King of Ten Thousand Years

The mysterious ancient text on the tombstone turned out to be a Sword Technique Secret Skill.

The Celestial Book displayed: Incomplete Celestial Level Secret Skill, ”Celestial Sword Technique.” A Secret Skill to aid in the cultivation of the Sword Dao, containing a Heart Method.

It could speed up Sword Skill cultivation, drastically increase the power of Sword Skills, raise the probability of comprehending Sword Intent, and help one grasp the true essence of the Sword Dao.

This Secret Skill was derived from one of the ”Three Great Sword Dao Strange Books,” and the skill itself was incomplete.

’It’s only incomplete, yet its Tier has reached the Celestial Level!’

Luo Tian’s heart pounded with excitement.

This incompleteness wasn’t because a part was missing, but because only a portion of the ”Celestial Sword Technique” had ever been created.

’If it were ever completed, its Tier could potentially be even higher.’

’What are the Three Great Sword Dao Strange Books?’

The question popped into his mind.

’Consume over one hundred pages to find out!’

A line of text appeared on the Celestial Book.

’Just learning about the Three Great Sword Dao Strange Books costs one hundred pages of Energy... What level of existence are they?’

Luo Tian was curious, but he wasn’t bored enough to spend a hundred pages of Energy just to learn about them.

”Brother Luo, what’s wrong?”

Cheng Wanli asked with confusion when he noticed Luo Tian had suddenly stopped walking.

”It’s nothing.”

Luo Tian replied with a faint smile.

”The tombstone is broken and the treasure is gone, yet you can still laugh!”

Cheng Wanli said, speechless.

In truth, Luo Tian had been planning to find an opportunity to destroy the tombstone from the very beginning.

The tombstone was incredibly heavy. Carrying it around would have been a nuisance and would have attracted enemies.

Destroying it in plain sight was the perfect solution.

’Besides, the information on the tombstone has already been recorded in the Celestial Book.’

WHOOSH!

The rain suddenly intensified, pouring down from the sky like a torrential flood.

Lightning flashed within the pitch-black storm clouds, and a bolt shot down toward Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli.

”Run!”

Luo Tian shouted immediately. He and Cheng Wanli burst forward, their speed skyrocketing as they leaped twenty meters away.

CRACKLE!

A bolt of lightning struck, blasting a charred black crater in the ground behind them.

The lightning in the sky grew more intense, ready to strike at any moment. Areas with Trial Takers seemed to be a particular focus.

The dangers of Xuankong Mountain were growing ever more terrifying.

”The environment on Xuankong Mountain has already deteriorated to this extent! We have to get to the center and try to last as long as possible!”

Cheng Wanli’s brow furrowed.

「Atop the Yunxiao Sect’s main peak!」

Numerous high-ranking members had gathered, their gazes fixed on the great floating mountain above them!

Even from the outside, they could vaguely perceive the deteriorating environment on Xuankong Mountain.

SHING!

The Teleportation Array in the plaza suddenly flashed with white light, and a disciple was sent out.

”What’s the situation inside?”

An Elder immediately inquired.

”A massive tomb was unearthed inside Xuankong Mountain! It’s full of monsters, and there was even an Earth Level Puppet!”

The disciple quickly recounted the situation just before he was teleported out.

”A tomb? An Earth Level Puppet?”

The faces of the high-ranking members showed a hint of alarm.

Generally, only those with a rank higher than the Three Great Elders had the right to build a tomb on Xuankong Mountain.

However, puppet artifacts were exceedingly rare, and Earth Level Puppets were rarer still.

”Earth Level Puppets were already rare five hundred years ago. There were quite a few a thousand years ago, though!”

The Third Elder said, stroking his beard.

This meant the tomb belonged to a high-ranking member of the Yunxiao Sect from at least five hundred years ago, or perhaps from an even more distant era.

”Did any treasures appear?”

Elder Mao asked.

”There was a tombstone, it was quite extraordinary. The writing on it was very ancient...”

”A treasure in the form of a tombstone?”

