King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Qi Observation Technique, The Three Great Geniuses

"Luo Tian! Before we came, you said you were going to put all the geniuses from the neighboring counties in their place and bring glory to our Lingyun County."

Anyone could tell that Qi Hong’s words were meant to sow discord.

Nevertheless, Luo Tian could still feel numerous hostile gazes on him.

"Qi Hong, how dare you make such a baseless accusation! When did Luo Tian ever—"

Chen Haofei, standing beside him, flared up in anger and retorted.

"That’s right! Luo Tian did say that. I heard it with my own two ears."

"I can bear witness!"

"Haha, I’m looking forward to Luo Tian bringing glory to our Lingyun County."

Nearby, the disciples of the Qi, Liu, Du, and other Noble Families all chimed in, their voices drowning out Chen Haofei’s.

"The innocent need no defense."

Luo Tian held Chen Haofei back with a hand and gave Qi Hong and the others a cold look, not bothering to explain.

In this world, strength was the only thing that mattered.

Luo Tian wasn’t afraid of being misunderstood, and he didn’t fear any challenges. If anyone dared to look for trouble, he wouldn’t be holding back!

’This kid is interesting.’

The Young Marquis, Tang Wei, sized up Luo Tian with a playful look on his face.

Of course, he wasn’t about to be used as a pawn by Qi Hong, but he was genuinely intrigued by Luo Tian.

A commoner Martial Artist who was ostracized and resented by an entire county’s geniuses, yet still managed to thrive—there was clearly more to him than met the eye.

"Kid! So you’re this year’s top talent from Lingyun County?"

Wu Chuan clicked his tongue, walking up to Luo Tian to size him up.

His gaze was hostile, as if he were inspecting a new and interesting piece of prey.

"What if I am? What if I’m not?"

Luo Tian retorted irritably.

"Good, good! You really are as arrogant as they say!"

"Even Qi Hong has to show me some respect. You, a country bumpkin, are refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit."

Wu Chuan laughed in anger.

"Qi Hong? He’s nothing but a loser I’ve already defeated. I doubt you’re even his match,"

Luo Tian said calmly.

"You..."

Wu Chuan was left speechless, and the smile on his face turned grim.

"I see a bloody calamity in your future today. If you know what’s good for you, back off now and don’t cause trouble,"

Luo Tian added, narrowing his eyes as he studied Wu Chuan.

A bloody calamity?

The faces of the young men from the nearby County Cities turned strange.

In reality, Luo Tian wasn’t just spouting nonsense.

After mastering the first layer of the Celestial Destiny Creation Technique, he could perceive a trace of Destiny’s workings and had grasped a few Magic Techniques for Qi Observing.

At that moment, Luo Tian circulated his Creation Technique and saw a stream of Clear Qi above Wu Chuan’s head, speckled with flecks of blood-red light.

"Brat! How dare you mock me!"

Veins bulged on Wu Chuan’s forehead as he flew into a rage.

Tiger Roar Fist!

The five Qi Veins in Wu Chuan’s body flared as he threw a terrifying, shadowy punch. A continuous series of sonic booms echoed through the air.

"Brother Luo, watch out!"

Chen Haofei’s face fell.

The Fist Martial Skill Wu Chuan cultivated was close to the Spirit Level, and his strength far surpassed others at his rank.

"The Fist Technique has decent power, but it lacks refinement."

Luo Tian shook his head slightly.

WHOOSH!

He shifted half a step and swung his palm. A Cold Current of True Qi swirled around it as it struck Wu Chuan’s wrist.

BAM!

Wu Chuan’s body froze, like a snake struck at its weak point. His fierce, overbearing punch was stopped in mid-air, all its power completely neutralized.

At the same time, a tyrannical Cold Power invaded his body, making his entire arm go numb and his blood nearly freeze solid.

SLAP!

Before he could even react, Luo Tian sent him flying with a single slap to the face.

"Aaaargh!"

Wu Chuan shrieked as a spray of blood erupted from his nose, splattering across his face and making it a hideous mask.

"I told you," Luo Tian sighed, "a bloody calamity awaited you."

WHOA!

The crowd of youths erupted in an uproar.

"He beat Wu Chuan in one move? Not even Qi Hong could do that!"

"So this guy really is the top talent from Lingyun County."

The hostile gazes directed at Luo Tian receded like the tide.

By defeating Wu Chuan in a single move, Luo Tian had successfully established his dominance and intimidated the other geniuses.

At this moment, even if Luo Tian really had made those arrogant claims, what could they do about it?

This was the ironclad rule: might makes right!

"Young Marquis, this kid is too arrogant..."

Wu Chuan was helped to his feet, his face ashen as he stared at Luo Tian with pure hatred.

However, the Young Marquis, Tang Wei, paid Wu Chuan no mind. Instead, he studied Luo Tian with great interest.

"Kid! You’ve got some skills. Are you willing to follow me?"

The Young Marquis spoke with the tone of a superior addressing a subordinate.

As soon as he spoke, Wu Chuan’s expression changed, and some of the disciples from the Noble Families looked on in shock.

