The Northern Spiritual Realm was divided into nine territories, each controlled by a Territory Lord. Alliances and rivalries existed among these nine territories, maintaining a stable overall balance of power within the Northern Spiritual Realm.
Aside from these nine territories, there was another formidable force in the Northern Spiritual Realm that could not be ignored: the Northern Spiritual Academy. However, in the disputes among the nine territories, the academy had always maintained a neutral stance. They harbored no ambition to vie for territory, content to remain in their own corner and recruit disciples. It was precisely because of this that their status in the Northern Spiritual Realm grew higher and higher.
Furthermore, the Northern Spiritual Academy held a quota for entry into the Five Great Academies. This was the very thing that all the Territory Lords coveted. They understood that although their own status in the Northern Spiritual Realm was by no means low, it was far inferior to that of the Five Great Academies. Therefore, to secure a chance at this quota, as soon as their children reached the age where they could cultivate, they would immediately be sent to the Northern Spiritual Academy to train.
Consequently, in this Northern Spiritual Realm, the force that one could least afford to offend was the Northern Spiritual Academy.
Mu Territory, Mu City.
As Mu Chen stepped out of the Spiritual Teleportation Array, the bustling clamor of this prosperous place quickly filled his ears. He smiled as he looked at the bustling scenery of Mu City.
Mu City was the capital city of the Mu Territory, and his father, Mu Feng, was the Lord of the Mu Territory.
"Young Master?"
"Young Master, have you returned from the Northern Spiritual Academy?"
"Quick, go inform the Territory Lord!"
Guards of the Mu Territory stood watch around the Spiritual Teleportation Array. When they saw the youth emerging from the array, they were slightly startled, but immediately crowded around him in joy.
"Sorry to trouble you all, I can head back on my own," Mu Chen said with a smile to the guards. Having grown up here, everyone knew him. Although he was the son of the Territory Lord, he had an amiable disposition, making him very popular among the people of Mu City.
After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic guards, he hurried home. Before long, a grand estate came into view, with two large words, "Mu Estate," carved in front of the mansion.
Naturally, the Mu Estate was heavily guarded, but Mu Chen paid them no mind and ran straight inside. Upon recognizing him, the guards smiled warmly, bowed in greeting, and then returned to their duties.
"Father!"
Mu Chen rushed into the estate and headed straight for the main hall, where he saw two people sitting. Seated in the host's chair was a man dressed in a black robe. His physique was robust, his back as straight as a spear, and his face resolute. However, his hair was streaked with gray, giving him a slightly weathered look, though one could faintly tell that he must have been quite handsome in his youth.
This man was Mu Feng, Mu Chen's father and the Lord of the Mu Territory.
Seated below Mu Feng was a thin, middle-aged man with deeply sunken eyes, giving him a somewhat sinister appearance, and his slightly pursed lips exuded a cold aura. However, when he saw Mu Chen burst into the hall, this coldness instantly melted away, replaced by a warm, friendly smile.
"You're back, so why the shouting?" Mu Feng put down what he was holding, looking at the youth standing at the door with a mock scold, though a deep, affectionate warmth lingered in his eyes.
"Territory Lord, it's rare for Little Mu to return, so it's only natural for him to be a little excited," the thin, middle-aged man said with a chuckle.
"Only Uncle Zhou understands me." Mu Chen sat down on a chair, grinning at the man and speaking in a very close, familiar tone. Uncle Zhou's name was Zhou Ye, and he was his father's best friend. Back then, Zhou Ye and Mu Feng had fought side-by-side across the Northern Spiritual Realm. Later, he helped Mu Chen's father become the Territory Lord of the Mu Territory. Moreover, he had cared for Mu Chen since childhood, always treating him like his own son, so the bond between them was exceptionally strong.
"Oh? You've already reached the Spiritual Movement Stage?" Mu Feng smiled, but then his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Mu Chen, asking with delight.
Hearing this, Zhou Ye looked at Mu Chen in surprise and indeed detected the fluctuations of spiritual energy emanating from his body.
"I only just reached it," Mu Chen nodded slightly, speaking calmly without any hint of arrogance.
"It seems you came back this time for a Spiritual Art," Mu Feng said with a smile. Only those who had reached the Spiritual Movement Stage could cultivate Spiritual Arts, which allowed the power of spiritual energy to be unleashed to its fullest potential.
"If I don't cultivate a Spiritual Art, it will be difficult to deal with my opponent in ten days," Mu Chen pouted. Seeing the questioning looks from Mu Feng and Zhou Ye, he briefly recounted the matter of Liu Yang challenging him.
