Chapter 353 - 214: Moving the Mountain

Chapter 353: Chapter 214: Moving the Mountain

Niu Zhong said coldly, "We’ll tally the spoils when all three trials are over."

"What’s the second trial? Out with it."

Su Mu said coolly.

"The second trial is simple."

Niu Zhong grinned. "The first trial was crossing the river. The second is moving a mountain."

Niu Zhong raised a hand and pointed to a small hill on the bank of the Celestial River, no more than a hundred meters tall.

"This mountain has always obstructed the Demon Court’s path. Our Saint Venerable could move it easily, of course, but he’s always been too busy with other affairs to bother."

Niu Zhong continued, "This is the perfect opportunity. Aren’t you Da Xuan people supposed to be so mighty?

If you can move this mountain, you’ll win the second trial."

The members of the Da Xuan Envoy all turned their gazes to the mountain.

It was indeed a small mountain, covering an area of a hundred zhang in circumference and not exceeding a hundred meters in height. In fact, it looked more like a giant boulder.

But no matter how small, it was still a mountain.

"And the time limit?"

Xu Chongyuan asked, looking back at Niu Zhong.

"Three days."

Niu Zhong held up three fingers. "As long as you can move this mountain within three days, you pass the trial."

After hearing Niu Zhong’s words, Xu Chongyuan had to restrain himself from cursing out loud.

’Are you kidding me?’

’Move a mountain in three days?’

’How is that possible?’

The only way to move this mountain was to have a powerful expert smash it to pieces.

But what Rebirth Realm Martial Artist had the strength to shatter an entire mountain?

But Xu Chongyuan knew the Demon Court was deliberately making things difficult for them. Cursing at Niu Zhong wouldn’t solve anything.

What was important now was to figure out a way to move the mountain.

He took a few steps forward, drew his saber, and slashed at the mountain.

DING!

With a crisp clang, the blade struck the stone, sending a shower of sparks flying.

It left only a shallow gash on the stone’s surface.

"This isn’t ordinary stone!"

Xu Chongyuan’s pupils constricted as he cried out in shock.

"Sharp eyes!"

Niu Zhong burst out laughing. "Of course it’s not ordinary stone. If it were, why would we need you?

Ordinary stone isn’t worthy of the Da Xuan Envoy."

Niu Zhong stood off to the side with his arms crossed, a smug look on his face as if victory was already his.

’When it came to crossing the river, these Da Xuan humans could find a clever workaround.’

’But moving a mountain...’

’He refused to believe these humans had another trick up their sleeves!’

’The stone of this mountain is incredibly hard. Even the attacks of a Tier Four, or even a Tier Five Demon, would struggle to shatter it.’

’If the Da Xuan Envoy wants to break this mountain apart to move it, it’s simply impossible.’

’Unless they have the ability to move the entire mountain in one go!’

’But how much does a mountain weigh?’

’Even a human Nascent Soul Martial Artist might not be able to move it.’

’These Taiping Captains have no chance of succeeding!’

"This is—"

Just then, a disheveled-looking middle-aged man walked up to the stone. He ran his hand over the gash left by Xu Chongyuan, rubbed some of the stone fragments between his fingertips, and even put his fingers in his mouth for a taste.

This was none other than the envoy’s Civil Servant, Zhang Zhongmei.

Zhang Zhongmei had spent the last several days holed up in his carriage, engrossed in the study of Weapon Casting Technique. He ate, drank, and slept there, unwilling to waste a single moment.

He hadn’t even washed in days. To the uninformed, he looked like a wild man.

If the carriage hadn’t been unable to come along for the river crossing, he would probably still be in there, studying away.

"This is Lapis Lazuli."

Zhang Zhongmei said, "It’s harder than any metal and resistant to even the fiercest flames."

Niu Zhong’s ears perked up.

’This Da Xuan Envoy is really full of talent,’ he thought. ’There’s an expert for everything.’

He’d never known this stuff was called Lapis Lazuli.

But the Lapis Lazuli was indeed exceptionally durable.

Back when the Demon Court was being built, his foster father had considered using this stone to construct the palace.

But they later discovered the stone was too difficult to quarry, so in the end, only the main hall was built with it. All the other structures used ordinary stone.

"Lord Zhang, how can we break this stone?"

Xu Chongyuan asked eagerly.

’This is the advantage of having a diverse group,’ Xu Chongyuan thought.

’There’s always someone who knows something.’

’These Civil Servants are useless in a fight, but they’re well-read and knowledgeable.’

"There are several ways to deal with Lapis Lazuli.

