Chapter 571

Six months later.

Chen Mu's figure reappeared at the edge of the murky, gray-black mist of the Nether Mountains, thick with decay and a sweet, metallic stench.

He still wore his disguise—ordinary face, slightly pale skin, clad in gray-black martial attire, back sheathed with an ancient, plain longsword, his aura concealed at the peak of Primordial Foundation.

Six months had passed; the turmoil stirred by Jiuyou Sect over the theft of the "Moonshadow Flowing Sword" seemed to have gradually subsided—at least in this outer region, the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere of mutual suspicion had faded, yet the chilling, grim aura of Jiuyou Sect still clung thickly to the air.

Chen Mu did not plunge directly into the mountains, but returned to Heimeng City, located at the northeastern entrance of the range and guarding the vital pass.

After paying the entry fee, he blended into a crowd of warriors and black-market merchants, each with distinct auras, and stepped into this fortress-city built of black rock.

The streets remained narrow and dark, shops hanging bizarre signs, the air thick with the strange stench of blood, herbs, and metal.

He did not go to "Anxu," but chose a relatively bustling, well-informed tavern.

Inside, the lighting was dim, filled with the odor of cheap spirit wine and some kind of incense.

Chen Mu found a corner seat, ordered a pot of wine, feigning solitary drinking, while his Tiangong realm spiritual sense had already spread like an invisible spiderweb, silently catching every whispered conversation, every useful scrap of information.

"Did you hear? The Shangyang Cave has been unsettled lately—several expedition teams went in and never came out. Rumor says a divine treasure has emerged, stirring the underground yin-fire…"

"Pfft, what divine treasure? It's Jiuyou Sect folks performing rituals over there, stirring up the Yinming Fire—tricking fools into walking to their deaths."

"Hey, did you hear? Recently at Xuesha Ridge, someone saw a crimson-gold flame shoot skyward, accompanied by the sound of sword cries. Many say a sword-related Heavenly Flame has manifested!"

"True? Heavenly Flames are rare enough—now one tied to sword Dao? That'd be a sword cultivator's ultimate treasure!"

"Who knows? But Jiuyou Sect and several allied clans have sent people, sealing off the area—no outsiders can get in."

Chen Mu's hand holding the wine cup paused slightly.

Crimson-gold flame, sword-cry, a sword-related Heavenly Flame?

He remained expressionless, continuing to listen.

"I heard too—it's called 'Jian Xiao Tianhuo,' they say. This Heavenly Flame isn't just scorching hot—it can summon ten thousand swords to cry out, a boon for sword cultivators. One of Jiuyou Sect's elders tried to subdue it and nearly got consumed, burned off half his arm."

"Tch, Jiuyou Sect's being cautious this time—not rushing to seize it, but setting up a grand array to trap the Heavenly Flame and slowly refine it. But rumor says the Heavenly Flame has extraordinary sentience—almost broke free several times."

"Exactly. Now Xuesha Ridge is a forbidden zone under Jiuyou Sect, with Tiangong elders taking turns guarding it."

Chen Mu's mind raced.

Jian Xiao Tianhuo?

Jian Ming Tianyan!

Could the "Sword Soul" Heavenly Flame not be deep within the Mingyuan Secret Realm, but have been moved by Jiuyou Sect to Xuesha Ridge?

Or perhaps the "Jiuyou" in the jade pendant's message "Soul in Jiuyou" doesn't refer solely to the Mingyuan Secret Realm, but broadly to any region under Jiuyou Sect's control?

Chen Mu set down his cup, rose, and walked over to the group of warriors chatting nearby, tossing down a handful of gold, voice hoarse: "Brothers, where exactly on Xuesha Ridge is this 'Jian Xiao Tianhuo'? What array did Jiuyou Sect set up?"

The warriors first eyed Chen Mu warily, then glanced at the gold, sensing the aura radiating from him, and relaxed.

One lowered his voice.

"You're interested in the Heavenly Flame? Hey, let me warn you—this place is a meat grinder now. Xuesha Ridge lies in the northwest of the Nether Mountains; the Heavenly Flame's exact location is in a basin called 'Fenjian Valley' deep within the ridge. It was once the ruins of an ancient sword cultivator sect, later destroyed, with an underground fire vein that somehow gave birth to this Heavenly Flame."

Another chimed in: "Jiuyou Sect set up the 'Jiuyou Suo Ling Grand Array.' Supposedly seals space and suppresses sentience. Three Tiangong elders take turns guarding it: Elder Su Changshou, Elder Gao Cheng, and another rumored to be transferred from the Inner Sect's Enforcement Hall—Elder Mi Nangong—all mid-Tiangong experts! Plus dozens of Earth Altar disciples patrol the area. Trying to force entry? Harder than climbing to heaven."

