Chapter 32: A Fate Gifted to You

Boom!

At this moment.

Li Mu only feels that a bolt of lightning flashes through his mind, and a flood of insights emerges together with light and shadow.

These lights and shadows are actually a frame‑by‑frame, second‑by‑second slow‑motion dissection of Yu Lao's just‑slashed strike from different angles and directions!

It's as if Li Mu, standing beside, observed Yu Lao's demonstration a hundred times in a row.

"This..."

"Could it be..."

Seeming to have grasped something, Li Mu's eyes gradually brighten.

Just now, the slash Yu Lao delivered suddenly burst forth seven completely different traits within a single force.

"Exactly!"

"The slash Yu Lao just performed was the Seven Absolute Blade Method, but its artistic conception and understanding are entirely different!"

Li Mu feels astonished.

Five days ago, Li Mu had already cultivated the Seven Absolute Blade Method to the Great Perfection realm.

If one looks solely at the Seven Absolute Blade Method.

Then Li Mu has already refined the technique to its pinnacle, belonging to the Extreme Realm.

But the slash Yu Lao just delivered merges the Seven Absolutes into one Absolute—one slash with seven Absolutes, the Seven Absolutes transforming into Seven Kill!

It appears to be similar in effect, with no essential difference.

Yet under the Hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing, Li Mu still managed to glean something from it.

The slash he performed within the Eternal Way formation and the slash Yu Lao now slashes before his eyes.

The two seem identical, but in essence they differ as night and day.

Because Yu Lao can fully achieve a single slash with seven Absolutes!

And these seven Absolutes simultaneously unleash seven completely different yet complementary traits, which makes forty‑nine Absolutes!

That is seven times the gap compared to the ordinary one‑slash seven‑Absolutes.

Perhaps...

This is the true lethal momentum behind the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique!

Seven Kill!

After Li Mu personally feels Yu Lao's slash up close, myriad insights surge to his mind.

Immediately.

Li Mu immediately sits on the ground, seizing this fleeting insight.

Seeing Li Mu's contemplation, Yu Lao, satisfied, stroked his white beard and said lightly.

"The younger generation is fearsome!"

"..."

While Li Mu calmly contemplates Yu Lao's previous slash, the outside of Gong Fa Dian is already packed with people.

Every one of them, without exception, wears a black Dao robe, embroidered on the chest with a towering majestic peak.

They are all people of Xuan Yue Feng!

At the head stands a young man whose aura is extremely yin and gentle.

He, in a black robe, is surrounded like a host of stars cradling the moon, standing proudly, his imposing aura filling the entire venue!

He shows no intention of concealing his own aura!

His overwhelming pressure spreads outward, allowing many nearby disciples watching to sense a fierce, towering force from him.

That force has already reached the Concentration Realm!

"Third Seat of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, Lin Zehong!"

"Sss..."

"One could imagine that after the Martial Arts Conference, the people of Xuan Yue Feng would surely retaliate at once."

"But they didn't expect the retaliation to come so quickly!"

"Moreover, the one leading the team is still Lin Zehong!"

"Now Li Mu truly cannot escape his doom."

"Indeed!"

"I've heard many people say before that Lin Zehong's cultivation already seemed to be at the Concentration Realm."

"Now there's no longer any doubt."

"Lin Zehong just doesn't bother to disguise himself at all, laying his cards on the table directly—it's clearly a challenge to Li Mu!"

"Alas..."

"They say one should leave a margin when dealing with people, so we can meet again later."

"Back then, that kid Li Mu on the arena did things so extreme that he completely crippled Zhao Jianfei."

"Given Xuan Yue Feng's vengeful nature, it's no wonder Li Mu can't win their favor."

"Now they, Xuan Yue Feng, have come straight to block you at the door."

"Exactly!"

"Having offended Xuan Yue Feng, even if Li Mu doesn't die today, he'll have to shed a layer of skin!"

News about the Ziyang Sect spreads quickly on its own.

