Chapter 97: Simple Tactics, Yet Effective

Earlier, by means of a companion's use of the "Clear Breeze Spell" and the "Crimson Flame Spell", the overwhelming momentum they generated attracted Li Mu's attention.

He then, taking advantage of the chaos, slipped in unnoticed and silently crept onto Li Mu.

Moreover.

He was also the only cultivator in the five‑person squad who had practiced the Xuan Tier intermediate body technique, Shadow Stalking Step.

Once his movement and martial skill are unleashed,

it can be said that he comes without a shadow and goes without a trace.

His speed is extreme!

If he can seize the opening while Li Mu is distracted and launch a successful surprise attack,

then they still have a chance to turn the tide!

Seeing this scene,

the two cultivators, upon seeing this, once again produced two talismans, activated them with true Qi, and the various Daoist talismans poured attacks toward Li Mu as if they were free.

creating a chance for the last companion to land a killing blow!

"Clear Breeze Spell!"

"Crimson Flame Spell!"

Accompanied by two low hissing sounds that came in succession.

As the talismans on the long swords in their hands slowly ignited, the wind blades and flames, raging like a sudden storm, almost instantly engulfed Li Mu entirely.

The crackling of the flames and the muffled thuds of wind blades cutting the wall rose and fell, reaching the ears of the few.

But when the wind ceased and the fire died down, Li Mu's figure strangely vanished from where he had stood!

"Where is Li Mu's other self?"

Seeing this,

the remaining three hurriedly looked around, their expressions alert and faces wary.

But at that moment, a figure flashed out from the dim passage ahead to the left.

Like a ghostly shadow, it darted to the front of the person who had just attempted the surprise attack.

Fast!

It was unbelievably fast!

It was so fast that the young man hadn't even figured out what was happening before the black silhouette was already at his side.

This guy…

His speed was even faster than his own practice of the Shadow Stalking Step!

The young man's heart was a mix of shock and anger; just as he was about to turn and flee, he saw a handsome yet murderous grin.

"You!"

"Pfft, pfft, pfft!"

Before he could react, Li Mu cleanly thrust several knives forward.

Accompanied by the sound of blades cutting flesh, the young man's chest was instantly stained with large splashes of fresh blood.

However, although the young man was instantly grievously wounded and lost the ability to fight back,

Li Mu's thrusts were quite deliberate; he did not deliver a killing blow as before.

Instead, he specifically targeted spots that would severely damage the opponent without being fatal.

"Samadhi True Fire!"

"Boom!"

Sensing that the young man's aura had nearly faded, Li Mu's right hand ignited golden flames and set him alight.

【Ding!】

【System】 Host's use of Samadhi True Fire successfully purified a Ten Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator, triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing.

【System】 Congratulations, host, you have gained Tenfold Harvest!

【Ding!】

【System】 Host's use of Samadhi True Fire to purify a Ten Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator will reward the host with fifty percent of the opponent's current realm value!

"Indeed!"

"This method works!"

Watching the young man before his eyes turn into a blazing fire figure, then in an instant become a wisp of dense golden spiritual energy,

Li Mu swallowed it in one gulp, his eyes lighting up with excitement as if he had discovered a new continent, and his cultivation surged like a rocket, already reaching the pinnacle of the Second‑tier Concentration Realm!

Then Li Mu turned his head toward the two trembling in the corner, the golden flames flickering in his pupils growing ever more intense!

His gaze at the two was not as if he were looking at two people!

It was merely the nourishment for his breakthrough to the Third‑tier Concentration Realm!

"You…"

"Are you a human or a ghost?"

At this moment, the one who had just pointed his sword at Li Mu, laughing wildly and threatening to kill his own Xiaotianfeng disciple,

now looked pale with fear, struggled to swallow, and, trembling, asked Li Mu with a fearful voice.

"Hehe…"

"Hahaha…"

Li Mu first chuckled lightly, then burst into a hearty laugh!

