Northern Cang Realm's Greatest Dark Horse, the Banner Carrier

Rumble—

As Mu Chen's voice fell,

waves of Spiritual Energy exploded through the valley like thunder.

Immediately after,

several figures shot out from the depths of the valley, streaking toward the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon in the sky.

This sudden turn of events

left the students risking their lives to hunt the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon momentarily stunned.

Towering fury surged into their eyes.

"Damn it..."

"They're taking advantage of the chaos!"

"You bastard, you're courting death!"

Buzz—

For a time, Spiritual Energy churned endlessly across the sky.

Several manifestations of Spiritual Arts formed overhead, rippling with intense sharpness,

making even the sky tremble faintly...

Boom—

Chu Qi swept over, blocking the Spirit Soul Realm experts who intended to attack Luo Li.

Sensing the Spiritual Art power permeating the sky with danger,

even Chu Qi felt the pressure mount to its limit.

Boom—

Thick Spiritual Energy surged from within his body.

At this moment, his eyes gradually turned emerald green.

Chu Qi stepped forward,

and let out a low growl from his throat.

Dense Spiritual Energy gathered behind him, forming the phantom of a massive Spirit Beast.

The phantom was entirely golden, as though forged from gold itself. Its pair of vertical pupils gleamed emerald in the raging wind, its presence overwhelming!

Golden Crystal Divine Fist!

Facing so many opponents of the same realm,

Chu Qi did not dare to be careless. He unleashed the power of his essence soul from the very start.

His fists moved slowly,

but as they pushed forward, a great golden sun gradually formed beneath them.

Scorching, dazzling light blanketed the sky.

Chu Qi drove both fists forward, and the golden sun erupted in the air.

The manifestations of Spiritual Arts filling the sky shattered under his fists,

while terrifying Spiritual Energy swept outward like a hurricane.

"I am Chu Qi, leader of the Chu Gang. I hope you will give me some face. I'm taking this Heaven Grade Spirit Beast's essence soul!"

Standing in the sky, Chu Qi looked down at the thousands of students below, his tone low and domineering.

For a moment,

the surroundings fell silent.

"Fuck your mother!"

"Who the hell do you think you are? Give you face? Give your ass face! You didn't show up when it was time to fight, but you appeared when it was time to reap the rewards! Brothers, get him!"

Several Spirit Soul Realm experts immediately cursed at Chu Qi.

For a time, the surging Spiritual Energy gathered once more, and countless shadows of Spiritual Arts flickered beneath the sky.

Feeling that terrifying Pressure, beads of sweat rolled down Chu Qi's forehead as well.

"I am Ye Qingling, leader of the Ye Gang. This essence soul is something valued by the Spirit Path Blood Calamity Maker and King Luo. If you insist on acting, you will be making an enemy of King Luo!"

Ye Qingling had not wanted to step forward,

but seeing that Chu Qi could not control the situation, she stood at his side and spoke.

Chu Qi admired Luo Li.

He did not want to lose face before Luo Li.

But Ye Qingling was different. She knew very well what their goal was. If they wanted to suppress a scene like this,

even ten of her would not be enough.

They could only bring out King Luo, Luo Li!

"King Luo... Luo Li?!"

"Does King Luo really value this...?"

Hearing this,

the crowd below, which had been boiling with agitation, fell silent once more.

The few leaders who had emerged from the Spirit Road had clearly heard King Luo's name.

They did not rashly attack.

Just as Ye Qingling had expected,

after she brought up Luo Li, their emotions gradually settled, allowing room for negotiation.

"That's right!"

"Will you still try to seize something valued by King Luo, Luo Li?"

"If you continue, you will be making an enemy of King Luo!"

Ye Qingling said coldly.

Others might not understand, but the experts who had emerged from the Spirit Road surely could not forget the final contest among the All Kings.

The moment King Luo attacked King Ji.

Among the Spirit Path Kings, King Luo's strength was absolutely among the very best.

She was not someone some second-rate crowned king could dare challenge!

High in the sky,

Mu Chen's expression turned somewhat ugly as he listened to Ye Qingling.

The reason he had planned for so long, spread the news, and drawn countless students in to help him encircle and kill the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon

was because he did not want to rely on Luo Li's strength.

He did not want people to say he lived off a woman, nor did he want Luo Li to be disappointed in him.

Yet...

things had still reached this point.

"Let's finish this quickly. Even my name may not be enough to hold those people back."

"I'll make a move shortly and obtain the essence soul for you!"

Luo Li spoke calmly,

but for some reason, Mu Chen sensed a trace of distance in that calm tone that had not been there before.

"I'll do it myself. Protect me!"

