The Great Ruler Chapter 443-448

Chapter 443 – Heart Matters

Before the bamboo house where some shade from the vegetable enveloped over the area, a gentle breeze blew by. Emerald-green leaves swished in the air as they fluttered down, descending onto the bodies of the boy and girl present before the bamboo house.

Ignoring those leaves that had landed on her, Ling Xi was clearing the stubble present on Mu Chen's face. The ice-cold blade's edge swept across his face, causing a slight refreshing feeling to surface on his skin. The earnest expression on the face of the girl before him caused feelings of warmth to surface within his heart.

After giving the final swipe of the blade's edge across Mu Chen's face, Ling Xi looked towards the face of the youth which had regained its sauve and handsome look, before nodding her head in satisfaction. With a sweet smile, she said, "Although your unshaven appearance looks quite good, I still prefer you being clean and shaven."

Scratching his head, Mu Chen replied with a smile, "Elder Sister Ling Xi, you usually have a icy expression on your face. If you continue smiling like that, I don't know how many people would get infatuated and fall head-over-heels for you."

"What a slick mouth. I, your sis, doesn't like that," replied Ling Xi with a faint smile. Putting away the knife blade, she removed her jade-like hand from Mu Chen's face. As she retracted her slender fingers, the remnant warmth at her fingertips caused her eyes to fluctuate, while her beautiful eyes slightly hung down.

"Elder Sister Ling Xi, what do you have in mind for my training from now on?" asked Mu Chen out of curiosity. He had only three more months of time. Within this timeframe, he needed to focus all of his mind towards his Spiritual Energy training and cultivation. After all, regardless of how many aces he had up his sleeves, Spiritual Energy was the foundation of everything. With a Spiritual Energy that was tyrannical enough, no matter how strong his aces were, it would be difficult for him to display them in full effect, akin to the cleverest housewife that won't be able to cook without rice.

"Can't my Spiritual Energy nourish your Spiritual Energy?" Her beautiful eyes staring at the leaves that had descended on the ground, Ling Xi spoke out in a soft voice.

Hearing that, Mu Chen instantly gave an embarrassed smile before replying, "Don't tease me, Elder Sister Ling Xi. How would I dare to use that method? If mother knew about it, wouldn't she beat me to death?"

Ling Xi slightly tilted her head, causing her black hair to sweep down like a waterfall, covering her sleek and glossy cheek, before gently replying, "In fact, it isn't nothing. Within that clan, the people who train and cultivate in the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art were originally just servants with with petty and low statuses. It seems that those servants would sacrifice themselves at certain times to fulfill the needs of those who train in the Yang Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art…"

Her voice grew softer and softer, since she could feel that the smile on the face of the youth beside her was slowly starting to become restrained.

Quietly looking at the white-robed girl by his side, with her slender legs faintly curling up, while her lovable figure appeared somewhat frail to the point of her trembling slightly, Mu Chen noticed some vacant moodiness gushing out from her eyes.

"Elder Sister Ling Xi, are you suspecting that my mom letting you train and cultivate the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art was, in fact, for the sake of letting you become my servant?" asked Mu Chen in a slow manner.

A fierce tremble shook through Ling Xi's body as she abruptly raised her head. Looking at Mu Chen, she shook her head, panic-stricken as her eyes brimmed with a freneticism that caused people's hearts to feel pain for her. "No! I'll absolutely not doubt Aunt Jing! If not for Aunt Jing, I'd be long dead in that ice-cold rain! If not for Aunt Jing giving me a to reason to live on, even if I continued living on, I'd only be a walking corpse!"

Aunt Jing was the pillar propping up her ice-cold life. She was willing to destroy herself than to doubt Aunt Jing, something she absolutely wasn't willing to do.

When a person lives on, he or she would always need some kind of faith. This faith could be revenge, to protect or even other things. As for Ling Xi, the faith that had kept her living on was the warm and gentle figure that had brought her out of the ice- cold and despair-filled place of death. Therefore, once her faith collapses, she might truly lose all motivation to look ahead in life, completely similar to a walking corpse.

To her, this was a matter that was harder to accept than even death.

Looking towards the panic-stricken Ling Xi, Mu Chen extended his hands. Gently grasping those ice-cold jade-like hands, he spoke out in a soft voice. "Elder Sister Ling Xi, there are a lot of things in this universe that we're unable to clearly decipher and understand. When our eyes are unable to help us obtain the answers, we have to use our hearts to judge and decipher. Do you think that my mother would lie to you?"

Hearing that, Ling Xi gawked, before gently shaking her head. Although the arcs were small, they were resolute and unwavering. She had spent so many years with Aunt Jing. Although her memories had been sealed, those feelings and emotions within the depths of her heart were absolutely not one bit a lie.

"Oh?" With a faint smile, Mu Chen spoke out, "looks like you're jealous of me."

Ling Xi immediately looked at Mu Chen vacantly, with her lips starting to unconsciously pout. "Are you blind or what?"

"Just because you saw my mom, who is that important to you, after seeing how my mother looked at me when we were reunited then seemed to cause your emotions to fluctuate a bit too much, which led you to have wild thoughts. 'So, Aunt Jing's favorite was her own son', right? That way, you felt depressed, worrying about your personal loss, before wasting time on an insignificant problem. From the start, when you said those words, your emotions started to not quite be right…"

Looking towards Ling Xi's increasingly beet-red lovable face, Mu Chen spoke out with a smile. "Ever since coming back from the Northern Heavens Continent, you have been having wild thoughts, am I right?"

Ling Xi's lovable face had turned a deeper red as she tightly clenched her jade-like hands. Looking at the bright eyes of the youth before her, where some laughing intent had surfaced, she unexpectedly felt a slightly guilty conscience rising within her heart. She didn't know whether what Mu Chen said was right or not, with the only thing she could confirm being that she truly was feeling somewhat depressed after returning from the Northern Heavens Continent.

"I'm sorry," replied Ling Xi as she lowered her head. Mu Chen was Aunt Jing's biological son. The latter having the deepest feelings for him was something totally understandable. Her own wild thoughts seemed to have no rationale behind them.

Mu Chen shook his head in response. He could quite understand what she was going through. When his mother and Ling Xi were together, the former clearly didn't mention about him. Therefore, even Ling Xi didn't know that his mother had a son. Added with the trust Ling Xi had for his mother, it was inevitable that the relationship between the two was the most important to the latter. However, now, he had suddenly barged in. Furthermore, he was his mom's biological son, a relationship that was the continuity of a bloodline, something that Ling Xi was unable to compare with. This resulted in her having such feelings and emotions. When one looked at something with too much importance, one would suffer such losses when in such an outcome.

Ling Xi was clearly suppressing those emotions and feelings. However, despite that, when their chatting touched on some sensitive topics, she was somewhat triggered by them.

"Elder Sister Ling Xi, I don't have any thoughts of competing with you about this. Furthermore, I don't think that my mother would reject or distance herself away from you after finding me. No matter how long it is, you'll always be together with us. I treat you as my Elder Sister. There's no one allowed to bully you. Therefore, you won't lose anything. Instead, you have one more person that would protect you. This is a very worthwhile matter, am I right?" Sitting before Ling Xi, Mu Chen spoke out with a faint smile.

Raising her head, Ling Xi looked towards the handsome face of the youth before her. Those bright eyes, the warm and gentle smile surfacing at the corner of his mouth, caused her eyes to uncontrollably turn red. Although she had usually appeared rather cold and indifferent, that wasn't what her character was. Due to her early life experience, she was extremely sensitive. After possessing some warmth, she wanted to hold onto it, not wanting to let it go. Therefore, she was extremely exclusive and resistive to people near her.

Although Aunt Jing wasn't her biological mother, Ling Xi had truly treated the former as her mother within her heart. Having only one next of kin, Ling Xi didn't want to lose her.

The past few days of wild thoughts had caused her to develop depressing emotions. However, at this moment, when she looked at the youth before her, her emotions started to slowly stabilise, while the smile at the corners of her mouth erupted in a warm and gentle arc.

She looked at Mu Chen. The youth before her was clearly smaller than her. His strength wasn't on par with her. And yet, it gave people a certain sense of ease. Truly, what a strange fellow.

Ling Xi gently smiled, her smile gradually returning to the state of the one before. Extending her fair and slender hand, she gently rubbed Mu Chen's head, before speaking with a grin, "You're much weaker than me. How are you able to protect me with that strength?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Mu Chen replied with a smile, "It's not possible now, but there's always the future. When I become stronger than Elder Sister Ling Xi, it'll be time for me to protect you."

