Chapter 246: Resources
Chapter 246: Resources
Step, step, step...
Descending the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, a thick mist enveloped the area, and with each step, a surge of Heavenly Firmament Energy gathered around Chen Mu, so dense that it exceeded his ability to control. Instead, it forced him to confront and resist its overwhelming might.
As he continued his descent, the oppressive pressure on his body gradually lessened, and the flow of the Heaven-Earth Concept became smoother as he reached the upper peak.
Swish!
Chen Mu no longer slowed his pace but leaped into the air, taking a direct step into the Cloud Sea. With each footfall, a cloud condensed beneath him, solidifying like a tangible platform supporting his leap.
He continued leaping through the clouds, then plunged downward, quickly emerging from the Cloud Sea and descending from the upper peak to the middle peak, finally landing at the base of Celestial Cloud Peak.
Without lingering, Chen Mu didn't stop to hunt for food but left Celestial Cloud Peak, taking a step that covered dozens of zhang, and soon he disappeared from the peak's base.
...
Amethyst Province.
After two months, Chen Mu returned to the provincial capital of Amethyst Province, which now exuded a more peaceful atmosphere.
Most of the forces from the eleven provinces of Cold Northern Circuit had departed, and the plateau's settlements had regained their former tranquility. The buildings and terrain damaged during the conflicts had been mostly repaired.
Chen Mu strolled through the streets, unnoticed in his plain gray robe despite the constant flow of pedestrians. Occasionally, he overheard discussions about the 'Rising Talent List' and the 'Gale Wind Rankings,' and his name was frequently mentioned among the populace.
However, as he walked through the streets, no one recognized him.
In this world, regardless of one's fame or status, walking through the markets like a commoner rarely drew attention or caused a commotion.
Whether it was the Gale Wind Rankings or grandmasters, it was generally the same.
"Whether it's the Heaven Sword, Yin-Yang, or the Five Elements... Only by unwavering and unyielding in the Heaven-Earth Concept, and by refining one's Martial Dao Will through constant struggles, can one gradually ascend."
As Chen Mu walked through the market, his thoughts turned to his Martial Dao Will.
Compared to the Concept, the Martial Dao Will was more ethereal and abstract. After all, the Concept was about comprehending the power of heaven and earth, while the Martial Dao Will relied solely on one's heart and mind, making it challenging to gauge one's progress. However, after the battle on Cloud Veil Peak, he undoubtedly gained better control over the Heaven-Earth Concept.
According to many martial arts scriptures, achieving unwavering and unyielding, and being true to one's heart, was the key to breaking through the Mystic Gateway and becoming a grandmaster.
"Unwavering, unyielding, and being true to one's heart—these are not just the realms of Martial Dao Will but also the direction of its cultivation. Once these are achieved, the Martial Dao Will naturally ascends to a higher level."
Although the Martial Dao Will was ethereal, Chen Mu had a rough idea of his progress.
When he first awakened his heart's intent, his Martial Dao Will took shape. With daily refinement, he reached the first level. After cultivating the Heaven-Earth Concept and merging the power of heaven and earth with his will, he entered the stage of 'unwavering and unyielding,' naturally advancing to the second level.
After the battle on Cloud Veil Peak, he had grown, but he didn't sense a qualitative change, indicating that he was still at the 'Second Level.' For ordinary cultivators, reaching the third level was necessary to break through the Mystic Gateway and become a grandmaster.
The strength of will required varied depending on the path chosen.
Using the Heaven-Earth Concept to challenge the Mystic Gateway was undoubtedly the most challenging path... But there's always a way forward; for now, he needed to enter the Six Viscera Realm and complete the refinement and accumulation of the six viscera before reaching the threshold of the Mystic Gateway.
Soon, Chen Mu arrived at the provincial capital of Amethyst Province.
Due to its unique environment, Amethyst Province was home to many important resource veins crucial to the Seven Mysteries Sect. Consequently, the governor of Amethyst Province was a Six Viscera Realm expert who had once served as a guardian of Minor Profound Peak.
Chen Mu had met the governor during his previous visit, and this time, he had only come to pay his respects. However, he was slightly surprised to see Meng Danyun there as well.
"How come you're here, Senior Sister?" Chen Mu asked, addressing Meng Danyun.
Meng Danyun was also surprised to see Chen Mu. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes as she replied, "I'm here tracking a Five Viscera Realm cultivator from a state capital who escaped to Amethyst Province. I don't know where he is now. Did you just return from Celestial Cloud Peak?"
"Yes, I just got back," Chen Mu responded calmly.
He walked towards the courtyard behind him, while Meng Danyun followed alongside, her gaze on Chen Mu filled with a hint of admiration.
She had once ascended the Cloud Veil Heavenly Ladder, meditating on the heavens and earth at its peak. However, after the Cloud Sea's re-gathering, she was forced to descend, including the top True Transmission disciples within the sect, who all had to leave the peak within two to three days.
