Chapter 359 – The Human Race's Top Prodigy?

Watching Luo Chen being beaten in turns, the Southern Aristocracy’s mindset gradually stabilized once more. In fact, they even found the mood to jest.

“Losing to Mu Lin is no disgrace”—this was the lighthearted remark of many Southern Aristocrats, and it also reflected their genuine thoughts.

As for the Northern Aristocracy… although they were unwilling to accept the final outcome, deep down, they felt the same way.

No one blamed Luo Chen. He had already given his utmost effort, and his cultivation level and strength were sufficiently high. It was just that Mu Lin was even more monstrous, utterly inhuman.

Who had ever heard of someone summoning multiple Mortal Shedding-level combatants before fully advancing to the Mortal Shedding Realm? It defied all logic.

——

The Northern scholars lamented and had already abandoned hope of competing. Yet, Luo Chen, living up to the Heavenly Dao’s favor, persisted even in such a moment of despair.

“Summon Calamity.”

Seeing his body shrink, he immediately called upon calamity, hoping to restore his dharma body.

Given a little time, he truly could have achieved this.

It must be said that the Mortal Shedding Realm was indeed comprehensively superior to Gang Sha Sorcerers. Not only were spells more powerful and weaknesses fewer, but the dharma body of the Mortal Shedding Realm could also rapidly absorb the power of heaven and earth to replenish itself.

Well, this was also related to the formidable nature of the calamity dharma image Luo Chen had condensed.

Unfortunately, although Luo Chen tried his hardest and needed only a little time to absorb calamity and restore his body, Mu Lin did not grant him even that brief moment.

Seated within the great hall, his expression concealed by the seven-beaded crown, Mu Lin cast his gaze toward Luo Chen’s direction. At the same time, he softly uttered a command:

“Stabilize!”

“Hum!”

The sound was not loud, but the moment it appeared, a mysterious and profound ripple swept across the entire King Yama Domain.

Every living being within the domain felt as if the world had been frozen in place.

Naturally, Luo Chen experienced this sensation as well.

If he had possessed a complete dharma image, with its strength, Luo Chen could have slightly resisted Mu Lin’s Body-Fixing Art.

However, the shrinking of his dharma image also meant a reduction in his power. His weakened body naturally could not withstand Mu Lin’s Source Rune.

Thus, unsurprisingly, he was immobilized mid-air by Mu Lin’s “Stabilize.”

Although the immobilization did not last long, in a battle between masters, victory often hinged on mere moments. For Mu Lin, this brief time was more than enough.

“Clatter…”

The moment Luo Chen was immobilized, Avici Chains abruptly appeared behind him, piercing through the heart of his dharma body and shackling his divine soul.

In the next instant, Silent Divinity activated, initiating its sealing ability.

Soon, Luo Chen’s divine soul was completely restrained by the Avici Chains.

With his divine soul shackled and his abilities silenced, there was no doubt—Luo Chen had been defeated.

His defeat also meant that the grand and prolonged challenge tournament had ultimately concluded with Mu Lin’s complete victory.

“…”

Ten consecutive victories first brought a moment of silence to the arena.

In the next instant, endless cheers and roars erupted from around the arena.

“Mu Lin, ten thousand victories!”

“I knew it—Mu Lin would never fail.”

“Hahaha, so what if you Northerners have Forbidden Power? We Southerners have Mu Lin!”

“Heh, weren’t you all so arrogant? Why aren’t you boasting anymore?”

“Provoking Lord Mu Lin is the most foolish mistake you’ve made in this lifetime…”

…

After all, this was the southern region, where the Southern Aristocracy held greater influence. Thus, the surroundings were filled with cheers and jubilation over Mu Lin’s victory.

At the same time, after this battle, the southern cultivators looked upon Mu Lin with immense reverence, admiration, and aspiration.

However, Mu Lin had little interest in the crowd’s cheers and admiration. He had no desire to mock the Northern Aristocracy either, as he had never intended to participate in this duel in the first place.

“So, why did you have to provoke me?”

With a sigh, Mu Lin departed immediately after his victory. He still had cultivation to pursue.

Though he had left, the ripples and impact of this victory continued to spread. The first to be affected were… Si Ye and the Yan Family.

