Chapter 559 - 310: Steady Progress, 13 Zhang Spiritual Power!_2

Su Mu’s entire Vast Qi ultimately reached seven hundred twenty-eight strands.

The next breath.

In the darkness, a pair of deep eyes lit up with two pure silver glows. A pure Invisible Power emanated from Su Mu’s brow and Niwan Palace, spreading rapidly in all directions.

In just a moment, it broke through five zhang.

Seven zhang.

Ten zhang!

Su Mu’s spiritual power continued to expand, and the area covered by spiritual power in his sea of consciousness was vividly clear, the darkness unable to obscure his eyes.

The spiritual power only ceased expanding after breaking through a radius of twelve zhang when Su Mu’s head throbbed with pain, and he slowly stopped the expansion of his spiritual power.

"Thirteen zhang, after breaking through to the seventh-grade of the Confucian Sect, my spiritual power detection range directly increased by five zhang!"

At Bai Jiao Mountain, Su Mu’s spiritual power detection limit was a radius of eight zhang, and now his spiritual power surged to a radius of thirteen zhang. With a mere thought, everything within the thirteen zhang radius was within his grasp!

With a single thought, Su Mu flicked his finger, and Vast Qi surged out, quickly condensing into an anciently styled three-foot Cyan Blade. If Li Heng or someone from the Li Family were present, they would surely recognize this Vast Sword as a miniaturized version of the White Flood Dragon Sword.

"Swift!"

The sword pointed, and the Vast Sword shot out instantly.

Swoosh!

Three zhang away, a boulder half as tall as a person and as thick as a palm was instantly pierced through. In an instant, a series of crisp ’crack’ sounds echoed in the forest, and in a rumbling noise, branches as thick as an adult’s arm fell and broke along the three-zhang path.

The cuts were smooth as a mirror.

"After merging with the Sword Momentum, the power of the Vast Sword greatly increased, truly transforming... This strike is very close to the power of a Sixth-Grade Martial Artist’s strike."

Images of Shangguan Ke fighting in small contests flashed before Su Mu’s eyes. He nodded in agreement; this Vast Qi could finally be of some use now.

"’Nurturing Vast Qi’ has reached Perfection, and now I am a Seventh-Grade Confucian Cultivator... The flowing warmth from comprehension henceforth won’t be needed to strengthen the Vast Qi."

Having experienced the mystery post-breakthrough, Su Mu had made a decision in his heart. For now, he could temporarily stop enhancing Vast Qi, and the warm flow from comprehension breakthroughs would be saved for the fifth Bone Forging and the fifth Yijin.

Long overdue, he pulled up his current comprehension panel to inspect.

[Name: Su Mu (19 years old)]

[Lifespan: 753 years]

[Skills: Seven Dominating Spear Forms (Perfection), Blazing Fire Saber Technique (Perfection), Qingfeng Swordsmanship (Perfection), Gale Triple Arrows (Perfection), Blood Transformation Technique (Perfection), Tiger Subduing Fist (Perfection), Torrential Rain Spear Technique (Perfection), Demon Subduing Fist (Perfection), Nurturing Vast Qi (Perfection), Small Faceless Transformation Technique (Great Success 99%), Thunder Shock Fist (Great Success 93%), Calligraphy (Great Success 88%), Hundred Battle Fist (Great Success 38%), Molten Fire Golden Body (Great Success 36%), Qingfeng Crossing Cicada (Small Success 31%), Gu Technique (Great Success 27%), Five Elements Technique (Great Success 11%), Profound Demon Five Transformations (Small Success 56%), Alchemy (Small Success 49%), Three-Turn Dragon Elephant Skill (Small Success 24%), Purple Sun Qi-Gazing Technique (Small Success 29%), Artifact Refining (Small Success 30%), Myriad Phenomena Concentration Divine Technique (Small Success 4%), Life-Attracting Technique (Small Success 16%), Musical Arts (Entry Level 23%), Talisman (Entry Level 15%)]

[Comprehension: 199 (Dragon-and-Phoenix Level)]

"Oh, my lifespan has surpassed the seven hundred mark."

Even Su Mu couldn’t help but exclaim softly. Unknowingly, his lifespan had surpassed the seven hundred mark. If it weren’t for the loss during the battle at the Land of Cyan Clouds, it wouldn’t be long before his lifespan would break through the thousand mark.

So-called millennial noble families, yet how many in the world can last a thousand years? Soon, Su Mu’s lifespan alone would be enough to span a thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of noble families.

"Comprehension has reached one hundred and ninety-nine points, breaking the comprehension shackles. The next comprehension transformation is right around the corner!"

Su Mu scanned the reassuring comprehension panel, quite satisfied.

...

"Sun the Alchemist!"

