The spiritual power pressure emanating from Mu Chen's body caused the entire city to retreat in alarm, staring blankly at the young man suspended in the air, their hearts churning with inexplicable doubt.
How could that person possess such terrifying power?
"Impossible!"
Liu Zong, Liu Ming, and especially Liu Mubai cried out in unison. That guy was truly a ghost.
"Heavenly Fusion Stage?"
Liu Jingshan, who had been nonchalantly fighting the five Divine Soul Stage domain lords, now widened his eyes in astonishment, staring at Mu Chen's pupils filled with black flames. The formidable spiritual power was no weaker than his own. Evidently, the young opponent before him had also reached the Heavenly Fusion Stage.
The surrounding spectators were silent as grain.
Mu Chen continued to observe Liu Jingshan intently, a smile gracing his lips:
"Old hairy man, don't think that reaching the Heavenly Fusion Stage means you can do whatever you want in the Northern Spirit Domain. I think your far-fetched dream of establishing an alliance for your Liu Domain should be thrown to the dogs."
"Youngster, don't get ahead of yourself. I don't know why your strength suddenly increased so dramatically, but I do know that it isn't truly yours. To think you can stop me with just that, you are too naive."
Liu Jingshan analyzed calmly, his voice containing a thunderous, oppressive anger.
"Then let me try."
Mu Chen smiled, clenching his hands. A deep red blood fissure appeared on the back of his hand, fresh blood trickling out. The power borrowed from the Nine Netherbird was too immense; his weak body was not strong enough to withstand it, and it would undoubtedly cause considerable damage. However, given his personality in this situation, it was merely a mosquito bite.
Mu Chen's body flickered, and he immediately engaged Liu Jingshan in a struggle. The two Heavenly Fusion Stage spiritual powers created a tsunami-like pressure, crashing against each other with a roar.
"Boom!"
Nine Domains City echoed with a sound like a thunderclap shaking the peak.
Mu Feng, Tang Shan, and the other domain lords stood on the ground, exchanging strange glances before looking at Mu Feng. However, they only saw the bewildered eyes of Domain Lord Mu. It seemed this matter was completely beyond his expectations; even as Mu Chen's father, he didn't know why his son had become so powerful.
However, in the current chaotic situation, Mu Chen's sudden surge in strength, allowing him to resist Liu Jingshan, was an unparalleled piece of good news, a lifeline to salvage a dead-end situation that seemed impossible to reverse.
Next, they could only watch to see if Mu Chen was capable of turning this unfavorable situation around.
The two figures in the air collided with increasing intensity. Although neither had truly unleashed their full abilities, their momentum had a huge impact on the city below.
"Boom!"
They clashed fiercely once more, the sound deafening. Mu Chen and Liu Jingshan both appeared cold and ruthless.
"Whoosh!"
The two figures moved simultaneously, like lightning flashing back and forth high above, instantly colliding powerfully at another spot.
Liu Jingshan was extremely annoyed. Mu Chen's sudden surge in power made him dare not be careless. Each punch he threw unleashed a torrent of spiritual power, roaring and striking like a landslide or an avalanche.
However, facing Liu Jingshan's powerful attacks, Mu Chen showed no intention of dodging. His eyes were always shrouded in eerie black flames, and his fists were enveloped by a dark, hellish spiritual power, within which also lurked continuously burning, scorching black flames.
"Bang!"
Fist winds clashed, sounds echoed, and energy waves surged. The battle between the two had affected many large structures in the city, causing them to collapse or crack, and in many places, they were even shattered into dust.
In mid-air, the two retreated a considerable distance. Liu Jingshan looked at Mu Chen with much more serious eyes. In their recent clashes, he had sensed the strange and mysterious nature of the dark spiritual energy within Mu Chen. It produced peculiar dark flames, and whenever Liu Jingshan's spiritual energy touched these dark flames, it was rapidly and powerfully incinerated.
"This kid's spiritual energy is truly bizarre. I'll have to go all out."
Liu Jingshan grumbled, then suddenly let out a thunderous roar.
Behind him, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged forth, so powerful and mighty that even a Divine Soul Realm expert would be startled. A Heaven Fusion Realm expert was truly overbearing.
Liu Jingshan took a few steps forward, and the air seemed to tremble slightly. He clenched his fists, roared, and simultaneously launched two punches.
"Jingshan Fist!"
"Crash!"
Fists flew like the wind. Each time a fist wind howled, a dark golden spiritual energy orb shot out. In just two short seconds, countless spiritual energy orbs filled the air, covering the sky and earth as they enveloped Mu Chen.
These spiritual energy orbs, imbued with Liu Jingshan's sharp fist wind, each possessed enough power to severely injure a Divine Soul Realm expert. With countless of them converging like this, it was utterly terrifying.
With hundreds of sharp attacks swarming towards him, Mu Chen's eyes lit up. He bent his legs and shot out.
