Chapter 29: The Third‑Layer Array of the Gong Fa Dian

Only by cultivating a heart method can one's dantian continuously generate powerful true Qi!

Otherwise.

Even if I cultivate the Eight-Nine Profound Skill, constantly opening the star acupoints so that my true Qi far surpasses that of cultivators of the same realm!

But these true Qi, when you get to the bottom of it, are nothing but a tree without roots, water without source.

If one were to fall into a prolonged battle without an inner cultivation method to continuously restore true Qi,

then when one's true Qi is exhausted, the battle situation will be highly unfavorable to oneself!

You've worked hard!

Now Yao Mengzhen is in seclusion, you are the only representative of our Longtan Peak.

Sun Qingwu looked at Li Mu's Daoist robe stained red with blood and couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy.

Li Mu, although you won the champion of this Martial Conference, given the arrogance of the disciples from Xuan Yue Peak, they will certainly not accept having lost to us.

Afterwards, there's no guarantee they won't come looking for trouble.

But I will handle it for you!

You don't need to worry about anything else; just focus on preparing for the Four Peaks Grand Competition!

Having said that, he wasn't sure if it was just his illusion.

Overall, it felt as if Li Mu's eyes suddenly turned fierce.

This one is unnecessary!

Li Mu cleared his throat lightly and said calmly, "Compared to training behind closed doors, I prefer to nurture war with war!"

I understand!

A prodigy like you loves nothing more than constantly pushing one's own limits.

Sun Qingwu sighed, then reached out to pat Li Mu's shoulder encouragingly: "But don't put too much pressure on yourself!"

You've only just joined the Outer Peak; making it into the top four of this Four Peaks Grand Competition already counts as success!

Making it into the top four counts as success?

Li Mu lifted his eyelids and gave Sun Qingwu a glance.

Sorry!

My goal is the champion!

Afterwards, Sun Qingwu briefly discussed this year's Four Peaks Grand Competition matters with Li Mu.

Li Mu simply listened with pleasure.

He then used the pretext of going to the Gong Fa Dian to select a Mysterious Tier Heart Method, got up, and took his leave.

…

After leaving the combat arena, Li Mu first returned to his own courtyard cave dwelling.

After taking a hot shower and changing into clean, fresh clothes, Li Mu headed straight to the Gong Fa Dian.

Because today was the Martial Conference, there weren't many people in the Gong Fa Dian.

But the elder who called himself Yu Lao, whom he saw last time, was already lying on a rocking chair, leisurely basking in the sun.

Obviously, this small‑scale skirmish of the Martial Conference couldn't pique Yu Lao's interest at all.

"Yu Lao, I'm here to return the Seven Absolute Blade Method!"

Li Mu took out the Seven Absolute Blade Method technique and placed it on the table.

Hearing that,

Yu Lao lazily opened his eyes, sized up Li Mu, and a flash of surprise crossed his old eyes.

He remembered this youngster!

Zi Yuan had specifically asked him, before heading to the Inner Peak, to look after her a bit.

It was also out of respect for Zi Yuan that Yu Lao originally gave Li Mu a shortcut for cultivating the Seven Absolute Blade Method.

However, considering that from Li Mu's borrowing to returning it hadn't even spanned ten days.

He had wasted his words back then.

Nevertheless, this also shows that Li Mu is a self‑aware youngster.

Unlike others who, clearly not grasping the Seven Absolute Blade Method, stubbornly force themselves to practice it.

A typical person who never hits a wall and never looks back!

In Yu Lao's view.

Li Mu, after ten days of attempts, realized he wasn't cut out for it.

So he returned it early.

But Li Mu isn't a roundworm in Yu Lao's belly, so of course he doesn't know how the old man is gnawing at himself in his mind.

After returning the Seven Absolute Blade Method, Li Mu immediately took the exchange voucher from his pocket, placed it before Yu Lao, and continued speaking.

"Yu Lao!"

