268: Chapter 268 Mufu

Three days after Mu Chen came out of seclusion, invitations were sent out from the Great Luo Territory.

The invitations were crafted with gold patterns on a black background, with the seal of the heavenly emperor sword stamped on the flap. The content was written in Mu Chen's own hand—the handwriting was vigorous and powerful, the wording concise and restrained, without a hint of ostentation. It simply stated that Mu Mansion would be officially established in seven days, and respectfully invited fellow cultivators from all sides to attend the ceremony.

However, everyone who received an invitation knew that the weight of this invitation was far more than the polite words written on it. This young man, who had walked out of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, had integrated the six major forces of the Tianluo Continent in less than three years, gathered six Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereigns under his command, and had the behemoth that was the Spirit Hall standing behind him. Who would dare not come to his establishment ceremony?

In the following seven days, the streams of light traversing the sky above the Tianluo Continent were more than ten times denser than usual. Envoys from various forces arrived from all directions. The inns in Great Luo City were insufficient, so later arriving rogue cultivators had to settle in temporary camps built outside the city. Mandala dispatched three Earth Supreme Great Perfection commanders to personally oversee the city defenses, while Nine Nether led the Undying Bird elites to patrol outside the city to maintain order among the various forces. Fortunately, everyone was sensible—no one dared to cause trouble on the territory of the personal disciple of the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall.

The most eye-catching was naturally the Spirit Hall delegation. Hun Feng did not come in person—he sent Hun Qian with generous gifts first, planning to arrive on the day of the event himself. Even so, Hun Qian alone was enough to represent the attitude of the Spirit Hall. When he arrived at Great Luo City, Mu Chen personally went out of the city to welcome him, and the two chatted for a long time at the city gate, which was seen by many spies. When the news was sent back, all forces knew in their hearts: the Spirit Hall's support for Mu Mansion was not just talk.

The Martial Realm also sent people. Lin Dong had Lin Jing bring a congratulatory gift—a piece of ten-thousand-year cold iron ore, a specialty of the Martial Realm. It was the size of a fist, crystalline like ice throughout, yet it contained pure spiritual energy sufficient to forge a Sacred Object. This gift was not heavy, but it was significant. Ten-thousand-year cold iron ore was a treasure kept at the bottom of the Martial Realm's chest and was never given away. Lin Dong giving this to Mu Chen was equivalent to declaring to the entire Great Thousand World—the Martial Realm and Mu Mansion were friends.

The Sword Domain's gift was brought back by Hun Muxiao, entrusted by the Green-Shirt Sword Saint. It was an ancient sword, without a scabbard or tassel, with the characters "Tianluo" engraved on the blade. It was the personal sword of a predecessor from the Sword Domain during the ancient times, who had once accompanied its master to resist the invasion of the Evil Race on the Tianluo Continent. Giving this sword to Mu Chen was both a congratulatory gift and a legacy.

From the Luoshen Clan came Luo Shen Clan Patriarch Luo Tianshen himself. The old man stood at the gate of Great Luo City leaning on his cane. Seeing his granddaughter and Mu Chen standing side by side to welcome him, a smile of extreme gratification appeared on his aged face. He said nothing, but patted Mu Chen's shoulder heavily three times, then walked into the city with his cane. He walked up to Mandala, and the two old fellows who had lived for tens of thousands of years looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. Some things did not need to be said.

The seventh day, the main day. Great Luo City, the establishment ceremony.

The entire Great Luo City was decorated with a new look. Huge flags with gold patterns on a black background hung on the city gate. On the flags, the emblem of the heavenly emperor sword and the black flame crest of the Spirit Hall stood side by side, fluttering in the morning breeze. Every ten steps on the city wall, a red long banner was erected, embroidered with the characters "Mu Mansion," the handwriting vigorous like a sword unsheathed. The streets in the city were crowded with rogue cultivators and envoys from all sides who had come to watch the ceremony, stretching from the square to the official road outside the city gate. It was packed with people, and the sound was like a tide.

A high platform was built in the center of the square, made entirely of ink gold stone, a specialty of the Tianluo Continent. It had nine steps, and the platform was wide and flat. Hundreds of seats were placed in front of the platform, and more than half were already occupied—envoys from the West Heaven War Palace, sword attendants from the Sword Domain, clansmen of the Luoshen Clan, Lin Jing from the Martial Realm, various rogue powerhouses, and representatives of various sects native to the Tianluo Continent. Mandala and Old Ancestor Xuantian stood side by side under the platform, Nine Nether and Elder Ling Xi stood on both sides, and the Nine Sovereigns were lined up in front of the platform. Behind them were hundreds of Mu Mansion disciples dressed in uniform mysterious black attire, each with a long sword hanging at their waist, standing straight.

