King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Mire Beast

"This... how is this possible!"

Liu Ziyan’s expression changed for the first time since she had appeared. The lofty, confident smile she wore, as if victory was already in her grasp, froze on her face.

She was the one who had tampered with the Spirit-Sensing Stone.

Even with her Earth Tier Low Grade Martial Vein, she couldn’t light up this discarded Spirit-Sensing Stone in the slightest.

However.

Luo Tian had forcefully lit up the discarded Spirit-Sensing Stone against all odds.

’What kind of terrifying Martial Vein aptitude would it take to do that?’

"Yellow Tier Middle Grade Martial Vein."

At that moment, the teacher responsible for recording the results spoke up.

"Miss Liu, I’m afraid I’ve disappointed you. I ’only’ have a Yellow Tier Middle Grade Martial Vein aptitude."

Luo Tian put on an expression of someone admitting their mistake, head bowed.

He heavily emphasized the word "only," causing Liu Ziyan’s face to turn faintly livid.

In fact.

Before the test, Luo Tian had planned to hide his true abilities and had even learned a method from the Celestial Book to deceive the test.

After all, a Divine Vein was far too shocking; nothing like it had ever been heard of on the entire Continent.

If it were discovered, even the secret of the Celestial Book might be exposed.

But he never expected Liu Ziyan to be so cunning and vicious as to tamper with the Spirit-Sensing Stone, trying to kick him out of the Martial Mansion’s gates directly.

"...Let me see if there’s a problem with this ’Spirit-Sensing Stone’."

Liu Ziyan’s expression was unnatural.

She took the Spirit-Sensing Stone and secretly activated her Earth Tier Martial Vein, infusing it with True Qi.

Her movements were very subtle.

However.

The Spirit-Sensing Stone showed no reaction at all.

Liu Ziyan’s heart suddenly sank.

’Luo Tian’s Martial Vein Level is probably even higher than mine. It might even be a Celestial Tier Martial Vein.’

Jealousy and resentment surged within Liu Ziyan, giving rise to intense killing intent.

Once Luo Tian passed the Lingyun Martial Mansion’s assessment and entered one of the three top Martial Arts Holy Mansions, he would truly soar to the heavens.

’As long as I’m here, you can forget about succeeding!’

Liu Ziyan couldn’t tolerate the boy she had once suppressed and humiliated truly transforming from a snake into a dragon.

"Congratulations, Brother Luo! You passed the first stage, the aptitude test. You’ll definitely have no problem with the second stage, the strength test."

Chen Haofei walked over with a smile.

When Luo Tian was being tested just now, Chen Haofei had felt something was wrong and suspected Liu Ziyan had tampered with it.

In the end, Luo Tian passed the test. Although his result was a bit subpar, it was still worthy of congratulations.

The second stage was the strength test.

Luo Tian had the combat strength of at least the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening, so under normal circumstances, he was certain to pass.

After all.

Most of the youths taking the assessment were at the Second and Third Layers of Meridian Opening.

There were only about twenty people at or above the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening.

"Hmph! That Luo Tian, with a mere Yellow Tier Middle Grade Martial Vein, dares to provoke Miss Liu. He truly doesn’t know his own limits!"

Not far away, several contemptuous and arrogant gazes were directed at him.

Qi Hong, surrounded by a group of youths, glanced coldly at Luo Tian.

In the first stage of the assessment, Qi Hong had dominated the entire field with his Profound Tier Upper Grade aptitude!

To him, the Lingyun Martial Mansion’s assessment was just a formality.

The three great Martial Arts Holy Mansions were his true goal.

"Brother Qi! We have to expel that scum Luo Tian from the Martial Mansion and vent Miss Liu’s anger for her!"

Lin Yun seethed with hatred, grinding his teeth.

Luo Tian had made him the laughingstock of the entire County City at the Full Moon Tower, and he held a grudge for it.

"There will be an opportunity soon."

Qi Hong’s expression was calm, his eyes filled with a cold glint.

...

「Before long.」

The first stage, the Martial Vein test, concluded.

"Second stage, the strength test!"

The group of youths was led to the edge of a dense forest.

"Whoa! It stinks..."

A nauseating stench wafted out from the dense forest.

Everyone looked closer.

Inside the forest were slime monsters the size of millstones, spitting out green sludge.

The stench came from that sludge.

"Inside this forest are several hundred ’Mire Beasts’. They are Battle Beasts raised by the Martial Mansion, with strength ranging from the First to the Third Layer of Meridian Opening."

The middle-aged chief examiner introduced calmly.

"Mire Beasts have average killing power, but the sludge they spit is highly corrosive and sticky, and it will hinder your progress."

"The assessment is as follows: pass through the forest inhabited by the Mire Beasts as quickly as possible."

After hearing the details of the assessment, some of the youths’ expressions turned grim.

The sludge spat by the Mire Beasts was incredibly troublesome.

Passing through a forest with several hundred "Mire Beasts" was not only a hassle, it was also disgusting.

"Examiner Wu, Ziyan has a suggestion."

Liu Ziyan said with a smile.

"What suggestion?"

