Chapter 349: The Absolute Blade and the Heavenly Blade

Chapter 349: The Absolute Blade and the Heavenly Blade

"Peak Master."

Upon seeing Chen Mu's arrival, Zhao Zhenchuan immediately straightened his posture and bowed respectfully towards Chen Mu.

Although Chen Mu and Zhao Zhenchuan were fellow disciples from the same peak, their status had changed since Chen Mu became the Peak Master of Spirit Profound Peak. Despite still addressing each other as fellow disciples, as the guardian of Spirit Profound Peak, Zhao Zhenchuan couldn't help but show respect.

Chen Mu, however, didn't pay much attention to these trivialities. With a relaxed demeanor, he reached out and stopped Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun from bowing, saying, "Brother Zhao and Sister Meng, there's no need for such formality. How is the situation in Cold Prefecture now?"

Zhao Zhenchuan, noticing Chen Mu's change of topic, also set aside formalities and quickly replied, "There are signs of demon turmoil in various places across Cold Prefecture. Our disciples and elders have been dispatched to deal with the situation... But the turmoil isn't the main concern. The Earth Abyss seems to be opening in Cold Prefecture, and many grandmasters from various sects have already gathered at the government house. Even the Immortal Sword Jiang Changsheng and Jade Flute Guest arrived half a day ago. They are the two grandmasters that Liu Peak Master is dealing with."

As Zhao Zhenchuan mentioned this, he glanced towards the government house behind them, and his eyes revealed a hint of gravity.

More than a dozen grandmasters had gathered in one government house! Usually, unless it was at a sect's mountain gate, any grandmaster was like a mythical dragon, rarely seen and hard to encounter. Now, with such a large-scale gathering, it was hard not to feel tense.

"Immortal Sword and Jade Flute Guest..." Chen Mu's expression remained calm after hearing Zhao Zhenchuan's words.

Immortal Sword Jiang Changsheng and Jade Flute Guest Sang Danying were indeed the top grandmasters in the eleven provinces of Frost Region. They were widely regarded as the second and third best, and they were also ranked among the top grandmasters in the Great Xuan Sect.

In the past, Chen Mu might have been wary of them, but after becoming a grandmaster himself, he no longer paid much attention to anyone except for the few absolute grandmasters who stood at the pinnacle of the Great Xuan Sect.

Even more so now that he had cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain and could rival Qin Mengjun, who had entered the Blood Transformation Realm. Even those absolute grandmasters who had mastered the complete Yin-Yang and Five Phases principles no longer held his attention.

"Immortal Sword was once a formidable rival to my master. Since his youth, they had been competing, but now that my master has entered the Blood Transformation Realm, he has far surpassed him." Meng Danyun spoke softly beside him, her eyes filled with reminiscence and contemplation.

Zhao Zhenchuan's eyes flashed upon hearing this. "Indeed, he is extraordinary. In the Heaven Sword Sect, he was once an unparalleled figure. He cultivated the Heart Sword path and, after becoming a grandmaster, he studied various sword techniques, eventually creating his own unique style, the 'Immortal Sword.' He gradually rose to become one of the top grandmasters in the eleven provinces of Frost Region. Perhaps he could even challenge for the title of the number one grandmaster now."

Just as Zhao Zhenchuan finished speaking, Chen Mu hadn't responded yet, but his gaze shifted slightly towards one side of the city gate.

At that moment, a voice, distant yet close, wavered in the air.

"The number one grandmaster?"

The voice was slightly hoarse, but as it reached their ears, it gave them a chilling sensation as if a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood were right before them. Meng Danyun and Zhao Zhenchuan froze in their tracks.

Without a sound, a figure in a black robe appeared on the city gate. He walked slowly past Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun, and in a somber tone, he said, "Perhaps Jiang Changsheng is still a bit lacking."

Step, step, step...

The black-robed man's footsteps were slow, but they made Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun feel as if they couldn't move. They couldn't even turn around to look, as if any movement would invite the unstoppable power of a world-shaking blade!

