"..." Feng Shanshan was silent, dazedly repeating Mu Chen’s words. "Enter the Senluo Tomb..."

Mu Chen nodded. "Yes. But for now, we have to hope we don’t get so unlucky that we run into them at the next Seven-Star Rock. Our situation would become extremely dangerous if we did."

Feng Shanshan asked, "In that case, should we pick the farthest Seven-Star Rock?"

Mu Chen smiled and shook his head. "Theoretically, conventional thinking would dictate choosing the farthest one. But what if they’ve already guessed that we’d do that? Wouldn’t we be walking right into the lion’s den? Since that’s a possibility, why not use their assumptions against them and make the most obvious choice?"

Feng Shanshan paused, taken aback. "You mean we should activate the closest one?"

Mu Chen nodded. "Exactly. Besides, if we don’t find them at the closest Seven-Star Rock, I’m certain they won’t go to the middle one to intercept us."

"Why?"

Mu Chen grinned. "Because they can easily figure out the correct Star Rock Sequence, of course."

"I see..." Feng Shanshan’s eyes widened in realization. ’Mu Chen’s mind is terrifying,’ she thought. ’He analyzed their entire plan, and then decided to beat them at their own game, using their own psychology against them so we’ll be safe when activating the Senluo Seven-Star Rocks. This Mu Chen... just who is he?’

Seeing Feng Shanshan lost in thought, Mu Chen simply smiled and said nothing more. Thunder Light erupted from under his feet once again, transforming him into a terrifying white phantom that tore through the air, generating a razor-sharp gust of wind. With his constant use, the Illusory Step Technique was gradually showing signs of approaching the Third Step. All he needed now was an opportunity—an opportunity to break through to the Martial King realm. Once he did, the overall power of his Furious Thunder Force would see a massive boost.

’Instant Body... I’m kind of looking forward to it.’

「Half an hour later.」

Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan appeared in a floating forest. Having lost its gravity, the entire forest was tilted at an angle. Walking on what should have been flat ground felt as strenuous as climbing a mountain.

"I wonder where these ruins swallowed this landmass from. It doesn’t look like any part of the current Extreme Martial Continent," Mu Chen remarked, frowning as he examined the unfamiliar plants.

Hearing this, Feng Shanshan covered her mouth with a giggle. "You can’t be so sure. The Extreme Martial Continent is massive, after all. Its true size, from east to west and north to south, is still a mystery. The Extreme Martial Continent is just the land we know. Who can say what the whole world is truly like?"

Mu Chen glanced at the young woman beside him in surprise. He had entertained similar thoughts before. The vast Extreme Martial Continent was depicted as a single landmass, and maps only showed a great ocean beyond it. ’The Endless Sea Area... but is the sea truly endless? Or is there another continent hidden at its farthest reaches?’

Shaking his head quickly, Mu Chen gave a wry smile. "That’s a unique theory. But for some reason, I’m inclined to believe it. Maybe the Extreme Martial Continent isn’t all there is. Perhaps another world exists somewhere, in some unknown place."

Feng Shanshan pursed her lips. "Perhaps. Ah, I found it! It’s that moss-covered rock over there, hidden in the grass."

Mu Chen focused his gaze but saw nothing special about the rock. Still, if Feng Shanshan said it was a Senluo Seven-Star Rock, she must have her reasons.

Walking to the rock, Feng Shanshan bit the same finger she had already bitten four times. With a small DRIP, a drop of crimson blood fell. A golden pillar of light shot into the heavens, illuminating the dark night sky once more. The four brothers of the Blood Family, who had been speeding toward the farthest Seven-Star Rock, came to a sudden halt.

Xue Yan sneered. "I didn’t expect them to choose the closest one. That’s a bit of a surprise, but it’s fine. We’ve learned another step in the sequence. Only two rocks left. They’re bound to go for the one in the middle."

Xue Shitian asked, "In that case, Big Brother, should we head directly to the middle one? It’s not too far from our current position."

Xue Yan shook his head. "No, we’ll stay our course. The entrance to the Senluo Tomb will appear at the location of the final Seven-Star Rock, and you can only enter by making physical contact with the one who opened it. We’ll just intercept and kill them at the final rock. Then we can carry the corpse of that Ninghun Family remnant inside with us. Wouldn’t that be more convenient?"

"Big Brother is right," Xue Lie agreed with a nod. "Let’s do as he says. With our Blood Poison, we’re practically invincible inside the Senluo Ruins. Why would we be afraid of two remnants of the Ninghun Family?"

"That’s right. In that case, we’d better hurry to the location of the final Seven-Star Rock. Those two are extremely fast. I’m afraid we won’t have time to prepare if we’re not there first," Xue Nie added with a nod.

Xue Yan grunted in assent, and the four of them once again transformed into a bloody mist, speeding off in a single direction...

