King of Ten Thousand Years

In the dense forest.

Luo Tian was in a perilous situation.

The Mire Beast King alone was not enough to defeat him.

But with Qi Hong, the top genius of the assessment, and Lin Yun, who was at the Peak of the Fourth Layer, even an expert at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening would have to be wary.

”Insignificant clown!”

Qi Hong’s expression turned grim as he drew a Golden Saber from his waist.

Slash!

The Golden Saber gleamed brightly. After being infused with True Qi, a layer of crimson-gold flame patterns appeared on its surface, unleashing a searing, oppressive pressure!

”A Treasure Artifact!”

Luo Tian’s expression grew stern.

Typically, only top experts in the Meridian Opening Realm, or even the Spirit Sea Realm, possessed Treasure Artifacts.

As the most outstanding genius of the Qi Family and its Young Master, Qi Hong had been granted this Treasure Artifact, the [Golden Patterned Saber], by his family.

WHOOSH!

The crimson-gold light on the Treasure Saber flared and came down in a ferocious slash, as swift as lightning.

Wandering Body Step!

Luo Tian pushed his Body Technique to its absolute limit, his figure flickering away like a phantom.

BOOM!

The searing, crimson-gold blade light sliced several large trees in half, black smoke rising from the cuts.

”This Treasure Artifact has such terrifying power! An ordinary cultivator at the Fourth or Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening would probably be killed instantly!”

Lin Yun watched with extreme envy.

After his Quasi-Treasure Artifact had broken, he hadn’t even dared to tell his father. Now, he was using a common Mortal Soldier.

”Die!”

The memory of his Broken Sword filled Lin Yun with intense killing intent as he lunged forward with a thrust of his own sword.

ROAR!

The Mire Beast King also charged from behind, spitting out a viscous, corrosive, green sludge. Even a Sixth Layer Meridian Opening expert would face a grim fate if hit.

SPLOOSH!

Luo Tian dodged a step ahead of time, and a large, dark green pit was corroded into the ground where he had been standing.

’I’m at a great disadvantage fighting one against three.’

Relying on the advantage of his Spiritual Sense, Luo Tian moved like a soaring bird or a swimming fish, using the dense forest environment to evade every Attack.

During this exchange, Luo Tian noticed something.

Both Qi Hong and Lin Yun were extremely wary of the Mire Beast King, terrified of getting caught in its attacks.

’The Mire Beast King’s destructive power is terrifying, but it’s not under Qi Hong and Lin Yun’s control. If I can break this link in their assault...’

A glint shone in Luo Tian’s eyes.

SWISH! SWOOSH!

He used his Wandering Body Step with all his might, darting deep into the forest and hiding behind a large tree.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness entering his mind.

The Celestial Book slowly unfurled. Its first page had recovered seventy to eighty percent of its cyan-gray glow.

’Infer information about the Mire Beast King.’

BUZZ! WHOOSH!

The glow on the first page of the Celestial Book dimmed by ten percent.

Then, a few lines of text appeared:

”Mire Beast: Body is like soft mud, granting it a powerful Defense with almost no weak points. The ejected sludge is highly corrosive and can injure enemies of a higher cultivation level... Weakness: slow movement.”

’Only one weakness?’

Luo Tian was surprised. Although the Mire Beast was slow, the speed at which it could eject its sludge was astonishing.

WHOOSH!

A cloud of black mist billowed out.

Luo Tian knew the chatty Celestial Book God was here again.

”Wait, young man! Don’t go! Please don’t go!”

The Celestial Book God said hurriedly, its tone tinged with pleading.

”As long as you let me, this god, out of the Celestial Book, a mere Mire Beast can be destroyed with a flick of my finger!”

Before it could finish, Luo Tian prepared to leave.

”Hey, don’t go!” the Celestial Book God grew anxious.

”This god knows you’re worried that letting me out will be bad for you!”

Hearing this, Luo Tian’s consciousness paused.

”But who am I? The Ancient First Divine Beast! Why would I bicker with a little brat like you...”

The Celestial Book God said arrogantly.

’Celestial Book, will it bicker with me?’

A sudden idea struck Luo Tian.

”Yes.”

The Celestial Book unhesitatingly formed a single word.

Ah!

The Celestial Book God was instantly dumbfounded.

’You can do that?’

”Young man, this... this is a misunderstanding!”

”After all, this god has accompanied the Celestial Book for so many years. It can’t bear to part with me, so it’s trying to keep me here by deliberately lying to you.”

The Celestial Book God was so anxious it was on the verge of tears.

Luo Tian asked, ”Celestial Book, can I let it out? Is it dangerous?”

Hearing this, the black mist began to tremble with excitement, staring intently at the Celestial Book.

”You can. As long as the seal is not undone, there is no threat.”

A line of text appeared on the Celestial Book.

”Young man, let this god out! Quick! Quick! Quick!”

The Celestial Book God was going crazy with excitement.

”Alright.”

Luo Tian nodded.

He could feel a power inside the Celestial Book wanting to burst out.

As long as he gave his permission, the Celestial Book God could emerge.

”Come out!”

BOOM!

From within the Celestial Book, a dense, dark cloud of black mist erupted, accompanied by a breathtaking, ancient aura that shook Luo Tian’s very soul.

Faintly, Luo Tian thought he once again saw that blurry, boundless phantom—noble, proud, domineering, and divine.

”Where’s the Divine Beast? Where’s the Ancient First Divine Beast?”

As the black mist dissipated, Luo Tian looked around, his heart filled with anticipation.

Soon, Luo Tian noticed something on his shoulder.

A big, black lump!

It was a Crow, scorched black and smoking, with all its feathers standing on end. It was incredibly ugly, looking comically as if it had been struck by lightning.

