Chapter 572

Chen Mu was trapped within the great array, with strange fire before him and three mid-stage Heavenly Palace elders surrounding him from behind.

Yet his face showed not a trace of panic.

Ignoring Su Changshou behind him, he activated the Duan Tianhe Scripture, unleashing all seven layers of Heavenly Sword Intent without reservation, infusing it into his technique—like the gentlest whisper, yet the firmest declaration—flowing toward the restless, agitated Jianming Tianyan.

"Come with me. I'll carve through this cage and show you the true sword sky!"

Jianming Tianyan shuddered violently, its crimson-gold flame violently contracting into a three-foot-long radiant sword, its entire body flowing with crimson-gold light, the blade humming with ecstatic vibration.

It sensed the purity, strength, and familiar aura within Chen Mu's sword intent—and also the malice of the three enemies outside, seeking to subjugate it.

"Wum—"

A deafening sword cry, unlike any before, as if piercing the nine heavens, erupted from the radiant blade.

The strange fire no longer crashed aimlessly—it became a streak of crimson-gold lightning, willingly flying into Chen Mu's outstretched right hand.

The instant Chen Mu grasped the radiant sword forged from Jianming Tianyan—

Boom!!!

A terrifying wave of heat and sharpness, capable of incinerating the eight wastes and severing eternity, exploded from within Chen Mu.

Crimson-gold flame instantly engulfed him, yet harmed him not—instead, like the closest battle companion, it fused, resonated, and ascended with his own seven-layer Duan Tianhe Sword Intent.

In that moment, Chen Mu felt as if he held a sun—a vast, defiant, yet perfectly aligned power surged through his arm into every limb and vein, scouring his meridians, dantian, and soul sea.

Sword intent boiled, true qi surged, and his soul grew denser within the flame.

"Brat! Release the strange fire!"

Su Changshou's ghostly claws were already upon his head!

From two other directions, Gao Cheng and Mi Nangong arrived simultaneously—three terrifying mid-stage Heavenly Palace attacks struck Chen Mu at once.

Chen Mu gripped Jianming Tianyan, feeling the immense power fused perfectly with himself, inseparable—he was filled with an unprecedented, overwhelming confidence.

He spun sharply, facing the three elders' combined assault, and swung his crimson-gold radiant sword!

Zi Xiao Jing Tian Sword: Open Heaven Form!

Boom—boom—boom—

No longer mere sword force—it was the fusion of Jianming Tianyan's world-burning strange fire, Chen Mu's seven-layer sword intent, and the supreme strike of Zi Xiao Jing Tian Sword.

A terrifying sword beam, spanning heaven and earth, interwoven with crimson-gold and dark purple, entwined with thunderous lightning snakes, struck like a cosmic axe at the three attacks.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The earth-shattering explosion shattered rocks for miles around.

Su Changshou's ghostly claws shattered instantly; Gao Cheng's bone staff shrieked and flew backward; Mi Nangong's figure was violently ejected from the void, spitting blood as he recoiled.

The three elders' combined strike was shattered by Chen Mu's single sword blow!

Each one's blood churned, their faces filled with horror.

"Impossible! He's only early-stage Heavenly Palace! How can he control strange fire and unleash such power?!"

Gao Cheng cried out in disbelief.

"He's no ordinary Heavenly Palace—his sword intent is seven layers! And that strange fire… damn it!"

Mi Nangong wiped blood from his lips, his eyes filled with doubt and alarm.

Chen Mu did not pursue after his strike—he used the recoil to launch himself skyward.

The Jianming Tianyan in his hand let out a jubilant sword cry; crimson-gold flame surged, forming two massive flame wings that clung to Chen Mu's back.

"Try to flee?!"

Su Changshou roared.

Gao Cheng and Mi Nangong roared in unison, summoning heaven and earth's power to converge upon themselves.

All three formed seals, activating the residual power of the Nine-You Locking Spirit Array, shaping a colossal shadowy black ghost hand that loomed over the sky.

"Boom!"

The void trembled.

Chaotic energy currents churned wildly.

Chen Mu's flame wings flared violently—he became a crimson-gold meteor, accelerating to his utmost speed.

Shhh!

The radiant sword struck again—this time, more condensed, more pure.

The massive shadowy ghost hand shattered like paper, instantly torn and incinerated.

Chen Mu's figure, like a retrograde crimson-gold comet, smashed through layers of malevolent mist and seals, vanishing into the pitch-black night sky of the Youming Mountains.

Su Changshou, Gao Cheng, and Mi Nangong stood frozen, faces ashen, staring at the ruined, charred Jianjian Valley, the shattered array foundations, and the vanished strange fire—trembling with rage, unable to even determine which direction to pursue.

"Find him! Find him! Even if you turn over every inch of the Great Zhou, bring me this fire-thief!!"

Su Changshou's furious roar echoed for a long time over Xue Sha Ridge.

…

Star Palace.