"Only one left," Feng Shanshan said, her eyes flashing with excitement as she watched the golden light shoot into the sky.

Mu Chen said, "What’s coming will come. We have to face what’s ahead. Blood Python Family, I’m ready to see what you’re made of."

With that, Mu Chen took off his Storage Ring. It contained the twenty portions of Shadow Concealing Dust Elder Mu had given him, though he’d used one upon entering the Spatial Rift, leaving nineteen. With a thought, he retrieved five portions and handed them to Feng Shanshan. "Here are five portions of Shadow Concealing Dust. Keep them safe for now. When I give the signal, take one out and hold it in your palm. Tossing it out right when they think they’ve won will buy us more time. I’ve never entered the Senluo Tomb, so I don’t know if you get pulled in instantly or if it requires some time to guide you in. The more time we can buy, the better our chances."

Feng Shanshan replied, "I haven’t been inside either. I don’t know if there’s a guidance period, but it definitely won’t be slow. It’s a Spatial Rift, after all."

Mu Chen nodded. "That’s true. Let’s go. One last rock. It all comes down to this."

In truth, Mu Chen didn’t need to risk his life so desperately. However, the allure of a Spirit Cultivation Technique was simply too great. He wanted to raise his Spirit Realm as quickly as possible, precisely because he would need to refine the Divine Transformation Pill in the future. He wanted to see if the highest state of Spiritual Power was truly, as the rumors claimed, only at the Peak of the Qian Realm.

Seeing the yearning in Mu Chen’s eyes, Feng Shanshan’s gaze faltered for a moment. ’Should I tell him the truth?’ she wondered.

But as soon as the thought arose, Feng Shanshan immediately shoved it aside. ’If I tell him the truth, he’ll definitely refuse to risk his life any further. I have to enter the Senluo Tomb. So, Mu Chen... I can only apologize for now. If we succeed in getting inside, I will apologize to you in person.’

Time ticked by. The final Senluo Seven-Star Rock was located nearly an hour away from their current position. Mu Chen knew that by following this route, even at their fastest pace, they could only test three possible combinations of the Star Rock Sequence in a day. That meant only thirty possibilities in ten days. At this thought, Mu Chen suddenly felt a flicker of respect for the Blood Python Family Master, whom he had never met. For a single Spirit Cultivation Technique, the man had persevered in his trials for over ten thousand years and had even passed this legacy down through his family.

"Truly incredible."

Mu Chen couldn’t help but mutter to himself, which made Feng Shanshan glance at him quizzically, not understanding what he meant.

The dark space was now thoroughly illuminated by six golden pillars of light. When the first pillar had appeared, the thirty or so people who had entered the Senluo Ruins guessed the Blood Python Family must be up to something big. However, none of them knew the true meaning of these six golden pillars. If they had, they certainly wouldn’t have continued their calm search for what they believed to be treasure.

An hour wasn’t a long time, but it wasn’t short, either. With Mu Chen flying at top speed, they finally arrived at the location of the last Seven-Star Rock: Water Moon Cave Heaven.

Water Moon Cave Heaven. True to its name, if it weren’t a pitch-black Independent Space, and if it weren’t floating there, utterly devoid of life, this drifting landmass could truly have been called a paradise on earth. Anything sucked into an Independent Space would lose its vitality, yet even from its lifeless appearance, it was easy to see that this place was once a hidden utopia from an unknown continent. It had mountains and water, flowers and grass, and even birds and butterflies, permanently frozen in place by the chaotic torrents of space and time.

With a soft THUD, Mu Chen’s feet landed steadily on the lifeless grass. Though it was still soft underfoot, he could no longer feel the vibrant pulse of nature from it. Feng Shanshan landed right behind him, her eyes widening in amazement as she took in the sights. "What a beautiful place."

Mu Chen smiled. "It is beautiful, but it’s lost all its vitality. It’s like a cheap painting, completely lacking a soul. By the way, where is the last Seven-Star Rock?" As he spoke, his eyes flickered toward a distant corner, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Looks like the Blood Python Family hasn’t found this place yet. Let’s hurry and activate the final Senluo Seven-Star Rock."

Feng Shanshan hummed in agreement, her gaze also sweeping over that same corner. The members of the Blood Python Family were well hidden, but before the immensely powerful Spiritual Power of Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan, their concealment was useless.

"The last Senluo Seven-Star Rock isn’t here on the surface. It’s at the bottom of that lake."

With that, as if she didn’t have a care in the world, Feng Shanshan dove into the lake with a SPLASH. Mu Chen’s expression remained unchanged as he followed suit, leaping into the water a moment later.

A few seconds after Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan had entered the lake, the four members of the Blood Python Family shot out with a WHOOSH from the very corner the two had been watching...