King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Liu Ziyan’s Heart Knot

’What a great haul.’

From this battle, Luo Tian had seized over twenty-six thousand taels of Gold, a few Spiritual Qi Pills, and one Middle Grade Qi Cultivation Pill.

Of course, the most valuable item was still the Treasure Golden Lock Armor.

"Xiaotian, we need to gather the one hundred thousand jin of Demon Beast flesh and blood as quickly as possible and leave Qingchang City," Ning Xueyao said, feeling uneasy.

The Du Family’s power in Qingchang City was overwhelming; there was no way the two of them could stay.

"Alright! But first, we need to dispose of these bodies," Luo Tian said calmly.

An hour later, Luo Tian had completely disposed of the bodies.

This way, the Du Family wouldn’t learn of Du Yuncheng’s death anytime soon.

Having done all this, Luo Tian and Ning Xueyao immediately set off to fulfill their agreement with the Sleeping Beast. One hundred thousand jin of Demon Beast flesh and blood was no easy task.

...

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

「Qingchang City, Du Family Estate.」

Inside a luxurious and spacious pavilion.

The Du Family Patriarch, Du Hong, had a grim expression, his eyes burning with fury.

It was as if a volcano seethed within him, ready to erupt at any moment. The terrifying aura of the Ninth Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm made the very air feel heavy.

"Reporting to the Patriarch! According to intelligence gathered from various sources, the Young Master disappeared in the southern part of Black Demon Ridge, near the territory of the Sleeping Beast. I’m afraid... the odds are not in his favor..." a dark-faced, middle-aged man reported, kneeling on one knee with a trembling voice.

Several days prior, Du Yuncheng’s disappearance had alarmed the Du Family. They had mobilized their forces and practically turned Qingchang City upside down searching for him.

However, despite the days that passed and the massive number of people the Du Family deployed, they found no trace of Young Master Du. They didn’t even find a body.

To have entered Black Demon Ridge and not returned for seven days... Based on past experience, he could be declared dead.

It was perfectly normal that a body couldn’t be found.

Black Demon Ridge was filled with Demon Beasts; no corpse could survive there for a full day.

"Find me the killer! My son was protected by Du Qian and hadn’t gone deep into Black Demon Ridge. There’s no way he was killed by a Demon Beast."

Du Hong’s face was ice-cold, the killing intent in his eyes terrifying.

"The prime suspect is Luo Tian. The Young Master went to Black Demon Ridge chasing after him. Furthermore, according to rumors in the city, that boy may have awakened a High-level Martial Vein..."

Cold sweat beaded on the dark-faced man’s forehead.

The man before him, the Patriarch of the Du Family, was a true titan of Qingchang City. A single stomp of his foot could shake the city to its core.

"Luo Tian? A High-level Martial Vein?"

Du Hong’s brow furrowed deeply, and the cold killing intent in his eyes intensified.

"Send more men. Go to Black Demon Ridge and hunt down Luo Tian. If we don’t have enough men, post a bounty on the Black Market!"

"I will avenge my son... no matter the cost."

The cold, hate-filled voice echoed through the grand hall.

...

Meanwhile, rumors about Luo Tian awakening a High-level Martial Vein and killing Du Yuncheng swept through Qingchang City like a hurricane.

Everyone was talking about it, from the three great clans and major Noble Families down to the common folk.

The commoners and Scattered Stream Martial Artists were all rejoicing.

After all, Du Yuncheng had been a tyrant in Qingchang City. He abducted beautiful women, killed with impunity, and had committed every evil deed imaginable.

On this day, at the estate of the Liu Family, one of Qingchang City’s three great families...

"Have you heard? The Young Miss is back!"

"Really? Isn’t she at the Martial Mansion in the County City?"

The servants and maids of the Liu Family chattered amongst themselves.

The Liu Family’s young lady, Liu Ziyan, was the number one genius in Qingchang City. Two years ago, she had awakened a High-level Martial Vein and been accepted as a disciple by a Martial Arts expert from the County City.

Not only did Liu Ziyan possess immense Martial Arts Talent, but she was also beautiful. She was always generous with her rewards for the servants as well.

「At this moment, in the Liu Family’s Martial Arts Arena.」

A beautiful, tall young woman in a yellow dress was instructing several Liu Clan disciples in their Martial Skills.

The young woman in yellow had exquisite features and skin like polished jade. Her waterfall of hair drifted in the wind, giving her a kind of aloof beauty.

She was none other than Liu Ziyan, the number one genius of Qingchang City.

"Hmph! It’s only been a few months, yet none of you have made any progress."

Liu Ziyan’s graceful figure danced, a beautiful and magnificent sight, as she single-handedly dueled five disciples of the Liu Clan.

The Cultivation of these five Liu Clan disciples ranged from the Second Layer of Meridian Opening to the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening.

Even with the five of them working together, they were no match for Liu Ziyan.

