Chapter 48: He Is Still Continuously Growing Stronger

After devouring so many cultivators one after another, Li Mu's cultivation also rose to the Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm Great Completion!

Moreover, as Li Mu continuously purifies more cultivators with Samadhi True Fire, its level keeps being upgraded.

He can clearly feel his Samadhi True Fire constantly growing and becoming stronger!

From initially barely covering his palm to now being able to coat the Blade of Vengeance!

Li Mu doesn't even dare imagine what would happen if he raised the level of his Samadhi True Fire to a hundred, or even a thousand!

What kind of changes would occur on it then?

Could a single thought of his turn this Qian Kun Realm into a scorching hell under the shroud of Samadhi True Fire!

For a moment.

Li Mu actually becomes somewhat obsessed with the thrill of growing stronger while continuously killing!

It's simply intoxicating!

"……"

"He…"

"Who on earth is he?"

"Ugh—ahhh…"

Around, the disciples of Little Sky Peak let out overlapping screams of agony, and the two cultivators surrounding Li Mu both turned into golden wisps of smoke, which Li Mu devoured and absorbed!

All that remained were the relics on the ground—spiritual treasures, Dao robes, pills and other cultivators' belongings—silently recounting everything that had just occurred here.

"Freeze three thousand!"

Just as Li Mu was intoxicated by this ever‑growing thrill, a hysterical roar rang out!

Li Mu snapped his head around.

He saw Shao Wenqiang let out a loud shout, and his entire aura instantly surged to its zenith.

The terrifying true qi of the Half-step Concentration Realm erupts in an instant at this moment!

His figure flickers!

A Slash flies toward Li Mu!

From the tip of his sword, a bone‑chilling sword qi surges out instantly, as if to freeze everything in this cavern completely.

"Boss!"

"We'll lend you a hand as well!"

As Shao Wenqiang's strongest Slash is released, the remaining two of Little Sky Peak also strike together, using a corner‑grabbing maneuver to block all of Li Mu's escape routes.

"A full‑force strike of the Half-step Concentration Realm?"

"It's a bit tricky…"

He says.

Li Mu's hands, burning with golden true fire, reach out to grab the head of the youth charging at him.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

But before Li Mu's palm could touch their faces, their heads exploded right before his eyes, splashing red and white matter all over Li Mu's face.

"What?"

This sudden turn of events truly shocked Li Mu!

Head…

Exploded?

"Splat!"

Yet while Li Mu was dazed, Shao Wenqiang's icy long sword had already plunged deep into Li Mu's body.

The terrifying cold continuously ravaged Li Mu's interior, wildly freezing and destroying his meridians and organs, erasing all his vitality.

"Hahaha!"

"I've killed you!"

"Finally killed this monster of yours!"

Shao Wenqiang froze for a few seconds, then threw his head back and laughed wildly!

Even he hadn't expected to get away with it so easily!

But that no longer mattered!

Because Shao Wenqiang knew he had secured victory!

Shao Wenqiang, while raving and laughing, kept thrusting his long sword madly into Li Mu, venting his fury over his comrades being slain!

Streaks of blinding blood blossoms burst forth, flesh and skin flayed back.

In no time, Li Mu's body was riddled with countless wounds by Shao Wenqiang.

"Bang!"

But just as Shao Wenqiang prepared to Slash off Li Mu's head, a bloody hand suddenly grasped his arm.

Li Mu slowly lifted his head, a playful smile curling his lips: "Almost done!"

"Yes, almost done!"

"Time to send you on your way!"

But just as Shao Wenqiang was about to fling Li Mu away, he suddenly felt a violent cramp seize his heart!

Then, with a "Wah!" he spewed a huge mouthful of fresh blood.

Immediately after.

Blood began to continuously ooze from Shao Wenqiang's chest, and even his entire aura started to wither rapidly.

The cultivation that was originally still at the half-step Concentration Realm also began to drop rapidly.

In just a few breaths, Shao Wenqiang's cultivation had already fallen to the Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm.

His whole body staggered backward a few steps, and with a "Bang!" he collapsed onto the ground.

He tried to stand, but his limbs would not obey.

After struggling for a while, he fell back onto the ground weakly again.

