Chapter 654: Remote Battle of Wits

Ling Yuxiu's heart trembled slightly. She whispered, "The Grand Elder has lived for tens of thousands of years. He has mastered almost all divine arts from all sacred lands! Furthermore, he has visited the Western Lands and likely learned their divine arts, and he has also been to the Grand Sovereign Heaven, where he surely wouldn't have missed their divine arts and cultivation methods. Prince Chiming studying him this way means he could almost completely grasp all the main divine arts and cultivation methods of Yankang!"

Qin Mu continued to examine the stone statue, saying unhurriedly, "When he looks at divine arts and cultivation methods, he only sees their form. He cannot see Yankang's spirit and essence in the Grand Elder. The Grand Elder lacks such a thing; his character is too soft. If he wants to see Yankang's spirit and essence..."

Qin Mu looked up, pursed his lips, and with a half-smile said, "He should look at me!"

Ling Yuxiu laughed, "You're boasting!"

The First Ancestor Human Emperor chuckled, "Girl from the Ling family, Mu'er isn't boasting. I can let you see his spirit and essence."

After saying that, he lightly tapped Ling Yuxiu's forehead between her brows. Ling Yuxiu's vision immediately dimmed, but her brow bone gradually lit up, allowing her to vaguely discern figures in front of her.

"Look at Mu'er," the First Ancestor said.

Ling Yuxiu looked at Qin Mu and immediately saw a spirit and essence like a blazing fire, fearing neither heaven nor earth, daring to act and take responsibility, daring to challenge and fight!

Her heart trembled slightly. After a moment, her vision gradually returned, and only then could she no longer perceive that spirit and essence emanating from Qin Mu.

"If you were to look at your imperial father, Emperor Yanfeng, you would see a similar sight, perhaps even more intense than Mu'er."

The First Ancestor Human Emperor said meaningfully, "A founding emperor isn't necessarily the strongest person in terms of power, but they are always the one with the greatest spirit and broadest mind. Emperor Yanfeng is precisely such a person; he possesses great perseverance and immense courage, even surpassing Mu'er. I once observed the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang from afar, and even he didn't possess such an intense spirit and essence. Emperor Yanfeng represents the spirit of an entire era!"

Ling Yuxiu was startled. She had never imagined that a being like the First Ancestor Human Emperor would evaluate her father so highly!

Emperor Yanfeng's cultivation strength was not as great as the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang, nor was his talent and comprehension equal to the Imperial Preceptor or Qin Mu. He was outstanding, but not a top-tier existence.

However, Emperor Yanfeng was the central figure in the Imperial Preceptor's reforms. It was Emperor Yanfeng who single-handedly pushed forward the reforms, dismantling the spiritual idols within people's hearts and temples, allowing divine arts to be used by the common people, and gods to serve the common people. Yet, his brilliance had been overshadowed by the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang.

"I want to be like my father, or even better!" she thought to herself.

Ten days later, Ban Gungso was once again invited to the imperial palace to face the divine art practitioners from the Hanging World. This time, there were not only practitioners from the Life-and-Death realm but also thousands from the Celestial realm and Seven Stars realm, forming a vast, dense crowd of masters with three heads and six arms.

Again, Life-and-Death realm practitioners challenged Ban Gungso. In just ten days, these practitioners' cultivation strength had increased significantly. Not only that, but they could even execute the divine arts and cultivation methods Ban Gungso had used previously, with extreme precision, as if they had been practicing for decades!

Ban Gungso was startled. He fought with all his might against these practitioners, using every means at his disposal. He still possessed superior skill, defeating most of the Hanging World practitioners, but he also lost a few matches.

This time, Prince Chiming gave him ample time to rest, always waiting until he was in peak condition before challenging the next opponent, which made the battles exceptionally fierce.

Prince Chiming watched the battle from above. He turned his head and asked, "What have the Yankang envoys been doing these past few days?"

A deity beside him bowed down and whispered, "The Yankang envoys have been idle, wandering around the city. They seem very curious, as if they haven't seen much of the world, constantly staring at the stone statues in the city, spending a long time on each one. Especially the envoy named Qin; he was leaning on the statues to examine them. For the past two days, he hasn't been as curious and has instead started drawing pictures of the statues."

