Chapter 429: Side Effects.

There was no time for shock. The terrifying, violent aura suppressed Mu Chen, rendering him completely immobile. Amidst a series of crackles and pops, the slender bone arm grew another section. As it continued to lengthen, it felt as if magma was being poured through his body, and Mu Chen found the searing heat inside him unbearable.

As the burning sensation inside Mu Chen intensified, his exposed skin underwent a dramatic transformation. Like ink spreading in water, his skin gradually turned a dark, grayish-black.

CRACK CRACK CRACK...

Another series of sharp cracks sounded as the grayish-black skin began to develop fissures of various sizes. Normally, cracked skin would bleed, but not only was there no blood, countless crimson sparks flickered within the fissures instead. At a glance, these sparks resembled molten magma flowing freely all over Mu Chen’s body. The sight was exceptionally bizarre!

However, as if he felt no pain, Mu Chen seemed completely unaware. His lips remained pursed as he focused on figuring out the origin of the violent energy within him. As time passed, the growth of his arm bone suddenly halted. A black hand bone finally solidified, and with that, his arm bone was completely restored. This very restoration caused the searing heat in his body to intensify, and his blood began to circulate several times faster.

Under the impact of his accelerating blood flow, the flesh at the clean-cut stump of his shoulder suddenly burst open, splattering blood. Droplets of red blood fell into the Spiritual Liquid, but it was as if the black liquid refused to accept them. After drifting for a few moments, the blood simply vaporized, vanishing without a trace.

With an open wound, the effect of the Spiritual Liquid became even more intense. Flesh and blood are naturally easier to regenerate than bone, but now, the liquid that could instantly mend injuries failed to repair Mu Chen’s burst flesh. Instead, it surged directly into his ruptured shoulder. Within a few breaths, countless threads of black light were drawn out from the wound. Varying in length and thickness, they stood out starkly against the black Spiritual Liquid.

Once the threads of light had fully extended, they swiftly wrapped themselves around Mu Chen’s arm bone. The scene was rather horrifying and bloody. At the same time, the grayish-black Spiritual Liquid in the pool had decreased by a third, and Mu Chen’s floating blue hair gradually surfaced.

After finishing the laundry, Wan Xian’Er stared blankly at the center of the pool. Although she couldn’t see Mu Chen’s transformation beneath the surface, her focus was absolute.

At the bottom of the pool, Mu Chen’s consciousness was hazy. The violent power that had been battering his body had now turned its assault directly toward his Sea of Souls. Terrified, Mu Chen immediately activated his Soul Engraving to resist the onslaught. This action did have some effect; within his Sea of Souls, an armor-like soul barrier blocked the crimson energy, allowing his consciousness to remain clear. But Mu Chen knew this wasn’t a long-term solution. If he couldn’t deal with this violent energy in the next ten minutes, his consciousness would be completely overwhelmed. What would happen then was impossible to predict.

After a period of being wrapped, the threads of light gradually receded. In their place were black meridians. These meridians looked incredibly strange, but like the arm bone, they shimmered with a sleek, metallic luster. At this point, the restoration of Mu Chen’s arm was two-thirds complete. The final and easiest step was regenerating the flesh.

Feeling the constant itching sensation from his shoulder, Mu Chen’s consciousness stirred with a flicker of joy. Unfortunately, due to the assault from the violent energy, he was unable to extend his Spiritual Power to see what was happening outside. Based on his current state, his feelings were a mix of joy and worry. ’I’m happy that my arm seems to actually be regenerating, but worried about how I’m supposed to release this violent energy.’

Ever since Mu Chen felt the itching in his shoulder, the burst mass of flesh had begun to squirm grotesquely. Fortunately, neither he nor Wan Xian’Er could see it, or they would have been nauseated by the sight. After all, the image of dark, fragmented flesh constantly expanding and contracting was truly hard to stomach.

Thankfully, the muscles formed with incredible speed, fully growing in just a few breaths to cover the black arm bone and meridians. The arm was now eighty percent complete. The "skin" grew in the blink of an eye, as if draped over the arm’s surface. What was shocking, however, was that this so-called "skin" was not real skin at all, but a "bone-skin" formed from overlapping black skeletal plates. Just by looking at it, one could tell this "bone-skin" was harder than metal.

