Just as Li Mu and Little Gold were conversing, two familiar clear cries suddenly came from the sky, and two divine lights, one red and one blue, pierced through the air.
“Caw—!”
With a bright Phoenix cry, Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix spread her wings, and the sky-filled flowing flames bloomed like red lotuses, transforming into a stunningly beautiful woman in a fiery red dress. Her red hair was like fire, her Phoenix eyes were sharp, and a flame emblem pulsed between her brows as she landed beside Li Mu.
“Little Gold, congratulations! At least you weren’t struck by lightning and turned into a roasted monkey.” Crimson Flame’s red lips curled slightly, her tone teasing, but her eyes held a hint of relief.
Closely following, Azure Moon True Dragon transformed into a young man in blue robes, his brows cold and stern, with moonlight flowing around him.
“You handled the Demon Emperor Tribulation well!” Azure Moon True Dragon looked at Little Gold with satisfaction, smiling approvingly.
“Heh heh, you guys are finally back! I’m a Demon Emperor now, so don’t hold me back in future fights!” Little Gold’s eyes glowed with golden light as he saw the two of them, laughing loudly.
Crimson Flame snorted, red flames flickering on her fingertips: “Just finished your tribulation and already so arrogant? Believe it or not, I’ll burn off all your monkey fur right now?”
Azure Moon, on the other hand, gave him a faint glance, and a drop of Moonlight Heavenly Dew appeared in his palm. With a flick of his finger, it accurately landed on the golden mark between Little Gold’s eyebrows: “Stabilize your Origin, don’t waste it.”
Little Gold grinned, spreading his arms to hug the two: “Less talk! Since you’re back, we won’t stop until we’re drunk!”
Crimson Flame’s figure flickered, her red dress swirling, avoiding his bear hug, and she said disdainfully: “You smell burnt all over, stay away from me!”
Azure Moon calmly raised his hand, and a Moonlight Barrier blocked Little Gold, stating seriously: “Behave yourself, Master is here, don’t be presumptuous!”
Seeing this, Li Mu shook his head and chuckled. Crimson Flame was tsundere, Azure Moon was steady, and Little Gold was wild. The three of them together brought a lot of joy.
Li Mu’s gaze swept over, seeing Ink Jade Rock Lizard – Little Tile – in the corner, looking envious yet somewhat dejected. Little Gold’s successful Fusion of his ancestral Bloodline and Breakthrough to Eighth-Rank Demon Emperor after passing the Lightning Tribulation was always a significant stimulus to Little Tile, who was also stuck at the Seventh-Rank Bottleneck.
“Little Tile, what are you thinking about!” Li Mu walked over and asked.
Little Tile looked up, a hint of embarrassment flashing in his amber vertical pupils: “M-Master… Little Gold awakened his ancestral Bloodline through Devouring Spirit, can I, can I… also…?”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned and fell into deep thought, momentarily unsure how to tell him.
Little Gold possessed the Green-Eyed Golden Ape Bloodline. Although he was only Fourth-Rank, his Bloodline was relatively pure, both belonging to the ape clan. By Devouring Spirit and absorbing high-rank ape Bloodline, there was a chance of Awakening ancient ancestral Bloodline. However, Little Tile’s situation was completely different.
Li Mu pondered for a moment, then gently patted Little Tile’s hard Ink Jade scales, saying softly: “Little Tile, your situation is different from Little Gold’s.”
Little Tile’s amber vertical pupils dimmed slightly, and he whispered: “Master, is it because my Bloodline is too mixed?”
Li Mu nodded, then shook his head: “Mixed Bloodline is one aspect, but more importantly is your Origin attribute. You are a hybrid of Ink Jade Flood Dragon and Iron Armor Rock Lizard. These two Bloodlines originally have little connection, so trying to Awaken an ancestral Bloodline…”
Li Mu did not continue, but the meaning was clear. Little Tile’s Ink Jade Flood Dragon Bloodline came from his father, and the Fourth-Rank Iron Armor Rock Lizard Bloodline came from his mother. Although both Bloodlines belonged to the earth element, the Flood Dragon focused on ‘spiritual transformation,’ while the Rock Lizard leaned towards ‘solidity.’ They formed a delicate balance within his body. Forcibly Awakening one of them could very likely destroy this balance, leading to Bloodline backlash.
