Zhao Tiandu, who had long since become a dead tiger, had been right about one thing:
There were differences even among kings.
Among the kings of the Spirit Road, Mu Chen and Luo Li were strong enough to rank in the top five, perhaps even the top three.
The two peerless kings working together could easily wipe out the so-called number one on the Spirit Road.
For five months—five whole months—the young man and woman had teamed up, becoming the Black and White Duo and running rampant across the Spirit Road. Human geniuses, spirit beasts of every rank, rare spirit plants, and Spirit Soldiers—
Everything that could be exchanged for points was swept away by this husband-and-wife team.
The name Black and White Duo spread throughout the hundred thousand youths on the Spirit Road, their fearsome reputation reaching far and wide. Human geniuses cried out in alarm: "The wolf is coming!"
Under their frenzied looting, not only did their point totals—which had fallen far behind because of the chase—skyrocket, rocketing up into the top ten on the Spirit Road.
Even their spirit body ranks advanced from Level 6 to the Level 8 realm, one after the other.
With only two short months left before the two-year Spirit Road Selection ended, the ambitious Mu Chen and Luo Li were preparing for one last push, aiming to achieve the supreme Level 9 Spirit Body.
That way, they could enjoy a Perfect Baptism during the final infusion of spiritual energy.
Central Heaven and Earth, in a secret place on the outskirts of the protected region.
Beside a stream, on a broad stretch of lush green grass.
A group of human geniuses lounged or stood, some chatting loudly, others resting with their eyes closed. Their postures varied wildly, but they shared one trait: every one of them was strong.
Level 6 and Level 7 Spirit Bodies were everywhere. There were even several exceedingly rare Level 8 Spirit Bodies. This was the late stage of the Spirit Road, when they were recognized by all as king-level combatants.
"You're saying there's a young man called Mu Chen by Luo Li's side?"
Deep in the secret place, a tall, upright human youth stood with his hands behind his back.
He wore white robes and had a lean build and chiseled features.
His short black hair fluttered in the breeze, and he carried himself with effortless composure.
A warm smile always rested on his lips, making anyone who saw him feel an immediate fondness for him.
But now, there was no smile on that charming, refined face. His expression shifted between light and shadow as he fixed his gaze on the follower reporting to him.
Ji Xuan, known as King Xuan, was the Sacred Spirit Academy's designated candidate.
Since returning from that ancient Spirit Treasury, his already exceptional strength had surged even further. He had defeated several peak kings and drawn closer to the throne of the Spirit Road's number one.
Of course, only the grand finals of the Spirit Road, held two months from now, with all the kings battling one another, could determine who truly stood above the rest.
All the praise before then was nothing but hot air.
The one who proved himself the strongest among the kings would not only be crowned emperor and rule over the hundred thousand geniuses on the Spirit Road, but would also claim the greatest share of the benefits from the Spirit Road Empowerment, sending his cultivation soaring.
"Yes. For the past six months, King Luo and King Mu have been together, hunting as a team."
"The husband-and-wife team that's been making waves on the Spirit Road recently—the Black and White Duo—is them."
The follower seemed nervous under Ji Xuan's intense stare and quickly lowered his head.
The suggestive phrase had clearly struck a nerve. Ji Xuan gave a laugh that was hard to interpret. "Husband-and-wife team? The Black and White Duo. Heh."
He had thought his beloved had long since perished. Who could have imagined that when he heard of her again, she would already belong to someone else? How was a man as proud as he supposed to deal with that?
More than half a year had passed since the ancient Spirit Treasury opened.
Ji Xuan, who had laughed last, was undoubtedly the greatest winner, having seized the opportunity.
Only, the outcome differed slightly from what he had first imagined.
The Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle had accidentally strayed into the Spiritual Road Plane and become trapped in this world. It was long past adulthood. Although the mottled bloodline within it had prevented it from completing its final transformation, shedding its spirit form to become divine—
It had failed to evolve from a Super Heavenly Beast into a Divine Beast, or to rise from the Myriad Beasts Record Earth Ranking to the Heaven Ranking.
Yet the accumulation of countless years had still allowed it to reach the realm of a Fourth Grade Sovereign. Its power was terrifying.
With generations of preparations laid by the Ji Clan of the Southern Border, Ji Xuan had successfully stripped away the Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle's physical body. But the seasoned Sovereign spirit beast had possessed his body with its essence.
It wanted to seize his body and use it to escape the Spiritual Road Plane, freeing itself from its captivity.
The two sides had fought fiercely for control, clashing in a brutal struggle.
If not for the contingency his Ji Clan ancestor had left him, Ji Xuan—who was only at the Sensing Realm—would have had his Spirit Soul wiped out by the Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle long ago, allowing it to successfully take over his body.
In the end, neither could do anything to the other, so they had no choice but to compromise and reach a delicate balance. The Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle remained inside Ji Xuan as a guest.
This kind of cohabitation was far rarer than refining a Spirit Beast Essence or forming a Bloodline Link.
The spirit beast was constantly trying to seize control of its host's mind and take its place.
At the same time, the host was constantly trying to erase the spirit beast's consciousness and refine it completely.
Neither side would willingly attempt such an extremely dangerous method unless they had no other choice.
But then again, the Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle was now bound to Ji Xuan's fortunes. If he died, the beast that depended on his body would have its soul scattered as well.
So, at a critical moment, Ji Xuan could also draw on some of the beast's power.
With an Ancient Heavenly Dragon Eagle that had once possessed the strength of a Fourth Grade Sovereign at his disposal, Ji Xuan had collected all the usual protagonist's cheat codes: an old master who traveled with him.
That was his greatest trump card!
"Mu Chen, I want you dead!!"
Ji Xuan, who wore a white robe and was usually so refined, suddenly shoved aside his dumbstruck underling and roared furiously. Everyone nearby immediately turned to look.
He had flown into an inexplicable rage.
If he had burst out of the darkness back then and heroically rescued Luo Li from the Five Tigers of the Zhao Family, the young man who stood by her side and stayed with her would have been him, Ji Xuan. What would Mu Chen have to do with any of it?
Of course, the choice he had made that day had already doomed any chance he had with her.
Even if one took the most charitable view, Ji Xuan could have made a decisive choice: first team up with Luo Li to drive off the Five Tigers of the Zhao Family, then hurry back to the Spirit Treasury. There would still have been time.
But for no good reason, he had chosen the Spirit Treasury first and abandoned the girl without hesitation.
All that could be said was that, in his eyes, opportunity mattered more than love.
Furious as he was, Ji Xuan naturally couldn't think of any of that.
At that moment, only one thought filled his mind:
What I give you is yours.
What I don't give you, even if I don't want it, you're not allowed to take.
No one is!
Just then, a human genius in a green robe walked over and pressed a hand against the raging Ji Xuan. "Ji Xuan, calm down. Everyone below is watching."
He was tall and straight-backed, handsome, and carried himself with poise.
Though his overall charm was a little less than Ji Xuan's, he was hardly inferior.
Yang Hong, a Level 8 Spirit Body, was also one of the peak kings on the Spirit Road.
He was nothing like those useless Quasi-Kings with pathetic combat strength. Even someone as powerful as Ji Xuan had to show him respect, treating him as his right-hand man and a partner.
Like Ji Xuan, Yang Hong had also been chosen in advance by one of the Five Great Academies, the Northern Heavens Spirit Academy.
"Sorry, Brother Yang. I, Ji Xuan, lost my composure."
After venting his anger, Ji Xuan quickly calmed down. He first cupped his hands toward Yang Hong, then apologized to the followers who had turned to look and offered a few words to settle them.
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