Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

"Senior Broo, you just said all the Fire-Attribute students on the first floor have class in the same room. How can everyone keep pace with each other?" Mu Chen asked as he and Broo walked away from the Book Tower.

Broo clapped Mu Chen on the shoulder and chuckled. "It’s normal for a newcomer like you not to understand. Just remember this: the level of comprehension for the Fire Attribute is nearly identical between a Fifth-Ring and a Seventh-Ring Martial Emperor. The real learning process doesn’t rely on instructors’ lectures. It comes from the cultivation plans they provide and the insights gained through constant combat. If you absolutely have to use grade levels... then all the students on the first floor of the Inner Mountain are first-years. The second-years are right above our heads."

Broo’s explanation was a revelation for Mu Chen. This wasn’t the Continent Dynasty anymore; this was the Inner Holy Tomb Mountain. There were only four grade levels here, corresponding to the four Suspended Floors. That meant he was in the same grade as all the students who stayed on the first Suspended Floor!

"Work hard. The Inner Mountain isn’t a place for rest and relaxation. It’s a... dog-eat-dog world."

After this abrupt statement, Broo saw Mu Chen’s stunned expression and burst out laughing. He clapped him on the shoulder again. "I’m just messing with you, don’t worry about it. There is one thing you need to take care of quickly, though: find a faction and join it. In the Inner Mountain, someone without a faction will genuinely get eaten alive."

"Is that so? Then, Senior Broo, do you think I might suddenly be eaten right now?"

Just as abruptly, Mu Chen tilted his head and offered an innocent, harmless smile. Broo stiffened, the corner of his eye twitching. "Of course not! That’s just something we seniors say to scare the freshmen. Don’t mind it, hahaha."

"No, I think I have to mind it now. If we walk any further, it looks like we’ll end up in the most remote corner of the academy. The Blazing Flame Class isn’t in this direction, is it, Senior Broo?" The corner of Mu Chen’s mouth curved up. In a flash, he slipped out from under Broo’s thick arm and scanned his surroundings warily.

Seeing that Mu Chen had caught on, Broo knew there was no longer any need to pretend. A wicked grin spread across his face. "Hehehe... You’re a clever one, kid. But so what? Like you said, this is the most remote part of the academy. I have no idea how you knew that, but it’s too late to run. As a freshman, you should be prepared to be taught a lesson by your seniors... and to show them some respect."

"Lili, Xiaohai, Ah Yi, no need to stay in ambush! This kid’s just a First-Ring Martial Sect, and there isn’t a single ripple of Primordial Power coming from him. He’s completely useless. I don’t know how he even got into the Inner Mountain."

At Broo’s low call, three figures of varying heights shot out from the shadows, their eyes fixed on Mu Chen as if he were prey.

"Ah Lu, isn’t this prey a bit too pathetic?" asked a gaunt man in a black robe, licking his lips as he stared at Mu Chen.

"Exactly. Just a First-Ring Martial Sect. He probably doesn’t have any Cultivation Resources on him." The speaker was a woman, but since she wore a black veil, Mu Chen couldn’t see her face.

"Hmph, who cares. It’s class time, so the fact that Ah Lu ran into this kid is a sign of his fate. A destiny like this is impossible to escape."

Broo chuckled. "Xiaohai has a point. Since our paths have crossed, it must be fate. Kid, you said you’re a freshman. I recall that every new student receives some Cultivation Resources when they enter the Inner Mountain. How about we make a deal?"

Broo felt like his luck was incredible today. Yesterday, during the Inner Mountain’s faction tournament, some for-fun betting pools had popped up, as was customary. People could wager their Cultivation Resources, with the odds determined by the factions’ size and rank. A correct bet could multiply one’s resources several times over, while a wrong one meant losing everything.

It was the fastest way for opportunists to make a fortune all year. Unfortunately, he, Xiaohai, Lili, and Ah Yi had all wagered the Cultivation Resources they’d painstakingly earned on a very promising faction. Their opponent, however, was exceptionally weak and had no reputation whatsoever.

It looked like a sure win. Their Cultivation Resources were set to at least double. But that faction, which looked like a guaranteed loser, turned out to be a dark horse that crushed their chosen team with overwhelming force. In the end, not a single drop of the Cultivation Resources they had saved up over months of hard work was left.

However, he’d seen some incredibly weak students bet on that dark horse that day, and their wagers multiplied a full seventeen times over. This filled Broo’s group with a deep sense of injustice, leading them to decide that if they couldn’t win resources openly, they would take them by force.

He never expected to run into Mu Chen on their very first day of lying in wait. You couldn’t call it Broo’s good luck; it was simply Mu Chen’s rotten luck.

"What kind of deal?"

