Chapter 171: The Fox's Tail
The Great Unification technique of the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture had only one requirement: to be able to unify all the spells, divine abilities, sword techniques, and combat arts within the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture, and in addition, to encompass profound arts like the Seven Chapters of Creation. Only by achieving this could one be considered to have attained Great Unification.
After receiving the scripture transmission from the Woodcutter's Stone, every successive leader of the Demon Cult had to comprehend and realize their own Great Unification technique. Only by comprehending it could they secure their position as leader. Otherwise, in a sect like the Demon Cult, which did not mind subordinates killing the leader, replacing the leader would become an ordinary affair.
Those who could become the leader of the Demon Cult were all brilliant and talented individuals, each worthy of being called a genius. Even Li Tianxing, the leader criticized for his obsession with women, was a man of extraordinary talent. Otherwise, he could not have planted a heart demon in Granny Si's Dao heart, a demon that even Village Chief and the Mute, powerful as they were, could not break.
However, what shocked the three Heavenly Kings guarding the sect was that Qin Mu's speed in comprehending the Great Unification technique was far too fast. In just over ten days, he had already begun to touch the edge of the Great Unification technique, starting to merge and integrate.
What they did not know was that Qin Mu's so-called "Overlord Body" had no inherent elemental attribute, yet it could transform into any elemental attribute. Similarly, his so-called "Overlord Body Three-Dantian Technique" had no attribute, yet it could also transform into any attribute.
Qin Mu used the Overlord Body Three-Dantian Technique as his foundation. On this foundation, he added and subtracted, threading through the doctrines and concepts of the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture, merging the mysteries of the scripture transmission from the stone, and allowing his Great Unification technique to take its initial form.
Acting according to one's nature, purely following the natural course—this phrase was brought to life by him to its fullest extent.
Although his Great Unification technique was based on the Overlord Body Three-Dantian Technique, the Overlord Body Three-Dantian Technique had no branches or leaves. The techniques within the Great Cultivation Demon Scripture became the trunk, and the spells, divine abilities, sword techniques, and combat arts became the branches and leaves.
The jade tree was adorned, the technique was accomplished, and everything followed its natural course.
After a moment, Qin Mu "charged" to the foot of the pine and cypress tree. The three Heavenly Kings beneath the tree were extremely tense, fearing that he might take advantage of their unpreparedness to chop down this ancient tree, which symbolized the Holy Sect.
Unexpectedly, Qin Mu charged to the tree but did not continue his assault. Instead, he sat down on the Sage's Stone, assumed a lotus position, and entered a meditative state.
His elemental energy swirled around him. His spirit embryo stirred, the five stars shook, and the five elemental spirits each soared into the air, landing on the Five Luminaries Stars.
He focused his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart. His nasal breath resembled white light, and his eyes contained a golden radiance. He sat motionless, deep in meditation.
Lu Tianwang was about to speak, but Shi Tianwang quickly made a silencing gesture and tiptoed away. Lu Tianwang and Yu Tianwang also lightened their steps, tiptoeing to follow him.
"This generation's Holy Leader is truly remarkable."
Shi Tianwang walked far away, turned back to look at Qin Mu, and sighed with emotion: "The Patriarch indeed had great foresight. The future of our Holy Sect will likely rest on his shoulders. Such talent and comprehension are rare in this world."
"Still, he cannot compare to the sage who appears once every five hundred years."
Yu Tianwang sighed: "An existence like the Yan-Kang Imperial Preceptor appears only once every five hundred years."
Lu Tianwang looked at the mess scattered across the mountains—trees felled by Qin Mu's various spells and divine abilities during his frenzied meditation. Some of the fallen trees were still burning, crackling and popping.
"Rare in this world naturally cannot compare to once every five hundred years. After all, such a figure only appears once every five centuries. Our Holy Leader is good in every way, except he is too much of a troublemaker."
This Heavenly King sighed with emotion: "Our Holy Spirit Mountain has only been damaged to this extent during invasions by the Dao Sect and the Great Thunderclap Temple, hasn't it?"
