Time flies like a white steed; three Years passed in the blink of an eye.
During this period, the great war that had been raging in the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region and the Nether Water Sea Domain finally concluded.
With the blessing of two Seventh-Order Dao Swords, Sword Master Chen and Sword Master Feng displayed astonishing combat power, battling the Undying Demon Lord for several days and successfully defeating him.
That fierce battle swept across the entire Nether Water Sea Domain, and ultimately, the Undying Demon Lord and the devil Cultivator army he led were forced to withdraw, retreating back to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain.
However, the joy of victory did not last long; the Undying Demon Lice Armor army under the Undying Demon Lord's command still showed tenacious combat strength during their retreat, causing heavy losses to the Cultivator army of Middle State, with many Cultivators falling in this great battle.
Facing such a situation, after expelling the devil Cultivator army, the two Sword Masters had no choice but to suspend their plans to invade the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain; the army needed time to rest and recuperate, allocate resources, and replenish personnel.
After more than two Years of rest and preparation, the Middle State Cultivator army had regained its former might, and they were about to launch a comprehensive and decisive attack on the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, vowing to completely drive the Demon Abyss forces out of the Spirit Realm.
Three Years passed quickly, but for Li Mu, it was a period of great harvest.
Li Mu almost spent his entire days in seclusion within the Sect, dedicating all his energy to the study of Artifact Refining, Puppet making, and other skills; during this time, he not only successfully refined two powerful Dao Swords but also forged numerous six-tier spirit treasures and countless Puppets.
In addition to Artifact Refining and Puppet making, Li Mu also dedicated himself to collecting various high-grade spirit materials and spirit plants, acquiring rare spirit plants and spirit seeds at all costs.
At the same time, Li Mu did not forget to continue inquiring about the situation and clues regarding the remaining Extreme Spirit Lands.
As the two Sword Masters captured the Nether Water Sea Domain, the Extreme Water Spirit Land under the Seal Grand Formation was recovered, and once the army set out to conquer the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, Li Mu would find a time to investigate it thoroughly.
Some clues about the Extreme Spirit Land - Lingxu Blessed Island had been uncovered, and he only needed to wait for the right moment to set off.
As for the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, although the Eight Great Families had been slow to reach an agreement on opening it to him, Li Mu was not in a hurry; time was the best catalyst, and with the passage of time and the significant increase in the Kun Family's strength with his assistance, the other Families' views were gradually changing.
The rise of the Kun Family was a clear example, presented to the other Seven Families, making them begin to re-evaluate Li Mu's abilities and the potential behind him.
It was precisely because of the Kun Family's significant change that the remaining seven Families' desire for Dao Soldiers grew stronger; they began to realize that cooperating with Li Mu might be a shortcut to improving their Family's strength. Thus, five Families who had originally been reserved about Li Mu quickly changed their stance and actively sought cooperation with him.
The remaining Ji Family, Zhao Family, and Shangguan Family were more stubborn; they still harbored doubts and vigilance towards Li Mu. The Zhao Family had always considered itself the head of the Eight Great Families and felt uneasy about the rise of the Kun Family and Li Mu's involvement, fearing that their status would be threatened. The Ji Family, due to some past grievances with Li Mu, found it difficult to let go and remained reserved about cooperation. The Shangguan Family, on the other hand, preferred to remain neutral, neither opposing nor supporting Li Mu, and so the matter had been delayed.
However, Li Mu was not in a hurry at all; the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, this fat meat at his mouth, would eventually fall into his hands. He had already successfully persuaded the other five Great Families, and for the remaining three Families, he had plenty of time to maneuver.
There were still several decades until the seven types of fifth-tier spirit plants matured; as long as Sword Master Chen and Sword Master Feng successfully reclaimed the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain and found another Extreme Yang Sealed Land, gathering the seven Great Extreme Spirit Lands, the plan to Cultivate high-grade spirit plants would be highly probable.
Li Mu focused his main energy on collecting the Spirit Medicine for the Returning Void Pill and began to refine the Returning Void Pill, preparing for his advancement to the Void Refining Realm.
— — — — — —
In a remote area of the Middle State Spirit Domain, a formerly tranquil village was now shrouded in deathly silence. This village once had smoke curling from chimneys and the sounds of chickens and dogs, with villagers diligently farming and the surrounding farmlands vibrant green.
However, at some unknown point, the farmlands around the village began to fall into disuse, overgrown with weeds, with no one left. Those once vibrant lands now only held exposed skeletons and dilapidated houses; the entire village had become a place of silent death.
Suddenly, a black shadow descended from the sky, landing lightly inside a dilapidated village house.
That black shadow was none other than a Demon General under the Undying Demon Lord, named Dream Puppet. His figure was agile, yet at this moment, he suddenly knelt down deep inside the house, his head bowed low, his voice trembling slightly as he reported, “Demon Lord, Dream Puppet has come to report; I have inquired about the target’s movements.”
