Chapter 482: Spreading the Dao at Kunlun Mountain

Chapter 482: Spreading the Dao at Kunlun Mountain

A moment of silence enveloped the peak of Kunlun Mountain.

Chen Mu shattered the void as he arrived, leaving many Heaven and Man Masters in awe. Despite overestimating Chen Mu's physical prowess, the moment they faced him, they realized they had underestimated him.

But it was understandable. Without such an invincible physique, how could one, by themselves, defeat a million Azure Dragon troops, sweep through the entire capital, and suppress the Daxuan Dynasty that had ruled for a thousand years?

On one side of the mountain peak, Heavensword Gongyang Yu stood motionless, his deep gaze fixed on Chen Mu. Within his eyes, a storm was brewing.

When his fellow disciple, the peerless Sword Master, died in the Earth Abyss of Bingzhou, news of Chen Mu had already reached his ears. At that time, he had considered Chen Mu an extraordinary talent, believing that after entering the Blood Transformation Realm, Chen Mu would undoubtedly become one of the top experts of his generation, worthy of discussing the Dao with him. However, he never expected this day to arrive so soon.

In just a few short years, not only had Chen Mu entered the Blood Transformation Realm, but his physical body had reached the pinnacle of perfection. He had even claimed the lives of several Heaven and Man Masters. His 'Heavensword', which had once dominated the world, now found itself at a loss before Chen Mu.

Not only was Gongyang Yu in awe, but the other Heaven and Man Masters present, including the Heavenly Lake Island Master, the Six Paths Alliance Master, and Donglin Jianzun, all gazed at Chen Mu with profound respect. Even without considering his other abilities, the mere act of shattering the void with a single step was awe-inspiring, reaching the pinnacle of Martial Dao cultivation. They couldn't help but feel a sense of pressure.

"Saint Chen is too humble," someone finally spoke up after the brief silence.

"Sweeping through the capital and reshaping the world, Saint Chen's Martial Dao has reached an unparalleled level. The title of Martial Saint is well-deserved. In the Martial Dao, the capable take precedence. It is not for us to teach, but for us to seek guidance from Saint Chen." Nanhua Manor Ancestor, Teng Xuanjing, spoke with a hint of admiration.

Despite being several times older than Chen Mu, the Martial Dao has always favored the capable, regardless of age. Chen Mu's address of 'senior' was a show of respect for their age and a humble gesture. In front of Chen Mu, they couldn't afford to be arrogant, as that would be impolite.

"Saint Chen's physical cultivation has reached the pinnacle, opening up new paths for Body Refinement Martial Dao practitioners. It marks a watershed moment for our generation. Being able to discuss Martial Dao with Saint Chen is indeed a fortunate opportunity." Azure Cloud Supreme Monarch Sunkong Rui also bowed towards Chen Mu.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Chen Mu slowly walked forward, approaching the center of the Kunlun Mountain peak, where a small section of rock protruded upwards. He gently caressed the mountain rock.

The rock was sharp and angular, its edges remained untouched by the countless heavenly winds that swept across it. This wasn't due to the rock's exceptional hardness but because the interior of the rock contained an immense mountain power. With the entire Kunlun Mountain as its foundation, moving it was akin to moving the mountain itself. Even the occasional ruptures in the void couldn't destroy this rock on the Kunlun peak.

At that moment, as Chen Mu touched the rock, he felt the vast and mighty mountain power flowing within. The towering peak, as a whole, indeed suppressed the vast wilderness, unshakable.

During past Kunlun debates, Heaven and Man Masters had fought here, but they rarely left marks on the rock. The entire Kunlun peak had only a few traces of past battles.

"As expected of the number one peak in the world, it is indeed vast and mighty, causing awe."

"Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I will take the lead in this debate. These trivial insights are not worth mentioning, but I'll still share them." Chen Mu spoke slowly.

He then lowered his palm, and his index finger suddenly exerted force.

Crack!

As the sound echoed in the hearts of Nanhua Manor Ancestor and the other Heaven and Man Masters, Chen Mu used his finger strength to press into the rock, causing the mountain stone to shatter and splatter from his fingertip.

