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Chapter 242: The Celestial Talent's Astonishment! (Part 1)
Chapter 242: The Celestial Talent's Astonishment! (Part 1)
On the mountain staircase, a deathly silence enveloped the area.
Almost everyone who had been watching Chen Mu was now filled with shock.
"How is this possible!"
"To think that with just the Heavenly Firmament Energy..."
Jiang Yifei from Mystic Mechanism Pavilion revealed a hint of astonishment in his eyes.
Everyone witnessed it clearly; Gu Hong's Heart Sword strike, within a three-foot radius around Chen Mu, caused a disturbance in the Heaven Earth Energy, which was then suppressed by a powerful and overwhelming force of the Heavenly Firmament. It seemed to crush and grind everything like a millstone.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Mu didn't make a single move. There were no visible techniques or any manifestation of intent and skill. He merely climbed the stairs step by step, relying solely on the naturally gathered Heavenly Firmament Energy through pure martial intent!
Although everyone had expected that Chen Mu, as the most dominant force on the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, would be able to summon an incredibly powerful Heavenly Firmament Energy, perhaps even enough to challenge the top five on the Rising Talent List, no one could have predicted that the energy Chen Mu summoned would be this terrifying, it was simply shocking beyond belief!
At this moment, Chen Mu still maintained a dazed expression, as if his mind was wandering in the heavens, his flaws exposed. But no one dared to look at him like that anymore.
His soul wandered, his heart in the heavens, his intent empty. Who could possibly discern the truth?
Chen Mu remained unaffected by external influences, unaware of everything around him. From start to finish, he showed no change in his demeanor, continuing to climb the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder step by step, gradually approaching the topmost staircase.
Along the way, every Celestial Talent on the Rising Talent List, including those ranked twentieth and even lower, watched Chen Mu's ascent with grave intensity, not daring to move or test him.
Finally, as Chen Mu climbed over another layer of stairs, someone spoke up.
"The Heavenly Firmament Energy is indeed remarkable. I'd like to witness Chen's exceptional skill!"
As the voice fell,
Buzz!
Someone made a move towards Chen Mu again, and it was none other than Jiang Yifei, the True Transmission Supreme of Mystic Mechanism Pavilion. A sword appeared in his hand, its edge gleaming with sharpness. On the sword's tip, a scorching heat akin to the height of summer suddenly appeared, then transformed into a gentle autumn breeze, and finally settled into the stillness of winter, filling the surroundings with a powerful intent and aura.
But it didn't end there. Just as the chill of winter rose and fell, a faint green light emerged from the seemingly ordinary sword in his hand, as if the entire sword was made of wood, and within it, a vibrant life force suddenly emerged.
"A Spirit Armament!" Someone exclaimed in surprise.
This vibrant life force didn't come from Jiang Yifei but was clearly emanating from the sword in his hand. The sword's tip glowed with spiritual light, evolving into a force of vibrant life, like the green of spring filling the rivers!
Spring!
Summer!
Autumn!
Winter!
Although the spring force relied on the Spirit Armament for activation and was far less versatile than the other three intents, at this moment, they seemed to be subtly connected, forming a scroll of time, marking the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the vastness of the four seasons!
"He can actually rely on the Peach Deity Sword to activate the spring force and forcefully gather the power of the four seasons."
Zhou Hao's eyes widened in surprise.
Although Jiang Yifei had hidden this technique when they sparred, Mac, and Linux, he obviously intended to make a name for himself on the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, and now he was using it directly on Chen Mu!
Zhou Hao still believed that Chen Mu, in his current state of wandering mind, was vulnerable to exploitation, so he made his move.
"Jiang Yifei!"
Zhou Hao's gaze darkened as he sensed the perilous situation. He clenched his right fist, forming a fist imprint surrounded by Earthly Firmament Energy. He stared intently at Jiang Yifei, ready to intervene.
