Da Xuan Martial Saint

"Additionally, there's another matter. The Sect's Mansion Treasury has a Divine Soaring Stone, and I would like to exchange this spirit weapon for it,"

Having said this, Chen Mu took out the curved spirit blade of Tuguhou from beneath his robe. Although the quality of this spirit weapon was similar to that of the Cold Soul Spirit Blade and was not top-notch—it was a somewhat niche spirit weapon of the Blood Fiend class—its value was comparable to that of the Divine Soaring Stone. After all, forging a spirit weapon equivalent to the Cold Soul Spirit Blade with a Divine Soaring Stone would require pairing it with some precious supplementary materials.

Qi Zhiyuan looked at the curved spirit blade Chen Mu handed over, weighed it in his hand, and then nodded slightly, "This should be Tuguhou's spirit blade. I will have someone send you the Divine Soaring Stone."

At this point,

he paused briefly and looked at Chen Mu. "You need the Divine Soaring Stone to smith a Qiankun spirit weapon, I presume? It's not easy to gather all eight materials. If there's anything you lack, I could assist in finding one or two for you."

Among all spirit weapons in the world, Qiankun spirit weapons are the most difficult to forge, since every required material is a rarity in itself. Almost each of them, if taken separately and paired with appropriate assisting materials, could be forged into a spirit blade comparable to the Cold Soul Spirit Blade.

Not to mention the even scarcer 'Tai Qing Qi' among them.

The value of a Qiankun spirit weapon is almost higher than ten Cold Soul Spirit Blades. Once forged, each is at least as powerful as the Mysterious Heavenly Sword Diagram, but ordinary people are unable to wield it. Only someone like Chen Mu, who cultivates the Qiankun lineage, can utilize its full potential.

If it were in the past, when Chen Mu first entered the Wind Cloud List, even if he held a Qiankun spirit weapon, it would attract envy due to its value, something even a Grandmaster would covet. But now, ranked third on the Wind Cloud List and with the likes of Tuguhou dying at his hands, Chen Mu certainly had the qualifications to forge and possess a Qiankun spirit weapon.

With such strength and status, it wouldn't attract too much covetousness anymore.

"I still lack Tai Qing Qi, South Ming Fire, and Sea Calming Pearl, these three types."

Chen Mu kept his composure and did not conceal his needs, stating outright the three materials he lacked.

Although he had already sent the Hua Nongyue sisters to search for information on his behalf, having the Seven Profound Sect assist in the search wouldn't hurt. As for revealing he already had the other five materials, he wasn't worried about this information leaking now—his power was sufficient to keep them secure.

"You've already found five types?"

Qi Zhiyuan was surprised to hear Chen Mu's words.

Materials comparable to the Divine Soaring Stone, although not the sort that renowned Grandmasters would desperately contend for, were indeed scarce and tightly-held resources. Whenever someone acquired such materials, they were swiftly traded or crafted into a spirit weapon to suit their needs.

For Chen Mu to have amassed four other components comparable to the Divine Soaring Stone since ascending to the Wind Cloud List—a position he hadn't held for all that long—was not just a matter of strength, but also of fate and opportunity.

However,

gathering all eight materials was inevitably more challenging as one progressed, often leading to duplicated finds that needed to be exchanged for the ones still needed. For any Grandmaster, this was a massive project that required significant effort and attention.

"Yes, once I receive the Divine Soaring Stone, that will make five,"

Chen Mu nodded faintly at Qi Zhiyuan, saying, "Should there be any news, Elder Qi can inform me. If the Sect's Mansion Treasury acquires anything, I'm also willing to exchange it for other items of equivalent value."

Now in his possession, the Cold Soul Spirit Blade could be used for exchange, as well as the Evil-Breaking Thunder Spear. As long as he could gather all the materials to forge a Qiankun spirit weapon, the rest of the spirit weapons were no longer important to him.

"It seems fate truly favors you,"

Qi Zhiyuan sighed, "Very well, I will have the Sect and the Inspectorate keep an eye out."

"Thank you for your efforts, Elder Qi. I shall take my leave now,"

Chen Mu gave a bow to Qi Zhiyuan. Intent on not overstaying, he had other matters to attend to: freeing up time to delve once more into the Qiankun Artistic Conception, and also to pay a visit to Qin Mengjun.

Qi Zhiyuan nodded slightly and watched as Chen Mu departed, briefly reflecting on Chen Mu's vanishing figure. Then, with a more solemn expression and a flash, Qi Zhiyuan disappeared within the courtyard.

The matters reported by Chen Mu were indeed significant, beyond the authority of an Acting Sect Master to resolve alone. It necessitated calling upon the Supreme Elder, as taking action against the Sky Demon Sect or the Heavenly Corpse Sect was not something a group of Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters could precipitate lightly.

...

Chen Mu made his way down from the Great Profound Peak.

Without lingering on the main peak, he quickly headed back to the Spirit Profound Peak, arriving at its base before long.

Gazing up at the tranquil and elegant Spirit Profound Peak, a ripple of emotion crossed Chen Mu's heart; he had been under its tutelage for almost four years. He had arrived with just a glimpse into the mysteries of Martial Arts, and now he stood as a Grandmaster.

If Qin Mengjun knew of his current cultivation realm, she would surely be astounded once more.

Thinking of Qin Mengjun, his mentor, Chen Mu's expression softened into a smile. Although their time together was brief, it was she who had guided and cared for him when he was weak. While his talent and perception would have undoubtedly taken him to his current heights, his mentor Qin Mengjun had certainly spared him from some detours along the way.