"Poo-waa!"

Shao Wenqiang spat out another mouthful of blood.

In that blood, there were even many fragments of internal organs mixed in!

"For..."

"Why?"

"When did I get injured?"

"The damned one, shouldn't it be Li Mu?"

"Didn't he already pierce himself? He should be near death..."

"Also, Li Mu said it's almost done?"

"What do you mean 'almost done'!"

Shao Wenqiang only felt his mind a chaotic mess, completely unable to comprehend what was happening to him at this moment.

Li Mu lifted his sword and stood beside Shao Wenqiang.

He watched Shao Wenqiang cough up blood in large, continuous gulps.

Li Mu said nothing, but silently raised his sword.

"Boom!"

The golden Samadhi True Fire instantly enveloped the Vengeance Blade, and the flames illuminated the cavern.

"Wait..."

"Wait!"

Shao Wenqiang raised his hand with difficulty, pleading hoarsely.

"You..."

"Spare me!"

"I will give you pills, spiritual artifacts, techniques, and martial skills!"

"Any amount is fine!"

"As long as you don't kill me, I will agree to any condition..."

"Murderer!"

"People always kill!"

Li Mu slowly raised his sword and said coldly.

"I am merely reproducing, unchanged, on you, exactly what you intended to do to me."

"Splat!"

Accompanied by the muffled thud of the blade entering flesh, Shao Wenqiang's pleas abruptly ceased.

His head fell off his neck directly from that single slash.

The "Gurgle…" rolled to Li Mu's feet, and with a "Bang!" it exploded.

As for Shao Wenqiang's headless corpse, it was instantly ignited by the golden flames, burning into golden spiritual smoke that seeped through Li Mu's pores and filled his entire body.

In the Sea of Awareness, the name of Shao Wenqiang on the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll shattered at this moment!

Soon, the familiar system notification sound rang again.

【Ding!】

【System identified: Host used Samadhi True Fire to purify a Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator, triggering Hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!】

【Congratulations, Host, successfully elevated Samadhi True Fire to lv: 9.】

【Ding!】

【Host used Samadhi True Fire to purify a Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator, will receive fifty percent of the opponent's current realm as reward!】

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, Host, cultivation successfully breakthrough to Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak!】

"..."

Li Mu rested his chin, looking thoughtfully at the system message, and couldn't help falling into contemplation.

Since cultivating the Eight Nine Profound Art, Li Mu has found it difficult to make an accurate assessment of his own strength.

In the eyes of other cultivators.

When encountering demonic beasts of comparable realm, their first reaction is to flee, then, after finding companions, they wait for a chance to hunt.

But for Li Mu, under the same circumstances, a single slash can easily slay that demonic beast!

This is not only evident in battles with demonic beasts.

Battles between cultivators are no different.

The only challenge Li Mu finds troublesome may be the time he faced Yao Mengzhen, whose strength outweighed his by four realms.

Previously, Li Mu would be puzzled by the extreme mismatch between his cultivation and his actual strength.

But now it seems...

It seems that everything happening to him is not hard to understand.

As for the cultivation of Shao Wenqiang and those Little Sky Peak disciples purified by his Samadhi True Fire, even if he can only absorb fifty percent, he will make it his own.

But I clearly purified so many cultivators with Samadhi True Fire, and even Shao Wenqiang, though his cultivation fell, still possessed Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm strength.

If the spiritual Qi transformed from these cultivators' lifelong cultivation were absorbed by other cultivators, it would instantly break a great barrier, allowing a direct leap from Ninth-Grade Refining Qi Realm to First-tier Concentration Realm without difficulty.

But when it came to Li Mu, it merely raised his cultivation to the Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak?

However, upon further thought, Li Mu felt relieved.

The Eight-Nine Profound Skill I practice can indeed make my mortal body become saintly.

In the previous life's Investiture of the Gods, among the Chan and Jie schools, only Yang Jian, Li Jing, Nezha, Jin Zha, Mu Zha, Lei Zhenzi, Wei Hu and seven others could achieve mortal sainthood.

To attain mortal sainthood

Therefore, even breaking through just a minor realm requires spiritual Qi ten times, or even dozens of times, that of an ordinary cultivator!

