Chapter 357: Chapter 78: Intimidation, Martial King Level! (Double Length)_3

However, the Martial Arts Puppets Lin Chen sent out occasionally relayed messages back to him.

"It’s about time to prepare for a breakthrough to the Martial King level..."

Lin Chen slowly stood up, with less than ten hours left until he returned to Blue Star.

Lin Chen returned to his room in the small courtyard and sat down to cultivate.

Until early the next morning, the countdown for return reset!

...

In the Cultivation Room of the Martial Arts Palace, Great Xia Country.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged, breathing rhythmically.

As the Breathing Technique continuously operated, the qi and blood in Lin Chen’s body showed signs of surging.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Lin Chen’s qi and blood steadily rose, making the final sprint towards the Martial King level.

Thud!

Suddenly, a muffled sound resonated in Lin Chen’s heart.

Lin Chen felt a wave of exhilaration throughout his body, faintly sensing a rebirth-like transformation.

The increase in physical fitness and qi and blood was not obvious, but breaking through this bottleneck in the Martial Arts Realm felt like a life metamorphosis.

"Martial King level, achieved!"

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a hint of excitement in his heart.

The Martial King level is a significant milestone in the Martial Arts Realm.

One could directly perceive it just from the change in lifespan.

Martial Monarch level, lifespan two hundred years.

Martial King level, lifespan five hundred years.

"After reaching the Martial King level, I no longer feel at a disadvantage facing mid-stage Nascent Soul..."

Just as Lin Chen was about to stand up, his expression suddenly changed.

He couldn’t move.

"What’s going on? Why can’t my body move..."

Lin Chen was stunned, sitting cross-legged in place.

He could see, he could hear...

"Wait, my hearing has also malfunctioned... Why is it so quiet?"

A wave of unfounded panic surged in Lin Chen’s heart.

At this moment, Lin Chen seemed to be trapped in a vacuum, with all the minute sounds disappearing.

With Lin Chen’s Divine Sense, he should be able to hear even the faintest sounds.

But now?

The footsteps outside the Cultivation Room, the sound of mosquitoes flapping their wings... even the subtle sound of dust accumulating.

Everything... could not be heard.

"This feeling..."

Lin Chen furrowed his brow slightly; it felt like being pinned down by a ghost.

His mind was clear, but his body was completely immobile.

In front of him, everything seemed to have paused.

"This isn’t ghost paralysis... Is time paused?!"

Lin Chen was shocked; this feeling was very similar to when he used "Bullet Time."

But Bullet Time only slowed his perception of time.

Yet in front of him... time seemed truly halted.

"Hello, Heaven’s Chosen."

At this moment, an extremely ancient voice appeared in Lin Chen’s ear.

Lin Chen’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this voice.

He had heard this voice before!

Though he had heard it only once, it was unforgettable for a lifetime.

It was the voice of "Zhu Jiuyin" that Lin Chen heard when he awakened his Martial Spirit!

"I’m here," Lin Chen responded in his heart.

"Heaven’s Chosen, I am soon to fall into slumber again. Now... I bestow upon you a portion of my power. Use it well..."

Vaguely, Lin Chen felt an invisible energy infused into his body.

Merely a moment later, Lin Chen found he could move again.

However, the voice of Zhu Jiuyin had disappeared.

Lin Chen was at a loss.

"Umm... Senior Zhu Jiuyin? Are you still there?"

"Don’t be in such a hurry to leave! First, tell me what Heaven’s Chosen means!"

Lin Chen called out a few times, but Zhu Jiuyin did not respond.

"Truly gone?"

Lin Chen took a deep breath, feeling somewhat helpless.

"What secrets does the power of Zhu Jiuyin hide..."

Soon, Lin Chen cast aside this question.

Because he discovered his newly acquired ability.

Every transformation in a Martial Artist’s life allows further development of the Martial Spirit’s power.

Growing together with the Martial Spirit.

But Lin Chen seemed a little different.

He clearly inherited the power of Zhu Jiuyin...

And this time, the ability Lin Chen inherited is called Time Control!

With a faint thought, everything around Lin Chen began to slow down.

This was not Bullet Time, which sped up personal perception for more reactions.

It was truly slowing down the flow of time!

The time flow rate of the surrounding living beings and things slowed, while Lin Chen remained unchanged!

"Hmm, it affects the time flow rate within a radius of about ten meters... slowing down by roughly three times!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Lin Chen’s expression quickly changed.

After only two or three seconds, Lin Chen felt his physical strength nearly halved.

Frightened, Lin Chen immediately stopped.

"Damn, this ability... the physical energy consumption is terrifying!"

He felt his heart racing, pounding intensely.

He quickly stopped.

Controlling time, slowing down the time flow rate. This is indeed a remarkable ability.

To the extent that it’s not something a mere Martial King level can touch.

If not for his Martial Spirit being Zhu Jiuyin, Lin Chen would not be able to access such a level of power at all.

"However... controlling the time flow rate by only three times... What if used simultaneously with Bullet Time?"

Lin Chen suddenly thought and couldn’t help but try.

In the next second...

Thud!

Lin Chen’s vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.

When Lin Chen woke up again, he was lying in the Cultivation Room.

Li Nian and Wang Xinyu were standing beside him, keeping watch.

"Lin Chen, you’re awake!"

Wang Xinyu exclaimed excitedly.

Lin Chen rubbed his head, feeling the fatigue within his body, and asked:

"How many days have I been asleep?"

"A full two days and nights!" Wang Xinyu said.

Lin Chen was speechless.

Bullet Time combined with time flow control...

The combination of these two powers was clearly beyond what Lin Chen could manage presently.

"Sigh, a miscalculation... Not even a Martial King level can use both of these powers simultaneously?"

Lin Chen shook his head.

But, precisely because of this, it underscores the preciousness of the time-control ability.

Perhaps when Lin Chen becomes strong enough one day,

he won’t just slow down time flow...

He might be able to pause time...

Or even reverse it!