Free Web NovelChapter 229: Chapter 223: Charge
He stood upon the water, gazing at the vast expanse of lotus leaves stretching across the distant lake. Lotus flowers were in full bloom, swaying with the wind. A faint, refreshing fragrance wafted through the air, soothing the soul.
"Lotus Marsh..."
Chu Mu scanned his surroundings. The figures of Cultivators were visible everywhere—in the sky, on the water’s surface, and within the lake itself.
Evidently, the major powers had already begun to clear the area.
He probed his Storage Talisman with his Divine Sense, and all his external assets were laid bare at a glance.
A saber, a shield, a Talisman Treasure, and a pile of Talismans.
And...
His Divine Sense settled on a spot inside the Storage Talisman. An exoskeletal arm—a Puppet Creation named the Giant Divine Arm according to the lore of Puppetry Skill—lay quietly in a corner of the space.
Beside it, several dragonfly-shaped Magical Artifacts were stacked neatly.
The Giant Divine Arm was ranked as an Upper Grade Magical Artifact. But Puppets, much like Cultivators themselves, were difficult to judge; their true power could not be determined by rank alone.
Take this Giant Divine Arm, for example. Though it was only a single arm, it was composed of dozens of components, large and small.
In fact, each component could be considered a Magical Artifact in its own right.
Inscribed with Array Prohibition and Artifact Patterns and then assembled into a single unit, they formed the Giant Divine Arm before him.
If classified according to the grading system for Magical Artifacts, it was merely an Upper Grade Magical Artifact.
But its Mighty Power was in no way inferior to that of a Top Grade Magical Artifact.
Furthermore, the Giant Divine Arm’s nature was unlike that of ordinary Magical Artifacts, which are typically controlled by Divine Sense for ranged attacks. freewёbnoνel.com
The Giant Divine Arm was a melee weapon.
Its functions were also simple: amplifying strength and using Spiritual Power to pierce armor. Just those two!
With a slight stir of his Divine Sense, three Spirit Stones rose from his Storage Space, settled perfectly into three sockets on the Giant Divine Arm, and clicked into place.
At that moment, a streak of light flickered across the Giant Divine Arm, flowing along its complex Artifact Pattern Array Prohibitions before vanishing.
Powered by three Lower Grade Spirit Stones, it required no Magical Power to operate—only physical strength to wield it and a hint of Divine Sense to control it.
Clearly, this type of Magical Artifact was a perfect match for Body Refining Cultivators.
Once his preparations were complete, he again looked out at the distant stretch of lotus leaves.
He then set off, leading Wangcai on a full circuit around the Lotus Marsh, which stretched for tens of miles along the lake’s edge, before finally distancing himself from the pond.
He wasn’t overly anxious. His past experience of being hunted had made one thing crystal clear: the allure of a Secret Realm was immense. There would be no shortage of people unwilling to let the Longevity Sect and the great clans hoard the prize for themselves.
These were people who lived by the sword, and they clearly weren’t afraid to take risks.
However, Chu Mu reckoned that the vast majority of them were likely just following the scent of opportunity.
After all, if tokens to enter the Secret Realm were common, the Longevity Sect and the great clans wouldn’t have spent such vast resources and effort to create a so-called temporary passage.
But it was obvious that the actions of the Longevity Sect and the great clans—clearing the area and cordoning it off—were a dead giveaway, practically shouting that they had something to hide.
It would only make more people increasingly eager to act.
The allure of a Secret Realm was far greater than any Foundation Establishment Pill, or even fifteen thousand Spirit Stones.
Just as he had predicted, with the controversy over the Secret Realm intensifying, the stir at Lotus Marsh became a beacon in the darkness, attracting countless eyes.
The Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World was incredibly vast.
And the Cultivation Immortal Realm was not composed solely of the high and mighty Longevity Sect and the Five Races.
Given that self-interest reigned supreme among Cultivators, it didn’t mean that the high and mighty Longevity Sect and the Five Races could completely control every Cultivator in the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
There were the countless Loose Cultivators who lived by the blade, and the innumerable clans of all sizes who were vassals to the Longevity Sect and the Five Races...
And even within the Longevity Sect and the five great clans themselves...
It was clear they were not all of one mind...
As time passed, more and more watchful eyes gathered, and sporadic skirmishes began to break out one after another around Lotus Marsh.
Chu Mu disguised his appearance and concealed his Cultivation. Wangcai, beside him, transformed into a black panther, lying obediently on the surface of the water.
This saved him a great deal of trouble at such a critical time.
After all, with the Secret Realm so close at hand, no one truly focused on it would want to stir up unnecessary trouble.
Two days and two nights passed. When the first rays of morning sun appeared, a light mist still lingered over the lake. But this time, the mist seemed... off.
As time passed, the morning mist didn’t dissipate. Instead, it grew even thicker until the Lotus Marsh, which stretched for tens of miles, was completely obscured from view.
Although he couldn’t see any other Cultivators around him, Chu Mu inexplicably felt the atmosphere grow taut.
It was like... the calm before the storm...
Suddenly, several streaks of light shot into the sky. The water rippled as sword beams whistled through the air, heading straight into the dense fog.
In that instant, those few beams of sword light seemed to flip a switch. The once-calm surface of the lake erupted into a frenzy of activity.
There were Sword Flight Masters, cultivators sprinting across the water, some with wings strapped to their backs, and even others piloting small Flying Boats...
Their target, clearly, was the thick, spreading fog.
"This is the forbidden territory of our sect! Trespassers will be put to death!"
A Foundation Establishment Powerhouse shot into the air. Sword light flashed violently, and several mangled bodies tumbled from the sky, a chilling killing intent radiating from the attack.
However, this show of force had no deterrent effect whatsoever.
The fog covered a radius of tens of miles; an area so vast was riddled with far too many openings.
It was a situation reminiscent of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea—everyone had to rely on their own unique Divine Techniques.
Chu Mu didn’t wait to observe any longer. The moment the chaos erupted, he activated his Divine Wind Boots. A series of afterimages flickered as he shot swiftly toward the fog.