Chen Mu silently memorized the information, bowed in thanks, and turned to leave the tavern.

He did not linger in Heimeng City, but left directly, sneaking toward Xuesha Ridge in the northwest.

…

Xuesha Ridge lay in the northwest of the Nether Mountains, its terrain even more treacherous than the outer regions.

The mountainside glowed a dark red, as if soaked in countless bloods and then dried over years; the air reeked of thick blood and sulfur, laced with a heat that stung the skin.

Here, the earth-fire and deathly miasma were unusually active; underground fire veins frequently erupted, melting and solidifying rock into bizarre, glassy landforms.

Chen Mu suppressed all his aura, becoming a ghost woven into the mountain shadows, avoiding several of Jiuyou Sect's visible and hidden outposts on the ridge's perimeter, slipping soundlessly into its depths.

The closer he drew to the core zone—Fenjian Valley—the higher the temperature rose, and the faint, elusive vibration that seemed to resonate with the sword intent within his body grew ever clearer.

He hid atop a high cliff overlooking Fenjian Valley, gazing down.

The valley was vast and sunken, its ground blackened and riddled with fissures, constantly steaming with heat that warped the light.

At the valley's center, a patch of dark red light-shielded area was faintly visible—that was the "Jiuyou Suo Ling Grand Array."

Upon the shield, runes flowed, emitting waves that sealed space and suppressed sentience.

Within the shield, a crimson-gold glow surged and clashed, each impact against the barrier producing a clear, piercing, as if ten thousand swords cried out together—a sword-cry that shook the entire valley into a low hum.

It was Jian Ming Tianyan!

Around the array, every hundred zhang, a black banner, several zhang tall, was planted into the ground, spewing yin-death miasma to reinforce the array.

Dozens of Jiuyou Sect disciples, ranging from Earth Altar cultivation, formed patrol squads, moving back and forth through the valley.

Above the array's northern edge, a platform hovered midair, upon which sat an old man clad in deep purple robes, his face withered, hands like dried demon claws, his aura profound—undoubtedly a mid-Tiangong expert!

It was Elder Su Changshou, one of the three rotating elders.

Chen Mu did not act immediately.

He carefully observed the array's operational rhythm, the patrol routes of the disciples, and Elder Su Changshou's position.

The "Jiuyou Suo Ling Grand Array" was indeed profound—it not only sealed space and suppressed the Heavenly Flame's sentience, but also severely restrained the true qi and spiritual sense of intruders.

Forcing a breach would inevitably alert Elder Su Changshou and draw a swarm of reinforcements.

He needed to wait for an opportunity—or create one.

Time passed slowly; night fell, and the night of the Nether Mountains grew heavier with yin energy and miasma.

The patrol disciples changed shifts; Elder Su Changshou remained seated with closed eyes, like a statue, yet the chilling yin field radiating from him was tightly linked to the array below—no whisper or rustle escaped him.

At that moment, Chen Mu noticed a fissure on the eastern side of the valley suddenly erupted with a fiercer flame than usual—crimson lava surged skyward with toxic smoke, causing the patrol disciples in that area to stir and retreat in alarm.

Elder Su Changshou slightly opened his eyes, glanced once, then dismissed it—such eruptions were common on Xuesha Ridge.

But for Chen Mu, it was an opportunity!

With a thought, Chen Mu's form slipped down the cliff like a phantom—not toward the array, but circling to the eastern side of the valley, near the recently erupted fissure.

He suppressed his aura, becoming like a lifeless object, hiding behind a scorching rock.

Moments later, a patrol of three Earth Altar Realm disciples arrived; their leader complained.

"This damned place—the ground fire eruptions are getting more frequent, almost splashed me."

"Stop whining, finish this patrol and get back to relieve the shift," another said.

Just as the three passed Chen Mu's hiding spot—

Shh-shh-shh~

Three faint, nearly invisible streaks of light instantly pierced the backs of their skulls.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Their bodies stiffened, their eyes dimmed instantly, not even a cry escaped them—they were utterly obliterated, their bodies collapsing limply.

【Corpse detected. Retrieve?】

"Yes!"

……

Card acquired.

Chen Mu swept his sleeve, drawing all three corpses and the lingering remnants of sword qi into the nearby still-steaming ground fire fissure, erasing all traces.

The entire process occurred in the blink of an eye; the distant patrol teams noticed nothing, and Su Changshou in the air sensed no abnormal energy fluctuations.

