King of Ten Thousand Years

Luo Tian had aggravated Tu Kai’s old injuries, and his condition was steadily declining.

”You dare cause trouble for me even when you’re injured? In that case, I’ll send you to your grave!”

Luo Tian’s expression was icy as he attacked with both his palm techniques and swordsmanship.

His Swordsmanship followed unpredictable paths, restricting Tu Kai’s movements and leaving him no room to dodge.

His Palm Technique was graceful yet Yin Cold, its bone-chilling intent impossible to defend against completely.

Tu Kai thrust out both palms, unleashing vicious, chilling streams of dark light to clash head-on with Luo Tian.

But Luo Tian was now fighting with his full strength. Weighed down by his injuries and declining condition, Tu Kai couldn’t gain an advantage.

Dragging this out would only put him at a greater disadvantage.

’This isn’t good!’

Tu Kai’s face was grim and unsightly.

As a Sword Cultivator, Luo Tian’s Swordsmanship was incomparably sharp and specialized in offense.

Furthermore, Luo Tian’s Body Technique and Defense were also formidable, leaving Tu Kai unable to find an opening.

”I’ll spare your life this time!”

After a moment of hesitation, Tu Kai chose to retreat.

He fiercely struck out with both palms, sending a turbulent wave of black light surging toward Luo Tian like a monstrous tide, then immediately turned to flee.

”Trying to run?”

Luo Tian had no intention of letting him escape so easily. He unleashed a Guiyuan Cloud-Dispelling Hand, and a several-meter-high, fluorescent yellow Palm Light crushed forward like a thick city wall.

The Guiyuan Cloud-Dispelling Hand excelled at defense and blockade, and it tore an opening through the terrifying black tide.

Luo Tian swiftly gave chase and executed the Cold Wind Palm, unleashing a barrage of palm strikes like a frigid gale.

”If I want to leave, no one can stop me!”

Tu Kai snorted, a look of contempt on his face.

His figure transformed into a streak of black light that shot across the sky and vanished in a flash.

In terms of speed, he, being at the Earth Element Realm Second Layer, was faster than Luo Tian.

”Ugly Bird, interfere!”

Luo Tian ordered the Crow.

Tu Kai was severely wounded right now; this was the best chance to eliminate him for good. If they waited for him to heal and recover his Peak strength, the humans who entered this place would be the ones to suffer.

”CAW CAW CAW!”

The Crow instantly let out a Demonic, ear-piercing cry that agitated Tu Kai, destabilizing the circulation of his True Essence and thus affecting the execution of his Body Technique.

”Cold Wind Palm!”

A Palm Force like an icy storm howled forth. The wind was bone-chillingly cold, and even with his True Essence Shield for Defense, Tu Kai was still somewhat affected.

Tu Kai’s speed quickly dropped by twenty to thirty percent, allowing Luo Tian to catch up and launch a continuous assault.

The two of them, one chasing and one fleeing, darted through the mountain forest, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Luo Tian was determined to kill Tu Kai, wanting to eliminate the threat completely.

But Tu Kai was a genius of the Sea Hunter Race at the Earth Element Realm Second Layer. Even injured, he was not so easy to kill.

If Tu Kai were pushed into a corner, Luo Tian would have to worry about a final, desperate counterattack.

「Half an hour later.」

Tu Kai’s injuries had grown more severe, and with new wounds added, he looked utterly wretched.

”Damn you! I will not let you off lightly!”

Tu Kai roared as his True Essence began to burn. His speed suddenly increased by forty to fifty percent, and he transformed into a swift shadow of black light, escaping into a nearby river.

Luo Tian continued his pursuit but found that Tu Kai’s speed increased even more upon entering the river, and he vanished in the blink of an eye.

’In the water, all aspects of the Sea Hunter Race are enhanced...’

Luo Tian recalled the information the Celestial Book had given him earlier.

The Sea Hunter Race was a race of the sea. Places with water were their home turf.

Getting entangled with the Sea Hunter Race in the water would double the chances of the tables being unexpectedly turned.

Since things had come to this, Luo Tian didn’t dwell on it.

