Chapter 848: Rising Smoothly

God Child Chi Ming smiled faintly but said nothing. His smile was tinged with arrogance, clearly disagreeing with Xing An's words. "He didn't understand that 'not inferior to me' was merely a humble remark... However, the problem he's facing is indeed beyond my capabilities to solve; only God Child Youdu can help him."

In the sky, Qin Mu was still in retreat.

Libationer Ba Shan fought more and more smoothly, unable to help but let out continuous long howls, demonstrating all he had learned in his life.

As the Grand Libationer of Lijiang Academy, all reforms implemented by Lijiang Academy passed through his hands. Ba Shan, however, found it difficult to progress in his own divine arts and spells, so he desperately studied other divine arts and spells, hoping to use external knowledge to achieve a breakthrough.

Yet, worthy opponents were rare.

He was in a rather awkward position. His integrated combat techniques made his attacks too powerful, and few at the same cultivation level could withstand his domineering blows. However, because he had not achieved 'entering the Dao', when facing individuals like Butcher and Xing An, he would always be defeated within one or two moves, without a chance to truly contend or display his skills.

Libationer Ba Shan was in the early stage of a transformation, a period that was most frustrating and powerless for him. Although talented, his talent alone wasn't enough for his transformation. He needed pressure, but few could provide it.

Only when facing Black Tiger God did he have a chance to fully display his abilities. However, Black Tiger God traveled widely with the Woodcutter and had only visited once.

This time, Qin Mu came to Lijiang Academy. Qin Mu, being "thick-skinned and robust," was very resilient to blows, finally allowing Ba Shan to unleash all his learned and comprehended skills to his heart's content.

Qin Mu had come to study the reform achievements of Lijiang Academy. Yet, at this moment, he had become Ba Shan's whetstone. Qin Mu could block any divine art or spell Ba Shan employed. Moreover, Qin Mu's adaptability was astonishing. Although retreating, his moves were incredibly intricate. He learned Lijiang's divine arts and spells from Ba Shan and then counter-attacked.

Qin Mu could even learn Ba Shan's divine arts and spells within one or two moves, identify their flaws, and force him to continuously make changes and improvements.

Qin Mu was truly a whetstone, sharpening Ba Shan, making him brighter and keener.

Such an opponent was truly rare.

"This isn't an elder brother coaching his junior, but rather the junior brother guiding his elder."

The old farmer shook his head at Butcher, saying, "That Qin lad is a better teacher than you."

Butcher nodded. "Ba Shan lacks the heroic spirit to learn my saber techniques, yet he always tries to imitate me. He isn't insightful enough to comprehend the profound arts of 'entering the Dao'. Fortunately, I died once, which allowed him to step out of my shadow and create his own integrated combat techniques. However, I can no longer guide him."

The old farmer thought for a moment and said, "Knowing when to let go, you are a good teacher."

Butcher chuckled, "Has the Martial God Celestial Master opened the Heavenly River divine treasure?"

The old farmer sighed and shook his head.

"The Martial Dao Great Emperor became the Martial Dao Great Emperor by directly traversing the Heavenly Palace without the Seventh Divine Treasure," Butcher said unhurriedly. "However, the absence of the Seventh Divine Treasure also led to the Martial Dao Great Emperor being somewhat weaker than other Emperor's Throne realm experts."

"Only by completing the Seventh Divine Treasure and opening the Heavenly River will the Martial Dao Great Emperor truly be the Martial Dao Great Emperor. Once the Heavenly River divine treasure is opened, and the Heavenly River connects all divine treasures, you will become one of the most powerful Emperor's Throne realm experts under heaven. Your achievements will illuminate antiquity and modernity!"

The old farmer's face wrinkled into folds, and he said dryly, "I'm rather dull. I sat by Surging River for several days and still couldn't sense the power of the Heavenly River. Perhaps the Woodcutter was right; I've trained all my muscles into my brain."