Speaking till here, Mu Chen looked towards Ling Xi and gave a cheeky smile. "However, I never imagined that the strong Elder Sister Ling Xi would actually have such a childish side. Nevertheless, it quite cute."

Ling Xi's face instantly grew beet-red, as she knew that it could be considered that she had lost a great deal of face. Nevertheless, she could only shoot a resentful glare at Mu Chen, before turning her stiff lovable face.

With a grin, Mu Chen laughed, as he knew that Ling Xi's face was, in fact, extremely thin. Although he knew that Ling Xi wouldn't stop guiding him in his training and cultivation due to her embarrassment, he knew that there wasn't a need to be so fierce when forcing people. After all, being much stronger than him, it was extremely easy for her to deal with him.

"Ok. This moment stops now. However, as for those words, don't say them anymore, okay? Although Elder Sister Ling Xi has trained and cultivated the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art, I absolutely don't want you to become my servant. If you say those words again, I'll be angry," said Mu Chen with a straight face.

"Okay, I know." Ling Xi's reply was soft and gentle. How was this soft and gentle demeanor like the dignified and imposing third strongest expert of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy?

"What training are we going to do?" asked Mu Chen. Wanting to have a great improvement of his Spiritual Energy in the next three mouths seemed to not be a simple problem.

Slightly tilting her head, Ling Xi thought awhile, before smiling sweetly and replying, "Simple. I'll teach you the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art to you. That way, you'll be able to obtain the complete Great Pagoda Art. In fact, before she left, Aunt Jing had told me about this. Due to her not having time to teach it to you, she has allowed me to
do it."

Mu Chen gawked, before his head started to heat up.

The complete edition of the Great Pagoda Art?

Chapter 444 – Fond

"If you transmit the Great Pagoda Art to me, won't it affect Elder Sister Ling Xi?"

Although being able to have the complete Great Pagoda Art was extremely moving for Mu Chen. He still maintained some calmness as he inquired about it. He was still somewhat afraid that Ling Xi would do something that would harm herself. Even if he was to obtain that strength, it wouldn't make him happy to know.

Hearing that, Ling Xi gave a faint smile as she shook her head. As feelings of warmth gushed out of her beautiful eyes, she replied, "Relax. This is something that Aunt Jing has instructed me about. If you don't believe me, you ought to believe Aunt Jing, right?"

Only at this moment did Mu Chen nod his head. Thinking about it, he muttered, "Why don't I teach Elder Sister Ling Xi the Yang Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art?"

He felt a little problematic about the matter of Ling Xi training and cultivating the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art. Although he and his mother didn't want Ling Xi to be his servant, the Yin Scroll would always feel some suppression when faced with the Yang Scroll. Mu Chen didn't wish for Ling Xi to feel uncomfortable whenever she was assisting him on this matter.

Still, Ling Xi shook her head, replying with a sweet smile. "There's no need. I know your thoughts. Just relax. I won't have wild thoughts again. Furthermore, the Yang Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art isn't something that anyone could train and cultivate just like that. A specific bloodline is needed. I don't have the bloodline of that clan. If I were to cultivate the entire Great Pagoda Art, it might not be a good thing for me."

"Okay. Then I'll have to trouble Elder Sister Ling Xi, then." Only after hearing that did Mu Chen give up on that thought, before impatiently asking, "Then, are we starting now?"

Rolling her eyes at him, Ling Xi replied, "Why are you so anxious? You've bitterly trained for three months. Take a rest and recover your body and we'll start tomorrow."

With a grin, Mu Chen nodded his head and replied, "That's good. I'll head back to the Freshman Region, before finding you tomorrow, Elder Sister Ling Xi."

Gently biting her lip, Ling Xi replied in a soft voice. "Luo Li's also not at the Freshman Region. If you go back, you won't have anyone to take care of you. Just stay here and rest for the day. I'll let Sun'er to tidy a room for you."

As she said those words, Ling Xi's lovable face turned slightly pinkish. Clearly, she had somewhat of an obsession towards cleanliness. Furthermore, she was extremely rejective and indifferent to males. On usual days, even Dean Tai Cang and the rest would have to use sound transmission from outside her courtyard, since they're not allowed to enter within. In fact, for all these years, the only male that could enter this courtyard was Mu Chen. As for letting a male stay in a room here, that was a matter that had never happened before.

When faced against Mu Chen, she clearly didn't treat him like other people. The bright and clear eyes of the youth before her seemed to be able to weaken the defenses around her heart. There might be the reason of Aunt Jing within this. Nevertheless, she was also clear that she was rather happy about the leisure, warm talk she had with him.

Hearing this, Mu Chen gawked awhile, before hesitatingly replying, "Isn't that not too good?"

Although it wasn't much to him as a male, Ling Xi was, after all, an enchantingly great beauty. Although she was a rather mysterious figure within the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and didn't reveal her face, a few of the old veteran students of the academy still knew about the present. In fact, in the past, there were even quite a few outstanding students that had attempted to chase after her. Nevertheless, all of them had failed, as the former was too dazzling. With her age, she had become an Elder of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Even Dean Tai Cang had to give her face. Her level of strength was certainly extremely high. How could those hotheads in this mere Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy be able to catch her eye?

Shooting a glare at him, Ling Xi stiffened her lovable face and replied, "An Elder Sister taking care of the Younger Brother. Isn't that good?"

With this reply, Mu Chen naturally didn't dare to say anything more, causing him to scratch his head in acceptance. Over the past few years, Ling Xi had always been alone. Although she appeared ice-cold, thinking about this, she had always been rather lonely within her heart. It was already difficult for her to have a person to believe in. Being able to accompany her was already a good thing.

Seeing Mu Chen's acknowledgement, Ling Xi gave a sweet smile. That absolutely beautiful smile caused even the beautiful flowers around the bamboo house to pale in comparison to her.

Within the raging Spiritual Aurfilled world, everything was silent, while even the winds present where solidified by the terrifying Spiritual Energy pressure. The entire world appeared to be unadorned and heavy.

At this moment, within a certain mountain valley in this Spiritual Aurfilled world, Spiritual Energy liquid flowed down from the peak of the mountains, forming a gigantic lake within the valley. Faint clouds of Spiritual Mist rose from it, causing the entire region to appear fluttery like an immortal realm, while waves of terrifying Spiritual Energy fluctuations radiated from the lake.

The entire lake was formed from the condensation of pure Spiritual Energy, with the Spiritual Liquid present within weighing akin to a thousand tonnes, causing the mountain to be crushed to dust under it.

Crash!

Clear sounds of water sloshing rang out from the side of the lake as Spiritual Liquid was shoved apart. A slender and beautiful figure surfaced from the middle of the lake, as her bright, sliverly-like hair scattered on the surface of the water, appearing exceedingly dazzling. Under the long hair was an exquisite, alluring physique as tender and soft as lambs. As Spiritual Liquid dripped down her alluring body, they conveniently flowed down her satin-like body, causing ripples to spread out across the lake.

Although the greater half of her body was hidden under the liquid, it wasn't enough to hide her perfect silhouette. The tall, erect chest and the gorgeous white ravine was more than enough to cause all males to get dazzled and stunned by her. Nevertheless, such a gorgeous spectacle clearly wasn't something that could be seen and appreciated by any male. Also, the only male that could have such a fortune was not present here.

Raising her exquisite and lovable face, she exhaled a soft breath of air. At this moment, her fair, jade-like skin was perfused with pinkish shades, due to her training at this place, being pressed down by the mountainous amounts of Spiritual Liquid.

"Luo Li, you've stayed in there for three entire days…" All of a sudden, a warm and gentle voice rang beside her. Turning her head over, she noticed another alluring body not far away in the lake, Su Xuan. The latter's alluring body was extremely curvaceous, with her voluptuous, fair and enchanting body that was more than sufficient to cause people to suffer nosebleeds.

With a grin, Su Xuan looked towards Luo Li, while her beautiful eyes wandered about the alluring figure of the latter, before giving a gentle sound of appreciation. Although the two of them were training and cultivating together, she would always make comparisons of her body between the perfect physique of Luo Li, leading to her uncontrollably sigh in admiration. Regardless of her appearance, physique or temperament, such a girl was rather perfect in all these aspects.

"Senior Sister Su Xuan has also lasted for quite some time," replied Luo Li with a faint smile.

"I can only last for a day's worth of time. However, I've heard that Shen Cangsheng, Li Xuantong and the rest have lasted for two days. However, they still can't compare to you," said Su Xuan as she shook her head. The water in the lake was entirely composed of Spiritual Liquid and weighed extremely heavy. Wanting to enter the depths of the lake bottom would seemingly require one to endure a mountainous weight on their bodies while training and cultivating. Under such a situation, one would ordinarily be unable to last long. Therefore, one would have to leave the bottom of the lake after a period of time to take a break. If not, one's body would not be able to handle it.

