Mu Chen, Mu Chen, You Wasted the Opportunity I Gave You!

"Chen'er, what happened to you?"

When Mu Feng noticed that Mu Chen had not returned for a long time, he thought his son had encountered danger and hurried over with Mu Domain's forces.

However, he saw that Mu Chen was neither injured nor showed any signs of having fought.

Only that utterly devastated expression made his heart skip a beat.

Could it be that the Nine Netherbird...

"Father, our joy was for nothing."

Mu Chen smiled bitterly and shook his head. When he had first arrived, he had been so confident, determined to obtain it.

Who could have imagined that the Nine Netherbird had already flown away.

They had arrived too late!

"Did the Nine Netherbird die, or did it disappear?"

Mu Feng was somewhat nervous. In his view, even a dead Nine Netherbird still had value.

At the very least, its essence soul might remain.

But if it had disappeared, did that not mean the Nine Netherbird had likely recovered to a certain extent, making it far more dangerous?

No one knew how long the Nine Netherbird had been gone.

Nor did they know whether it was still in the Northern Spiritual Realm or somewhere even farther away.

If it was still in the Black Eerie Abyss, looking down upon the movements of ants like them, then the sky truly would be falling!

"It disappeared."

Mu Chen sighed and said, "It should have already left the Black Eerie Abyss and the Northern Spiritual Realm."

"A Nine Netherbird appearing in its true form would certainly cause a huge commotion. A tiny place like the Northern Spiritual Realm could not conceal its tracks."

The Northern Spiritual Realm was simply too small.

Rather than saying he lacked ambition, it was more accurate to say that unifying the Northern Spiritual Realm did not interest him at all.

After all, the strongest people in the Northern Spiritual Realm were only in the Three Heavens Realm, and had merely just entered the Fusion Heavenly Realm!

Not to mention the Great Thousand World—even on the Hundred Spirit Continent, this was an utterly remote backwater that could not be brought into polite company.

People still had to venture out into the world.

"Then how about Father finds you the finest spirit beast essence soul?"

Realizing there was no opportunity with the Nine Netherbird, Mu Feng immediately made his promise.

With the prestige of the Mu Domain Lord, he could certainly obtain the best spirit beast essence soul in the Northern Spiritual Realm!

"No need, Father."

Mu Chen shook his head. He knew very well that none of the spirit beasts in the Northern Spiritual Realm were suitable for him.

If he wanted a more ideal spirit beast essence soul, he would have to leave the Northern Spiritual Realm.

He would not roam the Hundred Spirit Continent.

Once he caused trouble, the entire Northern Spiritual Realm, including the Mu Domain, would be razed to the ground.

Mu Chen did not yet possess the strength to protect the entire Northern Spiritual Realm.

Thinking it over carefully, it was more appropriate to venture to the continent where the Five Great Academies were located.

After all, he would eventually enter one of the spiritual academies to cultivate for several years.

"I plan to leave the Northern Spiritual Realm now."

The moment those words came out, Mu Feng's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

The elite forces of the Mu Domain also stirred uneasily.

Everyone knew that the Mu Domain had replaced the Liu Domain and become the greatest domain in the Northern Spiritual Realm because Mu Chen had returned from the Spirit Road.

With him overseeing the Mu Domain, the Northern Spiritual Realm remained peaceful.

But if Mu Chen left, undercurrents would likely begin surging through the Northern Spiritual Realm the very next moment.

Given a little time, who knew how much bloodshed and carnage would follow.

"Isn't this a little too hasty? If you're going to the Five Great Academies now..."

Mu Feng was an old fox. How could he not know what kind of upheaval Mu Chen's plans would cause?

He deliberately emphasized the words "Five Great Academies" to reassure his subordinates.

As long as the Five Great Academies remained, the Mu Domain would be number one in the Northern Spiritual Realm.

What waves could the Liu Domain possibly stir up?

"I haven't decided which spiritual academy to attend yet."

Unaware of all this, Mu Chen pondered for a moment before continuing,

"I heard the Holy Spiritual Academy is the strongest among the Five Great Academies, and it acts domineeringly. Still, I don't think it suits me."

The Heavenly Sage Dean of the Holy Spiritual Academy was simply far too overbearing and forceful.

Even if Ji Xuan had been killed, he should not have openly broken the rules established by the Five Great Academies and personally stepped in to erase a mere Divine Soul Stage prodigy.

Had academy heads of the other Five Great Academies not been present to stop him, a major disaster would likely have occurred.

