Yao Huo told Xu Mu not to rush, that he could wait for him.
Xu Mu, however, said no, to go first, and that he would catch up later.
And so, this Half-step Human King, ranked thirty-fourth on the World Ranking, was rejected by a junior in such an impolite manner.
Yao Huo felt no shame, only smiling dismissively.
"Arrogant, no wonder you've offended so many people."
"But since you have enough confidence, then so be it."
The man's voice was calm. He left a sentence and no longer paid attention to Xu Mu, who was before the Seventh Heavenly Wall.
With his hands behind his back, he stepped out of the Eighth Heavenly Wall without looking back, and then ascended the stairs.
The path to a genius's growth was not necessarily smooth sailing; encountering some setbacks was also good.
The grey-white eyes looked at the other's departure, and his tense body relaxed.
This Yao Huo, with his Dharma form atop his head and his Half-step Human King realm, was the only one among all the ability users in this world whom he had no confidence in facing.
Therefore, as long as Yao Huo did not make a move against him, he would not need anyone's protection.
Figures flashed by his side one after another; they were all Domain Lord cultivators of the fifth stage.
The mountain-like man walked past indifferently.
The little loli holding a bear in her arms skipped along...
And then Xu Mu's body took another step forward.
Boom!
The moment he stepped into the eighth Heavenly Wall, a roar erupted.
The gravity of eight thousand times pressed down, double that of the Seventh Heavenly Wall.
But Xu Mu's body showed no reaction whatsoever.
He remained upright, his expression calm, seemingly unaffected.
This was because he had already comprehended the Great Dao of Gravity. His body was in sync with the gravity of the Heavenly Wall, and with every breath, resonance occurred. As his pure blood flowed, it would drive the grand momentum of heaven and earth.
Xu Mu silently savored this wondrous feeling. His breaths sounded like those of a yak, and his skin gradually grew scorching hot, his upper body turning crimson.
It was as if he were immersed in a furnace. His body resembled the surface of the sun, emitting flecks of golden light, appearing exceptionally strange and sacred.
This seemed to be a kind of opportunity. The grey-white eyes closed.
Charles spoke:
"From the initial resistance, to bearing it, and then to acceptance and adaptation, and finally assimilation, every cell in his body will evolve in this process. Just like how people grow after undergoing trials."
"Each of their tiny individuals will become more resilient than before. When combined, they form an impenetrable fortress. Thus, previous flaws in the physical body will be mended, and any pain you endure will be healed."
Charles's spectral image marveled, his body writhing with insatiable hunger, reminiscing about the days when he possessed a physical form.
Back then, he could have destroyed a mountain with a single punch using his sub-atomic technology.
"This sudden physical enhancement is probably equivalent to the hard work of the most top-tier geniuses in this world, twenty years of ordinary ability user training!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Mu was first surprised, then suddenly overjoyed.
After this ordeal, wouldn't he just gain everything effortlessly when he woke up tomorrow?
Fu Xi and the Demon God were truly benevolent people!
"Perhaps even the Demon God wouldn't have imagined that someone would comprehend the Great Dao of Gravity in such a short time, walking through the Eight Directions Heavenly Walls as if on level ground," Charles shook his head. The talent of the grey-white eyes was too terrifying, beyond ordinary comprehension.
"Then what is this?"
Suddenly, Xu Mu asked with confusion. He could see his own body standing motionlessly in place. The space around his body was distorted by a transparent heatwave, like the rising heat above a boiler.
And that heatwave was emanating from his body.
Xu Mu's body, from head to toe, was crimson. His heavy heart pounded, and he could even hear his blood boiling!
"I don't know. In any case, it's definitely not a bad thing. That guy looks like he's enjoying himself."
...
"Not simple, truly not simple."
Before the Fourth Heavenly Wall, the drunken old Taoist seemed tired. He simply leaned against the massive, heavy stone wall, using Xu Mu as his appetizer.
He appeared carefree and joyful, as if he were leaning on a fishing boat by the river, drinking under the moonlight.
However, he was now observing a person.
"Ordinary martial cultivators, because they frequently use their physical bodies, will inevitably develop some hidden ailments during the process of forging and tempering. On the surface, they may appear strong and invincible, but in reality, they are depleting their body's potential."
"This young fellow has swords on his back and a strong physique. He is clearly also a body cultivator. He can withstand the pressure of the Heavenly Walls with his pure physical body. Besides having talent, he has undoubtedly undergone much tempering. Yet, his flesh and blood are purifying and transforming, but why is no impurity flowing out?"
The Taoist, while appearing wild, was actually very meticulous.
He observed the abnormality of Xu Mu's body, which was like a furnace, with every part boiling.
Based on his experience, when the physical body made a significant breakthrough, a large amount of impurities would be expelled from the cultivator's body.
These were the filth hidden deep within the limbs and bones, remnants of nutrient absorption from food, or debris from bone wear and tear during cultivation, which, after being assimilated by abilities, penetrated the marrow and were difficult to expel under normal circumstances.
In Xu Mu's current situation, it was clear that his physical body had improved. Therefore, according to reason, impurities should be automatically expelled as the temperature rose.
The drunken Taoist's expression was strange, but he only saw dirt on Xu Mu.
But that was dirt from the outside, a different thing from the impurities he spoke of.
So, the white steam was just moisture evaporated by the heat, and nothing else...
The young man's body was as clean as glass.
The drunken Taoist scratched his head in exasperation. How could such a thing be possible in the world?
Even a monk who only ate vegetarian meals and recited Buddhist scriptures would not have such purity in his body, let alone him, a pure martial cultivator.
Could it be... that this kid was the legendary Innate Sacred Body?
...
"Perhaps, all I need is a basin of bathwater."
Xu Mu's body gradually returned to its original state. His bare upper body was now clean and new, and the mud on his face had evaporated, revealing his originally handsome features.
However, there was still a lot of mud and dust remaining on his pants, shoes, and hair, which annoyed him greatly. He wished he could take a bath immediately.
He was not interested in bodily purification. This body had been blessed by divine inspiration and was already chosen; why strive further?
"You kill Viridian, and from now on, before midnight, I will personally heat your bathwater for you."
In the Heavenly Palace, Xu Mu cast his shadow, looking up at the rooftop. The two spectral figures, floating beyond layers of seals, gnashed their teeth somewhat.
Because of the existence of the Heavenly Book, they had found some way to freely enter and exit this barrier.
However, it wouldn't be long now. He had already passed the first layer, and with only seven more to go, Viridian would have to die!
"Let him live a little longer."
The grey-white eyes' expression was as usual, ignoring Xu Mu's request.
The Great Dao of Gravity had been comprehended. The Eighth Heavenly Wall exerted no pressure on him anymore. He even felt that he could use the pressure here to descend to any place he wished.
For example... to press down on that old immortal of the Wang family.
"Why haven't you ascended the stairs yet?"
"Because there's still one thing left undone."
The two Xu Mus conversed.
The grey-white eyes turned, looking at the stairs within reach, then suddenly lifted a leg and, under the gaze of countless people, walked backward.
He walked out of the Eighth Heavenly Wall and came before the Seventh Heavenly Wall, and then to the Sixth...
"What is he doing?"
This action completely stunned the numerous ability users who were struggling to hold on.
What was going on? Hadn't he already withstood the gravity of the Eighth Heavenly Wall? Why was he retreating?
Could it be that it was too difficult, and he had given up?