…

In this duel, Mu Lin had shone brilliantly, repeatedly shattering people’s perceptions. However, given his innate talent, which far surpassed the norm, and his feat of slaying an Evil God’s Avatar, expectations for him were already sky-high. Even if he performed more monstrously, people could still accept it…

“I still can’t wrap my head around it! How did Lord Mu Lin, as a Gang Sha Sorcerer, summon so many Mortal Shedding Dharma Image-level combatants?”

“Don’t ask me. If I knew, would I be sitting here with you?”

“What I’m most curious about is the Baleful Qi. To withstand Mortal Shedding-level attacks purely through the properties of Baleful Qi—just how much Baleful Qi has Lord Mu Lin refined?”

“What I most want to know is how to join Lord Mu Lin’s ranks. Is there really no chance for men?”

After the duel concluded, aside from cheering and mocking the Northern Aristocracy, the Southern Aristocracy spent the most time discussing Mu Lin’s various performances in the arena.

It could be said that for the next few days, all of Yuzhou City, and even the entire southern lands, were abuzz with discussions about Mu Lin.

Indeed, discussions about Mu Lin were undeniably the top trending topic. However, conversations about Yan Yunyu and Xue Ying were not far behind, especially regarding Yan Yunyu.

Xue Ying bore the title of Prodigy and had long mastered the Demon Blade. Her growth after aligning with Mu Lin was something people could accept. But Yan Yunyu was different. Originally just an appendage, she had shone brilliantly in this duel, which was truly astonishing.

While some discussed Yan Yunyu, others brought up Chu Lingluo.

“I recall Chu Lingluo aligned with Mu Lin around the same time as Yan Yunyu. Why didn’t she make an appearance this time?”

“Could she have been abandoned?”

“It’s quite possible. During this period, Yan Yunyu has been tirelessly working and running around for Mu Lin, while Chu Lingluo has done very little…”

Mu Lin had certainly not abandoned Chu Lingluo. When he was weak, Chu Lingluo had helped him greatly, and as his first woman, he had granted her the identity of the Manjusaka Master, entrusting her with the Other Shore Flower Sea. This was an immensely powerful force; when fully unleashed, the Life-Death Illusion might not be inferior to Yan Yunyu’s mastery of the Avici Chains.

The reason she did not participate in the battle was simply that she disliked fighting, and Mu Lin had no need for her to fight. Even Yan Yunyu’s participation, strictly speaking, was not entirely necessary.

Now, among the three individuals who have been taken under Mu Lin’s wing, only Xue Ying, who has fully matured, can hold her own in terms of combat prowess and fight for Mu Lin.

Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo, in Mu Lin’s eyes, hold the status of consorts in his harem.

With different psychological positions, Mu Lin’s expectations for them also vary—Yan Yunyu’s participation in battles is seen by Mu Lin as mere amusement, while Chu Lingluo, being shy and unwilling to engage in such play, is naturally allowed to abstain.

However, while Mu Lin is aware of this, others are not.

Even Si Ye grew somewhat anxious upon seeing Chu Lingluo not taking part in the battle.

Yet, despite her anxiety, she did not rush to the Chu Family as she had in the past to demand resources.

Instead, she seemed to have given up, spending her days lazily and leisurely in Yuzhou City.

Then, just as he had anticipated, while she remained unperturbed, the Chu Family grew restless.

They had no choice but to worry.

Originally, Mu Lin’s talent was already remarkable enough.

After his decisive battle with the northern prodigy, Mu Lin solidified his reputation as the top youth of the south.

In fact, having represented the south in defeating the north, he could even boldly claim to be the number one prodigy of the Great Spirit Imperial Dynasty, or even of the entire Human Race.

Such a Mu Lin is almost certain to reach the rank of Celestial Master in the future, and an exceptionally powerful one at that.

After all, not every generation produces an unrivaled youth who sweeps all before them.

In this world where great power resides within individuals, a Celestial Master-level expert can bring numerous benefits.

Territory, authority, cultivation methods, guidance, resources… a Celestial Master-level expert can provide all these advantages.

Thus, a single Celestial Master can truly elevate their followers to great heights.

