The Great Ruler (Web Novel)
chapter-180

Numerous gazes gathered at the peak of the towering mountain where five figures stood motionless. However, everyone could sense that there was a storm surging underneath this momentary calm.

These people were among the best of the new students and had to overcome many challenges to finally stand here. They were all outstanding, but only one person can become foremost among the freshmen. Therefore, it would not be easy to capture the spiritual flag that embodied this honor and glory.

The true battle had just begun.

The figures from the surrounding peaks were all watching with bated breath; they were aware that this lull in the fighting wouldn't last long.

Under the attentive gaze of the onlookers, the atmosphere on the summit became quite strange. Luo Li and Mu Chen were standing to one side while Yang Hong, Mu Kui, and Bing Qing were standing in another; a look of vigilance appeared in their eyes.

In any case, this isn’t a tournament where it was a duel between two individuals and all that you need to do was to defeat your opponent. Just a moment of inattentiveness would be all it takes for the other competitors to launch their vicious attacks. To be caught in that kind of situation would be an intractable headache for anyone among these five.

In this tense silence, the five figures remained on tenterhooks; vigorous Spiritual Energy surged within their bodies like a tidal wave, surly and unreasoning, spreading to all of their limbs.

Yang Hong’s eyes slightly narrowed as he coldly stared at Mu Chen. His body leaned forward as a glow suddenly radiated in his eyes.

Swish!

His body suddenly transformed into a figure of light as he went straight for the Spirit Flag at breakneck speed.

A chill flashed across Luo Li’s glass-like eyes; a black longsword appeared in her lily-white hands as she slashed out without any hesitation. A enormous black sword beam viciously swept out and directly slashed down on Yang Hong’s body.

The black sword beam whistled forward and carved out a hundred-zhang-deep gorge before the attack landed. The sharpness of this Qi made people inwardly apprehensive.

Even Yang Hong could not afford to be careless when facing Luo Li’s attack. Just when everyone thought that he would be forced to defend himself, his body unexpectedly flashed forward to evade the sword beam and changed direction before he turned around to send out an explosive punch towards Mu Chen.

“Rumble!”

Spiritual Energy swirled around Yang Hong’s fist like a raging storm, bringing forth an overbearing gale that relentlessly stormed toward Mu Chen.

Yang Hong’s sudden attack obviously surprised a lot of people, but it became readily apparent that this had been prepared beforehand. His target wasn’t the Spirit Flag at all. Instead, it had always been Mu Chen!

Mu Chen’s eyes remained cold in the face of this sudden attack. He had long known about his enemy’s deceptive tendencies and would naturally never let his guard down in Yang Hong’s presence.

“I didn’t expect you to be so fond of such underhand tactics.”

Mu Chen laughed grimly and circulated the Great Pagoda Art at full strength; dark-black Spiritual Energy waves surged out from his body as he punched out. Four Limitless Death Seals condensed and immediately exploded like overlapping waves, directly colliding with Yang Hong’s fist.

Bang!

Shock waves, visible to the naked eye, swept out from the point of impact, sending out vibrations through the air and producing deep and low sounds similar to the rolls of thunder.

The shock waves gradually dissipated to reveal two figures under the gaze of countless onlookers. Not surprisingly, Mu Chen and Yang Hong were the first to make their moves.

“Mu Chen, didn’t you want to fight against me? Well, here’s your chance. But your strength at the Spirit Stage Late Phase is truly too pathetic; why don’t you team up with Luo Li?!” Yang Hong taunted while attentively watching Mu Chen with sharp, cold eyes.

Mu Chen heard what he said and smiled. “Yang Hong, why are you resorting to such trickery? Just admit that you’re afraid of us teaming up against you. Why is there a need for you to act like this?”

“Don’t worry.” Mu Chen’s eyes slightly lowered as a cold light flickered within his black pupils. “I won’t need Luo Li’s help against someone like you.”

Yang Hong sneered and said. “You sure talk big.”

After these words, Yang Hong swiftly looked toward Mu Kui and said. “Brother Mu Kui, I have to fight against Mu Chen now. Since no one will be able to block you, it is the best opportunity to capture the Spirit Flag.”

Mu Kui grinned as a glint of light appearing in his seemingly dull and steadfast eyes. “Yang Hong, you always enjoyed scheming. If I were to actually do as you say, it is probably the scene that you wouldn’t want to see, right?”

“But you can rest assured; I don’t care about being the Number One Freshmen. What I want is to defeat all of you!”

A flame ignited in Mu Kui’s eyes as he said. “If you have to fight, then fight. But whoever wins will have to fight me. I will naturally seize the Spirit Flag after I’ve defeated all of you!”

“Haha, I admire Brother Mu Kui’s candor.” Yang Hong laughed out loud. He knew that Mu Kui is a battle maniac who would not take advantage of his fight with Mu Chen to seize the Spirit Flag.

