Chapter 358: Dragging Him to Death
In a life-or-death battle, what affects combat strength is not only cultivation, divine abilities, and techniques, but also psychology and wisdom.
Qin Mu had a deep understanding of this.
In the Dao Sect, many experts, when facing a life-or-death battle, would often calm their minds beforehand, burn incense, and bathe. Some would even enter a three-day meditative trance to eliminate all distracting thoughts from their minds, preventing any stray thoughts from interfering with their combat wisdom, allowing their wisdom to become perfectly clear and unimpeded.
Although Xu Shenhua claimed to have fought all over the Upper Firmament without an equal at the same cultivation level, the battles in the Upper Firmament were often not life-or-death struggles.
He had too little experience in this area; it could even be said that his experience was a blank slate. And although the Lower Realm was "polluted" in his eyes, all kinds of life-or-death struggles were endless. Whether it was lofty figures like Linxuan Daozhu and Banguo Cuo, or young experts like Ling Yuxiu, Si Yunxiang, and Shen Wanyun, or renowned individuals like the Yan'ang National Teacher and Yanfeng Emperor, they all stood out through the tempering of life-and-death situations.
In terms of combat wisdom, they far surpassed Xu Shenhua.
If it were Qin Mu, he would not have examined the structure, components, and formation patterns of the Sun-Slaying Divine Cannon before a life-or-death battle, because that would consume too much of his mental energy.
When Qin Mu designed and forged the Sun-Slaying Divine Cannon, he had invited hundreds of mathematical experts, as well as various masters and talents in artifact refining. He had almost completely redesigned the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau. He had gathered the wisdom of these people to create the Sun-Slaying Divine Cannon. If Xu Shenhua wanted to explore the secrets of the Sun-Slaying Divine Cannon, he would need to memorize the wisdom of all these people in a short time. The drain on his mental energy was unimaginable.
The loss of mental energy would inevitably lead to a decline in strength, slowing down his reaction speed in battle.
For an expert like Qin Mu, even if Xu Shenhua's reaction speed slowed down by the slightest fraction, it would be enough to decide the outcome!
In the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau, Xu Shenhua examined the textures and structures on these tens of thousands of parts and components one by one, deducing the form and power of the Sun-Slaying Divine Cannon. The formation patterns and runic symbols on each part were different, and the array textures used were also different. Without a sequence, he had to rely on his powerful mental strength to deduce and combine them, which further drained his mental energy.
Suddenly, he felt a bit dizzy. He quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked at Qin Mu.
Qin Mu revealed a smile and nodded slightly.
Qin Mu's smile was very sunny, like a big boy without any scheming, but in Xu Shenhua's eyes, this bright and sunny smile appeared extremely sinister.
"Thank you, Brother Qin. I've learned a lesson."
Xu Shenhua steadied himself and walked over. As he walked, he tried his best to forget the formation patterns and runic symbols he had just memorized. Although this was just locking the stable door after the horse had bolted, it was still better than doing nothing.
Qin Mu smiled faintly and walked out of the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau, saying leisurely, "Brother Xu, do you still think it's good to stay in the Upper Firmament?"
Xu Shenhua shook his head. "Staying in the Upper Firmament without experiencing real battles, it's indeed difficult for me to grow. The turbid world is the place for growth. Brother Qin, growing up in this turbid world, you are truly the strongest and most terrifying opponent I have ever encountered."
The two walked side by side, stepping onto the Tu River.
Behind them, the four girls, Hu Ling'er, Ling Yuxiu, Yu Liu, and Jing Yan, followed, stepping onto the surface of the Tu River.
At this moment, many Daoist priests walked out of the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau, led by Linxuan Daozhu, who followed closely behind them, also stepping onto the river surface.
Linxuan Daozhu's gaze was peculiar. He ignored the four girls, his eyes fixed on Qin Mu and Xu Shenhua, who were walking on the river surface.
"Daozhu, these two youths are both very strong!"
