Chapter 694: Seclusion
Chapter 694: Seclusion
In a certain place within the Formless City, there was a tavern.
Consumption at the tavern in the Formless City required Source Stones as payment, but the prices were fair. The special drinks and dishes within the tavern contained extraordinary spiritual energy, which could enhance one's understanding, often proving to be more effective than directly refining Source Stones.
However, most people couldn't afford the tavern's prices. Even a Dual Pulse Perfection expert like Fengxing Shentang would think twice before spending at the tavern, as the benefits didn't seem to outweigh the costs.
Only the top-tier Three Pulse Perfection experts, who obtained a vast number of Source Stones from each hunting expedition, could afford to occasionally indulge in the tavern's offerings or purchase rare resources directly within the city.
"Hundun Qilian? Fengxing Association?"
Cangyue Shentang, the leader of the Vastexpanse Palace, sat in a private room on the third floor of the tavern, with a subordinate standing by her side. She listened to the report from her followers with a hint of surprise.
A Single Pulse Perfection Shentang standing beside her spoke in a low voice, "Leader, the Hundun Qilian is invaluable and has excellent effects. The Fengxing Association has not yet entered the city. Should we intercept and kill them outside the city to seize the Hundun Qilian?"
After hearing this, Cangyue Shentang briefly pondered and replied, "Although the Fengxing Association is still weak overall, they have Chen Mu, who will eventually rise as a significant force. Even if we intercept and kill the other members of the Fengxing Association, it will be challenging to deal with Chen Mu. The Hundun Qilian is most likely in Chen Mu's possession, and it's pointless if we can't hold him."
"Moreover, he is a Dual Pulse Full Perfection expert, with the potential to reach Three Pulse Full Perfection in the future. Even if we manage to obtain the Hundun Qilian, it may not be worth offending him for it."
The Vastexpanse Assembly, established by the Vastexpanse Palace within the Formless City, was a top-tier hunting organization with formidable collective strength. It was easy for them to surround and eliminate forces like the Fengxing Association and the Blackstone Association. However, dealing with Chen Mu was a different story.
As a Three Pulse Perfection expert, Cangyue Shentang was not afraid of Chen Mu, but she also lacked the confidence to keep him restrained.
Currently, although the Fengxing Association was founded by Fengxing Shentang and Chen Mu joined later, if Chen Mu remained with the Fengxing Association, it would undoubtedly become Chen Mu's primary focus. Even if the Vastexpanse Assembly were to annihilate the entire Fengxing Association, as long as Chen Mu survived, it would be meaningless. With his Dual Pulse Full Perfection level of strength, it would be easy for him to recruit a group of followers and reorganize a hunting team.
"A Dual Pulse Full Perfection expert is indeed challenging to deal with."
Upon hearing Cangyue Shentang's words, Wumang Shentang, who was standing beside her, also shook his head.
At the moment, their Vastexpanse Assembly had nothing to fear. However, Chen Mu's achievement of Dual Pulse Full Perfection might lead him to become a Supreme Way Honored One, and it was almost certain that he would reach Three Pulse Full Perfection in the future. If they were to fight Chen Mu over the Hundun Qilian now, they would face significant trouble when Chen Mu attained Three Pulse Full Perfection.
A Three Pulse Full Perfection expert could easily dominate the Formless City.
Suppressing the Vastexpanse Assembly was not a difficult task.
Although Cangyue Shentang was a disciple of a Supreme Way Honored One and held a high position in the Vastexpanse Palace, it wasn't enough to disturb a Supreme Way Honored One over a conflict between the Nine Heavens. After all, the Honored Ones were not that idle.
"This person was not well-known before, probably a peerless genius born in a remote part of the universe. In the vast universe with countless empty seats, there will always be exceptional individuals... Hmm, we can try to test him and see if he's willing to join the Vastexpanse Palace."
Cangyue Shentang spoke after some contemplation.
As the end catastrophe approached, exceptional individuals emerged, and Chen Mu was qualified to be recruited into the Vastexpanse Palace.
"The Vastexpanse Palace?"
