Chapter 251: Chapter 246: Stone City
"Mu Chen, didn’t you say you had things to do? Can we go now?" Wan Xian’Er’s calm voice came from behind him. Mu Chen turned his head and was surprised to find that when she stood up, she was nearly as tall as he was—even slightly taller than Mu Bingling.
’What a trick of fate,’ he thought. ’She should be a nearly perfect woman, but her lack of experience makes her seem so out of place in that body.’ Mu Chen had thought about it all night and had finally come up with a single sentence to describe Wan Xian’Er: it was as if a child’s soul had entered the body of a fairy.
Shaking the stray thoughts from his mind, Mu Chen nodded. "Since you’re ready, let’s head for the nearest Empire."
Wan Xian’Er’s small mouth parted, a hint of curiosity in her sharp, cold eyes. She asked casually, "The Fenglan Empire? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before, but I can’t quite remember."
Mu Chen didn’t comment on this. Instead, he took out two Face Concealing Hats from his Storage Ring. As it happened, both hats were white, one of his preferred colors. Since both he and Wan Xian’Er were dressed in white, the hats couldn’t have been a better match for their outfits.
"By my rough estimate, it’ll take ten days to reach the Fenglan Empire from here. We’ll be traveling just like we did today. However, when we get close, you’ll need to wear this. In an unfamiliar environment, you have to know how to protect yourself." Mu Chen handed the Face Concealing Hat to Wan Xian’Er. Never having worn such a thing before, she was quite curious and immediately put it on.
"Is this right?" After putting on the hat, Wan Xian’Er found that thanks to light refraction, she could see everything outside clearly from within. Through the veil, Mu Chen wouldn’t have been able to see her face at all without activating his Purple Sky Demon Pupils. But with just a slight use of his Demon Pupils, he could clearly see the breathtakingly beautiful Wan Xian’Er hidden behind the veil.
"Mhm," Mu Chen grunted in acknowledgment, then continued, "Let’s set off now. There won’t be anyone on the way, so why don’t we just keep Walking on Air? You’re a Martial Sect. How about we race?"
This was a ploy Mu Chen had deliberately concocted based on her personality. And just as he expected, the moment she heard "race," Wan Xian’Er curled her lip. "Race me? I’m a peak Martial Sect, and you’re just a Four-Ring Martial Spirit. How could you possibly beat me?"
Mu Chen said playfully, "And what if I do win?"
"If you win, I’ll do whatever you say," Wan Xian’Er declared without hesitation. Her father had told her that on the Extreme Martial Continent, one’s Martial Artist Realm was everything.
But her father had forgotten to tell her that there were prodigies in this world who could defy the boundaries of the Martial Artist Realms. Of course, such people were exceedingly rare; one could go a lifetime without ever meeting one. But Wan Xian’Er never would have dreamed that standing right in front of her was the most outrageous prodigy of them all.
Although Mu Chen had sent her flying with a single punch yesterday, she could feel that the blow had done nothing more than knock her back; it hadn’t harmed her in the slightest. So, she subconsciously assumed that Mu Chen was just a bit stronger and his Secret Technique a bit stranger than most. As for speed, while he had shown an astonishing burst yesterday, a burst was just a burst. When it came to endurance, a Martial Sect, who could fly without consuming Primordial Power or needing the aid of Elemental Wings, was naturally superior.
’As for Mu Chen, he’s a Four-Ring Martial Spirit. He hasn’t even formed a Flying Vortex, so he has no way to replenish his Primordial Power on his own. How long can he even fly...’
The more she thought about it, the more her confidence grew. She smiled. "And what if I win?"
Mu Chen’s smile didn’t waver. "Then I’ll do whatever you want."
’...Of course, that’s assuming you can actually win,’ he added silently.
With that, they both levitated into the air. The difference was that there was nothing behind Mu Chen, while a pair of huge, green Elemental Wings had appeared on Wan Xian’Er’s back. This further confirmed Mu Chen’s suspicion: Wan Xian’Er was indeed a Wood Attribute Martial Sect. If she had been a Wind Attribute Martial Artist, he would have had to be cautious. But a Wood Attribute user? Mu Chen wasn’t worried at all.
"Ready? One, two, three, go!"
As Mu Chen finished his countdown, Wan Xian’Er spread her wings. Like a phoenix, she shot across the sky with a WHOOSH, leaving two dark green trails in her wake that seemed to bring a touch of green and vitality to the heavens.
’So fast!’
Mu Chen was momentarily stunned, but then he pushed off with his feet. Streaks of Thunder Light enveloped his body. With a thought, the Taotie Secret Technique naturally empowered his legs. He then used Elemental Power Materialization to create footholds in the air. Each time he pushed off, his speed would surge. As he repeated the motion, his speed increased continuously, giving him seemingly perfect endurance.
