The First Marquis of Daxuan

"You killed Elder Jin and Elder Sun of the Yanfu Sect?"

Xu Gu looked at Su Mu and frowned, saying, "As far as I know, the Yellow Yama King of the Yanfu Sect is still alive..."

"Elder Xu, my mission is to kill Elder Jin and Elder Sun, not Huang Yanwang of Yanfu Sect."

"Even if the Ten Kings of Hell of the Yanfu Sect were to be killed, it would be the elders and powerful figures like you who would do it. How could a mere peak master like me possibly kill the Ten Kings of Hell?"

Su Mu said calmly.

Xu Gu frowned. He wanted to use someone else to kill Su Mu, but he could think about it and do it, but he couldn't say it out loud.

What he couldn't understand was how Su Mu had managed to do it.

Theoretically, if one wants to kill Elder Jin and Elder Sun of the Yanfu Sect, one will inevitably run into King Yama.

How could Huang Yanwang possibly stand by and watch his elders be killed by Su Mu?

Given Su Mu's strength, he shouldn't be a match for Huang Yanwang.

He looked at the two heads in front of him; they were indeed Elder Jin and Elder Sun of the Yanfu Sect.

"I've completed my mission. I heard the Grand Elder has returned. Can I now enter the secret realm to learn the Hengshan Body Refining Technique?"

Su Mu said solemnly.

He had already inquired and learned that the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect had returned. This time, he would not give Xu Gu any excuse.

He must enter the secret realm of Hengshan Sect to learn the Hengshan Body Refining Technique.

"The Grand Elder—"

Xu Gu pondered, his mind racing, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

But before he could speak, Su Mu said seriously, "I know the Grand Elder is not in seclusion. If Elder Xu feels it is inconvenient for you to go to the Grand Elder, then I will go to the Grand Elder myself."

I think our Yokoyama Sect hasn't reached the point where its rules have become a joke.

"What are you talking about?"

Xu Gu's face darkened, and he said coldly, "The rules of Hengshan Sect are certainly not child's play."

"Now that you've met the requirements, entering the secret realm to cultivate the Hengshan Body Refining Technique should be no problem."

Xu Gu knew that if Su Mu really made a big fuss, he wouldn't get the better of the Grand Elder either.

It seems that Su Mu can't be stopped this time.

Who would have thought that this kid could actually kill two elders of the Yanfu Sect?

But it doesn't matter. Even if this kid learns the Hengshan Body Refining Technique, it will still take him some time to achieve anything.

I have plenty of ways to deal with him.

"Let's go, I'll take you to the secret realm."

A cold glint flashed deep in Xu Gu's eyes as he spoke coldly.

…………

The Hengshan Sect Secret Realm is a space left behind by the first patriarch of the Hengshan Sect after his passing.

The first patriarch of the Hengshan Sect is said to be a powerful being at the Primordial Realm who already possessed the ability to create. The space he left behind after his death is, strictly speaking, a small world.

Although it cannot compare to a truly small world like the Saha World, it is still vast in area and has its own ecosystem.

If the first patriarch of the Yokoyama sect had not died, this small world would have eventually evolved into a true world like the Saha world.

However, the first patriarch of the Yokoyama sect passed away, so this small world stopped evolving and became a "dead" small world.

It will no longer evolve, but will slowly move towards its end.

Over the years, the Yokoyama Sect has been trying to delay the death of the secret realm. While there has been some effect, it has been minimal.

If things continue as they are, the secret realm of the Hengshan Sect will "die" in a few thousand years at most.

Without the secret realm, it will be difficult for Hengshan Sect to maintain its position as one of the most powerful sects in the Great Qian Dynasty.

The current sect leader of Hengshan Sect, Huang Chao, has been in seclusion for years, hoping to break through to the Tai Chu Realm and save Hengshan Sect from its impending decline.

This information was obtained by Su Mu from the Yokoyama sect's library.

He didn't care when the secret realm of Hengshan Sect would "die," as long as the secret realm still existed.

Led by Xu Gu, he passed through a hidden portal and appeared directly in the secret realm of Hengshan Sect.

