Chapter 386: First Encounter in the Outer Sea

Chapter 386: First Encounter in the Outer Sea

The assassination attempt startles the four directions.

The Blood Concealment Tower Lord's assassination attempt was swift, and his departure was equally rapid. However, even in the brief exchange of moves, the astonishing killing intent unleashed was enough to shake the entire Yu City to its core.

In the inner city of Yu Prefecture, various sect headquarters, including the Heaven Sword Sect, Joyful Union Sect, and Heavenly Seal Sect, were guarded by Six Organ Realm protectors and some Five Viscera Realm administrators. Almost all of them were startled and turned their gazes towards the depths of the Yu Family residence, their eyes filled with shock.

"Who...who is that?"

"What terrifying killing intent! Which Kill Path Grandmaster has arrived in Yu Prefecture?"

"No! It's more than that!"

A protector from the Heavenly Seal Sect leaped into the air, landing on the corner of a roof. He looked into the distance within the inner city, his eyes revealing a hint of horror as he spoke, "This killing intent isn't nearby; it's coming from somewhere far away, and look over there..."

He tilted his head towards the sky, his eyes filled with awe. The once-blue sky was now covered in dark clouds, influenced by the killing intent or, perhaps, the will of the Martial Way.

Only those who have reached the pinnacle of the Blood Transformation Realm, standing at the apex of the Martial Way, can affect the natural phenomena within a certain range. Even Bone Marrow Washing Grandmasters have not attained such a level. This is the terrifying power of the Blood Concealment Tower Lord, the ultimate threat in the Cold North.

The Blood Concealment Tower, a sect specializing in assassination, openly operates in the Cold North. They accept contracts and are willing to kill anyone, all because of the existence of the Blood Concealment Tower Lord. Even when disciples of prominent sects are killed, suspected to be the work of the Blood Concealment Tower, no one dares to provoke them.

No sect wants to offend the Blood Concealment Tower to the point of no return. Even if they could eliminate the Blood Concealment Tower's surface forces, as long as the Tower Lord remains, they pose the greatest threat.

The Blood Concealment Tower dares to walk the path of slaughter, accepting contracts and killing without hesitation. The existence of the Tower Lord is their source of confidence. Even Celestial Beings, unafraid of the Tower Lord, have their younger disciples and successors. Once they disregard the rules and regulations, only those in the Blood Transformation Realm or Celestial Beings can escape the Tower Lord's deadly attacks.

"It's that person's doing..."

"But who could provoke that person to take action personally?"

The protectors and administrators of various sects were shocked by the Blood Concealment Tower Lord's appearance, but they quickly recovered and realized that only one person in the world could warrant such a response from the Tower Lord. Combining this with the direction of the attack, which seemed to be the Yu Family residence, the answer became clear.

Chen Mu!

The Spirit Profound Peak Master of the Qiuan Sect, ranked first on the Grandmaster List, and the tenth Heaven and Earth Grandmaster of the Great Xuan Dynasty!

At this thought, everyone was shaken to the core.

The Blood Concealment Tower Lord attempted to assassinate Chen Mu!

Regardless of the outcome, this news would spread throughout the Cold North within a matter of days.

...

Meanwhile, several figures were making their way towards the Yu Family residence.

Leading the group was a man in white, his face unchanged from years ago—none other than Yu Prefecture's Inspector General, Yan Jingqing.

Accompanying Yan Jingqing were several administrators from the Qiuan Sect, officials from the Surveillance Bureau, and the aging City Lord of Yu City, Xue Huai Kong. His once-black hair now showed signs of graying as he hurried along with Yan Jingqing, his mind filled with tumultuous thoughts.

Could that killing intent belong to the Blood Concealment Tower Lord? Who provoked the Tower Lord to take action, and why in the Yu Family residence?

His mind raced with thoughts, but he dared not speak a word. Even though the killing intent had gradually dissipated, most likely indicating the Tower Lord's departure, he still refrained from discussing the matter. He silently followed behind Yan Jingqing.

Soon, the group ventured deep into the Yu Family residence, reaching the courtyard where Yu Jiujiang resided.

Yan Jingqing landed silently, his gaze fixed on the street ahead. After a quick scan, his pupils contracted slightly, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

Indeed, it was the work of that person!

