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Chapter 291: Approaching
Chapter 291: Approaching
Above the Snow Cliff.
A demonic shadow appeared silently, and it was none other than the White Feather Demon Sovereign, Xian Yu Chen.
"Old Demon Li hasn't returned yet."
Xian Yu Chen stood on a snow-covered rock, his white feathers blending seamlessly with the frosty surroundings. At that moment, a white demon bird perched on his shoulder, and as he spoke, he didn't look down at Sang Hui below but instead gazed gently at the white demon bird on his shoulder, gently stroking its feathers.
Sang Hui looked up at Xian Yu Chen with an indifferent gaze, not uttering a word.
After stroking the bird, Xian Yu Chen finally turned his attention to Sang Hui, and with a smile, he said, "Brother Sang, there's no need to be anxious. I've already scouted and confirmed that Shi Zhenyong is not in Frost Province at the moment, and Feng Hongsheng is stationed at the Prefectural Mansion. Even with the abilities of a Grandmaster, it would take at least several hours to travel from the Prefectural Mansion to here. We have plenty of time, so there's no need to rush."
Sang Hui spoke casually, "I'm never in a hurry. It's you who should be anxious. Half a month ago, it was you who took the initiative to approach me and Old Demon Li. Now, after waiting for so long, we finally have the opportunity with two of the Seven Profound Sect Grandmasters not in Frost Province, one of them stationed at the Prefectural Mansion. If we delay any longer, we might lose this chance."
In Frost Province.
Among the three Demon Sovereigns, Shi Zhenyong and Feng Hongsheng were the only ones they feared.
With their strength, Shi Zhenyong and Feng Hongsheng were considered extremely powerful even among Grandmasters. If they were to confront them head-on, they might not even have a high chance of escaping. Therefore, without knowing the whereabouts of these two Grandmasters, they wouldn't take any unnecessary risks.
Currently, they were retreating in Frost Province, showing weakness to the enemy, and the Seven Profound Sect had become somewhat negligent. They only stationed Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan to guard the northernmost Cold North County in Frost Province. Moreover, Shi Zhenyong had left Frost Province for some reason, leaving Feng Hongsheng as the only Grandmaster in the province, stationed at the Prefectural Mansion. This was the perfect opportunity for them to strike back.
They had multiple targets.
Frost East County, Frost West County, and Frost North County... Among these three counties, the guardian of Frost East County was the 8th-ranked Grand Protector of the Gale Wind Rankings, Tan Xiwu, from the Ice Absolute Palace. The guardian of Frost West County was the Grand Protector of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Feng Jue. And in Frost North County, there were Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan from the Seven Profound Sect.
After the three Demon Sovereigns, Sang Hui, Xian Yu Chen, and Li Si Mo, gathered and discussed, they surprisingly reached a unanimous decision—Frost North County, and Chen Mu from the Seven Profound Sect!
Tan Xiwu was ranked 8th on the Gale Wind Rankings and was also the Grand Protector of the Ice Absolute Palace. With the advantage of heaven and earth in the Ice State, he was the most formidable opponent. Even if the three of them joined forces, they still didn't have a hundred percent certainty of defeating Tan Xiwu.
Feng Jue, the Grand Protector of the Heavenly Sword Sect...
In terms of strength, he seemed to be the weakest among the three counties, but the problem was his background in the Heavenly Sword Sect. Currently, the Heavenly Sword Sect's actions in the Ice State were primarily focused on the Heavenly Corpse Sect. If they were to target Feng Jue, the Heavenly Sword Sect might become enraged and bring their entire sect of sword-wielding Grandmasters into the Ice State.
This was a situation they wanted to avoid at all costs.
As for the Cold North County Prefecture, Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan were stationed together. Although the two of them combined were not much easier to deal with than Tan Xiwu, they were still two individuals, and there were ways to separate them temporarily.
Of course, this was just one key factor. Another crucial aspect was that compared to the other Grandmasters, Chen Mu was too young. He was only thirty years old, a top-notch expert at the Six Viscera Realm, and he had cultivated the Heaven-Earth Concept, making him extraordinary.
For them.
The younger the martial artist they devoured, the more vigorous their blood, and the stronger their power, the more effective the tempering of their demonic bodies would be. Even if it was a Grandmaster over a hundred years old, with greater strength than Chen Mu, due to their advanced age, the essence stored in their blood would be diminished, still falling short of Chen Mu.
"Haha, I'm not in a hurry either. As long as Chen Mu is in Frost Province, the opportunity is always there. Even if we can't deal with him, handling a few Six Viscera Realm guardians from the Seven Profound Sect would still be a satisfying feast."
Xian Yu Chen laughed heartily.
But as his words fell, he seemed to sense a certain aura, and his gaze shifted slightly, glancing towards a distant direction. At the same time, Sang Hui, who was below, also turned to look in that direction.
"Here he comes."
Sang Hui's eyes flickered slightly, and in his line of sight, a tall figure with overwhelming demonic energy, the Four-Armed Demon Sovereign, Li Si Mo, strode out from the depths of the snowy valley, each step shaking the mountains.
