Deep in the ruins of the great hall, a gray-robed silhouette sat quietly, as if immovable. When Mu Chen saw this shadow, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
This was because he found that the gray-robed silhouette was not the same as the skeleton he had seen before. A wizened face could still be seen under those robes, but Mu Chen could not feel a trace of life from his body.
Dust had gathered on the gray-robed figure. Although he vaguely perceived that there seemed to be Meteorfall gas contained within this body, he also sensed an aura of danger.
It was a rather eerie occurrence that a person could retain his form for thousands of years after his fall.
Mu Chen's gaze flickered. He did not step further into the hall, but instead began to cautiously retreat. The Meteorfall Battlefield was full of deadly crises, and if he was not careful, he would end up being buried in this place, too. Mu Chen was not willing to perish here, just because he wanted to obtain some Meteorfall Alchemy.
Rustle.
Mu Chen's footsteps glided quietly across the ground. However, just as Mu Chen was about to retreat from the hall, the gray-robed figure suddenly shivered and lifted his wizened face. His sunken eyes flashed an unsettling scarlet and black.
Boom!
Mu Chen's face twisted and without any hesitation, he swiftly backed away.
The gray robed figure's withered palm looked like a boney claw and shot out fiercely. A black obsidian light condensed in his palm like a black hole, and a terrifying suction force burst out.
Mu Chen's swiftly retreating body froze. The dreadful suction force was impossible to resist, and with a swoop, his body swept towards the gray-robed figure.
Mu Chen's face twisted in horror, as he had apparently not expected the gray-robed figure to be so powerful. The simple display of this move alone was far more powerful than Lu Wu's moves had been.
Mu Chen was sucked quickly into the hall, and as he approached, he could see the dark scarlet-black color of the gray-robed figure's sunken eyes, which were so full of destruction and fury that it was hardly human.
Not a human? Mu Chen's heart dropped. Could this gray robe be one of the Extraterritorial Race?"
Mu Chen's gaze flashed rapidly. He gnashed his teeth and behind his back, a golden glow surged as the Spirit of the Real Phoenix emerged, transforming into a pair of massive phoenix wings.
With a sweep of the phoenix wings, a hurricane roared as Mu Chen's body steadied. With another flap of his wings, he appeared above a stone pillar. Clenching his fist, the Great Meru Demonic Pillar emerged, its massive shadow bringing about a demonic force that smashed brutally onto the gray-robed figure.
However, in the face of Mu Chen's wild attack, the gray-robed figure just stretched out a dry palm and gently clapped. The loud clang of gold and iron clashing resounded as the ruins of the hall collapsed.
Mu Chen's figure was blown back, and he looked solemnly at the ruins of the collapsed hall. The gray-robed figure still sat silently and unperturbed in place. Mu Chen's attack had not shaken him in the slightest.
That pair of eerie scarlet-black eyes filled with destruction and fury landed on Mu Chen once again.
Mu Chen's skin shivered and with the fanning of his phoenix wings, he vanished into thin air.
Whoosh!
The moment Mu Chen disappeared, a withered hand glowed with an obsidian light, piercing through the place where Mu Chen had stood, and the gray-robed figure slowly appeared in the sky.
Mu Chen, who was standing a hundred feet away, looked on in horror. The gray-robed figure was too swift, and if he had not activated the Spirit of the Real Phoenix and increased his speed, he would have been killed on the spot.
However, even so, he also felt that the attack of the gray-robed figure seemed to be growing crazier and more volatile. If he were caught, he would certainly fail to counteract it. After all, the Nine Nether Troop was not present, and without the support of the Nine Nether Troop's combat intent aura, it was clear that he could not stand up to such a powerful man.
Whoosh!
Just as Mu Chen's thoughts desperately flashed through his mind, the space in front of him had already undulated yet again as the gray-robed figure rushed out. A fierce barrage of offensive attacks shrouded him, forcing him to back away.
Boom!
Mu Chen's body landed on the stone pillar, causing it to disintegrate into powder, and as it scattered, the gray-robed figure appeared before him like a specter, and his scarlet palms landed mercilessly on Mu Chen's crown.
Mu Chen's face twisted in terror, hurriedly activating the Great Solar Undying Body in defense.
Crash!
Just as he completed conjuring his seals, a black feather sword burning with purple flames shot forward.
The gray-robed figure dealt out a blow with his palm and scarlet-black light surged, directly disintegrating the black feather sword, but when the black feather sword was crushed, its purple flames wound around his palm, and terrifying heat emanated from them, scorching the gray-robed figure's arm.
The gray-robed figure backed away, and suddenly a strange scarlet-black light emerged on the surface of his body. This light eroded the purple flames, extinguishing them little by little.
Mu Chen wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth. Beside him, Nine Nether's silhouette flashed as she looked at the gray-robed figure gravely and said, "What exactly is that thing?"
