Wu Tian, who had always thought highly of Mu Chen, suddenly froze. He cast a look at the young man, his expression difficult to read. "Mu Chen."
The spectators gathered beneath the open sky seemed to sense something. Their gazes fell on the tall, slender figure, growing ever more complicated, with no shortage of pity and regret.
Every one of the Seven Sons of Hundred Spirits wore an angry, resentful expression.
With Yang Hong supporting him, Ji Xuan smiled smugly and said nothing.
The silver-haired girl did not speak, but her cool, delicate hand clasped in Mu Chen's right hand tightened its grip.
Only Mu Chen, standing at the heart of the storm, remained composed. His eyelids hung low, his gaze calm, his manner more unruffled than ever, as if nothing had happened.
Having weathered countless storms, Wu Tian could tell at a glance whether Mu Chen was merely putting on a show, feigning calm, or was truly composed and unaffected by outside forces.
That air of poise and outstanding temperament alone made Wu Tian want to cheer him inwardly. What a heaven-sent prodigy. What a Heir of the King of Hundred Spirits.
--
"Mu Chen, you broke the rules of the Spirit Road, used cruel methods, exploited loopholes, and slaughtered over a hundred human geniuses. Your Level 3 Spirit Body shall be stripped away as punishment."
Wrapped in powerful spiritual energy, Wu Tian's voice carried far, far away.
The crowd fell silent.
The rules of the Spirit Road? What kind of bullshit was that?
The Spirit Road Trial had been held countless times. It had existed ever since the Five Great Academies were founded, yet there had never been any damned rules.
Use every means to survive, make it to the end, and compete for the Spirit Crown—that was the only rule.
Everyone knew the Spirit Road had never had rules. This accusation was just an excuse, a punishment for Mu Chen slaughtering so many handpicked geniuses and offending the Five Great Academies.
In another month, the kings would face off in the final battle at the end of the Spirit Road.
The peak kings, all possessing a Level 8 Spirit Body, were straining to break into the Level 9 realm. Whoever achieved a Level 9 Spirit Body first would have the chance to seize the Spirit Crown, be crowned emperor, and rule over the kings as the supreme sovereign.
At a time like this, stripping Mu Chen of three levels of his Spirit Body and sending him tumbling down to Level 5 was tantamount to severing his fortune and halting his rise, leaving him utterly unable to take part in the kings' battle or compete for the Spirit Crown.
Perhaps Mu Chen would still have the chance to undergo Spirit Power Empowerment.
But to the peak kings, that level of empowerment would be more like an insult.
Yes, an insult—a blatant, naked insult!
Everyone knew the truth. They knew how absurd all this was, but no one dared say a word.
"Too bad. The end of the Spirit Road has lost another worthy opponent."
Bing Qing and Mu Kui sighed almost simultaneously, one after the other.
To two prodigies from the Primordial Clan, Spirit Power Empowerment held no appeal. Their clan had countless secret arts to improve their cultivation.
They had entered the Spirit Road Trial only to fight geniuses of their generation from across the Great Thousand World, temper themselves, pursue their limits, and seek a breakthrough.
The Hundred Spirits Youth were outraged, united in indignation.
Tang Qian'er, whose sense of justice had been burning since childhood, glared wide-eyed and clenched her slender fists. She was about to step forward and demand an explanation from Wu Tian.
Mu Chen stopped her and silently shook his head. The tall girl withdrew, dejected.
--
To mortals, the Five Great Academies—the strongest forces in the Great Thousand World—were like five ancient divine mountains suspended high in the heavens, crushing all living beings beneath them, leaving them no way to resist.
Just as everyone thought Mu Chen had given up struggling and accepted his fate, he suddenly spoke. "Sir, may I ask you a question?"
His expression was earnest, his tone mild.
Mu Chen could sense the deliberate kindness Wu Tian had shown him, however subtle. He did not know why, but he answered with exceptional courtesy.
Wu Tian sighed. "Go ahead."
