Chapter 118: Calculating Minds

Just as Modoli was about to strike, Chen Mu stood up slowly and asked, "Are all of you here now?"

Modoli, prepared to attack, paused in confusion and asked, "What do you mean? Who are you talking to? Did you call for reinforcements?"

Chen Mu let out a scoffing laugh. "I am asking if all of you who intended to cause me trouble have arrived. What did you think I was waiting here for? Naturally, to finish you all off at once. I have no patience for dealing with you small-fry one by one later."

The crowd burst into laughter at these words. Had Chen Mu lost his mind? A peak-stage Yuanji practitioner wanting to wipe out a group of Yuandan cultivators all at once? They assumed Chen Mu had been coddled by his sect elders for so long that he had completely lost touch with reality.

Chen Mu slowly drew a sword—a weapon clearly of the Yuan-Infant grade. It was the Scarlet Sun Sword. The crowd stared at the blade with unbridled greed. As expected of someone backed by a major power; for a mere Yuanji practitioner to wield a Yuan-Infant grade artifact was, in the eyes of these people from the Yellow Sand Empire, an act of extreme extravagance.

Seeing that Chen Mu truly intended to stand his ground, the group began to smile mockingly, their intentions turning malicious. Someone shouted, "Let’s make a deal, everyone. Whoever captures Chen Mu first gets his artifact and his storage ring. It’s a matter of strength; no objections, right?"

Modoli scanned the surroundings but could not identify the speaker. He cursed the instigator under his breath; under normal circumstances, Chen Mu would have been his prize alone, along with all the treasures he possessed. Now that someone had stirred the pot, he didn't know whose hands the spoils would fall into. Still, he remained confident—surely, as the strongest among them, he wouldn't lose to this group of inferiors?

Once agreed, the Yuandan-stage elders from various factions launched their assault. A barrage of binding spells rained down on Chen Mu, intended not to kill him, but to immobilize him so he could not escape.

Chen Mu sneered as they finally moved. The unfinished "Sunset Sword Art" roared forth, slashing through the incoming spells. He did not bother to activate "Blood-Burning Transformation"; to him, these scoundrels were not even worth the expenditure of his vitality.

With his formidable strength from the Refining Pulse stage and his tyrannical Yang-attribute essence, he shattered their spells with ease. Seeing Chen Mu effortlessly dismantle their combined efforts, the group grew solemn. It seemed this boy had real skills—far superior to the disciples of their own sects.

Unable to hold back any longer, they resorted to lethal attacks, hoping to cripple Chen Mu first before fighting over his possessions. Spells flew—sandstorms raged, dust billowed, and flashes of blades whistled through the air, aimed at severing his limbs.

Chen Mu smiled disdainfully and countered with the Sunset Sword stance. As blades clashed, the group realized something was wrong. A powerful surge of essence split their weapons in two, and a heat even more intense than the desert sun radiated from Chen Mu’s sword. The sheer power sent the Yuandan practitioners into a panic as they desperately channeled their essence for defense.

They finally understood the source of Chen Mu's confidence. They assumed his Yuan-Infant artifact was the cause, as it was the only explanation for such a terrifying display.

But the reality was ruthless. Even without the artifact, Chen Mu could easily have slaughtered them; the results would simply have been less instantaneous. As his sword light descended, even those in defensive stances were burned to ash by the violent Yang essence. Three Yuandan practitioners were disposed of as easily as swatting flies.

Modoli, who had narrowly escaped, was horrified. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Attack together! Are we really going to be afraid of one brat? He’s only relying on his artifact. Once we suppress it, he’ll have no defense!"

The others nodded, agreeing with Modoli’s logic, and charged again. This time, they were smarter, casting binding spells specifically to stifle the power of the Scarlet Sun Sword, hoping to strip Chen Mu of his advantage.

Chen Mu laughed aloud. Did they think he relied solely on his weapon? He tossed the Scarlet Sun Sword aside, gathered his Yang essence into his fists, and launched a brutal, full-force assault.

