Returning to the Seven Profound Sect, Li Mu announced his seclusion, temporarily not accepting Artifact Refining commissions, and immersed himself in the Painting World Treasure Mansion, living a secluded life with Xue'er, tending to spiritual plants, occasionally performing Alchemy, and Artifact Refining, leading a peaceful and fulfilling life.
He awaited the war situation in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, quietly anticipating the return of Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen.
Time flew by, and seven years passed.
In the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, the flames of war raged like a blazing inferno; the Cultivator army from Central Province had already swept across the entire Spirit Domain.
Under the leadership of Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen, they counterattacked Tianzhu Mountain, entered the core of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range, and directly advanced towards the Extreme Fire Seal Land occupied by the Demon Abyss forces.
The banners of the Central Province fleet flew high on the battlefield, continuously pushing deeper, eradicating the spiritual lands occupied by the Demon Abyss forces in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, and the clashes with the Demon Abyss forces grew increasingly fierce, like two irreconcilable torrents colliding violently.
After so many years of war, the Demon Abyss forces suffered heavy losses; however, from beginning to end, Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen never saw the Undying Demon Lord appear, only engaging with a few other Demon Lords.
Although the Shadow, Soul Devouring, and Blood Refining Demon Lords were powerful, they were still inferior to the Undying Demon Lord.
Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen, relying on the power of their Dao Swords, repelled those Demon Lords again and again, but their hearts grew heavier.
The Undying Demon Lord seemed to have vanished into the Void Realm, and no matter how they searched, they could not find his trace.
Every encounter was merely a confrontation with the outer forces of the Demon Abyss forces, unable to reach its core.
Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen couldn't help but worry; it seemed the Undying Demon Lord, as Li Mu had said, had not returned to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain but was hiding in the Central Province Spirit Domain, executing a larger conspiracy.
"Senior Brother Feng, should we go back? It seems the situation is as Li Mu said, the Undying Demon Lord is not in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain!"
Sword Master Chen looked at Sword Master Feng, deep worry evident in his eyes.
Sword Master Feng furrowed his brow, pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Continue the attack; we'll talk after we take down the Demon Den.
As for the Undying Demon Lord, it's indeed possible he's in Central Province, but the battle in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain is not over yet.
We cannot leave residual Demon Abyss forces to continue wreaking havoc here; only by sealing the Seal cracks first can we return to Central Province without worries."
"But, the Undying Demon Lord..." Sword Master Chen was still somewhat worried.
"Let's put the matter of the Undying Demon Lord aside for now; inform that kid Li Mu to act cautiously and not make any rash moves," Sword Master Feng interrupted him, stating firmly, "We must solve the immediate problem first.
Give the order, the whole army prepares to advance deep into the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain and prepare to attack the Demon Den."
Sword Master Chen also understood Sword Master Feng's determination, so he nodded in agreement and called his subordinates to relay the order.
In the following days, Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen led the Cultivator army from Central Province, advancing triumphantly, continuously breaking through multiple strongholds of the Demon Abyss forces, pointing their swords directly at the Sealed Land.
— — — —
Central Province Spirit Domain, Seven Profound Sect.
'Ji Wuheng' appeared at the Sect Leader's Mansion of the Seven Profound Sect.
He sat in the main hall, full of anticipation, waiting to meet 'someone'.
Ever since Li Mu announced his seclusion, the Undying Demon Lord immediately became anxious.
He had finally managed to infiltrate the Ji Family, waiting for the Cang Yuan Secret Realm to open, waiting for him to walk into his own trap, but he didn't expect such a twist at this time.
The Undying Demon Lord could not wait any longer.
He disguised himself as 'Ji Wuheng' and appeared directly at the Seven Profound Sect, seeking a direct meeting with Li Mu under the guise of being an Elder of the Ji Family, using the excuse of discussing the 'Dao Soldier commission'.
