Mu Chen’s calm voice echoed through the training ground. The space, which had been buzzing with a slight commotion, suddenly fell silent. All the astonished gazes in the training ground converged on the young man who had not long ago entered the Eastern Courtyard of the Heavenly Realm.
No one expected Mu Chen to actively challenge Luo Tong to a spar. Didn’t he know that Luo Tong had gone to great lengths to find an opportunity to uproot him? Yet he dared to actively seek him out for trouble?
“Tian’er, what’s wrong with Mu Chen? Luo Tong isn’t someone you can easily mess with.”
Mo Ling had just arrived beside Tang Tian’er, his expression puzzled as he looked at Mu Chen’s back.
Tang Tian’er shook her head. Though a hint of worry flickered in her eyes, she didn’t let it show on her face, merely replying with a faint smile:
“It’s nothing, he knows his limits.”
Mo Ling could only nod wryly. This kind of spar was within the rules; even if he wanted to help, it wouldn’t be allowed. He could only hope Mu Chen had some skill. Otherwise, Luo Tong would certainly not miss such a good opportunity to humiliate his opponent.
“Hahaha.”
Under the gazes of all the Eastern Courtyard disciples in the training ground, Luo Tong’s body gave a slight tremor of surprise. His already gloomy face grew even colder, and his laughter was filled with a chilling intent.
“It seems you’ve been in the Heavenly Realm for a few days and already think you’re a ripe durian on the tree, wanting to drop down and give me a bump on the head?”
Luo Tong stood up, his gloomy gaze scrutinizing Mu Chen.
“Senior Brother Luo Tong, what are you saying? I merely wish to spar a little.” Mu Chen said with a gentle smile: “Besides, isn’t it only right and proper for a senior brother to accept a spar from a newcomer? Senior Brother Jiang Li just said so earlier…”
Jiang Li, standing nearby, heard Mu Chen drag him into it, and his expression suddenly became unnatural. But he still glared fiercely at the other, secretly thinking to himself:
“Is this guy crazy, daring to directly confront Luo Tong? Does he even doubt Luo Tong’s strength at the late-stage Spirit Movement Realm?”
Luo Tong looked at Mu Chen’s handsome face, adorned with a smile. A raging fire ignited in his heart; that ordinary smile was nothing short of mockery to him. He curled his lips into a cold sneer.
“Since you’ve made a request, of course, I, your senior brother, must grant it. Very well, very well…”
The cold glint in his eyes intensified; Luo Tong no longer bothered to conceal it. Outside his body, spiritual energy slowly coiled and surged forth. Powerful spiritual energy fluctuations spread out.
The surrounding disciples quickly moved away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Mu Chen extended his hand:
“Please.”
Luo Tong showed no politeness, his expression grim. The spiritual energy within his body roared out uncontrollably. He took a step, his body darting forward like a squirrel, unleashing a punch. It created a chaotic, dull explosion of air, fiercely attacking Mu Chen.
“Boom!”
Everyone was startled to see Luo Tong’s fierce momentum. This wasn’t a spar; Luo Tong clearly intended to take down Mu Chen.
Mu Chen watched as Luo Tong tore through the air towards him, yet showed no sign of dodging. Dark spiritual energy coiled around his fist, taking a stance to directly confront Luo Tong.
He wanted to test just how powerful a late-stage Spirit Movement Realm expert truly was.
“Bang!”
The sound of impact echoed. Two fists met head-on, two surges of spiritual energy collided, erupting into a swirling wave of air.
The swirling air swept past, and both figures trembled. Mu Chen retreated several steps, while Luo Tong only retreated one step. Clearly, in a direct confrontation, Luo Tong still held the upper hand.
La Thong steadied his feet, his eyes narrowing slightly as a tingling ache spread through his hand. Although Mu Chen's spiritual energy wasn't as powerful as his own, when the two streams of spiritual energy clashed, if he hadn't tilted slightly, he truly would have been shattered by Mu Chen's domineering dark spiritual energy.
It was clear that the spiritual energy Mu Chen cultivated was slightly superior in quality to his own.
"No matter how formidable the quality of your spiritual energy is, you're still a level below me, and I still have more than enough power to crush you!"
La Thong was at the late-stage Spirit Movement Realm, while Mu Chen was only at the mid-stage. Although the difference was just one stage, that disparity was enough to crush him.
"Didn't your father teach you that if you're not capable enough, it's better to endure a little humiliation? Yet you still dared to actively step forward. Are you asking for a beating?"
Mu Chen heard this and chuckled softly:
"When I was learning patience, you were still naively playing the role of a good student in the academy. Besides, patience is for opponents one is temporarily unable to defeat. It's just a pity that you're not on that list."
"Today, I'll show you what it costs to look down on others!"
A fierce glint flashed in La Thong's eyes. He extended two fingers, transforming them into sword qi. Dark-green spiritual energy surged wildly, concentrating at his fingertips, which flickered like sword tips, emitting sharp fluctuations.
