Kicking Down the Door

Within a garden of the Jia Ma Imperial Family.

Amid a riot of colorful flowers stood a magnificent pavilion, where a beautiful, tall woman dressed in luxurious brocade robes sat upright.

She appeared to be in her twenties. Her features were exquisite, but her pretty face carried a trace of coldness, and her entire body exuded the mature charm of icy elegance.

She was Yaoye, the eldest princess renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire. On the stone table beside her lay several letters concerning Mu Chen.

Setting the letter in her slender hand onto the table, Yaoye rubbed her slightly aching forehead. Yet her expression was filled with interest as she murmured, "Mu Chen, seventeen years old, suspected to be from Qing Mountain Town. He had been alone since childhood and was bullied by others throughout his life.

"He was an ordinary mercenary in town. A month ago, he had not even become a Dou Zhe and was nearly crippled by the local tyrant. Yet not long afterward, his strength began to rise in an extremely strange succession...

"The last time he appeared in town, he killed Mu Zhuo of the Mu Clan in front of the people of Qing Mountain Town for the sake of a Poison Woman, then vanished without a trace.

"When he appeared again, he was already in the Tagor Desert, and his strength had reached Five-Star Dou Master! There is also a high probability that he possesses a Heavenly Flame.

"All this information points to one possibility: there must be an exceptionally powerful teacher behind him."

Yaoye tapped her delicate fingers lightly, finding that possibility increasingly likely. To turn an ordinary person into a top genius through successive leaps in just one month... Yaoye pressed her forehead, unable to imagine just how powerful Mu Chen's teacher was.

Dou Zong!

The answer was already obvious. It was the realm of Dou Zong that her imperial grandfather had pursued his entire life without ever attaining.

"Dou Zong... The wrath of a Dou Zong is not something the Jia Ma Imperial Family can afford to provoke. But is this speculation true?

"Mu Zhuo may have been disgusting, but he was still Muchen's eldest son. The relationship between the Mu Clan and our Jia Ma Imperial Family is far too delicate. If we simply ignore this matter, the Mu Clan will inevitably develop resentment.

"Fine. Let the Mu Clan test this young genius. If there truly is a Dou Zong-level teacher behind him, that person's anger will not fall upon our Jia Ma Imperial Family.

"Perhaps we can even take the opportunity to reclaim the military power that has split away from us, allowing my sister and me to avoid the fate of being married off."

Time flowed like water, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

"Ten days remain. Ten days from now, Queen Medusa will descend outside Stone Desert City to collect the Green Lotus Core Flame within the underground magma."

Mu Chen stretched his body, immediately producing a series of crackling sounds like exploding beans.

With a flick of his finger, a purple flame shot forth, swiftly burning a corpse in the courtyard into ashes.

Over the past half month, far too many desperate people had been blinded by greed and sought to kill Mu Chen for his Heavenly Flame.

Unfortunately, every one of them had been slain by Mu Chen! After he killed two Da Dou Shi who refused to believe it, few people still dared risk breaking into the courtyard. The residence where Mu Chen stayed had practically become a forbidden zone within Stone Desert City.

"Tch, so poor..."

Mu Chen curled his lips in disdain. The things inside this newly acquired Storage Ring were so pathetic even rats would weep at the sight.

Though this half month of "fishing" had been somewhat risky, Mu Chen found that he had come to enjoy the feeling of it. Thanks to these little fish and shrimp, his savings had grown considerably.

However, even including the two Da Dou Shi he had killed earlier, Mu Chen's gains over the past half month amounted to only around six hundred thousand gold coins. This made him admire even more just how rich Rob had been.

Creak!

A door opened, and Qing Lin stepped out. Her delicate little face was flushed from having just finished cultivating, as red and adorable as a ripe apple.

"Young Master, good morning." After greeting Mu Chen, Qing Lin furrowed her cute brows and looked at the extra pile of ashes on the ground. Helplessly, she said, "Another one. Why are these people so unafraid of death?"

Over the past half month, Qing Lin had become accustomed to the frequent appearance of extra ashes in the courtyard. She skillfully took out cleaning tools from a corner and swept the ashes into a flowerpot by the wall that was already more than half full. One could easily imagine what all the ashes inside that flowerpot were...

"Haha, five stages of Dou Qi. Little Qing Lin truly is a genius. At this rate, perhaps you'll become a Dou Zhe in only half a year."

Mu Chen praised her without holding anything back. It had to be said that Qing Lin's talent on the path of cultivation was terrifyingly strong. If such advancement speed became known, countless people would surely be stunned speechless.

"Ah, it is because the Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid Young Master prepared is so effective. Qing Lin would never dare take the credit."

Mu Chen smiled at the lively and adorable Qing Lin. With cute little Qing Lin by his side these days, cultivation no longer felt lonely.

Raising his head to look at the sun, Mu Chen saw that it was nearly noon. This was the time each day that he had set aside for alchemy.

However, since the surroundings were not absolutely safe, Mu Chen had to remain vigilant while refining pills. Thus, he did not dare refine fourth-tier pills that required his full attention, mostly producing second- and third-tier pills for Qing Lin.

Thanks to the Beginner Alchemy Experience Book, Mu Chen was familiar with several hundred pill formulas from the first to fourth tier. Among them were quite a few obscure or little-known pills capable of accelerating cultivation during the Dou Qi stage. Therefore, Mu Chen had not hesitated to forge a path of "pill-fueled" cultivation for Qing Lin.

Just as Mu Chen was about to take out his cauldron and refine pills as usual, the tightly shut gate exploded with a bang. Two figures with powerful auras stepped through the scattered wooden splinters.

Mu Chen's eyes narrowed, and a dangerous curve appeared on his face. The two people who had come this time were rather strong. From their auras alone, Mu Chen could tell that either one was somewhat stronger than Rob had been that day. If they fought, they would indeed be a little troublesome.

The two intruders were one fat and one thin. Both wore black robes that concealed their features completely, clearly intending to hide their identities.

The two swept their gazes around. They first looked solemnly at the indifferent Mu Chen, then shifted their eyes to Qing Lin, who was quickly approaching his side.

The two exchanged glances, both understanding what the other meant.

"Qing Lin, get inside!"

Mu Chen had spoken those four brief words many times over the past half month.

Qing Lin immediately nodded when she heard him. Obediently saying, "Good luck, Young Master," she skillfully opened the door and hid inside. Then she stood on tiptoe, her large emerald eyes watching the battle about to unfold in the courtyard through the window.

"Two Five-Star Great Dou Masters. Your strength is not bad; it is enough for you to swagger through Stone Desert City.

"But you smashed my gate, so that makes you enemies. I'll give you two choices.

"First, compensate me for my losses, and I can let you leave safely.

"Second, die here!"

Mu Chen held up two fingers and spoke with a calm expression, his words leaving no room for argument. A faint murderous aura bloomed from his body.

The Dou Qi within him also began to stir faintly. The intermittent battles of the past half month had already tempered Mu Chen's Dou Qi to an extreme degree. Now, with only a slight gathering, it showed signs of forming Dou Qi Armor.

"Hah, kid, you may be strong, but aren't those words a little too arrogant? Do you think we are trash like Rob, for you to kill as you please?" the two sneered. Surging Dou Qi poured from their bodies, and their powerful auras combined to form a fierce whirlwind in the courtyard, stirring up dust from the ground.

"No, you're mistaken. Luo Million was not trash. He was very rich. He might have been stronger than you." Mu Chen said solemnly.