King of Ten Thousand Years

After cultivating the Guiyuan True Skill to the Peak of the Second-Layer, Luo Tian’s Cultivation progress slowed down.

Breaking through to the Third-Layer required a period of accumulation and settling.

’There’s no need to rush. I can still go to the Spirit Pool to cultivate. Advancing to the Third-Layer won’t be difficult.’

Luo Tian was full of confidence.

He still had some Contribution Points on hand. After becoming a Golden Student, he could use the Spirit Pool for free for three days each month.

He walked out of the Ancient Yellow Pavilion.

In the courtyard, a middle-aged servant bowed respectfully. ”Sir, many people came to visit while you were in seclusion.”

”Who were they?” Luo Tian asked.

The Golden Area provided exclusive courtyards and even servants.

He learned from the servant that over the past few days, ten to twenty people had come to visit, including both Silver and Golden Students.

Ever since Luo Tian became a Golden Student and made a name for himself on the Human List, the number of visitors who came admiring his reputation had been increasing.

Among them were people he knew, like Li Yunxiu, Xie Lin, and Mu Yuyan.

’Li Yunxiu must have come about her treatment.’

”Sir, there is a letter of challenge here,” the servant said cautiously.

”A letter of challenge?”

Luo Tian raised an eyebrow and took the letter.

The challenger was a Golden Student named Yuan Song.

The date of the challenge was set for today.

”What’s the story with this Yuan Song?” Luo Tian asked.

”He’s a veteran Golden Student,” the servant said gravely.

”Mm.”

Luo Tian paid it no mind.

...

Leaving the Golden Area, Luo Tian arrived at the Silver Area on the mountainside.

”Senior Luo.”

The Silver Students he passed on the road all greeted him respectfully.

Luo Tian headed straight for Princess Yunxiu’s residence.

After he knocked on the door, it opened.

”Brother Luo...”

Li Yunxiu’s face lit up with joy. Her elegant and stunningly beautiful face was even more delicate and alluring, and she carried a subtle air of peerless grace.

He entered the Princess’s private chambers.

As usual, Luo Tian performed another round of close-contact treatment for Li Yunxiu.

During this treatment, Luo Tian sensed the tenderness in the Princess’s beautiful eyes. Her charming allure made his heart race with desire.

But then, the image of a graceful young woman as beautiful as a painting suddenly surfaced in his mind. The affection for her, carved deep into his soul, inexplicably settled his restless heart.

Leaving the Princess’s private chambers, Luo Tian let out a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, more than half of Li Yunxiu’s illness had been eradicated.

As for the remaining part, even if Luo Tian didn’t intervene further, it would slowly heal on its own as Li Yunxiu’s Martial Vein recovered, especially with the help of that prescription.

After leaving the Silver Area, Luo Tian made another trip to the Forging Workshop.

A few days ago, he had custom-ordered a piece of Treasure Soft Armor here.

”One moment.”

An Artifact Refining Giant left and returned with an exquisite box.

Luo Tian opened the box, his face full of anticipation.

Inside the box lay a piece of dark cyan Soft Armor with a layer of silver patterns on its surface. A crystalline shell was embedded in the chest.

This shell, which he had found in the Martial City, had not been damaged in the slightest even after taking a full-force Attack from a Half-step Spirit Sea expert.

”As you requested, this Treasure Soft Armor has been refined with both a Sturdiness Inscription and a Light Body Inscription,” the Artifact Refining Giant said.

”Not bad.”

After inspecting it, Luo Tian put the dark cyan Soft Armor on under his robes. He immediately felt his entire body lighten.

Soft Armor-type Defensive Treasure Artifacts generally had slightly weaker Defense, but their advantage was that they were lightweight and didn’t affect flexibility.

This piece of Soft Armor could be called a masterpiece among Low Grade Treasure Artifacts. Its defensive power was more than double that of his previous Golden Thread Armor, and it also had a Light Body effect.

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian executed the Cloud Traveling Step. With a leap, he felt his speed and agility increase by twenty to thirty percent.

A moment later, Luo Tian was taken aback. His Body Technique became as ethereal as smoke, moving as naturally as a fish in water. His Cloud Traveling Step had reached the stage of Half-step Great Success.

’This must be a benefit from the Guiyuan True Skill.’

Luo Tian was overjoyed.

The Guiyuan True Skill focused on the Heart Method, making his foundation and True Qi increasingly deep and dense. It could also promote the improvement of his Martial Skills.

Luo Tian had a feeling that his Cloud Traveling Step could break through to Great Success at any time in the next few days, without him needing to force it.

This kind of natural breakthrough was the most ideal state in Martial Arts Cultivation.

