Zhou Li, Yang Gong, and Ge Hai, who were strung together by chains, clutched the chains with both hands, staring blankly at their bleeding abdomens, their expressions tinged with fear.
Aside from Ge Hai, whose eyes were blinded by Mu Chen's hatred and who attacked with full force, the other two only used seventy percent of their strength.
They still kept a portion of their attention on Hun Hunsheng; if he were to intervene, they could change their moves at any time, but they hadn't expected his attack to be so sharp, so swift, so fast that they didn't even have time to react.
Ye Qingling stopped in her tracks. She was also startled, watching Hun Hunsheng, who was emitting black smoke, with vigilance, slowly retreating.
The chains swayed slightly, and the piercing pain distorted the expressions of the three strung-up individuals.
Zhou Li was the first to speak, "I admit defeat. What do you want?"
Yang Gong also said, "I am willing to apologize. Let me go. I won't contend with you for the things in this valley."
"Give me the imprint."
The three did not hesitate, obediently handing over the energy within their imprints.
Hun Hunsheng glanced at the three of them, then flung them out of the valley like trash.
The three landed on the ground, each vomiting another large mouthful of fresh blood.
"Big Brother!" Their subordinates gathered around them, their eyes filled with shock.
"Let's go." Yang Gong and Zhou Li led their people away dejectedly.
Ge Hai cast a venomous glance at the valley and also left.
Spiritual energy flowed through Mu Chen's meridians like a surging river. He fully activated the Great Floating Pagoda Art, continuously refining the spiritual energy from the Divine Soul Yin-Yang Ganoderma and injecting it into the spiritual energy light wheel within his Qi Sea.
As the last trace of spiritual energy merged into the light wheel, Mu Chen also felt the change within it. Inside that light wheel, a small figure appeared.
This was… a Divine Soul!
Mu Chen's mind merged into the small figure, officially advancing into the Divine Soul Realm.
The Divine Soul small figure suddenly felt a pain on his face, opened his eyes, and saw Amon leaning over, pinching his cheeks with a curious expression.
Mu Chen's Divine Soul unhappily slapped away Amon's paw: "Go, go, go, get out of here."
Amon said with a smile, "Congratulations, congratulations. However, although you've advanced to the Divine Soul Realm, there's still a considerable gap compared to your opponents on the Spiritual Road, after all, you missed one spiritual energy initiation."
"Do you want to make a deal with me? For just five percent, I'll give you an initiation, and the effect will definitely be better than the Spiritual Road's reward!"
Mu Chen shook his head and refused: "It's just one initiation, it's not enough to make me lose confidence in catching up."
He suddenly looked at the Nine Nether Bird in the flower prison, a smile appearing on his face, and flew over.
Seeing Mu Chen approaching, Nine Nether immediately became wary. Upon reaching the Divine Soul Realm, humans could refine the spirit essences of demonic beasts.
She also knew her allure to humans.
Although the other party had promised not to refine her before, such a verbal promise held no power at all.
"Hehehe…" Mu Chen let out a sinister laugh.
Nine Nether's expression was extremely ugly: "Humans truly are nothing good!"
Black flames rose from her body, looking as if she was ready to fight to the death: "I'd rather die than let you succeed."
Watching Nine Nether immediately bristle, Mu Chen shrugged: "Is there really a need for such a big reaction? I didn't say I was going to refine you, did I?"
"Then why are you here?" Nine Nether remained vigilant.
"I finally broke through to the Divine Soul Realm, can't I come and show off? Hahaha…" Divine Soul Mu Chen put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily.
Nine Nether pouted: "Childish."
"No way, no way, you weren't really scared by me, were you?"
Although Nine Nether had been moving closer to Mu Chen under Amon's pressure, she still couldn't change her bad temper when they communicated, always trying to provoke Mu Chen, so Mu Chen took this opportunity to tease her a bit.
"Get lost!" Nine Nether was a little annoyed and embarrassed.
"Rest assured, since I promised, I will absolutely not refine you. After all, when I saved my father, I borrowed your power." Mu Chen said seriously, "If I can't even keep my own promise, then I would be unworthy of being a man."
Nine Nether's expression softened a bit.
"Well said, Mu Chen, I admire you more and more!" Amon clapped her hands and praised.
She paused for a moment, then continued, "But have you considered what type of spiritual beast essence to refine? This cannot be taken lightly."
"The abilities some powerful spiritual beast essences bring you will still be useful even when you become an Earth Supreme, or even a Heavenly Sovereign."
Nine Nether felt even more at ease. Perhaps such spiritual beasts existed, but she was definitely not one of them.
The abilities brought by most spiritual beast essences would gradually lose their effect as an individual grew, and even the more powerful ones could only last until the Supreme Realm.
To think of something that could still provide assistance even to a Heavenly Sovereign, perhaps only those ranked in the top few of the Wan Shou Lu Heaven Ranking!
Mu Chen smiled helplessly: "I don't dare to hope for the essence of such a spiritual beast… Even if I encountered one, I wouldn't be able to defeat it… Let's see if there's a suitable one in this North Cang Realm."
"I do know of a very suitable spiritual beast essence, it just requires you to pay a small price." Amon's smile deepened.
Mu Chen knew she was definitely trying to entice him into another transaction. He thought for a moment and said softly, "Tell me about it."
Amon pointed to herself: "Me, me! Such a top-grade spiritual beast essence is right before your eyes, aren't you tempted? I'm delicate, soft, and easy to refine, you know."