"Enough said. After all, he is the leader chosen by the Patriarch. No matter how much trouble he causes, we must endure it. Come, let's go put out the fires!"
Qin Mu sat motionless on the Sage's Stone for another half day before being awakened by hunger. He called for Fox Ling'er to go hunt a river deer. The one person and one fox roasted the river deer meat over a fire, but only ate half of it before both lost their appetite.
"Has the young master grown tired of this?" the little fox asked, picking her teeth idly. "I saw a few fish-dragons in the Fish-Gazing Pond. They looked delicious and were raised quite plump."
"I saw them too. They certainly whet the appetite."
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then said, "But I'm afraid I can't beat those fish. However, Grandpa Medicine said that if you can't beat them, you drug them."
Fox Ling'er let out a cheer, but stopped halfway, quickly clamping her mouth shut. She saw the three Heavenly Kings standing behind them with dark expressions.
Qin Mu stood up, smiling: "When did you several arrive?"
"Just now, just now."
Shi Tianwang said amiably: "Holy Leader, please continue eating slowly. No need to rush. By the way, those few fish-dragons in the Fish-Gazing Pond were raised by the sixteenth-generation leader. Back then, the sixteenth-generation leader was lecturing to the disciples by the pond. He raised a few fish, using their transformation into dragons to enlighten his disciples. This became a celebrated tale, and so these fish-dragons were allowed to live. Holy Leader, when you have time, go count them by the pond, lest any fish slip away."
Qin Mu's face flushed slightly. So these fish-dragons couldn't be eaten?
"Leader, how is the river deer?" Lu Tianwang asked with a smile.
"Please, sit down and share it with me," Qin Mu invited.
The three Heavenly Kings did not stand on ceremony. They each sat down on the ground and shared the river deer meat. Yu Tianwang licked the oil off his fingers and laughed: "The taste is not bad at all! If I didn't know these river deer were raised by the previous-generation Saintess, I would have eaten them long ago!"
"They were raised by Granny Si..."
Qin Mu's face darkened. Was there anything on Holy Spirit Mountain that could be eaten?
Lu Tianwang said casually: "The forest that the leader destroyed was planted during the time of the founding patriarch. Ironwood trees grow slowly. For them to grow that thick, they must have taken several thousand years."
Qin Mu grew restless. That forest had been completely destroyed by him, leaving only a few charred ironwood trees standing starkly.
"The Holy Heart Flowers in the flowerbeds in front of the Holy Heart Hall—I wonder who picked them," Yu Tianwang said with a grin.
Qin Mu looked at Fox Ling'er. The little fox stared at a river deer bone, her usually swishing, fluffy tail strangely still.
Shi Tianwang said: "And the blue lamp in the Heavenly Delight Pavilion—it contained sesame oil. I wonder who drank quite a bit of it."
Fox Ling'er felt Qin Mu's gaze fixed on her fox tail. She secretly tucked her tail under her bottom and sat on it.
Qin Mu coughed and said, "Ling'er, your fox tail is showing."
"Where?" the little fox shrieked. "I clearly hid it!"
Lu Tianwang said unhurriedly: "In the medicine garden in front of the Medicine King Hall, there is an ancient medicinal tree. On it grows a red-copper-colored nine-leaf giant lingzhi mushroom. The ninth leaf was mostly gnawed off. That lingzhi was cultivated using the ancient medicinal tree. Its medicinal power is strong, and it contains many spores that fly everywhere. The spores occasionally sprout, producing a small lingzhi mushroom."
A small spiritual leaf suddenly popped out on the little fox's head with a *pop*. Fox Ling'er raised her paw, pretending to scratch her head, and secretly plucked it off, putting it into her mouth. She thought she was being sneaky, but when she looked up, she saw Qin Mu and the three Heavenly Kings all staring at her.
Shi Tianwang said: "Also, a few cloud pearls embedded in the screen of the Floating Cloud Pavilion have gone missing. They've probably fallen off..."
Fox Ling'er grew nervous and quickly covered the small backpack on her back.
