https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-237-The-Twelve-Transformations-of-Internal-Qi/13026330/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-239-The-Arrival-of-the-Celestial-Talents/13026332/
Chapter 238: Amethyst Province
Chapter 238: Amethyst Province
Traveling east from Crystal State, one crosses the border of Jade Province and enters Amethyst Province.
Among the seven provinces of Crystal State, Jade Province is the farthest and most remote from the state capital, Sandy Province has the harshest environment, but when it comes to complex terrain, the most isolated area, without a doubt, is Amethyst Province, and it's an undisputed fact.
Encircled by mountains, with cliffs rising a thousand feet tall!
On the map, Amethyst Province occupies the smallest territory among the seven provinces, but in terms of actual area, it far exceeds any other province. The reason is that Amethyst Province has very few plains, and the entire area is filled with undulating mountains, high plateaus, and deep canyons. In terms of population, it can even rival Sandy Province.
"This is Amethyst Province..."
Chen Mu, dressed in a simple cloth garment, stood tall atop a mountain, gazing into the distance.
The location where he stood was precisely at the border between Jade Province and Amethyst Province. From the perspective of Jade Province, this mountain was considered quite lofty, but from the viewpoint of Amethyst Province, it was merely a corner among thousands of mountains.
In the distance, the entire Amethyst Province seemed to soar a thousand feet higher than the terrain of Crystal State. Countless peaks appeared and disappeared, soaring into the clouds. Unlike ordinary mountains with their low, wide, and narrow slopes, these peaks resembled towering stone walls, standing upright, steep and intimidating.
Chen Mu took a quiet step forward.
He entered the territory of Amethyst Province and continued to walk ahead.
Amethyst Province had very few official roads, and only a few smooth paths led out from its provincial capital. In other directions, the terrain was complex, with mountains, caves, and layers of rock. Whether there were paths in the mountains, which cave passages could be traversed, and where they led were often known only by the local mountain dwellers who had lived there for decades or even centuries. These paths were not marked on any maps.
However, this didn't affect Chen Mu much. Although he couldn't fly through the sky or burrow through the earth, as one of the top cultivators in the Organ Realms, even the steepest mountains were as easy for him to traverse as flat ground, and he didn't need to take detours.
"It's truly dangerous."
Chen Mu strode between the mountains, occasionally crossing the rocky surfaces with ease, while carefully sensing the energy of this place. In his heart, a sense of awe and grandeur arose.
Even a cultivator in the Skin and Muscle Cultivation Realm might get lost in these steep and complex mountains, or take a misstep and fall, unable to navigate them as freely as Chen Mu.
And because of this...
Aside from many special features, such as large mineral veins and the location of the provincial capital, which was under the long-term jurisdiction of the Seven Mysteries Sect, many other areas of Amethyst Province could be described as truly isolated from the world.
But at this moment, as Chen Mu walked between the steep cliffs, insights continuously arose in his heart. If Sandy Province was a place where the Gale Wind thrived, then Amethyst Province was where the Mountain of Tranquility stood firm.
Here, the most profound and solid force among the Heaven-Earth Eight Phases emanated from the Mountain of Tranquility. The layered mountain ranges and steep cliffs in all directions brewed a formidable power.
"I guess I've come to the right place in Amethyst Province. Even without the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, just by traversing these mountains on foot, I can accumulate a wealth of insights and further enhance my understanding of the Heaven-Earth Concept."
At this moment, Chen Mu stood atop a steep peak, which had been the highest mountain he had just seen. But upon climbing it, he immediately spotted even taller mountains shrouded in clouds in the distance.
Beyond the mountains, more mountains rose.
The descriptions he had read in books couldn't compare to witnessing such a place in person and seeing the awe-inspiring scenery with his own eyes.
"Haha!"
As Chen Mu surveyed the mountains, gaining insights, a sense of grandeur rose in his heart. He stood tall on the mountain peak, took a step forward, and directly stepped into the air, treading on the clouds.
In an instant, his entire body plummeted from the peak, about to fall straight into the cloud valley.
But at that moment...
The Gale Wind and Water Concept quietly rose, instantly turning the clouds cold and watery, with ice forming on the steep cliffs and spreading forward from his feet.
He stepped onto the icy surface, rising through the clouds, and in a few strides, he had crossed a hundred zhang. Suddenly, the clouds cleared, and his entire body fell into the air, with nothing beneath his feet. He continued to fall toward the mountains.
But then...
Chen Mu's expression remained calm. He clenched his fists in front of him, and as the Gale Wind and Thunder Concept merged, he transformed into the Wood Spirit of the Five Elements. Instantly, vines tens of zhang away began to dance wildly, and numerous tendrils reached out toward him.
