Chapter 131

"The Grade Eight Dragon Spirit Qi-Gathering Pill is quite good; I happened to scavenge a bottle of them." Having spoken, Xu Chen swallowed a Dragon Spirit Qi-Gathering Pill.

In an instant, Xu Chen's cultivation speed doubled, surging abruptly from a hundredfold absorption efficiency to two hundredfold.

Xu Chen seemed to transform into a vortex, forcibly absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy and drawing it into his body.

The many Elders outside the tower were stunned upon seeing this scene.

What kind of technique, talent, and elixir, combined, could achieve such a level?

The efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy is simply terrifying.

It feels at least a hundred times faster than theirs.

Another ten days passed. With the support of the elixir, Xu Chen's realm finally broke through successfully to the early stage of Grade Nine.

Although Xu Chen had merely broken through his realm at this moment, his aura remained terrifyingly powerful.

If Xu Chen merely moved his spiritual sense now and released his aura, he would likely shatter the entire Heavenly Spirit Qi-Gathering Tower.

A Grade Nine expert can truly create a small space, and only for an instant.

One step covers ten thousand li directly.

This is unmatched by any Heaven-grade movement martial art.

Of course, Xu Chen did not forcibly release his power; he suppressed it. He exhaled a breath: "I have barely reached the early stage of Grade Nine, but I still need to stabilize my aura."

My physical body and spiritual sense are difficult to strengthen for now; let me temper the Black Jade Battle Armor first.

And the 'Phantom Sky Wind Hand' needs to be replaced; a low-grade Heaven-grade martial art is ultimately too weak." While pondering, Xu Chen found the evolved version of the 'Phantom Sky Wind Hand', the 'Extreme Shadow Sky Wind Hand', a high-grade Heaven-grade technique.

It similarly produces phantoms and hurricanes, with a maximum of nine phantoms.

But the power has increased by at least tenfold.

When all nine phantoms strike together, they can rival a single strike from an Emperor-grade martial art." "Vroom!"

Having decided, Xu Chen, in a cheerful mood, cultivated for one shichen and then fully mastered the 'Extreme Shadow Sky Wind Hand'.

Afterwards, Xu Chen moved his spiritual sense and summoned the Black Jade Battle Armor and the Heavenly Spirit Divine Jade.

This Heavenly Spirit Divine Jade is a Grade Eight supreme heavenly material, sufficient to temper the Black Jade Battle Armor to Grade Eight perfection in a short time.

As Xu Chen expected, the Heavenly Spirit Divine Jade was exhausted after about five days.

The aura of the Black Jade Battle Armor had already advanced to Grade Eight perfection, lacking only a sliver to reach Grade Nine. "In the short term, the armor's strength cannot be increased further."

"Moreover, now that a full three months have passed, the outside world has undergone earth-shattering changes."

"The border drama is about to begin; I should go there too." Xu Chen opened his eyes and thought inwardly. "Boom!"

At this moment, Yin Suyun, who had also advanced, erupted with a powerful aura.

Xu Chen glanced over; she was at the Grade Eight perfection realm and possessed Grade Eight perfection physical body.

She stretched, instantly revealing her graceful and well-proportioned figure. Xu Chen smiled: "With a figure like that, you look like you'd be good for bearing children." Yin Suyun's face flushed slightly: "Spit! If you say such nonsense again, I'll hit you." In his past life, Xu Chen had enjoyed teasing her, and now he teased her again.

For a moment, her heart raced with both excitement and joy, yet also with some shyness and annoyance; this fellow was always so unserious.

The many great experts outside the tower, along with Luo Zhendong and numerous noble youths, were dumbfounded upon seeing this scene.

Yin Suyun actually showing a shy expression? Wow, that is truly a rare sight!

Awesome, Xu Chen is truly awesome!

Xu Chen shrugged and said: "I'm just speaking the truth; I am an honest man."

Yin Suyun rolled her eyes: "If you are an honest man, then everyone under heaven is an honest man."

Xu Chen laughed heartily: "I'm breaking out of seclusion; do you want to come with me?" Yin Suyun nodded vigorously: "Mm, mm. Wherever you go, I go." Xu Chen wasted no words, took Yin Suyun, and rushed straight out of the tower.

However, the instant he exited the tower, Xu Chen sensed something slightly amiss.

It was not just the Heavenly Spirit Qi-Gathering Tower; he felt that the entire Jingcheng seemed somewhat off.

Xu Chen frowned, wondering what was wrong this time.

Xu Chen scanned his surroundings and noticed that the soldiers nearby seemed to have dwindled significantly.

By all rights, the Empress and Bu Fengshuang should have come to meet him upon his exit from the tower, yet he saw neither of them.

He turned his gaze to the elders on his left and right: "Two elders, I wonder what has happened in Jingcheng?"

The elders on both sides pondered before speaking: "The Ninth Prince, Luo Tianjian, exited the tower a month ago. He reached the border, only to be captured by the enemy nation.