Mu Chen was utterly speechless. ’To run into this kind of "luck" on my very first day, and they just had to pick a time when my Primordial Power is completely depleted. What an awful start.’ Thinking about it, this wasn’t the first time he’d been mugged, but it was the first time he’d felt this troubled.

"What kind of deal? You hand over all your Cultivation Resources to us, and we, in turn, will spare you a beating. How about it?"

"Well..."

’If this had happened yesterday, I’d have had to accept my fate. I wouldn’t even have had a chance to run, since I’m no match for them in terms of either Primordial Power or Martial Artist Realm. But now... I’m confident that not only will I avoid a beating, but I can easily escape their encirclement if I choose to.’

’My Primordial Power is depleted, but even if it weren’t, I’d have no advantage against their Martial Artist Realms. But they’re forgetting I have another powerful method of attack: my Spiritual Power, which just broke through to the Kan Realm!’

Using Spiritual Exploration, Mu Chen could discern the Martial Artist Realms of all four with a single glance. Broo was slightly stronger, at the peak of the Fifth-Ring Martial Emperor realm, while the other three were all around the Mid Stage of the Fifth-Ring Martial Emperor realm.

’Back when I was at the Peak of the Li Realm, Dilaka asserted that my Spiritual Power had probably reached the level of an ordinary Venerable. I’ve never tested it against a real Venerable, but I’m certain I can throw a few Fifth-Ring Martial Emperors into a momentary daze. Since the thought has crossed my mind, there’s no time like the present. I’ll test the full potential of my Spiritual Power right now!’

"I don’t think so."

With a mocking and disdainful chuckle, he abruptly dodged and shot back the way he came. He had no Primordial Power, but he still had Spiritual Power. By using it to levitate himself, his speed wasn’t much slower than an average Martial Sect’s. But that was only in comparison to a Martial Sect; he was currently facing Martial Emperors.

Seeing Mu Chen actually dart past them and cover a great distance in the blink of an eye, Broo and his group reacted instantly. All four simultaneously unleashed the power of their formidable Martial Artist Realms, and Primordial Power of various colors erupted from their bodies. With a single stride, they were right behind Mu Chen.

"Hmph! A mere First-Ring Martial Sect delusional enough to think he can escape from us? You’re too naive!"

With a furious roar, Broo shot past Mu Chen, appearing directly in his path. He clenched his fists, and two balls of scorching Purple Flame erupted into existence. The very air seemed to twist and burn from their intense heat. With a step on the air, he sent his fists flying straight at Mu Chen’s face!

Mu Chen’s face fell in alarm. ’The power in that punch is extraordinary! Not even the Thunder Gang Saber the Thunder Demon used during the Inner Mountain assessment had this kind of oppressive aura.’ Mu Chen was now certain that even at his peak and using the Profound Jade Fan, he would be no match for Broo unless he used an Ultimate Secret Technique. ’This Inner Mountain is truly crawling with experts!’

"Soul Engraving!"

Not daring to delay for an instant, a strange, silver Rune materialized between Mu Chen’s eyebrows with a single thought. Invisible Spiritual Power surged from his Sea of Souls and gathered in his eyes. His Ice Extreme Demon Pupils began to spin rapidly. Just as Broo’s fists were about to connect, Mu Chen snapped his eyes open. Two invisible blasts of Qi Force slammed directly into the space between Broo’s brows.

The attack was too sudden, too imperceptible! Broo felt a roar in his mind, and his consciousness plunged into a blank void. His fists, aimed at Mu Chen, froze in mid-air. Even the scorching Purple Flame he had conjured vanished completely. He remained suspended, his body still in an attack stance, but his consciousness was gone!

"Ah Lu! Ah Lu!"

The other three were horrified. They rushed over to Broo’s side, leaving Mu Chen standing calmly in the air, lost in thought. ’In my haste, I didn’t control my power. That Spiritual Impact used nearly half of my Spiritual Power.’

’But when my Spiritual Power struck Broo, I felt nearly half of the Spiritual Impact get deflected by an invisible force. That force didn’t come from an item; it came from Broo’s own Spiritual Power.’

"It was a Spiritual Attack!"

Suddenly, Lili, who was supporting Broo, cried out in alarm. Her shout not only alerted Ah Yi and Xiaohai but also snapped Mu Chen out of his thoughts.

"A Spiritual Attack?" Xiaohai and Ah Yi both looked toward Mu Chen, their eyes filled with deep apprehension. Others might not know Broo’s secret, but his companions knew it better than anyone.

When it came to Spiritual Power, none of them could compare to Broo. Before entering the Inner Mountain, he had cultivated a Low-tier Spiritual Skill! Although it was merely Low Tier, his Spiritual Power had long since surpassed that of other Martial Artists at his level after more than a decade of practice.

This was also why Broo enjoyed a certain degree of prestige and reputation within their faction. Yet they never imagined that he would be defeated by a First-Ring Martial Sect using Spiritual Power...