Chapter 251: Zhao Fuzhou

"Huuu~~"

He spat out a stream of qi.

Chen Mu slowly opened his eyes, a flash of sharp brilliance fleeting away.

"This sensation…"

With a thought, Chen Mu gained an additional "eye," inwardly surveying every corner of his body.

Feeling the pured-by-several-fold true qi in his dantian and the tangible spiritual power in his brow's mind sea, his mood lifted slightly, then settled back into calm.

The most direct feature of the Earth Altar Realm's Divine Bridge is the ability to "inwardly survey," achieving absolute control over the physical body.

For example, hidden injuries from battle, previously undetectable and imperceptible, could now be clearly identified.

Whether repairing or nurturing, both could be accomplished with twice the efficiency.

The mobilization of physical strength could also reach one hundred percent.

The true qi in his dantian had been refined during the breakthrough, but its total quantity remained unchanged.

Thus, compared to Innate Ninth Stage, the Earth Altar Realm's Divine Bridge enhances power, though the degree varies from person to person.

Chen Mu "inwardly surveyed" his body and discovered several strands of poison residue.

Earth Yuan Pills, though potent, were still pills.

All medicine carries three parts poison.

The poison residue left behind by Earth Yuan Pills after aiding the breakthrough into the Earth Altar Realm was even more insidious than that of other pills.

Yet under "inward survey," it was clearly located.

Chen Mu activated the Duan Tianhe Scripture, spending a quarter-hour to eliminate and expel it from his body.

He scanned his body two more times, confirmed its absence, then activated the Ghost Python Breathing Art to suppress his aura.

The result: it dropped, then bounced right back up.

"Can the Ghost Python Breathing Art not suppress the Earth Altar Realm?"

Chen Mu tried again.

It wasn't entirely ineffective—just unstable.

His suppressed aura rose and fell irregularly; those of lower cultivation couldn't sense it.

But those at the Earth Altar Realm, or keen Innate Ninth Stage—even Innate Eighth Stage—could detect it.

Fortunately, Chen Mu was prepared and pulled out a card.

Skill Card!

A new concealment technique: The Gui Cang Hidden Spirit Scripture! With second-layer cultivation insights built-in!

This special Wu Gong had only four layers; the later ones were missing.

Even so, the second layer of the Gui Cang Hidden Spirit Scripture could conceal two stages of the Earth Altar Realm.

Chen Mu was merely at the Earth Altar Realm's Divine Bridge—through the Gui Cang Hidden Spirit Scripture, he could fully suppress his aura to Innate Eighth Stage.

Speaking of it, the number of cards he retrieved from the Sword Storage Palace was small, but their quality was high.

An equipment card containing a Yun Shen Jade, a memory card with breakthrough insights into the Earth Altar Realm, a skill card recording the Gui Cang Hidden Spirit Scripture.

And one card granting one year and two months of true qi!

One combat training card!

One soul-enhancing card!

One experience card containing rich instruction in fists, palms, blades, spears, swords, and staves!

Five qi cards!

One skill card recording the Sword Storage Palace's foundational supreme art, the Sword Storage Art—already at the Perfection Realm!

The Sword Storage Art was not an offensive technique, but a concealment technique.

Its core was the single character: "Conceal."

It emphasized silent, invisible sword draws—perfect for ambushes and assassinations.

Unless one broke through to the Earth Altar Realm's Seeing the Divine and developed spiritual awareness.

Otherwise, it was utterly undetectable.

Chen Mu first used the true qi card, activating the Duan Tianhe Scripture to convert it into his own true qi.

Then he used all his accumulated qi cards at once, driving the scripture to increase his true qi.

The conversion ratio was roughly the same as that between inner force and qi.

Roughly ten years of qi could be converted into one year of true qi!

His true qi increased.

Chen Mu then used the soul-enhancing card to boost his spiritual power.

In his mind sea, threadlike spiritual energy drifted everywhere.

Gathering these spiritual energies into a single strand, he could attempt to break through to the Earth Altar Realm's Crown Gathering.

The Three Flowers Gathering was hardest in the spiritual energy stage.

…

Calmed his mind.

Chen Mu activated the skill card recording the Sword Storage Art, acquiring this Perfection Realm concealment technique.

