The Great Ruler (Web Novel)

The fighting spirit of the Nine Nether Troop gathered above the skies like a vast ocean, murky and dark. As it tumbled, a sound like the countless growls of those who enjoy fighting and raging roars was heard, shaking the heavens and the earth.

The countless gazes within the Demonic Python City were focused upon this view. Their eyes couldn't help but reveal their marvelling and shaking hearts. They understood that, in order to be able to materialize their fighting spirit, the training within the army must have been strict.

The troops must have gone through years of harmonization, converging their individual spiritual energies countless times, before finally reaching the perfect point of equilibrium. Furthermore, each and every soldier must know how to maintain a single attitude, be always fearless, and never look back.

Only when this will was instilled within their spiritual energies, would the individual fighting spirit converge as one, being without obstacles, and creating a truly terrifying force. Only an army with such a focused fighting spirit could possess such a dreadful and awesome strength.

Not only that, but merely manifesting the convergence of fighting spirit was not enough. There needed to be a capable controller. A fighting spirit of this kind was like having a miracle of destructive force. But, to use this miraculous force as an attack weapon of sorts, required a controller.

Manipulating the fighting spirit of an army required that the commander of the army echo it with the fighting spirit, only then may the power within be released. However, to echo with the fighting spirit of a troop, the commander had to train with this troop for a prolonged period of time, until they could understand each other tacitly and seamlessly.

Most importantly, once the controller activated the fighting spirit, it would enter into the body of the controller. If one lacked a firm conviction and steady mind, it is feared that his will would be drowned in the boundless mass of fighting spirit. Worse yet, he would be devoured by the fighting spirit, resulting in extremely dangerous consequences.

It was precisely due to these multitude of obstacles in controlling a troop's fighting spirit, that the crowd was in awe and shock upon witnessing the black sea of fighting spirit rise and swirl as soon as Mu Chen had raised his palm. After all, it had been less than three months since Mu Chen had first arrived at Daluo Territory, and he had been the commander of Nine Nether for even a shorter time. Thus, no one expected that he could converge and harmonize with the Nine Nether Troop's Fighting Spirit within such a short time.

The color on the face of Luo Mang and the other six turned pale when they saw this, because they knew that, if Mu Chen really could control the fighting spirit of the Nine Nether Troop, they would have no chance of victory. Within their hopeless eyes, Mu Chen remained seated, cross-legged, upon the head of the Great Solar Undying Body, in silence. His eyes were watching over them coldly, and deep within his gaze, a faint surge of flame was alight.

When Mu Chen controlled this majestic and vast fighting spirit, it entered his body. Years of harsh training had bestowed upon Mu Chen a will and mind as sturdy as a rock. So, even when this overwhelming fighting spirit of a thousand soldier tried to devour his will, it was evidently impossible. 

The surging fighting spirit flooded within Mu Chen's body, causing Mu Chen's eyes to be set ablaze. He looked at Luo Mang and his party, then slowly raised his palm, then immediately dropped it.

His fingers were descending slowly, as if they were carrying mountains. But at the moment his palm fell, the space before him shattered, like glass, and streaks of cracks, which were visible to the naked eye, projected outwards quickly.

Haaa!

Suddenly, the ocean of fighting spirit below gave out a roar of a battle call. The dark fighting spirit soared to the sky, then immediately transformed into a gigantic black beam, bursting out from the dark cloud.

The beam was a condensation of the fighting spirit and spiritual energies of the Nine Nether Troop. When coupled with Mu Chen's catalytic activation, its power was so devastating, even Grade Three Sovereigns must evade it in order to avoid serious injuries!

BOOM!

The face of Luo Mang and the other six were convoluted, as they saw the beam bursting out toward them. The seven of them immediately cried out loudly, and as the spiritual energies within them burst out without reservations, their overwhelming spiritual energies turned into seven massive spiritual energy screens. When the shielding screens descended, they were like Hell's Gate, a barrier between life and death.

Thunk!

And yet, the beam of fighting spirit never stalled for even a moment. It flew toward them violently. As the countless eyes looked on, it bombarded fiercely on the spiritual energy screens that extended from the earth to the heavens. 

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The beams rushed toward the screens, releasing a mortifying amount of energy, and tearing the seven screens apart one by one. Its posture, like one who was capable of overcoming all obstacles, left the crowd stunned in awe. A wall of defense, set up jointly by seven city lords, was as fragile as a piece of paper when faced with such a scene.

Blrghhhh!

As the seven energy screens were torn apart, the face of the seven reddened, and they immediately vomited blood. Their bodies flew away in a bizarre manner, and their spiritual energies were fluctuating in a messy blunder mashup.

Boom!

All seven of them staggered backward in a sorry state, with the fear in their eyes ever more intense as they witnessed that the beam of fighting spirit was not slightly faltered whatsoever, even by their energy screens, and was instead, still crashing toward them directly. An attack of this caliber would disable, if not kill, all seven of them, if they were to bear the full force of the beam. Mu Chen evidently had no intention of holding back at all!