Mu Chen shook his head: "You don't need to test me. I am grateful to you, and no matter how great the benefit, I will not cross my bottom line and set my sights on you."
"No, no, no, I'm not testing, I'm serious, you really can refine me." Amon's expression was serious.
Nine Nether was stunned, looking at Amon with a strange gaze. The thing she had been worried about, how could she seem to be looking forward to it?
Mu Chen's face showed a suspicious expression: "Are you seeking death?"
Amon held up an index finger and wiggled it: "Even if you refine me, I won't die, nor will my consciousness be erased. After all, I am the Worm of Spirit, ranked first on the Heaven Ranking, so of course I have some special abilities."
"What?" Mu Chen was very surprised; this somewhat subverted his common sense.
Nine Nether also showed surprise in her eyes; she had never heard of such an ability.
Amon said proudly: "What do you think the 'Spirit' in Worm of Spirit represents?"
"It's the Spirit of soul, the Spirit of spirituality! Do you think mere refinement can erase my spiritual intelligence?"
"Then what's the difference between refining and not refining?" Mu Chen was puzzled.
Amon said: "After your refining, a connection will be formed between us, which does no harm to me. But you will possess some of my abilities, just as if you had truly refined a spiritual beast essence."
"Is it that magical?" Mu Chen and Nine Nether both felt their horizons broadened.
Mu Chen was tempted and asked, "What do I need to pay? What abilities can you give me?"
Amon rubbed her hands together, her tone full of anticipation as she said:
"One-fourth of the Wicked Lord True Eye, no bargaining! Believe me, I am worth having! The abilities I bring you will be no weaker than the Thirty-Six Peerless Divine Abilities!"
Mu Chen's mouth was dry: "Divine Abilities?"
He had heard the term "Divine Abilities" and knew that something stronger than Divine Arts was Divine Abilities.
Divine Abilities were divided into Minor Divine Abilities, Major Divine Abilities, and Super Divine Abilities, three distinct levels, with differences like the moon and a firefly.
However, this was the first time he had heard the term "Peerless Divine Abilities."
Nine Nether was even more astonished, crying out: "Thirty-Six Peerless Divine Abilities?!"
"Do you know what that is?" Mu Chen asked for guidance.
"I've heard the Elders of my clan mention it. In ancient times, the thirty-six kinds of Peerless Divine Abilities shook the Great Thousand World. These are supreme techniques that even Heavenly Sovereigns yearn for but cannot obtain!" Nine Nether said in a deep voice.
"Hehe, that's right, that's right. As long as you refine me, you'll be able to master at least one ability no weaker than the Thirty-Six Peerless Divine Abilities." Amon's tone became increasingly seductive.
"At least one?" Mu Chen grasped the key phrase in her words.
"Hmm, at least one. I have many abilities, being the number one on the Wan Shou Lu Heaven Ranking is not an empty title. Let me think… abilities comparable to the Thirty-Six Peerless Divine Abilities, I probably have… hmm… one, two, three… five or six types, I guess."
Mu Chen gasped, then calmed down a bit, looking at Amon with some suspicion:
"Do you really possess that many innate abilities?"
"Of course I do! Don't doubt the power of Amon! The Amon Clan is the strongest race in the entire Great Thousand World!"
Amon circled Mu Chen once, then leaned close to him, as if seducing, and said in a voice tinged with Charm:
"What are you hesitating about? Anyway, I'm the one who pays the benefits to you first, and what you give is just a promise. If I deceive you in the transaction, then you can simply not acknowledge this transaction."
Nine Nether said enviously, "You must think carefully. The Thirty-Six Peerless Great Divine Abilities are something even great figures like Heavenly Sovereigns dream of."
Mu Chen no longer hesitated: "Alright!"
"Then, the agreement is reached!" Amon said cheerfully.
"What should I do now?" Mu Chen asked.
"Just refine me according to the normal process, duh." Amon looked at him with an idiotic expression, "Do I need to teach you how to refine a spiritual beast essence?"
Mu Chen's mouth twitched slightly…
He controlled his Divine Soul small figure to approach Amon, placing his palm on her shoulder. Dark spiritual energy surged out, and Amon did not resist, a pained expression appearing on her face.
Mu Chen stopped.
"What are you doing? Don't stop, continue!"
"You seem to be in a lot of pain. Are you really okay?"
"It's fine, it's fine. I won't die, and I won't lose my spiritual intelligence, but that doesn't mean I won't feel pain when being refined. Hurry up, the faster you finish, the less time I suffer." Amon urged.
Mu Chen began refining again, and Amon let out a pained grunt.
"How about we just forget it? I'm having a bit of trouble bringing myself to do it." Mu Chen said hesitantly.
"Damn it, hurry up! Continue, don't stop, don't be so wishy-washy! Do I have to pretend to enjoy it just to accommodate your feelings?!"
"Hmm, that works too, at least it'll lessen my guilt."
"Tsk, so difficult to serve, but who told you that you're the customer… Mm Ah"
Amon actually feigned an expression of enjoyment.
Listening to Amon's moans, Mu Chen's face darkened, feeling even more awkward.
He stopped again.
Amon was a little annoyed: "Are you going to do it or not?!"
Nine Nether looked at the two of them, her expression exceedingly strange.
Amon endured the pain, her face expressionless, making no sound.
Mu Chen finally calmed down, continuously flushing her body with spiritual energy.
Within the dark spiritual energy, Amon's body gradually became ethereal.