King of Ten Thousand Years

”Greetings... Nun Xia.”

Luo Tian performed the bow of a junior, an indescribable and peculiar emotion welling up inside him.

Suddenly, the image of Nun Xia’s flawless, ethereal body—pure as ice, smooth as jade—appeared in his mind.

Their eyes met.

”You...”

Xia Bingyue’s delicate body trembled, and a ripple disturbed the tranquil clarity of her icy gaze.

Luo Tian’s appearance had caught her completely off guard.

Thinking of that profound ’first time’ in her life, a faint blush stained the young woman’s beautiful, jade-like face.

This scene did not escape the notice of Miao Feng and the other third-generation juniors, shocking them greatly.

This stunning Nun Xia, their senior, had always projected an image of dignity, coldness, and sanctity. When had she ever shown such emotion?

At this moment, Nun Xia even wore the bashful blush of a young maiden.

The sight left them staring, dumbfounded.

”You... are Senior Brother Lin’s disciple?”

Xia Bingyue’s heart was a tangled mess.

According to seniority, Luo Tian was her martial nephew.

This filled Xia Bingyue with a profound sense of shame and guilt.

”What’s this? Junior Sister Xia, you know this worthless disciple of mine?”

Lin Dongfeng asked in surprise.

”We crossed paths at the Wu Mansion Grand Assembly.”

Luo Tian said, covering up the truth.

But Lin Dongfeng’s gaze was sharp and experienced; he could tell something was amiss.

”Kid! I’m warning you, don’t you dare have any improper thoughts about Nun Xia.”

Lin Dongfeng sent via voice transmission.

”Your grandmaster places great importance on propriety. He adores Xia Bingyue and treasures her as if she were his own daughter.”

Meanwhile, a few of the third-generation juniors were whispering among themselves.

”According to the description on the Human List, Nun Xia promised herself to Luo Tian at the Wu Mansion Grand Assembly.”

a young man said in astonishment.

”What?! Promised herself to him?”

Miao Feng was stunned.

He couldn’t believe it and turned to ask Yuwen Xuan, who was beside him.

”It’s true.”

Yuwen Xuan’s fists clenched, his face a mask of resentment and unwillingness.

After confirming the fact, Miao Feng’s eyes turned red, and he was nearly driven mad with jealousy.

In his mind, Nun Xia was a sacred and flawlessly beautiful goddess.

Although Miao Feng was infatuated with her, he had been warned by his father not to entertain any improper thoughts.

He could not accept that Nun Xia, the fairy from his dreams, would marry some young brat.

’So Junior Sister Xia and this kid have this kind of relationship...’

Miao Jiang’s gaze grew profound, and a cruel smirk played on his lips.

...

Led by Xia Bingyue, the group entered the bamboo pavilion.

Once inside, everyone fell silent as cicadas in winter. The third-generation juniors, in particular, were filled with reverence and trepidation.

When facing a Great Power of the Earth Element Realm, even the Monarch himself had to be respectful.

A personage of this stature could influence the fate of a nation and was the greatest patron for them all.

The pavilion’s interior was simple and sparsely furnished.

An ordinary-looking, white-haired old man sat on a bamboo chair, not a single fluctuation of True Qi emanating from his body.

At first glance, he seemed like any other ordinary old man with failing eyesight.

”Greetings, Master!”

”May Master live as long as the southern mountains, forever young.”

Lin Dongfeng, Miao Jiang, Yuwen Zhou, and the other direct disciples all stepped forward to bow and offer their birthday wishes.

”Greetings, Grandmaster!”

The third-generation juniors stood further back, bowing respectfully.

”You may all dispense with the formalities.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s voice was ancient as he waved his hand casually.

Luo Tian keenly sensed that the old man was not in good condition, as if he had just been through a great battle.

”Dongfeng, it has been many years. You have finally restored your foundation.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon looked at Lin Dongfeng with a gratified expression.

”This disciple has been unfilial. I have not come to visit Master in all these years.”

Lin Dongfeng looked ashamed.

”Today is Master’s 150th birthday. No need to bring up such dispiriting matters.”

Miao Jiang laughed heartily and cut in, changing the subject.

Miao Jiang didn’t want the two to reminisce, which might allow Lin Dongfeng to deepen his bond with their Master.

Afterward, the Second Generation Disciples began to present their birthday gifts.

”This disciple presents a three-hundred-year-old Boundless Spirit Peach, which has the effect of prolonging life. May Master’s blessings and longevity be without bounds.”

Yuwen Zhou said with a smile.

