Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 86: Trampling, Awaken!

The Five Finger Mountain ability.

It was the ancient power of a tribe from the distant past, cultivating the five fingers. Each finger corresponded to one of the peaks. When the five fingers were used, the situation would be like a collapsing mountain. No matter how powerful someone else's ability was, it would be suppressed. For this reason, the technique received the name Five Finger Mountain.

Ever since she was little, Ning Xiaoyuan had a talent for reading ancient characters. No matter if they were bird script, oracle bone, totem, pictograms, runes, Cangjie, or some other system, she had considerably deep understanding, so despite the girl's weak appearance, her knowledge of characters far surpassed the average person's.

Chen Mo thought to himself that it was no wonder that when he cultivated this Five Sacred Mountains Chant, he always felt something was missing. It turned out this was not complete at all.

Chen Mo then asked Ning Xiaoyuan as to the whereabouts of the complete Five Sacred Mountains Chant.

The girl was not sure either. She saw a story once in a history book, the "Equal Of Heaven Treatise."¹ There were some descriptions of the Five Finger Mountain within and an explanation of the cultivation method, but to cultivate the Five Sacred Mountains Chant reportedly needed "Spirit Mountain" as a clue. It could not be cultivated just by knowing the chant.

And this Spirit Mountain was rumored to be comparable to Maiden Mountain. Legend said it was big enough to blot out the sun and hide the stars, standing tall like five fingers, pillars that supported heaven.

After listening to all this, Chen Mo felt somewhat unlucky. He had originally thought that there was still hope in cultivating the Five Sacred Mountains Chant.

"If Brother Chen Mo is willing, This Young Girl really wants to go see where the Five Sacred Mountains Chant is written. Perhaps I can discover something." Ning Xiaoyuan softly said.

Chen Mo said: "Then I'll have to trouble you."

After, Chen Mo then taught Ning Xiaoyuan a few other things about the Five Sacred Mountains Chant. Perhaps it was because the two of them had a connection as "unable to circulate qi and blood," but Chen Mo had quite a good impression of the girl. He was very talkative during their conversation.

"Young Miss, I shall go outside for now to go see my colleagues." This was the first time he had ever seen the young miss in such high spirits, so he quietly left the room, giving the couple some space. He could see that Chen Mo's martial arts were not bad, his character pretty good, and his cultivation exceptional. Perhaps he was past Three Flowers Gathered Overhead. If the Young Miss accompanied him, she would be in good hands.

Ning Xiaoyuan's face flushed as she slightly nodded, turning quiet.

After they chatted awhile, Chen Mo had benefited greatly, speaking to Ning Xiaoyuan briefly about the weapons transaction. He rose and prepared to leave. The pair faced each other. Just as he was about to bid goodbye, Chen Mo all of a sudden felt a splitting headache. A black Star Crest was engraved upon his forehead, flashing light.

"Brother Chen Mo, what's the matter?" Ning Xiaoyuan cried out in alarm.

Chen Mo's vision turned black as he tumbled forwards, finally landing against a soft chest and immediately losing consciousness.

Hearing Ning Xiaoyuan scream from inside the room.

Bodyguard Guo thought Chen Mo had turned, making his expression change into shock. This brat was not a beast wearing a human's face, was he? He urgently barged into the room. Seeing Chen Mo sprawled against the young miss' chest, the man drew his sword and was about to cut Chen Mo down.

"You can't." Ning Xiaoyuan reached out to stop him.

"What happened to him?" Bodyguard Guo then noticed Chen Mo was dazed, his whole body scalding.

Ning Xiaoyuan gently shook her head. Currently, the Star Crest on Chen Mo's forehead had faded. Bodyguard Guo did not see it, but the girl saw it plain as day.

A Star General's contract?

The girl showed a slightly conflicted expression.

…

Chen Huhao was in the middle of pacing back and forth through the lobby, clearly very worried.

"Head, what do you think we should do about that Ning Family's goods?" Overseer Chen lowered his head and asked for an opinion.

