Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Many spiritual arrays appeared near the Heavenly River. Violent spiritual energy fluctuations continued to expand, which stirred up a tidal wave.
Mu Chen sat cross-legged within the spiritual arrays and opened his eyes. Light flashed across his dark eyes, and the spiritual energy around him was like a dragon that had been awakened, lofty and frightening.
My spiritual energy has forged ahead.
When Mu Chen sensed that his spiritual energy had become stronger, he smiled. His fierce fight with Xia Yu had clearly helped his spiritual energy to forge ahead. As such, he figured that he should be at Peak of Grade Nine Sovereign now, which surprised him.
As his body had now returned to its top form, Mu Chen stood up and looked around. The bustling region had quietened down, as all of the people who had tried to take advantage of him had left.
Time is running out. I must get ahold of the Heavenly River Crystals! Mu Chen reminded himself of his current goal. After all, the Baptism of the Heavenly River was the most important thing now!
He then looked at the surrounding spiritual arrays and started to revamp them. After about an hour, he clapped his hands, looking pleased.
He had added several more spiritual arrays around him and was overwhelmed by their power. If a Complete Grade Nine Sovereign had barged into this Spiritual Array Pit, he would be seriously injured.
After setting up the Spiritual Array Pit, Mu Chen set up a Spirit Convergence Array at its center. The grade of the Spirit Convergence Array was higher than the previous arrays, meaning that it would be more efficient for gathering spiritual energy.
After Mu Chen finished his preparations, he moved a safe distance away. He then used a spiritual array to hide his spiritual energy fluctuation and waited patiently.
At this time, the vast Heavenly River was bustling. People were moving around, each searching for the Heavenly River Spirit.
In the beginning, many top powers had underestimated the power of the Heavenly River Spirit, which caused them to pay a high price. Some unlucky ones had their Disciple Token Amulets smashed and their bodies dissolved in the water of the Heavenly River!
When the top powers realized that the Heavenly River Spirits were tough nuts to crack, those who had not reached Complete Grade Nine chose to join forces. Their plan was to surround the Heavenly River Spirits and catch them.
However, they became less efficient, which was a problem when it came to apportioning the power. Thus, they were afraid that they might end up killing one another!
Those who were extra powerful worked alone, going deep into the Heavenly River, and when they found the Heavenly River Spirit, they got into a big fight, creating tidal waves. Time passed quickly, as these activities continued to repeat themselves.
Boom!
The Nine Dragon Devouring Fairy Array roared within the spiritual arrays. The huge dragon rose up and turned into a majestic light, hitting hard on one of the Heavenly River Spirits. After the Heavenly River Spirit had been hit, its lights dimmed. It then turned into a dazzling crystal and dropped to the ground.
Mu Chen stretched out his hand and caught the Heavenly River Crystal, smiling happily.
After an entire day, he had collected 62 Heavenly River Crystals!
Mu Chen believed that, with this amount of Heavenly River Crystals, he should be able to achieve one of the top three spots! He had used the convenience of the spiritual arrays to get his gains.
However, Mu Chen believed that Xiao Xiao, Lin Jing, Zhu Yan and Garuda had their means of doing the same. Thus, he was not so arrogant as to pronounce himself as number one.
I should be able to get the High Rank Baptism with 62 Heavenly River Spirits! Mu Chen thought and licked his lips.
Since he had the help of the Spiritual Array Pit, he decided to try to get even more. In fact, he was going to try to get 100 Heavenly River Crystals! This way, he could receive the Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River!
Let’s go for it! Mu Chen waved his sleeve and activated the spiritual arrays again. After that, another day passed by…
Boom!
Vast spiritual energy surged in the spiritual arrays as they attacked a Heavenly River Spirit that had been trapped within it. Every time a Heavenly River Spirit was hit, the light around it would dim.
Mu Chen stood outside the spiritual energy and looked at the Heavenly River Spirit’s dimming light. Although he was self-composed, he could not help but smile.
He had a total of 99 Heavenly River Crystals with him now, and this one that had just been trapped would be the 100th! He had heard that, if he had 100 Heavenly River Crystals, he would be able to receive the Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River!
“This Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River is not so difficult to achieve after all.” Mu Chen smiled, then suddenly started to frown, as he felt that something was amiss.
Specifically, the Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River seemed too easy to achieve. Although he had the help of the Spiritual Array Pit, Mu Chen believed that, during the Primordial Age, the talented disciples in the Ancient Celestial Palace would have thought of using similar means.
Why are there so few disciples who have received the Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River?
Mu Chen frowned and could not think of a reason. However, this was not the time to brood over it. He had to first get the 100th Heavenly River Crystal! He came back to himself and activated the spiritual array to release its power.