If Chen Mu had only descended from the peak today, it would mean that he had remained at the summit for nearly a month after the Cloud Sea's re-gathering. However, compared to Chen Mu's ranking on the Rising Talent List with his Five Viscera Tempering, the initial news of his achievement still left her more shocked.
Arriving at the county manor's courtyard.
An official hurriedly delivered a large amount of dried demon meat, which Chen Mu didn't mind, and he began eating piece by piece while saying, "The terrain of Amethyst Province is so complex. If the evildoer pursued by Senior Sister Meng is hiding here, it will be difficult to find him."
Meng Danyun shook her head and said, "If he hides in the mountains of Amethyst Province for a lifetime without coming out, there's nothing we can do. I've come to the county manor to see if I can gather some other intelligence."
Speaking of which...
She looked at Chen Mu and said, "Since you've cultivated the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal, you should be entering the Six Viscera Realm soon."
Chen Mu slightly nodded and said, "Yes, I no longer need to stay at the Five Viscera Tempering Realm, but I want to try tempering the Five Viscera one more time. It's just that I don't have enough Viscera Refining Spirit Substance."
Meng Danyun looked at Chen Mu and blinked, saying, "The eleventh time?"
For Chen Mu, with his foundation, completing the tenth tempering of the Five Viscera should not be difficult. It probably wouldn't require much Viscera Refining Spirit Substance. Chen Mu, as a True Disciple, should have access to a considerable amount of resources from his various harvests. If he says he doesn't have enough, it's likely that he's stuck on the 'eleventh time'. However, she hasn't heard of anyone completing eleven temperings.
Perhaps there are, or perhaps there aren't.
"I do have two portions of Viscera Refining Spirit Substance here. I originally planned to exchange them for Six Viscera Tempering substances after returning to the sect. Since you need them, you can take them first."
Meng Danyun took out a golden and a green substance from her pocket, one being a Golden Yuan Pearl and the other a plant resembling a vine, only the size of a fingertip.
Although no one has heard of anyone completing eleven temperings, Chen Mu has already cultivated the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal, so perhaps he can indeed temper the Five Viscera one more time. When Chen Mu enters the Six Viscera Realm in the future, his Primordial Energy foundation will be even stronger.
The deeper the foundation, the lower the difficulty of entering the Marrow Washing Realm in the future.
"Will this delay Senior Sister's cultivation progress?"
Chen Mu looked at the two portions of Viscera Refining Spirit Substance and hesitated slightly before asking Meng Danyun.
Meng Danyun smiled and said, "The Six Viscera Realm focuses more on accumulation, so it's not a problem if it's a bit slower. Even if you complete the Six Viscera cultivation early, you'll still be stuck before the Marrow Washing Gateway."
"Moreover, I have other spirit substances, so it won't cause any delay."
Hearing Meng Danyun's words, Chen Mu accepted the two portions of Viscera Refining Spirit Substance and said, "Then thank you, Senior Sister. If you have any needs, please let me know. I'll keep an eye out for you during my cultivation."
"I don't have any needs."
Meng Danyun slightly shook her head and said, "If I had to say something... never mind."
Currently, she doesn't lack anything temporarily. If she had to say what she truly desires, there's only one thing—a Spirit Armament that suits her. However, such a thing is far more valuable than these two portions of Viscera Refining Spirit Substance.
However, Chen Mu glanced at Meng Danyun as if guessing her thoughts and suddenly took out a Spirit Armament from his sleeve and threw it towards Meng Danyun, saying, "Senior Sister, why don't you try it out?"
In the version of the book, there is no mistake in the chapter number!
Meng Danyun reached out and took it, then slightly startled. "Is this Jiang Yifei's Peach Deity Sword?"
"Yes."
Chen Mu nodded.
Previously, on the Cloud Veil Peak, he had taken Jiang Yifei's Peach Deity Sword, thinking that the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion's Grandmaster would come to claim it later. However, no one came to retrieve it, so he took it back from Zhou Hao.
The Peach Deity Sword is essentially not a 'Spring Warmth' but a Water Spirit. Although Meng Danyun doesn't cultivate the Five Elements Wood, she has cultivated the Kan Water Intention, so she might not be fully compatible with the Peach Deity Sword, but she should be able to wield it to some extent.
"I might not be able to wield this sword well, and you probably don't have a suitable Spirit Armament either. So, you should keep it for now."
Meng Danyun divided her Primordial Energy into Kan Water and infused it into the Peach Deity Sword, causing the sword to vibrate and emit strands of spirit light. However, she quickly restrained her Primordial Energy and returned the Peach Deity Sword to Chen Mu.
Although she doesn't cultivate the Wood Spirit Intention, she can still use it, but it's definitely not as effortless as Chen Mu's control. Although Chen Mu is still in the Five Viscera Tempering Realm, his entry into the Six Viscera Realm is just around the corner.
