Chapter 856 - 844: The Assault

White Bird Lakefront.

Chen Mu stood in front of the thatched house, instinctively displaying the Great Power Divine Ability as if it were second nature like eating or drinking.

The Yin Spirit Divine Power around him was mobilized, and a sense of bulging surged through his muscles, akin to the sensation of a blood rush following intense weight training.

Chen Mu felt his entire body brimming with strength.

He instinctively swung his arm and lashed out a punch.

Pa!

It sounded like the snap of a whip cracking the air, followed by a deafening pop.

"Transform the Yin Spirit body into power to fill the whole body, is this the Great Power Divine Ability?"

"It's alright, I suppose." Chen Mu smacked his lips.

"I wonder if I can manipulate the Yin Soul Divine Power gathered by the Mountain-Carrying Scripture." He pondered the Great Power Divine Ability, shaking his head: "Probably not."

"The power gathered by the Mountain-Carrying Scripture ultimately remains outside the body."

"If I could incorporate the strength of the Yin Souls into my body using the Five Ghosts Possession Technique, it might be transformed by the Divine Ability into infinite great power."

Chen Mu's mind wandered to all sorts of possibilities.

After a moment of thought, he shook his head and chose not to dwell on it further.

If successful, the power would certainly be formidable, but its destructive effect is unknown.

Regardless of whether they are human or demon, once they reach a certain stage, they will develop Innate Protective Qi Mechanism.

If the protective mechanism cannot be broken through, even the greatest strength is useless if it doesn't hit the target.

One can say that this Divine Ability is interesting, but it's only a bit interesting.

After experimenting briefly, Chen Mu set the Great Power Divine Ability aside. His attention was more absorbed by the changes in the White Bird Divine Soldier.

...

Over time, the White Bird Divine Soldier gradually diminished.

In less than two months, the originally watermelon-sized White Bird Divine Soldier completely disappeared, utterly consumed by White Bird City.

"Thank goodness, it shouldn't shorten my lifespan." Chen Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

These days he had been carefully monitoring his condition, and now that the White Bird Divine Soldier had been entirely refined, he felt no discomfort whatsoever.

Moreover, beyond that.

"It seems... Thousand Lanterns City now possesses the ability to refine Divine Power?" Chen Mu placed the Life and Death Seal back into the Shadow Pupil Big Eye, sensing a difference within Thousand Lanterns City, and his heart leapt with joy.

He immediately transformed the Yin Divine Dharma Form into a Candle Dragon and flew into White Bird City, sending vast emotions and desires into Thousand Lanterns City.

Before long, Divine Power emerged from within Thousand Lanterns City out of thin air.

"It really works!"

Chen Mu beamed with a smile.

Prior to the refining process, the ability of the White Bird Divine Soldier to refine Divine Power had been gradually waning.

Things are good now; Thousand Lanterns City has swallowed the White Bird Divine Soldier, along with its ability.

"Looks like I won't be short on Divine Power in the future."

"Good fortune!

Chen Mu immediately thought of another matter.

Thousand Lanterns City had consumed the White Bird Divine Soldier, truly digesting and absorbing it, thereby causing the White Bird Divine Soldier to effectively vanish.

And without the Divine Soldier... doesn't it mean I no longer need to fear being tracked by other Commanders pursuing remnants of the Divine Weapon?"

"Ha!"

Chen Mu couldn't help but laugh aloud.

Shaking off possible trackers, and not lacking Divine Power, the situation indeed turned out splendidly. What he had originally considered just an ancillary—the Great Power Divine Ability—now appeared much brighter.

"I should have sent the White Bird Divine Soldier into Thousand Lanterns City sooner!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to flee time and again."

...

During the subsequent ten days, the Nine Cups Calculation Scripture performed consecutive calculations without detecting any crisis.

Everything was normal in White Bird City.

Morning, by White Bird Lakefront, in front of the thatched house

Chen Mu felt relaxed in body and mind.

In the past year, every three or four months in a single location, the Nine Cups Calculation Scripture would detect an inexplicable crisis drawing near.

Now at this site, nearly half a year had passed with no danger arising.

"Seems like I've truly shaken off the pursuit, no more need running here and there."

Feeling delighted.

Jingle...jingle...

A sudden, urgent ringing sounded unexpectedly.

Heartless Bell, Giant Spirit Divine?

"Isn't that supposed to work!"

"The White Bird Divine Soldier is thoroughly refined, how could there still be a Blood-colored Black Wind Demon attack?"

