More and more people gathered in the courtyard, strange and bizarre figures, each in their own field, all looking up. The first wooden building had become riddled with holes and completely dilapidated.
Finally, the Chief of the Wood Hall on the top floor was knocked down, and the wooden building collapsed with a loud rumble.
Among the flying debris, Qin Mu's body was surrounded by a green dragon as he deflected the wooden pieces flying toward him and made his way towards the second wooden building.
Bang, bang, bang...
The second building trembled continuously, as if a giant beast was ramming against the walls. The fate of this building was no better than the first one. The walls kept exploding, and one figure after another was sent flying out.
Qin Mu's speed increased as he absorbed combat experience and enhanced his fighting awareness. He used swordplay, fist techniques, knife techniques, hammer techniques, spear techniques, defeating one hall master after another in each room!
Boom!
The second wooden building collapsed, and dust filled the air.
Then, Qin Mu moved toward the third building.
...
Night fell, and in the village of the Demon Sect, oil-filled basins were placed on stone pillars and ignited, illuminating the village like daylight. Outside the village, darkness enveloped everything, and the light from the village would be swallowed by the darkness upon contact. Inside and outside the village were two different worlds.
Amidst the fiery glow, more than three hundred hall masters of the Demon Sect stood in the Zhanzi House, looking up at the final wooden building.
In total, there were nine wooden buildings in Tianmo Village, each housing forty hall masters guarding forty rooms. And now, Qin Mu had reached the ninth wooden building and was about to reach its pinnacle.
"Has Young Master Mu rested at all in the past day and night?"
The Brothel Hall Master whispered, "He entered the building early in the morning and has been fighting until now, except for having lunch and dinner. It seems like he has been fighting non-stop."
The Wind Riding Hall Master nodded and said, "It's almost dawn, and he's about to reach the top floor of the ninth building. His energy and vitality are unbelievably abundant. It's as if he hasn't expended any energy at all. Moreover, his physical endurance is terrifying! However, the people on the top floor of the ninth building are not easy to deal with."
The top floor consisted of four individuals who were the pillars among the three hundred and sixty hall masters. They were the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger halls. These four halls corresponded to the four great spiritual bodies and were filled with outstanding talents carefully selected to become hall masters.
The Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger halls were the highest in martial prowess among the three hundred and sixty halls. The other hall masters had their own specialties and responsibilities, while these four halls were solely responsible for combat power.
Throughout the history of the Demon Sect, the majority of the Elder Protectors of the Cult were from these four halls, and even some of the Cult Masters were also from these halls.
Qin Mu had now entered the room of the White Tiger Hall Master. The White Tiger excelled in sharp and piercing vitality, capable of crushing anything in its path.
After the death of the Cult Master, Li Tianxing, on his wedding night, and the disappearance of the Cult Master's wife with the Demon Teaching Scriptures, the four hall masters were all groomed as potential successors. They were personally guided by the Founder of the Demon Sect, hoping that they would grow to a level where they could control the Cult, not expecting them to strengthen the Demon Sect, but at least prevent it from being annexed by the Yan Kang Kingdom.
Although the four hall masters did not meet the expectations of the Sect's Founder, their strength had made astonishing progress.
At this moment, even though the White Tiger Hall Master sealed her other divine treasures and only opened the Ling Fetus Divine Treasure, she was still an unprecedented formidable opponent for Qin Mu!
This woman had cultivated her qi into threads, transforming her vitality into incredibly resilient threads of energy. However, she did not cultivate the technique of wielding the sword with qi; her threads of energy were her swords.
Her energy threads were almost invisible. As Qin Mu stepped into the room, the White Tiger Hall Master's fingers released countless threads of energy crisscrossing the room, making it difficult for Qin Mu to move even an inch.
Yet her body was as flexible as a demoness in the great bazaar, supple and boneless, moving freely within the room. Blades of energy sword were shot out from her fingertips, extending like her nails, resembling flexible swords of varying lengths, aiming to deal a lethal blow to Qin Mu!
The woman moved like a cat, agile and swift within the small room. Whether it was the walls or the ceiling, she navigated them with incredible dexterity, as if walking on flat ground.
The battle was incredibly arduous. Qin Mu used his butcher knife to sever the almost imperceptible threads of energy in the room, but each thread was incredibly resilient, difficult to cut through. Moreover, the White Tiger Hall Master effortlessly deployed new threads, leaving Qin Mu defenseless.
Meanwhile, the White Tiger Hall Master moved freely within the room, even using her hands and feet, standing on the threads of energy she had laid out, flying through the space.
She wielded her energy as a sword, her flexible sword technique eerie and capable of bending at various angles, even contorting into eighteen bends. Her swordsmanship was also formidable.
Qin Mu was continuously injured, having to be cautious of both the threads of energy and her energy swords. It was an extremely strenuous battle. Neither Lord Ma's boxing technique nor the Cripple's leg technique could be fully utilized, and the Butcher's knife technique was hindered by too many obstacles, putting him at a disadvantage.
In the end, Qin Mu thrust his sword forward. Although the wooden sword was divided into two by the White Tiger Hall Master's threads of energy, it still pierced her chest, pinning her to the wall. Then the wall shattered, and the White Tiger Hall Master was flung out of the wooden building!
Qin Mu raised his knife, severing the threads of energy in the room. He took the medicine from the room and applied it to his wounds, bandaging them.
He sat down, regulating his breath, slowly eating the food provided in the room. When the pain in his body subsided slightly and his stamina recovered a little, he broke off a few pieces of wood and carved them into wooden swords using the butcher knife. He strapped these wooden swords to his back before getting up and heading towards the next room.
