The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

With a muffled thud, the huge blue stone shattered instantly, turning into countless fragments of stone that flew everywhere, while his fist shone with golden light, leaving not even a trace of white mark.

He took out the Heaven-Slaying Sword and tried to slash at his arm.

"Ding!"

The sound of metal clashing rang out again, and the recoil from the sword demonstrated the incredible power of the golden body.

Afterwards, Lin Mu gradually increased his strength and true energy, and found that even when he used all his strength, the Heaven-Slaying Sword could not break through the defense.

"Not bad. My current defense is enough to withstand ordinary firearms. I estimate that only a missile exploding at close range can break through my defenses."

Lin Mu was very satisfied with the defensive capabilities of the Golden Body.

As for persistent problems, they can be solved by improving one's skills.

As one's cultivation deepens and one's control over true energy becomes more refined, one will be able to achieve partial invulnerability or use it in segments, which will greatly extend one's combat endurance.

After a while.

Lin Mu deliberately dispersed his golden body, and the golden light around him receded like a tide, returning him to normal.

He assessed the depletion in his body; he had used about 10% of his true energy. For someone of his current Grandmaster level, he only needed to meditate and regulate his breathing for one or two hours to fully recover.

"With my current strength, it's still a bit risky to face Zhu Wushi. I need to absorb some more."

Knowing that Zhu Wushi had already reached the Grandmaster level, Lin Mu decided to play it safe.

His gaze turned toward Mount Qingcheng.

He remembered that in the original story, Zhu Wushi secretly trained the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends in Qingcheng Mountain.

These people are all top-notch martial artists, and they also know the "Phantom Divine Skill" of the Xiangxi Dead Ghost. The first four of them were enough to take down Cheng Shifei.

It's just that their combat strength suddenly collapsed later; otherwise, Duan Tianya, Cheng Shifei, and Gui Haiyidao probably wouldn't even have had a chance to break into the Dragon Guard Manor and see Zhu Wushi.

Chapter 57: Heavenly Fiends and Earthly Fiends, Phantom Divine Skill

For the next period of time, Lin Mu led Liu Sheng Piaoxu on a journey towards Qingcheng Mountain.

To avoid alerting the enemy and revealing his whereabouts, he did not capture people from the martial arts world to absorb their power as he had done before. Instead, he focused his mind on cultivating "Dominating the World".

The transformed "Conqueror of the World" mental techniques flowed through his mind.

Unlike the original version, which was full of violence and easily led people astray, the reversed version of the mental cultivation method focuses more on the word "mastery".

With a strong spiritual will as its core, it draws upon its inner demons and killing intent as fuel, yet always maintains a clear mind, wielding the sword with divine power to unleash terrifying power that even surpasses the original, without fear of backlash or losing its true nature.

"The intent of the sword... is domineering..."

Lin Mu murmured to himself, as if he had realized something.

He pointed his fingers like a knife and casually slashed forward.

"Hey!"

An invisible yet extremely sharp burst of energy shot out, and several feet away, a huge rock was quietly cleaved in two, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.

This finger strike didn't use much true energy, but it contained a wisp of "domineering sword intent" that he had just comprehended, and its sharpness was far beyond that of ordinary sword or blade energy.

"interesting."

Lin Mu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a playful smile.

He himself did not specialize in the way of the sword, but when martial arts are cultivated to a high level, one can understand one method and all methods.

The "837" technique, especially this kind of profound martial art involving spiritual intention, greatly helped him to further understand the world and temper his soul.

Just as Lin Mu and Liu Sheng Piaoxu arrived near Rongcheng, Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, and Cao Zhengchun, the head of the Eastern Depot, were launching a full-scale search for his whereabouts all over the world.

Of course, they do not yet know Lin Mu's real name, only that he is a mysterious "man in the net" who can use the "absorption technique".

The spies from the Dragon Guard Manor and the agents from the Eastern Depot almost all came out and spread throughout the region.

However, for Lin Mu, who possessed the ability to transform and whose whereabouts were elusive, these spies were useless.

In addition, he traveled at an astonishing speed using the Green Goblin skateboard, covering a thousand miles a day. Zhu Wushi and Cao Zhengchun's men could not pinpoint his activity range at all and could only anxiously wait in vain.

After nearly a week of spending time together, Liu Sheng Piaoxu had been completely won over by Lin Mu, her body and soul captivated, and she had become his most loyal follower.

It must be said that this Japanese woman is indeed very radiant.

As for the "send a girl" side quest issued by the system, Lin Mu didn't take it to heart at all.

The next morning, with her legs trembling slightly and her face flushed, Liu Sheng Piaoxu got up early and gently and meticulously dressed Lin Mu and prepared breakfast.

Lin Mu's eyes flickered slightly, his golden pupils silently scanning the food. After confirming it was not poisonous, he slowly began to eat.

Even if it were truly poisonous, it would only be transformed into a benefit for him, given his negative reversal system.