Buzz.
After a long while, the Heavenly River Spirit dimmed and turned into a Heavenly River Crystal. Mu Chen caught it as it fell to the ground. He then cast the 100th Heavenly River Crystal toward the Golden Dragon Token Amulet at his feet.
The Heavenly River Crystals were so amazing and special, one could only use the Golden Dragon Token Amulet to store them. Once 100 Heavenly River Crystals had been stored in the amulet, one could then receive the Perfect Baptism of the Heavenly River.
Bang!
The Heavenly River Crystal shot toward the Golden Dragon Token Amulet, but as it hit the amulet, something unexpected happened. The Heavenly River Crystal did not enter the amulet, but was instead repelled and sent flying back to Mu Chen.
“What happened?” Mu Chen was stunned. He looked at the Golden Dragon Token Amulet at his feet and could not understand why the 100th Heavenly River Crystal had been repelled.
Something is not right. Mu Chen frowned. If he was unable to get the 100th Heavenly River Crystal into the Golden Dragon Token Amulet, he could only receive a High Rank Baptism.
Generally speaking, the Golden Dragon Token Amulet should not reject the Heavenly River Crystal. Could it be that this is not a genuine Heavenly River Crystal? If so, where did the 100th Heavenly River Crystal come from?
After pondering for a while, Mu Chen stamped his feet and the Golden Dragon Token Amulet shook. Multiple light beams flew out and hung before him. These were the 99 Heavenly River Crystals that he had caught.
Mu Chen stretched out his hand and formed a beam with his spiritual energy, which covered the 99 Heavenly River Crystals. He looked at them and observed their changes. He believed that there must be a way to obtain the 100th Heavenly River Crystal, but he did not yet know how…
As Mu Chen gazed at the 99 Heavenly River Crystals, they simply hung suspended in the beam, not moving at all. Mu Chen suddenly turned pale. Is there truly a Perfect Baptism? Since the Ancient Celestial Palace is no longer around, does that mean that there is a defect in the Baptism of the Heavenly River?
Boom!
As Mu Chen was deep in thought, the Heavenly River suddenly quaked. A strange fluctuation then appeared above the Heavenly River.
Mu Chen froze. This was the fluctuation of the Baptism of the Heavenly River, which meant that someone had activated the Baptism of the Heavenly River.
Boom! Boom!
After the first baptism, the strange fluctuations continued. Apparently, more and more people were receiving the Baptism of the Heavenly River.
As the Baptism of the Heavenly River continued to take place, Mu Chen felt that the water in the Heavenly River started to exude an extra bouncy buoyancy. In fact, it seemed to be rejecting the people in the water, causing them to bounce backwards.
It is about time. Mu Chen was excited. The hour had come for the Heavenly River to open up.
However, he had still not obtained the 100th Heavenly River Crystal! Mu Chen pursed his lips together and stared at the 99 Heavenly River Crystals. Suddenly, he squinted his eyes, then frowned. He had noticed that, when the Heavenly River Crystals came together, some were brighter than the rest.
It looked as though some of the Heavenly River Crystals had devoured the energy of the other Heavenly River Crystals! As the change was very subtle, Mu Chen had not noticed it earlier.
Could they have devoured one another?
Could the 100th Heavenly River Crystal have come from within one of the 99 Heavenly River Crystals?
Shall I go for it?
Mu Chen found himself in a dilemma. If he had made a wrong speculation, his previous efforts would come to naught, and he did not have the time to start all over again!
Mu Chen found it difficult to make a decision. However, he was a decisive person.
He suddenly looked resolved. The High Rank Baptism and the Perfect Baptism were not about the levels. If he could receive the latter, it would help him breakthrough to the Earthly Sovereign-level.
In this case, he would have to take the chance! So, Mu Chen stopped hesitating and wiped across the 99 Heavenly River Crystals with his palm, leaving a mark on each of them. After he was done with that, he waved his sleeve.
The 99 Heavenly River Crystals flew out and fell into the water, absorbing the majestic spiritual energy in the water like a whale. Within split seconds, a dazzling light burst out.
The 99 Heavenly River Crystals had turned into a humongous Heavenly River Spirit and appeared within the spiritual arrays like stars! When the 99 Heavenly River Spirits appeared together, the spiritual energy was so overwhelming, even Mu Chen was taken aback.
Mu Chen shot up to the sky and flew out of the Heavenly River, as there was no reason for him to stay any longer. If his presumption was correct, he would now be able to retrieve the Heavenly River Crystals that he had left his mark on.
If he was wrong, he would not be able to receive even a Low Rank Baptism. Thus, he had taken a big gamble!