Not to mention, Li Mu openly crippled Zhao Jianfei at the Martial Arts Conference!

That instant enraged everyone of Xuan Yue Feng!

As for Qin Siwu, he even personally pulled Lin Zehong, who was still in seclusion, out and, together with his grandson Qin Zhixiang, began a special discussion on the matter!

And that brings us to the present.

Lin Zehong and Qin Zhixiang, both in high spirits, led a hundred‑and‑ten‑or‑so members of Xuan Yue Feng to the gate of Gong Fa Dian to block Li Mu.

However, Lin Zehong had been guarding the outside with his men for several hours, yet Li Mu's figure still did not appear.

"Brother Lin, Li Mu can't possibly know we're blocking him from outside, can he?"

"So he's deliberately staying out?"

Qin Zhixiang paced anxiously outside, staring at the tightly shut doors of Gong Fa Dian.

Meanwhile, Lin Zehong standing beside him wore an extremely grim expression and remained silent.

Just as the two thought Li Mu was planning to hide inside like a turtle and not come out,

the tightly shut doors slowly swung open to both sides, and a figure emerged—none other than Li Mu.

Seeing Li Mu, Qin Zhixiang's eyes turned red; truly, old enemies meet with extra fury!

Since the last time at the Great Hall of Tianfeng Ridge, Li Mu, before the sect leader and all newly inducted Personal Disciples, trampled himself like a dead dog, disgracing himself!

Now, with the third place on the Wind‑and‑Cloud Ranking, Lin Zehong and over a hundred disciples of Xuan Yue Feng are present!

With such a lavish lineup, even without doing anything, a single drop of saliva from each would be enough to drown Li Mu alive!

"Boom!"

When Lin Zehong saw Li Mu appear, he said coldly without hesitation, stepping forward a pace: "Li Mu!"

"At today's Martial Discussion, you eliminated Zhao Jianfei."

"If you don't give Xuan Yue Feng an answer, I will make sure you cannot leave this place today!"

Then.

Lin Zehong's terrifying cultivation at the First‑tier Concentration Realm instantly erupted, pressing toward Li Mu's direction.

Qin Zhixiang stood aside, unable to hide the smug grin on his face.

Even though he is far from being Li Mu's match!

But he can't help admiring his senior brother's awesomeness!

Facing Lin Zehong's terrifying First‑tier Concentration Realm, even if Li Mu is a demonic prodigy or a heavenly pride, what does it matter?

In the end, he still cannot escape the fate of being crushed!

Li Mu was slightly startled.

Although Sun Qingwu had previously warned him that people from Xuan Yue Feng might settle scores later.

He didn't expect the opponent to play so recklessly!

Blocking him right at the gate of Gong Fa Dian, as if fearing the incident wasn't big enough.

"But this is fine!"

Li Mu's battle spirit burned hotter in his dark eyes as his right hand rested on the hilt.

He had just attained a new level of the Seven‑Absolute Sword Technique from Yu Lao, the Seven‑Absolute Blade Intent: the concept of one slash with seven absolutes.

He was just longing for a sufficiently strong opponent to serve as his whetstone!

Moreover, these eight or nine Xuan skills are only one level away from awakening his divine ability!

And so Lin Zehong voluntarily came to the door!

Third on the Wind‑and‑Cloud Ranking!

First‑tier Concentration Realm, huh!

Hehe!

Exactly my wish!

Just as Li Mu was about to draw his sword, a cold, distant voice from Cang Lao resonated softly.

"No noise in front of Gong Fa Dian!"

"Boom!"

Before Cang Lao's voice even ended, a terrifying pressure a hundred million times stronger than Lin Zehong's own aura slammed onto him like a mountain crushing down.

His knees gave a "Bang!" as he fell heavily to his knees!

The force was so great it even shattered the hard stone slab beneath him on the spot!

Watching Lin Zehong, pressed by that terrifying aura, unable to move and forced to kneel.

