Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

Chapter 372: Chapter 364: Shi Mu Hua

"Really? I can eat as much as I want?"

Little Tiger was stunned. Back at the academy, he had always been the center of the other students’ attention. The strange gazes had made even the good-natured Little Tiger feel self-conscious. So, although his appetite was constantly growing, he forced himself to eat less. In truth, his craving for food had long been suppressed to its absolute limit, which was why he had been eating so recklessly since arriving in the Sacas Empire.

Hearing Mu Chen’s words now, if he hadn’t remembered Mu Chen saying that a man doesn’t cry easily, Little Tiger would have been moved to tears.

"But... why?" Qing Lei was baffled, and the others were just as confused.

Mu Chen smiled faintly. "I know you’re confused, but I’ll tell you about it later. For now, let’s get some breakfast. If you’re going to fight, you need a full stomach first."

"That’s true. Let’s go." Ye Shuangshuang readily agreed with Mu Chen. After guarding Little Tiger all night, they were indeed a little hungry.

Led by Mu Chen, the group walked quickly downstairs. The accommodations for Low-class Empires were not as luxurious as those for High-class Empires. To eat, they had to go to the communal dining hall on the first floor. High-class Empires, however, only needed to turn left out their doors to find their own designated restaurants. That was the difference. Theoretically, the Xuanling Empire now had access to these privileges, but since the Imperial Tournament was still underway, they simply hadn’t bothered to change rooms.

"Hey, look! Isn’t that the Xuanling Empire? The one that jumped from a Low-class Empire to a High-class Empire in a single day?"

Mu Chen’s group had just descended the stairs into the dining hall when many contestants from Low-class Empires spotted them. After yesterday’s battles, the Xuanling Empire’s fame had exploded, even faintly overshadowing the four High-level Peak Empires that people usually talked about.

"It really is them! Isn’t that guy with the blue ponytail Mu Chen? I heard he’s only a First-Ring Martial Sect, but he can wrap Seventh-Ring Martial Sects and even stronger Martial Artists around his little finger! And those two gorgeous women with him, they’re so beautiful..."

"Shit, keep your voice down! Didn’t you see the Arson Queen behind them? You want to go bald?"

"Er..."

Listening to the constant buzz of discussion and feeling the countless gazes, Mu Chen simply smiled, nodded, and found an empty table to sit at. To outsiders, their promotion to a High-class Empire Level might seem like the stuff of legend. But only Qing Lei and the others knew that all of this was entirely expected.

"Little Tiger, order whatever you want. Breakfast should be simple, but you don’t need to hold back." As he spoke, Mu Chen took a menu, called over a server, and ordered a huge pile of food. Most of it was rare Demon Beast Meat, some even from beasts that surpassed the Sect Realm.

Little Tiger could only swallow his saliva, his eyes filled with anticipation. Qing Lei and the others grew even more confused, but since Mu Chen wasn’t explaining, they couldn’t ask. But at that very moment, an ethereally graceful young gentleman in a white robe approached. He was fanning himself with a black-and-white Folding Fan in his right hand and carrying a white cup in his left. His clear, calm eyes were fixed on Mu Chen, and the corners of his mouth curved into a faint, friendly smile.

"Hello. Might I sit here?"

His tone was refined and courteous, marking him as someone from a scholarly family. But when Mu Chen noticed the man’s steady gait, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes before he replied with a smile, "Of course."

The moment Mu Chen spoke, the others sitting with him froze. They didn’t know this refined gentleman at all. ’As for Mu Chen... has he met him before?’

"And you are...?" Qing Lei asked, suddenly curious.

Mu Chen chuckled. "I don’t know him either, but a visitor is still a guest."

The gentle man gave everyone a friendly smile and sat directly across from Mu Chen. The Sacas Dynasty Hotel was so large that its dining tables could seat a dozen people without feeling crowded, so the space opposite Mu Chen was empty.

After sitting down, the refined man said nothing, simply staring at Mu Chen. Mu Chen stared right back. This strange situation greatly surprised Qing Lei and the others. They couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could it be that during his two years away, Mu Chen had some kind of romantic entanglement with this scholarly gentleman?’

After a moment of staring, the scholarly man chuckled. "Everyone, please don’t let your imaginations run wild. I merely witnessed Little Brother Mu Chen’s incredible performance in the tournament yesterday and was filled with admiration. Now that I’ve run into you in the restaurant by chance, I came over to see you in person. And I must say, Little Brother Mu Chen is truly a man of remarkable talent..."

"Ahem..." Even someone as composed as Mu Chen couldn’t quite handle such natural praise. He cleared his throat in embarrassment and replied, "Brother, you flatter me. This little brother just has a bit of skill. I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of learning your name."

’Since he’s being so formal, I might as well play along,’ Mu Chen thought. ’It’s harmless, anyway.’