Qin Mu coughed dryly twice, stood up, and said: "Three Heavenly Kings, I have been on Holy Spirit Mountain for many days. It suddenly occurred to me that I am still a Grand Academy Doctor of the Grand Academy, and I haven't taught many classes. I plan to leave Holy Spirit Mountain today and return to the capital."
The three Heavenly Kings all breathed a sigh of relief. Shi Tianwang said: "In both reason and sentiment, we should keep the Holy Leader here for meditation. But since the Holy Leader's studies are important, we will not insist on your staying."
Yu Tianwang said politely: "Holy Leader, Holy Spirit Mountain is your home. You must come home often and not treat yourself as an outsider."
"Certainly, certainly."
Qin Mu replied politely: "As the Holy Leader, it is only right that I often return to visit and look around."
"Do you need us to see the Holy Leader down the mountain?"
"No need, no need. Three Heavenly Kings, please stay."
...
"Young master, it seems the Heavenly Kings are tired of you," Fox Ling'er said, blinking her eyes.
Qin Mu stared at her. The little fox quietly hid her tail again. Qin Mu was speechless, shook his head, and said: "You cause trouble everywhere, but they are all small troubles. I have caused no small amount of trouble myself, and even bigger ones than yours. I have no face to scold you. This is probably the first time in the history of the Heavenly Saint Sect that a Holy Leader has been disliked by his subordinates. Oh well, since I have more or less comprehended the Great Unification technique, it's time to go down the mountain."
Fox Ling'er nodded quickly.
Qin Mu tested the technique a few more times, feeling he had mastered the skill of the Teleportation Cloak. He held her in his arms and said: "I'm not entirely confident about this teleportation. There are some pills in my bundle. If my elemental energy runs out, they can serve as a supplement."
Fox Ling'er pressed tightly against his chest, not daring to relax. Qin Mu leaped, jumping off Holy Spirit Mountain. The sound of wind whistled past his ears.
The young man's brocade robe folded and gathered. His figure vanished in midair.
The three Heavenly Kings rushed to the foot of the mountain and looked down, but could not see Qin Mu's trace.
"Asura Blood Eye, open!"
Yu Tianwang extended his index finger and touched it to his brow. A red light blazed from both his eyes as he looked downward. After searching for a moment, he finally found Qin Mu's trace and breathed a sigh of relief: "The Holy Leader is safe. He has already reached the edge of the Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone surrounding Holy Spirit Mountain. Once he passes through that Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone, he will be safe."
Lu Tianwang's heart suddenly stirred. He quickly said: "Two senior brothers, did you tell the Holy Leader that there is a Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone outside Holy Spirit Mountain?"
Yu Tianwang and Shi Tianwang looked at each other, both shaking their heads. Shi Tianwang stammered: "Junior Brother Lu, didn't you mention it to the Holy Leader?"
Lu Tianwang shook his head: "I thought you two had already mentioned it... This is bad!"
The three Heavenly Kings' expressions changed drastically. They each leaped down. The Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone was a forbidden area laid down by successive generations of leaders to protect the holy land. From the outside, it showed no sign of abnormality. But once one entered the Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone, they would be bombarded by Azure Sky Heavenly Thunder!
Not to mention Qin Mu, even a Transcendent Realm expert would be crippled or killed if they fell into it!
With Qin Mu's level of cultivation, he would surely be reduced to ashes in an instant!
The three Heavenly Kings moved with incredible speed, arriving at the Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone and charging in to rescue him. Even with their profound cultivation, they were scorched black on their faces and heads by the lightning.
"That thunder zone is truly dangerous."
Outside the Xiao Thunder Forbidden Zone, Qin Mu looked up at the sky above, still shaken: "Fortunately, I used my Azure Sky Heavenly Eye to see this hidden thunder zone and teleported directly out. Huh, it seems there are people in the thunder zone..."
He had no time to look closely. His figure was already falling from midair. Below him were the green mountains and clear waters of the Yan-Kang Kingdom, partially obscured by clusters of clouds, a magnificent sight.