King of Ten Thousand Years

Yu Muling stared at Qi Nan’s menacing expression, completely baffled.

’I just asked about Luo Tian. Why is Qi Nan so angry?’

Qi Nan was the pillar of their faction, a cultivator of immense strength. Yu Muling wasn’t confident she could even last ten moves against him.

Yu Muling panicked, wondering how she had offended Qi Nan.

”Where did you see Luo Tian?”

Qi Nan asked.

He hadn’t heard any news about Luo Tian for the past few days.

”Artifact Refining Peak.”

Yu Muling found Qi Nan’s attitude strange.

Qi Nan clearly knew who Luo Tian was and, moreover, seemed fixated on him.

Yu Muling knew Qi Nan well. He was aloof and arrogant, uninterested in most things, and dedicated himself solely to the path of Martial Arts.

But now, Qi Nan seemed unusually fixated on Luo Tian.

’Could it be? Was the Luo Tian I just tried to teach a lesson in the Artifact Refining Room a friend of Qi Nan’s?’

’She then recalled that Luo Tian somehow had the money to commission an Upper Grade Treasure Artifact, when most cultivators at the Fifth or Sixth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm didn’t even have the right to commission an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact.’

’Perhaps Luo Tian is a genius from the Chilong Dynasty with a powerful background.’

’Is Senior Brother Qi angry because he found out I tried to take Luo Tian’s weapon by force?’

Yu Muling’s mind raced, and she jumped to all sorts of conclusions.

’I have to fix this!’

”Senior Brother Qi, so you know Luo Tian! His talent is incredible. I’m afraid it won’t be long before he catches up to us. His future potential is limitless!”

Yu Muling offered a faint smile, hoping to smooth things over.

However, upon hearing her words, Qi Nan froze for a moment before his expression twisted into even greater fury.

’This Yu Muling is simply courting death! Not only is she mocking me, she’s praising Luo Tian!’

”Shut up!”

Qi Nan couldn’t listen anymore and roared.

A biting, Yin Cold wind instantly swirled around them, making Yu Muling’s heart tremble and the hairs on her arms stand on end.

’What... what in the world is going on?’

”He will never have the chance to catch up to us!”

Qi Nan’s face was frigid.

This time, Yu Muling finally understood.

’Luo Tian wasn’t an ally, he was the enemy!’

Qi Nan then learned from Yu Muling what had happened on the Artifact Refining Peak.

”He actually had an Upper Grade Treasure Sword forged?”

Qi Nan was a little surprised.

The Treasure Saber he was using was merely a Top Level Middle Grade Treasure Artifact with a Six Paths Rune!

’This brat has a huge amount of Contribution Points and is using every method he can to increase his strength. He’s even gotten his hands on an Upper Grade Treasure Artifact...’

’I can’t let this drag on any longer!’

Qi Nan’s eyes narrowed. He had made his decision!

At the Second Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, Luo Tian had managed to block two of his moves by a fluke.

If I really let this drag on for three months, Luo Tian will at least break through to the Third Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, maybe even the Third Layer Peak.

By then, if Luo Tian exchanges his points for a few powerful cultivation techniques and adds his Upper Grade Treasure Sword to the mix, he’ll be even harder to deal with!

I must crush him before he grows any stronger!

”Senior Brother Qi, what’s the plan? Count me in!”

Yu Muling continued trying to make amends; after all, her earlier words had offended Qi Nan.

Besides, she wanted revenge herself! Even more, she wanted to get her hands on Luo Tian’s Ice Trace Sword.

”I have a plan, of course...”

Qi Nan said in a low voice as he headed toward the Sect Affairs Hall.

...

Having gotten an Upper Grade Treasure Artifact forged for free, Luo Tian was in a great mood and eager to test it out.

The Yunxiao Sect had dedicated Martial Arts Cultivation Rooms where one could practice attacks without restraint. It only cost one hundred Contribution Points for two days of use.

Luo Tian rented a Martial Arts Cultivation Secret Room. The space inside wasn’t large and was surrounded by an Array Barrier capable of withstanding attacks from a cultivator at the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

He held nothing back, using his Ice Trace Sword to practice the Nine Heavens Sword Technique.

With the new weapon, the power of his Sword Skills increased dramatically.

When he activated his Nether Dragon Divine Vein, it would complement the Ice Trace Sword, allowing him to unleash a terrifyingly potent Cold Power.

The next few days passed uneventfully.

Luo Tian spent every day either at his residence, the Cultivation Tower, or a Martial Arts Cultivation Room.

「Ten days later.」

A message from the Sect Affairs Hall suddenly appeared in his Identity Token.

’A mission?’

Luo Tian found it a little strange.

Normally, new disciples only needed to complete one mission every three months.

Without giving it much thought, Luo Tian quickly made his way to the Sect Affairs Hall.

”You’re Luo Tian?”

Steward Chang Mei looked at Luo Tian.

”Yes, I am.”

Luo Tian was very respectful toward the Steward. After all, this was an expert at the Half-step Earth Element Realm, a being who could serve as a Mansion Master in a Holy Mansion.

”There is currently a team mission composed of new disciples, but they are short one person. They need a capable, leader-level individual, so you’ve been assigned.”

Steward Chang Mei explained calmly and simply.

”Alright.”

Luo Tian nodded.

’I have to complete at least one mission every three months anyway.’

Besides, a team mission was just what Luo Tian needed.

After all, he had offended two great Princes of the Chilong Dynasty. Undertaking a mission alone would be too dangerous; a team mission was undoubtedly the safer option.

