Chapter 277: Wind Spirit Core
Chapter 277: Wind Spirit Core
Hou Hao's collection was not limited to a single unknown map.
There was also a bluish crystal, and Chen Mu felt an extremely condensed Gently Blowing Wind Power within it as soon as he held it in his hand.
Upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see a tiny cyclone swirling within the blue crystal core, as if it could unleash a hurricane that would sweep across the vast wilderness at any moment.
"This demon even has such a thing..." Chen Mu muttered as he gazed at the crystal core, then promptly pocketed it.
Wind Spirit Core.
One of the main materials for forging Wind-type Spirit Armaments, it was also the rarest among the Gently Blowing Wind Power lineage's Heavenly-Earth Spirit Beasts. It was said that only in the unique 'Cyclone' regions beyond the borders of the Great Wilderness could such cores be born.
For example, Yan Jingqing's fan-like Spirit Armament was actually made primarily from a Wind Spirit Core, combined with other auxiliary materials. It was also a Spirit Object that could match the Kunlun Jade and Mysterious Yellow Stone.
"I didn't intentionally collect them, but I've already obtained half of the materials for a Heaven-Earth Spirit Armament," Chen Mu felt a sense of wonder.
When he returned to Jade City, he heard about Chen Yue's news in the Huanglin Mountains and rushed over. In the end, he found a 'Dark Marsh Heart' at the bottom of the central valley in the Huanglin Mountains.
Here, after killing Hou Hao, a Seventh Rank Demon of the Celestial Demon Sect, he obtained a Wind Spirit Core.
Among these materials, the Mysterious Yellow Stone was the most precious, but the others were also not easy to find. Even if they were all of inferior quality, it would still be challenging for a Grandmaster to gather them all within three to five years.
"Perhaps there truly is something called destiny in this world. After cultivating the Heaven-Earth Concept, I seem to have landed on the destiny of the Sky Firmament Lineage. Everything is born from the evolution of the ever-changing Heaven-Earth Dao."
Chen Mu had a sudden realization.
If the Heaven-Earth Dao represented everything in the world, then according to the eight transformations of the Heaven-Earth Dao, one could also deduce the destiny of all things. Some of the classics he had read in his previous life were part of this Dao, including the divination methods of the Eight Trigrams.
Destiny might not be as mysterious as it seemed; it was merely a matter of observing the changes in the world and trying to trace back to the source, like predicting chess moves. However, everything in the world was not set in stone, and there were always variables, like himself, perhaps the greatest variable in this world.
"If I were to study the destiny divination of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, my calculations would undoubtedly be more in-depth and clear than theirs. However, I now have some understanding of divination; it seems that one must attach a strand of consciousness to the traceless Heaven-Earth Dao to trace its changes. The more one sees, the greater the backlash from Heaven-Earth."
Chen Mu pondered for a moment; ultimately, he wasn't interested in destiny calculations.
To put it bluntly, he had the System Panel, which placed him outside of destiny. Moreover, destiny was ever-changing, and there were always variables in the world. If the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion could truly capture a clear future and fate, they wouldn't be confined to a single sect in Cold Northern Province but would become the state religion, aiding the Grand Xuan Dynasty in ruling the world.
For Chen Mu, he only believed in the power in his hands. He preferred to grasp destiny through strength and had no interest in peering into his own fate. Whether it was in accordance with Heaven-Earth or defying the Primordial Essence, as long as he could continuously encounter such strokes of luck and obtain Spirit Objects like the Mysterious Yellow Stone and Kunlun Jade, he would gladly accept them.
If he could truly get the chance to gather all eight materials of Heaven-Earth and forge a Heaven-Earth Spirit Armament, it would be of great benefit to him. The quality of the armament would not be inferior to the Evil Exorcising Thunder Spear and might even rival the Xuan Tian Sword Diagram. Moreover, it would perfectly match his Heaven-Earth Concept, greatly enhancing his power beyond what other Spirit Armaments could compare.
In other words, while he might not be able to face a Grandmaster like Fu Jingyuan in direct combat, if he possessed a Heaven-Earth Spirit Armament, he would have the confidence to fight head-on and even emerge victorious!
"I remember seeing a 'Celestial Xuan Stone' in the treasury of the Seven Mysteries Sect. It's the main material for forging Spirit Armaments of the Thunderclap Lineage. If I can get my hands on it, that would make five."
Chen Mu recalled some of the things he had seen in the records when he exchanged Spirit Objects at the Seven Mysteries Sect.
After much consideration, he decided not to rush things.
Even if he obtained the Celestial Xuan Stone, he would still be missing three other types. Aside from the Fiery Departure and Water Containment Lineages, which were slightly easier to find, the Spirit Artifacts of the Sky Firmament Lineage were incredibly rare and scarce, with far fewer in existence than the Mysterious Yellow Stone.
Even for a Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster, it would be a challenge to find one, and it might take a decade or more to come across one by force.