"The Hengshan Body Refining Technique is on this cliff. Whether you can comprehend it, and how much you can comprehend, depends on yourself."

Xu Gu led Su Mu to a cliff that was a hundred feet high, then left him there and went straight away.

The hundred-foot-high cliff was flattened by a single sword stroke, becoming like a mirror. It was covered with thousands of large characters, each as big as a human body, making it an exceptionally awe-inspiring sight.

What shocked Su Mu even more was this secret realm.

After entering the secret realm, he sensed that it was different from the outside world.

It's hard to put into words what the difference is.

To the naked eye, this secret realm is actually no different from the Great Qian Dynasty or the Saha World.

Both have mountains, rivers, trees, and the sky and earth.

However, from the perspective of a Dao Source Realm expert, all the laws of heaven and earth are laid bare before their eyes in this secret realm.

Simply put, in the Great Qian Dynasty or the Saha World, the laws of heaven and earth are hidden beneath the surface, like black boxes. You can see the black boxes, but you don't know how they work inside.

However, in this secret realm, the laws of heaven and earth are not contained within the black box, but are exposed to the outside world.

In this way, it becomes infinitely easier to comprehend the laws of the universe.

No wonder Du Rongcheng and the others said that the secret realm of Hengshan Sect is a sacred place for cultivation.

Practicing here can indeed yield twice the results with half the effort.

"Even without the Hengshan Body Refining Technique, the laws within this secret realm alone are enough to allow me to continue advancing."

Su Mu was overjoyed. He had gone to such great lengths to come to the secret realm of Hengshan Sect because his cultivation had encountered a bottleneck.

Even when he fought a life-or-death battle with King Yama, his cultivation level was stuck at the Dao Source Realm of 78 miles and could not advance any further.

It's not that there will be absolutely no progress.

But if you want to make progress, you don't know how many years of hard work it will take.

Su Mu himself has plenty of lifespan, but the problem is that the Great Celestial Venerable may not give him that much time.

He had been away from the Saha world for a long time, and he didn't know if the Great Celestial Venerable had emerged from seclusion.

Once the Great Celestial Venerable emerges from seclusion, he may sacrifice the entire Saha World, something Su Mu absolutely cannot allow.

Therefore, Su Mu did not have time to accumulate experience slowly; he had to cultivate to the peak of the Dao Source Realm as soon as possible.

It would be even better if I could break through to the Dao Extreme Realm.

Now, the secret realm of the Yokoyama Sect has brought him a glimmer of hope.

Su Mu took a deep breath, sat cross-legged in front of the cliff, and began to meditate with his eyes closed.

…………

"Elder, Su Mu has entered the secret realm. He has met the requirements for cultivating the Hengshan Body Refining Technique. According to the rules, he can study it in the secret realm for three months. If he cannot comprehend the Hengshan Body Refining Technique within three months, then he does not have the talent..."

Xu Gu bowed slightly and said in a deep voice.

Before him sat an old man in a chair, who was none other than the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect.

Xu Gu secretly glanced at the Grand Elder. After not seeing him for several months, the Grand Elder had aged considerably.

Logically speaking, this situation should not occur for a Dao Source Realm expert.

Once one's cultivation reaches the Dao Source Realm, their appearance will almost never age.

The only explanation is that the Grand Elder's lifespan is nearing its end, and he can no longer control the aging of his body.

Given this situation, the Grand Elder probably only has a few years left to live.

Xu Gu was secretly delighted. The Grand Elder's lifespan was nearing its end, and there were only a handful of people in Hengshan Sect qualified to succeed him as Grand Elder. Xu Gu was the most suitable one!

Becoming the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect, that is truly having absolute authority.

It should be noted that the sect leader rarely appears in public, and everything in the Hengshan Sect is almost entirely decided by the Grand Elder.

"Elder, I've always felt there's something wrong with Su Mu's identity..."

Xu Gu said in a deep voice.

"What is the problem?"

The elder calmly asked, "Have you heard some rumors?"

"There are some."

Xu Gu said, "Although he is listed in the sect's disciple roster, strangely enough, almost no one in the sect remembers him."

I looked for some of his fellow disciples who entered the sect at the same time as him, but they didn't have much of an impression of him.

