Wang Feng’s flustered figure, fleeing in a hurry, entered Li Mu’s eyes.
“What a coincidence, Senior Brother Wang! Where are you off to?” Li Mu’s heart stirred, and he quickly stepped forward to block Wang Feng, asking with a smile.
When Wang Feng saw Li Mu clearly, his soul nearly fled his body.
“You, you, you, don’t come over!” Wang Feng shrieked in panic, as if he had seen a soul-reaping demon upon seeing Li Mu.
“Senior Brother Wang, what’s wrong? You just came out of the Listening Rain Pavilion, didn’t you?” Li Mu chuckled, asking with a half-smile.
“You, you, you, I, I…” Caught red-handed by Li Mu, Wang Feng was so scared his tongue tied in knots, unable to speak.
“Senior Brother Wang, don’t be afraid. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it long ago.” Seeing Wang Feng’s terrified expression, Li Mu smiled and leaned closer, soothing him in a low voice.
Hearing this, Wang Feng’s heart trembled violently, then he felt a slight calm, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw, feeling like he had escaped from death.
“You knew all along?” Wang Feng’s throat was dry, and he asked, feigning composure.
“Nonsense. You’re just like Xu Shixiong, but he would lure Yao Beasts and cover his tracks a bit to fool others. You’re so blatant, am I an idiot? How could I not know?” Li Mu chuckled, mocking him to his face.
Caught red-handed, Wang Feng was utterly ashamed, and his scalp tingled when he met Li Mu’s gaze.
“Since you knew all along, why, why…” Wang Feng asked in confusion.
“Why didn’t I kill you? Haha, I dealt with the one surnamed Xu, then you came. If I dealt with you, who knows which short-sighted Managing Disciple would come next? It’s too troublesome. I think, after this lesson, Senior Brother Wang won’t try to meddle again, right?” Li Mu sneered, looking at Wang Feng with a half-smile.
“No, never again! If it weren’t to raise Spirit Stones to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill, I wouldn’t have done this…” Wang Feng waved his hands repeatedly, explaining nervously.
Li Mu chuckled, somewhat understanding Wang Feng’s predicament.
Outer Sect Disciples like Xu Lijin and Wang Feng had both reached the Peak of Qi Refining Rank nine, needing to prepare for Foundation Establishment. Seeing any opportunity for profit, they would resort to extreme measures. The eleven acres of Medium Grade Spiritual Fields he had cultivated were quite valuable. Killing a small Utility Disciple would allow them to easily acquire it, so how could they not be tempted?
However, understanding was one thing; when it happened to him, Li Mu was very displeased.
To prevent future trouble, he could spare Wang Feng’s life, lest the next short-sighted Managing Disciple provoke him again. However, letting Wang Feng off so easily would be too lenient.
“Alright, no need to explain. I’ll spare your life, but doing wrong requires punishment. You agree with that, right?” Li Mu interrupted Wang Feng, asking with a smile.
“I accept the punishment, I accept the punishment! These Spirit Stones…” Wang Feng nodded readily, pulling out a pile of Spirit Stones as compensation.
Li Mu smiled disdainfully; he didn’t lack those few Spirit Stones.
The next second, a sword light flashed, and Li Mu took out a Mystic Iron Sword from his storage compartment. After acting, he immediately put the Mystic Iron Sword back into the storage compartment, completing the punishment in an instant.
With a “Pa!” sound, Wang Feng’s right arm, holding the Spirit Stones, detached from his shoulder and fell to the ground, blood splattering.
“Ah!” Wang Feng howled miserably, Spirit Stones scattered everywhere. He clutched his severed arm, his face ashen, and looked up at Li Mu.
However, the other party had already disappeared at some unknown point.
“What happened? Who dares to commit violence in the street?!”
“It’s a Qingxuan Sect Managing Disciple! Who’s so bold?!”
“It’s Senior Brother Wang! Senior Brother Wang, are you alright? Who attacked you?”
...
Wang Feng’s miserable state immediately attracted the attention of passersby and Utility Disciples nearby, who questioned him one after another.
“Quick, quick, take me to the infirmary! Hold my arm! The Spirit Stones, and my Spirit Stones…” Wang Feng clutched the wound on his severed arm, desperately asking the Utility Disciples for help. Having escaped death, he dared not cause any further trouble.
Li Mu’s figure emerged from the wall of an deserted alley, glancing towards Wang Feng’s direction. The matter of the Managing Disciple coveting his Spiritual Fields was temporarily concluded. If he dared to meddle again, the next time would definitely not be as simple as a severed arm.
Immediately, Li Mu walked straight towards Zhang’s Spiritual Beast Farm, preparing to retrieve Crimson Wolf.
Zhang’s Spiritual Beast Farm was deserted, with only Shopkeeper Zhang sitting at the counter, calculating accounts. Stores like Zhang’s Spiritual Beast Farm, located in quiet areas, generally only dealt with large clients and old customers, and rarely entertained casual visitors.
“Shopkeeper Zhang, I’m looking for Bai Ping!” Li Mu walked up and greeted him.
