Chapter 6, Descent from the Mountain

"No, I came up here by myself last time," Mu Mu said.

Liu Yue watched from a distance, nodding reassuringly. Given Mu Mu's current state, it was not a problem for him to safely reach the foot of the mountain, which eased Liu Yue's mind as she turned and soared towards the peak. It was also for this reason that Liu Yue missed an exceptionally thrilling moment.

Last night, a transformation occurred in Mu Mu after a refining session. Previously, the fierce mountain winds would knock him off balance, forcing him to crawl slowly on the ground to avoid being blown away. However, now he stands upright, impervious to the wind, only the particularly strong gusts manage to make him sway slightly. Moreover, his strides are noticeably longer than before; with a gentle step, he can cover the distance that used to take him two steps.

We can only go to the foot of the mountain to find an open space, Liu Yue said

A week. Mu Mu thought to himself, a week should be enough to master the footwork.

These miraculous changes left Mu Mu momentarily stunned. After a long while, he regained his senses and immediately understood that it was the benefits brought about by the wonderful state from last night. Could this be what is described in novels as practicing martial arts

"Are you going down the mountain by yourself?" Liu Yue was startled again upon hearing this. She had not forgotten the miserable state Mu Mu was in three months ago when she first arrived here, with her hands and knees scraped and bloody, her clothes tattered, and her face bruised and swollen. Moreover, she knew that on that day, Ruyue had merely tossed a book to Mu Mu, without teaching her any cultivation methods, and Mu Mu was still just a mortal. How could she feel at ease letting Mu Mu go down the mountain alone?

Mu Mu, seeing Liu Yue's expression, asked in confusion, "Is it not allowed?" He had never heard of the rule that disciples were not permitted to leave the mountain at will.

"Sister Yue, I can do it, really," Mu Mu said firmly. He did not want Liu Yue to accompany him down, nor did he want to trouble her. Additionally, he wanted to test his own strength. He could not believe that he would be unable to overcome this challenge. Back then, when he knew nothing, he was still able to ascend; now, after a night of cultivation, his movements were several times more agile than before. He could not believe that he would still be unable to succeed.

Mu Mu casually wrapped the array book, white paper, and steel pen with red ink in a cloth bundle and held it in hand, then jogged towards the intersection. As he passed the reception room, he waved at Liu Yue inside and continued down the mountain path.

After a smooth deceleration, the figure finally came to a stop five hundred meters above the ground. At this moment, Mu Mu's face had turned pale, his breathing was rapid, his body felt weak, and his legs trembled. It was evident that he was greatly frightened this time. If it weren't for the fact that he was still five hundred meters in the air, he might have been unable to resist and would have collapsed to the ground.

Yes, the campus of the foreign language institute is quite large. Do you want to use it

As he walked, he gradually became familiar with the wind and accustomed to the mountains and the path lined with books. Mu Mu walked faster and faster, feeling increasingly at ease.

With his heart racing wildly, Mu Mu trembled as he slowly descended step by step. After much effort, he finally reached the ground, but his legs gave way, and he fell to the ground. This time, he was nearly scared to death; he hadn't expected that the floating array also had a height limit. But why was the array set by Ruyuebu able to remain steadily at the peak? Could it be that the larger the array, the stronger the floating capability? Mu Mu thought this made sense; next time, he must create a larger array. Otherwise, if he experienced another high-altitude flight, his heart might not be able to take it. This was several hundred times more thrilling than any cloud car or bungee jump. At a height of three thousand meters, he nearly plummeted to the ground. Fortunately, he was brave; otherwise, he would have been scared to death long ago.

"Alright, you go by yourself, be careful," Liu Yue said helplessly

Liu Yue looked at Mu Mu's expression and knew that further persuasion would be futile, as Mu Mu's character was inherently stubborn; once a decision was made, it would never change. She had a profound realization of this when she tried to persuade him to leave that day. For three whole days, despite her earnest efforts, Mu Mu remained completely unmoved.

Regardless of what it is, the benefits it brings are evident, and it seems that regular practice will be necessary in the future, Mu Mu thought to himself. He turned around and walked towards the door. With a gentle leap, he found himself at the door in a single step. Mu Mu was astonished as he glanced back at the window where he had just been standing, then looked at his current position; the distance was at least ten feet. He had effortlessly crossed this distance in one light step, which was quite remarkable, wasn't it? Suddenly, Mu Mu felt as if he had become a master of martial arts. This change was clearly a result of the training from the previous night; a single night of practice had brought about such a significant transformation. Mu Mu was so delighted that he felt like jumping up.