In Wu Quxing Hall, starlight flowed like water, eternal and unchanging.

Chen Mu stepped forth from the void; the crimson-gold radiant sword forged from Jianming Tianyan still hummed excitedly, as if astonished and elated by this new environment.

Chen Mu did not immediately begin subduing the strange fire—he first scanned the entire Star Hall with his spiritual sense, confirmed all was normal, then sat cross-legged atop the central Taiji diagram, placing the crimson-gold radiant sword across his knees.

The fusion of Jianming Tianyan had been smoother than he expected.

This strange fire naturally resonated with the Duan Tianhe Scripture; that single strike in Xue Sha Ridge had already achieved preliminary unity between man and fire.

Now, back in the absolute safety of the Star Palace, Chen Mu's goal was to fully refine its core essence, making it an inseparable part of his own martial path.

He took a deep breath, sinking his mind into his soul sea.

His seven-layer sword intent formed an invisible bridge, gently yet firmly probing the core of the crimson-gold radiant sword before him.

There, a leaping, ever-shifting sphere of crimson-gold light, seemingly composed of countless tiny flame-shaped swords, radiated heat, sharpness, and a sentient pulse.

Chen Mu transmitted his will with his spirit sense, fully opening his own sword intent like a warm nest, accepting the wildness and probing of the strange fire.

"Hum—"

Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame let out a joyful, clear chime; the crimson-gold sphere suddenly expanded, transforming into ten thousand hair-thin flame-sword intents that, along Chen Mu's sword-intent bridge, surged actively into his meridians, dantian, and even his spirit sea.

No resistance—only the eager urgency of a prodigal returning home.

Boom!

Around Chen Mu, crimson-gold flames erupted violently, engulfing him entirely in a massive fire cocoon.

The flames burned fiercely, yet not a single blade of grass or tree in the hall was damaged; instead, under the starlight's glow, they appeared even more sacred and brilliant.

Within the cocoon, every inch of Chen Mu's skin, every strand of true qi, underwent refinement and fusion by "Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame."

His sword intent, nourished by the strange fire's origin, grew denser and purer, even acquiring a faint crimson-gold luster, gaining new abilities to burn away illusions and purify evil.

The thunderous essence of "Purple-Xiao Shocking Heaven Sword" and the flame's scorched-sky might, under the governance of "Great Luo Martial Scripture," began to merge seamlessly, birthing even more terrifying destructive power.

This process lasted exactly three days.

When the final strand of crimson-gold flame was fully refined and absorbed, Chen Mu slowly opened his eyes.

In his pupils, two crimson-gold sword shadows flashed and vanished; deep within his irises, starfire seemed to ignite an endless prairie—wherever he looked, empty space slightly warped.

With a flick of thought, a gentle crimson-gold flame flickered atop his fingertip, shifting shape at will—sometimes a sword, sometimes a lotus.

The strange fire, "Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame," had become part of his martial path!

"Next, it is time to restore the glory of 'Duan Tianhe.'"

Chen Mu rose to his full height, his expression solemn.

With a flick of his palm, a set of armor pieces emerged one by one, hovering before him.

First, a helmet of dark-silver with flowing gold accents, ancient in design and sharp in lines, with a deep blue gem shaped like a droplet embedded on its forehead; the attached faceplate bore intricate runes resembling swirling water and interwoven sword patterns.

Chen Mu reached out and slowly placed the helmet upon his head.

The moment the helmet sealed, the faceplate dropped automatically, concealing his face—only his eyes remained visible, burning with crimson-gold sword-flame.

A cool yet immense force surged in from the Baihui point atop his head, instantly piercing his spirit sea, making his spiritual perception clearer and keener—as if he could perceive the finest details.

Next came the breastplate.

Dark silver as base, gold trim, at its center lay a rotating totem of Duan Tianhe, formed from starlight and flowing water.

The instant the breastplate clung to his body, Chen Mu felt a vast, oceanic weight spread from his chest to every limb and organ; his five viscera and six bowels were shielded by an invisible, unbreakable membrane, his blood and qi surged stronger, his true qi flowed smoother.

Arm guards, leg guards, battle boots—each piece was donned in turn.

Each piece granted a unique enhancement.

The arm guards expanded the meridians of his arms, making his true qi output more furious and swift.

The leg guards and battle boots endowed his legs with the stability to shatter mountains and rivers, and the swiftness to chase wind and lightning.

When the final battle boot snapped into place, the entire "Duan Tianhe Sword Armor" blazed to life.

On the armor's dark-silver surface, the previously subdued runes awoke like a galaxy stirring, flowing with brilliant blue-gold light.

The five pieces resonated in an arcane harmony; energy cycled internally within the armor, forming a complete, full-body field.

Chen Mu felt as if he had become an ancient war god, every motion brimming with the power to move mountains and fill seas!

Slowly raising his right hand, a longsword silently appeared in his palm.