After breakfast, the two quietly left the city.

Once they reached a secluded spot, Lin Mu took out the Green Demon skateboard, grabbed Liu Sheng Piaoxu, and leaped onto it, immediately speeding towards Qingcheng Mountain.

The Green Goblin skateboard can reach a top speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour, has a maximum load capacity of over 1 ton, and can fly continuously for two hours when fully charged.

Lin Mu had just replaced the power core last night, and now he was able to control it with lightning speed and a great sense of control.

Although it wasn't Liu Sheng Piaoxu's first time riding the cloud, every time she soared among the clouds and looked down at the vast earth, her heart would still race and she would subconsciously clutch Lin Mu's clothes.

The straight-line distance between Chengdu and Qingcheng Mountain is only about 60 miles. Even though Lin Mu intentionally controlled his speed, it only took him less than 15 minutes to reach the airspace above Qingcheng Mountain.

The highest peak of Qingcheng Mountain is 1,260 meters above sea level.

Lin Mu hovered his skateboard at a height of about two thousand meters. With the ability to see through and observe far using his Golden Eyes, he could see the layout of the entire Qingcheng Mountain and the movement of people.

He propelled his skateboard and silently landed in a dense forest on the back hill.

After putting away his skateboard, Lin Mu quickly spotted a lone individual.

After capturing the person, the Golden Eyes' ability to rewind time was quietly activated, instantly revealing the person's identity—one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals, codenamed: Heavenly General Star!

With a little effort, Lin Mu learned about the background of the Heavenly Stars by retracing his steps, and also gained a clear understanding of the current situation of the Qingcheng Sect.

On the surface, the Qingcheng Sect is still one of the eight major sects in the Central Plains, famous for its swordsmanship. Although it does not have the profound heritage of Shaolin and Wudang, it is still a leader of the righteous path.

However, in secret, several high-ranking members, led by the sect leader, had already secretly pledged allegiance to Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis.

More importantly, Zhu Wushi secretly operated an important stronghold in Qingcheng Mountain, taking advantage of its deep and complex terrain and the cover of the Qingcheng Sect, to train and hide the forces he was secretly cultivating—the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

These 108 people were not ordinary martial arts masters, but orphans that Zhu Wushi had collected or abducted from various places more than 20 years ago.

Initially numbering over ten thousand, after undergoing brutal secret training and elimination, only one hundred and eight remained, each one a chosen elite.

Among them, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals practiced the "Phantom Divine Skill," and their cultivation reached the mid-stage of the Innate Realm. They could combine the Heavenly General Formation, whose power was said to be nine times that of the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi, enough to kill a Grandmaster, and even contend with an ordinary Grandmaster.

The seventy-two Earthly Fiends are all at the early stage of the Innate Realm. Their knowledge is diverse, and they may be skilled in swordsmanship, sonic techniques, or disguise, infiltration, and assassination. Each has their own strengths.

After obtaining the intelligence, Lin Mu showed no mercy, directly absorbing all of Tian Gang Xing's power and successfully obtaining the cultivation method of "Phantom Divine Skill".

This skill combines defense with offense. Once you are entangled with it, no matter how many moves or how much internal energy you have, they will all vanish like mud oxen entering the sea.

In the original storyline, Iron-Blooded Marquis also praised the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi for their ability to neutralize internal force when they joined forces, calling it a unique skill in the martial arts world.

In fact, this skill is not only outstanding in its ability to neutralize internal energy, but also in its superb ability to lighten the body, and it also has the miraculous ability to disappear instantly. The word "phantom" is the essence of this skill.

If Zhu Wushi hadn't been so familiar with their true nature, he wouldn't have been able to easily break through and kill the four ghosts.

Now that Lin Mu has achieved this feat, it means that the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals have no advantage over him.

As dawn broke, the members of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends began their rigorous training as usual.

Their ability to reach the Innate Realm in their early twenties is not only due to their talent, but also to their daily arduous training, all so that one day they can clear all obstacles for Zhu Wushi.

From a certain perspective, they are also a group of people who have been thoroughly brainwashed and whose fates are tragic.

Lin Mu led Liu Sheng Piaoxu into the back mountain. Relying on the intelligence they had obtained, they skillfully avoided all the visible and hidden sentries and arrived at a very secluded waterfall.

A massive curtain of water cascaded down the cliff, its thunderous roar perfectly masking all other sounds.

Behind the waterfall, where vines hang down, a cave entrance is vaguely hidden, and it would be difficult to find unless one knew the inside story.

Lin Mu activated his full senses, and his spider senses subtly indicated that several extremely insidious traps and mechanisms were set up near the cave entrance, as well as several hidden sentries whose presence was obscure and almost blended into the sound of the waterfall.

These sentries were extremely skilled at concealment, clearly trained assassins.

"Be cautious."

Lin Mu's lips curled into a cold smile; he didn't choose to force his way in...