After this step, more than half of the Spiritual Liquid in the pool was gone, and even the top of Mu Chen’s head was now visible. Once the arm was fully formed, the remaining grayish-black liquid was completely absorbed by Mu Chen, vanishing like melting ice and snow. All that remained was a single, pure drop of golden blood floating near his shoulder.

The fact that so much Spiritual Liquid remained was entirely thanks to the Snow Qilin, Xiaobai. Its blood was the true Beast God’s Blood, which not only possessed astonishing regenerative properties but was also imbued with immense power. Thus, after Mu Chen’s right arm had absorbed the blood, his body’s demand for the remaining Spiritual Liquid was significantly less than it would have been otherwise.

’My arm has been restored, so why hasn’t this violent energy dissipated?’ Mu Chen grew frustrated. The ten minutes were almost up, and his soul barrier was on the verge of shattering. ’What am I supposed to do?’

But just as Mu Chen was agonizing over his predicament, the drop of golden blood lingering near his right arm suddenly sank into the newly formed limb. A moment later, a dazzling golden light erupted from his arm, spreading into complex patterns that covered it from shoulder to fingertip!

In that same instant, two consecutive cracking sounds echoed from within Mu Chen’s Dantian. Thanks to that single drop of golden blood, he had broken through two Martial Artist Realms in a row, reaching the rank of a Nine-Ring Martial Spirit! However, this breakthrough brought Mu Chen no joy. The moment he broke through, the soul barrier protecting his consciousness in his Sea of Souls completely shattered. Mu Chen felt a malevolent fire burning through him, as if his very blood was boiling. A long-repressed emotion overwhelmed him, causing him to lose all reason.

"So hot!"

With a single leap, a completely naked Mu Chen jumped out of the pool.

Wan Xian’Er stared in disbelief at the figure before her. He wasn’t burly, but his frame radiated explosive power. In her eyes, Mu Chen’s body had taken on an indescribable grayish-black hue, with patterns like scorching magma coursing over his skin. Even from several meters away, she could feel a wave of intense heat.

"Mu Chen, what’s wrong?" Stunned, Wan Xian’Er suddenly remembered what the Snow Qilin had said about side effects. Seeing him panting heavily while staring at her, she ignored his nakedness, dropped his clothes, and rushed to his side. "Mu Chen, are you not feeling well?"

But Mu Chen didn’t answer her. His only thought now was to completely release the pent-up emotion raging within his chest.

His crimson eyes were fixed on Wan Xian’Er’s body, and his throat bobbed. His face was flushed as if on fire. As she reached out to touch him, he grabbed her arm and let out a low growl.

If he were in his right mind, no matter how much he was suffering, Mu Chen would never have done this to Wan Xian’Er. In his heart, he had always treated her like a younger sister. But now, with his mind consumed by that malevolent fire, all such considerations were gone.

The crimson in his eyes deepened, and his body grew hotter. Wan Xian’Er seemed to sense what was about to happen and began to struggle frantically to break free. But his newly grown right arm clamped onto her wrist like a steel vise; no matter how hard she pulled, his grip didn’t loosen in the slightest.

"Mu Chen, what are you doing?!" Wan Xian’Er’s face grew anxious. She tugged at his arm, pleading, "Mu Chen, please let me go! It hurts! You’re hurting me."

But having completely lost his reason, Mu Chen turned a deaf ear to her panicked pleas. His face was flushed, and he was panting like a bull.

BANG!

With a muffled thud, left with no other choice, Wan Xian’Er struck Mu Chen’s chest with her left hand, which glowed green, imbued with powerful Primordial Power. But having lived with him for so long, his image was engraved in her heart; she could never bring herself to use her full strength against him. She only used thirty percent of her power, hoping the shockwave of Primordial Power would be enough to push him back and allow her to break free.

But a blow that should have been powerful enough to send a person flying merely made Mu Chen’s body sway. Wan Xian’Er was stunned. Staring at his increasingly flushed face, she murmured, "How can this be..."

"ROAR!"

As if enraged by her attack, a low roar erupted from Mu Chen’s throat. His crimson pupils, blazing with lust, fixed upon Wan Xian’Er’s enchanting figure—a sight that could drive any man to madness. With a wave of his hand, a ring of eerie purple flames shot out, firmly binding her hands...