Chapter 846: A Step to Soaring Heights
The Crimson Bright Divine Son smiled faintly, saying nothing, his smile carrying a hint of arrogance. He clearly did not agree with Star Rhinoceros's words. "He didn't understand that saying he's no worse than me is just modesty... However, the problem he's facing is indeed something I cannot solve. Only the Netherworld Divine Son can help him."
In the sky, Qin Mu was still on the losing side.
Overlord Sacrificial Official was fighting more and more smoothly, unable to resist letting out long howls as he unleashed everything he had learned in his life.
As the Grand Sacrificial Official of Li River Academy, all the fruits of the academy's reforms passed through his hands. And because Overlord was trapped by his own divine techniques and Dao methods, unable to make progress, he desperately studied other divine techniques and Dao methods, hoping to use stones from other mountains to break through his own limitations.
But worthy opponents were rare.
He was in an awkward position. The fusion of combat and techniques made his attacks too powerful; few could withstand his domineering strikes at the same cultivation level. Yet because he hadn't entered the Dao, when facing the Butcher, Star Rhinoceros, and others, he always lost within one or two moves, without a chance to truly compete or display his skills.
Overlord Sacrificial Official was in the early stages of transformation, the most frustrating and powerless phase. Despite his talent, it wasn't enough to catalyze his transformation. He needed pressure, but few could provide it.
Only when facing the Black Tiger God did he have a chance to shine, but the Black Tiger God followed the Woodcutter everywhere and had only come once.
Now that Qin Mu had arrived at Li River Academy, Qin Mu's "thick skin and tough flesh" made him highly resistant to attacks, finally allowing Overlord to fully and freely display all his learning and insights.
Qin Mu had come to study the reform achievements of Li River Academy, but now he had become Overlord's whetstone. No matter what divine technique or Dao method Overlord used, Qin Mu could block it. Moreover, Qin Mu's adaptability was astonishing. Though he was on the losing side, his techniques were exquisitely subtle. He learned Overlord's Li River divine techniques and then countered with them.
In fact, Qin Mu could learn Overlord's divine techniques in just one or two moves, spot their flaws, and force Overlord to constantly change and improve.
Qin Mu was a whetstone, making Overlord sharper and more brilliant.
Such an opponent was truly rare.
"This isn't a senior brother feeding moves to a junior brother, but a junior brother guiding a senior brother."
The Old Farmer shook his head at the Butcher, saying, "That Qin kid is better at teaching disciples than you are."
The Butcher nodded. "Overlord lacks boldness and can't learn my blade techniques, yet he always wants to imitate me. He lacks intelligence and can't comprehend the ultimate art of entering the Dao. Fortunately, I died once, and he walked out from under my shadow, creating the skill of combat-technique fusion. But I can no longer guide him."
The Old Farmer thought for a moment and said, "Knowing when to let go makes you a good teacher."
The Butcher smiled and asked, "Has the Martial Combat Heavenly Master opened the Heavenly River Divine Treasury?"
The Old Farmer sighed and shook his head.
"The Martial Emperor became the Martial Emperor because he didn't have a seventh divine treasury and directly crossed the Heavenly Palace. But because he lacked the seventh divine treasury, the Martial Emperor is slightly weaker than other Emperor Seat powerhouses."
The Butcher spoke unhurriedly. "Only by completing the seventh divine treasury and opening the Heavenly River can the Martial Emperor become the true Martial Emperor. Once the Heavenly River Divine Treasury is opened, the Heavenly River will connect all divine treasuries, and you will become one of the most powerful Emperor Seat powerhouses under heaven. Your achievements will shine through the ages!"
The Old Farmer's face wrinkled into folds, and he said dryly, "I'm a bit slow. I sat by the Yong River for many days but couldn't sense the power of the Heavenly River. The Woodcutter was probably right—I've trained my muscles into my brain."
The Butcher didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Just then, thunder and lightning clashed in the sky, and countless blade lights pierced through the lightning. The lightning was drawn by the blade lights, crackling and drilling into the Overlord Blade. The blade lights split in midair, multiplying and converging into a tide that surged toward Qin Mu!
The Butcher, the Old Farmer, and the others all brightened, silently praising. The Butcher said, "Overlord's combat-technique fusion has improved again, but he still can't enter the Dao through the blade, through lightning, or through martial arts. He still lacks much."
The Old Farmer said in surprise, "But the power is terrifyingly great. There's something strange about it..."
As he spoke, countless phantoms suddenly appeared around Qin Mu, as if countless Qin Mus were performing martial arts ultimate techniques. The sky shattered amid myriad visions, transforming into a single, majestic palm strike!
The Strange Peaks Beyond the Heavens, a Thousand Palms Return!
His palm force collided with Overlord's lightning-infused Overlord Blade. The blade light in the air burst out in all directions, spreading flatly and slicing the clouds within a hundred miles into two halves, upper and lower.
After executing this move, Qin Mu suddenly moved. A sword pellet appeared in his hand, transforming into an Overlord Blade.
Qin Mu circled around Overlord Sacrificial Official in midair, executing the very combat-technique fusion moves Overlord had just used. Every move was clear and precise, but the flaws Overlord had shown were now filled in, and the weaknesses repaired.
Overlord stood motionless in the air, watching Qin Mu perform his own techniques around him. Though the power was lacking, the subtlety was at its peak.
After a moment, Qin Mu completed the seven forms of the Overlord Blade. When he reached the eighth form, he only performed half of it before the blade light suddenly stopped.
The moment the blade light stopped, Overlord Sacrificial Official felt a tightness in his chest, as if he wanted to vomit blood. Enraged, he swung his Overlord Blade to continue Qin Mu's blade light, shouting, "This is how it's done!"