Chen Mu donned the clothing of one of the disciples, altered his appearance to match his likeness, and mimicked his aura perfectly.

He picked up the disciple's patrol token, bowed his head, and hurried toward a flagpole at the western base of the great array.

From observation, although the "Nine Nether Locking Spirit Array" was powerful, its flagpole-based energy flow experienced a minute, unavoidable lag every hour due to cyclical fluctuations of ground fire miasma—the rhythm mismatch between array and earth vein miasma.

This lag lasted less than a breath—but for Chen Mu, it was enough.

He reached the flagpole, feigning inspection of the array base, while secretly letting a thread of his refined Seventh Heaven Sword Intent seep silently into the junction between flagpole and ground.

The sword intent did not destroy the flag; instead, like the tiniest wedge, it lay dormant within a critical node of the array's rune structure, waiting for the moment.

He performed the same manipulation at two other array bases.

These "sword intent wedges" were so minute they emitted virtually no energy signature, blending seamlessly with the array's own miasma, nearly impossible to detect.

Having finished, Chen Mu swiftly detached from the patrol, found a hidden corner, and lay in wait once more—like the most patient hunter.

Time passed slowly; the moon rose to zenith, casting pale light, warped by the valley's miasma and heat.

Zi Shi approached.

At the array's center, the crimson-gold "Sword-Crying Heavenly Flame" seemed to sense something, suddenly growing agitated—its flames surged violently, slamming repeatedly against the dark red barrier, its sword-song rising higher and faster, as if gathering strength for a final strike.

Su Changshou snapped open his eyes, ghostly flames flickering within; he barked sharply.

"All on alert! The anomalous fire is striking the array! Reinforce the array bases!"

The patrol disciples rushed toward the nearest flagpoles, preparing to pour true qi into them.

Just as their attention was drawn to the anomalous fire—

Precisely at Zi Shi!

From deep underground, a cyclical flood of ground fire miasma surged forth, striking the array.

The entire "Nine Nether Locking Spirit Array" shuddered violently; its flagpole energy flow inevitably suffered a minute, less-than-half-a-breath lag.

Now!

Chen Mu's eyes blazed with sharp light; he activated his will. The three hidden "sword intent wedges" erupted.

Not to destroy—but to detonate.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At three array bases, three refined threads of Seventh Heaven Sword Intent ignited like sparks in a powder keg, instantly detonating the already miasma-disturbed, chaotic array energy.

Three flagpoles shook violently, their runes flashing wildly; the once-unified dark red barrier instantly fractured on the west side, revealing a one-zhang-wide, wildly unstable energy gap.

"No! Array base attacked! Intruder!"

Su Changshou reacted first, enraged and alarmed, his form turning into a ghostly shadow as he lunged toward the western gap.

But too late!

At the very moment the sword intent wedges exploded, Chen Mu's true body had already shot forth like an arrow released from a bow.

His target: the array's gap.

His speed was too great—his body technique, empowered by Seventh Heaven Sword Intent, made him a lightning bolt tearing through the night.

"Stop him!"

Su Changshou roared, summoning a withered ghostly claw from afar, grasping toward Chen Mu's back—its wind howled, sharp enough to tear apart mountains.

Chen Mu did not turn his head; he slashed backward.

The "Purple Thunder Heaven Sword"—Thunderclap Form!

Boom—!!

A thread-thin, condensed purple lightning sword aura erupted from his fingertip—not aimed at Su Changshou, but precisely severed the void between the grasping ghost claw and himself.

The sword aura exploded into countless tiny purple lightning serpents, instantly disrupting Su Changshou's yin miasma field and spiritual lock.

Su Changshou felt his grasp falter—the target vanished for an instant.

That single moment of obstruction allowed Chen Mu's form to pierce the rapidly narrowing array gap and enter the interior of the "Nine Nether Locking Spirit Array."

Upon entering, a terrifying wave of heat and piercing sword intent pressure slammed into him.

The crimson-gold "Sword-Crying Heavenly Flame" lay right before him!

It seemed to sense Chen Mu's arrival—and the pure, Gao Ang, resonant Seventh Heaven Sword Intent emanating from him.

"Roar—"

Su Changshou, enraged, charged after him into the array.

From the other two directions, sounds of tearing air reached them—clearly, the other two on-duty guards from Gao Cheng and Mi Nangong had been alarmed and were rushing over at high speed.

"Brat! You seek death!"

Su Changshou thrust both hands forward; two colossal, pitch-black ghostly claws, forged from the power of heaven and earth, descended with a chilling frost that froze the soul, sealing off Chen Mu's left and right escape routes.