Chapter 820
The Number One Manor Under Heaven
Ye Tongxuan was actually reluctant to talk about his youth.
He was indeed the invincible Ye Zu back then.
Before advancing to the seventh level, he was always the most outstanding among his peers.
But once he reached the Dao Source Realm, he was no longer so outstanding.
After all, who among those who can reach the Dao Source Realm wasn't a genius in the past?
At this point, wouldn't anyone who boasts about how outstanding they were in their youth just make themselves a laughingstock?
Although Ye Tongxuan is currently at the peak of the Dao Source Realm, he knows that there is the Dao Extreme Realm above him, so he really has no right to be proud.
Now that Liu Bufan had exposed his identity, he felt no pride, only anger and embarrassment.
"I haven't been at the breakthrough for very long, but I did break through."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect chuckled and said, "It's still uncertain when you'll break through."
Ye Tongxuan was speechless after being rebuked.
The peak of the Dao Source Realm and the Dao Extreme Realm seem to be only one step apart.
But this step blocked 99% of the martial artists.
Many martial artists are stuck at the peak of the Dao Source Realm their entire lives, unable to take that final step until their death.
Ye Tongxuan considered himself a genius, but he wasn't confident that he could definitely reach the Dao Extreme Realm in his lifetime.
"You're just lucky!"
In the end, Ye Tongxuan could only manage to utter this one sentence.
"Being lucky is also part of my skill."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect said triumphantly, "If it weren't for Su Mu, I would have already died from exhaustion of my lifespan. Little Yezi, do you also want to abandon the darkness and embrace the light?"
"Follow Su Mu, and I guarantee you'll reach the Dao Realm in your lifetime."
He used his own experience to persuade Ye Tongxuan.
Ye Tongxuan's face turned ugly. He snorted coldly and said nothing more.
If we're talking about being moved, he definitely was somewhat moved.
However, he also understood what it meant to follow Su Mu.
Although Su Mu is currently an ally of Da Luo Tian, no one can predict what will happen in the future.
Who knows, Su Mu might turn against Da Luo Tian one day.
How will he handle this situation?
The conversation between the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect and Ye Tongxuan made Liu Bufan's eyes widen and his breathing quicken.
Liu Bufan didn't understand the rest, but he did understand one thing: the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect was a Dao Extreme Realm expert who was even more powerful than Ye Tongxuan.
Moreover, this person broke through to the Dao Extreme Realm because of Su Mu's help.
And Su Mu was the master he had just recognized.
The thought that his newly recognized master could help him break through to the Dao Extreme Realm made Liu Bufan tremble with excitement.
The ultimate realm of Tao.
That's a Dao Realm that even Ye Zu hadn't reached!
Even in his wildest dreams, Liu Bufan never imagined he could reach that level in his lifetime.
"Luckily I reacted quickly, otherwise I would have missed this opportunity and I'm afraid I would never have had a second chance in my life."
Liu Bufan thought to himself, and his steps became much lighter as he led the way.
The group arrived at the manor of Gu Shilong, the strongest expert in the first level of the Great Luo Realm, at a leisurely pace.
Without waiting for Su Mu's instructions, Liu Bufan rushed up and knocked on the door.
"Gu Shilong, my lord has arrived! Why don't you come out and greet him at once!"
Liu Bufan kicked open the door and shouted.
"Who dares to be insolent in front of my Gu Jian Manor!"
With a furious shout, a figure shot out from the depths of the manor.
A middle-aged man came into view.
"Liu Bufan, you've gone mad!"
Gu Shilong spotted Liu Bufan at a glance and frowned, saying, "How dare you damage my gate?"
"Gu Shilong, come and pay your respects to my lord. Your opportunity has arrived."
Liu Bufan said arrogantly, "My lord needs an errand boy, and you're not bad. Why don't you pay your respects to my lord at once!"
"you wanna die!"
Gu Shilong was furious.
As the strongest expert in the first level of the Great Luo Realm, he was at the peak of the Core Formation Realm, just one step away from ascending to the second level.
In this first heaven, who would dare to speak to him like that?
Why should he, Gu Shilong, run errands for people?
Has Liu Bufan gone mad?
"Liu Bufan, do you think that just because someone flatters you by calling you Master Liu, you can come and act so presumptuously in front of me?"
court death! "
Gu Shilong snorted coldly, flicked his sword finger, and a long sword flew out, turning into a white streak that shot towards Liu Bufan.
