Every cultivator's Inner Demon Tribulation had the same intensity.
Some tribulations were so fierce they defied description. Even those who woke from them might suspect they were still trapped inside.
Others resembled ordinary dreams, from which one could wake with ease.
Thus, although many Nascent Soul cultivators survived their tribulations, their states of mind were barely stronger than before.
Li Chang'an felt Mu Chen was one such cultivator.
"Mu Chen hasn't dared leave the Vermillion Bird Sect all these years. He's been holding his resentment in all this time. Now that he's reached Nascent Soul, it's no surprise he'd say something like that."
Mu Chen's words were taken as a declaration of war and quickly spread across the Yuan and Zhao kingdoms.
Before long, Li Chang'an received messages from all sides.
Older cultivators, including Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon, urged him to stay calm and ignore Mu Chen.
Zi Xi, Mu Hongyu, and his other friends of the same generation sent very different messages. Rather than urge restraint, they gave him detailed analyses of Mu Chen's Nascent Soul.
They had all watched from outside when Mu Chen reached Nascent Soul.
From what they had sensed, Mu Chen had formed a True Nascent Soul, but its quality was low—near the bottom among True Nascent Soul cultivators.
Of course, Mu Chen might have been hiding his strength.
Among those messages, one stood out.
It came from Mu Chen's father, Mu Zheng.
"Fellow Daoist Li, my son's temperament leaves much to be desired. I hope you can forgive him. I'm willing to offer three Tier 4 High-grade Spiritual Medicines as an apology."
His tone was exceedingly humble. He admitted fault from the outset, hoping Li Chang'an would spare Mu Chen.
But Li Chang'an gave him no reply.
"It's time to settle things with