After a busy half-day, Luo Tian returned to the Golden Area.

”Luo Tian! Do you dare to fight?”

A Golden Student with upturned eyebrows stood before Luo Tian’s courtyard, scowling with cold eyes.

At this moment, a crowd of students had gathered near the courtyard to watch the spectacle, and quite a few of them were Golden Students.

”That’s Luo Tian?”

”He became a Golden Student with a Seventh Layer Cultivation and fought his way onto the Human List?”

Some of the Golden Students were seeing Luo Tian for the first time, their faces showing a hint of doubt.

”You must be that Yuan Song?”

Luo Tian remembered the letter of challenge and glanced at the Golden Student with the upturned eyebrows.

”That’s right, it’s me.”

Yuan Song’s expression was hostile, his eyes revealing a hint of scrutiny and jealousy.

”Do we have a problem?” Luo Tian asked calmly.

He and Yuan Song had never met before.

”Hmph! I just want to experience for myself the strength of number eighty-nine on the Human List.”

Yuan Song snorted, clearly unwilling to elaborate.

”Wasn’t Yuan Song ranked one-hundredth on the last Human List?”

”This time, because of Luo Tian’s appearance, Yuan Song was pushed off the Human List.”

Some students in the crowd murmured amongst themselves.

Hearing this, Yuan Song flew into a rage out of humiliation, and his face turned grim.

That’s right!

He had been ranked one-hundredth on the last Human List.

Luo Tian, a newcomer to the Golden Area at only the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening, had somehow ranked eighty-ninth, pushing him off the Human List. Naturally, he was resentful and refused to accept it.

According to the rules of the Human List, as long as Yuan Song defeated Luo Tian, he could take his rank.

”Fine.”

Luo Tian accepted the challenge without hesitation.

「Not long after.」

The two arrived at a Martial Arts Arena on Sunrise Peak.

”Haha, now there’s a good show to watch.”

Many Golden Students rushed over after hearing the news.

Luo Tian had just entered the Golden Area yet was already ranked eighty-ninth on the Human List. It was inevitable that the veteran Golden Students would doubt and look down on him.

”Yuan Song is challenging Luo Tian?”

Xie Lin, a big shot in the Golden Area, also rushed to the scene.

A trace of interest appeared on his face. He wanted to see Luo Tian’s true strength for himself.

On the Martial Arts Arena, Luo Tian and Yuan Song stood ten meters apart. The challenge began.

Neither of them moved.

”I’ll give you a three-move head start! I don’t want people saying I bully newcomers,” Yuan Song snorted.

Luo Tian shook his head. ”No need. If I let you have the first moves, I’m afraid you won’t get a chance to attack at all.”

”How arrogant!”

Not only was Yuan Song furious, but some of the watching Golden Students also snorted in displeasure.

Regardless, Luo Tian was a newcomer to the Golden Area, and the only one at the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening. He showed no respect for a senior student.

Hidden Tiger Strike!

Yuan Song’s nine Qi Veins erupted. He let out a deafening roar and transformed into a Black Shadow seething with malevolent energy, leaping through the air to claw at Luo Tian.

”Ah...”

Outside the arena, some Silver Students below the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening felt their qi and blood churn, becoming unsteady on their feet.

”The Hidden Tiger Strike contains a Sound Wave that impacts one’s qi, blood, and mind. It’s a very special Spirit Level Martial Skill.”

”An ordinary cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening would immediately reveal an opening if faced with this sonic attack, and might even be defeated in a single blow.”

Several Golden Students wore solemn expressions.

In the Martial Arts Arena, Luo Tian felt a malevolent sound wave rush toward him, as if a Demon Tiger at the Peak of One-star was pouncing to kill.

An ordinary cultivator at the Seventh or Eighth Layer of Meridian Opening would likely have their True Qi scattered, leaving them powerless to resist.

But the True Qi inside Luo Tian’s body remained as steady as a mountain, without the slightest ripple.

Unhurriedly, Luo Tian’s palm began to glow with a dense, crystalline yellow aura as he met the attack head-on.

BOOM!

An explosion of energy erupted on the spot. Yuan Song’s mid-air claw attack was repelled, and he was sent flying backward.

”Such dense True Qi! How is this possible!”

Yuan Song landed nearly ten meters away in a sorry state, his qi and blood churning.

A slight smile touched Luo Tian’s lips. That casual strike had been made without using his Divine Vein or any Attack Martial Skill.

He could suppress a Golden Student relying solely on the dense True Qi and Palm Force from his Guiyuan True Skill.

”My turn!”

