The Great Ruler

Red light penetrated deep into the desert.

One could finally see the desert’s end, and a large ray of red light covered the area like a natural barrier to separate it from the rest of the area.

The red light’s temperature was extremely high, and as the rays spread out, space warps started to form. They looked as though they were about to burst.

The red light in the desert was nothing compared to this red light barrier.

A few people were standing in the sky in front of the red light barrier, and they turned pale as they looked at it.

“Is this the barrier to the second level…?”

Zong Teng stood at the forefront and held the golden umbrella with the Golden-winged Roc on it. The umbrella had helped to block part of the red light, but Zong Teng still broke out in sweat. His skin had turned dry, and his face became extremely red.

Ink Blade, Han Shan, and Xu Kun had caught up with him, and as they stared at the red light barrier, they turned grave.

They knew how difficult it was to get through the red light barrier. The temperature was so high that if they were careless, their skin would peel off… if they even managed to stay alive.

A shadow darted over from behind them, but with the red light barrier before them, no one dared to barge in.

Although the red light barrier did not cover a big area, it was like a road leading to death that inflicted fear among the top powers.

Everyone was silent for a while, but no one wanted to go on waiting. Zong Teng was the first to act. Golden light burst out from the surface of his body, and a pair of golden wings spread out behind his back. Golden feathers then started to appear on his body like scutes to protect him.

Even after this level of protection, Zong Teng felt that it was not enough. He threw out the golden umbrella and as golden light flickered, it turned into a golden cover and covered him up.

After so many layers of protection, Zong Teng felt more assured and stepped into the red light.

Swish! Swish!

As he stepped into the red light, his face twisted and smoke rose up from his body. The golden scutes on his body started to melt.

The pain was so excruciating that Zong Teng nearly could not take it.

However, he was the genius of Heavenly Roc Clan, and he would not back off so easily. He activated his defenses to the optimum and dashed toward the end of the red light.

When Han Shan, Xu Kun, and the rest saw it, they dared not act rashly. They used all means and geared themselves up before going into the red light.

“Ah!”

It was apparent that someone had underestimated the red light. After he had entered, he shrieked out as he was burned. Smoke rose up, and he looked as though he was about to be in flame. His spiritual energy dimmed, and he was seriously injured.

This caused fear in Han Shan and the rest. They started to slow down and trod carefully through the red light barrier.

As Zong Teng and the rest were slowly crossing over the red light barrier, they glanced behind them and frowned. They had sensed a strange spiritual energy fluctuation coming from behind them…

Had someone caught up with them?

“It looks like Zong Teng, Han Shan, and the rest have reached the end of the first level. As long as they can get through this stage, they will be able to get to the second level…”

When the top powers outside the Body-refining Tower saw that the light spots had slowed down, they broke out into discussion. However, they were not worried. Zong Teng, Han Shan, and the rest were the geniuses of the clans, and they were well prepared. As long as they were careful, they would have no problem getting to the second level.

“Eh?”

As the top powers were focusing on Zong Teng and the rest, someone suddenly screamed, “Mu Chen has increased his speed!”

The top powers were shocked and shifted their gazes to the light spot that had been moving slowly earlier. The light spot had suddenly increased its speed.

When Liu Qing from the Heavenly Roc Clan saw it, she sneered and said, “Ha, finally he is moving. However, by the time he catches up with them, they will have entered the second level. With such a result, he can forget about getting any opportunity.”

As she finished talking, there was an uproar. Many top powers were shocked as they saw that the light spot moved at a fast speed toward the end of the first level. It looked like the torment of the first level no longer posed any threat to it.

“The speed is fast!”

“He is faster than Zong Teng!”

“At such a speed, he will soon catch up with Zong Teng, Han Shan, and the rest!”

“How is it possible? Is he not afraid of the tribulations at the first level if he travels at this speed?”

Screams were everywhere, as the top powers found it unbelievable. They could not imagine that the one whom they thought had given up had suddenly become so courageous…

Liu Qing’s face turned pale as the people shouted. She stared at the light spot that was traveling at great speed and said, “There is no point going at such a fast speed. In the end, you still can’t go past the barrier on the first level!”

Nine Nether and Mo Ling heaved a sigh of relief. It looked like Mu Chen still stood a chance to vie with the other top powers. However, they were baffled as to why he had slowed down earlier like a tortoise. They found it unfathomable…

The top powers outside the Body-refining Tower saw that the light spot that had fallen behind earlier had finally caught up with the other nine light spots.

Zong Teng and the rest trod carefully through the red light barrier with layers of protection on their bodies to shield them from the melting power of the red light.

“Eh?”

Suddenly, they turned their heads around and were shocked to see a shadow flying toward them. Within seconds, the shadow appeared outside the red light barrier.

They were shocked by the shadow’s speed. They were curious who had the audacity to fly at such a fast speed and was not afraid of being burned to ashes under the powerful red light.

“That is…” They were shocked as they looked at the shadow.

The shadow became clearer, and a young man appeared before their eyes.

“It is the human being!”

“Is it Mu Chen?”

Zong Teng was shocked, and his eyes darkened. He found it unbelievable that Mu Chen, who had been far behind them, had caught up with them within such a short period of time. Even Zong Teng could not travel at such a speed!

When Ink Blade saw Mu Chen, he heaved a sigh of relief. Mu Chen always brought about surprises.

“Ha. What is the point of catching up? The red light here is so many times stronger than the one outside. This guy is a human. I think he will melt the moment he steps in.” Someone snorted and thought that it was impossible for Mu Chen to cross the red light barrier. After all, they had used so many layers of protection before they dared to move in slowly.

However, as they snorted, Mu Chen simply smiled outside the red light barrier. He then walked into the red light as the people widened their eyes to look at him.

“He is courting his own death! He did not even activate his spiritual energy. Is he stepping into the red light in this naked form?” Many of the top powers were stunned when they saw Mu Chen’s action, and they waited to see him perish.

Swish! Swish!

Mu Chen stepped into the red light. The temperature was so high that it made one feel suffocated. Smoke rose up, and his skin was burned. His flesh made sizzling sounds as the red light shined on him. It seemed as though he was about to be in flame.

Excruciating pain once again raged out.

Mu Chen’s face twisted, and his mouth quirked up. The red light here was much stronger than the one outside.

However, after he had been roasted under the red light earlier and with the help of the Dragon-Phoenix Body, he was used to the red light. His resistance to the red light had increased tremendously.

He lifted up his head and smiled at the top powers who were mocking him. The real dragon symbol on his chest started to squirm about, and his flesh seemed to have awakened. As his flesh trembled, it started to absorb the power of the red light.

Mu Chen’s body was once again strengthened.

The smoke on his body slowly dissipated, and Mu Chen’s body appeared again before the eyes of the top powers…

Zong Teng, Han Shan, and the others were shocked.

Mu Chen’s body exuded golden light, and his skin was unscathed. As the red light shined on him, not only was he not harmed, but his skin exuded a strange golden light.

The melting effect of the red light did not seem to harm Mu Chen at all.

“How is it possible?”

Everyone who was present murmured in his heart in disbelief.

Mu Chen ignored them and slowly clenched his fists. After glancing at the people who were moving like tortoises, he curled up his lips.

“Gentlemen, it seems like I will have to make a move first.”

Having said that, he stomped his feet and turned into a ray of golden light. With a whoosh, he dashed out and left Zong Teng and the rest of the top powers behind.

The top powers were shocked and still in a daze after they saw that Mu Chen had gone so far.