Chapter 418: Stalemate
Chapter 418: Stalemate
In the fractured underground cave.
Chen Mu slowly stood up, standing tall in the center. His aura gradually became internalized, the sharpness in his presence fading, but the surging internal energy within him continued to flow like a mighty river, his Jade Marrow and Jade Bones perfectly harmonized.
"This is the ultimate of the Marrow Washing Realm..."
After calming the surging internal energy, Chen Mu felt the changes within himself and murmured to himself.
Ultimate Marrow Washing!
The transformation brought about by this step was even greater than he had expected! The Marrow Washing Realm, though named for the purification of bone marrow, indeed focuses on the refinement of the bone marrow, but its essence is the refinement of the Martial Body. It thoroughly refines the body from the inside out, ultimately reaching a state of flawlessness.
Each small step in the Marrow Washing process previously only improved his physical strength by two or three tenths, but this final step from perfection to the ultimate was like leaping over two small steps at once, increasing his physical strength by at least five or six tenths!
Now, Chen Mu could not only feel his own power but also the 'fragility' of this world! It seemed that with just a slight effort, he could shatter the void.
Moreover,
Whether it was due to the success of the Jade Marrow cultivation or the use of Seekwood Spirit Liquid throughout the entire refinement process, his flesh and blood body now radiated a profuse vitality, as if it were imprinted in his bones.
Chen Mu was unsure if he now possessed the level of vitality that could regenerate limbs, but he was confident that ordinary wounds on his flesh could heal instantly! The five organs and six bowels, which are typically weak points, had also gained remarkable self-healing capabilities due to the ultimate refinement, making his physical strength surpass that of the Blood Replacement Realm!
Even if someone cultivated the Blood Replacement Realm to its peak, they would still fall short of his level.
Even at the Heaven Person Realm, the improvement is primarily in the realm of concepts, not physical strength. From Chen Mu's perspective, whether it's Yin Heng, the Bloodshadow Tower Lord, or the Dragonwood Island Lord, none of them could match his physical strength.
"I wonder if I can completely tear through the void with all my might now."
A glint of light flashed in Chen Mu's eyes.
When a martial artist reaches the Blood Replacement Realm, their full attack can shatter the void, but this shattering is only on the surface, manifesting as white cracks. The void itself is extremely sturdy, and thoroughly piercing it is extremely difficult. It is said that only the most supreme Heaven Person Experts can achieve this, creating black void cracks through their battles!
Chen Mu knew that his current strength had surpassed the Blood Replacement Realm and was likely on par with ordinary Heaven Persons, but there were also differences in strength among Heaven Persons, and he was unsure just how powerful he had become.
"Speaking of which, this world indeed does not support the existence of the Blood Replacement Realm..."
Chen Mu looked up, feeling the state of the Seekwood Heavenly Realm.
Now that he had reached the ultimate of the Marrow Washing Realm, his every move could tear the void, bringing him closer to the essence of this world. He could more clearly perceive the conditions of the Seekwood Heavenly Realm.
This Heavenly Realm not only prevents the existence of the Blood Replacement Realm but also makes it impossible to break through to the Blood Replacement Realm from within. In Chen Mu's perception, this Heavenly Realm lacks the conditions necessary for the Blood Replacement process.
Blood Replacement!
This process involves drawing in the power of heaven and earth to refine the body, not only elevating the flesh and blood to a qualitative level but also achieving a fusion with heaven and earth. The Soul Heart must also endure the refinement of heaven and earth's power to advance further.
The strength of the heaven and earth power in the Seekwood Heavenly Realm is insufficient to facilitate the transformation of the Blood Replacement Realm.
The Spirit People's core forbidden ground had never been breached by anyone for thousands of years. Everyone knew that within, there must be countless treasures, and even the Wood Seeking Spirit Liquid was probably stored in unknown quantities. There might also be other rarer items, and even if he later entered the Blood Replacement Realm, it might still have many uses. Naturally, it was an opportunity not to be missed.
With his current abilities, compared to the past, he had become far too powerful. A Celestial Demon like Yuwen Hao could be killed with a single move!
