"Watch out!" Mu Xiaotian and Mu Rongxuan grew tense. After all, Chen Qing had a point.

"Heh..." But Mu Chen just shook his head and chuckled. With a light step, Thunder Light surged around him. Following a loud crack, his figure vanished. When the five of them realized their target had suddenly disappeared, they began to look around frantically. But just as they were searching, Chen Qing spun around in horror to look behind him.

Behind them, standing right beside Mu Rongxuan and Mu Xiaotian, was the blue-haired figure in white. He was watching them with the mocking amusement of a spectator. Cold sweat instantly beaded on their foreheads. ’What kind of demonic speed is this?’

"Hehe, I’m done playing. In my eyes, you’re all just children," Mu Chen said coolly. He then waved his left hand through the air. The Water Element Primordial Qi around the five of them suddenly began to fluctuate violently. As Mu Chen abruptly clenched his left fist, countless blue crystals solidified out of nowhere, instantly freezing the five of them from their necks down to their feet.

That’s right, this was the first time Mu Chen had used the special effect of his Extreme Ice Attribute. Chen Qing and the others were utterly horrified to find themselves suddenly unable to move. They had never seen such a bizarre method of attack.

"Mu Chen, you waste! If you have any guts, let us down and fight me for real! Using despicable tricks to Seal us like this—are you too scared to fight us properly?" Chen Qing roared defiantly, but no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free from the shackles of the Extreme Ice.

At his words, Mu Chen frowned. "So noisy..."

His fingers moved through a few quick signs, and the Extreme Ice sealing the five of them suddenly squirmed. Then, with a series of SHHHNK sounds, countless half-meter-long ice spikes erupted from the surface of the ice. The moment these spikes appeared, Chen Qing immediately shut his mouth, his face turning pale.

’This is no joke. If he can make so many ice spikes grow from the outside, it means he can make them appear on the inside, too. If that happens, we’ll be turned into hedgehogs.’

After doing all this, Mu Chen didn’t spare them another glance. He walked straight over to Mu Xiaotian and Mu Rongxuan. Just as Mu Xiaotian was about to speak, Mu Chen shook his head, then placed an arm on Mu Xiaotian’s shoulder. He drew out a sliver of the Emperor’s Heart Returning Lotus’s Medicinal Power and slowly channeled it into Mu Xiaotian’s body, healing his injuries at a terrifying speed.

In just a few seconds, Mu Xiaotian’s injuries were completely healed. Even the bruises on his face had vanished without a trace. In the same manner, Mu Chen then healed Mu Rongxuan’s injuries, though it took twice as long as it had for Mu Xiaotian.

Feeling his injuries completely healed, Mu Xiaotian looked at Mu Chen in extreme astonishment, his face a mask of disbelief. ’What is this power that can heal injuries?’

Beside him, Mu Rongxuan was also clearly astonished, but he gave Mu Chen an extremely awkward glance before turning his head away. Mu Xiaotian smiled, "Chen... we..."

But Mu Chen simply waved his hand dismissively. His three years of Cultivation had given him perspective, and he had seen a great deal. In all that time, he had never truly hated his family or his clan. Though they had looked down on him, no one had ever spoken of abandoning him. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Shaking his head, Mu Chen gave a resigned smile. "Let the past be the past. After all, we share the same surname, and the same blood flows in our veins."

At his words, Mu Rongxuan lowered his head in shame. He had once been young and arrogant, but after coming to the academy, he was no longer the genius from the direct lineage, coddled and praised by his family. Here, he had endured endless gossip and slander, suffered cold and indifferent stares. Dignity? Here, he had no dignity at all. For three years, Chen Qing had relentlessly trampled on them. The word "waste," a term that once had nothing to do with them, was now gradually being applied to them.

They had thought of Mu Bingling, but as men, how could they possibly seek protection from a woman? Doing so would only make the other students look down on them even more. So, they could only endure it all in silence.

During these three years at the academy, Mu Rongxuan had thought more than once about the "waste" of a cousin he had once relentlessly insulted. In these three years, he had truly experienced what it was like to be scorned by everyone, bullied by everyone, and to live without a shred of dignity. Gradually, his personality had changed.

"Mu Chen, for everything before... I’m sorry!"

With a sincere apology, Mu Rongxuan actually knelt before Mu Chen. Mu Chen was stunned. He quickly pulled Mu Rongxuan up, his expression dark as he said, "What are you doing? I may have hated you, but I also used to be jealous of you. You had such great talent, such a strong mind. You were able to endure. But what is this you’re doing today? A man can lack ambition, but he cannot lack dignity! Look at you now. Are you still that same proud Mu Rongxuan from before? You can’t get back up after a few setbacks? I dare say, if you had turned the insults of others into your motivation to improve, you wouldn’t be the one being bullied now."

Mu Chen pointed at the five behind him. "It would be them!"

Hearing this, Mu Rongxuan trembled, looking at Mu Chen in astonishment. ’Is this still the same frail, childish boy from before? He seems so mature and composed now.’

Glancing at the five behind them, Mu Xiaotian looked at Mu Chen and smiled. "Let’s find another place to talk, Chen. It’s not convenient here."

With a final glance at the five behind him, Mu Chen nodded. The three of them left the small grove, walking side-by-side. Five minutes after Mu Chen left, the ice sealing Chen Qing and the others was released. They all shivered uncontrollably for a moment. Only Chen Qing stared maliciously at the spot where Mu Chen’s group had disappeared. "Mu Chen, you really think a little power means you can look down on everyone? Hmph, just you wait. I’ll show you that there’s always someone stronger..."

