The ancient and mottled golden token quietly hovered before Mu Chen. When light shone on it, it couldn't be reflected. It felt as if the token was a black hole, looking extremely mysterious.
Mu Chen fixed his gaze on the golden token. Extending his hand, he allowed it to land on his palm. His fingers rubbed the surface of the token. Although the two ancient words "Number Two" were somewhat blurred, it still emitted an indescribable prestige.
Mu Chen wore a grave expression as he circulated his Spiritual Energy on the surface of the token in an attempt to probe it. However, there wasn't any effect from his probing. There wasn't any reaction from the token, as if it was an ordinary object.
"Let's see if I can refine it …"
Mu Chen's probing was futile, so he briefly pondered before dripping his blood on the token. Thereafter, his Spiritual Energy had turned into blazing flames that enveloped the token in an attempt to refine it.
However, the golden token did not budge in the Spiritual Energy flames. When Mu Chen's blood dripped on it, it had turned into droplets of blood that rolled on the token, but it couldn't penetrate into the token.
There seemed to be an indescribably powerful barrier on the token that obstructed anything that tried to invade it.
The Spiritual Energy flames burned for a long time, but there wasn't any effect, so Mu Chen sighed in disappointment. Indeed, it wasn't easy to probe it. Although there wasn't any result, Mu Chen didn't feel heartache for paying such a great price for it. That's because the more difficult it was to probe, the more profound and important it was.
If he could really probe it, then its value would definitely exceed the forty-five million drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid.
When the Spiritual Energy flames dissipated, the golden token fell down and Mu Chen held onto it. He gently caressed it and focused his gaze on it. He could vaguely sense a faint and obscure fluctuation coming from the token.
However, that feeling was too weak, so he couldn't determine the source of it.
But based on this, Mu Chen could confirm that this item belonged to the Second Hall Master of the Ancient Haven Palace.
That was because it was emitting an ancient and powerful pressure. That pressure followed it like a shadow, even if it was only a trace of it that had experienced tens of thousands of years.
However, it still caused Mu Chen to shudder with fear.
In the entire Ancient Haven Palace, probably only the Hall Masters could achieve this.
"Looks like I can only keep it in my hands and study it …" Mu Chen ultimately chose to give up. After all, this matter wasn't urgent. Perhaps he would be able to find out the usage of this artifact after entering the Ancient Haven Palace. At that time, it wouldn't disappoint him.
"Now, let's focus on the Nine Dragon God-Killing Array first …"
At this thought.
Mu Chen no longer hesitated and stored the token before retrieving the remnant scroll of the Nine Dragon God-Killing Array. He began to study it in hopes of comprehending it as soon as possible and successfully lay out this incomplete Scholar Grade Spiritual Array.
…
For the next day, Mu Chen stayed in the courtyard and focused his attention on the Nine Dragon God-Killing Array. He wasn't in a rush to leave the Western City, since he knew that it was impossible for him to escape under everyone's eyes.
Furthermore, Mu Chen wasn't willing to use this method.
Aside from Old Bai and Lin Jing, no one else came out.
Old Bai was under Mu Chen's orders to gather dragon bones from some treasure stores in the city, while Lin Jing couldn't stay idle. She wasn't bothered by the fact that she was a moving treasury in the eyes of everyone as she wandered around the city.
But surprisingly, no one dared to make a move against her despite being coveted by countless experts. Evidently, they were fearful of the mysterious background behind Lin Jing.
The peace lasted until the second day.
At dusk on the second day, Mu Chen sat in the stone pavilion in the courtyard with a chessboard laid out on the stone table. He was playing a game of chess with Jiu You.
"Our place has become the most eye-catching place in the entire Western City."
Jiu You glanced outside the courtyard. The past two days seemed calm, but everyone could feel the turbulent waves below. The number of covetous gazes was increasing.
Mu Chen nodded his head with a smile. "If they're willing to drag it out, then let them be. It'll give me more time to deduce the Nine Dragon God-Killing Array and wait for the Great Havenlaw Domain's party to arrive."
Jiu You nodded.
"Your subordinate hasn't returned yet."
Standing to the side, Lin Jing, who was playing with a spirit rabbit that she had obtained from god knows where, suddenly raised her head and smiled casually.
Nine Nether was stunned, and her face slightly changed. Only now did she remember that Old Bai would usually return at this time. With Old Bai's character, he was clearly not someone who would waste time.
She raised her head to look at Mu Chen. However, the latter's expression was calm, except for a brief moment with a dangerous light flashing in his eyes.
"Looks like someone can't hold it in any longer." He muttered to himself.
Just when Mu Chen muttered to himself, a burst of laughter that was enveloped in powerful Spiritual Energy pierced through space. It was like thunder as it rumbled throughout the entire city and into the courtyard that was surrounded by Spiritual Arrays.