The enemy nation sent an envoy demanding that the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty surrender one hundred cities in exchange for his release." Xu Chen froze, recalling this plot point; it was the minor friction preceding the major border conflict.

Naturally, Luo Shen would never agree to such a demand.

One hundred entire cities! As Empress, how could she possibly afford such a price?

She ruled the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty by her father's command; if she allowed herself to be manipulated so easily, the dynasty would have fallen long ago.

The elder on the left continued: "The Empress's face darkened, and she ultimately refused. Then the enemy nation proposed another condition.

They would compete three times in a month. If the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty won, they would release Luo Tianjian.

However, if they lost, the Empress would have to marry the Crown Prince of the Undying Empire, Di Zhentian. In the end, the Empress agreed.

Today is the day of the competition. The Empress has deployed a large number of troops to the training ground, which is why the forces here are reduced." Xu Chen nodded; if it were merely such a competition, Luo Shen would naturally have no fear.

After all, whether among the younger generation or the elders, Luo Shen possessed trump cards.

He remembered that in his past life, Ye Xuan had assisted the Empress, defeating all from the Undying Empire; this time, he was unsure of the outcome.

Therefore, Xu Chen said: "Then there should be no major problem."

The elder on the right sighed: "Originally, it was indeed no major problem, and the Empress had no fear. But today, after the Undying Empire brought their people, the Empress realized she had been deceived.

Di Zhentian himself has come, and the moment he entered Jingcheng, he unleashed the pressure of the early Ninth Rank." Xu Chen's pupils contracted slightly; something was wrong. In his past life, Di Zhentian was not Ninth Rank, only at the peak of the Eighth Rank.

At the peak of the Eighth Rank, Ye Xuan could still defeat him, but if he were Ninth Rank...

The plot had gone awry.

But where had it gone wrong?

Xu Chen fell into deep thought.

Suddenly, he snapped out of it: It was the Ten Thousand Gu Sect, the Five Poisons Sect, and the Taihu Sacred Land.

These three sects had secretly colluded with Luo Junming and also maintained contact with the Undying Empire.

This time, Di Zhentian must have received massive resource support from the Ten Thousand Gu Sect and the Five Poisons Sect.

It was highly likely that it was the two million spirit stones sent by Luo Junming.

He never expected such a chain reaction.

Presumably, the Ten Thousand Gu Sect and the Five Poisons Sect also wanted the Empress to marry Di Zhentian, so they spared no cost to aid him.

After all, if the Empress were gone, the Tianzun Imperial Dynasty would inevitably fall into chaos.

In that case, wouldn't the Ten Thousand Gu Sect and the Five Poisons Sect be able to gain benefits at will?

Having thought this through, Xu Chen immediately felt relieved: "No wonder Di Zhentian waited a month for the competition; now I understand."

That month was used by Di Zhentian to break through.

However, Di Zhentian possessed no Heavenly Grade High Martial Arts; even if he had broken through, his aura must be unstable at this moment.

The elders on both sides were baffled: "What do you mean, 'now I understand'?"

Xu Chen did not explain, asking instead: "Then why have our great experts not descended?"

The elder on the left shook his head: "They cannot descend. For a competition among the younger generation, even the Empress cannot participate." Xu Chen understood; these harsh conditions were almost identical to the original text.

Di Zhentian was very skilled at creating favorable conditions for himself, leaving the Empress with no choice.

However, with Bu Fengshuang present, there should be no major issue. The elder on the right continued: "One is a combat trial, one is an alchemy trial, and one is an array formation trial.

The two people Di Zhentian brought are both Ninth Rank Alchemists and Ninth Rank Array Masters.

Yet our Tianzun Imperial Dynasty seems to have no Ninth Rank Alchemists, though we do have Ninth Rank Array Masters." Xu Chen nodded: "I understand. Yin Suyun, let us go to the training ground." Yin Suyun nodded, her expression cold: "Di Zhentian is too arrogant; Chen, you must not let him go unpunished."

Xu Chen smiled: "I will teach him a lesson." He did not wish to help Luo Tianjian, but he must help the Empress!

After all, the Empress had allowed him to cultivate in the entire Tianling Gathering Qi Tower; how could he refuse to help her?

Having spoken, Xu Chen and the other two stepped on the air and flew directly toward the imperial training ground.

At this moment, beside the largest training ground in Jingcheng.

The Empress sat high upon the imperial throne, with Bu Fengshuang and Yi Bingrou beside her, along with several Ninth Rank experts.

Without exception, they were all white-haired elders, appearing like old men.

On the opposite side sat the people of the Undying Empire.

Di Zhentian sat in the middle of the seats, his expression smug, arrogant, and domineering.

Beside him were numerous Ninth Rank experts, as well as Ninth Rank Alchemists and Array Masters.

— Author's Notes —

PS: Four updates!!!