Chapter 201: A Heart Like a Rock

“Thank you both for saving my life!”

After confirming that Ghost Mother had left, Mu Feng finally let out a sigh of relief and bowed to Mu Qingling and the Hemp-robed Old Taoist.

After frightening away that old witch Ghost Mother, he finally felt at ease.

“Don’t thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank that girl Qingzhu!”

Mu Qingling, dressed in white and looking ethereal, showed no expression. From beginning to end, her face had almost no change.

She gave Mu Feng a faint glance up and down, then turned and left. With one step, she flew down from the towering mountain peak and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Only her icy voice came from afar, “You reached the peak of the Mortal Realm in such a short time. Quite talented. Unfortunately, your starting point was too low, and your cultivation time too short. Mu Tie is now known as the Heartless Sword. Wherever his sword points, no one can stand against him. In three years, you… better… watch… out…!”

Heartless Sword?

Mu Feng felt a chill, remembering Mu Tie’s cold appearance.

Hearing Mu Qingling’s words, he quickly understood that Mu Tie, the former Chief Transmission Disciple of Mu Manor, after breaking through to the Elite Realm, was probably far more terrifying than people said. The Heartless Sword Dao, the Heartless Sword—with the legacy of Heartless True Person and followers like Blind Master, his cultivation speed would be incredibly fast. If he also gained the full support of the Family Patriarch in the future, how formidable would he become?

Just as Mu Feng had relaxed after driving away Ghost Mother, he immediately felt a heavy pressure again. His desire for power grew stronger and stronger.

Mu Tie, whose cultivation advanced a thousand miles a day and was called the Heartless Sword, was like a massive mountain pressing down on him, forcing him to cultivate continuously and struggle hard, not daring to slack off even a little. Although his opponent was incredibly powerful, as long as he persisted in training diligently, he still had a slim chance. But if he loosened up and gave up on himself, then there would truly be no hope at all.

“Young man, it seems your situation is not good.”

The Hemp-robed Old Taoist smiled and walked toward the dazed Mu Feng, then said, “Alright, now we are finally even. You drew away the Immortal Sword Sect’s pursuers for me, and I saved your life. Young man, it’s time for you to return my item. Hand it over.”

“Return it to you?”

Mu Feng was confused. Looking at the mysterious Hemp-robed Old Taoist who was hard to track, he had no idea what he was talking about.

“The oilcloth. Outside the Shangling Terrace last time, I told you to keep it close to you.” The Hemp-robed Old Taoist gave a faint smile, looking over the puzzled Mu Feng, then paused before continuing, “The note inside is useless now. What I want is the oilcloth that wrapped the note. Last time, to deal with the Immortal Sword Sect experts’ pursuit and search, I temporarily stored it with you. Now it’s time to return it to its owner.”

Oilcloth?

Mu Feng instinctively reached into his chest, but found nothing. He was about to say he had long lost it, when suddenly he remembered storing it in the Breeze Ring. Sure enough, he quickly found it and took it out. Looking at this plain oilcloth and recalling what Flying Sky Bat had said, he suddenly had a thought and exclaimed, “Taoist, could it be… could the so-called Great Extinction Sword Manual be this oilcloth?”

“Correct. the peerless sword manual passed down by the Saint Gongsun is hidden on this oilcloth.”

Seeing the oilcloth in Mu Feng’s hand, the Hemp-robed Old Taoist did not get excited or rush to ask for it. He remained calm, as if he had long expected the oilcloth to still be with Mu Feng. Looking at the surprised Mu Feng, he said with a faint smile, “What, Young Master Mu, have you grown attached to this oilcloth after carrying it for so long, reluctant to return it to this humble Taoist?”

Grown attached?

Mu Feng wanted to laugh but found he couldn’t. His face showed bitterness.

Looking at the oilcloth, he couldn’t help but recall the encounter at the Back Mountain. He remembered how usually soft-spoken Shuang’er had decisively carried Chu San and hid together with him from the pursuers during that critical moment.

Several days had passed. He wondered if Shuang’er’s condition had improved and if the terrifying Demonic Elixir had taken effect.

