Chapter 247: Encountering Again
Chapter 247: Encountering Again
"Now that you've established yourself on the Gale Wind Rankings, many will view you as more than just a young rising talent. In the future, you must be cautious and vigilant against hidden schemes," Meng Dan Yun reminded Chen Mu once more.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister."
Chen Mu nodded slightly.
With his current strength, it would no longer be easy for someone to scheme against him. After two more attempts at comprehending the Heavenly Firmament Concept, his perception of the world would expand even further. A similar ambush like the one he encountered in the desert would be much harder to pull off again.
Unless it was a different kind of ambush, even if a grandmaster were to take action against him, he was confident in his ability to escape. After all, not only was his own strength sufficient, but he also had a Heaven Earth Seal refined by Qin Meng Jun on his body.
"Good, then Junior Brother, take a rest for now. I won't disturb you further. If there's anything you need my assistance with in the future, just call for me," Meng Dan Yun added, nodding slightly towards Chen Mu before leaving the courtyard.
Chen Mu watched Meng Dan Yun depart, then turned his gaze back to the table, collecting several spirit substances and turning to enter the small room at the back. He closed the door and informed the outer courtyard not to disturb him.
Then, he sat down by the bed.
The bedroom wasn't large, but it was exquisitely furnished. The bed made of yellow pear wood was covered with a brocade quilt. He had already slept on a bamboo bed at Spirit Profound Peak for nearly two years, but for the current him, whether it was luxurious or simple made no difference.
Without much pause, Chen Mu immediately summoned the system panel and began his third attempt at comprehending the Heavenly Firmament Concept.
In the blink of an eye, his mind was filled with memories. This time, they seemed slightly different, as if he were thrown into a chaotic void, which then separated into Yin and Yang, and further divided into the Five Elements. Before his eyes, the Primordial Eight Aspects gradually took shape.
The pure rose to form the heavens, while the turbid sank to become the earth. Mountains rose and rivers flowed, the sea stretched into the distance, thunder and fire clashed, and wind and water converged.
Then, all eight aspects transformed into threads, intertwining and weaving together in his vision, making the entire world seem like countless intricate and colorful threads.
"Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun..."
He reached out in a daze, and with a simple grasp, a thread fell into his hand, and he could clearly sense the essence of these threads. Though they appeared as threads, in essence, they were the embodiment of heaven and earth's power.
Heaven and earth's power was formless yet tangible, insubstantial yet material, ever-changing.
"Heaven and earth themselves are also a form of evolution, formless yet tangible, insubstantial yet material. A portion of heaven and earth's power exists in a substantial form, manifesting as mountains, rivers, and the wind and thunder. But a larger portion remains hidden in the formless, unseen by those without the comprehension of an intent. Only through the understanding of an intent can one glimpse the deeper mysteries of heaven and earth."
Chen Mu muttered to himself.
After four consecutive attempts at comprehending the Heaven-Earth Concept, he had already traversed nearly half of the second step on the path of the Heaven-Earth Dao. His understanding of the profound mysteries of heaven and earth had significantly deepened compared to when he first stepped onto this path.
He slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the table in the distance, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned a cluster of flowing water from the teapot, forming a water ball that floated in front of him.
Then, he stared at the perfectly round water ball and suddenly pointed a finger at it.
The water ball began to disintegrate silently, breaking apart and transforming into glittering droplets before eventually disappearing.
This scene might not seem extraordinary, but Chen Mu didn't use Primordial Energy to obliterate the water ball, nor did he utilize the Trigram Water Concept to separate the water ball into mist. Instead, he transformed the water ball back into the formless and intangible Heaven-Earth Power!
Chen Mu pointed again, and the water ball silently reassembled in mid-air.
"From nothing to something, and from something to nothing," Chen Mu said, a hint of awe in his voice.
Previously, although he could use the Trigram Water Concept to directly extract water from the environment, what he actually obtained was the water hidden within the air). He would slowly gather and condense these water molecules into a water ball.
But now, Chen Mu could directly transform the Heaven-Earth Power from its formless and intangible state into a tangible and substantial form, creating a solid entity!
It seemed similar, but in reality, it was entirely different.
When he was in the depths of the desert before, drawing water to sustain himself required a lot of effort because water was scarce in the environment. If he were in a completely waterless environment, he wouldn't be able to manifest water.
