Chapter 360: Chapter 352: Xuanling Empire, Demon Castle’s Mu Chen
The dust kicked up by the impact of the Qi Force slowly settled. All the contestants turned their gazes toward the arena stage. There, Mu Bingling stood unharmed, but a man in black whom they had never seen before had appeared at her side.
The man in black had fair skin, a handsome face, and a slender build. A tight-fitting black Institute Uniform clung to his nearly perfect figure. His flowing, ice-blue hair was tied back with a long white ribbon, forming a waist-length ponytail that swayed naturally in the wind.
Strapped to his back was an unadorned, two-meter-long black case. At first glance, it resembled a coffin, but a closer look revealed a profound substance emanating from it, giving one the immediate impression that it was incredibly heavy!
More importantly, the man was currently hovering in mid-air, one arm around Mu Bingling, while the other... was extended forward, steadily and firmly blocking Ta Shan’s terrifying, rock-pillar-like arm!
And this man was none other than Mu Chen, who had raced all the way from the Xuanling Empire!
"He’s back... Brother Mu Chen is back!"
In the Xuanling Empire’s viewing area for the Empire competition, the rims of Qing Lei’s and Ye Shuangshuang’s eyes suddenly reddened. In their hearts, this man was their backbone, their spiritual pillar. Without him, their Demon Squad was like a set of gears without a connecting chain; even if they could turn, they couldn’t exert their full power.
Di Cang, who was in the middle of treating Little Tiger, felt his wrist tremble. His anxious expression instantly shifted from stunned bewilderment to surprise, and finally, to utter delight. Gazing at the familiar figure on the stage, Di Cang nearly burst into tears.
’That damned brat... he’s finally back.’
Inconspicuously wiping the corners of his moist eyes, Di Cang once again circulated his Primordial Power to help Little Tiger absorb the effects of the Black Jade Life-extending Pill. Now, he could finally rest easy.
The students from the Holy Hall also snapped out of their daze. Imro took a deep look at Mu Chen—the man revered as a god among the academy’s senior students—and a defiant glint flashed in his eyes. "So that’s Mu Chen. The true strongest of the Demon Castle!"
In the Ice Emperor Dynasty’s viewing section for the High-class Empires, the scholarly man who had just stood up slowly sat back down, his expression extremely grave. A question had been lingering in his mind this entire time.
’How did he appear?’
Beside him, the young man who seemed to be on good terms with him also frowned. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but the blue-haired man on the stage was exerting an immense pressure on him!
It wasn’t just them; in that moment, every contestant from the High-class Empires was frowning.
In the special viewing seats, Jun Wu and Shan Ziyan, who had both closed their eyes, were now staring down in astonishment. Shan Ziyan’s mouth was slightly agape. "Wow, who is that? He blocked an attack from the Giant Rock Race with a single hand."
Jun Wu’s heart was also in turmoil. As a collector of information, she knew better than anyone just how powerful the Giant Rock Race truly was.
That terrifying strength gave the Giant Rock Race the innate ability of Tier Jumping, allowing them to fight above their level. Although they could only jump a Small Realm, when faced with power that was impossible to match head-on, even a stronger opponent would be forced into a passive position.
’But this young man who appeared out of nowhere just blocked a forty-percent-transformed Ta Shan with one hand, and he made it look easy. Just how powerful is he?’
’What astonished her even more was that she hadn’t sensed his arrival on the stage at all. It was as if he had teleported, completely without warning! No, even teleportation would cause spatial fluctuations, but from start to finish, she hadn’t sensed the slightest ripple. It wasn’t that people capable of such a feat didn’t exist; the two elders sitting above her could each do it.’
’But! What level of power did they possess? And what about this young man? It’s simply impossible!’ Glancing at the Xuanling Empire’s contestant roster at her side, Jun Wu’s eyes landed on the name listed as captain. She murmured, "Mu Chen... Just who in the world are you?"
Above them, Dilaka was also speechless. His ancient eyes narrowed to a slit as he shot up from his chair.
"This kid’s got something."
Shan Qiuhen pursed his lips and muttered as if to himself, "Impressive? Perhaps he’s a little strong. But that kid from the Giant Rock Race has only used forty percent of his Giant Rock Transformation. The final outcome is far from decided. Besides, his Martial Artist Realm is far too low—he’s only a First-Ring Martial Sect. What can he possibly accomplish?"
After hearing Shan Qiuhen, Dilaka pondered for a moment and nodded. "You have a point. First-Ring Martial Sects are a dime a dozen at this Empire competition. I’m afraid this is the end of the road for the Xuanling Empire. A pity."
"Who are you?!"
Ta Shan bellowed from the stage. It was the first time one of his power attacks had been blocked so effortlessly. He could sense that his opponent hadn’t even used much strength, and the feeling of being slighted was infuriating.
"Mu Chen of the Xuanling Empire’s Demon Castle."
The icy reply came from Mu Chen’s lips. Anyone who knew him would have realized at that moment that he was furious.
Looking at the tear-streaked face of Mu Bingling in his arms, a sharp pain shot through Mu Chen’s heart. ’What could have made the once strong and mature Bing’Er reveal such a vulnerable side? What made this sister, who he once relied on for everything, become so helpless? Was it me?’
