King of Ten Thousand Years

Xia Bingyue made her grand entrance, ranked first on the Human List.

The students from all the Martial Mansions present were captivated by her ethereal, fairy-like, icy beauty, and couldn’t help but feel inadequate in comparison.

Luo Tian also felt a sense of astonishment.

It was hard to imagine.

This ice queen, with skin like jade and bones of ice, stood at the apex with her sword. She was unrivaled in her generation, overshadowing all the contemporary geniuses of the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

She had once confidently declared that she would marry any peer who could defeat her.

At this moment, Wang Tian, second on the Human List, and Yuwen Xuan, third, looked at her with gazes filled with fiery passion and battle intent.

Which man of this generation wouldn’t want to conquer Xia Bingyue, a woman of unparalleled talent and beauty?

However, even powerhouses like Wang Tian and Yuwen Xuan had once been defeated by her hand.

Luo Tian circulated his Creation Technique and sensed an unrivaled, piercing aura from Xia Bingyue.

Even Wang Tian could put a great deal of pressure on him.

But he couldn’t compare to Xia Bingyue, who gave Luo Tian a feeling of complete invincibility.

「An hour later.」

On Xuanwu Square, the Three Great Holy Mansions and dozens of Advanced Martial Mansions had all gathered.

The Azure Cloud Kingdom’s triennial Martial Mansion Grand Tournament was about to begin.

This was both a grand event to make a name for oneself and an opportunity to leap over the dragon’s gate.

In the center of Xuanwu Square, there was a ten-meter-high viewing platform where high-level representatives from the Royal Family and the Three Great Holy Mansions were seated.

For the Three Great Holy Mansions, either the Mansion Master or Vice Mansion Master was present.

From the Royal Family’s side, the Azure Cloud Monarch and Crown Prince Li Sheng were in attendance personally.

The Azure Cloud Monarch was over fifty, with a grave expression and a slightly sickly pallor, yet he did not lack the majesty of a ruler.

"Father Emperor, the Three Great Holy Mansions and the many Advanced Martial Mansions have all arrived," Crown Prince Li Sheng said respectfully.

"Let it begin."

The Azure Cloud Monarch closed his eyes slightly and said no more.

This Martial Mansion Grand Tournament was jointly hosted by the Royal Family and the Three Great Holy Mansions.

The Monarch had entrusted this matter to Crown Prince Li Sheng.

"The Martial Mansion Grand Tournament, begin!"

Beside the Crown Prince, a Royal Family Elder waved an Array Flag in his hand.

BUZZ! RUMBLE—

The ground around the viewing platform trembled, and a dazzling, three-colored radiance surged forth.

Immediately after, four Martial Combat Platforms, each over fifty meters in length and width, rose from the bluestone ground with imposing momentum, positioned in the north, south, east, and west.

These four Martial Combat Platforms were seamlessly integrated with the bluestone ground, shimmering with the three-colored glow of an array.

"The rules of the Martial Mansion Grand Tournament are divided into two rounds," the Royal Family Elder announced loudly.

"The first round is the ’Sub-match’ round. It will be divided into four sub-arenas. From each, five participants will be selected based on points earned from victories."

According to the rules, the first round alone would select the top twenty, deciding the fate of all the students.

"In the second round, after the top twenty are confirmed, there will be ranking challenges to determine the final placements."

With the rules explained, the Royal Family Elder smiled and paused for effect.

"Now for the rewards of this Martial Mansion Grand Tournament."

"The top twenty will gain entry into the Royal Secret Garden."

"The top ten will receive the Royal Family’s treasured ’Spiritual Pearl Liquid’."

"First place may choose a complete Earth Level Cultivation Technique or Martial Skill from either the Royal Family or the Three Great Holy Mansions."

After the rewards were announced, the square was in an uproar.

The Royal Secret Garden was already the main event of the Grand Tournament, a rare and great opportunity.

"Spiritual Pearl Liquid can expand a Spirit Sea Realm cultivator’s Qi Sea and enhance their Cultivation Foundation. For those at the Peak of the Ninth Layer or the Half-step Spirit Sea Realm, it can help them advance to the Spirit Sea Realm."

Luo Tian heard Xie Lin’s excited voice beside him.

’It helps with advancing to the Spirit Sea Realm?’

Luo Tian’s heart leaped.

If he could obtain the Spiritual Pearl Liquid, he could greatly shorten the time needed to step into the Spirit Sea Realm.

Luo Tian made a decision.

’I must break into the top ten in this Martial Mansion Grand Tournament!’

"Even getting into the top twenty is extremely difficult. The top ten is practically out of reach."

