Chapter 114: What Isn

Tiger King Ridge.

Gentle sunlight poured from the horizon, shattered by the dense canopy into scattered specks that fell upon the mountain path.

Chen Mu walked alone, the newly forged spirit sword casually held in his hand, its matching scabbard plain and unremarkable.

His steps appeared slow, yet with each step, his figure was already dozens of zhang away.

Suddenly, he halted, stopping in the center of the path.

"Come out." Chen Mu's voice was calm and unruffled, yet clear as a bell in the silent forest.

Swoosh~ Swoosh~ Swoosh!

Dozens of figures leapt out from ahead, behind, and both sides of the path, blades flashing, surrounding him completely.

These men split into two groups: one wore the attire of the Hundred Blades Manor, their chests engraved with two crossed long swords, sharp and dazzling.

The other group wore black-and-red martial attire, each man thick-set, temples bulging, eyes sharp and bright.

All of them were accomplished martial cultivators!

At the front, Guan Xingce stepped forward alongside a burly middle-aged man with arms nearly reaching his knees and palms as large as fans.

The man was Tie Xiangtong, master of the Iron Palm Sect, whose hardened body was half a step short of a Ding Body, and who was also a First Stage of Heaven expert—his jet-black iron palms could shatter rocks and split stone, his fame resounding.

"Master Guan, what is your intent?"

Chen Mu's gaze swept over Guan Xingce, then settled on Tie Xiangtong beside him, "You brought help? What's this about?"

Guan Xingce felt uneasy under Chen Mu's gaze, but his eyes flicked to the long sword in Chen Mu's hand—greed instantly drowned his fear. He sneered, "Young Nie, no need for pretense. Those two spirit swords you had reforged have unknown origins. Master Han poured his heart and soul into refining them into mid-grade spirit swords—how can you simply walk off with them? If you're wise, leave the spirit swords and everything you carry, and we might consider letting you live."

Tie Xiangtong's voice boomed like a bell, laughing loudly, "Brother Guan, why waste words with him! Boy, I heard you're also First Stage of Heaven? Perfect—these iron palms of mine haven't crushed a First Stage's crown in ages! Hand over your belongings, and I'll give you a quick death!"

Chen Mu showed no sign of panic; instead, he gently shook his head, as if saddened. "Guan Xingce, Master Guan, I thought you were a smart man. It seems your recent breakthrough to First Stage of Heaven has made your vision and courage wildly out of balance."

His fingers lightly touched the sword hilt. "And you—your hardened body hasn't even reached Ding Body, yet you dare be so arrogant. Clearly, Master Guan promised you plenty of rewards to come here and die with him."

"Arrogant!" Tie Xiangtong erupted in fury—he hated being disrespected. "Die, you brat!"

Before his words finished, his massive body moved with impossible agility, charging toward Chen Mu like a cannonball, his metallic-gleaming iron palms slicing through the air with a shrill whistle, aimed straight at Chen Mu's vital chest.

The palm wind was ferocious, kicking up dust from the ground; more than half the dozens of disciples nearby staggered, unable to stand firm.

At the same moment, Guan Xingce moved too.

He knew Chen Mu's cultivation surpassed his own, and that he wielded a mid-grade spirit sword—so he struck with his deadliest technique.

His waist-long sword flashed from its scabbard, blade like a white ribbon, carrying the sharp aura of a newly attained First Stage, cutting off Chen Mu's escape routes, forming a perfect pincer with Tie Xiangtong.

The combined strike of two First Stage experts was terrifying, their momentum seeming ready to obliterate the entire forest.

Yet facing this thunderous assault, Chen Mu spoke calmly.

"Since you seek death, I'll grant it. Perfect—I can test my sword a little."

"Clang—!"

A clear, resonant sword cry erupted, drowning out every wind and roar!

The newly forged mid-grade spirit sword flashed from its scabbard.

No dazzling radiance—instead, as the blade emerged, it seemed to swallow all surrounding light, its edge clear as water, cold and aloof.

Shhh~!

Chen Mu flicked his wrist—the sword light split!

A slender blade of light, like silver moonlight descending from the ninth heavens, slashed toward Tie Xiangtong's invincible iron palm; another icy, silent blade of light severed Guan Xingce's fierce sword net without sound.

"What sword art is this?!"

Tie Xiangtong was horrified—he felt his iron palm's qi crumble before the slender blade like paper, a piercing cold and tearing sensation surging up his arm straight into his spirit.

He screamed in panic, desperately trying to retreat.

Guan Xingce was utterly terrified—his sword qi dissolved before the icy blade as if meeting its natural antithesis, a loneliness like the extinction of a galaxy engulfed him.

Puch!

Crack!

Blood sprayed.

Tie Xiangtong let out a piercing scream—his iron palms, capable of withstanding metal, were severed cleanly at the wrists!

The stumps were smooth as mirrors, yet no blood flowed immediately; instead, they were shrouded in an elusive, shifting aura.

Guan Xingce's long sword snapped in two—the icy blade's momentum continued, carving a deep, bone-exposing wound across his chest, the dreadful sword qi violently devouring his tendons and qi.

Just one strike!

Guan Xingce and Tie Xiangtong—one maimed, one critically wounded!

The dozens of disciples scattered around, who had joined the attack, froze in place—their sneers locked into expressions of boundless terror and shock.

The dappled light reflected off their ashen faces.

Chen Mu stood with sword in hand, tip angled toward the ground, faint, icy blade-light slowly swirling along its edge, elusive yet powerful.

He looked up at the screaming Tie Xiangtong and the staggering, disbelieving Guan Xingce, and spoke calmly, "Most important in being human is self-awareness—don't reach for what isn't yours!"

When Han Hao successfully forged the mid-grade spirit sword, Chen Mu had sensed Guan Xingce's strange feelings at the time.

A mid-grade spirit sword was of extraordinary value and significance to the Hundred Blades Manor.

But wanting something was one thing—acting on it was another.

Guan Xingce had let greed take hold and reached for what was not his—so he must pay the price!

……

"Run!"

Guan Xingce suddenly roared, "Everyone, run! Scatter and flee!"

Whoosh~!

The dozens of disciples, already pale with terror and silent as cicadas, at his shout instantly scattered in all directions, sprinting away.

Including Tie Xiangtong, he covered his wound, his body swaying as he executed his lightness technique, darting away at extreme speed.

Unfortunately...

Whoosh!

Chen Mu's figure flickered and vanished from the spot.

"Hiss!"

"Hiss~"

"Hiss~!"

Afterimages flickered, weaving through the mountain forest. The cold light they trailed was like so many cutting lines.

Pfft~ pfft~ pfft~

Streaks of blood spattered onto the ground, dotting it here and there.

Thud~ thud~ thud~

Before they could even scream, one corpse after another toppled to the ground, dead beyond any doubt.

The dozens of disciples who had scattered in flight were the first to fall, dying with unclosed eyes.

Then came Tie Xiangtong, roaring, bellowing, begging for mercy — but unfortunately, his Horizontal Forged Cauldron Body was still half a step short, and facing the edge of a mid-grade spirit sword, he barely blocked two strikes before his head left his neck.

【Corpse discovered. Loot?】