"My lord, save me!"
Liu Bufan's expression changed drastically, and he shouted loudly.
He was only at the True Essence Realm, no match for Gu Shilong.
The sword was already flying towards Liu Bufan, and Liu Bufan had no time to dodge.
Just then, a leaf struck the sword with incredible speed, hitting it precisely before the longsword could strike Liu Bufan.
Ding-dong.
A crisp sound.
The longsword spun out and pierced the wall with a soft thud.
Gu Shilong's expression changed drastically.
Before he could react, the figure of the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect had already appeared beside him, his hand gently resting on his shoulder.
In an instant, Gu Shilong felt that he had lost all control of his strength, and he couldn't even move a little finger.
"I'm afraid you wouldn't accept being killed like this."
The Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect said with a smile, "I will give you a chance. If you can defeat Liu Bufan, then we can pretend we were never here."
"If you lose to Liu Bufan, you'll serve us for a hundred years, how about it?"
Gu Shilong couldn't speak, he could only gesture with his eyes.
His eyes were filled with intense anger.
If I can't beat you, can't I beat Liu Bufan?
Even if you are strong, you cannot insult me like this!
Liu Bufan is just a weapon forger at the True Essence Realm. I, Gu Shilong, could beat him to a pulp with just one hand.
"grown ups--"
Liu Bufan grew anxious, "Although I am willing to die for my lord, I am just a weaponsmith and not skilled in combat..."
Liu Bufan was already embellishing his own image.
The difference between him and Gu Shilong is not because he is not good at fighting.
He was only at the True Essence Realm, while Gu Shilong was at the Core Formation Realm; they were a whole major realm apart.
Liu Bufan estimated that even if he risked his life, he might not be able to harm Gu Shilong in the slightest.
"I am not afraid of death, I am just afraid of ruining my lord's important plans!"
Liu Bufan spoke with righteous indignation.
"If I say you can do it, then you can do it."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect said with a smile.
This is such a trivial matter that Su Mu doesn't need to lift a finger.
He flicked his finger, and a pill landed in Liu Bufan's mouth.
The moment the pill entered his mouth, Liu Bufan's face turned blood red.
He let out a roar, and his aura continued to rise.
boom!
In an instant, he broke through the tranquility of the True Essence Realm and entered the Core Formation Realm.
That wasn't the end of it; his aura continued to surge.
He climbed all the way to the peak of the Core Formation Realm before his aura gradually stabilized.
Liu Bufan's face was full of disbelief.
He looked at his palm, clenched his fist, and then released it.
A feeling of power welled up inside me.
Liu Bufan has reached the Core Formation stage?
"Ha ha!"
Liu Bufan couldn't help but burst into laughter, increasingly convinced that his choice was correct.
If it were up to him, he might not be able to reach the Core Formation Realm even after several decades.
But now, in just one day, he has already reached the Core Formation Realm!
Such a cultivation speed is simply unimaginable.
"Gu Shilong, come and fight!"
Liu Bufan shouted confidently.
The Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect had returned to Su Mu and Ye Tongxuan's side, while Liu Bufan roared and pounced on Gu Shilong.
Gu Shilong was both shocked and furious, and drew his sword to meet the attack.
“Gu Shilong is at the peak of the Core Formation Realm, and he fought his way up. Even if you use pills to forcibly raise Liu Bufan's cultivation to the same level as him, Liu Bufan will still be no match for him.”
Ye Tongxuan said coldly.
"Not necessarily."
The Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect said with a smile, and with a casual suggestion, Liu Bufan immediately suppressed Gu Shilong.
"You're cheating!"
Ye Tongxuan said angrily.
"Playing dirty? I never said I wouldn't guide Liu Bufan."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect said matter-of-factly, "Giving him a chance to fight is already the fairness I've shown him."
Otherwise, do you think a mere Core Formation cultivator like him has the right to bargain with me? Ye Tongxuan was speechless.
Yes.
If Su Mu and the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect didn't have ulterior motives, with their strength, why would they waste words with a Core Formation Realm cultivator?
In their eyes, what difference is there between a Core Formation Realm martial artist and an ant?
Ye Tongxuan sighed inwardly.
When a Dao Realm expert becomes shameless, no one in this world can stop them.
Liu Bufan couldn't resist their temptations, so how could Gu Shilong possibly resist?