Tianzong Yun Sword!

Three feet nine inches long, its blade slender and elongated, glowing with a silver-white luster as clear as autumn water and as shifting as drifting clouds; though seemingly edgeless, it naturally radiated a sharpness capable of severing empty space.

At the guard, a gem identical in origin to the helmet's blue stone was embedded; now it resonated powerfully with the armor, trembling slightly and emitting a joyful hum.

The instant he gripped Tianzong Yun Sword, Chen Mu felt the armor, the sword, and himself form a perfect triangular loop.

The armor's power flowed through his body into Tianzong Yun Sword.

The sword's sharpness, in turn, fed back into the armor, strengthening its field.

His own seventh-level Heaven Sword intent and "Duan Tianhe Scripture" true qi were the core driving force behind it all.

"Now, only one final step remains."

Chen Mu's gaze burned intensely as he directed his will to activate the fully refined "Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame" within him.

Crimson-gold flame surged from his palm, traveling up the hilt like a living thing, rapidly spreading across the entire blade of Tianzong Yun Sword.

Sssss—

The silver-white blade, under the burning of the crimson-gold flame, did not burn—instead, like a pearl cleansed of dust, it erupted in even brighter radiance.

The cloud patterns on the blade came alive, intertwining, entwining, and fusing with the crimson-gold flame.

"Sword Soul, return to your place!"

Chen Mu uttered a low roar, driving the core of "Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame"—that crimson-gold flame-soul imbued with sword truth—into the depths of Tianzong Yun Sword, completing its final fusion with blade and armor.

Boom—boom—boom—

The entire Wu Quxing Hall trembled as if shaken at its core.

From Chen Mu's center, a powerful, vast sword intent surged skyward, shattering the star-projection on the ceiling, piercing straight into the star palace's void.

Blue-gold Duan Tianhe light and crimson-gold scorched-sky sword flame wildly intertwined and spun around Chen Mu, finally coalescing into a single pillar of blue, gold, and crimson, a hundred zhang wide, reaching from earth to heaven.

Within the sword pillar, a rolling phantom of Duan Tianhe flowed ceaselessly—not water, but countless ultra-condensed sword-intent stars and crimson-gold flames.

Duan Tianhe Sword Domain!

Chen Mu stood at the pillar's center, feeling the baptism of this new power.

This was not a martial domain he had cultivated through understanding heaven and earth—it was an externally formed "Myriad Phenomena Martial Domain," forcibly opened by the unification of "Duan Tianhe Sword Armor," "Tianzong Yun Sword," and "Sword-Cry Heavenly Flame."

Within the sword domain, Chen Mu was absolute sovereign.

With a thought, Duan Tianhe sword intent could become a colossal wave, crushing all before it.

The crimson-gold flame can burn entire mountains to ash, and the edge of the Heaven-Soaring Cloud Sword cuts through all things without exception.

The level of this power had clearly reached the peak of the Ten Thousand Phenomena Realm's early stage, even subtly brushing against the threshold of its middle stage!

Compared to the "Four Seasons Ten Thousand Phenomena Martial Domain" Chen Mu had cultivated and inherited, this domain was vastly superior in pure offensive power and stability.

"So that's how it is…"

Enlightenment surged through Chen Mu like a tidal wave.

"Back then, Duan Tianhe did not resist the Ten Thousand Phenomena with his own cultivation—he used this combination of 'Armor + Divine Weapon + Strange Flame' to forcibly borrow the rules of the 'River of Heaven,' forging this 'River of Heaven Sword Domain'! He himself was the domain's pivot and core!"

The River of Heaven Sword Domain was powerful, yes—but it had its limitations.

It relied entirely on external objects: the Heaven-Soaring Cloud Sword was its vessel, the armor its framework, and the Sword-Crying Heavenly Flame its soul.

All three were indispensable.

Should the Heaven-Soaring Cloud Sword be taken from his hand, or any armor component damaged, or the Strange Flame's origin wounded, the domain would destabilize—and even collapse.

This was fundamentally different from a Martial Domain cultivated within oneself, perfectly fused with one's soul and body.

It was more like a powerful artifact—or rather, a borrowed power.

But even so, it remained a trump card capable of reversing the tide of battle.

A Tiangong Realm cultivator suddenly unleashing a Ten Thousand Phenomena Realm sword domain—this was a lethal weapon in any fight.

Chen Mu slowly retracted the sword domain; the three-colored sword pillars dissipated, and the hall returned to stillness.

He caressed the cool, power-laden armor, feeling the ceaseless surge of Strange Flame and sword intent within his body, a confident smile curving his lips.

The Four Seasons Martial Domain was one of the foundations of Chen Mu's own Dao, holding limitless potential for the future.

The River of Heaven Sword Domain was the sharpest sword in his hand, the means to cleave through every obstacle before him.

Together, they complemented each other—his twin wings to ascend the pinnacle of the Martial Path!