Although Tu Kai was a great threat, as long as his own strength was great enough, it wouldn’t be a problem.

He decided to find a place to enter seclusion, absorb his gains, and increase his strength.

”Boy, the Ancient Giant Python’s corpse is over there!”

The Crow flew high, gazing into the distance and shouting continuously.

”Oh?”

Luo Tian and the Crow hurried over.

The body of the Ancient Giant Python was lying across the river. There was a hole in its head and a huge, bloody gash on its abdomen.

’To cause this kind of wound, Tu Kai must have used a trump card...’

Trump cards generally couldn’t be used consecutively, which was why Tu Kai hadn’t used one when fighting Luo Tian just now.

Furthermore, the location where the Ancient Giant Python had died also proved that the Sea Hunter Race was indeed powerful in places with water.

Back in the canyon, Tu Kai and Yu Sanshui had been the ones on the run.

After the Crow ate the flesh from the Ancient Giant Python’s heart, the man and bird quickly departed.

Luo Tian found a cave and began his seclusion.

He took out two treasures: the ”Celestial Pearl Fruit” and the ”Poisonous Python Yin Spirit Fruit.”

The former was a Heavenly and Earthly Treasure that promoted Cultivation, while the latter could strengthen one’s Life Essence and enhance self-healing abilities.

Luo Tian was more inclined to consume the Poisonous Python Yin Spirit Fruit to enhance his physique, but the fruit contained a potent poison and couldn’t be taken rashly.

’I’ll have to choose the Celestial Pearl Fruit!’

Luo Tian put the Poisonous Python Yin Spirit Fruit away.

The Celestial Pearl Fruit was a Three-star Treasure, a precious item for promoting Cultivation in the Earth Element Realm. For someone in the Spirit Sea Realm, its effects were even more potent.

Luo Tian had broken through to the Ninth Layer of Spirit Sea Realm not long ago and hadn’t originally planned to break through again so quickly.

But now, in order to have a greater ability to protect himself in this unknown Secret Realm, he couldn’t be bothered with such concerns.

Luo Tian activated the Heart Method of the Guiyuan True Skill. True Qi began to circulate through the meridians in his body, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathered toward him.

Inside his Qi Sea.

A Nine-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex slowly rotated, absorbing the True Qi from his meridians to stabilize and perfect itself.

The completion level of the Ninth-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex gradually reached fifteen percent, then twenty percent.

After that, his Cultivation speed slowed down.

With normal Cultivation, focusing on his foundation, it would take Luo Tian some time to reach the Peak of Ninth Layer of Spirit Sea Realm.

Now, he directly consumed the ”Celestial Pearl Fruit”!

A vast and pure Medicinal Power was instantly released, flooding his meridians.

Luo Tian immediately began to guide and absorb it.

At the same time, he fully activated his Nether Dragon Divine Vein. Faint blue, scale-like patterns in the shape of a Dragon Vein flickered on his back.

WHOOSH!

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within a hundred-meter radius was all drawn in, forming a massive Spiritual Qi vortex.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in this unknown Secret Realm was ancient and dense. Combined with the Celestial Pearl Fruit, the effect was superb.

A continuous torrent of True Qi poured into the Ninth-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex, which gradually perfected itself, emitting a gorgeous, dream-like luster.

The completion level of the Ninth-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex rapidly increased.

Thirty percent... forty percent... fifty percent...

’As expected of a Three-star Treasure, its medicinal effect is truly potent!’

Luo Tian possessed a Divine Vein, and his meridians were tough and strong. If it were a Spirit Sea Realm Martial Artist with slightly weaker meridians, they might have been blown apart by the Celestial Pearl Fruit’s Medicinal Power.

...

Meanwhile, Tu Kai had escaped into the river and followed its current, quickly arriving at the edge of the island.

Yu Sanshui and the two captives were there.

The Extreme Ice Fairy and another human male watched the heavily injured Yu Sanshui recuperating and wanted to escape.

But the Forbidden Element Rings on their wrists made it difficult for them to circulate their True Essence, leaving them no different from ordinary people.

Just then, the Extreme Ice Fairy saw Tu Kai return.

