That was what intrigued Li Mu most.
If the Mighty Blood Elixir could help a cultivator entered the Natural Realm, He wondered if that meant the power of that elixir could boost one’s cultivation. If so, he might have another way to reach the Void-Shattering Realm he desired all along.
Because the old faker had once mentioned to him some methods of producing elixirs.
If the elixir could work, would that mean Li Mu can really tap into that field?
But a trace of fury flitted across the eyes of the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being.
Just as Li Mu guessed, taking the Mighty Blood Elixir did entail some side-effects.
In fact, it had been quite a while since he obtained the Mighty Blood Elixir. Although the elixir was incredibly efficient and contained an enormous amount of vigor, he did not take it at once because it was made of the heart blood of ten thousand innocent creatures, which meant it also contained the curses and grievances those creatures left before they died. Since those dark elements could not be refined, there was a severe side-effect if a man swallowed it.
The side-effect was rather fatal—
Although it could surely enable him to make to the Natural Realm, it would cause him a lack of potentials to go further. The upper limit set for him would be very low, which might prevent him from entering the next level, the Deva Realm, for a lifetime. Hence, taking that elixir was practically saying goodbye to more breakthroughs.
Before the battle, the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being was still hesitating whether he really needed the elixir.
He knew he had not many days ahead. When he was stuck at the last stage of the Natural Realm and just could not progress no matter how hard he practiced, he even had to suck the blood of virgins with the Inborn qi of Yin to slow down his aging. But that was nothing more than quenching thirst with poison. He was also clear that he was hopeless to make a breakthrough on his own. Nevertheless, he still thought he could leave it to chance…
However, as the duel began, he realized he had underestimated Li Mu. He had reckoned it would be a piece of cake to defeat Li Mu with his superb Great Master power. But what startled everyone was…
The senior Great Master was cornered by the young man. Thus, he made up his mind and took the elixir to enter the Natural Realm. As to the side-effect, he would deal with it later.
“You are still curious on your death bed.” The Heaven-Sword Celestial Being naturally would not give a straight answer to Li Mu’s question. With a flash of blazing red flame, the injury on his fist instantly recovered. His healing speed was basically as fast as Li Mu’s. Then, he leaped forward and launched an attack first.
“Sword-thrusting style!”
His palms shoved out, and a jet of bright sword light burst out from his hands which had pressed together.
Now, the Heaven-sword Sixteen Styles he executed was dozens of times more powerful than what he cast when he was still in the Great Master Realm.
The sword light dashed forward with full momentum as if it would tear up the void like ripping a piece of cloth.
“Haha, did you fly into a rage from embarrassment?” yelled Li Mu, who did not flinch but threw out a punch seal while activating the Heart Heavenly Shoot.
Boom!
A blast of energy occurred in the air. Among the turbulence, there seemed to be some fragments of metal flying, but in fact, they were just the illustration created by the crash of the edges of the sword light and the arrow shoot.
This time, Li Mu had to take a step back to regain the balance.
While the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being took two steps back.
And both of their fists were injured.
That showed the gap between the two was narrowing at an amazing rate. Li Mu could not keep depending on his pure strength to oppress his opponent.
“Hahaha…” The Heaven-Sword Celestial Being laughed. “Li Mu, do you feel it? This is the difference between you and me. It seems that the legend of the young Great Master will have to end today.”
He felt his body had never been so vigorous. The second time he launched the same style of the Heaven-sword Sixteen Styles, the power he created was way stronger than that produced before he entered the Natural Realm. Now, Sword Qi was zooming around in the void, battling against the Arrow Qi. Thunderous bangs were heard, and the streams of light could be seen.
Li Mu concentrated his mind on launching a counter-attack with all his might.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
Horrible blasts broke out without stop.
The battle between the two powerful experts finally became white-hot at this moment.
Their unbelievable power and wondrous attacks dazzled all the spectators.
Even the bigshots on the audience stand were astonished by the fierce battle.
They were amazed by the tripled strength the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being gained after unexpectedly entering the Natural Realm. But the power Li Mu demonstrated was also incredible. How come he managed to use the power in the Great Master Realm to take on the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being who just upgraded to the Natural Realm? That kind of valiance had simply exceeded the allowed range of the unshakable laws of the martial arts.
The fight went on like a raging fire.
More loud blasts of air sounded.
Airflow began to burst to everywhere like pieces of broken glass.
Frightening power fluctuations warped the fighting ring. The Magic Fa Circles set by some warlocks for protecting the fighting ring were completely destroyed. The stone base started cracking, while the audience whined in fear and the whole fighting ring wobbled on the verge of collapse.
“Back off! Everyone, back off immediately!”
Cai Zhijie and some other military experts stood up from their seats and warned the spectators on the top of their voices.
Those watching the battle closely around the fighting ring also realized something terrible was about to happen.
The magic formations around the fighting ring were fully demolished. Since it was impossible to reinforce them, the fighting ring might cave in at any moment. Further, the repercussions of the power of the two combatants issued were spreading to the audience stand. If anyone stayed within a hundred meters around the fighting ring, he would be destroyed in an instant before he knew what killed him.
