King of Ten Thousand Years

With two Earth Spirit Fruits in hand, Luo Tian was completely satisfied, but Jiang Daoyun was so furious he felt like his lungs would explode.

He was a distinguished cultivator at the Half-step Earth Element Realm, ranked thirty-second on the Spirit List. ’How could I lose to some piece of trash at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm?’

’Treacherous! That brat is far too treacherous!’

”Only one Earth Spirit Fruit is left!”

Jiang Daoyun’s gaze fell upon the Black Armored Alligator Turtle’s back.

He had to get that last Earth Spirit Fruit, no matter what—whether to use it himself or to gift it to Ji Qingrong and win her favor.

However, the most furious one present wasn’t Jiang Daoyun, but the Black Armored Alligator Turtle!

The Earth Spirit Fruit Tree only bears a single fruit every five hundred years, making them incomparably precious.

These Earth Spirit Fruits were the bait it used to lure prey. But now, two of the three fruits had been snatched away by that very prey. How could it not be enraged?

ROAR!

Its fury blazed to the heavens, its roar shaking the very forest.

The Black Armored Alligator Turtle stomped its four limbs, causing the ground to tremble and cracks to spread in every direction.

Its tail slammed into the lake, stirring up monstrous waves.

The waves transformed into a chaotic black torrent, the front of which vaguely formed a head with a gaping, bloody maw that lunged toward the three humans.

In its fury, the Black Armored Alligator Turtle went all out, its attack aimed primarily at Luo Tian.

”You two, help me hold it off!”

Luo Tian shouted. Being targeted by the Black Armored Alligator Turtle, he felt an immense pressure.

As members of the same team, even if Jiang Daoyun didn’t want to help, he had to act. At worst, he would just hold back and not give it his all.

Luo Tian only needed the two of them to hold it off for a moment. On land, the Black Armored Alligator Turtle was slow; he could escape the danger in an instant.

Although the Black Armored Alligator Turtle hated Luo Tian the most, it could also sense that Ji Qingrong’s and Jiang Daoyun’s Cultivation was stronger, so it couldn’t afford to ignore them.

’I have to get the last Earth Spirit Fruit!’

Jiang Daoyun was resolute.

BOOM!

The ground exploded and dust billowed as True Qi and True Essence collided violently.

The three team members engaged the Black Armored Alligator Turtle in a fierce battle, leaving the area within a fifty to sixty-meter radius riddled with craters.

The Black Armored Alligator Turtle was now fighting with its full attention. Its combat power was immense, its entire body brimming with boundless strength, making both Jiang Daoyun and Ji Qingrong wary of getting too close.

As for the feinting tactic, pulling it off a second time was basically impossible.

Jiang Daoyun and Ji Qingrong could only launch a frontal assault, unleashing techniques they hadn’t revealed before.

With the two of them working together, their combined combat power gradually rose, surprisingly managing to suppress the enraged Black Armored Alligator Turtle!

This came as a surprise to Luo Tian.

The Black Armored Alligator Turtle was an Earth Element Realm Demon Beast, and its threat level was even higher in its enraged state. Moreover, its Defense was practically impenetrable. Seriously injuring it was extremely difficult, and killing it was completely out of the question.

Despite all this, it was being suppressed by Jiang Daoyun’s and Ji Qingrong’s combined offensive. It seemed the two of them planned to take the Earth Spirit Fruit by force.

The more the Black Armored Alligator Turtle fought, the more astonished it became. These two humans were too powerful.

Meanwhile, it was still wary of Luo Tian, who had a special technique to snatch the Earth Spirit Fruit from its back even from dozens of meters away.

THUD THUD THUD!

While fending off Jiang Daoyun and Ji Qingrong’s attacks, the Black Armored Alligator Turtle rapidly backed away.

”It’s trying to get away!”

Jiang Daoyun’s expression changed slightly. He hadn’t gotten the Earth Spirit Fruit yet!

His and Ji Qingrong’s attacks instantly grew more ferocious. A storm of leg shadows and palm blades rained down, their destructive power immense.

Had it been an Earth Element Realm Demon Beast that didn’t excel at Defense, it would have already been severely injured. But the Black Armored Alligator Turtle’s greatest strength was its Defense.

