Chapter 490: The Thousand-Year-Enduring Sword Intent

"Stop arguing—I think two years is just right, right in the middle…"

Several disciples began arguing over this, significantly lightening the previously solemn atmosphere.

Chen Mu listened, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

He knew his breakthrough speed was truly abnormal.

From Heaven Altar Realm to Tiangong Realm, ordinary geniuses need decades; extraordinary talents still require ten to twenty years.

Yet he, from breaking through Earth Altar to entering Tiangong, took only a few years total.

Of course, there were secrets behind it.

But none of those present brought up the topic.

It wasn't that they didn't want to know—it was that they knew they shouldn't ask.

Who on the Master List doesn't have secrets?

Cultivation methods, opportunities, miraculous encounters, lineages—everyone has their own unspoken trump card.

Chen Mu was merely the most outstanding among them.

Shen Ge suddenly turned, his gaze sweeping over all Yaoyue Sect disciples, his expression solemn to the point of severity.

"Listen carefully—no one is to speak of Brother Chen's breakthrough to Tiangong!"

Everyone froze, then nodded in unison.

"Yes!"

Xu Xue Ranran also said gravely, "This matter must be kept secret! Anyone who leaks even a single word will face sect discipline!"

"Understood."

"We know."

The disciples replied in unison.

They naturally understood the stakes.

A Tiangong Realm cultivator in his early twenties—if word got out, it would shake the entire world.

Those Mo Sects, those hostile factions, would never allow such a prodigy to grow unchecked.

At that point, Chen Mu would face endless assassinations and sieges.

Chen Mu looked at them, a warmth flickering in his eyes.

But what he didn't say was—he didn't care.

After breaking into Tiangong Realm, the number of people in this world who could threaten him was already few enough to count on one hand.

Tiangong Realm has three stages: Merging Heaven, Flying Heaven, Moving Heaven.

Chen Mu was indeed only in Merging Heaven, but with his "Sword Armor" on and the Tianzong Yun Sword in hand, he had confidence to fight any Tiangong cultivator.

Even if he met a peak Moving Heaven cultivator, he could escape unscathed.

If he could find the "Sword Soul"…

Chen Mu thought of Duan Tianhe.

Centuries ago, Duan Tianhe was merely a Tiangong cultivator, yet the world revered him as "Sword Sovereign," precisely because the Sword Armor, Tianzong Yun Sword, and Sword Soul united to grant him power enough to challenge the Ten Thousand Phenomena Realm.

If he could reach that level too…

Shaking off his thoughts, Chen Mu looked at Shen Ge: "This isn't a place to talk. Let's go."

Shen Ge nodded and called to the group.

The team resumed their journey, heading south once more.

To be safe, Chen Mu deliberately had the group detour—first veering east for dozens of miles, traveling through a mountain ravine for half a day, then secretly turning south again.

This way, even if someone tracked them, they'd be hopelessly confused about direction.

Time was thus wasted.

By day they traveled; by night they camped, moving slowly, stopping and starting. Half a month later, the team finally entered the mountain range where Yaoyue Sect's secret outpost lay.

It was a vast chain of mountains stretching hundreds of miles, with steep terrain, dense forests, and virtually no human presence.

Xu Xue Ranran led them through winding, nearly pathless thickets, finally arriving at an extremely hidden ravine.

On both sides of the ravine rose sheer cliffs, covered entirely in vines and moss, indistinguishable from the surrounding mountains.

But Xu Xue Ranran walked to a patch of vines, pushed aside the thick foliage, and revealed a dark, gaping entrance.

"This is it."

Everyone filed in one after another.

The cave was deep, but not pitch black.

The walls were embedded with glowing fluorite, casting the interior in a twilight glow.

The deeper they went, the larger the space became, until they entered a cavern dozens of zhang across.

Around the great cavern, many smaller caves branched off, neatly arranged—clearly man-made.

Xu Xue Ranran led the group in inventorying supplies.

Grain filled three caves, enough to feed over a hundred people for years.

Though scarce, the pills were all top-grade healing herbs and cultivation resources.

Weapon racks were lined with swords, spears, halberds, and daggers—enough to arm a small army.

Several caves were piled high with gold, silver, and valuables—all the accumulated wealth of Yaoyue Sect.

"Perfect!"

Xue Xue Ranran cheered, "With these, we can hide here for a long time!"

Shen Ge also exhaled in relief, a long-absent smile appearing on his face.

Xu Xue Ranran assigned Shen Ge to settle the disciples, then walked up to Chen Mu and whispered.

"Young Master Chen, please follow me."

Chen Mu did not overthink it; he followed her through several caverns to a passage clearly specially arranged.

At the passage entrance stood a stone door, its surface carved with intricate mechanism patterns.

Xu Qingyin raised her hand and pressed several points on the mechanism; the stone door slowly opened.

The two walked along the passage for about a hundred zhang, where another stone door awaited at the end.

Xu Qingyin activated the mechanism again; behind the stone door lay a spacious cavern.

This cavern was larger than those outside, fully a hundred zhang across and over ten zhang high.

Dozens of fist-sized luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling, illuminating the entire cavern as bright as daylight.

But Chen Mu's gaze landed instantly on the stone wall at the cavern's center.

It was a natural rock wall five zhang tall, entirely dark green-black, its surface smooth as a mirror.

At the exact center of the wall was a deep sword cut.

The cut was about three chi long and an inch deep, its edges sharp and fierce, as if freshly made.

Yet Chen Mu could sense this sword cut had existed for at least a thousand years.

What stunned him most was the sword intent contained within it.

That sword intent was vast as an ocean, boundless as mountains, yet piercingly sharp, like an invisible blade stabbing straight into one's soul.

Merely standing ten zhang away, Chen Mu felt the sword intent rush toward him, stirring his own sword intent into restless motion.

"Such powerful sword intent!"

He blurted it out, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Xu Qingyin smiled faintly, a trace of pride flashing in her eyes: "This sword cut was left a thousand years ago by a Wanxiang-level Ancestor of the Yaoyue Sect. That Ancestor devoted his life to the Dao of the Sword; in his later years, he secluded himself here, swinging his sword ten thousand times daily, until he left this mark upon the stone wall."

"It is said that before his passing, he infused all his lifetime's sword insights into this very cut."

She turned to Chen Mu: "If Young Master wishes, you may meditate here to enhance your own sword intent."

Chen Mu turned to look at her, his eyes brimming with delight.

Meditating on the sword intent left by a Wanxiang-level Ancestor—this was a great fortune!

Ordinary cultivators might spend their entire lives without ever witnessing a Wanxiang-level master in action, let alone meditating up close on the sword intent they left behind.

This sword cut, if displayed outside, would be fought over by countless sword experts.

Immediately, Chen Mu solemnly clasped his fists and bowed deeply to Xu Qingyin.

"Thank you, Elder Xu."

Xu Qingyin quickly stepped aside, waving her hands frantically: "Young Master, absolutely not. You saved all of us—what is this? Without you, the last remnants of the Yaoyue Sect would have long been extinguished. If anyone owes thanks, it is we who owe you."

She paused, then added: "Young Master, rest assured and meditate here. I and Shen Ge will handle matters outside. If you need anything, just say the word."

Chen Mu nodded.

Xu Qingyin gave a few more instructions, then withdrew from the cavern; the stone door slowly closed.

Inside the cavern, only Chen Mu remained.

He turned and looked again at the sword cut.