Stepping on the vines, he climbed step by step, and as his feet touched the vines, they grew wildly, converging into a green dragon that carried him over the peak. Then, with a twist and a snap, he was launched like a cannonball toward another distant mountain peak.
Wherever he went, there were no paths, yet paths were everywhere. Ice formed under his feet, and withered vines twisted around him.
If the mountain dwellers witnessed this scene, they might add another tale to the legends of immortals in the mountains.
The Heaven-Earth Eight Phases govern all things.
From the moment he grasped the Heaven-Earth Concept, he had gained the ability to command all things. Although his initial understanding and mastery of the Heaven-Earth Concept were a bit unfamiliar, now, building on the second step of the Heaven-Earth Concept, he delved deeper.
"Indeed, cultivating the Heaven-Earth Concept is the most direct path for me."
Chen Mu traversed the steep mountain walls with ease, as if the world was at his beckoning. This feeling of the world bending to his will was incredibly liberating, an experience he had never known before. Gradually, his deepest desires and fundamental martial arts aspirations intertwined with his heart's intent.
He sought to bend the world to his will, and the cultivation method he practiced was precisely the Heaven-Earth Concept. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe not, as this was the most widespread cultivation method in the world—the Heaven-Earth Concept.
Martial arts will didn't have clearly defined realm divisions.
However, numerous martial arts experts had roughly categorized martial arts will into a few types:
- Clarify Heart and See Nature
- Unshaken and Unwavering
- Three Questions of the Heart
Among these, Clarify Heart was about discerning one's true heart, and See Nature was about recognizing one's true nature. Chen Mu had already surpassed these two stages and was now treading the path of Unwavering and Unshaken.
Unshaken meant that one's heart would not be swayed by external factors, regardless of what was seen or done. There would be no more self-doubt, and Unwavering meant ascending to the next level, with unwavering will and determination, free from any wavering or confusion. One would follow their chosen path.
The final Three Questions of the Heart were: Ask Heart Without Regret, Question Intent Without Remorse, and Question Dao Without Return.
Most martial artists in the world had difficulty reaching the stage of Asking Heart, even after breaking through the Mystic Gateway and entering the Marrow-Washing Grandmaster realm. Many would waver between Unshaken and Unwavering.
Many martial artists would falter with each defeat, doubting their path, and their will would plummet back to Clarify Heart. They would need to repeatedly re-establish their resolve, again and again, and often, after several setbacks, they would completely lose the chance to break through the Mystic Gateway and become a grandmaster.
Those who remained undefeated were few and far between, and they were the cream of the crop. They would use their victories to temper themselves, using others to strengthen their will, quickly passing through the stages of Unshaken and Unwavering.
This was easy to understand.
How could one firmly believe in their martial arts path if they encountered constant setbacks and failures? But if they remained undefeated, using others as their Ask Heart Stone, each step would naturally be more self-affirming.
Therefore, all those who could cultivate to become Marrow-Washing grandmasters were extraordinary. It was incredibly difficult to remain undefeated, and even if they wanted to re-establish their hearts after multiple failures and re-solidify their martial arts will, it would be equally challenging.
Chen Mu had passed the Clarify Heart stage long ago.
After cultivating the Heaven-Earth Concept and recognizing his true nature, he was now on the path of Unwavering and Unshaken, the most arduous journey for martial artists.
Since he began his martial arts journey, he had tempered himself through rigorous practice, enduring without defeat. Now, he increasingly felt the Heaven-Earth Concept's control over all things, as if everything was at his command, aligning with his will. On the path of Unwavering and Unshaken, he gradually moved forward.
As he traveled through the mountains, he felt a slight fatigue and slowed his steps.
He climbed another rocky peak, and a map of Bi City appeared in his mind. He carefully judged his location and the distance to the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder.
As far as he knew, the cloud sea was turbulent, and it would likely take half a month for the various sects from the eleven states of Cold Northern Road to gather in Bi City. However, in the complex terrain of Bi City, not only were there few traces of other sects' true disciples, but even the locals living in Bi City were scarce. Only in the basic canyons were there signs of human habitation.
For a moment, Chen Mu couldn't quite discern his location. He paused on the mountain, his gaze sweeping forward, passing by peak after peak, and then his eyes flickered, returning to one of the rocky peaks.
"Finally, someone else."
A hint of relief flashed in Chen Mu's eyes. Though he had seen traces of human habitation in the canyons from afar, he hadn't gone to investigate, and it was here that he finally encountered someone.
They say Jade Province is remote, but in his eyes, Bi City was the true isolated place.
"People in the mountains, harmony between man and nature, the righteous path of heaven and earth."
Chen Mu murmured.
