Chapter 54: Three Hundred and Sixty Rooms

Within the village, Old Man Ma gathered his fist and turned to Qin Mu, asking, "Did you grasp it?"

"I did!"

Qin Mu pondered, "Each dragon's might represents a different power. With the sequence of dragon's might altering, the force of the fist changes. When the hundred variations of Green Dragon Fist Strength are sequenced randomly, the move Nine Dragons Control Wind Thunder will manifest countless transformations! Others might withstand my first fist, but it's utterly impossible for them to block my second with the same technique! Even if I unleash a hundred fists, a thousand fists, the power of each one will be entirely unique!"

Old Man Ma, a rare trace of a smile gracing his lips, said, "In the past, your Overlord Body Vital Energy had no attribute, making it impossible to cultivate the Great Vehicle Scripture of Tathagata. And I promised the Great Thunder Sound Temple that I would not transmit their scripture externally. Now, your Overlord Body Vital Energy possesses the Green Dragon attribute, and I still won't teach it to you. However, as long as you comprehend the fist principles, whether you learn the Great Vehicle Scripture of Tathagata or not no longer matters. You have already grasped the dragon's rhyme, its posture, momentum, energy, and spirit. Even without seeing the Hundred Dragons Picture, you can infer its mysteries. Relying on your Overlord Body Three Pills Skill, the power of the Thunder Sound Eight Styles will be no less formidable than the Great Vehicle Scripture of Tathagata!"

Qin Mu's spirit soared. Old Man Ma was always cold and distant, rarely praising others. To earn his commendation filled Qin Mu with joy. Furthermore, Old Man Ma's words sparked a cascade of other ideas within him. Nine Dragons Control Wind Thunder, a move from the Thunder Sound Eight Styles, primarily focused on the dragon's might. What then of the first style, Single Body Carries Spring Thunder Eastward from the Sea?

Could one grasp the essence of this style by observing the Great River flowing in reverse, rushing into the sea, and listening to the roar of the spring thunder waves?

And the move, Flick Finger Shocking Thunder Pipa Hand, was it related to music?

Then there were other moves like Kuafu Chases the Sun, Wind and Thunder Urgency, Sun Shines on the Yang Soul in the Air Refinement, and so on – each must surely possess its own method of comprehension!

The more he thought, the more excited he became, itching to leave home immediately and wander the land, observing the mysteries of heaven and earth, and the profound mechanisms of creation!

"Tomorrow, remember to rise early and visit the neighboring village," Granny Si said, her eyes crinkling in a smile.

Qin Mu, puzzled, asked, "Granny, the people in the neighboring village are from the Heavenly Demon Cult. Why do they call you Cult Leader Madam? Why do they want you to be Cult Leader? And if you won't, why do they still want to kill us?"

Granny Si stroked his head, smiling, "You will understand in time."

The next morning, Qin Mu washed his face, rinsed his mouth, and ate his meal. As he picked up the eggs, Granny Chicken Dragon charged over menacingly, engaging in a skirmish with Qin Mu, neither gaining the upper hand. Granny Chicken Dragon flapped her wings, using her sword-like feathers to chop at the egg thief, and opened her beak to spray a large gout of fire. Qin Mu's vital energy, imbued with the Green Dragon attribute, swirled around him as he unleashed the Flick Finger Shocking Thunder Pipa Hand, blocking the sword feathers.

"Mu'er, don't fight with it. Go to the neighboring village and pay your respects," Granny Si walked over, driving away Granny Chicken Dragon.

Qin Mu hastily followed her, with Granny Chicken Dragon again giving chase from behind, only to be scolded back by Granny Si.

Granny Si brought him to the neighboring village. The Enforcement Elder welcomed them, scrutinizing Qin Mu from head to toe before turning to Granny Si and saying, "Cult Leader Madam, everything is prepared. Three hundred and sixty rooms. As long as the young master walks through them all, it will suffice."

Granny Si blinked, saying, "Walk through three hundred and sixty rooms at once? Isn't that a bit difficult?"

