Chapter 102: Solve Sun Jindong!

"Wang the Pockmarked, you know?"

"Hehe~" Wang the Pockmarked, savoring the attention of those around him, said proudly, "In any competition, the strongest always end up with the prize."

"Pfft~~"

Everyone sneered.

"Thought you had some top-secret info, turns out it's just common sense."

"Exactly, who doesn't know the strongest get the best pick?"

"The Duan Tianhe Sword Scripture—how could such a supreme true art even exist?"

"..."

The martial artists began discussing among themselves.

In a corner, a curly-haired young man listened to the chatter, his eyes darkening.

On a private balcony upstairs, a man and a woman, both martial artists, frowned deeply.

In a private room on the third floor, Shi Shi Kuangsheng sat with a gloomy face, drinking in silence.

Concerned with the supreme true art, Shi Shi Kuangsheng didn't leave, Huang Keqin didn't leave, and Wei Dongliang didn't leave either.

Aside from Di Di Chunlei, everyone else remained in Nanyun Prefecture.

East City, city gate.

"Huzi, no need to see me off—go back."

Huang Feiyang slapped Chen Mu's shoulder hard, his eyes slightly damp.

"Young Master Chen, even though you can't join us, the Jushen Mountain welcomes you anytime."

Di Di Chunlei smiled broadly and invited, "I'm certain, with your talent, you'll enter the Earth Altar Realm in no more than five years."

"Then I'll take Brother Di's good words as an omen," Chen Mu bowed and smiled, "When I break through to the Earth Altar Realm, I'll come to Jushen Mountain—don't forget to recommend me as a Great Spirit Guest Minister."

"Hah! Don't worry—our Great Spirit Sect is strict with disciples, but any Guest Minister who reaches the Earth Altar Realm and has a sponsor is guaranteed admission!"

Di Di Chunlei laughed heartily, "Me and Brother Huang will be waiting for you at Jushen Mountain!"

"Alright," Chen Mu bowed again, then turned to Huang Feiyang and Miao Xiuxiu, "Big Brother, Sister-in-law, take care on your journey—I won't be long before I come to Jushen Mountain to find you."

"Good, good," Miao Xiuxiu wiped her eyes, voice choked.

Huang Feiyang took a deep breath, said nothing more, patted Chen Mu's shoulder, and climbed into the carriage.

"Young Master Chen, we're off!"

Di Di Chunlei mounted his horse and waved, "I'll be waiting for you at Jushen Mountain!"

"And me," Qian Yu, riding beside him, called with a smile.

"Alright, Jushen Mountain—see you there!" Chen Mu bowed, his voice steady.

"Hahahaha~"

Di Di Chunlei laughed, "Then it's a promise—let's go!"

With that, he kicked his horse's flanks and rode ahead.

Qian Yu followed close behind; Huang Feiyang's carriage slowly trailed after.

Chen Mu stood where he was, watching the carriage vanish beyond the horizon before turning back toward Huicheng.

Huang Feiyang and Miao Xiuxiu were gone—his rear guard concerns were eliminated.

It was time to deal with Sun Jindong!

Three days.

Chen Mu completed his cultivation shift—the qi of the Qingyuan Qi Technique had fully transformed into the qi of the Duan Tianhe Scripture.

His realm remained unchanged: still Second Stage of Heaven.

It stayed unchanged despite consuming five acquired Qi Cards, because the Duan Tianhe Scripture was vastly superior to the Qingyuan Qi Technique.

In purity, thickness, and recovery, the Qingyuan Qi Technique couldn't compare.

Correspondingly,

the Duan Tianhe Scripture was harder to advance, but its power was far greater.

Though not yet reaching the level of "self-circulating qi, endlessly renewing," it was nearly there.

The Duan Tianhe Scripture was founded on "the great river surging, unceasing and endless."

Once activated, it consumed little qi and recovered quickly; at the same realm, its combat power was several times greater.

This gave Chen Mu the confidence to deal with Sun Jindong.

But Wei Dongliang hadn't left—he still remained in Nanyun, still living at the Four Directions Martial Hall, which was troublesome.

Chen Mu had some confidence against Sun Jindong, but none against Wei Dongliang, who was Earth Altar Realm.

The gap of the Earth Altar Realm couldn't be bridged by merely advancing the Duan Tianhe Scripture to its Second Stage.

With Wei Dongliang present, Chen Mu couldn't storm the Four Directions Martial Hall—he needed a way to draw Sun Jindong out.

Of course, for safety, strengthening himself was most important.

Chen Mu directly used the Skill Cards recording the Hateheart Fist and the Sixfold Slash, gaining both martial arts.

The Hateheart Fist, at minor mastery, offered little help.

But the Sixfold Slash proved extremely useful in combat.

Of course, the greatest help came from the FightHeaven Sword—but that martial art was hard to improve.

Chen Mu therefore turned his attention to the Two Yin-Yang Sword Qi.

He now had one Training Card, which he could use to simulate and master the Two Yin-Yang Sword Qi.

Yet as Chen Mu reviewed the Two Yin-Yang Sword Qi again, he found this pre-heaven martial art concealed extraordinary secrets—the deeper he contemplated it, the more he sensed its immense profundity.

Two-Instrument Sword Qi, Two-Instrument!

The name of this martial art is not misleading—it truly involves the forces of yin and yang.

This is astonishing.

Even the incomplete version of the Two-Instrument Sword Qi is powerful.

If completed, one can imagine its might.

However, correspondingly, completing the Two-Instrument Sword Qi is also extremely difficult.

One Practice Card is not enough!

This was Chen Mu's intuitive conclusion after deeply contemplating the Two-Instrument Sword Qi.

To complete the Two-Instrument Sword Qi, one Practice Card is not enough, neither are two or three.

Involving the forces of yin and yang, ten Practice Cards feel insufficient.

If it were any other time, using up one Practice Card would be acceptable.

But now, with Sun Jindong to deal with, Chen Mu must maximize his strength.

This one Practice Card cannot be wasted—it must be put to practical use!

Step Through the Clouds!

Compared to the Two-Instrument Sword Qi, the Step Through the Clouds martial art, a cultivation technique for movement, is also incomplete and requires completion.

Due to its incompleteness, Step Through the Clouds is only at the Level of Full Comprehension.

If completed and then enhanced through a Training Card, then when dealing with Sun Jindong, if an unexpected situation arises and he cannot win, he can escape!

……

So.

Returning home, Chen Mu decisively used a Practice Card to simulate Step Through the Clouds.

Compared to the mysterious and unfathomable Two-Instrument Sword Qi, the Step Through the Clouds, a primordial movement technique, progressed far more smoothly.

Simulation ended—content successfully completed!

Chen Mu pressed on, using a Training Card to enhance Step Through the Clouds.

One Training Card after another was consumed—Step Through the Clouds successfully rose to the Peak of Perfection realm.

At this realm, a single step can shift a hundred zhang!

When leaping into the air, a single step can reach a hundred zhang in height!

In midair, one can glide freely.

The power of an advanced movement technique is this ethereal.

With Step Through the Clouds as a foundation, Chen Mu's confidence grew again.

He can deal with Sun Jindong!

……

Wulong Fucheng, Inner City.

Four Directions Dojo.

At its open gate, warriors come and go intermittently.

In the front courtyard to the east, the vast training ground is filled with apprentices sweating profusely, practicing fists or swinging swords.

Along a corridor in the central courtyard, Sun Jindong walked slowly, his brows tightly furrowed.

Suddenly…

Shh!

A black line abruptly pierced through empty space, descending from the heavens straight toward Sun Jindong!