As for the past few days of training and cultivation, Luo Li's individual performance was too outstanding, something that no one was able to imagine. This young girl that appeared weak and frail had unexpectedly possessed such toughness. Su Xuan was extremely clear that every single second one spent at the bottom of the lake when one reached one's extreme limits would feel pressure that would drive people mad. However, no one would have imagined that Luo Li would actually last for three whole days.

Such a result caused even Shen Cangsheng and the rest to feel their inferiority to her.

Naturally, she and Su Xuan didn't train and cultivate at the same place as Shen Cangsheng and the other boys. At this moment, the latter group was training within a Spiritual Liquid lake a number of miles away.

Giving a smile, Luo Li didn't reply as her jade-like hands waved around in the Spiritual Liquid, gently rubbing the her jade-like skin that had turned red due to the terrifying pressure at the lake's bottom. In her heart, she was thinking about what Mu Chen was training and cultivating right now. It should be three months by now? Although it was extremely bitter and painful to train and cultivate in the Door of the Northern Heavens, she knew that Mu Chen's training and cultivation shouldn't be easier than theirs.

Thinking about this, the young girl gently bit her lip, before speaking to Su Xuan. "Senior Sister Su Xuan, I'm going to train one more time."

"You're still going on?" Su Xuan was immediately astonishing. Swimming towards Luo Li, her eyebrows creased as she spoke out, "You're training too crazily. If you continue like that, how can you endure it? During that year, even some of the Seniors weren't able endure while they were in the Door of the Northern Heavens, yet they insisted with their lives for the sake of control, resulting in them almost becoming handicaps…"

"Senior Sister Su Xuan, relax. I know my limits," replied Luo Li softly.

"Why are you pushing so much?" asked Su Xuan helplessly. She never imagined that Luo Li would actually push herself so hard in training and cultivation. During this period of time, Shen Cangsheng and other group of people were stimulated quite a bit by her. Being males, their endurance and resilience weren't able to obtain any advantage over Luo Li, something that made them unable to raise their heads. Therefore, all of them had clenched their teeth and pushed on with their training and cultivation in an attempt to catch up to Luo Li.

There were times that Su Xuan felt exceedingly puzzled by Luo Li's push in training and cultivation. However, she could feel that Luo Li wasn't a girl that placed extreme regard and attention towards strength. In fact, she appeared to be quite easy to satisfy. However, she, having such a character would be that extreme in her earnesty and dedication to training and cultivation.

Hearing that, Luo Li smiled. She naturally couldn’t talk, in detail, about the matter of the Luo God Clan to Su Xuan. The responsibilities on her shoulders were too heavy with the millions of citizens of the Luo God Clan waiting for her, this future queen to come to their rescue. Furthermore… there was also him. That handsome face, clear and bright eyes, the youth that caused her heart to become quietly affected…

He told her that he would become an absolute expert, standing before her to block all storms for her.

She had believed it from the start till the end. However, she also knew that the path towards being an absolute expert was full of thorns, sufficient enough to cause people to be laced full of injuries. She loved Mu Chen's smile, which brimmed with self-confidence, which had also infected her. Therefore, she was somewhat afraid that those thorns on the path of an absolute expert would slowly wear off the smile that she loved…

Therefore, she wanted to put in effort in training. If her strength increased to a sufficient level, it might be more easier for Mu Chen by a notch. She wasn't a girl that would do not one single thing in the face of the person she likes when he was continuously giving his all for her.

Mu Chen, I know that you've shoulder many things for me. However, I will also help you.

I, who made you love me so much.

Chapter 445 – Cultivating the Yin Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art

Next day

On the elegant and quiet bamboo house, Mu Chen sat down on the soft bedding, his eyes shut tight as he breathed in the Spiritual Qi of the world. After a night of quiet cultivation, his mind felt more clear and refreshed. The little slivers of pressure built up from three months of bitter training within the Lightning Territory had been completely removed.

Knock. Knock.

While in silent training, clear knocks rang from the door outside before the inner doors were pushed open. A little head popped in, her two ponytails appearing extremely cute. As her jet-black eyes looked towards Mu Chen sitting on the bed, a crisp, tender voice rang out. "Big Brother Mu Chen, hurry up and wake up. Elder Sister Ling Xi's asking you to come out."

Opening his eyes, Mu Chen looked towards the cute and pretty little girl standing outside of the door, while his clear and refreshed mind became much more relaxed. With a smile, he flipped himself off the bed, before walking to the door and rubbing the little head of Su'er. As the little girl puckered her little face up, he walked out of the door, only to notice Ling Xi within the courtyard, standing slender and elegant, her long black hair cascading down like a waterfall, appearing alluringly beautiful.

"Looks like your rest is pretty good," said Ling Xi with a faint smile after noticing Mu Chen's clear and refreshed appearance. "Follow me. Let's go to your training and cultivation place. That place is connected to the one and only Eighth Grade Convergent Spiritual Array within the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Although the degree of thickness of the Spiritual Energy isn't as dense as the inner section of the Eighth Grade Convergent Spiritual Array, it is quite a bit stronger than the other few Seventh Grade Convergent Spiritual Arrays."

With a smile, Mu Chen nodded his head, before following Ling Xi to enter the depths of the mountains. With a move, the two of them appeared above the Spiritual Mist-wrapped mountain peak, before sitting down on it.

Grasping a strand of black hair, Ling Xi's lovable face turned solemn, before speaking out in a soft voice. "Mu Chen, the Great Pagoda Art is the most basic cultivation art of Aunt Jing's clan, and it's quite difficult to train and cultivate in it. Although you possess a bloodline relationship with Aunt Jing, it isn't able to guarantee that you're able to successfully train and cultivate both the Yin and Yang Scrolls."

"Within the training, I can't be certain what would happen. However, you have to promise me that if anything wrong happens, you must immediately stop. Don't force it.”

Seeing the solemness on Ling Xi's lovable face, Mu Chen seriously nodded in return.

Seeing this, Ling Xi clasped her jade-like hands together as she changed her hand seals. In the next instant, faint white light condensed within her palms as rays of brilliance radiated out, containing a shade akin to moonlight.

As the rays of brilliance slowly condensed together, they transformed into a white glowing pagoda sparkling in white rays of brilliance. The glowing pagoda appeared rather exquisite, shimmering while giving off a unique and mysterious feeling.

Seeing the familiar white glowing pogoda, Mu Chen felt slightly shocked and astonished. This appeared exactly the same as the pagoda he was able to condense from within his body. The only differences were the colour and the entirely different fluctuations radiating from it. If the pagoda that surfaced from Mu Chen was fierce and overbearing, the white glowing pagoda that had surfaced from Ling Xi's hands appeared extremely gentle and reserved.

"Concentrate and focus!"

A roar rang out from Ling Xi, causing a jolt within Mu Chen's mind as he slowly closed his eyes.

All of a sudden, Ling Xi pointed her slender finger out, causing the white glowing pagoda to transform into a ray of white light as it followed along her finger into Mu Chen's head. With a fierce speed, it entered within the mind of Mu Chen.

Bang!

At the instant when the white glow entered Mu Chen's mind, a bang seemed to explode within his mind. Strange and mysterious information furiously gushed out like flood waters, before transforming into line after line of cryptic and mysterious cultivation mnemonics.

There is Yin and Yang in Buddha. When Yin and Yang intersect, they form the great Buddha…

A seemingly ancient chanting sound rang out within Mu Chen's mind, causing those cultivation mnemonics that ordinary people weren't able to comprehend to flow into Mu Chen's heart. At this moment, Mu Chen's mind started to slowly calm down, sinking down into the complicated and cryptic cultivation mnemonics.

The ancient chanting appeared to resound for quite a while, yet appeared to continue for only an instant. With the ancient chanting, Mu Chen's mind regained his clarity, he started to ponder for quite a while as line after line of complicated mnemonics were recalled in his mind. After quite a while, his hands slowly came together to form a seal.

This time, the hand seal was somewhat different from the ones that he had made while training and cultivating the Great Pagoda Art. However, one could faintly discern there were some similar remnants.

Bang!

As Mu Chen slowly formed his hand seals, the white glowing pagoda within his body that was sent out by Ling Xi shook as it split apart, before a minute clump of white light rose from within, entering Mu Chen's meridians.

That was a strand of Spiritual Energy. What sets it apart from other Spiritual Energy was the shady glow it brought along. Appearing like moonlight spill out, it followed along Mu Chen's meridians as it circulated around his body.

