Da Xuan Martial Saint

After tutoring Chen Yue, Chen Mu headed to the courtyard where Hongyu was staying. Xu Hongyu's courtyard seemed busier than usual, with many little maids bustling about, and some chattering and discussing something.

Upon seeing Chen Mu coming, they all hastened to bow and salute one by one.

"The son-in-law has arrived."

Little Lotus came out from the inner courtyard, dressed in emerald green clothes, and politely bowed to Chen Mu before smilingly saying, "Miss has gone to see grandmother in the east, she just happens to be out, but these past few days she has been waiting to take your measurements for the ceremonial clothes."

Xu Hongyu was not from an ordinary civilian family, and Chen Mu's status and position went without saying. Every aspect of the marriage ceremony started being prepared over a month in advance, including the new clothes and bridal outfit, which were naturally sewn from the finest silk and satin. Even though Yu County was not like the past, with nothing too extravagant, Yan Jingqing was to officiate the ceremony, so of course everything had to be dignified enough.

"Alright."

Chen Mu smiled at Little Lotus.

In actuality, Little Lotus could estimate his build quite accurately just with her eyes, and since he was a martial artist at the Five Viscera Realm, changing his physique was quite easy to a certain extent, a little bigger or smaller wouldn't have much impact. But this marriage ceremony, whether for Xu Hongyu or Little Lotus, was taken with utmost seriousness, naturally demanding perfection down to every detail.

Chen Mu himself didn't really care much about these things, following Little Lotus's measurements, he also asked about many matters that happened during the more than a month of his seclusion, such as the Inspectorate and the Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion having several minor conflicts over some issues in the city, but none escalated. Since he had already resigned from the position of Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate, these trivial matters naturally did not concern him anymore.

"Son-in-law, son-in-law..."

Little Lotus, who was meticulously measuring Chen Mu, suddenly flushed with a crimson hue across her face, her voice trembling lightly, and her delicate eyes looked at Chen Mu like shimmering water.

Chen Mu did nothing inappropriate, merely placing his hand there, carefully sensing the Qi-Blood in her body, and said, "You've finally achieved Tendon Changing Major Achievement."

Little Lotus's progress in martial arts was much slower than Xu Hongyu's. In part, it was because her martial roots truly weren't as good as Xu Hongyu's, and she didn't have access to as many resources either. Finally, as Xu Hongyu's servant, she had to take care of many daily matters, so Xu Hongyu wouldn't be hindered by trivialities, which naturally delayed her cultivation.

"Oh."

Little Lotus responded with a quiver, her body slightly weak.

As a martial artist who achieved Tendon Changing Major Achievement, she was naturally not a weak and powerless little maid, but deep down, she couldn't help but wish Chen Mu would be a bit 'more excessive' and strip off her clothes to whip her firmly. Yet, she knew it was not the right time, thus she dared not advance nor retreat, only being able to remain still amidst her confusion and shyness.

However, Chen Mu made no other moves, seeming to merely palpate her bones to feel her Qi-Blood and her skill before quickly withdrawing his hand, allowing her a small sigh of relief. She couldn't harbor the slightest thought of resistance towards Chen Mu, for she herself was more than willing. However, she just couldn't do that before the lady had entered the household... that would leave her not knowing how to face the Miss.

Seeing Little Lotus continue to measure him dutifully, Chen Mu couldn't help but smile softly. He has never regarded anyone with the concepts of superiority or inferiority. Instead, he had long admired Little Lotus's courage and cunning. Although there were plenty of outstanding women throughout Yu City that outshone her, she was, after all, just a humble servant.

Being able to plan and strategize for Xu Hongyu when she held the position of Chief Constable, handling many matters personally at the forefront and sorting out various complicated tasks for Xu Hongyu, was already more than one could ask from a servant.

Now.

Even if she thought countless times about the imperial examination matters, getting timid with just a slight touch, her body softening like mist, she still strived to endure because of Xu Hongyu, which made him appreciate her even more. A maid designated to warm the bed naturally would follow after the Miss.

There are many women in this world who are more outstanding than Little Lotus, and even someone like Xu Hongyu, whose figure and appearance were nearly flawless, with a combination of background and talent, there were also many in this world, countless indeed.

But those had no connection to him.

Only the person before him was real and truly existed.

Ever since he became aware of the existence of martial will, Chen Mu also occasionally pondered what his own martial will was—was it to protect this sanctuary before him, or to stir up storms in the world, or perhaps to reset the mountains and rivers, to recreate Heaven and Earth.

Yet it seemed he had a bit of each choice, and none of them were purely his.

Even the times he provided relief to disaster victims and rescued the distressed populace, it wasn't because he was exceptionally kindhearted and had the heart of a saint, but simply because he couldn't stand those scenes once he had the power and position.

