Breaking the Reflection, Reaching the Summit; Evolution Four, Sword-Storage Pool; A Demon Begs Buddha

[Sword-Reflecting Stone: Derivation Three]

Golden runes appeared atop the massive stone, lighting up with a streak of white radiance.

After the complete recording of Dripping Water Swordsmanship.

The third transformation of the Great Expansion Sword Register finally appeared.

The relevant information instantly flooded into Li Mu's mind.

"After fully inscribing a sword manual, you can reflect a clone whose swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle for combat practice.

With each battle, you can absorb insights into the swordsmanship. Once they are fully absorbed, you can obtain a strand of sword qi to enhance your qi and blood and spirit..."

[Can reflect: Dripping Water Swordsmanship (White), pinnacle-level clone]

"My swordsmanship has already reached mastery. Why do I still need combat practice?"

"Reflect."

Puzzled, Li Mu moved his thoughts.

The streak of white radiance on the Sword-Reflecting Stone suddenly condensed, turning into another "Li Mu."

This clone of "Li Mu" emitted a faint white glow. Its figure was illusory, its expression numb, and its eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation, like stagnant water.

Yet it gave Li Mu an extremely dangerous feeling.

A sword suddenly appeared in Li Mu's hand.

Just then, the clone "Li Mu" flashed forward, stepped out, and drew its sword!

"Dripping Water Pierces Stone... Rain Thorn?"

Watching the clone thrust out this strike.

Li Mu was somewhat confused, but his response did not hesitate in the slightest.

Thirty-six thrusts shot out as the mastery-level Endless Rain sword intent formed a defense before him.

After the four layers of sword intent in Dripping Water Swordsmanship were cultivated to the end, it became a matter of using defense as offense. The endless rain-curtain defense could withstand the vast majority of martial arts at the same level when strength was equal.

The rain curtain was dense as a great net, capable of enveloping all incoming attacks.

This was also Li Mu's most confident move.

With the dual enhancement of "Clear Sword Eyes" and "Sword-Inquiring Platform," the mastery-level sword intent had all its flaws patched up.

Li Mu was confident.

At the same qi and blood level, no one could break through it.

However.

Bang!!!!

With a trembling boom, the entire rain curtain was forcibly torn open by a streak of silver light.

Explosive pain burst across his face. Li Mu was sent flying and crashed to the ground.

Though he was only a consciousness body inside the Sword Talisman Space, Li Mu still felt as if his face had been viciously pierced apart.

Combat here had already seemed unbelievable, but he had not expected it to feel so real!

If this had been reality, that sword would have stabbed him to death!

"How is that possible?" Li Mu cried out in shock.

The mastery-level Endless Rain sword intent had actually failed to stop Rain Thorn?

It was not Rain Thorn... Li Mu suddenly realized.

"This is a move produced by further deducing Dripping Water Swordsmanship beyond mastery!"

He stared at the cold-eyed clone before him, his heart filled with shock.

Who could have imagined that Dripping Water Swordsmanship could still be pushed one step further after reaching mastery?!

"Looks like the condition for mastering this move is defeating the clone."

As a consciousness body within the Sword Talisman Space, his injuries recovered in the blink of an eye.

Li Mu gripped his sword, rose to his feet, and charged forward in a single step!

The clanging of metal and stone overlapped without end, while explosions rang out one after another.

Li Mu was repeatedly sent flying, but the white light emitted by the clone gradually dimmed.

The benefit of having a spirit stat of 10.0 seemed to be revealing itself.

When a person's consciousness was constantly shattered, they not only had to endure excruciating pain, but their soul could also be damaged.

Yet Li Mu's spirit was naturally twice that of an ordinary person. It recovered extremely quickly and seemed entirely unaffected.

From being unable to break through, to finding flaws and beginning to inflict injuries upon the clone.

A brand-new principle of force gradually took shape in his mind.

Then he suddenly had an epiphany:

"Rain is made from countless droplets of water."

"Perhaps a vast rain curtain is also only a single drop of water."

"If that drop of water encompasses all things, it can naturally pierce stone and metal."

Staring at the numb-faced clone ahead.

Li Mu stepped forward and delivered a simple thrust.

The surrounding airflow instantly gathered at the sword tip.

