In the days that followed, Mu Chen's life abruptly shifted into a different rhythm.
The Spirit Value Hall became the place he frequented most.
In accordance with his agreement with the Bei Ming Dragon Kun, Dean Taicang personally issued an order: all the Spirit Arts and divine arts the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy had accumulated over hundreds upon thousands of years were to be opened to Mu Chen!
This caused a few ripples among the academy's higher-ups, but once they learned it was Lord Bei Ming's wish, every objection quietly vanished.
Mu Chen entered each morning and did not leave until dusk, studying Spirit Arts and divine arts, comprehending and refining their true essence, then incorporating it into his Dao Diagram. His combat strength soared every single day!
During this time, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy also saw a few minor commotions, such as the Freshman Assembly and contests for Spirit Lotus Seeds within the Spirit Gathering Array. Mu Chen took part in none of them.
One thing worth mentioning was that Wen Qingxuan took first place at the Freshman Assembly.
As for why it was not Luo Li... perhaps that had something to do with the relationship between the two women.
In two months, Mu Chen comprehended all the Spirit Arts and divine arts of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and accumulated enough spiritual energy to prepare for his breakthrough into the Supreme Realm!
Had his resources not been limited, he could have reached this step even sooner!
Deep within the Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array, spiritual energy had become a literal ocean.
The viscous liquid spiritual energy shimmered faintly, every ripple bringing a dull rumble.
Yet to the black-robed figure seated at the deepest point of that spiritual ocean, even this concentration of spiritual energy seemed far from enough!
Mu Chen's eyes were tightly shut, his pores open, every inch of his skin seemingly transformed into a bottomless pit.
Rumble-
A vast whirlpool of liquid spiritual energy formed around him.
Over a thousand zhang in diameter, the whirlpool spun furiously, wrenching spiritual energy from farther away and pouring it all into Mu Chen's body.
Spiritual energy flooded in at such a terrifying rate that a visible cocoon of spiritual light formed around him.
Vast spiritual energy surged into his body like floodwaters bursting through a dam. His double pupils activated on their own, radiant light suffusing them, while the Chaos Dao Diagram shed a hazy, pure glow.
At the center of his Qi Sea, the One-Qi Chaos Tower stood tall. The mighty torrent of spiritual energy washed over it, undergoing a thousand hammerings and a hundred refinements, shedding the dross and retaining the essence!
After this threefold refinement, the spiritual energy that finally settled in Mu Chen's Qi Sea had become pure and concentrated to an inconceivable degree.
His Qi Sea soon filled with this pure spiritual energy, and a faint stabbing pain arose.
Mu Chen remained calm, having anticipated this.
Rather than slowing his absorption, he willed its speed to rise to the absolute limit!
Boom-!
The liquid spiritual energy throughout the Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array was churned by this terrifying suction, surging madly toward the center of the whirlpool.
The array's energy-gathering light flickered wildly, barely able to keep pace with Mu Chen's consumption.
Outside the Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array, high in the sky.
Dean Taicang stood suspended in the air, his azure robes stirring in the breeze formed by spiritual energy.
His penetrating gaze pierced layer upon layer of the array's light screens, revealing the horrifying scene deep within the spiritual ocean.
"This boy..." Shock first appeared on Dean Taicang's face, then turned into a wry smile.
In his many years leading the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, he had seen geniuses as numerous as carp crossing a river, including many of astonishing brilliance.
Yet he had never seen a prodigy like Mu Chen. Nearly draining a Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array single-handedly was unheard of.
The Spirit Gathering Array actually gathered spiritual energy more slowly than he absorbed it!
At this rate, the array would sooner or later be damaged by the strain of operating beyond its capacity.
"What a troublesome fellow. Fortunately, Lord Bei Ming foresaw this." Dean Taicang shook his head, but there was no reproach in his voice, only a trace of admiration and anticipation.
Without further hesitation, he swept his sleeve.
An ancient-looking dark cyan ring slipped from his finger and floated before him.
Dean Taicang held two fingers together like a sword and pointed through the air.
"Go."