Wan Xian’Er, who had already vanished from sight, gradually reappeared in front of Mu Chen as he gave frantic chase. The distance between them was still closing. Wan Xian’Er had been feeling quite smug, thinking she had left him far, far behind. But suddenly, she heard a loud BOOM from behind her as he stepped on the air. A massive vortex of air erupted, and the powerful shockwave nearly threw her off balance.
By the time she regained her balance, she found that Mu Chen had already overtaken her. Wan Xian’Er was stunned and muttered, ’How is this possible? How can he be so fast? Not even a Wind Attribute Martial Artist could reach this speed! And he’s clearly a Bright Ice Attribute Martial Artist... No, I refuse to lose to him!’
The moment that thought appeared in Wan Xian’Er’s mind, Mu Chen’s plan was a success. As a pampered young lady, he had been worried she would constantly stop and start on their journey, claiming she was hungry one moment and tired the next, wasting a great deal of time. But now, even if he wanted to stop, Wan Xian’Er’s stubbornness would compel her to see the race to the end. Mu Chen was using this exact mentality to ensure they traveled at top speed.
The two chased each other like this, managing to cut a ten-day journey in half. In just five days, Mu Chen could already see a town at the edge of the forest. Putting on another burst of speed, he shouted, "Miss Xian’Er, we’re almost at the finish line! The first one out of this forest is the winner!" After speaking, he accelerated again. The vortex from his step on the air spread out with a BOOM, the sound as deep as a thunderclap.
Wan Xian’Er gritted her teeth, continuously pushing the Primordial Power in her body. For the past five days, she had been trailing just behind Mu Chen. Even at her top speed, she could only maintain the same distance from him. If this kept up, she would definitely lose. The promise she’d have to fulfill afterward didn’t matter, but for a girl who had always been cherished and coddled, the very word "lose" was absolutely unacceptable.
"I will not lose!" With a sharp cry, Wan Xian’Er’s speed suddenly increased. In truth, she had no idea how many times she had experienced such sudden accelerations along the way; her attention was focused entirely on Mu Chen.
If she were to stop and check, she would be astonished to find that her speed had actually doubled.
This was all because of Mu Chen’s deliberate prodding. Of course, he hadn’t initially intended to train her. But a few days ago, he suddenly noticed that her speed had improved slightly. This discovery gave him an idea. So, no matter how much Wan Xian’Er’s speed increased, he would always stay just a little bit faster, maintaining a constant distance between them.
And since Wan Xian’Er wanted to win, she naturally had to keep increasing her speed. This created a virtuous cycle, allowing her to constantly break through her limits and reach her current level after five days.
Of course, in the end, Mu Chen had no intention of winning. If he won, the blow to Wan Xian’Er’s pride would be too great and might even backfire. So, as he neared the finish line, he deliberately slowed down while also concealing his expression, trying his best to look as if his Primordial Power was depleted.
Sure enough, the naive Wan Xian’Er saw that Mu Chen was clearly running out of steam. She laughed. "Looks like you can’t keep up anymore. I’m going to win!"
SWOOSH! Wan Xian’Er’s figure shot past Mu Chen’s side, becoming the first to cross the forest’s edge and land on the ground. Only when she turned around did Mu Chen slowly descend, looking utterly exhausted. "Alright," he said, out of breath. "You win. So, what do you want me to promise you?"
Her face lit up with joy. She smiled. "I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you when I think of something."
Mu Chen shrugged, not taking the promise seriously at all. ’With her being so naive,’ he thought, ’any request she comes up with will surely be easy to fulfill.’ But he overlooked one thing: Wan Xian’Er’s naivety was only for now. With the passage of time, even the most innocent person will grow and mature.
And in the not-too-distant future, this very promise would be what reignited the spark of life in Mu Chen’s despairing heart. But of course, that is a story for another time...
At this moment, Mu Chen had no idea that his casual promise would eventually play such a crucial role. Looking at the huge town before him, he exclaimed in amazement, "As expected of a Middle-class Empire! A single town is several times larger than the Imperial Capital of the Xuanling Empire. I never thought the gap between a Middle-class Empire and a Low-class Empire would be so huge."
Wan Xian’Er also took a step forward, looking up at the words carved on the city gate. She read them softly, "’Stone City.’ What a strange name."
Mu Chen smiled faintly. "What’s so funny about that? There are countless towns on the Extreme Martial Continent. I’m sure there are plenty of names that are even stranger. Come on, put on your Face Concealing Hat. We’re about to enter the city."
"Oh..." At his words, Wan Xian’Er put on her Face Concealing Hat, instantly hiding her divinely, city-toppling beauty. Mu Chen put on his hat as well. After nodding to each other, they walked toward the gates of Stone City together...