"None of those people from the Liu Family are any good."
After hearing this, Zhou Ye's gaze grew colder, and he spoke up, "The Liu Family has become increasingly arrogant over the past few years. Even though the Liu Territory is considered the head of the Northern Spiritual Realm, do they think our Mu Territory is an easy target?"
Mu Feng waved it off and smiled, "I didn't expect that Liu Yang to actually possess a Spiritual Pulse. The Liu Family is truly lucky."
"It's only a Human Class Spiritual Pulse."
Although Zhou Ye said this, his brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Mu Chen and said, "Liu Yang is at the Initial Stage of the Spiritual Movement Stage, just like you. With the support of a Spiritual Pulse, I'm afraid even someone at the Middle Stage might not be able to handle him. Little Mu, are you confident?"
Mu Chen smiled. He had once fought against someone with a Heaven Class Spiritual Pulse, so what did a mere Human Class Spiritual Pulse like Liu Yang's matter? That kid was far inferior to those monsters in the Spiritual Road.
Mu Feng looked at Mu Chen's youthful face. He could sense that his son had changed slightly after returning from the Spiritual Road. Although the boy usually appeared gentle and refined, an experienced man like Mu Feng could feel that beneath that gentle exterior lay a hidden coldness and pride.
This kind of temperament was like a dormant dragon; it remained silent, but once it erupted, it would surely be like a clap of thunder.
This change filled Mu Feng with both surprise and joy. He had always deeply cared for his only son. Although he desperately wanted to know why his son had been expelled from the Spiritual Road, since Mu Chen didn't speak of it, he didn't pry. He trusted that his son would not do anything to disappoint him.
"Come, I'll take you to choose a Spiritual Art." Mu Feng stood up, waved to his son, and turned to walk toward the backyard. Mu Chen gave an acknowledging reply and quickly followed him.
Mu Chen followed his father to the backyard, finally stopping before a stone door heavily guarded by sentries. Mu Feng raised his hand, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy transformed into a beam of light that enveloped the stone door.
Standing behind Mu Feng, Mu Chen felt this extremely powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy and couldn't help but stick out his tongue in surprise. His father was indeed a powerhouse of the Spirit Stage; the fluctuations of his spiritual energy were incredibly terrifying.
At the very beginning of cultivation is the Sensing Stage, where one senses the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth. Next is the Spiritual Movement Stage; at this stage, a cultivator can absorb Spiritual Energy into their body. After that is the Spiritual Rotation Stage, where the Spiritual Energy within the body condenses into a wheel, and the capacity to condense Spiritual Power far surpasses that of the Spiritual Movement Stage.
Following the Spiritual Rotation Stage is the Spirit Stage, which is considered one of the crucial turning points in cultivation. Currently, Mu Feng is at this stage. Once one reaches the Spirit Stage, they can be considered a true expert in the Northern Spiritual Realm. Their combat power completely leaves the Spiritual Rotation Stage far behind, because they gain an extraordinary ability: refining Beast Souls.
These so-called Beast Souls are actually the soul essences of the myriad creatures in heaven and earth. If one refines a Beast Soul, they will obtain its Spiritual Power. Combined with their own Spiritual Power, their combat strength will be significantly enhanced.
In this world, there is a Myriad Beast Record divided into two rankings, Heaven and Earth, which records countless spiritual beasts in heaven and earth. The Beast Soul that Mu Feng refined, which he was fortunate enough to obtain years ago, is called the Dragon Flame Eagle, ranked eighty-fifth on the Earth Ranking of the Myriad Beast Record. Over the past few years, Mu Feng has dominated the Northern Spiritual Realm and become a Territory Lord, a feat in no small part due to the power of this Dragon Flame Eagle Beast Soul.
"Creak."
Just as Mu Chen was distracted, the heavy stone door slowly opened, accompanied by that creaking sound.
As the stone door opened, an ancient air rushed over them. Mu Feng waved his hand and stepped inside, with Mu Chen quickly following behind.
Behind the stone door lay a secret chamber. Inside, the firelight was dim, revealing rows of stone bookshelves. On each shelf lay a jade slip, faintly shimmering with a soft glow.
Mu Chen's eyes brightened as he swept his gaze over the jade slips in the secret chamber. Obviously, all of these jade slips were Spiritual Arts...
Mu Feng dusted off his hands. He scanned the secret chamber, casting a casual glance over everything, and smiled faintly. "Everything I own is in this secret chamber. Feel free to choose. Let me see what kind of Spiritual Art you will pick."