"Haha, everyone from the Great Heaven Domain, your subordinate is currently a guest here. I wonder if you guys can come over for a chat?"
The laughter resounded between the heavens and earth. That voice belonged to the Fourth Prince of the Xia Empire, Xia Hong.
He did not conceal his voice, so everyone in the city could clearly hear it. Instantly, everyone's hearts trembled. Was Xia Hong finally going to make a move against the Great Heaven Domain?
"That fellow is truly hateful!" Jiu You's face was filled with killing intent in the courtyard.
"What a cautious fellow."
Mu Chen faintly said. He initially thought that Mu Chen would come to encircle them, but he never expected that Xia Hong would resort to such a method. Evidently, that fellow was worried that Mu Chen would set up Spiritual Arrays to occupy the geographical advantage.
"My Lord … what should we do?" Tan Qiu looked at Mu Chen for his opinion.
Mu Chen stood up. His slender body was as straight as a spear. Raising his head towards the direction of the voice, he gave a faint smile and said, "The chicken that I've been waiting for two days has finally arrived. If I don't use this chicken head, how would I be able to intimidate others?"
"Let this fellow be the stepping stone for the reputation of my Great Heaven Domain in the Greatlaw Continent …"
As he spoke, his silhouette had already turned into a streak of light and soared into the sky with Jiu You, Tan Qiu and the Stone King following along with surging killing auras.
"There's a show to watch!
I'll see how his cultivation at the Quasi-Ninth Grade Sovereign Realm will confront that fellow who has stepped into the Ninth Grade Sovereign Realm … "Lin Jing smiled as she watched this scene with a flash of expectation in her eyes. Shortly after, she had turned into a streak of light and swiftly followed up.
…
When Mu Chen's party flew out of the courtyard, countless silhouettes suddenly flew out of the Western City and made their way towards Xia Hong's direction.
Anyone could tell that the undercurrent that had been suppressed for two days in the Western City was finally going to erupt today.
However, they had no idea if the Great Heaven Domain would be able to keep the token after today.
In the other three locations of the Western City, Lady Qin Ya of the Horizon Palace, Young Pavilion Master Mu Shan of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion, and Jiang Ling of the Sword Saint Sect were looking at the several streaks of light that soared into the sky from Mu Chen's direction with their eyes flickering.
"Mu Chen of the Great Heaven Domain is truly courageous … he actually dared to make a move. But although Xia Hong is hateful, he's not a pushover, either. Today's matter will be interesting to watch."
The three of them smiled as they waved their sleeves and soared into the sky with silhouettes following behind them. Every single one of them had powerful Spiritual Energy and clearly, they weren't weaklings.
As a result, the entire Western City was instantly ignited.
…
At the center of the western part of the city, Xia Hong sat on the throne in a huge training field with beauties surrounding him and serving him wine. It was an enviable scene.
Behind him, there were ten-odd silhouettes standing in the shadows, vaguely emanating boundless Spiritual Energy that caused space to tremble.
Amongst those silhouettes, the one leading them was the most eye-catching. It was a grey-robed old man that emanated an eerie aura. Even the Spiritual Energy emanating from his body was extremely cold.
On one of the pillars in the Martial Arts Field, there was an iron chain that extended down and bound a figure. It was Senior Bai. Spiritual runes flashed around his body like a seal, sealing the Spiritual Energy in his body.
"Duke Wang, do you think that brat will dare to come?" Xia Hong held onto a crystal cup as he casually toyed with it before asking in a teasing tone.
The grey-robed old man eerily smiled. "Whether he comes or not, the outcome is already determined. That token isn't something that the Great Heaven Domain can afford."
Xia Hong smiled in satisfaction before he gulped down the wine in his cup and raised his head to look at the sky, which had suddenly become bustling. Many silhouettes had already appeared and were looking down at the Martial Practice Ground.
"You've really come … how courageous." Xia Hong looked at the sky and suddenly clapped his hands together with a smile.
When his voice resounded, a lustre flickered in the sky and several silhouettes appeared under the countless gazes. The one leading them was naturally Mu Chen.
When he appeared, he cast a glance at Xia Hong and flicked his finger. A streak of Spiritual Energy shot out and severed the chains that bound Senior Bai before sweeping him up and bringing him back.
When Xia Hong saw this scene, he did not obstruct him. After Mu Chen rescued Old Bai, he looked at Mu Chen with his eyes narrowed. "Leave the token and the two beauties behind. I will guarantee that you can leave the Western City."
When Mu Chen heard his words, he gently smiled as he looked at Xia Hong and his laughter rang out.
"Can I borrow your chicken head?"
(To be continued.)