Butcher didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Just then, thunder and lightning crisscrossed in the sky. Countless saber gleams shot through the thunder. The lightning, drawn by the saber light, crackled and surged into Ba Shan's saber. The saber light then split in mid-air, growing in number, converging into a tide that surged towards Qin Mu!

Butcher, the old farmer, and others' eyes lit up; they secretly approved. Butcher said, "Ba Shan's integrated combat techniques have advanced again, yet he still can't 'enter the Dao' with saber, or with lightning techniques, or with martial arts. He still lacks a lot."

The old farmer exclaimed in surprise, "But its power is terrifyingly great; it's a bit strange..."

As he spoke, suddenly countless illusions appeared around Qin Mu, as if myriad Qin Mus were performing martial arts masterpieces. The sky cracked amidst thousands of phenomena, transforming into a grand and imposing palm strike!

"Myriad Palms of Heavenly Outer Peaks!"

His palm force collided with Ba Shan's lightning saber. Dazzling saber light burst forth in all directions in the sky, spreading out flatly and splitting the clouds for over a hundred miles around into two halves, upper and lower.

After Qin Mu unleashed this move, he suddenly shifted, and a sword pellet appeared in his hand. The sword pellet transformed into a domineering saber.

Qin Mu circled Ba Shan in the air, displaying the very same integrated combat techniques that Libationer Ba Shan had just used. Every move and stance was perfectly clear, but the shortcomings from Ba Shan's previous execution had been filled in by Qin Mu, and the flaws had been repaired.

Ba Shan stood motionless in the air, watching Qin Mu perform his own ultimate techniques around him. Although the power was somewhat lacking, the moves were exquisitely subtle.

After a moment, Qin Mu performed the Seven Forms of the Overlord Saber once. When he reached the Eighth Form of the Overlord Saber, Qin Mu only executed half of it, and suddenly the saber light stopped.

As he stopped the saber light, Libationer Ba Shan felt a tightness in his chest, so upset he wanted to vomit blood. His hair stood on end with rage, and he continued the technique with his Overlord Saber, following Qin Mu's saber light, shouting, "This is how it's done!"

The saber lights of the two collided. Ba Shan used his own Overlord Saber to guide Qin Mu's saber, continuing the Eighth Form of the Overlord Saber.

Originally, Libationer Ba Shan had created the Seven Forms of the Overlord Saber based on Butcher's Nine Heavenly Saber Arts. Later, after becoming the Grand Libationer of Lijiang Academy, he created the Eighth Form based on the Seventh.

Qin Mu had performed only half of his Eighth Form. While it might not matter to others, in Ba Shan's eyes, it left him half-suffocated, with an urge to express himself immediately.

Qin Mu smiled faintly, allowing his saber and divine arts to follow Ba Shan's Overlord Saber.

Libationer Ba Shan performed the Eighth Form and was about to withdraw his move. Suddenly, Qin Mu's saber guided his Overlord Saber to continue moving, leading him into a completely new realm.

Libationer Ba Shan's mind boomed. He felt as if his magic power, his divine arts, his saber, and his martial arts, had all at once found an open floodgate!

His saber moved with Qin Mu's saber, as if the floodgate that had confined him had suddenly been torn down, allowing him to fully unleash his ambitions!

The sky instantly brightened. The thunder in the air was like a massive vortex. Streaks of lightning formed thick beams of light, rushing from the vortex and connecting with the Overlord Saber!

The saber in Libationer Ba Shan's hand became a bridge connecting to the grand powers of heaven and earth, brighter and more dazzling than the sun.

The Ninth Form of the Overlord Saber.

Qin Mu's saber had already been withdrawn. It no longer guided the Overlord Saber. Libationer Ba Shan, however, had already broken through the mist before him and found his own path. His saber light, accompanied by thunder, was unleashed to his heart's content!

The thunder vortex in the sky spun, howling. Behind Ba Shan, a vast sea of fire emerged. Flames surged, flowing into his saber, wantonly unleashing the might of his integrated combat techniques.

His integrated combat techniques had reached a completely new realm.

