Chapter Seventy-Eight: Returning to the Starcrest Mountains

Yet among them, there were still those who understood, but what did it matter? Even if someone pointed out the truth, what would change? After all, it wasn’t happening to them, and so they thought.

Chen Mu cared little for their inner turmoil. He spoke bluntly, “I don’t care how you view me. I have always been a member of Stargazing Valley, the personal disciple of Master Gu Xingyuan, and you have no right to tell me to leave. Let me see everyone; I intend to restore Stargazing Valley. You all have wandered and hidden for long enough. I can offer you a safer refuge, and I’ll speak to everyone about it later. For now, lead me to the remaining disciples of Stargazing Valley.”

Upon hearing Chen Mu mention a better place, Li Haosheng’s eyes brightened. They had grown weary of fleeing and hiding, living in constant fear and anxiety. Chen Mu’s words filled him with hope, and without hesitation, he led Chen Mu to the gathering place of the disciples.

As Chen Mu arrived, the crowd predictably showed expressions of disgust and hostility. Only one person looked at Chen Mu with delight—Zhang Jiudan.

Zhang Jiudan stepped forward and embraced Chen Mu, tears streaming down his face. “Chen Mu! You’re alive? That’s wonderful! All the brothers from the outer sect are dead… Elder Liu is gone too… But you’re alive, and that’s truly a blessing…”

Chen Mu patted Zhang Jiudan’s shoulder. “Don’t cry. A man’s tears are not easily shed. Though the others are gone, as long as we live, one day we’ll make the Three Sects of the Azure Path pay for their blood-debt! Step aside now; I have words for these inner disciples.”

Chen Mu had no patience for their chatter. “I plan to rebuild Stargazing Valley. You have two choices: continue living as fugitives, or follow me—I can provide you with a safe haven. If you’re hostile toward me and refuse to come, then henceforth you have nothing to do with Stargazing Valley. You can no longer call yourselves its disciples. After all, I am the master’s direct disciple, and the future of Stargazing Valley will be built by me alone. My time is limited; make your choice.”

The crowd was outraged. One inner disciple roared, “You want us to stop calling ourselves disciples of Stargazing Valley? By what right? Who do you think you are? Only a blind master would take you as a disciple! What virtue do you have to deserve such a title?”

Chen Mu gazed at him coldly. “My character? That’s just your excuse to ostracize an outsider like me. I have said enough on this matter during the sect’s inquiry. My conduct is upright, and all those baseless accusations are just that—baseless. You believed the words of the He brothers and Yulan without investigating my situation in the outer sect, and condemned me without proof? Enough. That’s irrelevant now. Tell me—will you follow me, or continue as fugitives?”

“Hmph! Don’t boast here! You’re just at the Yuan Foundation stage—how will you rebuild Stargazing Valley? What difference does following you make? Aren’t we still fugitives? How far can you lead us with your cultivation? Frankly, you’re just flaunting your status as a personal disciple!”

Chen Mu’s lips curled in disdain. “Then let me show you what a Yuan Foundation cultivator can do for the Valley!” With a flash, Chen Mu appeared before the disciple, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him off the ground.

No one saw how Chen Mu moved. The intense killing intent radiating from him made everyone tremble. Whatever Chen Mu had experienced to possess such murderous aura, they knew he must have survived countless deadly battles and his hands were stained with blood.

Chen Mu sneered at the crowd. “To be frank, even late-stage Yuan Core cultivators are nothing to me—let alone you. Do I flaunt my status as a personal disciple? No, I flaunt my own strength! If not for your talent in alchemy, I wouldn’t bother recruiting you. Choose: submit to me, or die!”

Hearing Chen Mu’s domineering words, no one dared to refuse. They sensed that any rejection would mean certain death.

Originally, Chen Mu had wanted to rebuild Stargazing Valley with his fellow disciples, but he lost his patience and now saw them as mere tools—if they were useless to him, he would simply destroy them.

Qu Rou dared not even breathe, for Chen Mu’s gaze was icy cold. She knew the conflict between Chen Mu and the inner disciples ran deep. Chen Mu did not wish to defend himself, and the inner disciples, arrogantly self-assured, chose to ignore the possibility that they had misunderstood him, never bothering to investigate the truth, let alone mend their relationship with him. Now, with Chen Mu subduing them by force, their compliance was inevitable, and no one else could be blamed.

