Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Ning Huai, looking at Qiu Feng's regret-filled face, felt a mix of sympathy and schadenfreude.

Qiu Feng’s pride was evident. He may not have vocalized it, but he looked down on them for failing to subdue Mu Chen and Ye Shi in a year. Without explicitly praising their adversaries, they had to swallow their pride.

Having experienced the prowess of Mu Chen and Ye Shi firsthand, he should realize now that they are not easy opponents.

Ning Huai peeked at the joyous Mu Chen and Ye Shi within the barrier, thinking, "These two, despite their weaker strength, sure have their tricks."

"Master Qiu, are you alright?" Ning Huai asked with genuine concern.

"Mu Chen has a unique flame. Why didn’t you mention this before?" Qiu Feng's voice was laced with menace.

A realization struck Qiu Feng. He had read about the flame-eating bugs on a jade slip, which while powerful, had an Achilles' heel – the unique flame. They could devour many types of fires but not this one. How he regretted overlooking this detail!

"You never asked!" retorted Ning Huai, "Besides, Mu Chen possessing this flame isn't a secret. Can't blame us for your oversight."

Over the past year, their focus was primarily on Mu Chen's formations; they hadn’t paid much attention to his unique flame.

"Mu Chen, is your flame close to reaching the sixth level?" Ye Shi asked while looking at the flame in Mu Chen's hand.

Mu Chen nodded, "It's almost there."

"Senior, do you have more of those bugs? Release some more! The more, the better!" Ye Shi pleaded with hope.

Seeing Ye Shi's eager expression, Qiu Feng spat out another mouthful of blood.

"Aren’t Martial Emperors supposed to remain calm under pressure? Why is this old man constantly coughing up blood? His mental state must be really fragile," Ye Shi commented with a touch of amusement.

Mu Chen chuckled, disdainfully glancing at Qiu Feng, "Maybe this old fellow lucked into becoming an Emperor. His temperament surely is lacking."

Ye Shi nodded, reflecting thoughtfully, "If the foundation isn't strong, there's bound to be trouble sooner or later."

As Qiu Feng listened to the conversation between the two, he coughed up blood once more.

Ning Huai looked at Qiu Feng's livid face, finally feeling genuine sympathy for him.

Losing his painstakingly nurtured flame-eating bugs was bad enough, but being ridiculed by these two youngsters added insult to injury.

"You brats, if I ever get my hands on you, I'll make you wish you were dead," Qiu Feng thundered in fury.

Scratching his head, Ye Shi said, "Another threat. Heard so many this past year. Your threats lack creativity, old man."

"Elder, you shouldn't get so worked up; it's not good for your health," Ye Shi advised earnestly.

Qiu Feng clenched his fists, trembling with rage.

"Come on, Shi, let's go," Mu Chen said, taking Ye Shi's hand.

Ye Shi nodded in agreement, "Alright."

As Ye Shi walked forward, led by Mu Chen, he threw a cheeky "bye-bye" gesture over his shoulder at Qiu Feng.

Qiu Feng watched their retreating figures, his eyes blazing with rage.

Ning Huai silently observed Qiu Feng, thinking about how he probably felt the weight of the humiliations they had endured over the past year.

...

"Come on, Brother Qiu, don't be too down. With the old gone, maybe you’ll find an even more potent spirit bug to nurture?" Mu He teased with a sly smile.

Qiu Feng stared at Mu He with clenched teeth. Lou Qing and the others might not have known about Mu Chen possessing the peculiar flame, but the cunning old Mu He probably foresaw it.

Yet this man merely observed with a detached demeanor, seemingly aware that I'd meet my downfall, but remained silent, watching.

Watching his utter defeat, seeing his reputation dragged through the mud, and witnessing the scornful jests from Mu Chen and Ye Shi, two young upstarts.

Mu He, as the rumors suggested, truly lacked integrity.

Though Qiu Feng was seething, he said nothing. Having lost the Fire-eating Worms, he had also lost his primary advantage. Challenging Mu He, who was much stronger, would be suicidal.

"Mu Chen, that old newcomer barely has the skills of a vegetable vendor. The other one probably isn’t much better," Ye Shi said with palpable excitement.

Mu Chen sighed softly, lacking Ye Shi's optimism.

"Had I not fortuitously possessed the peculiar flame, we would have been severely outmatched by the former. The latter is even more challenging," Mu Chen said coldly.

"Surely not," Ye Shi blinked in surprise.

"We'll see," replied Mu Chen.

