King of Ten Thousand Years

Dawn had just broken.

Outside Luo Tian’s residence, a clamor arose.

In front of his door, dozens of Bronze Students had gathered. Most were senior students at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening or higher, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.

As of today, Luo Tian’s ten-day ”protection period” was over. Any Bronze Student could now defeat him in a challenge and become a Silver Student.

”L Luo Tian, get your ass out here! Today, this Marquis will strip you of your Silver Student status!”

Tang Wei stood with his arms crossed, a look of arrogance on his face.

Behind him stood a line of a dozen or so Bronze Students, all recently recruited underlings. Among them were even a few senior students at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening.

Not only that, but a Silver Student stood at Tang Wei’s side—it was Li Hai!

With a Silver Student for backing, plus a dozen or so underlings, Tang Wei’s display of power and prestige was immense.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

More and more Bronze Students rushed over, and the crowd soon swelled to nearly a hundred people.

”Cao Yang is here!”

Suddenly, the appearance of a lean young man made the faces of the Bronze Students present change drastically. They silently parted to make way for him.

”Cao Yang is the overlord of the Bronze Area! He’s occupied the best residence for a long time!”

The Bronze Students all showed looks of reverence and fear, hastily moving aside.

In the Bronze Area, Cao Yang was universally acknowledged as the strongest and was considered invincible.

He was a senior student from two years prior who had been stuck at the Peak of the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening for a long time. His strength was unfathomable.

A few days ago, Nangong Yu had challenged Cao Yang. The two exchanged several hundred blows, but the fight ended inconclusively, the winner unknown.

However, Nangong Yu had ultimately gone into seclusion for Cultivation and hadn’t been seen since.

”I’d like to see for myself the standard of this year’s top new student.”

Cao Yang was lean, with narrow eyes that held a hint of excitement and anticipation.

This big shot of the Bronze Area had his sights set directly on Luo Tian!

Suddenly!

A cold, oppressive gaze swept over Cao Yang.

”Li Hai!”

Cao Yang’s expression changed in an instant.

Standing beside the Young Marquis, Li Hai shot him a warning look.

It was obvious Li Hai would not allow Cao Yang to interfere. The status of Silver Student was destined to be Tang Wei’s!

’Damn it! This Li Hai is going too far!’

Cao Yang’s face darkened as he forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart.

In the Bronze Area, he was the strongest, but against the terrifyingly strong and higher-ranking Li Hai, he was almost powerless to resist.

Just then,

CREAK!

The door to the pavilion opened, and a handsome, upright young man in a Silver-White Robe walked out.

”So early in the morning, disturbing a man’s peaceful sleep. You’re all more diligent than crowing roosters.”

Luo Tian said lazily.

His mocking words made everyone’s expressions turn ugly.

”Luo Tian, enjoy running your mouth while you can! When we strip you of your Silver Student status, don’t you dare kneel and beg for mercy.”

Tang Wei snorted coldly, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes.

”Luo Tian! Your protection period is over. It’s useless to beg for mercy now, so accept the challenge!”

Li Hai’s gaze was chilling, as if he were looking at a man about to die.

”A challenge? Fine by me!”

Luo Tian’s gaze swept across the nearly one hundred Bronze Students present, and he nodded in satisfaction.

”Since so many people have come today, we might as well settle this all at once.”

If he had to deal with challenges every single day from now on, even Luo Tian would find it annoying.

”Arrogant brat!”

”He got first place among the new students by a fluke, yet he’s so shameless with his boasting.”

The crowd of Bronze Students on the field shouted in anger.

Even Cao Yang, the big shot of the Bronze Area, couldn’t help but feel a little incensed.

’This year’s top new student really is arrogant on a whole other level!’

As a residential and Cultivation area for students, Sunrise Peak had many martial arts arenas.

Soon, the crowd found a nearby Martial Arts Arena.

”Who’s first?”

Luo Tian stood in the middle of the Martial Arts Arena, appearing perfectly composed under the predatory stares of nearly a hundred Bronze Students.

His gaze shifted, landing on Tang Wei with a flash of fighting spirit.

During the Holy Mansion’s examination, he had been injured by Tang Wei and forced to retreat. Back then, he truly had no chance of winning.

”Haha! Do you think the Young Marquis is someone you can challenge so easily? You’ll have to get past me first.”

From behind Tang Wei, a monkey-faced youth at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening stepped forward with a malicious grin.

Tang Wei stood proudly where he was, a faint smile on his face, and did not stop him.

Tang Wei had fought Luo Tian before and knew his combat strength surpassed that of an ordinary cultivator at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening.

Besides, now that Luo Tian was a Silver Student, he had surely used the resource advantages of his Student Level over the past ten days to greatly improve his strength.