Seeing him discard his sword, the attackers assumed their binding spells had worked and rushed forward, hoping to be the first to capture him. Chen Mu’s fist shadows, like the blazing sun, hammered into them. Each "Sunset Strike" caused his scorching essence to erupt within their bodies, instantly turning those who got close into mangled flesh that burned to nothing in the air.

Sonic booms echoed continuously, and the air grew scorching hot. Chen Mu’s fists easily pierced through their bodies, melting everything he touched into dust.

They had never seen such a scene. Panic set in. Wasn't the boy supposed to be reliant on his weapon? How could he crush Yuandan-stage experts like ants with his bare hands? What kind of essence quality was this? How could a peak-stage Yuanji practitioner possess essence as dense as that of a peak-stage Yuandan cultivator?

Chen Mu’s performance shattered their understanding of cultivation, leaving everyone stunned. Although some cried out to retreat, they were already too close to Chen Mu to escape. He pressed his advantage, his fists flying in a chaotic, instinctive fury. The technique was unrefined, but for these opponents, it was more than enough.

He tore through the cultivators who had viewed him as prey, his figure appearing like a peerless demon. The disciples watching from the rear, who had never witnessed such carnage, trembled and vomited. They finally grasped the worthlessness of life; even high-level Yuandan masters were extinguished like sparks in the wind.

The slaughter drew to a close. Not a drop of blood touched the ground, all of it evaporated by the intense heat of his essence.

After finishing them off, he ignored the young disciples who had lost control of their bladders. He found no worth in striking those who had already lost their will to fight. He simply said, "Tell the powers behind you: if you want to trouble me again, I am always ready. But you must bring something worth my time—like a Yuan-Infant cultivator. By the way, your sect leader is Abierxi, right? Though I wasn't the one who fought him, I remember it was that old man Xiahou Longchen. Your leader couldn't even defeat him, yet you arrogant fools think you can challenge me? Let me tell you, I don't even hold Xiahou Longchen in high regard, let alone your leader. If you want revenge, wait until you surpass him. Only then will you be qualified to be my opponent."

Little did Chen Mu know, they no longer possessed the strength to challenge him. The Yuan-Infant cultivators of the Yellow Sand Empire were nearly extinct, with only two remaining who had not participated in the previous war. With the loss of so many Yuandan-stage elders, the major sects were effectively crippled, destined to fall from power.

The Yellow Sand Empire was now in terminal decline. Having already been weakened by the war with the Great Xia, the loss of its core combatants meant it would never rise again.

This slaughter terrified the imperial high-ranking officials and the last remaining Yuan-Infant expert who had been watching from the shadows. The officials dared not intervene, fearing that Chen Mu might destroy the entire empire if they provoked him. They watched in trembling silence.

Fortunately, Chen Mu merely glanced at their scouts and lost interest, much to the relief of the empire.

As for the other Yuan-Infant power, they recognized Chen Mu’s terror. They saw him as dangerous, but also as a risky chess piece that could help them destroy the Yellow Sand imperial house. If they could maintain a good relationship with him, the empire would be theirs for the taking. But if they offended him, they would face annihilation.

Driven by ambition, the independent Yuan-Infant master decided to approach Chen Mu to negotiate. He would do whatever it took to secure the support of this "god." If he could win Chen Mu over, he could rule the Yellow Sand Empire unopposed.

In truth, the Yuan-Infant experts within the Yellow Sand Empire had similar thoughts, but because they had offended the Great Xia in the previous war, they feared Chen Mu would despise them and dared not make contact.

Indeed, Chen Mu had no love for the Yellow Sand Empire due to their invasion of the Great Xia during its period of weakness. But he understood it; he had attacked the Biluo Daoist Sect when Zhong Tianyao was vulnerable. Thinking from their perspective, he felt a sense of detachment. He harbored no deep hatred, as he had suffered no significant losses. His initial distaste remained, but it never escalated into true enmity.