Of course.
If his strength were unmatched in the world, and he could sweep through places like the Iron Fist Gang and Emerald Rock Mansions, or raid the treasuries of major sects like the Sky Sword Sect and the Mysterious Pavilion, he would undoubtedly find what he sought. But unfortunately, that was still too far off.
For now, his priority was to enhance his strength. There was no need to waste the resources he had gathered; he could simply exchange them for Nourishing Spirit Artifacts. As for the Celestial Xuan Stone... if necessary, he could trade the 'Cold Soul Spirit Blade' for it. But until he gathered all the required materials, it would only be a raw material in his hands, so he didn't plan to do that.
"When I have the time, I'll go back and inform my master. I'll see if we can remove the Celestial Xuan Stone from the exchange catalog in the clan treasury. I estimate I won't need the Cold Soul Spirit Blade for long, so there's no need to keep it."
Chen Mu contemplated briefly in his mind.
Currently, the Cold Soul Spirit Blade was still useful to him. Firstly, it was handy to use, and secondly, it provided some enhancement. But as his strength continued to grow, its effectiveness would diminish due to its imperfect compatibility with his nature and its non-top-tier quality.
Only a Spirit Armament that perfectly harmonized with one's nature could consistently amplify one's strength. Even at the level of a Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster, one could still rely on a compatible Spirit Armament to maximize their Martial Body's power.
Aside from the Wind Spirit Core.
Hou Hao's collection contained a third item, which was also the last one. It was a jade bottle crafted from top-grade Spirit Jade, and upon touching it, one could sense its extraordinary nature. Chen Mu gently shook it, and inside was a flowing liquid.
He opened a tiny gap, and Chen Mu immediately sealed it again, having already made a rough deduction.
Demon Blood!
This top-grade Spirit Jade bottle contained half a bottle of Demon Blood. The richness of the Demon Blood within far surpassed anything Chen Mu had encountered, even surpassing the Seventh-Rank Demon Kings he had faced before.
In his estimation, the Demon Blood in the bottle likely came from an Eighth-Rank Demon Beast, or perhaps even a Ninth-Rank one!
"This must be what he used for cultivation."
Chen Mu quickly made his judgment.
The demons of the Celestial Demon Sect cultivated their Demonic Bodies by consuming humans, their blood, and their hearts, as well as other Demon Beasts and their blood. This small bottle of Demon Blood was undoubtedly used by Hou Hao in his cultivation.
Demon Blood itself was valuable, and its value increased with its rank. If the bottle truly contained the blood of a Ninth-Rank Demon Beast, even half a bottle would be extraordinarily valuable. It would be more than enough to exchange for several Nourishing Spirit Artifacts. If it were an extremely rare type of Demon Blood with special uses, its value would multiply several times.
After acquiring all three of Hou Hao's possessions, Chen Mu couldn't help but marvel at the extraordinary nature of each item. As a Seventh-Rank demon comparable to a Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster, the value of his possessions was indeed exceptional. If he could defeat and plunder ten or eight such demons, the gains would far surpass what he had obtained from the Iron Fist Gang or the Emerald Rock Mansion.
However, encountering Hou Hao was purely coincidental.
Demons of this caliber would typically remain hidden, even if they secretly infiltrated the Crystal State. They would conceal their presence and move stealthily, unless they were in the Ice Province, where they would act without restraint.
Chen Mu always prioritized caution in his actions. Despite his current strength, which allowed him to easily eliminate Seventh-Rank demons, facing an Eighth-Rank demon was a different matter. The Eighth-Rank demons of the Celestial Demon Sect were slightly stronger than Third-Rank Grandmasters. Recently, an Elder from the Ice Seclusion Palace, comparable to Fu Jingqing, had been defeated by an Eighth-Rank 'Great Venerable' of the Celestial Demon Sect.
With the current chaos in the Ice Province, if Chen Mu went on a killing spree, he might very well encounter an Eighth-Rank demon. Therefore, until the Seven Mysteries Sect actively dispatched him to the Ice Province, he had no interest in stirring up trouble there.
Steadily enhancing his strength was the right path.
"None of the servants and followers of the Emerald Rock Mansion are to move without permission. Those who disobey will die!"
Chen Mu thoroughly inspected Hou Hao's corpse once more, dismembering it to ensure nothing was missed. Only then did he turn to the nearby servants and followers of the Emerald Rock Mansion, issuing his command with a cold voice.
The extermination of the Bai Family of the Emerald Rock Mansion was unlikely to result in any wrongful deaths. As for the servants and followers, Chen Mu had no interest in dealing with them individually or slaughtering them all. After all, he was not a bloodthirsty demon; it was sufficient to leave them for the Seven Mysteries Sect to handle.
"Yes... yes..."
Hearing Chen Mu's cold words, the servants trembled in response, and even after he left, the oppressive aura in the air gradually dissipated. Still, no one dared to get up and move, and they remained trembling on the ground.
