Several days have passed in the blink of an eye.
With the start of the Academy Tournament drawing ever closer, Ji Mumu has quickly integrated into the group.
However, the way she looked at Li Chen was becoming increasingly different, perhaps because the impression of that battle was too deep.
Everyone is preparing for the Academy Tournament.
Even Su Zhe, in order to stabilize his realm as quickly as possible, sought help from his father to find the corpse of an Eerie Monsters creature in the Withered Sea Realm.
This also indirectly illustrates just how much power Su Zhe possesses.
Jianping refused all challenges and erected a sword monument in the Battle Institute, inscribed with his Sword Intent, for other students to see.
He himself went into seclusion to cultivate, and his cultivation level has begun to loosen, with the potential to enter the Withered Sea Realm.
Entering the Withered Sea Realm at this age already puts one among the elites, but there are plenty of Imperial Capital in the capital, not to mention the holy sons (daughters) of each family. If they can all enter, then those with enormous resources are even more likely to be included. Therefore, this Academy Tournament will definitely be dominated by those in the Withered Sea Realm.
The Looking River Realm is definitely not enough, and Jianping is aware of this, so he has already entered seclusion.
The others were all diligently cultivating in the Secret Realm. Ji Shao was teaching Ji Mumu, and Su Xian was also mastering more spells and improving her cultivation in the Glacier Door.
As for Li Chen, he was currently inside the Darkness Door among the Eight Gates, gazing into the darkness within.
The Darkness Door is filled with Dark Energy, but very few humans awaken the ability to control this kind of energy. However, there are exceptions, such as shadow figures and abilities that require Dark Energy.
Unlike the other portals, the Darkness Door Portal does not contain islands; instead, it contains only a platform formed from condensed shadows.
Li Chen closed his eyes slightly and sat cross-legged in the darkness.
One after another, jet-black blades spun around him.
"Not enough, not enough."
Instantly, countless black jerseys began to float around him, and blades began to materialize. Anyone who saw this would be utterly shocked.
There were no fewer than a hundred blades, each formed from condensed energy. It should be noted that Li Chen had never summoned so many in the battlefield before, and no one knew that he could summon so many.
But he was still saying "not enough."
Li Chen suddenly opened his eyes, his body enveloped in black energy, which then dissipated abruptly. He murmured, "Not enough. I could certainly condense more spiritual energy."
"But why is there a limit?"
"Moreover, I feel that I am very close to the Withered Sea Realm. Why do I always feel like I can't touch it, yet it's so close at the same time?"
This feeling made Li Chen extremely uncomfortable, as if he was about to die of thirst and a glass of water was placed in front of him but he couldn't touch it and could only watch helplessly.
Just then, a voice rang in his ear.
"The Darkness Door... there's someone there?"
Li Chen turned his head and saw a man in a black trench coat standing in the darkness staring at him, looking somewhat bewildered.
"Are you Li Chen?" the man asked, seemingly surprised.
Li Chen nodded. He was also somewhat surprised. He had been at the Darkness Door for almost a few days, and no one else had entered. This was mainly because it was quiet inside, and no one disturbed him.
He can better showcase his abilities and avoid accidentally hurting others.
But now someone has actually come in.
The man seemed unfazed by the swirling blades around Li Chen, and said with a hint of surprise, "I never expected to see the renowned Li Chen here."
"It's my honor."
My name is Mu Hen.
Li Chen nodded slightly and said, "Li Chen."
Mu Hen smiled, glanced at the blade gleaming in the darkness, and said, "If others knew about the abilities you've displayed, they'd probably be terrified."
Li Chen didn't respond, but was thinking about other things. This guy was clearly not normal. A normal person would probably be unable to stand still after seeing such a scene.
He was still making jokes, not because he was arrogant and wanted to claim the Darkness Door for himself, but because this guy seemed fearless, which caught his attention.
With a casual wave of his hand, Li Chen caused all the light blades to instantly dissipate, transforming into streams of energy that merged into Li Chen's body in the man's astonished gaze.
Mu Hen widened in disbelief. "Holy crap!! Is it really that amazing?"
Li Chen smiled and said, "You must be a student too, right? Your abilities require Dark Energy?"
Mu Hen nodded, looking at Li Chen with a somewhat expectant expression, and said, "My abilities require Dark Energy, otherwise I wouldn't have entered here."
"But running into you this time is truly an unexpected event."
Li Chen's lips twitched, and he turned to leave, saying, "Then I'll be going now. Take good care of yourself in your cultivation."
Mu Hen immediately became anxious and hurriedly said, "Li Chen, could you help me with your method of controlling energy entering my body?"
"I will repay you handsomely!!"
"Oh?"
Li Chen stopped in his tracks, not because of the generous reward, but because this guy actually wanted Dark Energy to enter his body?
It's important to understand that his body isn't afraid of energy entering it because of Vectors, but others can't withstand energy directly entering their bodies. A large amount of pure energy entering the body can cause discomfort or even an explosion.
Otherwise, if everyone could cultivate through special methods like Li Chen, then the Human Race would have no shortage of strong individuals long ago.
"How is it?" Mu Hen asked.
Li Chen shook his head. He was still afraid of something going wrong. After all, he had done such a thing, and if something happened, he would be the one to suffer.
"I can't help you with this, and I don't want to."
"You should find someone else."
Just as Li Chen was about to turn and leave, a loud crashing sound came.
Suddenly Mu Hen pulled out an extremely black tombstone from somewhere and smashed it on the ground. Countless chains were wrapped around it, and they seemed to be howling like ghosts.
Mu Hen looked at Li Chen and said, "It's not that I need Dark Energy, but that my abilities require it."
"I am the descendant of a family of tomb guardians from the Xia Kingdom. My ability is the Precept Stele, a growth-oriented ability."
"The Precept Stele needs Dark Energy, not me."
Li Chen looked at the pitch-black Precept Stele with a sense of novelty. He also heard about the tomb-guarding family, which he seemed to have heard of before—a very special profession.
They are tomb keepers, and it's surprising that they actually exist, though these things aren't unusual in this era.
"How much Dark Energy do you need for this Precept Stele?" Li Chen hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing.
After all, he can't inject something into a human body, but he might be able to do something like an awakened ability.
Just like Su Xian's magic book, no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened.
This Precept Stele should be the same.
Mu Hen was overjoyed, hesitated for a few seconds, and said, "It will probably require... half the energy from the Darkness Door..."
Li Chen was dumbfounded, half?
Is this guy trying to ask for an exorbitant price?
While the Darkness Door is Secret Realm where energy can be replenished, how much of that is considered "half"?
The energy content of a Calamity Realm cultivator is equivalent to that of a Calamity Realm cultivator, meaning this guy is about to devour a Calamity Realm.
He's not that powerful; he can't control such a massive amount of energy.