But the Crow was completely oblivious to its own appearance. It held its head so high it almost touched the sky, its gaze filled with immense pride, as if it were the coolest thing in the world.

”What the hell! Who are you...”

Veins throbbed on Luo Tian’s forehead as he stared in disgust.

SMACK!

He swatted the Crow, sending it flying.

”Ah! How dare you show disgust for this god! Back in the day, I was the most handsome being in the ancient era...”

The Crow flew into a rage, its black feathers bristling.

Luo Tian’s communication with the Celestial Book had taken place in the spiritual world; to the outside world, only an instant had passed.

By now, Qi Hong and Lin Yun had closed in on the large tree.

”Brother Qi, the kid’s scared! He’s hiding behind the tree!”

Lin Yun laughed heartily.

”Go! This Young Master will cripple him today!”

Qi Hong said coldly.

”What an ugly Crow!”

Qi Hong and Lin Yun immediately spotted the Crow next to Luo Tian.

It couldn’t be helped.

The Crow was just too eye-catching—scorched black, smoking, and ugly beyond belief.

Luo Tian quickly distanced himself from the Crow, putting on an expression that said, ’I don’t know him.’

Hmm?

At that moment, Luo Tian’s powerful senses detected several figures rapidly approaching from all directions.

”Young Master Qi, Brother Lin, we’re here!”

Disciples from the Qi, Liu, and Du Families, among others, were surrounding him.

Even Gao Xuan from Hongguang City had joined the siege against Luo Tian.

”Hmph! Luo Tian, I have never forgotten the humiliation at Black Demon Ridge!”

Gao Xuan’s face was full of resentment.

Originally, he hadn’t dared to confront Luo Tian, but after learning of the ”powerful lineup” gathered against him, he joined without a second thought.

In an instant, more than a dozen geniuses from various families closed in on Luo Tian.

Most of these participants were at the Third and Fourth Layers of Meridian Opening or higher. Some had been summoned by Qi Hong and Liu Ziyan, while others already held a grudge against Luo Tian.

”What an ugly bird!”

As the geniuses from the various families arrived, their attention was immediately drawn to the smoking Crow.

”You’re courting death! How dare you slander this god’s handsome appearance!”

The Crow looked as if its eyes would split from fury as it roared in anger.

At the same time.

ROAR!

The enormous Mire Beast King, reeking of rot, closed in. The green sludge it spewed forced all the nearby youths to scatter.

”What an ugly Mire Beast! Huh... is it being controlled by a Beast Tamer?”

The Crow looked disgusted, completely unaware that it was, in fact, the ugliest creature present.

”Very well! I shall let you witness this god’s power!”

”GAK GAK GAK GAK GAK!”

The Crow opened its beak and let out a bizarre laugh, a sharp, metallic, scraping sound that was utterly Demonic.

’So grating!’

Everyone present instantly felt their minds grow irritated and their vital energy stir restlessly. They all gritted their teeth, feeling on the verge of going mad.

”Dammit... how can there be such an awful sound?”

Lin Yun’s face contorted as a prickling numbness spread across his scalp.

Luo Tian was also greatly affected, his mind growing inexplicably agitated, but the impact on him was much smaller.

He couldn’t help but wonder, ’Is this really the Ancient First Divine Beast?’

’Or is it the Ancient First Weirdo?’

”Make it stop! No, make it shut its mouth!”

The crowd roared, their faces contorted with manic irritation, as if they had all been driven into a frenzy.

No one noticed.

Under the influence of that strange sound, the Mire Beast King struggled for a moment before its eyes filled with bloodshot veins and it began to roar wildly.

”Everyone can die together!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Qi Hong leaped into the air. His [Golden Patterned Saber] slashed out a blazing, golden arc of light, aimed at Luo Tian and the Crow.

”Young Master Qi, be careful!”

Behind him, Lin Yun and the others couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.

Qi Hong looked disdainful. ’Be careful when dealing with someone at the Third Layer Peak? Do I need to?’

ROAR!

Suddenly, a foul, stinking wind blew from behind him.

’Not good!’

Qi Hong’s expression changed drastically. It was the Mire Beast King!

SPLAT!

The Mire Beast King, its eyes crimson and its expression frenzied, spat a huge glob of sludge at the nearest person—Qi Hong.

”No—!”

Qi Hong roared, but it was too late to dodge.

Liu Ziyan had told him that this Mire Beast King was being controlled by a teacher from the Academy to help them deal with Luo Tian.

’So why had the Mire Beast King gone berserk and suddenly attacked him?’

It was a life-or-death moment!

WHOOSH!

Qi Hong forcefully retracted the slash aimed at Luo Tian and the Crow and swung it behind him instead.

SPLATTER!

The Golden Patterned Saber barely managed to slice the glob of sludge apart, but some of it still splattered onto his body, corroding several large holes in his clothes.

”Ah! My face...!”

Qi Hong let out a wretched scream. A tiny bit of the sludge had splashed onto his handsome face, leaving behind a large, festering sore that looked like a patch of psoriasis, a truly horrifying sight.

”Luo Tian! I’m going to tear you to pieces...!”

He let out a chilling, soul-shaking howl.

ROAR!

The Mire Beast King’s eyes were crimson. No longer distinguishing between friend and foe, it madly attacked everyone nearby.

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

Globs of corrosive green sludge shot out in all directions like flying arrows.

”Run!”

The surrounding geniuses from the various families were scared out of their wits.

”AH! AAGH...!”

Many were hit by the sludge, and the scene devolved into a pandemonium of blood-curdling shrieks and incessant screams.

The horror of the Mire Beast King’s sludge Attack was immense. The slightest touch could mean a lost limb; even if you survived, you’d lose a layer of skin!

In an instant, the siege laid by the dozen or so geniuses collapsed completely as they scattered in a chaotic mess.