In awe, they watched as Chen Mu's finger slid down, writing on the rock. Where his finger passed, the rock, which even Heaven and Man Masters struggled to damage with all their might, continued to splinter and crumble.

Finally, Chen Mu's finger traced a line on the rock at the Kunlun peak, forming words:

"Kunlun Debate!"

Witnessing this, almost all the Heaven and Man Masters present couldn't help but exclaim in unison.

For these Heaven and Man Masters, exerting their full strength could leave a mark on the rock, but it would be minuscule. Carving something was incredibly challenging, let alone writing like Chen Mu, using only his finger strength!

Wielding their Spirit Armaments with all their might, they would need months or even years to inscribe those words. Yet, Chen Mu accomplished it in an instant, his finger strength shaping the rock as if writing on ordinary bamboo or stone, an awe-inspiring feat.

Moreover, the words Chen Mu wrote weren't merely words; they showcased his pinnacle physical prowess, the Martial Dao he practiced, the Heaven and Earth Path he cultivated, and the Martial Dao principles he upheld. This display of writing on the mountain peak was even more revealing of Chen Mu's Martial Dao cultivation than his earlier feat of shattering the void.

All eyes were fixed on the line of writing, and everyone was immersed in their comprehension of it.

After a moment, someone snapped out of their trance and turned to Chen Mu, bowing respectfully and asking, "May I dare ask, Saint Chen, in the eight realms of body tempering, is the first realm of blood transformation the final destination?"

This question drew the attention of the others, and they all focused their gaze on Chen Mu.

The cultivation of Chen Mu's physical body was a mystery that everyone wanted to unravel. It was undoubtedly a new path in martial cultivation, but while Chen Mu could speak of it, others could not inquire further. After all, it touched upon the secret of Chen Mu's unmatched and invincible prowess, and asking about it would be offensive.

So, when this person sought guidance from Chen Mu, it wasn't about his martial arts training but about the possibility of progress beyond blood transformation.

"Blood transformation is the endpoint," Chen Mu replied calmly to the inquirer. "The blood transformation realm, like the previous seven realms of body tempering, has stages of minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection. If one can refine their martial blood to the point where it all becomes golden, they will have reached the pinnacle of blood transformation perfection."

Upon hearing Chen Mu's response, some in the crowd showed surprise, while others seemed to gain sudden enlightenment, and a few nodded slightly, as if they had already suspected as much but lacked confirmation. Now, with Chen Mu's answer, they felt their line of thinking was correct.

Chen Mu didn't hold back in his response, and his voice carried to the distant peaks where the blood transformation grandmasters of various sects stood, ensuring they heard his words clearly.

For a moment, almost everyone held their breath, and their eyes reflected a ripple of realization.

In fact, the idea that the blood transformation realm had different levels was something many blood transformation experts had theorized, but as they struggled to make progress in this realm, they couldn't confirm their theories. Thus, most martial artists still believed that the blood transformation realm had no levels, and that one could reach its limits within three to five years of entering it.

But today, Chen Mu provided clear confirmation that the blood transformation realm was not so shallow. All martial artists who initially entered the blood transformation realm only achieved minor accomplishment, and even fewer could progress to major accomplishment.

With this statement, Chen Mu had clarified a path forward for martial cultivation.

It was like the time before the blood transformation realm was established, when the pinnacle of martial artists was the marrow washing grandmaster. Back then, the marrow washing realm also lacked clear levels, and it was through the discussions and explorations of past martial ancestors that it was eventually defined as a stage of martial body cultivation, where the martial body progressed from minor accomplishment to perfection.

Today, the path of blood transformation was made clear, marking another historical milestone in the development of martial cultivation.

Every blood transformation expert present, even those who dominated the world, struggled to contain their excitement. This not only provided them with a clear direction but also allowed them to witness a pivotal moment in the history of martial cultivation.

At the apex of Kunlun Mountain, as the various Heaven and Man masters digested the clear path laid out by Chen Mu, one of the Five Absolutes, who had not participated in the discussion thus far, finally spoke up. He slowly approached Chen Mu and asked, "I had this thought as well, but why is it that once we reach the blood transformation realm, progressing further becomes so difficult?"

The Heavenly Lake Island Master looked at Chen Mu, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes.

