King of Ten Thousand Years

Luo Tian’s sword strike held a sense of boundless immensity, making the thick-lipped youth feel utterly insignificant.

”No! That sword strike!”

Terror filled the thick-lipped youth’s eyes.

For a moment, he had the bizarre illusion that he was facing Xiao Feng.

’How is this possible?’

’Luo Tian is just a Human List prodigy from some small country, at the mere Peak of the First Layer. How could he possibly be compared to Xiao Feng?’

”Sword Like a River!”

Sensing extreme danger, the thick-lipped youth slashed fiercely with his saber, unleashing a massive, river-like torrent of cyan light.

Luo Tian’s Sword Momentum abruptly shifted. He dodged the slash and gashed the thick-lipped youth’s arm.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Immediately after, his Sword Light weaved back and forth like a Star River, forming an impenetrable and unpredictable net.

In Luo Tian’s hands, the Celestial Star Sword Technique, which he had mastered to the Perfect Realm, was executed with consummate skill.

The thick-lipped youth’s Saber Technique was forced onto the defensive, leaving him completely suppressed.

SQUELCH!

An instant later, Luo Tian seized an opening. His sword slid across the thick-lipped youth’s throat, and blood immediately gushed out.

The thick-lipped youth—at the Peak of the Second Layer and ranked forty-third on the Chilong Dynasty’s Human List—was effortlessly killed by Luo Tian in just a few strikes.

”If you’re going to hunt me, you’d better be prepared to become the hunted.”

Luo Tian gazed at the thick-lipped youth’s fallen corpse.

He couldn’t care less about the hefty bounty Yan Qing had placed on him.

’However many come is how many I’ll kill.’

Luo Tian crouched down and began to search for loot.

”Only two Demon Cores?”

He was quite surprised.

’He was a prodigy from the Chilong Dynasty, after all. Only two Demon Cores in half a day? This guy must have been slacking off the entire time.’

”Let’s find the next target.”

Luo Tian gave the Crow an order and left.

「Not long after.」

A man in white robes arrived and found the wound on the thick-lipped youth’s body.

”This sword wound... it’s extremely similar to the injuries caused by the Luo Tian Sword Technique.”

Although many of the examinees used swords, few had reached Luo Tian’s level of swordsmanship.

The white-robed man took out a cylinder, which shot out a burst of red smoke that was extremely eye-catching.

A short while later, two figures arrived.

One of them was none other than Yan Qing.

Beside him was a woman in a red skirt with delicate features. She was a prodigy from the Chilong Dynasty, ranked forty-first on the Human List, and had just formed a team with Yan Qing.

With her strength, passing the assessment would depend on luck. By relying on Yan Qing, however, her success was practically guaranteed.

”The fatal wound is on his throat; the others are just minor injuries.”

It was obvious he had been completely overpowered and killed.

”He has that kind of strength,” Yan Qing said coldly.

After all, even the Cui Brothers, ranked twenty-ninth and twenty-seventh on the Human List, had been killed by Luo Tian when they teamed up.

”He can’t have been gone for long. Let’s go!”

A faint smile touched Yan Qing’s lips. He was overjoyed to have found Luo Tian’s trail so quickly!

”Young Master Yan Qing, I’ll go with you.”

The white-robed man was at the Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer and also wanted to join the team.

”Alright. You’ll get your five hundred Spiritual Essence Coins,” Yan Qing said with a smile.

And so, Yan Qing’s team grew to three members.

They were indeed not far from Luo Tian. However, their team had no skilled trackers, and since Luo Tian’s own speed was not slow, catching up proved to be quite difficult.

”There’s a noise over there!”

The woman in the red skirt suddenly heard a faint sound.

”Let’s go!”

Yan Qing nodded, and the team hurried over.

The area was in chaos, with toppled trees and the massive corpse of a Demon Beast. Its Demon Core had already been dug out.

”The sword wounds are exactly the same as before. Luo Tian killed this, but the wound...”

The white-robed man sounded certain at first, but then he hesitated.

The wound was from a single, fatal strike!