Yan Jingqing, a top-ranked expert on the Wind and Cloud List, had encountered Grandmasters before. Although he had never been assassinated by the Blood Concealment Tower's Grandmaster, he had witnessed their killing intent. Compared to the lingering traces of killing intent here, it was like comparing a small witch to a great wizard.

Since the Blood Concealment Tower Lord had taken action, the target must be no ordinary person, especially considering this was the Yu Family residence. The answer was almost obvious, causing Yan Jingqing's face to turn slightly somber.

How terrifying was the Blood Concealment Tower Lord, personally launching an assassination attempt, leaving the target hanging by a thread. Even though Chen Mu had once repelled the Sky Demon Ancestor, the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Uwen Hao, Yan Jingqing's heart was filled with apprehension.

Chen Mu...

Chen Mu, who had risen to prominence in Yu Prefecture, was someone Yan Jingqing knew inside and out, including his temperament. At heart, Yan Jingqing sincerely hoped that Chen Mu would achieve perfection, reach the pinnacle of the world, and become an unparalleled Martial Saint.

Yan Jingqing understood that Chen Mu, born into poverty, had compassion for the common people struggling in the chaos of the world. Once Chen Mu's martial arts reached the pinnacle, he would undoubtedly bring order to the chaos, recreate the world, and become invincible across the four seas.

This was also Yan Jingqing's lifelong aspiration.

He lacked the ability to bring order to the chaos, and in the past, he had never seen any hope. However, Chen Mu's appearance had given him a glimmer of light. Especially after Chen Mu attained the Grandmaster realm and was just one step away from dominating the world, that glimmer seemed to have completely pierced through the dark clouds, illuminating the world. It was only a matter of time before the gloomy haze was dispelled.

Even if it takes decades to reach this step, he is still young and can afford to wait. He can wait for it.

Yan Jingqing slowed his pace.

He leisurely strolled past a towering green stone courtyard wall and arrived at a spacious and secluded alley.

This alley had only one redwood main gate, which was open on both sides. An old man with white hair and a wooden cane stood at the entrance, and aside from him, the place was empty. Only a lingering trace of killing intent remained in the air, piercingly cold and bone-chilling, almost making one think it was an illusion.

"Old Yu..."

Yan Jingqing's gaze was restrained, and seeing no other traces nearby, he finally took a step forward.

At this moment, Yu Jiujiang, who had been standing at the entrance with his cane and eyes closed, slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yan Jingqing, as well as the Qiuan Sect administrators and Xue Huai Kong behind him. "They have left."

Upon hearing Yu Jiujiang's words, Yan Jingqing finally heaved a sigh of relief. Since he said 'they' had left, it was clear that Chen Mu was safe and sound. However, at this moment, as he turned around, a sense of admiration arose in his heart for Chen Mu, who was now unafraid of the Shadowblade Tower's assassination.

Recalling the past, he had once said that Chen Mu might reach the top of the Martial Arts Ranking in ten or eight years, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Now, looking back, it seemed that he had been shortsighted. Before even a decade had passed, Chen Mu had already challenged the top spot among grandmasters, even rivaling the Blood Transformation Realm.

"Is... Chen Fengzhu safe and sound?"

Xue Huai Kong, who was behind Yan Jingqing and had been stunned, couldn't help but take a step forward and ask.

Yu Jiujiang glanced at Xue Huai Kong but didn't answer. However, his eyes had already given a response.

Chen Mu was safe and sound.

In other words, the Shadowblade Tower's assassination attempt had failed.

Xue Huai Kong stood there, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.

At this point, he no longer envied the Yu Family; instead, he felt relieved that the Xue Family had never had deep grudges with Chen Mu. Otherwise, just like the He Family, which had crumbled a hundred years ago, the current Chen Mu was an existence that the Xue Family couldn't afford to associate with.

The Yu Family certainly benefited from Chen Mu's fortune, and they were now the top family in Yu Prefecture, and even the major sect branches stationed in Yu Prefecture would rarely oppose them. But in all things, fortune and calamity go hand in hand. Just look at the terrifying existence that Chen Mu was facing now.

The Shadowblade Tower Master!

The Central Land's Eight Kings!

Either they were martial artists with unparalleled strength in the world, or they were influential figures at the peak of power.