"Piaoxu, you stay outside. No one is allowed to come in or leave, no matter who it is. After thirty breaths, remember to cover your ears."

"Yes, Master."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu bowed and accepted the order, then quietly hid near the cave entrance.

Lin Mu then formed a hand seal, and his figure became exactly the same as the Tian Gang Star that he had just devoured.

He swaggered toward the cave entrance, gave the signal, and successfully entered the secret valley behind the cave, arriving at the huge training ground.

In the arena, the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends were cultivating on their own, and no one had any doubts about the return of this "colleague". Even Tiankui Star, Tianji Star and others who were most familiar with the Heavenly Stars did not notice anything unusual.

Lin Mu walked slowly to the center of the arena. Taking advantage of everyone's lack of vigilance, he suddenly took a deep breath, his inner strength surging in his dantian, and then he opened his mouth abruptly.

"Roar!!!!!!"

One of the 72 Shaolin Arts – Lion's Roar – erupts with a thunderous roar!

The immense, powerful internal energy transformed into a thunderous roar, sweeping across the entire valley like a tsunami.

The sound waves were so solid they seemed to solidify, carrying a terrifying, destructive power that swept across the entire area in an instant!

The thirty-six Heavenly Generals and seventy-two Earthly Fiends, who were diligently cultivating, were caught off guard and felt their eardrums rupture instantly, their heads throb, and their blood and qi surge.

Those with weaker cultivation immediately bled from all seven orifices, screamed in agony, and collapsed unconscious; those with slightly stronger cultivation were also shaken by the sudden and terrifying sound waves, causing them to stagger and lose their formation, their power circulation to be forcibly interrupted, and they were completely routed!

Even Liu Sheng Piaoxu, who was guarding outside the cave and had already used her internal energy to protect herself and covered her ears, was still shaken by the aftershocks that were like a tiger being shaken from across the mountain. Her blood and qi were fluctuating, her face turned slightly pale, and her awe of Lin Mu deepened.

If the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals are prepared, they can work together with the "Phantom Divine Skill" to neutralize the attack and may be able to withstand it.

But they never expected that their "comrades" would suddenly launch an attack, and that their skills were so profound and terrifying!

By the time they realized what was happening, they had all lost the ability to resist.

With a roar that brought him to victory, Lin Mu did not stop. His figure flashed across the field like a ghost, his palms flying as he unleashed the Star Absorbing Technique!

A powerful suction force surged from his palm, like an invisible vortex, enveloping the slumped Heavenly Fiends and Earthly Fiends on the ground.

The pure internal energy flowed into Lin Mu's body like rivers flowing into the sea.

The secret force that Zhu Wushi had painstakingly cultivated over more than twenty years has now been completely transformed into resources for Lin Mu to advance in his martial arts realm!

About half an incense stick later, Lin Mu had completely absorbed the power of the 108 people.

His inner energy surged and roared like rivers flowing into the sea, and his cultivation level broke through suddenly, stepping into the mid-stage of Grandmaster, only one step away from the late stage!

At this moment, the true energy within his body had condensed to the level of mercury, and when it circulated, there was a faint sound of wind and thunder.

If he were to unleash the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill" and transform into a golden body, Lin Mu was confident that his defensive power would be so strong that he could withstand several small cannon shots without injury.

"Indeed, the combined internal strength of 108 people is comparable to that of two or three ordinary grandmasters. Zhu Wushi, you have done me a great favor."

He glanced at the emaciated and dying assassins scattered on the ground, their bodies weakened by the loss of their powers, his eyes indifferent and unmoved.

These people have been brainwashed since childhood and have long been reduced to tools that only know how to be loyal and kill. Although they are pitiful, their consciousness of being willing to die for Zhu Wu is deeply rooted and keeping them around will only bring trouble.

With a wave of his hand, Lin Mu unleashed a torrent of sword energy, instantly ending their lives.

He then entered the storeroom deep in the valley and swept away all the valuable training manuals, detailed explanations of combined attack formations, and a large number of rare herbs, storing them in his system space.

Chapter 58: The Demon Extermination Tournament

When Lin Mu calmly stepped out of the cave, the sound of metal clashing and energy surging was already heard outside.

Liu Sheng Piaoxu, whose purple robes had been slashed in several places by sword energy and looked somewhat disheveled, was using "Snowflakes Falling in the Mortal World" to fight against more than ten elite disciples of the Qingcheng Sect.

Her blade flashed like snow, her movements unpredictable. Although she was at a disadvantage, she still managed to hold on, clearly strictly following Lin Mu's order to "guard the cave entrance."

More Qingcheng Sect members, having heard the news, were swarming in from the mountain path, led by several elders with imposing auras.

"You Japanese enchantress, how dare you invade my Qingcheng Mountain! Surrender now!"

A long-bearded elder shouted sternly, his swordplay becoming increasingly fierce.

Liu Sheng Piaoxu gritted his teeth, remaining silent with a resolute look in his eyes.