Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

"Can you tell me why you chose her?"

Xuan Moqing was a little surprised that the Elder would suddenly ask her a question, but she smiled and said, "No particular reason. When I saw her name, my subconscious just told me to choose her. I suppose I’ve always been one to follow my heart, haha..."

Her eyes curved into crescents, her expression as pure and clear as a mirror.

"Aren’t you afraid her cultivation might be too low to teach you anything?" Murong Yan pressed, her gaze softening.

"I am," Xuan Moqing admitted. "Everyone here is already stronger than me, and there’s nothing special about me. If my mentor isn’t powerful, the gap between me and everyone else will only grow wider... and the gap between me and him will grow wider, too." As she spoke, she turned to look at Mu Chen, who was watching her. Her eyes held a trace of fear amidst their warmth.

"And yet you still chose her." Murong Yan was even more mystified.

Xuan Moqing felt a sudden warmth envelop her hand. She smiled and continued, "I have faith in my future mentor. I’m sure she’s a powerful expert. Besides, my own talent isn’t that great. Any mentor here would be more than capable of teaching me."

"Silly child..." Murong Yan’s figure vanished. The next instant, she reappeared, pulling Xuan Moqing into an embrace. Ignoring Xuan Moqing’s confusion and shock, she gently stroked her soft, long hair and murmured, "Such a silly child. Who told you that you weren’t special? You are very special. At least, in this teacher’s eyes, you are one of a kind."

"She... She’s Murong Yan?!"

In that instant, everyone was utterly stunned. Dilaka shook his head with a wry smile and muttered in a voice only he could hear, ’These six children will all reach the pinnacle of this continent. It’s simply their destiny.’

Murong Yan released Xuan Moqing, her eyes filled with affection. "My name is Murong Yan. I hold the seventh seat on the Holy Tomb Mountain Elder Council. As for my Martial Artist Realm... I am a Third-Ring Saint."

"A Third-Ring... Saint..."

This time, it wasn’t just the new students who were stunned. Even Dilaka and Shan Qiuhen’s jaws dropped. Zhu Jiuqian blurted out, "Yan’Er, you... you broke through?"

Without turning her head, Murong Yan continued, "Do you think I am qualified to be your Master?"

"Master...?"

Still reeling from the shock, Xuan Moqing fell into another daze. She looked at Mu Chen with a blank expression, her adorably bewildered look making him chuckle. "Elder Murong," he said, "Mo Qing is very pure-hearted and lacks confidence. Please allow me to answer for her. You are more than qualified to be her Master!"

Hearing Mu Chen’s words, everyone finally understood. The term wasn’t just "mentor"—it was "Master."

"You want to take me as your disciple?"

Xuan Moqing was overwhelmed. Having lost her mother at birth, she had grown up under the gentle, fatherly love of Xuan Yin. She had never known a mother’s love or the affection of a mature, caring woman. But from Murong Yan, she sensed an emotion different from a father’s love, different even from familial bonds—an emotion she craved desperately. She didn’t know what it was, but she yearned to experience it.

"But... am I really worthy?"

Murong Yan nodded. "No one has a better chance than you to reach the pinnacle of the Water Attribute. ’The highest good is like water’—that is the ultimate state for a Water Attribute Martial Artist. Your pure character and spirit will ensure your path forward is free of obstacles. Now, as your Master, I will ask you one question. Answer me truthfully."

Xuan Moqing nodded.

"From the time you were a Martial Disciple, all the way through your Cultivation to your current Martial Artist Realm, have you ever once encountered a bottleneck?"

"..."

Murong Yan’s question astonished everyone. Bottlenecks were a universal part of the journey, no matter one’s level of Martial Arts Cultivation. As far as Mu Chen knew, there was only one person who didn’t experience them: Little Tiger, the Son of Taotie.

’Could it be that Mo Qing doesn’t have bottlenecks either?’ Mu Chen had never thought to check, or perhaps he had and simply hadn’t noticed.

"No, I don’t think so... I’ve never hit a bottleneck. Every time my Cultivation reaches the peak of a realm, I just... break through." After a moment’s thought, Xuan Moqing stated a fact that left everyone speechless.

"Just as I thought. You possess a constitution beyond the reach of any other Water Attribute Martial Artist: the Ruo Shui Physique." Murong Yan looked as if she had discovered a priceless treasure, her face flushing with excitement.

’To think it’s the Ruo Shui Physique, a constitution that’s almost impossible to detect... Yan’Er’s luck is simply off the charts.’ Zhu Jiuqian’s eyes were filled with envy. But then his gaze fell on the strange red markings on Little Tiger’s arm, and his expression turned to one of alarm. He looked as if he was about to speak, but quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.

As he looked over Mu Chen’s group of six, his expression was one of pure, unadulterated shock. ’A Martial Artist with Three Attributes coexisting in one body. An Earth Attribute Martial Artist with the Taotie Seal. A Water Attribute Martial Artist with the Ruo Shui Physique. Then there’s that one whose presence is practically non-existent, and that little girl who’s a complete enigma. Of the six, only the one named Ye Shuangshuang seems somewhat normal. But who’s to say she doesn’t have her own secrets? What Empire managed to dump a whole group of monsters on us at the same time?!’

"The Ruo Shui Physique?"

’The Ruo Shui Physique is a latent talent,’ the Profound Old Ghost’s voice echoed in Mu Chen’s mind, answering his unspoken question. ’Because the owner’s heart is pure and kind, free of distracting thoughts, they can easily break through the Martial Artist Realms as long as they have sufficient Cultivation Resources. That’s why it’s also known as the "Bottleneck-Breaking Physique." Xiao Chenzi, birds of a feather flock together. You’ve gathered a group of absolute monsters around you. And because of their connection to you, they’ve been brought to a platform that can lead them to the very pinnacle. Before long, their accomplishments will be something the whole world looks up to.’