After leaving the grove, Mu Chen’s mood improved considerably. Mu Xiaotian asked urgently, "Where have you been for the past three years? Third Uncle and Grandfather have been worried to death. The family never stopped looking for you all these years. And seeing Third Aunt grow more haggard by the day... Chen, if you have time, you must go back and see her. Otherwise, I’m really afraid Third Aunt... I’m afraid she’ll fall ill from worry."

Mu Rongxuan also nodded at Mu Chen. "It’s true. I’ve heard that Third Aunt barely eats or drinks."

Mu Chen’s expression changed. "This... I really didn’t know it was like this. If I’d known, I would have returned to the family first."

Mu Xiaotian clapped Mu Chen’s shoulder. "It’s alright. After the annual freshman trial is over, there’s a half-month long break. You can go back then. The academy won’t let you leave at any other time."

"Freshman trial?" He had never heard that term before.

Mu Xiaotian was taken aback. "You don’t know? Didn’t you guys attend the freshman assembly this year? Didn’t an instructor tell you where you need to go?"

"Huh?" Mu Chen was also taken aback. Today was the day they were supposed to attend the freshman assembly, but he hadn’t heard anything about a freshman trial. ’Wait a minute, that "fun" place...’

Dark lines appeared on Mu Chen’s forehead. "I think... I probably know what the freshman trial is now."

"Haha, I knew it. How could there not be a freshman trial? But still, cousin, you’ve really changed so much these past few years." Mu Xiaotian studied Mu Chen seriously. Aside from a faint trace of familiarity in his expression, Mu Chen was like a completely different person. It was hard to believe this was the same frail boy from three years ago.

Mu Chen smiled faintly. "Yeah, the changes over these three years have been pretty big. But how did you guys end up being bullied by someone like Chen Qing for so long? And with such a large gap in your Martial Artist Realms. Your talent shouldn’t be any worse than Chen Qing’s, especially you, Mu Rongxuan."

A flash of guilt appeared in Mu Rongxuan’s eyes when he heard Mu Chen use his full name. He knew the young man before him hadn’t truly forgiven him. After all, he had bullied him so relentlessly in the past. Still, he believed that one day, he would earn his forgiveness.

Mu Xiaotian gave a bitter smile. "You probably don’t know the Mu Family’s current situation. If it weren’t for the help of Mu Bingling and the Wang Family, the Mu Family would have probably been swallowed up by the combined forces of the Chen and Li Families long ago. In terms of Cultivation Resources, the Chen and Li Families send large quantities of pills and Combat Skills to support Chen Qing and the others every year. But our Mu Family... the Mu Family doesn’t even have enough resources for itself. To avoid putting more pressure on the family, the few of us have never used any pills, so of course our cultivation speed can’t compare to theirs."

Mu Rongxuan glanced at the bitterly smiling Mu Xiaotian and said with a calm expression, "Big Brother is right. Not only is our cultivation speed slower than theirs, but we’re also constantly suppressed by them. The academy resources we manage to get are minuscule. That’s just how the Imperial Academy is: the stronger you are, the more resources you possess. That’s why Big Brother and I are still stuck at the Ninth-Ring Martial Artist Realm and haven’t been able to break through to Martial Master."

Looking at the disheveled hair of Mu Rongxuan and Mu Xiaotian, Mu Chen’s heart felt as if it had been pricked by something. With a flick of his wrist, a small blue bottle appeared in his hand. Inside the bottle were three yellow pills. These were the Martial Power Pills Mu Chen had traded for from that old man back in Frost Cold Town.

He originally had five. Mu Chen had used one while in the Martial Artist Realm and was saving one for when he reached the Ninth-Ring Martial Master level to break through to Grand Martial Master. That left a total of three pills in the bottle.

Opening the bottle, Mu Chen took out two pills and pressed one into each of their hands. Holding the pill, Mu Rongxuan could feel the immense Primordial Power contained within. "What is this?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Mu Chen took a deep breath and said, "I didn’t realize the family’s situation had become so critical. These are two Martial Power Pills. Taking one while below the Grand Martial Master Level will directly raise a Martial Artist’s realm by one. You two are both at the peak of Nine-Ring Martial Artists right now. If you use them now, there’s a high chance you’ll advance directly to Martial Master. And if the medicinal effect works perfectly, you might even advance directly to the peak of One-Ring Martial Master."

"Martial Power Pills!" Mu Rongxuan and Mu Xiaotian exchanged a look of shock. They might not have known what a Martial Power Pill was before, but after living at the academy for three years, how could they not know its precious value? Even the champion of the annual freshman trial was only rewarded with a single Martial Power Pill, yet Mu Chen had just taken out three of them right in front of them. ’Just what in the world happened to him over these past three years?’

Seeing their shocked gazes, Mu Chen waved his hand. "Don’t ask me where these came from. Instead of wasting time on that, you should find a quiet place and absorb them quickly. The Medicinal Power of a pill will dissipate if it’s left out for too long. Anyway, I just happened to be passing by today. I have to get back to my dorm now to prepare for tomorrow’s freshman trial. Oh, I’m in the first-year freshmen dorms, room 306. If you need anything, just come find me. I hope that the next time I see you, you’ll both be Martial Masters."