Zhang Shouquan glanced at Li Mu, having some impression of him—a Utility Disciple who often came to sell Wind Spirit Grass. Hmm! No, this guy passed the Qingxuan Sect Outer Sect assessment.
“Bai Ping, come out, someone’s looking for you.” Zhang Shouquan looked at the Outer Sect Disciple robe Li Mu was wearing, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, and quickly called into the inner hall.
“Coming, coming, Third Uncle, who’s looking for me?” Zhang Baiping trotted out from the inner hall, looking at Li Mu in surprise and asking, “Good heavens, you passed the Outer Sect assessment?”
“Yes! I luckily passed. Bai Ping, I’m here to pick up Crimson Wolf! Thank you for your trouble during this time.” Li Mu smiled and nodded.
“Come with me! That little guy is too mischievous and incredibly bold, daring to provoke anyone. You should take it away quickly.” Zhang Baiping quickly beckoned, saying exasperatedly.
After speaking, Zhang Baiping led Li Mu to the Spiritual Beast Farm.
They saw a crimson figure darting into a Giant Boar pen, interacting with a Giant Boar two or three times its size, retreating and advancing, testing each other.
“Look, look, how bold this guy is! It’s getting wilder and wilder, completely uncontrollable!” Seeing this scene, Zhang Baiping was so angry he complained to Li Mu.
Li Mu frowned, not blaming Crimson Wolf for being mischievous, but rather that it had gotten itself all dirty, its beautiful crimson fur stained with a lot of filth.
Hearing footsteps, Crimson Wolf looked back and saw its master—Li Mu’s figure. Crimson Wolf immediately became excited, flicking its tail, abandoning the Giant Boar, and with a leap, it cleanly jumped out of the boar pen and pounced towards its master.
Li Mu was startled; how could he let the incredibly dirty Crimson Wolf approach? He released his Divine Sense, immediately restraining Crimson Wolf, rendering its body immobile.
“Woof woof…” Crimson Wolf didn’t know why its body couldn’t move. It stubbornly struggled against the unknown force but couldn’t break free, whining pitifully in frustration.
“Hahahaha, your master is back, and you’re getting a taste of your own medicine!” Zhang Baiping laughed gleefully, secretly startled at the same time.
Li Mu’s control with Divine Sense, its strength and precision, were much stronger than his. Zhang Baiping admitted he couldn’t keep Crimson Wolf’s body perfectly still like Li Mu did.
Li Mu continuously cast Cleansing Spells, removing the dirt and filth from Crimson Wolf’s body. Then, he performed a Water Condensation Spell, summoning a large amount of spiritual water to drench Crimson Wolf from head to toe. Afterwards, he cast a miniature Drying Technique to dry Crimson Wolf’s fur.
Watching Li Mu multitask, restraining Crimson Wolf while continuously casting Spells, Zhang Baiping, standing beside him, watched with wide eyes and in silence, feeling an inexplicable pressure and a sense of defeat deep down.
As a Foundation Establishment Family Disciple, Zhang Baiping possessed both Water and Wood Spiritual Roots, indicating good Aptitude. He had always held himself in high regard. However, at this moment, he deeply felt the truth of the saying, “There’s always someone better, and a higher heaven.”
It was already extremely difficult to capture Crimson Wolf with Divine Sense and hold its body still. If Zhang Baiping used his full power, he could probably do it, but not as effortlessly and perfectly as Li Mu.
However, not only did Li Mu easily restrain Crimson Wolf’s body, but he also had enough energy to cast different Spells, effortlessly and with ease, almost like a superhuman existence.
At this moment, Zhang Baiping finally understood how Li Mu, with only an Early Stage Qi Refining Rank seven cultivation, could pass the Outer Sect Disciple assessment.
This Spell casting talent was too much of a Prodigy!
How did he do it? While controlling something with Divine Sense, he still had energy to cast Spells…
Zhang Baiping frowned, pondering the Spell casting method.
At this time, Li Mu had already cleaned Crimson Wolf and released his control, reaching out to stroke Crimson Wolf’s enthusiastically offered head.
“Bai Ping? Are you alright?” Li Mu turned around to see Zhang Baiping lost in thought, staring intently at him, not knowing what he was thinking.
“Uh! I’m fine. How did you do that just now, casting Spells while restraining Crimson Wolf?” Zhang Baiping looked at Li Mu, unable to figure it out, and asked directly.
“Well, just like that! I really didn’t pay attention to it.” Li Mu was stumped by Zhang Baiping’s question and didn’t know where to begin.
“What do you mean ‘just like that’?! If I use Divine Sense to control something, I can’t divide my attention to cast Spells. Divine Sense isn’t a hand, how can it be used for two things?” Zhang Baiping was exasperated, urgently pressing for an answer.
“It’s simple, Bai Ping. Try controlling two Flying Swords, then slowly increase the number of Flying Swords you control. Naturally, you’ll learn this technique.” Li Mu smiled slightly and explained.
“If you do that, will your Divine Sense be enough?” Zhang Baiping was stunned for a moment, then asked a core question.
“It’s alright! You get used to it with practice! Your Divine Sense will also increase.” Li Mu paused, then casually made up an explanation. It was then that he realized that the technique he had inadvertently displayed might be something Zhang Baiping couldn’t learn.
