Chapter 848 - 836: Mirage Pearl

Where did these Divine Soldier Fragments come from?

Early morning, by White Bird Lake.

Chen Mu looked at three grape-sized gray stones swirling around the White Bird Divine Soldier, full of confusion.

"Has Wuxiang City also fallen? That can't be right?"

Based on prior experience, mastering a city's foundational scripture would establish a connection with that city's divine soldier.

Both the White Bird Divine Soldier and the Three Paths City's soldier fragments actively sought out Chen Mu for this reason.

And recently, the only scripture he had practiced to perfection was the "One Heart Scripture."

So...

Chen Mu immediately invoked the true intent of the "One Heart Scripture," and instantly, a wisp of divine power appeared out of thin air before him.

"It can still attract divine power, so Wuxiang City is fine."

"Then where did these Divine Soldier Fragments come from?"

Chen Mu extracted a bit of the Life and Death Seal from the White Bird Divine Soldier and probed into one of the fragments. Several fragmented scriptures slowly surfaced in his mind.

"The 'Wushan Scripture'?"

...

"It's Liangxi City."

"It's not much bigger than White Bird City."

"A remote small city."

On the wooden corridor, Xu Gui relayed the gathered information.

"I have no ties with Liangxi City, how would I attract Divine Soldier Fragments?"

Chen Mu racked his brains but couldn't figure out the reason.

"Never mind, doesn't matter."

"Since it's here, it shouldn't leave."

He calmly accepted the three fragments of the divine soldier.

However, Chen Mu still decided to stop reciting the foundational scriptures of other cities.

Divine soldier fragments are good, they can enhance the power of the White Bird Divine Soldier and add experience to the Seven Emotions Curse. But if fragments brought trouble by being traced back, that would be troublesome.

Finally finding some peace, allowing for tranquil Qi Refinement and cultivation, he didn't want to disturb that calm.

...

Wuxiang City, secret chamber.

Strange incantations echoed in the secret chamber.

Scarlet light beams flew into the air, and a walnut-sized divine soldier fragment was being tempered by the scarlet light, continuously releasing wisps of black smoke.

As the tempered black smoke thinned out, the trembling divine soldier fragment gradually calmed.

Wei Wubing raised his finger, and a human-sized stone floated beside him.

It was none other than the Wuxiang City Divine Soldier.

As soon as it appeared, the walnut-sized divine soldier fragment flew towards the stone like iron filings to a magnet, embedding snugly inside.

"The fusion is finally complete."

Wei Wubing breathed a sigh of relief.

Remembering the three escaped divine soldier fragments, he furrowed his brow.

"The 'One Heart Scripture' is at the core of the 'Cloud Mirage Skill,' able to draw and integrate all divine soldiers in Mist Ridge, restoring them into Cloud Mirage Pearls."

"I should naturally attract divine soldier fragments, yet some still managed to escape."

"Three Paths City could be explained as Old Man Qin's backup plan, but everyone in Liangxi City is under our control."

"None of them obtained any soldier fragments." Wei Wubing looked puzzledly at the large eye beside him.

"Perhaps it's due to the Cloud Mirage Pearl being split for too long." The large eye, Mo Tong, showed a thoughtful expression as the surrounding black mist subtly hummed.

"The Mirage Pearl fragments have been controlled and refined by too many, and with each refinement, the fragments infect the commander while being stained themselves."

"This is possibly why divine soldiers disintegrate after several generations of transmission." Mo Tong speculated.

"The divine soldiers need this disintegration to remove the lingering spirituality of former commanders." Mo Tong continued.

"Yet a thousand years is too long; even through continuous decomposition and evolution, remnants are likely to remain." It added.

"Those black smokes that were refined from the 'One Heart Scripture' before, are they the impurities accumulated inside the divine soldiers?" Wei Wubing mused.

"Those that escaped, did so because too many impurities accumulated internally, developing a certain spirituality and thus actively escaped?"

"That seems to be the case." The large eye buzzed in response.

"I just hope it won't hinder my final control over the Mist Ridge." Wei Wubing sighed.

"It won't." Mo Tong assured confidently.

"Unless they can escape the Mist Ridge, once you control most Cloud Mirage Pearl fragments, drawing them back would be easy."

"They're just divine soldier fragments with a bit of spirituality; leaving the Mist Forest is nearly impossible." Mo Tong spoke calmly.

"Indeed." Wei Wubing agreed.

"Then let's not worry about it now, tomorrow we go capture the Red Feather City divine soldier."

"Should we wait a bit? If it catches Emperor Dragon City's attention, it won't be good." Mo Tong hesitated.

"I'd love to wait, but the Mist Ridge can't afford such delay." Wei Wubing shook his head.

"As for Emperor Dragon City..."

"Hmph!"

"Bearing the name of Mist Ridge's foremost city, they indulge in pleasures day in and out, long forgetting the ancestral duty of guarding the Mist Ridge."

"Relying on them to protect the Mist Ridge is simply a fantasy."

"Facing external threats, I must quickly seize control of the entire Mist Ridge."

"If Emperor Dragon City doesn't act, that's fine; if they obstruct... hmph!"

"We'll strike Emperor Dragon City first!" Wei Wubing snorted coldly.

...

By White Bird Lake

As usual, Chen Mu got up early, starting by using the Yellow Springs Gourd to refine Pure Yang Qi to nourish his Daoist Foundation. By the time the Dao Foundation Jade Seed felt satiated, more than an Hour had passed.

He strolled around White Bird Lake once, then returned to the thatched hut to continue tempering his Heavenly Demon Body.

First, he absorbed the divine power accumulated overnight by the White Bird Divine Soldier, then used Yin Mistaken Yang to refine Taiyin Qi, infusing it into the Yin Spirit Divine Fetus. Simultaneously, he used the Yin Spirit Divine Fetus to induce Nine Orifice Fetal Breath to create Netherworld Qi, then sent it into the Nine Orifices.

The day's Qi Refinement was completely over by the afternoon.

Just as he was pondering whether to join the bustle in White Bird City, an unexpected insight surfaced in his mind.

Chen Mu's eyebrows twitched as he summoned the gray Stone Gate, looking at one of the sections.

Seven Emotions Curse: Seventh Rank.

Over the past half year, he used the Seven Emotions Curse daily. Combined with the experience provided by the Life and Death Seal inhabiting the White Bird Divine Soldier, the curse method was on the brink of upgrading.

Having recently refined three Liangxi City Divine Soldier Fragments also substantially boosted proficiency in the Seven Emotions Curse.

Leveling up today was logical.

With a thought, an invisible ripple spread throughout the city. Instantly, the entire White Bird City was enveloped by the power of the Seven Emotions Curse.

Different emotional ripples appeared in Chen Mu's perception, then, guided by the White Bird Divine Soldier in front, they slowly gathered at White Bird Lake.

"Now it can truly cover the whole city."

Chen Mu felt quite satisfied.

Back at the Sixth Rank, it could already cover the whole city, but the power to stir others' emotions was minimal. The range had to be reduced significantly to be barely usable.

Now, entering the Seventh Rank, the curse's potency increased greatly, making it easy to arouse emotions of creatures within the covered range.

"Additionally, it's like having an extra special perception secret technique."

Feeling the distributed emotions throughout White Bird City, Chen Mu was even more pleased.

The Truth Listening Divine Power begins with hearing, the Mechanical Talisman Seed in the Vermilion Feather Sword provides visual feedback, and now with the emotional perception from the Seven Emotions Curse, his detection methods have become more refined and precise.

By seeing further and clearer, he can recognize danger in advance, seeking fortune and avoiding peril.