King of Ten Thousand Years

The natural environment on Xuankong Mountain worsened, increasing the danger significantly.

Downpours, lightning, hail, and poisonous mists appeared in endless succession.

Those with cultivation below the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm were already under immense pressure. They clutched their Tokens, ready to teleport away at a moment’s notice.

Moreover, the disciples discovered something else.

The environmental deterioration lessened the closer one got to the center of Xuankong Mountain.

In other words, the center of Xuankong Mountain was the least dangerous area.

As a result, nearly all the disciples remaining on Xuankong Mountain rushed toward the center, hoping to last a little longer.

Luo Tian was no exception.

After obtaining the power of three Spiritual Pools, he changed his original plan and decided to compete for a higher rank.

Luo Tian named the first Spiritual Pool the ”Life Spiritual Pool.” Its mark’s power could make plants grow wildly and even heal injuries. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it could bring the dead back to life.

He named the second the ”Flame Spiritual Pool.” The mark’s power allowed his attacks to contain an incredibly terrifying Flame Power.

He named the third the ”Power Spiritual Pool.” He had asked the Celestial Book; once the mark was activated, his physical strength would skyrocket.

The Power Mark would be most effective when combined with the skills of a Body Cultivator.

He had two uses of the Life Mark left, one of the Flame Mark, and three of the Power Mark!

’These marks all have different effects. Even the Flame Mark only allows my attacks to briefly rival those of the Ten Great Core Disciples.’

’It won’t be easy to beat them in this trial. I can’t let my guard down!’

Luo Tian analyzed the situation.

He gradually approached the center of Xuankong Mountain.

Since the other disciples were also heading toward the center, Luo Tian encountered several people along the way.

They were all shocked, finding it unbelievable that Luo Tian had managed to last this long.

’There are probably only about twenty people left on Xuankong Mountain now!’

Luo Tian guessed.

Every person eliminated meant Luo Tian’s rank would climb one spot higher.

Before long, he ran into an acquaintance: Cheng Wanli.

”Luo Tian!”

Cheng Wanli wasn’t surprised to see Luo Tian.

He didn’t think Luo Tian would be eliminated so quickly.

”Brother Cheng, how have you fared?”

Luo Tian asked.

”The haul has been pretty good.”

A smile played on Cheng Wanli’s lips.

He raised his palm, his smile widening as he asked, ”Brother Luo, do you know what this is?”

Cheng Wanli looked like a child with a new toy, eager to show it off.

Luo Tian looked and saw three blue, teardrop-shaped marks on the back of Cheng Wanli’s hand.

”Spirit Pond Mark!”

Luo Tian was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected Cheng Wanli to have found a Spiritual Pool.

”You actually know?”

Cheng Wanli was surprised but quickly hid it with a laugh. ”Ahem, I see you already know. But Spiritual Pools are limited and extremely hard to come by. Don’t be discouraged. If you’re lucky, you might find one later.”

”You’re right. My luck has been pretty good.”

Luo Tian nodded and turned over his left hand, revealing the back.

”Marks?”

Cheng Wanli saw at a glance that there were two green, bead-like marks on the back of Luo Tian’s hand.

He hadn’t thought Luo Tian would have found a Spiritual Pool too!

Cheng Wanli felt a little awkward. Luo Tian’s luck was just as good as his.

But then he noticed two other, different types of marks on the back of Luo Tian’s other hand!

”Th-three types of marks! You’ve found three Spiritual Pools?”

Cheng Wanli was so shocked he could barely speak clearly, his eyes wide as he asked.

At that moment, his face flushed red with shock.

To think he had been gloating just moments ago, even telling Luo Tian not to be jealous. Cheng Wanli felt utterly humiliated.

”Even if you’ve found three Spiritual Pools, I won’t lose to you in this Xuankong Mountain trial!”

Cheng Wanli declared solemnly.

He had been full of confidence before, but now he felt completely unsure of himself. All he could do was take this with the utmost seriousness and strive to surpass Luo Tian!

