Da Xuan Martial Saint

Seven Profound Sect.

Among the Seven Peaks, Great Profound Peak is the lead, serving as the Peak Master's main peak. This status was established at the founding of the sect, and Great Profound Peak also contains the core Formation Base of the Qiankun Lock Dragon Formation. The Supreme Masters of successive generations have always been stationed there, differentiating it from the other peaks.

However, this does not affect the status of the disciples from the various peaks. The disciples of Great Profound Peak are the same as those from the other peaks. It's just that the Peak Master of Great Profound Peak also holds the position of Sect Master, and thus, it is considered the foremost of the Seven Peaks.

Aside from Great Profound Peak, there is no distinction in the status among the other six peaks.

Spirit Profound Peak.

Its location among the Seven Peaks of the Seven Profound Sect is adjacent to Great Profound Peak. Corresponding to the 'Heavenly Authority' in the Big Dipper, which is the most central, Spirit Profound Peak represents the 'Yuheng'.

The mountain itself seems to be slightly shorter than the other six peaks, but it has an elegantly shaped contour. On the cloud-wrapped peaks, abundant with a spirit of vitality, grow bamboo of purple and green, interspersed with many tasteful residences—all constructed from 'green bamboo'. The character 'spirit' describes it quite aptly indeed.

"Sister Meng!"

"Sister Meng is back!"

"Greetings, Sister Meng."

Meng Danyun, accompanied by Chen Mu, ascended Spirit Profound Peak along the mountain path. Along the way, they encountered some Inner Sect disciples, all of whom greeted Meng Danyun with respectful expressions, and some who were on good terms cheerfully greeted her.

After Meng Danyun and Chen Mu disappeared up the mountain path.

A few male and female disciples gathered together and whispered, "Who was the person next to Sister Meng just now? Is he a new disciple of Spirit Profound Peak? He seems quite handsome."

"Sister Shen really has a short memory. Don't you remember the new talent list from Cold North Path saying that a genius emerged from Yu County, surpassing true disciples of other sects? I believe his name was Chen Mu... It might just be him."

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Linghu Shang said to the young girl with a chuckle.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Shen Lin slapped her forehead, saying, "Ah, I actually forgot about that. I remember Brother Linghu mentioning he would definitely come to Seven Profound Sect. Since he's walking alongside Sister Meng, it must be him."

Linghu Shang nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Most likely. I just didn't expect him to come to our Spirit Profound Peak. However, Sister Meng won't stay in the position of a true disciple for too long. The next in line without a second choice must be him. The next time we meet, we'll probably all have to address him as Brother Chen."

The Seven Profound Sect recruits disciples annually within the bounds of the State Government Office.

In remote Prefecture Cities, it's once every two or three years.

Within each peak, Outer Sect disciples must address Inner Sect disciples as senior brothers and sisters regardless of age, and Inner Sect disciples do the same to true disciples. But among peers of the Inner or Outer Sect, seniority is determined by the time one joined the sect.

"Brother Chen..."

Shen Lin looked towards the direction where Chen Mu and Meng Danyun had vanished, recalling Chen Mu's appearance carefully. A look of admiration appeared on her young face. "Brother Chen is really amazing. Without even joining the sect, he managed to surpass true disciples of other sects. In the future, he will probably be unmatched by true disciples of other peaks."

In her heart, she silently added that he was also very handsome and dashing.

"Hmm."

Linghu Shang nodded and said, "Brother Chen has already mastered the Artistic Conceptions of three phases—wind, thunder, and fire—each at the second step. Even his current strength is not inferior to those two from Upper Profound and Earth Profound Peaks. With some cultivation, he will certainly be able to surpass them. It's just uncertain whether he can catch up to Brother Zhou of Great Profound Peak. I heard that Brother Zhou seems to have grasped the second step of the Kun Earth Artistic Conception."

"The second step of Kun Earth Artistic Conception?"

A disciple nearby who had been silent showed a surprised expression.

For these Inner Sect disciples, reaching the Five Viscera Realm and manifesting two or three Artistic Conceptions at the first step was already the highest pursuit. The difficulty of just reaching the first step of the Kun Earth Artistic Conception was comparable to grasping the second step of one of the Six Phases. With Zhou Hao's talent and perception, he was stuck there for two years.

"I am not sure about the truth, but the rumor comes from Great Profound Peak, and it's highly likely to be true."

Linghu Shang nodded and continued, "After all, Brother Zhou Hao has been practicing the Kun Earth Artistic Conception for two and a half years. No matter how difficult, he should have made some breakthrough by now."

"If Brother Zhou grasps the second step of the Kun Earth Artistic Conception, his ranking on the Divine Providence List will surely rise into the top ten, and he might even reach the top five. I wonder when Brother Chen will have a chance to catch up. It seems that Brother Chen is the same age as Brother Zhou—twenty-seven, right? They both have only three years left on the Divine Providence List."

…

Chen Mu followed beside Meng Danyun, ascending the mountain. Throughout the journey, he kept a low profile, quietly walking alongside her, occasionally glancing at some disciples of Spirit Profound Peak but quickly averting his gaze.

As they climbed higher, clouds and mist began to entwine around the mountain, shrouding the path.