Those present without any backing would certainly have been unable to escape disaster either.

After all, the Heavenly Sage Dean also needed to protect the Holy Spiritual Academy's dignity.

A King-Sealing Prodigy like Mu Chen was, before he had truly grown up, nothing more than an ant with a bit of potential.

Therefore, he did not dare go to the Holy Spiritual Academy.

As for the Myriad Phoenix Spiritual Academy, which only accepted female students, he had even less of a chance.

Just like that, only three of the Five Great Academies remained.

Apart from the Holy Spiritual Academy and Myriad Phoenix Spiritual Academy, the Azure Heavens Spiritual Academy was not suitable either.

The Azure Heavens Spiritual Academy valued harmony between people and nature, as well as peaceful coexistence between people and spirit beasts.

Well, if he wanted to tame beasts, then the Azure Heavens Spiritual Academy would be the best choice.

But Mu Chen had no interest in that. He cared more about whether his fists could become stronger and whether he could gain extraordinary power.

That left the Martial Spirit Academy and Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy as difficult choices.

The Martial Spirit Academy was extremely tyrannical.

It emphasized bodily cultivation and placed great importance on combat techniques.

To become stronger, its students did not hesitate to risk their lives, gaining insights and improving between life and death.

Wu Ling was a martial fanatic. Unless the gap in strength was immense, he would definitely fight Luo Li to the death.

The Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, on the other hand, was much more relaxed, with a philosophy centered on individual cultivation.

Any resources one wanted had to be fought for through personal effort.

If someone wanted to lie flat, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy did not care.

For that very reason, its students' overall strength ranked near the bottom among the Five Great Academies.

What stood out more were exceptional individuals.

However, being exceptional individually did not mean one would stand out among the countless prodigies of the Five Great Academies.

When it came to competition, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy would certainly be easier.

"Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy..."

Mu Chen's gaze flickered.

Wu Ling and Wu Yingying, those two siblings, were the direct grandchildren of the Martial Spirit Academy's dean. In their generation of the Martial Spirit Academy, they were undoubtedly the most valued and heavily nurtured.

If he went there, conflict with them would be unavoidable.

What if something like what happened at the Holy Spiritual Academy occurred again, with the strong bullying the weak? What would he do then?

Mu Chen had no background, nor did he know much about the Martial Spirit Academy's dean, the Martial Heavenly King.

He only knew that the Martial Spirit Academy did not seem to be his best choice.

As for the cultivation environment at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, it was rather interesting.

Everything depended on fighting for it himself.

He would compete with fellow students and compete with seniors.

He would compete against those stronger than himself!

"I'll go to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy!"

If he remembered correctly, there were not many King-Sealing Prodigies heading to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.

That way, his chances of standing out would be great.

After cultivating the Great Pagoda Art his mother had left behind, he became even more certain.

"Good!"

Mu Feng immediately praised him.

Even if Mu Chen's departure would somewhat affect the Mu Domain's status,

as long as he cultivated properly at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy,

when he returned several years later, he would certainly be even stronger.

At that time, even if the Liu Domain harbored any crooked thoughts, it would be unable to shake the great tree!

"Come, let's return to the Mu Domain. Father will choose a few more top-grade spiritual arts for you!"

As Mu Chen, Mu Feng, and the others departed, a high-grade spirit beast Water-Fire Crane with blue and red wings immediately spread its wings and dove down from the sky high above the depths of the Black Eerie Abyss.

The Nine-leaf Sword Grass atop its head remained perfectly still.

"Mu Chen, Mu Chen, you wasted the opportunity I gave you."

After Zhao Chen learned of Mu Chen's choice, he could not help shaking his head and sighing.

If Mu Chen had been expelled from the Spirit Road, he would have faced countless accusations and curses, tempering his state of mind.

Not only would he have started over, he would have chosen to study Spirit Formations.

But...

After returning from the Spirit Road, Mu Chen had been praised far too extravagantly.

So much so that he had begun to feel that everything was going smoothly for him.

The higher one was lifted, the harder one fell.

If Mu Chen had cultivated peacefully after returning, he would not have failed even to try studying Spirit Formations...

Nor would he have given up the Myriad Phoenix Spiritual Academy and Martial Spirit Academy, which even Luo Li found appealing, when he had been free to choose among the Five Great Academies.

Only to go to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, which he believed would be easy.

"I'll be waiting for you at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. I hope you won't regret meeting me, hehe!"