Logically speaking, with his talent, he shouldn't be so unknown.

"With accumulated experience and perseverance, it is possible to catch up and surpass others."

The Grand Elder calmly said, "Over the years, the Hengshan Sect has had many disciples who were unknown when they first entered the sect, but later became famous overnight."

"While it's possible to achieve instant fame, Su Mu's talent is simply too extraordinary. Someone like him can never remain unknown, no matter what..."

Xu Gu said.

"His identity is not in question."

The First Elder said calmly, "Elder Xu, instead of speculating about the disciples in the sect, you should focus your attention on the external enemies."

The Yellow Yama King of the Yanfu Sect has been active in the territory of my Hengshan Sect for so long, why haven't you dealt with him yet?
I am old and won't live for many more years. After I die, who will take over the position of Elder of the Merit Hall?

The sect leader has decreed that whoever can defeat King Yama can succeed me…

Xu Gu's expression suddenly changed.

"Elder, the position of Elder of the Merit Hall has always been elected by the various elders and peak masters, this—"

Xu Gu said in a deep voice.

He had been planning this for years, and if the peak master of Zhenyue Peak hadn't suddenly been replaced, he would have already had enough votes.

Now that the Grand Elder is telling him that whoever defeats the Yellow King of Hell can take over the position of Grand Elder, what was the point of all the effort he put into forming alliances and maneuvering before?

He had to pay countless prices to gain the support of the elders and peak masters.

Those guys are all incredibly greedy!
"This is what the Sect Master meant."

The Grand Elder gave Xu Gu a meaningful look. “The Sect Master has a high vantage point and a long-term vision. The current situation of the Great Qian Dynasty is not good, and my Hengshan Sect may also be affected at any time. Without absolute strength, my Hengshan Sect may not be able to remain as stable as Mount Tai.”

The Yanfu Sect has already extended its reach into the territory of my Hengshan Sect. At this time, we need a powerful enough Grand Elder to lead our Hengshan Sect forward.

Huang Yanwang is the best whetstone.

Elder Xu, I remember you were already at the peak of the Dao Source Realm hundreds of years ago. With your strength, you might not be a match for King Huang Yan.

Xu Gu frowned deeply.

In terms of spiritual attainment, he is indeed no less than Huang Yanwang.

But he had been a pampered elder of the Hengshan Sect's Punishment Hall for so many years, while Huang Yanwang was a traitor who had been fighting and killing people all these years.

With each side gaining an advantage, even if Xu Gu was very confident, he wouldn't dare say that he could definitely defeat Huang Yanwang.

Several names flashed through his mind.

If there's anyone within the Hengshan Sect who has a chance of defeating Huang Yanwang, there are probably only a handful of people. Of course, Su Mu isn't among those names.

In Xu Gu's opinion, Su Mu's strength was far inferior to Huang Yanwang's.

Do the sect leader and the Grand Elder have a problem with me? Or are they intentionally giving these people important positions?

wrong.

wrong.

Although I have lived a life of luxury all these years, I have also held a high position and received a lot of cultivation resources. In terms of cultivation alone, I may not be inferior to King Yama.

If I really put my life on the line, I might have a chance to defeat King Yama.

Even the sect leader and the grand elder cannot guarantee that I won't be the winner.

Could it be true, as the Grand Elder said, that the Sect Master wants someone with sufficient strength to become the Grand Elder?
Xu Gu's mind raced, and he came up with some clues.

The Great Qian Dynasty was indeed showing signs of decline. In the past, how could the Ten Kings of Hell of the Yanfu Sect dare to enter the Great Qian Dynasty?

If they dare to come, they will die.

However, now that Huang Yanwang has been active in the Daqian Dynasty for so long, the Daqian Dynasty has only issued an order to Hengshan Sect to resolve the matter, and then there has been no further action.

They didn't even send a single strongman.

Of course, it's also possible to say that the Great Qian Dynasty believed in Yokoyama Sect.

The problem is that even the Yokoyama sect can't spare the resources to eliminate the Yellow King.

Xu Gu felt a chill run down his spine. Belatedly, he realized that not only was the Great Qian Dynasty showing signs of decline, but even the strength of their Hengshan Sect was not what it used to be.