Luo Tian activated his Guiyuan True Qi. His figure, as ethereal as smoke, suddenly blurred and vanished.

’So fast!’

Yuan Song’s expression changed drastically. A chill ran down his side, and the hairs on his skin stood on end.

SWISH!

A graceful figure appeared less than half a meter behind him.

”What an exquisite Body Technique!”

The Golden Students present were all stunned.

Using his Guiyuan True Qi as a foundation to execute the Cloud Traveling Step at Half-step Great Success, Luo Tian possessed a speed that surpassed that of an ordinary cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening.

POW! WAH!

Yuan Song barely managed to muster his strength to defend himself, but he was struck by Luo Tian’s vigorous Guiyuan Palm Force and sent flying backward, spitting blood.

”This... how is this possible...”

Yuan Song barely stabilized himself. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face was a mask of horror.

His injuries were not severe.

But his spirit had been struck as if by a heavy hammer.

He had thought Luo Tian’s rank on the Human List was undeserved. He believed that even if he couldn’t win, he wouldn’t suffer such a crushing defeat.

Who would have thought that after only two moves, he would be mercilessly crushed in both True Qi and Body Technique?

”What Cultivation Technique does Luo Tian practice? For his True Qi to be so dense and powerful.”

Some of the Golden Students showed their astonishment.

”The characteristics of this True Qi resemble the Guiyuan Technique, one of the Three Great Mansion Techniques.”

Xie Lin had a peculiar look on his face.

Even so, Luo Tian’s True Qi at the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening shouldn’t be able to crush a veteran Golden Student.

It was said that the Guiyuan Technique focused on the fundamentals of cultivation and had decent Defense, but its power was not outstanding.

”Weren’t you the one who wanted to challenge me? Is this all you’ve got?”

Luo Tian looked disappointed.

Having just started practicing an Earth Level Cultivation Technique, he had wanted to use this person to hone his Cultivation.

He hadn’t expected the Guiyuan True Skill to be so powerful, greatly amplifying the might of his Body Martial Skill to the point that an ordinary Golden Student couldn’t even withstand a single blow.

”You...”

Yuan Song’s face was contorted with humiliation. Veins bulged on his forehead as he felt an intense sense of shame.

Hidden Tiger Celestial Slayer Technique!

Yuan Song let out a ferocious roar. His True Qi surged, and his claws danced wildly, unleashing a flurry of black, malevolent claw lights that formed a black-gray gale of sinister wind, sweeping toward Luo Tian.

”Nicely done!”

Luo Tian’s eyes grew cold. His figure, like a wisp of smoke, vanished from the spot.

SHIIING!

A chillingly cold Star Trace Sword Light cut through the black-gray sinister wind, slicing a claw shadow in two.

”Ah!”

Yuan Song screamed and retreated in panic as one of his arms fell to the ground.

HISS!

The nearby spectators gasped.

Yuan Song had unleashed his ultimate move, his strength reaching the Peak of the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening, yet he was defeated by Luo Tian in a single sword strike.

Even Xie Lin’s eyelid twitched.

Luo Tian could have easily beaten Yuan Song without even drawing his sword. Why did he suddenly act so ruthlessly?

With one slash, he had severed Yuan Song’s arm.

”I forgot to mention,” Luo Tian said with a faint smile.

”Back in the Silver Area, everyone who challenged me had an arm crippled.”

As soon as he said this, a chill ran through the hearts of all the students present, whether they were Silver or Golden Students.

Was Luo Tian planning to bring his domineering style from the Silver Area to the Golden Area?

”Luo Tian, you dared to cripple my arm! Boss ’Zhou Chen’ will never let you get away with this—”

Yuan Song’s face was filled with resentment.

He had challenged Luo Tian of his own accord. Since his opponent had cut off his arm, even the Holy Mansion Mentors wouldn’t stand up for him.

”Luo Tian, you were too impulsive. Yuan Song is one of Golden Area big shot Zhou Chen’s underlings,” Xie Lin sent via voice transmission.

”Impulsive? No! I did it on purpose,” Luo Tian said with a faint smile.

His Creation Technique had sensed intense malice from Yuan Song, and even a trace of killing intent.

That was why Luo Tian had been so decisive, severing his arm with a single slash.

”Hold on!”

Yuan Song picked up his severed arm and was about to leave.

”What more do you want?” Yuan Song’s face was pale as he asked in terror.

”Go back and deliver a message! Three days from now, I, Luo Tian, will go challenge your boss, Zhou Chen.”

Luo Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent and ruthless.

Challenging a Golden Area big shot?

An uproar erupted among the students around the Martial Arts Arena, all of them deeply shaken.