Chapter 94 : Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Wind-Subduing Saber

Li Mu looked toward Qin Zhanye.

Even though the wind was blowing everywhere and dust was flying through the air, Qin Zhanye stood there holding his saber, yet neither his clothes nor his hair stirred in the slightest.

Even the dust began to drift slowly downward the moment it came near him.

Standing there, he looked like an eternal statue.

The Wind-Subduing Saber.

The “subduing” of descending and suppressing.

It was a powerful saber art that dispersed the opponent’s force while amplifying one’s own might, an oddity even among high-grade cultivation arts.

Very few people practiced it, because it was exceedingly difficult to comprehend.

If one failed to grasp it properly, it would be no more than a Mortal Grade cultivation art.

But if one understood it deeply enough, it could display the power of a Special-Grade cultivation art.

Li Mu stopped hesitating at once.

He drew his cudgel and shot forward through the air, launching another fierce assault!

This time, Qin Zhanye was clearly serious. The Wind-Subduing Saber in his hand moved slowly, yet each motion shook Li Mu’s attacks aside.

He could even suddenly change forms and strike at Li Mu with astonishing speed.

That immediately put Li Mu on the back foot.

But the longer Li Mu fought, the more exhilarating it became. The more he fought, the sharper he grew.

Relying on his powerful combat strength, he began trading blows with Qin Zhanye on even footing.

Clang after clang rang out, thrilling to the extreme.

And Su Qianyuan and the others all had their eyes shining brightly!

The old professors in particular had clenched their aged fists so tightly that their entire bodies trembled faintly with excitement.

They had never expected that the person capable of improving such an outstanding Falling Leaf Saber Art would not even have the saber as his primary weapon!

He used a cudgel!

And Li Mu’s attainments with the cudgel were actually far beyond his saber art.

His Flowing Cloud Fleeting Shadow was especially striking. Those streaking golden afterimages crashed down one after another with astonishing destructive force.

Yet none of them could tell what sort of cultivation art it actually was!

They could only vaguely sense a trace of Flowing Cloud Triple Shock within it.

But this cultivation art far surpassed Flowing Cloud Triple Shock. It needed no threefold buildup, and every strike seemed capable of reaching a power no weaker than the third shock.

Li Mu’s attacks grew faster and faster!

And fiercer and fiercer!

Suddenly, Qin Zhanye erupted with power and slashed horizontally at Li Mu’s head with a single stroke.

At the same time, the terrifying aura of a Ninth Grade martial artist descended upon Li Mu.

It was like Mount Tai crashing down on him, crushing him so completely that he could not move.

Li Mu felt as though Death itself had locked onto him.

In that instant, he activated Bronze Head and Iron Arms, but the saber stopped abruptly beside his ear.

Even with Bronze Head and Iron Arms activated, the terrifying blade wind still sliced open his ear.

The moment a drop of blood flowed out, Li Mu let out a long breath of turbid air. Then a terrifying surge of energy suddenly burst upward!

A dazzling white light shot into the sky!

Fourth Grade Martial Artist—breakthrough!

When the white light faded, Li Mu braced himself against the Ghostface Cudgel and panted heavily.

He looked at Qin Zhanye with gratitude.

And Qin Zhanye himself was not at ease either. As he breathed lightly, sweat was already running down his cheeks.

Only the leaders of the Pearl Military District knew that Qin Zhanye had not had it easy.

Li Mu’s trump card, the Immobilization Art, had not even been used.

If this had been a true fight to the death, Li Mu’s ability to seize opportunities was terrifyingly strong.

If that brat managed to immobilize him, then Qin Zhanye would inevitably have to take a solid blow from that cudgel head-on, and that would not feel pleasant at all.

“Good! Good indeed!!”

Su Qianyuan cried out in praise twice in a row, his admiration overflowing.

No one needed to explain Li Mu’s strength anymore.

Not only was his comprehension of cultivation arts astonishing, enough to improve the Falling Leaf Saber Art, his personal combat strength was equally terrifying.

Su Qianyuan smiled and said, “A true hero does indeed emerge from youth!”

When he came before Li Mu, Su Qianyuan’s expression turned solemn.

“Now that your identity has been verified—Junior Wolf Guard Li Mu of the Pearl Military District!”

“Present!”

Li Mu immediately straightened and answered in a grave tone.

Su Qianyuan took out a brocade box.

“For achieving remarkable results in improving paper-format cultivation arts, and for playing a decisive role in the Living Mother Crystal mission!”

“These two merits shall be rewarded together. You are awarded 1,500 Merit Points and promoted to Wolf Guard!”

“In addition, you are awarded the First-Class Mountain-Moving Medal.”

Hiss!!

The moment the words Mountain-Moving Medal were spoken, everyone around them sucked in a sharp breath.

This was a special honor second only to the special-class Heaven-Cleaving Medal.