Li Mu despised these scum who kowtow to the Demon Race yet slaughter and loot his own people!

He swore from the bottom of his heart!

As long as I encounter scum like this, Li Mu will kill as many as there are!

No survivors!

Li Mu sneered coldly while his ten fingers curled, the Samadhi True Fire in his palms burning ever hotter, and he said with a cold laugh.

"Dealing with scum like you requires the ultimate punishment!"

"Otherwise, keeping you alive would still be a disaster for this world!"

"All of you!"

"Must die!"

Pfft, pfft, pfft!

Before Li Mu finished speaking, his body already surged forward.

He raised his hand and, with a swift slash, stabbed the two opponents several times.

Sensing their auras weakening, another burst of fire refined them!

【Ding!】

【System identified that the host used Samadhi True Fire to successfully purify a half-step Concentration Realm cultivator and a Ten Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator, triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing.】

【Congratulations host, obtained Tenfold Harvest!】

【Ding!】

【The host used Samadhi True Fire to purify a half-step Concentration Realm cultivator and a Ten Grade Refining Qi Realm cultivator; the system will settle for the host at fifty percent of the opponent's current realm!】

【Ding!】

【Level Up!】

【Congratulations host, Samadhi True Fire successfully upgraded to lv: 13】

【Ding!】

【Congratulations host for successfully breaking through a minor shackles, advancing to Third Grade Concentration Realm, rewarded with one Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!】

"……"

Looking at the System Virtual Screen before him, after the system's Byte Entries popped up one after another.

Li Mu's eyes instantly brightened, and his breathing involuntarily became rapid!

I told you.

Why in the Qian Kun Realm are demonic path evil cultivators treated like rats crossing the street, everyone shouting to beat them, everyone shouting to kill them?

But why, in the Qian Kun Realm, those who want to join the demonic path and become evil cultivators keep coming wave after wave, it just can't be stopped.

It turns out, refining people accelerates cultivation speed far more than refining pills.

However, as someone from a prestigious orthodox sect, I obviously cannot be bottomless like those demonic evil cultivators!

On the contrary!

Li Mu now sincerely feels his moral bottom line has risen to an unprecedented level, almost shoulder to shoulder with saints!

Only because Li Mu thinks that this "Eight Nine Profound Skill" clearly possesses so many divine arts and spells.

But Heaven does not grant him awakening of divine arts like controlling the heavens and earth, soul out-of-body, golden light across the ground, great escape of the five elements, reverse knowledge of the future, seventy‑two transformations, and the like.

Instead, Heaven specifically awakened in him the Samadhi True Fire that can purify all filth and sin.

This matter itself is Heaven's subtle hint to him!

As they say, destiny is set in the unseen heavens!

Earlier.

Li Mu perhaps still could not comprehend Heaven's hint to him.

But after experiencing the recent fratricidal clash, blades turned inward, a tragic encounter of killing and plundering.

Li Mu suddenly realized he had attained enlightenment!

Great Enlightenment!

It turns out, the reason the Old Heaven allowed him to awaken Samadhi True Fire as a divine art,

is to let him patrol on Heaven's behalf, to become the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao to cleanse the world, and give the Qian Kun Realm a bright and clear cosmos!

Thinking of this, Li Mu clenched his fists tightly!

He only felt the burden on his shoulders suddenly become heavier!

Indeed!

The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility!

From now on, such scum must be eliminated in a single stroke!

Not killing them would only brew a greater disaster.

Since that's the case, perhaps I should refine them into golden spiritual energy to feed myself.

Thus allowing them to fulfill the greatest value of their lives, purifying their sins while also elevating their souls!

Such mutual benefit and reciprocal achievement, isn't it wonderful?

At this moment, Li Mu's entire body instantly radiated dazzling, blinding holy light outward!

Later, Li Mu arrived at this Demon King Fortress; besides searching for the Demon Emperor's remains and the weak spots of the Demon Domain, another holy mission was added to his shoulders!

That is, using Samadhi True Fire to purify sin and cleanse the world!