The scholarly man smiled at his words, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. "It’s not that you can’t know my name, but there is one condition. I wonder if Little Brother Mu Chen is willing to accept?"

"A condition?" Mu Chen touched his nose in surprise and chuckled. "What condition?"

The scholarly man closed his Folding Fan, placed the cup from his left hand in the middle of the table, and made an inviting gesture. "If Little Brother Mu Chen can drink this cup of wine I offer, then I will tell you my name."

The moment the scholarly man finished speaking, Ye Shuangshuang shot to her feet. "How is that possible? Who knows what you put in that wine? Besides, is your name so famous that we should want to know it?"

Ye Shuangshuang was about to say more, but Qing Lei gently pulled her back into her seat. He said apologetically to the scholarly man, "That’s just Shuangshuang’s temper. Please forgive her rudeness."

The scholarly man gave Qing Lei a meaningful look, then turned to Ye Shuangshuang and said gently, "I truly have no ill intentions. And even if I did, I wouldn’t use such a crude method to harm Little Brother Mu Chen."

Hearing the scholar’s explanation, Ye Shuangshuang paused, then nodded. "That does make some sense."

Hearing this, Mu Chen couldn’t help but touch his nose again—it was probably the gesture he’d made most all day. ’Ye Shuangshuang’s blunt personality is actually kind of cute.’ His gaze shifted slightly, returning to the scholarly man. Mu Chen couldn’t sense a trace of malice from him; in fact, he felt a faint sense of goodwill.

"Fine. I’ll accept your cup of wine."

But as soon as Mu Chen’s voice fell, the scholarly man suddenly put a hand up in front of the cup. He smiled and said, "Little Brother Mu Chen, please wait a moment. Let me be clear: I will not let you drink this wine easily. So please, prepare yourself."

"Is that so?" Mu Chen’s interest was piqued. "Then I’ll just have to show you that I can."

With that, Mu Chen made no visible movement. The others only saw the space above the table distort for an instant before returning to normal. The wine in the cup on the table, however, rippled slightly.

Mu Chen shot a stunned look at the scholarly man, a grave light flickering in his fantastic blue-violet eyes. With a flick of his wrist, the others saw a blur of afterimages flash before them. Immediately after, they noticed the space above the table distort once again before returning to normal. This time, the wine cup had shifted its position slightly, and the wine inside sloshed.

"Oh?" The scholarly man glanced at the cup in surprise, his expression also turning serious.

In two exchanges, neither man appeared to move an inch. But Qing Lei and the others sitting near the table could sense that the two had already clashed several times.

Qing Lei was right. In those two fleeting moments, Mu Chen had already attacked more than ten times. But each time, just as he was about to touch the cup, he was repelled by another attack. This undoubtedly made Mu Chen even more intrigued.

"Interesting. Haha."

Grinning, a flash of Thunder Light sparked in Mu Chen’s eyes. With an imperceptible shake of his arm, a trace of lightning appeared in the air. The cup on the table suddenly shook twice with a THUD, and a few drops of wine spilled out as the cup rocked.

The scholarly man imperceptibly squeezed his fingers. A numbing sensation spread from his fingertips up his entire wrist. Looking at the spilled wine on the table, a look of regret flashed in his eyes.

"This is a Supreme Grade treasure, and some of it has been spilled. To avoid any more waste, please, Little Brother Mu Chen, accept it." With that, the scholarly man slowly rose to his feet, opening his Folding Fan.

Mu Chen didn’t stand on ceremony. He casually brought the cup to his lips and downed it in one gulp. Surprisingly, he tasted no spiciness at all. Instead, an indescribably sweet fragrance slid down his throat. Before the wine even reached his stomach, Mu Chen felt a refreshing warmth seep into his body, making every pore come alive.

"Hm? This wine..." Looking at his cup in surprise, Mu Chen raised his eyes to the smiling scholarly man and returned the gesture of goodwill. "Thanks."

The scholarly man chuckled. "You all haven’t had breakfast yet. I won’t disturb you any longer."

As he finished speaking, the scholarly man turned with a steady gait and prepared to leave the table.

But Mu Chen suddenly stood up. "Wait. Brother, you said if I could drink the wine, you would tell me your name. I’ve drunk the wine, so... your name is...?"

"Heh heh..." The scholarly man turned his head slightly and said softly, "Shi Mu Hua. See you in the finals."

Leaving behind only six words, the man’s figure blurred for a moment. A sudden gentle breeze swept through the previously still dining hall, causing everyone inside to relax unconsciously...

Qing Lei, "Shi Mu Hua?"

Ye Shuangshuang, "Who’s that?"

Mo Qing, "Don’t know."

Little Tiger, "I don’t know either."

Mu Bingling, "..."

Mu Chen gave a wry smile and touched his nose. "So nobody knows him, huh? Well, one thing’s for sure. That person... is incredibly strong!"