Da Xuan Martial Saint

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"Where is the storehouse of Cuiyan Mountain Villa?"

Chen Mu glanced at Bai Yingsheng and the others. At this moment, he could distinctly sense that many second-generation members of the Bai Family, including Bai Yingsheng, were not tainted with Demon Qi and had not cultivated the evil techniques of the Sky Demon Sect.

However, his interest in the affairs of the Bai Family and Cuiyan Mountain Villa had waned by now. Even if people like Bai Yingsheng were unaware of Bai Yuanqing and Bai Shiyong cultivating the evil techniques of the Sky Demon Sect, the fact that Bai Shiyong killed maids and servant girls at will was something they were likely aware of. Perhaps they simply didn't care. Plus, from the intelligence he had gathered on the Bai Family's doings, wiping out this branch wouldn't be unjustified. But before that, he needed to find out where the storehouse of Cuiyan Mountain Villa was, to save the trouble of searching further.

"This... "

Bai Yingsheng and the others looked up at Chen Mu, their expressions changing, although they still hadn't figured out what was going on, whether the Bai Family had been invaded by demons. But the unfamiliar grandmaster in front of them was clearly not here with good intentions.

Pfft! Pfft!

But Chen Mu was already past the point of wasting words, and almost as soon as Bai Yingsheng and the others hesitated, he raised his hand and several individuals nearby were crushed by the power of Heaven and Earth, turning into dust without any resistance!

The whole place was in shock, and as Bai Yingsheng and others lying prostrate on the ground tried to evade subconsciously, they instantly felt the power of Heaven and Earth nearby become extremely turbulent, trapping them as if they were mired in mud, hardly able to struggle.

"My patience is limited."

Chen Mu cut to the chase.

Watching as several people nearby exploded into bloody messes, terror and horror filled the eyes of Bai Yingsheng and the others, and they all realized the gravity of the situation, shivering uncontrollably.

"I, I know it..."

Someone responded quickly, their voice filled with panic.

"I know it too, and I also know where the secret storehouse is..."

A member of the younger generation of the Bai Family, as young as Bai Shiyong, spoke out, trembling with fear.

Finally, Chen Mu lowered his hand and said indifferently,

"Wait here."

Whoosh.

As his words fell, he was enveloped in lightning, his figure flickering as he strode into the distance. After just a few steps, he was already a hundred yards away, amidst the ruins of collapsed buildings.

In the wreckage lay the corpse of Hou Liao, a Venerable from the Sky Demon Sect, surrounded by many Protectors and servants of the Bai Family. They were all showing signs of shock, each unsure of what had happened.

However.

As Chen Mu approached, the sound of thunder and footsteps spread, terrifying pressure permeating Heaven and Earth. The intensifying power made everyone nearby feel suffocated. They all turned to Chen Mu with eyes wide with fright.

Chen Mu walked step by step toward the corpse of Hou Liao, and by the time he arrived in front of it, all the Bai family servants gathered around had been crushed to the ground, some kneeling, all feeling the terrifying aura emanating from Chen Mu. They dared not even breathe heavily, clearly sensing Chen Mu's horror, no matter how low their cultivation or realm was.

That oppressive feeling was tens of times stronger than any of the Bai Family's Five Viscera Realm experts, wasn't it?

Especially since some had quickly recognized that the corpse with the shattered chest, pierced by a single blow, belonged to a demon from the Sky Demon Sect and was at least of the Sixth Rank, quite possibly a Seventh Rank Venerable!

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Seventh-rank Venerables are terrifying existences, comparable to Marrow-Cleansing Grandmasters. To those who have only reached the Bone Tempering Realm, they are fearsome figures to look up to. Thus, the one who could kill a Seventh-rank Venerable from the Sky Demon Sect here goes without saying.

At this moment,

Whether it was the oppressive aura on Chen Mu's body, the overwhelming Power of Heaven and Earth that accompanied it, or the shock of Hou Liao, a Seventh-rank Venerable, dying before them, all of it caused everyone nearby to prostrate themselves on the ground, daring not to make any movements, let alone stand up.

Chen Mu walked over to Hou Liao's corpse, first pointing a finger that burst forth with a beam of lightning, penetrating Hou Liao's skull, shattering the scale armor there, and piercing through his head with one strike.

