The starlight faded, and his feet touched solid ground.
Mu Chen surveyed his surroundings. An ancient forest stretched as far as the eye could see.
Towering trees rose from the earth, their interwoven branches blocking most of the daylight. Only scattered patches of light slipped through the gaps, dappling the forest with dancing brightness.
The air was damp and heavy, filled with the mingled scents of soil, rotting leaves, and some unfamiliar vegetation.
So this was the Spirit Road?
Mu Chen drew a deep breath, keenly sensing the changes in his body.
"Just as I thought. Spiritual energy is sealed off."
Here on the Spirit Road, none of the participants could use spiritual energy. They could only rely on the most primitive strength of their bodies to survive and fight.
Of course, there was a way to grow stronger: slay spiritual beasts and use their soul essences to strengthen oneself!
A blood-red token descended before Mu Chen. It served as proof of identity on the Spirit Road, as well as the key to future rank assessments and the struggle for spiritual energy.
Just as he examined the token, the familiar pale-blue screen automatically unfolded in his mind.
[Detected that the master has entered a special trial area-Spirit Road.] [Notice: Check-in is available in the current area. Check in?]
Mu Chen's eyes lit up. He silently commanded, Check in.
[Check-in location: Spirit Road] [Check-in successful!] [Reward obtained: Innate Chaos Saint Body Dao Embryo] [Born of chaos, attuned to the Great Dao; a saint body that upholds the heavens, before which all arts retreat.]
An indescribable sensation erupted from the deepest reaches of his soul!
A warm current slowly flowed through every limb and bone, reweaving and reforging a body that had already been considered exceptional!
His bones gave off faint yet densely clustered chimes, like clear notes from a jade chime stone. His blood seemed to flow more slowly, yet with greater weight and force, and every heartbeat thundered like an ancient war drum!
A faint, chaos-colored glow shimmered beneath his skin, flashing once before sinking deep into his flesh.
Mu Chen stood still, closing his eyes to experience the changes in his body.
He could feel his strength surging wildly in silence. His flesh, sinews, and bones grew denser and tougher, while his five senses sharpened several times over!
A sense of luminous clarity arose within him.
It was as though this body should always have been like this. His dozen-odd years of cultivation had merely been fumbling beneath a thick layer of dust. Now that the dust had been brushed away, the pearl finally revealed its brilliance.
Most importantly... he seemed able to choose whether to submit to this place's suppression of spiritual energy!
All it would take was a thought... but I might as well follow the rules for now.
Once he finished assessing his condition, Mu Chen slowly opened his eyes.
An illusion of chaos splitting open and the sun, moon, and stars revolving seemed to flash through his gaze. Then his eyes regained their clarity, deeper and brighter than before.
What an Innate Chaos Saint Body Dao Embryo! Delight filled Mu Chen's heart.
He gently made a fist, employing no technique at all, simply closing his five fingers.
Pop!
The air in his palm actually burst with a faint crack!
Physical strength that seemed capable of shaking mountains surged and roared through his veins!
Mu Chen put the token into his storage pouch. His footsteps fell soundlessly upon the ground, thick with decaying plant matter.
With the Dao embryo newly awakened, his control over his body had already reached an exquisitely precise level.
His calm gaze swept his surroundings. The forest was deep and secluded, with dangers lurking unseen, yet Mu Chen felt no fear, only a faint trace of anticipation.
After walking some distance, Mu Chen paused briefly.
"Splash... splash..."
The sound of flowing water and a young woman's occasional soft humming reached his ears with exceptional clarity.
A flicker of understanding passed through Mu Chen's eyes.
That should be Wu Yingying.
She was the granddaughter of the Martial Heavenly King of the Martial Spirit Academy. Frank and fiery, even somewhat headstrong, she was nevertheless good at heart and drew a clear line between gratitude and grudges.
In the original course of events, she and Mu Chen had become acquainted through a fight on the Spirit Road, and later fought side by side. She could be considered a friend worth making.
To think I would still run into her here after simply choosing a random direction. It seems we really do share a bit of fate.
Mu Chen did not approach any farther, instead choosing another direction. This was hardly a suitable time to introduce himself. Still, taking a bath on the Spirit Road-this girl really was carefree!
Just then, something unexpected happened!
"Roar!!"
A beast's roar suddenly exploded through the forest, startling a flock of birds into flight!
From the direction of the distant stream came the sound of violently churning water. A graceful figure darted from the stream to the bank in an instant, as nimble as a swift.
A delicate little foot flicked lightly against the blue stone on the bank, sending a folded set of blue clothes into the air. In the space of an instant, the slightly snug combat outfit was neatly in place, though she had yet to pin up her dripping hair.
Clearly, Wu Yingying had heard the roar as well.
The next moment, a blood-red spiritual beast resembling both a pig and a tiger, with a single pitch-black horn on its head, appeared in Mu Chen's field of vision.
It was as large as a sturdy ox, with protruding tusks and a body covered in short, stiff red bristles like steel needles. The ring of black spikes around its neck looked particularly ferocious.
Its four hooves struck the ground, sending rotten leaves flying. A pair of tiny crimson eyes fixed on him, and foul-smelling saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth.
"A Blood Pig Tiger?"
Mu Chen was somewhat surprised.
This never happened in the original story. An encounter with this thing should have come later!
Things have already changed right at the beginning. It looks like the later plot can only serve as a reference.
Mu Chen's complete lack of concealment drew the Blood Pig Tiger's attention. Clearly viewing him as food, it snorted two jets of white vapor and scraped the ground with its hind hooves, ready to charge.
The Blood Pig Tiger used no elaborate pouncing technique. Relying solely on its enormous body and terrifying strength, it thundered toward Mu Chen like a blood-red war chariot.
Deep hoofprints marked its passage!
Mu Chen did not panic. His feet shifted only slightly, his steps so simple they seemed almost casual, and his body drifted sideways like willow fluff on the wind.
The Blood Pig Tiger rushed past barely half a foot from his side, trailing a foul wind as its charge missed.
Mu Chen's gaze remained calm and unruffled. At some point, a seemingly ordinary black dagger had appeared in his hand.
His figure flickered as he closed in beside the Blood Pig Tiger's neck. The dagger's tip slipped forward without a sound, tracing a scale-like gap at the roots of the black spikes with a gentle slice...
Squelch!
A slender line of blood suddenly appeared, then burst open!
Warm blood sprayed several meters like a fountain that had been pent up for far too long, staining the nearby tree trunk and ground a glaring scarlet.
One slash across the throat, clean and decisive!
"Awooo!!"
With a vital spot wounded, the excruciating pain fully unleashed the Blood Pig Tiger's ferocity. It let out an earthshaking howl of agony, its tiny crimson eyes instantly filling with a crazed, bloody light.
Ignoring the blood gushing from its neck, it twisted violently and opened its enormous, blood-filled maw, snapping viciously at Mu Chen with foul breath. At the same time, its two forehooves stomped down hard, intent on crushing the one who had gravely wounded it into a bloody pulp!
In its berserk state, the Blood Pig Tiger's strength and speed both rose a notch, making it even more dangerous.
Mu Chen merely raised his left hand and spread his fingers, then gently pressed down on the massive head the Blood Pig Tiger had swung toward him with all its might.
Thud!!
A muffled impact rang out, like a heavy hammer smashing into wet mud.
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