To dare to speak of Jiang Changsheng in such a manner and possess such a terrifying blade intent, there was only one person in the entire Frost Region besides Heaven Blade Gongshe Yu—the 'Absolute Blade' that had dominated the Frost Region's grandmasters for nearly a century!

Speaking of Jiang Changsheng, he was a rising star compared to Tuoba Xi. There was at least a two-generation gap, and their age difference was over a hundred years.

As the number one grandmaster in the Frost Region, Tuoba Xi's name was known throughout the region. He was a fellow disciple of Gongshe Yu, and at the age of one hundred and forty-nine, he was nearing the end of his natural lifespan if he didn't enter the Blood Transformation Realm.

Despite his advanced age, his blade intent had only grown stronger. For a hundred years, he had roamed the Frost Region, and there were many rising grandmasters who had challenged him, but more than one or two had perished under his Absolute Blade.

Unexpectedly, not only Jiang Changsheng and Sang Danying, but even Tuoba Xi's Absolute Blade had arrived in Frost County.

Zhao Zhenchuan's back felt cold, and he couldn't speak a word.

However, Tuoba Xi, in his black robe, didn't deliberately release the intent of his Absolute Blade. He calmly climbed the city gate and walked along it towards the county government house. Only after passing by Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun did he glance towards Chen Mu and meet his gaze.

Chen Mu stood there with a calm and composed demeanor, his hands behind his back. He exchanged a glance with Tuoba Xi from a distance.

"..."

A faint glimmer flashed in Tuoba Xi's eyes.

Although he didn't pay attention to rankings like the Wind and Cloud Rankings, he wasn't completely isolated from the world. He had heard some news, including the rare cultivation genius of the Heaven and Earth Path in the Frost Region.

Chen Mu stood tall, with no aura visible on the surface. He appeared vague and blurry, giving off an elusive feeling that made Tuoba Xi curious. However, his curiosity didn't go beyond that, and he didn't have much interest in digging deeper.

In the eleven provinces of the Frost Region, even among the Bone Marrow Cleansing grandmasters, there were very few who could catch his attention. As for the Wind and Cloud Rankings, they were just fame among the younger generation, and he didn't care about them. Compared to that, he was more concerned about Chen Mu's master, Qin Mengjun, one of the few Blood Transformation Realm cultivators in the world.

However, even Qin Mengjun was just someone he paid attention to.

It wasn't that Tuoba Xi was so arrogant that he didn't care about Blood Transformation Realm cultivators; it was just that he should have been at that level himself.

He had roamed the eleven provinces of the Frost Region for nearly a century, and his Absolute Blade had taken the lives of countless grandmasters. His strength and the reputation of his senior brother, Gongshe Yu, as the Frost Region's Sword Saint, allowed him to act with impunity.

Thinking of this, Tuoba Xi felt a sense of desolation. He shook his head, completely losing interest in Chen Mu, and disappeared from the city gate.

After the figure of Tuoba Xi disappeared, several breaths passed before Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun felt the sharp pressure that made them break out in a cold sweat and afraid to turn around. Finally, they exhaled in relief.

Meng Danyun cautiously glanced back, but Tuoba Xi's figure was already out of sight.

She turned her gaze forward again, only to see Chen Mu staring into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. She took a couple of steps forward and said softly, "That person just now..."

"Tuoba Xi, the Absolute Blade."

Hearing Meng Danyun's words, Chen Mu finally retracted his gaze and responded calmly.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhenchuan also took a breath and murmured, "It's indeed him. What a terrifying blade intent."

He knew that Tuoba Xi hadn't intentionally released his blade intent; otherwise, with their difference in realms, the blade intent could have injured people. But the mere act of walking past them had created such immense pressure, which spoke volumes about his terrifying power.

Zhao Zhenchuan, though not a Grandmaster, was considered one of the top figures in the Six Viscera Realm, second only to those on the Wind and Cloud Rankings. He had encountered more than one Grandmaster, and when it came to Tuoba Xi's fearsome reputation, few could compare.