It was none other than the Three Great Demon Sovereigns of the Celestial Demon Sect, Li Si Mo, Xian Yu Chen, and Sang Hui, gathered together!
"Old Demon Li, we're planning to make our move. What do you think?"
Xian Yu Chen stretched leisurely, and as he did so, the white feathers on his body fluttered gently.
Li Si Mo approached slowly, glanced at Xian Yu Chen and Sang Hui, and spoke in a deep and muffled voice, "I want his five viscera."
"That's too much."
Xian Yu Chen replied calmly, "The heart and lungs are the essence of their tempering cultivation. Other parts are far inferior. If I give them all to you, how will we divide the rest?"
Li Si Mo snorted coldly, "You can have his six viscera."
Xian Yu Chen smiled faintly, "He has only recently broken through the Six Viscera Realm, and the level of tempering is limited. Perhaps even combined, they might not match the heart and lungs... You can take the heart at most, but you can't have them all."
After a brief silence, Li Si Mo spoke in a coarse voice, "The heart and lungs are mine. This is the only condition; otherwise, I won't go."
Dealing with Chen Mu also carried risks. Although according to their intelligence, Shi Zhenyong was not in Frost Province, and Feng Hongsheng was stationed at the Prefectural Mansion, they couldn't be certain if there were other Seven Profound Sect Grandmasters lurking in the shadows.
Hearing this, Xian Yu Chen turned to look at Sang Hui.
Sang Hui spoke casually, "I have no objections. I don't need the five viscera either. The six viscera, along with the blood, flesh, and bones, are all I need."
Xian Yu Chen stroked the white demon bird on his shoulder and said, "I'll take three of the five viscera, which is not a problem. But I need half of his essence blood."
"Agreed."
Sang Hui replied indifferently.
After this exchange, the three of them glanced at each other and then silently disappeared into the snowy valley without further discussion.
...
Cold North County.
Inside the Inner City Prefecture, in a secluded courtyard.
Chen Mu sat in loose-fitting clothes in front of a stone platform, on which a set of jade tea utensils were placed. A maid was carefully brewing tea beside him.
"So, Brother Chu has returned to the Seven Profound Sect."
Chen Mu lifted the teacup, took a sip, and said to the person sitting across from him, "That's right. The sect is currently at its most stable, and Brother Chu is making his final attempt to break through the Inner Gate. He must be adjusting his condition to its peak."
"I hope that Senior Brother Chu will be able to complete his mission successfully this time."
Chen Mu looked at the tea in his cup, and within it, he saw a reflection of a simple yet handsome face. He spoke with a hint of admiration in his tone.
Time passed, and seasons changed.
Chu Jingsu was also approaching the final deadline for breaking through the Profound Pass. At his age, nearly fifty years old, if he couldn't succeed this time, his vitality and energy would gradually decline, and he would never have another chance.
Among the fellow disciples on Spirit Profound Peak, Zhao Zhenchuan had the shallowest relationship with Chu Jingsu, while Chu Jingsu was a bit closer, and Meng Danyun was the closest, as they had known each other since Yu County. However, regardless of their closeness, they all wished for his success.
"Senior Brother Chu said that he would definitely break through within a year, and his confidence is still high this time."
Meng Danyun took a sip of her tea and said, "Little Brother Chen, what do you think are Senior Brother Chu's chances of breaking through this time?"
Chen Mu pondered for a moment and replied, "About thirty percent."
He had previously experienced Chu Jingsu's current state a few times. His Body Tempering cultivation was solid, his understanding of the concept had already reached the limit of the second step, and his martial will should be sufficient. Moreover, he had attempted to break through several times before, and although he hadn't succeeded, he had gained some experience. Thus, there was still a thirty percent chance.
"Clerk Chen still has high hopes for Defender Chen."
Just as Chen Mu finished speaking, a mature female voice echoed into the courtyard.
Chen Mu and Meng Danyun looked over and saw a figure walking in from the outer courtyard. It was none other than the main peak defender, Mu Ran Yan.
"Why is Defender Mu here?"
Chen Mu smiled and stood up.
Although Mu Ran Yan and he were both stationed in Frost Northern County, they actually had very little interaction.
Meng Danyun also stood up and bowed slightly towards Mu Ran Yan. Mu Ran Yan, whether in terms of her status as a defender in the Seven Mysteries Sect, her martial cultivation, or her age, was a senior to Meng Danyun, so she naturally didn't dare to be negligent.
Mu Ran Yan looked at Chen Mu and spoke in a gentle tone, "I've been free recently, and I've encountered some difficulties in my martial arts. I've come to seek advice from Defender Chen."
Upon hearing this, Chen Mu couldn't help but smile and say, "Defender Mu, you flatter me. Your martial arts have already reached the realm of the domain, and you've achieved greatness. How many people in the world today can be worthy of seeking advice from Defender Mu?"