The auspicious time had not yet arrived, but the square was already a sea of people. Those rogue cultivators who arrived late could only squeeze under the city wall, standing on tiptoe to look toward the high platform. Various discussions buzzed in the crowd—some marveled at the strength of the Mu Mansion's lineup, with six Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereigns alone; some guessed whether the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall would arrive in person, after all, Mu Chen was his most valued personal disciple; others were whispering about how strong the inheritance of the heavenly emperor sword was, to allow a young man under thirty to carve a bloody path out of the six major forces of the Tianluo Continent. Most people were waiting silently, waiting to witness with their own eyes the birth of a new super force.

At high noon, the bell rang nine times. The bell sound rang simultaneously from the bell towers at the four corners of Great Luo City, deep and distant, piercing through the ten-thousand-mile sky of the Tianluo Continent. The clamor of tens of thousands of people in the square gradually quieted down amidst the bell chimes, and everyone's eyes turned to the passage directly in front of the high platform.

Mu Chen walked from the end of the passage. Today, he wore a mysterious black brocade robe, with a dark gold belt at his waist, and the heavenly emperor sword slung across his back. The gold patterns on the scabbard flowed slowly under the sunlight, synchronized with his breathing. His pace was neither hurried nor slow, and every step was as steady as a rock. The mysterious black robe fluttered slightly in the morning breeze, and the aura of a Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign spread out without concealment—not as a demonstration of power, but as a declaration. A declaration that the new hegemon of the Tianluo Continent was officially taking the stage today.

Luo Li followed half a step behind him. Her silver hair was like a waterfall, loosely tied behind her head with a black silk ribbon. A teardrop-shaped azure gemstone hung between her brows, echoing her blue eyes. Today, she wore a mysterious black dress of the same color as Mu Chen, with the Luoshen Sword at her waist, her temperament cold and composed. Her Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign aura was more restrained than Mu Chen's, but when her gaze swept over the people under the platform, the faint fluctuation of the Law of Time made all the powerhouses above the Heavenly Supreme level present feel a slight chill—this young woman under thirty had reached a terrifying level of control over the Law of Time.

The two stepped onto the high platform side by side and stood in the center. Behind them, the four Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereigns—Mandala, Old Ancestor Xuantian, Nine Nether, and Elder Ling Xi—lined up in a row, and behind them were the Nine Sovereigns and hundreds of core disciples of Mu Mansion. The strength of the lineup and the imposing momentum made many envoys of the forces under the platform secretly gasp.

Mu Chen swept his gaze across the audience. When he spoke, his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present. "Fellow cultivators, thank you for not abandoning me, today Mu Mansion is officially established. I, Mu Chen, am untalented, and only wish to protect the peace of this world. The Extraterritorial Evil Clan is eyeing us from the outside, so we should join hands to resist the foreign enemy together. From today on, wherever the flag of Mu Mansion reaches, it shall be the land protected by Mu Mansion. Wherever the disciples of Mu Mansion fight, they fight for the common people of the world. Today, we establish the mansion here, with heaven and earth as our witness."

He drew his sword, and the golden sword light of the heavenly emperor sword soared into the sky, tearing a huge gap in the clouds above the Tianluo Continent. Sunlight poured down from the gap, plating the entire Great Luo City with a layer of golden light. Tens of thousands of people on and off the platform looked up at the golden sword light that pierced through heaven and earth. Countless people had that peerless sword, famous throughout the Great Thousand World, reflected in their eyes, and a thought arose in their hearts simultaneously—the landscape of the Great Thousand World has completely changed from today on.

"Greetings, Mansion Master Mu!" Someone shouted first, and then thousands of disciples on the square knelt down in unison, their voices thundering.

Mandala stepped forward, holding up the great seal of Mu Mansion with both hands. The seal body was carved from ink gold stone, the knob was a miniature version of the heavenly emperor sword, and the seal face was engraved with the characters "Mu Mansion." Mu Chen took the seal and solemnly put it into his bosom. Luo Li took another seal—that was the seal of the Mistress, the knob was the shape of the Luoshen Sword's hilt, and the seal face was engraved with her name. She held the seal in her palm, and when she looked up, there was a faint shimmer of water in her blue eyes. When she first met Mu Chen at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, he was just a young man who had just embarked on the path of cultivation. Now he was the hegemon of the Tianluo Continent, the Master of Mu Mansion, with one hundred thousand disciples under his command and six Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereigns. And all of this took less than three years.

