Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

A roar like that of a Canglan Beast erupted from the burly figure’s mouth. Under this terrifying assault, Mu Chen’s formidable Spiritual Power proved as fragile as a sheet of paper and shattered with a BANG!

’This is bad!’

With a deafening BOOM, the burly figure’s iron fist smashed violently against the Red-Refined Blue Wings that Mu Chen had raised to block. An impact carrying devastating force blasted Mu Chen straight from the air down to the ground!

Dust and sand erupted from the ground like a depth charge, and Mu Chen’s body carved a massive crater a hundred meters in diameter into the road!

"Cough, cough... GAH!!"

The dust cloud was soon scattered by the wind, revealing Mu Chen’s body, half-buried in sand and gravel.

It was a shocking sight. His once-fair cheeks were now deathly pale. Mouthfuls of bright red blood sprayed from his lips with each violent cough, staining the corners of his mouth, his neck, and even the white Jade Pendant at his waist.

"Cough, cough! COUGH!!"

Pressing a hand that felt like it wasn’t his own tightly against his agonizing chest, Mu Chen coughed up another large mouthful of blood and bits of internal organs. The webbing between his thumb and index finger had split open, and his arm could no longer grip the Red-Refined Blue Wings. His eyes, filled with shock and fury, were locked on Brom, but he couldn’t utter a single word.

That punch had been too heavy—so heavy that even at his peak, he could only have dodged it. And that wasn’t even considering his currently depleted Dantian! The punch had also been too direct, landing before he could even react.

His consciousness was gradually fading. He felt his vision repeatedly dilate and contract as his mind scattered.

"Tch... Useless trash. My little brother was knocked out by a piece of trash like this?"

Hovering arrogantly in the air, Brom spat a thick wad of phlegm disdainfully and cracked his knuckles. "Nah, that wasn’t enough. I’m not satisfied yet. This kid’s body is pretty tough. Even with those two giant swords blocking, none of his bones broke. Hehe, that’s fine. It just means I get to play with him a little longer!"

Baring his yellow teeth in a cruel smile, Brom clenched his fist, locked onto Mu Chen’s right shoulder, and charged. "Newcomer!" he roared. "Today, I’ll just cripple one of your arms! After you leave Holy Tomb Mountain, maybe you’ll remember this lesson! When you’re just a newbie, you need to learn to tuck your tail between your legs! This is what happens when you act arrogant!! BE CRIPPLED!!"

Another great roar came from Brom’s mouth. Xiaohai and the members of Brom’s group shivered in unison and covered their eyes. They didn’t need to look to know that the kid named Mu Chen would be saying goodbye to the Inner Mountain, and to the path of the Martial Dao, forever. With such a powerful impact, his right arm would probably be pulverized.

"CLANG!!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out from where Brom and Mu Chen had met. Xiaohai and the members of Brom’s group froze. ’That’s not right,’ they thought. ’That doesn’t sound like an arm being shattered.’

Lowering their hands from their eyes, the crowd looked toward Mu Chen. The moment they did, their gazes were locked. Standing before Mu Chen—appearing from who knows where—was a purple-haired woman in dark, practical attire. She was using a wide blade giant sword, shimmering with golden light, to horizontally block Brom’s fist.

Of course, none of that was important. What was important was that this purple-haired woman was simply... too beautiful...

"That... That looks like... Who is that! Ah, I’m too excited, I forgot her name!!"

"Chu Aoqing! The leader of the Black Rose, Chu Aoqing!! That aura, that weapon... it has to be her!!"

Someone finally shouted Chu Aoqing’s name, and the others all sucked in a sharp breath. Although few had seen her in person, the names Chu Aoqing and Black Rose were absolutely legendary in the Inner Holy Tomb Mountain.

"But why would she be here on the first level?! I remember she almost never leaves the Fourth Level, except to go to the dining hall once every few months! What kind of luck is this today?" another member of Brom’s group said, his eyes burning with fanaticism. He was clearly a devoted admirer of Chu Aoqing.

"Hm?!"

When Brom saw his sure-hit attack easily blocked by a slender, tall woman, his brow furrowed. He looked up and asked in surprise, "You’re from the Black Rose?"

The moment he said it, Brom dismissed the idea. While there weren’t many purple-haired women in practical attire in the Inner Mountain, there certainly wasn’t just one. Almost every student in the Inner Mountain knew that a figure like Chu Aoqing rarely appeared outside the upper levels; she couldn’t even be bothered to go down to the second level, let alone the first.

Chu Aoqing heard him and sneered, "Is it fun bullying a junior?"

"Bullying a junior?" Brom paused for a moment, then laughed. "So what if I am? What can you do about it? Who the hell are you? Another Black Rose admirer? Or are you just trying to be a busybody?"

"Heh..." Chu Aoqing just smiled without another word. She suddenly flipped the Wide Blade Heavy Sword in her hand, and terrifying flames of Powerful Qi erupted from the blade. Blue Fire Flame enveloped the entire sword as a vast, kingly aura emanated from her.

