Volume 1, Chapter 23: The Three Great Peerless Arts

"Excellent martial art, this is exactly the footwork technique I need."

Mu Yi flipped through the pages quickly, his eyes narrowing with deep satisfaction.

"Are you truly interested in the Carefree Wandering Steps?" Xiao Ziyue was somewhat surprised to see this. "The Carefree Wandering Steps is the strongest movement technique in the Divine Hidden Academy. It is incredibly difficult to master, and its requirements for the practitioner’s physique are practically monstrous. Even I only managed to master it after entering the Yuanfu Realm, and even then, it took a tremendous amount of effort."

"Oh? So Senior Sister Xiao has mastered this technique as well?" Mu Yi smiled.

"It is precisely because I have mastered it myself that I understand how difficult this technique is. While it's not impossible for you to attempt it, given your current cultivation base, I fear that—" Xiao Ziyue suddenly stopped speaking.

She had already witnessed incredible miracles in Mu Yi. A person who defied logic, surging from the first level of the Tiangang Realm to the first level of the Shenbian Realm in just one week using the energy of the Heavenly Pool, could not be measured by conventional standards.

"Senior Sister Xiao, the Carefree Wandering Steps are practically tailor-made for me. Therefore, I am determined to master this technique, and I certainly will succeed." Mu Yi was just that confident in himself.

Next, Mu Yi continued to browse through the martial arts manuals.

"The Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal!" Mu Yi’s eyes lit up again as he found what he was looking for.

"The Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal, the strongest sealing technique of the Divine Hidden Academy, a Heaven-grade high-tier martial art. It gathers immense power in the palm to shatter mountains and rivers..." This was the description of the Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal.

"The power of the Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal depends on the strength of the practitioner's constitution. This is indeed well-suited for you, but the difficulty of mastering it is equally immense," Xiao Ziyue said immediately upon seeing that Mu Yi clearly admired this martial art. "In normal circumstances, one needs to be at least a powerhouse in the Yuanfu Realm to practice a Heaven-grade high-tier martial art. With you being only at the Shenbian Realm, wanting to master it..."

Xiao Ziyue felt that even if Mu Yi obtained the Carefree Wandering Steps and the Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal, it would be difficult for him to succeed. Perhaps it would all end up being an exercise in futility.

"Do not worry, Senior Sister Xiao. Since I, Mu Yi, dare to choose to practice a Heaven-grade high-tier martial art, I naturally know I can master it." Mu Yi did not feel any difficulty at all. He possessed the greatest secret of all: the cultivation domain within the Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Tower, which could ignore the chasm between any realms.

"Swift Thunder and Gale Palm: palms like a gale, one wave after another, never stopping, shattering enemies amidst the roaring wind and surging tides..." Immediately following this, Mu Yi finally saw another martial art he desired.

"A fine palm technique. I’ll take it."

Mu Yi’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"Alright, Senior Sister Xiao, as the saying goes, greed leads to failure. One shouldn't be too greedy, so these three martial arts are enough for this time."

The three techniques Mu Yi ultimately chose were the movement technique, Carefree Wandering Steps; the palm seal technique, Heaven and Earth Heaven-Suppressing Seal; and the palm technique, Swift Thunder and Gale Palm. According to Xiao Ziyue, he could actually have chosen more, but Mu Yi felt that what he had was sufficient; there was no need to select further.

"Just these three? Are you sure? Who knows how long it will be before you can enter this place again?" Xiao Ziyue asked, her beautiful eyes fixed on Mu Yi, seeking confirmation.

"Certain, absolutely, and definitively." Mu Yi smiled. "Let’s head out."

The two stepped out of the Hall of Supernatural Powers. However, as soon as they crossed the threshold, Mu Yi immediately noticed that there were dozens of people outside, surrounding him.

"Elder Nie, the final floor of the Hall of Supernatural Powers has always been reserved for the Holy Sons alone. Yet now, a new disciple like Mu Yi is allowed to enter it. This completely violates the rules the academy has held for thousands of years and leaves all of us students unconvinced!"

The two individuals leading the dozens of disciples surrounding the entrance were Nangong Ying and Gu Fan.