Mu Chen said stubbornly.

Then,

he explained, "I know what I'm doing. If I can't take down the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, you can step in then."

"This is my path. I should walk it myself. Otherwise, how will I protect you in the future?"

Hearing Mu Chen say this, Luo Li no longer insisted.

She nodded silently.

Roar—

As the two spoke,

the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon sensed their approach and let out a long cry.

With a beat of its wings,

it whipped up a sky full of ice crystals that howled toward them.

"You beast!"

Buzz—

Mu Chen slapped his wrist.

An ancient great cauldron appeared before him, blocking the ice crystals filling the sky.

Mu Chen had already been carrying a nameless anger within him.

The Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's action had undoubtedly run straight into the muzzle of his gun.

As he spoke,

four Netherworld Death Seals stacked over Mu Chen's right fist. The fingers of his left hand rapidly swept through the air, and one Spirit Seal after another rose from between his fingers,

shrouding the space beneath the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon and gradually gathering into a terrifying Spirit Array...

Ye Qingling's unauthorized decision to bring up Luo Li

had already made Mu Chen feel that his pride had been wounded. Now, he would use the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon to prove himself. Even without relying on others, he could obtain the essence soul!

Four Netherworld Death Seals stacked together.

A deep, jet-black radiance gathered around Mu Chen's fist. The powerful impact tore bloody gashes across his right arm as it smashed fiercely toward the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon.

Roar—

Sensing Mu Chen's provocation,

the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon also let out a long cry. Its wings beat behind it as it dragged its scale-shattered body into a dive at Mu Chen.

It was a Heaven Grade Spirit Beast, in the Three Heavens Realm...

Boom—

Mu Chen threw a punch!

Tyrannical Spiritual Energy rippled outward, twisting even the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The four Netherworld Death Seals,

just as they were about to strike the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon,

suddenly erupted.

Layers of black ripples spread outward, like wave upon wave crashing together, their momentum horrifying.

Azure blue and jet black

burst in midair like fireworks.

Visible Spiritual Energy Shockwaves spread out in wave after wave, uprooting every tree atop the mountain and sending dust soaring.

High in the sky,

the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's already heavily wounded and weakened body

lost great chunks of flesh in its collision with Mu Chen, crashing backward toward the mountain behind it.

Golden Wheel Spirit Splitting Array!

A cold glint flashed through Mu Chen's black eyes as he shouted,

activating the Spirit Array he had secretly laid down.

Intense Golden Light rose like a blazing sun.

A dazzling beam of Golden Light, roughly dozens of feet wide, suddenly shot explosively out from the Spirit Array.

Buzz, buzz—

That Golden Light transformed into a golden wheel covered in sharp serrated teeth.

The wheel spun madly, emitting a scalp-numbing hum as it tore even the air apart.

"Go!"

Mu Chen thrust his left hand forward.

The golden wheel instantly shot out, tearing through the sky and streaking toward the shattered flesh of the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon.

Buzz—

As the golden wheel cut into the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's body,

the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, having suffered consecutive heavy blows, could no longer resist and was sliced into two by the golden wheel.

It was severed in midair.

For a moment, flesh and blood splattered across the sky, raining down into the snowy valley.

The sight was incomparably horrifying and terrifying,

causing the Spirit Soul Realm experts who had been hesitating over whether to seize it to begin backing down one by one.

They saw the Luo Goddess standing in the sky,

but the one who had just slaughtered the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon was the Spirit Path Blood Calamity Maker.

Though the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon had already been grievously wounded, it was still not something a Spirit Soul Realm cultivator could kill. A Heaven Grade Spirit Beast's final counterattack was the deadliest.

Now, one Spirit Path Blood Calamity Maker alone was already so terrifying.

And with the Luo Goddess as well...

Seeing the shock on everyone's faces, Mu Chen was quite pleased.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

He would use this battle to prove himself and prevent pursuers like Chu Lin from continuing to pester Luo Li.

Whoosh—

Mu Chen waved his hand, taking the essence into his grasp as he looked at Luo Li.

"Not bad!"

Luo Li said with a smile.

Seeing this,

Mu Chen nodded slightly, his face also blooming with a smile.

Rumble—

Just as Mu Chen and the others prepared to leave, the earth suddenly began trembling without end.

Ferocious Cracks split across the ground, and burning magma spread up from the depths of the Earth Veins.

"This is..."

"A Heaven Grade Spirit Beast?!"

Sensing the terrifying Pressure underground, Mu Chen said hoarsely, his throat somewhat dry.

He had not expected

that another Heaven Grade Spirit Beast was hidden deep beneath Ice Valley...

