Lightning flickered atop the golden battle platform. Following the dissipation of the lightning, a familiar figure appeared before many astonished gazes.
When they saw the figure's appearance, the eyes of countless people narrowed sharply. Some even blinked their eyes repeatedly, looking frightened as if they just saw a ghost.
"That's… Mu Chen??!"
"Wasn't he trapped within the Mirror of Judgment? How did he come out?"
"How is this possible… Did he break through the binding of the Mirror of Judgment?"
"That's too terrifying…"
"..."
At this point, the uproar resounded through the heavens and earth. Almost all of them had their eyes wide open and shock was written on their faces. It was clear that the scene before them shook them, and the astonishment was no less than the discovery of Ji Xuan summoning the Sovereign Sea.
Many disciples in the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy looked at the scene in amazement. When recognition dawned on them, ecstasy suddenly poured out of their eyes, and deafening cheers reverberated like thunder.
"Wow, Brother Mu really appeared!"
"Hahaha, no wonder he's worthy of being the top of the Heaven rank at our Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy!"
"Brother Mu, destroy those two b*****s!"
All the disciples in the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy were very excited. Although Luo Li had also shown her impressive capabilities, she had always kept a very low profile in the Academy. Mu Chen, however, improved and advanced courageously at an astonishing speed from the moment he entered the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. He swiftly became the most dazzling newcomer in the Academy.
As he surpassed himself time and again, he began to truly gain the approval of everyone in the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. Even though he eventually replaced Shen Cangsheng as the top of the Heaven rank, no one felt dissatisfied or questioned his ability. They knew that he had the qualifications to occupy that position.
Unconsciously, in the hearts of many Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy disciples, Mu Chen had clearly become the benchmark of their Academy. Thus, when they saw that Mu Chen had finally reappeared, the excitement in their hearts was palpable.
"This fellow…"
Su Ling'er's eyes sparkled at the slender figure atop the golden platform. She bit her lips, and clasped her small hands tightly together with excitement.
"Brother Mu Chen really appeared. I knew he wouldn't disappoint us!"
Yu Xi's beautiful face was full of admiration.
Ye Qingling heaved a quiet sigh of relief as she looked around at the students of the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy, who had suddenly burst out with amazing vigor.
They were originally despondent, but at this point it seemed as if they had been infused with infinite confidence, and their faces were full of passionate glee. They seemed to always believe that with the appearance of Mu Chen, the situation could be reversed completely.
Ever since Mu Chen had entered the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy, everything he had done during his years there had never disappointed anyone.
The youth had a charisma that had others easily following him, and that charm came from his self-confidence.
No matter how strong the enemy was, he never backed down, and always faced opponents courageously.
"The moment he appears, he acts all suave and rescues beautiful ladies, please…"
Ling Xi smiled faintly, her stiff body gradually relaxing. There was a smile on her little red mouth. Mu Chen's performance did not disappoint her.
Atop the golden battle platform and amid the commotion that rang through heaven and earth, Mu Chen glanced down at the two women in his arms and asked, "Are both of you alright?"
Luo Li gazed at the familiar face in surprise. A faint smile appeared before she shook her head to signal that she was fine. Wen Qingxuan, however, was stunned in shock when she saw Mu Chen's face. Realization dawned on her when she heard the deafening cheers and felt Mu Chen's arm around her waist. Her cheeks flushed as she hurriedly freed herself from Mu Chen's grasp. She stared at him in fury and embarrassment.
"Trying to take advantage of me?"
Upon seeing the girl was about to get mad, Mu Chen replied exasperatedly,
"Under the circumstances, I was just trying to save you, okay."
"Hmph, it must feel good having two of us in your arms, doesn't it?"
Wen Qingxuan wasn't buying his explanation, as she harrumphed.
"You let two girls fight for such a long time. How ungentlemanly of you!"
Mu Chen scratched his head sheepishly as he lifted his head to glance at Ji Xuan, who stood in the sky. His eyes darkened coldly before smiling in reply. "My apologies. Let me do the next battle."
"Are you up to it? That fellow now can even summon the Sovereign Sea, although he isn't a true Sovereign yet. He's not someone we can resist easily."
Wen Qingxuan glanced at him in apprehension, but worry was hidden in her gaze.
"Let me help you. I can still fight. Even though he summoned the Sovereign Sea, if it came down to it, I might not lose to him," Luo Li said softly.
Mu Chen smiled as he shook his head gently.
"I have been waiting for this battle for a long time."
