Volume 1, Chapter 21: I Am Afraid You Cannot Handle the Stakes!

"Haha, don't misunderstand. Our power is just too great; when we absorb energy, we inadvertently absorb yours as well."

Gufan and Nangong Ying looked at Mu Yi with undisguised provocation. "You can try going elsewhere, but the Heavenly Pool is too small. I'm afraid no matter where you move, the spiritual energy in the surrounding waters will be snatched up by the two of us. Truly sorry about that!"

These two were members of Mo Jinghong's faction. Their goal in entering the Heavenly Pool alongside Mu Yi was precisely to suppress him, ensuring that his precious week of cultivation would be wasted and he would leave empty-handed.

"Oh? Is that so? No problem. I won't be leaving this spot. On the contrary, it is you two who will be leaving." A smirk tugged at the corners of Mu Yi's mouth.

Gufan and Nangong Ying were among the thirty-two Holy Disciples of the Shenyin Academy, and both had reached the Yuanfu Realm. In a direct confrontation, Mu Yi would be no match for them. But within the Heavenly Pool, when it came to the sheer power of absorbing spiritual energy, these two had picked the wrong opponent.

"You want to play with me? Fine! I’ll play along to the very end!"

A sound like that of dragons roaring and tigers howling erupted from within Mu Yi’s body. He activated the power of his Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Battle Body. In an instant, his body became like a whirlpool, greedily swallowing the ocean of spiritual energy rushing toward him.

"Huh? What’s going on?"

Gufan and Nangong Ying, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly stopped. They realized that not only were they failing to snatch the energy around Mu Yi, but even the spiritual energy in the waters surrounding them was being completely drained by him.

"Stop him!"

The two were shocked. They possessed the formidable strength of the Yuanfu Realm; surely, manipulating a mere Tiangang Realm cultivator like Mu Yi should have been effortless? But they were wrong. No matter how hard they tried, they could not prevent Mu Yi from stripping the spiritual energy from the surrounding waters. Their faces flushed purple with fury.

"Mu Yi! Stop this at once! How dare you steal the spiritual energy around us? Do you have a death wish?"

Gufan and Nangong Ying had never expected that their attempt to toy with Mu Yi would backfire so completely. Now, they were the ones being drained dry.

"Hahaha! Didn't you want to play? I'm playing with you now." Mu Yi sneered. "Let's have some real fun! Just tell me, can you afford the stakes?"

"You bastard!"

Gufan and Nangong Ying were incensed. If they were outside, they would have torn Mu Yi to pieces long ago. But unfortunately, they were within the Heavenly Pool of the Shenyin Secret Realm. The realm was maintained by powerful formations; no one inside was permitted to use violence. Anyone who struck first would trigger the restrictions, invoking a massive surge of energy that would annihilate them on the spot. This was precisely why Shen Yushu, knowing that Gufan and Nangong Ying belonged to Mo Jinghong, had still allowed Mu Yi to enter. No matter how angry the two were, they could only seethe in impotent rage.

"Let's go somewhere else!" Since they couldn't fight, the two immediately tried to move to a secluded corner of the pool.

"Hahaha! The game has only just begun, and you want to end it? That’s hardly showing me any respect, is it?" Mu Yi laughed heartily.

"Scoundrel!"

Gufan and Nangong Ying were livid. They discovered that no matter how far they moved, the spiritual energy in their vicinity was instantly sucked away by Mu Yi. He was toying with them!

"Mu Yi! Don't push us too far!" The two were truly losing their minds. The four great cultivation sacred sites of the Shenyin Secret Realm were places that even the thirty-two Holy Disciples rarely had the chance to enter, usually requiring significant contributions to the academy. They had been filled with anticipation for this week, but now, they couldn't absorb even a shred of energy. If this continued, their time would be entirely wasted.

"What? Can't handle the game anymore? You started it, and you don't get to decide when it ends!" Mu Yi laughed. "You two might as well leave the pool now, because for the next seven days, I guarantee you won't be able to absorb a single drop of energy!"

He was that arrogant, and that ruthless.

"Mu Yi! Do you understand? We are among the thirty-two Holy Disciples of Shenyin Academy! We are in the Yuanfu Realm! We could crush you with a single finger!" They threatened, "Stop now, and it might not be too late!"

"And what if I don't?" Mu Yi dismissed their threats. "If we were outside, perhaps you would dare to make a move, but unfortunately, this is the Heavenly Pool. Feel free to try if you wish."

He knew they wouldn't dare. He was going to drive them to the brink.

"Damn you!" Gufan and Nangong Ying had never suffered such humiliation. Their eyes burned with hatred, but they ultimately refrained from attacking, knowing full well that doing so would be an act of self-destruction.

"Hmph, those two idiots really don't dare to move." Mu Yi kept a watchful eye on them. "Alright, time to get down to business. Within these seven days, I must open the second acupuncture point of the Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Battle Body. With that power, I can break through to the Shenbian Realm. Then, even outside this pool, I will have the strength to face them."

Mu Yi was currently at the first level of the Tiangang Realm, but his true combat power already rivaled—or even exceeded—the second level of the Shenbian Realm, provided he used his Kingly Tyrant Fist. Once he broke into the Shenbian Realm, he would be a force to be reckoned with, even against Yuanfu Realm experts.

One week of cultivation. The final hour arrived.

*Boom.*

A sound like an ancient, majestic bell reverberated within Mu Yi’s body, echoing as if from the chaotic dawn of time.

*Crack!*

The second acupuncture point of the Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Battle Body, located at the soles of his feet—the Taibai Point—finally lit up. A vast surge of energy erupted like a flood.

Tiangang Realm second level, third level, fourth level... It surged continuously like a tidal wave.

Ten minutes later, Mu Yi suddenly opened his eyes. A wave of energy erupted from him, causing the calm pool water to surge in massive swells.

"What happened?" Gufan and Nangong Ying stared in disbelief.

"What? How did Mu Yi’s cultivation suddenly jump to the Shenbian Realm?" After the waves subsided, they saw Mu Yi standing there, his aura firmly at the first level of the Shenbian Realm. Throughout the last seven days, he had been swallowing energy, but his cultivation hadn't budged—until now.

"Hahaha! Magnificent!" Mu Yi stood up.

"Cultivation time has ended. All participants will now be teleported out," a voice echoed across the pool. Three beams of white light enveloped Mu Yi, Gufan, and Nangong Ying, and they vanished instantly.

"He's out." When Mu Yi regained his focus, he found himself back at the entrance of the Shenyin Secret Realm.

"Mu Yi." Xiao Ziyue was standing there, graceful as ever. "I've come to pick you up, you..." She suddenly widened her eyes in disbelief. Mu Yi’s cultivation had reached the Shenbian Realm! Only seven days ago, he had been at the first level of the Tiangang Realm. He had crossed ten minor levels in a single week. It was inconceivable.

"Haha, I accidentally broke through to the Shenbian Realm." Mu Yi understood their shock.

"Let's leave first," Xiao Ziyue said, knowing this wasn't the place for a long conversation. Elder Shan Feng, the guardian of the secret realm, was present, as were Gufan and Nangong Ying. The latter two had faces flushed a deep, liver-like purple, glaring at Mu Yi with murderous intent.