Chen Mu returned to the place he had been before, bringing along a few members of the Bai family. He quickly located the treasury of Emerald Rock Mansion, which was situated in the rear courtyard, now in ruins, and underground.
However, the treasury of Emerald Rock Mansion was less impressive than Chen Mu had anticipated. After thoroughly searching and looting, he found that the value of the goods was even less than what the Iron Fist Gang had stored. Based on Chen Mu's assessment, it seemed that all the ordinary silver and money had been offered to the Fang Family and the Seven Mysteries Sect, while other valuable items had been handed over to the Celestial Demon Sect in exchange for demonic cultivation techniques.
Although the harvest was less than expected, if one were to include the few treasures of Hou Hao, this trip was still worthwhile.
After looting the treasury of Emerald Rock Mansion...
Chen Mu did not leave immediately but waited for half a day until dawn. Only then did the members of the Seven Mysteries Sect, stationed in Jade Bell Province, react. When a Defender of the Seven Mysteries Sect arrived at Emerald Rock Mansion, Chen Mu quietly retreated and disappeared from the mansion.
...
Emerald Rock Mansion.
Amidst the ruins, Hou Hao's dismembered corpse lay horizontally, with several figures standing nearby. All of them wore the attire of the Seven Mysteries Sect, and the leader wore a Defender's robe with a unique Spirit Profound Peak emblem—it was none other than Chu Jingsu, the Defender of Spirit Profound Peak.
"The power of Thunder Dao is truly formidable. I wonder which Thunder Dao Grandmaster wielded it..."
Chu Jingsu stood before Hou Hao's corpse, his gaze stern as he examined the body and the traces nearby.
With his experience, Chu Jingsu could instantly discern that Hou Hao had been struck and killed by a thunderbolt, pierced through and fallen, then dismembered. This was also according to the confessions of some members of Emerald Rock Mansion.
A Seventh Rank Demon King, a formidable existence, had been killed by Thunder Dao. How terrifying!
Even if some members of Emerald Rock Mansion claimed that it was due to the power of a short spear-like Spirit Armament attributed to Thunder, it was still extraordinary.
At this level, although their demonic power was similar to that of a Seventh Rank Demon King, they could also cultivate the Martial Path. Their actual strength far surpassed that of ordinary Seventh Rank Demon Kings. They could escape or even attempt to fight against a Seventh Rank Demon King, but if they encountered a Seventh Rank Venerable of the Celestial Demon Sect alone, they would have little chance of survival.
The other Seven Mysteries Sect Officials who approached also had stern expressions.
"This person should be Hou Hao, the Seventh Rank Venerable of the Celestial Demon Sect, right?"
Meng Danyun's figure approached from a distance, her gaze heavy as she surveyed the ruins. After careful identification, she spoke softly.
"Yes, it should be him."
Chu Jingsu nodded.
He was stationed at the border between Jade Bell Province and Ice Province, often clashing with members of the Celestial Demon Sect and the Celestial Corpse Sect. Now, he was well-informed about these sects, including the Celestial Demon Sect and the Celestial Corpse Sect. Although he had never met Hou Hao before, based on certain characteristics, the remaining demonic energy, and his cultivation level, he could roughly determine his identity.
There weren't many Seventh Rank Venerables in the Celestial Demon Sect, and only fifteen had appeared and been recorded in intelligence reports. Hou Hao was one of them, and now he lay dead here.
"As for who killed him, it's hard to say. The Thunder Dao Grandmaster who appeared in Emerald Rock Mansion last night was a middle-aged man. At the Grandmaster level, it's easy to disguise oneself."
Chu Jingsu fixed his gaze on Hou Hao's corpse and said slowly, "In the Eleven Provinces of the Cold Northern Path, there shouldn't be more than ten Grandmasters who could kill Hou Hao with Thunder Dao power. We, the Seven Mysteries Sect, don't have such a Grandmaster."
"Actually... there is one."
Meng Danyun hesitated and said, "If it were our Master, he could demonstrate such power with Thunder Dao techniques. But this shouldn't be the work of our Master, and there's no need to deliberately conceal his tracks."
Chu Jingsu nodded and said, "That's true. However, regardless of which Grandmaster it was, the fact that they eliminated Hou Hao, a source of trouble for Emerald Rock Mansion, is a good thing. Regardless of his intentions, he was a threat."
"Should we report this to Elder Shi and have him come to investigate personally?"
Meng Danyun asked after a brief moment of thought.
With the chaos in Ice Province, it was not unusual for an unknown Grandmaster to appear. However, since this incident occurred within Jade Bell Province and involved exceptional strength, it couldn't be ignored.
"Yes, Meng, go and inform Elder Shi. I'll stay here to handle the matters of Emerald Rock Mansion."
Chu Jingsu said.
(End of Chapter)
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