Under the platform, representatives of various forces stood up one after another to cup their hands in salute. The sword attendant of the Sword Domain delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the Green-Shirt Sword Saint, Luo Tianshen leaned on his cane and smiled from ear to ear, and Lin Jing of the Martial Realm blinked her lively eyes, curiously examining Mu Chen on the platform.

Just at this moment, a spatial rift suddenly tore open in the sky. The rift was torn cleanly, without any superfluous spiritual energy fluctuations, and the edge of the rift glowed with a very faint crimson firelight. All the Heavenly Sovereigns present simultaneously sensed an extremely familiar aura—it was the unique fluctuation of the Heaven-Slaying Flame, domineering and scorching, yet precise to the extreme; a bit more would destroy heaven and earth, and a bit less would not be enough to deter the heroes.

A mysterious black figure stepped out from the rift. Hun Feng stood in the void with his hands behind his back, his mysterious black robe fluttering in the wind, his long hair untied, and his manner was as casual as a neighbor coming to visit. But the pressure of that Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign made everyone present hold their breath—it was not deliberately released, but for an existence of his level, just by standing there, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth would surrender to him on its own. Beside him followed his six wives: Cai Lin, Yao Yao, Xun'er, Yun Yun, Cao Ying, and Xiao Yi Xian, as well as his seven daughters. The whole family stood in the void, full of style.

"Master." Mu Chen cupped his hands, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible excitement.

Hun Feng landed in front of them and looked him up and down—Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign, aura steady, foundation solid. Then he looked at Luo Li, Mandala, Nine Nether, Old Ancestor Xuantian behind him, and the Mu Mansion disciples kneeling on the ground. He was silent for a moment, then raised his hand and patted Mu Chen's shoulder heavily. "Well done." He said, his voice not loud, but Mu Chen heard it clearly.

Someone under the platform shouted excitedly, "The Hall Master of the Soul Hall came in person," and was immediately hissed by the person next to him. But everyone's eyes were nailed to the mysterious black figure on the platform, their fists clenched with excitement—Hun Feng's personal attendance was equivalent to declaring one thing to the entire Great Thousand World: Mu Mansion was not an isolated and helpless emerging force; behind it stood the Spirit Hall. Whoever wanted to move against Mu Mansion had to first weigh the wrath of the Spirit Hall.

After the ceremony, Mu Chen personally led Hun Feng and his party into the Great Luo Hall. Cai Lin led the wives and daughters to rest in the back hall, accompanied by Luo Li, leaving only the master and disciple in the hall.

Hun Feng sat down in the main seat, picked up a teacup and took a sip, then leaned back on the chair and looked at Mu Chen. His gaze was very calm, but after being watched by him for a few breaths, Mu Chen had a vague premonition in his heart. "Mu Chen, with your current cultivation plus the heavenly emperor sword and the Primordial Celestial Body, you can remain undefeated even when facing the peak of Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign, and you might even be able to contend with an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign. Some things can be put on the agenda." Hun Feng put down the teacup, his tone as flat as if he were discussing what to eat for dinner tonight, "When you established Mu Mansion, you used the emblems of the heavenly emperor sword and the Spirit Hall on your flags. Your disciples call you Mansion Master, and your subordinates are loyal to you. You have your own power in your hands, and you have people following you—what do you want to do next?"

Mu Chen was silent for a moment, then looked up, his eyes meeting Hun Feng's: "Master, I want to attack the Ancient Floating Pagoda Clan. And save my mother."

Hun Feng looked at him and smiled. There was no surprise in that smile, only a certainty of "I knew you would say that." "Good." He said, "Mu Mansion is established. When your realm is stable, go do what you should do."

Mu Chen bowed deeply, and when he straightened up, his eyes were slightly red. He had waited too long for this day. From the day he watched his mother being taken away when he was five, from the time he gritted his teeth and practiced alone at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, from the moment he gripped the heavenly emperor sword in the ruins of the Heavenly Palace—this was the day he had been waiting for.

Outside the hall, the sunset of the Tianluo Continent was slowly sinking below the horizon. The flags of Mu Mansion fluttered on the city walls, tens of thousands of disciples were busy in the city, and streams of light flowed ceaselessly. A new era begins today.