This Spirit Level Demon Beast was probably at the Second Heaven of the Spirit Sea Realm. However, the Demon Beasts from the source of the Celestial Extreme Mountain Range were more ferocious and violent than those outside, making them much harder to deal with.

’To kill it in a single strike... isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?’

”Keep after him!”

Yan Qing didn’t give it much thought.

He could also kill such a Demon Beast in a single blow.

But a short while later, Yan Qing’s group found another Demon Beast corpse. It was a Golden Needle Mosquito, which was much stronger than the previous Demon Beast.

And yet the wound indicated another one-hit kill!

”How is that possible?”

The woman in the red skirt was utterly horrified.

Both Demon Beasts were killed in a single strike. This was undeniable proof that Luo Tian possessed the strength to completely crush them.

But the Golden Needle Mosquito was small, extremely difficult to detect, famous for its speed, and specialized in surprise attacks.

Moreover, this particular Golden Needle Mosquito was strong enough to easily kill someone at the Third Layer of Spirit Sea Realm.

’To kill such a powerful Demon Beast in a single strike as well?’

”Are we tracking the wrong person? The one who killed these Demon Beasts might not be Luo Tian, but some other powerful sword expert.”

The white-robed man asked doubtfully.

Yan Qing’s gaze was deep. He shook his head slightly, thinking the possibility of an error was very low.

In his mind, his assessment of Luo Tian rose another level.

”Keep tracking! I, for one, hope it’s him. A slightly stronger enemy won’t be so boring.”

Yan Qing ordered with cold indifference.

Seeing Yan Qing’s confidence, the woman in red and the man in white were no longer worried.

After all, Yan Qing was seventh on the Human List, at the Peak of the Third Layer, and had a record of defeating an expert at the Fourth Layer of Spirit Sea Realm.

「Half a day passed, and it was now deep into the night.」

The trio, who were not skilled trackers, found it even harder to catch up to Luo Tian after nightfall.

Luo Tian’s speed was no slower than theirs—in fact, it was even a little faster.

Moreover, when Luo Tian killed Demon Beasts, he would simulate the Demon Emperor’s aura, kill them in one blow, and leave immediately.

Even if Yan Qing and his group heard the commotion and rushed over, Luo Tian would be long gone.

Beyond that, there were their own internal factors at play.

In the last half a day, Yan Qing’s trio had witnessed the corpses of ten Demon Beasts, all killed in a single strike!

Their initial surprise had turned to shock, and now... to deep-seated doubt.

”Impossible!”

Yan Qing stood frozen in place, his brow deeply furrowed.

’The corpses of ten Demon Beasts in a row, all killed in a single strike... Even I’m not confident I could achieve such a feat. What makes Luo Tian capable of it?’

They had also discovered something else: these dead Demon Beasts all wore expressions of extreme terror, as if they had seen an incomparably horrifying existence before being killed in a single strike.

This only gave Yan Qing’s group more questions and room for speculation.

”Did we really track the wrong person? Maybe it’s Xia Yun, who’s fifth on the Human List?”

Yan Qing wondered to himself.

Xia Yun was stronger than him and was also a sword expert, but Xia Yun’s personal sword was the [Cold Cicada Sword], which would have left different wounds.

ROAR!

A roar echoed from the distance, shaking the mountain forest.

”Let’s go check it out!”

Yan Qing said at once.

The three of them rushed over, but as they approached the location, Yan Qing and the others inexplicably grew more cautious.

There, they saw the corpse of a giant python lying on the ground. This time, however, the Demon Beast’s face was not filled with just terror, but also rage.

”It wasn’t a one-hit kill. It was two!”

The white-robed man’s eyes brightened slightly.

Killing an enemy in two strikes was a perfectly normal occurrence.

But after seeing ten Demon Beasts killed in one strike, suddenly discovering one that was different was enough to make them take notice, even feel surprised.

”Two strikes, that’s right... but this giant Python Demon... it seems to be a Spirit Level Middle Tier Demon Beast!”