”Right. And I won’t lose to you!”

Luo Tian’s targets were the Ten Great Core Disciples.

”I got some news. An earthquake in the center of Xuankong Mountain has uncovered a previously buried Ancient Garden!”

”Let’s team up and go take a look!”

Cheng Wanli shared the news.

Predictably, many disciples were now rushing to the center. The Ancient Garden was sure to have attracted a crowd, including the Ten Great Core Disciples.

Alone, Cheng Wanli wasn’t confident he could stand against the Core Disciples.

And he had to admit that Luo Tian, with his three types of marks, was likely stronger than him.

Teaming up with Luo Tian was a good option.

”Where?”

Luo Tian was also very interested.

The Xuankong Mountain trial was nearing its end, and no one wanted to pass up any opportunity.

「Two hours later.」

Led by Cheng Wanli, Luo Tian saw a massive ravine.

The ravine was less than a thousand feet deep. Inside lay an ancient, decaying garden, shrouded in a gloomy, green poisonous mist that obscured the view.

”Let’s go down!”

Cheng Wanli said excitedly.

This Ancient Garden was buried underground and hasn’t been explored. There must be tons of opportunities.

”Hold on!”

Luo Tian stopped Cheng Wanli.

”What’s wrong?”

”Something’s not right!”

Luo Tian felt a faint sense of danger.

He immediately began his divination.

”Divination? Stop with the theatrics!”

Cheng Wanli scoffed, thinking Luo Tian was just putting on a show.

Luo Tian ignored him. When he finished his divination, his eyes snapped open, his expression graver than before.

”I’m afraid the news about the Ancient Garden was deliberately leaked. The goal is to have others go in first as cannon fodder!”

Luo Tian said gravely.

”Really?”

Cheng Wanli was skeptical.

Who could be so ruthless as to use their fellow disciples as cannon fodder to pave their own way?

”What do we do next?” Cheng Wanli asked.

”Wait!”

Luo Tian uttered a single word.

Seeing Luo Tian’s serious expression, Cheng Wanli was mostly convinced.

But he was still puzzled. ’How could Luo Tian get such precise information after divining for only a moment?’

...

「Outside the garden.」

”Ah! Save me!”

Suddenly, a man with a severed arm and tattered clothes burst out.

Chasing him was an incredibly ugly black insect, four or five meters long. Its massive, circular mouth was lined with a dense ring of sharp teeth.

BZZZ!

Seeing no escape, the man crushed the Token in his hand. He was instantly enveloped in a white light and teleported away, his face a mask of frustration.

In a corner of the ravine, two figures quietly watched the scene unfold.

One was a broad-faced man with a calm expression and eyes like dark pools. It was Qiao Hai, Ying Feihang’s senior brother.

The other, a noble-looking woman with blue hair, wore a slightly excited expression.

”Brother Qiao, your plan was brilliant! Spreading the news about this place to have others go in first and deal with the trouble for us!”

”And when they get eliminated, it helps our rankings too. Truly killing two birds with one stone!”

The blue-haired woman said in admiration.

Qiao Hai had been the first to discover this Ancient Garden and had even explored it briefly.

The fact that even someone of his strength had been forced to retreat showed just how dangerous it was inside.

So, even if their plan attracted other Core Disciples, it was nothing to worry about. In fact, it was a good thing.

Of course, Ye Feng was an exception.

As someone in the Earth Element Realm, he couldn’t be measured by ordinary standards.

”We’ll wait a little longer, then we go in!”

A faint smile played on Qiao Hai’s lips, as if everything was proceeding according to his plan.

A short while later, they saw a Core Disciple being chased out of the area by more than twenty insects.

「Fifteen minutes later.」

”Let’s go!”

Qiao Hai and the blue-haired woman went inside.

By now, many of the Demon Beasts in the garden had already been killed or lured away by the disciples who had gone in before them.

