The Great Ruler

Chapter 551 - Coming out of Seclusion

Remaining in the air, Mu Chen gave a wave of his sleeve, rapidly restraining the tyrannical Spiritual Energy fluctuations radiating from his body. Turning to take a look at Xu Huang and the other two, he gave a nod in satisfaction. At this moment, the trio had also successfully passed through their Spiritual Energy Disaster, obtaining quite a large increase in their strength.

Seeing Mu Chen look over, Xu Huang and the other two gave a laugh in return, with gratitude present in their smiles. During the short few months they had been together on this shattered continent, their strength had seemingly advanced by leaps and bounds. Such a pace of improvement had an extremely huge connection with Mu Chen, something that the trio was well-aware of. If not for Mu Chen and Luo Li carrying them through the massive turmoil, their group would have already been squashed deep down under the sea of people present here. How would they be even able to walk to such a stage?

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a ray of sword light shot out from underneath the waterfall, radiating with a level of fierceness that sent chills through people's hearts. As it shot out, the waterfall was severed in half, with a gigantic sword fissure with an endless bottom appearing on the mountain cliff behind it.

At this moment, a beautiful figure shot out, before finally appearing by Mu Chen's side, her bright and resplendent long hair appearing like a silvery river as it fluttered in the air. It was precisely Luo Li.

"You've passed through your Spiritual Energy Disaster?" As she appeared, Luo Li looked over to Mu Chen, with a shadow of happiness surfacing within her clear and bright eyes.

Mu Chen smiled as he nodded his head. Thereafter, he directed his gaze towards Luo Li, who was moving back and forth. A smear of astonishment flashed through his eyes as he realised that after this session of seclusion training, the Spiritual Energy within Luo Li's body seemed to be even more firm. If one did not sense it properly, they might have felt that Luo Li's strength had fallen after this session.

However, the possibility of this happening was close to none. There was only one possible outcome to this situation, Luo Li's strength had, once again, surged… Previously, Luo Li's strength was only at Spiritual Energy Disaster. Now that she had made another breakthrough, wouldn't it be First Grade Spirit Disaster?

"You've passed through the first level of your Spirit Disaster?" Mu Chen could not help asking.

Hearing Mu Chen's question, Xu Huang and the other two had also happily looked towards Luo Li. Being extremely clear about Luo Li's strength, they knew that she was able to use her strength with a cultivation at the realm of Spiritual Energy Disaster to contend against an expert of the first level of Spirit Disaster. If she was about to breakthrough once more, wouldn't that mean that she now possessed a might comparable to someone at the second level of Spirit Disaster?

With such a level of strength, even amongst the experts within the final phase of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament that were as numerous as the clouds in the sky, it was more than enough to rank her amongst the very best.

Upon hearing Mu Chen's question, Luo Li didn't give a reply, only sent a faint smile in return.

"Ah, what a blow." Mu Chen gave a sigh in helplessness. Although his speed of cultivation was already considered to be rather fast, he was always one step behind Luo Li, something that caused him to feel slightly depressed. Although he wasn't very insistent of wanting to surpass Luo Li, being a man, this issue would always remain in his heart.

Tittering in response, Luo Li extended her jade-like hand and held onto Mu Chen's, her tender little hand instantly caused the tiny depressed feeling present within Mu Chen's heart to be instantly wiped clean.

"As of now, I'm afraid that the overall situation of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament has already grown extremely intense," said Luo Li, while looking at the far distance. Although she had always remain in isolation training for the past ten-plus days, she also had a faint premonition about it. After all, the final phase of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament had already begun.

Hearing her comment, Mu Chen nodded his head in agreement, with his eyes focusing towards the far distance. After a short instant, a scorching shadow gushed from the depths of his eyes. The Great Spiritual Academy Tournament had finally started to gradually proceed to its end. However, he was also extremely clear that the real competition had only just started to descend.

Waiting to extricate themselves from the powerful groups piling on top of one another to finally obtain the mere eight places for the final match wasn't any easy task. However, regardless of what opponent they faced, Mu Chen didn't have the slightest bit of fear nor dread. On the contrary, it was something that he was greatly anticipating… he anticipated crossing hands against the truly powerful groups, as only in such bloody battles would it allow for people to grow and progress.

The path of the strong was something that the weak would never be able to walk down.

"Let's go. We should also move our bodies. Since the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament has already turned completely lively, if we don't show any accomplishments whatsoever, we might truly vanish amongst the crowd," said Mu Chen with a smile as he gave a stretch of his body.

Hearing that, Xu Huang and the other two heavily nodded their heads in response, their eyes fervently burning.

"Let's go."

Without speaking another word, Mu Chen gave a wave of his sleeve, transforming straight into a ray of spiritual light that shot out, with Luo Li, Xu Huang and the rest immediately following behind.

…

While Mu Chen and his group were leaving the place of their isolation training, there was a desolate valley present at an extremely far place. Bare mountainous rock was present all around it, with the entire region perfused with a desolated flavor.

Bang! Rumble.

Suddenly, low, deep rumbling sounds rang from within the desolated valley, only for a gigantic fissure to split apart from the depths. As it extended all the way to the entrance of the valley, an entire flight of ancient stone steps appeared from within.

Tap, tap.

Faint footstep sounds rang from the end of the stone steps before numerous figures appeared under the bask of the sunlight a moment later.