“If you want to fight, then fight as much as you want. I’m not interested. However, since nobody wants the Spirit Flag, I’ll just help myself to it.” Bing Qing, who was nearby, suddenly spoke coldly. Yang Hong had taken advantage of Mu Kui. However, she wasn’t interested to wait until their battle was finished.

She was no longer inclined to stay after she finished speaking, her delicate body instantly moved out toward the Spirit Flag.

But a slender shadow appeared in front of her just as she was making her move. Bing Qing stared coldly at Luo Li, who is standing in her way and frowned as she said. “You want to stop me?”

Luo Li smiled and replied. “It’s not that I want to stop you, but I just wanted to ask you to wait a while longer.”

The situation has become extremely delicate. The animosity between Mu Chen and Yang Hong had already reached its boiling point. Mu Kui’s addiction to fighting meant that he had no interest in the Spirit Flag. Therefore, Luo Li’s only concern at the moment was Bing Qing.

Truth be told, Luo Li also did not really care for the Spirit Flag or the honor of becoming the Number One Freshman. She never concerned herself with these kinds of pointless competition between hot-headed males. However, she did not want the Spirit Flag to be snatched away while Mu Chen’s hands were tied due to fight with Yang Hong.

Therefore, she acted at this moment and stood in Bing Qing’s way.

Their confrontation caused the countless gazes watching the summit to burn hot with anticipation. Although the match between Mu Chen and Yang Hong was similarly thrilling, the two girls were clearly easier on the eyes. Luo Li and Bing Qing were both exceedingly beautiful girls; the former’s exquisite appearance would enchant any man while the latter’s ice-cold personality was also oddly attractive. A fight between these two would definitely be a sight to behold.

“Wait for what?” Bing Ling softly asked.

“Wait until they’ve finished their fight. I won’t stop you again if you go for the Spirit Flag then.” Luo Li quietly said.

“And what if I don’t comply?” Bing Qing’s voice seemed to carry a bone-chilling aura.

“Then I’d have no choice but to personally experience your Ice Spirit Clan’s secret arts.” Luo Li’s jaded hand tightly held the hilt of the black longsword. The black sword light emitted out had twisted around the sword’s blade like streams of water.

Bing Qing slightly narrowed her icy-blue eyes as she concentrated on Luo Li. An icy-blue, cold aura flowed out from her exquisite yet delicate body, causing the surrounding air to freeze over.

The atmosphere between the two had immediately devolved into mutual hostility.

Elsewhere on the summit, Yang Hong secretly sighed in relief when he saw this development. It was extremely important to him to surpass all the other freshmen, and he did not wish to see someone else obtain this title.

For Luo Li to oppose Bing Qing, it had suited him well. He knew that Luo Li would not stand idly since she wanted Mu Chen to capture the Spirit Flag.

But she didn’t know that her actions would only benefit Yang Hong in the end.

The corners of Yang Hong’s mouth curled up into an icy-cold smile. He immediately looked at Mu Chen and said. “Now we can fight to our heart’s content. I’ll make you understand that I, Yang Hong, will completely overshadow you at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy!”

Mu Chen extended his palm slowly and faintly smiled. “I’ll beat you up so bad you will never dare to speak those words again.”

“With your pitiful strength at the Spirit Stage Late Phase?”

Yang Hong smiled mockingly as he casually took a step forward; dense Spiritual Energy fluctuations begin to spread out from his body. “Did you really believe that my strength was only at the Heavenly Fusion Stage Initial Phase?”

Boom.

Yang Hong’s footsteps landed heavily on the ground one after another; the summit seemed to quake as astonishing Spiritual Energy saturated the air forming an overwhelming pressure that surged towards Mu Chen.

Yang Hong’s gown fluttered open as a powerful current of Spiritual Energy converged on the palm his two hands; such frightening intensity revealed that he had truly reached the Heavenly Fusion Stage Middle Phase!

This Yang Hong was really concealing his true strength!

The gallery of onlookers on the surrounding peaks gasped in surprise; this freshman is really strong! Even though he had only recently entered the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, his strength had already surpassed some of the older students.

“Come at me with everything you’ve got or you will be crushed like a dead dog!”

Yang Hong’s piercing gaze swept out toward Mu Chen, his chin lifted in a condescending manner as he sneered at the latter. His eyes began to glow with killing intent.

“Heavenly Fusion Stage Middle Phase...”

Mu Chen lightly sighed; this Yang Hong really is a difficult opponent. Nevertheless…

He slowly extended his hand toward Yang Hong and made a beckoning gesture, black light coalesced in the depths of his eyes as if forming an enigmatic, dark-black light pagoda.

“Come.”

As Mu Chen’s soft voice faded away, everyone sensed that the sky above the summit became dark as if in anticipation of the confrontation between the two.

This freshman year’s greatest battle is about to get underway.