She and the other man instantly became as docile as lambs, staying put obediently.

’Tu Kai is back. Luo Tian and the others must be dead!’ the Extreme Ice Fairy thought, suddenly feeling a little better.

Even the Ancient Giant Python had died at Tu Kai’s hands. His incomparably mighty combat strength had deeply awed the Extreme Ice Fairy.

She didn’t dare have any clever ideas in front of Tu Kai.

”Senior Brother Tu, you’re back!”

Yu Sanshui stepped forward to greet him, only to find that Tu Kai looked wretched and miserable, his face pale.

”For Senior Brother Tu to have slaughtered all those humans despite being heavily injured, this junior brother is filled with admiration.”

Yu Sanshui offered a fawning smile, laying on the flattery.

But upon hearing this, Tu Kai’s face turned ashen. Fury surged within him, and he gritted his teeth.

”Shut up!”

He roared in anger, and the fit of rage made him cough up a trace of blood.

Yu Sanshui was startled and fell silent in fear.

Seeing this, it was clear Tu Kai had failed and suffered a great loss!

How was that possible? ’Did those humans escape?’

Tu Kai sat down cross-legged, took out a Healing Pill, and consumed it, beginning his recovery.

”Senior Brother Tu, it seems Senior Brother Jing and the others have made a major discovery. They told us to hurry over...” Yu Sanshui said in a low voice.

”Jing Yuan? It’s definitely nothing good. No rush. I’ll heal my injuries first.”

Tu Kai looked disdainful, as if he didn’t get along with Jing Yuan.

”Yes!”

Yu Sanshui nodded, sat down, and continued to recuperate.

Nearby, the Extreme Ice Fairy’s expression was full of resentment and indignation. Luo Tian hadn’t been captured or killed!

This made her feel extremely unbalanced. She had become a prisoner right after arriving in the Frosty Winter Secret Realm, yet Luo Tian was still free and unfettered!

...

Inside the cave, Luo Tian sat cross-legged in Cultivation as a continuous stream of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rushed in wildly.

「Three days passed.」

His Qi Sea shimmered with a brilliant light. The True Qi within it gradually became replete, exuding a piercingly cold intent.

’The completion level of the Ninth-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex has reached ninety percent!’

Luo Tian’s face lit up with joy.

The Medicinal Power of the Celestial Pearl Fruit was simply too strong, forcibly pushing his Cultivation forward.

Only now did his Cultivation speed begin to slow.

If Luo Tian wanted to break through to the Peak of Ninth Layer of Spirit Sea Realm, he could succeed by continuing his seclusion for a while longer.

’I can’t be too rash...’

Luo Tian thought for a moment, then suppressed the remaining Medicinal Power of the Celestial Pearl Fruit. He stopped raising his Cultivation and focused on consolidation instead.

He decided to stabilize and settle his foundation for a period before breaking through.

「Half a day later.」

Luo Tian opened his eyes, ending his Cultivation session.

With such great progress on his Ninth-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex, bringing him one step away from the Peak of the Ninth Layer, both the quality and quantity of Luo Tian’s True Qi had improved significantly.

Even if he were to face Tu Kai at his Peak again, he would have a better chance of protecting himself.

Just as he stepped out of the cave, Luo Tian faintly saw a pale blue pillar of light in the distant sky, shooting straight up into the heavens. It was a grand and eye-catching sight.

”What’s that all about?”

There was no such phenomenon before he entered seclusion.

The Crow also flew high into the air to gaze into the distance.

”The location of that pillar of light seems to be some Ancient Ruins!” the Crow said uncertainly.

’It seems something major happened in this unknown Secret Realm while I was in seclusion...’

”Let’s go take a look!”

Luo Tian and the Crow immediately set off.

If there really were Ancient Ruins, there were bound to be benefits.

BUZZ!

The Mysterious Blue Treasure Pearl Luo Tian wore trembled slightly, emitting a violet-blue glow.

’The pearl is reacting again.’

Luo Tian glanced at it.

But he didn’t notice that inside his Storage Ring, the finger of the Mermaid Corpse twitched slightly.