Little Tile lowered his head, his thick tail unconsciously slapping the ground, making dull thuds: “I understand.”
Looking at Little Tile’s dejected expression, Li Mu changed the subject, indicating: “However, I have thought of another path.”
“What path?” Little Tile suddenly looked up, the light of hope rekindling in his eyes.
“Dao Legacy.” Li Mu’s gaze was profound as he looked at Little Tile and explained: “Since the Bloodline path is not feasible, you can only take the Cultivation Technique Dao path. You inherited Chi Hong Daojun’s Legacy on Lingxu Blessed Island. He is an Extreme Realm Daojun, and he chose you as his successor for a reason!”
“Master, the Dao Art Chi Hong Daojun passed down to me is called the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture.’ Perhaps I am too dull, but this Cultivation Technique is quite difficult to Cultivate, and I have always struggled to comprehend its intricacies.” Little Tile said sadly, his head bowed low.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned. Dao Scripture Legacies are difficult to describe, and Li Mu had never inquired about the specific details after Little Tile obtained Chi Hong Daojun’s Dao Art Legacy.
However, Little Tile had managed to Breakthrough to Sixth-Rank Humanoid Transformation and successfully advance to the True Spirit Realm with this Cultivation Technique, even without being able to Cultivate it to Perfection. Now, it seemed that this “Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture” was likely extraordinary.
Li Mu pondered for a moment, then suddenly cast a spell, withdrew his incantation, and a Spirit Control Contract Seal landed on Little Tile.
“Cultivation Techniques are not to be easily passed down. I will share my Divine Soul with you to see what profound mysteries this Cultivation Technique holds.” Li Mu said to Little Tile, indicating his intention.
Little Tile nodded happily, opening his mind and allowing Li Mu to control him.
Li Mu’s Divine Sense, following the Spirit Control Contract Seal, penetrated deep into Little Tile’s Sea of Consciousness. In an instant, it was as if he was in a vast and boundless land. The sky was high and distant, the mountains were majestic, and a grand, profound Dao rhyme swept over him.
“This is… the manifestation of the Concept of the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’ Legacy?” Li Mu’s heart trembled.
Looking up, he saw a towering divine mountain rising from the distance, reaching the heavens. Ancient Dao patterns were carved all over its body, containing the mighty power to suppress heaven and earth. And at the peak of the mountain, a blurry figure stood with hands behind his back, his robes fluttering, as if coexisting with heaven and earth.
“Chi Hong Daojun?”
Li Mu immediately realized that this was likely a wisp of the Daojun’s will left in the Legacy!
The figure slowly turned, his eyes like abysses, staring at Li Mu: “One who dares to pry into a Dao Legacy shall be suppressed by the Earth Mountain!”
In an instant, the entire Sea of Consciousness trembled, and countless mountain phantoms emerged from the Void Realm, bringing with them a terrifying might that could suppress all ages, pressing down on Li Mu’s Divine Soul!
“Hmph! A mere remnant thought dares to show off its power?” Li Mu sneered, forming hand seals, and his Chaos Divine Soul manifested, pointing a finger.
“Star God Finger!”
The Chaos Divine Soul soared into the sky, transforming into a giant finger phantom, and collided with the suppressing mountain with a roar, easily resisting the opponent’s impact. However, Little Tile’s Sea of Consciousness violently vibrated, and he let out a painful low growl.
Seeing this, a cold light flashed in Li Mu’s eyes: “Since you’re unwilling to speak properly, then don’t blame me for using force!”
Li Mu fiercely activated his Chaos Divine Soul, forming hand seals, and shouted in a low voice: “Chaos Sealing Spirit!”
In an instant, countless wisps of Chaos Qi emerged from the Sea of Consciousness, intertwining into a vast net that covered the sky and obscured the sun, enveloping the entire divine mountain and Chi Hong Daojun’s will together. The vast mountain phantom, under the suppression of these Chaos Divine Runes, actually began to crumble inch by inch.
“Fellow Daoist, wait!”
Chi Hong Daojun’s will finally changed color, a hint of surprise in his voice, “You actually Cultivated the Chaotic Great Dao?”
Li Mu remained unmoved, his Chaos Divine Soul continuing to activate the Chaos Sealing Spirit Grand Array, and he said coldly: “Now are you willing to speak properly?”
