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Chapter 279: Border Command
Chapter 279: Border Command
Outside the Chen Residence.
Chen Mu strolled along the corridor from the inner courtyard and greeted the figures standing in the outer courtyard from a distance with a smile and a bow, "It's been over a year since we parted ways in Sha Prefecture, Brother Zhao. I hope you've been well."
After the battle in Sha Prefecture, he had met with Meng Danyun and Chu Jingsu more than once, but due to various coincidences, he had repeatedly missed seeing Zhao Zhenchuan. After nearly a year and a half, he finally encountered Zhao Zhenchuan again.
For the guardians who had reached the Six Viscera Realm, it was not uncommon to go for years without meeting fellow disciples, as most guardians were often away from the sect on missions or stationed in specific locations. Their duties primarily involved guiding disciples of Spirit Profound Peak, and these tasks were usually handled by the current true transmitters and peak officials.
Zhao Zhenchuan looked at Chen Mu and smiled with some emotion, "Brother Chen, you've kept me in the dark for over a year. I've been spinning in circles trying to figure out what you've been up to."
In Sha Prefecture, Chen Mu had displayed the Heavenly Firmament Intent, guarding Yunlu Pass and slaying numerous Sixth Rank Demonic Beasts. At that time, Zhao Zhenchuan was delighted to see another exceptionally talented disciple from Spirit Profound Peak and for Qin Mengjun to have found such a good disciple.
However, who could have guessed that Chen Mu had already cultivated the Heaven and Earth Concept and even assisted Chu Jingsu and Xiahou Yan? In the desert, he had slain a Seventh Rank Demon King, but Zhao Zhenchuan only learned about this after Chen Mu ascended to the Wind and Cloud Rankings, leaving him shocked and astonished.
Despite being fellow disciples from Spirit Profound Peak, he was the last to know.
"I was merely following Master's teachings, acting with caution in all matters, and had no intention of hiding anything," Chen Mu said with a smile, looking at Zhao Zhenchuan.
Zhao Zhenchuan watched as Chen Mu approached and said with a hearty laugh, "It's fine, it's fine. The stronger you are, the better. I'd be delighted if you've secretly cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain and ascended to the Gale Wind Rankings. Even if you kept this from me for ten years, I'd still be happy for you... It's not like you could have truly grasped the Heaven and Earth Domain in such a short time."
As he spoke, Zhao Zhenchuan winked at Chen Mu, revealing a playful expression.
Of course, this was just a joke. Even if Chen Mu was a prodigy, he had only grasped the Heaven and Earth Concept within the past two years. To cultivate the Heaven and Earth Domain in such a short time would indeed be a fantasy.
Previously, in Jade Jade Province, Chen Mu had fought against Situ Shu, ultimately defeating and slaying this high-ranking expert on the Gale Wind Rankings on the spot. This feat had left Zhao Zhenchuan in awe, marveling at Chen Mu's rapid improvement, as he was now close to breaking into the top ten of the rankings!
However.
At this thought, Zhao Zhenchuan sighed inwardly. If not for the treacherous scheme of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, Chen Mu, with his exceptional talent and aptitude, might have had a significant chance of becoming a Heaven and Earth Grandmaster.
Even though Chen Mu's cultivation was hindered by demonic energy, his understanding of concepts would not stagnate. In the future, if he could spend two or three decades studying the Heaven and Earth Dao, even if he couldn't break through to the Grandmaster realm, cultivating the Heaven and Earth Domain would still be enough to dominate the world.
It was common knowledge that.
The existence of top-ranking experts like Freedom Wanderer on the Gale Wind Rankings could attempt a battle against old Grandmasters like Fu Jingyuan. Even if they couldn't win, they could still retreat unscathed. If Chen Mu could grasp the Heaven and Earth Domain, his strength would undoubtedly surpass them, making him second only to top-tier Grandmasters like Qin Mengjun in the vast Hannon region.
"Brother Zhao, you're giving me too much credit," Chen Mu said with a smile. "If I were to cultivate the Heaven and Earth Domain in just a year or two, wouldn't I be a monster? Even if someone could achieve that, they would have to be a reincarnated deity. I'm just an ordinary martial artist."
Listening to Zhao Zhenchuan's words, Chen Mu couldn't help but chuckle.
Cultivating the Martial Domain was incredibly challenging. From the time he cultivated the Heaven and Earth Concept until now, it had been almost two years, and he had only delved halfway into the second stage, having conducted five trials. He still lacked experience for the sixth trial.
Based on his judgment, without some extraordinary circumstances, it would take at least three to five more years before he could cultivate the domain. By then, he might have already advanced to the Grandmaster realm.
If he wanted to cultivate the Heaven and Earth Domain in an extremely short time, it would likely require the rumored 'Illustrated Book' or 'Original Book', which were said to provide some possibility. However, he had never seen these two items himself and could only rely on hearsay, making it impossible to determine how much these books could improve his efficiency.