He had also killed countless people, wiping out the entire He Family in a single day, causing blood to flow like rivers in Yu City.

"Perhaps, what I want most is to see all things in this world follow my will."

Chen Mu gazed out of the window towards the sky.

Unknowingly, he seemed to gradually understand the direction of his own will.

It was neither the ultimate realm of martial arts nor a world at peace, nor was it about protecting the sanctuary around him... It was to have everything. He wanted everything his gaze fell upon to be decided by his heart's desire, wanted his will to permeate throughout the vast world unhindered. This was the ambition hidden deepest within his heart.

Perhaps this had existed from the moment he came into this world, just buried under the dark and dangerous lower stratum, the murder-filled Outer City, and the various pressures he had always felt, making him keep this thought deep inside, never shown to anyone, not even to himself.

Until now.

As he carefully combed through his everything, he seemed to finally understand what he truly wanted.

All things in the world arise from the intentions of the heart!

This will, or rather this ambition, is far too vast, so immense it becomes elusive, surpassing notions of 'honoring the Sword Dao above all in the world,' or 'casting a net to capture every beauty and treasure within sight.'

Even when compared to grand ambitions such as reshaping mountains and rivers, recreating Qiankun, and achieving world peace, it seems even more challenging.

After all, reaching the Blood Exchange Realm, becoming a divine swordsman or Sword Saint of the world, does not equate to making all things arise from the intentions of the heart.

"My ambition is also perhaps too grand."

Chen Mu sighed inwardly.

Even he thought his ambition was too great, and too distant, yet he couldn't deceive himself.

When he unearthed this thought from the deepest recesses of his heart, he could no longer re-bury it; it became the genuine desire and the will he sought to pursue.

So be it.

Since this is the desire of his heart, then it shall be the direction his heart aspires to henceforth.

Though he still finds himself insignificant in the vastness of the world today, he has stepped beyond Yu County, and his name is known throughout the Eleven States of the Cold North Path. No longer is he the lowly officer plagued with worry night and day; even if his ambitions exceed the heavens, there will always be a staircase that leads to the sky.

What he needs is to continue wielding his sword and advance, step by step becoming his ladder.

What he needs is to face his heart directly, without question, concealment, or avoidance.

In this moment.

Chen Mu felt a subtle, silent change within his spirit, a sense of determination and solidification he had never felt before.

The power of heaven and earth invoked by the artistic conceptions of Xun Wind, Thunderbolt, Separating Fire, and Gen Mountain, the weight and pressure of it all, seemed to have suddenly eased; he no longer needed to concentrate his will as before to summon the forces of heaven and earth and wield the might of artistic conceptions. It felt as if a single thought could mobilize them.

"To solidify one's Martial Arts will, one must first align one's heart and clarify one's intentions."

Chen Mu recalled the sparse descriptions in the Martial Canon of Da Xuan.

Only by facing one's true heart's direction and remaining unwavering, can one begin to possess their own Martial Arts will... This step seems simple, but is in fact not easy, as different people have different hearts, and for some the heart's direction might even be 'to indulge in music and dreams of chasing butterflies,' yet they often dare not face it, covering it up and evading.

Such wills are still wills, but to align them without faltering is not something ordinary people can do. Those who truly can do it, and reach the end, are not the depraved indulging in pleasures, but those who have reached the realm of the great joyous Buddha of the Buddha Sect, where 'all physical forms are empty, delightfully demonstrating the Dharma.'

At this moment.

Xiao He had finished measuring every inch of Chen Mu's body, and was looking at him, about to say something, when she suddenly paused, feeling as if Chen Mu standing there had undergone some kind of change.

But what exactly had changed, she couldn't articulate. It wasn't the Qi-Blood, nor the breath, nor the momentum... It was more like an ethereal charisma, as if his entire being had suddenly become more real.

The darkness in his eyes seemed to have deepened.

"What are you staring at?"

Chen Mu, with his concentrated thoughts devoid of any clutter, quickly gathered his focus and, noticing Xiao He staring at him in a daze, asked with a smile.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"No, nothing."

Xiao He snapped back to reality, feeling a little strange, and said, "It's just... it seemed like there was some change in you just now, young master."

Smack.

A crisp sound suddenly echoed.

"An illusion!"

Chen Mu said to Xiao He.

Xiao He's pretty face turned abruptly red, looking at Chen Mu with a flushed, bashful expression: "Young master..."

Chen Mu laughed heartily and turned to leave the room, leaving Xiao He standing there with her face still red. After a while, she ran to the side and began meticulously noting down all the measurements she had taken of Chen Mu.