Prince Chiming's eyebrow twitched. His brows were prominent, with sharp, curved tips like scimitars. He said, "He is a formidable opponent. It's quite troublesome that Yankang possesses such talent."

The deity didn't understand his meaning.

Prince Chiming took out a mirror, covered its surface with a black cloth, and said, "Take this mirror, find him, hold the mirror surface facing him from a distance, remove the black cloth, reflect him, then cover it again and bring it back to me."

The deity felt perplexed but quickly departed with the mirror. Prince Chiming continued to watch the battle.

A moment later, the deity returned with the mirror covered in black cloth. He said, "Your servant reflected the Yankang envoy and immediately returned."

Prince Chiming took the mirror and gently pulled off the black cloth. His two eyes stared at the mirror's surface, while the vertical eye on his forehead watched Ban Gungso's every move and stance in the arena, constantly analyzing and deducing.

Suddenly, Prince Chiming was slightly startled, and all three of his eyes stared at the mirror.

In the mirror, Qin Mu was examining the divine statues in the city with his back to Prince Chiming. Beside him was a young girl, and two large eyeballs, each taller than a person. The First Ancestor, however, had turned his head; his face appeared very large and somewhat pale, seemingly very close to the mirror, looking through it.

What shocked Prince Chiming was not the First Ancestor, but Qin Mu. When he used this mirror to reflect Qin Mu, it wasn't reflecting Qin Mu completely. Qin Mu, with his back to him, appeared normal with one head and two arms, yet in the mirror, there was a ferocious might and battle intent.

That fierceness and battle intent vaguely transformed into two heads, forming a tripod-like stance with Qin Mu's original head!

Not only that, Prince Chiming also vaguely saw spectral images of arms under Qin Mu's armpits—those were the other four arms!

These four arms and two other heads were manifestations of his essence, qi, and spirit; they were not physical!

Prince Chiming squinted his eyes, and the images in the mirror gradually disappeared.

"Chixi, have you taught the Flawless Combat God Art to the Yankang envoy?" Prince Chiming summoned Chixi and asked.

Chixi shook his head, "That brat stole my God-Slaying Profound Blade, then poisoned me and tricked me out of my treasure. How could I possibly teach him cultivation methods?"

Prince Chiming sighed, "He's almost learned it... No, he's almost created his own Flawless Combat God Art."

Chixi was startled, gaping speechless.

"We are studying Yankang's cultivation methods and divine arts, and this person hasn't been idle either. He has been contemplating the divine essence of the stone statues, deducing the cultivation methods and divine arts of my Chiming era. Although he may not fully grasp the profundities of these cultivation methods and divine arts, he has certainly grasped the fearless spirit of the Chiming era."

Prince Chiming sighed, "How can there be such a troublesome person? Could he be Emperor Yanfeng, disguised as an envoy...? No, he lacks an imperial aura, and his realm isn't high..."

Chixi quickly said, "Emperor Yanfeng is already a deity; your servant has seen him, so it couldn't be Emperor Yanfeng. My Prince, this person is named Qin Mu. Is he really that difficult to deal with? He hasn't learned the divine arts of my Chiming era; even if he cultivates three heads and six arms, he won't be able to use the corresponding divine arts."

Prince Chiming nodded gently and smiled, "I naturally understand that. It's just his talent and comprehension that make my heart pound with alarm. Men, continue to monitor the Yankang envoys. Report their every move to me, meticulously, leaving no detail out!"

Several divine beings immediately bowed, and their figures vanished.

Ban Gungso was once again exhausted to the point of spitting blood, collapsing on the ground, feeling incredibly disheartened.

Prince Chiming's voice carried over, "Chixi, take your disciples down. Recuperate well, and return in ten days."

Ban Gungso on the ground twitched twice.

Soon after, Prince Chiming received news: "The Yankang envoy went to the private school and is studying with a group of mischievous children. The teacher is at a loss. May I ask, my Prince, should we expel them?"