Seeing the object made Mu Feng think of the person. Suddenly, he really felt somewhat reluctant to return the oilcloth. Not because it was some sword manual, but because this seemingly plain oilcloth carried memories of the time he spent with Jing Wushuang, and held his longing for someone.

Seeing him dazed and gloomy, the Hemp-robed Old Taoist did not hurry him. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the spot and began to play his erhu. A sense of hardship, loneliness, and indifference immediately touched the heart, making the despondent Mu Feng feel a connection.

“Taoist, thank you for your guidance and help. Here is the oilcloth, returning it to you!”

After a long while, Mu Feng snapped out of his daze amidst the erhu’s sound. He quietly returned the oilcloth that had stirred up storms and driven countless people mad, placing it in front of the Hemp-robed Old Taoist.

“The Great Extinction Sword Manual passed down by the Saint Gongsun. Young Master Mu, are you not tempted at all?” The weathered Hemp-robed Old Taoist looked up, staring intently at Mu Feng, seeming somewhat surprised, yet also as if he had expected it.

“What is mine, no one can take away. What is not mine, no matter how precious or rare, I wouldn’t forcefully seize! In this world, there are no trash cultivation techniques, only trash cultivators. What truly makes a person powerful is not what technique they learn, but here. If the heart is strong enough, the person naturally becomes strong. One doesn’t need many true cultivation techniques; having one is enough!”

Mu Feng’s face was calm. He gently pressed his palm against his chest, feeling the surging hot blood and strong heartbeat through his thin robe.

After returning from the Poison Sect and going through many hardships, he had matured without realizing it. Now, to him, techniques like the Misty Rain Sword Art, the Yinwind Great Art, and even the Great Sun Tathagata Glazed Art given by Master Kongwu were secondary. The Blood Refining Art inherited from the Ancestral Witch Zhu Youxuan was the foundation of him, a Blood Shaman!

“Good, good. The Jianning First Scholar indeed has extraordinary insight. Young Master Mu, what a shame, what a shame we do not have a master-disciple fate. Otherwise, I would really have liked to take you as my final disciple in the Immortal Divination Sect, hahaha!”

The Hemp-robed Old Taoist looked at Mu Feng with appreciation. After storing the oilcloth, he laughed three times and then drifted away.

In an instant, only Mu Feng remained alone on the towering mountain peak. Just as he was about to leave, suddenly, a faint buzzing sound reached his ears. Looking down carefully, he found the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada in a rock crevice, spitting out silk threads and tightly wrapping itself up. It seemed the little creature, after devouring a few drops of Ghost Mother’s blood, was about to evolve further.

“Should I kill it now, or…”

Mu Feng hesitated briefly, then carefully stored the motionless Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada in an empty bottle and sealed it again.

From this little creature, he sensed a faint connection of shared blood. According to Sect Leader Murong, this was a sign of the early stage of the Beast Refining Art. As long as he continued cultivating, he could completely control this Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada and refine it into his Second Primordial Spirit. By then, its power would far surpass the unstoppable Blood Radiance. The only thing to be careful about was that in the early stages, he must be very cautious to avoid being harmed by the little creature. Ghost Mother’s fate was a vivid lesson.

This highly toxic golden cicada was undoubtedly a double-edged sword. Used well, it could slay gods and buddhas who stood in its way. But if he was careless, he might end up hurt by it.

After carefully storing the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada, Mu Feng looked up at the sky and simply sat cross-legged, starting to cultivate on the spot.

“When will I finally comprehend the third level of the Blood Refining Art?”

Looking into the distant darkness, Mu Feng’s eyes were firm, full of anticipation for the third level of the Blood Refining Art. Inside his body, there was a gurgling sound, and his abdomen began to rise and fall greatly. In the thick darkness of the horizon, a faint streak of daylight was visible.

No matter how terrible the storm, it would eventually subside. No matter how dark the night, it would eventually pass. A streak of daylight had already appeared at the horizon. Would dawn be far behind?

In Mu Feng’s heart, there was an unprecedented firmness, his heart like a rock!

Although the Chief Transmission Disciple Mu Tie was powerful, he believed that one day he could crush him underfoot just like he had with that bully Mu Qingyuan