If Chen Mu had been in a clear state of mind, Zhou Hao might not have interfered with his battle. But Jiang Yifei's intentions were clear; he wanted to knock Chen Mu off the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder or even kill him, far beyond a simple sparring match!
However, just as Zhou Hao was about to act, a chilling killing intent suddenly enveloped him, causing his body to stiffen and freeze in place, instantly raising his guard to the highest level. He was no stranger to this feeling; it was the Blood Concealment Tower!
The Acting Law Enforcer of Blood Concealment Tower, ranked eleventh on the Rising Talent List!
But if we're talking about danger, many considered the Law Enforcer even more dangerous than Jiang Yifei and the other top ten on the list. Blood Concealment Tower practiced the art of hidden assassination, and their pursuit of martial arts differed from the orthodox path. They employed stealth, ambush, and assassination without hesitation and rarely engaged in direct confrontations.
Many would rather face the top five on the Rising Talent List, like Han Cang, than face a sneak attack from Blood Concealment Tower.
From Zhou Hao's attempt to interfere to the killing intent of the Law Enforcer, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, on Jiang Yifei's sword, the forces of spring, summer, autumn, and winter converged, forming a thick, ancient, and experienced power. He swung his sword towards Chen Mu, and wherever the sword passed, it seemed that all things withered and changed color.
"Jiang Yifei still has such a move; he's not someone to be taken lightly."
Han Cang narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Jiang Yifei.
"Chen Mu is in danger!"
A faint light flashed in Flower Moon's peach blossom eyes.
Activating the spring force with a Spirit Armament wasn't an easy feat. Jiang Yifei had at least comprehended the spring intent, but he hadn't reached the second step, and it wasn't on par with the other three. Given Jiang Yifei's age, he had the potential to master all four seasons.
This person was ranked tenth, but in Flower Moon's opinion, he was ranked too low.
If Chen Mu were still in that dazed state, wandering in his mind, it would be impossible to defend against Jiang Yifei's move... No, even if Chen Mu regained his senses a little later, the situation would still be extremely dangerous!
Buzz!
Under the gaze of countless shocked and astonished onlookers, Jiang Yifei's sword light contained four rotating orbs of light, and finally, he thrust his sword towards Chen Mu, within a three-foot radius.
"The Four Seasons Turn, the Ages Sing!"
Jiang Yifei let out a long whistle.
In that instant, the overwhelming Heavenly Firmament Energy that had crushed Gu Hong's Heart Sword earlier reappeared around Chen Mu, surrounding him like a massive, invisible millstone, colliding with Jiang Yifei's sword light.
Click, click, click.
The crowd seemed to hear the sound of a golden lock shattering, as Jiang Yifei's sword light, containing the revolving power of the Four Seasons, formed a grinding wheel that clashed with the vast Skyward Primal Energy surrounding Chen Mu.
At the same time, Jiang Yifei's sword, amidst the intertwining Skyward Primal and Earthly Firmament Energies, gradually encroached within three feet of Chen Mu's body, inching closer. Although it was visible to the naked eye, it seemed to already foreshadow the outcome, as Jiang Yifei's Four Seasons power could break through the Skyward Primal Energy surrounding Chen Mu!
"This Chen Mu, by not using intent techniques to refine the Skyward Primal Energy, is overly ambitious. Jiang Yifei is likely to win."
Yuan Ying Song observed this scene from above, his eyes flashing.
He also cultivated the Heaven-Earth Eight Phases, primarily focusing on the Earthly Firmament Intention, but the Earthly Firmament and Skyward Primal had corresponding aspects. His ability to surpass Zhou Hao and rank second on the Rising Talent List was due to two reasons: one, his grasp of the Earthly Firmament Intention surpassed Zhou Hao by far, and two, the Eight Desolaces Halberd technique he practiced was also stronger than Zhou Hao's Earth-Splitting Saber Techniques!
