Chapter 437: The Finger that Annihilates the Celestial Beast
Chapter 437: The Finger that Annihilates the Celestial Beast
In the outer sea, beneath the raging waves, dark currents surged, and a deep, silent seabed lay desolate and devoid of life.
Amidst this silence, a lone figure in a long robe strolled along the ocean floor, each step spanning hundreds of zhang, his presence akin to a hidden current, continuously moving forward.
The figure was none other than Chen Mu.
After leaving the Seekwood Heavenly Realm and foiling the Mystic Pavilion Master's plot to ambush him, Chen Mu didn't linger. He ventured deeper into the outer sea, traveling for nearly half a month, reaching an unknown depth.
According to legends, the outer sea was boundless, and no one had ever explored its limits. However, at Chen Mu's current realm, he had a rough understanding of its boundaries. Although the outer sea was vast, even larger than the Great Xuan's Ninety-Nine Provinces, it still had its limits.
The further one ventured into the outer sea, away from the Great Xuan's mainland, the more scattered and chaotic the primordial energy and spiritual power became, making it less suitable for life to thrive. The number of living beings in these regions decreased significantly.
It was evident that if one were to travel in one direction, they would eventually reach a place where the primordial energy of heaven and earth was so thin that it was almost non-existent, a place of absolute void and stillness known as the 'Abyssal Sea,' one of the Great Xuan World's most desolate regions.
Due to the near absence of primordial energy, even Bone Marrow Transformation Blood Transformation Realm cultivators couldn't draw upon it to replenish their losses. Moreover, the chaotic environment made it impossible for even Blood Replacement Realm experts to survive for long periods, including Chen Mu. Despite his Heaven-Earth Body's peerless prowess and ability to evolve the Eight Transformations of Heaven and Earth, his control over the cycle of heaven and earth had its limits.
If he were to leave the realm of heaven and earth, without the replenishment of primordial energy, he couldn't sustain his existence indefinitely.
To Chen Mu, the ability to create a Seekwood Heavenly Realm in the vast void, establishing a self-sustaining cycle of heaven and earth, and nurturing life was an awe-inspiring power beyond the reach of martial arts.
Perhaps in the future, he too would attain such a realm, but for now, Chen Mu wasn't getting ahead of himself. All he needed was a safe place to seclude himself, cultivate, and break through to the Blood Replacement Realm, entering the eighth level of the Body Tempering Martial Art.
"This should be far enough."
As Chen Mu walked along the seabed, he discerned his location.
He had traveled from the Abyssal Sea in the outer sea, venturing deep into its remote regions. Now, he found himself over ten thousand li away from any trace of human presence, let alone other life forms. He had carefully concealed his tracks, using the Dao of Heaven and Earth to hide his movements, leaving no trace of his passage.
Finding his current location in the vast outer sea would be like searching for a needle in a haystack, a task beyond the capabilities of even a Heaven and Earth Realm expert. Only by relying on mysterious methods like divining the secrets of heaven could one have a chance of locating him, but such attempts would come at a cost.
Furthermore, Chen Mu didn't need to seclude himself for an extended period to break through to the Blood Replacement Realm. With his Bone Marrow Washing Realm cultivation at its limit, the bottleneck to Blood Replacement was virtually non-existent. He could draw upon the power of heaven and earth at any time and immediately begin his breakthrough!
"But I should still find a place with abundant heavenly energy."
As Chen Mu walked along the seabed, he also searched for a suitable area. After exploring for several thousand li, he arrived at a region with a distinct dryness.
The seawater in this area was visibly hotter than elsewhere, and the temperature increased as he ventured deeper. Looking towards the center, he could see red light emanating from the pitch-black seabed.
It was an underwater volcano! Chen Mu didn't venture too close, stopping at the periphery of the volcano. He gazed at the distant scenery, sensing the interplay of heavenly energy, and couldn't help but exclaim, "A heavenly spectacle!"
Underwater volcanoes were not uncommon to Chen Mu, as he had encountered many in his previous life. However, in that life, his physical body was weak, and he had relied on other means to explore such places. Now, in this life, he stood at the bottom of the sea, experiencing the power and spectacle of nature firsthand, which couldn't help but evoke a sense of awe.
Even though he had cultivated his physical body to the limit of the Bone Marrow Washing Realm, just one step away from Blood Replacement, witnessing such heavenly might still made him feel insignificant. This vast power was beyond human capability.
The Earthly Malevolent Power, Fire Separation Power, and Vast Sea Power clashed and intertwined in this region, creating a dangerous aura that made it seem like a deadly realm.
Chen Mu paused, sensing a subtle feeling within him. He had found the place for his seclusion to break through to the Blood Replacement Realm!
While this underwater volcano was perilous, it posed little threat to Chen Mu as long as he didn't venture into its core. Moreover, the chaotic and abundant heavenly energy here was ideal for tempering his martial blood and cultivating with twice the efficiency.
Additionally...
Chen Mu turned his gaze towards a specific direction, his eyes flashing with interest.
Following his line of sight, about twenty li away, the dark seabed was covered in cracks, revealing strands of crimson beneath. The seawater was almost boiling, churning violently.
In the center of one of these cracks, a cave stood, emanating a thick aura of vitality, fierce and hot. The demonic energy within contained a powerful pressure that deterred any living being within hundreds of li from approaching.
