Chapter 501

Guo Wuqiu slumped onto the riverbank, mouth gaping wide but silent.

He was stunned into silence!

He could only watch helplessly as Chen Mu turned and walked toward the corpse of the Mo Sect elder.

Just moments ago, the Life Cultivation Sect elder had stood proudly in midair, his palm capable of boiling the Dahe River—now he lay like a charred log across the exposed riverbed, a clear hole gaping in his chest.

Chen Mu's footsteps were light, crunching softly on the pebbles.

As he walked, a card appeared in his hand.

An Intent Card!

And it was Fire Intent, Third Heaven.

Upon use, it grants full comprehension of Fire Intent—including cognition, touch, and mastery—all stages.

Fire Intent, Third Heaven?

Chen Mu's lips curled slightly upward.

He himself had touched it—the fourth layer of the Red Water Dragon Killing Art had begun to brush against Intent power, barely reaching Fire Intent, First Heaven.

Water Intent had already reached Third Heaven, but Fire was always his weakness.

Now, the opportunity had come.

He continued walking toward the elder's corpse.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

As Chen Mu took his third step, Guo Wuqiu suddenly widened his eyes.

Fire ignited on Chen Mu.

No—not ignited fire, but an invisible force surged from within him, forming a faint red halo around his body.

The halo was initially so faint it was nearly invisible, but as Chen Mu took his fourth step, it flared suddenly bright.

Hu—

A soft sound, and the red halo solidified into a crimson flame-phantom within three chi of Chen Mu's body.

The flames flickered unpredictably, yet did not ignite his robes or scorch his hair—only burned quietly, like a robe woven from fire.

First Heaven.

Fire Intent, First Heaven.

Guo Wuqiu's eyes nearly popped out.

He had clearly felt no trace of Fire Intent emanating from Chen Mu just moments ago.

Yet within these few steps, this Intent had appeared out of nowhere—and instantly reached First Heaven!

How was this possible?!

Chen Mu took his fifth step.

The flame-phantom around him surged violently, expanding from three chi to over a zhang.

The flame's color shifted from crimson to orange-red, then to brilliant gold, hissing as it flickered.

The pebbles beneath his feet, swept by this Intent, began to melt into pools of dark red magma.

Second Heaven.

Guo Wuqiu's mouth hung open, a choked, gurgling sound escaping his throat.

Sixth step.

Gong—

The flame-phantom surrounding Chen Mu surged again, this time expanding to three zhang in diameter.

The flame's color shifted from brilliant gold to blinding white—so white it hurt to look at!

Where the flames passed, the air warped, and even space trembled slightly, as if unable to bear the terrifying heat.

Third Heaven!

Fire Intent, Third Heaven!

Guo Wuqiu froze completely.

He had trained for decades, seen countless geniuses, heard countless legends—but he had never seen, nor even heard of, anyone raising an Intent from nothing to Third Heaven in just a few steps.

Could a human do this?

A prodigy?

A monster?

Or…

Countless words flashed through his mind, yet none could describe what he saw.

Under Guo Wuqiu's stunned gaze, Chen Mu reached the elder's corpse and stopped.

He looked down at the body; the blazing white flame within three zhang of him slowly receded, vanishing as if it had never been.

Only the pebbles melted into magma around him proved that what had just happened was real.

Chen Mu crouched down and began searching the elder's body.

Several vials of pills, a tablet engraved with "Elder Chi Yan," a thin booklet, several translucent crystalline stones, and a ring of pure crimson.

He swiftly and skillfully removed each item and stowed them in his robes.

Moments later, there was nothing left on the elder's body worth taking.

Chen Mu stood, raised his right hand.

Hu—

A ball of blazing white flame ignited spontaneously in his palm.

The flame danced in his palm, its temperature astonishingly high, yet it did not harm Chen Mu in the slightest.

With a casual flick, the flame landed on the old man's corpse.

Boom!

The flame instantly surged, engulfing the entire body.

The blazing white light illuminated the entire riverside, illuminating Guo Wuqiu's paper-white face.

Within just a few breaths, the old man's corpse turned to a pile of ash, scattered by the river wind into the air.

Chen Mu turned and walked toward Guo Wuqiu.

He walked slowly, each step crushing pebbles underfoot, producing a crunching sound.

To Guo Wuqiu's ears, those footsteps were more terrifying than death's call.

Chen Mu stopped three zhang before Guo Wuqiu and raised his hand, grasping at the void.

An invisible force appeared out of nowhere, lifting Guo Wuqiu's entire body and suspending him in midair.

His broken legs hung limply, swaying with his body, drenching his forehead in cold sweat from the pain, yet he clenched his teeth and dared not make a sound.

Chen Mu gripped him and soared into the air, speeding toward the capital city of Jiannan Dao.

Guo Wuqiu was dragged aloft, suspended high above, with howling winds roaring past his ears.

He glanced down at the mountains and rivers rapidly receding beneath him, then looked up at Chen Mu's calm profile, his heart surging with overwhelming shock.

Tiangong Realm.

Chen Mu is Tiangong Realm.

A Tiangong Realm at twenty-two!

If this news spread, the entire world would tremble!

But as he thought again, he realized with despair that he had nowhere to tell it.

He was being escorted to the capital city; what awaited him was the brutal interrogation of the Zhenwu Bureau, and in the end, certain death.

Even if Guo Wuqiu tried to trade this news for a chance at survival, who would believe him?

A Tiangong Realm at twenty-two? Too bizarre.

Killing a Tiangong Realm elder in his early twenties? Even more bizarre.

Comprehending the Three Heavens' Realm in a few steps? Too absurd for anyone to believe.

In the end, others would only think he was framing Chen Mu, and it would only hasten his death.

Guo Wuqiu closed his eyes, filled with despair.

Chen Mu paid no attention to his thoughts, merely carrying him as he sped through the high air.

The flight speed of a Tiangong Realm far surpassed that of a Di Tan Realm; soon, the outline of Jiannan Dao's capital city appeared in view.

Chen Mu made no effort to conceal himself.

Carrying Guo Wuqiu, he landed directly before the headquarters of the Zhenwu Bureau.

The gate guards, seeing someone descend from the sky, instinctively reached for their swords.

But upon recognizing the black inspection envoy token in Chen Mu's hand, they quickly bowed low in salute.

"My lord, you are…?"

"Inspection Envoy Chen Mu of the Bing Class," Chen Mu said. "I bring the prisoner Guo Wuqiu. I seek the Commandant!"

The guard was startled and rushed inside to report.

Moments later, a middle-aged man in dark ink robes embroidered with gold stepped out swiftly.

His face was stern, his gaze sharp as lightning, his aura profound as an abyss—Wei Qinghe, Commandant of the Jiannan Dao Zhenwu Bureau.

Wei Qinghe's eyes fell on Chen Mu, then on the unrecognizable Guo Wuqiu in his grasp, a flicker of surprise crossing his expression.

"Inspector Chen?"

Wei Qinghe's voice was deep and resonant. "This is Guo Wuqiu?"

Chen Mu bowed his fist, his aura subtly radiating—Di Tan Realm, Jian Shen Bu Huai.

"Inspector Chen Mu of the Bing Class, greetings, Commander Wei!"