The strength of his entire body concentrated in his palm, then trembled.

Bang!

Amid the explosive boom, the sword intents collided.

One of them was clearly weak and was instantly crushed away.

The lingering force of the victorious sword intent then fiercely stabbed toward the clone.

With a thunderous crash, the clone was completely torn to pieces, dispersing into strands of white vapor.

That sword strike born from sudden inspiration was also thoroughly branded into Li Mu's body.

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship (White) has broken the reflection]

--[Dripping Water Swordsmanship: Pinnacle]

Li Mu immediately discovered that the words on the Sword Register recording the cultivation level of Dripping Water Swordsmanship had completely changed to "Pinnacle."

"Through Derivation Three, any swordsmanship cultivated to its limit can be pushed to the 'Pinnacle' level?!"

"This..."

"This is simply..."

Li Mu was somewhat excited.

This meant that, no matter what swordsmanship he learned in the future, he would always stand a step above everyone else!

"Pinnacle! The pinnacle-level sword intent of Dripping Water Swordsmanship is actually the ultimate refinement of 'Dripping Water Pierces Stone.'"

Li Mu smiled.

This improvement had truly come as a surprise.

It was equivalent to gaining an immensely powerful trump card.

Suddenly, he noticed that the strands of white vapor from the shattered clone were slowly gathering together.

They became a thick, long strand of white sword qi that coiled atop the Sword-Reflecting Stone.

As he stared in astonishment.

A familiar sword cry suddenly resounded throughout the entire Sword Talisman Space.

Ring—

"Where the sea reaches its bound, the heavens make the shore; when mountains reach their peak, I stand as the summit."

"With innate primal qi, temper the body and refine the spirit, until one finally reaches the ultimate peak."

"Evolution Four: Sword-Storage Pool."

The light and shadows in a nearby area flickered, slowly condensing into an empty pool, a great furnace, a grinding stone, a stone stele, and clouds and mist that concealed what seemed to be even greater mysteries beyond.

At once, that strand of white sword qi flew out and fell into the empty pool.

Golden words lit up beneath the pool—

Sword-Storage Pool.

Immediately afterward, a line of information appeared.

[Stored sword qi: 1 strand of White]

[Note: Can be used to temper qi and blood, breaking through shackles below the third qi and blood barrier]

"Evolution Four has opened just like that."

Another pleasant surprise.

Li Mu carefully read the information and was stunned.

"This sword qi can break through qi and blood shackles? It's comparable to a great medicine!"

What he lacked most right now was money, yet what he needed most was also money.

Without great medicine, breaking through shackles was nearly impossible.

And after digesting the medicinal power of the Blood-Activating Powder, could he definitely break through the first barrier? Li Mu actually had no confidence in that.

But now things were different.

With this strand of white sword qi, he would be certain when the time came.

[Register Master: Li Mu]

[Qi and Blood: 9.5↑ (medicinal power being digested)]

[Spirit: 10.0]

[Sword Dao Talent: 50.0 (Green)]

[Can record: None]

[Can reflect: None]

[Stored sword qi: 1 strand of White]

[Derivation One: Clear Sword Eyes; Evolution Two: Sword-Inquiring Platform; Derivation Three: Sword-Reflecting Stone; Evolution Four: Sword-Storage Pool]

...

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship: Pinnacle]

"The medicinal power hasn't finished digesting, so I won't use the sword qi for now. This is something comparable to great medicine. If it vanishes the moment I touch the qi and blood shackles, that'll be troublesome. It takes far too long to save up a single strand..."

"Still... Dripping Water Swordsmanship has already reached the pinnacle. It's time to find a way to ask for a new sword manual."

Rustle.

A breeze passed through, gently stirring the branches and leaves of the ancient banyan tree.

"Meng Ling, didn't you say that once I became a household retainer, you would agree to be with me?"

"Why? Why did you go see Li Mu behind my back again? Do you like him now? Is it because I lost?!"

Under the night sky, a red-haired youth in white seized a short-haired girl in gray and questioned her.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I only said I would consider it. But why did you go back on your word and secretly follow me?" The girl's expression abruptly changed.

"I didn't. I just... I was worried about you..." Fan Rong's momentum immediately weakened. He pleaded in a low voice, "Are you still angry with me? During the assessment, so many people were watching. If I had deliberately thrown the match, I wouldn't have become a household retainer either. You understand that, right?"