The Skyward Primal Energy surrounding Chen Mu was immense and terrifying, even stronger than the Earthly Firmament Energy he could currently mobilize. However, if this power wasn't controlled, and merely allowed to naturally float and revolve, it was evidently difficult to resist Jiang Yifei's condensed and unified Four Seasons power. He didn't know if Chen Mu was truly lost in thought, being overly ambitious, or if Chen Mu had already reached his limit in mobilizing such vast Skyward Primal Energy, and was actually unable to further control and refine it.
This move from Jiang Yifei indeed posed a certain threat to him.
But.
Almost simultaneously, not only Yuan Ying Song, but nearly all the Celestial Talents on the mountain peak had their expressions change repeatedly!
They witnessed Jiang Yifei's Peach Deity Sword, enveloped in the revolving light of the Four Seasons, inch by inch piercing through the three-foot space around Chen Mu. Finally, it pierced through the layer of Skyward Primal Energy like a grinding wheel, but instead of continuing to effortlessly penetrate Chen Mu's body, it suddenly encountered a second layer of vast and heavy power, like a celestial body colliding with the earth, causing ripples but remaining unmoved!
"This..."
Jiang Yifei's pupils constricted, and his face changed dramatically.
At the same time.
He also sensed a terrifying crisis descending, as Chen Mu's seemingly absent gaze suddenly seemed to awaken, and he looked towards Jiang Yifei.
Ever since ascending the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, this was the first time he had snapped out of his boundless insights.
"Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, Jiang Yifei?"
He raised his right hand, pinching the Peach Deity Spirit Sword within reach between his index and middle fingers, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yifei, then shifting to the black robe he wore.
Jiang Yifei's face changed drastically, and he suddenly let out a long whistle, seemingly unleashing some secret technique, as the Essence Energy around his body abruptly surged, becoming even stronger. However, instead of thrusting his sword inward, he abruptly withdrew, attempting to retreat.
However.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't pull the Peach Deity Spirit Sword's blade out of Chen Mu's grip by even an inch, as if it were embedded in solid rock, locked in place by the vast mountains and rivers!
"Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, the Four Seasons power, is only this much."
Chen Mu looked at Jiang Yifei with a calm expression, then his aura surged, and in an instant, the Skyward Primal and Earthly Firmament converged, transforming into an unstoppable force that intertwined.
Crack! Crackle!
The blade of the Peach Deity Spirit Sword, covered in the light of the Four Seasons, shattered like a mirror, with fragments spreading towards Jiang Yifei, causing him to reveal a shocked expression as he tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
His entire body was crushed by a vast force, like a giant stepping on an ant, sending him flying backward, his surrounding aura and Essence Energy shattered into pieces, staining the mountain peak with fresh blood!
"Not bad."
Chen Mu's gaze returned to the Peach Deity Spirit Sword held between his fingers, and he noticed that although the Skyward Primal Energy within the entire spirit weapon was shattered, it continued to draw power from the heavens and earth, causing the blade to tremble constantly.
A faint glimmer flashed through his eyes, and he flicked his fingers.
The Peach Deity Spirit Sword flew out of his grasp, landing not far above on the mountain peak, where Zhou Hao was still in a daze.
Instinctively, Zhou Hao reached out and caught the sword, feeling it struggle to break free from his grip. He clenched his fist, forcibly holding it in place.
"Zhou, I'll trouble you for a moment."
Chen Mu's voice echoed.
Zhou Hao instinctively responded, but Chen Mu had already started climbing the mountain peak, passing by Hai Ming, Cold Cang, and others, then Flower Shadow and Yuan Ying Song.
As the clouds above the mountain peak stirred, the last cloud at the summit gradually dissipated, revealing the end of the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, a small stone platform that could only accommodate one person, the highest point of Cloud Peak.
Step,
Step,
Chen Mu climbed up the mountain peak and stepped onto the stone platform, then turned to look back.
"Skyward Primal..."
Someone's voice sounded hoarse.
At this moment.