"Whoosh, whoosh!"
Countless spiritual energy orbs howled, but Mu Chen's figure suddenly became blurry, transforming into numerous afterimages. His ghostly speed allowed him to pierce through the net of attacks.
"Such incredible speed!"
Liu Jingshan couldn't help but exclaim in surprise at Mu Chen's speed, clearly astonished by his movement spiritual technique.
Mu Chen passed through the swarm of dark golden spiritual energy, then immediately extended his fingers, his eyes cold and filled with killing intent, as golden light erupted.
"Take this move of mine!"
Mu Chen roared, his two fingers piercing through the air. A powerful and overbearing golden arc tore through the sky, shooting out from his fingertips, locking onto Liu Jingshan from all directions.
With his current strength, Mu Chen using the Spiritual Emperor Finger was more than enough to shatter a mountain peak with a single finger.
Liu Jingshan growled, looking at the golden, overbearing, and mighty finger. His face hardened. He raised his arm and, with an extremely heavy posture, threw a punch.
"Rip! Rip!"
Liu Jingshan's heavy, slow punch was thrown, causing the air to vibrate, vaguely forming a mountain about a hundred zhang tall.
"Bang!"
The heavy fist struck the mountain, causing it to shake and transform into a dark golden light that howled as it rushed forward to collide with the golden light.
"Boom!"
The two forces merged, creating a powerful vortex that swirled outwards.
"Impressive! Let's see how many punches you can block!"
Liu Jingshan's sleeves were shattered. His thin arms rapidly swelled, veins bulging, radiating unparalleled power.
"Mountain God Art, Mountain Shattering God Fist!"
Liu Jingshan's resounding roar echoed. He unleashed two punches, and another hundred-zhang mountain took shape. Mighty spiritual energy and heavy fist winds pressed down on Mu Chen.
"Bring as many as you want, I'll take them all!"
Mu Chen did not retreat half a step. His two fingers extended, brilliant golden light swirling and pouring out. His two fingers were like peerless divine spears, mighty and overbearing.
"Swish!"
The twin fingers suddenly thrust forward, tearing through the air and forming strange, twisting curves. Hundred-zhang-long twin-finger light projections shot out, with black flames flowing around them.
Everyone in the city gazed up, forgetting the strain on their necks, their eyes trembling as they witnessed the magnificent yet overbearing attacks.
A battle of this caliber was too intense!
Mighty attacks, covering the sky and earth, clashed against each other. Golden light and the mountain shattered, forming a chaotic air current and a violent explosion.
A vortex, rapidly formed by the collision of spiritual energy, swept wildly through the city. Cracks spread across the ground, and several houses collapsed.
Everyone frantically and clumsily dodged the scattered impact, preventing it from randomly striking them.
Mu Feng stared blankly at the sky, which glowed so brightly that even the sun couldn't compete with its brilliance.
Seeing such arrogant air currents, the five city lords were even more astonished by Liu Jingshan's strength. During the previous exchange, that old man hadn't even used a fraction of his true power.
"Fusion Heaven Realm..."
Mu Feng clenched his fists. He had been stuck at the peak of the late-stage Divine Soul Realm for many years, unable to break through. This battle with Liu Jingshan and witnessing this earth-shattering contest had brought him considerable benefits; his strength seemed to vaguely touch a barrier.
This feeling, for a seasoned and experienced expert like Mu Feng, was clear. If he could safely survive this great battle, he would need to seclude himself for a period of cultivation to truly step into that coveted realm.
High above, the two, one old and one young, separated and came into view.
Not a single hair on either of them was out of place, yet no one believed they were merely toying around, as the intensity of the spiritual energy indicated that the battle had reached a fierce and critical stage.
Liu Jingshan's hands were covered in bulging veins like green snakes, and his eyes, sharp as blades, glared at Mu Chen, filled with extreme gloom and resentment. He couldn't believe that his powerful attack had failed to defeat Mu Chen.
Mu Chen's strength had exceeded his initial expectations, but... it was still not enough!
Liu Jingshan took a deep breath, slowly brought his hands together to form a seal, his face solemn. Deep, oppressive voices silently emanated from him.
"Mu Chen! This old man has cultivated for many years to master this divine art. Today, I shall use you to test its power!"
Liu Jingshan's eyes were cold. Behind him, a dark golden aura reappeared, swirling madly to form a thousand-zhang-tall mountain.
The mountain had jagged, realistic rock faces. The moment it appeared, the air seemed to be suppressed and pushed out of its space, and the ground below sank by a considerable amount.
Mu Chen gravely awaited the change.
Liu Jingshan changed his hand seals, then thrust his palm forward. The thousand-zhang mountain shot up, like a giant shadow covering Mu Chen.
"Mountain God Art, Mountain Range Suppresses the Earth!"