But now, it was no longer an issue. With the rotation of the Primordial Eight Aspects, even in an environment completely devoid of water, he could directly harness other Heaven-Earth Powers like Wind Thunder and transform them into Trigram Water, condensing and gathering it into water`.
This was a deeper level of adaptation to heaven and earth!
If he were to return to the summit of Cloud Veil Peak now, he might be able to stay there indefinitely, able to withstand the pressure of the Heaven-Earth Power.
Moreover, numerous tangible external objects would no longer hinder his steps.
Chen Mu stood up, took a step outside the courtyard, glanced at the ground, and then took another step forward. Suddenly, his entire body silently sank into the solid earth without a trace.
It was as if the earth beneath his feet was no longer solid ground but flowing water.
"As expected, it works."
Chen Mu, having silently submerged underground, was now walking deeper into the earth, step by step.
The solid earth around his body, in contact with him, silently transformed from a tangible state to an intangible one, allowing him to walk underground as if he were walking on solid ground.
Ten zhang,
Twenty zhang,
Thirty zhang...
Chen Mu continued walking underground, and as he went deeper, he finally started to feel the pressure. The power of the earth's veins from all directions gradually thickened, making it difficult for him to continue downward.
After taking a few more steps, he felt the power of the nearby earth veins becoming increasingly heavy and oppressive. Chen Mu nodded slightly and, instead of forcefully testing his limits, turned around and began ascending back to the surface.
Chen Mu emerged from the ground as if climbing a staircase, leaving behind only a trace on the ground as if it had been excavated.
However, his clothes remained spotless, as clean as new, without a trace of dirt.
"From now on, mountains and rivers will be like flat ground to me. Even without reaching the Six Viscera Realm, I won't fear the demands of 'hunger'," Chen Mu exhaled lightly, a glimmer flashing in his eyes.
Having gained the ability to transform Heaven-Earth Power from intangible to tangible, and with his cultivation of the Primordial Eight Aspects, each of the eight aspects could be rotated, granting him a capability akin to 'creation'.
Of course,
This ability was, in essence, a manipulation and transformation of Heaven-Earth Power, not actual creation from nothingness. The former was merely an application of Heaven-Earth Power, while the latter was fundamentally beyond the reach of martial arts.
Additionally, he couldn't create anything slightly complex, such as gold, silver, or jade minerals.
At most, he could only manifest tangible water, fire, wind, and thunder from the formless.
"The Primordial Eight Aspects indeed have boundless wondrous uses."
Chen Mu was very satisfied, and he opened his hand to test his enhanced strength.
As he had anticipated,
After two more attempts at comprehension through the system panel, the Heaven-Earth Power within his Primordial Eight Aspects had reached a level of approximately 'eighteen portions'. If he utilized the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal to harness the power of heaven and earth, he could achieve around 'thirty portions'!
"Once my cultivation enters the Six Viscera Realm, and my Primordial Energy advances further, and when I cultivate the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal to the fifth layer, then with my full strength, I'll be able to mobilize over forty portions, or even close to fifty portions, of Heaven-Earth Power!"
Chen Mu's eyes shone with determination. Although he was still one realm away from Marrow Washing, his strength had already set him on the path to becoming a grandmaster.
While he wasn't entirely clear about the specific strength of Marrow-Washing Grandmasters and couldn't make a detailed comparison, he could roughly gauge the power of the experts on the Gale Wind Rankings. For example, Yan Jingqing, who had mastered the Wind-Water Concept and was ranked twenty-sixth, could exert a power of around thirty portions with his Six Viscera Realm peak Primordial Energy.
(End of Chapter)
Ascending the rankings, the eighteenth position on the Gale Wind Rankings belongs to Han Ming from Ice Insulating Palace, who cultivates three intersecting Martial Dao domains of Wind, Water, and Marsh. With the addition of his Primordial Energy, his overall might is estimated to be around 'forty portions'.
Next, at the ninth position, we have Zong Qingfu from Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, cultivating Martial Dao domains of warm spring and flourishing summer. This is roughly equivalent to the power of four out of the eight Primordial Intents... approximately 'fifty portions' of Heaven-Earth might.
Setting aside the top three, from the thirtieth rank to the tenth, one might encounter ordinary Zongshi who would choose to retreat, or engage in a challenging battle, and even manage to suppress or defeat them. This progression roughly corresponds to a difference of 'thirty portions' to 'fifty portions' of power.