Indeed!

Humanity's sense of justice is boundless!

Li Mu temporarily forgot his purpose for coming here, his face greedy as he searched the fortress for other cultivator squads.

And this fortress, in this Demon Domain, was indeed too conspicuous!

So that Li Mu, along the way, encountered many cultivator squads composed of Outer Disciples!

I don't even know whether I'm that legendary "Innate War‑Provoking Sacred Body," while deliberately hiding my aura using the Eight‑Nine Profound Skill.

Everyone who sees Li Mu's cultivation always sees the same as they saw back when he was at the Ziyang Sect: the "Ten Grade Lian Qi Realm Peak."

So these Outer Disciples, after seeing Li Mu, keep repeating those few lines over and over, making Li Mu's ears feel like they're about to form calluses.

"Hehe…"

"Li Mu, meeting us here is unlucky for you, kid."

"If you have any sense, hand over the Demon Crystal, inner core, Heavenly Treasure on you, and make a contribution!"

"Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite!"

However, Li Mu, full of a sense of justice, obviously cannot compromise with this group of black evil forces and banditry.

Naturally, his emotions flare, trying hard to persuade them to abandon their thoughts of killing and looting.

But Li Mu could get away without saying that; once he spoke, the entire cultivator squad was neatly recorded by the Heavenly Dao Scroll.

Then Li Mu could only wear a sorrowful, lamenting expression, draw his sword to grievously wound them, and then a burst of Samadhi True Fire purified their entire bodies!

【Ding!】

【System detected: Host successfully purified a First‑tier Concentration Realm cultivator and a Half‑step Concentration Realm Lian Qi Realm cultivator using Samadhi True Fire, triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing.】

【Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Tenfold Harvest!】

【Ding!】

【Host used Samadhi True Fire to purify a First‑tier Concentration Realm cultivator and a Half‑step Concentration Realm cultivator; the system will reward the Host with fifty percent of the opponent's current realm value!】

【Ding!】

【Level Up!】

【Congratulations, Host, Samadhi True Fire has successfully risen to lv: 14】

"…"

And so.

Li Mu has been reproducing this method along the way, repeatedly going through this process!

Although Li Mu feels deeply pained by the ugly side of humanity shown by these fellow sect brothers.

But when Li Mu thinks that what he's doing is purifying the sins on them, he becomes invigorated and continues to repeat the process!

Li Mu's way of purifying others' sins may have no technique at all, but it's effective and easy to use!

In just a single day, Li Mu's Samadhi True Fire level surged like a rocket, jumping straight to lv: 15.

At the same time, having just broken through the Third‑Grade Concentration Realm, his internal true Qi brimmed, blood surged, and he again reached the state of Third‑Grade Concentration Realm Peak!

Honestly.

If I weren't worried that my rapid cultivation advancement might cause an unstable foundation, I'd decide to stabilize first.

Otherwise, Li Mu would already be at Fourth‑Grade Concentration Realm!

"…"

Dinner time.

Large slabs of roast meat were set on the campfire, golden flames flickering; soon the fragrant, delicate aroma of the roast seemed to sprout wings and dive straight into Li Mu's nostrils.

Li Mu took cumin from his backpack, sprinkled a bit of salt on it, and began to feast heartily.

It was so oily in the mouth, truly satisfying!

"Huh…"

"All day, I'm either busy helping those lost senior brothers purify the sins they've committed, or busy hunting the Demon Race."

"Although, with the Heavenly Dao Scroll, I can completely transfer fatigue and other negative states."

"But mental anxiety and fatigue keep accumulating nonstop."

"Honestly, I don't know how much longer we have to go."

"No!"

"To be precise, does this damned place even have an exit?"

"As a fortress, it's built way too large!"

Li Mu wolfed down the roast on the fire in a few bites, intending to lean back and take a short rest to recover his energy.

But!

"Whoosh!"

A ripping sound tore through the air, suddenly attacking toward Li Mu!