Feeling the terrifying aura and Primordial Power pouring from Chu Aoqing, along with her signature blue flames, Brom knew his luck had run out and he’d run into the real deal. ’This is bad,’ he thought. He was already thinking of slipping away.

But before either Chu Aoqing or Brom could make a move, Mu Chen, who had been lying on the ground, actually managed to struggle to his feet, panting heavily. He placed a blood-soaked hand—the webbing torn open—on Chu Aoqing’s shoulder.

Chu Aoqing suddenly felt the sticky warmth on her shoulder and frowned deeply. But when she glanced over and saw Mu Chen’s blood-stained mouth, she suppressed the urge to shrug his hand off.

Shaking his head, Mu Chen signaled for Chu Aoqing to put away her weapon and retract her Primordial Power.

"Your name is Brom, right?"

A voice, hoarse and weak to the extreme, reached Chu Aoqing’s and Brom’s ears. Chu Aoqing was taken aback but naturally understood Mu Chen wasn’t asking her. Brom, on the other hand, looked at the wretched state of Mu Chen and said arrogantly, "Hmph. I’m surprised a mere newcomer like you even knows my name."

"Heh... Cough, cough!!"

He let out a sarcastic laugh, which inevitably aggravated the injury in his chest. A warmth rose in his throat as blood threatened to surge up, but with immense willpower, Mu Chen forced it back down. He continued in that same weak voice, "I don’t care who you are! And I don’t care how strong you are! I, Mu Chen, hereby swear a Blood Oath! Within one year, I will repay today’s suffering a hundredfold! I swear it!!"

With that, the Red-Refined Blue Wings shot up from the ground with a WHOOSH and returned to their respective Sword Scabbards. Taking faltering steps, Mu Chen began to walk, one foot at a time, out of the giant crater his own body had created.

Although every step was a struggle, and every movement sent searing pain through his internal organs, he never once cried out. From start to finish, he didn’t even furrow his brow.

Chu Aoqing watched Mu Chen’s hunched, stumbling figure, her eyes filled with deep confusion. She desperately wanted to know how a Sect Realm Martial Artist with not a shred of Primordial Power left could have survived a full-power blow from a Peak of Seven-Ring Martial Emperor. She also wanted to know why someone so weak would make such an unbelievable vow.

Even with unlimited access to the Five Elements Sacred Domain for a year, a First-Ring Martial Sect’s Martial Arts Cultivation could never surpass a Peak of Seven-Ring Martial Emperor. Moreover, Brom would also experience terrifying growth in that year. The next time they met, he might have already reached the level of an Eighth-Ring Martial Emperor, or even higher. How could Mu Chen possibly repay him a hundredfold?

Shaking her head, Chu Aoqing turned her gaze back to Brom. She bit her lip lightly and said coolly, "Let this matter be over. Otherwise, according to the Inner Mountain’s rules, you will be sent to the Holy Punishment Field."

Leaving him with those words, the space around Chu Aoqing distorted violently, and in an instant, she vanished from before Brom.

"Tch..." Seeing Chu Aoqing disappear, Brom spat viciously. Baring his yellow teeth, he looked at Mu Chen, who hadn’t gotten far, and sneered, "Absolutely ridiculous. Laughable! A mere First-Ring Martial Sect dares to spout such nonsense in front of me! Heh heh, I’ll be waiting to see how you’re going to repay me a hundredfold in a year!"

With that, he left, surrounded by his followers. In Brom’s eyes, he had already achieved his goal for the day. Broo had only suffered a Spiritual Impact that left him dazed for half a day. But as for Mu Chen, Brom knew full well that the injuries his punch had caused were at least a hundred times worse than Broo’s. He wouldn’t be able to recover without at least a month of rest. Although Chu Aoqing’s meddling had prevented a more perfect outcome, it didn’t spoil his good mood.

"Let’s go! Drinks are on me!"

Brom bellowed, and his men quickly followed. Holy Tomb Mountain was defined as an academy, but at its core, it was more like a town. It even had places like taverns.

However, long after Brom and Chu Aoqing had left, an elderly figure materialized where Mu Chen had been struck down. Looking at the blood and pieces of internal organs splattered on the shattered gravel, his expression was first one of sharp anger. But the anger soon gave way to a smile, and he spoke in a detached voice, "What a fine Brom. Heh... In one year, you will learn the consequences of your impulsive actions. But Little Muchen is indeed too weak right now. I can’t stay by his side forever, so this can’t go on. It seems I need to think of a plan. Mmm... That’s settled, then."

After muttering these words to himself, the elderly figure vanished on the spot. He was Dilaka. Worried about the various difficulties Mu Chen might face, Dilaka had spent the entire day quietly following him instead of handling student affairs. He had seen it all: Mu Chen’s fateful encounter with Chu Aoqing and Shan Ziyan, and even Brom’s scheme. But he hadn’t intervened. He knew that blow wouldn’t be fatal, and more importantly, he understood it was the catalyst that would trigger Mu Chen’s complete evolution. So, he had chosen to remain silent. But upon truly seeing Mu Chen’s weak, retreating back, he still couldn’t resist the urge to do something for him...