"This is the voucher I just obtained; I want to exchange it for a Mysterious Tier Heart Method!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Lao merely opened a slit of an eye, first examined the voucher to ensure it was fine, then continued.

"According to Ziyang Sect's rules, even if you have a voucher."

"But to exchange for a Mysterious Tier Heart Method, you must pass through the array set on the third layer of the Gong Fa Dian."

"With your current cultivation level, breaking through the array, the dangers…"

"Yu Lao!"

"I am already prepared to breach the array!"

Without waiting for Yu Lao to finish, Li Mu said firmly.

Seeing that Li Mu's mind was set, Yu Lao, just as last time, said little, but Bai Mei couldn't help but frown.

If…

When Li Mu first chose the Seven Absolute Blade Method, this behavior could still be blamed on a newborn calf not fearing tigers, as if he bought himself a lesson.

But this second time, after Li Mu just suffered the loss from the Seven Absolute Blade Method, not only did he not learn any lesson,

he became even more arrogant, absurdly demanding to challenge the formation on the third layer of the Gong Fa Hall.

Truly overestimating himself!

As for…

If Yu Lao is not mistaken, this Mysterious Tier Heart Method exchange voucher in Li Mu's hand

must be the one Li Mu obtained from Zi Yuan when he couldn't master the Seven Absolute Blade Method, truly a case of the grass being greener on the other side, with no self‑awareness at all!

Thinking this, Yu Lao's impression of Li Mu worsened in his heart.

"……"

Under Yu Lao's guidance, the two arrived at the third layer of the Gong Fa Hall.

Pulling open the massive wooden doors on both sides, a wide and long corridor unfolded before them, stretching seemingly without end.

Yet here, the silence was such that even a falling silver needle could be heard, imparting an intangible pressure on the heart.

"When you step into this corridor, the formation will be triggered."

"As the formation slowly operates, many phantasms will also appear!"

"These phantasms are all demon beasts!"

"The first wave of demon beasts you face will have strength equivalent to a Refining Qi Realm practitioner of the eighth grade!"

"Remember!"

"After finishing the first wave, do not linger in battle; you must swiftly pass the passage to the third layer of the Gong Fa Hall!"

"Otherwise, endless demon beasts will appear and devour you!"

"If you feel you cannot hold on, just shout 'give up'."

"But doing so will render the voucher in your hand void."

Yu Lao glanced at Li Mu, his tone neither salty nor bland.

Obviously.

He simply did not think Li Mu could break through the swarm of demon beasts and reach the third layer of the Gong Fa Hall.

So he tacitly reclaimed the voucher.

"Thank you, Yu Lao, for the reminder!"

"Clang!"

Li Mu nodded, then drew the Vengeance Blade from his waist and rushed impatiently into the passage.

"Buzz……"

As Li Mu stepped into the passage, a strong buzzing sound suddenly rang out.

Immediately, the scenery around Li Mu began to change rapidly.

Below his feet was a mirror‑like water surface, reflecting Li Mu's image.

Each step Li Mu took caused concentric ripples to spread from his feet like water waves, appearing extremely mysterious.

"Is this the power of the formation?"

"Speaking of which!"

"The puppets I used for practice in the arena seem to have special formation runes engraved within them."

Li Mu looked around, clicking in wonder.

In the Qian Kun Realm, many powerful formation masters, by engraving formation runes, can command tens of thousands of extremely strong puppets into battle!

Possessing terrifying combat power that can oppose a nation single‑handed!

Thus, formation masters, like Alchemists, are courted by all factions wherever they go.

"Clatter……"

As Li Mu was pondering, a sound of footpads trampling water suddenly rose from the darkness ahead, drawing nearer.

Quickly.

In Li Mu's view, two almost identical lizards slowly emerged from the shadows ahead.

The lizards were five meters long, their green hides covered with sharp spines.

Their eyes were blood‑red, like two burning rubies in the dim passage.

"Seven‑Tier Demon Soldier, Azure Demon Lizard, right?"

