Chapter 278: A Few Months Later
Chapter 278: A Few Months Later
Several days later...
Seven Mysteries Sect.
At the rear of the main hall atop the main peak, within the courtyard.
Qizhi Yuan, the acting leader of the sect, listened to a report from one of the Defender elders, his expression filled with contemplation.
"The Iron Fist Gang, Emerald Rock Mansion, Hong Family Fortress..."
In this world, there were various methods of conveying information. Aside from some highly specialized Spirit Armaments designed for messaging, there were also dedicated Reconnaissance Inspection Departments for delivering intelligence, as well as specially trained demon birds capable of carrying written messages. The choice of which method to use often depended on the importance of the information.
On the very day that the Iron Fist Gang and Emerald Rock Mansion encountered trouble, Qizhi Yuan, located at the sect's mountain gate, had already received the intelligence. After all, news of a suspected Thunder Dao Grandmaster appearing within the Jade Province was of utmost importance and warranted immediate delivery.
"I thought he was just passing by, but he has repeatedly targeted forces within the Jade Province. What could his intentions be?"
Qizhi Yuan was momentarily perplexed.
Initially, he believed that the Thunder Dao Grandmaster had merely happened upon the Iron Fist Gang and Emerald Rock Mansion on his way to the Ice Province. However, after the Grandmaster moved north along the Black River Basin to the Emerald Rock Mansion, he proceeded to eliminate the Hong Family Fortress, located at the border of the Jade Province's capital. Subsequently, he turned towards Sha Prefecture and eradicated the Heng River Sect.
This person's actions seemed to follow no pattern as they appeared in various places, seemingly random locations, targeting certain forces within the Jade Province. The only commonality was that the treasuries of these forces were all plundered... But in Qizhi Yuan's opinion, this could not be the Grandmaster's true objective.
The reason was simple. An ordinary Thunder Dao Grandmaster would not be worth mentioning, but one capable of instantly slaying a Celestial Demon Sect Venerable with a single strike was an extremely formidable existence among Grandmasters. Their true identity must be that of a highly renowned individual. The treasuries of minor forces like the Iron Fist Gang and Emerald Rock Mansion would not even register in the eyes of such a powerful Thunder Dao Grandmaster.
After all, what treasures could these minor forces possibly possess that would warrant a second glance from a Grandmaster? The Heavenly and Earthly Spirit Beasts typically sought by Grandmasters were not obtainable through ordinary means. They were usually acquired through barter, and gold and silver held little value for them. These Grandmasters rarely lacked such common resources.
In Qizhi Yuan's view, for a Grandmaster to plunder a minor force like the Iron Fist Gang was beneath their status. In the Eleven Provinces of the Cold Northern Path, a Grandmaster capable of instantly slaying a Seventh Rank Venerable through Thunder Dao techniques was someone Qizhi Yuan would have some knowledge about. After careful consideration, he found it difficult to identify a corresponding figure.
"Is he here to stir up trouble in the Jade Province, and he chose this particular time..."
Qizhi Yuan pondered in his heart.
Regardless of the identity of this mysterious Thunder Dao Grandmaster, the fact that they were acting without notifying the Seven Mysteries Sect was a blatant provocation. It was an act that could not be ignored.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Qizhi Yuan informed Feng Hongsheng about the situation and asked him to investigate thoroughly.
Just as Qizhi Yuan finished making arrangements, another Defender elder arrived in the rear courtyard. He bowed respectfully towards Qizhi Yuan and said, "Elder, the Ice Seclusion Palace has sent someone."
"They've arrived?" Qizhi Yuan asked.
Qizhi Yuan collected his thoughts, straightened his gaze, and walked towards the courtyard exit. "Please lead them to the side hall."
Since the chaos in the Ice Province, the Seven Mysteries Sect had maintained constant communication with the Ice Seclusion Palace. This was a matter of great importance, concerning not only the Ice Province but also the Jade Province. It was far more significant than the appearance of a mysterious Thunder Dao Grandmaster in the Jade Province.
After all, the actions of the Thunder Dao Grandmaster thus far could be considered minor disturbances. By eliminating the Emerald Rock Mansion, which had been infiltrated by the Celestial Demon Sect, the Seven Mysteries Sect had inadvertently benefited from the situation, and there was no need to mobilize forces over it.
...
Jade Province.
Chen Family.
Within a spacious courtyard, two figures were engaged in a battle.
One of them, a woman in a light-colored skirt, had a serene countenance and wielded a jade-colored soft sword. She continuously swung her sword through the air towards her opponent, and with each strike, a trail of sword energy formed, intertwining into bundles of sword light that pierced through the air.
These strands of sword light were not mere illusions but were imbued with Essence Energy, the foundation of which was the Water Gate Intention. Each sword move was a manifestation of the power cultivated through the Water Containment Lineage.
However, the man standing opposite her remained motionless, his expression calm. He held no weapon, merely raising his right hand, his fingers pointing and tapping the air. With each tap, a bundle of sword energy approaching him would dissipate upon contact with his fingertip.