The middle-aged examiner was taken aback and looked at Liu Ziyan.

Liu Ziyan was the Mansion Master’s personal disciple. Although she was a student, she occasionally took on the role of a teacher.

The examiner had to take her suggestion seriously.

"To encourage competition among the candidates, I have personally prepared to sponsor a Middle Grade ’Qi Refining Pill’ as a reward for the student with the best result in the second stage."

Liu Ziyan announced to the crowd, her smile blooming.

"A Middle Grade Qi Refining Pill?"

"A Qi Refining Pill can refine one’s True Qi and solidify their foundation. A Middle Grade Qi Refining Pill is effective for anyone below the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening."

The youths present cried out in astonishment.

Luo Tian’s heart also skipped a beat!

If he could consume the Middle Grade "Qi Refining Pill", he could refine his True Qi, which would give him a greater chance of breaking through to the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm and also make his foundation more stable.

Of course.

Luo Tian’s chances of taking first place seemed slim.

After all, the assessment included top geniuses from the County City like Qi Hong and Mu Yuyan, as well as other geniuses from various cities who were at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening or above.

"Hee hee, that ’Qi Refining Pill’ is as good as reserved for Qi Hong."

Mu Yuyan chuckled lightly.

Reserved?

A few nearby youths felt resentful and unwilling, but there was nothing they could do.

It was just that Qi Hong was too strong!

With his cultivation at the Peak of the Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm and his mastery of powerful family Martial Arts, he looked down on all the other candidates from Lingyun County.

Liu Ziyan’s reward was supposedly for first place, but it was more like it was just for Qi Hong.

"Ziyan, don’t worry. During the trial, I will cripple Luo Tian!"

Qi Hong was full of confidence, a ruthless look in his eyes.

It turned out.

Qi Hong and Liu Ziyan had reached an agreement.

That Middle Grade "Qi Refining Pill" was promised to him as a reward for crippling Luo Tian.

Qi Hong felt the reward was unnecessary; as long as Liu Ziyan asked, he would do it without hesitation.

"The second stage begins now!"

The middle-aged examiner announced with a wave of his hand.

The moment his voice fell.

SWOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The youths present swiftly darted into the dense forest, striving for a good score.

Among them.

Qi Hong was the fastest, followed by Mu Yuyan and the other top geniuses from the County City.

’So fast!’

Even though Luo Tian wasn’t using his full strength, he still fell into the second group.

"AH! AAGH! NO—"

Chaos erupted in the forest, filled with howling screams.

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

The millstone-sized Mire Beasts spat out globs of green sludge.

If even a drop of this sludge touched the skin, it would corrode, leaving it red and swollen as if burned.

THUD! THUD!

The sludge was slippery and had a strong adhesive quality, causing many youths to fall to the ground.

Only those with the strength of the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm could easily pass through the obstruction of these Mire Beasts.

’I need to hurry.’

With Luo Tian’s strength and speed, he quickly broke into the top ten, then the top five, second only to a few people like Qi Hongfei.

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, a glowing green Mire Beast as large as a carriage blocked Luo Tian’s path.

’What a huge monster!’

Luo Tian was startled.

This giant Mire Beast before him emanated a powerful and tyrannical aura. It was likely a One-star Middle Tier Battle Beast, comparable to a cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm or higher.

SPLASH! SPLAT! SPLAT!

The giant Mire Beast suddenly spat a sheet of glowing green sludge, as fast as an arrow loosed from a bow.

’Danger!’

Luo Tian’s Spiritual Sense picked up the threat, and he executed the "Wandering Body Step" to swiftly dodge the sludge attack.

"Ah!"

He dodged it, but the sludge splattered onto several students behind him.

SSSS~

One youth was hit by the sludge, and his entire arm instantly began to fester and dissolve.

Another girl screamed as a bit of sludge splattered onto her, instantly disfiguring her entire face and making her look grotesque and terrifying.

’Such strong corrosion!’

The nearby youths gasped in shock.

Luo Tian had a gut feeling that the giant Mire Beast was targeting him.

ROAR!

Sure enough, the giant Mire Beast seemed to be under someone’s control, ignoring the other students and charging straight for Luo Tian.

’Liu Ziyan, is this your doing?’

Luo Tian sneered.

The giant Mire Beast’s destructive power was indeed terrifying!

But Luo Tian cultivated the Creation Technique, had superhuman reflexes, and could control the situation with his Spiritual Sense. Combined with his Body Technique at the Great Success stage, this beast was not yet a threat to him.

"Haha! This is the Mire Beast King! Luo Tian, aren’t you going to surrender without a fight?!"

A long laugh echoed out.

Just then, Qi Hong, dressed in golden robes, appeared with Lin Yun, blocking Luo Tian’s path.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Luo Tian frowned.

"What is the meaning of this?"

A cruel smile played on Qi Hong’s lips. "Cut off your own arms and withdraw from the assessment, and this young master will spare you. Otherwise, you can become the Mire Beast King’s dung!"

"So you’re just Liu Ziyan’s lackey!"

Luo Tian’s gaze darkened as he sneered, refusing to back down.