All the high-ranking members were a bit puzzled, unable to make any connections.

Even the Yunxiao Sect Master couldn’t come to any conclusion.

This made the high-ranking members even more delighted, as it meant the tombstone might have an ancient origin and hold a great secret.

”Who ended up with the tombstone?”

”It fell into... Luo Tian’s hands. But he smashed it.”

The disciple was furious about Luo Tian’s actions at the time, so he concealed part of the truth.

The high-ranking members were momentarily stunned.

’Luo Tian? Isn’t he the one with the lowest Cultivation among the forty participants?’

Such a precious treasure fell into his hands, of all people.

And he smashed it!

Such a precious treasure was destroyed!

”Also, Senior Brother Han Yuan... Luo Tian got him killed...”

The disciple continued with his false accusations.

What?

The Elders present were shocked!

Han Yuan, one of the top ten Core Disciples, was killed because of Luo Tian!

’That kid is a walking disaster, a jinx to everyone around him!’

The high-ranking members’ impression of Luo Tian soured even further.

At the same time, their interest in the tomb grew—it had apparently claimed the life of a Core Disciple with ease.

Just then.

Several more people were teleported out, including the blue-haired female Core Disciple.

When the blue-haired woman was asked about Han Yuan, she also insisted that Luo Tian was responsible for his death.

After all, she knew about Cheng Wanli’s background.

”Luo Tian victimized me as well. He used me and Qiao Hai to lure away the Earth Level Puppet, then ran in to plunder the treasures for himself. In the end, he even smashed the most precious tombstone, declaring that if he couldn’t have it, no one could!”

The blue-haired woman twisted the truth.

She, Han Yuan, and Qiao Hai had been very close.

Luo Tian had stolen their prize and gotten Han Yuan killed, filling the blue-haired woman with hatred.

After hearing the blue-haired woman’s account, many of the high-ranking members looked displeased.

”Hmph! This boy’s character is truly deplorable. Not only is he selfish and greedy, he also harmed a fellow disciple, causing our Sect to lose a Core Disciple!”

”I propose we capture him and sentence him the moment he comes out!”

Elder Mao snorted.

His words were met with support from several other Elders, all of them from the Third Elder’s faction.

”We will discuss this matter after the Xuankong Mountain trial is over!”

The Sect Leader spoke calmly, and all discussion around him immediately ceased.

’Dammit, why is the Sect Leader protecting that kid again? Don’t tell me Luo Tian is his illegitimate son?’

Elder Mao felt indignant.

The last time he had sought justice from the Sect Leader, he had returned empty-handed.

In fact, he had even been scolded by the Sect Leader!

The Third Elder said nothing more. He knew the Sect Leader would protect Luo Tian, but once there was conclusive proof of Luo Tian’s crimes, even the Sect Leader would be hard-pressed to object.

At the same time, he secretly appreciated Luo Tian’s act of smashing the tombstone.

The Third Elder certainly didn’t want Luo Tian to gain any opportunities from the tombstone.

A short while later.

A few more disciples were teleported out.

”The Xuankong Mountain trial is nearing its end,” the Second Elder commented. ”There should be fewer than ten disciples remaining inside!”

The other high-ranking members nodded in agreement.

So far, only twenty people had been teleported out.

In other words, it was possible that ten disciples had died inside.

The Sect Leader looked pleased.

Cheng Wanli hadn’t come out yet, which proved that his performance this time would place him in the top ten.

This result proved, to a certain extent, that it wouldn’t be long before Cheng Wanli could potentially become one of the top ten Core Disciples.

”Feihang, you have truly exceeded my expectations. To think you’ve lasted this long! It seems you’ve had quite a few opportunities in there!”

The Third Elder was rather satisfied.

With both Qiao Hai and Ying Feihang making it into the top ten, he, as their master, gained a great deal of face.

But to the Third Elder’s surprise, Luo Tian hadn’t been teleported out either.

「Inside Xuankong Mountain.」

Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli arrived at the center of Xuankong Mountain, where the natural disasters had reached a terrifying level.