The Enforcement Elder laughed, "If he cannot walk through all three hundred and sixty rooms, then we will have to ask Cult Leader Madam to return with us."

Granny Si gritted her teeth, "Can he rest?"

"He may rest as much as he needs. The rooms have food, drink, beds, bedding, wound medicine, spirit pills, everything he requires."

Granny Si looked at Qin Mu, then gritted her teeth again, "Mu'er, you go through these three hundred and sixty rooms and pay your respects to them. Remember, you must address them as senior brother and senior sister. There's no need to call them predecessors."

Qin Mu nodded, walking towards the first room of the first wooden building, and said with a laugh, "Three hundred and sixty rooms. I wonder how long it will take to visit them all. Granny, I'm going in."

Granny Si watched his receding back and suddenly said, "Mu'er, do you know what you will face once you go in?"

Qin Mu turned back and smiled, "I do. And I won't let them take Granny away."

Granny Si's heart warmed. That year, she had found this child by the riverbank, never imagining that the infant from back then would one day worry for her sake.

Qin Mu walked into the first room of the first building. The room was spacious, and inside sat a yellow-faced man, his complexion as sallow as if he had eaten bitter gall. A tuft of goat's beard adorned his chin, and in his hand, he held an abacus, looking like a calculating accounts master.

"Senior brother."

Qin Mu halted, first bowing in courtesy. Then he unburdened himself of the pig-slaughtering knife he carried on his back, the bamboo staff, the tattered Luo he wore as a sash, the sword pouch, the Shao Bao sword, and other items, placing them by the door. "Senior brother, please."

The accounts master looked at the eleven or twelve-year-old youth before him with surprise, and said with interest, "Do you know what you are here to do? Could it be that Cult Leader Madam told you?"

Qin Mu shifted his body slightly, his entire vital energy surging, vigorous and mighty. He laughed, "Granny didn't need to explain. I understand naturally!"

His feet suddenly exerted force, and in a single step, he was before the accounts master. *Boom!* A thunderclap erupted from the center of his palm, the youth's vital energy fierce and strange like fire!

"Not just from the first room, but hitting my way to the three hundred and sixtieth room?"

The accounts master hastily raised his hand to block, only to feel a tremendous force strike him. His body flew backward involuntarily, crashing with a *crash* through the wooden wall behind him and landing in the courtyard. His feet slid back more than ten *zhang* before he finally stabilized himself.

Both surprised and angry, he lifted his head and looked through the hole in the wall, only to see Qin Mu walking to the edge of the door, already re-shouldering his pig-slaughtering knife, bamboo staff, and other items, and heading towards the next room.

"Why am I arguing with a child?"

The accounts master, greatly angered, immediately laughed, and shouted towards the other wooden buildings, "All of you, be careful! This child is very shrewd. His vital energy cultivation in the Spirit Embryo realm is extremely thick, twice as much as mine was at that stage. Be careful not to capsize in the gutter!"

"Twice as thick as yours?"

A female voice, like silver bells, transmitted, surprised, "This level of cultivation... truly befits the young master. I wonder about his spells."

Qin Mu walked to the next room, the door creaking open. Inside sat a scholar, holding a book scroll, completely engrossed in reading, shaking his head and swaying his body.

"Senior brother." Qin Mu bowed.

The scholar's face showed vigilance. He laughed, "Do you want to take advantage of my return courtesy to launch a sneak attack? I won't give you that opportunity."

"Indeed, you can't!"

*Boom!*

A thunderclap exploded, a loud vibration transmitted, broken wood flew everywhere, and the scholar flew backward from the midst of the debris, crashing into a towering tree.

The scholar landed, shouting loudly, "All of you, be careful! This little imp's skill is fierce, and he is proficient in demon path true words, even smoother than our sacred cult's true words!"

*Boom—*

His words had just fallen when another thunderous roar sounded. An old and decrepit private school master was struck out of the wooden building, tumbling and rolling, crashing into a stone pillar. He said, infuriated beyond measure, "Nonsense! This old man fell for it! I was busy guarding against his demon path true words and was almost injured by his Great Thunder Sound Temple *kung fu*! Don't fall for it, everyone! He's using the Great Thunder Sound Temple's Thunder Sound Eight Styles!"