Luo Li said nothing more, for she knew that the battle before her indeed belonged to Mu Chen.
"Be careful."
Luo Li and Wen Qingxuan glanced at each other before slowly stepping back. They locked a glacial gaze on Xie Tianhe, who had been severely injured by a blow from Mu Chen, as he lay limply on the battle platform. Xie Tianhe had completely lost his combat power. However, the two women, who had been extremely disparaging of his previous despicable means, would naturally not let him off lightly now.
Mu Chen on the other hand, did not care about the state Xie Tianhe was in. He slowly hovered in the air, finally standing in front of Ji Xuan, directly facing him.
Ji Xuan's cold gaze had been fixed on Mu Chen ever since he appeared. Deep in his eyes, a cold glint was intertwined with murderous intent. Finally, a ferocious smile became etched on his face as he tilted his head slightly and stared at Mu Chen.
"I was surprised that you could actually break out."
"Your surprise has just begun."
Mu Chen smiled, but his smile was chilling. His eyes were also filled with sharp, murderous intent. He could feel the spiritual energy surrounding Luo Li was in slight turmoil, which was due to Ji Xuan inflicting injuries on her in their prior battle.
Ji Xuan shook his head as he replied, "It doesn't matter. The fact that you could appear is what I wanted. I'm thinking, if I utterly defeat you here, will those disciples from the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy still trust and worship you?"
He had clearly seen the sudden outburst of countless disciples from the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy, and if he defeated Mu Chen later, the many eyes that had lit up would then turn despondent, and this would make him feel a sense of satisfaction.
Mu Chen smiled but did not say anything more. His hands slowly clenched, and the majestic force of his spiritual energy was suddenly erupting like a volcano.
Boom!
A wave of powerful spiritual energy rippled around Mu Chen's body, the strength far surpassing that from before.
"Oh? The Three Grades of the Spirit Disaster?"
Ji Xuan sensed the spiritual energy fluctuations. As he raised his brow, his mouth twisted into a sardonic smirk.
"It seems that you have gotten a lot of benefits from the Mirror of Judgment."
Before entering the Mirror of Judgment, Mu Chen's ability level was only at the First Grade of the Spirit Disaster. However, his ability now was at the Third Grade of the Spirit Disaster. It was apparent that Mu Chen had passed two Grades of the Spirit Disaster in the Mirror of Judgment…
"However, this level of spiritual energy is of no threat to me, at this stage."
Ji Xuan smiled before his expression turned cold. Pointing his fingers in the air, a huge holy light swept through the Sovereign Sea behind him, as if materializing into something tangible, traversing the space, and shooting directly at Mu Chen.
His casual point summoned such powerful spiritual energy fluctuations that far surpassed that of masters who had passed the Three Grades of the Spirit Disaster.
Crash!
However, when the beam of holy light containing astonishingly strong spiritual energy fluctuations swept towards him, Mu Chen's expression remained calm. Immediately above his body, bright sparks of thunder burst out. These sparks of thunder wrapped around Mu Chen's body fluidly, quickly integrating into his body.
Whoosh!
The flickering of thunder caused Mu Chen's skin to become as bright as silver. Sparks of thunder glimmered on his chest as thunder marks appeared line by line.
One mark… Five marks… Seven marks… Eight marks… Nine marks!
Mu Chen's Thunder God Physique had attained the powerful stage of the Ennea Rune Lightning Physique!
When the ninth thunder mark emerged, Mu Chen's dark eyes looked as if they were cast by a thunderbolt with flickering sparks of lightning.
He took a step forward, dealing a seemingly slow and mild blow.
Bam!
His fist seemed to be slow, but in an instant, it bombarded the beam of seemingly intangible holy light. The sparks of thunder then burst out in a barrage, shattering the holy light into smithereens with one brutal blow!
"You want to resist the Sovereign with just the strength of your physical body? What a joke!"
Seeing Mu Chen surrounded by thunderbolts, Ji Xuan sneered coldly as his gaze hardened. He could feel that Mu Chen's physical body had become extremely strong, but if he wanted to compete with him on that basis, he was afraid that Mu Chen was overly naive.
"Even someone like you is considered to be a Sovereign?"
Mu Chen smiled, as he gazed intently at the vast and majestic Sovereign Sea behind Ji Xuan. He smirked and stated slowly, "Isn't it just an imperfect Sovereign Sea? Did you think… that you were the only one who had it?"
Upon hearing Mu Chen's words, Ji Xuan's eyes narrowed in shock.