Even Qin Mengjun, before entering the Blood Transformation Realm, would likely struggle to be Tuoba Xi's match.

"I'll head to the Government House first."

Chen Mu turned his gaze to Zhao Zhenchuan and Meng Danyun and spoke calmly.

Compared to the two of them, he naturally wasn't intimidated by Tuoba Xi's Absolute Blade intent. He was only slightly curious about the Absolute Blade and was more interested in Gongshe Yu's Heavenly Blade.

A Heavenly Man Unity Blood Transformation Realm Saint of the Blade Path!

In terms of strength, Gongshe Yu was likely among the top ten in the entire Great Xuan realm. He was a true pinnacle of martial arts, a level that Chen Mu couldn't yet aspire to.

Swish!

After exchanging a few words with Meng Danyun and Zhao Zhenchuan, Chen Mu quietly left the city gate and stepped into the Frost County Capital. He soon reached the inner city and made his way to the Government House.

After Chen Mu left, Meng Danyun and Zhao Zhenchuan exchanged glances, gradually recovering from the pressure brought by Tuoba Xi. They thought back to how Chen Mu had remained calm and composed in Tuoba Xi's presence, and for a moment, they couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Many Grandmasters might not have been able to maintain their composure in front of Tuoba Xi.

This composure alone was beyond the capability of ordinary people.

"If Chen Shidi can surpass the Marrow Washing barrier in the future..."

Meng Danyun trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Practicing the Heaven and Earth Path, becoming a Grandmaster was already a remarkable achievement. The Absolute Blade and the Heavenly Sword were nothing extraordinary. Whether it was Jiang Changsheng or Tuoba Xi, they weren't anything special. But that one step was incredibly difficult.

Recalling Chen Mu's composure in front of Tuoba Xi, Meng Danyun felt a vague sense of familiarity, causing her thoughts to drift deeper. She remembered that Chen Mu had already cultivated the 'Three-Foot Forbidden Domain' and defeated three Demon Sovereigns from the Heavenly Demon Sect. If his cultivation had progressed further...

Could he have cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain?

A hint of disbelief flashed through Meng Danyun's eyes.

Although Chen Mu's extraordinary comprehension made understanding the domain not particularly challenging, and he had already cultivated the Three-Foot Forbidden Domain, the issue was that there were differences between domains. The complete Heaven and Earth Domain was one of the most challenging martial domains to cultivate!

Thinking more carefully.

Chen Mu's ability to slay the Bone Piercing Marquis, a foreign Grandmaster beyond the Pass, was already astonishing. But if Chen Mu had cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain, then the situation would indeed be different. After all, it was the pinnacle of martial domains, and once cultivated, Chen Mu's strength would likely rival that of the top Grandmasters. With this in mind, it was no wonder that Chen Mu remained unperturbed in front of Tuoba Xi, the Absolute Blade.

However, Chen Mu had only cultivated the Heaven and Earth Concept for a few years, and within such a short time, if he had indeed cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain, it would be too incredible to believe. Although Chen Mu had accomplished many astonishing feats, this was still beyond expectation.

But this also relieved Meng Danyun's mind. If Chen Mu has cultivated the Heaven and Earth Domain, his strength is almost on par with those top Grandmasters, and there will be even fewer things in the Earth Abyss that can threaten him."

...

Frost County Government House.

In the main hall, several elders and peak masters of the Qiuan Sect gathered, some standing and others seated, seemingly in discussion.

At this moment, Feng Hongsheng's gaze shifted, looking outside, and he said, "Chen Peak Master has arrived."

Almost as his words fell, Chen Mu's figure appeared outside the hall, and he stepped into the main hall, looking at Feng Hongsheng and the others, and said, "I'm a bit late."

Feng Hongsheng smiled and said, "We were discussing the Earth Abyss. Your arrival is quite timely."