If he could see Li Mu, the Undying Demon Lord planned to directly kill his old enemy on the spot, strangling the greatest obstacle to the Demon Abyss's invasion of the Spirit Realm in its cradle.
The Undying Demon Lord secretly calculated in his heart: as long as he succeeded with one strike and successfully killed Li Mu, it wouldn't be a problem to wipe out the entire Seven Profound Sect at that time.
A mere small Sect had no Body Integration Realm strongmen to stop him, and even if the experts of the Xuantian Sword Sect learned the news, he would have already fled far away.
Soon, a figure quickly appeared before him; it was a middle-aged man in a white robe, with a handsome face and extraordinary demeanor, none other than the Vice Sect Master of the Seven Profound Sect—Celestial Evolution Divine Lord.
His appearance thwarted the Undying Demon Lord's idea of directly killing Li Mu, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of killing intent; however, he quickly suppressed it.
"Elder Ji, your esteemed presence is an honor; I apologize for not coming out to meet you.
Sect Leader Li is at a critical juncture in his seclusion and could not personally receive you; please forgive him!"
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord smiled as he greeted 'Ji Wuheng', but his eyes revealed a subtle, almost imperceptible hint of scrutiny.
Just now, Celestial Evolution Divine Lord had sensed a sudden burst of powerful killing intent from 'Ji Wuheng', which made his heart palpitate; however, this killing intent disappeared too quickly, causing him a hint of doubt.
"Oh! Sect Leader Li has been in seclusion for quite some time, hasn't he! When will he come out of seclusion? When can the commission to refine Dao Soldiers begin?"
'Ji Wuheng' frowned slightly, looking at Celestial Evolution Divine Lord and asking with feigned surprise.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord smiled slightly and quickly replied, "Sect Leader Li is Cultivating in seclusion; the exact time of his emergence is not yet certain.
However, regarding the refining of Dao Soldiers, Elder Ji, please rest assured; as soon as the Sect Master emerges, I will inform him immediately."
Upon hearing this, 'Ji Wuheng's' face darkened, and he felt secretly anxious.
He had secretly swept the entire Seven Profound Sect with his Divine Thought countless times, yet he had failed to discover Li Mu's place of seclusion.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord seemed to notice 'Ji Wuheng's' anxiety and smiled, comforting him, "Elder Ji, there's no need to worry too much.
Sect Leader Li always keeps his promises; after he emerges from seclusion, he will certainly do his utmost to complete your Artifact Refining commission."
"Hmm, that's the only way! Your Sect's spiritual land is quite extraordinary; would you mind showing me around your Sect's scenery?"
'Ji Wuheng's' heart stirred, and he suddenly proposed to Celestial Evolution Divine Lord.
The Undying Demon Lord hoped to find clues to Li Mu's seclusion place by touring the Seven Profound Sect.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord didn't think much of it and nodded with a smile.
Thus, the two walked out of the Sect Leader's Mansion side by side, previewing several main peaks of the Seven Profound Sect.
Along the way, Celestial Evolution Divine Lord meticulously introduced the situation of the Seven Profound Sect's main peaks and toured the Sect buildings.
'Ji Wuheng's' thoughts, however, were not on this; he secretly and continuously scanned his surroundings with his Divine Thought, attempting to find clues to Li Mu's seclusion place.
However, the Undying Demon Lord did not discover the whereabouts of Li Mu's main body; instead, he found his seven Soul Transformation Clones, each guarding one of the Seven Great Main Peaks of the Seven Profound Sect and tending to large plots of spiritual fields.
The Undying Demon Lord frowned, extremely surprised that Li Mu had refined seven Soul Transformation Clones, and his killing intent towards him intensified.
One must know that refining Soul Transformation Clones is inherently extremely difficult, and refining each one requires a tremendous amount of mental energy and resources.
Yet, Li Mu was able to refine seven, which was enough to show that the Cultivation Technique he practiced was extraordinary.