Xie Lin shook his head again with a bitter smile.

Without the strength of a Sunshine Student or higher, it was nearly impossible to break into the top ten and obtain the Spiritual Pearl Liquid.

As for first place, even the Sunshine Students wouldn’t dare to dream of it; it was practically reserved for Xia Bingyue.

The reward for first place was a complete Earth Level Cultivation Technique or Martial Skill, which was equivalent to directly obtaining a Holy Mansion Level’s ultimate skill.

The Guiyuan Technique that Luo Tian had received through special exception only had the first three layers and was incomplete; it was the same for the other prodigies.

...

"The first round, the ’Sub-matches,’ begin!" the Royal Family Elder announced.

The students from the various Martial Mansions each received a number token.

"Platform one, number 66."

Luo Tian received his number token.

Xuanwu Square had four Martial Arts Arenas, and the four strongest geniuses were directly assigned to them.

Platform 1, Xia Bingyue.

Platform 2, Wang Tian.

Platform 3, Yuwen Xuan.

Platform 4, Third Prince Li Yi.

These four were publicly acknowledged as the Azure Cloud Kingdom’s four greatest prodigies.

The Grand Tournament was arranged this way to prevent the strongest geniuses from meeting too early.

Luo Tian was assigned to Platform 1, in the same group as Xia Bingyue.

"Heavens! It’s actually the Death Group!"

In front of Platform 1, the faces of the hundred-plus Martial Mansion geniuses who had gathered there turned grim.

Besides Xia Bingyue, sub-arena 1 also had three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators.

"Seventh Prince Li Yao! Sunshine Student Xu Mengxin! And Xi Shan, who’s ranked eighteenth on the Human List."

The students trembled in fear.

Including Xia Bingyue, there were four cultivators at the Spirit Sea Realm, and three Prodigy Students.

And Xi Shan, ranked eighteenth on the Human List, though not a Prodigy Student, had also recently broken through to the Spirit Sea Realm.

’I was actually assigned to the Death Group.’

Luo Tian’s expression grew stern.

Coincidentally, both Seventh Prince Li Yao and Xu Mengxin were Prodigy Students from the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion, and they were assigned to Platform 1 together.

Li Yao was seventh on the Human List, and Xu Mengxin was twelfth.

Even Liu Ziyan was assigned to this group.

Liu Ziyan, with her exquisite beauty and outstanding strength, was also an object of attention among the students.

"Wei Yun, twentieth on the Human List, and Liu Ziyan, twenty-fourth on the Human List!"

"There’s simply no way to survive!"

At Martial Combat Platform 1, the students wanted to cry but had no tears.

Each sub-arena only had five spots to qualify for the top twenty.

The four Spirit Sea Realm cultivators—Xia Bingyue, Li Yao, Xu Mengxin, and Xi Shan—would basically take four of the spots.

After them, there were still Wei Yun and Liu Ziyan, ranked twentieth and twenty-fourth on the Human List.

Both of them possessed combat strength approaching the Spirit Sea Realm.

"Ziyan, rest assured! Luo Tian has been assigned to the Death Group; there’s no way he’ll break through," Seventh Prince Li Yao said with a proud look, his voice transmitted telepathically.

Luo Tian being assigned to the Death Group was no coincidence.

The Martial Mansion Grand Tournament was hosted jointly by the Royal Family and the Three Great Holy Mansions.

In order to obstruct Luo Tian, Li Yao had asked Crown Prince Li Sheng to arrange it, not expecting the latter to agree so readily.

’Luo Tian! Once you fail to make the top twenty, I’ll enter the Royal Secret Garden, seize the opportunity, and becoming a Sunshine Student will be just around the corner.’

Liu Ziyan’s resentful gaze swept across Luo Tian’s face, tinged with a cold, arrogant confidence.

Luo Tian’s brow furrowed slightly. Being assigned to the Death Group, and at the same time with the Seventh Prince and Liu Ziyan, felt too coincidental.

Of course, Luo Tian wasn’t afraid of a challenge. His goal was to break into the top ten, obtain the Spiritual Pearl Liquid, and aid his advancement to the Spirit Sea Realm.

"The sub-arena matches begin."

"A victory earns 3 points, a draw earns 1 point, and a loss deducts 1 point. Three consecutive losses, or a total of negative three points, will result in elimination."

The referee for sub-arena 1 was Elder Hua Xu.

The first match began quickly.

Xia Bingyue, dressed in snow-white robes, floated onto the stage, her icy beauty looking otherworldly.

"Xia Bingyue!"