Seeing that no one dared resist and all submitted to his pressure, Chen Mu spoke coldly, “Very well. It seems you are willing to follow me. Our destination is the middle reaches of the Xingluan Mountain Range. There, I know a beast that will protect you. While you live in the mountains, you will refine pills for me and trade them in the towns for resources. The herbs you need can be found in the mountains, and I will provide some supplies. Rebuilding Stargazing Valley requires great wealth—that task falls to you.”

Hearing that their destination was the middle of the Xingluan Mountains, everyone grew nervous, for that area was uninhabitable, and the beasts there could devour them alive.

Chen Mu ignored them and signaled Qu Rou to calm them down. Qu Rou sighed wryly—clearly, Chen Mu had no regard for them.

So Qu Rou spoke with the inner disciples of the Pill Pavilion, explaining Chen Mu’s ability to communicate with beasts.

At this moment, Chen Mu turned to Zhang Jiudan, his cold demeanor softened. He gently bumped Zhang Jiudan’s shoulder with his fist, easing his tension, then solemnly said, “Jiudan, I have a storage pouch here with resources I prepared for your cultivation. I’ve asked Qu Rou to take you as her disciple; you no longer need to act as a pill boy and endure others’ contempt. I hope you cultivate well. Oh, you haven’t broken through to the Yuan Foundation yet, have you? Listen to me—don’t rush it. The Yuan Meridian stage isn’t limited to thirty-six meridians; in truth, you can open one hundred and eight! That’s how I became so powerful—by opening all one hundred and eight! Once we reach the Xingluan Mountains, I’ll give you a technique to unlock them, and you can slowly become strong.”

Zhang Jiudan’s emotions were complicated. Seeing Chen Mu’s newfound strength, he had thought they were strangers now, never to be friends again. Yet Chen Mu did not disdain his weakness, but treated him as a brother, just as before. Previously, Zhang Jiudan had cared for Chen Mu; now, it was Chen Mu’s turn to look after him.

Zhang Jiudan did not act sentimental. He listened intently to Chen Mu’s advice about cultivation, determined to become strong. Though the idea of one hundred and eight meridians seemed incredible, it explained why Chen Mu was so powerful, and Zhang Jiudan no longer yearned to break through immediately; he wanted to lay a solid foundation.

After explaining resources and cultivation to Zhang Jiudan, Chen Mu instructed him to urge Qu Rou and the others to pack up quickly, so they could set out for the Xingluan Mountain Range together.

After the time it takes for incense to burn, all the Pill Pavilion disciples of Stargazing Valley were ready, awaiting Chen Mu’s command to march toward the mountains.

The Pill Pavilion disciples of Stargazing Valley were not many—only about twenty, and a third were mere pill boys who had not entered the Yuan Foundation stage, as those with strong spiritual power and alchemy talent were rare.

Thus, this small group of twenty or so followed Chen Mu cautiously toward the little town where he had first entered the Xingluan Mountains.

Now, this area belonged to the Crescent Blade Sect, whose disciples patrolled everywhere. Though the Pill Pavilion disciples did not wear Stargazing Valley robes, they still attracted attention, but Chen Mu eliminated every one of them.

Watching Chen Mu kill without blinking, the group swallowed nervously, wondering how many lives he had taken to be so unfazed.

To accommodate their pace, Chen Mu slowed down, since these people were skilled only in alchemy, poorly trained in cultivation basics, and some were still at the Yuan Meridian stage; their speed was naturally sluggish.

After two days and a night, the group finally reached the town.

Upon entering, Chen Mu spent a large sum to buy supplies for everyone—essentials for survival in the wild, such as water flasks, knives, tents, and so forth. Once all was purchased, the group followed Chen Mu into the Xingluan Mountain Range.

The journey took several more days, but was safe, thanks to the faint pressure of Chen Mu’s dragon bloodline, which kept all beasts at bay.

When they arrived at the lakeside home of the Azure-scaled Python, the giant serpent had already sensed Chen Mu’s approach, but was surprised to feel the pressure of the dragon bloodline emanating from him.

This aura made all the snakes in the area tremble and prostrate themselves at Chen Mu’s feet, as if welcoming the return of their king.

The group watched the masses of snakes awaiting Chen Mu’s arrival, and their scalps tingled. With so many beasts watching them, any wrong move could mean being devoured.

They dared not advance, waiting at the outskirts.

Chen Mu strode directly to the Azure-scaled Python. The great serpent lowered its head, far more respectful than at their first meeting, and spoke via soul transmission, “Honored one, your arrival in my domain brings me great honor. If you require anything of me, I will not hesitate to risk life and limb.”