Prince Chiming was stunned. He shook his head and said, "Emperor Yanfeng promised us territory and allowed us to establish academies and colleges. I cannot be more petty than Emperor Yanfeng. Let him be."

Four days later, a deity came to report, "The Yankang envoy attended for four days and then stopped going to school."

Prince Chiming said, "Investigate further. See what he truly intends to do."

Two more days passed, and the deity reported, "The Yankang envoy visited the Executioner's Palace to see Ban Gungso and offered wound medicine. Ban Gungso dared not take it and poured it into a ditch after he left."

Prince Chiming frowned and said, "What is the meaning of this action? Investigate further!"

"My Prince, the Yankang envoy harassed a common girl, was severely beaten by the Yankang Princess, causing a commotion, and people are fighting in the streets!"

Prince Chiming's expression subtly changed. He shouted, "Go quickly and find out the battle situation! Remember, keep a close eye on the Yankang envoy and observe his actions!"

A moment later, the deity reported, "Hundreds of divine art practitioners are fighting in the streets, utterly chaotic. The Yankang envoy and the Yankang Princess are watching the battle from the side."

Prince Chiming's expression greatly changed. "It's done. He has succeeded..."

The deity didn't understand.

Prince Chiming paced back and forth and said, "His going to the private school was actually to learn my Chiming era's fundamental combat techniques. Sword moves, fourteen basic sword forms; blade moves, seventeen basic blade forms; fist techniques, movement techniques, eye techniques, finger techniques—all of them are like this! In just four days, he learned the fundamental moves and divine arts in that private school! Once he learned the fundamentals, all variations are derived from them. However, he also needed to see how far my Chiming divine arts have progressed. And to see my Chiming divine arts, he undoubtedly needed to instigate a commotion. Hundreds of divine art practitioners fighting in the streets, displaying various divine arts, while he watches from the side, heh heh..."

Though he chuckled, there was no amusement on his face.

Prince Chiming paused, then said, "Wait a few more days. When Ban Gungso faces my Chiming practitioners again, summon him. I want to see for myself what this Yankang envoy is capable of!"

Four days later, Ban Gungso was once again invited into the imperial city. Prince Chiming said, "This time, Young Friend Ban Gungso, please seal your divine treasures and fight against practitioners from the Seven Stars realm and Celestial realm."

Ban Gungso immediately understood his intention and said shamefully, "My Prince, I don't think we need to compare anymore. At the same cultivation level, even if your disciples are far superior to me, they still cannot defeat that person."

Prince Chiming was taken aback. He smiled and said, "Young friend, why speak such words of despair?"

Ban Gungso shook his head and said, "Your disciples are all brave and skilled in combat; they are no weaker than me, and with your guidance, they have made rapid and significant progress over these past thirty days. Many can already surpass me. But compared to that fellow named Qin, they are still far inferior."

Prince Chiming listened quietly. Ban Gungso said sincerely, "I have been contending with him for more than just a day or two. Ever since I left the mountain, I have been fighting him. Before, we were evenly matched, but later, my realm was higher than his, yet I couldn't even withstand a single move from him. Now, I can face any practitioner from the Chiming era, even your personally tutored disciples. But if you ask me to duel him, I wouldn't dare. My Prince, if you want your disciples to defeat him, it will be incredibly difficult."

Prince Chiming looked around and saw thousands of Hanging World practitioners watching Ban Gungso. Clearly, Ban Gungso's few words had created the illusion that Qin Mu was unbeatable among these practitioners.

This was quite unfavorable.

Ban Gungso said in a deep voice, "If there is anyone here who can defeat me while being one realm lower than me, then they would have a chance to fight him."

Prince Chiming frowned. Ban Gungso opened his mouth but couldn't speak. His heart jumped, realizing Prince Chiming had silenced him. He thought to himself, "I've said what I needed to say; whether you believe it or not is your business. You think you're kicking a hard rock, but you have no idea you're kicking Mount Meru!"

He felt a bit smug. "You idiots, trying to draw confidence from me, you have no idea what a terrifying monster you are about to face!"

Prince Chiming smiled brightly. "In that case, please invite the Yankang envoy up."

"Summon the Yankang envoy for an audience!"