Chapter 290: Skill Approaching the Dao
Chapter 290: Skill Approaching the Dao
As Chen Mu consumed the snow lotus, he didn't hesitate. He summoned the system panel and directly allocated the accumulated experience points to the cultivation of the Six Organs Scripture.
Just like before, under the system panel's operation, the nourishing power contained in a petal of the snow lotus was almost entirely infused into his six organs without any loss, refining each organ separately. This process gradually warmed his entire six organs, which had initially felt cool.
Time passed, and Chen Mu once again summoned the system panel to check his progress.
【Six Organs Scripture (96%)】
【Experience: 23 points】
The remaining experience was insufficient to continue the advancement, just like the last time. Chen Mu didn't rush to consume another snow lotus immediately. The closer he got to the limit of his six organs, the more cautious he became in his cultivation. Currently, his six organs had reached an unimaginable level of refinement, and the Primordial Essence True Force within him was nearly fifty portions!
Feng Hongsheng and Fu Jingyuan, the stronger Grandmasters among the Grandmasters, had also reached this level of Martial Body cultivation.
"Huff..."
After completing another round of refinement for his six organs, Chen Mu didn't waste any more time and energy. He closed his eyes again, slowly manipulating the Primordial Essence within him, making it appear and disappear, sometimes merging with the surrounding heaven and earth, and sometimes circulating with his internal energy.
He was cultivating the Traceless Falling Petals secret art.
In reality, it was not easy for ordinary people to cultivate this secret art to the third layer. After all, achieving the third layer meant one could almost demonstrate abilities akin to a 'Field Prototype'. Many Six Viscera Realm cultivators would need to practice for several decades to reach this level.
Chu Jingsi and Meng Danyun, his fellow sect members, also cultivated this skill. However, Meng Danyun had only barely reached the first layer, while Chu Jingsi, after nearly twenty years of practice, was still at the second layer and had not yet touched the third. Otherwise, his strength would have improved further, truly approaching the bottom ranks of the Gale Wind Rankings.
...
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, a month and a half had passed.
During this time, Chen Mu's life became exceptionally calm. Ever since he took charge of Frost Northern County Hall, the surrounding monsters and remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect had become scarce, and there were hardly any distress signals seeking his aid.
It seemed that the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect were aware of the presence of Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan, two Gale Wind Rankings experts, in Frost Northern County Hall. They mostly refrained from causing trouble and instead chose to act with restraint. Meanwhile, other territories remained in constant turmoil.
In the courtyard, Chen Mu stood with his hands behind his back under a pine tree.
Beside him was his fellow sect member and peak sister, Shen Lin, who was reporting on the situations in various parts of Frost Province.
"Zuo Qianqiu seems to have entered the Six Viscera Realm. He encountered a Celestial Demon Sect Venerable in Frost Eastern County and managed to withstand over ten moves with the help of the Heaven Sword Chart. The Celestial Demon Sect Venerable didn't dare to prolong the fight and eventually retreated."
Shen Lin blinked her eyes as she spoke.
In the current Frost Province, apart from Chen Mu, Mu Ran Yan, and other Gale Wind Rankings experts, as well as Elders like Shi Zhenyong, the younger generation's outstanding talents like Zuo Qianqiu and Zhou Hao also attracted attention.
There was no need to mention Zuo Qianqiu; before Chen Mu's sudden rise, he had always been the top young talent in the Cold Northern Path. After being defeated by Chen Mu's Heaven-Earth Concept, he didn't lose heart but instead quickly regained his determination. In a short time, he grew rapidly, and at the age of just twenty-nine, he entered the Six Viscera Realm, significantly enhancing his strength. With the Heaven Sword Chart, he could now demonstrate power akin to the Gale Wind Rankings!
After all, the existence of a Celestial Demon Sect Venerable was comparable to the top ten on the Gale Wind Rankings in terms of strength. To withstand their attacks for a few moves without being instantly crushed meant that one had to be on the Gale Wind Rankings themselves.
Undoubtedly, Zuo Qianqiu was also the fastest-growing young talent in the Cold Northern Path, aside from Chen Mu.
"Hmm, being able to withstand a few moves against a Celestial Demon Sect Venerable indeed demonstrates Gale Wind Rankings-level ability. However, his strength still relies heavily on the Heaven Sword Chart, and he is not yet qualified to be on the rankings."
Chen Mu casually commented after hearing Shen Lin's report.
People like Yan Jingqing could make it to the bottom of the Gale Wind Rankings with just a single Spirit Armament, but Zuo Qianqiu needed the superior Spirit Armament Heaven Sword Chart to exhibit such power, so there was still a gap. At least, for now, if the Gale Wind Rankings were re-ranked, Zuo Qianqiu would likely not make it, probably at the level of Huoyun Shangren and Tieshou Tuantou.