Moreover, these seven Soul Transformation Clones were arranged by him on the Seven Great Main Peaks, full of spirituality, each capable of independently guarding the spiritual fields without any confusion, a display of strength that greatly intimidated the Undying Demon Lord.
Soul Transformation Clones are the Foundation for Void Refining Cultivators to condense their Law Domain.
Being able to refine a Soul Transformation Clone during the Soul Transformation Stage means that his Divine Thought is extremely powerful, almost touching upon the mysteries of the Void Refining Realm in the Late Stage of Soul Transformation.
However, Li Mu's ability to simultaneously refine seven Soul Transformation Clones further indicated that his Divine Thought strength had already far surpassed that of ordinary Cultivators, reaching seven times or even more than that level.
Originally, he thought that as long as he could find Li Mu's seclusion place, he would have a chance to kill him with one blow, but now it seemed he must have gone to the Xuantian Sword Sect's spiritual land for seclusion, not staying in the Seven Profound Sect, which left the Undying Demon Lord somewhat regretful.
Should he eliminate Li Mu's seven Soul Transformation Clones?
No!
That would be alerting the enemy!
Several thoughts flashed through the Undying Demon Lord's mind, and he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing that thought.
A more comprehensive plan had to be devised, not only to find Li Mu's main body but also to ensure a fatal blow when acting, leaving him no chance to react.
Seeing 'Ji Wuheng' lost in thought, showing no interest in touring the Sect's scenery.
A flicker of doubt crossed Celestial Evolution Divine Lord's face, and he smiled as he suggested to 'Ji Wuheng', "Elder Ji, you've seen most of the important places in our Sect.
Next, I'll take you to our Sect's Scripture Pavilion; it houses precious ancient texts accumulated over thousands of years by our Sect, which might be beneficial to you."
"The Scripture Pavilion, let's save it for another time!
Since Sect Leader Li is still in seclusion, I will visit again after he emerges.
Please, Fellow Daoist, inform me in time!"
'Ji Wuheng' cupped his hands in farewell; although his face remained calm, his heart was quite agitated.
His true objective for this visit to the Seven Profound Sect had not been achieved, but he had discovered Li Mu's secret, so it was not a wasted trip.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord saw 'Ji Wuheng's' insistence and could not force him, so he could only nod in agreement: "Since Elder Ji has matters to attend to, I will not insist further.
After Sect Leader Li emerges from seclusion, I will immediately send someone to inform you."
'Ji Wuheng' cupped his hands in thanks again and decisively flew away.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord watched 'Ji Wuheng's' receding figure, a hint of lingering doubt in his eyes.
After a moment of thought, he decided it was nothing significant and dismissed the matter.
However, after some time, 'Ji Wuheng' frequently came to visit, specifically befriending him and subtly inquiring about Li Mu's seclusion status and location, which made Celestial Evolution Divine Lord wary.
In the Painting World Treasure Mansion, Celestial Evolution Divine Lord informed Li Mu of 'Ji Wuheng's' movements.
"Oh! 'Ji Wuheng', I did have one encounter with this person, and the process was not pleasant.
Is the Ji Family so anxious to refine Dao Soldiers?"
Listening to Celestial Evolution Divine Lord's relay, a hint of recollection flashed in Li Mu's eyes.
Years ago, he had killed Venerable Fallenwood of the Ji Family, offending them, and later Ji Wuheng had appeared to settle the matter with him.
Li Mu had a deep impression of this person and hesitated whether to go out and meet him.
"The ranking for the Eight Great Families' Dao Soldier refining commissions has been released, and the Ji Family is ranked fourth; logically, they shouldn't be so anxious!"
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord frowned, then suddenly remembered something and said doubtfully, "When I first met this Elder Ji, I seemed to sense a terrifying killing intent from him, but it disappeared extremely quickly."
Upon hearing this, Li Mu's expression became stern, and his nerves immediately tensed.