As one of the Five Absolutes, recognized as one of the top five Celestial Mortals, he had reached the pinnacle of cultivation and was exploring the path of body tempering.

Very few ventured down this path; most sought to transcend the Heaven and Man realm, to comprehend the void and control time. Only a handful delved into the blood transformation realm of body tempering, and he was one of them, having progressed the furthest.

Chen Mu turned his gaze towards the Heavenly Lake Island Master.

At this moment, as the Heavenly Lake Island Master asked his question, his physical body's aura quietly surged, releasing a powerful torrent of blood energy. This energy was weaker than Chen Mu's but stronger than anyone else present.

This wasn't a show of force towards Chen Mu but a demonstration of his own martial cultivation as he sought guidance on the path of body tempering.

The instant Chen Mu sensed the Heavenly Lake Island Master's aura, he understood the other's realm.

Blood Refinement Major Accomplishment!

Or perhaps... Blood Transformation Major Accomplishment!

In a time when body tempering cultivation was not yet fully understood and few pursued the blood transformation path, the Heavenly Lake Island Master stood out among the crowd. He had taken a step further in blood transformation cultivation.

This display caused a ripple of surprise in Chen Mu's eyes.

Indeed, one couldn't underestimate the Heavenly Lake Island Master.

One of the Five Absolutes, without the aid of a system interface, had relied solely on his own abilities to forge ahead in blood transformation cultivation, reaching the level of major accomplishment.

Not only Chen Mu but also the other Heaven and Man masters present were all astonished, their attention fixed on the Heavenly Lake Island Master.

(End)

Every Heaven-Man who reaches the pinnacle of the Martial Way seeks to explore the path ahead. It is common knowledge that the Heavenly Lake Island Master is searching for the Body Tempering Way, and his reputation for his Five Elements Body is renowned across the world.

However, as they sense the changes in the Heavenly Lake Island Master's aura, and with Chen Mu's previous guidance, it is evident that the Heavenly Lake Island Master has not merely taken a small step forward in the Blood Transformation Realm. Instead, he has genuinely transcended to a new level!

Not only the ordinary Heaven-Men, but even the Xuan Tian Dao Master, the Six Paths Alliance Master, and Huanbei Heavensword, are all astounded. They stare at the Heavenly Lake Island Master with amazement, for thirty years ago, during the Kunlun Debate, the Heavenly Lake Island Master did not possess such a physique and blood energy.

"Brother Zhang, in the Body Tempering Way, you have already surpassed us," Xuan Tian Dao Master said with a profound gaze.

As an existence who cultivates the Yin-Yang Way, his Yin-Yang Body is unparalleled in the world. In terms of physique, only a perfect Heaven and Earth Body could surpass him.

But now, the Heavenly Lake Island Master has genuinely surpassed him in terms of physique, taking a significant step forward.

"Brother Xuan Tian, your praise is misplaced. My achievements are like a firefly compared to the moon; they are not worthy of praise," the Heavenly Lake Island Master shook his head slightly.

Before Chen Mu appeared, the Heavenly Lake Island Master believed that in the Body Tempering Martial Way, he was unparalleled in the world, surpassing all martial artists. However, when Chen Mu shattered the void and arrived, he immediately realized the vast gap between them, which was not a trivial difference.

Although he didn't know how Chen Mu had achieved such a peerless Martial Way cultivation in less than twenty years, there was no doubt that Chen Mu had progressed much further in the Body Tempering Martial Way.

Everyone's gaze soon turned back to Chen Mu.

If not for Chen Mu's presence, the Heavenly Lake Island Master's Body Tempering cultivation would have made him a central figure at the Kunlun Debate, with many seeking his guidance. But now, even the Heavenly Lake Island Master wants to ask Chen Mu for guidance.

Chen Mu, however, remains calm in response to the Heavenly Lake Island Master's question. "Blood Transformation cultivation is extremely difficult. It is because Body Tempering cultivation and Soul Core cultivation complement each other. Without a sufficiently powerful Soul Core, it is impossible to refine Martial Blood."