Only those who had made tremendous contributions in a particular field could receive it.

In the entire Northern Frontier, there were fewer than ten people who possessed that medal.

Li Mu himself was also stunned into silence. Mechanically, he reached out and accepted the box.

Inside the box was a brilliantly gleaming medal.

A single mountain character was engraved on it.

Su Qianyuan added, “As the Falling Leaf Saber Art spreads in the future, your merits will continue to increase.”

“However, considering that you are only Fourth Grade right now, how about we make an agreement?”

“Each time you advance by one grade, your accumulated merits will be reported and settled once. What do you think?”

Naturally, Li Mu had no objection and nodded.

He also knew that his military rank was already far beyond what his current strength could truly bear.

Even if his rank had reached that point, there was no way his military post could be assigned too high.

Otherwise, it would become a danger to him instead.

So his top priority was still to raise his own cultivation as quickly as possible.

Only then did the applause break out around them after the stunned silence.

Wang Longcheng was smiling with unmistakable pride.

The others all wore different expressions. Some were astonished, some delighted, and some envious.

Of course, there were also quite a few whose faces did not look so good.

Zhang Qing, for example.

From the moment he learned that the people from the Cultivation Art Research Bureau had come for Li Mu, he had already sensed trouble.

Then Li Mu performed his martial demonstration and was awarded merit, which made Zhang Qing feel an even stronger sense of crisis.

And, as expected, what he feared most came to pass.

After Li Mu had been awarded his military merits, Su Qianyuan suddenly swept his gaze around the surroundings.

Then he asked Li Mu, “I heard that someone tried to assassinate you last night. Is that true?”

The moment Su Qianyuan asked that question, everyone present intentionally or unintentionally turned their eyes toward Zhang Qing.

Zhang Qing felt a terror unlike anything he had ever known.

He knew he could not wait for anyone else to speak before him.

So he made a snap decision, stepped forward half a pace, and said, “General Su... I... I have failed the Military District!”

“This matter has something to do with my worthless son.”

“The Minister of the Military Industry Department and my son both accepted bribes from the Ye Group.”

“After the Ye Group failed in its bid for the Mother Crystal, Minister Zhao Han of the Military Industry Department hired people to assassinate Li Mu, and my son also joined the plot.”

“Although I dragged my son out immediately, I still cannot undo the terrible impact this matter has caused.”

“General Su, please punish me!”

At this point, Zhang Qing had completely lost any desire to struggle.

Originally, he had thought that after sacrificing even his own son, this matter should have come to an end.

But he had never imagined that the Cultivation Art Research Bureau would come and pin such towering honors on Li Mu!

Wolf Guard!

Mountain-Moving Medal!

For plotting against a man like that, his son could forget about ever leaving the death-row camp for the rest of his life.

And this time, Zhang Qing himself would absolutely not escape severe punishment either.

Su Qianyuan looked at Zhang Qing for a long moment.

“Zhang Qing, that rank of Mid Tiger Marquis and that post of Deputy Commander-in-Chief—both were paid for with your blood!”

“And I assume your original reason for joining the Abyss Suppression Army was to protect the countless lights of the homes behind you, yes?”

Zhang Qing swallowed hard.

“Yes!”

Su Qianyuan looked around at the people nearby.

“Tell me, when someone like a Minister of the Military Industry Department reaches a high position and then fails to resist temptation—”

“Abusing his authority to appoint corrupt enterprises, becoming an umbrella shielding corrupt businesses and outside forces—”

“And sacrificing the lives and safety of martial artists in exchange for profit, lining his own pockets through public office—”

“Is that not hateful?”

Zhang Qing naturally understood that Su Qianyuan was pointing at the mulberry while cursing the locust.

He was talking about Zhao Han, but the real target was Zhang Qing.

Yet he could only force himself to answer, “Hateful!”

Su Qianyuan nodded.

“Fortunately, they merely strayed onto an evil path for a time.”

“They have shed blood for the Abyss Suppression Army and rendered merit.”

“It is not terrible to take the wrong road. As long as they are willing to turn back and continue contributing their strength to the human race, that may still be counted as a proper end.”

“Commander Liang.”

Su Qianyuan turned to Liang Huajun and said, “The war situation in the Bloodsea Military District is severe, and they are in even greater need of combat strength. I would like to bring back the two men involved in the plot against Li Mu to the Bloodsea Military District’s death-row base, so they can atone through meritorious service. There is no problem with that, I trust?”

Liang Huajun nodded. “We will follow General Su’s arrangements.”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Zhang Qing.

This meant Zhang Qing was to be transferred to the Bloodsea Military District to atone through meritorious service.

It was merely a way of allowing Zhang Qing to make his exit with some dignity.

Although Zhang Qing’s face had gone pale, there was also a trace of relief in his eyes...