At that very instant, a streak of black light slipped silently through space and sank into Mu Chen's body!
No one but him noticed!
Within his aura sea, above the blood essence surging like rivers and the settled spiritual energy, a speck of unfathomably deep black light quietly appeared...
It was a sheet of black paper!
A fragment of the Immortal Diagram Record from the Primordial Divine Canon-the Seal Page!
It contained part of the cultivation method for the Eternal Undying Body: the great solar undying dharma body.
The Eternal Undying Body ranked fourth among the ninety-nine grade supreme dharma bodies!
Mu Chen instantly turned his awareness inward, gazing at the floating sheet of pitch-black paper. Even with the composure gained from living two lives, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.
He had searched for it during his journey along the Spirit Road, but his efforts had come to nothing.
He had thought the opportunity was lost. Never had he imagined that it would seek him out in this manner, slipping into his body the instant the final gate opened!
Truly, he had worn through iron shoes searching in vain, only to obtain it without the slightest effort!
Buzzz-
At that moment, incomparably dazzling light erupted from the circular platform!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Blood-red tokens flew uncontrollably from everyone's robes and storage items, hovering above their owners' heads. They hummed and trembled, radiating light of the same origin as the final gate.
Mu Chen felt his body grow weightless as a gentle yet irresistible force enveloped him. Endless starlight filled his eyes, stripping away his sight and senses in an instant.
Time and space shifted; heaven and earth changed places.
It lasted only a breath, perhaps even less.
The sensation of solid ground returned beneath his feet, and the starlight surrounding him receded like a tide.
Luo Li was no longer beside him. Battle platforms beneath their feet separated all the trial participants.
Mu Chen surveyed his surroundings thoughtfully. Could this be the War Realm?
Five figures appeared in the sky in the blink of an eye and took their places upon golden seats of light.
The deans of the Five Great Academies!
Dean Taicang wore azure robes and appeared middle-aged, his face as gentle as warm jade. His eyes were as vast as the stars, and beneath his calm demeanor, an indescribable authority spread outward, awing heaven and earth.
Dean Tian Song had white brows and a white beard, looking every bit an old man, yet his skin was as fair as an infant's. An azure pine seemed to grow upon his palm, and as it swayed, space trembled!
The Dean of Martial Spirit Academy was somewhat thin and wizened. An old man like Dean Tian Song, he was rather short, stroking his beard with a withered hand. Beneath his sleepy appearance flowed an endless, domineering might.
Dean Wan Huang wore an ornate long dress, her features graceful and regal. She was a beautiful woman who appeared young, yet in seniority, she stood second only to the dean of Sacred Spirit Academy!
The dean of Sacred Spirit Academy had a head of white hair and a handsome, sharply sculpted face. He sat there calmly, yet seemed like a mountain holding up the heavens, towering between heaven and earth and inspiring dread.
Five deans, five utterly different auras, together formed the heavens of this War Realm, looking down upon the many trial participants like pieces on a chessboard.
The entire War Realm fell deathly silent.
Even the most unruly geniuses reined in all their sharp edges, leaving only heartfelt shock and reverence.
Supreme experts were terrifying indeed!
Mu Chen felt the deans' gazes fall upon him.
Tsk, tsk. With Ji Xuan dead, were they all watching me now?
He suspected that the dean of Sacred Spirit Academy had tried something underhanded, only to have the other deans reject it.
Such were the Five Great Academies: they supported one another and kept one another in check!
The deathly silence lasted for a dozen breaths or so.
At last, Dean Tian Sheng, seated upon the central throne of light, spoke slowly.
"The final trial of the Spirit Road: battle for supremacy in the War Realm."
"Within the War Realm, each of you stands upon an independent battle platform. With a thought, you may activate its formation and challenge any other platform."
"The victor may absorb half the defeated participant's War Realm spiritual light."
"The defeated participant's platform will lose half its spiritual light."
"Only the twenty with the most War Realm spiritual light may be crowned kings and claim the championship!"
"The time limit is three days."
"Let the contest begin!"
With those words, he offered no further explanation.
The figures upon the five seats of light merely watched quietly from above, making no further intervention.
As Dean Tian Sheng's words fell, the dark-gold battle platforms beneath every participant's feet trembled slightly in unison.
The ancient patterns flowing across their surfaces suddenly lit up, emitting a soft white glow.
At the same time, everyone clearly sensed a wondrous connection forming between themselves and the platforms beneath their feet, as though the platforms had become extensions of their own bodies.
Mu Chen stood alone upon his platform, his gaze passing over dozens of others to settle upon that silver figure.
As though their hearts were linked, Luo Li looked over at the same moment, and the two exchanged a smile.
Mu Chen withdrew his gaze and stirred his thoughts.
The patterns beneath his feet flashed, and an invisible ripple rose from the platform, crossing space and descending directly upon a platform in the southeastern corner of the War Realm.
Upon that platform, Wu Ling was frowning as he surveyed his surroundings, seemingly weighing whom to challenge first.
Suddenly, the platform beneath his feet trembled slightly. Its patterns flowed, and a clear message entered his mind-
A flicker of astonishment crossed Wu Ling's refined face. He abruptly raised his head and looked toward the platform approaching to join his.
"Mu Chen of the Hundred Spirits Continent. Please enlighten me!"
Under the War Realm's rules, the challenged party could not refuse. After a battle, however, they received half an incense stick's worth of protection, though those with confidence could forgo it.
Wu Ling drew a deep breath, his gaze gradually sharpening.
"Wu Ling of the Heavenly Martial Continent." He cupped his hands with impeccable courtesy, but his gaze was like a blade. "Forgive me!"
Before his words had finished, Wu Ling stamped down upon his platform with a thunderous crash!
He shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, his right fist clenched tight. Bearing pressure as heavy as a mountain, it drove straight toward Mu Chen's face!
There was nothing flashy about this punch. It was simple and direct!
Mu Chen merely stepped forward. In the next instant, he was beside Wu Ling, gently resting one hand upon his shoulder...
Then Wu Ling felt an indescribably vast power surge from that palm, pouring through his shoulder bone and spine before crashing into every limb and bone!
Boom-!!
That power forced him down, driving him onto one knee upon the platform!
Wu Ling struggled to rise, only to discover that the hand remained upon his shoulder, as immovable as a mountain.
Victory and defeat were decided!
From beginning to end, it had taken no more than an instant.
"I concede!" Wu Ling sighed. The gulf between them was simply too great; he could see no possibility of victory. This youth must have attained a fifth-grade spirit body!
"This... how is this possible..." someone murmured.
"Wu Ling couldn't even withstand a single move?"
"That wasn't a move... just a casual press of his hand..."
Whispers spread like a rising tide, shock and alarm written across every face.
Mu Chen withdrew his hand.
"Thank you for the match."
The barrier of light around the platforms dissipated, and the two platforms slowly separated, returning to their original positions.
Yet while his platform was still returning, Mu Chen stirred his thoughts again.
He selected Wen Qingxuan's platform!
Before you continue