The bamboo houses nearby gradually became scarcer and the disciples encountered on the road were fewer and farther between, until they reached the summit, where a solemn and majestic hall appeared before them.

"Spirit Profound Hall."

Chen Mu glanced at the plaque above the hall.

But Meng Danyun did not lead him into the hall. Instead, she turned along the corridor, skillfully bypassing the complex, and headed behind the Spirit Profound Hall, while whispering, "The Sect Master is a very kind person, but sometimes she's not in a good state and may be absent-minded for a long time. It's best not to disturb her when she's like that. When the Sect Master snaps out of it, she will converse."

The Sect Master...

The Peak Master of Spirit Profound Peak, Qin Mengjun?

Chen Mu's eyes flickered with a trace of light; he was not unfamiliar with that name. Even in the remote Yu County, some tales of Qin Mengjun had spread. She stood at the pinnacle among Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters, just one step away from the true apex of Martial Arts.

However, what Meng Danyun mentioned about "not being in a good state" did cause him some surprise. How could a Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster possibly be in a poor state? There must be some reason he was not yet aware of.

Perhaps Spirit Profound Peak was currently ranked very low among the Seven Peaks of the Seven Profound Sect, to the point that there wasn't even a second Inner Sect disciple in this generation who had stepped into the Five Viscera Realm, capable of taking over Meng Danyun's position as the true inheritor. Could this be the reason?

Regardless.

He didn't mind either way.

For him, it made no difference which peak he was initiated into. He didn't need anyone's guidance; with the help of secret manuals and Artistic Conception Maps, he could master everything through his own efforts and understanding.

Therefore, although he noticed that Meng Danyun intended to have him join under Spirit Profound Peak, he had no other concerns. After all, no matter the state of Spirit Profound Peak, having Meng Danyun, a familiar face there, would at least make his actions a lot more convenient.

Following Meng Danyun, they walked toward the back of the palace.

Soon.

Chen Mu saw from a distance a giant ancient tree with a canopy like clouds. Below the tree stood a rock, on which a woman in plain clothes was sitting. She seemed even younger than Meng Danyun, quietly sitting on the stone and looking up at the tree canopy above, motionless in a daze.

Meng Danyun gestured for Chen Mu to be quiet, then tiptoed over, stopped not far away, and bowed respectfully to the woman sitting on the rock with a very soft voice:

"Master, Danyun has arrived."

On the rock.

The woman in plain clothes continued to stare blankly at the canopy, as if she had not heard Meng Danyun's voice. She sat there motionless, while Meng Danyun patiently kept his bowing posture as he waited.

Chen Mu also stood quietly in the background, observing Qin Mengjun, the Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster of the Seventh Realm of Martial Arts and one of the closest to stepping into the Blood Exchange Realm in the entire Northern Path of Eleven States.

Her presence... seemed utterly non-threatening.

Indeed.

From Qin Mengjun, Chen Mu could hardly feel any pressure; she sat on the rock as if she had completely merged with a breeze in nature, so subtly integrated that there was no distinction to be observed.

As if she was a part of nature itself.

But the more it was like this, the more Chen Mu felt the gravity of the situation; it was frightening because, despite having nearly maxed out his "Autumn Wind Sense," he couldn't detect Qin Mengjun in his perception!

He could clearly see her, she was right there within reach, but his senses felt absolutely empty!

The absence of any threat or pressure represented the greatest threat!

This indicated.

The gap between them was so vast it was almost heaven and earth apart.

"Is this what a Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster is... No, is she almost at the pinnacle among Grandmasters?"

"It is said she has mastered the Qian Heaven Artistic Conception, but it seems she has not yet stepped into the third phase. Yet this feeling cannot possibly come from the second phase, so is this the so-called 'Qian Heaven Domain,' which lies between the third and the second phases?"

Chen Mu murmured to himself.

Martial Arts Domain.

After taking the understanding of the second-phase Artistic Conception to the pinnacle and integrating it with one's Martial Will, it forms a unique realm that belongs to the individual. Within a certain range, one can forcefully expel all powers of Heaven and Earth that do not belong or resonate with oneself, creating a domain almost entirely under one's control.

As far as he knew, once someone grasped a Martial Arts Domain, it meant a near-complete dominance over anyone with lesser strength. Within the domain, Yuan Gang Force could ignore distance and even frequency.

Because one is almost half merged with nature, within the domain, it's as if it were a part of one's own body, without distinctions such as front or back, capable of encompassing every point.

Qian Heaven Domain.

Though not the supreme path in the world, it's still among the Martial Paths that are second only to the complete Artistic Conceptions of Yin Yang and the Five Elements.

The more Chen Mu tried to sense Qin Mengjun's state, the more he realized the profoundness of that realm, at least until he grasped the Qian Heaven Artistic Conception, it seemed impossible to even glimpse that height.

And so.

Time passed unknowingly.

The woman who had been sitting on the rock in a daze gradually regained some clarity in her vacant eyes and then turned her head to look at Meng Danyun not far away, her expression gentle, "Has Danyun returned?"

Thereafter.

She glanced at Chen Mu standing behind and smiled, "Xun Wind, Thunderbolt, Separating Fire, Gen Mountain, Kan Water... then you must be Chen Mu?"

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