Chi Hong Daojun’s phantom gradually shrunk under the suppression of the Chaos Sealing Spirit Grand Array, finally transforming into a human-shaped light figure. He gave a wry smile: “So be it. Since I have encountered a Cultivator of the Chaotic Great Dao, you naturally wouldn’t covet my Legacy. I admit defeat. What do you wish to ask?”
Li Mu then slightly relaxed the suppression and said in a deep voice: “First, why did you choose my companion as the Legacy holder? Second, what is the true mystery of the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’?”
Chi Hong Daojun’s will was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “Do you know what ‘Earth Sovereign’ means?”
Without waiting for Li Mu’s answer, Chi Hong Daojun continued: “An Earth Sovereign must encompass all things and bear all beings. While pure Bloodline is strong, it lacks the Dao of inclusion. The Legacy holder possesses several earth-elemental Bloodlines, much like the earth accommodating water and fire, making them the best candidate for Cultivating this scripture.”
A sharp light flashed in Li Mu’s eyes: “So this ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’…”
“Indeed.” Chi Hong Daojun nodded, “The essence of this scripture is not in ‘suppression,’ but in ‘inclusion.’ Using one’s body as a furnace to smelt myriad Bloodlines, what is ultimately achieved is not the overbearing power of suppressing heaven and earth, but the kingly way of embracing all things.”
As he spoke, Chi Hong Daojun suddenly looked at Little Tile’s struggling Divine Soul and sighed softly: “This child has always misunderstood the direction, always wanting to forcibly suppress the earth veins, but he does not know how to guide the path of Fusion, nor does he possess this will. Naturally, he cannot achieve Epiphany of its essence. Since you have entered my Dao, you should know the responsibility of the Earth Sovereign—to suppress mountains and rivers, stabilize earth veins, and bear the weight of myriad mountains, only then can one achieve immortality.”
Li Mu’s Divine Sense suddenly condensed into a Dao Body phantom in the Sea of Consciousness, and he solemnly bowed to Chi Hong Daojun’s remnant thought: “Junior dares to ask for a look at the Complete Manual of the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’.”
Chi Hong Daojun’s phantom scrutinized Li Mu’s Divine Soul, surprised: “A Cultivator of the Chaotic Great Dao is actually interested in a minor earth-elemental Dao?”
“Three thousand Dao Arts, all lead to the same destination.”
Chaos Qi flowed at Li Mu’s fingertips, and he actually manifested nine layers of mountain phantoms in the Void Realm, “Senior, please see—”
The Chaos Qi split into two streams: one condensed into an Ink Jade Flood Dragon soaring into the sky, earth Qi surging as its whiskers swayed; the other transformed into an Iron Armor Rock Lizard crawling on the ground, profound yellow spiritual liquid seeping from its cracked back scales. The two intertwined and collided among the nine layers of mountains, carving deep Dao patterns onto the mountain bodies.
Chi Hong Daojun’s spiritual light paused, and he said tremblingly: “This is… the Innate Dao traces evolved from earth veins?”
“Precisely.” Li Mu pressed his hands down, indicating: “Just now, by observing Little Tile’s Sea of Consciousness Legacy, I have glimpsed thirty percent of the true meaning within the scripture. To completely resolve the Bloodline shackles within his body, I need to see the Complete Manual to deduce the creation. I hope Senior does not mind.”
“Very well!” Chi Hong Daojun sighed deeply, and his phantom suddenly burst forth with ten thousand rays of colorful light: “I have been seated for ten thousand years, and today I have met a kindred spirit, so I shall make an exception!”
In an instant, the entire divine mountain collapsed with a roar, transforming into countless golden seal characters floating in the Void Realm. Each character was as heavy as a thousand jun, containing the terrifying power to suppress earth veins. Li Mu gazed intently, and saw that the first twelve characters were particularly dazzling: “Earth Origin limitless, suppress mountains and bear heavens; profound virtue carries all things, myriad spirits return to Origin.”
…
Li Mu’s pupils constricted, and his Chaos Divine Soul unconsciously formed Dao incantations.
From the Chaos perspective, a completely different trajectory was revealed—mountains were not confinements, but nodes where billions of earth veins converged; suppression was not repression, but the organization of spiritual hubs with the power of the earth Origin.
“So that’s how it is!” Li Mu suddenly burst into laughter, his Chaos Divine Soul radiating an unprecedented brilliance, evolving seventy-two miniature mountains. From the base of each mountain, three thousand earth veins extended, connecting with the Chaos Qi in the Void Realm….
