King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 328: Chapter 326: The Hidden Family’s Genius

In an arena set within a primeval wilderness, golden lights constantly dimmed and vanished, only for others to suddenly erupt in a dazzling glow.

Luo Tian was still in the first tier. The brilliance of his Genius Order was comparable to that of a genius ranked around fortieth on the Spirit List.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, his Creation Technique sent him a warning.

Luo Tian’s gaze pierced through the forest, where he saw two disciples from Purple Luo Hall.

Purple Luo Hall’s predecessor was an Evil Demon Sect that had since renounced its wicked ways.

However, Purple Luo Hall’s Martial Arts Skills and Techniques, and even some of its legacies, leaned toward unorthodox and sinister paths. As a result, its disciples’ methods were often strange and unpredictable.

These two Purple Luo Hall disciples had Cultivations at the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm and the Half-step Earth Element Realm, respectively, making them a very formidable combination.

But suddenly—

BOOM! WHOOSH!

An even more powerful aura erupted, shocking everyone in the vicinity. Even the Spirit Sea Vortex inside Luo Tian’s body trembled.

A sheet of pale blue flame blasted out, sending the two Purple Luo Hall disciples flying and coughing up blood, completely unable to resist.

"You’re in the Earth Element Realm!"

The two turned deathly pale. They gave up resisting and handed over their Genius Orders.

’Earth Element Realm?’

Luo Tian’s heart leaped in shock, and he immediately retreated.

Just then, through a gap in the leaves, he saw the Earth Element Realm genius. She was a woman in a green dress with a classical bearing and appearance.

The green-robed woman took the Genius Orders from the Purple Luo Hall disciples, plundering all of their Celestial Fate Qi.

At that moment, she seemed to sense something. She glanced to the side, and her gaze met Luo Tian’s.

’Damn it, she saw me!’

Luo Tian’s pupils contracted, and his heart pounded.

SWISH!

He pushed his Wind Manipulation Technique to its limit, transforming into a gusting afterimage and instantly fleeing several hundred meters away.

’None of the top twenty on the Spirit List are competing, yet there’s still an Earth Level Martial Artist here. I really can’t underestimate the Celestial Pride Conference!’

Right now, Luo Tian would have a hard time contending with an Earth Level Martial Artist.

’She must be a genius from one of the Ten Hidden Families. They live in seclusion and train behind closed doors, so they wouldn’t be on the Spirit List,’ Luo Tian deduced.

The green-robed woman stood where she was, not bothering to chase Luo Tian.

’Is that him?’

The green-robed woman seemed lost in thought.

She was the very same masked woman who had sold Luo Tian the Qi Pushing and Root Strengthening Pill in the Free Trade Zone.

...

WHOOSH!

A gusting afterimage sped through the dense forest, its figure a blur.

Luo Tian was pushing his Wind Manipulation Technique to its limit, worried that the Earth Level Martial Artist would catch him and plunder all his Celestial Fate Qi.

Suddenly, Luo Tian’s speed increased by twenty to thirty percent. He became even swifter, his movements graceful and fluid, like smoke and clouds.

"Huh?"

Luo Tian stopped.

A moment ago, under the pressure of the crisis, his Wind Manipulation Technique had actually improved, taking a half-step into the Great Achievement Realm.

’Excellent!’

A look of delight appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

It wouldn’t be long before he could fully cultivate it to the Great Achievement Realm.

At that point, his speed would take a qualitative leap. Even when facing an Earth Element Realm expert, he wouldn’t need to be as tense as he had been just now.

Luo Tian glanced back. The Earth Element Realm genius didn’t seem to be chasing him.

Only now did he realize that the green-robed woman from his hurried glimpse seemed a little familiar.

「Outside」

Many spectators who were watching Luo Tian sighed over his good luck.

From their perspective, his results didn’t match his strength. He had been just a hair’s breadth away from having all his Celestial Fate Qi plundered by the Earth Element Realm Martial Artist.

"Why didn’t that green-robed woman chase Luo Tian?"

"This Luo Tian is just too lucky."

"But who is that green-robed woman, anyway? How come I’ve never heard of her?"

Among the one hundred thousand spectators present, the green-robed woman’s identity was gradually dug up.

The green-robed woman’s surname was "Song." She was from the Song Family, one of the Ten Hidden Families that lived in seclusion in the Southern Domain. This was her first time venturing out for training and to participate in the Celestial Pride Conference.

It was said that the Song Family had a significant conflict with the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, a major Sect Influence in the Southern Domain.

In the current elimination round,

the brilliance of the green-robed woman’s Token had surpassed the first tier, placing her at the very top.

