Swallowing the starry sky, my clones can evolve infinitely.

Chapter 252 Wisdom and Profound Light Gather, Heaven and Earth Form a Crucible

The next morning, in the bamboo grove courtyard, Shen Mu gazed toward the direction of the imperial city.

Beside Shen Mu, Chi Wu Li Yue, having finished her hair and makeup, styled her hair into a bun, and her demeanor inexplicably changed.

Shen Mu turned his head slightly to look at Chi Wu Li Yue, his tone somewhat complicated.

"Liyue, Elder Yan has begun his passing. Go and inform the Lord of Chiwu and the higher-ups of your Chiwu clan so they can make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Chiwu Liyue's face showed shock, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

In the hearts of every member of the Chiwu clan, Venerable Yan has always been the guardian deity of the Chiwu Dynasty.

For countless years, he has protected the Chiwu Dynasty. Whether it was provocation from other countries or a beast tide launched by the Ten Thousand Mountains, as long as Venerable Yan stepped in, there was nothing he could not resolve.

"Your Majesty, how... how is this possible? Our Ancestor..." Chi Wu Li Yue's voice trembled slightly, her face revealing her unease and anxiety.

Shen Mu shook his head slightly and sighed, "How could I joke about such a thing? Let's inform the King of Chiwu, lest something go wrong."

Chiwu Liyue quickly apologized for her lapse in composure: "Your Majesty, it was Liyue who lost her composure. I will send a message to the clan immediately."

With that, Chiwu Liyue took a deep breath, bid farewell to Shen Mu, and headed straight for the imperial city.

As for how to handle Chi Wuyan's funeral arrangements, Shen Mu doesn't need to worry about that.

It's unlikely that the Chiwu clan would hold a grand ceremony to announce the passing of their divine ancestor.

Anyway, with that mysterious ancestral tower there, the strange phenomenon of Chiwuyan Dao transformation will not affect the outside world.

If handled discreetly, others will not suspect that Chiwuyan has perished in a short period of time.

When Shen Mu took office as the Venerable One, Chi Wuyan used a secret technique to conceal his impending demise.

Even Shen Mu, who had comprehended the Great Dao of the Origin of Life, could not easily see through it, let alone the other Venerables present.

"My understanding of the Dao of Cause and Effect is now sufficient."

"Now I can try to further refine this secret art of wisdom."

The secret technique that Shen Mu created to collect spiritual thoughts has entered its final revision stage.

Once this final step of incorporating causal intuition is successfully completed, it can be considered as a preliminary perfection.

At that time, Shen Mu will be able to sense the existence of all those who have cultivated this wisdom technique.

As long as Shen Mu is willing, he can extract the other party's spiritual essence through the Great Dao of Cause and Effect.

Shen Mu's eyes were deep, and a double pupil of cause and effect appeared as he looked at the endless entanglements of cause and effect that filled the void.

"When all living beings cultivate my secret techniques, they contribute their thoughts, spirituality, and insights before they die, which serve as nourishment for me to forge treasures. This is how cause and effect are settled."

This last step wasn't difficult for Shen Mu; he could just take it slow.

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten years had gone by.

On this day, two figures stood outside Shen Mu's courtyard.

An old man and a young man; the old man had white hair and beard and exuded a calm and steady aura. The young man wore a blue robe, had a handsome face, and his eyes revealed a resolute look.

The newcomers were none other than Li Yangchen and Li Yangtiancheng.

"Ancestor, I... am a little nervous." Li Yangchen looked at the old man beside him.

Li Yangtiancheng reached out with a kind expression and patted Li Yangchen's head.

"Chen'er, His Majesty favors you. You have now stepped into the realm of intent. Regardless of whether His Majesty accepts you as a disciple, he will surely grant you opportunities. There is no need to be nervous."

"Let's go, follow me to pay our respects to His Majesty."

As Li Yangtiancheng spoke, he led Li Yangchen to the entrance of Shen Mu's courtyard.

Before the two could react, the wooden gate of the courtyard opened naturally.

Then the two saw Shen Mu sitting under an ancient bamboo tree, and beside Shen Mu, there was a beautiful maid playing the zither.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Li Yangtiancheng and Li Yangchen dared not look directly at Shen Mu and immediately knelt down to pay their respects.

Shen Mu did not speak, but his gaze fell on Li Yangchen.

A faint, ethereal fluctuation of the Great Dao of Fire's Origin surged around him, and his own bloodline aura underwent a qualitative change as he stepped into the realm of the Great Dao of Origin.

Even if Shen Mu doesn't accept Li Yangchen as his disciple, with Li Yangchen's current achievements and sufficient resources, he will surely be able to rival Li Yangtiancheng.

"No need for formalities, please rise."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Shen Mu smiled, then looked at Li Yangchen: "Child, I do not cultivate the fire element. If you wish to become my disciple, you can only become a nominal disciple."

"If you can one day comprehend the mysteries of life from the trials of fire and water, you can become my personal disciple."