"Nonsense!"

From the fourth room, a woman's shout transmitted, angrily, "Old Xie head, you've harmed me! He used the Heavenly Demon Creation Skill, sealing this old lady's three souls and seven spirits! While that little rabbit cub rested, you were touching everywhere, ruining this old lady's reputation!"

Qin Mu's face was slightly red as he walked out of the fourth room. The methods of the Heavenly Demon Creation Skill required pointing at the opponent's perineum, lung and stomach areas, and the navel. For females, these three areas were all private positions, making the execution very awkward. Especially the perineum – it was quite vulgar.

*I'm still young, I don't understand these things,* the cowherd boy from Crippled Old Village thought, blinking his eyes.

In the fifth room, a man so thin he was skin and bones watched Qin Mu approach, a cold laugh on his lips. "No matter if you use demon path means or demon sect means, don't think you can pass this test through me. Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad Skill!"

As he spoke, he walked towards Qin Mu, simultaneously taking a long, deep breath. Gurgling sounds transmitted from within his body, growing louder and louder, actually emitting a gurgling roar like a toad spirit!

Qin Mu was surprised, only to see the Heavenly Demon Cult hall master's emaciated body actually swell up. He was originally skin and bones, but as he continuously inhaled, the muscles beneath his skin became thick, gradually bulging!

This school of the Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad Skill followed a path of demonization, imitating the Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad. The Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad was a strange creature among strange kinds, usually only the size of a basin, but as long as it inflated itself, its body could swell a hundredfold, even capable of swallowing fierce tigers and lions in a single gulp.

Once the Heavenly Demon Cult's Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad Skill was unleashed, the strength was enormous, the vital energy especially thick. Although the enhancement amplitude was not as terrifying as the Golden Toad, it was still extraordinary!

As this Heavenly Demon Cult hall master inhaled, Qin Mu also inhaled, but unlike his Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad Skill, Qin Mu's chest did not bulge when he inhaled. Yet, this single breath was terrifying. The air in front of him was almost sucked dry, and the surrounding air rushed in to fill the void, actually causing a gust of wind within the wooden building, even shaking the window frames slightly!

The hall master's vital energy became extremely violent. After finishing his inhalation, he was already covered in hideous muscles, blocks of muscle like rocks. Even his clothes were stretched tight, seemingly ready to burst open at any moment!

His body also gradually grew taller, finally reaching a height of one *zhang*, like a small giant!

Meanwhile, Qin Mu's body remained as usual, without any change.

"Abhorrence Wins Golden Toad Skill, invincible strength, one fist can smash you! Gu—"

The hall master lifted his hand, which had become as large as a palm-leaf fan, red like blood. The room was filled with blood light, and his fist, hitting the air, almost caused it to explode, booming towards Qin Mu!

Qin Mu likewise sent a fist booming forth. The two fists, one large and one small, collided. At the moment of impact, the entire wooden building trembled violently.

The hall master let out a muffled grunt, retreating a step. The muscles on his arm wriggled like a dragon drilling within, traveling in a wave-like motion under his skin, rapidly moving along his arm towards his heart.

His face changed slightly. He lifted his other hand and chopped at his own arm, cutting off the dragon's might. He retreated another step, his arm bulging. It seemed there were two dragons stirring under his skin. He hastily chopped down again!

By the time he retreated to the fourth step, the wall behind him had been shattered. On the fifth step, he fell to the ground outside the building, then continuously retreated four more steps, his back finally hitting a large tree. The large tree suddenly shook violently, its trunk pulverized, and its crown fell straight down.

Sky-high wood chips flew and danced. Amidst the wood chips, the pattern of nine dragons galloping, controlling the wind and thunder, actually emerged from behind this hall master, the nine dragons roaring angrily, thunder interwoven!

He had failed to intercept the ninth layer of strength from Nine Dragons Control Wind Thunder.