Humm! Humm!

Just as the white-coloured Spiritual Energy circulated around Mu Chen's meridians, he discovered that the Spiritual Energy within his body was actually being agitated. Appearing as if they had received some kind of uncontrollable suction, they attempted to rush out and devour this strand of white-coloured Spiritual Energy.

"Calm down! Use the mnemonics to condense the Yin Seed!"

While Mu Chen was in shock with this unexpected change, all of a sudden, a soft roar rang within his mind, causing a shock to shake through his heart. Hastily, he forcefully suppressed the agitation of the Spiritual Energy. Controlling the strand of white-coloured Spiritual Energy with his mind, he forcefully circulated it quickly within the mnemonics flowing within his meridian pathways.

Following the circulation of the white-coloured Spiritual Energy, its size grew smaller and smaller. Yet, its colour and luster appeared increasingly bright and glittery. Furthermore, Mu Chen was able to sense that following every revolution, he was gradually able to start gaining control of that strand of white-coloured Spiritual Energy. The cool feeling felt ice-cold, causing his state of mind to appear clear and bright.

"Condense!"

When the size of the white-coloured stand of Spiritual Energy shrunk down to its absolute minimum size, a fierce, low roar rang from Mu Chen's heart. In the next instant, the white rays of light blossomed outwards. After dispersing away, a minute spot of white light quietly floated within, appearing akin to a seed.

Mu Chen heaved a quiet sigh of relief. This was the first step of his training. As long as he was able to successfully condense the Yin Seed, he would truly be able to merge the Yin and the Yang scrolls of the Great Pagoda Art. From that, he would be able to condense Spiritual Energy composed of both Yin and Yang.

The Divine Soul sitting within the Aurasea raised its little hands up. WIth a gentle beckoning, the white speck of light instantly howled across the meridians of Mu Chen's body. Drilling straight into the Aurasea, it hovered before the Divine Soul, whirling about as it rotated on the spot.

Hu.

Spitting out a clump of white air, the Divine Soul formed a hand seal, one that wasn't of the Yang Scroll of the Great Pagoda Art, but of the Yin Scroll.

Bang!

As the Divine Soul within Mu Chen's body formed the Yin Scroll's hand seal, a powerful suction force instantly erupted from within his body. As this happened, dense Spiritual Fog instantly surged out, blotting the skies. Transforming into rays of Spiritual Energy, they howled down, before pouring endlessly into Mu Chen's body.

Clumps of faint white brilliance radiated from Mu Chen's body, appearing somewhat gentle and cool.

Those were Spiritual Energy fluctuations completely different from those radiating from Mu Chen before.

As those Spiritual Energies entered Mu Chen's body, they circulated around his meridians, instantly transforming into strands of white-coloured Spiritual Energy, before finally gushing into the tiny white-coloured Yin Seed hovering before his Divine Soul. As it continued to get larger, Mu Chen ordered the two types of Spiritual Energies to merge together. He needed for them to reach a stage of mutual existence. If not, those strands of white-coloured Spiritual Energy would become nourishment for the black Spiritual Energy present within his body.

Only when the white and black were able to reach equilibrium would they be able to merge perfectly.

Therefore, what Mu Chen needed to do was to nurture and strengthen the Yin Seed.

However, it clearly still needed quite a bit of time. Fortunately, Mu Chen still had three whole months of time to do so. After absorbing crazily for that period of time, he should be able to nurture that Yin
Seed.

On the outside, Ling Xi looked towards Mu Chen, who was greedily absorbing the Spiritual Energy of the world, before nodding her head. From the looks of it, Mu Chen's Yin Seed had already been successfully condensed. The next step was for him to nurture it. The vast and boundless Spiritual Energy gushing out from the Eighth Rank Convergent Spiritual Array should be enough to speed this step up.

However, wanting to successfully cultivate this Great Pagoda Art completely wasn't that simple. Naturally, it could only depend on Mu Chen. Yet, the current him needed to do some preparations…

A faint flash sparkled within Ling Xi's beautiful eyes. Taking a breath, she stood up, and with a move of her enchanting body, she shot into the air.

Whoosh!

Space around her started to warp and distort as multiple figures surfaced from it. They were precisely Dean Tai Cang, Elder Zhu Tian and the four other Heavenly Seated Elders.

"Elder Ling Xi these are the things that you've requested," said Dean Tai Cang, sending a smile towards Ling Xi. With a wave of his sleeve, multiple rays of light shot towards the latter, before coming to a stop before her, hovering. If one was to take a closer look, one would see strange objects resembling a chessboard and tortoise shell among others within those rays. Those items should be unique Spiritual Tools. Although they didn't possess powerful offensive attributes, they contained unique capabilities.

Looking in detail towards those Spiritual Tools, Ling Xi gave a nod, before speaking out softly. "Thank you very much, Dean. However, I might need to trouble you all to help out for this period of time."

Hearing that, Elder Zhu Tian and the other Elders shot a look at each other as doubt surfaced within their eyes. After all, ever since knowing Ling Xi till now, this was the first time that they had heard the latter asking them for help.

"Is it for Mu Chen?" asked Dean Tai Cang with a faint smile, pointing towards Mu Chen, who was currently encased in a Spiritual Energy that blotted the skies.

Seeing that, Ling Xi gently nodded her head. After hesitating for a bit, she said, "Mu Chen's currently training in an Art. However, once he succeeds, it might be sensed by some people. Therefore, I would need the strength of you all to blanket a Spiritual Array over to isolate him."

Hearing those words, Dean Tai Cang and the rest instantly gawked. He would get sensed by some people? What kind of people would be that formidable? Being able to sense something just by cultivating in some Art?

"This is a matter instructed to me by Aunt Jing. I hope that you will be able to cooperate with me fully on this, Dean," said Ling Xi with a solemn face.

Hearing the two words 'Aunt Jing', the faces of Dean Tai Cang and the rest turned somewhat solemn. That day, due to Mu Chen's mysterious mother, the shock it gave them was considerably heavy. Since they were her instructions, they would naturally not dare to show any disregard about it.

"Be at ease, Elder Ling Xi. Mu Chen's a student of our Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Regardless of any matter, we'll do our utmost to help." Dean Tai Cang replied without asking anymore questions. Ever since the appearance of Mu Chen's mysterious mother, it indicated that the latter had quite a background. However, not being someone who was into curiosity, Dean Tai Cang knew that knowing some matters might not be a good thing.

Hearing that, Ling Xi gave a faint smile, before bowing respectfully.

"Ling Xi thanks all of you."

Chapter 446 – Another Breakthrough

Within the deep mountains, boundless Spiritual Mist rippled and undulated across the region. Due to the Spiritual Aura in the region being overly vast and boundless, everything here appeared exceedingly blurry. Even the mountain peaks were only able to be faintly discerned from behind the Spiritual Mist, appearing exceedingly hazy.

However, although one wouldn't be able to see with one's naked eyes, everyone was able to see the gigantic whirlpool in the air above the mountain peaks. The gigantic whirlpool was approximately hundreds of metres wide, with the Spiritual Aura that covered the earth and hid the skies was being sucked into it. Swirling along with the whirlpool, they endlessly poured into the thin figure seated on the top of one of the mountain peaks.

At this instant, Mu Chen's figure was encased in a billowing Spiritual Energy. Akin to a bottomless hole, his body greedily and crazily absorbed and refined the Spiritual Energy gushing into him.

Throughout this month, his figure had not moved a single inch on this mountain peak.

As this happened, the absorption did not stop for a single moment.

However, as this happened, his training and cultivation didn't show the slightest signs of stopping. This scene caused quite a few of those Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy students who were paying attention to quietly click their tongues. Truly, he's worthy of being the strongest person within their Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Just his training and cultivation was already capable of causing such a large commotion.

As Mu Chen was immersed in his training and cultivation, on a mountain peak not far away, Ling Xi's beautiful eyes were locked tightly on the figure of Mu Chen. Raising her head, she looked towards a number of mountain peaks in the far distance. Present on top of every mountain peak were figures, who were Dean Tai Cang, Elder Zhu Tian and the other Heavenly Seated Elders.

Gently clenched within her jade-like hands was a palm-sized black chessboard. Sparkling with mysterious runic patterns, strange and mysterious fluctuations radiated from it.

Rubbing against the exquisite black chessboard, Ling Xi vigilantly cast her beautiful eyes towards the sky. In the eyes of ordinary people, the sky showed not the slightest bit of uniqueness. However, in Ling Xi's eyes, she was able to see glowing threads extending out across the sky. Coming together in a complicated manner, they formed a gigantic Spiritual Array.

