The Great Ruler (Web Novel)

Daylight intensified as the vast White Dragon Hillock shedded the shroud of night. Wind abruptly screeched throughout the mountain range. Vaguely, there were shapes of countless figure moving within in the forest. They stormed through like a swarm of locusts, all heading in the same direction — towards the depths of the White Dragon Hillock.

That was where the Sovereign Spirit Treasury would appear!

And in response to the sudden locust swarm of people, the White Dragon Hillock, itself, quickly exploded. Countless angry Spiritual Beasts hissed in anger as they rose to face the intruders. There wasn’t even a shred mercy in those hearts and their Spiritual Energies rushed towards the skies as they hissed. For a moment, it felt as if the entire mountain range was trembling.

Ah!

Once in awhile, a mournful or blood-curdling wail would slice through the mountain range — likely belonging to some unlucky fellow who was being torn to pieces by those Spiritual Beasts. At the same time, even more Spiritual Beasts were being exterminated by the rushing mob of experts. Tremendous bodies rolled and writhed in splashes of newly spilled blood, before finally collapsing to the ground with deep rumbles.

Such events were occurring throughout the mountain range. The stench of blood saturated the air.

Shuuuuu!

In the forest, Mu Chen’s party of five was swiftly moving along. The White Dragon Hillock currently had a very different air than the one of tranquility from the night before. As night retreated, the numerous experts and other unknown things had started to show themselves. The vigorous Spiritual Energies rose and fell in violent cycles, showing just how many experts this rumored Sovereign Spirit Treasury had attracted.

Su Xuan’s lovely face turned to face four different directions. She’d also noticed the White Dragon Hillock’s commotion. She waved a jade-like hand and spoke in a tender voice, “We should increase our pace.”

As her voice landed, the five of them sharply increased their speed, turning into five streak of lights that swept past the forest of towering trees.

“Roar!”

However, the moment they crossed a certain patch of forest, a fierce sound carried over from their right. They turned their eyes in that direction, only to see a massive fire-red Spiritual Beast watching them with a sinister gleam in its eyes and a severed limb hanging from its mouth. It was clear that it’d recently devoured a human being. When this animalistic brute saw Mu Chen’s party intrude on its territory, it gave a thunderous roar and sprang on them with its body still reeking of blood.

“A Heavenly Fusion Stage Middle Phase Spiritual Beast dares to get in our way,” Mu Chen commented upon seeing that. He smiled, flicked his fingers, and the Nine-Layered Pagoda appeared. The headwind sharply increased. In an instant, it transformed into a massive black tower, creating an impression of fearful might, like that of a lofty mountain. Then it cruelly weighed down on the body of blood-red Spiritual Beast.

Boom!

Even the ground crumbled as the Nine-Layered Pagoda ruthlessly descended. The massive blood-red Spiritual Beast exploded with a mournful snarl — it’d been directly crushed to death under the pressure.

A look of surprise passed through the eyes of the other members of Su Xuan’s party. Even though this blood-colored Spiritual Beast only had the strength of a Heavenly Fusion Stage Middle Phase, it’d still had an extremely strong defense. They hadn’t expected Mu Chen to take care of it in just one stroke.

“Hmm? Treasure!” Su Ling’er only glanced at the corpse of the blood-red Spiritual Beast before turning her line-of-sight to another spot ahead. Clinging to one of the cliffs of fractured stone and earth was a blood-red zoysia[1. A type of grass.] gently swaying in the breeze. A fragrance dispersed in the air.

“Blood Spirit Zoysia?” Su Ling’er’s lovely face instantly lit up. Crafted from the heavens, a wealth of the earth[2. A figurative expression showing just how valuable this treasure is. It is not literally crafted from the heavens.] — such a treasure would undoubtedly be hard-won under any other circumstance. It could have considerable effects on one’s cultivation.

Swish.

Her image flashed away and landed on the large cliff. Then, she bent down and plucked the Blood Spirit Zoysia.

Shuuuu!

However, the moment she picked the Blood Spirit Zoysia, a pointed screech rose and resonated. The only thing they saw was a line of frigid light launching towards Su Ling’er as fast as lightning.

“Watch out!” Su Xuan’s lovely eyes focused as she pointed a jade finger into the air and tapped. A line of Spiritual Energy raced out, intending to shatter the frigid light that was heading for Su Ling’er.

Guo Xiong And Li Qing simultaneously entered combat mode, eyes coldly watching the direction that the frigid light had come from. They saw human figures flash through the forest. About 20 people quickly emerged and landed on the patch of broken stone.

Each of them had a sword or knife in hand and wore an arrogant expression. Traces of fierce aggression showed in their auras. One look would tell you that they weren’t the type to play nice — they were probably one of the stronger adventurer parties.

They were led by two men in their thirties, who looked rather similar to each other. Likely brothers. Their eyes shined with a savage craftiness.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Guo Xiong coldly barked as he looked at those unkind fellows.

Mu Chen’s eyes were drawn in the same direction, then his brows slightly knitted. This adventurer party wasn’t weak. Their two male leads were Quasi-Heavenly Transform Stages. As for the rest, around eight were at the peak of the Heavenly Fusion Stage, while the others were at the Spirit Stage.

You could say that this battle line-up of adventurers was rather formidable.

One of the skinny males in the adventurer party couldn’t help running his eyes all over Su Xuan, Su Ling’er, and Li Qing. He chuckled. “Hehe. My friends, I’m afraid we’ve already had our eyes on this Blood Spirit Zoysia for an entire day. We finally managed to clear out the Spiritual Beasts in this area, but before we could get to it, you slipped behind our backs and picked it, anyway. Isn’t that a little too much?”