SPLASH!

The Black Armored Alligator Turtle’s enormous body sank into the lake.

Its intelligence was not low; it had concluded that it would be very difficult to kill these three humans.

If this dragged on, its last Earth Spirit Fruit would be stolen as well, which would be a huge loss.

”Leave the Earth Spirit Fruit behind!”

Jiang Daoyun gave chase, unwilling to give up.

BOOM!

A wave surged up like a tsunami, emitting a terrifying pressure!

In the water, the Black Armored Alligator Turtle’s speed was greater, its Attack was stronger, and its overall power was greatly enhanced.

Jiang Daoyun attacked with his full strength but was instantly blasted away. He was sent flying back several dozen meters, drenched from head to toe, his face alternating between pale and livid.

”Don’t chase it. In the water, this beast’s threat level increases dramatically. One careless move, and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

Ji Qingrong said calmly.

It was extremely difficult for them to seriously injure the Black Armored Alligator Turtle, but it would be relatively easy for the beast to seriously injure them—perhaps with just a single blow.

”We should go now. The commotion here was huge, and with the thick scent of blood, it’s sure to attract other powerful Demon Beasts!”

Weaker Demon Beasts wouldn’t dare approach. Any that would come would be at least at the Half-step Earth Element Realm.

It would be disastrous if we were to be surrounded by Demon Beasts.

This is the Manglong Mountain Range, which is extremely dangerous. It pays to be careful.

”Just you wait! Once I break through to the Earth Element Realm, I’ll be back to kill you!”

Jiang Daoyun committed the Black Armored Alligator Turtle to memory.

The three of them then departed quickly.

Along the way, Jiang Daoyun would occasionally shoot a cold glare at Luo Tian, even considering killing him for his loot.

Those were two Earth Spirit Fruits, after all, and their value was immense.

Unfortunately, Ji Qingrong seemed to be looking out for Luo Tian, so he couldn’t make a move.

At this moment, Jiang Daoyun was filled with regret.

If he had just rejected Luo Tian’s distribution plan and split the spoils as a team, he and Ji Qingrong would have each gotten a share of those two Earth Spirit Fruits.

Ji Qingrong also sized Luo Tian up with a few glances.

’He has a Cultivation at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm and teamed up with two at the Half-step Earth Element Realm, yet he emerged as the biggest winner. Both she and Jiang Daoyun had extraordinary statuses. If word of this got out, it would be enough to make Luo Tian famous.’

After traveling at high speed for a while, the three of them stopped.

During the previous battle, Jiang Daoyun had clashed head-on with the Black Armored Alligator Turtle several times and was not lightly injured. He immediately sat down cross-legged to begin healing.

Ji Qingrong, for her part, was also resting and recuperating. The battle with the Black Armored Alligator Turtle had taken a significant toll on her.

Luo Tian also sat down quietly and began cultivating the Guiyuan True Skill.

While they were traveling earlier, his Guiyuan True Skill had already broken through to the Sixth-Layer Minor Achievement Realm.

After breaking through to the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm and tempering himself for a while, Luo Tian felt that his Cultivation of this technique was progressing smoothly. He wasn’t far from reaching Sixth-Layer Great Success.

It was silent. None of the three spoke.

Jiang Daoyun and Ji Qingrong were likely in a foul mood, feeling quite dejected.

They had gone through all that trouble for nothing.

As the biggest beneficiary, Luo Tian didn’t want to provoke the other two and simply focused on his Cultivation.

「One hour later.」

”Luo Tian, you have two Earth Spirit Fruits. Sell one to me.”

Ji Qingrong suddenly proposed a trade.

”What’s the price?”

Luo Tian agreed immediately.

’In fact, I’d already been considering this. After all, Ji Qingrong and Jiang Daoyun know each other. Combined with the immense temptation of the Earth Spirit Fruits, I was worried they might team up to kill me for them. One for each would be a perfect split. Therefore, it was essential to trade one Earth Spirit Fruit for an ally. Jiang Daoyun was out of the question. I was just waiting for Ji Qingrong to bring it up herself.’

”Four thousand five hundred Spiritual Essence Coins.”

Ji Qingrong’s offer was very low.

”I’ll sell it for five thousand.”