Perhaps—perhaps the Five Great Academies really had done something wrong.
"May I ask, what are the rules of the Spirit Road?"
Mu Chen looked at Wu Tian with a sincere, eager-to-learn expression.
Wu Tian pondered for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Forgive me, but I can't answer that. Ask something else."
In his heart, he had already taken Mu Chen for a hot-blooded young man who hated evil and knew right from wrong, who longed for justice and pursued the truth, only to have his head bashed bloody after struggling time and again.
"I know the answer."
"The Five Great Academies are the rules of the Spirit Road."
"The five strongest Spirit Academies in the Great Thousand World, standing above all others, hold the power of life and death over every being on the Spirit Road. They are the embodiment of the rules that permeate this world, the will of the plane itself."
"Rather than saying I broke the rules of the Spirit Road, it would be more accurate to say I offended the Five Great Academies."
Mu Chen paid Wu Tian no heed and continued speaking on his own.
The young man's clear voice rang out, impassioned and bright, rising and falling above the Black Demon Forest like an ode to loyalty.
Many human geniuses gazed at the tall figure in surprise, their expressions complicated.
"Since you already know, since—"
"Forget it, Mu Chen. Accept the order. Don't make things difficult for me."
Wu Tian's scant compassion vanished. The warmth left his tone, which grew increasingly formal.
In the end, he was the one who carried out the will of the Five Great Academies.
"I'm sorry, but I can't comply."
"Mu Chen in the past wouldn't accept this order. Mu Chen now won't accept it, and Mu Chen in the future certainly won't either. No matter what, I won't accept it."
Mu Chen spoke calmly.
--
"You—"
Wu Tian, his face clouded with anger, was about to speak when space rippled. Several beings with terrifying auras appeared out of nowhere, each surrounded by a ball of light.
As the light faded, five mysterious figures with distinct bearing came into view.
"Greetings, Supremes!"
Wu Tian's expression turned solemn. He hurriedly bowed.
Supremes? They were terrifying beings beyond the Three Days Realm, powerful enough to stride across an entire continent.
An old saying in the Great Thousand World went: Below the Supreme Realm, all are ants.
The Supreme Realm was the mark of a true powerhouse in the Great Thousand World.
Countless human geniuses joined in welcoming the Supremes' arrival, their cheers rising like a crashing sea.
Many people here might never reach the Supreme Realm in their entire lives.
No one had expected this matter to alarm the guardians of the Five Great Academies.
"Mu Chen, I'll ask you just one thing."
"Do you accept the joint verdict of the Five Great Academies, or not?"
The Supreme from the Holy Spirit Academy stepped out from the crowd and sat cross-legged in midair. His expression was indifferent, his gaze cold, like a god looking down on all creation.
As he spoke, a golden sheet of paper appeared between his fingers.
"So it's the esteemed Supremes of the Five Great Academies. This junior pays his respects."
After straightening his clothes, Mu Chen took the sheet of paper with utmost respect. He held it in both hands, resting it on his palms, and carefully ran his fingers over it.
That sight seemed to improve the Supremes' expressions somewhat.
It seemed this young man still had some reverence in his heart.
Rip, rip. But the very next moment—
The sheet of paper, which contained the joint will of the Five Great Academies and seemed to weigh a thousand tons, was torn to shreds, inch by inch, by those long, powerful, pale hands.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly, sirs, so I'll say it again."
The tall figure stood ramrod straight, revealing a dazzling row of white teeth. Under countless complicated gazes, he scattered the scraps in his hands.
With a smile, he said, word by word, "Accept! Your! Ass!"
"Mu Chen!!"
A voice filled with boundless fury rumbled across the heavens and earth.
P.S. For those wondering whether Mu Chen can recover from losing three levels of his Spirit Body, be patient and keep reading (╯▽╰)
When has your old Li ever written a story where the protagonist gets tortured? No fake promises—just enjoy the ride.
Before you continue