"Now that you're a household retainer, there are more and better girls for you. Why does it have to be me?"

Meng Ling tried to shake free of Fan Rong's hand, but his grip remained tight.

"Why? You've changed. Why have you changed! We've had ten years of feelings..." Fan Rong shifted from bitter pleading to growing agitation.

"Have I changed, or have you changed?" Meng Ling asked softly.

"What?" Fan Rong did not understand.

"That night, it was you who wanted to push me toward Wang Que. Are you going to pretend none of it ever happened?" Meng Ling said.

"I... it was a temporary measure. If I hadn't done that that day, both of us would have been crippled! Neither of us would have had any chance to change our fate! We'd have been servants for life! Don't you understand that!"

Wang Que had sent people to threaten them both. His meaning had been so clear. Back then, he simply could not afford to provoke those people. Meng Ling clearly knew that...

Fan Rong finally let out a low roar, though he tried his best to restrain himself so others would not hear.

"Do you know what would have happened to us today if Wang Que hadn't died?! I seized the opportunity. I trained hard, had an epiphany, and hid my strength until the end. If Li Mu hadn't stolen my second place, I would have shone even more brilliantly. The one Manager Leng would have favored would have been me!"

"I already made plans. Once my qi and blood break through the first barrier, I'll apply for assignments, save money, buy a house in the outer city, then redeem you from servitude, and we..."

"Fan Rong."

Meng Ling raised her head. Moonlight fell upon her face, making her complexion appear even paler.

"We grew up together for sixteen years. The man who privately pledged himself to me wanted to get me drunk and send me to another man's bed. If I hadn't been born with a high tolerance for alcohol, then by now I would already have..."

"That kind of person is now asking me to forgive him, to be with him, and asking whether I've changed.

"I can no longer tell whether the one standing before me is the good man from back then, who promised to protect me for a lifetime, or a demon so ruthless that he would sacrifice even the woman he loved most?"

Her voice was calm, yet it carried the desolation of a heart turned to ashes.

Fan Rong froze.

He stared blankly at the short-haired girl before him, unable to speak.

"Back then, you led us out of the mountains, helped me send my younger brother into the academy as a companion student, and accompanied me into the manor as a servant. You said that, with your martial talent, you would surely carve out a position for yourself in the manor. You would redeem me someday, return to the city to buy property, bring my younger brother over too, and let us live together as a family.

"I did believe you, and I was grateful to you. But now, don't you feel that you've become a different person?"

"I will repay the silver I owe you. From now on, we should not see each other again. Since you've become a household retainer, you'll have a better future. You don't need to worry about me anymore."

Meng Ling finally broke free. Fan Rong stood rooted to the spot.

Meng Ling did not look at him again. She wiped the corner of her eye, turned, and left.

But a tyrannical force suddenly seized and twisted her around.

"You are mine!!!!"

"No matter what happens, you are mine!!"

Fan Rong's face flushed crimson. His grip was so forceful that Meng Ling's bones creaked. She cried out in alarm as he slammed her to the ground.

Meng Ling looked at the youth before her, like a red-haired demon, and terror and despair slowly filled her heart.

Whether in status or swordsmanship strength, this "demon" utterly crushed her.

There was no hope of resistance.

She could only close her eyes as tears streamed down her face against her will.

A scorching breath suddenly drew close, and her clothes were torn...

Bang!

"Ahhh!!!"

A dull thud of heavy force shattering bone rang out, followed by the evil ghost's agonized howl.

Meng Ling opened her eyes and froze in shock.

The evil ghost had been knocked down, clutching its left arm and howling in pain.

"You're worse than a beast."

A young man in white with a sword at his waist stepped out of the bushes ahead, his face filled with disgust.

Li Mu truly couldn't take it anymore.

He had originally slipped out at night to practice his swordsmanship, to see whether Dripping Water Swordsmanship really could no longer raise his vitality and blood after reaching the Peak level.

Instead, he had run into this again.

He hadn't known what was happening at first, and he couldn't be bothered to meddle in such idle business...

To avoid getting dragged into trouble, he had quietly crouched in the bushes.

Who would have thought the beastly spectacle would only grow worse.