Oh," Mu Mu felt disappointed at once. No matter how large the outer courtyard was, it was of no use; the rules stipulated that he could not enter the inner courtyard

Breathing heavily, Mu Mu's mood gradually calmed down as he began to take in his surroundings

How long will you be gone

Oh," Liu Yue let out a sigh of relief. She had thought that Mu Mu was feeling disheartened and wanted to leave because his master had not taught him anything in the past three months. After spending some time living next to Mu Mu, Liu Yue gradually became accustomed to his presence. Previously, she had been alone at this reception, and very few people came by, which made her feel extremely lonely and bored. With Mu Mu here, she could at least chat with someone every day to alleviate her loneliness, so when she first heard Mu Mu say he wanted to go down the mountain, she found it hard to accept. However, upon hearing that Mu Mu would not be leaving for good, she felt relieved.

Liu Yue, upon seeing Mu Mu's expression, immediately recalled the rule that he could not enter the inner courtyard, and hurriedly said, "I apologize, Master Uncle Mu, I completely forgot that you cannot enter the inner courtyard"

So late? Mu Mu was taken aback, thinking: How could I have slept so late? Usually, he would wake up automatically at six o'clock; unless he was ill, he had never slept past six. This biological clock has been fixed since his birth and would never go wrong.

Mu Mu's entire body trembled as he suddenly sat up from the bed. Upon focusing his gaze on the alarm clock by the bedside, he saw that the clock pointed directly to the position of 9 o'clock

Mu Mu lowered his head in thought for a moment before raising it and saying, "Alright, I will go down the mountain." Having stayed here for three months, Mu Mu was feeling a bit bored. Moreover, staying here was not particularly useful, and he had no idea when his cheap master would return. It would be better to go down the mountain; first, he could have some fun, and second, he could find an open space to practice the footwork he had invented. Mu Mu knew that if he mastered his Seven Stars and Universe Footwork, it would be difficult for an ordinary person to hit him. Furthermore, the formations he was learning could be practiced anywhere as long as he had a vermilion brush and paper. Therefore, a trip down the mountain would not hinder his studies.

Liu Yue nodded and then shook her head. She truly admired Mu Mu for being able to traverse this perilous mountain path with the will of an ordinary person, something that others would absolutely be unable to achieve. However, the sight of Mu Mu after completing the journey stirred her heart; if every time it ended up like this, it would be better to accompany him down instead.

Mu Mu walked to the window, stretched lazily in the sunlight, and took a deep breath. He suddenly realized that his energy was more abundant than ever, and his focus was unprecedentedly sharp. Even his vision seemed to have become much clearer. The distant mountains and every blade of grass appeared vividly in his mind. Even the sun, which he had previously dared not look at directly, now seemed only slightly dazzling. Moreover, he had not slept at all last night, yet at this moment, he felt no trace of drowsiness. Could it be that he truly no longer needed to sleep?

Liu Yue saw Mu Mu approaching, smiled gently, and said: "Master Mu Mu, good morning. Are you hungry? Let me help you get breakfast!"

"Well, thank you, Sister Yue. I will be on my way now," said Mu Mu as she jogged towards her house. Liu Yue, lost in thought, was unaware of what was on her mind; otherwise, she would have certainly noticed that Mu Mu's steps were much lighter than before, as she effortlessly glided over a distance of more than ten feet with just the tips of her toes.

The cool airflow first surged into the dantian, then after making a turn, it flowed outward in all directions. In reality, it was not a chaotic surge in all directions, but rather flowing along the meridians towards the limbs and acupoints. It was simply that Mu Mu lacked the ability for internal observation and could not clearly see the location of the meridians, which led to the misconception of a chaotic surge.

For cultivators, a year or two, even ten years, is merely the blink of an eye. A week passes in the blink of an eye. Liu Yue felt considerably relieved. She then said, "Alright, I will inform the internal affairs. If Master Koyuki comes out of seclusion, I will let him know as well. By the way, I will call a junior sister to help me take you down the mountain."

However, out of caution, Mu Mu still walked slowly, using one hand to lean against the mountain wall for support, and carefully making his way down. Since he was walking very slowly, Mu Mu had the leisure to take in the scenery. At an altitude of 3,000 meters, the clouds seemed to be right beneath his feet, making the journey feel as if he were strolling on the clouds.