He had originally been at the edge of 'entering the Dao'. Due to insufficient insight, he lacked one step. Qin Mu completed this step for him, leading him to take that crucial step.

With this step taken, a whole new world unfolded for him. Without needing Qin Mu's continued guidance, he could now continue on his own!

Libationer Ba Shan's figure tumbled as he unleashed moves. His saber light cleaved heaven and earth, transforming into a vast, surging ocean. The boundless ocean pressed down with the saber light, striking. After a single strike, the sky was as clear as if washed, becoming incredibly deep blue.

Qin Mu burst into laughter, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Elder Brother Ba Shan, from today onwards, you are the Grandmaster of Integrated Combat Techniques!"

Ba Shan suddenly withdrew his move and stood in the air. His face was a mixture of joy and sorrow, and tears streamed from his eyes.

The rugged man stood there, holding his saber, speechless for a long time. Suddenly, he held his saber with both hands, bowed, and knelt in the air, lowering his head deeply, "Thank you, Junior Brother!"

Qin Mu quickly knelt to return the gesture, laughing, "Elder Brother, I merely saw that you were missing one step, lingering outside the door. I don't have the profound foundation in this area; I could only lead you through that step, helping you to enter the inner sanctum. Your ability to 'enter the Dao' with combat techniques and become a grandmaster is entirely due to yourself."

The two stood up, exchanged a glance, laughed heartily, and descended from the sky.

Ban Gongcuo showed a look of confusion, asking perplexedly, "Libationer Ba Shan doesn't seem to have achieved 'entering the Dao' through martial arts, or through saber, or through divine arts. How strange, how did his power suddenly increase so much?"

Beside him, Xing An said, "He 'entered the Dao' through integrated combat techniques, taking a shortcut and forming his own system. Cult Master Qin went with the flow and gave him a push, and that one step was his rapid ascent."

God Child Chi Ming nodded and said, "Libationer Ba Shan previously sought further advancement, thus he diligently trained in martial arts, saber arts, and divine arts. However, how incredibly difficult is it to 'enter the Dao' in all three of these disciplines? He had already gone astray. Cult Master Qin guided him using the Eight Forms of the Overlord Saber, which was actually abandoning those three paths and leading him back to his own true path. Cult Master Qin gave him a single step, just one step, and he became a grandmaster of his generation."

Ban Gongcuo was startled and whispered, "That Qin brat... he's that powerful?"

"Not powerful, but clever."

Xing An walked towards Qin Mu. The box clattered behind him, came to Qin Mu's feet, circled him a few times, and rubbed against his leg.

"Xing An."

Qin Mu stroked the box, then greeted him, chuckling, "Every time you appear, you look different. Whose body is this now?"

"This is the real me."

Xing An returned the greeting, and said solemnly, "This is what I looked like in my youth."

Qin Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he probed, "Divine Creation art, recreating a physical body? But you used to scour for others' bodies, cutting off the strongest parts from powerful cultivators to piece together your body and even your primordial spirit. I can still understand you recreating a body, but how did you recreate your primordial spirit?"

"That's precisely why I came to see you."

Young Xing An said bitterly, "I no longer know if the current me is still me. In the past, to prolong my life and explore divine arts and spells, I researched my physical body and primordial spirit to the extreme, then disintegrated them to seize others' bodies and primordial spirits. However, with Yankang's reforms progressing to this point, I've found that continuing this way has increasing drawbacks. Instead, returning to my original self is the only way for me to advance further. But, I can't find my soul anymore, nor can I find the true me. Even if I regain my youthful body, it's not the real me. I've fallen into a state of panic."

"If only you had known this today, why did you act that way in the past?"

Qin Mu sneered, "You want me to gather your scattered souls and reshape your spirit? I'm afraid I cannot obey!"

Suddenly, the box opened on its own.

Qin Mu's gaze fell on the contents of the box, and his heart skipped a beat.

Young Xing An's gaze also rested on the box's contents, with a hint of reluctance, but he resolutely said, "Is this price enough to make you act?"

Qin Mu composed himself, closed the box, and said in a deep voice, "It's enough!"