But she wasn’t alone in that position.

There was also a yellow-robed man, another Earth Level Martial Artist who had been completely unknown before, who stood with the green-robed woman, jointly ranked at the very top!

"Earth Level Martial Artists are just too strong. Facing those geniuses at the Eighth to Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm is as easy as crushing an ant for them."

"These two Earth Level Martial Artists from the Ten Hidden Families will probably be first and second in the elimination round. I just wonder where they would rank on the Spirit List."

The two Earth Level geniuses became the center of heated discussion.

This was not only because of their Cultivation, but also because of the Ten Hidden Families.

These families all had mysterious origins, lived in seclusion, and rarely interacted with the outside world. The public knew very little about them.

"This woman seems to be the one from the Free Trade Zone that day..."

Qiao Hai remembered.

’Did she really not attack Luo Tian just because she had a vague impression of him from a transaction?’

Qiao Hai couldn’t help but sigh at Luo Tian’s incredible luck.

But in the next moment, the corner of his mouth curved into a smile. "Then again, maybe it’s not so good after all..."

...

Luo Tian went about collecting Celestial Fate Qi, the brightness of his Genius Order steadily increasing.

He was even more careful now, retreating the moment he detected any Earth Level Martial Artist.

"Luo Tian, hand over your Celestial Fate Qi!"

Suddenly, a sharp cry came from behind him.

Hua Xiang’Er, wielding a slender sword, thrust out nine bursts of pink Sword Light into the air. They resembled nine fluttering peach blossoms, ethereal and nimble as they flew toward Luo Tian.

SWISH!

Luo Tian’s figure flashed, dodging three of the sword-blossoms.

The remaining six pink sword-blossoms spun and scattered, transforming into dozens of pink streams of Sword Qi that surrounded Luo Tian from all directions.

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian’s figure suddenly dissipated, as if dissolving into wisps of a lingering wind. Agile and swift, it seemed as if a dozen afterimages had appeared in an instant.

When Luo Tian came to a stop, he had dodged every last bit of Sword Qi.

The only reason Luo Tian hadn’t used any other techniques was to hone his Body Technique.

"So fast!"

Hua Xiang’Er’s face filled with alarm.

Her Swordsmanship was exceptionally ethereal and nimble, yet Luo Tian had dodged it completely with just his Body Technique. She had never encountered a situation like this before.

’But what’s the use of a fast Body Technique?’ she thought. ’I have a partner!’

"Spirit Light Sword!"

Behind Luo Tian, the sword-browed man suddenly charged out, cleaving down with a bolt of white Sword Light.

Luo Tian dodged with ease. The Sword Light crashed into the ground, leaving behind a gash more than ten meters long.

"Brother Ling, let’s attack together!"

Hua Xiang’Er shouted fiercely.

She had to at least cripple one of Luo Tian’s arms, or she’d never be able to quell the hatred in her heart.

SHIIING! FSSSHHH!

In an instant, the sky was filled with Sword Qi, blanketing the area around Luo Tian.

Hua Xiang’Er cultivated the Floating Flower Sword Technique, which excelled at locking down and trapping opponents.

The sword-browed man cultivated the Spirit Light Sword Technique, which was grand and open, swift and powerful.

The Spirit Flower Dual Swords excelled at fighting together, able to unleash a power greater than the sum of their parts!

Luo Tian’s speed was indeed fast, even faster than some Half-step Earth Element Realm cultivators, but facing the duo’s combined, dense assault, it was difficult to dodge everything.

"Since I can’t hone my Body Technique anymore, I’ll just finish you both off directly," Luo Tian said unhurriedly.

Seeing Luo Tian still boasting at a time like this, Hua Xiang’Er grew even more incensed.

"Brother Ling, use our ultimate move!" Hua Xiang’Er sent via voice transmission.

The duo’s auras surged. Pink and white Sword Qi shot into the sky, reflecting off each other brilliantly.

They were both at the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. Together, they had the strength to suppress a Half-step Earth Element Realm expert!

BOOM! SHHICK!

The Sword Light surrounding Luo Tian doubled in quantity, its power increasing by forty percent!

Luo Tian seemed to be caught in a net woven from countless strands of Sword Qi.

In an instant, several streams of Sword Qi struck Luo Tian, slicing through his robes.

CLANG! BANG!

But Luo Tian was completely unscathed. Instead, the sound of metal striking metal rang out, and the Sword Qi abruptly shattered and disintegrated.

"What?"

The Spirit Flower Dual Swords were stunned. ’What’s going on?’

Even if Luo Tian was wearing Defensive Treasure Armor, one of the Sword Qi streams had hit his thigh, and the result was the same.