"Great Luo Sword Art?"
A few disciples, seeing the faint green sword tip at La Thong's fingertips, had their expressions change as they cried out in surprise.
"The Luo Region's Great Luo Sword Art?"
Mu Chen also glanced at the green sword tip. A low-grade spiritual technique, the Great Luo Sword Art. This was the famous ultimate technique of the Luo Region Lord. He hadn't expected La Thong to have mastered it. However, judging by his current state, his mastery was clearly not yet complete, but at the Spirit Movement Realm, it was already quite formidable.
"Whoosh!"
La Thong gave Mu Chen no time to ponder. With a cold glint in his eyes, he shot forward, his fingers, like a longsword, sliced through the air, delivering an extremely powerful thrust at Mu Chen.
Where the sword edge passed, the air seemed to tear apart.
Mu Chen stared intently at the fierce, sharp point, his entire body tensing, his right hand clenching tightly.
Dark spiritual energy circulated within his body, continuously pouring into his right hand. The faint dark seal in his palm gradually became clear.
Intense spiritual energy fluctuations spread out.
A powerful dark light erupted from Mu Chen's hand; in his grasp was a pitch-black sun. This dense fluctuation sent shivers down others' spines.
"Whoosh!"
Mu Chen stomped one foot on the ground, and his body shot forward like a hunting leopard. Facing La Thong's sharp offensive, he still didn't dodge. The sight before them left many utterly astonished.
"You want to die!"
La Thong shrieked, the green sword tip not pausing for an instant, flashing like lightning towards Mu Chen's throat.
His fist, enveloped in dark light, punched out the black sun, colliding head-on with the green sword tip.
"Boom!"
Violent spiritual energy roared outwards, the ground trembled slightly, as the surrounding disciples fixed their gazes on the point where the two attacks collided.
"Break!"
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. He unleashed his spiritual energy without reservation. The dark seal in his hand vibrated intensely, appearing before his fist and slamming into the green sword tip.
"Clang!"
As the dark seal struck, the green sword tip suddenly let out a faint cracking sound. The surrounding disciples watched wide-eyed as cracks rapidly spread across the sword's body.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The green sword tip finally shattered completely. La Thong's face was filled with horror as he struggled to dodge and was sent flying backward.
Mu Chen didn't pursue. He flipped his hand, and the black seal vanished. The fluctuations in the arena slowly dissipated. The surroundings suddenly fell silent. All eyes, filled with disbelief, were fixed on Mu Chen's slender figure. Not only had he withstood Luo Tong's most potent attack, but he had also shattered it and repelled him head-on.
—Impossible…
Jiang Li and Teng Yong stared, mouths agape, unable to believe the scene before their eyes. Luo Tong, a late-stage Spiritual Movement Realm practitioner, had actually been defeated by Mu Chen, who was only in the mid-stage Spiritual Movement Realm?
—This…
Mo Ling's face was also stiff, his heart filled with uncertainty and shock.
She exhaled softly.
Tang Tian'er let out a soft breath, her tightly clenched hands relaxing. This person is truly formidable.
—Senior Luo Tong, thank you!
Mu Chen cupped his hands towards Luo Tong and smiled faintly. His gaze briefly flickered to his hand; although the black seal had faded considerably, the power of the Senluo Death Seal was definitely not limited to the peak Mortal-grade. Perhaps it was due to its high demand for the domineering quality of spiritual energy that it was classified as Mortal-grade.
However, the Senluo Death Seal consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy. His previous attack had depleted half the spiritual energy in his Qi Sea. Although he had controlled it for the first time and thus imperfectly, this consumption was no less than that of an ordinary low-grade Spirit-tier spiritual art.
Luo Tong's face was ashen. He clearly hadn't expected this outcome and was momentarily speechless. Mu Chen's fierce attack earlier had shaken him, making him sense an extreme aura of danger.
—How can this guy's spiritual art be so powerful? Could it all be given to him by his father?
Luo Tong gritted his teeth and muttered. He had cultivated this Great Luo Sword Art for quite some time to achieve such results, yet he still couldn't defeat Mu Chen, who had just set foot in the Heavenly Realm. How many more tricks did this guy have up his sleeve?
Mu Chen paid no mind to Luo Tong's rambling thoughts. His goal of shocking the entire arena had been achieved, and he figured that from now on, that guy would be a bit more humble in front of him. So, he dusted his hands, turned, and walked away.
Just then, a faint voice suddenly rang out, startling him slightly. He turned his head to see that Teacher Mo had appeared not far away, seemingly out of nowhere.
Mu Chen paused, his eyes meeting Tang Tian'er's for a moment. After a brief hesitation, he walked over, under the puzzled gazes of the surrounding disciples.
Teacher Mo led the way, stopping only when they reached a quiet grove of trees. He turned around, his eyes blinking, and his voice gradually grew stern:
—You cultivate the Senluo Death Seal?