"Keep them suppressed for now. We have spent too much on Qing'er's Divine Warrior Examination support, so we do not have surplus cash. Go ask if they are willing or not to take collateral for now. In the future, when things are settled, the benefits my Chen Family will offer to the Ning Family will only be good, never lacking." Chen Huhao impatiently said.

"Your Servant feels the same way, but that Ning girl does not know how to appreciate a favor. She said she needed time to consider it." Overseer Chen disdainfully said.

"Hmph, that girl used to be trash like Chen Mo." Chen Huhao was displeased in his heart. "If she refuses, inform those people at the mountaintop. Have them plunder her. Since they came to my Changluo domain, then she should not think to leave as she pleases."

"Your Servant understands."

"Dismissed." Chen Huhao waved his hand, indicated everyone to leave.

He drank tea alone in the lobby. Not long after, a youth with outstanding vigor walked into the lobby with his head held high, making Chen Huhao's eyes light up.

"Qing'er, you entered Qi Flower Realm? Our millions were not spent in vain.

Chen Qing wore a small smile and sat down confidently: "Father, just a mere Qi Flower Realm is enough to astonish you?"

Chen Huhao heard the deeper meaning behind his son's words, somewhat in disbelief that he apparently had advanced even further. He knew his son's talent. He was not considered an absolute genius in terms of qi and blood cultivation. To be able to break through to Qi Flower before age twenty was the result of relying on Changluo's ability to burn through money.

Millions upon millions were burnt. This was not something the average noble family could afford.

However, that Chen Huhao had embezzled Chuan Province's wealth was worrisome. Chen Mo's return this time made him somewhat agitated.

"Qing'er, I have something to tell you." Chen Huhao's expression became very serious.

"Father, please speak." Chen Qing had entered Qi Flower Realm, blossoming Two Flowers Overhead. His mood was very good. According to what he knew, the juren in Chuan Province that could have this cultivation could be counted on one hand.

"It's about that Chen Mo." Chen Huhao said.

"Him again. And what trick can he pull." Chen Qing scoffed.

"You cannot underestimate him, Qing'er. You must know about Zongzheng Ying?" Chen Huhao was bitter and hateful.

"The Zongzheng Family? That son of theirs is my greatest opponent." Chen Qing knew of him, the scion of Supreme General Zongzheng. He cultivated the Great Roc Fist ever since he was little, undergoing through the tempering of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. His talent was extraordinary, to reach Qi Flower Realm cultivation at eighteen years of age.

This guy's temper was extremely brash, always feeling himself to be a heaven-sent genius, so he was somewhat disdainful of other warriors.

If the Chen Family wanted to consolidate their position in Chuan Province, they first needed to rope in the Zongzheng Family. Previously, Zongzheng Ying was very condescending to him, and Chen Qing remembered that he had been humiliated by the young man before.

Chen Qing suddenly had an idea. With Zongzheng Ying's temper, if he was arranged to meet Chen Mo, the two of them would inevitably get into a scuffle. From there, Chen Qing could gauge just what Chen Mo's strength was. It would be even better if the two mutually destroyed each other.

Chen Qing gave a satisfied smile at his plan to kill two birds with one stone.

However, his smile very quickly vanished.

Chen Huhao recounted to Chen Qing every detail of the scuffle between Chen Mo and Zongzheng Ying at the Divine Warrior Governor House. Right now in Changluo, the return of Lord Chang'an's genius young master was but the of every conversation, mentioned repeatedly by the people.

"What? Chen Mo defeated Zongzheng Ying?" The pride Chen Qing had due to ascending to Qi Flower Realm seemed to have been ruthlessly trampled over, sustaining a serious blow: "This is impossible. Chen Mo at most can only be Essence Flower Realm, and Zongzheng Ying has Qi Flower Realm strength. He cultivates martial arts developed from the army. Even an equal-level warrior could not necessarily defeat him. No matter what, that trash young master cannot have defeated Zongzheng Ying so badly."

"Father, are you mistaken? Distorting the truth?" Chen Qing held on to a ray of hope.

Chen Huhao gravely said: "Do you think your father would joke about this?"

"But…" Chen Qing was still unable to accept that a cripple, who was unable to be even reach Qi And One Turn several months ago, could suddenly skyrocket to be able to humiliate Zongzheng Ying.