He had fought in three hundred and fifty-seven rooms out of the three hundred and sixty. Only the last three rooms remained.
His physical stamina and willpower had reached their limits. His mind was buzzing, as if thousands of people were constantly clamoring inside his head.
He had never felt so exhausted before, wishing to lie down and sleep deeply. Even his Ling Fetus lacked the vitality it had before, feeling listless and weak.
He was no longer relying on willpower but fighting mechanically, relying on instinct.
He had only one belief in his heart: he couldn't let these people take away his foster mother, the midwife who had nurtured him. His parents gave him life, but it was the midwife who saved his life, raised him, and devoted her heart and soul to him. The midwife was his mother, his dearest person!
As he approached the next room, the Azure Dragon Hall Master saw Qin Mu and furrowed his brows slightly. He said, "Young Master Mu, something seems off with your state. You don't need to rush. Take a break first..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Mu thrust his sword forward, and the wooden sword flashed like lightning, striking the Azure Dragon Hall Master in the chest and sending him flying!
Qin Mu turned around blankly, mechanically lifted his foot, and slowly walked towards the next room.
The woman moved with the agility of a cat in the small room. Whether it was the walls or the ceiling, she navigated them effortlessly as if walking on level ground.
The battle was incredibly grueling. Qin Mu used his pig-slaughtering knife to cut through the barely visible threads of vital energy in the room. However, each thread was incredibly resilient and difficult to sever. On the other hand, the Hall Master of the White Tiger effortlessly deployed her energy threads, setting traps that Qin Mu couldn't defend against.
The White Tiger Hall Master moved freely within the room, even using her hands and feet to traverse the threads she had laid out, moving with incredible speed.
She wielded her vital energy as a sword, her flexible sword technique unpredictable, capable of bending at various angles and even twisting into eighteen curves. Her mastery of swordsmanship was truly formidable!
Qin Mu suffered multiple injuries, needing to be cautious of both the energy threads and her vital energy sword. It was an arduous fight, and he couldn't fully utilize the boxing of Sir Ma, the leg techniques of the Cripple, or the butcher's knife techniques due to the numerous obstructions, putting him at a disadvantage.
Finally, Qin Mu thrust his sword, and although the wooden sword was split into two by the Hall Master's energy threads, it pierced her chest, pinning the woman to the wall. As the wall shattered, the Hall Master of the White Tiger was sent flying out of the wooden building!
Qin Mu raised his knife, severing the energy threads in the room. He took the medicine available in the room, applying it to his wounds and bandaging them.
He sat down, regulating his breath and slowly eating the food provided in the room. Once his body's pain lessened and his energy slightly recovered, he broke off a few pieces of wooden planks, carved them into wooden swords with his pig-slaughtering knife, and carried these wooden swords on his back before standing up and moving towards the next room.
He had fought through 357 rooms out of 360, leaving only the last three rooms.
His physical strength and willpower had reached their limits, his mind buzzing as if thousands of people were constantly clamoring.
He had never felt so exhausted before, wishing he could just lie down and fall into a deep sleep. Even his spiritual embryo lacked its former vitality, appearing feeble and listless.
He was no longer relying on willpower alone; his fighting had become mechanical, driven by instinct.
He held only one belief in his heart: he couldn't let these people take away the foster mother who had raised him. While his parents had given him life, it was his foster mother who had saved him, nurtured him, and dedicated all her efforts to him. His foster mother was his mother, the person he held dearest!
In the next room, when Qing Long Hall Master saw Qin Mu approaching, he frowned slightly and said, "Young Master Mu, you don't seem to be in the right condition. You don't have to rush. Take a rest..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Mu thrust his sword, and the wooden sword swiftly reached the Qing Long Hall Master's chest, sending him flying!
Qin Mu turned around mechanically, lifting his foot and slowly moving towards the next room.
The village of Tianmo was crowded with people, most of whom were familiar faces. Qin Mu had seen all the Hall Masters of the Three Hundred and Sixty Halls, and they were all present in the crowd.
In addition to these Hall Masters, there were also some unfamiliar faces, towering giants several zhang tall, elderly figures with snow-white hair, solemn Left and Right Protector Envoys, the Four Great Town Kings of the Sect, and the Eight Chief Inspectors.
They either sat or stood, silently waiting, without making any sound.
When they saw Qin Mu walking out of the wooden building, one after another, they stood up. All their gazes fell upon Qin Mu, their expressions solemn.
The Young Master Ancestor of the Devil Cult stood at the village entrance, accompanied by the Village Chief, the Medicine Master, Mr. Ma, and others. Granny Si stood there as well, her gaze resting on Qin Mu, her expression somewhat complex.
Suddenly, four elderly figures bowed, their voices loud and resounding through the heavens: "The Four Great Town Kings of the Holy Sect, pay respects to the Young Sect Master!"
Qin Mu was stunned, feeling at a loss, and then several voices echoed simultaneously: "The Left and Right Protector Envoys of the Holy Sect, pay respects to the Young Sect Master!"
"The Eight Chief Inspectors of the Holy Sect, pay respects to the Young Sect Master!"
"The Twelve Elder Protectors of the Holy Sect, pay respects to the Young Sect Master!"
Then, even louder voices followed, the voices of the Three Hundred and Sixty Hall Masters, thundering in unison.
"The Three Hundred and Sixty Hall Masters of the Holy Sect, pay respects to the Young Sect Master!"
Qin Mu had never seen such a scene before. In a panic, he looked towards the Village Chief, Granny Si, and the others for help, but they didn't come forward. Instead, they stood at a distance and observed.
The Cowherd from Canglao Village regained his composure and slowly raised his hands with a calm demeanor. He said, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Young Sect Master!"