Then he activated the Gui Cang Hidden Spirit Scripture, suppressing his aura to Innate Eighth Stage.

He set aside the combat training card and experience card for now.

He took out the powerful cards he'd collected and used them one by one, slightly strengthening his physique.

After using them all, he rose and left the meditation chamber.

……

He went outside and asked around, only to learn that ten days had already passed.

The chief official of the Zhen Prefecture Town Martial Bureau had also formally taken up his post.

Chen Mu hurried to the main hall.

Sure enough, just as he reached the door, he saw Zhao Fuzhou in full official robes, seated at the head, listening to Yu Shoujiang's report.

"You've finally come out of seclusion."

Seeing Chen Mu, Zhao Fuzhou raised a hand to signal Yu Shoujiang to stop his report and said, "Lord Yu, you may go attend to your duties first."

"Yes, my lord!"

Yu Shoujiang bowed respectfully, nodded to Chen Mu as well, and withdrew from the main hall.

"How did it go? How were your gains from closed-door cultivation?" Zhao Fuzhou asked.

"Not bad, my cultivation has made some progress."

Chen Mu replied casually, then asked naturally, "Mainly in the comprehension of Intent, the improvement isn't much. Speaking of which, Brother Zhao's Sword Intent is truly admirable."

The power of Intent grants far too great a boost to combat strength.

This is solely because such power lies between the virtual and the real.

It can wound both the body and the spirit!

A reaction half a beat too slow, and one would be gravely injured.

Chen Mu had also heard the explanation of Intent's power from Zhao Fuzhou.

There are nine heavens in total!

Zhao Fuzhou was currently at the third heaven of Sword Intent.

The Sword Intent, Saber Intent, Fist Intent, and Arrow Intent Chen Mu had grasped barely counted as the first heaven.

As for Fire and Water Intent, it had formally stepped into the first heaven realm.

The mastery and improvement of Intent's power depended entirely on an individual's comprehension.

……

"Mine can only count as average."

Zhao Fuzhou shook his head. "It's Lu Chen's Intent power that's truly admirable."

"That man is a monster, can't be compared, really can't be." Chen Mu hurriedly agreed.

Lu Chen, who dominated the first place on the Hidden Dragon rankings, had comprehended the third heaven of Intent back at the Post-Heaven realm!

"True enough."

Zhao Fuzhou smiled. "Let's not talk about him. Talking about him only deals a blow to one's confidence."

"The Jing'an King has already been escorted to Dragon Court. The merits for you and me have been recorded in the case. The matter here in Zhen Prefecture is concluded. What's your plan for the next step?"

"None for the moment."

Chen Mu looked at Zhao Fuzhou upon hearing this and asked for guidance, "Does Brother Zhao have a recommended prefecture suitable for me to inspect?"

"Not inspection."

Zhao Fuzhou explained, "The Patrol Inspector's main duty is inspection, but the secondary duty also includes pursuing and capturing escaped personnel of the Town Martial Bureau. This time there's an opportunity. Over in the Southeast Circuit, there's a Sili named Zhu Jiuchuan, Earth Altar realm Divine Bridge cultivation, who fled half a month ago after committing an offense. Reliable intelligence says he's hiding in Bai Yun City."

"Bai Yun City?" Chen Mu's brows rose upon hearing this.

Bai Yun City, like Spirit Martial City and Wudicheng, also did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Great Zhou imperial court.

This city was located at the junction of three circuits—the Southeast Circuit, the Jiannan Circuit, and the Tiannan Circuit—with the sea to the south.

Its founder was a Manifestation realm expert!

The current successor was also at the Manifestation realm.

However, this Lord of Bai Yun City did not manage any affairs in the city, spending most of his time either in closed-door cultivation or away on travels.

It could be said that since Bai Yun City's founding, unless it encountered a matter of life and death, the city was managed by five Deputy City Lords at all other times.

Because the founder was of scattered cultivation origin, from the day Bai Yun City was established, it had opened its doors wide to all scattered cultivators, a tradition that had continued to this day.

For this reason, Bai Yun City was also called the Scattered Cultivators' City.

"Does Brother Zhao want me to go capture Zhu Jiuchuan?"