Just as Chen Mu was about to use the Truth Listening Divine Power to check details, his peripheral vision caught sight of a figure.

His whole body shook, and he quickly turned to see that there was a person outside the thatched house.

When did a man in white appear here?

The man had jet-black hair tied back into a ponytail, and his clear red eyes were staring at Chen Mu with an amused expression.

"Lan Zhang... General Lan?!" Chen Mu's heart skipped a beat.

"You recognize me?" Lan Zhang raised an eyebrow. "I thought you seemed a bit familiar."

"He carries the aura of the Ghost Shadow Clan." The No-Eyed Child emerged from Lan Zhang's shadow, transforming into a shadow, hovering mid-air.

The half-human-tall big eye stared intently at Chen Mu.

"So it was you." Lan Zhang exclaimed quite surprised as he regarded Chen Mu.

"Last time we met, you were in Hundred Intentions Heaven."

"I never expected you'd return to Nether Demon Heaven and even enter the Yama Cave Heaven?"

"Indeed, fate brings us together."

I'd rather not have this fate!

Chen Mu felt his scalp tighten, cold sweat forming on his back.

Originally, when he accidentally fell into the Netherworld Underworld, he was summoned to Antiquity City Hai Character Camp, joining the Yin Soldier army to hunt demons in Nether Demon Heaven.

The commanding officer of the Hai Character Camp back then, was none other than the current General Lan Zhang.

However, later he cultivated the Blood God Scripture, seeking to devour and control the entire Hai Character Camp of Yin Soldiers, Chen Mu didn't want to become a puppet, so he had to flee.

They re-encountered when he led demons from Nether Demon Heaven to invade Hundred Intentions Heaven. At the time, Chen Mu, trying to procure the Daoist Foundation Atlas, was receiving training in the Hundred Illusion Sect, preparing to serve as a Daoist Soldier for the Thousand Mechanisms Sect.

But that was over a decade ago.

Chen Mu never imagined he'd meet him here again.

"Were the prior Blood-colored Black Wind Demons all Lan Zhang's handiwork?"

Chen Mu realized.

Previously he presumed the blood-colored mist was the power of Nether Demon Heaven.

Now reflecting on it, it likely resulted from the Blood God Scripture.

Therefore, the significant crisis predicted by the Nine Cups Calculation Scripture had never been the pursuit of a Commander tracking Divine Soldier remnants, but rather Lan Zhang's assault?

Chen Mu's gaze flitted over the large eye, his heart skipping a beat once more.

He remembered back in the Hundred Illusion Sect, he had already killed this eye monster.

Why was it still alive now, seemingly having no memory of ever encountering him?

Regarding the eternally smiling Lan Zhang, Chen Mu's heart tightened again.

It probably has something to do with this madman daring to cultivate the Blood God Scripture!

"Were those lanterns refined by you?" Lan Zhang looked up, interestedly regarding the Soul Nourishing Lamp drifting overhead.

"Just some low-quality trinkets, not worth mentioning." Chen Mu took a deep breath and cautiously replied.

"Trinkets? Do you know how much your little trinkets helped me?" Lan Zhang chuckled.

"Why not gift them to me."

"Then... can you let me go?" Chen Mu cautiously probed.

"I have plenty of skilled people under my command, I don't particularly need a Yin Soldier General like you." Lan Zhang shrugged, though his gaze was fixed upon the Soul Nourishing Lamp.

Chen Mu was immediately overjoyed.

Losing the Soul Nourishing Lamp could be compensated for by crafting new ones, but losing his life would be irreplaceable.

"Don't let him leave, he carries the aura of the Cloud Mirage Pearl." The No-Eyed Child's large eye suddenly widened, locking onto Chen Mu.

"Quick!"

"Hand over the Cloud Mirage Pearl."

"I'll leave you a complete corpse!" The layered voice of the No-Eyed Child was filled with excitement.

Cloud Mirage Pearl?

What is that?

But... leaving me a complete corpse?

Ha!

Chen Mu squinted at the No-Eyed Child.

If not for Lan Zhang being present, I'd love to kill you again!

"You certainly have some skills." Lan Zhang finally withdrew his gaze, looking at Chen Mu with surprise.

"My earlier promise stands, I'll still let you go."

"However..." he wore a look as if he knew Chen Mu understood.

Cloud Mirage Pearl?

I'd love to give it to you, but truth be told, I don't have such an item.

Chen Mu felt somewhat helpless.