But the counterpart is.

The true Qi within my body, compared to other cultivators of the same realm, is at least several tens of times greater.

Moreover, as my Eight-Nine Profound Skill continuously upgrades and I open more starry acupoints, the true Qi gap between us will only widen further.

As for mortal strength, even at the Eighth-Grade Refining Qi Realm I can match cultivators of the Concentration Realm.

And now, Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak!

Killing a scum like Shao Wenqiang would probably be a single punch that blasts his brain matter out.

Although each breakthrough is considerably more difficult and harsh compared to other cultivators.

But with the Heavenly Dao Identification System's blessing, each cultivation yields tenfold, even hundredfold gains.

Now I have also awakened the Divine Art: Samadhi True Fire!

With it!

Li Mu can even directly refine a person, absorbing half of the opponent's cultivation for himself.

"Even if I count all the advantageous conditions I currently have, truly facing Lin Zehong, Yang Yuanwu and other Xuan Yue Feng disciples remains far from optimistic."

Li Mu's consciousness sank into the Sea of Awareness.

Looking at the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll, where over a hundred Xuan Yue Feng disciples are listed, a solemn expression appeared on his face.

Every name appearing here harbors murderous intent toward Li Mu.

In other words.

At least in this Yunshan Secret Realm, more than a hundred people explicitly intend to kill me!

Besides confronting these hundreds of enemies, Xuan Yue Feng also contains two Concentration Realm strong foes: Yang Yuanwu and Lin Zehong.

Looking at it that way!

It means I'm alone, a lone wolf.

I must simultaneously confront the full-force attack of the most powerful Xuan Yue Feng among the four peaks of Ziyang Sect!

Thinking of the upcoming battle, Li Mu felt a genuine sense of urgency.

To eliminate this imminent crisis, I must possess overwhelming absolute combat power!

Past experience also tells him!

One opening strike to avoid a hundred incoming blows!

To completely resolve the major internal threat of Xuan Yue Feng!

I need a great victory!

An overwhelming triumph!

Only by utterly crushing Xuan Yue Feng, rendering it disabled.

Thus.

Even if I later go to the Inner Peak, I won't have to worry about Xuan Yue Feng causing trouble again!

But before that!

I still need to become stronger first!

For example, breakthrough the Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection!

First, obtain the system reward of a Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!

Thinking of this, Li Mu stepped forward and gave Qian Wenyi's butt a "Bang—Bang…" with both feet.

After kicking the chubby kid awake, he raised his hand, pointing at the scattered spiritual artifacts, backpacks, and satchels on the ground.

"You go and search all the spiritual artifacts, pills, treasures, and everything previously on their bodies."

"Not even a single Qi and Blood Pill may be missed."

Qian Wenyi rubbed his butt and groggily came to his senses.

Seeing several corpses on the ground and the pile of loot, the chubby kid was not surprised.

If the loser were Li Mu, he wouldn't be waking up now; he'd be rushing to be reborn.

Watching Qian Wenyi scurry off to collect the loot.

With nothing to do, Li Mu kicked the corpses of the two unlucky ones, whose heads had already exploded and were not refined by Samadhi True Fire, deep into the cave.

Li Mu then saw the corpse of the Crimson Flame Giant Tiger, his brows slightly furrowed.

Li Mu sighed, "I, Li Mu, am not a heartless, unprincipled person."

"Since you are already dead, our grudges are settled."

"Your child, I will raise for you."

Having said that.

Li Mu dug a large pit nearby and buried the Crimson Flame Giant Tiger.

After Li Mu finished these tasks, Qian Wenyi's side was also done.

The loot brought back, even Li Mu couldn't help but be slightly surprised upon seeing it.

Only to see ten Jade Bottles neatly arranged on the ground.

Each Jade Bottle contained twenty second‑grade Qi‑Blood Pills.

Not only that, there were also quite a few precious Heavenly Treasures and their respective spiritual artifacts.

The haul couldn't be called small!

Just as Li Mu and Qian Wenyi were happily tallying their spoils, a cold, indifferent, hoary voice suddenly sounded from behind the two of them.

"You are Li Mu, aren't you?"