Mu Chen solemnly cleared Rob's name and bestowed upon him the title of "Millionaire." Rob's million-coin fortune had truly lingered in Mu Chen's mind, and over these past days, Mu Chen had come to deeply realize just how difficult it was for a Da Dou Shi-level powerhouse to amass a fortune of a million.
"We don't care whether he was a millionaire or not. Kid, hand over the little girl in that room, and we have no interest in you. Don't be so foolish as to refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."
The fat man threatened him. Though he greatly coveted the Heavenly Flames, he knew that even if the two of them joined forces, taking Mu Chen's life would not be easy. Their top priority was to complete the mission assigned by the Grand Elder, otherwise...
At the thought of the ruthless Grand Elder, both men immediately shuddered all over. If they failed to complete their mission, what awaited them would be a hellish life of modification.
As far as they knew, none of the clan members who had made mistakes and been brought into the Grand Elder's "laboratory" had ever come back out whole.
These two are actually after Qing Lin. Could they have discovered something?
Mu Chen narrowed his eyes as he watched them. Their black robes concealed their faces well, and with their heads lowered, Mu Chen could not make out anything.
"Kid, are you deaf? We're talking to you," the skinny man snapped, his words brimming with hostility.
Mu Chen pointed at the shattered gate behind them and sneered. "What are you two thinking? You still haven't compensated me for my losses.
Looking at how high and mighty you are, it seems you intend to skip out on the bill. In other words, you've chosen death!"
Seeing the killing intent in Mu Chen's eyes, the two men immediately grew furious. They had already lowered their stance and given way, yet this kid seemed to be treating them like that useless Rob.
"Hehe, it seems that if we want to take that little girl away, we'll have to deal with this annoying brat first."
"Hehe, it seems the reward the Grand Elder gave that useless Rob ended up in this kid's hands. Killing him will net us a tidy windfall too. The Grand Elder probably won't say much about it."
The two spoke one after another, then exchanged glances. Refined Dou Qi Armor immediately emerged around their bodies as they charged toward Mu Chen from opposite sides.
The moment they raised their hands, several streams of Dou Qi shot forth. Mu Chen had already placed his hands on the hilts behind his back the instant they moved. As the glowing streams of Dou Qi came flying at him, the two Ink Shadow Swords rang out and instantly left their sheaths.
Two cold flashes crossed like dragons, forcefully cleaving apart the released Dou Qi that would have caused ordinary Dou Masters endless trouble.
"Fine swords. One for each of us."
The man as skinny as a bamboo pole spoke to his companion, his eyes burning as he stared at the Ink Shadow Swords.
"Dreaming in broad daylight? You two really are beyond saving. I suppose I'll have to send you off physically," Mu Chen said with a shake of his head, a trace of regret on his face, as though lamenting that the two before him were beyond any cure.
With a tap of his foot, Mu Chen activated Wind Shadow Step. His body drifted left and right, leaving the two men unable to judge where he would land. When they closed in, they launched a barrage of savage attacks, yet failed to touch even the corner of his robes.
Although Mu Chen lacked the Wind Attribute and could not bring Wind Shadow Step to its full potential, he had perfectly mastered its proficiency due to absorbing the Dou Technique light sphere.
Moving as he pleased, Mu Chen drifted around the two men as lightly as the wind. After effortlessly toying with them for a while, he finally sent out flashes of sword light, striking at the weaker points of their defenses.
Both men's expressions darkened in turn. The intelligence had never mentioned that Mu Chen possessed such an advanced movement technique, while neither of them knew even the slightest movement technique.
Though there were two of them, Mu Chen controlled the rhythm of the battle from start to finish. Their powerful attacks ravaged the courtyard floor, but could not touch Mu Chen in the slightest. It was like punching cotton with all their strength.
"You cowardly rat! Do you only know how to run? If you have the guts, fight us head-on for three hundred rounds!" the bad-tempered bamboo pole mocked first.
"Tsk, tsk. Look at you two weaklings. Did you train all that Da Dou Shi strength into the bellies of dogs?
You don't have much skill, but your faces are awfully thick.
I hope my swords can cut through your faces later, though I doubt it."
Mu Chen strolled about as though taking a leisurely walk. The sword in his hand flashed with wave after wave of sword light, forcing the two men into a fluster and throwing their Dou Qi into disorder.
Due to his rapid movement, only Mu Chen's afterimages drifted through the courtyard. Yet his humiliating words made the two men trapped within his encirclement rage furiously.
The fat man, however, retained some composure. He suddenly sneered, "Hehe, sharp-tongued brat, that's all you can do. You want us to follow your rhythm? Dream on!
Attack together! Charge into that room and seize that little girl. Let's see what you, you irritating fly, can do to the two of us."
The fat man was much shrewder than the bamboo pole. He knew Mu Chen intended to wear them down, so he immediately used Qing Lin in the room to threaten Mu Chen, forcing him to abandon his speed advantage and clash head-on with two Five-Star Great Dou Masters.
The bamboo pole also came to his senses. Wearing a cold smile, he rushed alongside the fat man toward the room where Qing Lin was.
But after they had run only halfway, a fierce gust swept past them at incredible speed, then transformed into Mu Chen's somewhat grim figure directly in front of the room.
"Very well. Since you want to fight me head-on, I have no choice but to oblige you."
After speaking, Mu Chen slowly closed his eyes, then swiftly opened them again. With a turn of both hands, the sharp Ink Shadow Swords plunged straight into the floor tiles beneath his feet. The trembling black blades released sword cries filled with overwhelming pressure.
Seeing that Mu Chen had been restrained and forced to abandon his speed advantage for a direct clash, both men revealed cold, cruel smiles.
Da Dou Shis possessed Dou Crystals. Whether in the quality or quantity of their Dou Qi, they far surpassed Dou Masters. In their eyes, Mu Chen's decision to face two Five-Star Great Dou Masters head-on was nothing more than courting death.
"Arrogant brat, you actually think you can oppose the two of us alone. I don't know whether I should praise your courage or mock your stupidity.
If you were allowed to advance to Da Dou Shi, even the two of us joining forces might not be able to defeat you.
Unfortunately, you are not yet a Da Dou Shi, and you will never have the chance to become one. This day next year will be your death anniversary."
Mu Chen had only one response to their mockery.
"You sure have a lot of last words." As the final word left his lips, Mu Chen's bright eyes instantly turned into deep-yellow fiery pupils. He raised both hands, and orderly flame patterns appeared, eventually forming two crystalline Fire Seals in his palms.
"Competing in Dou Techniques? Kid, we aren't country bumpkins like Rob. Let us show you what true high-level Dou Techniques look like."
"Profound Tier Low-Grade Dou Technique, Sky Eagle Claw!"
"Profound Tier Low-Grade Dou Technique, Raging Tide Palm!"
Three powerful Dou Technique auras surged from the courtyard and spiraled into the sky, immediately drawing countless gasps throughout Stone Desert City.
"With such a presence, could Da Dou Shi-level powerhouses be fighting?"
"The source of that aura seems to be in the direction of that Baleful Star's courtyard."
As that uncertain voice rang out, all of Stone Desert City fell silent. Only after quite some time did awestruck voices emerge.
"There's no need to go watch. It's just more people who don't know their own limits. Do they really think the Baleful Star's Heavenly Flames are so easy to seize? Over these past days, if there haven't been a hundred powerhouses who died in that Baleful Star's courtyard, there must have been at least eighty.
Didn't those two Da Dou Shi powerhouses enter with complete confidence not long ago? Yet neither of them ever appeared again."
Before you continue