Chapter 15: First to Reach the Outer Peak of Longtan Peak

Three days later.

On a mountain rock.

A tall, slender teenage figure sat cross‑legged,

His face was handsome and resolute, his brows as sharp as swords.

The aura radiating from his whole body was exceedingly fierce, as if a sharp sword were hidden within his spine.

Even without reaching out to touch its edge, one could feel its pride soaring to the heavens.

It was Li Mu.

After a long while, Li Mu slowly opened his eyes.

A sharp, almost tangible murderous aura suddenly flashed from the depths of his eyes!

Only after he closed and reopened them did it gradually return to normal.

"The more Seven Absolute Blade Qi I harbor within, the greater its effect on me,"

"Nevertheless, that is understandable,"

"The essence of the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique is a martial art that stops killing with killing, controls violence with violence,"

"Especially, I have spent these three days constantly in slaughter, which further amplifies the murderous Qi of the Seven Absolute Blade Qi within me,"

He finished speaking.

Li Mu then looked to his side.

All he saw were corpses of various demon beasts, every valuable item on them completely stripped away.

"Although my cultivation has remained stuck at the Fifth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak for these three days,"

"my true Qi and blood have filled to their apex; only a final opportunity is needed to break the shackles and reach the Qi Refining Realm Great Completion!"

"Besides..."

"My Seven-Absolute Sword Technique, during these three sleepless days of battling demon beasts, has reached the sixth‑layer peak,"

"yet it still falls short of the seventh‑layer great consummation, a single line preventing breakthrough!"

With a "Clang!" Li Mu suddenly drew the long sword at his waist.

He saw.

The sword was crimson like blood, encircled by six strands of blade Qi; a murderous aura instantly swept the surroundings, startling many birds in the dense forest to scatter and beasts to flee.

"No wonder Senior Sister Qiu, when she saw me choose the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique, immediately declared that I should pick another path,"

"It seems this Seven Absolute Blade Method truly isn't meant for ordinary people,"

"First, I possess a divine artifact, the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll, which can turn any adverse events within a period into never having occurred, allowing only favorable outcomes to become reality,"

"All costs and negative effects are transferred entirely onto Qin Siwu,"

"Thus perfectly avoiding the risk of demonic deviation and self‑harm while cultivating the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique,"

"With no lingering worries, combined with Heavenly Dao Blessing, my gains can be multiplied tenfold, dozens of times, even hundreds of times,"

"Moreover, near Longtan Peak there are tens of thousands of demon beasts that can be used for grinding!"

"One could say we have seized heavenly timing, advantageous terrain, and human harmony!"

"Yet despite all this, I still couldn't break through the seventh layer!"

Li Mu shook his head and sighed.

"Regardless of the place, risk and reward are proportional,"

"Moreover, when I was at Fourth Grade Refining Qi Realm and the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique was only at its second layer, I could slay Qian Wenyi of the Sixth Grade Refining Qi Realm with a single strike,"

"Now, I will cultivate the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique to the sixth layer,"

"Then break my cultivation to Sixth Grade Refining Qi Realm, and, with the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll, claim another Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing reward?"

"If we calculate it all together..."

"Damn, isn't that invincible at the same realm?"

Li Mu opened his mouth slightly and rubbed his chin.

Forget it!

Anyway, I'm the one cheating; let me be invincible!

Thinking that, Li Mu's mood lifted greatly!

He happily slung the bulging satchel, stuffed with precious demon‑beast materials and Demon Crystals, onto his back and headed toward Longtan Peak.

But just as Li Mu returned to his cave dwelling, fresh from a shower, and was about to exchange contribution points,

to see if he could redeem the pills needed to break through to the Qi Refining Realm Great Completion,

"Dong, dong, dong..."

Suddenly, a rapid series of knocks came from outside.

Li Mu changed into dry clothes and walked straight to open the door.

There, a charming figure stood at the doorway, looking somewhat anxious.

"Senior Sister Qiu?"

Seeing that the newcomer was Qiu Ning Shui, Li Mu stepped forward and greeted her.

"Junior brother, you finally returned!"

Qiu Ning Shui, upon seeing Li Mu, got straight to the point.

"It's like this!"

"Senior Sister Yao wants to see you alone; the location is the training ground behind the mountain..."

"Yao Mengzhen?"

"Interesting!"

Upon hearing the name, a flash of brilliance flickered in Li Mu's dark eyes.

Li Mu was not at all surprised that Yao Mengzhen wanted to see him.

Last time, he had left Qian Wenyi in such a terrible state.

If Yao Mengzhen, as a cousin, did nothing at all, that would truly be abnormal.

"Alright!"

"Got it, I'm on my way!"

"Okay!"

After completing the mission, Qiu Ning Shui was about to take her leave.

But she had just turned away.

Then, as if she had suddenly thought of something, her gaze toward Li Mu wavered, hesitant to speak.

Finally, under Li Mu's calm stare, she gritted her teeth and said.

"Junior brother, when you face Senior Sister Yao, I still hope you can..."

"Just a little restraint, just a bit."

"What?"

"Yao Mengzhen calling me over this time—does she want to settle scores after autumn?"

Li Mu raised an eyebrow.

"That's not it; Senior Sister Yao has never been that kind of person."

Qiu Ning Shui, fearing Li Mu might misunderstand, waved her hands repeatedly and said.

"Let's discuss the matter itself."

"Junior brother, your last move was far too heavy."

"Qian Wenyi is now confirmed unable to participate in this Four Peaks Grand Competition; for him, that's tantamount to being expelled from the sect."

"And Senior Sister Yao, being Qian Wenyi's cousin, certainly won't act as if nothing happened."

