Volume 1, Chapter 22: Do You Really Think We Dare Not Kill You?

"Elder Dan Feng, there is a serious matter I must report to you. This Mu Yi has disregarded the rules at the Heavenly Pool. He deliberately seized the spiritual energy around us, causing us to absorb absolutely nothing over these past seven days. Our cultivation has not grown in the slightest!"

Nangong Ying and Gu Fan were exceptionally furious, lodging a formal complaint against Mu Yi.

"What? Such a thing happened?" Dan Feng was also taken aback. He looked at Mu Yi with an expression of utter disbelief. One must understand that Nangong Ying and Gu Fan were powerful cultivators at the Yuan Mansion Realm. Logic dictated that they should have been the ones to seize the spiritual energy around Mu Yi; how could it have been the other way around?

"Hahaha! You two fools, this game was initiated by you. You wanted to seize the spiritual energy around me to make me suffer, but you never expected to kick a steel plate instead."

"If you are men, don't stand here trying to shift the blame. Just frankly admit that you are too weak and that your skills are inferior to mine," Mu Yi laughed wildly.

"What did you say? We are too weak?" Nangong Ying and Gu Fan’s eyes seemed to spew fire. "Do you really think we don't dare to kill you?"

"What are you planning to do?" Xiao Ziyue stepped forward, shielding Mu Yi behind her. She could feel the monstrous murderous intent radiating from Nangong Ying and Gu Fan. It seemed they were on the verge of disregarding everything to slay Mu Yi right there and then.

"Mu Yi, you are only good at hiding behind a woman's back! But a coward who draws his head into his shell will eventually have to poke it out. When that day comes, I will make you wish for death but be unable to find it!" Seeing Xiao Ziyue protecting Mu Yi, Nangong Ying and Gu Fan realized they had lost their chance to strike. The two left in resentment.

"Hmph, ants." Mu Yi didn't take their threats to heart at all.

"Mu Yi, I will take you to the Hall of Divine Arts." Xiao Ziyue continued to lead the way. Walking side by side, they drew many envious and hateful glares. Xiao Ziyue was not only one of the thirty-two Holy Disciples but also the sole apprentice of the current Dean, Shen Yushu. Furthermore, she was recognized as the goddess of the Divine Concealment Academy. Seeing a newcomer like Mu Yi chatting and walking alongside her naturally filled the other male students with rage and jealousy.

"What is Mu Yi's background? Why do I keep seeing him walking with Senior Sister Xiao?"
"Is he a gigolo?"
"A gigolo? Do you think someone with Senior Sister Xiao's standards would fancy a gigolo?"

As Mu Yi and Xiao Ziyue passed, whispers trailed them. "This Mu Yi is no simple character. I just received news that seven days ago, when he first entered the academy, he had a massive conflict with Mo Jinghong, the Hall Master of the Penal Hall. He even made the bold declaration that he would battle him to the death on the Life-and-Death Stage in one year!"

"What? Is this fake news? Hall Master Mo is a giant of the Qian-Yuan Realm. A mere newcomer made a life-and-death pact with him?"
"It's true! The news was released by Dean Shen herself, and it has already spread throughout the entire academy!"

Mu Yi heard all of this clearly, but he did not turn back, nor did he pay any attention to it.

"Senior Sister Xiao, you were quite shocked when you saw me enter the Divine Transformation Realm earlier. Why are you so calm now, and why don't you ask me the reason?" Mu Yi glanced at Xiao Ziyue beside him.

"Everyone has secrets, especially someone as monstrous as you. I finally understand why Master sent me to protect you the moment you enrolled." Xiao Ziyue was a smart person; she knew very well what should and should not be asked. That Mu Yi could absorb the spiritual energy in the Heavenly Pool and skyrocket from the first level of the Tiangang Realm to the first level of the Divine Transformation Realm in just one week was inexplicable by normal standards. Clearly, Mu Yi possessed earth-shattering secrets. However, Xiao Ziyue would not ask, nor did she wish to know.

As they spoke, they arrived at a magnificent pavilion. Three large characters were inscribed upon it: *Hall of Divine Arts*. It was one of the four great halls of the Divine Concealment Academy, housing all the most powerful martial arts of the institution. At the entrance, an elder stood guard. He was quite old, with snow-white hair, drinking heavily and looking flushed and intoxicated.