’A three-hundred-year-old Boundless Spirit Peach?’

The disciples present were quite surprised.

For every hundred years of its age, a Boundless Spirit Peach can extend one’s life by ten years.

A three-hundred-year-old one could add thirty years to one’s life.

”Grandmaster, please accept this humble gift!”

Yuwen Xuan brought forward a Peach Wood Box, presenting the Boundless Spirit Peach on his father’s behalf.

”You have all spent too much.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon nodded in delight.

The Boundless Spirit Peach was not only extremely valuable, but it also carried a wonderful symbolic meaning for a birthday celebration.

”This disciple presents half a catty of ’Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea.’ May Master roam the nine heavens like a dragon, free and unfettered between heaven and earth.”

Miao Jiang raised his hand confidently.

As soon as the words left his mouth, his son, Miao Feng, walked forward carrying a pot of ”Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea.”

”Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea!”

Lin Dongfeng, Yuwen Zhou, and the other Second Generation Disciples were visibly shaken.

This was a legendary Spirit Tea, thought to be extinct in the present day.

”Jiang, where did you obtain such Spirit Tea?”

Hermit Hidden Dragon was moved, showing a trace of excitement for the first time.

Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea could only grow in places where the legendary Dragon Race—or at the very least, a Flood Dragon—had resided, where the tea plants were steeped in the aura of dragons.

Even the weakest adult Flood Dragon possessed the strength of a Celestial Level Martial Artist.

This showed just how rare the Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea was.

”This tea was excavated from some Ancient Ruins in the Chilong Dynasty. This disciple spent a great sum to purchase it.”

Miao Jiang was all smiles, a hint of pride in his expression.

According to what he knew, Hermit Hidden Dragon loved tasting tea above all else and had long admired the Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea.

”You are very thoughtful.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s face was flushed, showing he was genuinely fond of this tea.

Seeing this, a worried look appeared on Lin Dongfeng’s brow.

The Three Hidden Dragon Heroes of old.

Both Yuwen Zhou and Miao Jiang had presented rare and precious gifts.

The gift he had prepared, however, was far inferior—shabby by comparison, even. It wasn’t something he could proudly present.

Just as Lin Dongfeng was worrying,

OW! CRASH!

Miao Feng cried out in pain as the teapot he was holding slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor.

The pot’s entire contents of tea leaves scattered across the ground.

Ah!

Everyone was stunned by this unexpected turn of events.

’How could Miao Feng make such a clumsy mistake?’

”AARGH! My hand...”

Miao Feng, his face twisted in agony, held up his slightly red and swollen hand.

”Feng, what happened to your hand?”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s gaze sharpened.

”Your grand-disciple... dares not speak.”

Miao Feng looked conflicted.

Seeing this, the color drained from Lin Dongfeng’s face. ’This is bad,’ he thought.

”What is there that you dare not say! In this vast Azure Cloud Kingdom, is there anyone your Grandmaster cannot afford to offend?”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s expression darkened slightly.

Even setting aside his status as a grand-disciple,

Miao Jiang and his son had been so thoughtful and spent so much to present him with his beloved Spirit Dragon Ancient Tea; Hermit Hidden Dragon could not simply let this matter go.

”Master, it’s nothing serious, really.”

Miao Jiang said with a bitter sigh.

”Senior Brother Lin’s student accidentally let his hand slip and injured Miao Feng’s palm.”

”Father! You’re still defending him!”

Miao Feng, looking aggrieved, said with tears in his eyes, ”I was just trying to be friendly and get to know my new junior brother, Luo Tian. I reached out to pat his shoulder, but he suddenly launched a sneak attack and nearly crippled my arm.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Tian was utterly dumbfounded, a nameless rage flaring up inside him.

Miao Feng had clearly tried to slap him and gotten injured in the counterattack, and now he was turning the tables and making false accusations.

”Shut your mouth! As the senior brother, you should be tolerant of your junior brother. What’s a little pain like this!”

Miao Jiang scolded, putting on an act of magnanimity as if he wanted to let the matter drop.

”Hold on! In my, Hermit Hidden Dragon’s, school, how can I tolerate an incident of maliciously harming a fellow disciple?”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s face darkened with displeasure.

He had always governed his disciples with an emphasis on propriety, loyalty, and filial piety, and he despised followers of depraved character the most.

”Who is Luo Tian?”

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s gaze swept past Lin Dongfeng and landed on Luo Tian.

Instantly, the air in the room seemed to freeze as a terrifying aura, powerful enough to shake mountains, spread throughout the space.