Chen Mu's aura connected with the heavens and earth, revealing the Skyward Primal and Earthly Firmament, Wind Thunder, Fire Water, Mountain Water... the Heaven-Earth Eight Phases, encompassing all things in the world, and those who cultivated the complete Heaven-Earth Eight Phases were not uncommon, but most of them were older, powerful cultivators who had reached the Six Viscera Realm decades ago.
The complete Heaven-Earth Concept.
Yuan Yingsong stared intently at Chen Mu, his mind whispering to itself. He possessed the ability to cultivate the complete Heaven-Earth Concept, but he chose to focus solely on the Earthly Firmament Intention. He knew that since the founding of the Great Xuan Empire, over a thousand years had passed without anyone achieving the pinnacle of the Heaven-Earth Way.
The Great Xuan Emperor himself had only reached the third step of the Heaven-Earth Concept, and that was because he had once comprehended the 'Original Eight Aspects Diagram.' But now, both the original diagram and its copies had been lost, making it even more challenging to progress in the Concept. Without guidance, how could one possibly cultivate the Eight Aspects simultaneously?
Thus, Yuan Yingsong chose to cultivate only the Earthly Firmament Intention, leaving the Heaven-Earth Concept aside.
However, among the current generation of Heaven's Pride, there was someone who had boldly cultivated the complete Heaven-Earth Concept. Was this person exceptionally wise and bold, or were they ignorant and unaware of the difficulty of this path?
At the top of the Cloud Veil Heaven Ladder, a young man in a gray robe stood at the highest stone platform, gazing up at the sky from beginning to end. He was none other than Zuo Qianqiu, the true disciple leader of the Heaven Sword Sect and the first on the Rising Talent List.
Chen Mu, who had shattered Gu Hong's Heart Sword and defeated Shen Yifei of the Mystic Gateway, had never truly regained his composure. He had been immersed in the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, and it was only when he reached the highest point of the Cloud Veil Heaven Ladder that Zuo Qianqiu finally started to regain his senses.
Zuo Qianqiu turned his gaze towards Chen Mu. In his sword-like eyes, the revolving Heaven-Earth Eight Aspects were clearly reflected.
But he showed no surprise, remaining calm as he spoke, "In the Cold Northern Circuit, the last person who reached the second step of the Heaven-Earth Concept in the Organ Realms was eighty-seven years ago. In the end, he couldn't pass through the Marrow Washing Gate and has since passed away."
"Is that so?"
Chen Mu looked at the young man before him. This was the first time he had seen the first on the Rising Talent List, a once-in-a-century genius. In the past, he had only heard about this peerless talent.
"Are you saying I'm fearless because I'm ignorant?"
"No, I'm just saying that it's great to have you in this generation, or it would be too dull."
Zuo Qianqiu smiled lightly. He raised his right hand and drew his sword, saying, "The world says that the Heaven Sword we cultivate can, at its peak, surpass Yin-Yang and Five Elements. But in my opinion, a sword can also..."
With a swift motion, Zuo Qianqiu drew his sword, and a boundless sword intent soared into the sky, stirring the firmament.
A never-before-seen brilliance flashed in his eyes.
Since cultivating the Heaven Sword, he had no equal among his peers. Even when facing Yuan Yingsong some time ago, he hadn't felt true battle intent. But now, facing Chen Mu, another peer who had reached the second step of the Heaven-Earth Concept in the Five Viscera Realm after a hundred years, his calm Heaven Sword finally stirred with waves.
The so-called Heaven Sword was once called the 'Human Sword,' the ultimate sword technique of the strongest sword masters. It allowed one to surpass heaven with human strength, integrating all sword techniques, and ultimately controlling all sword paths with a single thought, dividing Yin-Yang, severing Five Elements, and slaying all things.
However, what would happen when the Heaven Sword encountered the Heaven-Earth Concept? No one knew.
The Heaven Sword was a rare sight, appearing once in a century, while the Heaven-Earth Concept hadn't been reached in a millennium. Many times, even if one wished to engage in a contest, it was futile due to the difference in cultivation stages, making victory or defeat uncertain.
(End of Chapter)
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