A month later, in the mountains outside Yancheng.
Ever since Mu Zi's success at the auction, she had often come here to hone her martial arts.
In Yancheng, there were simply too many prying eyes, and in the wilderness, she felt much more free.
In addition, in between her training sessions, Mu Zi didn't miss the opportunity to search for treasures. Even if she was already rich, a small gain was still a gain.
With the help of the Rebirth Seal's detection ability, she once again gathered several spiritual herbs, some of which were fourth-rank.
Notably, the Rebirth Seal's power was not limited to herbs. During this time, Mu Zi also discovered a rare metal:
Ice Mystic Iron.
This unusual metal was born in places of eternal cold, carrying a remarkable frigid energy capable of damaging even spiritual power.
Logically, the vicinity of Yancheng was not suitable for the formation of such a metal.
However, at the foot of one of the mountains, in an underground passage, a spring miraculously bubbled forth, exuding an icy chill.
Over the long years, this place had transformed into a local zone of eternal cold. One could not help but admire nature's intricate work.
A piece of Ice Mystic Iron was hidden in this hard-to-reach corner. Without the help of the Rebirth Seal, Mu Zi would most likely have passed it by.
The piece of Ice Mystic Iron that Mu Zi acquired was the size of her palm, but its value reached four thousand Yang Yuan stones.
However, she did not sell it, deciding to use it as a material for creating a runic weapon capable of carrying spiritual power.
If she succeeded, its power would even surpass Lin Dong's Yuan-Breaking Shuttle.
But with her current spiritual strength, this plan was not yet feasible. So, the Ice Mystic Iron remained in her Qiankun bag, gathering dust.
Although the treasure hunt yielded a rich haul, it was only a side business.
Mu Zi's main focus was on martial arts.
Creating new techniques requires not being detached from practice—it needs a wealth of combat experience. That's why she often arranged "friendly" duels with various demonic beasts in these mountains.
These beasts gladly became her sparring partners, giving their all in every fight, without the slightest hint of laziness.
Seeing their efforts, Mu Zi felt genuine gratitude.
If she ever became a Martial Arts Grandmaster, she would surely remember their contribution.
Strolling through the mountain forest, Mu Zi soon found a new target.
A shadow lurked at the entrance to a cave—a black panther whose body, as if cast from black iron, shone with a dazzling gleam in the sun's rays. Its oily green eyes sparkled with ferocity and cunning.
A Black Iron Demonic Panther.
This panther was almost fully grown, and its aura was on par with the late stage of Earth Yuan.
Furthermore, the physical might of demonic beasts at this level surpassed the strength of humans of the same rank.
With such power, the Black Iron Demonic Panther had almost no rivals below the Heavenly Yuan level.
"Well, let's fight!" Mu Zi's clear voice rang out in front of the cave.
The Black Iron Demonic Panther eyed Mu Zi warily, but, noticing that she was only at the early stage of Earth Yuan, it lazily turned away and lay down on the ground again.
Mu Zi felt awkward.
Was this beast looking down on her?
But she had a way to make it get serious. Her graceful, jade-like finger shot forward an energy beam that, passing a hair's breadth from the panther's hide, drilled a hole in the cave behind it.
The fourth-rank martial art—Spiritual Sword Finger.
Mu Zi had refined this technique, eliminating its flaws. Now, it had not only become more powerful but also increased its attack range.
Enraged by such a provocation, the Black Iron Demonic Panther leaped up like a whirlwind, rushing at Mu Zi with a speed that was almost impossible to match for anyone below the Heavenly Yuan level.
Seeing that her opponent was finally giving its all, Mu Zi curved her lips into an elegant smile.
When the panther was almost upon her, Mu Zi, without losing her composure, used her Wave Steps, easily dodging the attack.
The blow missed its target, and the panther roared in fury, lashing its tail like a steel whip towards Mu Zi.
She merely touched the ground with her fingertips, soaring upward and once again avoiding the strike.
But, seeing her opponent fly into the air, a glint of cunning flashed in the panther's eyes. It darted forward with the speed of lightning, aiming for the girl in the air.
While airborne, Mu Zi had nothing to lean on, and the scene that once unfolded in the Qingyang alley seemed about to repeat itself.
Feeling the gust of wind from the attack, she remained motionless, as if frozen in place.
But at the last moment, when the blow was about to land, she moved.
A stream of spiritual power gushed from her consciousness, weaving an illusory step beneath her feet. Lightly touching it with her jade-like foot, Mu Zi abruptly changed her trajectory in mid-air, causing the panther to miss once more.