Ascending the mountain path,

This time, Chen Mu did not deliberately conceal his presence and walked leisurely along the familiar path. Soon, he met many inner sect disciples of the Spirit Profound Peak, including quite a few fresh, innocent new faces.

Even though Chen Mu hadn't returned to Spirit Profound Peak for quite some time, some of the older Inner Sect Disciples still recognized him. When they saw Chen Mu climbing the mountain path, they hurriedly paid their respects in surprise.

"Brother Chen!"

"Brother Chen!"

Along the mountain path, disciples respectfully saluted Chen Mu everywhere he went. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire

In today's Spirit Profound Peak, who doesn't know of the former successor Chen Mu, now the Protector, with his illustrious reputation? He's a being whose name sits within the top three of the Wind Cloud List. In Spirit Profound Peak, he's second only to the Peak Master, Qin Mengjun, an expert with an exceptional talent who, in just a few years, has cultivated to his current realm, standing shoulder to shoulder with real grandmasters.

Along the way, Chen Mu also saw some familiar figures, such as Jin Ling'er.

"Uh... Brother Chen."

Jin Ling'er, wearing a clean new robe of Spirit Profound Peak's Inner Sect Disciples, hurriedly greeted Chen Mu with a salute upon seeing him. In her mouth, she subconsciously wanted to shout 'Benefactor,' but instead, she changed it to 'brother.'

Chen Mu stopped in his tracks and looked at Jin Ling'er, his eyes appraising her. He could sense her Qi-Blood was abundant and surging, clearly not only had she completed Skin Toughening Perfection, but she had also nearly mastered the First Realm of Body Refinement, approaching the Tendon Changing stage.

"Have you completed Body Refinement Perfection?"

Chen Mu asked Jin Ling'er kindly.

Jin Ling'er, somewhat embarrassed, replied, "I just achieved it a few days ago..."

Actually,

among the younger generation of Inner Sect disciples at Spirit Profound Peak, her progress in cultivation was the fastest. It had only been a year and a half since she joined the Sect, and she had already made leaps and bounds to reach Body Refinement Perfection. This was not only due to her unique physique and constitution but also because she never slackened in her efforts after joining the Sect, coupled with her good talent and the Sect's ample resources.

Even so, in front of Chen Mu, she didn't exhibit any pride. Or more accurately, in the current Seven Profound Sect, among the younger generation, or even among all disciples from previous generations, no one had any right to be proud in front of Chen Mu. Even those with dazzlingly rare talents, like Zhou Hao, would pale in comparison to him.

"You've done well, cultivation must not be neglected. Since you have chosen the path of Martial Arts, then do not waste your natural talents,"

Chen Mu whispered to Jin Ling'er.

Actually, Chen Mu felt some admiration for Jin Ling'er's talent. Her physique was naturally gifted, needing only to properly cultivate a Skin Toughening Method and Body Refinement Method to naturally bring both practices to their limits, developing a Horizontally Trained Body.

If he had possessed a physique like Jin Ling'er's, the process of Skin Toughening and Body Refinement would've been much faster.

No.

If he really had such a physique, he wouldn't have spent two years in obscurity among the lower-ranked servants. Such a unique and powerful Physique would have certainly caught the eye of someone with some level of insight. Either he would have been directly admitted to one of the four major families, or even more likely, selected by the Seven Profound Sect's Inspectorate which scouts disciples annually, to directly enter the Sect for cultivation.

Had he begun his journey in the Seven Profound Sect, his current strength and realm would have been even higher.

Of course, Chen Mu wasn't so wistful about these possibilities. If he could make a choice, he would still choose the path he had taken, rising from Yu City, where he had met people like Xiao He and Xu Hongyu.

Unknowingly, Chen Mu suddenly felt a slight elevation in his state of mind. This was a spiritual ascension, an augmentation of his Martial Arts will, and at his current realm, having achieved mastery and unity of spirit and body, the manifestation of this change was a finer and more exquisite control over his Martial Body.

"A journey of cultivation has no return..."

Chen Mu understood this change clearly, as if looking into a polished mirror.

To be without guilt in one's heart is an introspection of the self, acting without reproach, and having no regrets is to carry out actions without any remorse, without a doubt choosing the same path even when given a chance to start over, without hesitation.

The ultimate realization of "A journey of cultivation has no return" is that, given different life paths and freedom to choose... one would still select the present one and advance without turning back. This is a firm answer to one's true heart and the path one has taken.

A journey of cultivation has no return.

There's nothing that needs looking back upon. Rising from Yu City, meeting Xu Hongyu and others, and walking to where he is now today, even if there were better paths, better choices, or a better life, he would not start all over again, nor would he spare them a second glance.

A state of mind is a gradual process of evolution and transformation. Chen Mu had long understood the principle of "A journey of cultivation has no return," but understanding it does not mean an instantaneous arrival at such a state of mind. Just as everyone knows "The bodhi is not a tree, nor is the mirror a stand," knowledge does not imply the ability to reach that state of existence.

One needs to constantly question their true intentions, continuously hone their progress, to eventually reach a moment of transcendence.

Like a dragonfly skimming water, silent and unnoticeable, causing ripples to spread in ever-widening circles.

Chen Mu knew that at that moment, his state of mind had silently entered the ultimate path of Martial Arts will. Moving forward, not only would his control over the power of his Martial Body be even more solidified, but his efficiency in comprehending the Artistic Conception would also greatly improve.

This state of mind isn't permanent; encountering certain events or mundane entanglements could cause one to fall from it. However, the longer one remains in this state, the greater the benefits. This closeness to nature and the universe is something desired by many in the Blood Exchange Realm, a state they seek to maintain permanently.