With Luo Tian on a team, it would be much harder for Prince Zheng to make a move, as a clean kill would require silencing all witnesses. No matter how audacious he was, he wouldn’t dare murder an entire group of Yunxiao Sect disciples.

”Alright. You will all depart in three days.”

The Steward instructed.

Luo Tian lingered for a moment to learn more about the mission.

To the east of the Yunxiao Sect, in the borderlands between numerous small kingdoms, was a band of unscrupulous robbers known as the Black Death Bandits.

These Black Death Bandits were extremely cunning. They had robbed and killed many traveling merchants, and though the various kingdoms had dispatched forces to surround and destroy them, they had never succeeded.

Mission Reward: Find the Black Death Bandits, and each person receives five hundred Contribution Points.

Eliminate the Black Death Bandits, and receive another five hundred Contribution Points.

’So few Contribution Points?’

Luo Tian was a bit surprised.

In truth, missions for Lower Sect Disciples generally didn’t offer a large number of Contribution Points.

The mission to eliminate the Black Death Bandits wasn’t simple, but because it was a team mission, the Contribution Point reward was on the low side.

Of course, the mission did have its upsides.

Since they were bandits, they had surely plundered plenty of treasures, and any spoils acquired during the mission belonged to the individual.

In other words, there was a chance to obtain a great deal of extra loot.

After confirming there were no issues with the mission, Luo Tian left.

Steward Chang Mei’s gaze turned somewhat sinister as he watched Luo Tian’s departing back.

He turned, entered a dim room, and said flatly, ”It’s done.”

A handsome man emerged from the corner. It was Qi Nan.

”Thank you, Steward Lu. Once this is done, my father and Prince Zheng will both be grateful to you!”

Qi Nan said, cupping his fists in a salute.

”Remember to do a clean job. Don’t leave any clues behind!”

Steward Chang Mei warned.

”Of course! You don’t want to get into trouble, Steward Lu, and neither do I.”

Qi Nan then left.

He had specifically chosen a team mission in order to lower Luo Tian’s guard.

Although this would make it harder to eliminate Luo Tian, the mission wasn’t departing for another three days. That gave him time to start preparing a foolproof plan right now.

「Three days later.」

Luo Tian and a group of other Lower Sect Disciples gathered in front of the Sect Affairs Hall.

He scanned the group and saw that they were, indeed, all new disciples. He even recognized a few acquaintances—Ke Yuexuan and Yuwen Xuan were both there.

”Senior Brother Luo!”

”I didn’t expect you to be on this mission too, Senior Brother Luo.”

”This is great! The mission will surely be a breeze now.”

Several new disciples in the team smiled and came forward to curry favor with him.

News of Luo Tian’s victories on the Gambling Platform had long since spread, and he was now listed among the disciples with the most hope of entering the Upper Sect, his future potential considered immense.

Furthermore, the intelligence on this mission indicated that there was a Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer expert among the Black Death Bandits!

Originally, this eight-person team only had two members at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. They were no match for the Black Death Bandits, let alone capable of surrounding and destroying them.

But Luo Tian’s arrival instantly made them feel that the mission would pose no problem.

After all, Luo Tian had defeated someone at the Fifth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm in a direct confrontation!

”It seems we’re quite fated to meet, running into each other on our very first mission!”

Ke Yuexuan walked over, her radiant smile causing the surrounding male disciples to stare in a slight daze.

She was one of the team’s members at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, having broken through just a few days after entering the Sect.

As for Yuwen Xuan, he had now reached the Peak of Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer.

”Let’s move out!”

Luo Tian glanced at the team and gave the order.

He had become the team’s undisputed leader.

”This is going to be a long journey, probably a three or four-day trip. The Upper Sect Disciples have it good; they can go to the Spirit Beast Garden and rent flying mounts when they go out!”

Ke Yuexuan remarked with a sigh.

「Yunxiao Sect, Upper Sect.」

Atop a steep, deserted mountain peak stood a silent, fairy-like figure dressed in white.

A light veil concealed her face, revealing only a pair of beautiful eyes as clear as autumn pools. The wind pressed her robes against her body, perfectly outlining her graceful figure.

The woman’s eyes shimmered with a faint green light, as if piercing through the clouds and mist to see the party at the foot of the mountain.

SWOOSH!

A silver-haired old woman suddenly appeared beside the young woman.

”You promised me you wouldn’t meet with him.”

The silver-haired old woman said.

Her gaze also shifted to the base of the mountain. She had thought they would never encounter that young man, yet he had appeared so quickly.

This was the Yunxiao Sect, the strongest power in the Eastern Domain.

For that young man to have made it here from an ordinary city in a small kingdom in less than a year was a feat that even the silver-haired old woman found surprising.

”I will keep my promise!”

The young woman’s clear, melodious voice rang out.

”Lower Sect Disciples only need to complete one mission every three months. There is something strange about him being specifically assigned this mission.”

A flicker of worry appeared in her beautiful eyes.

”I can keep my promise, but his life cannot be in danger! Whoever touches him, I want them dead!”

A determined, icy look appeared in the young woman’s eyes.

”Sigh... Very well.”

The silver-haired old woman sighed and agreed.

If she didn’t agree, her Young Miss probably wouldn’t keep her promise either.

’This kid... what did he ever do to deserve the Young Miss’s constant worry...?’

The silver-haired old woman sighed to herself before her figure vanished.

The young woman continued to gaze downward, her delicate brows knitting together as she muttered, ”Who is that woman beside him...?”