His Divine Sense’s growth was related to the Spiritual Planting of Emerald Spirit Fruit and the improvement of his Quenching Spirit Art Rank. Li Mu possessed Divine Sense power not inferior to a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. If Zhang Baiping didn’t have a significant Divine Sense enhancement opportunity, it would likely be very difficult for him to replicate Li Mu’s multi-purpose Divine Sense Spell casting technique.
“Bai Ping, it’s getting late, I must take my leave!” Fearing that Zhang Baiping would ask him more difficult questions, Li Mu bid farewell to Zhang Baiping.
“Hmm! I’ll see you out.” Zhang Baiping nodded, courteously seeing Li Mu off from the Spiritual Beast Farm.
Soon, Li Mu, holding Crimson Wolf in one arm, released a Rank one Mystic Iron Sword, leaped up, and landed with his feet on the sword. With a “whoosh,” he sped off, and in a blink of an eye, his figure turned into a black dot, disappearing into the horizon.
Zhang Baiping stared blankly at Li Mu’s departing figure as he rode his sword, his gaze distant, lost in confusion.
Zhang Baiping carefully considered Li Mu’s words, not knowing how to simultaneously control multiple Flying Swords. With his Divine Sense cultivation, controlling one Flying Sword was already very taxing; controlling another, he didn’t know where to start.
“Bai Ping, what happened? Why are you so dejected?” Zhang Shouquan looked at Zhang Baiping, who was distracted and not himself, and asked with concern.
“Third Uncle, can you control multiple Flying Swords at once?” Zhang Baiping looked up at Zhang Shouquan and asked earnestly.
“I can, I suppose! Controlling two Flying Swords shouldn’t be a problem, but in that case, the power of the Flying Swords would be significantly weaker.” Zhang Shouquan thought for a moment and replied with confirmation.
“Then, Third Uncle, can you use your Divine Sense to hold a Giant Boar’s body still and then cast Spells to attack it?” Zhang Baiping nodded, having expected this answer, and then asked again.
Zhang Shouquan frowned, pondered for a moment, and replied, “That’s a bit difficult! Controlling a Giant Boar’s body is already very hard. If I also cast attack Spells at the same time, my Divine Sense power would need to increase by two or three times or more. I could barely manage it.”
“Exactly! That makes sense!” Zhang Baiping nodded generally.
“Why are you suddenly asking me this? Is there a problem?” Zhang Shouquan looked at Zhang Baiping in confusion.
Zhang Baiping sighed and told Zhang Shouquan about his discovery at the Spiritual Beast Farm, looking mentally defeated and utterly baffled as to how Li Mu did it.
“Ah, that! That kid has amazing talent, possessing extremely strong Divine Sense and Divine Sense control.” Zhang Shouquan explained with a smile, looking at Zhang Baiping and saying, “Bai Ping! This world is vast. There’s always someone better, and a higher heaven. The Prodigies of those large Sects, the Sect Saints and Saintesses, probably have even more formidable abilities than that! Qing’an Town is too small; we’re just frogs in a well, unaware!”
Zhang Baiping was silent for a moment, agreeing with Zhang Shouquan’s words.
Qing’an Town was just one of thousands of small towns under the Qingxuan Sect’s control, unremarkable. Only by going to larger places could one meet more powerful individuals.
“Third Uncle, I want to join the Qingxuan Sect and see the world.” Zhang Baiping suddenly looked up, his eyes shining with longing.
“Sigh!” Meeting Zhang Baiping’s determined gaze, Zhang Shouquan couldn’t help but feel a headache and quickly advised, “Of course I support you going out to see the world. However, if you enter the Qingxuan Sect now, you’ll just be cannon fodder, with no benefits. Instead, you’ll have no time to improve your cultivation. Stay in the Family for now. Wait until you successfully reach Foundation Establishment. At that time, when you enter the Qingxuan Sect, you can at least start as an Inner Sect Disciple.”
“Third Uncle, don’t lie to me! There are still several Family brothers waiting for Foundation Establishment. How could a Foundation Establishment Pill possibly be my turn?” Zhang Baiping’s resolve wavered upon hearing Zhang Shouquan’s words, and he said unwillingly.
“It’s good that you know! With Family support, it’s still incredibly difficult for you to get one Foundation Establishment Pill. If you were out there, relying entirely on yourself, are you sure you could get a Foundation Establishment Pill?” Zhang Shouquan chuckled, retorting.
“I…” Zhang Baiping opened his mouth, speechless. He couldn’t refute what Third Uncle said.
With Family support, getting one Foundation Establishment Pill was already extremely difficult. If he relied entirely on himself, he could forget about a Foundation Establishment Pill for the rest of his life.
“Work hard then! Otherwise, you’ll have to find a way to get a Foundation Establishment Pill yourself. Since you know that kid is hiding his true strength, why don’t you try to befriend him, cater to his preferences, and see if there’s an opportunity to gain some benefits?” Zhang Shouquan smiled slightly, gesturing to Zhang Baiping.
Zhang Baiping’s heart stirred, and he frowned, thinking seriously.