This Spiritual Array had consumed a month's worth of her mental energy.

Ling Xi took a slight breath of relief as a shadow of exhaustion flashed within her eyes. She had seemingly not taken any rest during this one month of time, spending every second of concentration on this Spiritual Array. Due to such a gargantuan workload, even she would feel exhaustion.

However, even though she was tired and exhaustion, she wasn't able to rest. That's because she knew that it was extremely important for Mu Chen successfully train and cultivate the entire version of the Great Pagoda Art.

That day, Aunt Jing had secretly mentioned to her that the Great Pagoda Art was the basic Cultivation Art of her clan, and that it was extremely important, since Mu Chen at that time had only cultivated the Yang Scroll. There was naturally nothing wrong with this. However, when the Yin and Yang Scrolls were merged, they would form the entire version of the Great Pagoda Art. Furthermore, once he succeeded in this, there was an extremely high possibility that powerful existences from Aunt Jing's clan would be able to sense this. At that time, there was a possibility that Mu Chen's identity might be discovered…

Although Ling Xi's past memories were sealed, she was faintly able to discern how frightening Aunt Jing's mysterious clan was. There was a dread gushing out from the depths of her heart. Even someone as strong as Aunt Jing was forced to the point of having to leave the infant Mu Chen. Exactly how powerful was that mysterious clan…?

Ling Xi didn't believe that she had the strength to protect Mu Chen from that clan. Therefore, she could only do her utmost to conceal Mu Chen from being discovered. In any way, regardless of exactly how many powerful existences were in that mysterious clan, they would absolutely not be able to sense Mu Chen that she had concealed from such a far distance away.

"Relax, Aunt Jing. I'll protect Mu Chen."

Muttering to herself, Ling Xi slowly clenched her hands as her beautiful eyes brimmed with resolution and decisiveness.

As Mu Chen continued training and cultivating, time continued to flow like quicksand. Unknowingly, two months had quietly elapsed by…

Within these two months, there was still no movement from Mu Chen, who had continued to endlessly absorb the Spiritual Aura of the world. The mountain peak was already being encased by a gigantic Spiritual Energy whirlpool, with Mu Chen's figure being completely shrouded within, while waves of boundless fluctuations continued to ripple from within.

Anyone was able to sense that the Spiritual Energy radiating from Mu Chen's body seemed to be much more tyrannical than two months ago.

Ling Xi quietly sat on a mountain peak not too far away from him, with her beautiful eyes slightly shut. As a gentle breeze blew by, it ruffled her smooth black hair. All of a sudden, boundless Spiritual Energy seemed to fluctuate from the mountain peak.

Swish!

Ling Xi's eyes sprung open seemingly in an instant. In the next instant, a solemn expression appeared on her beautiful face as she looked towards the mountain peak, while her jade-like hands started to clench tightly together.

"The Yin and Yang are merging?" she muttered, with her alluring body growing increasingly taut, being prepared to take action at any moment to shield this region from the rest of the world.

As Ling Xi grew nervous and vigilant, the Yin Seed before the Divine Soul within Mu Chen's body had already grown to the size of a fist. From the looks of it, it appeared akin to a pearl radiating with rays of brilliance, with boundless Yin energies contained within it. This was the result of nurturing it with Spiritual Energy absorbed over the span of the last two months.

"About time…"

Those words flashed within Mu Chen's heart. In the next instant, the little mouth of the Divine Soul opened up. With a gentle suck, the pearl-like Yin Seed transformed into a ray of light, rushing into the mouth of the Divine Soul…

Humm!

At the instant when the Yin Seed was devoured by the Divine Soul, boundless rays of white light suddenly erupted from Mu Chen's entire body. As the white rays of lights blossomed, overbearing rays of black light swept out from within, causing Mu Chen's Divine Soul to be tinged in black and white light, appearing exceedingly strange.

Wave after wave of exceedingly boundless Spiritual Energy radiated from the Divine Soul, perfusing every inch of Mu Chen's body.

All of a sudden, Mu Chen's eyes sprung open as Spiritual light shot out from his crown. Transforming into a glowing pillar, it rushed towards the sky. At this moment, the black and white-coloured Divine Soul had also rushed up the sky. Opening its small mouth, the vast Spiritual Mist present within this region instantly billowed out into streams, before being completely sucked into the body of the Divine Soul.

The black and white Divine Soul sat within the air. Extending its tiny hands, it hugged to air, appearing to have control over the sun and moon.

Whoosh!

Black and white rays of brilliance quickly condensed within its palms. One could faintly discern that it had seemingly transformed into a black and white-coloured Yin Yang board. As the black and white light chased each other, appearing like the fishes of Yin and Yang, waves of strange, boundless fluctuations suddenly radiated across the heavens.

As the Yin Yang board took form, all of a sudden, dots of light surfaced from the depths of Mu Chen's body. Those glowing dots started to converge together, forming what looked like the shape of a pagoda!

Dong!

An ancient bell's ring seemed to pierce through the ancient antiquity, before clearly reverberating from within Mu Chen's body.

Halos started to condense behind Mu Chen's body as a black-glowing pagoda approximately a hundred metres tall slowly condensed within them.

This black-glowing pagoda didn't have too much difference from the pagoda that Mu Chen had displayed before. However, at this moment, slivers of golden flames now danced on the ancient dragon patterns on its surface. Those flames were extremely tiny and minute, yet they were able to cause the expressions of Dean Tai Cang and the other Elders watching not far away to slightly change.

That's because they were still able to clearly remember that such a black pagoda was condensed by Mu Chen's mother when she personally refined the Yellow Dragon Sovereign. Furthermore, not only did the golden flames completely refine away the Yellow Dragon Sovereign's Celestial Body, it had even turned the latter completely into dust.

The golden flames were clearly an extremely frightening thing.

Although the golden flames on the dragon patterns on Mu Chen's pagoda were too small and insignificant, being unable to compare to the might of his mother, they were already capable of causing Dean Tai Cang and the rest to sigh in admiration.

"Dean Tai Cang!"

Seeing the pagoda that had surfaced behind Mu Chen, Ling Xi's beautiful face suddenly turned solemn as her shout resounded.

Hearing her voice, Dean Tai Cang and the rest instantly raised their hands. In the next instant, numerous rays of brilliance rushed towards the sky, rippling across the horizon as a black light screen rapidly extended out. Expanding thousands of metres wide, it completely encased the space within it.

As darkness perfused out, everything within was completely isolated from the outside world.

A serious expression appeared on Ling Xi's beautiful face as the black chessboard in her hands rushed towards the sky. Expanding out, rays of brilliance enveloped down from above, completely sealing the mountain peak where Mu Chen was sitting on. Under the brilliance, Dean Tai Cang and the rest could instantly feel as if the mountain peak in front of them had disappeared. Even the aura coming from within was being isolated.

The feeling was as if the mountain peak didn't exist within the Great Thousand Worlds.

As the black screen and the chessboard expanded out, all of a sudden, Mu Chen's tightly shut eyes sprung open. With a move of his body, he rushed towards the sky. At the same time, the Divine Soul clutching the Yin Yang Board within its arms had also shot down, following along Mu Chen's crown as it entered his Aurasea.

As the Divine Soul returned to its original place, Mu Chen could instantly feel an extremely boundless surge of Spiritual Energy sweeping out within his body like a flood.

This Spiritual Energy wasn't like the usual black colour as before, but one with a splendor merged of black and white. From the looks of it, it appeared akin to two fishes, one Yin and one Yang, constantly swirling around one another, giving off an incomparably mysterious sensation.

This black and white Spiritual Energy had undoubtedly become even more tyrannical that the Spiritual Energy of the past!

An indescribably carefree feeling rushed and perfused within Mu Chen's body, causing him to pour everything out of his mind.

Therefore, Mu Chen took to the skies, spreading his hands and gave a long roar towards the heavens. As the thunderous roar reverberated across the region, the Spiritual Energy fluctuations perfused within his body started to surge little by little within the churning roar.

Heavenly Completion Stage Middle Phase, Heavenly Completion Stage Middle Phase Peak, Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase, Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase Peak!

When the Spiritual Energy fluctuations drastically increased to Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase Peak, it finally started to slowly stop. At this moment, Mu Chen's eyes grew incomparably bright, while his heart brimmed with excitement. Just one more step, one more step and he would be able to rush into the first tribulation of the Three Sovereign Disasters!

He never imagined that he would actually be able to leap past Heavenly Completion Stage Middle Phase all the way to the peak of the Three Heavens Stage!

