The Profound Old Ghost was suddenly speechless. "Alright, stop with the flattery."
Mu Chen also noticed the change in himself and rubbed his nose. The Profound Old Ghost said faintly, "Have you ever heard of Extreme Attributes?"
"Extreme Attributes?" Mu Chen pondered for a moment, then shook his head. Having been crippled, he had used his father's Jade Pendant to browse every book in the Library Pavilion. Naturally, he wouldn't have been able to see things like Combat Skills and Cultivation Techniques. Even if he could have, he would have skipped right past them. But in all the books he had read, there was no information recorded about Extreme Attributes.
The Profound Old Ghost laughed self-deprecatingly. "Heh, it seems I've asked a pointless question. Since no Emperor Level beings have existed for the past ten thousand years, it's certain that no one would know about something like Extreme Attributes."
After speaking, the Profound Old Ghost looked at the puzzled Mu Chen and smiled. "The so-called Extreme Attributes are some of the most primordial, single Attributes. They have existed for countless eons and gradually developed sentience. Of course, their intelligence is quite low, possessing little more than a basic instinct for self-preservation. They tend to remain in remote, uninhabited places. But wherever they appear, they are always guarded by strange phenomena of heaven and earth. Even for Saint Level experts, not many can see one with their own eyes and live to tell the tale. It's no wonder you wouldn't know about them."
"Master, don't tell me your solution is an Extreme Attribute, is it?" Mu Chen's mouth twitched fiercely.
The Profound Old Ghost said in surprise, "Smart. It is indeed Extreme Attributes. As long as you fuse with an Extreme Attribute, your Attribute Dantian will gain another input channel, and your speed of absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi will reach a terrifying level."
Mu Chen was furious. "Holy shit, are you kidding me? Even Saint Level Great Powers face a near-certain death, and you're telling a cripple like me to go find an Extreme Attribute?"
The Profound Old Ghost cleared his throat twice. "Don't you still have me? Don't worry. Since I've proposed this method, it means I have the ability to help you successfully obtain an Extreme Attribute. However, before you become a Martial Artist, you shouldn't even be thinking about this."
The Profound Old Ghost had guessed right. Mu Chen was indeed thinking about Extreme Attributes. But when he subconsciously glanced at his right shoulder, where his arm was missing, the excitement that had just risen on his face died down. He gave a bitter smile. "With a body that only has one arm, can I really become strong?"
"There are no useless bodies, only a heart willing to be useless."
Mu Chen's whole body trembled, and great waves churned in his heart. The Profound Old Ghost's words pierced his soul like a sharp Sword Aura. 'That's right... There are no useless bodies, only a heart willing to be useless. Am I useless? Am I willing to accept that? No! I've never admitted to being useless! I, Mu Chen, am absolutely not useless!'
An indignant roar echoed from within Mu Chen's heart. In a corner of the Extreme Spirit Pearl, a pair of enormous purple eyes floated in mid-air. Their merciless, vertical pupils stared straight ahead. Around the pupils, six Binglan snowflake-like objects constantly spun and chased each other, creating an exceptionally bizarre sight. Yet, within those cold eyes, there was a hint of awkward gentleness and an appreciative gaze.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK... A soft knocking sounded at the door.
"Come in." Mu Chen quickly hid the Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique under his pillow, lay down, and said in a deliberately weak voice.
"Mu Chen, are you feeling any better?" A gentle girlish voice drifted in, crisp and clear like a silver bell, yet filled with endless concern. It was a voice Mu Chen knew all too well.
"Sis, I'm much better. Where's Mom?" Hearing Mu Bingling's voice, Mu Chen immediately thought of how he had pushed her away earlier, and his heart filled with guilt.
Seeing how weak Mu Chen was, Mu Bingling placed the medicinal soup she was carrying on the table and hurried to his side. She carefully helped him sit up and said with concern, "Mom was just called away by Dad. She asked me to bring you the soup. Look at you, you're so weak right now. How could you be so reckless? Do you have any idea how worried Dad and Mom were when they heard you were in trouble? You..."
At this point, Mu Bingling quickly turned away to wipe the glimmer from the corner of her eyes. She picked up the medicinal soup from the table and returned to Mu Chen's side. Although Mu Chen's eyes were closed, the scene outside was clearly reflected in his mind's eye. Mu Bingling's beautiful eyes were glistening with tears, and a tear track marked the reddened corner of her eye.
