Mu Chen's hand rested on Yun Shan's head, and then he withdrew it, pulling out strands of black threads from Yun Shan's skull.
"Ah!"
Yun Shan let out a scream akin to a pig being slaughtered, his body convulsing uncontrollably.
"Mu Chen!"
Yun Yun frowned, not understanding why Mu Chen had suddenly attacked her master.
The process didn't last long. Once the black threads were extracted from Yun Shan's head, his clothes were soaked with sweat, and his face still twitched slightly from the pain.
"How... how could there be... something like this... inside me!"
Yun Shan, still convulsing, spoke in broken sentences. He stared in utter shock at the black threads Mu Chen had pulled from his skull. The threads wriggled like parasitic worms, even after being removed, as if searching for a human host to devour.
"Boy, how dare you interfere with the affairs of the Soul Hall?"
A stern voice echoed from the dense forest, and three black figures emerged. One of them stood in mid-air, while the other two had wings formed from Dou Qi. They were unmistakably a Dou Zong and two Battle Emperors.
"What of the Soul Hall? Not even your hall master, let alone the patriarch of the Soul Clan, would dare speak to me like this."
Mu Chen's voice was calm as he lightly tapped his finger. Ripples formed around the Soul Hall's protector, and the spatial energy rapidly compressed.
Bang!
Before the protector could even make a sound, his body was crushed by the spatial energy, leaving a cloud of blood-red mist in the air.
"Assisting evil, you deserve death too!"
Mu Chen's gaze then fell on one of the Battle Emperors. With a casual flick of his finger, the same scene repeated itself, and the Battle Emperor's body was also crushed by the spatial energy.
Mu Chen's eyes then settled on the remaining Battle Emperor.
"Please... please don't kill me. I'll do anything, even polish your shoes," the Battle Emperor pleaded, kneeling in mid-air, his pants soaked with fear, his body trembling slightly.
"You're not worthy of polishing my shoes."
Mu Chen's tone was indifferent as he disdainfully glanced at the Battle Emperor from the Soul Hall. He slowly lowered his raised finger. "Go. Today, I'll spare your life. Deliver a message to your hall master: the Cloud Mist Sect is Yun Yun's territory. If you dare to meddle here again, I will annihilate your Soul Hall."
Whoosh!
Hearing that Mu Chen would spare him, the Battle Emperor didn't dare to linger. With a flap of his wings, he fled at an astonishing speed, not daring to look back.
After the Battle Emperor left, the atmosphere became eerily silent with the fall of a Dou Zong and a Battle Emperor. All the distinguished guests from the Jia Ma Empire had their eyes fixed on Mu Chen.
Sigh~
If these guests had previously wondered why Sect Master Yun Yun sought Mu Chen's permission, they now fully understood. Mu Chen was undoubtedly the protagonist of today's events.
Especially Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong, both Battle Emperors, were utterly shaken by Mu Chen's power, a feeling that words could hardly describe.
The pinnacle Battle Emperors of the Jia Ma Empire couldn't withstand even a slight finger movement from this young man.
"Mu Chen, I misunderstood you earlier," Yun Yun said with an awkward smile.
"It's fine. We're all family here, no need to be so formal with me," Mu Chen replied with a gentle smile, then turned his gaze to Yun Shan. "Senior Yun Shan, cultivation is like hot tofu—impatience won't help. Especially when it comes to the Dao heart. There are no free lunches in this world. Those shortcuts may seem beneficial, but in reality, they only make you prey under someone else's blade."
Yun Shan, the former sect master of the Cloud Mist Sect and a powerhouse at the Dou Zong level, was a figure even the Gamma royal family feared. Yet, as he listened to Mu Chen, a junior, he felt no displeasure. Instead, he clasped his fists and bowed deeply to Mu Chen, expressing his gratitude. "Young brother, your reprimand is correct. Thank you for saving my life."