"At the very least, one must reach the Heaven-Man Realm, and even then, after the Soul Core has been tempered by Heaven and Earth, one can only barely hope to enter the Blood Transformation Realm. But it still requires an abundance of resources, and to truly take a step further, one must also refine a bit of Unextinguishable Divine Light."

Chen Mu has already gained a deep understanding of the Body Tempering Martial Way.

The power of the Soul Core at the Heaven-Man Realm is the foundation for entering the Blood Transformation Realm. Without a Soul Core power comparable to Heaven-Men, even with sufficient resources, it is challenging to enter the Blood Transformation Realm, as the refinement process would waste seven or eight out of ten attempts.

Only after refining a bit of Unextinguishable Divine Light can one rely on their abilities to cultivate the Body Tempering Way to the Blood Transformation Realm. The Heavenly Lake Island Master is undoubtedly such a figure, and his achievements in the Soul Core are extraordinary.

Unextinguishable Divine Light!

Hearing Chen Mu mention this term, the numerous Heaven-Men present furrowed their brows or gained sudden enlightenment.

Refining the Soul Core to produce Unextinguishable Divine Light is not something unique to Chen Mu. Even among Heaven-Man Masters, those who reach this level are extremely rare, almost non-existent. Ordinary Heaven-Men rarely attain it.

Among those present, only the Heavenly Lake Island Master, Xuan Tian Dao Master, and the other four of the Five Greats have Soul Core power at this level. The others, despite being Heaven-Men, fall slightly short, which explains their inability to progress in the Blood Transformation Way.

"The Soul Core and the physique complement each other..."

Tang Xuanjing, the Grandmaster of Nan Hua Manor, murmured to himself, sometimes gaining insights and sometimes looking perplexed.

After hearing Chen Mu's words, the Heavenly Lake Island Master sighed softly and said, "Indeed, it is as you say."

As the only person in the world to have reached the Blood Transformation Realm, he had devoted his entire life to creating a crude Blood Refinement technique. He also had a general understanding of the complementary relationship between the Soul Core and the physique, but not as clear as Chen Mu's explanation.

During this Kunlun Debate, if not for Chen Mu's sudden appearance, he had planned to discuss his Martial Way insights with Xuan Tian Dao Master and the others, hoping to explore new ideas and establish a clear path. But now, it seems unnecessary.

Chen Mu's words have clarified everything.

Moreover, his words convinced everyone, as during the Zhongzhou suppression, Chen Mu had once faced a Soul Core attack from Yang Qingshan of the Wu Shen Sect. Yang Qingshan was defeated and retreated without a chance to struggle, a bizarre and stifling death for a Heaven-Man. At that time, some speculated that Chen Mu either possessed a rare Soul Core-protecting treasure or had an exceptionally powerful Soul Core.

It now appears to be the latter, as it is unlikely that Chen Mu could have cultivated such a peak physique without a powerful Soul Core.

"May I ask how far Chen Saint has progressed in his Body Tempering cultivation?" someone respectfully inquired.

Chen Mu calmly replied, "Perfect Blood Transformation."

Having reached the pinnacle of the mortal world, he naturally had no reservations about revealing his Martial Way cultivation. He even wished for the Martial Way to progress and develop further. As for being surpassed, such a thought never crossed his mind.

The one who surpasses others will never be caught up to, this was true in the past and remains true now. Those who were once his contemporaries, the prodigies of their generation, can no longer keep up with his pace. He hopes for prosperity and strength in this world, and for more people to break through the Gate to Divinity, stepping onto the path beyond. His vision is no longer limited to the Great Xuan Heaven.

"Perfection?"

Upon hearing Chen Mu's response, the numerous Celestial Mortals present were once again astonished.

Even though they had witnessed Chen Mu shatter the void and leave his mark on the Kunlun Mountain Apex with his finger strength, they had already anticipated this to some extent. But when it was truly confirmed, it still stirred their hearts.

Perfect Blood Transformation!

They were all Celestial Mortal Masters, standing at the pinnacle of the mortal world, and more or less aware of the concept of 'Divine Realm'. Now that Chen Mu had perfected his Body Refinement Martial Way and reached the peak of Blood Refinement, did that mean he was just one step away from entering the legendary Divine Realm?!

