The Punishment Hall was situated within the inner region of Hokuang Reiwon. Within the entire Hokuang Reiwon, the Punishment Hall possessed an extremely high status and strength. That's because the majority of matters related to Hokuang Reiwon's safety and defence were controlled by the Punishment Hall.
The majority of the members within the Punishment Hall were formed by students that had graduated, but had chosen to stay within Hokuang Reiwon. Batch after batch, they continuously injected fresh blood into the Punishment Hall.
Naturally, upon entering the Punishment Hall, one would no longer be able to be called a student, and would not be able to participate in the various competitions between students. Therefore, within the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, it was extremely difficult for ordinary students to see the members of the Punishment Hall.
Similarly, after becoming a member of the Punishment Hall, the missions that they had to carry out would be much more dangerous. This place was no longer an ivory tower, with the various rules and regulations being much stricter. That's because this place was created to protect Hokuang Reiwon. The enemies that they had to face were no longer the Seniors and Juniors that they had to exchange pointers with, but the various ferocious and hostile influences within the Northern Heavens Continent.
Compared to the warm and gentle academy, the interior of the Punishment Hall clearly had an additional steel-blooded and cold aura.
Within the inner region, there was no longer the youthful and lively atmosphere present within. Even the sky appeared slightly darker and gloomier. Giant halls rose and fell in succession atop the numerous mountain peaks. In the air, there would occasionally be armoured troops sweeping past in an orderly fashion. As they moved, a chilling and desolate aura was present.
Such an imposing manner was absolutely not something that the students within Hokuang Reiwon could compare to.
Mu Chen and Luo Li sighed in admiration as they watched this spectacle. This was the true strength that protected Hokuang Reiwon. Although Hokuang Reiwon could be considered as the leviathan of the Northern Heavens Continent, that didn't mean that there weren't any influences within the Northern Heavens Continent that possessed the qualifications to challenge it.
In this continent where experts were as numerous as the clouds, there were still some equally powerful influences that were eyeing them covetously.
As for the Punishment Hall, it was precisely to intimidate those powers that were eyeing them covetously.
When the Mu Chen duo entered this region, they did not encounter any obstruction. Clearly, the Punishment Hall had already passed on the news. The two of them observed for a while, before descending towards a giant mountain in the distance.
On that giant peak, an incomparably huge black palace stood quietly, like a cold and ferocious beast, quietly crawling.
It quietly exuded a terrifying aura.
In front of the huge hall was a black stone plaza. It was dark in color and emitted a cold luster.
When the Mu Chen duo landed on the black stone plaza, they saw the center of the plaza.
Shen Cangsheng and Li Xuantong were already there. In front of them were Lin Zheng and the others.
Mu Chen's gaze swept across Lin Zheng and the rest, before stopping at their leader. There, a middle-aged man dressed in black stood with his hands behind his back, his expression cold and stern.
As he swept his gaze across the room, it was as if there was a chilling aura emanating from him that froze the air.
Standing there, he did not say anything.
A formless pressure enveloped the area. Under that pressure, even a person like Shen Cangsheng had become docile.
Mu Chen shot a look of shock and fear towards the middle-aged man in black.
The latter's strength was rather terrifying.
"Sorry.
We're late. "Cupping his fists together, Mu Chen walked forward with Luo Li.
"It's fine. It hasn't started yet."
Lin Zheng smiled as he waved his hand. Pointing at the middle-aged man in black, he said with a smile, "This is our Punishment Hall Master, Hall Master Mo You. At the same time, he is also a Heavenly Elder of our Hokuang Reiwon."
Mu Chen was slightly startled. He now had some understanding of the upper echelons of Hokuang Reiwon. In the entire Hokuang Reiwon, there were a total of five Heavenly Elders. During the freshmen competition, the elder called Zhu Tian seemed to be a Heavenly Elder. The person in front of him was unexpectedly one of the five great Heavenly Elders. He could be considered as the strongest fighting force in Hokuang Reiwon.
"Mu Chen greets hall master Mo You." Mu Chen bowed and cupped his hands together.
"You're the freshman Mu Chen who defeated Gu Tianyan?"
Hall master Mo You's gaze was suffused with a dark light as he stared at Mu Chen. His gaze was exceptionally sharp, as if he wanted to see through Mu Chen.
"Senior Gu was just being modest. If we had continued to fight, I wouldn't have the strength to continue fighting."
Mu Chen shook his head. What he said was the truth. If Gu Tianyan had continued to fight, Mu Chen would have only been able to achieve a draw at the very most. Wanting to obtain victory might have been somewhat impossible. Regardless of how many tricks he had up his sleeves, the enormous disparity between a Heavenly Transformation Stage and a Heavenly Completion Stage was there for all to see.
"That brat also knows how to be modest?"
Hearing that, Mo You instead chuckled. Shooting a glance at Gu Tianyan, who had an unnatural expression on his face, he said, "That brat is usually extremely arrogant. Being able to dampen his spirit, that means you have the ability."
Mu Chen could only give an awkward smile.
"However, you're indeed not bad. Being able to rely on your status as a freshman to achieve such a feat, you're the first in all these years. Thinking about it, even Shen Cangsheng wasn't able to do it back then." Mo You looked at Mu Chen, not concealing his admiration for him in the slightest.