As Mu Chen stood in shock,

a massive creature carrying astonishing Spiritual Energy Pressure seemed to be crawling out from the depths of the Earth Veins.

It was a lizard-like Spirit Beast wreathed in blazing flames,

with a scorching horn of fire upon its head.

The searing heat atop it seemed capable of igniting even the air!

"What is that..."

"Heavens, another Heaven Tier Spirit Beast!"

"What do we do?!"

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Upon noticing the sudden change,

the Spirit Soul Realm experts and Spirit Wheel Realm Late Stage students who had acted earlier and were now watching from afar

all cried out in horror.

An atmosphere of panic swiftly spread through the crowd.

The Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon had been heavily injured before they had dared to surround and kill it, and only after suffering enormous losses had they forced it into a desperate situation.

But now,

this Heaven Grade Spirit Beast was far stronger than the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon had been.

Faced with such circumstances,

they no longer possessed the resolve they had shown when surrounding the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, and scattered in flight.

"Leave this Spirit Beast to me!"

Luo Li said, gripping the hilt of her sword.

"Alright..."

Mu Chen did not refuse again. After killing the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, more than half of the Spiritual Energy in his body had already been depleted.

Moreover, the fourfold Netherworld Death Seal had left an injury on his right arm.

He needed time to recover.

Just as Luo Li was about to act,

Buzz—

The snow valley beneath the blazing sun suddenly darkened.

A grim, chilling aura enveloped the entire Ice Valley, as though some great terror had descended here...

"This is..."

As she looked at the grim yin aura blotting out the sky, a trace of familiarity appeared in Luo Li's eyes.

Buzz—

The next moment,

the flickering sky was torn apart, and an enormous Soul Banner stretching over a dozen zhang descended from the heavens.

It directly drove the Heaven Grade Spirit Beast, which had only managed to crawl its head out,

back into the depths of the Earth Veins.

Patterns of Spirit Beasts surged across the Soul Banner, transforming into countless Spirit Beast souls that flowed down the banner pole and into the depths of the Earth Veins.

In the blink of an eye,

the trembling Earth Veins ceased shaking, the surging magma flowed back into the depths underground, and the ferocious ravines splitting the earth gradually closed.

It was as though nothing had ever happened.

Only that enormous banner, like a mountain, stood planted upright in the valley.

Reflected in everyone's eyes...

"The Banner Carrier..."

"The Banner Carrier has appeared!"

"Hiss—... To think we'd encounter that ruthless man here!"

"With such might, he truly deserves to be called Northern Cang Realm's greatest dark horse. He's utterly terrifying!"

Looking at the banner stretching over a dozen zhang,

among the crowd,

some students who had watched Qing Luo hunt Spirit Beasts from afar recognized the banner.

For a time,

shock, stupor, fear, and reverence spread through the crowd.

"He's here..."

Seeing that incomparably familiar banner, Luo Li subconsciously tightened her grip on the Luo Shen Sword!

"The Banner Carrier?!"

"Do you know him?"

Hearing the discussions around them, Mu Chen looked at Luo Li and asked.

"He isn't from the Spirit Road!"

Luo Li shook her head.

"Not from the Spirit Road..."

Mu Chen was somewhat stunned. This answer had exceeded his expectations.

Over these past days,

he had also heard of the Banner Carrier's reputation. The other party was renowned in the Northern Cang Realm for hunting High Grade Spirit Beasts.

It was said that he had even hunted many Heaven Grade Spirit Beasts.

Mu Chen had always believed that the Banner Carrier was a King among those who had emerged from the Spirit Road, which was why he possessed such strength.

But now it seemed

that he should be the heir of some great clan or powerful faction.

This Northern Cang Academy trial truly hid dragons and crouching tigers...

"Let's go!"

Whoever the other party was, there was no reason for Mu Chen to remain here any longer.

He had already obtained the essence of a Heaven Grade Spirit Beast.

The most important thing now was to find a place to refine the essence, locate Qing Luo, and retrieve what belonged to him.

Although Mu Chen did not know what that sheet of Black Paper was,

judging by the fact that it had transported them out of the Black Nether Abyss, it was undoubtedly an object of immense value.

Otherwise,

Qing Luo would not have valued it so highly.

"You may leave, but leave the essence behind. I want it!"

Just as Mu Chen and Luo Li were preparing to depart, an undeniable, resounding voice echoed through Ice Valley.

Luo Li's expression abruptly changed...

What she had feared had still happened.

Mu Chen frowned tightly.

Following the voice with his gaze, he saw a black-clad young figure in the depths of the pervasive grim ghostly aura,

radiating incomparable Pressure as he slowly walked toward them...