Qin Zhixiang and the other disciples of Xuan Yue Feng all turned toward Gong Fa Dian, their faces turning pale.

Gong Fa Dian, that Yu Lao who never meddles in worldly affairs!

He actually...

Actually intervened?!

One should know that in his youth he was, like the sect leader, a demonic hero with unfathomably profound cultivation.

Not even an Outer Peak elder!

Even if an Inner Peak elder arrived, upon seeing this elder they would have to respectfully call him 'Yu Lao' and would not dare to act rashly!

Who would have thought!

My actions today actually angered Yu Lao!

"Thump, thump, thump…"

At that thought, Qin Zhixiang and the many Xuan Yue Feng disciples turned ghostly pale, their knees weakening as they knelt alongside Lin Zehong.

Their heads were buried deep in their chests, lacking the courage even to lift them and stare at Gong Fa Dian.

In the past, Yu Lao never cared about these squabbles among the younger members of Outer Peak.

Let alone intervene; he probably wouldn't even bother to glance.

I don't even know what's happening today, yet I directly suppress Lin Zehong!

However, no matter how Qin Zhixiang, Lin Zehong and the others act, they never consider Li Mu as the cause of any of this.

After all...

Li Mu is just a mundane mortal from the secular world, while Yu Lao was a demon hero in his youth!

The two sides aren't even from the same world; Yu Lao probably doesn't even remember Li Mu's name.

Probably because...

Yu Lao has been in a bad mood these days, and he just happened to hit a streak of bad luck, I guess!

While Lin Zehong, Qin Zhixiang and the other Xuan Yue Feng disciples were trembling with sincere fear in their hearts.

Li Mu slightly bowed toward the Technique Hall, and simultaneously returned the segment of the Vengeance Blade he had already drawn.

He has gone to the Technique Hall twice.

The first time.

Yu Lao, seeing that Li Mu chose the Seven Absolute Blade Method, proactively pointed out the key tip for practicing the blade art: it can only be truly understood through real combat killing.

The second time.

Yu Lao even personally demonstrated to Li Mu more possibilities of the Seven Absolute Blade Method!

More valuable still, Yu Lao let Li Mu personally and directly experience what Blade Intent is!

For any cultivator, this is undeniably a great providence!

Yu Lao owes me a debt!

Although Li Mu is now impatient to engage Lin Zehong in a direct, real‑blade fight!

So that he can defeat this Concentration Realm strong opponent, then raise his Eight‑Nine Divine Skill to Lv: 10 and awaken divine powers!

But since Yu Lao has already spoken, Li Mu, even though his heart is filled with countless unwillingness, has no choice but to stand down.

Before the kneeling, trembling Xuan Yue Feng disciples, he slipped his hands into his pockets, swaggered away, leaving only a dashing silhouette.

Watching Li Mu's arrogant back, Lin Zehong, pinned to the ground and unable to move, nearly had his silver tooth brutally snapped by him!

Frustrated!

It's just too damn frustrating!

As the third on the Storm Ranking, a First‑tier Concentration Realm cultivator, Lin Zehong.

On the Outer Peak, wherever he goes, he inevitably receives a respectful glance and is addressed reverently: "Senior Brother Lin!"

I ask!

When has Lin Zehong ever endured such humiliation, such utter nonsense!

I brought a hundred and ten or so men here just to block Li Mu and give him a lesson!

Now, after finally managing to block Li Mu!

And yet all these hundred and ten men end up kneeling, respectfully escorting Li Mu away?

This damn—!

This damn thing is practically about to blow Lin Zehong's lungs to pieces, alright.

Reflecting on this.

Lin Zehong, even the sharp nail stabbing into his flesh seemed unnoticed; he clenched his teeth and, word by word, said harshly.

"Li Mu!"

"Today, consider yourself lucky; you'd better pray I don't run into you again at the Four Peaks Grand Tournament!"

"Otherwise, I'll make you regret ever coming into this world!"