Shen Lin smiled and said, "Even if he could make it onto the Gale Wind Rankings with his own strength, he wouldn't be a match for Senior Brother Chen. Senior Brother Chen should be able to rank within the top ten of the Gale Wind Rankings next time."
On the Gale Wind Rankings, aside from the top three, the differences in strength between the subsequent rankings were not significant. However, if there was a gap of seven or eight rankings, the strength disparity would become more noticeable. For instance, Chen Mu could defeat the 23rd-ranked figure, Situ Shu.
Perhaps.
Chen Mu listened to Shen Lin's words and merely smiled dismissively.
Shen Lin blinked, in her opinion, Chen Mu could have killed Situ Shu long ago, possessing the strength of a top-ten contender. Although the top ten of the Gale Wind Rankings were all formidable, with another year, Chen Mu might be able to squeeze one of them out.
"Senior Brother Chen, who do you think is stronger, you or Guardian Mu Ran?" Shen Lin asked after some thought.
Currently, Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan were the two strongest figures under the Seven Profound Sect's Grandmaster, with Chen Mu cultivating the ultimate Heaven-Earth Concept, and Mu Ran Yan having comprehended the Six Organs Realm of the Heavenly Sky Domain, ranking thirteenth on the Gale Wind Rankings.
Coincidentally, both of them were stationed at Cold North County Hall, and although they had demonstrated their abilities during the demon chaos, there hadn't been a real battle to accurately gauge their strength.
Many within the Seven Profound Sect were curious as to who was stronger between Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan.
After all, Chen Mu was currently ranked twenty-seventh on the Gale Wind Rankings, and his strength was assessed to be close to the top ten based on his achievements. Mu Ran Yan, on the other hand, was ranked thirteenth, just three places behind the tenth rank, so the actual gap between them wasn't likely to be significant.
"Guardian Mu Ran has been cultivating the Concept path for decades, and she finally achieved enlightenment, comprehending the Heavenly Sky Domain. Her depth of comprehension in the Concept is indeed superior to mine," Chen Mu replied after some thought.
Upon hearing this, Shen Lin immediately looked thoughtful.
She was intelligent and quickly understood the implied meaning. Chen Mu only said that Mu Ran Yan's depth of comprehension in the Concept was higher, but he didn't explicitly state who was stronger. This indirect response seemed to suggest that he was the stronger one.
Chen Mu looked at Shen Lin and smiled lightly, choosing not to elaborate further. In fact, if it weren't for Mu Ran Yan cultivating the same Heavenly Sky Domain as his master, Qin Mengjun, and if he hadn't already experienced the power of Qin Mengjun's domain, he might have sought a spar with Mu Ran Yan to learn more about domains and the application of Heaven and Earth's power through combat.
But since he had already experienced the Heavenly Sky Domain, there was no need.
When it came to the depth of comprehension, he admitted that he was inferior to Mu Ran Yan. As for their actual strength, he estimated that he could probably handle five or six Mu Ran Yans, but beyond that, it was hard to say, as he hadn't yet reached the Grandmaster realm.
"Senior Brother Chen, County Magistrate Lin is here to visit," a respectful voice reported from outside.
Chen Mu nodded, "Alright, let County Magistrate Lin come in."
Shen Lin politely bowed to Chen Mu, "Senior Brother Chen, please attend to your matters. I've finished my report, and I won't disturb you further."
"Mhm."
Chen Mu watched as Shen Lin left the courtyard, and then Lin Yong, the County Magistrate of Cold North County, entered. Lin Yong reported on the various damages and the situation in Cold North County to Chen Mu.
For the past month and a half, Chen Mu had mostly been cultivating, occasionally paying attention to the damages in Cold North County. He was generally satisfied with Lin Yong's handling and deployment of various tasks, so he allowed him to continue his work.
After Lin Yong finished his report, Chen Mu nodded, "Good, there are no issues. Proceed with your plan, and come to me if you encounter any obstacles."
"Yes, then I'll take my leave." Lin Yong bowed respectfully and left the courtyard.
Finally, with the courtyard restored to its peaceful state, Chen Mu exhaled softly, gazing up at the pine tree. He suddenly lifted his hand, performing the starting posture of the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal, but as his hand fell, there was no trace of the seal, leaving no mark.
His movements didn't stop; he continued practicing, one technique after another, like an ordinary mortal martial artist refining his skills. His movements seemed ordinary, without any manifestation of Heaven and Earth's power or Primordial Essence True Energy.
But.
As time gradually passed, an invisible force began to spread from within Chen Mu's body, eventually extending to a three-foot radius around him, forming an indistinct, invisible region.
Within this region, the internal and external breaths seemed completely isolated, with the elements transforming and circulating endlessly.