Wumang Shentang, who was standing by her side, was slightly surprised.
The Vastexpanse Palace and the Vastexpanse Assembly were two different concepts. The Vastexpanse Assembly was merely a hunting organization within the Formless City, while the Vastexpanse Palace was a top-tier force that dominated the universe, standing alongside the Suiyue Temple and the Hunyuan Void Seat.
The Suiyue Temple possessed the Eternal Ship, which could carry a small number of existences below the level of Honored Ones, allowing them to survive the end catastrophe and reach the next cosmic opening. Similarly, the Vastexpanse Palace had the 'Vastexpanse Tower,' which could traverse the universe and survive the end catastrophe.
There were countless Shentang existences in the vast universe who desired to join the Suiyue Temple.
Although obtaining the qualification to enter the Vastexpanse Tower was incredibly challenging, there were only a few individuals within the entire Vastexpanse Palace who currently held this qualification. Nonetheless, this was an opportunity to cross the end catastrophe in a situation where breaking through to the level of Honored Ones was impossible.
"If we invite him to join the Vastexpanse Palace, I believe he won't refuse."
"That's right." Wumang Shenjun nodded.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you." Cangyue Shenjun slightly inclined her head.
"Alright." Wumang Shenjun agreed and left the private room.
Cangyue Shenjun looked up at the boundless azure sky outside the window, a hint of depth flashing in her eyes. As a disciple of the Supreme Way, she was qualified to enter the Vastexpanse Tower. However, she was also aware that her master expected her to achieve the Supreme Way in this universe's cycle of life and death, rather than relying on the tower to survive until the next cosmic opening.
...
Aside from the Suiyue Temple and the Vastexpanse Palace, the other major powers in Wuxiang City soon learned of Mu Shenjun's achievement of Dual Pulse Full Perfection within the Fengxing Association. This news caused a stir among them.
The members of the Fengxing Association were unaware of the impact their actions had on the various powers within the city. Nonetheless, under Chen Mu's leadership, they safely returned to Wuxiang City without encountering any further trouble along the way.
Upon their return to Wuxiang City, Chen Mu headed straight back to the Fengxing Association's courtyard and his secluded meditation room. He knew that by revealing his strength, he would cause a stir within the city, but he had no intention of getting involved in the ensuing commotion or interacting with the leaders of the various powers.
Fortunately, he had more than enough Source Stones, so he could afford to prolong his seclusion until the outside turmoil subsided before emerging again.
Swish! Chen Mu waved his sleeve, harnessing the power of the Void Great Path, isolating his meditation room from the outside world. Finally, he flipped his hand, revealing a total of twenty-two WuDao Qinglian Zi, the fruits of his labor.
"WuDao Qinglian Zi," he murmured.
At this moment, Chen Mu finally had the time to carefully examine this rare treasure.
Each of these jade-like lotus seeds bore intricate lines of Dao, and upon closer inspection, these lines were composed of even finer lines, continuing in an almost infinite pattern.
Perhaps the very essence of these seeds was a point of Dao, which then condensed into extremely fine lines, which in turn formed more substantial lines, and so on, ultimately creating the complete structure of the WuDao Qinglian Zi.
"It seems to contain the mysteries of ten thousand spirits, life, and even the power of time, making it difficult to decipher," Chen Mu observed after a long gaze.
Having reached his current realm, there were few things in the vast universe that Chen Mu couldn't analyze. Most substances and curiosities were easily understood by him at a glance. However, these WuDao Qinglian Zi, originating from the Yuan Jing and Wuxiang City, were a rare exception.
Soon, Chen Mu took one of the WuDao Qinglian Zi and placed it in his mouth, swallowing it gently.
As the jade-like WuDao Qinglian Zi entered his mouth, a rich fragrance filled his senses, though it was hard to describe with ordinary words. It was less of a scent and more of a 'Dao fragrance,' and in the instant it filled the air, one felt a sense of lightness.
As the Qinglian Zi dissolved in his stomach, Chen Mu felt his entire body become incredibly light, as if freed from shackles, ready to ascend into the vast sky.