Zhao Zhenchuan's suggestion of ascending to the Gale Wind Rankings, on the other hand, seemed within reach.
At present, Chen Mu couldn't clearly gauge his strength, but he knew it had improved significantly since before. Even if he was still inferior to third-rank Grandmasters like Fu Jingyuan, he might be able to hold his own against the top three of the Gale Wind Rankings.
The top three on the Gale Wind Rankings had clear records of their past experiences and achievements. They had all defeated second-rank Grandmasters and faced off against third-rank Grandmasters, but even Freedom Wanderer, who was among the top three, could only barely maintain an undefeated record.
The strength of these three was only slightly inferior to powerful Grandmasters like Fu Jingyuan.
Of course.
Chen Mu's ambitions were no longer limited to the Gale Wind Rankings but aimed higher, towards the Grandmaster rankings that surpassed them.
The Grandmaster realm was far beyond the Six Viscera Realm, and even the Tianya Haige did not dare to arbitrarily rank Grandmasters. Therefore, in the Hannon region, the Grandmaster rankings were based on the 'World Grandmaster Rankings' established by the Grand Xuan Dynasty.
Ji Yuan Shan!
The Deputy Pavilion Master of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, ranked 98th on the World Grandmaster Rankings and 10th among Grandmasters in Hannon!
...
Qin Mengjun!
The Peak Master of Spirit Profound Peak from the Seven Mysteries Sect, ranked 74th on the World Grandmaster Rankings and 6th among Grandmasters in Hannon!
...
Jiang Changsheng!
Elder of Sky Sword Sect, ranked 42nd on the World Grandmaster Rankings and 3rd among Grandmasters in Hannon!
...
In the entire Hannon region, aside from Ji Yuan Shan, no other Grandmasters were listed on the World Grandmaster Rankings established by the Grand Xuan Dynasty. Therefore, only the top ten Grandmasters in Hannon were ranked, and those with lower rankings were not listed.
If Chen Mu were truly stuck at the Mystical Gateway and couldn't advance to the Grandmaster realm, he might still care about his ranking on the Gale Wind Rankings. But now, his sights were set on the top Grandmasters who stood at the pinnacle of Hannon.
It was unknown what rank he could achieve after breaking through the Mystical Gateway and entering the Grandmaster realm.
How high could he rise? Zhao Zhenchuan was unaware of Chen Mu's thoughts and merely laughed heartily at his words, "Haha, if you were just an ordinary martial artist, then countless martial artists in Hannon would be like mere farmers in comparison."
Chen Mu also smiled.
But soon, Zhao Zhenchuan's expression turned serious, and he spoke solemnly, "Brother Chen, I've come here under the orders of Elder Chi. Elder Chi, who is temporarily in charge of the sect, has issued a command. You are to assume the role of 'Inspector of Yuzhou Supervisory Office' and 'Inspector General of the Yulin Army.' Together, we will go to the border of Lin Prefecture to quell the chaos in Ice State."
Chen Mu glanced at Zhao Zhenchuan, his gaze shifting slightly, and said, "Yulin Army Inspector? So, the main force of the Yulin Army will also be going to Ice State to engage in the war?"
Under the jurisdiction of the Seven Mysteries Sect, Yuzhou had several formidable powers.
Firstly, there were the disciples, officials, and defenders from the seven peaks of the Seven Mysteries Sect, which constituted the Sect's own forces.
Secondly, there were the six major families of the Prefecture Capital, the official powers of each prefecture and county, and the numerous Protector Armies.
And thirdly, there was the Yulin Army stationed in Yuzhou.
This was a truly elite force, and the Seven Mysteries Sect had invested heavily in its maintenance. As far as Chen Mu knew, it had a strength of several hundred thousand, all of whom were Meat Training martial practitioners or above. They trained in army formations, and even if they couldn't match the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Four Armies of the Grand Xuan Dynasty in their heyday, they were certainly not just for show like the Jade City Protector Army.
Hundreds of thousands of Meat Training martial practitioners, if dispersed, would pose little threat even to Organ Realms martial artists. But if they could gather their forces in a formation, it would be a different story, akin to a mobile 'Heaven and Earth Dragon Lock Formation'!
When such an army formation was deployed, even Martial Grandmasters would face the risk of death. Only those with exceptionally high personal martial prowess could withstand it, and even then, the outcome was unpredictable. After all, there were records of the Grand Xuan Dynasty's Azure Dragon and White Tiger Four Armies defeating Martial Grandmasters.
A mobile Heaven and Earth Dragon Lock Formation was indeed terrifying, but its weaknesses were also apparent.
Compared to genuine martial artists, its biggest weakness was its speed. No matter how fast Meat Training martial practitioners were, they couldn't match the speed of Sinew Training, let alone Bone Refining Realm practitioners. Therefore, their overall mobility was poor, and they couldn't disperse, becoming weaker the more they split up.