Yan Qing stared at the giant python’s corpse, observing its physical characteristics and the aura lingering in the air, and came to an astonishing conclusion!

Spirit Level Middle Tier Demon Beasts corresponded to the Fourth through Sixth Layers of the Spirit Sea Realm.

And Yan Qing deduced that this Python Demon must have been at the Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer!

A Fifth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, slain in two strikes!

Even Feng Qiuling, ranked third on the Human List, or the Eighth Prince, ranked second, would find that difficult to achieve.

Only Xiao Feng, number one on the Human List, might be capable of it.

The white-robed man’s expression shifted constantly. Finally, he forced a smile and said, ”Young Master Yan Qing, my stomach feels a bit upset. I’m going to go take care of it.”

It was obvious he was just looking for an excuse to leave the team.

The person they were tracking was just too damn terrifying!

’Killing a Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer Demon Beast in two strikes? What kind of joke was that?’

Yan Qing’s expression was grim. He was now so frightened that he was considering giving up.

”We must have been tracking the wrong person.”

Yan Qing was unwilling to admit that Luo Tian could be so strong.

But at that very moment...

...the rustling sound of footsteps on leaves came from up ahead.

”Who’s there?”

Yan Qing bellowed. All three of them tensed simultaneously, as if facing a formidable foe.

A familiar, handsome young man slowly emerged. It was the very person they had been tracking: Luo Tian.

”Have you forgotten me so quickly, Young Master Yan Qing?”

At first, Luo Tian hadn’t known that Yan Qing and the others were tracking him.

It was only because the Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer Demon Beast possessed higher intelligence. It had managed to break free from the suppression of the Demon Emperor’s aura and react, which had slowed Luo Tian down slightly.

After leaving, he had heard a noise and decided to turn back.

”Luo Tian!”

The pupils of Yan Qing and his two companions contracted sharply.

Just moments ago, they had been convinced they were tracking the wrong person. How could the one who killed a Spirit Sea Fifth Layer Demon Beast in two strikes possibly be Luo Tian?

But in the next instant, Luo Tian appeared right before them.

The proof was irrefutable!

”Yan Qing, the reward for discovering my whereabouts is five hundred Spiritual Essence Coins. Now that I’ve appeared before you myself, can I collect that reward?”

A mocking smile appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

”Reward my ass!”

Yan Qing roared, overcome with emotion.

”I didn’t expect the Young Master to be a man who doesn’t keep his word. In that case, I’ll just have to take it myself.”

Luo Tian’s eyes turned cold.

SHING!

The [Wind and Snow Sword] was unsheathed. Celestial Star Six Techniques—Starfire, Spreading Like Wildfire!

The sharp sword left a trail of Starlight Sword Aura that seemed to combust, looking exceptionally brilliant and dazzling in the dark of night.

”Attack together!”

Yan Qing roared, producing a jet-black long spear. He thrust out, sending forth shrieking, explosive beams of black light with unparalleled, savage momentum.

The man in white and the woman in red did not hesitate, also attacking with their full strength.

”Go!”

Luo Tian’s gaze sharpened. He subtly activated the Divine Vein Power within him, and a deep blue Cold Mist spread from his body, merging into the Sword Light.

FWOOSH-BOOM!

A vast, brilliant sword light like burning starfire whipped up a dark blue, cold wind, transforming into a frost dragon that seemed to burn with starlight as it blasted forward.

CRACK! BOOM!

The killing blows collided, creating a chaotic explosion that sent a shocking wave of cold energy sweeping out in all directions.

The surrounding trees exploded and flew apart, and everything within a dozen-meter radius was instantly coated in a layer of frost.

Scrape! Scrape, scrape!

Yan Qing was forced back a step, a wave of icy cold washing over his body.

The man in white and the woman in red, however, were knocked back several meters. The cold energy invaded their bodies, leaving them somewhat stiff and their arms numb.

”What a powerful sword strike!”

This was the thought shared by all three.

Even with Yan Qing—ranked seventh on the Human List—joining the attack, their combined assault was still repelled by a single move from Luo Tian!