Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

Opening the door, Mu Chen immediately saw the smartly dressed Xu Fei. Judging by his build alone, Xu Fei was undoubtedly a Power Type Martial Artist—powerfully built with broad shoulders. But from his reserved and profound gaze, Mu Chen could tell that Brother Xu possessed more than just strength; he also had a mind far sharper than the average person’s.

"Mu Chen, how’d you sleep last night?" Xu Fei grinned, speaking before Mu Chen had the chance.

The question, which should have been a simple pleasantry, instead caused Mu Chen to immediately recall that bizarre dream. The world around him seemed to fall silent.

’Come to me...’

An ethereal voice suddenly echoed in Mu Chen’s ears, and the pupils behind his tightly shut eyes contracted violently.

PAT!

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Mu Chen, stunned, lifted his head to see Xu Fei’s rugged face.

"Mu Chen, what’s wrong?" Xu Fei asked, perplexed. He had only offered a simple greeting but hadn’t expected Mu Chen to just zone out.

Wan Xian’Er also noticed Mu Chen’s odd behavior and couldn’t help but feel a little worried. But Mu Chen just smiled faintly, patted Xu Fei’s hand, and said, "It’s nothing. I just had a nightmare last night and still haven’t fully snapped out of it."

Xu Fei let out a deep breath. "Phew... you scared me, Brother. I thought you were sick. Since it was just a nightmare, try to forget it. Dreams are the opposite of reality, anyway. They aren’t real."

Mu Chen nodded. "You’re right. Let’s go down and get something to eat. We’ve been rushing around for two days and haven’t had a proper meal yet."

Xu Fei let out a hearty laugh. He liked this direct way of communicating with Mu Chen—it was straightforward and sincere.

"Exactly! We need to eat well today." With another loud laugh, Xu Fei led Mu Chen and Wan Xian’Er downstairs.

It was now around eight in the morning, with only an hour until the start of the Spirit Selection Conference. However, the Jin Hai Grand Hotel was just a ten-minute walk from the Imperial Square where the event was being held, so Mu Chen and the others had plenty of time for a proper breakfast. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

As they made their way down from the fifth floor, Mu Chen saw many other Spirit Selectors following their Guides. Most of them were over twenty-five. The few who were only in their teens either looked arrogant and condescending or appeared worried and nervous. Mu Chen, in contrast, seemed completely at ease, as if he were here to watch the Spirit Selection Conference rather than compete in it.

When they reached the first-floor dining area, Mu Chen spotted a table made of pure gold from a distance, with a placard bearing Xu Fei’s name. An array of dishes was already neatly arranged on it, just waiting for them to enjoy. Seeing the confused look on Mu Chen’s face, Xu Fei chuckled. "I have this habit, you see. I hate waiting for food. So, I always order everything in advance and have the kitchen serve it all at once. I placed our order when I went to get you just now. This way, we can eat as soon as we sit down. Much more convenient."

Mu Chen nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. ’This Brother Xu... he’s quite an interesting person.’

As Xu Fei, Mu Chen, and Wan Xian’er ate, the surrounding tables began to fill up. Most of the people eating at this hour were veteran Guides; the newer ones, afraid of being late for the Spirit Selection Conference, had already eaten and made their way to the Imperial Square.

They finished their meal quickly and in silence. Wiping his mouth, Xu Fei asked, "How was it? The food was pretty good, right?"

Mu Chen nodded. "It was very good. Just a bit more ornate and less natural than the food at the Stone City Inn."

"Haha!" Xu Fei laughed. "I didn’t expect someone as young as you to appreciate natural flavor, Brother Mu Chen. It seems I’ve underestimated you."

Mu Chen shook his head. Xu Fei continued, "It’s already eight-thirty, which leaves half an hour until the conference. We should head out now, or we’ll really be late."

"Alright." With a nod, Mu Chen fell into step beside Xu Fei. Wan Xian’Er, meanwhile, drew the gazes of countless onlookers as she looked left and right, sometimes happily buying a few trinkets from street vendors. Her behavior made Mu Chen wonder about her family’s upbringing.

’She has no airs about her. She isn’t spoiled by the finest food, nor does she turn her nose up at simple fare. She doesn’t get overly excited about luxurious accommodations, nor does she complain about poor ones. Simplicity... it truly is a magical thing.’

Under Xu Fei’s guidance, Mu Chen and Wan Xian’Er arrived at a massive open-air plaza as if they had been there a hundred times before. You could say the plaza itself covered more ground than all of Stone City.

The plaza was surrounded by countless tiers of steps. They descended from top to bottom, looking less like a staircase and more like spectator seating. Since it was nearly time for the conference to begin, these seats were already packed with a dense crowd of onlookers. A quick estimate put their numbers at over a million!

Seeing the clamorous atmosphere, even Mu Chen, who had always preferred tranquility, felt a stir of excitement. ’Back in the day,’ he thought, ’during the clan competition, there were less than a thousand people in the entire square. It was nothing compared to a magnificent spectacle like this.’

Xu Fei glanced at Mu Chen and smiled. "Brother Mu Chen, let’s head in. If we stand around out here any longer, they’ll count us as late."

Mu Chen nodded and stepped through the grand gate of the Imperial Square, which marked the official entrance. Xu Fei and Wan Xian’Er followed close behind. From this point on, it was Mu Chen’s turn to take the stage. Once a contestant entered the Imperial Square, their Guide’s duty was complete. "Brother Mu Chen," Xu Fei said, "someone will be along shortly to take you to the contestant assembly area. I and the future of Stone City are counting on you. Go for it!"