Earlier, Zhao Tuo and Si Xiaoshuang had been willing participants, and more importantly, he couldn't beat Zhao Tuo... so he could only endure it.

But now, Fan Rong had failed to win the woman over and was actually trying to rape her... What a subhuman beast.

He couldn't endure it any longer.

Meng Ling was at least a 'good person who provided intelligence.' He couldn't just watch her fall prey to a 'beast.'

Since he had encountered it, heard it, and had his ears sullied by it—

Then he would give the world some peace and quiet.

With a vitality and blood value of 9.5, already surpassing Cao A-Man's full strength, the stone he had thrown was enough to cripple one of Fan Rong's arms.

"Li Mu!!! You again!!! Why are you everywhere!!!"

Enduring the agonizing pain in his right arm, Fan Rong struggled to push himself up from the ground and glared furiously at Li Mu.

Li Mu's expression remained blank. "I was about to ask you whether you've worn human skin for so long that you're ready to peel it off and show everyone what's underneath. But I don't want to dirty my eyes. I don't need to look to know you must be some pig-and-dog-below beast freak."

"Get lost!"

His longsword left its sheath, its point aimed at Fan Rong as cold light flickered along its edge.

House servants were different from slaves. Infighting among them was already forbidden, and anyone caught would be severely punished, regardless of right or wrong.

Zhao Tuo had warned him about that earlier.

Otherwise, Li Mu would have cut Fan Rong down with one stroke and settled it once and for all. Why leave behind future trouble?

Fan Rong gave Li Mu a deep look, then looked at Meng Ling and sneered. "Good! Very good! I didn't believe it before, but now it seems you arranged for him to stand guard nearby long ago, didn't you? You two... remember this!!!"

Filled with resentment, he stormed away.

"..."

Was there something wrong with this guy's brain...? Li Mu was speechless.

He sheathed his sword and walked into the night, ignoring the words of thanks that sounded behind him.

Though she was a 'good person who provided intelligence,' she was also the source of trouble. Now they were even.

"You adulterous pair, you cheap bitch... Li Mu, you dog... I'll definitely..."

The red-haired youth cursed under his breath. Enduring the waves of pain from his arm, he staggered back to a small hut.

After feeling around beneath his bed, what he took out was not medicinal powder, but a small wooden carving.

That wooden carving was, astonishingly, a Buddha statue.

Fine cracks had already appeared across the statue, as though it might collapse at any moment.

With his right arm broken, Fan Rong could only hold it in one hand as he muttered:

"Li Mu injured me. Resting and recuperating will take some time."

"By then, he'll have left me far behind."

"But I can't endure this. I want revenge. I want to win back Meng Ling's heart. I want to prove to her that I am the one she can rely on. I always have been!"

"I had originally decided never to use it again, but my talent is insufficient..."

"In the end, I still have to rely on Buddha..."

He placed the wooden Buddha statue at the head of the bed, then dropped to his knees with a thump.

"Holy Buddha, Holy Buddha, purify heaven and earth. This world is a sea of suffering; I am a sinking boat. Without wind or waves, I sink and drift amid hardship. Only the Holy Buddha can ferry me to liberation..."

Kneeling on the ground, he chanted continuously and kowtowed again and again, so hard that his forehead bled, yet he seemed entirely unaware.

"Has Fan Rong gone mad from the shock?"

Li Mu, hidden in the shadows beside the wall, was stunned by the sight.

He had originally meant to return to his room.

But after thinking it over, he had still felt uneasy and followed him here, wanting to see what trump card this man had and learn the truth before making his next move.

He disliked making enemies, but since enmity had already been formed, he needed to find a way to resolve it...

The night was deep. The night-watchman had just walked away carrying a lantern, so no one noticed Li Mu's movements.

Fan Rong noticed nothing either.

Li Mu stared at the activity inside the room, his eyes widening.

He had thought Fan Rong would first treat his wounds, then seek out Cao A-Man to make a move. He had never expected him to take out a wooden Buddha statue and begin worshipping it directly.

This bizarre scene looked like some cult devotee kneeling and begging a god for blessings.

An icy, sinister aura seemed to begin gathering around them.

Li Mu felt a chill creep into his heart.

Could Fan Rong really pray something out of that Buddha?