As for the top three, they are exceptionally unique, possessing complete 'Five Elements' domains, Yin-Yang domains, and even among Marrow-Washing Zongshi, those who have cultivated such domains are extremely rare. Therefore, even among Zongshi, they are considered exceptionally powerful.
"With my current progress, I will soon reach the level of the top ten on the Gale Wind Rankings. However, I have never fought against those who possess Martial Dao domains, and while strength is one thing, actual combat is another... Hmm, after advancing to the Six Viscera Realm, I can return to Jade Province and spar with Yan Jingqing to test his Martial Dao domain."
Chen Mu's thoughts were deep in contemplation.
Just as he was estimating and calculating in his mind, suddenly, his gaze flickered slightly, sensing something. He turned his head and looked outside the courtyard.
"Come out."
He spoke calmly.
As Chen Mu's words fell, a light laughter was heard, followed by the appearance of a girl in a light yellow shirt, wearing a semi-transparent lace outer garment. Her slender arms and slender waist were barely visible, and her crystal-like small feet were bare as she walked on the ground without any sign of dirt. A silver chain adorned her ankles, and the green crystal on it shimmered in the sunlight.
"Flower Shadow?"
Chen Mu looked at the figure that had appeared, his tone calm.
Previously, he had found it a little difficult to distinguish between Flower Shadow and Flower Moon, but now, with his further advancement in the Heaven-Earth concept, his perception had become much more refined. Additionally, having interacted with Flower Moon before, he could now subtly discern the subtle differences in their auras.
"After experiencing the enlightenment on Celestial Cloud Peak, your strength has indeed improved, and your perception of auras has become more acute. I deliberately restrained my aura to see if you would recognize me."
Flower Shadow looked at Chen Mu with a playful smile.
Chen Mu didn't respond and just calmly observed her.
"After two years apart, we meet again. Your prowess has grown even more remarkable, and you're now the first on the Rising Talent List, renowned throughout the eleven states of Cold Northern Province. Have you forgotten about me? Perhaps my beauty is no longer worthy of your attention."
Flower Shadow took a few steps forward, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and resentment.
Chen Mu ignored her and said, "Where is it?"
"Here."
Flower Shadow lightly pulled out a scroll-like object from her collar, something between leather and hemp, and tossed it towards Chen Mu.
Chen Mu reached out and caught it. Upon touching it, he felt the remaining warmth and a faint trace of fragrant wind. He examined the content on the scroll, memorized it, and then tossed it back to Flower Shadow.
After reading and memorizing the contents, Chen Mu lifted his hand and threw the scroll back to Flower Shadow.
Flower Shadow skillfully caught it and winked at Chen Mu, saying, "Aren't you going to ask if this Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Technique is genuine? If it's fake, we won't take responsibility if the person comes looking for us later."
"What's the point of you personally delivering a fake one?"
Chen Mu's expression remained calm.
Flower Shadow giggled as she put the scroll away, saying, "You never know, maybe it's a fake scroll, intentionally meant to mislead you and cause you to go astray. Do you want me to accompany you to verify it?"
Upon hearing these words, Chen Mu scrutinized Flower Shadow closely and said, "Have you forgotten something?"
"What?"
Flower Shadow asked, puzzled.
Chen Mu stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Things are different now compared to two years ago. Aren't you being a little too bold in front of me? Even if you use that Earth Origin Lotus Seed to comprehend the Great Yin Intent to the second step, do you think you can guarantee your safety in front of me?"
Damn! Flower Shadow inwardly cursed, realizing the situation was not in her favor. Without hesitation, she attempted to escape, but before she could even leave the courtyard, she heard Chen Mu's voice from behind.
"Still."
In an instant, the Heaven-Earth power in all directions—front, back, left, right, up, and down—suddenly solidified, as if turning into a tangible substance, causing her speed to slow down abruptly, as if she had fallen into a quagmire of mud and ice.
As she struggled to break free from the Yin power enveloping her, Chen Mu's hand reached out and grabbed her neck, dispersing her Primordial Energy with a single shake, lifting her entire body back into the courtyard.
The entire exchange happened in the blink of an eye.
"What's going on?!"
The brief commotion attracted attention from outside, and soon, someone appeared in the courtyard.
"It's nothing."
But before others could rush in, Chen Mu's calm voice sounded from within, "You may leave now."
The Five Viscera Realm cultivator outside hesitated, sensing the remnants of the Heaven-Earth power fluctuations from the confrontation, but soon he retreated, disappearing from view.
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End of Chapter.
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