Chapter 611 - 294: Celestial List 36

Chapter 611: Chapter 294: Celestial List 36

According to the regulations of the Great Yu Court Hall, officials on duty were required to be on time for the morning roll call, which meant reporting in before Mao hour.

Here in Su State, the timing was a bit more relaxed. As long as one reported in during the quarter-hour leading up to Chen hour, they were considered on time.

To welcome the new Lord Chief Director of the Inspection Department, Situ Mu, everyone had arrived much earlier than usual.

Even though Chen Cheng had arrived with a quarter of an hour to spare, he was still the last one there. Seeing everyone standing in reverent silence, not daring to even whisper, Chen Cheng also lowered his gaze and waited patiently.

The official notice of Situ Mu’s impending appointment had reached Linji Prefecture half a month ago.

Chen Cheng had also learned quite a bit of top-secret information about Situ Mu from Xia Lingfeng.

The man was eighty-six years old, a once-in-a-century grandmaster of the Literary Dao from the Great Dao Sect.

The story of Situ Mu’s life was the stuff of legends.

He was born in a small county under the jurisdiction of Su State City to an impoverished family of humble origins—a family of scholars, the most disregarded type of household.

For three generations, his ancestors had been civil servants in the County Yamen. At the age of sixteen, Situ Mu also entered public service, starting as a civil servant.

For the next ten-odd years, he served as a civil servant in the County Yamen, remaining in obscurity.

It wasn’t until he was nearly thirty that he began practicing martial arts. After that, his progress became unstoppable. In just ten short years, he cultivated to the Bone Forging Realm Perfection, joined the Great Dao Sect, and became an Inner Sect Disciple.

His official career began to improve as well. He was transferred to a position in Su State City, though he remained a civil official.

He remained in that post without distinction for another ten years, breaking through to the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm at the age of fifty.

However, in a place like Su State City, such strength was still nothing to speak of.

Situ Mu achieved nothing remarkable during his tenure and remained in obscurity.

By the time he was sixty, he had only just barely broken through to the Organ Refining Realm.

Normally, at his age, a person’s vital essence would be severely depleted, leaving little potential for growth. His Martial Arts Achievement for a lifetime was expected to end at the Organ Refining Realm.

Furthermore, the Talisman Dao he cultivated was one of the most difficult paths for reaching the Innate Realm. Looking across the entire Great Yu, not a handful of Martial Artists who practiced the Talisman Dao had managed to break through to the Innate Realm in the last thousand years.

Situ Mu still failed to gain the Sect’s esteem. He only barely managed a promotion to Sect Steward, and his post in Su State City remained a clerical one—the kind of job where you just bide your time and wait to die.

In fact, he was stuck in that same position for a full twenty years.

If nothing unexpected had happened, he would have likely languished in that post until he died of old age.

But then, in his eightieth year, he opened his Human Acupoints, broke through to the Puncture Realm, and became an Innate Realm Expert.

The news caused a sensation throughout the entire Great Dao Sect, and he instantly became a legendary figure.

But as if that weren’t stunning enough, four years ago in the Yingzhou territory of the East Sea, Situ Mu was competing for the right to enter a Secret Realm. With a single Talismanic Magic technique, he slew an Innate Realm Expert from the Blood Moon Sect who had been famous for years. This one feat landed him on the Northern Celestial List at thirty-sixth place.

One must understand, a spot on the Celestial List carried immense weight. All rankings were earned by Innate Realm Experts through life-and-death battles.

It was exceptionally difficult for a Martial Artist Cultivating the Martial Dao to reach the Innate Realm; the chances were less than one in ten million.

However, Innate Realm Experts could live up to one hundred and fifty years. With so many years to accumulate, there were quite a few Innate Realm Experts in the Land of the North, yet only fifty could make it onto the Celestial List.

Situ Mu had only reached the Innate Realm two years ago. Among Innate Realm Experts, he was considered a complete rookie.

For such a rookie to possess such a combat record was a display of truly astonishing talent.

Moreover, Situ Mu’s rank of thirty-sixth on the Celestial List didn’t necessarily represent the full extent of his power, as the rankings were determined by one’s combat record.

He had only fought once, killing the previous thirty-sixth-ranked expert, so he took that spot. His true ranking was likely much higher.

Back when he was in Moshan County discussing the Literary Dao Realm with Shen Zhiming, Chen Cheng had a feeling that there were people in this world who could lie low for eighty or a hundred years, only to achieve overnight fame.

He had thought he would have to go all the way to Su State City to meet such a character, yet unexpectedly, one had come to Linji City.

Before long, a group of people emerged from the residential area in the Inspection Department’s rear courtyard.

The man in the lead was none other than Situ Mu, who appeared to be a middle-aged man in his forties.

He was dressed in a dark brocade official’s robe, his face handsome and scholarly. His beard was combed to perfect neatness, hanging like a fall of black satin. His bearing was meticulous, his stride perfectly poised.

His movements were as unhurried as a drifting cloud over still water. A scholarly aura emanated from him, and his gaze was as clear as the moon’s reflection in an autumn pool. He had an extraordinary presence.

Seeing this legendary Innate Realm Expert in person, Chen Cheng was inwardly stunned.

Situ Mu appeared to be an ordinary middle-aged scholar, but if one were to sense him carefully, they would discover that his Qi Blood Power was incredibly profound, far surpassing that of a Perfect Martial Artist of the Organ Refining Realm.

In particular, the faint, almost imperceptible pressure he radiated gave Chen Cheng an unprecedented sense of extreme danger.

’It feels as if I fought him, I wouldn’t even be able to withstand a single blow!’

This was clearly not a delusion. After all, Chen Cheng cultivated the Concealment Secret Skill, which made his perception exceptionally keen.

As if sensing Chen Cheng’s scrutiny, Situ Mu let out a soft murmur of interest and cast his gaze toward him.

With that one glance, Chen Cheng felt as if he had been seen through completely.

This wasn’t the typical premonition of a Martial Artist; it was more like a perceptive technique born of Holy Heart Clarity.

’As expected of an Innate Realm Expert ranked thirty-sixth on the Celestial List. He’s terrifying.’

After that silent exclamation, Chen Cheng gave a slight nod of acknowledgment and then naturally averted his gaze.

Seeing Chen Cheng’s composure, Situ Mu was also inwardly surprised.

After all, he was more than just an Innate Realm Martial Artist. He had spent decades in arduous study, read voraciously, and become profoundly learned. As a result, he was also an expert in the art of reading people.