At the side, Shen Cangsheng also smiled. When he was a freshman, he had only immersed himself in bitter training. In his first year, he had indeed not participated in the Hunting War, let alone achieving such a result.
"You're Luo Li, right?"
Mo You's gaze suddenly turned towards Luo Li, who had been quietly following behind Mu Chen. His gaze paused on the Luo God Sword tightly grasped in the latter's jade-like hands.
"Yes."
Luo Li faintly nodded her head. Seeming to have sensed the latter's gaze on the Luo God Sword in her hands, her eyebrows slightly knitted together.
"Haha, I've seen this sword in your father's hands before," Mo You said with a slightly complicated expression.
Hearing that, everyone was startled. Luo Li was also somewhat astonished. Mo You had actually met her father before?
From the looks of it, the latter was also aware of her identity.
Mu Chen was also slightly astonished. However, he was not particularly surprised. Mo You was the Heavenly Seated Elder of Hokuang Reiwon, and should have some understanding of Luo Li's identity. However, Mu Chen never imagined that he had met Luo Li's father before.
"Back then, I coincidentally met your father during my training. Speaking of which, I still owe him a life. Unfortunately, I don't have the chance to repay him," said Mo You with a somewhat gloomy expression.
Luo Li was silent. She naturally did not know the slightest bit about these matters.
The atmosphere instantly became somewhat gloomy. This was the first time that Lin Zheng and the rest had seen such an expression on Mo You's face, causing them to be unable to say anything.
However, Mo You quickly recovered. Waving his hand, he said, "Alright, since all of you are here, let's prepare for the Spiritual Light Empowerment."
With a wave of his hand, three old men walked out from within the large hall. The three of them were the elders of Hokuang Reiwon. However, their positions were clearly not as high as Mo You's.
"The three elders will personally provide the Spiritual Light Empowerment to the three of you."
Mo You looked towards Luo Li and said, "Little girl, let me host your Spiritual Light Empowerment."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng and the rest immediately cried out in shock. Mo You was actually going to personally host the Spiritual Light Empowerment for a student?
This was the first time in all these years.
The stronger the person hosting the Spiritual Light Empowerment, the greater the benefits the person receiving the Spiritual Light Empowerment would receive. Mo You was one of the five great Heavenly Seated Elders of Hokuang Reiwon. Within the entire Hokuang Reiwon, there were clearly not many people who were stronger than him.
Luo Li hesitated for a moment. After seeing Mu Chen nod his head, she gently nodded her head and said, "Then I'll have to trouble hallmaster Mo You."
Mo You waved his hand and sighed, "Just treat it as me reluctantly returning a favor. However, this is all I can do."
As his voice rang out, he instructed, "All of you, follow the three elders in."
Mu Chen and the other two nodded their heads. Just as they were about to move, a powerless and aged voice suddenly rang out beside their ears.
"Wait."
The sudden voice caused everyone to gawk. Raising their heads, they saw an elderly figure seated on a stone pillar in front of the giant black hall.
The old man wore somewhat tattered robes, and there was not a single strand of hair on his bald head. His eyes were always listlessly drooping, appearing as if he had never eaten his fill.
Upon seeing the bald old man, Mu Chen was instantly stunned. Wasn't this old fellow the one he had met in the lightning region?
The Lightning God Body that he cultivated was something that this bald old man had given to him.
By the side, astonishment filled the faces of Shen Cangsheng and Li Xuantong. They had similarly met this mysterious bald old man in the lightning region.
Upon seeing the bald old man, shock instantly filled Mo You's face, as he hastily and respectfully greeted, "Lord Northern Sea."
Upon seeing his attitude, everyone was stunned. There was actually someone in Hokuang Reiwon that could make Mo You act so respectfully?
Exactly what was the background of this bald old man before them?
"Lord Northern Sea?"
Shen Cangsheng, Lin Zheng and the rest furrowed their brows in deep thought. After a while, their expressions abruptly changed, as they spoke out in a low voice with some shock, "Could it be our Hokuang Reiwon's guardian divine beast, the Northern Sea Dragon?"
In Hokuang Reiwon, other than Dean Tai Cang, the only one that could make Mo You act so respectfully was likely the mysterious Northern Sea Dragon.
By the side, Mu Chen's heart shook when he heard this. He looked at the always weak and powerless bald old man with some disbelief. He was truly unable to connect the latter's image with the mighty divine beast that could intimidate the heavens and earth.
On the stone pillar, the bald old man waved his hand. When he reappeared, he was already in front of Mu Chen and the rest. That speed that seemed to have teleported caused the eyelids of Mu Chen and the rest to twitch.
The bald old man waved his hand towards Mo You, before sweeping his gaze towards Mu Chen and the rest. In the end, his gaze stopped on Mu Chen's body.
"Elder."
Upon seeing the bald old man staring at him, Mu Chen immediately felt a little unnatural.
The bald old man ignored him, merely sweeping his gaze across him in a somewhat peculiar manner. After a while, he slowly said, "I've heard that you've absorbed the Divine Black Lightning?"
(Today will be the third watch.
Any missed updates will be made up for in the last few days.)