Chapter 312: The Return
Chapter 312: The Return
Three days later.
Though the land remained desolate, with endless stretches of Gobi Desert, the biting cold had gradually subsided. The howling winds that swept across the region no longer carried a chilling bite, but they had transformed into a gentle breeze that no longer felt like blades slicing across one's face.
"We're finally here."
Xia Hou Yan walked at the front of the convoy, gazing into the distance with a sigh of relief.
They had now entered the borders of Sha Prefecture.
A short distance ahead lay the true Gobi Desert, followed by a landscape eroded by wind and sand. This was the border region where military camps were stationed, and scouts frequently patrolled the area, keeping a vigilant eye along the frontier.
In the distance, one could vaguely make out a hazy stretch of the Gobi Desert at the edge of their vision. There, a rugged, eroded mountain range stood, though it seemed distant, almost like a mirage.
At the rear.
Near the carriage.
Chen Mu was walking leisurely, surrounded by a group of ten to twelve-year-old girls on nearby carriages. They huddled together, their big eyes blinking as they listened to his storytelling.
"And so, Sun Wukong kicked the Eight Trigrams Furnace of the Great Supreme Elder, shattering it with a single blow. He then smashed through the palace gates of the Douzai Palace in the Thirty-Three Heavens with his staff. As he advanced towards the Heavenly Mansion, the Celestial Soldiers and Generals trembled in fear, and the various gods and immortals scattered before him. He continued his rampage until he reached the Heavenly Mansion, where he shattered the palace plaque, startling the Jade Emperor so much that he fell from his throne."
As Chen Mu walked, he calmly narrated the story to the group of girls. Tales of unrequited love and unresolved grudges between humans and ghosts were not suitable for their young ears, and he, being a part of the martial world, found such stories rather uninteresting. Instead, he chose to tell them about Sun Wukong, captivating the girls with his storytelling.
After all, they had all experienced the pain of losing their families and being abducted by the outlying tribes. Hearing such a story, they secretly hoped for the existence of a mighty savior like Sun Wukong. Some of the girls tilted their heads, their eyes sparkling as they looked at Chen Mu, believing him to be their very own Sun Wukong.
Though they were only ten years old, they were poor children who had already faced the harsh realities of life. They knew all too well the fate that awaited them if they were taken beyond the border by the outlying tribes. Now, being escorted back and listening to Chen Mu's stories, they felt a glimmer of hope amidst their despair.
Xia Hou Yan watched Chen Mu at the rear, captivating the group of ten-year-old girls with his storytelling, and he couldn't help but shake his head in amazement. Sometimes, he found it difficult to discern the true nature of his junior brother.
In the city of Sha Prefecture, Chen Mu had slain demons without batting an eye. He ventured alone into the perilous sandstorm-ridden lands of Han County without fear. In Cold Province, he had single-handedly massacred over a thousand members of the outlying tribes, earning him a reputation akin to a god of slaughter. Yet, here he was, engaging with ten-year-old girls with ease and amiability, devoid of any grandmaster's aura.
"Junior Brother Chen."
After a moment of silent reflection, Xia Hou Yan spoke up.
Chen Mu, unhurried, finished the last part of the story before walking towards Xia Hou Yan.
At that moment.
In the distance, on the Gobi Desert, a figure appeared with rapid strides, each step covering dozens of zhang. In no time, he had reached the front of Xia Hou Yan and Chen Mu's group.
"Elder Wu."
Xia Hou Yan greeted the newcomer with a bow.
The newcomer appeared slender, with black hair and beard, looking to be in his forties or fifties. He was younger than Xia Hou Yan but, in reality, was older, being one of the peak masters of the Seven Mysteries Sect, Wu Changxi.
Compared to Feng Hongsheng and Shi Zhenyong, Wu Changxi's strength was slightly inferior. According to Chen Mu's knowledge, although Wu Changxi had already perfected his martial body cultivation, he had yet to step into the realm of the domain, placing him just a small step below the others. Currently, he was in charge of the border region of Sha Prefecture.
"Elder Wu."
Chen Mu also bowed to Wu Changxi.
Wu Changxi merely nodded in response to Xia Hou Yan's bow but smiled at Chen Mu's greeting, saying, "Protector Chen, there's no need for such formality. I and Qin Mengjun are from the same sect, so you can call me Uncle Disciple as well. However, with your peerless talent, ranking among the top three on the Grand Master Rankings, even this old man here is no match for you."
He and Qin Mengjun were both direct disciples of the Supreme Elder, Yin Heng, from the Seven Mysteries Sect. However, Wu Changxi was older and Qin Mengjun's senior brother, but his strength paled in comparison to the younger Qin Mengjun.
His inability to comprehend the realm of the domain limited his strength, placing him slightly above the top ten on the Grand Master Rankings. He was no match for those who had previously ranked in the top three, and the same was true when facing Chen Mu.
"Uncle Disciple Wu."
Chen Mu calmly switched to the new form of address and said, "Uncle Wu, I've been unable to visit you at the sect gate since you've been away. This time, I'm finally able to free up my hands, and I have important intelligence that requires a trip back to the sect. Unfortunately, I won't have the leisure to chat with you, Uncle Wu."
They were already within the borders of Sha Prefecture, and with Elder Wu personally coming to meet them, there was virtually no issue. Chen Mu also had crucial information from Bonebreaker Marquis regarding the Celestial Demon Sect and the Heavenly Corpse Sect, which needed to be reported back to the Seven Mysteries Sect.