Then, Feng Hongsheng pointed at a map on the table in the center of the hall and said, "This is a partial map of the Earth Abyss in Ice Province. It's very crude, covering less than one percent of the actual Earth Abyss, but it's still somewhat useful."

Chen Mu nodded slightly and approached the table.

The Qiuan Sect had been a major sect in Ice Province for hundreds of years, and although the Earth Abyss wasn't frequently opened, especially the one in Ice Province, it wasn't unusual for them to possess some information about it.

This map, however, looked strange, with various textures woven together to depict a seemingly ever-changing layered structure. But this wasn't the key; the crucial part was that Chen Mu had seen something similar before.

"Was that map also a map of the Earth Abyss?"

Chen Mu thought to himself.

Back at the Jade Rock Mountain Villa, after killing Hou Hao, a Demon Sovereign from the Heavenly Demon Sect, he had obtained a scroll of demon skin map. At the time, this map didn't match any region in the Eleven Provinces of Frost North, and he had also briefly looked at maps of other provinces in the Great Xuan realm, but still couldn't find a corresponding area. He had assumed it was a map of a region beyond the borders or in the Great Wilderness.

But now, it seemed more like a map of the Earth Abyss.

Temporarily setting this matter aside, Chen Mu continued to examine the Qiuan Sect's map of the Earth Abyss in Ice Province. The map seemed to cover a large area of Ice Province in great detail.

But based on his understanding, the terrain in the Earth Abyss was intricate and complex, uneven, and often divided into multiple layers. Even if the top layer's structure was depicted on the map, the layers beneath it were still intricate and numerous, covering less than one percent.

Most importantly.

The structure of the Earth Abyss itself is not static and unchanging.

The Earth Veins are naturally turbulent and prone to change, especially in the Ice State's Earth Abyss, which was last opened nearly two hundred years ago. Nearly two centuries have passed since then, and the Earth Abyss has undoubtedly undergone significant changes. It's unclear how much of the map still accurately reflects the current situation.

Chen Mu studied the map, committing its details to memory, while listening to Shi Zhenyong and the others discuss matters related to entering the Earth Abyss.

"Chen Peak Master, once you enter the Earth Abyss, you must be cautious of people from other sects, like those from the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion," Feng Hongsheng reminded Chen Mu in a low voice after he finished examining the map.

Although the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion had plotted against Chen Mu, his displayed talent remained astonishing. No one dared to say that Chen Mu's Martial Way would be cut off in the future. On the surface, with the presence of the newly emerged Blood Transformation, Qin Mengjun, everyone had to exercise some caution. However, the situation would be different in the Earth Abyss, where dragons and snakes mingled.

Feng Hongsheng could only offer a word of caution, as Chen Mu had already reached a high level. It wasn't a matter of seniority anymore. In terms of strength, he could rival anyone, and ordinary people couldn't threaten him. Feng Hongsheng could only advise Chen Mu to be wary of potential traps set by the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion.

"I'll keep an eye out," Chen Mu said with a slight nod.

At this moment, the discussion in the hall about exploring the Earth Abyss provided some insights. Feng Hongsheng and Shi Zhenyong didn't participate much, indicating they didn't plan to team up with others and had confidence in their abilities.

The slightly weaker Fang Yuan and other Grandmasters seemed to have the intention of forming pairs or trios. After all, the Earth Abyss was no ordinary place, and Demon Kings and ancient demons were common. Not to mention, they also had to be vigilant against other Grandmasters.

Chen Mu didn't say much about this.

Although he had never explored the Earth Abyss before, with his current strength, he had nothing to fear. Anyone accompanying him would be a burden, unless it was Qin Mengjun. They could travel together, except in extremely dangerous areas, where even Blood Transformation experts could move freely without the need for cooperation.

Just as everyone was discussing, someone entered the room—a Guardian from the Seven Profound Peaks Sect. His eyes were slightly tense as he reported, "I have news for the Elders. The Absolute Blade, Tuoba Xi, has arrived in Frost County."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the Grandmasters in the room changed slightly, including Feng Hongsheng and Shi Zhenyong, who showed signs of wariness.