If this happened during the heyday of the Hengshan Sect, would Huang Yanwang have dared to provoke them?
impossible!
But now, apart from the sect leader, Xu Gu couldn't even count a single person in the Hengshan Sect who could reliably defeat Huang Yanwang.

Thinking about this, Xu Gu felt a chill run down his spine.

"Elder, why doesn't the Sect Master take action himself? With his strength, he probably wouldn't need a second move to kill Huang Yanwang."

Xu Gu asked in a low voice.

"If the sect leader has to handle everything, what are we even needed for?"
"A mere Yellow Yama King is not worthy of summoning the sect leader from seclusion."

The elder glanced at him and said indifferently.

"If there's nothing else, you can leave now. You should also pay attention to the matter of King Yama."

The Grand Elder waved his hand, a look of exhaustion on his face. "Personally, I hope that you will be the one to defeat King Yama."

"Yes, I will certainly live up to the Elder's expectations."

Xu Gu cupped his hands in greeting and left the Grand Elder's room.

…………

Su Mu was unaware that Huang Yanwang had become the target of the elders of Hengshan Sect.

Huang Yanwang himself didn't know that he had gone from being Su Mu's whetstone to the whetstone of the entire Hengshan Sect.

They were both immersed in cultivation.

Huang Yanwang has not had this kind of enthusiasm for cultivation for many years.

Once one's cultivation reaches the peak of the Dao Source Realm, breaking through to the Dao Extreme Realm is no longer something that can be achieved through mere effort.

So over the years, King Yama has become lax, and he can't even remember how many years it has been since he seriously cultivated.

But this time, when he encountered Su Mu, he failed to defeat him several times, which completely ignited Huang Yanwang's inherent fighting spirit.

How could Huang Yanwang allow himself to admit defeat to a junior?
He must kill Su Mu!
Driven by this goal, Huang Yanwang also became passionate about cultivation. He wanted to learn a killing move to kill Su Mu!
As for Su Mu.

Although King Yama brought him some pressure, the greater pressure came from the Great Heavenly Venerable and the Great Qian Dynasty.

In Su Mu's words, who does Huang Yanwang think he is? Among his enemies, Huang Yanwang's strength might not even rank in the top ten.

Strictly speaking, even a powerful figure like Huang Chao, the sect leader of Hengshan Sect, could be considered Su Mu's enemy.

However, the Great Qian Dynasty has not yet officially launched a military campaign against the Saha World, so the Great Qian Dynasty can only be considered a potential enemy.

Su Mu is now taking precautions even in times of peace, considering all potential enemies.

That's why he felt so much pressure and was so eager to improve his cultivation.

He looked at the Hengshan Body Refining Technique on the cliff. The characters seemed to come alive, turning into figures that flew through the air.

Without realizing it, he stood up and began to imitate the movements of those little people.

Click, click, click!

As he moved, a sound rang out from his body, and a mysterious aura rose up from him.

Su Mu was so engrossed in his work that he was completely unaware of these changes.

I don’t know how much time has passed.

Finally, Su Mu opened his eyes, and a golden light, almost tangible, shot out from them.

boom!
A powerful aura soared into the sky.

In an instant, the sky above this secret realm emitted a seven-colored light.

Su Mu looked up in surprise at the strange phenomenon in the sky.

"what happened?"

He looked puzzled.

Just then, an elderly man with a hunched back appeared not far away, leaning on a cane and walking slowly towards them.

A moment later, he appeared in front of Su Mu.

"Unexpected."

The old man glanced at the strange phenomenon in the sky, then at Su Mu.

"You actually managed to comprehend the Hengshan Body Refining Technique, and the most fundamental version of it at that."

The old man's tone was full of emotion.

Su Mu looked at the other person, and for a moment he was not sure where the other person came from.

"I am the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect, and also Du Rongcheng's uncle."

The old man looked at Su Mu and said calmly.

Su Mu suddenly realized.

His identity in the Hengshan Sect was fabricated for him by Du Rongcheng's uncle.

Everyone thought Su Mu was a true disciple of Hengshan Sect, but this Grand Elder knew Su Mu's true identity.