Li Yangchen immediately knelt down and said, "This disciple is willing to switch to cultivating the Life Realm, hoping that Master will not abandon me."

Li Yangchen clearly had a vague feeling that this was the greatest opportunity of his life, and he absolutely could not give it up.

He was willing to pay any price to become Shen Mu's disciple.

Shen Mu nodded slightly, having his own considerations.

Although taking Li Yangchen as a disciple didn't help him much, Shen Mu was always someone who pursued completeness from beginning to end.

Since he had given Li Yangchen a chance back then, he would not go back on his word.

"Very well, from this day forward, you will be my disciple."

Upon hearing this, Li Yangchen repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Disciple Li Yangchen greets Master!"

Shen Mu smiled and shook his head, then offered a few words of encouragement.

"Over the years, I have not taken on any disciples. You are the only one, so you will follow me and cultivate from now on."

Li Yangchen naturally had no objections and quickly nodded, saying, "Yes, teacher."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Li Yangtiancheng bowed to Shen Mu and took his leave.

After Li Yangtiancheng left, Shen Mu raised his hand and touched Li Yangchen's brow, saying, "This is the follow-up scripture of the origin of water and fire, which will help you comprehend the mysteries of the source of life from water and fire."

A vast amount of information and secret patterns flooded into Li Yangchen's mind, and the many mysteries contained within made his thinking momentarily sluggish.

"This disciple will certainly comprehend the profound mysteries of life and live up to Master's expectations," Li Yangchen said hastily after regaining his composure.

Shen Mu smiled and said, "Cultivate diligently. If you have any questions, you can ask your master."

"Yes, teacher!"

With that, Shen Mu had completely dealt with all his trivial matters in this realm.

Next, I should focus on my own cultivation and the crafting of the treasure for proving my Dao.

There are still more than 1,800 years until the Great Conference of the Gods, so Shen Mu is not in a hurry.

Take your time.

The sun revolves, September arrives, and decades have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, in the small courtyard, Li Yangchen and Chiwu Liyue stood in front of Shen Mu, each with a respectful expression.

Shen Mu's voice rang out, containing a unique Daoist sound.

"Over the years, I have been perfecting a special secret technique."

"This secret technique has the ability to transform the soul, enhance comprehension, and refine wisdom. For beings in the Transcendent Realm, it is a supreme level of secret teaching."

"I have named this secret technique 'The Great Wisdom Technique' and intend to spread it widely throughout the world so that countless beings may cultivate it."

Upon hearing this, Chiwu Liyue's heart stirred. She thought of the secret technique she cultivated, which was also bestowed upon her by Shen Mu, and which had the effect of enhancing wisdom and comprehension.

"Your Excellency, is it the secret technique I cultivate?" Chiwu Liyue looked at Shen Mu with some curiosity.

Shen Mu smiled and said, "The secret technique you are practicing is the complete version, and its effects are excellent."

"The secret technique I need to spread is a simplified version, which is effective for ordinary Transcendent Realm cultivators, but ineffective for Divine Realm Venerables."

After hearing this, Li Yangchen pondered to himself.

"The teacher's actions must have a deeper meaning."

"However, if this secret technique can be spread, it will be of great benefit to all living beings in the world."

While Li Yangchen was pondering, Shen Mu spoke again.

"The task of spreading this secret technique is entrusted to you."

"However, there is one thing to remember: you must not say that this 'Great Wisdom Technique' was created by me; you must use a different name."

"It is said that this secret technique is a supreme secret passed down in the ancestral tower of the Chiwu clan, which can greatly enhance the comprehension of beings in the Transcendent Realm."

Li Yangchen quickly replied, "Teacher, rest assured, this disciple will certainly spread the secret technique throughout the clan."

Chiwu Liyue quickly replied, "Your Excellency's request is the most important matter for the Chiwu Kingdom. The entire Chiwu Kingdom will cooperate with Your Excellency's request and spread the secret technique."

Shen Mu nodded slightly and handed the secret technique to the two of them: "Go."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Yes, teacher!"

The two quickly kowtowed to Shen Mu, then turned and left the bamboo grove courtyard.

……

On the other side, the Chiwu clan members were all quite shocked after learning of Shen Mu's request.

This supreme secret technique? They actually intend to spread it throughout the world?

Although the Chiwu Kingdom's ruler and other high-ranking members of the Chiwu clan did not understand why Shen Mu was doing this, they naturally dared not be negligent in the slightest and began to arrange the dissemination of the secret technique.

Firstly, as per Shen Mu's request, this secret technique is an ancestral secret technique of the Chiwu clan, and therefore cannot be directly transmitted; various unexpected events are required.

Anyway, no matter what we do, as long as the secret technique can spread, that's fine.

At the same time, Shen Mu also needs to find a place to refine treasures.

To refine this supreme treasure for the path to enlightenment, I need to use heaven and earth as the furnace and creation as the craftsman, so I must choose a suitable blessed land.