’Don’t tell me he’s wearing full-body Defensive Soft Armor?’

Suddenly!

Luo Tian’s figure blurred into a frenzied afterimage of wind as he closed in on Hua Xiang’Er.

Guiyuan Cloud-Dispelling Hand!

A massive, thick, crystalline-yellow Palm Light materialized, like a small mountain hanging over Hua Xiang’Er’s head, about to come crashing down.

Hua Xiang’Er felt an incredibly heavy, Powerful Aura, but she didn’t panic. She swept her sword, unleashing a wave of pink Sword Qi that surged forth like a flurry of peach blossom petals.

At the same time, the sword-browed man behind her condensed an intensely brilliant white Sword Light and chopped down viciously!

If Luo Tian insisted on attacking Hua Xiang’Er, he would surely be unable to avoid the sword-browed man’s killing blow!

But as far as Luo Tian was concerned, there was no need to dodge.

SHLICK! BOOM!

The massive white Sword Light descended, striking Luo Tian’s back. It tore through his robes, revealing skin with the luster of blue jade.

The Sword Light was like a strike against a metal mountain; it failed to move him in the slightest before exploding and dissipating.

"No! You..."

Hua Xiang’Er was dumbfounded.

’He took a direct hit from the sword-browed man and is completely unharmed? Is he even human?’

BOOM!

A cold smirk appeared on Luo Tian’s lips as his palm crushed down, shattering all of the pink peach-blossom Sword Qi.

Hua Xiang’Er was sent flying by Luo Tian’s palm strike. The qi and blood in her body roiled, and her face turned pale.

"You’re a Body Cultivator!"

She came to this conclusion based on his defense and immense strength.

Luo Tian closed in on Hua Xiang’Er again.

The speed from his Wind Manipulation Technique completely overwhelmed her; she couldn’t escape.

"Correct! For your prize, you get another slap!"

Luo Tian once again condensed his Guiyuan Cloud-Dispelling Hand, faintly channeling his Divine Vein Cold Power. He thrust his palm out with a roar, kicking up a ferocious, bone-chilling wind!

BOOM! WHAM!

Hua Xiang’Er was sent flying once more. Her clothes tore, and the two mounds on her chest were exposed in a flash of skin.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, her entire body stiff and freezing. Even the circulation of her True Qi slowed down.

"Xiang’Er!"

The sword-browed man shouted, rushing over.

"What, you want some too?"

Luo Tian turned and swung his palm.

The sword-browed man couldn’t dodge and was forced to meet Luo Tian’s Palm Technique head-on.

BANG!

The white Sword Light shattered inch by inch. A vast, powerful force transferred through it, making the sword-browed man’s arms go numb and the webbing between his thumb and forefinger ache.

At the same time, a wave of Cold Power washed over him, making him shudder.

In the next moment, he too was sent flying by Luo Tian’s palm, landing face-first in the dirt.

The Spirit Flower Dual Swords, defeated in an instant!

"You’re only ranked 164 on the Spirit List! How can you be so strong?"

Hua Xiang’Er couldn’t believe it, her expression full of resentment.

Together, the Spirit Flower Dual Swords had once defeated a Half-step Earth Element Realm Martial Artist.

But Luo Tian’s fighting style had effectively separated them, allowing him to defeat them one by one.

In a one-on-one fight, they were merely geniuses ranked in the 180s on the Spirit List, making them easy to deal with.

If they had been more vigilant from the start and attacked together in close formation, they might have caused Luo Tian some trouble, but that was all.

"Hand over your Token, or I’ll cut off a few more of her fingers!"

Luo Tian said to the sword-browed man.

"Brother Ling, save me!" Hua Xiang’Er cried.

But she saw the sword-browed man hesitate for a long time, not taking out his Token.

Luo Tian was also a bit surprised. He went ahead and took Hua Xiang’Er’s Genius Order, plundering all of her Celestial Fate Qi.

Just then, the sword-browed man finally realized that without Hua Xiang’Er’s help, it would be very difficult for him to pass the elimination round. He threw his Token over.

His Celestial Fate Qi having increased by a large amount, Luo Tian couldn’t be bothered with the Spirit Flower Dual Swords and quickly left.

The Spirit Flower Dual Swords didn’t give up and continued their search.

The elimination round lasted for three days. This was only the first, so they still had a chance.

However, a short while later, they ran into the green-robed woman.

Hua Xiang’Er had never imagined that the stall owner from that day was actually an Earth Element Realm genius.

The green-robed woman had a deep impression of the arrogant and domineering Hua Xiang’Er from that day, so she robbed the two of them all over again.