"In the formation leading to the third layer of the Gong Fa Hall, it starts with this intensity."

"That's truly beyond what an ordinary disciple can handle easily."

Li Mu's gaze hardened.

Any single Seven‑Tier Demon Soldier already possesses strength comparable to an eighth‑grade Refining Qi Realm practitioner!

Moreover, in this narrow, confined passage, one must simultaneously face a frontal and rear assault from two Seven‑Tier Azure Demon Lizards.

The danger is such that even an eighth‑grade Refining Qi Realm practitioner must proceed cautiously; a slight slip could spell disaster.

However…

According to the characteristics of this formation,

If an eighth‑grade Refining Qi Realm practitioner comes, the strength and number of these phantom demon beasts will increase accordingly.

Thus, the key to breaking through the formation lies in one's own foundation!

At minimum, one must cultivate a Yellow Tier High-level Technique to great perfection; only then do you have the capital to breach the formation!

How precious the Mysterious Tier Heart Method is!

The Ziyang Sect only leaves such precious resources to those who are truly Heaven‑Pride, you monster!

As a Heaven‑Pride, if you, monster, even attempt a level‑skipping challenge without having the strength to face multiple foes alone.

Then even if you have a voucher to exchange for the Mysterious Tier Heart Method, the sect still cannot give it to you!

"No wonder."

"When I said I was going to challenge the third‑layer formation of Gong Fa Dian, Yu Lao gave such a cold reaction!"

"But what a pity!"

"As for the Mysterious Rank Martial Art, I have already mastered two techniques at present!"

"Kakakaka…"

Li Mu slowly drew the Vengeance Blade from his waist, then spun the blade sharply; black‑red blood Qi coiled around the edge, and his aura surged upward step by step!

"Roar, roar, roar!"

At the same time, the two Azure Demon Lizards, seeing Li Mu draw his blade, immediately let out low, guttural roars and lunged forward on all four claws.

The massive bodies came rumbling forward like heavy tanks, raising waves of foul, fishy stench, and pounced toward Li Mu.

"Well come!"

Li Mu's gaze hardened, and he reacted swiftly.

He sidestepped back half a step, easily evading the Azure Demon Lizard's first wave of attack, while the long blade in his hand, suffused with black‑red blood Qi, swung out to Slash.

"One absolute!"

A low exhale!

Seven Absolute Blade Qi surged violently from the edge of the long blade, carving a blood‑colored arc.

Where the Blade Qi passed, the channel emitted a series of slicing sounds, Slashing the Azure Demon Lizard's side abdomen.

The next second.

"Pfft…"

Accompanied by the streak of a blood arrow!

The Azure Demon Lizard's massive body was completely cut in half by Li Mu from one side, and the gushing blood instantly dyed the water surface in the channel crimson.

"Roar!"

At that moment, the attack of another Azure Demon Lizard followed immediately.

"Whale‑Suction Long Rainbow!"

Li Mu's blade motion shifted once, and the black‑red Blade Qi contracted.

Immediately, violet lightning rays appeared, forming a purple thunder blade of raging electric arcs!

"Kakakakaka…"

The thunder blade instantly Slashed the Azure Demon Lizard's crown, the thunder serpent thrashing wildly, sparks scattering, emitting a chilling sound.

"Roar roar roar…"

The Azure Demon Lizard's wailing was heart‑rending, and its massive body rolled back and forth in the channel.

Even so, the Azure Demon Lizard's scale armor is said to withstand a full‑power strike from an eighth‑rank Refining Qi Realm cultivator.

Yet before Li Mu's thunder blade, it was as easy as cutting tofu, and its head was Slashed off.

Ding!

System has identified that the host Slashed two Seventh‑Tier Azure Demon Lizards, triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!

Congratulations, host, you have obtained Tenfold Harvest!

"This can also trigger Heavenly Dao Blessing?"

Seeing the system message appear before his eyes, Li Mu's eyes lit up!