The Great Ruler

Rustle!

Mu Chen held his indifferent expression as he appeared before Bai Dong in a flash. His fingers twitched and a cyan longsword appeared. Without a moment’s hesitation, the blade became shrouded with Spiritual Energy that burned black and aimed towards Bai Dong’s throat.

Bai Dong’s facial expression changed at Mu Chen’s sudden action; but fortunately for him, he wasn’t weak. Even though he hadn’t reached the Heavenly Transform Stage yet, he was a Heavenly Fusion Stage Late Phase and had the strength to back it up. He snarled with fury and punched as his Spiritual Energy soared.

“Sky Crumbling Demonic Dragon Fist!”

His Spiritual Energy surged as his fist travelled forward like a massive black demonic dragon uncoiling its body. The force of the movement seemed as if it could turn the sky to dust. It was clear that Bai Dong’s Spiritual Energy wasn’t an ordinary one.

The chill in Mu Chen’s eyes grew even colder as he switched from blade to fist. Six Limitless Death Seals formed in an instant, causing the natural Spiritual Energy around them to roil violently. Like six rays of dark of light, they streaked through the air and met Bai Dong’s Demonic Dragon Fist in a hard collision.

Boom!

The sound of the collision thundered as the violent spiritual ripples spread out. For a moment, Bai Dong’s face had turned ghostly pale, but then a dark red flush smeared across his face. He coughed up a mouthful of blood as he flew backwards.

Mu Chen’s six Limitless Death Seals at full force could even withstand an attack from the grey-robed elder — a Heavenly Transform Stage Initial Phase. Bai Dong wanted to defeat it with his Heavenly Fusion Late Phase cultivation? Simply a fantasy.

“You said want to kill me? I’m afraid you’re not capable of that!”

Mu Chen coldly smiled with a sharp edge to it. In a flash, he’d burst forward and appeared before Bai Dong again, and the cyan longsword in his hands ruthlessly stabbed towards the latter’s throat.

Cries of surprise rose from everyone watching the scene from around the rim of the black basin. How could this youth be so ruthless? He even dared to kill Bai Dong? Didn’t he fear the wrath of White Dragon City?

The grey-robed elder’s face took on a drastically different expression. “You dare!?”

But there was too much distance between them. He couldn’t assist in time.

Mu Chen ignored him as he looked down on Bai Dong, who was watching the sword bear down on him with a face full of shock.

This was a guy who’d always fulfilled his grudges. It’d be better for Mu Chen to eliminate him early and avoid any future twists and turns.

Shuuuu!

Mu Chen’s sword edge was sharp; he’d reached Bai Dong in only an instant. However, just before he could land the killing blow, an exquisitely fine light burst from within the group white-robed White Dragon City experts.

Ding!

A violent gale tore through the sky and clashed against Mu Chen’s blade with astonishing swiftness. Mu Chen’s blade trembled under the gale’s strength and he even retreated two steps.

“Who?!”

He swept his eyes over the white robes with an annoyed and dangerous chill in his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes pinpointed the source and he laughed loudly. “So it’s the City Lord of White Dragon City! Since you’re here, why don’t you show yourself? Why run and hide? Were you trying to take advantage of our distraction and steal the Sovereign Spirit Treasury?”

His voice, wrapped in Spiritual Energy, resounded throughout the heavens and earth. The booming quality of it shocked many of those present at the site and they widened their eyes in disbelief. Especially those from the Earthen Way Set and Heavenly Dipper Sword Faction. The City Lord had personally shown up?

The grey-robed elder’s expression changed at Mu Chen’s challenge. Was this kid trying to provoke Bai Dong?

Numerous pairs of eyes scrutinised the crowd of white robes, and under their watchful gazes, a single figure stepped forward. He removed his white robe to reveal the face of a middle-aged man — it really was the City Lord of White Dragon City, Bai Xuan!

Bai Xuan lightly smiled. “What a deep scheming youth.”

His eyes were filled with a cold light as he stared back at Mu Chen. He’d originally intended to hide himself — he never expected to be forced out by a kid like this.

Mu Chen glared back. “It looks like your White Dragon City is determined to obtain this Sovereign Spirit Treasury.”

Mu Chen could sense a tyrannical Spiritual Energy rippling from this man. He must be a Heavenly Transform Stage Middle Phase at the very least — no doubt extremely powerful.

Bai Xuan smiled as if it was a given. “Of course, we must do our best to win such fantastic treasures.” He shook his head. “Since you’ve forced me to show myself, I must show you my appreciation.”

The moment his words landed, the glint in Bai Xuan’s eyes turned sharp and an astonishingly powerful surge of Spiritual Energy burst like a gale from his body. He stepped forward, his movements were like that of a ghost, and headed straight for Mu Chen.

Mu Chen’s expression changed as he retreated.

“Can you even escape?”

Bai Xuan coldly smiled. In a flash, he’d caught up to Mu Chen and threw out a palm. The Spiritual Energy surged like a tidal wave, stretching continuously in a multitude of directions. There was a never-ending chorus of explosions.

Mu Chen backed off, too cautious to go head-to-head against such power. With a will of his intent, the Stone Guardian appeared before him, stepped forward, and pounded its fist down on Bai Xuan.

Dong!

Mu Chen could feel the reverberations from the collisions as the Stone Guardian was sent sailing backwards.

Mu Chen’s expression turned grave at that. Bai Xuan was truly powerful — no wonder he was the City Lord of White Dragon City. The Stone Guardian was forced to retreat after taking only one of his fists.