An old Daoist whispered, "As for Sect Leader Qin, his methods are profound. But what is the background of the other youth?"
"Xu Shenhua of the Upper Firmament. I met him when I was visiting Little Jade Capital with my master."
Linxuan Daozhu's eyes flickered. "He defeated me in five moves."
The hearts of the many Daoist priests shook violently. Even Qin Mu wouldn't dare to say he could defeat Linxuan Daozhu in five moves. In recent years, Linxuan Daozhu had been cultivating under the old Daozhu, his attainments in mathematics becoming deeper and deeper, and his understanding of the Dao Sword becoming more profound.
His strength was definitely not inferior to the old Daozhu in his prime, and he might even have surpassed him!
Linxuan Daozhu did not stop walking, leading the Daoist priests forward, and said softly, "His techniques and divine abilities grow stronger when facing a strong opponent. That is the most terrifying thing. The stronger the opponent, the more it stimulates the power of his techniques and divine abilities. In Little Jade Capital, he defeated many people. I really want to know if there is anyone who can withstand his divine abilities, if there is anyone who can force him to break through the limits of his techniques and divine abilities, leaving him with nothing to break!"
"The Human Sovereign might be that kind of person." His battle intent suddenly surged, but he controlled it, not interfering with the two.
The river water surged, flowing endlessly like time itself.
Qin Mu and Xu Shenhua did not stop walking, continuing forward. They soon reached the opposite bank, but still did not stop.
"He is giving me a chance to rest."
Xu Shenhua learned another lesson, his heart trembling slightly. "He brought me to the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau to drain my mental energy, putting himself in the upper hand. And now, giving me a chance to rest shows that he doesn't care whether my mental energy is drained or not, because he is always in the upper hand! Just now, he drained my mental energy, and now he is applying psychological pressure, making me inwardly admit that I am inferior to him!"
Although he understood Qin Mu's intention, he was already trapped in Qin Mu's scheme and couldn't break free.
From the moment he met Qin Mu again and drank in the Flower Lane Rain-Listening Pavilion, the battle had already begun!
From that point on, he had fallen into Qin Mu's rhythm. Now, Qin Mu's momentum had become overwhelming. If the two were to fight, it was easy to imagine how domineering and unrestrained Qin Mu's attacks would be!
"The Overlord Body is indeed extraordinary."
Xu Shenhua steadied his mind, his eyes flickering. "But I am also an Overlord Body! As a fellow Overlord Body, I will not be inferior to him!"
The two's steps gradually fell into a sequence. Qin Mu took a step, and Xu Shenhua followed. Xu Shenhua was like his shadow, giving people a strange feeling.
The four girls following behind saw this scene. The two big boys, one walking in front, exposing his back to the person behind him, while the youth behind followed closely, not taking the opportunity to strike a fatal blow, but instead, as if tied by a rope, involuntarily following the one in front.
"Gongzi is at a disadvantage!"
Yu Liu and Jing Yan's hearts trembled slightly. This was the first time they had seen Xu Shenhua fall into a disadvantage before even making a move.
In the Upper Firmament, Xu Shenhua was so brilliant and outstanding that he had shocked the gods of the Upper Firmament and was hailed as the person with the highest talent in five hundred years.
And Xu Shenhua's descent to the Lower Realm indeed lived up to his reputation.
Banguo Cuo of the Golden Palace avoided battle, the Great Thunderclap Monastery refused to fight, he challenged Linxuan Daozu in Little Jade Capital, defeated the experts of Little Jade Capital, and challenged the Three Yuan Hall and Five Qi Hall, passing through smoothly.
Now, Xu Shenhua had finally met his most terrifying opponent!
Qin Mu led Xu Shenhua for over a hundred li, and he was also somewhat shocked. Even now, Xu Shenhua's steps were still not chaotic, and his body did not reveal any flaws!
This was almost impossible. Even Banguo Cuo, an old monster who had lived for ten thousand years, could not have walked so steadily!