Their blade lights clashed, and Overlord used his own blade to guide Qin Mu's, completing the eighth form of the Overlord Blade.
Originally, Overlord Sacrificial Official had created the seven forms of the Overlord Blade based on the Butcher's Nine Forms of the Heavenly Blade. After becoming the Grand Sacrificial Official of Li River Academy, he created the eighth form based on the seventh.
When Qin Mu performed half of the eighth form, it meant nothing to others, but to Overlord, it was suffocating, giving him an irresistible urge to finish it.
Qin Mu smiled faintly, letting his blade and techniques flow along with Overlord's blade.
Overlord Sacrificial Official completed the eighth form and was about to withdraw, but suddenly Qin Mu's blade guided his Overlord Blade onward, leading him into a completely new realm.
Overlord Sacrificial Official's mind exploded. He felt as if his mana, his divine techniques, his blade, his martial arts—everything—had suddenly found a sluice gate to pour out!
His blade moved with Qin Mu's, as if pushing open the gate that had trapped him, allowing him to freely vent his ambitions!
The sky brightened in an instant. The lightning in the air formed a massive vortex, with thick beams of lightning connecting from the vortex, linking to the Overlord Blade!
The blade in Overlord Sacrificial Official's hand became a bridge connecting the majestic power of heaven and earth, brighter and more dazzling than the sun.
The ninth form of the Overlord Blade.
Qin Mu had already withdrawn his blade, no longer guiding Overlord's. But Overlord Sacrificial Official had already broken through the fog before him and found his own path. The blade light, accompanied by lightning, was unleashed with full force!
The lightning vortex in the sky roared and spun. Behind Overlord, a vast sea of fire appeared, flames surging and merging into the blade, freely unleashing the power of combat-technique fusion.
His combat-technique fusion had reached an entirely new level.
He had been on the verge of entering the Dao but lacked the wisdom to take that final step. Qin Mu filled that gap for him and led him across that step.
Once that step was taken, a whole new world opened up. He no longer needed Qin Mu's guidance to continue forward!
Overlord Sacrificial Official tumbled through the air, striking out. The blade light split heaven and earth, transforming into a vast ocean. The ocean pressed down on the blade light as it slashed. One blade stroke passed, and the sky was as clear as washed, becoming a brilliant blue.
Qin Mu laughed heartily, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Senior Brother Overlord, from today onward, you are the Grandmaster of Combat-Technique Fusion!"
Overlord suddenly withdrew his strike, standing in midair, his face a mix of sorrow and joy. Tears streamed from his eyes.
The rough man stood there, holding his blade, silent for a long time. Suddenly, he raised the blade with both hands, knelt in the air, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Junior Brother!"
Qin Mu quickly knelt to return the bow, smiling. "Senior Brother, I only saw that you were missing one step, wandering outside the door. I don't have the foundation in this area, so I could only lead you across that step and help you enter the hall. That you could enter the Dao through combat-technique fusion and become a master in your own right—that was all your own doing."
The two stood up, looked at each other, and laughed heartily before descending from the sky.
Ban Gongcuo looked puzzled and asked, "Overlord Sacrificial Official doesn't seem to have entered the Dao through martial arts, nor through the blade, nor through divine techniques. Strange, how did his strength suddenly increase so much?"
Beside him, Star Rhinoceros said, "It's entering the Dao through combat-technique fusion, taking a shortcut, forming his own system. Lord Qin followed the current and gave him a step. That step was a leap to soaring heights."
The Crimson Bright Divine Son nodded. "Overlord Sacrificial Official used to want to advance further, so he worked hard on martial arts, blade techniques, and divine techniques. But to enter the Dao through any of these three skills is incredibly difficult. He had gone astray. Lord Qin used the eight forms of the Overlord Blade to guide him, actually abandoning these three paths and leading him back to his own. Lord Qin gave him a step, and that one step made him a generation's master."
Ban Gongcuo was startled and muttered quietly, "That surnamed Qin little rabbit... is that impressive?"
"It's not about being impressive; it's about being clever."
Star Rhinoceros walked toward Qin Mu, the box clattering behind him. It circled Qin Mu a few times and rubbed against his leg.
"Star Rhinoceros."
Qin Mu patted the box before greeting him with a smile. "Every time you show up, you look different. Whose body is this?"
"This is the real me."
Star Rhinoceros returned the greeting, his expression serious. "This is what I looked like in my youth."
Qin Mu's heart stirred, and he probed, "Creation divine techniques, remaking a body? I can understand remaking a body, but you used to search for others' bodies, cutting off the strongest parts of accomplished cultivators to piece together a body and a primordial spirit. How did you remake your primordial spirit?"
"That's exactly why I came to see you."
The youthful Star Rhinoceros said bitterly, "I no longer know if the current me is still me. In the past, to extend my life and explore divine techniques and Dao methods, I studied my own body and primordial spirit to the extreme, then dismantled them and seized others' bodies and primordial spirits. But now that the Eternal Peace reforms have reached this point, I've realized that continuing this path brings more and more drawbacks. Returning to my true self might allow me to advance further. However, I can no longer find my own soul or the real me. Even if I restore my youthful body, it's not the true me. I've fallen into fear."
"Knowing this day would come, why did you do it in the first place?"
Qin Mu sneered. "You want me to gather your soul and reshape your spirit? I'm afraid I can't comply!"
Suddenly, the box opened on its own.
Qin Mu's gaze fell on the contents of the box, and his heart skipped a beat.
The youthful Star Rhinoceros also looked at the box, reluctant, but still resolutely said, "Is this price enough to make you act?"
Qin Mu steadied himself, closed the box, and said in a deep voice, "It's enough!"
—Lalala, end of the month, asking for monthly votes, asking for recommendations!