Mu Chen glanced at Yun Yun, then turned back to Yun Shan. After a pause, he took out a golden pearl from his storage ring. "When you have time, refine the energy within this golden pearl. It will be enough to help you reach the Dou Sheng realm."
With a flick of his finger, the golden pearl floated to Yun Shan. The terrifying energy it contained caused the surrounding space to distort and crack, with faint black fissures appearing around it.
There was no doubt that this golden pearl held an immense and terrifying energy. Yun Shan was confident that with this pearl, his cultivation could break through to the Dou Zong realm, or even the Dou Sheng realm as Mu Chen had mentioned.
"Thank you, young brother," Yun Shan said excitedly as he received the pearl.
"Mu Chen, thank you," Yun Yun added gratefully.
"No need to be so polite. We're all family," Mu Chen replied with a faint smile.
Both Yun Shan and Yun Yun knew that Mu Chen had gifted this invaluable golden pearl to Yun Shan out of respect for Yun Yun.
Yun Shan paused for a moment, then asked, "Young brother, are you married?"
Yun Yun was taken aback, her expression thoughtful as she looked at her master, Yun Shan.
"I have a few close confidantes, but I haven't held a grand wedding yet," Mu Chen answered honestly.
Mu Chen currently had nine close confidantes: Xiao Wu, Hu Liena, Zi Zhenzhu, Qian Renxue, Liu Erlong, the Goddess of Kindness, the Goddess of Life, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Bai. He had already established a marital relationship with them, but he hadn't held a formal wedding yet.
"Young brother, it seems to me that you and Yun Yun are quite compatible. I wonder if you have any intentions..." Yun Shan's words trailed off as he suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on Mu Chen.
"Master! I'm not ready to consider such matters yet," Yun Yun quickly interjected, glancing at Mu Chen. She and Mu Chen didn't have a deep relationship yet, and she wasn't prepared to discuss matters of romance with him.
"Yun Yun, you're not young anymore. Since you have no parents, your marriage will be decided by me," Yun Shan said sternly.
"Senior Yun Shan, let's not pressure Xiao Yun Yun," Mu Chen chimed in.
"Alright, young brother," Yun Shan's expression shifted dramatically, his previously cold demeanor replaced with a warm smile as he responded to Mu Chen.
It was clear that Yun Shan both respected and feared Mu Chen!
Mu Chen scanned the room, his gaze eventually landing on Nalan Jie, Nalan Yanran's grandfather. After a pause, he flicked his fingers, sending two golden pearls flying toward Nalan Jie. "Everyone here gets a share!" he said lightly.
"Thank you, young brother!" Nalan Jie's eyes widened, and he smiled broadly, respectfully clasping his fists toward Mu Chen.
Nalan Jie knew that he was able to obtain the golden pearls because Mu Chen had taken his granddaughter, Nalan Yanran, into consideration.
Mu Chen gifted Nalan Jie two golden pearls, which were enough to help Nalan Yanran's loved ones break through to the level of Battle Venerate, or even Battle Saint. If Mu Chen were to take Nalan Yanran away from the Doupo Dimension in the future, her loved ones would still be able to live here for a very, very long time.
"Mu Chen, thank you," Nalan Yanran smiled sweetly, her heart pounding.
"Alright, Yun Yun, I must go now," Mu Chen said, waving his hand as ripples formed around him. He then left the Cloud Mist Sect's plaza, taking Ruo Lin, Xiao Yu, and Xue Ni with him.
"So, he is the true mastermind behind the Cloud Mist Sect!"
After Mu Chen left, Jia Xing Tian murmured softly to himself. His gaze fell upon Yun Shan and Nalan Jie, and finally settled on the beautiful Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran. He sighed with envy, "How fortunate they are. One can ascend to Battle Saint with the help of his disciple, while the other benefits from his granddaughter's influence and will at least become a Battle Venerate in the future. But as for me... alas..."
(End of Chapter)