"So that's how it is..." In that moment, Chen Mu had an epiphany.
They, who had entered the Yuan Jing, like him, had been forcibly transformed into a fleshly body upon arriving in Wuxiang City. While this physical form did not affect their core essence or divine power, it was still a kind of bondage and restraint, severing their connection with the heavens of Wuxiang City.
This separation is both a restriction and a form of protection.
As the Wuxiang City is a region within the Yuan Jing, its very essence is the manifestation of the Prime Source. Therefore, the divine realm of the Nine Heavens, if one were to discard the physical body, would be equivalent to directly contacting the Prime Source. While this could bring an infinite amount of Great Path insights, the Prime Source, being the origin of all things, possesses an incredibly strong assimilating power over all creation.
Even a Great Dao Master who has comprehended an entire Great Dao cannot avoid assimilation. After the destruction and rebirth of several universes, they would eventually merge completely with the Great Dao, becoming a part of the Prime Source. How could a Divine Lord of the Nine Heavens withstand this?
Once directly touching the Prime Source, they would instantly be assimilated, becoming a part of it.
This fleshly body and the strand of Prime Source power surrounding it are forms of protection, like an invisible bubble, encapsulating them within and preventing direct contact with the Prime Source.
At this moment,
After consuming the WuDao Qinglian Zi, Chen Mu felt a surge of peculiar power. This power broke free from the constraints of his physical body, allowing him to directly immerse himself in the Great Path. He could almost sense the omnipresent Prime Source and the essence of the Great Dao in this world.
This rare treasure, the WuDao Qinglian Zi, could indeed bring him closer to the Great Path while ensuring his safety!
"No wonder it's so valuable."
"If those who have reached the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens, comprehending a lineage to the extreme, and already having a profound understanding of the Five Mystic Fusions, only needing that final push, were to consume a WuDao Qinglian Zi, then it's possible that they could have a sudden realization, directly comprehending that final hurdle."
Chen Mu, feeling the Prime Source so close, and the omnipresent essence of the Great Dao, couldn't help but sigh softly.
Of course,
To comprehend the complete Prime Source with just one WuDao Qinglian Zi is incredibly difficult. At least, he couldn't do it at his current level, or perhaps he was still stuck at the initial threshold of the Five Mystic Fusions.
This is the problem faced by most Divine Lords who have reached the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens. Before this, they could sense progress in their lengthy cultivation, even if it was minuscule, they were always moving forward.
But at this final step, before the threshold of the Five Mystic Fusions, most are unable to make any progress.
Often, even after thousands or tens of thousands of eons, they remain stuck without any advancement.
However,
This bottleneck is ineffective for Chen Mu. Even without profound insights, his System Panel continuously accumulates experience. As long as he has enough experience, he can use the System Panel to forcibly break through this so-called bottleneck.
Without hesitation, Chen Mu took out a Source Stone, crushed it in his palm, and effortlessly refined it, absorbing a strand of Prime Source power into his body.
Buzz!
After consuming the WuDao Qinglian Zi and partially breaking free from his constraints, the effect of refining a Source Stone was vastly different from usual.
Chen Mu felt an overwhelming surge of insights, drowning him instantly.
In the past, refining a Source Stone was like a stream pouring down from above, bringing forth countless spiritual lights. But now, he felt as if he were submerged in a waterfall, immersed in an endless flow of insights. Wherever his consciousness reached, he encountered the Great Dao and its essence.
At this moment, he seemed to merge with the Great Dao. Everything he heard and saw was the essence of the Great Dao.
"..."
Chen Mu entered a state of enlightenment, his thoughts and divided consciousness all immersed in this moment of insight.
His interface clone in the Fang Gu Domain and his Shen Li Zhen Shen in the Endless Abyss, both of which usually retained a thread of consciousness, one overseeing the domain and the other guarding Rong Huo City, were now both in a deep closed-off period.
At the same time,
On the System Panel, the experience of the Void Lineage's Five Mystic Ultimate Fusion was continuously accumulating.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