Additionally, the larger the army formation, the more food and provisions it consumed, which was another significant problem. Meat Training martial practitioners required a substantial amount of meat and food to maintain their peak condition, far exceeding that of ordinary people. The consumption of hundreds of thousands of troops was also extremely daunting.
Without a legendary Spirit Armament like the 'Heaven and Earth Flask' to transport provisions, this was the biggest challenge. After all, even if the army formation was strong enough to deter Exchange Blood Realm practitioners from direct attacks, cutting off their supply lines and resources would gradually wear them down, eventually leading to their defeat.
Therefore.
In the 1619 book, there's a mistake-free version!
As far as Chen Mu knew, the Yulin Army hadn't been mobilized for at least two or three decades. The last time it was partially mobilized was to suppress a large-scale demon chaos that affected the entire Yuzhou.
"Hmm."
Zhao Zhenchuan nodded slightly and said, "The Prefecture Capital will mobilize ten thousand Yulin Army troops to station in Jade Bell Prefecture, reinforcing the border defenses. The Yulin Army has its own system and doesn't require my jurisdiction, but to avoid certain issues, allowing me to freely enter and exit, I've been appointed as the Inspector."
After listening to Zhao Zhenchuan, Chen Mu seemed to be deep in thought. A force like the Yulin Army wouldn't be easily mobilized unless absolutely necessary. It was incredibly troublesome, and its mobility was far inferior to that of Organ and Viscera Realm martial artists, making it more suitable for defense than offense.
This mobilization of the Yulin Army wasn't for direct involvement in the Ice State war. It was just a deployment to reinforce Jade Bell Prefecture, but that was enough. With ten thousand elite troops stationed there, even top-tier Grandmasters would think twice before invading the prefecture.
After all, while top-tier Grandmasters were powerful and highly mobile, if they were entangled by a Grandmaster from the Seven Mysteries Sect, they wouldn't be able to escape easily. If they were then trapped by a large army and suppressed by army formations, even with heavenly means, they would still fall and perish.
In reality, the Ice Seclusion Palace had been under attack by the Celestial Demon Sect, the Celestial Corpse Sect, and the foreign tribes beyond the pass for so long, and they still hadn't been able to break through into Ice State. On one hand, the Ice Seclusion Palace's mountain gate had an Earth Pulse formation similar to the Seven Mysteries Sect's, making it impenetrable. On the other hand, the Prefecture Capital had the 'Ice Guard Army' stationed there, and although their geographical environment was inferior to that of the Yulin Army, they were still a force that commanded respect from all sides. Even the strongest martial artists wouldn't dare to venture too deeply.
The foreign tribes beyond the pass had been suppressed for so many years because of their scarce resources. Even if they produced some exceptionally powerful Grandmasters with top-tier personal martial prowess, they couldn't afford to maintain a large number of elite troops like the Yulin Army.
"When do I need to depart?"
After a brief moment of contemplation, Chen Mu asked Zhao Zhenchuan.
Zhao Zhenchuan looked at Chen Mu and replied, "The sooner, the better."
"Alright."
Chen Mu nodded and said, "Then, please have a brief rest in the main hall, Zhao Shixiong. I'll go inform my family."
Zhao Zhenchuan acknowledged Chen Mu with a slight nod.
Chen Mu escorted Zhao Zhenchuan to the main hall and ordered tea to be served. Then, he returned to the rear courtyard. When he arrived, he saw Xu Hongyu, Xiao He, Yu Ru, and Chen Yue, among others, all gathered in the courtyard.
Everyone looked at him silently, waiting for him to speak.
Chen Mu scanned the group, including Xu Hongyu, Xiao He, and Chen Yue, and addressed them, "The Yuzhou transfer order assigns me as the Inspector and Inspector General to the border of Jade Bell Prefecture. Judging by the situation and the Seven Mysteries Sect's deployment, it seems we'll be having a few battles with the Celestial Corpse Sect and the Celestial Demon Sect, as well as the foreign tribes."
"I'm not sure how long the war will last. If I enter Ice State, I'll likely have little time to write home. With the border in chaos, the Prefecture Capital won't be in disarray for a while. You all live in the Prefecture Capital, so there's no need to be too worried."
Chen Mu looked at Xu Hongyu, Xiao He, and Yu Ru, addressing the group, "You all know my character. There's no need to worry about me. Although Ice State is in chaos, it might not be a bad opportunity for me. You'll be in the rear, waiting for my news."
Going to Ice State, he would inevitably be drawn into the turmoil, but with his current strength, he didn't have too much fear in his heart. Moreover, Ice State was a unique place, and his understanding of the Heaven-Earth Concept might quickly advance if he could comprehend something there.
After reassuring Xu Hongyu and the others, Chen Mu bid farewell to the group. With Xu Hongyu, Chen Yue, and others seeing him off, his figure gradually disappeared into the distance within the rear courtyard.
Xu Hongyu and the others knew that they couldn't help Chen Mu with his journey to the border of Jade Bell Prefecture. They could only silently pray in their hearts for his safe return.
(End of Chapter)
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