A Celestial Beast!
It was a Ninth Stage Celestial Beast! Moreover, Chen Mu sensed that its aura was even more robust than the Black Tortoise he had slain with Qin Meng Jun. This Celestial Beast was in its prime, showing no signs of weakness. Judging by its aura, it might not be far from reaching the Tenth Stage!
Chen Mu stared at the cave, feeling the demonic aura emanating from it, but his expression remained calm. Suddenly, he strode forward and, with a casual flick of his finger, pointed towards the cave.
Buzz!
In an instant, the seawater erupted, and a surge of Heaven and Earth Force burst from his fingertip, transforming into a massive finger imprint in the boiling water. This finger pressed against the cave.
The entire cave shook violently, cracks spreading across it, and then it collapsed, along with hundreds of zhang of the surrounding seabed crumbling to pieces!
"Roar!"
Just as Chen Mu's finger landed, a furious roar emerged from the collapsing cave.
The dense and oppressive aura of the Celestial Beast, which had been permeating the area, now fully erupted. Its presence was akin to the might of the heavens, terrifying beyond measure. Any Grandmaster at the Marrow Washing Realm would have their faces pale in fear, immediately retreating without hesitation.
But Chen Mu, facing this overwhelming pressure, remained calm and unmoved. He stood amidst the boiling seawater as the cave crumbled, and amidst the rolling, scorching red waves, a giant dragon head emerged from the shattered cave, its eyes filled with shock and anger.
Since its transformation from a crested dragon to a red dragon, this Celestial Beast had become the undisputed ruler of this sea area. No creature dared to challenge its authority, and even other Celestial Beasts that dared to confront it were defeated. Now, in its slumber, an unknown creature had dared to shatter its cave, a blatant provocation. The dragon's anger surged like the volcano below, ready to erupt.
With a loud rumble, dozens of zhang of rock layers suddenly exploded, and a giant red dragon claw emerged, pressing down on the red rock layers.
The red dragon struggled free from the collapsing cave, its massive eyes fixed on Chen Mu. It breathed out two scorching dragon breaths, turning the nearby boiling seawater into steam.
After a brief observation, the red dragon extended a giant claw, aiming to crush Chen Mu. But Chen Mu, floating amidst the boiling water, remained composed. "All living beings reaching the Celestial Beast realm are rare. I seek to break through to the Blood Replacement Realm, and your dragon blood is the perfect offering."
As he spoke, Chen Mu reached out and grabbed the dragon's claw. His tiny palm seemed disproportionate to the giant claw, but this simple gesture caused the Heaven and Earth Force within hundreds of zhang to solidify.
Chen Mu's small hand grasped the edge of the dragon's claw. This simple contact made the dragon, still half-buried in the cave, lose its arrogance and disdain, replaced by a human-like shock.
With a mighty roar, Chen Mu's gaze remained calm. He exerted force with his right hand, unleashing a power that could shake mountains. Not only did he disperse the dragon's power, but he also pulled the claw upwards, dragging the dragon out of the cave and into the boiling seawater.
The red dragon, in shock, felt an overwhelming force it couldn't resist. Its entire body was pulled out of the cave, struggling to escape.
Chen Mu didn't engage in a contest of strength. He loosened his grip, releasing the dragon's claw. His figure flickered, disappearing and reappearing above the dragon's head. With his right hand clenched into a fist, the Heaven and Earth Force gathered, and he struck with the Heaven-Earth Wheel Seal.
The red dragon sensed the threat of death. Its body tensed, scales clattering, and it let out a long dragon roar, summoning its formidable power to counter Chen Mu's seal.
The forces collided, shattering the void. A thousand-zhang dark tide rose from the sea, but the dragon's power lasted less than a breath against Chen Mu's seal. The tiny seal pierced through, directly penetrating the dragon's massive head.
The red dragon let out an unwilling roar, its eyes dimming. Its massive body crashed down, slamming into the shattered seabed, creating splashes of red liquid.
The surging demonic energy dissipated.
The Celestial Beast had fallen.
Chen Mu stood amidst the boiling seawater, gazing at the fallen dragon. His eyes were calm and unmoved.
Long ago, he had pursued a weakened Celestial Beast, a black tortoise, with all his might, yet he couldn't keep it trapped. Now, facing this red dragon, possibly even stronger than the black tortoise, Chen Mu had dragged it out of its cave with just two moves and killed it instantly.
Chen Mu, now on par with Heaven Persons, had faced a Ninth Stage Celestial Beast, which ultimately couldn't match his prowess.
The world had turned upside down.
Chen Mu looked down at the dragon's body, waiting for the sea currents to calm and the seabed volcano to settle. When all was quiet, he took a step forward, landing beside the dragon's corpse.
He decided to enter closed-door cultivation here. While the dragon's blood might not significantly aid his breakthrough to the Blood Replacement Realm, he couldn't allow a Celestial Beast to dominate this area. By killing it and using its remaining demonic energy to deter other creatures, he ensured a peaceful environment for his cultivation.
After a brief contemplation, Chen Mu dragged the giant dragon's body away from the volcano, stopping dozens of li away in a deep trench. He created a large cave in the rock layers, tossed the dragon's body inside, and entered himself. With a wave of his sleeve, the rock layers behind him twisted and merged, sealing the entrance.
Soon, everything returned to silence.
(End of Chapter)
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