"Elder Nie, this is the Dean's decree, allowing me to bring Mu Yi into the top floor of the Hall of Divine Arts to select a town-temple supreme technique." Xiao Ziyue presented the decree.

"I understand your intent; go right in." Nie Xun smiled slightly, waved his hand, and let them pass.

"Hmm? That easy?" Mu Yi was slightly surprised. "I thought I would be blocked again like last time, being told it wasn't according to the rules."

"It is indeed against the rules, because the top floor of the Hall of Divine Arts houses Heaven-grade martial arts, the town-temple supreme techniques, which only the thirty-two Holy Disciples are permitted to enter and practice." Xiao Ziyue’s eyes rippled with a charming smile. "However, Elder Nie Xun, the acting elder of the Hall of Divine Arts this month, is from Master's faction, so he didn't stop us, saving us some trouble."

"I see." Mu Yi nodded. "The academy's waters run deep."

"Indeed, they run deep, but you needn't concern yourself with that. Right now, you only need to cultivate, grow stronger, and grow stronger still." Xiao Ziyue looked at Mu Yi and smiled. "You should know that my time is precious. You need to become powerful quickly so I can go attend to my own affairs."

Currently, Xiao Ziyue was Mu Yi's bodyguard, sacrificing her own time.

"Rest assured, Senior Sister Xiao, it won't be long before I have the power to protect myself." Mu Yi was well aware that his situation in the academy was one of being surrounded by enemies on all sides.

As they spoke, they reached the top floor of the Hall of Divine Arts. Here were stored the town-temple martial arts of the Divine Concealment Academy.

"In the Great Qian Dynasty, martial arts are classified into Heaven, Earth, and Human grades, with Heaven being the highest and most rare. Our Divine Concealment Academy has collected sixteen Heaven-grade martial arts over the years, each a treasure of the institution. It is a great stroke of fortune that you can come here so early; seize this opportunity." Xiao Ziyue's expression turned solemn. "To get you in here, Master had to forcibly suppress many dissenters. Her situation in the academy is becoming increasingly precarious; I don't know how much longer she can help you."

"Sixteen Heaven-grade martial arts—can I choose and learn any of them? Are there any restrictions?" Mu Yi turned to ask.

"Under normal circumstances, even the thirty-two Holy Disciples can only choose at most two town-temple martial arts. But you are different; Master has made an exception to let you choose as many as you wish." Xiao Ziyue continued, "However, the path of martial arts is about quality, not quantity. It is not that learning more is useful, but that you must choose what is suitable for you."

"Well said." Mu Yi began to browse through the sixteen town-temple martial arts. He truly needed to learn new techniques. Although he possessed the supreme technique, the *King's Tyrant Fist*, each use consumed too much energy, making it unsuitable for conventional combat. Furthermore, the *Great Sun Universe Sword Art* taught to him by the mysterious woman also consumed vast amounts of energy and required a powerful divine sword to be executed. Neither of these two great techniques was suitable for routine fighting because they were too shocking to the world. Besides these, the only other technique Mu Yi possessed was the *Hundred Battle Dazzling Dragon Fist* from the Mu family, which was merely a high-grade Human-level technique. His other major technique, the *Thunder Palm*, was only a mid-grade Human-level skill. These were no longer of much use to him.

"This is... the *Carefree Cloud-Roaming Step*." Mu Yi flipped through a few books and his eyes lit up. This was a movement technique of high Heaven-grade.

"The Roc spreads its wings to roam ten thousand miles; the blue sea and vast sky are yours to enjoy. The *Carefree Cloud-Roaming Step* is the Divine Concealment Academy's strongest movement technique. Once mastered, a single step allows one to ride the clouds and wind, moving with the freedom and ease of a divine dragon. With one stride, one can span the distance of the horizon, leaving enemies unable to touch one's body, rendering one invincible. The difficulty of cultivation is immense, and the requirements for the physical body are extremely high; otherwise, it is impossible to master. Those who wish to practice must proceed with caution."

Mu Yi read these words as he flipped through the book.