Tang Wei was actually trying to recruit Luo Tian?

Faced with an offer from one of the Royal and Noble Families, any ordinary commoner or disciple from a lesser family would have been ecstatic.

"Not interested."

Luo Tian refused without a moment’s hesitation.

Such a blunt refusal displeased Tang Wei, and his eyebrow twitched.

He had come to the Holy Mansion with the intention of recruiting a few subordinates. He never expected a commoner youth to refuse him.

’Hmph! This worthless commoner. Utterly shameless!’

A sinister glint appeared in Tang Wei’s eyes, and he was on the verge of lashing out.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Just then, another enormous Golden-Winged Eagle descended, carrying a new group of people.

"Look! It’s Princess Yunxiu!"

"She’s here for the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion’s trial too."

A wave of shock went through the disciples of the Noble Families.

All eyes were fixed on a beautiful and noble young woman dressed in palace robes.

"Yunxiu came too?"

The Young Marquis, Tang Wei, quickly put on a smile and went to greet her.

Princess Yunxiu was the niece of the Sovereign of Azure Cloud Kingdom, so her status was even a notch higher than his own.

’A Princess?’

Luo Tian narrowed his eyes and used his Qi Observation Technique.

Above Princess Yunxiu’s head was a Clear Qi Pillar, around which swirled a few thin strands of Dragon and Phoenix Qi.

Huh?

Luo Tian was suddenly taken aback. A few wisps of dark, black thread had pierced through the Clear Qi Pillar above Princess Yunxiu’s head and were seeping inside it.

’This Princess Yunxiu has a noble background, so how could she have the Destiny of a tragic beauty?’

Surprised, Luo Tian couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

"A tragic beauty?"

Since he had muttered it subconsciously, several youths nearby, including Qi Hong and Wu Chuan, overheard him.

"How audacious! How dare you slander the Princess!"

"Luo Tian! You dare curse the Princess to a short life!"

Qi Hong and Wu Chuan exchanged a look, then shouted in unison.

They deliberately raised their voices.

"Luo Tian, how could you be so reckless!"

Chen Haofei’s expression changed, and he quickly pulled Luo Tian aside.

Luo Tian gave a wry smile.

He had only recently begun to master the Qi Observation Technique and hadn’t expected to let his thoughts slip.

However, Wu Chuan and Qi Hong had no intention of letting him off the hook. They made sure to pass Luo Tian’s words on to Princess Yunxiu indirectly.

"Someone said I... am a tragic beauty fated for an early death?"

A flash of anger appeared in Princess Yunxiu’s eyes, but then, as if recalling something, her gaze dimmed.

Still, her eyes lingered on Luo Tian for a moment, memorizing the young man’s face.

"Hmph! Luo Tian! Now you’ve offended both the Young Marquis and Princess Yunxiu. Just you wait and see what happens to you."

A venomous look appeared on Wu Chuan’s red, swollen face.

「Half an hour later.」

Four to five hundred youths had gathered in the valley, and no more birds arrived.

These youths hailed from more than a dozen County Cities. All of them had Cultivation at or above the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening, making them the top geniuses of their respective cities.

Of course, among these hundreds of geniuses, there were two or three who were widely acknowledged as the strongest and absolutely not to be provoked.

They were: Princess Yunxiu, Tang Wei, and Nangong Yu.

Tang Wei and Princess Yunxiu were of noble birth, and their Cultivation had both reached the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening or higher.

The last one, Nangong Yu, caught Luo Tian’s attention.

Nangong Yu was an exceptionally handsome young man, with looks that could make any woman jealous. Some of the girls present stole frequent glances at him, their faces blushing.

Since arriving in the valley, Nangong Yu had remained seated with his eyes closed. With his long hair draped over his shoulders, he appeared quite aloof.

"What’s the story with this Nangong Yu?"

Luo Tian asked.

His intuition told him that this Nangong Yu was far more formidable than the Young Marquis, Tang Wei.

"Nangong Yu is from one of the Seven Great Martial Arts Families of the Azure Cloud Kingdom. His strength is unfathomable,"

Chen Haofei said gravely.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Just then, all the Golden-Winged Eagles in the valley took to the skies and flew away. The representatives from the Holy Mansion were also long gone.

"Huh? Where did all the people from the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion go?"

"What’s on the entrance trial this year?"

A sense of anxious confusion fell over the hundreds of youths in the valley.

Many of the youths felt a growing unease.

Because the content of the Holy Mansion’s annual entrance trial was never the same.

But they all had one thing in common: they were difficult!

Compared to this, the assessments for the County City Wu Mansions were child’s play.

Most of the examinees here today were at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening, but at least half of them would be eliminated.

"Hm?"

Luo Tian suddenly sensed a peculiar fluctuation of Spiritual Qi.

Just then, a strange mist began to spread through the valley, and in a short while, it had enveloped all several hundred youths.

"Has the trial begun?"

Standing in the mist, the youths from the various County Cities found their breathing quickening and their hearts racing.