’Might as well let my underling probe his real strength and wear him down a bit in the process.’

’When I, Tang Wei, make a move, it must be with an attitude of absolute dominance, to crush and defeat Luo Tian!’

”Tang Wei is quite the schemer!”

”He’s having his underlings wear Luo Tian down first so he can win in one fell swoop. What a clever plan.”

Many people saw through Tang Wei’s intentions.

”That move from Tang Wei is pretty shameless, but it’s certainly a safe bet!”

Cao Yang looked resentful.

’I was thinking that if Tang Wei failed, I would still have a chance.’

’But I never expected Tang Wei to use such a despicable tactic.’

”A war of attrition?”

Luo Tian was startled for a moment, then a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

”I’d like to see just how many underlings you have who are willing to throw their lives away for you.”

Faced with a war of attrition, Luo Tian was completely unafraid.

”What? A mighty Silver Student, and you don’t dare to fight me?”

The monkey-faced youth sneered as he entered the Martial Arts Arena.

Without even waiting for Luo Tian to respond,

WHOOSH!

he activated the six Qi Veins in his body, gathering the power in his palms before unleashing it with a torrential burst.

”Monument-breaking Palm!”

The monkey-faced youth’s palms turned a dark cyan color, shimmering with a cold, metallic light and containing an immense, heavy power.

The immense power of this palm could split monuments and shatter stone with ease.

’The Monument-breaking Palm is all about overwhelming the opponent with force. It’s perfect for wearing him down and for probing his real strength.’

Tang Wei nodded to himself.

「In the Martial Arts Arena.」

Facing the palm that could split stone monuments, Luo Tian remained as calm as a cloud, not retreating in the slightest.

With his current mastery of Body Technique, dodging it would have been effortless.

However, he disdained to dodge. He couldn’t even be bothered to use the Star Condensing Sword Point.

WHAP!

Luo Tian suddenly struck out with his palm. Like a ball of bone-chilling hail, it intercepted the monkey-faced youth’s attack.

BANG!

The two palms collided, stirring up a gust of chilling, energetic wind.

Luo Tian stood his ground, not moving an inch.

STOMP! STOMP!

It was the monkey-faced youth who grunted and staggered backward.

’This power...’

The monkey-faced youth’s face turned pale. He felt a Cold Power invading his arm, making the circulation of his qi, blood, and True Qi sluggish.

”Again!”

Luo Tian said with a faint smile, taking the initiative to strike this time.

’My Monument-breaking Palm excels at direct clashes! I don’t believe he can keep taking it head-on. At the very least, I can wear him down a bit.’

The monkey-faced youth steeled his resolve.

WHAP! BANG! BANG!

The two figures clashed violently in the Martial Arts Arena, the air crackling with constant explosions.

’This guy... his power and True Qi are so domineering!’

The monkey-faced youth was completely suppressed, unable to even catch his breath.

With each collision, sharp pain shot through his arm, followed by a spreading, rigid coldness.

Luo Tian’s attacks, however, seemed calm and composed.

Through the repeated clashes with his opponent’s Monument-breaking Palm, the True Qi in his Qi Veins was stimulated and agitated, beginning to flow more and more smoothly.

It turned out, Luo Tian had just recently broken through to the Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening. His Realm was still unstable, so he was using his opponent as a whetstone to solidify his Cultivation and True Qi.

In an instant, the two had exchanged several dozen blows.

The monkey-faced youth’s condition continued to decline. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead, and the force and speed of his Palm Force had dropped sharply.

A layer of frost had formed on his arm, and he had almost lost all feeling in it.

Even the spectators could see that the monkey-faced youth had already lost.

’He should have been able to wear that brat down a bit.’

Tang Wei smiled.

Although Luo Tian had advanced to the Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening, the strength he had displayed was still not enough to be taken seriously by him.

”It’s over!”

Luo Tian shouted softly, suddenly closing the distance and slapping his palm against the monkey-faced youth’s arm.

SLAP! CRACK!

An immense, icy force descended, and the monkey-faced youth’s entire arm exploded.

”Ahhh—!”

The monkey-faced youth screamed miserably as his body was sent flying backward.

”You’re so ruthless! This was just a spar, yet you crippled my arm!” the monkey-faced youth howled in pain.

”Today, anyone who challenges me will have an arm crippled!”

Luo Tian’s indifferent gaze swept over the crowd outside the arena.

”This is the price you pay for challenging the dignity of a Silver Student with your status as mere Bronze Students!”

HISS!

Around the Martial Arts Arena, the crowd of youths sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

This was especially true for Tang Wei’s underlings, whose faces instantly drained of all color.