Chapter 42 No such person found?!

When Chen Mu opened his eyes again, the demon core in his hand had already turned to dust.

He clenched his fist, feeling a warm current surge through his limbs and bones, his six senses heightened once more; every movement within a ten-zhang radius was clearly audible.

What surprised him most was that the Protective Aura of the Taibao Horizontal Training had become increasingly solid, and the Sword Intent of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique flowed continuously in his heart, as if he could unleash an even sharper strike at any moment.

Is this the Middle Stage of the Dao Entry Realm?

In martial cultivation, after entering the path, one reaches the Dao Entry Realm. The Dao Entry Realm is divided into the Early Stage, Middle Stage, and Late Stage, and every step forward is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

An ordinary Martial Artist might toil for ten years and still not necessarily be able to step from the Early Stage to the Middle Stage, yet Chen Mu had actually completed this transition in an instant, thanks to a single demon core.

If he were to face the Cat-Faced Old Woman now, he would not need the Flying Bear Dream Entry, nor would he need the phantoms of the Heavenly Gods and Buddhas; he would have the confidence to slay her in reality within fifty moves!

Chen Mu stood up and walked silently toward Liu Ziming. It wasn't until he was within five steps that Liu Ziming noticed the movement and turned to look at him.

"Chen Mu? Are you alright?"

Liu Ziming stared at him for a long time, feeling that Chen Mu seemed different somewhere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

"Keep the demon core safe. When we get to Yunmeng, we will..."

Liu Ziming's words came to an abrupt halt as he looked at the palm Chen Mu had spread out before him.

It was completely empty inside.

"Where is the demon core?"

"Used it."

"Used it?! You swallowed it directly? Didn't I tell you that you can only absorb thirty percent this way, and it's extremely dangerous—if you aren't careful, you will..."

He choked on his words halfway through.

At this moment, Chen Mu's aura was steady, his eyes were clear, and there was not the slightest sign of anything unusual.

And the faint glimmer flowing around his body was clearly a sign of a Breakthrough in his Realm!

"I have my own methods. Let's go, back to Yunmeng."

Chen Mu's tone was flat, and without further explanation, he turned and left.

Liu Ziming opened his mouth as he watched the other's back, but ultimately swallowed his words.

That was true; how many inexplicable mysteries had been on Chen Mu throughout this journey? The Taibao Horizontal Training mastered in a few days, the Divine Void Step grasped in a moment; not only could he enter others' dreams to save them, but he could also use the dream Realm to slay demon souls.

Looking at it this way, adding one more special technique for refining demon cores wasn't strange at all.

In this world, some people are born who cannot be measured by common sense, and fortunately, such a person was currently a friend, not an enemy.

Liu Ziming shook his head, leaned on a thick tree branch, and stumbled after him.

...

When the east began to pale with dawn, the two had already arrived outside Yunmeng.

A sparse line had already formed at the city gate, mostly farmers and peddlers heading to the early market.

The city guards were still their usual loafing selves; they would snatch a handful of peanuts from one farmer's basket, grab two pieces of tofu from another peddler's load, and even a poor scholar entering the city to visit relatives had to leave a few copper coins as a tribute.

Chen Mu frowned, unable to help but think of Head Constable Wang, who had demanded a bribe the very first day he entered the office.

Truly, what the superiors prefer, the subordinates will follow with even greater zeal; the atmosphere in Yunmeng was beyond saving.

Liu Ziming, on the other hand, didn't have much of a reaction, as if he were already used to such scenes.

When the two reached the gate, a burly guard with the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear blocked them and scolded them sharply.

"What are you doing! Don't you know to take out your travel permits in advance! Do you think we have plenty of time, huh?"

The guard had a face full of flab and an arrogant demeanor, clearly looking for an excuse to extort them.

"From the Demon Suppression Division, just returning from a mission."

Chen Mu frowned slightly and immediately displayed his waist token.

The guard's attitude immediately softened; he took the waist token with a respectful look, glanced at it, sized up the two dusty travelers, and returned it with both hands.

"So it is an official from the Demon Suppression Division. This lowly one has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai; I have truly offended you just now, please forgive me, my lord!"

Arrogant before and obsequious after; it was laughable to think about.

Chen Mu remained expressionless, took back the waist token, and hung it back up, but his eyes habitually scanned the area, searching for that familiar figure.

Zhao Xiong.

He thought about how Zhao Xiong had helped him out of a predicament the last time he entered the city, and had gifted him the bear paw gloves that played a critical role before he went to Sangye Village; in terms of both sentiment and reason, he should thank him in person.

Perhaps he could also fish for information about the other's background and intentions.

However, he couldn't find him; was he resting at home today?

Chen Mu frowned slightly and asked the guard.

"Is Brother Zhao Xiong not on duty today?"

"Zhao Xiong? Which Zhao Xiong?"

The guard was clearly stunned and blurted it out, as if he had truly never heard the name before.

"He is very tall and burly, about thirty years old, and was on duty here just a few evenings ago."

Several guards looked at each other, all with blank expressions.

"My lord, are you not misremembering? We don't have such a person here. We were the ones on duty a few evenings ago, and we haven't seen the person you mentioned."

The soldier who had just interrogated them said cautiously.

"Impossible!"

Liu Ziming couldn't help but jump out; he clearly remembered the way Zhao Xiong and Chen Mu were shoulder to shoulder that day, and these guards were clearly right there.

"Several of you brothers were there that day, watching that Zhao Xiong talk to us and even give us things; why are you all denying it now?"

The soldiers were startled by his suddenly raised voice, but the confusion on their faces did not seem feigned.

"A few days ago... My lord, our duty roster is here. On it... Wang San, Ma Liu, Zhao Jiu... There is no Zhao Xiong!"

The city guard hurriedly took out the register to prove himself, then looked at the expressions of the two and asked cautiously.

"Did you two lords misremember the city gate? Or did you encounter someone impersonating him..."

Liu Ziming just assumed the other party was prevaricating, and although he didn't know the purpose, he couldn't help but want to step forward to argue.

"Enough."

Chen Mu reached out to stop Liu Ziming and said calmly: "It's fine, perhaps I remembered it wrong."

With that, he pulled Liu Ziming and stepped into the city gate.

"Chen Mu!"

Liu Ziming was dragged into the gate, his face still full of indignation, and he broke free.

"These guards have problems; they must be lying! So many people clearly saw it that day, how could they have all forgotten!"

"No, they are not lying."

Chen Mu stopped and looked toward the city gate, where people were still coming and going, bustling endlessly, as if nothing had ever happened.

"If it's not lying, then what is it! Could it be that we remembered it wrong?"

"Their memories have been erased, or rather... modified. In their perception, there is no such person as Zhao Xiong at all!"

Chen Mu was lost in thought, while Liu Ziming was stunned.

"Modified? What do you mean?"

"Do you remember those bear paw gloves? Those gloves can help me enter dreams and are by no means ordinary objects."

"Could someone who can casually give away such a treasure be just an ordinary city guard?"

Liu Ziming opened his mouth but didn't speak.

Chen Mu continued: "From the very beginning, when this person helped me out of a predicament, his words were overly warm. Although I felt something was wrong at the time, I didn't think too much about it. Now it seems that this person was coming for me from the very beginning!"