This intelligence was of significant importance and might determine the sect's next move, making it unsuitable for transmission by scouts.
"Of course, of course, Nephew Chen, you may go ahead. I returned to the Sect not long ago, but I didn't get to see Senior Sister Qin. She seems to have entered seclusion, so if you see her, please pass on my regards."
Wu Changxi said with a hearty laugh.
Chen Mu nodded slightly, then glanced at Xiahou Yan. After a brief moment of eye contact, he turned and disappeared from sight, becoming a tiny black dot on the horizon.
The young girls on the nearby carts, who had been eagerly watching Chen Mu's back, saw his figure gradually fade away. For a moment, the light in their eyes dimmed, but some still held a determined glint, hoping that one day they too would have the opportunity to cultivate martial arts and repay Chen Mu in the future.
Wu Changxi stared at Chen Mu's departing figure until it completely disappeared from view. Only then did he turn to face Xiahou Yan and ask, "Governor Xiahou, it seems your return journey was safe and sound?"
"Hmm..."
Xiahou Yan responded with a slight hesitation, as if organizing his thoughts.
The news of Marquis Bone's death was indeed not suitable for widespread proclamation, but Wu Changxi, as the Peak Lord of the Sha Prefecture's border defense, naturally needed to be informed.
After a brief pause, Xiahou Yan approached and briefly narrated the events: how they were pursued by Marquis Umon, the Bone Marquis, during their journey; how Chen Mu engaged him in battle; and how Chen Mu ultimately defeated and killed the Bone Marquis.
Upon hearing this, Wu Changxi was momentarily stunned.
In the 16th year of the 9th month, the truth was revealed!
Wu Changxi was indeed astonished.
"Marquis Bone, that fellow..."
He was quite familiar with Marquis Bone and knew that the man's strength surpassed his own, comparable to that of Feng Hongsheng and Shi Zhenyong. In terms of ranking, they were all within the top three of the Gale Rankings.
Unexpectedly, after a battle with Chen Mu, not only did Marquis Bone lose to Chen Mu, but he also failed to escape and died at Chen Mu's hands. This was indeed a shocking outcome for Marquis Bone.
If defeating Marquis Bone was enough to secure a top-three position in the Gale Rankings, then killing him single-handedly would likely propel Chen Mu to the top of the rankings, surpassing even the Freedom Wandering Immortal, Hua Yunsheng.
It seems that Chen Mu's ascension to the top of the Gale Rankings is only a matter of time.
With Chen Mu's astonishing talent, even if he doesn't reach the Grandmaster realm, still holds a high probability of comprehending the Heaven and Earth Domain. Once he masters this domain, the top spot in the Gale Rankings will undoubtedly be his, surpassing even Hua Yunsheng and others.
Unbelievably, even without mastering the Heaven and Earth Domain, Chen Mu already possesses such strength. He is indeed a peerless genius among those who cultivate the Heaven and Earth Path. If he truly comprehends the Heaven and Earth Domain in the future, he may even rival his Senior Sister Qin, as well as those top Grandmasters of the Northern Path like Qin Mengjun and Jiang Changsheng.
It's truly awe-inspiring to think about it.
Many at Chen Mu's age haven't even made it to the bottom of the Gale Rankings. Take the Left Qianqiu of the Heavenly Sword Sect, for instance, who is still struggling to climb the rankings. It may take him another year or two to reach the bottom of the list, while Chen Mu already possesses the ability to vie for the top, and his future prospects are almost on par with the top Grandmasters.
The number of those who can be called top Grandmasters in the entire Northern Path is very limited, even fewer than the number of Blood Exchange Realm cultivators. These are the individuals who can make it onto the Grand Master Rankings of the entire Nine States.
"A peerless talent."
Wu Changxi marveled in his heart.
It was his niece, Meng Danyun, who brought Chen Mu from the Jade Prefecture to the Seven Mystical Sect, allowing Chen Mu to showcase his extraordinary talent. Otherwise, if he had stayed in the Jade Prefecture for a few more years, the situation might have been very different.
Furthermore, if Chen Mu hadn't joined the Seven Mystical Sect, other sects like the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Heavenly Seal Sect would have likely welcomed Chen Mu with open arms. If such a peerless genius had joined another sect, the Seven Mystical Sect would have felt a sense of decline.
The main reason is that several years ago, the most promising cultivator to cross the life-and-death threshold and achieve Blood Exchange, Qin Mengjun, suffered an ambush, resulting in a failed breakthrough. Since then, the Seven Mystical Sect has not had anyone successfully reach the Blood Exchange Realm for many years.
After all, Elder Yin Heng is already old.
Aside from Yin Heng, the Seven Mystical Sect has another Blood Exchange Realm Elder, but that person is already over two hundred years old, and there has been no news of them for the past twenty years. Many believe that they have reached the end of their lifespan.
Wu Changxi also held this belief, but currently, aside from Yin Heng, no one in the sect knows if that ancient Elder is still alive. The probability is indeed quite low, as they are already two hundred and forty-seven years old this year. Although Blood Exchange Realm cultivators can easily live past two hundred, the lifespan beyond that is limited.
Unless they use demonic methods like the Celestial Demon Sect to extend their lifespan, it's challenging to live past three hundred years, even with techniques like preserving Qi and preserving the primordial essence. Most often, they pass away around two hundred and thirty to forty years old.
(End of Chapter)
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