A figure stood like a stone statue.
A streak of green light swept through the black mist, and Xiao Chen hurtled backward, narrowly evading the perilous strike. Every muscle in his body tensed; sharp qi emanated from his fingertips, the radiant glow rendering his hands nearly translucent as he prepared for battle.
The black mist churned. The fossil-like figure slowly turned, its once-lifeless body gradually emanating waves of vitality.
It was a young man in his twenties, tall and lean. His face was pale, almost sickly, as if he seldom saw sunlight.
"Who are you?" Xiao Chen demanded.
"And who are you?" the sickly youth retorted.
Xiao Chen steadied himself. This tall, pallid youth was undoubtedly human. He had likely been cultivating just moments ago—a special technique that had slowed his life-force until it seemed extinct.
"Xiao Chen," he said, introducing himself as he studied the youth. "Why did you attack me?" From the other's attire, Xiao Chen guessed he was another young warrior stranded on Dragon Island. But he had arrived at the island's center earlier and seemed to have deliberately chosen this spot to train and advance his cultivation.
"Hmph."
The sickly youth snorted coldly, drifting out of the mist like a ghost. His body suddenly radiated a green light.
In an instant, Xiao Chen felt the world spin—time and space seemed to warp! But he had already braced for battle. His mind remained steady; like a divine eagle soaring above an abyss, he quickly regained his balance despite the danger.
The scene before him had transformed completely. Xiao Chen found himself in an unknown space, surrounded by hazy green light, as if trapped in a primal chaos. This strange space covered barely a hundred square meters—no blue sky, no solid earth, only shimmering green radiance on every side, including underfoot.
The sickly youth stood ahead, calm and composed, watching Xiao Chen. This was no illusion—it was a real, sealed space.
Xiao Chen's heart shuddered. The moment he was trapped, he raised his right arm high. Light coursed through the limb, his flesh seeming to turn translucent, revealing veins and bones within. The immense power flowing through his arm was almost visible. Then, with a burst of divine radiance, his arm swept down like a blade, smashing against one wall of the sealed space with blinding force.
The terrible impact shook the entire space violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the green light barrier, but they healed almost instantly. Both Xiao Chen and the sickly youth nearly lost their footing.
"Strong," the sickly youth admitted. "Among the younger generation, you are a master."
"Who are you, and why have you trapped me?" Xiao Chen asked, having tested the space's resilience. It seemed difficult to break, so he held back, wanting answers first.
"Liu Mu—a Space Spiritist." After giving his name, the sickly youth continued, "Lately, new faces have been appearing near the Divine Stele. It's hard to cultivate in peace. Some should not be here."
From his words, Xiao Chen gathered that others had already ventured deep into Dragon Island, and some frequented this area. Clearly, Liu Mu had never heard Xiao Chen's name before; he had entered the island's depths early, unaware of the events unfolding on the outer shores.
"I don't want to fight without reason," Xiao Chen said coldly.
"That may not be your choice. Defeat me, and you can leave. Otherwise, I will personally escort you out of the Bone Sea." Liu Mu spoke calmly, his sickly appearance belying an unquestionable strength. Yet he bore no killing intent—he simply seemed unwilling to let too many people disturb his cultivation.
"Fine. Let me see how strong you really are." Xiao Chen wasted no more words. Some matters could only be settled through action.
Flash.
Light flared. Liu Mu radiated a green glow, and the sealed space blazed with brilliance. Xiao Chen felt as if he were bound—the hazy light surged like a tide, enveloping him, immobilizing him. Crushing pressure constricted his chest, choking his breath.
Spiritists were truly terrifying, their abilities innate. Liu Mu's natural gift was control over space. Xiao Chen knew he faced a dreadful opponent.
If others knew a Space Spiritist existed here, they would be astounded. Such individuals were the most fearsome of all, often reigning as kings among their peers. With innate, unparalleled advantages, they could, if they used their spatial control wisely, hold the life-and-death reins of their enemies. Every being lived within space; if trapped inside a Space Spiritist's domain, the spiritist already stood on undefeated ground.
Space Spiritists were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Legend said that as they cultivated to higher realms, their controlled space expanded—from a few meters to over a hundred meters. At a certain level, they could directly commune with the divine.
Liu Mu's domain spanned only about a hundred square meters—a sealed space. Though limited, within it he held absolute authority.
Xiao Chen's body was locked in place by spatial force. Even with his formidable physique, the terrible pressure made his bones creak under the strain. The power of space wrenched at him from all sides.
"Give up. I'll send you out of the Bone Sea," Liu Mu said evenly.
"Hmph!" Xiao Chen snorted. Divine flames erupted from his entire body, blazing like a sun. His tall, upright frame radiated immeasurable holy light. Though he had been in this space only briefly, he knew this was one of his hardest battles. He strained with all his might against the spatial tearing force.
His flesh seemed to become divine, shining with blinding brilliance. He pushed his mystic art to its ultimate limit, the holy light blazing like sacred fire.
Liu Mu's face changed. His already sickly complexion turned even paler; sweat beaded on his forehead. Controlling this space to trap an expert like Xiao Chen consumed a tremendous amount of his spiritual energy. He was struggling.
At that moment, Xiao Chen began to move. His steps were heavy, labored, as if he carried a mountain on his back. Each step made the space tremble violently. He swayed, bones grinding, his body on the verge of shattering with every motion.
But he kept walking, step by step, toward Liu Mu.
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