Naturally, such a powerful figure attracts countless followers.

During this period, numerous nobles and wealthy individuals have flocked to Mu Lin’s side.

In fact, some have gone to great lengths, even offering substantial resources, yet still fail to gain an audience with Mu Lin.

Seeing this situation, the Yan Family remains unperturbed, as they secured a position by Mu Lin’s side early on.

The Chu Family, originally also at ease, now finds themselves troubled by Chu Lingluo’s apparent neglect.

Consequently, a Clan Elder from the Chu Family promptly sought out Si Ye to inquire about Chu Lingluo’s recent situation.

“Si Ye, what is the current situation between Lingluo and Mu Lin? Have they had a falling out?”

“No major conflicts, just some neglect.”

“???”

“Neglect isn’t a major conflict?”

“Of course not. Yan Yunyu has the full support of the Yan Family, bringing spirit tools to offer, and Xue Ying also has the Ge Family’s wholehearted assistance. With both of them bringing so many resources, it’s only natural for Mu Lin’s attention to be on them, and for Lingluo to be neglected.”

At this point, Si Ye sighed wearily and said:

“Alas, more and more aristocratic families will come to pledge allegiance to Mu Lin in the future, and the same goes for the women by his side. That child Lingluo will likely be gradually neglected.”

“But fortunately, Mu Lin is not a cruel person, nor will he force Lingluo into battle. If she’s neglected, so be it. I only wish for her safety.”

While Si Ye had adopted a “giving up” mindset and only sought Chu Lingluo’s peace and stability, the Chu Family was absolutely unwilling to accept this.

If there were no opportunities, it would be one thing.

But now, a Future Celestial Master is right before their eyes, and they once had a good relationship with him. They have no intention of missing out on such an excellent investment opportunity.

Especially in these times, calamities are everywhere. Even the imperial family and the Prince’s Residence cannot guarantee their survival, so naturally, the Chu Family is even more concerned.

Unwilling to see a thousand-year-old clan destroyed overnight, having a powerful ally at this moment is crucial.

Therefore, before Si Ye could finish speaking, the Chu Family Elder quickly said, “Yan Yunyu has the Yan Family, Xue Ying has the Ge Family, and Lingluo has the Chu Family. Our Chu Family will never let our own daughter be bullied.”

This brought joy to Si Ye’s heart. She knew her plan had succeeded.

Of course, while inwardly delighted, Si Ye’s expression still showed a trace of worry on the surface.

“Is this really appropriate? To get closer to the current Mu Lin, one must offer immense benefits, and Lingluo has yet to achieve any merit…”

“She has already accomplished a great feat. Without Lingluo, our Chu Family disciples wouldn’t have had such easy access to the Clone Cultivation True Intent Diagram.”

“Moreover, she will play an even greater role in the future—no, she can already do so now…”

As he spoke, his expression grew hesitant, and he did not finish the remaining words.

But Si Ye had already understood the Chu Family Elder’s thoughts.

The Chu Family Elders had some ideas about the Divine Positions in the True Spirit Karma Diagram.

Of course, they did not know the specifics of the Divine Positions. They only knew that after signing a contract with Mu Lin and pledging allegiance to him, the signatory would experience a surge in strength and a dramatic increase in potential.

Such Divine Positions held little appeal for the Chu Family Elders themselves.

As established powerhouses, they could not possibly give up their freedom to serve another, especially someone so much younger.

However, the strong in this world are rarely solitary figures. They have relatives, friends, and descendants.

And not all descendants possess extraordinary talent or outstanding potential.

In such circumstances, the Divine Positions controlled by Mu Lin become exceptionally precious.

They offer a new path for their descendants.

Thus, whether for the future of the clan or for their own descendants, they need to maintain good relations with Mu Lin.

With this in mind, the Chu Family Elder spoke with firm conviction:

“Si Ye, go and reassure Lingluo. Tell her not to be afraid. No matter what, the Chu Family will always be her support and will stand by her forever.”

“Don’t worry about the situation within the clan either. I will do my utmost to persuade the others and the Clan Head.”

“In that case, thank you, Seventh Elder.”

(End of Chapter)