Chapter 297: The Situation
Chapter 297: The Situation
Jade Province.
In a certain forest, a mountain camp was nestled amidst the trees.
An intense battle raged within the camp, with over a hundred imperial troops clashing against a group of disheveled bandits. Their shouts and the clamor of combat echoed through the forest.
The troops, clad in uniform armor and wielding fine steel blades, were all muscular warriors in the Muscular Body Realm. However, the bandits were equally fierce, daring to engage the elite troops in a bloody battle without retreat. Blood splattered from time to time.
At the very center of the battlefield stood the bandit leader, a broad-bladed longsword in hand, facing off against a woman in the flying fish robe of the Inspection Bureau. With each clash of their blades, ripples of air spread, and the force of their combat kept everyone within several paces at bay, too afraid to approach.
The woman's swordplay was exquisite, her technique and strength both impeccable. She was at least at the Bone Forging Mastery level, and she appeared to be only around twenty years old. Despite her youth, she maintained the upper hand in the duel with the bandit leader.
"Damn, where did such a formidable woman come from?" the bandit leader grumbled, his face contorted in frustration. He was entangled in the woman's sword aura, with no escape unless he abandoned his arms. But he refused to do so.
He desperately hoped that the second-in-command would quickly finish off his opponent and come to his aid. But after a few exchanges, a scream pierced the air. The second-in-command, not far away, had his neck slashed, blood spraying in all directions, and it was clear he wouldn't survive.
The bandit leader's mind went blank.
The woman seized the opportunity, her eyes flashing with sharpness. She unleashed three rapid strikes, forcing her opponent into a panic. With the final blow, she pierced through his defense and sliced through his throat!
"Ugh..." The bandit leader's eyes widened, his hand clutching his throat as he fell backward, his expression one of bitter resentment.
The woman took a slight breath, then stepped forward and beheaded the bandit leader with a single stroke, holding his head aloft in her hand. Her voice rang out across the camp:
"The bandit leader is dead! Those who resist will be shown no mercy!"
The surrounding bandits saw their leader's head held high by the woman's single arm, and their hearts trembled. In an instant, the entire camp lost its fighting spirit. Some fled, while others surrendered. Within a short time, the battle was completely quelled.
As the internal strife in the camp subsided, over a hundred bandits were either killed or captured. The woman who had slain the bandit leader finally nodded in satisfaction and sheathed her translucent beryl sword.
She was none other than Chen Yue.
Ever since Chen Mu had left the prefectural government, Chen Yue had not slackened in her martial cultivation. She had joined the Inspection Bureau as the deputy prefectural inspector, tasked with eradicating banditry in Jade Province. This group of bandits was the most formidable she had encountered in the past month, but she had successfully eliminated them.
As her troops began to clean up the battlefield and search the camp, Chen Yue stepped out and looked down at the forest ahead. Her gaze drifted towards the direction of Ice Province.
She wondered how her brother was faring in Ice Province.
Since Chen Mu had gone there, no news had reached her.
If she had reached the Organ Realms, she might have gone to Ice Province to see if she could assist Chen Mu. But currently, she had only attained the Bone Forging Realm. Although her strength could rival many inner disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect, it still fell short compared to the Organ Realms. Therefore, she continued to train in Jade Province, honing herself in the hope of soon entering the Organ Realms.
However, as Chen Yue's thoughts wandered, a scout on horseback suddenly appeared in the distance, riding swiftly towards the camp. He dismounted and rushed to Chen Yue, presenting her with a letter and bowing respectfully:
"Deputy Prefectural Inspector, I have intelligence for you."
Chen Yue calmly extended her hand and took the letter, tearing it open. She glanced at it, her eyes widening slightly, and then a hint of joy appeared on her face. "I knew it..."
She knew she need not worry about Chen Mu's safety. He was, after all, her most admired brother.
With his own strength,
he had slain three Demon Sovereigns of the Celestial Demon Sect.
Such prowess would likely earn him a place even among Bone Marrow Washing Grandmasters.
...
Meanwhile, at the Chen Estate.
Xu Hongyu had also received intelligence, but she had received more than Chen Yue. Not only did she learn about Chen Mu slaying the three Demon Sovereigns, but she also heard about the Horizon Pavilion's reordering of the Gale Wind Rankings.
Initially, she was delighted to receive news of Chen Mu, but then she became thoughtful upon reading the subsequent information.
"This Horizon Pavilion, they have ill intentions."
Xu Hongyu shook her head slightly.
If the previous intelligence was accurate, Chen Mu's strength, having slain the three Demon Sovereigns of the Celestial Demon Sect single-handedly, would indeed place him among the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings. But now, with the cooperation between the Seven Mysteries Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect in Ice Province to deal with the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Horizon Pavilion's reordering of the rankings seemed to be a deliberate attempt to push Chen Mu down to third place and demote Lin Han, the 'Heartless Sword,' to fourth. She felt their intentions were not benign.