Blizzards raged, lightning flashed, earthquakes rumbled, and volcanoes erupted—it was a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

Suddenly, a giant silver wolf charged out from the forest ahead, its body exuding a bone-chilling cold.

The giant silver wolf’s Cultivation had reached the Half-step Earth Element Realm. It led a dozen of its underlings in pursuit of Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli.

Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli immediately fled.

At this stage of the Xuankong Mountain trial, faced with the local natural disasters and Demon Beast attacks, nearly everyone was running for their lives.

They just kept running, gritting their teeth and holding on.

The situation was extremely similar to a survival trial, only far more difficult.

After all, they couldn’t even open their Storage Pouches, so everyone was essentially fleeing under heavy burdens. Moreover, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was thin here, so they could only rely on Elixir Pills to replenish their True Qi.

At one point.

As Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli were fleeing, they passed by a river. Suddenly, a giant toad leaped out and shot a volley of poison darts from its mouth.

This giant toad’s Cultivation was also at the Half-step Earth Element Realm, but it was highly venomous, making it an even greater threat than the silver wolf.

In the frantic escape, Luo Tian and Cheng Wanli were separated.

After fleeing for a long time.

Cheng Wanli attracted the attention of more Demon Beasts. Left with no other choice, he activated the blue, water-droplet mark on the back of his hand.

WHOOSH!

He attacked with all his might. A ferocious waterspout materialized above his head and surged forward.

In addition to the power of the Spirit Pond Mark, Cheng Wanli also activated a Secret Technique, making the attack’s power surpass that of an ordinary Half-step Earth Element Realm cultivator.

A large swath of Demon Beasts was washed away by the waterspout.

Only the giant silver wolf and a few of the stronger Demon Beasts withstood the blast and continued their pursuit.

Cheng Wanli exhausted all his options, even using up his last Spirit Pond Mark, and managed to hold on for a while longer.

’I should have made it into the top ten!’

’That kid Luo Tian... he has so many marks. He probably hasn’t been teleported out yet...’

Cheng Wanli felt a hint of regret. His original goal in this trial had been to surpass Luo Tian.

BUZZ!

Covered in wounds and facing a surging torrent that suddenly appeared before him, he crushed his Token and was teleported away.

「Meanwhile!」

The crisis Luo Tian faced was similar to Cheng Wanli’s. He too was being pursued by numerous Demon Beasts.

The natural disasters, however, had less of an effect on him, as he cultivated a powerful Body Refining Technique.

”Power Mark!”

Luo Tian activated a round, golden mark!

Instantly, a golden brilliance enveloped his entire body.

Luo Tian’s body looked as if it were cast from solid gold—indestructible and brimming with explosive power!

”Guiyuan Cloud-Dispelling Hand!”

Luo Tian thrust out his palm. A massive, crystalline-yellow palm, four to five meters tall and imbued with unparalleled, terrifying force, smashed forward!

BOOM! POW!

The air cracked and the winds howled. The immensely powerful palm strike crushed everything in its path, sending the Half-step Earth Element Realm giant toad flying.

Nearly ten other Demon Beasts were crushed into a bloody pulp!

”Get lost!”

Luo Tian roared and began a rampage!

He engaged the Demon Beasts in close combat. Every move of his arms and legs unleashed astonishing force, splattering blood in every direction!

It was as if *he* were the real Demon Beast—ferocious and invincible!

In the shortest possible time, Luo Tian slaughtered every Demon Beast that had surrounded him.

Just then, the effect of the Power Mark wore off, and the golden glow around Luo Tian’s body dissipated.

’As expected, the Power Mark is the one best suited for me!’

Luo Tian grinned.

Just then, a man with long ears fled toward him, pursued by a dozen or so Demon Beasts.

”You... how are you not teleported out yet? And you’re not being chased by any Demon Beasts?”

the long-eared man asked in astonishment.

It was shocking, almost unbelievable, that Luo Tian, who was only at the Spirit Sea Realm Seventh Layer, was still here, given how dangerous Xuankong Mountain had become.