"If you act too domineering, she might..."

"Strike, strike you?"

"Of course!"

"I know you, junior brother, are strong, gifted, and speak nicely."

"Even when facing Senior Sister Yao, you surely wouldn't be submissive."

"But Senior Sister Yao reached the Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak a year ago, and now she is very likely to enter the Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection."

"Moreover, Senior Sister Yao hails from the cultivation world, with a prestigious lineage; her talent and resources are top‑tier."

"Her strength, when viewed across the Zi Yang Four Peaks, would rank her eleventh on the Wind‑Cloud List."

"Besides, you already expended all the Qi you were supposed to last time; you took both the inner and outer face."

"Give Senior Sister Yao a way down; that way everyone's face is saved."

"In short, a gentleman uses words, not fists..."

Having said that.

Qiu Ning Shui stared at Li Mu with unblinking beautiful eyes, fearing she had left something unclear and caused Li Mu any unnecessary misunderstanding.

After having witnessed Li Mu's performances several times.

In Qiu Ning Shui's mind, Li Mu is a textbook 'brute'!

If you don't provoke me, everyone will remain at peace.

But if you dare provoke me, does it matter whether you're the great‑grandson of an Outer Peak elder or the first cousin of Outer Peak's top disciple?

Li Mu replied with a single sentence.

Life and death are taken lightly; if you disagree, fight!

Back then, Senior Sister Zi Yuan specifically reminded herself to familiarize Li Mu with the surroundings and quickly blend in with the disciples of Longtan Peak and Outer Peak.

The 'blend in' the senior sister mentioned is certainly an adjective, not a verb!

If Li Mu and Yao Mengzhen truly 'blend in', the consequences would be unimaginable.

Especially now, with the Four Peaks Grand Competition about to commence, it's even more so!

So...

Qiu Ning Shui felt it necessary to clear the two's misunderstanding in advance.

"In short..."

"Li Mu, don't ever imagine confronting Senior Sister Yao forcefully; approach softly, lest you suffer losses..."

Qiu Ning Shui thought her words, under the most playful circumstances, had already analyzed the pros and cons thoroughly.

Even so, Li Mu, thanks to his terrifying comprehension, had refined the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique to its second level.

But the ceiling of his Lian Qi Realm minor attainment remained there.

Even with the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique's combat boost, defeating Six Grade Lian Qi Realm Qian Wenyi would already be a miracle!

To spar with the seemingly Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection Yao Mengzhen, Li Mu has no chance at all.

Qiu Ning Shui truly didn't want to see Li Mu go to his death in vain!

Under Qiu Ning Shui's tense, uneasy gaze, a smile finally appeared on Li Mu's calm, handsome face.

"I understand."

Li Mu nodded in acknowledgment.

Then, Li Mu headed toward the place he had arranged with Yao Mengzhen.

Only at the moment he turned, Li Mu's dark eyes blazed with heat.

After bringing the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique to the peak of the sixth layer, his intuition told him he was just one opportunity away from the seventh layer!

He only needed to experience one exhilarating battle.

If his luck were a bit better, he could get a free hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing from the system.

That would definitely allow a breakthrough!

Just as Li Mu was worrying about where to find a strong opponent, a Heaven's Pride Girl at the peak of ninth grade in the Refining Qi Realm came to his door on her own!

Too wonderful!

There simply couldn't be a more suitable experience treasure!

「……」

Watching the boy's gradually receding back, Qiu Ning Shui felt an inexplicable surge of ominous premonition.

After pondering for a long time.

Qiu Ning Shui decided to first play it safe and go find Elder Sun of the Outer Peak right now.

If the situation really got out of control, they'd also need someone who could hold the fort.

「……」

Rear Mountain, inside the training field.

A girl in tight-fitting clothes, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, sat cross-legged.

On her lap lay a long sword and a jade bottle.

The girl's breathing was long and faint, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

But the next moment!

The high-ponytail girl suddenly opened her eyes!

"Heh!"

Accompanied by a spirited shout, the long sword in her hand slashed forth, the air seeming to burst!

The crimson blade arc, like an arrow released from a bow, in the blink of an eye heavily struck the training dummy ahead, emitting a muffled 'Bang!'

The dummy staggered back several steps before stabilizing.

"I previously tried to cultivate this Seven-Absolute Sword Technique!"

"But back then, I painstakingly studied for nearly a year and only managed to reach the third layer of the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique."

"Yet Li Mu actually covered in less than a day the path that took me nearly a year!"

"Hiss..."

Yao Mengzhen sheathed her sword, her cool pretty face full of disbelief.

She asked herself.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, her cousin would have been crippled by Li Mu's single strike.

Even if others proclaimed it heaven-shattering, Yao Mengzhen would absolutely not believe it.

In this world!

Who would have thought someone could truly achieve this, bringing the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique to the second layer in such a short time—less than a day!

Is this the value of an instant enlightenment, instant success?

Indeed, it's not mere boast!

What's even more eye-catching is.

This Li Mu is merely a country boy from the mundane world; achieving this is indeed worthy of pride.

No wonder he doesn't put his peers in his eyes.

But admiration is admiration!

Regardless, Li Mu's strike this time was really too excessive.

A little more, and he would have crippled Qian Wenyi!

No matter what, I can't just pretend this never happened!

"Dong, dong, dong..."

Just then, a knocking sounded from behind.

Yao Mengzhen bent down to pick up the jade bottle on the floor and said lightly.

"Come in!"

She looked toward the doorway.

All she saw was.

A handsome, imposing black-clad youth walked in.

Li Mu has arrived!