The master of the Six Paths Alliance, Mo Zun, looked at Chen Mu with a solemn gaze and suddenly asked, "Chen Sheng, are you just one step away from the Divine Realm?"

"No, it's still a long way off."

This time, Chen Mu shook his head slightly and said, "The Divine Realm is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Even with Perfect Blood Transformation, it's not enough to push open that door. One must cultivate to the extreme of Blood Transformation and Body Refinement Martial Way to truly break through that boundary."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd and paused briefly on the Heavenly Lake Island Master, a hint of regret in his heart.

The Heavenly Lake Island Master had the best foundation, but in Chen Mu's eyes, it was still far from sufficient. Just this step of Perfect Blood Transformation was extremely difficult, let alone cultivating to the extreme, which was almost impossible.

Their foundation was not strong enough in the past, as they had not cultivated each realm to its limit. A huge bottleneck formed at the Blood Transformation Stage, making it nearly impossible to reach the extreme. Perfect Blood Transformation was essentially the limit for the Heavenly Lake Island Master and others.

Perhaps in worlds where the path of cultivation was far more advanced than the Great Xuan Heaven, or in the 'hometown' mentioned by Xun Mu, a place that surpassed the Great Xuan Heaven, there might be methods to make up for their inadequate foundation. But in the Great Xuan Heaven, such methods did not exist.

Those present were destined to be unable to break through the Gate to Divinity.

After hearing Chen Mu's words, the numerous Celestial Mortal Masters fell silent, stunned.

Even at Chen Mu's level of cultivation, he still couldn't open the Gate to Divinity!

He needed to take another step forward!

The Divine Realm was so difficult that it was almost hopeless.

Even though those present were Celestial Mortal Masters, the most outstanding figures of this era, they couldn't help but sigh at the vast gap and distance, feeling a sense of awe.

"To refine the blood, one must first refine the soul. But how should one cultivate the Soul Core? Aside from entering Blood Transformation and becoming a Celestial Mortal, there are only a few rare Heavenly Earth Spirit Gems in the mortal world that have some effect on tempering the soul. However, after reaching the Celestial Mortal level, their effectiveness is also limited." Someone shook their head slightly.

"Opening a path to cultivate the soul is far more challenging than cultivating the Martial Way."

The Grandmaster of Nanhua Manor sighed.

"In the Great Wilderness, there might be methods to refine the soul and spirit gems to enhance it."

Suddenly, someone spoke up.

Hearing this, the eyes of the others flashed with a faint light.

The Great Wilderness!

The most mysterious secret realm in the mortal world and the source of countless rare treasures.

No one knew if there were soul-refining techniques in the Great Wilderness, but spirit gems that strengthened the soul did exist. Even the Heavenly Lake Island Master was able to refine a trace of unextinguishable divine light because he had gained an opportunity while exploring the Great Wilderness!

Indeed.

Obtaining gains from the Great Wilderness was also extremely difficult. After all, countless top-tier cultivators ventured there every year, but few returned with success. Many perished within, including those at the Blood Transformation Stage, and occasionally even Celestial Mortals lost their lives there.

As the saying goes, where there is opportunity, there is also danger. There are no free benefits in this world.

Nevertheless, this was a glimmer of hope, a chance for them to further their cultivation of the Martial Way.

The crowd began a brief discussion about the Great Wilderness.

Among them, some, like the Heavenly Lake Island Master, approached Chen Mu to further discuss Body Refinement Martial Way. Chen Mu was very open-minded and shared his understanding and insights about Body Refinement Martial Way.

He didn't have much time to organize a set of blood cultivation techniques, and Qin Mengjun needed them. In the future, Chen Yue, Chen Yao, and others might also require them. So, it was better for him to narrate his understanding and experiences, allowing the Celestial Mortal Masters like the Heavenly Lake Island Master to explore and refine them. Then, he could gather the results, saving his time.

This included soul-refining techniques, which he also lacked the time to research and refine. If others could come up with some methods, no matter how crude or rudimentary, they might still be useful to him.

This was the way of the Martial Dao—to take a step ahead, then turn back to pass on the Martial Way, promoting its development in the mortal world. From there, one could sift through the chaff, extract the essence, and benefit from it, progressing together. This was the proper way of the cycle of heaven.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end