That old man, Mu, seemed to have foreseen his capability to handle Qiu Feng. Yet, he didn’t warn Qiu Feng at all. Such a sly fox!

Gu Miaoyu glanced at Qiu Feng with disdain. She'd thought highly of him, assuming he was competent. But after his overconfident display that ended in humiliation, not only did he lose face, but he also made her, who trusted him, look bad by association.

By now, Mu Chen and Ye Shi must be laughing their heads off. Those swarm of worms seemed to have significantly advanced Mu Chen's peculiar flame. Qiu Feng really has rotten luck, losing both the battle and his resources.

Just as Qiu Feng was catching his breath, he saw Gu Miaoyu's contemptuous look and nearly spat out blood in frustration.

...

"Brother Mu, have you discerned anything?" Lou Qing asked with utmost respect.

Mu He isn't Lin Moyuan; his strength is far superior.

Mu He smiled faintly, saying casually, "A little."

Everyone perked up, "What did you find out?"

Mu He chuckled and said leisurely, "An ordinary Level 7 formation requires spirit stones to function, and they demand a large number. Most people simply can't afford to maintain such a large formation. However, this 72-Path Star Cloud Formation is different; it draws power from the stars, maintaining its operation."

Ning Huai's eyes widened with excitement, "So, if we can block the star energy from powering the formation, it will collapse on its own?"

Mu He nodded, "Indeed. But blocking the power of the stars is no simple task."

"While it might be challenging, I believe you've already thought of a way," said Lou Qing, looking expectantly at Mu He.

Mu He acknowledged, "I possess a Level 6 Star-Stealing Formation that can seize star power. If we set up three of these formations around it, cutting off the power supply to the 72-Path Star Cloud Formation, it will self-destruct in about a year or so."

Mu Chen stared at the screen, his expression grim.

"Mu Chen, with the old man being so cunning, what should we do?" Ye Shi asked anxiously.

Mu Chen narrowed his eyes, "No rush. Setting up a Level 6 formation isn't easy. Even if it's successful, the stored star power in the 72-Path Star Cloud Formation is sufficient for another year. We still have time to devise a strategy."

Gu Miaoyu looked at Mu He, her eyes shimmering with hope, "That's great news. Let's set up the formation quickly."

Mu He gave Gu Miaoyu a cold glance, "While a sixth-level formation might not be as otherworldly as the seventh, its setup is still resource-intensive. I need assurance that the reward will justify the effort."

Lou Qing and the others exchanged glances, "Brother Mu, this is a cultivation ground for a martial expert! Are you sure there won't be any treasures?"

"Indeed, there are many treasures inside. Ye Shi, that wastrel, nibbles on millennium ginseng like it's a carrot," Gu Miaoyu said.

Ye Shi, standing before the light projection, frowned in annoyance, "I nibbled on a thousand-year ginseng, not a ten-thousand-year one."

Mu Chen nodded, saying, "Gu Miaoyu is trying to persuade Mu He to take action. Naturally, she'd exaggerate a bit."

Ye Shi frowned and commented, "That old hag, always spewing lies. So annoying."

"To set up the Star-Seizing Formation, we just need the materials. Everyone can pitch in," Lu Xingfeng said. At this point, there was no way they'd bow down and admit defeat to Mu Chen and Ye Shi. Even if it wasn't about the treasure, they couldn't back down for the sake of their pride.

Mu He nodded and replied, "In that case, thank you all."

"What should we do?" Ye Shi blinked, looking at Mu Chen for advice.

Biting his lip, Mu Chen responded, "I'm not sure. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. We still have more than a year to figure it out. We'll see."

Ye Shi pressed his lips nervously. If, in that year, he could ascend to the Emperor rank, he wouldn't have to fear these people. But could they really ascend to that rank in just over a year?

...

Sacred Star Academy.

"It's been over a year. Where have Mu Chen and Ye Shi gone?"

"Who knows! They've been gone so long without a trace. It doesn't look good."

"You’re risking your neck with such talk. If Elder Jing hears this, he might beat you to death!"

"Well, it has been a while."

"Elder Xiong hasn't returned; he must not have given up yet."

For talents like Mu Chen and Ye Shi to be dead would be such a...

"There've been many prodigies who died young. Think about it: in the secret realm back then, an eight-star martial spirit and three four-star martial spirits died. They were all prodigies."

"I believe Mu Chen and Ye Shi are alive. They might be quietly amassing wealth somewhere."

"If that's true, why haven't they sent any news?"

"Perhaps it's inconvenient to send messages from there."