"The first step to the second step of the Intention is the process of transitioning from observation to manipulation. The specific techniques become unimportant. What matters is the understanding and utilization of the Heavenly-Earth Power. Hongyu, remember the essence of the Water Gate, which can gather and disperse, ever-changing."
At the tip of his finger, Chen Mu effortlessly pointed at the man, and naturally, the woman opposite him was Xu Hongyu.
With a sword light imbued with Primordial Essence True Force, there was no doubt that Xu Hongyu's cultivation had formally entered the heights of the Organ Realms, transcending the lowly martial path of relying solely on brute force and bloodlust.
Her talent wasn't initially considered exceptional, but she was the strongest among the younger generation of the Yu family. Through Chen Mu's guidance and their mutual Nourishing Spirit practice, she finally overcame the bottleneck of the Organ Realms.
Chen Mu's right-hand fingertips tapped rapidly, shattering the sword lights that Xu Hongyu swung towards him. He guided her in her Water Gate Intention, then suddenly drew his finger, using it as a sword, and swung it towards Xu Hongyu several times.
Hiss! Hiss!!!
Almost identical ripples of water surged forth from his fingertips, like sword energy, colliding and intertwining with the sword energy that Xu Hongyu unleashed. Although they appeared nearly indistinguishable, with their internal forces seemingly equal, upon impact, Xu Hongyu's sword energy quickly dissipated, while the sword energy from Chen Mu's fingertips only dimmed slightly, continuing its path towards Xu Hongyu.
"The same Primordial Essence True Force, the same Intention power, the more proficient you are, the more skilled you become, the higher the degree of refinement, and the greater the power you can unleash," Chen Mu said, pausing to look at Xu Hongyu.
Xu Hongyu, focusing her spirit, swung her sword to block the incoming sword energies. Her Primordial Essence True Force surged, gathering a dazzling cluster of watery light on her sword's edge, but she was still forced to retreat five or six steps before finally dissipating the attack.
Chen Mu lowered his hand and walked towards Xu Hongyu. Seeing her standing there, unmoving, staring at him, he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Was my previous move too heavy?"
"No," Xu Hongyu shook her head, her eyes clear as she watched Chen Mu approach. She blinked and said, "I just suddenly remembered something from the past. I recall the first time I saw you, when you were fighting the evil thief Tang Quan. You used underhanded tactics, taking advantage of his injuries inflicted by me to finally capture him... At that time, I thought your sword skills were quite good, and you had courage, strength, and cunning. You were a talent worth cultivating."
"And now?" Chen Mu smiled, also recalling the distant past when he had to resort to deception, trickery, and ambushes to finally deal with the evil thief Tang Quan, who had barely escaped from Xu Hongyu's grasp. Back then, his sword skills were still in their infancy, and the gap between them was as vast as the sky and the earth.
In the blink of an eye, seven or eight years had passed. Even though Xu Hongyu's cultivation had steadily risen, from the initial stages of Muscle Tempering to the Organ Realms, which would have been considered exceptional in Jade Jade Province, the distance between them had completely reversed.
Xu Hongyu watched as Chen Mu approached, gazing up at the face that had been so intimately close to hers just a short while ago. "Now, you seem to have truly acquired the demeanor of a Grandmaster," she said.
Although she hadn't encountered many experts, during her time in Jade Jade Province, she had seen the Six Organs Realm Defenders of various sects, and she had also participated in many missions alongside the Defenders of the Seven Mysteries Sect. But now, comparing those individuals to Chen Mu, setting aside their strength, she could vaguely sense a subtle difference in their auras.
Aura was something difficult to articulate; it was somewhat intangible and elusive. Yet, at that moment, as Chen Mu stood there, a figure so familiar to her, every inch of him known to her, he gave her an indescribable feeling, as if it were a sense of confidence, or perhaps something else.
"The demeanor of a Grandmaster?" Chen Mu smiled at Xu Hongyu. "My dear, don't overpraise me. Although I'm on the Gale Wind Rankings, I still have some distance to go in terms of realm compared to a true Marrow Washing Grandmaster."
Of course, the distance was only in terms of realm.
It had been three months since he had cleared out the Iron Fist Gang, Emerald Rock Mansion, and other forces.
Although the resources obtained from those forces weren't easily disposable, for him, getting rid of them was just as effortless. With minimal effort, he managed to dispose of most of them, although he couldn't exchange them all for Nourishing Spirit Artifacts. Still, he had already obtained a significant portion, and the rest could be gradually exchanged at the Seven Mysteries Sect.
With these abundant resources, his cultivation had been steadily rising, far surpassing his level from three months ago.
[Six Viscera Scripture (91%)]
Die in a 1619 book, a mistake-free version!
[Experience: 0 points]
This was the current state of his system panel.
His Six Viscera Scripture cultivation had reached an impressive 91% progress! Despite the increasing difficulty of cultivation beyond the 80% threshold, requiring more and more experience points for each increment, he had broken through the 90% barrier with relentless determination.
In the end of the chapter, she stood in the highest state of completion. Her eyes were calm, and her body was strong. Her figure was delicate and her voice was calm. She was a talented fighter, and her movements were smooth and precise. Her hair was calm, and her voice was delicate. She was a talented fighter and her movements were confident.
(End of Chapter)
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