The people in the lead were two exceedingly handsome youths, possessing tall and straight figures with sharp eyebrows angling outwards from above their eyes, while extraordinary auras gushing from them. Present behind them was a beautiful girl, with her black hair worn exquisitely into a bun, revealing her snow-white neck. A gentle smile hung on her beautiful face, causing her entire body to radiate with a gentle and soul-stirring aura.

Behind these three people were two figures that hastily followed behind.

Standing at the edge of the stone steps, the five looked towards the fissure behind that was gradually closing. All of them quietly took a breath of relief, while giving of a feeling of seeing the light of day after being given a new lease of life.

The appearances of these five were exceedingly familiar. That's because they were Shen Cangsheng, Li Xuantong, Su Xuan, He Yao and Yang Lin, the second group from the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy!

"We're finally out." Looking at the bright sky above, Shen Cangsheng could not help smiling, while a disdainful aura started to radiate from his brows, one that appeared to be even more dense as compared to before.

Beside him, Li Xuantong had also nodded his head in agreement. With a clench of his hand, his Academy Plaque appeared,while he scanned the Top 16 listed on it. Upon seeing the rankings, a faint twitch appeared on his forehead as he said, "From the looks of it, the struggle in the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament has grown extremely intense… the points have reached such high levels."

At this moment, the first place on the rankings was still held by the Saint Spiritual Academy's group, led by Ji Xuan, with their points already reaching 13,000 points!

Such a terrifying number of points caused even Li Xuantong to feel shock within his heart.

"That Ji Xuan's said to be extremely formidable…" said Shen Cangsheng as he nodded his head, before muttering, "Furthermore, from what I know, Mu Chen seems to have some grudges and grievances with him, right?"

"It's seems like that," replied Su Xuan with a gentle nod, before saying with a gentle smile, "I wonder exactly how Mu Chen and the others are doing now. There seem to be no trace of their names at the Top 16. WIth their level of strength, it's unlikely so, right?"

"With Mu Chen and Luo Li there, their group's absolutely not ordinary," replied Li Xuantong.

"Haha. That brat's not that easy to deal with. I believe that we'll be able to bump into them not long from now. Furthermore, even if they were truly unlucky to be defeated, isn't there still us here?" Shen Cangshen gave a heroic laugh as he said, "I can also take back the place of the number one expert of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy at the same time."

"Although you've obtained a huge chance from this Desolate Sect, wanting to take back the title of the number one expert from Mu Chen might not be an easy matter to accomplish," replied Su Xuan with a faint smile, instantly pouring cold water on Shen Cangsheng.

Upon hearing her reply, instead of getting angry, Shen Cangsheng started to laugh. He was similarly extremely clear about Mu Chen's capabilities. That fellow's a monstrous talent. Although his level of strength had progressed by leaps and bounds since then, he was still truly not confident in saying that he was able to completely surpass Mu Chen.

"Let's ignore him, for now. We ought to make our move, carve a path out for ourselves and snatch all of the points. We definitely have to climb up the Top 16 before Mu Chen and his group does!" said Shen Cangsheng with a wave of his hand. In the next instant, with a fierce stomp of his feet, his figure immediately rushed into the sky.

"Let's go." Nodding his head, Li Xuantong clench his hand, causing a powerful Spiritual Energy to immediately sweeping out like a storm, instantly crushing the giant stones in his surroundings into dust. At this moment, his figure had rushed into the sky in a spectre-like fashion.

Similarly, Su Xuan and the other two immediately followed suit, with powerful Spiritual Energy fluctuations radiating from their bodies. Their level of strength had become much, much stronger as compared to what they were when they had just entered the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament. Clearly, they had similarly obtained quite a huge benefit and chance during this period of time.

…

After leaving their isolation training site, Mu Chen and his group orientated themselves to the right direction, before rushing towards the central region of the Shattered Continent.

Along the way, Mu Chen and the rest had also bumped into quite a few groups that clearly had same goal as them.

Faced against those groups, Mu Chen felt slightly astonished within his heart. That was because he could sense that they were rather powerful, with each group seemingly possessing more than three people whose strength was on the realm of Spiritual Energy Disaster, at the very least, with not a single one below the realm of Human Body Disaster.

Such a sight caused Mu Chen to sigh in admiration. From the looks of it, there were quite a few groups that obtained a huge increase in strength from the remnants present within the Shattered Continent. At the very least, during the start of the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament, people at the realm of Human Body Disaster were sufficient to be considered as experts. However, as of now… people at that level of strength had already reached the point of almost being eliminated.

However, although they had bumped into quite a few groups along the way, the journey of Mu Chen and his group was mysteriously free and unimpeded, with simply no group daring to find trouble with them. Clearly, those groups were faintly able to sense how thorny Mu Chen's group was, causing their gazes to be filled with dread to the point of not daring to go too close to them.

Such a situation caused Mu Chen to feel somewhat helpless. In actual fact, he hoped for people to come knocking on his door, before gifting points over to him…

However, since no one came to find trouble for them, it's still best for them to continue their journey. He knew that within the vast central region, there would be a sky-high number of points awaiting them to snatch and plunder.

Therefore, the pace at which Mu Chen travelled increased once more.

Their journey lasted closed to three days, they had finally neared the battle-strewn central region. As they did so, Mu Chen and the rest received a piece of news that caused a sliver of shock to appear within his heart.

The news they heard was that… Wen Qingxuan's group had fallen into trouble.