’However, it seems three very powerful auras are approaching from within Holy Tomb Mountain. This Master will lie low for a bit. Existences on their level might be able to detect me.’

As soon as he finished speaking, the Profound Old Ghost’s aura vanished completely. He had evidently retreated deep into the Extreme Spirit Pearl.

’Three powerful auras? Who could possibly be strong enough to detect Master’s presence?’

Mu Chen activated his Ice Extreme Demon Pupils and peered toward Holy Tomb Mountain. After several moments, he still couldn’t spot any suspicious figures and gave up, closing his eyes. ’In any case, they’re coming from inside Holy Tomb Mountain, so they can’t be enemies.’

"Shi Mu Hua, choose your mentor," Dilaka prompted.

"Daiyun."

A Spatial Rift tore open, and a man in white robes holding a folding fan stepped out. He moved like a phantom, walking over to the other mentors without anyone noticing his approach. He gave Shi Mu Hua a nod and said nothing more.

Shi Mu Hua didn’t ask any questions either. He simply walked to the man’s side. The two stood there, each waving his own fan, a strangely harmonious pair.

"Wind Gentleman."

"Free and Unrestrained."

"Daiyun. Eight-Ring Wind Martial Venerable."

"Shi Mu Hua. Four-Ring Wind Martial Emperor."

"A pleasure."

They spoke the last line in perfect unison. Faced with this bizarre exchange that only the two of them seemed to understand, the others could only sigh in admiration. It was, without a doubt, the most concise and unique introduction of all the mentors and students.

"Ahem. Jilal, you’re up," Dilaka said, his expression strange.

"Finally, my turn!" Jilal stared blankly at the thirty names, scanning them back and forth several times before sighing in deflation. "There’s only one Thunder Attribute mentor, Wen Tianxuan. I guess it has to be him. Oh, and Alice has the same Attribute as me, so she’ll choose him too."

"HAHAHA!! It’s finally my time to shine! Where is the applause?!"

The voice arrived before the man. Judging by the sound alone, he had to be abnormally burly. And sure enough, when the spatial tunnel appeared, a giant silver hammer wreathed in red lightning emerged first. It was followed by two arms corded with muscle, which gripped the sides of the tunnel. CRACKLE! Arcs of lightning like Thunder Serpents flickered around him, an incredibly domineering sight.

However, when his head emerged from the tunnel, the sight nearly blinded everyone. His face was kind and benevolent, with a handlebar mustache as thick as a thumb spanning the area above his lip. His upper body was bare, revealing terrifying, explosive muscles. If not for the red lightning constantly crackling around him, you would think he was an Earth Attribute Martial Artist who had wandered into the wrong place.

"What... the hell... Mister, who are you?"

Jilal craned his neck to look up at Wen Tianxuan, who was twice his height, his eyes completely glazed over. ’Everyone else’s mentors are either buxom goddesses or gentle beauties. At the very least, they got a handsome pretty boy. But what the hell is up with my mentor? What’s with those pecs, which are even bigger than a buxom goddess’s chest? What’s the deal with this bald head, brighter than a lightbulb? Holy hell, Mister, did you just get out of the shower and walk through the wrong door? Can we please put on a shirt before we continue this conversation?’

"Oh, God! Oh, Alice! I must be seeing things! This can’t be our mentor, right?! Tell me this guy isn’t our mentor! Right?! RIGHT?!"

"Eh?! So my students are over here? Tsk, tsk. What’s with this scrawny little frame? Was your family too poor to afford food? Or were you just a picky eater with stunted growth?"

WHAP!! WHAP!!

A giant hand slapped Jilal flat on the ground. Wen Tianxuan muttered to himself, "Poor kid. Don’t you worry! From now on, your mentor will make sure you eat your fill and grow up to be as strong as me! As a Thunder Attribute Martial Artist, the Attribute with the most Explosive Power, how could a tiny frame like this possibly withstand the might of Furious Thunder?!"

As he spoke, Wen Tianxuan clenched a fist, straightened his back, and tilted his head up with a deadly serious expression. "To become the strongest Thunder Attribute Martial Artist, you must have explosive strength! You must have a body of steel! You must..."

’Ugh... there he goes again...’

The other mentors standing off to the side all took a few steps back in unison, their foreheads covered in sweat. They pressed their hands to their temples as if nursing a headache. Even Dilaka looked helpless...

"Got it?"

"G-Got it."

Jilal had just scrambled to his feet when another of Wen Tianxuan’s slaps sent him back to the ground. This time, however, he didn’t have to get up on his own. A thick arm scooped him up and unceremoniously tossed him onto Wen Tianxuan’s shoulder.

Feeling his balance shift, Jilal subconsciously flailed for something to hold onto. His hands scrabbled across the top of Wen Tianxuan’s head for a good while, but there was nothing to grip. Giving up, he grabbed Wen Tianxuan’s handlebar mustache instead, finally steadying himself.

"Oh, for God’s sake! Mister, did you wax this bald head of yours?!"

"Yeah! Cool, right?!"

"Cool my ass! I almost fell off!!"

"You don’t even have the strength to truss a chicken. Are you sure you’re a Thunder Attribute Martial Artist?"

"Of course I am! Hey, hey, slow down! I’m gonna fall off again..."

"..."

Trailing behind the two buffoons, Alice could no longer hold back her laughter, and soon, everyone else joined in. It seemed that in a place like this, you’d find people to match. The old monsters were just as monstrous as the new ones.