Seeing no reaction from Hou Liao's body, Chen Mu then lowered his hand and turned his gaze to the body. After a cursory inspection, he didn't find much of note.

However,

As Chen Mu's hand swept over the hole in Hou Liao's chest created by the Evil-Breaking Thunder Spear, he suddenly sensed an abnormal fluctuation from within the flesh and blood inside the body. His eyebrows slightly raised, he made a beckoning gesture with his right hand, recalling the Evil-Breaking Thunder Spear into his grasp, and then slashed down towards one side of Hou Liao's chest.

Threads of lightning erupted from the Evil-Breaking Thunder Spear, converging on its sharp tip. Its might didn't spread out, and the concentrated sharpness easily tore through Hou Liao's scale armor, slicing horizontally across the right side of his chest. Under Chen Mu's control, it slowly cut into his flesh and blood.

After cutting nearly ten centimeters deep, Chen Mu felt a void below the cutting edge of the Thunder Spear.

Sizzle!

He immediately reduced his strength, and the purple lightning quickly dissipated.

What was revealed in the cut section of Hou Liao's chest on the right side was an object, looking like a 'crop sac' or something similar. After being cut open, it revealed something hidden inside.

First was a small roll of exotic demon skin, a light yellow color. Chen Mu casually drew it into his hand, unfolded it, and took a close look. He saw that it was covered with various patterns and textures, resembling a map, but he could not find any corresponding area on the map of the Eleven States of the Cold North Path.

Now a high-level practitioner in the Six Viscera Realm with ample Qi-Blood and sharp senses, Chen Mu could remember anything he saw. He had memorized all the maps of the Eleven States of the Cold North Path during his time with the Seven Profound Sect. Those maps might not have been very detailed, but they could still be divided down to the 'county and township' level. If he could not find a corresponding area, then it likely wasn't a map of the Cold North Path.

"Is it a map of the lands beyond the border?"

Chen Mu pondered briefly before putting away the map.

As he knew, the Da Xuan Ninety-Nine States' territory, beyond the borders, was either the vast and perilous Outer Sea or the remote and desolate Wasteland, inhabited mainly by Foreign Races or evil sects like the Sky Demon Sect.

Of course,

This desolation was relative to ordinary people.

Because most areas in the Wasteland beyond the Pass weren't suitable for cultivation or livestock, providing scarce resources for survival, which were extremely rare. Therefore, during its heyday, the Da Xuan Dynasty did not continue to expand outward.

But for the same reason, the sparse human presence in the Wasteland meant that the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Items contained within were somewhat richer, and so were the depths of the Earth's Veins. In the Wasteland, there were also unique places known as the 'Great Wilderness,' where the Power of Heaven and Earth surged like tides. Besides Marrow-Cleansing Grandmasters, anyone who dared to enter was likely facing a fate of nine deaths in ten. The resources contained within were even more abundant.

Some of the resources possessed by the Seven Profound Sect came from collections throughout Yu State, accumulated annually. Others were obtained by Grandmasters who explored territories like the 'Great Wilderness' and granted some unnecessary resources to the Sect.

Hou Liao, as a dignified Seventh-rank Venerable, was stronger than some figures on the Wind Cloud List, slightly stronger than the first-tier Grandmasters but weaker than the second-tier. He was certainly a character to be reckoned with. If Chen Mu's Six Viscera had not further refined, greatly enhancing his strength, and had he not been bolstered by the power of the Evil-Breaking Thunder Spear, he probably wouldn't have been able to defeat the opponent with just his Thunder Path techniques.

A character like this would not ordinarily hide a map on his person, and given its material was clearly extraordinary—made from the skin of at least a Sixth-rank exotic beast—it certainly wasn't just an ordinary borderland map from beyond the Pass. The patterns drawn on it were also complex and bizarre, as if depicting a multi-layered environment or describing an ever-changing territory. Therefore, Chen Mu surmised that this map was very likely one of the 'Great Wilderness.'

Although he had no current plans to explore the Great Wilderness and did not intend to leave Yu State before becoming a Grandmaster, having a map of the Great Wilderness was always useful. At worst, selling it to another Grandmaster could exchange for some useful resources.