Most astonishingly, despite this circulation of breaths, they were firmly bound within the three-foot radius, not leaking out even a tiny bit. Even if one were to sense it up close, it would be difficult to detect any anomalies! Standing in front of Chen Mu, as long as one didn't step into the three-foot radius, he would seem like an ordinary person.
Return to Simplicity!
This was the third layer of Traceless Falling Petals, combined with the sixth layer of the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal, finally forming a micro-domain with a mere three-foot radius. With this technique, Chen Mu's skills were now on par with those who had truly mastered the Martial Path's domain.
After cultivating the Six Organs Scripture to 99%, Chen Mu's Primordial Essence True Force and Heaven-Earth Power combined exceeded eighty portions. In terms of current strength, he could be said to have reached the height of the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings.
"When skill approaches the Dao, then one becomes a Grandmaster."
After practicing for a while, Chen Mu slowly executed a finishing move, and the micro field surrounding his body quietly dissipated. He raised his head to gaze at the sky, his eyes deep and serene like the ocean. Finally, he had reached this level.
Compared to when he was in Yu County and fought with Situ Shu, his power had increased by more than thirty portions, and his skills in various aspects had finally reached a flawless peak, the summit beneath the Martial Domain.
To put it simply, the micro field is the true field. Chen Mu's control over the Primordial Essence and even Heaven-Earth Power had already reached the level and standard of a field, but his comprehension of concepts was not deep enough to externalize Heaven and Earth, hence it only extended three feet.
There were also such powerful individuals on the Gale Wind Rankings.
For example, the twenty-fourth-ranked individual cultivated the Yin-Yang Concept but had not mastered the Yin-Yang Domain. Like Chen Mu, he relied on his pinnacle techniques to ensure that his abilities met the standards of a field.
It could be said that in terms of technique, the sixth layer of the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal, combined with the third layer of Traceless Falling Petals, represented the pinnacle beneath the Martial Domain. It was impossible to go any higher unless one's concept advanced further, allowing for the mastery of a complete field.
Pinnacle techniques, combined with Primordial Essence power comparable to a third-tier Grandmaster, made Chen Mu much stronger than he was when he returned to Yu County. If he faced someone like Situ Shu again, he could defeat them with a mere snap of his fingers!
Even against strong Grandmasters like Fu Jingyuan and Feng Hongsheng, Chen Mu could engage in a head-on battle.
In the vast eleven states of Cold North, the only ones surpassing Chen Mu were the few top-notch Grandmasters like Qin Mengjun and the Blood Transformation Realm cultivators who had reached the summit of Body Tempering.
Six Organs Scripture (99%)
Experience: 0 points
"It's almost time."
Chen Mu summoned the system panel and stared at the numbers, a slight hint of anticipation finally appearing in his calm eyes. He, too, was curious about the level of strength he would attain after reaching the limits of the Six Organs Scripture, undergoing the qualitative transformation of Bone Marrow Washing, and cultivating the Martial Body.
...
At the same time, in a certain location within Frostnorth County Hall.
A simply dressed figure emerged from the county hall and quietly headed towards the distance.
He looked ordinary, with a plain face, a yellow-skinned man with some surging blood energy, resembling a martial artist. However, his cultivation was not high, likely only at the level of skin and flesh tempering. The only unusual thing about him was his apparent stiffness; his eyes seemed a bit bright, but his face was expressionless, like a mask.
The yellow-skinned man didn't alert anyone as he quietly made his way out of the inner city and reached the gate of Frostnorth County.
With strict control over entry and exit, the gate of Frostnorth County was closed, but the yellow-skinned man remained calm. He quietly found a secluded spot and, as the patrolling soldiers turned their backs, his figure flickered, and he effortlessly crossed over the ten-zhuang-high wall!
Although the walls of Frostnorth County were not exceptionally tall, ten zhuang was still beyond the reach of most people. Even martial artists at the Sinew Transformation or Bone Forging stages couldn't leap that high and would need to climb the wall for support. Yet, the yellow-skinned man's agility starkly contrasted with his weak aura.
Soon, after leaving the county hall, the yellow-skinned man headed north across the vast frosty plains, eventually reaching a secluded valley filled with deep ravines. There, his aura suddenly changed.
The seemingly ordinary aura erupted with a surge of fierce demon energy, as if a powerful demon was hidden beneath a human skin.
This was a seventh-rank Demon Venerable from the Celestial Demon Sect, 'Thousand-Face Demon Sovereign' Sang Hui, who could conceal his aura to the point of appearing like a regular person. He had even infiltrated the county hall of Frostnorth County and conducted investigations without being detected, a feat undoubtedly unique in Frost Province.
"Xian Yu Chen, Li Si Mo."
"I've mostly understood the situation in Frostnorth County. How's your investigation going?"
After revealing his true aura, Sang Hui took a few steps forward and spoke calmly into the secluded valley.
(End of Chapter)
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