”Master, this is a complete frame-up! It was Miao Feng who acted with malicious intent first. Luo Tian only injured him when he fought back.”

Lin Dongfeng hurriedly explained.

”A frame-up? Senior Brother Lin, you’ve gone too far!”

Miao Jiang retorted angrily.

”I wasn’t going to pursue this matter, but you can’t just sling mud.”

”If Miao Feng had truly attacked with malicious intent, how could your Half-step Spirit Sea disciple possibly be unharmed?”

Miao Jiang’s passionate words convinced the crowd to believe him sixty to seventy percent.

After all, Miao Feng was a senior genius at the Third Layer of Spirit Sea Realm. Without some malicious scheme, it would be very difficult for Luo Tian to injure him.

”Master...”

Lin Dongfeng tried to explain further.

”Dongfeng, a worthless disciple like this cannot be forgiven.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon interrupted him, his tone grave.

”Grandmaster, all matters should be judged based on evidence. If you are going to pass judgment based solely on the one-sided account of Martial Uncle Miao, then Luo Tian has nothing more to say.”

Luo Tian’s expression was calm.

Even under the subtle pressure of an Earth Element Realm expert, he remained composed.

Hmm?

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s eyes narrowed slightly. The composure Luo Tian displayed was rarely seen among his peers.

”How dare you! You dare question the Grandmaster!”

Miao Jiang and several other fellow disciples shouted in anger.

”Fine! Your Grandmaster will not wrongly accuse anyone. I will give you a chance to defend yourself.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon couldn’t help but chuckle.

”According to Miao Feng’s testimony, this disciple only managed to injure him through a malicious scheme.”

Luo Tian said calmly.

”And wasn’t that the case? My Cultivation is at the Spirit Sea Third Layer! How could you possibly injure me in a direct confrontation?”

Miao Feng retorted furiously.

”Grandmaster! A war of words is pointless. Why don’t we let the facts speak for themselves?”

Luo Tian said, neither servile nor overbearing.

”Oh? Go on, then.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon showed a flicker of interest.

”If Miao Feng is, in fact, utterly defenseless before me, would that be enough to prove this disciple’s innocence?”

Luo Tian asked.

”Of course, it would.”

Hermit Hidden Dragon replied without hesitation.

If Luo Tian had the power to crush Miao Feng, there would be no need for him to resort to schemes and sneak attacks to injure him.

”Haha! What big talk! In a direct confrontation, it’s impossible for you to hurt me.”

Miao Feng laughed, a wide grin splitting his face.

He was a senior genius from several iterations of the Human List ago. His Cultivation had reached the Spirit Sea Third Layer, high enough to look down on everyone on the current Human List.

Even if Luo Tian was number one on the Human List, it would be difficult for him to match up.

Moreover, Luo Tian claimed to be able to prove Miao Feng was defenseless before him, which would require overwhelming power.

This was simply an absurd fantasy!

”Luo Tian, don’t be rash.”

Lin Dongfeng’s expression changed.

Although Luo Tian was number one on the current Human List, it would be difficult for him to defeat a senior genius, let alone achieve a crushing victory.

”Don’t worry, Mentor.”

Luo Tian’s expression was calm, and he even showed a slight smile.

He wasn’t just trying to prove his own innocence; he also wanted to vent some of his Mentor’s frustration.

If Luo Tian was branded a worthless disciple, Lin Dongfeng would inevitably be implicated and leave a bad impression on Hermit Hidden Dragon.

”Grandmaster, if Miao Feng can withstand three of my moves without being defeated, this disciple is willing to accept any punishment.”

Luo Tian said in a flat, unremarkable tone.

”Conversely, Miao Feng must formally apologize to me and Master Lin.”

’Withstand three moves?’

An uproar swept through the crowd, a wave of astonishment.

Not only were the second-generation disciples and third-generation grand-disciples shocked,

but even Hermit Hidden Dragon was stunned.

But soon, everyone began to sneer. Luo Tian truly did not know the immensity of heaven and earth; he was just asking to be humiliated.

”Three moves? Haha...”

Miao Feng nearly laughed himself to tears.

Luo Tian’s bragging had truly broken through the heavens.

’Is he trying to attract the Grandmaster’s attention through this bizarre behavior?’

If so, he was gravely mistaken!

The Grandmaster liked humble disciples with steady characters and detested arrogant and disrespectful types.

Hermit Hidden Dragon’s brows furrowed slightly. His impression of Luo Tian worsened. To think that Lin Dongfeng had actually taken on such an ignorant and worthless disciple.