The Absolute Blade, Tuoba Xi!

The number one Grandmaster of the Frost North, reigning for nearly a century.

Not only was this person's strength formidable, ranking among the top Grandmasters, but he also had a Senior Brother known as the Frost North Sword Saint. In terms of strength, only the Frost North's King Yuan Hong could rival him in the entire Frost North region. His reputation alone was awe-inspiring.

"Good, I understand. You may leave now," said Liu Tong, the only one who remained calm, as he waved his hand to dismiss the Guardian.

The discussion in the room soon turned to Tuoba Xi and Jiang Changsheng.

Chen Mu didn't pay much attention. Instead, he closed his eyes as if sensing something, and began to carefully perceive the changes in the Earth Veins beneath his feet. Although the changes were subtle, with his mastery of the Heaven-Earth Domain, his perception had become incredibly sensitive.

Even before he arrived in the Ice State, he had already sensed the fluctuations and chaos in the Earth's energy. As time passed, this chaos only intensified. On the day of the Double Sun Convergence, the scorching sun melted the century-old white frost and snow in Frost County, transforming the once perpetually frozen region into a summer-like climate.

Of course, these details were insignificant.

What mattered was his perception of a faint ripple deep within the Earth Veins, as if symbolizing something, like numerous changes converging and leading to a massive transformation.

"Chen Peak Master, have you sensed something?"

Someone noticed Chen Mu's closed eyes and quickly understood, their eyes growing serious.

The others also turned their attention to Chen Mu.

Chen Mu didn't respond immediately. Instead, he continued to sense with his eyes closed until after a cup of tea's time had passed. Finally, he opened his eyes, glancing at the crowd before speaking, "It's coming. We should depart towards the west."

"Yes, it should be to the west," Shi Zhenyong agreed, also sensing the ripples in the Earth Veins.

Seeing this, Feng Hongsheng and the others exchanged glances and, without hesitation, flashed out of the hall, arriving in the courtyard outside.

Around this time, in the county seat of Frost County, streams of power belonging to Grandmasters rose into the sky. Some soared directly into the sky, transforming into long rainbows heading west, while others flickered and darted like dragonflies skimming the rooftops, leaving behind afterimages as they rushed west.

"Let's go!"

Liu Tong, seeing this, didn't hesitate. He immediately gave the order and transformed into a long rainbow himself.

The other Grandmasters followed suit, flashing out one by one.

Chen Mu wasn't in a hurry. He brought up the rear, waiting until everyone had set off before taking a step forward and rising into the sky. He scanned the four directions, sensing the surging power of at least dozens of Grandmasters heading west.

Such a commotion naturally attracted the attention of the entire county seat.

Meng Danyun and Zhao Zhenchuan, who were guarding the city gate, sensed the streams of power from the Grandmasters heading west. They exchanged glances and, with a shared understanding, took a deep breath, their eyes filled with seriousness.

The Earth Abyss was about to open!

"Everyone, stay at your posts. Don't panic and don't flee!" Zhao Zhenchuan's voice resonated with authority as he gave orders to the guards at the city gate.

The opening of the Earth Abyss meant that the Earth Veins in Frost County would undergo a massive fracture, accompanied by intense seismic activity. This was not only the time for Chen Mu and the others to enter the Earth Abyss but also the beginning of a disaster caused by the Earth's movement.

The Grandmasters all headed west, indicating that the center of the fracture was west of the county seat. The Guardians and officials who remained in the county seat also sprang into action, mobilizing the entire county to prepare for the impending major earthquake.

However, it wasn't just the county seat that was affected.

From various directions in Frost County, figures streaked across the wastelands, transforming into long rainbows. Although their directions differed, they all converged towards the same center.

"It's about time for us to depart as well."

"Good."

In the empty sky, a voice rang out, followed by faint lights flashing through the void, one after another, all heading towards the same direction and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end