Mu Chen headed toward the exit of the hidden grounds with the precious treasures he had obtained from the chest, his heart brimming with joy. What he did not know, however, was that his every move within the hidden grounds had been like a boulder hurled into a tranquil lake, stirring wave upon wave of jealousy. In other corners of the Spirit Road, the cultivators who had long envied Mu Chen were also keeping a close watch on his movements. When word that he had acquired the power of runes and opened the treasure chest spread like wildfire, the flames of their jealousy burned even more fiercely, threatening to devour their reason entirely. Inside a dark, damp cave, several jealous cultivators gathered, venomous resentment gleaming in their eyes. One of them, a tall man with a savage face, slammed his fist against the cave wall and roared, "That Mu Chen! Why does he always get all the benefits? First that mysterious power, and now so many treasures from the hidden grounds. I refuse to accept this!" Beside him, a woman in lavish clothing frowned, her eyes filled with jealousy and hatred. "We can't let him keep going like this. We have to find a way to stop him. This time, we'll make him disappear from the Spirit Road for good!" The others nodded and began discussing an even more vicious plot. They came from different families and factions, each possessing resources and methods of their own. Now, to deal with Mu Chen, they decided to join forces and pool all their strength. Their first thought was to use the Spirit Road's unusual environments and creatures against him. One cultivator proposed a plan. "Deep within the Spirit Road, there's a cursed swamp shrouded in poisonous gas all year round, with all kinds of ferocious venomous creatures. We can find a way to lure Mu Chen there and leave him with no way out." Another cultivator added, "The swamp alone isn't enough. We can set powerful spiritual energy traps around it. Once they're triggered, he'll have a hard time escaping, no matter how capable he is." They divided up the work and set to it. Some were responsible for heading to the swamp to lay traps and prepare bait to draw Mu Chen into their scheme. They cleverly arranged seemingly precious spirit herbs and treasures within the swamp, placing the bait at the center of the traps. These objects radiated enticing fluctuations of spiritual energy and looked like rare treasures from afar, enough to attract someone like Mu Chen, who had such a strong desire for power and treasures. The others were tasked with following Mu Chen and finding the right moment to lure him toward the swamp. Like ghosts lurking in the shadows, they quietly trailed him, waiting for the best opportunity to act. Meanwhile, Mu Chen was immersed in the joy of his newly acquired power and treasures, completely unaware of the approaching danger. After leaving the hidden grounds, he found a relatively quiet spot and began studying the ancient scroll he had obtained from the chest. When he unrolled it, he found ancient, mysterious writing, every character seemingly containing a mysterious power. Mu Chen devoted his full attention to deciphering it. As he delved deeper, he discovered that the scroll recorded an exceptionally profound method of cultivating spiritual energy. This method allowed cultivators to merge their own spiritual energy with the natural forces between heaven and earth, breaking through the limits of their spiritual energy to reach an entirely new realm. Mu Chen felt as though he had found a priceless treasure and began cultivating according to the instructions on the scroll. As he cultivated, he could feel a wondrous connection forming between his spiritual energy and the natural forces around him. When a gentle breeze brushed past, he could sense the spiritual energy within the wind; when sunlight spilled down, he could draw upon its energy. This entirely new cultivation experience filled him with excitement. He became completely immersed in cultivation, his strength steadily increasing without his even realizing it. While Mu Chen was concentrating on his cultivation, the cultivators following him found their opportunity. They deliberately caused a disturbance nearby to attract his attention. Sensing something unusual around him, Mu Chen rose warily and looked toward the source of the sound. A strange light flickered not far away, seemingly carrying the aura of a precious treasure. His interest stirred. Though he remained somewhat cautious, his curiosity about the treasure persuaded him to investigate. He moved carefully toward the light, unaware that he was walking step by step into a trap his enemies had laid. When he approached the light, he discovered the seemingly precious spirit herbs and treasures. Yet just as he was about to move closer to examine them, he suddenly sensed something abnormal in the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuations. His heart jolted as he realized this might be a trap. But it was too late-he had already triggered the spiritual energy traps around him. Instantly, powerful beams of spiritual energy shot up from underground, weaving together into an enormous net that closed over Mu Chen. At the same time, the ground around him began shaking violently, and vast quantities of poisonous gas and venomous creatures surged out of the swamp. The creatures came in all shapes and sizes: enormous poisonous spiders, vividly colored venomous snakes, and even winged venomous scorpions. They swarmed toward Mu Chen. He hastily raised a spiritual energy shield and used his newly acquired rune power and spiritual energy techniques to counter the danger. Compressing his spiritual energy, he fired powerful blasts at the net of light, trying to break it apart. Cracks appeared in the net under his attacks, but they quickly sealed again. Meanwhile, concealed by the poisonous gas, the venomous creatures relentlessly attacked his shield. Their venom was highly corrosive; as it dripped onto the ground, it hissed and ate away large pits in the earth. Mu Chen's spiritual energy shield began flickering under their assault. He knew that unless he escaped soon, he would be left with no way out. At this critical moment, Mu Chen remembered the crystal-clear spirit pearl he had obtained in the hidden grounds. He took it out of his storage ring and poured his spiritual energy into it. The pearl instantly erupted with tremendous power, dispersing the poisonous gas around him and intimidating the venomous creatures to some extent. Seizing the opportunity, Mu Chen gathered his strength and unleashed an all-out strike at a weak point in the net of spiritual energy. This time, he successfully shattered the net and charged toward the edge of the swamp. But the cultivators who envied him would not let him go so easily. They emerged from the shadows and blocked his path. The tall man sneered. "Mu Chen, do you think you can still escape? Today is the day you die!" With that, he launched an attack at Mu Chen. The other cultivators struck as well, sending all manner of powerful spiritual energy attacks raining down on him. A glint of resolve flashed in Mu Chen's eyes. He clenched his fists, ready to face this battle of life and death. He knew that only by defeating these enemies could he continue surviving on the Spirit Road.
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