Seeing her like this, Mu Chen's heart ached. For twelve years, it was this kind girl who had given him the courage to live. She wasn't his biological sister, but it was her who stood up for him time and time again after he was bullied and humiliated. It was her who stayed by his side when no one else would play with him, telling him again and again that he was important, that their happy home wouldn't exist without him. It was her who said she would take care of him for a lifetime, never leaving, never abandoning him. It was her...
Scene after scene from the past flashed before his eyes. A single, silent tear slid from the corner of his eye. 'My dear sister, from now on, let me be the one to protect you. I will be your safe harbor, sheltering you from the wind and rain.'
"Sis, I'm sorry... I won't do anything foolish again," Mu Chen said with his eyes shut tight, his voice trembling.
Mu Bingling noticed the tear at the corner of Mu Chen's eye and thought her tone had been too harsh. She quickly wiped his tear away and said softly, "Why are you crying? A big boy like you, more fragile than a girl. Where did the strong Mu Chen from before go?"
The soft touch of Mu Bingling's fingertips sliding across his cheek made Mu Chen's quiet heart tremble. This wasn't the first time Mu Bingling had wiped his tears, but it was the first time he'd ever felt his heart skip a beat. Looking again at the young woman's face—her skin was as fair as snow, her tender pink lips were slightly pouted, and her feigned annoyance was utterly charming. Her large, aqua-blue eyes sparkled with a captivating light.
Her slender figure was wrapped in a white silk dress. The budding flowers of her youth were just beginning to show, and her willow-like waist, cinched by a white sash, seemed even more delicate. Her long, slender legs stood straight before him. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you talking? Was my tone too harsh? I'm sorry, okay?" Seeing Mu Chen sitting there silently with his eyes closed, Mu Bingling thought her words had hurt her little brother again and grew flustered.
Mu Chen froze, his young face flushing red. He quickly waved his hand. "No, that's not it. I was just thinking about something. You were right, Sis. I was too reckless. I'm sorry. From now on, I'll definitely live on with strength. And... I'm going to live a better life than anyone else." The last sentence came straight from his heart, a genuine outpouring of emotion that easily moved Mu Bingling.
"Good. You said it, so you can't go back on your word. Come on, drink your medicine. Be good!" Mu Bingling gently scooped up a spoonful of the soup. It had been sitting for a while, so there was no need to blow on it. She brought it directly to Mu Chen's lips, her face full of smiles.
Hearing Mu Bingling's teasing words, Mu Chen's face flushed red again. But he obediently opened his mouth and drank it down in one gulp. It was very bitter, but within the bitterness was a hint of sweetness. That was... the taste of happiness.
After Mu Bingling finished feeding him the soup, Mu Chen used the excuse of needing to rest to get her to leave. He had something more important to do. When he heard Mu Bingling's footsteps fade into the distance, Mu Chen quickly pulled the Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique out from under his pillow. What he needed to do now was memorize the Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique as quickly and precisely as possible.
For the past twelve years, although Mu Chen had been unable to practice Cultivation, he had spent all his time reading. As a result, his memory had grown stronger and stronger. He only needed to read most books two or three times to memorize them without missing a single word. This, he supposed, was a form of compensation from the heavens.
"Hehe, my dear disciple, you're quite the fortunate one." The Profound Old Ghost's teasing voice echoed in Mu Chen's mind.
Mu Chen was already used to him speaking so suddenly. He asked in confusion, "Why do you say that?"
The Profound Old Ghost laughed. "No reason. If you want to protect that little girl, you'd better grow up quickly. Otherwise, you will definitely lose her."
The Profound Old Ghost's sudden words left Mu Chen feeling vexed. "What do you mean?"
"I don't mean anything by it. Knowing too much now will only hinder your Cultivation. You just need to know this: the stronger you become, the safer she will be. Thinking about anything else right now is useless. I'm going to rest for a bit. I'll wake up naturally when you're ready to reforge your Dantian. After you've memorized the Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique, just tear up the Scroll to destroy it completely. Don't feel bad about it; I have plenty more of those scrolls here."
As Mu Chen was left utterly speechless, the Profound Old Ghost fell silent once more. Shaking his head, Mu Chen found he couldn't make any sense of what the old ghost had said. 'Oh well, I'd better just memorize the Cultivation Technique.'