Officials at the city gate, upon seeing Su Mu’s token representing the Cyan Fish Gang’s Alchemy Hall, gave way smoothly.

Returning to the Cyan Fish Gang, Su Mu was preparing to start today’s alchemy.

Master Cang interrupted him.

"Sun Li, come with me."

In a desolate area of the herb field, with no one around, Zhou Cang marveled and spoke, "Sun Li, your talent in alchemy is astonishing, the strongest I’ve seen among my younger generation... I estimate in a few months you could be promoted to a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, and given time, perhaps our Donglai County could produce an Alchemy Grandmaster!"

"Master Cang overpraises me, I know well that my skill is superficial, and the promotion to a Sixth-Grade Alchemist is still a way off."

"I’ve noticed your progress during this time, no need to be modest in front of me..." Zhou Cang chuckled lightly, then shifted his tone.

"In a few days, I will be leaving for a while. During my absence, you will supervise the other two. You should focus on alchemy and not concern yourself with some... trivial matters within the gang."

Su Mu’s heart slightly tightened, keenly sensing some unusual implications. Was Master Cang hinting at something?

The Cyan Fish Gang was not a monolith.

Within the Cyan Fish Gang, there were several factions, roughly divided into three main ones.

The first was led by the Gang Leader, naturally revolving around the highly renowned Gang Leader Baili Hong and the Young Master Baili Feng. It’s just according to the information Su Mu gathered from Alchemy Hall disciples in recent days.

Gang Leader Baili Hong started seclusion years ago to break through to Upper Three Grade Grandmaster and hasn’t appeared in the gang for years, while the Young Master Baili Feng, Baili Hong’s son, had gained some insights after eradicating river bandits.

Even the recent Donglai Grand Competition was skipped; now both the father and son are in seclusion.

Minor affairs in the gang are now handled by Baili Hongtang, while major ones are managed collectively by Baili Hongtang and the Hall Masters and Elders of the Cyan Fish Gang.

The second faction has risen rapidly under Vice Gang Leader Gongyang Jue in recent years. With ambitious intents, while the Baili father and son were in seclusion, he secretly allied to control two halls of the Cyan Fish Gang, including the Alchemy Hall where Su Mu currently resides, and the populous Ink Scale Hall.

The Cyan Fish Gang is divided into five halls, with the independent Law Enforcement Hall aside. The five halls are Cyan Flood Dragon Hall, White Carp Hall, Ink Scale Hall, Hidden Shuttle Hall, and Flying Ray Hall.

Cyan Flood Dragon Hall is directly under the Gang Leader, now controlled by Baili Hongtang with support from the Elder of Cyan Flood Dragon Hall.

Vice Gang Leader Gongyang Jue controls the majority of the Alchemy Hall and Ink Scale Hall.

Besides them, the third force consists of the watching undercurrents, the neutral Law Enforcement Hall, and those from the remaining two of the five halls.

But not only that, recently, members of the White Whale Gang seem to be stirring restlessly, leading to frequent clashes between the two gangs.

In addition, the river bandits on the Donglai River remain unruly.

However, none of these presently concern Su Mu much.

Su Mu responded accordingly.

"Master Cang, I’m just an alchemist and don’t understand power struggles, nor do I wish to get involved. Their battles are none of my concern."

==============

Even the recent Donglai Grand Competition was skipped; now both the father and son are in seclusion.

Minor affairs in the gang are now handled by Baili Hongtang, while major ones are managed collectively by Baili Hongtang and the Hall Masters and Elders of the Cyan Fish Gang.

The second faction has risen rapidly under Vice Gang Leader Gongyang Jue in recent years. With ambitious intents, while the Baili father and son were in seclusion, he secretly allied to control two halls of the Cyan Fish Gang, including the Alchemy Hall where Su Mu currently resides, and the populous Ink Scale Hall.

The Cyan Fish Gang is divided into five halls, with the independent Law Enforcement Hall aside. The five halls are Cyan Flood Dragon Hall, White Carp Hall, Ink Scale Hall, Hidden Shuttle Hall, and Flying Ray Hall.

Cyan Flood Dragon Hall is directly under the Gang Leader, now controlled by Baili Hongtang with the support from the Elder of Cyan Flood Dragon Hall.

Vice Gang Leader Gongyang Jue controls the majority of the Alchemy Hall and Ink Scale Hall.

Besides them, the third force consists of the watching undercurrents, the neutral Law Enforcement Hall, and those from the remaining two of the five halls.

But not only that, recently, members of the White Whale Gang seem to be stirring restlessly, leading to frequent clashes between the two gangs.

In addition, the river bandits on the Donglai River remain unruly.

However, none of these presently concern Su Mu much.

Su Mu responded accordingly.

"Master Cang, I’m just an alchemist and don’t understand power struggles, nor do I wish to get involved. Their battles are none of my concern."