If it could be said that defeating a genius from some whatever town was a surprise, Chen Qing would have likely assessed this as small town dumb luck for Chen Mo. But to defeat the number one juren of Thorntree…Chen Qing was speechless.

"Right now, everyone is spreading a rumor that this is actually one of Chen Zhangtian's calculated moves, to deliberately present as weak, giving Chen Mo an excuse to be expelled from Chang'an out to Chuan Province, then allow him to re-establish control over Chuan Province." Chen Huhao said.

If Chen Mo obtained the position as Chuan Province's number one juren, there was no doubt that Chuan Province would inevitably look to him as its head. Such was the Great Chong Dynasty, to speak using power, so Chen Huhao urgently needed his son to obtain first place in the metropolitan examination.

"…We really cannot underestimate this Chen Zhangtian." Chen Qing ground his teeth.² he had never imagined that the Lord Chang'an who stood above tens of thousands would use a self-injury play to lure them into overconfidence.

"Qing'er, I shall negotiate with a few of the elders. Do you want us to do it?" Chen Huhao hinted.

To repledge loyalty to Chen Zhangtian?

What a joke.

Chen Qing would not accept being behind that man's back when they shared the same surname. "There's already no chance. Father, has there been any movement from Chang'an?"

"None. Chang'an still shows no disturbances right now." Chen Huhao said. "The specific results perhaps will need to wait until the metropolitan examination finishes." By that time, should Chen Mo have obtained first place, the Great Chong Dynasty would definitely be shocked.

Chen Qing pondered for a while.

"Then we still have a chance."

"Still have a chance?" Chen Huhao said in astonishment: "Qing'er, you have to think clearly. If this truly was Chen Zhangtian's plan, then that trash Chen Mo is not only a genius, he might even be a monster.³ He has come prepared. I'm afraid we cannot compare to him."

"Indeed we cannot compare, but there isn't any need for us to compare." Chen Qing sneered.

"This variable, Chen Mo, as of this moment should be someone who is even more worried than us. If we want to defeat Chen Zhangtian, then we have to pull him out by the roots, not just cut the stalk. Then this Chen Mo must be defeated, he must die!!"

Chen Huhao was grave.

"Father, Son shall take his leave." Chen Qing no longer had the energetic mood from before. He suddenly felt that his breakthrough to Qi Flower Realm was nothing special at all. "Son has some matters to attend to."

"Then be careful. Don't stir up trouble." Chen Huhao cautioned.

"Be at ease, Father."

"Oh, right. That Star Weapon will soon be forged. By then, it will be able to lend you a helping hand, Qing'er."

"En."

…

Chen Mo felt that he had sunken into a bottomless vortex, a deep, dark abyss that swirled endlessly inside his mind. Finally, it formed a black hole that devoured him.

The hellish scene of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood appeared.

He stood amidst the illusion and spotted someone.

A woman with an evil aura, with black hair and black eyes. She held a divine whip in her hand and straddled a Star Beast as dark as the night sky. The woman overcame everything in her path as she moved. With each wave of her whip, crowds of enemies close to her seemingly cowered under the intimidation of the woman's evil aura, each and every one of them suffering unbearably. In the end, they were reduced to nothing but bones.

Finally, the wicked woman stopped and looked at Chen Mo from her high perch.

An eerie curve all of a sudden appeared on the corner of her lips. Her eyes seemed to want to consume him.

"Graciously accept This King's Innate Skill!"

Cold laughter pierced through Chen Mo's mind.

There was a flash, and Chen Mo's eyes shot open. All of the darkness and wicked scenes completely vanished. In his mind, a Star Crest and some information appeared.

Star Name: Attila

True Name: Manao Attila

Nickname: Scourge Of God

Five Elements: Earth (Dark)

Innate Skill: Trampling⁴

Star Weapon: Scattering Of God (Two Star)

Detailed Materials: …

1. 齊天策 ↩
2. Bitch, please. This guy got into the Emperor's court by his own merit alone. You could never measure up to him. ↩
3. Raw says "then that trash Chen Mo is not only trash," This is probably a mistake. ↩
4. 踐踏 ↩