"That’s right! Elder Nie, as the presiding elder of the Hall of Supernatural Powers this month, there is absolutely no justification for you letting Mu Yi enter the final floor. We demand an explanation!" Behind Nangong Ying and Gu Fan, fifty or sixty disciples began to shout indignantly.

Some of these were inner-court disciples at the Tiangang Realm, while others were core disciples at the Shenbian Realm. Regardless of their status, they all shared one common identity: like Nangong Ying and Gu Fan, they belonged to the faction of Mo Jinghong. This faction had an official name: the Hong Alliance. Mo Jinghong led this alliance, and it was rumored that there were even Supreme Elders backing them from the shadows. This was why Nangong Ying and Gu Fan dared to cause trouble here.

"You are being insolent! All of you, stand down!" Nie Xun was furious. "I allowed Mu Yi to enter the final floor because I received a direct decree from the Dean. The academy may not have had this rule before, but now, it does!"

"What a joke! The Divine Hidden Academy has been founded for a thousand years and has always belonged to all of us, not just Dean Shen. If she wants to change the rules, that’s fine, but she must convene the four Hall Masters and all the elders to hold a general meeting and decide by vote!" Nangong Ying sneered coldly. "But all of this is being decided by Dean Shen alone? That is hardly compliant with the rules, is it?"

"Exactly. Elder Nie, as the presiding elder of the Hall of Supernatural Powers, you are responsible for overseeing it. Upon receiving such an unreasonable decree from Dean Shen, you should have suspended its execution and convened an elder’s meeting to clarify the situation first," Gu Fan chimed in. "You have broken the rules, and as two of the thirty-two Holy Sons of the academy, we could even impeach you!"

"Hahaha! I was wondering why it was so noisy. So it’s just a pack of wild dogs barking!" At this moment, Mu Yi and Xiao Ziyue walked out through the doors. He looked at the crowd before him, specifically at Nangong Ying and Gu Fan.

"I know the two of you hate me to the bone because of the Heavenly Pool incident and would love to kill me at any moment. That’s fine; I welcome you to make a move whenever you wish. But to use such high-sounding excuses to make things difficult for Elder Nie? Isn't that a bit too shameless?"

Mu Yi hadn't expected the retaliation from Nangong Ying and Gu Fan to come so quickly. By gathering so many disciples to cause a scene here, they were undoubtedly trying to let the entire academy know that he had used a back door. This was their malicious intent.

"Hmph, you think you’re qualified for us to kill you?" Nangong Ying sneered. "Mu Yi, don't think that just because you killed Han Xiaotian at the new disciple assessment, you can do whatever you want. If we weren't inside the academy, do you believe I could crush you with a single finger?"

"Hahaha! Anyone can talk big in this world, but let me tell you this: if you’re a man, stop the empty chatter and just act. If you want to make a move, go ahead. I’m actually quite curious to see if you can really crush me with a single finger."

There was not a trace of fear in Mu Yi’s eyes; instead, there was excitement, and the corners of his mouth revealed a bloodthirsty smile. Nangong Ying and Gu Fan were among the thirty-two Holy Sons of the Divine Hidden Academy, and their strength was formidable, having reached the Yuanfu Realm. Of the six realms of the Great Qian Dynasty, practitioners in the Qi Refining, Tiangang, and Shenbian realms could not fly. But once one stepped into the Yuanfu Realm, one could soar through the air. From this alone, one could see how powerful this realm was.

"Insolent! What status do Senior Brother Nangong and Senior Brother Gu hold! How can an inner-court disciple like you shout at them? You aren't even qualified to die at the hands of the two seniors. To kill you, I, He Wendao, am enough!"

Just then, a young man in white walked out, carrying a long sword on his back, his gaze sharp and piercing.

"Isn't that He Wendao, ranked eighth on the Inner Court Mountain and River List? This person’s strength is not to be underestimated; he has reached the eighth level of the Shenbian Realm!"

"This He Wendao is a member of the Hong Alliance and belongs to Mo Jinghong’s faction. No wonder he appeared in the crowd to take action against Mu Yi!"

"It seems Nangong Ying, Gu Fan, and He Wendao came prepared. They are deliberately trying to bait Mu Yi into a trap so they can execute him!"

By now, the gathering crowd had grown larger and larger, expanding from the original fifty or sixty people to over a hundred.