Lin Han had been ranked third on the Gale Wind Rankings for many years, but now, he had been surpassed by Chen Mu, a young up-and-comer. It was hard to predict how Lin Han would react, especially if he felt displeased and sought a confrontation with Chen Mu. Regardless of the outcome, it might affect the relationship between the Seven Mysteries Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Moreover...
After this incident, Chen Mu would undoubtedly attract significant attention in Ice Province, and the troubles he would face in the future would only increase.
"Just relax, he'll surely handle everything well."
Xiao He, by Xu Hongyu's side, spoke with reassurance.
In the past, when Chen Mu was in the perilous outer city of Yu County, even before reaching the Muscle Transformation realm, he had handled himself with ease and composure. Now, as a master of the Six Viscera Realm and ranked within the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings, he was a renowned figure in Cold North. Xiao He believed that Chen Mu could handle any challenge.
It had only been a decade since Chen Mu, a mere constable in Yu City, had risen to become one of the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings. His strength was now among the best in the Cold Northern Path, making him a top figure in Jade Province.
As she thought about Chen Mu's dedication to her, she couldn't help but feel a surge of longing.
"Mhm."
Xu Hongyu nodded lightly and said, "In the next few days, the various families in the prefecture will probably come to offer their congratulations."
Regardless of Chen Mu's current situation, she couldn't be of much help. All she could do was take care of matters at home and not neglect her cultivation, striving to temper her five internal organs and enter the Six Viscera Realm as soon as possible.
Currently, Chen Mu had mastered the Three-Foot Forbidden Domain, and his martial arts had reached the pinnacle of the Six Viscera Realm. It would be challenging for him to make further progress in the short term. If she could advance to the Six Viscera Realm on her own, she would have some strength to support Chen Mu.
Ice Province.
Ice Prefecture.
This was the central prefecture of Ice Province and the location of the prefecture government. As far as the eye could see, there was an endless expanse of ice plains. Almost half of Ice Prefecture was situated atop an extremely thick layer of ice, beneath which lay a vast inner lake connected to the outer sea through underground rivers. The resources here were abundant, but ordinary people found it difficult to acquire them.
The mountain gate of Ice Absolute Palace was located in the center of the ice plains, but instead of a frozen landscape, it revealed a fiery mountain range to the naked eye, with the air carrying a smoldering heat. Here, ice and fire coexisted, creating a unique and wondrous natural spectacle. This area was even covered by vegetation, and many commoners lived here. It was not only the mountain gate of Ice Absolute Palace but also the seat of the prefecture government.
On the vast ice plains, the main forces of the Ice Prefecture guards were stationed on one side, while on the other side were the outlying tribes, both sides facing off against each other. Conflicts had been ongoing for months... Usually, the outlying tribes would raid and leave, but this time, they were attempting to join forces with the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect to break through Ice Absolute Palace and seize control of Ice Province.
However, Ice Absolute Palace's dominance over Ice Province was not to be underestimated. The Ice Prefecture guards were also top-notch elite soldiers, making it challenging to breach the prefecture. Both sides had been entangled in conflicts for a long time, and Ice Absolute Palace's Supreme Elders of the Blood Transformation Realm had taken action, but the outlying tribes also had Blood Transformation Realm experts. Now, with both sides stalemated, most of their combat power was locked in this confrontation.
"Chen Mu is indeed extraordinary."
Inside the main hall of Ice Absolute Palace's mountain gate, the palace master, Han Liao, listened to a guardian's report and briefly fell silent before shaking her head. Han Cang, the true successor and leader of the same generation as Chen Mu, had also entered the Six Viscera Realm, but it was uncertain how many years it would take for him to climb the Gale Wind Rankings, let alone catch up to Chen Mu.
Since Cloud Mist Heavenly Peak, the gap between the younger generation and Chen Mu had only widened.
However, Chen Mu's mastery of the Three-Foot Forbidden Domain had essentially pushed his martial arts to the limit of the current realm. From now on, he could either cultivate a Martial Body or develop a domain; otherwise, further progress would be challenging. The younger generation could slowly catch up.
In a 619 book, a bar, a look, a mistake, a version!
To achieve such feats at his age, single-handedly defeating three Demon Sovereigns of the Celestial Demon Sect and ranking within the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings, was not an easy feat. For many, the difficulty of breaking into the top three on the Gale Wind Rankings was even greater than becoming a Grandmaster.
"Attracting the attention of the Celestial Demon Sect is a good thing no matter what."
Han Ming, the Grand Guardian of Ice Absolute Palace, spoke softly from the side. He was also a high-ranking expert on the Gale Wind Rankings. After Chen Mu slew Si Tu Shu with the Frost Soul Blade, Han Ming had assessed his strength. Even if he faced Chen Mu and was defeated, he believed he would still have a chance to retreat.
As news of Chen Mu's slaying of the three great Demon Sovereigns spread, Zhou Hao was acutely aware of the qualitative gap that had formed between them.
"Hmm."
Han Li slightly nodded.