Seeing someone far inferior to himself suddenly gain overwhelming strength in the blink of an eye was something no one, including Gu Shilong, could accept.
If the other party can make Liu Bufan stronger, then of course they can also make Gu Shilong stronger.
Without saying a word, Su Mu had already presented Gu Shilong with an irresistible temptation.
If Ye Tongxuan put himself in that position, he wouldn't be able to accept losing to someone he looked down on either.
He will definitely want to become stronger.
The path to becoming stronger has already been laid out before him.
Ye Tongxuan couldn't help but sigh.
Just then, with a crisp clang, the longsword in Gu Shilong's hand flew high into the air.
A knife was pressed against his neck.
Gu Shilong's face was ashen.
Liu Bufan, on the other hand, was radiant with joy.
He, Liu Bufan, actually defeated Gu Shilong!
Gu Shilong, the strongest in the first level of heaven, was defeated by Liu Bufan!
Liu Bufan turned to look at Su Mu and the Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect, his face full of admiration.
He was only being instructed by a guard by his lord, yet he had already defeated Gu Shilong.
What if the lord himself gives the instructions?
Liu Bufan seemed to have already seen his future.
"Gu Shilong, what else do you have to say?"
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect said with a smile.
"I--"
Gu Shilong hesitated for a moment, but when his gaze fell on Liu Bufan's smug look, that hesitation vanished instantly.
"I am willing!"
Gu Shilong shouted.
"very good."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect said with a smile.
"next."
With his hands behind his back, Su Mu calmly asked, "Who is the best alchemist here?"
…………
Su Mu and his group stayed in the First Heaven for more than a month, and recruited the top talents in each profession, from weapon forgers to martial artists, alchemists, spirit plant masters, and array masters, to their subordinates.
How many people could refuse a Dao Realm expert who comes to the first level of the Core Formation Realm, where the highest cultivation level is no more than that of a Dao Realm expert, to recruit subordinates?
Although Ye Tongxuan was helpless, he could only watch helplessly as all of this happened.
After gathering all the talents in the first heaven, Su Mu had Ye Tongxuan lead the way, and they went to the second heaven together.
Ye Tongxuan originally wanted to use the rules of the Great Luo Heaven to restrict Su Mu, saying that Core Formation Realm warriors could not enter the Second Heaven, in an attempt to make Su Mu give up those who were the number one in the First Heaven.
But how could such a petty trick possibly stump Su Mu?
With just a few subtle tricks, Su Mu enabled the top experts in each field of the First Heaven to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.
Liu Bufan, Gu Shilong, and others practically revered Su Mu as a god.
In just a few days, they reached the realm they had always dreamed of. Now, even if Su Mu asked them to die, they would not hesitate for a moment.
Ye Tongxuan witnessed firsthand Su Mu's methods of winning people's hearts.
Left with no other option, he could only secretly send a message to the Eternal Heaven, but he was unable to stop Su Mu from entering the second heaven.
Upon reaching the second level, Su Mu resorted to the same trick again.
He didn't even need to take action himself; he had already brought all the top figures in every industry in this second heaven under his command.
After spending more than a month in the Second Heaven, Su Mu used local materials, including spiritual herbs and medicinal plants, to refine pills.
Using the refined pills, they forcefully raised those geniuses of the Great Luo Heaven to the Integration Realm, reaching the threshold for entering the third level of the Heaven.
The so-called rules of the Great Luo Heaven were utterly ineffective in stopping Su Mu's advance.
The alchemy skills that Su Mu displayed drove the geniuses of the Great Luo Heaven into a frenzy.
From then on, no one questioned Su Mu's abilities anymore.
Ye Tongxuan also realized that with Su Mu's methods, obtaining something from the Great Luo Heaven would be incredibly easy.
Putting everything else aside, his alchemy skills alone are enough to make the martial artists of the Great Luo Heaven admire him.
He can easily exchange anything he wants.
Unless it's something strictly controlled, there's nothing in the entire Great Luo Heaven that Su Mu can't get his hands on.
The reason Su Mu hasn't taken it is simply because he doesn't think it's good enough.
He has his eye on the people of Da Luo Tian.
"Hmph, Su Mu, even if you go to great lengths, you can only recruit Void Return Realm warriors at most. Once they reach the Dao Source Realm, we won't trust you so easily."
Ye Tongxuan couldn't help but speak, but his tone was somewhat sour.