"Finding a suitable Spirit Armament for me is indeed a bit difficult."
Chen Mu chuckled and said, "I don't need this sword for now. You can use it first. At most, I'll find a more suitable Spirit Armament later and return this sword to you."
In the pursuit of martial prowess, the concept of "heaven, earth, and harmony" is pivotal. While the advantages of heaven and earth are self-evident, but the ability to harness their power significantly depends on one's strength. As for "harmony," it often refers to the compatibility between a cultivator and their spirit weapon.
Cultivating the Heaven-Earth Intention, he can wield almost any spirit weapon. But for it to be truly effective, it must be the 'Human Emperor Seal,' which gathers the power of the Primordial Eight Aspects. As far as he knows, this weapon, ranked among the top in the Spirit Armament Catalog, can suppress even those in the Blood Exchange Realm when wielded by a Grandmaster cultivating the Heaven-Earth Intention.
If he enters the Six Viscera Realm, he might be able to wield the Human Emperor Seal and suppress even Grandmasters at will.
Chen Mu doesn't harbor any ambitions for the Human Emperor Seal. His only thought is whether, by chance, he can find the other seven spirit substances compatible with the Primordial Stone and create a 'Mini Human Emperor Seal,' which might also suppress an average Grandmaster.
Of course, this is just a rough idea, as the gap is too wide for him to consider putting it into action.
"Okay."
Hearing Chen Mu's response, Meng Danyu no longer resists and takes out three spirit substances from her chest. "These are materials I collected earlier for forging spirit weapons. If you need to exchange them for organ-tempering spirit substances, take them back to the sect. I won't be using these anytime soon."
Chen Mu glanced at Meng Danyu's chest, curious about where she kept all these spirit materials, but he didn't pursue the matter further. He took the spirit substances and said, "Then I'll take them for now."
After swallowing another piece of demon meat, the feeling of hunger in his stomach gradually subsided.
Chen Mu put down the jerky in his hand and said, "These heaven-earth spirit substances are indeed too scarce."
Meng Danyu replied, "Yes, that's why those Grandmasters are so elusive. Most of their time is spent in the Outer Sea, the Earth Abyss, and the Vast Wilderness, searching for the necessary heaven-earth spirit substances."
As she spoke, Meng Danyu noticed a slight change in Chen Mu's gaze. "Disciple, do you have something on your mind? With your current strength, you can indeed explore the Outer Sea. But I think you should gain more experience first. The Outer Sea is dangerous, unlike the inland regions."
Hearing Meng Danyu's words, Chen Mu shook his head. "I'm not interested at the moment."
Chen Mu was familiar with the Outer Sea, Earth Abyss, and Vast Wilderness she mentioned. These places were not as mysterious as they seemed. The Outer Sea was the easternmost sea of the Great Xuan, and due to its vast expanse, it was home to numerous demons. Usually, only those in the Organ Realms and above would explore its nearby areas, and only experts in the Six Viscera Realms would dare to venture further.
As for the Earth Abyss and the Vast Wilderness, these were indeed places only accessible to Grandmasters. They were considered 'Heaven's Perilous Lands.' Similar to the Cloud Veil Heavenly Peak he had climbed before, during normal times, even Grandmasters in cultivation couldn't reach or stand at its summit.
Precisely because of this, these places contained heaven-earth resources far richer than those in the various provinces and counties.
Perhaps in the future, when his cultivation of the Heaven-Earth Intention reaches a bottleneck and he needs to deepen his understanding of heaven and earth, he might venture to these places. But for now, it's not yet time for him to step into these perilous lands.
In fact, he doesn't even plan to leave Crystal State in the short term. Despite the recent chaos in Crystal State, there haven't been any significant changes, including the unrest in Jade Province, which is limited to a certain level.
Places like the Outer Sea and Earth Abyss are different. Not only do experts from the Cold Northern Circuit frequent these areas, but also strong cultivators from all the ninety-nine states of Great Xuan. It's a mix of dragons and snakes, and the dangers are unpredictable.
Currently, with the few spirit substances given by Meng Danyu, along with the Five Elements Lotus Platform he obtained from Flower Shadow and his own resources, he has almost fulfilled the requirements for the thirteenth organ-tempering.
Speaking of which, the Gale Ranking currently places him at the twenty-seventh position. He hasn't fought anyone on the ranking or sparred with a Grandmaster, so he isn't sure of his exact strength. If Qin Mengjun were awake, he could spar with her to gauge his level. However, it's not a problem to wait for now. After completing the thirteenth organ-tempering and entering the Six Viscera Realm, his strength will undoubtedly increase. Additionally, he can perform two more Heaven-Earth Intention simulations shortly.
"Those in the top thirty of the Gale Ranking can retreat from a regular Grandmaster. Those in the top twenty can spar with a Grandmaster, and those in the top ten can even achieve victory... I wonder how I will fare against a Grandmaster after entering the Six Viscera Realm."
(End of Chapter)
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