Although the Yu Family had attached themselves to Chen Mu and gained their current status, in such a terrifying conflict, if they were slightly involved, they would be like ants caught in a raging torrent, crushed to pieces in the blink of an eye.

If Chen Mu were to die and fall.

Even if those big figures and various forces didn't bother dealing with the Yu Family, a small county power, the Yu Family would still suffer a decline. Even if they didn't face extermination, they wouldn't fare much better.

But if Chen Mu, one day in the future, could truly rule the world, the Yu Family would rise like a phoenix, and even their dogs and chickens would ascend.

It could be said that calamity and fortune are intertwined.

Perhaps.

It was also a fortunate thing that the Xue Family hadn't associated with Chen Mu, as this storm was too big. Although it might be a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, it would also bring calamity. After all, no one could predict what the future would hold.

...

The Shadowblade Tower Master assassinates the Spirit Profound Peak Master!

The news quickly spread throughout Cold North, shocking various parties. After all, since Chen Mu had challenged the Heaven and Earth Grandmaster, although many didn't want to see Chen Mu ruling the world, it didn't mean they would all unanimously target Chen Mu. The current world was chaotic, divided into countless factions, and many Blood Transformation Realm experts were in constant conflict.

The Blood Transformation Realm experts behind the Central Land's Eight Kings had fought among themselves more than once, with no trust between them, let alone easily joining forces. Most would wait and see, seizing opportunities.

It could be said.

There will definitely be someone who will take action against Chen Mu, but no one knows who will be the first. The Cold North and the entire world are also eager to see who will make the first move against Chen Mu. Now, the first one has finally been revealed.

Upon receiving the news of the Shadowblade Tower's assassination attempt, various factions were surprised but not entirely caught off guard. This was because there had been more than one conflict between the Shadowblade Tower and Chen Mu. However, the Shadowblade Tower's assassinations were known for their precision, and they would retreat a thousand miles if they missed. Given Chen Mu's character and background, if there were to be an age of chaos in the future, the Shadowblade Tower would be the first to face the brunt of it! This was common knowledge.

Moreover, the Shadowblade Tower and the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion both supported Prince King Ji Xuan Fei, and the conflict between the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion and Chen Mu was also well-known, with little room for reconciliation. In such a situation, the conflict between Prince Han and Chen Mu was almost impossible to resolve.

Therefore, it wasn't surprising that the Shadowblade Tower Master took the first move against Chen Mu, and even if Prince Han gathered his forces to ambush and kill Chen Mu, it wouldn't cause much astonishment. The only surprising thing was that the Shadowblade Master's assassination attempt had failed!

Chen Mu's strength was formidable.

This was known to all.

As a Heaven and Earth Grandmaster who had cultivated the Heaven Earth Domain and the Heaven and Earth Martial Body, he was truly invincible among grandmasters. His ability to repel the Sky Demon Ancestor in the Earth Abyss proved this point, and his strength was probably not much different from those who had just entered the Blood Transformation Realm.

Even so, no one expected that Chen Mu would force the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower to return empty-handed!

The Lord of Blood Concealment Tower, compared to the half-baked Yuwen Hao, had been dominating the world for nearly a century, reaching the peak of the Blood Transformation Realm, and was the closest to a Celestial Being. With his expertise in assassination, one could say that the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower was the most terrifying Blood Transformation Realm expert beneath Celestial Beings!

Chen Mu, facing the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower's assassination attempt, not only survived but also managed to escape unscathed and even repelled the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower head-on, forcing him to return empty-handed!

Although,

The Lord of Blood Concealment Tower was not adept at direct combat and was better at covert assassinations. Once his assassination attempts failed, he had little advantage against the majority of Blood Transformation Realm experts in direct confrontations. But the prerequisite was to withstand the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower's attacks without injury.

Despite the current Lord of Blood Concealment Tower's unknown generation, over the past few hundred years, numerous Blood Transformation Realm experts had fallen at the hands of the various Lords of Blood Concealment Tower. The number of Blood Transformation Realm experts who died at their hands was almost as high as those killed by Celestial Beings.

But Chen Mu didn't die!

Not only did he survive, but he also escaped unscathed and even repelled the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower head-on.