The next instant, a pale cyan torrent composed entirely of supreme spirit liquid gushed from the ring, pouring straight into the spiritual energy whirlpool Mu Chen had created!
Supreme spirit liquid was refined by Supreme experts. Its spiritual energy was far purer and gentler than ordinary ambient spiritual energy, making it a top-tier resource universally used among Supreme Realm cultivators, and incomparably precious.
To aid Mu Chen, both the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and the Bei Ming Dragon Kun had spared no expense!
As this mighty, pure infusion of outside power entered him, Mu Chen's entire body shuddered.
The sensation of having reached his limit abruptly intensified!
His Qi Sea shattered completely-destruction before rebirth!
Supreme Sea, form!
Inner world, open!
A spark of spiritual light appeared and abruptly began to evolve!
It was like a boundless starry sky, like primordial chaos newly opened!
The One-Qi Chaos Tower stood at its center, like a backbone supporting heaven and earth; the phantom of the Chaos Dao Diagram imprinted itself within, shedding Dao resonance that evolved myriad arts; the power of his double pupils became invisible threads of law, running throughout this newborn Supreme Sea!
The ocean of spiritual energy rippled gently. Every drop weighed thousands of jun and contained unimaginable reserves of spiritual energy, along with a trace of ancient Dao resonance from the dawn of chaos.
Mist rose above the sea. Within it, faint images of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers emerged and vanished, as though portraying the embryonic form of a world.
An unsurpassed foundation was forged!
The Supreme Realm was attained!
Boom!
An indescribably terrifying aura erupted from Mu Chen's body and shot into the heavens!
Simply standing there, he seemed to become the center of heaven and earth. An invisible presence naturally spread around him, inspiring awe and making others afraid to look directly at him.
"So this is the Supreme Realm?"
Mu Chen raised his eyes, savoring the power within his body, delight appearing on his face.
Dean Taicang quietly appeared a short distance before Mu Chen. As he carefully sensed the mighty aura that had yet to be fully withdrawn, he could no longer conceal the wonder in his eyes.
Mu Chen reined in his aura and bowed solemnly to Dean Taicang. "Thank you for sparing no effort to help me just now, Dean. Without that vast quantity of supreme spirit liquid, my breakthrough might not have been so complete."
His words came from the heart. Dean Taicang's aid at that crucial moment had not only hastened his breakthrough, but also perfected his Supreme Sea and strengthened his foundation further.
It had saved him nearly half a year of arduous cultivation and refinement!
"Ah, that is not quite right." Dean Taicang waved a hand and smiled. "Even without my spirit liquid, with your accumulated strength and foundation, your breakthrough would have come as naturally as water flowing into a completed channel. You would merely have needed more time to refine it."
"It is the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy's good fortune to lend you a hand. Only..."
His tone shifted as he looked down at the Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array, nearly drained of spiritual energy and on the verge of shattering. With a wry smile, he said, "Your breakthrough certainly caused quite a stir. I fear this Level Eight Spirit Gathering Array will need some time for repairs."
Mu Chen rubbed his nose, feeling a little embarrassed.
He truly had not expected his breakthrough to require such a vast quantity of spiritual energy. What he had accumulated over two months had proved little more than a cup of water against a burning cartload of firewood.
"I will make amends and compensate for the damage to the Spirit Array," Mu Chen said.
"Haha, there is no need." Dean Taicang laughed. "It is only a Spirit Gathering Array. Establishing a good connection with a Supreme who is certain to make his name resound throughout the Great Thousand World is well worth it."
"However, now that you have entered the Supreme Realm, you are no longer a student."
"Under the academy's rules, you may be promoted to elder and receive an elder's stipend and privileges. Of course, you are still young. If you wish to continue acting as a student, that is also permissible."
"Since you have shown me such kindness, Dean, it would be discourteous to refuse," Mu Chen said with a smile.
But the mention of elders... reminded him of Ling Xi. He had been so absorbed in cultivation all this time that he had yet to meet her.
Just then, an idea suddenly struck him.
"Speaking of which, my mother is actually an old acquaintance of Elder Ling Xi of our Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Would you let me handle the matter of this Spirit Array?"
Before you continue