Stone, and judging by its aura, it was not small!

"Very good."

The Earth Essence Stone was also a valuable treasure, similar to the Earth Essence Core.

Chen Mu immediately stepped forward, and after a few strides, he was already close to the Sand Phantom.

But just as he was about to approach within ten zhang...

Chen Mu's eyes narrowed, and his entire body suddenly froze, before he propelled himself backward with a burst.

Boom!

The sand behind him exploded, creating a wave of sand over a dozen feet tall. A figure covered in scales emerged from the sand, unleashing a fierce demonic aura with a single palm strike.

Chen Mu countered with a palm strike of his own, and as their palms clashed a yard apart, the sand between them twisted under the might of their combined power, causing an explosion that sent waves of sand surging around them.

As the sand settled, Chen Mu landed in the midst of the sand, his gaze coldly fixed on the figure ahead. He saw a humanoid figure, yet covered in fine, demonic scales, and asked, "The Heavenly Demon Sect?"

Although this was his first encounter with such a half-human, half-demon, he wasn't unfamiliar with their eerie aura.

The Heavenly Demon Sect! Like the Heavenly Corpse Sect, they had been jointly suppressed by the Great Martial Emperor Xuan Wu and the various sects hundreds of years ago. They sought to transform humans into demons, extending their lifespan.

However, unlike the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Heavenly Demon Sect had managed to escape, blending into the foreign tribes beyond the borders. They hadn't been completely eradicated, and in recent years, they had shown signs of activity, even appearing in the Jade State.

"The Heavenly Demon Sect, Kun Jia."

Kun Jia looked at Chen Mu, his expression calm. "In this generation of the Heavenly Demon Sect, I am one of the most talented. You are a rising talent, but dying at my hands won't be a waste."

Chen Mu didn't respond, glancing with his peripheral vision at the 'Sand Spirit' in the sandstorm, noticing the massive figure gradually turning into sand and revealing another figure, also covered in scales and possessing a snake tail.

However, the piece of Earth Essence Ore nearby was genuine.

"So that's it. It's a simple formation using the Earth Essence Ore. I'm not familiar with formations, so I was a bit late in detecting it... The Heavenly Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect have fully joined forces?"

Chen Mu's gaze swept the surroundings.

A sinister sound of sand carried from a distance, and the sand exploded in pieces. Eight figures covered in malevolent energy emerged from the sand, each with a malevolent corpse aura more potent than any Chen Mu had encountered before. They blocked all directions.

Each malevolent corpse's aura surpassed that of the malevolent lizard demon Chen Mu had faced. Their malevolent energy was more refined, and they seemed to possess a hint of 'Earth Malevolent Energy', a concept akin to the 'Heavenly Dryness Intention' mastered by martial artists!

Chen Mu's expression remained calm as he glanced in another direction.

Amidst the sandstorm, a figure approached with slow steps. Their body was covered in scales, and their aura was equally potent as the one controlling the Earth Essence Ore formation.

Just then, the sandstorm gradually subsided, and the flying sand quickly settled, causing the entire area to sink slightly, forming a valley surrounded by sand dunes.

The 'Earth Malevolent Energy' intensified, while the 'Heavenly Might' became extremely obscure.

"You're a bit slow. If you had arrived a little earlier, at midnight, the Earth Malevolent Energy would have been at its peak. You should still be able to harness some Heavenly Might."

A female voice echoed from above.

Chen Mu looked up and saw a woman-like figure hovering twenty feet above, her body naked and adorned with a pair of black wings. She held a piece of malevolent energy-filled ore, causing the sunlight in the area to dim and blocking the flow of Heavenly Might.

"Eight malevolent corpses, four sixth-stage demons, and a special Earth Malevolent Energy formation, all to kill a small five-organ realm like me. Quite the effort."

Chen Mu stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the surroundings.

"Your movement technique is exceptional. If it weren't for that, we wouldn't have the confidence to catch up. I'm afraid you can even fly with the sand, so being cautious is wise. Moreover, this trip isn't just about you. Your several senior brothers and sisters will soon join you."

"Haha, killing them won't be as troublesome as dealing with you. Their movement techniques are inferior to yours, and it won't take long. It's a pity your corpse is reserved by the Heavenly Demon Sect. We can only choose two from the others to refine into malevolent corpses."

Liao Chou let out a raspy laugh, saying, "Enough talk. Let's get started. Once the sun rises higher, our malevolent corpses won't be as effective."

Just then, Chen Mu spoke, his tone cold. "So, the recent demon disasters are related to you? You petty fools, causing trouble at the border, you deserve to die!"

As his words fell, Chen Mu's figure flickered, and he appeared in front of a malevolent corpse, his right fist striking out from a distance.

The malevolent corpse swung its arms, unleashing a torrent of Earth Malevolent Energy towards Chen Mu's fist.

However, just as the sandstorm intensified.

Chen Mu's fist, imbued with eight different energies, formed a 'Wheel Seal', and as his punch approached, the Earth Malevolent Energy was crushed like a mighty force, collapsing under the might of his strike.

Finally, the fist landed, just a yard away, and the malevolent corpse's entire upper body was shattered into countless fragments!

One strike!

A single blow to annihilate a sixth-stage malevolent corpse!

Although there are only two chapters, the word count remains high, almost reaching the previous four chapters' combined word count.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end