Before he finished speaking, a chilling wind blew through, carrying a bone-chchilling coldness, as if even the air had solidified. The candlelight in the room suddenly flickered violently, casting mottled shadows, as if something was approaching. The entire dilapidated house was filled with a mysterious and eerie atmosphere.
Immediately after, a tall figure slowly emerged from the darkness, accompanied by a powerful Devilish Qi.
That was the Undying Demon Lord. His figure was burly, his face stern, his black robe fluttering in the wind like a demon god in the dark night. He wore a tattered black demon armor that seemed to writhe like a flesh snake, with sharp barbs shimmering with a faint black glow, as if enduring unbearable pain. His face was pale and cold, his eyes deep like black holes, seemingly capable of devouring all light, and his countenance was sinister, his aura sending shivers down one's spine.
The Undying Demon Lord’s hair was long and black, like dark currents in the night, swaying with the wind. His fingers were long and powerful, their tips glowing with a faint Devilish Qi. He took two steps forward, accompanied by a slight tremor of the ground, as if heavy objects had landed, giving an invisible sense of oppression.
The Undying Demon Lord walked to the kneeling Demon General, looking down at him, his deep eyes flickering with dangerous light.
“Speak, what have you found out?” The Undying Demon Lord’s voice was low and cold, as if coming from the depths of Hell, making one involuntarily feel fear.
The Demon General trembled under the Undying Demon Lord’s pressure, not daring to look directly into those terrifying eyes, only lowering his head and trembling as he replied, “The target is suppressing the Eight Great Cultivation Families, intending to enter the ‘Cang Yuan Secret Realm,’ which is very likely another Sealed Land.”
Upon hearing this, the Undying Demon Lord’s brow furrowed slightly, a hint of surprise and greed flashing in his eyes. He slowly circled the Demon General, each step seemingly heavily treading on the Demon General’s heart, intensifying his fear.
“Cang Yuan Secret Realm? Another Sealed Land…” The Undying Demon Lord murmured softly, falling into deep thought, as if pondering the deeper meaning behind this matter.
At this moment, the Undying Demon Lord’s face was ashen, and his eyes flickered with the flames of hatred. The fact that his two defeated subordinates had suddenly each obtained a Dao Sword and jointly defeated him was like a thorn in his heart, keeping him awake at night.
After his defeat, the Undying Demon Lord did not choose to flee back to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain to recuperate. Instead, he brought a group of subordinates who had narrowly escaped death and resolutely came to the Middle State Spirit Domain, vowing to uncover the reason behind this. The result was easily found out: the cause of all this was his old enemy, “Li Jianxian.”
A ruthless glint flashed in the Undying Demon Lord’s eyes. This person, who had once made him suffer immensely, had now achieved remarkable success, not only advancing to the Soul Transformation Middle Stage but also becoming a Grand Elder of the Xuantian Sword Sect. And those two Seventh-Order Dao Swords were personally refined by him.
Furthermore, the demise of the Blood Demon Lord - Dana was also inextricably linked to him, and Dana’s mission to search for Sealed Lands had been disrupted by him repeatedly.
With multiple factors, new and old grudges intertwined, the Undying Demon Lord’s heart was now ablaze with rage, wishing he could eliminate Li Mu immediately.
Upon learning that Li Mu was planning for the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, the Undying Demon Lord sneered repeatedly. This might be an excellent opportunity. Since he was so interested in the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, he would use this point to ambush and completely eliminate this person.
However, how to successfully infiltrate the Eight Great Families and enter the Cang Yuan Secret Realm in advance was a complex matter.
The Undying Demon Lord’s eyes flickered with a sinister light as he fell into deep thought. The Eight Great Cultivation Families of Middle State were not lacking in experts. To obtain the key to the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, one must be a core member of their Family… This matter required meticulous planning, without any oversight.
The Undying Demon Lord stopped, looking again at the Demon General, the coldness in his voice melting slightly: “You have done well, Dream Puppet. Fully gather intelligence regarding the Cang Yuan Secret Realm. I want to know all of the target’s movements. Also, investigate which identity among the Eight Great Families is suitable for replacement and has the qualifications to enter the Cang Yuan Secret Realm.”
“Yes!” The Demon General bowed in response, and in the next moment, transformed into a black shadow, instantly vanishing.
Days passed, and Dream Puppet brought back more and more intelligence. The Undying Demon Lord carefully read each piece of intelligence, analyzing the relationships between the Eight Great Families and their attitudes towards the Cang Yuan Secret Realm. He gained a lot of insights and understood Li Mu’s plan.