Mu Chen nodded and said, "Don’t worry," then continued walking forward. Across from him, a mature woman in a long red dress saw him approaching and quickly rose to greet him. "Are you a contestant in this Spirit Selection Conference?"

Mu Chen nodded. "Yes. Could you tell me how to get to the contestant assembly area?"

The woman gave a charming smile. "Of course. I’ll be the one to take you. What’s your name?"

"Mu Chen."

"Oh, Mu Chen. That’s a lovely name. Now, please follow me to the contestant assembly area. I’ll be handling all the arrangements from this point on. If you need anything or have any questions, feel free to ask me directly."

"Alright..."

Watching the two of them walk away, Xu Fei turned to Wan Xian’er. "Miss Xian’Er, let’s head to the spectator stands. My status grants me access to a special viewing area. You’ll be able to see Mu Chen’s performance much more clearly from there."

Wan Xian’Er watched Mu Chen’s retreating figure and said coolly, "I couldn’t care less about his performance. That special viewing area, however, does interest me."

Hearing this, the corners of Xu Fei’s mouth twitched. "Then let’s be on our way," he said with a helpless tone. With that, they too vanished from the entrance of the Imperial Square, one after the other.

Led by the mature woman, Mu Chen soon arrived in a massive waiting room. The room had large doors at both the front and back. The rear doors were the entrance for contestants, while the front doors led directly out to the competition stage in the plaza.

To be precise, the waiting room was built beneath the plaza’s tiered seating. When they saw a new contestant enter, the other Spirit Selectors there cautiously sized Mu Chen up. However, once they spotted the Third Grade Spirit Selector insignia on his sleeve, their caution slowly turned to disdain. Among those contemptuous gazes, of course, was one pair of eyes Mu Chen recognized. They belonged to Ma Bi, the three-time champion he had encountered when they first arrived at the Jin Hai Grand Hotel.

Mu Chen, however, showed no reaction. He simply stood quietly beside the mature woman, his gaze fixed on the empty, elevated stage in the plaza. Seeing him stand there so straight and composed, neither obsequious nor arrogant, the woman’s smiling face took on a playful expression. She muttered under her breath, ’This young man isn’t as simple as he looks...’

The wait wasn’t long, as Mu Chen had arrived just in the nick of time. A minute later, a white-haired elder with piercing eyes suddenly materialized on the high stage in the plaza.

His appearance instantly sent the countless spectators and contestants into a cheering frenzy, Ma Bi included. Almost everyone here knew who he was, with the sole exception of Mu Chen, who was puzzled by their massive reaction. ’Although the elder appeared ’out of thin air’ on the stage,’ he thought, ’it wasn’t spatial teleportation, just a common Body Technique.’

Mu Chen’s calm demeanor stunned the mature woman beside him. ’This Mu Chen must be a young man of incredible mental fortitude,’ she thought. ’In the entire Fenglan Empire, he’s the only Spirit Selector I’ve ever seen who showed no reaction upon seeing Grand Elder Lin Xiao.’

’The new generation truly surpasses the old,’ the woman sighed to herself.

Little did she know, it wasn’t that Mu Chen was unimpressed; he simply didn’t know what Elder Lin Xiao looked like. Otherwise, even he would have been at least a little stunned. After all, Lin Xiao was said to be the only person capable of deciphering an Original Stone’s secrets without relying on a Pupil Technique.

"Everyone, silence!"

An ancient, majestic voice boomed from the high stage, spreading across the entire plaza. One had to admit, Lin Xiao’s prestige in the Fenglan Empire was immense. The moment his voice was heard, the entire plaza fell silent.

Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction and continued, "At the eager anticipation of all the people of the Fenglan Empire, the seven hundred and fortieth Fenglan Empire Spirit Selection Conference is here! And I am honored to once again be your host, Lin Xiao. I hope you all aren’t tired of seeing this old face of mine!"

"Hahaha..." Laughter erupted, and the tense atmosphere in the plaza was instantly broken by Lin Xiao’s joke.

’So that’s Lin Xiao.’ It was only then that Mu Chen understood the fanatical looks on everyone’s faces. He didn’t feel embarrassed, though. ’So what if I didn’t recognize him? It’s not like anyone is going to blame me for it.’

"To once again serve as the host for the Imperial Spirit Selection Conference is a testament to the Empire’s trust and all of your support. For that, on my own behalf, I offer my sincere thanks to you all, and to the Empire!"

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP...

Thunderous applause erupted from below, but only Mu Chen’s expression remained unchanged. In his view, such pleasantries were standard fare for any host—completely uninspired. The perceptive Mu Chen had also noticed a flicker of impatience in Lin Xiao’s eyes as he spoke. ’That’s right, impatience. He clearly dislikes these formal speeches.’ His very next words proved him right. "So many years have passed," Lin Xiao said, cutting straight to the point. "I have watched generation after generation of new Spirit Selectors rise. History changes, but the rules of the Spirit Selection Conference never do!" He paused, then continued, "Since the rules remain the same, I will dispense with the usual explanation this year. After all, the competition is what we’re all here to see. I hereby declare the seven hundred and fortieth Fenglan Empire Spirit Selection Conference... officially open! Let us welcome our one thousand competing Spirit Selectors to the stage!"