“This is a heaven-made treasure of the earth. The ones who win it are the ones who deserve it. You guys loitered around for an entire day; that’s probably because you couldn’t do anything.” Su Ling’er’s rosy little lips twisted as she mocked them. You could tell that they weren’t the savoury types just by looking at them. Only an idiot would believe them.

“You! The little wench wants to die!”

“The little wannabe lady is still young, but she’s already so ill-behaved. Let this older brother teach you a few manners!”

The party hissed in anger. Their aggression started to show in their eyes as they hurled back all sorts of obscenities.

“Get lost!” Mu Chen’s expression was frigid, but he didn’t care to waste any more words on the likes of them.

“What attitude from that kid!”

The adventure party’s leader eyed Mu Chen with a cloudy expression as he slowly replied, “Our Lion Tiger Regiment has been in this White Dragon Hillock for many years; even the three major forces wouldn’t dare to speak to us like that.”

Of course he could sense Su Xuan’s astonishing strength; however, he had more people on his side. In addition, his experts were all experienced in battle. He didn’t think these tender-looking little boys and girls would be able to gain anything if it came to a fight.

“That’s why we’re not from the three major forces,” came Mu Chen’s indifferent remark.

A man with a scarred face and an exceptionally fierce expression sternly shouted, “The fact remains that you dared to caw your little mouth. Do you believe that this uncle will dice you up? A Heavenly Fusion Stage dared to provoke us in our territory?! Reckless idiots!”

Swish!

Mu Chen’s expression turned to ice. No more useless words. His image exploded forward like a Great Roc[3. Some sort of legendary bird.] setting upon its prey. His fist burst into black flames as a wild Spiritual Energy erupted and roiled.

“Courting death!”

The scarred man gave a severe shout. He was a Heavenly Fusion Stage Middle Phase; how would he fear Mu Chen, who was only a Heavenly Fusion Stage Initial Phase!

He moved forward in a single step. His hand formed a claw and Spiritual Energy surged, until it was sharp and pointed. The Spiritual Energy seemed to turn his hand into the claw of a light eagle. It tore through the air towards Mu Chen.

Thump!

The fist and claw firmly collided and the churning Spiritual Energy swept outwards. The scarred man’s expression changed in an instant. A moment later came a pitiful howl. A snapping sounded from his finger. His body quaked so hard it seemed as it he would fly backwards.

Swish!

Mu Chen’s expression was still indifferent. He grabbed his opponent’s hand, halting the man’s movements; with a forceful jerk, the man fell flat on his face, like a dog eating shit. Mu Chen stepped forward again and his foot sailed out, kicking the scarred man squarely in the face. The punt sent him flying back by several hundred feet, heavily collided against the trunk of a huge tree. Instantly, not even sounds of miserable shriek was issued from him.

Mu Chen’s movements had been crisp and accurate — not a single wasted move. By the time the others registered what was going on, the scarred man was already unconscious. His body had been left in a wretched state and was covered in blood.

“Boy, such nerve!”

One of the Lion Tiger Regiment’s leaders was also angered. He moved forward in a step and his Spiritual Energy swept out. When his fist flashed out, the only thing they could see was his Spiritual Energy melting into the form of a roaring lion. The energy churned as it directly roared towards Mu Chen.

Bang!

Even the ground had been split by this leader’s move. It looked like he wasn’t weak.

Mu Chen saw the leader’s ferocious offensive, but his expression remained just as frigid as before. He closed his hand and black flames boiled out as he threw a punch.

Six Limitless Death Seals formed under Mu Chen’s fist. Between the ripples of Spiritual Energy, something like a black comet shot out.

Bang!

Their fists met with a sweeping wind, violently clashing in the middle of the broken land. A startling wave of wind and energy swept out. The shattered stones that’d littered the ground instantly turned into dust, then rose into the air as a dark cloud.

The members of the Lion Tiger Regiment urgently backed away, though their eyes stayed firmly locked on the situation in front of them. Through the bursts of wild Spiritual Energy, one could see the vague outlines of two figures. Both were ferocious enough that it sent shivers down their spines.

Between the quaking of the ground they could see their leader’s shoulders shake as he was shoved back several dozen steps. His feet were planted firmly in the ground and the brace marks under his feet were roughly half a foot deep.

Meanwhile, the young man he faced had only taken two steps back.

“How is that possible!” they cried. This boy couldn’t be past the Heavenly Fusion Stage Initial Phase, but he’d forced their Quasi-Heavenly Transform Stage leader backwards with a single fist?

The other Lion Tiger Regiment leader also watched with wide eyes. Mu Chen had displayed a combat strength that far surpassed what they’d seen on the surface.

They weren’t the only ones shocked. Even Guo Xiong and Li Qing were staring at Mu Chen in amazement. They knew he wasn’t weak when he single-handedly killed four Heavenly Fusion Stage Late Phase assassins the night before. But now, they’d personally seen Mu Chen force back an opponent of their own level. They couldn’t help the feeling of discomfort in their hearts.

Mu Chen unhurriedly pulled back his fist. He watched the other members of the Lion Tiger Regiment with an indifferent expression. The members tried to avoid his eyes as they realised their place and no longer dared to recklessly provoke Mu Chen. They usually were a cruel and violent bunch, but this handsome looking youth had turned out to be even more cruel and violent than they were. Once he moved, there was no such thing as mercy.

“Now will you get lost?” Mu Chen slowly asked.

Su Xuan stood behind Mu Chen and extended a slender jade hand. A smooth and ancient-looking jade bead slipped into her palm. A startling Spiritual Energy churned, but the sense of it was vague as it slowly spread through the air. A cold look surfaced on her sweet-looking face.

From the looks of it, even she’d grown annoyed.