Chapter 447 – Leisure

Mu Chen floated in the sky, feeling the torrential energies surging within his body like a flood. Unable to bear it any longer, a smile cracked open from the corner of his mouth. Indeed, this is worthy of being the complete version of the Great Pagoda Art. Within the span of the past two past months, it was actually able to allow for him to leap past two phases and immediately be promoted to Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase Peak.

As long as he could take one more step, the current Mu Chen would be able to face the first of the Three Sovereign Disasters. If he was to cross it, he would officially take a step on the path towards the Sovereign Realm!

Sovereign Realm! As long as he could take a step into that realm, he would be granted the qualifications to be called an expert in the Great Thousand Worlds!

Anything below Sovereigns were ants.

Thinking about that, Mu Chen tightly clenched his fists. Although he was still some distance away from the Sovereign realm, he believed that it wouldn't take long for him to be able to successfully be promoted to that realm. Once he reached the Sovereign Realm, he would possess the qualifications to train and cultivate a Sovereign's Celestial Body.

Going along this thought, Mu Chen gave a faint smile. The training and cultivation method of the "Great Solar Undying Body" he had obtained from the "Page of Sealing" had long been completely memorised by him. Although the "Great Solar Undying Body" wasn't ranked within the top 99 Sovereign Celestial Bodies, Mu Chen believed that it wasn't any bit weaker than its famous counterparts of the rankings. After all, the evolution of the "Great Solar Undying Body" was the "Primordial Immortal Body" that was ranked 4th in the rankings.

Mu Chen had great anticipation towards the day when he would truly be able to successfully train and cultivate the "Primordial Immortal Body". How strong and powerful would he be? Thinking about that, would he have the strength and power needed to rescue his mother from that mysterious clan?

Those thoughts flashed within Mu Chen's mind, before being gradually suppressed by him. At this moment, there was no need for him to think so far into the future. What he needed to do now was to advance himself as fast as possible to genuinely step into the Sovereign Realm.

Giving a smile, Mu Chen raised his head, before looking doubtfully at the black screen that had enveloped the skies above him. He could sense some strange and unique fluctuations radiating from there, accompanied with a feeling as if his senses were unexpectedly unable to extend past it. From the looks of it, the black screen appeared like a dark, black prison that had trapped him within.

However, although he was shocked, Mu Chen didn't grow flustered. This was the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. He didn't believe that there would be anyone that would want to do anything to him.

Humm!

As Mu Chen swept his gaze out, the black screen in the sky quickly dissipated away, allowing the warm and gentle sunlight to shine through. As those black dots dissipated away, they completely disappeared within a number of breaths. Finally, a black chessboard shot out within them, landing on a slender, jade-like hand that was not far away.

Looking towards Mu Chen and discovering him appearing safe and sound, Ling Xi took a gentle breath of relief.

Shooting over towards Ling Xi, Mu Chen noticed the sliver of exhaustion present within her beautiful eyes. Being slightly stunned, he asked, "What were you doing, Elder Sister Ling Xi?"

"Did you think that the Great Pagoda Art is that easy to train and cultivate? If not for me sealing this region and temporarily isolating you from the world, I'm afraid that the current you would be discovered by the experts of Aunt Jing's mysterious clan," replied Ling Xi in a displeased and annoyed fashion.

Mu Chen immediately gawked as he understood the gist of it, causing him to feel somewhat guilty. Having focused his entire mind and heart on training and cultivating on the mountain peak, he didn't know how much mind and energy Ling Xi had expended on him.

"Thank you, Elder Sister Ling Xi," said Mu Chen in a soft voice.

"This is something Aunt Jing had asked me to do. What's more, I've said that I'd protect you. How can I look at Aunt Jing if I didn't do so?" Ling Xi replied with a faint smile. Looking towards Dean Tai Cang and the rest of the Elders that were shooting over, she said, "This matter's all thanks to Dean Tai Cang and the other Elders. I, by myself, wouldn't have been able to protect you."

Hearing that, Mu Chen solemnly cupped his hands towards Dean Tai Cang, Elder Zhu Tian and the other Elders and spoke out in an respectful manner. "Thank you, Dean and all the Elders present, for the trouble of this matter."

Waving his hand, Dean Tai Cang spoke out with a smile, "You're the person that's going to fight for the honor and glory of our Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Naturally, we will do our utmost to help."

As he spoke, he looked towards Mu Chen and nodded his head in satisfaction. With his astute vision, he was naturally able to see the improvement Mu Chen had made. Although he was only at the Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase, all of them were clear that Mu Chen could not be classified as anything ordinary. While he was at the Heavenly Completion Stage Initial Phase, he was already able to kill Mo Xingtian. With such a great improvement in his strength and cultivation, even people who had passed their Human Body Disaster would find it very hard to appear as a major threat to him.

"Are Luo Li, Shen Cangsheng and the rest still in the Door of the Northern Heavens?" asked Mu Chen as he looked towards the deepest region of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Luo Li and the rest had already been in the Door of the Northern Heavens for close to half a year, with their exact situation being unknown. After being apart for so long, he had quite a yearning to see that lass, Luo Li.

"Yes."

Nodding his head, Dean Tai Cang replied with a smile, "Relax. We are monitoring the situation within the Door of the Northern Heavens at all times, so as to make sure that nothing happens to them. Furthermore, their progress is even faster than you'd expect. At that time, you have to be careful. Shen Cangsheng and the rest had said that the first thing they would do when they exit there would be to take action and press your limelight down."

Hearing that, Mu Chen gave a smile. With the close to half a year's span of time, he had spent the first three months solely on training and cultivating his Thunder God Physique. Only in the last two-plus months did he calm his heart down and train and cultivate his Spiritual Energy. Fortunately, with the assistance of the Great Pagoda Art, his accomplishments weren't small. However, he also knew that being in the Door of the Northern Heavens, the accomplishments of Luo Li, Shen Cangsheng, Li Xuantong and the rest might be even greater than him in this half a year's span of time.

Maybe, there might be some people that have already started crossing their Three Sovereign Disasters…

However, although Shen Cangsheng and the rest had improved by leaps and bounds, Mu Chen's improvement was also marvelous. Although his strength at Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase Peak wasn't considered top notch. If he was to truly take action, Mu Chen believed that the current him would be able to contend head-on against people who had passed through their "Spiritual Energy Disaster".

If he had such strength and power when he had crossed hands against Mo Xingtian half a year ago, the latter might not have even been able to force him into such a miserable state during that time.

"Go take a good rest for the next few days. There's still about less than half a month till the start of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament. Also, it's the time for new students to enter the academy for the next few days, with you guys being able to remove the title of Freshman from your names…" said Dean Tai Cang with a smile.

"New students entering the academy…"

Mu Chen repeated those words while letting out a sigh. Without him noticing, oneplus years have passed while he was in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. In fact, it was closer to two years of time. Thinking back, he had truly transformed into quite a somebody. Perhaps, when he had just entered the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, he never imagined that he would progress to such a realm.

After chatting awhile more with Mu Chen, Dean Tai Cang brought along Elder Zhu Tian and the rest, turned around and walked away.

"Why don’t you go back and rest, Elder Sister Ling Xi. Thanks for your hard work." Looking over towards Dean Tai Cang and the other Elders leaving in the distance, Mu Chen turned around and spoke out towards Ling Xi with a smile.

Lazily extending out her slender, jade-like arm and revealing her slim waist that was wrapped in a white robe, Ling Xi gave a stretch. That voluptuous bosom, that tall and erect chest, that perfect figure appeared exceedingly alluring. Shooting a glare towards Mu Chen, she replied, "What's the matter? Having finished your training today, you see no more use in me, and want to toss me out?"

Giving an embarrassed laugh, Mu Chen immediately replied, "How's that possible? I'll stay here for the next few days to accompany you, Elder Sister Ling Xi!"

Ling Xi replied with a sweet smile while slightly stretching her waist, before looking towards the quiet mountain peak. Raising his head, Mu Chen also proceeded to look towards the azure horizon, before deeply breathing out. As of today, he had completed the numerous training and cultivation. Next up would be to quietly await the arrival of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament…

For the next couple of days, Mu Chen had completely relaxed himself. As of now, his strength and power had increased by leaps and bounds. Therefore, there wasn't a need to get tense during training. After all, training and cultivation paid attention to one's state of relaxation. If one was too tense, it wouldn't bode too well for one's training and cultivation attempts.

Therefore, while waiting for Luo Li and the rest to come out from the Door of the Northern Heavens, Mu Chen had spent the majority of his time on the mountain peak where Ling Xi lived, with the occasional visit to the Freshman Region to gather everyone from the Goddess Luo Association, resulting in him being unavoidably idle and leisure.