Liu Yue shook her head; the entire mountaintop was the grand courtyard of the Xianyin Sect. The flat area at the entrance and the small mountain path were carved out by dozens of disciples of the Xianyin Sect through their profound cultivation. If there had been any additional space, then at that time, Liu Yue would not have gone to such great lengths to create a suspended platform to accommodate Mu Mu.

Uncertain how much time had passed, Mu Mu slowly regained consciousness. Upon opening her eyes, she noticed that the room was already brightly lit. Looking out the window, she saw a brilliant sun hanging in the direction of nine o'clock in the sky

At this moment, Liu Yue noticed Mu Mu's footsteps, which were light and agile, resembling those of an inner disciple who had trained for a year or two. Liu Yue was slightly taken aback, thinking to herself: When did Mu Mu become so formidable? However, at this level, Liu Yue still felt uneasy about letting him go down the mountain alone. After seeing Mu Mu disappear around a bend in the mountain path, Liu Yue gently followed him.

"No need, I won't trouble you anymore. I can go down the mountain by myself," Mu Mu quickly declined, as he did not want to inconvenience Liu Yue

However, it is fortunate that he does not understand; otherwise, with the current amount of spiritual energy within him, he would be utterly incapable of breaking through those blocked meridians. If he were to act recklessly, it is possible that he would end up harming himself due to a backlash of spiritual energy.

After a moment of excitement, Mu Mu finally pushed the door open and went outside

After setting up the formation, Mu Mu lay flat on the bed, feeling the cool airflow being infused into his body. This airflow first surged into the lower abdomen, the so-called Dantian. In fact, Mu Mu had no real understanding of what Dantian meant; he had only learned about it from novels, knowing it was a point similar to an acupoint. Generally, martial arts experts concentrate their energy at the Dantian. That is why he placed the formation eye there. In fact, Mu Mu had no real understanding of what Dantian meant; he had only learned about it from novels, knowing it was a point similar to an acupoint. Generally, martial arts experts concentrate their energy at the Dantian. That is why he placed the formation eye there.

Could it be that the formation taught by Master Uncle Xu Yue is so powerful? Liu Yue thought to herself. Usually, those disciples who join the sect cannot traverse such mountainous paths without three to five years of arduous training. Liu Yue herself had practiced diligently for ten years before daring to descend the mountain alone, and even then, she was filled with trepidation with every step, afraid to look into the abyss. She could not believe that Mu Mu, who had not learned anything, could easily make his way down. Thus, she shook her head repeatedly, saying, "No, Master Uncle Mu Mu, it is too dangerous." She could not believe that Mu Mu, who had not learned anything, could easily make his way down. Thus, she shook her head repeatedly, saying, "No, Master Uncle Mu Mu, it is too dangerous."

Once again, they plummeted a thousand meters in a heart-stopping manner, and only then did the levitation array gradually begin to function. The speed of descent slowed increasingly, and Mu Mu, who had thought he was doomed, felt a surge of hope upon seeing this. He hurriedly adjusted his ankles, striving to keep the levitation array level. This gradually stabilized their descent, causing it to slow down even further.

However, Mu Mu did not notice Liu Yue's expression. He continued to speak to himself: "No, I want to go down the mountain to have some fun and, by the way, find an open space to practice the formation that my master taught me. Once I have practiced well, I will come back."

However, Mu Mu had never tried at an altitude of three thousand feet, and was unsure whether the floating array at such a height could support him. Therefore, he stepped slowly off the cliff, hesitating to shift his center of gravity. As he placed his foot down, it felt stable, and Mu Mu couldn't help but feel relieved. He then stepped out with his other foot, but at that moment, the foot that was suspended suddenly sank. Mu Mu's figure immediately leaned forward and he fell headlong down. He then stepped out with his other foot, but at that moment, the foot that was suspended suddenly sank. Mu Mu's figure immediately leaned forward and he fell headlong down.

However, after a night of cultivation, he was filled with confidence. He could not believe that a mountain path could defeat him. Although he had suffered greatly when he ascended the mountain three months ago, and had nearly fallen into the abyss several times, Mu Mu, who was inherently defiant of fate, refused to believe that he could still be thwarted by that same mountain path. After all, he believed that he was no longer the same person as before. Therefore, upon hearing Liu Yue's words, Mu Mu nodded confidently.