The ‘Cang Yuan Secret Realm’ was a mysterious and rich place, capable of continuously nurturing high-grade spirit plants, spirit fruits, and various rare Spirit Medicines. For Cultivators, this was no less than an endless treasure trove. The Eight Great Families were well aware of this, and thus they allied with each other to jointly guard this Secret Realm, ensuring that its resources were not touched by outsiders.
However, behind this seemingly solid Alliance, deep competition and calculations were hidden. Each Family hoped to obtain a larger share of resources from the Secret Realm to strengthen their own Family’s power. This delicate balance meant that there was both cooperation and conflict among the Eight Great Families, making the situation intricate and complex.
Through the intelligence brought back by Dream Puppet, the Undying Demon Lord discovered that Li Mu was precisely utilizing this delicate balance, skillfully manipulating the intertwined interests among the Eight Great Families, attempting to control the Cang Yuan Secret Realm through this. This was indeed a clever strategy, but it also provided an opportunity for the Undying Demon Lord.
What excited the Undying Demon Lord even more was that the characteristic output of the ‘Cang Yuan Secret Realm’ further confirmed his speculation: the ‘Cang Yuan Secret Realm’ was undoubtedly another Sealed Land. This discovery further strengthened his resolve to infiltrate the Cang Yuan Secret Realm and destroy the Seal.
Among the Eight Great Families, the weakest, the one whose disguise would be least likely to be discovered when replaced, was found!
The Undying Demon Lord’s eyes flickered with a deep light. He had locked onto his target—a certain core Elder of the Ji Family. This Elder held a high position in the Ji Family, but due to his advanced age, his strength was not what it used to be, and in recent Years, he had become increasingly reclusive, reducing his contact with the outside world, thus becoming an ideal candidate in the Undying Demon Lord’s eyes.
More importantly, this Elder was old, held a high position, and presided over some core matters of the Ji Family, so he should know more about the Cang Yuan Secret Realm. This undoubtedly provided great convenience for the Undying Demon Lord’s disguise. If he could disguise himself as this Elder without being detected, it was highly likely that he would succeed.
The Undying Demon Lord began to plan meticulously. First, he sent people to thoroughly understand this Elder’s daily habits, words and deeds, and internal Family relationship network. Then, he began to imitate this Elder’s words and actions, practicing Qi Circulation disguise Cultivation Technique to ensure that the ‘replacement strategy’ was foolproof.
— —
Seven Profound Sect, Sect Leader's Mansion, Deliberation Hall.
Li Mu sat in the spacious main seat in the hall, with the Clan Chiefs of the Eight Great Families seated around him. The atmosphere was solemn and serious. Under the strong pressure of the two Sword Masters, the Eight Great Families finally chose to compromise and came to visit Li Mu to discuss opening the Cang Yuan Secret Realm.
Originally, the Eight Great Families could not reach a unanimous decision, but finally, under the intervention of the external force, the Xuantian Sword Sect, they had no choice but to give in and accept the proposal to open the Cang Yuan Secret Realm.
This shift made the atmosphere in the Deliberation Hall subtle and complex.
This time, Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen successfully defeated the Undying Demon Lord. They attributed the main credit to Li Mu, and upon learning that he had been expending energy to unify the opinions of the Eight Great Families to allow him to enter the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, they immediately put strong pressure on the Eight Great Families, making them cooperate.
The Chaotic Sealing Domain Great Array was a Seal for the two-realm passage concerning the Middle State Spirit Domain, and the Cang Yuan Secret Realm was very likely one of its sub-formations. For Li Mu’s timely ‘feedback’ and enthusiastic ‘repair’ and maintenance of the Seal Grand Formation, Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen gave him extremely high praise for his ‘dutiful’ performance.
“Elder Li, after discussion, our Eight Great Families have decided to accept your proposal.” Clan Chief Shangguan Yun, as a representative, looked at Li Mu and said in a deep voice, “The Cang Yuan Secret Realm will be fully open to you. At the same time, we also hope that you can accept our Artifact Refining commission to refine Dao Soldiers.”
Li Mu smiled slightly; he was not surprised by this outcome. Now, the Xuantian Sword Sect was about to organize all its forces and unite the army to prepare for a counterattack on the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain. Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen, who were leading the war, were fully mobilizing personnel from various Sects and Families. A single word from them forced the Eight Great Families to compromise.
Sometimes, power speaks louder than words. If he had known that Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen’s words were so effective, he wouldn’t have bothered with those thankless tasks.
“Since the Eight Great Families are so sincere, Li will naturally do his utmost to complete the Artifact Refining commission.” Li Mu looked at Shangguan Yun and nodded with a smile.
Just as the Clan Chiefs’ faces showed a hint of joy, Li Mu changed the subject and continued, “However, I also have a condition.”
Upon hearing this, the Clan Chiefs’ expressions tightened, and they all looked at Li Mu, awaiting his next words. (End of this chapter)
