Chapter 36: Escape from Peril

This turn of events was something Mu Yuan never expected. Yuan Longtai came with high hopes, yet ended up dead and soul-shattered. Even Mu Yuan himself instantly fell into a desperate situation!

He mobilized all his Zhenqi—whether the sharp, vast, and unpredictable Tide True Qi or the merged Dragon King’s Dynamic Force and Longevity Qi—all were defeated step by step. The powerful vortex’s devouring force was like a water curtain slowly descending, covering Mu Yuan’s upper body and invading all the way to his Dantian!

After losing a great amount of Zhenqi, Mu Yuan felt waves of dizziness. Having grown accustomed to the strength of Qi Refinement and body cultivation, losing it was like an ordinary person losing more than half their blood—extremely weak. If not for his stable and clear Dao Heart, he would likely have fainted by now!

The sharp screeching from the Stone Jar grew increasingly urgent. When the light rushed into Mu Yuan’s Dantian, he had already lost control of his own Zhenqi. However, the Longevity Sword in his Dantian automatically released a burst of Sword Qi—extremely sharp—churning the dazzling light pouring downward. A collision erupted, exploding violently within Mu Yuan’s meridians. Blood spurted out, and the intense pain made his mind slightly clearer.

Mu Yuan’s Primordial Spirit regained clarity. The Longevity Sword and the Stone Jar’s light were now locked in a stalemate, fiercely contending. The violent clashes made him feel terrible. Knowing that unless the source was eliminated, this disaster would not end, he mustered his strength to gather a strand of Zhenqi, forming it into a rolling Qi weapon, and slashed down angrily, aiming directly at the Stone Jar on the altar!

The Qi waves rolled. The Qi weapon struck the Stone Jar but was swallowed without even a splash. Mu Yuan launched several more strikes, but they all disappeared without a trace like clay oxen entering the sea. He leaped back, only to feel a powerful suction force sticking to his feet, making it difficult to move even an inch. Despair filled his heart, and he deeply regretted this trip!

The Longevity Sword circled faster and faster within his Dantian, its released Sword Qi growing sharper. Other objects in the Dantian were forced out. An inconspicuous small Flying Sword spun around and flew out lightly.

This Flying Sword was exactly what Mu Yuan had condensed using the Witch Clan Sword Formula when he first entered. Since Mu Yuan had not yet achieved external manifestation, it was stored in his Dantian. Now, with the Longevity Sword and the Stone Jar’s light fiercely fighting, this unremarkable Flying Sword naturally couldn’t withstand the force and was flung out!

The Flying Sword leaped up and happened to collide with the Stone Jar’s light. This impact was not as violent as with the Longevity Sword, but the light on the Stone Jar rippled slightly. The light inside Mu Yuan’s body gradually retreated and, in the blink of an eye, shrank back into the Stone Jar.

Mu Yuan felt as if he had received a pardon. He no longer had any thought of dealing with the Stone Jar. Seeing that the Golden Corpse had lost its master and stood motionless, he was surprised that the Stone Jar didn’t take any action against it either. He casually released a Qi vortex, wrapped the Golden Corpse, and without looking back, swiftly left the stone chamber!

He flew up the stone steps like lightning, much faster than when he came. In a moment, he rushed out of the mountain’s interior and appeared at the mountaintop. He took a deep breath, and the Primordial Qi of heaven and earth rolled in, which Mu Yuan converted into Zhenqi to replenish his body. Still shaken, he was truly terrified of that strange Stone Jar. Not only had he lost most of his Zhenqi, but the collision between the Longevity Sword and the strange light had also injured his internal organs and meridians. It would take some time to recover from this.

Mu Yuan didn’t want to stay on this mountaintop any longer. Who knew what other hidden powers that strange Stone Jar possessed? Having just escaped, if he were to be tricked by the Stone Jar again due to his own carelessness, Mu Yuan would truly cry.

Enduring the burning pain in his meridians, Mu Yuan slid down the mountain, riding the wind through the air. The thousand-zhang peak was descended in a moment. He ran dozens of miles away from the main peak of Zhaoyang Mountain before stopping. He felt pain all over his body, his meridians were scalding, and his internal organs felt as if they were burning. He found a place with lush grass and trees, a flowing mountain spring, and abundant spiritual energy. He released the Feng Luan from the Black Water Gourd to guard him, then sat cross-legged to meditate and recuperate.