Throngs of people scrambled to retreat, screaming and wailing in panic.
In no time, the area within the radius of two hundred meters about the fighting ring was completely empty.
Even those who were quite confident about their strength dared not continue to stay in the danger zone. After all, the two combatants were a peerless master that just entered the Natural Realm and a matchless master in the Great Master Realm. Once being hit by any of the splattering energy created from their fight, even a man in the Master Realm would probably be torn up at once.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It appeared that the wild collisions would never stop.
All of a sudden—
“Hahaha, ignorant boy, you just bit the bait! Hahaha, victory will be mine!” As a roar of laughter was heard, the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being abruptly stopped attacking and retreated to a more distant spot.
He had some more injuries after being bombarded with Li Mu’s punch and shoot. But his condition was much better than before. After the red flame swept every inch of his body, all the wounds were healed.
In comparison, Li Mu’s injuries looked much worse.
After the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being entered the Natural Realm, his Heaven-sword Sixteen Styles grew more powerful. It had penetrated Li Mu’s strong skin and hurt his bones and insides. At the moment, gashes left by swords appeared on his arms. His skin was split and his flesh broke forth, faintly revealing the white bones underneath. There were injuries on his chest and back as well, which were bleeding profusely.
Nonetheless, Li Mu did not look dejected. Instead, he was still quite upbeat and energetic.
In particular, his bright eyes were glinting, as if there were stars twinkling in them.
Li Mu did not answer back. He simply gazed up at the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being.
Gradually, an odd change happened to the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being.
The internal qi burning like wild flames around him slowly retreated inside; his protective screen that was composed of thick, overbearing fire was also withdrawing inch by inch. It appeared that his power level was plummeting and he was being reduced to an ordinary man. Yet, his figure started to get fuzzy, as if he was about to melt into the bright light in the surroundings.
At the same time, experts with high cultivation were told by their spiritual force that the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being, who was standing on the spot as they saw, actually did not exist anymore. It felt like he had become part of the void.
The eerie change continuously developed.
During the meantime, Li Mu’s eyes were getting brighter and brighter.
His spiritual force was functioning as he secretly turned on the Third Eye between his brows.
Well, don’t get it wrong. Li Mu had no interest in Heaven-Sword Celestial Being’s naked body.
He had seen through the clothes of the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being as his spiritual force was running frantically. Then, he saw the small parts beneath his skin, his bones, and his tendons. There were puffs of strange energy sprouting from the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being’s elixir field behind his navel. They were swerving and flowing to all of his limbs and bones along the trajectories of his meridians…
“Wonderful! This is what’s behind the Natural Realm!”
The starlight began to whirl in Li Mu’s eyes.
The slit in his vertical eye between the brows was wider than it was when he was watching Hua Xiangrong dance in the moonlight the other day at the Holy House. Now, it was almost as wide as the cross profile of two hair. Accordingly, its power was more awesome. It could not only see through clothes or walls but also detect the movements of the internal qi.
That was attributable to his hard practice in the Shack these days.
Since the opening of the Third Eye caused little sound or visibly changes, no one else noticed it.
Li Mu watched strands of weird white mist similar to the morning mist in autumn seeping through every pore of the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being.
A curious aura rolled out from this body.
He looked half human half immortal, as though he was high above the mundane world.
He had superseded the innate limits and created a new natural self out of the old.
The white mist rose slowly and finally arrived at the top of his head. About one meter over his head, the white mist gathered there and formed three buds. Then, the buds gently bloomed, which became three big blossoms floating over his head.
That was the stage called the Three Flowers over Head.
It was a sign showing that one’s internal qi had reached the highest level.
As a matter of fact, some experts practicing internal martial arts on Earth also could reach the stage of the Three Flowers over Head.
Now that Li Mu’s Third Eye was kept open, no one could have a clearer view of the running and changing of the internal qi inside the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being than him.
For Li Mu, this was undoubtedly an opportunity of a lifetime, because he could distinctly observe the birth of the Natural Expert and the process of his internal qi upgrading to the natural level. All the secrets were fed to him, which practically gave him a peek into the evolving of the Way.
At last, a jet of scarlet light burst out and rose above the three flowers over the head of the Heaven-Sword Celestial Being.
The jet of scarlet light seemed tangible. As if the first ray of sunlight that shot between heaven and earth, that fiery light was so bright that no one could stare at it with bare eyes.
“Natural qi!” A spectator shouted.
“Heaven-Sword Celestial Being has produced a wisp of Natural qi within such a short span!”
“Crap! Li Mu is game over! This time, he can’t possibly turn the tables again. That is the Natural qi, a force which can extinct any non-natural power.”
“Is that the legendary Natural qi?”
“Only when a man has the Natural qi can he be the real peerless master in the Natural Realm. Now, he can crumble any force lower than the Natural Realm.”
Numerous gasps and shouts were heard from the audience stand that was occupied by a great number of profound experts in martial arts.