After learning of Shen Mu's request, the King of Chiwu ordered many powerful members of the royal family to search the entire territory of the Chiwu Dynasty to find the blessed land that Shen Mu needed.

The royal family's powerful members sprang into action, traversing every corner of the Chiwu Dynasty, leaving no possible place unexplored.

This process took about half a month.

Half a month later, Chiwu Liyue came to the offering courtyard and reported to Shen Mu: "Your Excellency, the special blessed land you requested has been found."

Shen Mu nodded slightly, looked at Chi Wu Li Yue, and said, "I need to set up a supreme array to gather the flames of heaven and earth. I need thirty-six kinds of divine-level fire-attribute spiritual objects and one thousand two hundred and ninety-six kinds of fire-attribute spiritual objects at the peak of the mortal transformation realm."

Upon hearing this, Chiwu Liyue agreed and quickly relayed the message back to her clan.

The next morning, the King of Chiwu brought the spiritual items that Shen Mu had requested to pay his respects to Shen Mu.

"Your Majesty, this is the divine fire-attribute spiritual artifact 'Heart of the Blazing Sun.' This spiritual artifact is..." the Crimson Crow King carefully introduced.

Shen Mu frowned slightly and interrupted the king.

"There's no need to introduce them one by one. I will refine the array flags. After the array flags are completed, I will have the people of the Chiwu clan place them across the entire territory of the Chiwu Dynasty, which spans billions of mountains and seas."

The king quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

……

Time passed day by day.

Two years passed quietly. On this day, in Shen Mu's little world, beams of precious light shot straight into the sky.

These dazzling lights transformed into the phantoms of various mythical and ferocious beasts.

A golden crow soars across the sky like a blazing sun, radiating endless divine brilliance... There is a Bifang burning with raging flames, and a Vermilion Bird adorned with five-colored wings...

One after another, precious array flags rose into the sky, condensing into boundless phenomena that forced back the laws governing the operation of heaven and earth. The pure flame Dao fluctuations suppressed all rules.

In the blink of an eye, all 1332 array flags appeared, and countless phantom images of ferocious beasts stretched across the sky.

The vast and terrifying fluctuations spread throughout the entire territory of the Chiwu Dynasty, and the vast expanse of the sky within the Chiwu territory was tinged with a layer of brilliant crimson light.

Countless people were startled by this sudden strange phenomenon, and they all stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.

"Wow, what's that? It's so spectacular!" A newborn child exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the ferocious beast phantom in the sky.

"Don't be rude, quickly kowtow!" an old man said fearfully beside the child.

In the next instant, these array flags transformed into divine light and flew towards the various leyline nodes within the territory of the Crimson Crow Dynasty.

Every time the battle flags landed, the earth would tremble slightly, and a burst of fire would shoot into the sky, as if to pierce through heaven and earth.

As array flags fell one by one, the supreme array covering the entire territory of the Chiwu clan gradually took shape, and boundless power of heaven and earth began to gather.

Ultimately, high in the heavens, it evolved into a phantom image of a furnace between heaven and earth.

As time passed, the phantom of this furnace of heaven and earth frantically absorbed endless energy, eventually transforming into a dazzling sun that illuminated the boundless mountains and seas.

The moment this celestial sun manifested, countless lives and cultivators in dozens of kingdoms surrounding the Chiwu clan felt the fluctuations that made their souls tremble.

Even from beyond countless mountains and seas, looking towards the territory of the Chiwu clan, one can still see that dazzling 'sun'.

The guardians of the surrounding countries immediately noticed the small sun that had appeared in the sky above Chiwu.

"That direction... is the Chiwu Dynasty!"

"Such a vast energy fluctuation, could it be that an ancient treasure has been unearthed?"

"Could it be that old fellow Chiwuyan has broken through?"

The guardian deities of each country reacted differently, all speculating that the Chiwu clan was up to something big.

In any case, this level of pressure fluctuation is something that ordinary Divine Realm Venerables are definitely not capable of.

Therefore, some people even speculate that it was that old guy Chiwuyan who achieved the Heavenly Venerable realm by gathering the Three Flowers at the Top.

Although this guess is outrageous, it is not entirely impossible.

Of course, speculation is speculation. The countries surrounding the Chiwu Clan immediately sent messages to their envoys stationed in the Chiwu Dynasty, asking them to come to the palace to meet the emperor and confirm the cause of this strange phenomenon.

However, when they learned that the sun in the sky was a strange phenomenon formed by the treasures refined by the guardian deity of the Chiwu clan, they were all dumbfounded.

"This... how is this possible?" The envoy from the Tianyue Dynasty looked even more alarmed, as the relationship between their Tianyue Dynasty and the Chiwu Clan was not good.

"Quickly send this message back to China!"

"Yes, yes, yes! We must quickly inform the King that this strange phenomenon is caused by the refining of a treasure by the Guardian Venerable of the Chiwu Clan!"

(End of this chapter)