First, by shattering it with absolute power.

Second, by cutting it with a specially crafted Divine Weapon.

And third, by melting it with an Anomalous Fire."

Zhang Zhongmei said gravely.

"Absolute power, a special Divine Weapon, an Anomalous Fire..."

Xu Chongyuan was dumbfounded. It seemed they possessed none of the three.

Niu Zhong, still eavesdropping with his ears pricked, felt his heart tighten when he heard Zhang Zhongmei’s words.

’These humans are insane. How do they know everything?’

’Don’t tell me they can actually pulverize this mountain.’

Niu Zhong suddenly felt a surge of anxiety.

"Absolute power—"

Xu Chongyuan looked toward Su Mu.

Su Mu was their heavy hitter. If anyone in the Da Xuan Envoy could shatter the Lapis Lazuli, it had to be him.

If Su Mu couldn’t do it, then no one else could—not even Shi Ziran.

Su Mu didn’t hesitate. He took two steps forward, arriving before the mountain.

SWISH!

The Thunder Shocking Saber at his waist flew from its sheath, transforming into a streak of light that slashed into the stone.

RUMBLE!

The earth shook and the mountain trembled.

Niu Zhong’s eyelids twitched violently. He jumped in fright!

The Thunder Shocking Saber was embedded deep in the stone, having opened a fissure several zhang long and a few inches deep.

CRACK!

A washbasin-sized chunk of rock broke off the cliff face.

’So Su Mu really *can* shatter Lapis Lazuli!’

But as the others watched, they couldn’t feel happy in the slightest.

Su Mu’s strike had indeed broken off a piece of rock. But shattering the entire mountain like this? That would take far longer than three days.

Niu Zhong clearly realized this as well. He let out a long sigh of relief, patting his chest.

’Scared the hell out of me. For a second there, I thought this Su Mu could actually split the mountain in one blow.’

’But now that I see it...’

’He’s still terrifying.’

’Damn it all, to cut such a large fissure into Lapis Lazuli this hard with a single strike...’

’No wonder I couldn’t dodge his attack.’

’Among Tier Three Demons, there’s probably no one who could survive that slash.’

’And you’re telling me he’s a Rebirth Realm Martial Artist?’

’A human True Essence Realm Martial Artist would be at this level of strength, at best!’

’Humans are as crafty as they say, sneaking a True Essence Realm expert into the envoy disguised as a Taiping Captain!’

’But no matter how crafty you are, you’ll never pass this mountain-moving trial!’

"Lord Su, I wasn’t finished."

Zhang Zhongmei took two steps forward and cradled the fallen piece of Lapis Lazuli in his arms.

Lapis Lazuli was, after all, a top-grade material for forging Divine Weapons.

The Space Ring he was forging right now could make good use of it.

"Hacking away at it like this, you won’t break down this mountain in a year."

Zhang Zhongmei said, still clutching the Lapis Lazuli, "I have a plan. We can not only move this mountain but also forge that Profound Weapon we discussed."

"Oh?"

Su Mu’s eyes lit up. "Are you certain?" he asked in a low voice.

"I’m seventy percent sure."

Zhang Zhongmei said confidently.

"That’s enough."

Su Mu nodded. "Tell us what to do. All of us will cooperate."

Zhang Zhongmei broke into a grin. He loved Su Mu’s direct and decisive nature.

No questions asked, just straight to action.

No one had ever placed such trust in him, Zhang Zhongmei, before.

He, Zhang Zhongmei, was just an ordinary man—one with no aptitude for the Martial Dao.

Everyone had thought his dream of becoming a Weapon Master was a fool’s errand. Not even his parents had supported him.

Only Su Mu had not only entrusted him with the priceless Void Stone...

...but now, without a single word of doubt, he was willing to have the entire envoy cooperate with him.

This wager, he knew, directly concerned the fate of an entire state of Da Xuan.

If they failed, he, Zhang Zhongmei, would surely be blamed, but the greater responsibility would fall on Su Mu’s shoulders.

Zhang Zhongmei’s eyes grew red. They were betting the fate of a state and the body of a Marquis of the Da Xuan Taiping Bureau on his skills as a Weapon Master.

’In this life, that is more than enough.’

The expression on Zhang Zhongmei’s face grew incredibly resolute.

"The ’Five Flames’ of the Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow are a type of Heaven and Earth Anomalous Fire. Lord Su, besides you, I’ll need every Taiping Captain to cooperate with me!"

Zhang Zhongmei said in a low, firm voice.

"As you wish."

Su Mu and all the Taiping Captains replied in unison.