Mu Ran Yan smiled and said, "Although we are from different peaks, we are still fellow disciples. I'm just a few years older, so you can call me Senior Sister directly. In martial arts, the enlightened come first. Although I've made progress in the Heavenly Sky Domain, my cultivation in the Earthly Firmament Intention has only just begun."
Upon hearing Mu Ran Yan's words, Chen Mu nodded slightly, understanding her intention.
For someone like Mu Ran Yan, who no longer had the opportunity to break through the Profound Pass, if she wanted to further improve her strength, she could only continue to comprehend the domain. Since she had already cultivated the Heavenly Sky Domain, the next step was naturally to try to comprehend the Earthly Firmament.
However, this approach of first entering the path through the Heavenly Sky and then cultivating the Earthly Firmament would be affected to some extent. It was different from Chen Mu's situation, where he cultivated both aspects simultaneously. Mu Ran Yan was clearly facing obstacles in her cultivation of the Earthly Firmament and wanted to discuss it with him.
"I'm not worthy of your teachings, but I do have some insights regarding the Heavenly Sky Domain, which I'd like to share with Senior Sister Mu."
Chen Mu spoke to Mu Ran Yan.
Mu Ran Yan's comprehension of the Heavenly Sky Domain and her achievement in the concept were not far behind Qin Mengjun. For Chen Mu at his current level, it was indeed a higher realm, and in terms of strength, they could indeed learn from each other.
"Very well."
Mu Ran Yan nodded slightly and then proceeded to share some of her doubts regarding the Earthly Firmament.
Although Chen Mu had not mastered the Heaven-Earth Realm, his cultivation and understanding of the Earthly Firmament were much higher than Mu Ran Yan's. Mu Ran Yan's cultivation of the Earthly Firmament concept was something she had only recently started, barely reaching the second step, which was far less profound than her understanding of the Heavenly Sky. As a result, she was unable to combine them into a complete Heaven-Earth Concept.
After listening to Chen Mu's explanation, Mu Ran Yan sometimes knitted her brows, sometimes appeared deep in thought, and sometimes had moments of enlightenment.
In terms of the 'vertical' level of the concept, Mu Ran Yan, as a master of the domain, was naturally at a higher level. However, if it was a 'horizontal' comparison, Chen Mu, who had cultivated the complete Heaven-Earth Concept, was even further ahead. Chen Mu's understanding of the many aspects of the Heaven-Earth Realm, whether it was the cultivation of a single concept or half of the Heavenly Sky Concept, was beyond Mu Ran Yan's knowledge.
The two of them discussed and verified martial arts in the courtyard, and eventually, they began to spar, using the actual operation of the Heavenly Sky and the rotation of Heaven and Earth to mutually understand their insights. However, their sparring was limited to finger and palm strikes, and there was hardly any noise coming from the courtyard.
Meng Danyun couldn't join in the conversation with Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan.
Her realm was far below that of Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan, but as she listened to their discussion about martial arts, she had many moments of enlightenment, especially when she watched Chen Mu and Mu Ran Yan standing on opposite sides, their fingers and palms connecting, and the faint interaction between the Heavenly Sky and Heaven-Earth Concepts. She observed every detail with intense focus.
The mutual verification of the Heavenly Sky Domain and the Heaven-Earth Concept was a rare sight even in the entire Cold Northern Path.
Not long after.
Mu Ran Yan retracted her aura and said with emotion, "Little Brother Chen, you are indeed worthy of being the number one genius of the Cold Northern Path in this generation. At your age, you've cultivated your skills to such a high level. When I was your age, I was far from reaching half of your level."
Chen Mu's expression remained calm as he retracted his fingers and said, "These are just some minor tricks, not worth mentioning. Senior Sister Mu's Heavenly Sky Domain is truly the work of a master. I am still far from reaching the realm of the domain."
Mu Ran Yan shook her head and said, "The difficulty of comprehending the Heaven-Earth Realm is far greater than that of the Heavenly Sky. However, with your level of comprehension, I believe it's only a matter of time before you understand the Heaven-Earth Realm. Even now, if I were to spar with you, I would most likely lose to you."
Chen Mu's gaze was calm, and he was about to say something when his eyes suddenly flickered.
He flipped his hand, and a chess piece appeared in his palm—the formation disk's chess piece. The chess piece turned a deep red, and a faint, dim blood-colored silk thread pointed towards a distant direction.
At the same time.
Mu Ran Yan made almost the exact same movement, and a similar chess piece appeared in her hand.
This situation was familiar to everyone, including Meng Danyun. They all held the formation disk's chess pieces, and someone had activated the chess piece's distress signal, sending a message.
"I'll go."
Mu Ran Yan glanced at Chen Mu and immediately spoke up. Before her words had even landed, she had already disappeared from sight.
Chen Mu raised his right hand, about to say that he would go since his speed was faster, but Mu Ran Yan had already displayed the Heavenly Sky Domain and directly flew away. So, he shook his head and lowered his hand.
(End of Chapter)
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