With the combined forces of the Outlying Tribes, the Celestial Demon Sect, and the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Ice Absolute Palace could only defend their mountain gate, relying on the mountain array's power to resist. However, the longer they dragged it out, the more unfavorable the situation would become. After all, their resources were limited, and while the Sixth Internal Organs Realm and Bone Marrow Washing Realm disciples could survive without food or water, absorbing the Heavenly Primordial Energy, the lower-level disciples couldn't do the same.
If not for the fact that the Heavenly Sword Sect had been targeting the Heavenly Corpse Sect, and their Sword Dao Grandmasters, including Jiang Changsheng, had even approached the battlefield near the Prefecture Government, putting pressure on the Outlying Tribes and the Celestial Demon Sect, the Ice Absolute Palace's situation would be even more dire.
And now, the Seven Mysteries Sect had entered Frost Prefecture, sweeping away numerous Celestial Demon Sect and Heavenly Corpse Sect strongholds in the region. Chen Mu, the once-in-a-century Heavenly Pride of the Cold Northern Path, further stunned everyone by slaying the three Demon Sovereigns. This significantly eased the pressure on the Ice Absolute Palace.
As for Chen Mu's astonishing talent, which made his future potential immeasurable, the Ice Absolute Palace had no time to worry about such matters. They even hoped that the more remarkable Chen Mu became, the better. They wished he would comprehend the Domain tomorrow and achieve the Grandmaster Realm the day after, defeating the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect like a falling flower in a flowing stream. Even if another 'Founding Emperor' were to emerge, causing the world to bow in submission, it would still be better than having their mountain gate overrun by the Outlying Tribes.
Of course, everyone knew this was just a pipe dream.
At the very least, in this battle, no matter how monstrous Chen Mu was, he couldn't possibly influence the overall situation alone.
"The Outlying Tribes have joined forces with the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect, determined to wage a fierce battle against us. Now that the Seven Mysteries Sect has lifted Frost Prefecture's troubles, if we can transport the Prefecture's resources to the Prefecture Government and continue the fight, they might not gain the upper hand even after a year or two. Unless something unexpected happens, it's likely we'll have to retreat in a few days."
Han Ming stroked his long beard.
The Outlying Tribes never made a move without a clear advantage. If they couldn't gain any benefits, they would likely retreat. Once they withdrew, the remaining Celestial Demon Sect and Heavenly Corpse Sect would no longer be a concern, and the Ice Absolute Palace would have nothing to fear.
However, they still needed to observe the situation in Frost Prefecture. Even though the overall situation had been decided, gathering and transporting resources wouldn't be easy, given the thousands of miles separating Frost Prefecture and the Ice Prefecture Government. The Outlying Tribes, the Celestial Demon Sect, and the Heavenly Corpse Sect wouldn't just sit idly by.
"This matter requires careful consideration. The Prefecture Government's resources aren't in immediate danger yet."
Han Li spoke in a deep voice.
The group quickly set aside the topic of Chen Mu and continued discussing the current situation in the Ice Prefecture.
...
Frost Prefecture.
Chen Mu, unaware of the turmoil caused by his slaying of the three Demon Sovereigns, had quietly left the Cold Northern County Government after concluding the matter. He did so without anyone's knowledge, seeking a safe place to seclude himself. Now, he was just one step away from the Bone Marrow Washing Gateway!
Bone Marrow Washing!
With this step, he would enter the world of the higher Martial Realms, just one step away from Blood Transformation.
Given his terrifying foundation and profound cultivation, once he broke through to the Bone Marrow Washing Realm, his strength would undergo another qualitative change. Whether facing the Ice Prefecture's turmoil or the unrest in the Eleven Cold Northern Prefectures, he would have greater confidence.
Chen Mu didn't have much trouble finding a place to seclude himself. He simply sought an uninhabited, desolate area and confirmed that no one was following him. Then, using the Earthward Escape Technique, he silently entered a snowy mountain's deep interior, carving out a space just large enough for him to stay.
He didn't stay at the Cold Northern County Government out of concern for the Celestial Demon Sect's potential retaliation after the slaying of their three Demon Sovereigns.
He didn't return to the Seven Mysteries Sect's mountain gate because Qin Meng Jun had been ambushed, making him cautious.
With his abilities, even if he secluded himself in the wilderness and ten or eight Blood Transformation Realm cultivators searched the area like a carpet, they wouldn't be able to find him deep within the mountain. After all, Blood Transformation Realm cultivators were just humans, not immortals.
[Six Internal Organs Scripture (99%)]
[Experience: 0 points]
After clearing a space within the mountain, Chen Mu sat cross-legged, summoning the System Panel and holding two Spirit Materials for cultivation, which he had asked a Spirit Profound Peak attendant to retrieve from the mountain gate.
"Let's begin."
"The final tempering of the Sixth Internal Organs Realm."
He took a deep breath and used both Spirit Materials, which quickly turned into Experience Points on the System Panel.
(End of Chapter)
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