Her opponent, a Golden Student at the Peak of the Ninth Layer, had his expression change drastically.

Suddenly, a flash of cold Sword Light, as brilliant as an aurora, shot toward the Golden Student’s forehead, slicing off a few strands of hair from between his brows.

"Ah... I surrender!"

The Golden Student was scared out of his wits, his hand only halfway raised.

If Xia Bingyue’s Sword Light had been off by half an inch, he would have died on the spot.

’So strong!’

The students outside the arena were all aghast; the vast majority hadn’t even seen Xia Bingyue’s move clearly.

Xia Bingyue hadn’t even drawn her sword.

Just by using Breaking Sky Sword Qi, she had instantly defeated a Golden Student at the Peak of the Ninth Layer.

"Such powerful mastery of the Sword Dao!"

Luo Tian was shocked.

Just now, he hadn’t used his Spiritual Sense, so he had only seen a blur of Xia Bingyue’s movements.

「At the same time.」

WHOOSH! BOOM!

In sub-arena 2, Wang Tian struck from a distance, unleashing a tyrannical Palm Shadow of dark, misty light. A sinister, baleful wind churned, creating a terrifying spectacle.

BLECH! CRACK!

A Martial Artist at the Half-step Spirit Sea Realm was sent flying and coughing up blood by his palm strike, several of his ribs broken.

In sub-arena 3, Yuwen Xuan threw a punch. "Defeat!" A Golden Thunderbolt flashed in the air, and his thunderous Fist Force sent a genius from the Human List flying.

In sub-arena 4, Third Prince Li Yi waved his sleeve, and a gust of cyan energy like a gentle breeze swept his opponent off the Martial Arts Arena.

All four of the great prodigies defeated their opponents in a single move!

All of this seemed perfectly natural.

’They’re all strong, but Xia Bingyue is still the strongest,’ Luo Tian mused to himself.

In sub-arena 1, after Xia Bingyue, the battles continued, round after round.

The three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators—Seventh Prince Li Yao, Xu Mengxin, and Xi Shan—all took their turns, calmly defeating their opponents.

"Number 33 versus number 45," the referee announced loudly.

Liu Ziyan’s tall and beautiful figure walked onto the Martial Combat Platform.

Her opponent was a Golden Student at the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening from the Martial Kun Holy Mansion.

"Liu Ziyan, twenty-fourth on the Human List?"

The Golden Student’s face showed apprehension as he attacked with his full strength.

「Three moves later.」

SLICE! SLICE!

Liu Ziyan swung her arm, sending out arcs of purple light shaped like crescent moons. They looked like splendid, colorful flower petals as they left several bloodstains deep enough to reveal bone on the student.

"I surrender!"

The Golden Student retreated in terror, defeated on the spot.

"This woman is so strong!"

The students from the various Martial Mansions in the sub-arena were shocked.

Sub-arena 1 truly lived up to its name as the Death Group.

Besides the four Spirit Sea Realm cultivators, Liu Ziyan was a popular candidate to compete for the final spot.

"Her rank of twenty-fourth on the Human List still underestimates her strength."

Wei Yun, twentieth on the Human List, had a solemn expression.

If he wanted to fight for the fifth spot, Liu Ziyan would be his formidable rival.

"Number 66 versus number 47."

After a few evenly matched bouts, it was finally Luo Tian’s turn.

Number 66 was Luo Tian.

He calmly and unhurriedly stepped onto Martial Arts Arena 1.

Phew!

A slightly chubby youth at the Peak of Eighth Layer of Meridian Opening couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief when he saw Luo Tian.

"Finally, I’ve run into a weaker one."

The chubby youth felt fortunate.

The pressure in sub-arena 1, the Death Group, was too immense.

With a bit of bad luck, running into the four Spirit Sea Realm cultivators, or even Liu Ziyan and Wei Yun, meant he would have no chance of winning.

"I am Zhou Zihang, the number one genius of Hongshan Martial Mansion..." the chubby youth said with a proud look.

Also at the Peak of Eighth Layer of Meridian Opening, he could contend with someone at the Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening and was confident he could defeat Luo Tian.

Before his voice had even faded, BOOM!

A thundering, fluorescent-yellow Palm Shadow, glowing brilliantly, flew through the air, enveloping him in its oppressive might.

"Not good—"

The chubby youth was horrified, feeling a pressure greater than that of a Half-step Spirit Sea cultivator.

BANG! BLECH!

The chubby youth was unable to resist. He was sent flying backward, spitting blood, defeated in a single move.

"I’m not interested in your name."

After striking, Luo Tian left the Martial Combat Platform confidently without even looking back.

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