"I don't know, I somehow just encountered it." Mu Chen shook his head, laughing bitterly.
Roar!
The gray-robed figure extinguished the purple flames on his arm, and it was only then that he saw the two. A deep growl rumbled in his throat, and his bright red eyes looked extremely ferocious, containing waves of destruction.
He glared at Mu Chen and Nine Nether, seemingly trying to tear them apart again, but his body suddenly stopped, and the scarlet-black in his eyes weakened a little as a hint of a struggle loomed on his wizened face.
However, this struggle only emerged momentarily and was quickly diffused by ferocity and eeriness. The pupils in his sunken eyes transformed into inverted triangles, like a merciless venomous serpent.
Nine Nether saw the change in his eyes, and as her face twisted in horror she exclaimed, "Invasion of evil energy?"
"Invasion of evil energy?" Mu Chen froze.
"His body has been invaded by the power of the Extraterritorial Race, thus he could retain his physical body for thousands of years, but his willpower has also been invaded by the evil energy and is now full of destruction."
Nine Nether stated gravely, "Leave quickly. I'm afraid this fellow had already attained the rank of Ninth Grade Sovereign when he was alive. Now that he is severely injured, his power is still that of an Eighth Grade Sovereign. We are unable to fight him!"
Upon hearing this, Mu Chen nodded. Although, if he could obtain the Meteorfall gas in his body and cultivate Meteorfall Alchemy... But it was clear that they did not have the chance at the moment.
The two retreated hurriedly simultaneously, but their bodies were still tense. As spiritual energy surrounded them, they stared guardedly at the gray-robed figure.
Roar!
The gray-robed figure stared at the two with his scarlet-black eyes and suddenly growled. His palms surged out, and a gush of black and red aura transformed into two massive scarlet-black hands, tearing directly through the space and charging towards the two as fast as lightning.
In the face of such an evil energy, even Mu Chen and Nine Nether did not dare to engage and chose to hurriedly retreat.
Boom! Crash!
One by one, the ruined halls collapsed entirely under the destruction caused by the gray-robed figure's attack. Smoke and dust permeated the air as Mu Chen and Nine Nether backed away hastily. They both felt that the gray-robed figure's attacks seemed to be getting faster and faster.
His power seemed to be reviving bit by bit.
This discovery caused Mu Chen and Nine Nether's hearts to sink. If this gray-robed figure restored his power, they wouldn't even have the chance to run.
Nine Nether gritted her teeth as she yelled at Mu Chen, "You leave first!"
Mu Chen knitted his brows as he dealt a blow towards Nine Nether. Spiritual energy landed on her, causing her to fly out of the way. "I have the wings of the Real Phoenix, you leave."
Nine Nether, however, ignored Mu Chen and rushed forward, for she knew that once she retreated, with Mu Chen's ability, it would be impossible for him to withstand the gray-robed figure.
Mu Chen smiled in exasperation as he helped Nine Nether with all his might. He clearly would not abandon her.
However, even with their alliance, it was difficult for the two to compete against the gray-robed figure. They would have been defeated long ago if they had not had some means.
Nonetheless, they were in a sticky situation.
Nine Nether gritted her teeth and stated solemnly, "I'll force him away, then you have to take me away."
Mu Chen's expression twisted, for it seemed that the means Nine Nether intended to exert would have a great impact on her, but at this time, it seemed that there was no other way and thus, he could only nod gravely.
Nine Nether took a deep breath, and in the depths of her eyes, purple flames began to burn.
Buzz!
However, just as Nine Nether was prepared to use the means of causing destruction to both herself and the enemy, all of a sudden, an ancient buzzing sound rang in the ruins. Mu Chen's expression changed. He was astonished to see countless beams of white light shoot out suddenly from the ruins. The white light was suspended in mid-air, and with a careful look, one could see they were actually blank dominoes!
These dominoes were what Mu Chen had set up for Sovereigns who had perished here.
"This is?"
Nine Nether was shocked at the scene before her.
Whoosh!
The countless blank dominoes swept out like a storm around the gray-robed figure, shining white lights onto his body.
Buzz!
The white light seemed to do great harm to the gray-robed figure, under which the scarlet-black aura began to melt while the grey-robed figure roared bitterly.
Mu Chen and Nine Nether were surprised at this. Who would expect that Mu Chen's prior random behavior would lead to such an outcome?
The scarlet-black aura around the body of the gray-robed figure grew fainter and fainter, and after a few minutes, it completely dissipated. The ferocious look on his wizened face disappeared and was replaced by relief.
And as the gray-robed figure's face gradually returned to normal, there seemed to be a palace-like ancient symbol emerging on his forehead.
Nine Nether caught the ancient symbol with her sharp gaze and upon seeing it, she was utterly shocked and gasped, "Primordial Celestial Palace?!"