Mu Zi strode through the air, and with each of her movements, accompanied by waves of spiritual power, an illusory step appeared beneath her feet. With these footholds, she glided freely through the sky, her long hair fluttering in the wind, like a heavenly fairy soaring carefree in the heavens.
The fourth-rank movement martial art—Heavenly Steps.
This technique was a refined version of the Wave Steps. Mu Zi had woven elements of spiritual power into it, making it incredibly flexible. Soaring up and descending down, she was elusive and unpredictable.
With the steps woven from spiritual power, Mu Zi could move freely in the air. This aerial advantage was almost unmatched by anyone below the Yuan Dan level.
With the Heavenly Steps, Mu Zi could choose to fight or retreat at will.
The Black Iron Demonic Panther looked at Mu Zi hovering in the air, and a flicker of helplessness appeared in its eyes. The beast had clearly lost interest in the fight, not wanting to continue.
Noticing its desire to retreat, Mu Zi stopped dodging and went on the offensive.
She descended from the heavens, her hands rapidly forming a seal, and a dazzling white light seal appeared before her.
The seal, piercing the air, caused a powerful tremor, and the panther was sent flying backward.
But Mu Zi remained dissatisfied, frowning.
During her days of diligent research, she had refined the Heavy Yuan Seal.
Mu Zi had skillfully integrated the complex process of stacking seals into the very formation technique, and now, in an instant, she could create a light seal with the power of a triple application.
This refinement simplified the process, significantly speeding up the execution of the technique and giving her an advantage in battle.
Moreover, the updated Heavy Yuan Seal had entered the ranks of medium-grade martial arts, and its power could now rival some fifth-rank techniques.
But this was not enough for Mu Zi.
The Heavy Yuan Seal was her trump card, and its equivalence to ordinary fifth-rank techniques was not enough.
Fortunately, an idea had already formed in her mind, and now she just needed the right moment to bring it to life.
Soon, the Black Iron Demonic Panther, whose hide was thick and flesh tough, got back on its feet. Filled with rage, it summoned its Yuan power and rushed at Mu Zi, as if intending to tear its opponent to shreds.
Sensing the powerful gust of wind from the attack, Mu Zi remained completely calm.
At that moment, streams of insights illuminated her mind, like a river flowing through her consciousness. And in an instant, she caught a spark of inspiration.
The seals in her hands suddenly changed. Threads of light burst from her dantian, where an icy blue vortex shone. An icy chill gushed from her palm, forming a new light seal.
Once a pale white, it now seemed to be covered in frost, taking on a deep blue hue.
With a thought, Mu Zi directed the seal towards the charging panther.
As the deep blue seal approached, a wave of icy coldness enveloped the Black Iron Demonic Panther. Ice crystals swiftly shackled its body.
Under the onslaught of the cold, its movements slowed, and in the end, it froze in place, motionless, like an ice statue.
But at the moment when the attack was about to hit the beast, Mu Zi suddenly dissipated the seal.
Having achieved the desired result, she saw no need for unnecessary bloodshed.
Looking at the motionless Black Iron Demonic Panther, Mu Zi felt a surge of unbridled joy.
Success at last!
From the Yuan power characteristic of the Earth Yuan realm, Mu Zi comprehended the essence of the icy coldness and skillfully wove it into her seal technique, sharply increasing its power.
The refined Heavy Yuan Seal had become a truly new martial technique.
The fourth-rank martial art—Earth Yuan Seal!
The coldness that Mu Zi had woven, although it came from Earth Yuan level Yuan power, its might far exceeded its limits. With a single strike, it froze everything around it, even shackling the spirit.
This technique rightfully deserved the name "Earth Yuan."
The Earth Yuan Seal, although ranked as a fourth-rank technique, could rival the best fifth-rank techniques.
Its power was not inferior to the fourth stage of the Marvelous Gates Seal, but it also had the added effect of slowing.
While Mu Zi was reveling in the joy of her refined technique, a strange pulsation suddenly pierced her body.
With a jolt of alarm, she turned her gaze inward, to her dantian. The icy blue vortex, once calm, was now spinning wildly, like a furious whirlpool, emitting a powerful aura of cold.
"This is... a breakthrough?" she whispered.
Without losing a moment, Mu Zi took out a fourth-rank spiritual herb and transformed it into pure energy.
Under the effect of the Rebirth Seal, this energy transformed into streams of exceptionally pure yin power, which, like fine rivulets, flowed into her dantian.
After a wave of fluctuations, Mu Zi slowly opened her eyes, and an icy blue light flashed in her pupils.
"Mid-stage Earth Yuan."