Each of these states represented distinct levels of strength. Being able to repel the Lord of Blood Concealment Tower head-on meant that Chen Mu's current strength was already comparable to most Blood Transformation Realm experts in the world!

This was also an unbelievable matter.

It was common knowledge that throughout history, the Heaven and Earth Grandmasters were acknowledged as the strongest in the world, with no rivals among Grandmasters. A few of them could even exchange a few moves with those who had just entered the Blood Transformation Realm. However, none of them could match Chen Mu's level, which was almost incomprehensible.

But regardless of how shocked the world was, Chen Mu, after leaving Yu Prefecture, never looked back. He concealed his aura and even dove underground, traveling through the subterranean depths, eventually crossing tens of thousands of miles to reach the eastern shore!

The sea, where a hundred rivers meet, was filled with surging waves and rising tides. This was Chen Mu's first encounter with the vast ocean since arriving in this world. In his previous life, he had gazed upon the ocean countless times, but his memories from that life were now blurred. As he stood on the boundless coastline, many of his almost forgotten memories were awakened.

Along the endless coastline, the waves rolled endlessly, crashing against the shore with thunderous roars, pounding against the rugged reefs and erupting like exploding thunder.

"The open sea..."

Chen Mu gazed at the vast ocean, and after a brief moment of reminiscence, his expression quickly turned scrutinizing.

Although the change was subtle, he could vaguely sense a slight difference. The Heaven and Earth Energy above the open sea seemed slightly denser than in the Cold North, which was why the waves were so tumultuous.

Despite the sea breeze not being particularly strong, it was constantly turbulent. As far as he knew, the open sea was perpetually engulfed in towering waves, and even heavy-duty ships dared not venture beyond a hundred li from the coast. The first few dozen li along the coastline was the limit for fishermen's survival.

Beyond that.

The celestial phenomena were unpredictable, with raging winds and towering waves.

Ships could hardly navigate, and only Five Viscera Realm and even Six Organ Realm experts could move freely underwater, following the seabed. Only then could they explore the outer sea.

Even so, exploring the outer sea was extremely dangerous for Five Viscera Realm experts. Beyond a hundred li from the coast, the seabed was rich in resources, leading to the proliferation of numerous demons. One could say that the outer sea was a paradise for demons.

Five Viscera Realm and even Six Organ Realm demons were everywhere, and encounters were almost inevitable.

Therefore, it was extremely risky for Five Viscera Realm experts to explore the outer sea. Encountering one or two Five Viscera Realm demons was manageable, but facing a large number of them or Six Organ Realm demons would lead to certain death, even for the best Five Viscera Realm experts.

Only by entering the Six Organ Realm could one survive underwater for extended periods and escape the threat of Five Viscera Realm and Six Organ Realm demons. Only then would they be considered to have the preliminary qualifications to explore the outer sea.

After all,

The Seven Organ Realm demon kings that posed a threat to Six Organ Realm experts were not commonly found in the outer sea.

Although the outer sea was so perilous, according to Chen Mu's understanding, humans still lived there, and not in small numbers. This was because the outer sea had numerous archipelagoes, scattered like stars in the sky, forming an intricate network.

Furthermore, the islands were almost isolated from each other, making it difficult for even Six Organ Realm experts or Grandmasters to cross between them. As a result, many large islands became independent nations, and there were countless such islands, justifying the term "hundred nations."

But even so.

The outer sea still had its own order.

Although there were thousands of islands and nations in the sea, the largest among them was still smaller than a single province of the Great Xuan Dynasty. Even if they were combined, they would not match the Great Xuan's territory. Moreover, unlike the Great Xuan, which was ruled by a single nation, the outer sea was governed by three major sect powers: the Vast Sea Pavilion, the Pure Sea Palace, and the Tide Listening Cliff.

These three major sect powers had ancient legacies dating back thousands of years, even older than the Great Xuan Dynasty. It was said that when the Founding Martial Emperor, Ji Hao, conquered the Ninety-Nine States, he also wanted to bring the hundred nations of the outer sea under his rule. However, he was blocked by these three powers, and the matter was eventually dropped.

Compared to the Great Xuan's Ninety-Nine States, which were governed by the imperial court with numerous sects, the outer sea was the complete opposite. The three major sects ruled the outer sea, with the hundred nations as their vassals, forming a unique situation due to the distinct environment of the outer sea.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end