Plus, with two Core Disciples like them working together, they shouldn’t have any major problems as long as they didn’t run into an Earth Element Realm-level Demon Beast or a massive swarm.

HUMMM!

The two activated their Protective True Qi to ward off the green poisonous mist that permeated the garden.

They had barely taken a few steps when three hideous, giant black insects shot toward them.

Qiao Hai extended a finger and tapped twice in the air. Two streaks of light, like Star Traces, shot out.

PTH! PTH!

In the next instant, the two giant insects were pierced by the Finger Technique and collapsed limply to the ground.

The blue-haired woman casually dispatched the third one.

Along the way, a steady stream of Demon Beasts attacked. Many were at the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, and there were even some at the Half-step Earth Element Realm.

ROAR!

A bug over ten meters long appeared. It looked like a gigantic, rotting earthworm, with a cavernous maw at both its head and tail.

The bug’s aura was ferocious; its cultivation had reached the Half-step Earth Element Realm!

”Meteor Finger!”

Qiao Hai executed his Finger Technique, taking the initiative to attack the Half-step Earth Element Realm insect.

Qiao Hai’s strength was among the best of the Core Disciples.

With the blue-haired woman providing support, the two of them steadily overpowered the giant insect.

After a long battle, Qiao Hai’s Finger Technique had riddled the Half-step Earth Element Realm insect with holes, and green fluid spilled across the ground.

THUD!

The Half-step Earth Element Realm insect collapsed, motionless.

Qiao Hai and the blue-haired woman continued forward.

Not long after they left, a blurry figure appeared beside the giant insect’s corpse.

”A Half-step Earth Element Realm Demon Beast is dead!”

Luo Tian was shocked.

’Looks like the people I’m following are exceptionally strong!’

’But an even greater danger awaits you up ahead!’

A smile touched Luo Tian’s lips.

He left a hard-to-spot mark on the ground and followed them.

A moment later, Cheng Wanli arrived at the spot.

”A Half-step Earth Element Realm Demon Beast!”

Cheng Wanli was also shocked.

At the same time, he felt a pang of envy. Luo Tian had an Exotic Treasure, a cloak that could conceal his aura and even render him invisible in darkness.

It wasn’t nighttime, but the light was dim enough that Luo Tian was practically semi-invisible.

Cheng Wanli had no such ability. He could only follow the marks Luo Tian left behind; otherwise, Qiao Hai and the blue-haired woman would surely detect him.

...

”Black Yin Bamboo! Excellent. This is a superb material for practicing Yin Cold Attribute Techniques. It’s rare and expensive in the outside world!”

Qiao Hai dug out two rotting, black stalks of bamboo and put them in his pouch.

”This garden is full of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. This haul is worth more than everything I’ve gathered so far!”

The blue-haired woman laughed.

Since Qiao Hai had been here before, their path led directly to the garden’s core.

After just a few more steps, a dreadful, terrifying aura suddenly emanated from a building ahead, making their skin crawl.

”This is the center of the Ancient Garden. There must be even more valuable treasures inside!”

Qiao Hai’s gaze sharpened as he slowly approached.

As they neared the entrance, they saw the hall inside was pitch-black. Gusts of sinister wind blew out, making their hair stand on end.

Qiao Hai and the blue-haired woman could vaguely make out a massive sarcophagus in the center of the hall. Behind it stood a tombstone about thirty feet high!

”It’s the tomb of a Yunxiao Sect senior!”

Qiao Hai’s eyes widened.

He never imagined this Ancient Garden was actually a mausoleum.

Qiao Hai had never seen such a massive mausoleum before.

Furthermore, this was Xuankong Mountain, the Sacred Land of the Yunxiao Sect. The person buried in such a grand mausoleum here must have been an extraordinary figure.

They must have been at least at the level of one of the Three Great Elders, if not higher.

Qiao Hai couldn’t help but stare at the tombstone, trying to make out the name of the person buried there...