Mu Chen slowly lowered the hand blocking Ta Shan’s arm and gently wrapped his other arm around Mu Bingling’s back. He looked up at Elder Bai, who was hovering in the air, and said, "Referee, the Xuanling Empire forfeits this match."
Elder Bai was taken aback, but before he could respond, Ta Shan, who was standing opposite Mu Chen, suddenly lashed out. "There is no forfeiting in front of me, Ta Shan!" he roared. "You either win, or you lose!"
With that roar, Ta Shan swung his massive, rock-pillar fist, imbued with a terrifyingly tyrannical Primordial Power, straight at Mu Chen and Mu Bingling! The attack was so sudden that no one present had time to react.
"Cangyue Empire! Stop!!"
But Elder Bai’s voice was powerless. Ta Shan’s attack was already upon them, the distance between them far too short. He had no chance to rush in and stop it.
At that moment, everyone held their breath. They knew the Xuanling Empire was likely doomed...
BOOM!
After the enormous crash, everyone at the Peak of the Holy Mark stared with wide eyes, completely stunned. On the stage, Mu Chen and Mu Bingling were hovering, unharmed, in their original spot. As for Ta Shan? He had been blasted clear off the stage. His massive body was embedded in an empty, adjacent arena, bent into a U-shape—the gruesome result of a devastating blow to the abdomen.
...
"What... what just happened?" someone finally managed to ask, breaking out of their stupor. But the only one who could possibly answer that question was Mu Chen himself.
!
In the viewing area for the Middle-class Empires, Liu Feiyuan, who was sitting in the Cangyue Empire’s rest section, snapped his eyes open, his face a mask of profound shock.
"A forty-percent-transformed Ta Shan was sent flying?! You’ve got to be kidding me!" With that, Liu Feiyuan vanished from his seat in a blur and reappeared on the Cangyue Empire’s resting stage...
"This—!"
Shan Qiuhen, who had just been lamenting to Dilaka, now wore an expression of utter shock. Others might not have seen what happened, but as a Great Power, he had seen it as clear as day.
Just a moment ago, in the instant Ta Shan’s giant fist was about to smash into him, Mu Chen had vanished into thin air, taking Mu Bingling with him. Moving at the speed of teleportation, he had reappeared right at Ta Shan’s abdomen and unleashed three rapid-fire punches with his right fist, all three landing on the exact same point!
The force was so great that the friction between his fist and the air created sparks of lightning. After completing this entire sequence in a single instant, Mu Chen vanished once more with Mu Bingling, only to reappear back in their original position.
In contrast, Ta Shan had been sent flying by that terrifying power, crashing down and embedding himself deep within the arena stage!
’Such terrifying power. Such terrifying speed! Is this kid really only a First-Ring Martial Sect?’ Shan Qiuhen straightened his slouched posture in astonishment. He asked himself honestly: back when he was a First-Ring Martial Sect, could he have done what Mu Chen just did?
The answer was a resounding no. Only now did Shan Qiuhen finally understand: the boy down there was anything but ordinary.
On the stage, Mu Chen snorted and muttered coldly, "Psycho."
After that, Mu Chen turned his head again. "Referee, the Xuanling Empire forfeits this match."
"Ah?" Elder Bai was stunned for a moment, then he snapped back to his senses and said awkwardly, "Judging by that Institute Uniform, you must also be a contestant for the Xuanling Empire."
Before Mu Chen could speak, a composed Mu Bingling poked her head out from his embrace. "Elder Bai, he is the captain of our Demon Squad. He was simply delayed by some personal business and couldn’t make it in time for the start of the competition."
"Oh, I’m aware of that. It was noted in the Xuanling Empire’s registration information." Elder Bai coughed twice, shooting a meaningful glance at the two still locked in a tight embrace. "Ahem, it is still official competition time, so if you two..."
Mu Chen and Mu Bingling froze, only then realizing they were still holding each other tightly. With a small cry, Mu Bingling hastily pulled away from his embrace. Two crimson blushes bloomed on her usually icy face. She immediately turned and fled from Arena #1, her alluring charm leaving all the men in the audience momentarily stunned.
At this moment, Mu Bingling had truly returned to the mortal realm, becoming an ordinary woman enjoying the warmth of love...
"Hee hee..."
Mo Qing watched the blushing Mu Bingling, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. But when Mu Chen stood before her, his observant eyes still caught the traces of tears at the corners of her own.
Without a word, Mu Chen simply opened his arms. The meaning was self-evident.
Mo Qing froze for a moment, then glanced at Mu Bingling. Seeing the encouragement in her friend’s eyes, Mo Qing no longer cared about the curious stares of the crowd. She spread her arms, took a small leap, and threw herself into Mu Chen’s embrace. "Mu Chen, you’re finally back," she cried out. "I... and Sister Bingling missed you so, so much."
Hearing Mo Qing’s heartfelt cry, Mu Chen felt a pang in his chest as if it had been pierced by a blade. ’So this is what love feels like?’ He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his guilt, and hugged her tightly. "Qing’Er, I’m sorry," he said softly. "From now on, I promise you both. If I ever have to leave again, I will take you with me. I’ll never abandon you. That is my promise to you!"
"Mhm..."
Deeply inhaling Mu Chen’s scent, feeling his arms wrapped around her, Mo Qing suddenly stiffened. She looked up abruptly. "Mu Chen, your... your hand..."
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