The seven of them had chills on their spines. This new commander of the Nine Nether Palace was indeed ruthless. It was clear that he was planning to make an example out of them, not even offering them the chance to surrender!

Phsssh!

The beam of fighting spirit surged toward them angrily, and in a blink of an eye, it was right before them. The cracks between space had caused the seven of them to shake in fear. Under the overwhelming fear and pressure, they could not even utter a word of surrender.

Now, the crowd was in a heated uproar. Many city lords, who were spectating from behind, could not help but shake in fear. The new commander of Nine Nether Palace was about to demonstrate his power through murder!

"You're dead!"

In the seven pairs of despaired eyes, the beam of light overwhelmed them all. But, just when they thought they would surely die, a sharp sound, like the cry of an eagle, pierced through the skies suddenly.

Shriek!

At the very moment that the eagle shriek was heard, a red light burst out, as if it had pierced through space itself. Then, in an alarming speed, it crashed into the dark beam of fighting spirit violently.

Thunk!

The two terrifying energies collided with each other, stirring up a storm of spiritual energies. The party of seven were swept away by the impact wave, then were ejected like cannonballs. On the wide streets in the cities, deep cracks, each of a few thousand feet, opened up.

Mu Chen looked at the merciless spiritual energy windstorm, his eyes squinted slightly, before he immediately turned his head and looked far off in the distance, as in the sky, he saw a sudden burst of bloody red.

The red light zipped toward him, and in a flash, it was in the air above the city. When the blood ray dispersed, an army that was wearing armor that was dyed in blood red emerged from a blood cloud. Every soldier was holding a spear of blood. From their bodies, emitted an ominous aura, which soared upon the skies.

Above this blood red army, was a sudden amalgamation of blood red fighting spirit, which turned into a blood cloud. Within the cloud, a silhouette was standing with hands behind the back.

"That's… the Blood Hawk Troop of Blood Hawk Palace!"

"And that's one of the four great commanders, Wu Tian! Finally, someone from the Blood Hawk Temple is here!"

"Well, well, now even the Blood Hawk Troop has been deployed!"

"..."

When the crowd in the city saw the blood red army, they suddenly roared into a commotion. At once, the faces of many fell. It seemed that the Nine Nether Palace and the Blood Hawk Palace were officially at war now, seeing that each of their troops had been deployed.

Tang Bing also saw the appearance of the Blood Hawk Troop. With her pretty face slightly pale, she moved faintly to appear beside Mu Chen. "It's Wu Tian," she said.

Mu Chen nodded, looking on the shadows of the blood red army from afar. He then laughed and said, "It seems like you finally ran out of patience."

Wu Tian's ice cold eyes stared at Mu Chen. They were prepared to humiliate Mu Chen with their preparations in the Demonic Python City. To their dismay, Mu Chen was not the one who was embarrassed, but the Blood Hawk Palace instead! If they had appeared any later, it is feared that the the honor of the Blood Hawk Palace would have been lost.

"Mu Chen, take your men and leave at once! The Demonic Python City is a territory of Blood Hawk Palace, we do not welcome your presence!" Wu Tian declared in a grave tone.

Hearing this, Mu Chen only gave a faint smile, and said, "The status of Luo Mang and the other six city lords have been revoked. From now on, these cities belong to us, Nine Nether Palace. If Blood Hawk Palace dares interfere again, do not blame us for the consequences."

Wu Tian's face suddenly changed, and with a maniac laugh, he replied, "Those were some big words! But, if you want to take away these cities, I am only afraid that you are too weak to do so!"

"Blood Hawk Troop!"

As the stern shout of Wu Tian settled, the army like a cloud of blood howled in unison. In that instance, a surge of an ominous aura swirled toward the sky, an overwhelming gust of fighting spirit filled the heavens and the earth, and the smell of blood spread along with it.

The Blood Hawk Troops was an important force within Blood Hawk Palace. There were 5,000 soldiers, making them number a few times more than the Nine Nether Troop. However, it seemed like not all of them had followed Wu Tian here. Even then, their numbers were easily double that of the Nine Nether Troop.

Within this city, countless eyes gazed upon the Blood Hawk Troop. Their faces could not help but show their worry. It was said that, when the Blood Hawk Troop were still on their conquest, they did massacre cities. This was why, in Daluo Territory, the Blood Hawk Troop was an infamous army. Their reputation far exceeded that of the Nine Nether Troop.

Wu Tian stepped on the swirling clouds of blood. His cold eyes fixated on Mu Chen like a serpent on its prey, and his stern voice echoed throughout the city.

"I shall allow you the time of ten breaths to leave this city. Or else, I am afraid the whole of Nine Nether Palace will be crushed today."

Mu Chen looked at Wu Tian, then gave a dismissive smile. His black pupils swirled around coldly, and his clear voice echoed slowly in this blood red sky.

"My apologies, but I refuse."