Under this leisure pace, day-after-day elapsed by, with the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament getting closer and closer.

Within the quiet courtyard, Mu Chen sat before the bamboo house, with Ling Xi sitting before a tea table gracefully pouring a cup for herself. As her black hair fluttered about around her slender waist, a pair of exquisite feet revealed themselves. Like a pair of white jade, they appeared exceedingly alluring under the illumination of the sun.

Towards other people, Ling Xi appeared rather cold, indifferent and guarded. However, she had completely removed all of these traits when present before Mu Chen. Therefore, he was able to enjoy a great feast for his eyes many a time. Regardless of what he felt within his heart, having such a great beauty before him was an extremely nourishing sight.

Faced with such an unguarded appearance by Ling Xi, Mu Chen didn't show much embarrassment or awkwardness, and was grandiosity sizing up the scene before him with an unavoidable flare of male flames appearing in his eyes.

Holding onto the tea leaves, Ling Xi appeared to have discovered Mu Chen's gaze, causing a pinkish shade to appear on her beautiful face. After hiding her feet within her robes, she shot a gentle stare at Mu Chen, with the latter revealing a innocent look, as if she was the one who purposefully revealed them.

Seeing the look in his eyes, Ling Xi gave a soft snort. Looks like this fellow's too idle for the last few days. In the next instant, her beautiful face turned emotionless as she revealed a sliver of a dignified look, before speaking out in an indifferent tone. "Did your Spiritual Array training improve over this period of time?"

Hearing that, Mu Chen instantly felt his head swell up. During the past half year, if he wasn't training and cultivating his Thunder God Physique, he would be undergoing closed training for his Spiritual Energy. Where did he have the time to train and research Spiritual Arrays? Indeed, women truly couldn't be provoked.

Chapter 448 – Freshmen in the Academy

"Relying on my Heart's Eye State, I'm able to arrange a Rank 5 Spiritual Array. From this point, I guess that I can be considered as a Rank 5 Spiritual Array Master."

Mu Chen sent a dry laugh towards Ling Xi. Over the last half a year, he had invested too little time towards his understanding of Spiritual Arrays, therefore his progress in it wasn't something especially great. The inquisitive look on Ling Xi's face as she asked him about his progress in Spiritual Arrays something that he was somewhat helpless to do anything. Ling Xi was clearly not much older than him, yet she was able to suppress him to death with her strength. This made Mu Chen feel some grief and indignation. Could it be that following by mum's side would be that beneficial?

Thinking about his current progress, he should be considered as extremely outstanding within his fellow peers. However, he could not muster the slightest bit of comparison against Ling Xi.

"Rank 5 Spiritual Array Master?"

Giving an ambiguous smile upon seeing Mu Chen's actions and appearance, she continued speaking in an indifferent tone. "Any Grade under the rank of Spiritual Array Grandmaster is not worth a mention. After all, anything below Sovereign realm is just like an ant. In the aspect of Spiritual Arrays, one can only be considered as genuinely be attuned to it when one reaches the realm of Spiritual Array Grandmaster. If not, one would not be able to truly stand on the grand stage."

"Furthermore, Aunt Jing could be considered on the realm of Ancestral Master rank in her attainments in Spiritual Arrays. Being her biological son, you should not have only ordinary attainments in this aspect."

After being reprimanded like that, Mu Chen could not help feeling somewhat resentful. Unable to hold it in, he subsequently asked, "What Grade of an expert does a Ancestral Master in Spiritual Arrays amounts to?"

Shooting a glare at Mu Chen, Ling Xi replied with an amused shadow appearing in her beautiful eyes. "Looks like you still don't know the depths towards the grading of Spiritual Array Masters. The so-called 'First to Ninth Grade' that is used is just a crude approximation. Generally speaking, anyone above Sixth Grade would be capable of being known as a Spiritual Array Grandmaster. Despite this, there are also different Grades within the realm of Spiritual Array Grandmasters."

"There are three phases within the realm of Spiritual Array Grandmasters: Heaven, Earth and Human, with three Grades for each phase for a total of nine Grades, which just so corresponds to the nine Grades of Sovereigns. What comes after Spiritual Array Grandmasters would be a Scholars, which corresponds to Earth Sovereigns. As for Ancestral Masters, they are what comes after Scholars. You should be very clear about what realm they exist in, right?"

Sucking in a mouthful of cold air, Mu Chen looked blankly at the grinning Ling Xi as he replied, "Heavenly Sovereign?"

He already had some guesses after seeing his mother refining the Yellow Dragon Sovereign, sending the Black Dragon Sovereign flying and even overwhelming the Immeasurable Old Ancestor. However, when this guess became a reality, he still could not help being filled with shock.

Heavenly Sovereign…

Even when placed within the boundless and endless Great Thousand Worlds, people who possessed such strength would absolutely be considered to be regional Overlords. Even those clans with long traditions would have to be courteous towards existences of that realm. Therefore, anyone within the Great Thousand Worlds would absolutely be able to travel unimpeded with the backing of a Heavenly Sovereign.

All along, Mu Chen had always assumed that he had an ordinary background, since his father's strength was truly not worth one bit of mention. However, who would have guessed that his extremely weak old man would be able to find such a terrifyingly strong and powerful wife…

"My old man's too awesome," said Mu Chen as he smacked his lips, while an expression filled with admiration appeared on his face. What was the definition of awesome? This was exactly its definition. If this matter was circulated, there might not be even a single person that would believe this. However, it had truly happened to his father. Now, Mu Chen really wanted to know exactly what had happened that year for his father to actually drag his pheonix of a mother down from the skies…

Resting her jade-like hand on her cheek, a blank expression was completely present in Ling Xi's beautiful eyes. Clearly, this was something that didn't add up in her mind. In her eyes, Aunt Jing was a completely perfect lady, with her sight seemingly being extremely, extremely high. However, from the news that she had received from Mu Chen, his father seemed to be an extremely ordinary person and came from a small place. Also, his strength didn't appear to be outstanding. However, a person from such an unseeming place was actually able to obtain the love of Aunt Jing. This was truly an inconceivable matter.

"Elder Sister Ling Xi, what Grade are you at in the realm of Spiritual Array Grandmasters?" asked Mu Chen curiously as he looked towards Ling Xi.

With a smile, Ling Xi replied, "I should be at the highest grade of the Human phase, which is equivalent to a Third Grade Sovereign."

"Third Grade Sovereign…" Mu Chen made another sigh of admiration. Her Grade was even higher than Elder Zhu Tian and the other Heavenly Seated Elders. Placed within the Northern Heavens Continent, she was already comparable to those leaders of the other peak influences present here. Although she had the benefit of being instructed by his mother, being able to have such accomplishments at her age clearly showed her extremely outstanding talent.

"Despite that, my cultivation in Spiritual Energy isn't all that great. At this moment, I've actually only just crossed by Divine Soul Tribulation, and not yet stepped into the Sovereign Realm." Casting a glance towards Mu Chen with her beautiful eyes, she continued speaking, "After all, not everyone's like you, having such astonishing talents in these two aspects."

After being around Mu Chen for such a long time, she knew that the latter not only possessed outstanding talent in his cultivation of Spiritual Energy, he had also inherited Aunt Jing's talent in the aspect of Spiritual Arrays. Along his path of progress, he had obtained quite substantial results in both his Spiritual Energy and Spiritual Array cultivation, which had surprised many people.

Giving a smile, Mu Chen finally felt that the matter was somewhat balanced now. From the looks of it, he still had some superiority when compared to Ling Xi.

Noticing the additional shadow of satisfaction present within Mu Chen's eyes, Ling Xi gave an indifferent smile as she said, "Since you know that Aunt Jing's that outstanding on the aspect of Spiritual Arrays, you have to do more research and study on them in the future. At the very least, you have to reach the realm of Scholar; if not, you will definitely let Aunt Jing down."

Instantly, Mu Chen's satisfied look froze up as he rubbed his nose in resentment. With such a formidable mother, he truly had great pressure on his shoulders. Indeed, although he had an extremely high talent on the aspect of Spiritual Arrays, wanting to reach the realm of Scholars wasn't something that could be achieved just by relying on talent. After all, there were too many geniuses within this universe. Yet, those that were able to have accomplishments in the end were an extremely small number amongst them.

Seeing Mu Chen's satisfaction being suppressed down, Ling Xi gave a sweet smile. With her jade-like hand placed on her cheek, she gracefully pursed her lips, before knitting her eyebrows towards the outer region of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy while saying, "What's with the noise in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy today?"

"Today's the day where the Freshmen enter the academy," replied Mu Chen in a lazy fashion.