In the area of Bi City where he traveled, there were hardly any suitable plains for cultivation. Though it was challenging for humans to live here, just like Sandy Province, where many commoners gathered, the rugged mountains couldn't deter people.
Silently, Chen Mu descended the mountain, approaching the peak where he had seen someone. Now, he could tell that the person on the peak wasn't a disciple from some external sect but a local from Bi City, as their climbing revealed no martial arts skills.
As Chen Mu looked up at the person on the cliff, he paused slightly.
He saw the figure climbing the steep rock face, wearing a coarse cloth robe, with a bamboo basket on her back. Though she was at a distance, he could tell she was a young girl, no older than fourteen or fifteen.
Carefully, she climbed the sheer rock face, where a slight misstep would send her tumbling down the cliff. But she was steady, reaching a rocky peak, and from her basket, she took out a medicine spade, carefully digging out a medicinal herb from the crevice.
"Huff..."
The herb was carefully placed in the basket, and as the girl turned to descend, her gaze caught Chen Mu below.
However, unlike Chen Mu, her vision wasn't as sharp as his, and due to the distance, she couldn't make out his features, only managing to vaguely discern a blurry figure.
"Uncle San! You're here!" The medicine-gathering girl exclaimed in surprise, then called out.
Her sweet voice echoed through the valley.
However.
The figure below the steep cliff didn't move or respond.
The girl was about to find it strange when she suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck. Instinctively, she turned her head upwards and saw a blood-colored leopard demon with black stripes on its body, seemingly startled by her previous shout. It was charging towards her, its mouth wide open, saliva dripping from its jaws.
"!!!"
The medicine-gathering girl's face turned pale in an instant, and in her shock, she instinctively wanted to flee. But just then, a roar echoed, freezing her soul. Her body stiffened, and she stumbled.
In a flash, she fell from the towering cliff.
Damn.
Jin Ling-er felt a whoosh in her ears, the mountain landscape shifting, and her heart sank. But thinking that it would be better to fall to her death than be eaten by the leopard, she felt a little better for a moment.
But then she thought again, even if she fell to her death at the bottom of the cliff, the leopard would still eat her.
That's right.
She had just seen Uncle San below, and she hoped the leopard would only follow her, leaving Uncle San safe.
As this thought flashed through her mind, she saw herself getting closer and closer to the bottom of the cliff. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, but the next moment, she felt like she had suddenly fallen into a pile of cotton, and her descent was quickly halted.
Is this what it feels like to fall to one's death?
Jin Ling-er was momentarily dazed, sensing that her entire body seemed to be enveloped in something, and her thoughts became muddled. From afar, she couldn't make out the gray robe Chen Mu wore, and it was completely different from what her Uncle San usually wore. Moreover, their appearances were worlds apart, leaving her perplexed. How could this person catch her when she fell from such a height?
However.
Jin Ling-er's confusion didn't last long, and the next moment, she heard a roar and a snarl. A leopard demon charged down from the cliff wall, running with the speed of a dragon.
She showed fear in her eyes again, watching the leopard pounce towards Chen Mu's neck.
However.
Chen Mu seemed completely unaware, paying no heed to the attacking leopard. He simply released her and, with a casual upward point of his finger, unleashed an invisible Essence Energy that burst forth, piercing through the leopard's head without a sound.
The leopard's figure twisted in mid-air, veering off course, and it fell with a loud thud.
Chen Mu only turned to Jin Ling-er beside him, speaking calmly, "Did you, mistake me for someone else?"
Jin Ling-er still had a look of fear in her eyes, staring at the leopard that had fallen not far from her. But seeing its body twitch and blood flow from beneath it, seemingly dead, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
After regaining her composure and looking at Chen Mu, she finally reacted, feeling a bit embarrassed. She scratched her head and said, "I mistook you for someone else. I'm Jin Ling-er. Did you just save me?"
"That's not necessary," Chen Mu said, smiling at the girl's innocence. "I saved you, and you told me where this place is. We're even."
"This..."
Jin Ling-er paused, a bit puzzled. But could asking for directions and saving her life be considered even?
At this moment, Chen Mu was already gazing at the surrounding mountains, and with the name 'Amber Mountain,' he quickly located his position in the southwest of the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, and the steps were indeed in the right direction.
"Where's your home?"
Chen Mu turned his gaze towards Jin Ling-er.
Jin Ling-er had recovered a bit by now and pointed northeast, saying, "It's over there."
"That's convenient. Can you take me there?"
Chen Mu smiled.
Observing the mountains could bring enlightenment, and observing people with the mountains could also bring insight. He, who had mastered the Heaven-Earth Eight Phases, also had his own insights from the mountains.
(End of Chapter)
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