According to the frontline intelligence from Sword Master Feng and Sword Master Chen, they were already besieging the Sealed Land; however, the Undying Demon Lord had not yet appeared, and they had warned him not to act rashly.
At this moment, Ji Wuheng's sudden and urgent arrival at the Seven Profound Sect to request Dao Soldiers made an ominous premonition rise in Li Mu's heart.
"You let him tour our Sect?" Li Mu looked at Celestial Evolution Divine Lord, inquiring about the details of his reception of 'Ji Wuheng'.
"That's right! He seemed to be subtly probing for the Sect Master's place of seclusion," Celestial Evolution Divine Lord keenly observed and reported.
Li Mu's brows furrowed tightly, sensing uneasiness.
If that was the case, his seven Soul Transformation Clones hidden on the Seven Great Main Peaks must have been exposed.
Li Mu frowned in deep thought, remaining silent for a long time without responding to Celestial Evolution Divine Lord.
"Sect Master, is there something wrong with this person?" Celestial Evolution Divine Lord looked at the solemn Li Mu and asked with concern.
Li Mu looked up at Celestial Evolution Divine Lord and replied, "I can't be sure yet.
If that Ji Wuheng comes again, pay a little more attention when you deal with him.
I suspect he might not simply be here for Dao Soldiers but has other motives."
Upon hearing this, Celestial Evolution Divine Lord was slightly startled, looking at Li Mu and asking in surprise, "Sect Master, do you mean that this 'Elder Ji' harbors ill will towards you?"
"It's not impossible.
I suspect this person is connected to the Undying Demon Lord," Li Mu nodded and explained.
"Undying Demon Lord, a Body Integration Realm Demon Cultivator, that's too dangerous!"
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord's expression darkened upon hearing that name, and he couldn't help but become worried.
"Indeed.
Did he say when he would come next?
If you can't handle him, I'll have Elder Qiu come over, and then I'll personally meet him with a Puppet body.
I want to see what he's up to," Li Mu said in a deep voice, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord frowned and replied, "Ji Wuheng did not mention when he would come next, but he seemed quite anxious, so he might not wait too long.
I will keep an eye on his movements and inform you immediately once he makes a move."
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned in contemplation.
Passively waiting for 'Ji Wuheng' to come to his door was too passive; he had to change this unfavorable situation.
"There's no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days.
You notify him in a month to meet, just say I've emerged from seclusion and invite him to meet," Li Mu thought for a moment, rejecting Celestial Evolution Divine Lord's suggestion, and arranged.
Celestial Evolution Divine Lord's eyes flashed with admiration upon hearing this, and he nodded in agreement: "Understood, Sect Master, I will arrange it now."
As Celestial Evolution Divine Lord left, Li Mu appeared in his Puppet body, carrying the Painting World Treasure Mansion, and flew on his sword to the Xuantian Sword Sect - Contribution Hall, seeking help from Elder Qiu.
"Elder Qiu, I have something to ask of you," Li Mu stepped into the Contribution Hall, went directly to Qiu Yuanhong, and stated his purpose frankly.
"Elder Li, what do you need my help with? Just say it," Qiu Yuanhong replied warmly.
As a Grand Elder of the Sect, Li Mu, with his ability to refine Dao Soldiers alone, was worthy of respect from everyone in the Xuantian Sword Sect.
If he had difficulties, they would certainly offer their full assistance.
Li Mu recounted the entire incident in detail and expressed his worries and plan: "This 'Ji Wuheng' is very likely connected to the Undying Demon Lord.
This person has already come to our door, and it will certainly not be that simple.
I hope Elder Qiu can assist me in meeting this Ji Wuheng to see what his true intentions are."
Qiu Yuanhong listened, his brows furrowed tightly, and said in a deep voice, "The Undying Demon Lord is indeed a tricky character.
Let me think who else in the Sect can deal with this person." (End of Chapter)