Even the Spirit Ancestor of the Spirit People, he was confident he could hold him off, and he didn't even need anyone else's assistance. With his own strength, he was sure he could kill him, making it difficult to escape his grasp.
After Chen Mu collected his thoughts, he took a step forward and soon passed through the deep underground layers, reaching the location of Fang Yuan.
"Elder Chen..."
Fang Yuan was slightly startled to see Chen Mu appear.
It wasn't because Chen Mu's sudden appearance that surprised him. From the moment the commotion began, he had been staring in the direction of Chen Mu. He had also guessed that Chen Mu would be coming out soon. What surprised him was that compared to before, Chen Mu seemed to have undergone some inexplicable changes, making it hard to tell."
He couldn't pinpoint what these changes were, but he had a vague sense of unease.
He cautiously observed Chen Mu and asked tentatively, "Elder Chen, have you... crossed that threshold?"
"No," Chen Mu replied calmly. "I've only made some slight improvements in the Bone Marrow Washing Realm. I haven't crossed the Blood Replacement Threshold yet. This heavenly cave world doesn't support Body Tempering Martial Arts for the Blood Replacement Realm, Elder Fang should be able to discern that."
Fang Yuan also knew that Chen Mu couldn't have entered the Blood Replacement Realm so easily, so he had only asked tentatively. Hearing Chen Mu's response, he nodded slightly and said, "Yes, this heavenly cave world cannot accommodate the Blood Replacement Realm. Those two Spirit Ancestors must have used some special means to cross that threshold."
Chen Mu nodded slightly and continued upward, speaking calmly, "I want to see the abilities of those two Spirit Ancestors. Elder Fang, are you interested?"
Upon hearing Chen Mu's words, Fang Yuan was slightly surprised but quickly recovered and smiled, "I dare not refuse."
He was sharp-witted and had noticed the changes in Chen Mu. He estimated that Chen Mu had indeed made some progress by utilizing the collected Wood Seeking Spirit Liquid. Therefore, he wanted to cause some trouble for those two Spirit Ancestors.
Regardless of Chen Mu's plans, Fang Yuan naturally followed him. After all, staying at the edge of the Seekwood Heavenly Cave might not be safe. Moreover, with his current judgment, perhaps all the remaining grandmasters in the Seekwood Heavenly Cave had gathered in one place, stalemating with the Spirit People. If Chen Mu joined them, they would have no fear of the Spirit People.
Even...
It wasn't impossible to storm the Spirit People's forbidden ground! With Chen Mu's abilities, if he suddenly attacked, cooperating with other grandmaster teams, it wasn't impossible to severely injure or even kill a Spirit Ancestor. Although the Spirit People now had two Spirit Ancestors, no one could predict how the situation might change.
"Good," Chen Mu nodded slightly towards Fang Yuan and then took a step forward, leaving the underground. After discerning the direction, he strode towards the heart of the Seekwood Heavenly Cave.
Fang Yuan quickly followed behind, staying close to Chen Mu's side.
...
The heart of the Seekwood Heavenly Cave.
This was the largest settlement in the Seekwood Heavenly Cave, apart from the core area, covering an area of more than twenty li in all directions. At this moment, the entire settlement was engaged in a fierce battle.
Over a hundred grandmasters had gathered outside the settlement, forming multiple teams. They continuously attacked the formation light curtain, causing it to shake and ripple with each strike.
"Earthly Calamity Shocking the World!"
Yan Hong led a group and stood in one direction. She raised her right hand, and with a wave, the concentrated inner energy of the grandmasters transformed into Earthly Calamity power, swiftly gathering into a massive Earthly Calamity battle axe. It suddenly chopped down.
"Hmph!"
A cold hum came from the opposite side, and nearby Seekwood branches suddenly twisted, transforming into an extremely thick Wood Dragon that coiled and bit the chopping Earthly Calamity axe. Accompanied by a loud rumble, a stalemate ensued.
"Tide Rise and Fall!"
A large group of grandmasters from Tide Listening Cliff, led by one person, emitted a sigh-like sound. In an instant, the continuous sound of flowing water gathered, forming a mighty sea tide that roared towards the formation light curtain.