“Something that weak won’t be able to protect your puny little life.” Bai Xuan explained with an expressionless face as he pressed forward again. His fingers formed a claw as he swiped downwards.

“Heaven Tearing Demonic Dragon Claw!”

Boom!

The five fingers raked through the sky, as if tearing the space down with it. Bai Xuan’s “Heaven Tearing Demonic Dragon Claw” was far more powerful than the grey-robed elder’s.

Mu Chen’s cold expression concentrated on Bai Xuan’s ferocious attacks as he put his hands together in preparations to circulate his Spiritual Art. But before he could execute it, a torrent of spiritual light poured from behind him, shrouding his body in a sort of Spiritual Energy barrier.

Boom!

The razor-sharp claw slashed at the barrier with violent bursts of Spiritual Energy, but couldn’t tear it down.

“Who?!” Bai Xuan’s gaze turned cold.

A sweet and gentle voice drifted from somewhere near the end of the crowd. “City Lord of White Dragon City, you are someone who has great renown. Yet you dared to act so ruthlessly against a mere youth. Are you not afraid that others may say it is unbefitting of your station?”

Everyone turned their heads towards the voice to see three figures swiftly flying towards them — led by a charming and sweet-looking young woman in a white dress.

“Su Xuan,” Li Qing couldn’t suppress the joy she felt upon seeing them. Su Xuan had finally caught up with them.

Bai Xuan’s indifferent expression was temporarily replaced with a sharp one as he looked over Su Xuan. He could sense that her Spiritual Energy wasn’t any inferior than his. It seemed that this girl was the Rank 3 of the Heavenly Ranking in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, Su Xuan.

The students nurtured by the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy were powerful indeed. They were so young, yet they could rival the best disciples of the Demonic Dragon Palace.

“The Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy really does have its methods.” Bai Xuan applauded as he lightly smiled at Su Xuan.

She returned the smile with the words, “We thank White Dragon City for your praises.” She raised a jade-like hand to disperse the protective barrier around Mu Chen and allowed him to join her.

“You’re always causing trouble. It’s barely been half a day, yet you’ve already started a fight with White Dragon City.” Su Ling’er scolded as she glared her doe eyes at Mu Chen.

“They’re the ones who ambushed us last night.” Mu Chen said slowly. “They’re from the Demonic Dragon Palace.”

“What?!”

Su Ling’er and Guo Xiong looked startled. Even Su Xuan slightly narrowed her eyes. White Dragon City wasn’t known for having a long history, but they’d already ruled this area for over a decade. None of these young students had expected it to be just another chess piece for the Demonic Dragon Palace. It seemed this organisation was truly deep and unfathomable. No wonder the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy even held some fear and restraint towards them.

Even from a distance, Bai Xuan noticed the astonished expressions on their faces. It looked like they’d just come to some realisation. He couldn’t help the odd smile that crept over his face as he gave them one last meaningful glance before ducking back into the throng of White Dragon City experts. Now that Su Xuan had appeared, it wouldn’t be easy to kill Mu Chen. Furthermore, there was a more pressing matter that required his attention.

As long as they obtained that item, it would be easy to kill those brats.

The unaffiliated experts around the basin warily eyed Bai Xuan as he rejoined his people — especially the Heavenly Dipper Sword Faction and the Earthen Way Sect. They exchanged glances amongst themselves and finally seemed to settle on some unspoken agreement. It was clear that they intended to combine their strengths to deal with the strongest White Dragon City.

Bai Xuan’s sharp attention hadn’t lost that fact; however, he only afforded them a cold smile and seemingly wasn’t bothered by them.

“City Lord, it looks like that brat dragged us out into the spotlight,” The grey-robed elder reported with a grim expression.

Bai Xuan smiled nonchalantly. “They’re nothing more than annoying locusts. What are they capable of, anyways? Did they think that my White Dragon City was only capable of that much?”

By this point, Bai Dong had caught up as well, although he was still throwing vicious glances in Mu Chen’s direction. “Father, what do we need from this place?”

Bai Xuan knit his brows as he frowned. “I’ve received orders to obtain the most precious object from the White Dragon Sovereign’s Spirit Treasury. As for the specifics, even I’m not sure.”

“The most precious object?” the grey-robed elder echoed as he turned his eyes towards the bottom of the black basin. “Then, it should be here, because this is the place where the White Dragon Sovereign died!”

Bai Dong seemed doubtful. “However, it doesn’t look like there’s a Spirit Treasury here.”

His father studied the basin for a moment, then slowly replied, “That’s because the seal here is still intact. It looks like we only need to wait for the sun and moon to come together. When the natural Spiritual Energy turns chaotic, the seal will weaken. Then, all we need to do is destroy it and the the Spirit Treasury will appear.”

“Right now…all we have to do is wait.”

He finished his words and closed his eyes with a silent finality.

Bai Xuan wasn’t the only one who knew about that — that much was clear. Experts from other forces could also sense the abnormalities around the black basin, and chose to wait instead of act blindly.

The wait stretched for nearly half a day before the sky and land turned dark and the natural Spiritual Aura between the heavens and earth began to fluctuate.

Just as the Spiritual Aura between the heavens and earth fell into disorder, Mu Chen’s eyes caught something. Down in the black basin, the thousand-foot-tall mysterious black stone pillars started to faintly glow.

“The Spirit Treasury appearing!”

Mu Chen’s heart trembled and his eyes blazed with passion.