Banguo Cuo was proficient in the techniques and divine abilities of the Great Thunderclap Monastery, the Dao Sect, Little Jade Capital, and the Heavenly Demon Sect. If he were suppressed by Qin Mu and led by the nose, by the time he had walked ten li, he would have been staggering, struggling to change his form to avoid revealing flaws.
By the time he had walked twenty li, Banguo Cuo would have revealed flaws, making it difficult to change. At twenty-one li, Banguo Cuo would have had to strike first at Qin Mu, trying to seize the initiative, or he would have been doomed.
If Banguo Cuo continued to follow Qin Mu's steps without attacking, at twenty-four li, he would have died, absolutely killed by Qin Mu in one blow!
But Xu Shenhua had kept up with Qin Mu's steps all along. Although he was being led by the nose, his steps and body movements were perfectly orderly, flawless!
From the Tu River to this place, over a hundred li, he had not revealed any flaws!
"Wang Muran said that his techniques and divine abilities are very strange. They grow stronger when facing a strong opponent. The stronger the opponent, the faster they lose to him. His divine abilities are all improvised on the spot, created during battle. This kind of technique must be extremely advanced, directly surpassing the level of 'technique' and entering the level of 'law'!"
Qin Mu grew more and more excited. He did not look back and continued walking forward, his speed increasing!
Xu Shenhua's technique was very magical. This magical technique allowed him to directly bypass the level of 'technique' and enter the level of 'law' for creating divine abilities. This was the first time he had encountered such a magical technique.
He wanted to test the limits of this technique and compare it to the Overlord Body Three-Dan Art!
His steps grew faster and faster, his momentum stronger and stronger. He was flying forward like the wind, but his steps still appeared calm, without any sense of haste.
Xu Shenhua was led by him, keeping up with his steps, his footwork still steady, not at all chaotic.
The two's speed grew faster and faster. Suddenly, Xu Shenhua's face turned pale, then grew paler and paler. He had been led by Qin Mu for over a hundred li, and he could no longer hold back. With a "wah," he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Qin Mu did not stop. Xu Shenhua followed him, running forward, and spat out another mouthful of blood.
He ran and spat blood, but still did not reveal any flaws. However, if he continued to spit blood like this, he would eventually drain all the blood from his body and die!
Throughout this entire time, Qin Mu had never attacked him. The one who had injured him was himself.
Qin Mu walking forward was actually a confrontation of momentum, body techniques, and divine abilities between the two. Although it seemed without any danger, the decisive battle had already begun, and not a single mistake was allowed.
His techniques and divine abilities relied on improvisation and creation, which placed extremely high demands on mental energy.
He had consumed a lot of mental energy in the Supervision and Manufacturing Bureau. Although Qin Mu had given him a chance to rest and recover, mental energy was not so easily replenished.
Now, he was so exhausted that he was spitting blood. If this continued, the loss of mental energy would be too great. Qin Mu wouldn't even need to make a move; he would be dragged to death alive!
If he continued, his mental energy would inevitably be exhausted.
Xu Shenhua's hair began to turn gray, black strands turning into wisps of white hair. He coughed up blood while keeping up with Qin Mu's steps. The loss of mental energy had already affected his physical body. Sooner or later, he would exhaust himself to death!
Suddenly, Qin Mu stopped abruptly and laughed, "Killing you like this, you would definitely not be convinced, and I wouldn't feel satisfied either. Brother Xu, take good care of your injuries, replenish your vitality. We'll settle this another time."
Xu Shenhua stopped, opened his mouth as if to speak, but suddenly fell to the ground with a thud, unconscious.
"He is a respectable and terrifying opponent." Qin Mu praised, leaving the unconscious Xu Shenhua there, and turned to leave.
The corners of his mouth were bleeding. He quickly swallowed the blood that surged into his throat. He had almost exhausted Xu Shenhua to death, but he himself had also barely held on. However, as the villagers said, you must not lose face even if you lose the fight. You must never show weakness.