Da Xuan Martial Saint

...

Meanwhile,

at the peak of the Seven Profound Sect's main mountain, in a courtyard behind the main hall,

Acting Sect Master Qi Zhiyuan sat indifferently under the pavilion, placing chess pieces one by one in front of a chessboard. Beside him stood a Sect Protector, respectfully reporting something to him.
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"... adding together the exchanges and withdrawals, Chen Mu has moved nineteen portions of Viscera Refining Spiritual Objects in one go. Although it seems he must be in the final stage of Five Viscera Tempering, isn't that too much?"

Yu Cheng hesitated for a moment as he spoke.

He was the protector of Great Profound Peak and the fellow disciple of Zhou Hao. Although the auxiliary Viscera Refining Spiritual Objects exchanged and called upon by Chen Mu did not exceed the limit, the problem was that such spiritual objects were not plentiful for the entire Seven Profound Sect. Although there were harvests each year, they were also always depleting. After all, they could enable some stewards and inner sect disciples of the Five Viscera Realm to potentially advance further into the Six Viscera Realm, making them a sought-after resource for the Seven Profound Sect.

Chen Mu had moved a total of nineteen portions at once, which was a significant amount, enough to give seven or eight stewards of the sect, who had no hope of advancing, a chance to step into the Six Viscera Realm.

Of course,

the critical point was that Zhou Hao was also approaching the time when he would need these resources. Chen Mu moving such a large batch of resources in advance would create some difficulties in the short term. When Zhou Hao needed to move them later, there might be some delay.

Thus, hesitating, he still came to report to Qi Zhiyuan, feeling that Chen Mu had used too much by himself, possibly being wasteful.

"Since all were exchanged with contributions, and the amount taken is also within the scope of a True Disciple, then it is according to rules... Are you worried about the turnover not being fluent when Zhou Hao needs it?"

Qi Zhiyuan, while placing chess pieces, spoke faintly.

Caught by Qi Zhiyuan's words exposing his thoughts, Yu Cheng gave an embarrassed smile and said, "I just fear that when Brother Zhou also needs to move a batch, the sect might temporarily lack such resources."

Qi Zhiyuan spoke in an even tone, "Within the Seven Profound Sect, the better ones take precedence; the custom has always been so. Zhou Hao himself is not yet in a hurry, so why are you? Besides, you must have heard about what's happening at Yunlu Pass, or do you think Chen Mu is inferior to Zhou Hao?"

"No, that is not it, just..."

Yu Cheng faltered but in the end didn't say it outright; he just felt that Zhou Hao, having entered the sect as a child and grown up cultivating in the Seven Profound Sect, especially as a member of Great Profound Peak, deserved more. After all, Chen Mu had been with the Seven Profound Sect for only a year and a half, even if there were reports from Yunlu Pass suggesting that he might have achieved the Qian Heaven Artistic Conception, deep down, he was still much more inclined towards Zhou Hao.

"You may leave now."

Seeing that Yu Cheng could not come up with a reply, Qi Zhiyuan glanced at him indifferently.

"Yes,"

Yu Cheng internally shook his head, resigned, and retreated in response.

However, just as Yu Cheng turned to leave, Qi Zhiyuan watched his departing figure and lightly shook his head.

In Martial Arts cultivation, both talent and resources are necessary. It is common for the great sects to compete for resources, and even within the Seven Profound Sect itself, there is open and covert competition among the different peaks.

As the Acting Sect Master, he was very clear about these matters but had never stopped them, knowing that a sect devoid of conflicts and struggles would lack the ability to produce powerhouses who could dominate the world.

Even in today's Seven Profound Sect, although there were many Grandmasters, among those in the Six Viscera Realm capable of being listed on the Wind Cloud List, there was shockingly only Yan Jingqing. He grew up from the State Government Office, not a directly descended disciple of the sect!

This was clearly a downside of the Seven Profound Sect not participating in the struggle over control of the eleven states in the Cold North Path over the past decades.

However.

If the competition for resources fell on Chen Mu, it was impossible for anyone to get past him.

Yunlu Pass?

Qian Heaven Artistic Conception?

Today, both the Seven Profound Sect and the outside world might be discussing how Chen Mu had mastered the Qian Heaven Artistic Conception in just a year and a half, allowing him to compete in the top ten newcomers like Zhou Hao, but he had known another matter more than a month ago.

Even to this day, when Qi Zhiyuan thought about it, he still found it somewhat incredible. If this news hadn't come directly from the Supreme Elder, he probably wouldn't have believed it was true.

What Qian Heaven, what Yunlu Pass Demon Slaying...

The news that spread about Chen Mu today was all just a false appearance. In fact, within just a year and a half, Chen Mu had mastered the complete Qiankun Artistic Conception and progressed to the second step!

When he first received this news, he was almost too shocked for words, so much so that he wanted to verify it himself, but because the news came from the Supreme Elder, he eventually decided to keep quiet and pretend ignorance.

Today.

Those who knew this probably included only his teacher, Qin Mengjun, the Supreme Elder, and himself as the Acting Sect Master.

"To discern the complete Qiankun Artistic Conception at the Five Viscera Realm... Even if he can't comprehend the third step, he still has the potential to cultivate the Qiankun Domain. If he can break through the Mysterious Pass and enter Marrow Cleansing, he will become one of the top experts in the world."

Although breaking through the Mysterious Pass with Qiankun Artistic Conception is extremely difficult, and there have been very few in the history of Da Xuan, Chen Mu's insight and talent certainly hold great promise. If he could indeed reach Grandmaster level, Chen Mu's future achievements would inevitably surpass those of Qin Mengjun. Even if he does not reach the Blood Exchange stage, he might still have the potential to contend with Blood Exchange beings as a Grandmaster.

For such a peerless genius who had the potential to reach the pinnacle, it was only reasonable for the Seven Profound Sect to invest all its resources in his training.

What does it matter to allocate some spiritual objects for Viscera Refining?

"Chen Mu has reached this stage; it's also time for him to solidify his Martial Arts will. It just so happens that both the Heavenly Sword Sect and Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion have set their sights on the 'Yunni Sky Steps' in Bi Prefecture in our Yu State, which is quite opportune for them," he said.

A glint of light flashed in Qi Zhiyuan's eyes.

The Yunni Sky Steps in Bi Prefecture is a secret place, or perhaps the highest cliff wall in both Bi Prefecture and Yu State, reaching into the top of the cloud layer. Every five years when the Cloud Sea stirs, the mysteries of heaven and earth unfold, making it an excellent place for enlightenment.

With the stirring day of the Cloud Sea at Yunni Sky Steps approaching, the Heavenly Sword Sect and Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion stationed in Yu County, among other sects including the Hehuan Sect and even the End of the World Sea Pavilion, had begun to take action around Bi Prefecture.

Clearly.

After the incident in Yu County, it was now difficult for the Seven Profound Sect to exclusively occupy the Yunni Sky Steps for enlightenment every five years.

But enlightenment is also a debate of paths. All prodigies seek to step on the bones of others to prove their Martial Arts and solidify their invincible hearts, yet little do they know that while Heavenly Sword has Zuo Qianqiu, their Seven Profound Sect generation has produced a Chen Mu.

After a moment of contemplation, Qi Zhiyuan finally made a decision, saying, "Issue my Seven Profound Token; during this Cloud Sea disturbance, the younger generation from all sects in the Cold North Path can enter Bi Prefecture, ascend the Yunni Sky Steps, and debate and compare their Martial Arts!"