Chi Hong Daojun’s remnant thought fluctuated violently: “You actually integrated the Earth Sovereign Dao rhyme into the Chaotic Great Dao?”
“The so-called ‘suppress mountains and bear heavens’…” Li Mu reached out and held up a Chaos mountain. Inside the mountain, the Dao patterns of the Ink Jade Flood Dragon and Iron Armor Rock Lizard were clearly visible, merging. “It’s nothing more than the primordial earth power generated by the collision of clear Qi and turbid Qi when Chaos first separated. The most exquisite part of this ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’ lies in the four characters ‘myriad spirits return to Origin’—”
Before his words finished, Li Mu suddenly pointed his fingers like a sword, and the evolving Chaos world exploded with a roar, transforming into countless profound yellow earth Qi.
“This is not a simple earth-elemental Cultivation Technique at all; it’s clearly a supreme true scripture that directly points to the Great Dao of Earth Origin!”
Li Mu suddenly turned to Little Tile’s Divine Soul, which was curled up to one side, and said with a voice like a booming bell: “Little Tile, watch carefully! The Bloodline within your body is not a shackle, but a heaven-bestowed creation!”
As he spoke, Li Mu’s hands evolved Chaos, incorporating all the profound yellow earth Qi into his palms. The characters, heavy as mountains, began to soften and flow within the Chaos Qi, gradually transforming into two intertwining rivers of Dao principles—one shimmering with Ink Jade luster, agile like a soaring Flood Dragon; the other radiating a profound yellow hue, solid like the earth’s placenta.
“The Flood Dragon governs change, and the Rock Lizard governs stability.” Li Mu’s fingers moved like shuttles, weaving the two rivers of Dao principles into warp and weft, and he continued to explain: “The true meaning of the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture’ lies in responding to all changes with constancy!”
Chi Hong Daojun’s remnant thought trembled violently, realizing that Li Mu was deconstructing the Origin Legacy of the “Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture.”
Li Mu didn’t answer. He suddenly injected the restructured Dao principles into Little Tile’s Divine Soul. Immediately, Little Tile’s amber vertical pupils burst forth with nine-colored light, and mountain patterns appeared on his Ink Jade scales. The previously conflicting Bloodline Power actually began to resonate harmoniously.
“Master… I see it!” Little Tile’s Divine Soul let out a long roar, “Earth veins are like dragons, mountains are bones. I must make myself the foundation that bears all things…”
“The foundation of the Earth Sovereign.” Li Mu finished with a smile, turning to look at Chi Hong Daojun, who was about to dissipate, “Senior, are you satisfied with this interpretation?”
The Daojun’s remnant thought was as faint as smoke, but he let out a hearty laugh: “Marvelous! To derive earth Origin from Chaos, and transform shackles into a Dao foundation. Little friend’s Comprehension Ability surpasses my own back then!”
Before his words finished, the last bit of spiritual light suddenly burst open, transforming into three hundred and sixty Earth Vein True Talismans that merged into Little Tile’s Sea of Consciousness. Little Tile trembled violently, closed his eyes, and fell into an Epiphany.
Noticing this, Xue’er, Little Gold, Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix, and Azure Moon True Dragon all looked over, their gazes involuntarily turning to Li Mu.
They had already sensed Li Mu’s conversation with Little Tile, as well as their Divine Thought communication. Coupled with Li Mu’s sudden use of the Spirit Control Contract Seal on Little Tile, and now Little Tile’s sudden Epiphany and full activation of his Cultivation Technique, his aura suddenly became thick and heavy, and the earth itself was trembling slightly.
Little Gold squinted his golden eyes, staring at the mountain patterns appearing on Little Tile’s body, deep in thought.
“Huh, earth vein power is rapidly gathering. Is Little Tile about to Breakthrough?” Xue’er looked at Li Mu, asking in surprise: “Li Dage, what did you do to Little Tile?”
“Little Tile is comprehending the true meaning of the ‘Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture.’ We shouldn’t disturb him.” Li Mu smiled slightly, waved his hand, and conjured a set of array tools. He then activated them to envelop Little Tile, isolating him from external interference.
“Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture!”
The four looked at each other, not understanding its meaning. (End of Chapter)