Luo Tian countered with an extra five hundred.

”Done!”

Ji Qingrong agreed without hesitation.

Relatively speaking, the price was still quite low.

Luo Tian’s willingness to sell was partly a gesture to befriend Ji Qingrong. Besides, when he was seizing the second Earth Spirit Fruit, Ji Qingrong had provided timely support by blocking the Black Armored Alligator Turtle.

Without her, it would have been very difficult for Luo Tian to succeed.

Jiang Daoyun watched as Luo Tian and Ji Qingrong completed their transaction, their bond seemingly deepening.

This made Jiang Daoyun grit his teeth in silent hatred.

’I originally wanted to use this lead to get closer to Ji Qingrong. But now, I feel like a matchmaker, setting up Luo Tian and Ji Qingrong. The information was mine, so the Earth Spirit Fruit should have been mine! That brat is just taking my offering and presenting it as his own!’

Jiang Daoyun committed this grudge to memory.

Luo Tian sensed Jiang Daoyun’s hostility. There was no point in staying with the team any longer.

He was about to suggest they part ways.

But just then, his Creation Technique sent him another premonition of danger.

’There’s still danger?’

Luo Tian was a bit surprised.

’I previously thought the danger was the Black Armored Alligator Turtle. It seems I was mistaken. Could it be Jiang Daoyun? No, that’s impossible! Ji Qingrong and I just completed our transaction and deepened our rapport. With her around, it’s almost impossible for Jiang Daoyun to kill me. I was just about to leave the team when the Creation Technique warned me of danger. Could it be...’

Luo Tian had an idea, but he wasn’t entirely sure.

So he activated his Inference Skill.

”Luo Tian, are you trying to read a fortune?”

Jiang Daoyun couldn’t help but find this amusing.

’The path of Inference is profoundly mysterious. Luo Tian is so young, how could he possibly understand such things? He must be putting on an act to get Ji Qingrong’s attention.’

Luo Tian didn’t respond, acting as if he were truly divining the secrets of heaven and could not be disturbed.

Tch!

Jiang Daoyun scoffed.

A few breaths later, Luo Tian opened his eyes, ceased his Inference, and said with a smile, ”Brother Jiang, do you suspect I’m just putting on a show?”

”The way of the Destiny Dao is mysterious and obscure. Countless Destiny Dao Masters have spent their entire lives studying it just to gain some small measure of achievement. Are you trying to say you’re more skilled than them?”

Jiang Daoyun sneered, thinking this was a perfect opportunity to make Luo Tian look like a fool.

”I can’t help it if you don’t believe me, Brother Jiang. However, since I obtained the Earth Spirit Fruit thanks to your help, I feel I should give you a little warning!”

Luo Tian revealed an enigmatic smile.

The corner of Jiang Daoyun’s mouth twitched. He felt Luo Tian was deliberately bringing up the Earth Spirit Fruit just to flaunt it in front of him.

”I just performed an Inference and learned that a disaster is about to befall you, Brother Jiang. An enemy is coming for you!”

Luo Tian’s expression was grave, as if he truly meant it.

”An enemy?”

Jiang Daoyun looked disdainful.

His Jiang Family was the number one family in the Zi Shan Dynasty. Very few would dare to seek revenge against them.

Besides, very few people even knew he had left home this time. How could an enemy possibly find him here?

”Fine. Then I’ll just wait and see if any enemy shows up!”

Jiang Daoyun didn’t believe a word of Luo Tian’s nonsense.

Ji Qingrong didn’t really believe it either, but seeing Luo Tian’s confident appearance, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of anticipation.

And so, the three of them waited where they were.

Two hours passed. Jiang Daoyun’s injuries were eighty percent healed. A smirk played on his lips as he chuckled, ”Luo Tian, you said an enemy was coming for me. Why aren’t they here yet?”

”They’re here.”

Luo Tian’s eyes snapped open.

Jiang Daoyun was stunned for a moment. Luo Tian’s acting was so convincing he almost believed him.

But suddenly, an incomparably tyrannical aura rolled over them. All the surrounding trees rustled, their trunks bending under the terrifying pressure.

”This aura... It’s the Earth Element Realm!”

Jiang Daoyun’s expression changed instantly, and he shot to his feet.