"Holy Tree Protection."
Within the array's light curtain, nearly a dozen Grandmasters and hundreds of elite Spirit People in the Five Viscera and Six Bowels Realm gathered, all channeling their Spirit Energy towards the massive Seekwood beneath them.
The Seekwood's branches trembled, and amidst the rumbling, a deep and heavy wooden wall rose, like a small mountain, stretching for hundreds of zhang, blocking the path of the raging sea tide and holding back the surging waters.
"Heaven-Shattering Vacuum!"
Jiang Han let out a long whistle, leading his group as they pooled their strength, and with a swift strike, he slashed through the air, landing with incredible speed directly onto the array's light curtain, causing it to ripple.
But right after, from within the light curtain, a new Spirit Ancestor, Ling Ji, stood tall behind the numerous Spirit People. With a cold huff, he waved his hand, and the nearby Seekwood's power went wild, causing the branches to sway and twist, forming a hundred-zhang-long Seekwood hand that reached out towards Jiang Han and his group.
However, Jiang Han and his companions showed no fear, quickly retreating while mustering their strength for a counterattack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
The Grandmasters, the Spirit People settlement, the array's light curtain, and countless elite Spirit People engaged in fierce combat. The battle was so intense that the nearby thick Seekwood branches constantly shook, and emerald leaves fell like rain, scattering everywhere.
Amidst this chaotic battlefield, a particularly dazzling figure stood out, not mingling with the other groups but fighting solo.
"Five Elements Heavenly Seal!"
Hong Shida's aura was robust and majestic, and with a long whistle, he leaped high, his palm striking forward. His palm energy condensed into a five-colored radiant light, forming a spinning seal that slammed into the array's light curtain, causing ripples to spread across it.
As an Absolute Blade Grandmaster, he was one of the strongest figures in the Blood Replacement Realm. Although he might not match Chen Mu, his Five Elements power, cultivated to the extreme, far surpassed that of top-tier Grandmasters, towering over ordinary Grandmasters.
"Holy Power Demon Subjugation."
Not far away, Zong Gang, his upper body bare, revealed ancient bronze-colored skin imbued with immense power. He held a demon-subduing staff, and with a mighty swing, he unleashed a terrifying display of might.
Hong Shida, Zong Gang, and the Grandmasters were now all fighting with their full strength, the battle reaching a white-hot intensity. The clash of over a hundred Grandmasters was a spectacular sight, with deafening booms and explosive bursts of energy erupting everywhere.
Nevertheless.
Even so.
The array's light curtain, enveloping the entire Spirit People settlement, remained steadfast like an unyielding pillar, despite the ripples and waves on its surface. It showed no signs of being breached!
Indeed, this array was slightly stronger than those of other large settlements, but it couldn't withstand such a large-scale battle indefinitely. The reason for its stability was the presence of the ancient figure standing behind the numerous Spirit People, overseeing the Seekwood Grand Array... the Spirit Ancestor of the Spirit People, Spirit Huan!
With his command of the Seekwood Array and the assistance of the Grandmasters and the new Spirit Ancestor, Ling Ji, the array remained unbreakable, even against the onslaught of over a hundred Grandmasters.
On the other side.
Yan Hong, Jiang Han, and the other attacking Grandmasters faced significant pressure. Although they had initiated the offensive, the battle had dragged on for a long time. As Grandmasters, they possessed enduring auras and unending internal energy, but their inability to break through the defense weighed heavily on their minds.
No one dared to relax or retreat, as doing so would ease the pressure on the Spirit People, allowing Spirit Ancestor Huan to focus less on the array and potentially join the battle. In the ensuing chaos, the situation might become even worse.
Currently, both sides were locked in a stalemate.
This deadlock favored the Spirit People, as they were the defending party, and holding their ground was the best outcome. After all, Yan Hong's attack couldn't be sustained indefinitely, and within ten days or half a month, with the void tremors continuing, they would have to retreat, or else risk being trapped in the Seekwood Heavenly Realm forever.
(End of Chapter)
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