With just a wave of one slender hand, Liu Ziyan unleashed a light purple, petal-like aura of qi that forced the five elite Liu Clan disciples into a steady retreat.

WHOOSH! BAM! BAM! BAM!

Suddenly, an arc of light purple qi, like a vibrant streamer, blasted the five Liu Clan disciples away.

"How dull. You can’t even withstand twenty percent of my strength."

Liu Ziyan looked disappointed.

The five Liu Clan disciples on the field were pale-faced but dared not make a sound.

It wasn’t that they were weak.

It was that Liu Ziyan was too strong!

Their Cultivation levels ranged from the Second Layer of Meridian Opening to the Peak of the Fourth Layer.

The five of them combined couldn’t even defeat one of her hands.

"Alright. Since all of you are under eighteen, you will accompany me to Lingyun County in a few days to take the Lingyun Martial Mansion’s assessment," Liu Ziyan said with a wave of her hand.

Upon hearing this, the five from the Liu Family were ecstatic.

Lingyun Martial Mansion was an Advanced Martial Mansion in the Azure Cloud Kingdom, a cradle for powerful Martial Artists.

It could be said that over sixty percent of the experts in Qingchang City at or above the Seventh Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm were graduates of Lingyun Martial Mansion.

In comparison, Cyan Peak Academy was merely a Basic Martial Mansion where students only learned fundamentals and Low Tier Martial Skills.

"Liu Yuanba, you stay behind."

Liu Ziyan had Liu Yuanba, the one with the lowest Cultivation among the five, stay behind.

"Young Miss, what are your instructions?"

Liu Yuanba’s heart pounded with excitement, and his face flushed red.

’This beautiful Young Miss is actually asking me to stay behind alone!’

A few days ago, Liu Yuanba had lost to Luo Tian. He had returned home to cultivate diligently and finally broke through to the Second Layer of Meridian Opening.

Reaching the Second Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm met the requirement to take the Lingyun Martial Mansion assessment, which was how he got the opportunity to receive Liu Ziyan’s guidance.

"I heard you fought Luo Tian. Tell me everything that happened in detail," Liu Ziyan said calmly.

"Yes."

Liu Yuanba didn’t dare to hide a thing. He recounted the entire incident of how he, at the First Layer of Meridian Opening, had been defeated by Luo Tian, who was only in the Body Tempering Realm.

After listening, a chill surfaced on Liu Ziyan’s jade-like face, and a cold glint flashed in her star-bright eyes.

After Liu Yuanba left,

CRASH!

Liu Ziyan smashed an expensive tea set, causing the nearby maids to turn pale with fright.

The maids looked at each other in dismay.

’The Young Miss is always so calm and composed, beautiful and graceful. Why is she acting so unlike herself today?’

’Luo Tian... It seems you really have awakened a High-level Martial Vein.’

Liu Ziyan’s delicate eyebrows knitted together as she bit her lip.

At that moment, a flicker of resentment appeared in the bright, beautiful eyes of the woman known for her high-society grace.

’Back then, you and your father publicly rejected our engagement. That immense humiliation left a Heart Knot on my Martial Arts Heart.’

Liu Ziyan clenched her jade-like hands, and a purple stream of qi flickered around them like lightning, her aura terrifying.

A Heart Knot!

If anyone else had been present, they would have been utterly shocked.

A Heart Knot is a flaw in one’s state of mind on the path of Martial Arts, one that obstructs progress in Cultivation.

At a critical moment, a Heart Knot can even cause a Cultivator to suffer Qigong Deviation and be consumed by a Heart Demon.

’That Heart Knot had already mostly dissipated. My arrangements had you humiliated and suppressed at the Academy, ensuring you would never be able to grow.’

’But I never expected you to awaken a High-level Martial Vein. If you aren’t stopped now, you might just soar to incredible heights.’

The malevolent aura and killing intent on Liu Ziyan’s face intensified.

...

「Black Demon Ridge.」

Seven or eight days passed.

THUD!

Luo Tian tossed the thousand-jin corpse of a Demon Beast in front of the Sleeping Beast, Kun Ga.

"Hey, buddy! That’s one hundred thousand jin of Demon Beast flesh and blood, all sorted. Our agreement is complete," Luo Tian said with a smile, communicating with Kun Ga via the Spirit Communication Secret Skill.

Over the course of their interactions these last few days, he had discovered that Kun Ga was actually very gentle. Its biggest flaw was its laziness.

Every time Luo Tian brought it the flesh and blood of a Demon Beast, it would reveal its cheerful side, acting like a child that had never grown up.

Over these past few days, Luo Tian had grown rapidly, tempered by his constant battles with Demon Beasts.

Furthermore, three days ago, Luo Tian had consumed a Spiritual Qi Pill and several Spiritual Materials, advancing his Cultivation to the Third Layer of Meridian Opening and greatly increasing his overall strength!

He was now confident that he could face Du Qian at his peak head-on.

ROAR!

Kun Ga let out a low growl, its expression friendly.

"What? You want to give me a gift before I leave?"