"Are you going down the mountain?" Liu Yue was clearly taken aback, looking at Mu Mu in surprise

Everything unfolds naturally. Mu Mu focuses his spirit on himself, sensing the direction of the airflow, and gradually begins to feel something. He perceives that the airflow does not surge randomly, but rather advances along a fixed trajectory. Moreover, wherever the airflow passes, it brings him a refreshing sensation that feels like a cleansing of the marrow. This sensation is very subtle; during the day, his attention is directed elsewhere. Now, with his spirit concentrated within, he can immediately feel a sensation of ethereal lightness. This feeling intoxicates him, and slowly, his spirit becomes increasingly focused.

The airflow meandered throughout the body swiftly. In some areas where it could not pass, the airflow would turn around and head in another direction. Mu Mu did not understand the principles of guiding qi and had no idea how to direct the flow of this energy. In fact, those areas that were blocked were major meridians. If they were opened, the flow of qi would become much smoother. For an ordinary person like Mu Mu, this would be akin to a complete transformation, a cleansing of the marrow and channels. However, Mu Mu did not understand how to guide qi, nor did he comprehend the benefits of unblocking the meridians. Therefore, he could only go with the flow.

Mu Mu walked a bit further, feeling somewhat tired of the surrounding scenery, so he deliberately quickened his pace. After a few steps, Mu Mu suddenly realized and slapped his own head; he had forgotten about the levitation array in his shoes. With this array, did he still need to follow the mountain path? He could simply walk straight down.

In fact, there is such a regulation in the sect rules, but this particular rule of the Xianyin sect clearly does not apply to Mu Mu, a disciple of the Ruyue sect. Moreover, the head elder has never stated any restrictions on his freedom. Therefore, Liu Yue shook her head and said: "No, I am just curious why you would want to leave the mountain. Is it not comfortable living here?" Liu Yue felt a bit reluctant in her heart

Thinking of this, Mu Mu hurriedly moved to the edge of the cliff, slowly extending one foot over the precipice. After these days, he discovered a method to utilize these airborne running shoes: keeping the soles level maximizes the buoyancy of the floating array, while the greater the angle of tilt, the smaller the buoyancy. Therefore, as long as he maintained a level position, he could stand steadily in mid-air. If he wanted to descend, he only needed to tilt the shoes to fall down. With this discovery, walking in the air became possible; it was just like going down stairs, keeping one foot level while stepping down with the other, allowing him to walk up and down in the air. If he wanted to descend, he only needed to tilt the shoes to fall down. With this discovery, walking in the air became possible; it was just like going down stairs, keeping one foot level while stepping down with the other, allowing him to walk up and down in the air.

Hmm, yes. Besides the courtyard, are there any other places that are more open?

However, Chen Nian realized immediately that he had not slept at all last night, and his mind had been in that peculiar state of half-dreaming and half-waking. He originally thought that not much time had passed, but to his surprise, when he opened his eyes, it was already so late.

The Lanyao Mountain Range stretches from Shandong in the north to Jiangxi in the south, spanning several thousand kilometers. On both sides of the mountain range are hilly terrains, with sparse human habitation. In this era, the population is scarce, with only four to five hundred million people across the entire land, which can be considered as vast territory with a sparse population. Having experienced the bitter consequences of overpopulation three hundred years ago, family planning remains a fundamental national policy today. Additionally, with an increasing number of practitioners of the Dao, the total population of the land is gradually declining. Therefore, apart from a few areas along the rivers and coasts, other regions are largely desolate and uninhabited. The hilly areas on both sides of the Lanyao Mountain Range are particularly devoid of people. Both sides are adorned with lush, verdant forests, featuring beautiful scenery and the sounds of birds and fragrant flowers, which instantly captivated Mu Mu.

Mu Mu quickly shook her head and said, "No, no need, I'm not hungry." After a pause, she added, "Sister Liu, is there a larger area around here?" Mu Mu wanted to find a more open space to continue practicing the footwork she invented yesterday.

Ah! A piercing scream echoed as the figure plummeted three thousand feet. In the blink of an eye, Mu Mu had already fallen a thousand meters and was still descending rapidly. The high-speed drop caused the wind to billow his clothes, and all the buttons on his outfit popped off. His hair was pulled straight back, and the fierce wind made it impossible for him to open his eyes or catch his breath, silencing his cries. That last scream nearly suffocated him with the mountain wind, almost causing him to bite his own tongue. Fortunately, the mountainside was steep and sheer, with no protrusions; otherwise, if Mu Mu collided with it, he would surely be shattered into pieces.