Today was the day where the new batch of Freshmen would enter the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Therefore, the entire Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was extremely lively today. As for Mu Chen's batch of students, all of them were incomparably excited, since after simmering for over a year, they were finally able to toss away the title of Freshmen from their names. From today onwards, they would become figures that were able to show off their superiority.

Slightly nodding her head, Ling Xi didn't care about the matter anymore, choosing to lazily bask in the enjoyment of this idle moment.

The Outer Region of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy

At this moment, there seemed to be a sea of humans present here, with a stretch of black covering the grounds, extending endlessly towards the horizon. The noise and chatter resounding from within perfused throughout the surroundings, spreading and reverberating far and wide.

Countless teenage males and females had gathered here, with everyone having excited expressions on their faces as they sized the cultivation holy ground they had all yearned for, yet appearing exceedingly foreign to them. Being the new batch of Freshmen of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, they had worked and tried their best to pass through all of the tough challenges to obtain the qualifications to stand here today.

They had all come here to train and cultivate to become stronger and more powerful, before dazzlingly returning back to their hometowns.

At the corner of the sea of humans was a group of seven to eight youthful figures standing together. Looking towards the surrounding crowds, they appeared somewhat cramped, with their gazes showing a slight bit of recoil. Although they were considered as the topmost elite students from the spiritual academy they had come from, they had discovered that they were extremely ordinary when placed here. There were quite a few of the Freshmen in their surroundings that caused them to feel some dread, with some being in the Spirit Realm, a level of strength that was even stronger than their parents.

"This is the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy? Indeed, it truly is worthy of being one of the five Great Academies! It's much, much bigger than our Northern Spiritual Academy," said a sweet and delicate young girl as she sized up her surroundings, before speaking quietly towards the young male beside her. "Brother Qingshan, I've heard that the most outstanding Senior Mu Chen of our Northern Spiritual Academy is also in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, right? How's he doing here? I really want to see him. It's said that he's the most outstanding student in the history of our Northern Spiritual Academy."

"Yu Xi, those aren't good words to say. My Elder Brother Liu Mu is also very outstanding. As of now, he's cultivating in the Saint Spiritual Academy," snorted a bulky youth standing beside them.

"Liu Yang, is there any use of arguing here? We're already in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Being in such a foreign place, and not being all that outstanding compared to the people around us, it's inevitable that you'll get bullied if you don't group up with others," replied the youth being called Brother Qingshan by the young girl as his wrinkled his forehead.

Hearing that, Liu Yang snorted twice. Nevertheless, he did not continue speaking any more words. Although he could be considered as extremely outstanding while he was in the Northern Spiritual Academy, his confidence had already been completely crushed upon coming here. After taking a look at his surroundings, it seemed to him that their strength was only average with not the slightest bit of outstanding aspects present.

"I truly don't know what this is all about with our Northern Spiritual Academy actually being able to obtain so many quotas. Furthermore, its truly strange that we're even able to be exempted from examinations," said Liu Yang doubtfully in a low voice.

Hearing that, the youths that had come together with him from the Northern Spiritual Academy all nodded their heads. This matter was something considerably strange for them. In the past, it was extremely rare for their Northern Spiritual Academy to obtain any quotas, with the added possibility of the people chosen to not be able to enter the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. However, this time, they were able to obtain close to ten quotas, with the added matter of being exempted from any examinations. Such a meaty pie falling from the heavens had seemingly caused all of them to turn dizzy.

"Oi, the few of you…"

As they were discussing in low voices, a cry suddenly rang out from before them. They hurriedly turned their heads, only to see a number of youths with grins on their faces as they walked over. From the gazes of those people, one would immediately know that they were Seniors of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. This instantly caused Qing Shan, Liu Yang and the rest of their group to tense up, since they were able to sense rather frightening Spiritual Energy pressures coming from the latter few. The pressure radiating out was even stronger than those coming from their parents.

"We're in charge of you group of Freshmen." said a gentle-looking youth as he sent a faint smile towards them. Waving his hands, he continued speaking. "Our Demon’s Gate is now accepting foreign members; therefore, you all will become members of our Demon’s Gate. There isn't any special requirement, accept that you will have to contribute a certain amount of Spiritual Values every month from now. If anyone tries to bully you all, you just have to say the name of our Demon’s Gate and it'll do. Understand?"

Hearing those words, Liu Yang, Qingshan and the rest of their group looked towards each other mutedly. Although they weren't exactly clear what Spiritual Values were, their intuition had told them that this didn't seem like a good matter. In the next moment, braving himself, Qing Shan asked out, "Seniors, could you let us get more familiar with the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy before letting us decide then?"

Hearing that, an ambiguous smile instantly surfaced on the face of the youth. Staring towards Qing Shan and the group, he grinned while giving his reply, "What's the matter? Are you looking down on our Demon’s Gate?"

Noticing the smile, cold sweat started pouring out from Qing Shan and the group. The pretty young girl by the name of Yu Xi bit her lip, before speaking out after summing up her courage, "We, we have a Big Brother here in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy! He's also a Senior. You can't bully us!"

Hearing her words, the few youths could not help instantly bursting into laughter. The Freshmen in the surroundings didn't dare to speak out, as those Seniors before their eyes possessed strength absolutely on the level of Heavenly Fusion Stage. That was a realm that none of the Freshmen dared to go against. Furthermore, Seniors bullying freshmen was an extremely common matter, something that everyone should have encountered before.

"Beautiful little Junior Sister," Restraining his smile after quite a while later, the youth grinned towards Yu Xi and said, "What's the name of your Big Brother? Let me hear it. I want to see if our Demon’s Gate's able to subdue him or not."

Hastily, Qing Shan went forward to restrain the young girl. Offending those Seniors clearly wasn't too rational of a decision. Furthermore, if Mu Chen was dragged into this matter, it would really be troublesome.

However, although the young girl was small of age, she was the current batch of geniuses coming from the Northern Spiritual Academy. Although she had only cultivated and trained for a year, her strength was already rapidly catching up to Qing Shan, Liu Yang and the other Seniors from the Northern Spiritual Academy. Therefore, being the gifted one like she was, she clearly didn't face much of this kind of pressure. In the next instant, with a beet-red face, she bit her lip. Flinging away Qing Shan's hand, she raised her pretty face and shouted out in a loud voice, "My Big Bro's name is Mu Chen!"

Her extremely clear voice rang out within the noisy chatter coming from the surroundings, unexpectedly causing the canter around to quieten down. In the next instant, gazes shot over one after another, of which included some of the Seniors who were here to maintain order. At this moment, all of them were looking in shock towards the red-faced pretty young girl who had just shouted out…

Qing Shan was instantly scared by the sudden quieting of the surroundings, especially those gazes from the various Seniors, which had caused a shock to shake through his heart. Instantly, he placed the young girl protectively behind him. Although Liu Yang and the rest were shocked till they feet started to shiver,

"I'm very sorry, Senior. She's still young and isn't sensible. We agree to the previous matter…" All of a sudden, Qing Shan's forward gaze moved, hastily apologising to the few Seniors which had seemingly been very stiff and rigid.

However, at this very moment, the youth before him who had a slightly amused grin on his face had somewhat froze up, with his lips starting to quiver. A slightly astringent breath started to ring out from his throat, before he lowered his voice and replied, "Your, your Big Brother is called Mu Chen?"

Qing Shan looked towards the youth before him, who appeared to be not quite right, and was instantly confused. At this moment, he could only brace himself and nodded her head in apprehension. However, all of a sudden, he notice quite a few people rushing up and striding over from the crowds of Seniors in the surroundings. All of them seemed to have the same insignia pin on their chests. From the voices coming from the surroundings, they seemed to be members of the Luo Goddess Association.

Upon seeing such a formation, Qing Shan was instantly frightened, while the pretty face of the young girl, Yu Xi had turned pale. Nevertheless, she clenched her teeth and stood her ground in defiance.

However, as the group of Luo Goddess Association flooded over, they unexpectedly didn't do anything to her. On the contrary, they had barged their way in front of those people from the Demon’s Gate. Faced against them, those rather bossy Seniors from the Demon’s Gate had actually resentfully retreated a few steps back. Clearly, they didn't wish for any conflict against the people of the Luo Goddess Association.

From this, the Freshmen in the surroundings could instantly tell that the Luo Goddess Association was clearly much stronger than the Demon’s Gate.

Nervously taking in the scene unfurling before them, Qing Shan and the group noticed a youth in the lead of the group before them sending them an extremely welcoming smile as he said, "Junior Brothers and Sisters, you know Brother Mu?"

Chapter end