The rolling and surging wood-element Primordial Qi and the ever-changing water-element Primordial Qi were all absorbed by Mu Yuan. Wood symbolized longevity, water symbolized softness. One moistened his meridians and alleviated pain, while the other restored his Primordial Qi and promoted regeneration of broken parts. Only then did Mu Yuan feel slightly better, and his spirit improved a bit.

The Golden Corpse still stood dazedly beside him. After Yuan Longtai’s death, no one controlled it anymore. Only its pre-death combat instincts remained, but with the surroundings peaceful, it had no use, truly like a lifeless corpse, completely motionless.

Standing up, he still felt somewhat sore and weak. He knew it was due to excessive loss of Primordial Qi, requiring slow recuperation. Fortunately, his foundation wasn’t damaged, and he could still recover. If his Zhenqi had been completely drained at that time, even if he managed to escape, his Dantian vortex would have been broken, and it would be impossible to cultivate again!

Qi Refinement was like wearing shoes. The first time you wear them, they might be a bit tight, but after wearing them for a while, both adjust. Even if you take them off and put them back on, it becomes much easier. But if the shoes are torn, then you can’t wear them anymore!

Currently, Mu Yuan was like having temporarily taken off his shoes. Luckily, the shoes themselves weren’t torn; it just took some effort to put them back on. As long as he absorbed enough Primordial Qi and refined it into Zhenqi, there would be no problem.

He weighed the Black Water Gourd in his hand. Inside were some crystals he obtained from the Light Man’s cave dwelling, as well as the Witch Clan Sword Formula. These were the gains from this trip, but they came at a great cost. Not only did Yuan Longtai die, but Mu Yuan also suffered a severe defeat. Gazing at the main peak of Zhaoyang Mountain from afar, the clouds and mist drifted ethereally, encircling it like a belt, appearing completely peaceful, unlike the life-and-death crisis that had just occurred.

“I’ll bring the Golden Corpse back to Feilong Village and hand it over to someone skilled in corpse refinement. It’s of no use to me anyway. Besides, Feilong Village still relies on it for protection.” After careful thought, Mu Yuan decided to go to Feilong Village first to return the Golden Corpse and inform them of Yuan Longtai’s death so they could prepare. After that, he would return to the Longevity Palace!

Although he had only been away from the mountain for half a year, his gains were substantial. His master hadn’t yet taught him the Spirit Refining path after the Qi Refining Third Layer, so returning now would be a good time to receive instruction. Although it’s said that the master leads the way, but cultivation depends on the individual, having a senior guide is faster and better than blindly groping around on one’s own!

Moreover, he hadn’t even learned the Divine Abilities of the Longevity Art. Even the Greenwood Divine Radiance was taught years ago for training purposes, and he had figured out many tricks. Having experienced the power brought by the complete version of the Tidal Flow Divine Ability, Mu Yuan greatly looked forward to the auxiliary Divine Abilities of the Longevity Art.

Having made up his mind, he set off immediately. The Brocade Deer he left at the foot of the mountain was still there. Mu Yuan collected it and then mounted the Feng Luan, heading straight for Feilong Village.

Upon returning to the village, he reported the events of the trip. The entire village mourned. Mu Yuan handed over the Golden Corpse, and it was accepted by Yuan Longtai’s son, Yuan Lin. Although many corpse-refining families in the village coveted this Golden Corpse, they couldn’t say much. Mu Yuan immediately bid farewell, but Zha Ying invited Mu Yuan to his home.

Mu Yuan was curious, wondering what Zha Ying wanted from him. After they sat down and drank tea, Zha Ying said, “Brother Mu, I have a favor to ask. I wonder if it’s convenient for you?”

Mu Yuan smiled slightly. “Brother Zha, speak freely. If it’s within my power, I definitely won’t refuse!”

Zha Ying smiled, clasped his hands, and said, “I have an idea. I’d like Feng’er to become your disciple and also practice Qi Refinement and cultivation. What do you think?”