At first, Su Mu was also worried about whether the Grand Elder would allow him to cultivate the Hengshan Body Refining Technique.

After all, he was not a true disciple of the Hengshan Sect, while the Hengshan Body Refining Technique was a secret and unique skill of the Hengshan Sect.

Entering the secret realm for cultivation will not affect Hengshan Sect, but learning the Hengshan Body Refining Technique could really shake the foundation of Hengshan Sect.

But the Grand Elder actually allowed him to learn it.

Su Mu was actually somewhat surprised, and he was still very curious about why.

The old man glanced at Su Mu, as if he could see the doubt in Su Mu's heart.

He said calmly, "When everyone thinks you are a disciple of the Hengshan Sect, then you are a disciple of the Hengshan Sect."

Su Mu frowned slightly. What was the point of this repetitive talk?

"I originally just wanted to give it a try, but I didn't expect you to actually comprehend the Hengshan Body Refining Technique."

"Su Mu, if the Hengshan Sect faces annihilation in the future, as long as you are alive, the Hengshan Body Refining Technique can be passed down, and the Hengshan Sect will still exist. Do you understand this principle?"

The elder said calmly.

"Just because of that?"

Su Mu pondered and said, "With the strength of Hengshan Sect, how could it possibly face annihilation?"

Who could possibly bring about the annihilation of the Yokoyama Sect?

The elder shook his head, not answering his question, but continued to speak to himself, "Su Mu, now that you have comprehended the Hengshan Body Refining Technique, are you interested in becoming a true disciple of the Hengshan Sect?"

"You can sit here."

Su Mu: "..."

Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect?
Are you kidding me? The position of Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect is no joke.

Aren't you afraid I'll drag the Yokoyama Sect down with me?

"Elder, you know my origins."

Su Mu remained silent for a moment, somewhat unsure of the elder's thoughts. "Strictly speaking, I am an enemy, not a friend, of the Great Qian Dynasty."

The fact that the Great Qian Dynasty wants to swallow up the Saha world is something I cannot accept.

Perhaps one day in the future, I will be at war with the Great Qian Dynasty, while the Hengshan Sect is a supporter of the Great Qian Dynasty. At that time, we will inevitably become enemies.

If I become a disciple of the Hengshan Sect, how will the Hengshan Sect conduct itself?

"It's just a mere Saha world. If you become the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect, protecting a Saha world will be a piece of cake."

Even the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty would give you this face.

"At that time, it won't be difficult for you to take the Saha World back from the Great Qian Dynasty."

The Grand Elder spoke slowly. Although he looked old and frail, the domineering aura emanating from him at this moment made Su Mu realize that this was the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect, and an absolute big shot in the entire Daqian Dynasty.

"I think there's nothing in this world that only has benefits without any price to pay."

Su Mu remained silent for a long time.

With the backing of the Hengshan Sect, he can indeed do many things that he cannot do alone.

He can't deal with the Great Celestial Venerable, but the Hengshan Sect can.

If the sect leader of Hengshan Sect were willing, he could probably kill the Great Celestial Venerable with a single slap.

As the Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect, protecting a world of suffering is indeed not difficult.

If Su Mu were a hot-blooded young man just starting out, he would probably have already agreed to the Grand Elder's request.

But he is not.

He knew very well that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Even if it were possible, it wouldn't happen to him.

"If I agree to your request, what price will I have to pay?"

Su Mu looked at the Grand Elder and said in a deep voice.

"As the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect, it is natural for me to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Hengshan Sect."

The Grand Elder remained calm and said, "You need to solve the troubles of Hengshan Sect, you need to be responsible for the development and growth of Hengshan Sect, and you need to worry about the inheritance of Hengshan Sect."

If the Yokoyama Sect has a powerful enemy, and the sect leader is unable to take action, you will have to deal with it.

This is the price you have to pay, and it's what every Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect has to do.

"This is just something a senior elder should do. There are many people in the Hengshan Sect who can do this, and Xu Gu can do it too. Why me?"

Su Mu said in a deep voice, he wasn't so easily fooled, "Is there anything I can do that Xu Gu and the others can't?" (End of this chapter)