Below the Dao Source Realm, Su Mu might be able to use various methods to help people improve their cultivation.
Even for Su Mu, turning someone at the Dao Source Realm into someone at the Dao Extreme Realm is not an easy task.
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect was merely a coincidence; it's impossible to replicate.
If Su Mu truly possessed the ability to mass-produce Dao Realm experts, then he wouldn't need to form an alliance with the Great Luo Heaven at all.
The Great Qian Dynasty, the Yanfu Sect, and the Great Luo Heaven will all be no match for him.
Therefore, Ye Tongxuan believed that Su Mu simply did not have that ability.
If it's impossible to turn a Dao Source Realm expert into a Dao Extreme Realm expert, then why would a Dao Source Realm expert follow Su Mu?
The Dao Source Realm experts of the Great Luo Heaven are not fools.
Without sufficient benefits, who would abandon the Great Luo Heaven to follow Su Mu?
"you're right."
Su Mu nodded and said calmly, "I really can't raise the Dao Source Realm to the Dao Extreme Realm."
"Hey, we don't need to recruit your Dao Origin Realm experts from the Great Luo Heaven."
The Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect chuckled and said, "Those old bones in the Dao Source Realm have long been rigid in their thinking. Even if we recruit them, they won't be of one mind with us."
On the contrary, these people are still young, like blank sheets of paper. If we nurture them, they will be the ones who can walk the same path with us.
Ye Tongxuan wanted to refute, but couldn't think of a reason to do so.
"Elder, we only have a few months left before we stop running."
Su Mu said slowly, "In this sixth heaven, I will build the number one manor in the world."
Anyone who has reached the pinnacle of their field, we, the Number One Zhuang, want them all.
Martial arts techniques, divine weapons, and miraculous elixirs—join the Number One Manor under Heaven, and you'll have plenty.
"clear."
The Grand Elder of the Yokoyama Sect laughed heartily.
This was Su Mu's desperate measure to undermine Su Mu's cause.
As the Grand Elder of the Hengshan Sect, who had managed the sect for hundreds of years, he understood the importance of talent better than anyone else.
Why did the Yokoyama sect decline?
Isn't it because of a talent gap?
Without people, even the largest sect will decline.
Su Mu has plundered all the geniuses of Da Luo Tian, but it seems that it may not have much impact on Da Luo Tian now.
But in a few hundred years, the Great Luo Heaven will inevitably face a talent shortage.
By then, even if Da Luo Tian regrets it, it will be too late.
Cultivating a strong person is not an easy task.
Top-tier experts, in particular, are extremely rare and hard to come by.
It seems Su Mu has suffered a loss, having to expend enormous energy and resources to cultivate these geniuses from the Great Luo Heaven.
These people will likely have little chance of playing a significant role for at least the next century.
After all, even for Su Mu, it would take some time to train these people to the Dao Source Realm.
But slow is fast.
It may seem like a loss now, but once these people grow stronger, they will definitely make Su Mu's Great Xuan Dynasty's strength skyrocket.
Those who can become the number one person in a certain aspect of the Great Luo Heaven are undoubtedly talented.
What they lack is simply the opportunity to grow.
What Su Mu is doing now is providing them with this opportunity to grow.
"I have a suggestion."
The Grand Elder of Hengshan Sect said solemnly, "Su Mu, I think you can personally forge a Heavenly Weapon to be the number one weapon in the world."
Furthermore, we will hold a military appreciation ceremony at our number one manor in the world, where the destined one can take away this heavenly weapon.
"My lord, this is something I excel at. I can help you create momentum, and I guarantee that it will attract a large number of powerful individuals."
Liu Bufan said excitedly.
"We can assist our lord."
The world's top weapon-forging masters from the second and third heavens also spoke up.
They had all witnessed Su Mu's alchemy skills, but they had never seen his weapon-forging skills before, and now they all wanted to experience them.
Those alchemists all saw their cultivation levels greatly increase after witnessing Su Mu's alchemy skills.
They wanted to be like those alchemists.
"Alright."
Su Mu pondered for a moment and said, "Since we're going to do this, let's go big. I'll take out ten heavenly weapons and have the experts of the Great Luo Heaven trade them with rare and precious materials."
Now that he has recruited enough people, he can focus on healing his injuries.
To fully recover, his system panel needs a massive amount of points, and he also needs some rare and precious medicinal herbs to aid his recovery. (End of Chapter)