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Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Miss Ling Family, Running Horse Plain!
The night descended, and the stars sparkled brilliantly.
The entire Ling Family was brightly illuminated, with everyone preparing for tomorrow’s merchant escort mission.
Luo Cheng declined the Ling Family Head’s invitation to the evening banquet and returned early to his guest room.
He planned to fully refine the Martial Soul he had absorbed during the day.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Luo Cheng focused his mind deep into his Dantian and began channeling the True Dragon Technique.
Time flowed by slowly.
Suddenly.
A faint yet discernible dragon roar echoed within Luo Cheng’s body.
The two female disciples of the Luoxia Sect, who were meditating in the adjacent room, were startled out of their cultivation and looked puzzled.
For just a moment, they had vaguely felt an inexplicable spiritual pressure that chilled their minds and hearts. But upon closer inspection, there was nothing; it seemed to be an illusion.
Inside the room.
Luo Cheng opened his eyes, his bright gaze slicing through the darkness for an instant.
"To think that just the Martial Souls of about ten Transcendence Realm Martial Artists could be so effective—Dragon Energy is already starting to produce dragon scales! Reaching the Golden Body Realm is now within sight!"
Feeling the changes in the Dragon Energy within his Dantian, Luo Cheng’s spirits soared.
At this moment, tiny, delicate scales began appearing on the previously ethereal form of the Dragon Energy within his body.
As the Dragon Energy swam through the Essence Energy Vortex, it emitted a faint aura of majesty—mysterious and profound!
Once the dragon scales fully formed, it would signify that the True Dragon Technique had broken through to the 6th Floor!
Luo Cheng estimated that consuming the Martial Souls of another twenty or thirty Transcendence Realm Martial Artists would allow him to break through!
Exhaling a turbid breath, Luo Cheng gazed at the moonlit window with anticipation:
"I hope this trip to Linguan City won’t disappoint me!"
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, the Ling Family was bustling with activity.
On the Ling Family’s square, a dozen or so carts loaded with goods were lined up in a row, surrounded by Ling Family guards.
In addition to Luo Cheng and the other two, the Ling Family had dispatched a large number of personnel, including four Transcendence Realm Martial Artists, who accounted for nearly half of the Ling Family’s top experts.
When Luo Cheng arrived at the square, Guo Qing and Ji Rou from the Luoxia Sect were already waiting for him there.
A moment later, the Ling Family Head, Ling Qifeng, emerged, accompanied by a woman in red.
The red-clothed woman, with her long sword strapped to her waist, was strikingly beautiful. Her graceful figure resembled a willow swaying in the wind, though her expression was somewhat cool.
The Ling Family Head, Ling Qifeng, approached with a smile and introduced, "This is my daughter, Ling Xuan. She will be responsible for leading the merchant convoy this time."
"Guo Qing, Outer Disciple of the Luoxia Sect, greets Miss Ling."
"Ji Rou, Outer Disciple of the Luoxia Sect."
Luo Cheng also said, "Luo Cheng, Outer Disciple of the Xuanyuan Sect."
"I’ll be relying on you three," Ling Xuan nodded slightly. However, when her eyes fell upon Luo Cheng, her delicate brows faintly knitted together.
Ling Qifeng said, "I’ve had your mounts brought out for you. If there’s nothing else, let’s get ready to depart."
"Alright."
Luo Cheng turned to retrieve his black-maned horse.
Once Luo Cheng and the others were at a distance, Ling Xuan turned her head and asked Ling Qifeng:
"Father, I recall that this escort mission requires a cultivation level of at least the Sixth Layer of Transcendence Realm. Why is there a Fifth Layer Martial Artist participating?"
Ling Qifeng smiled, "You mean Luo Cheng?"
Ling Xuan nodded.
Ling Qifeng gazed at Luo Cheng’s retreating figure and shook his head, "Don’t underestimate him as a mere Fifth Layer Martial Artist. In terms of strength, among the three, Luo Cheng is the strongest. Even ordinary Sixth Layer Martial Artists are no match for him!"
"He’s the strongest?"
Ling Xuan furrowed her brows in disbelief.
She herself was at the Fifth Layer Realm, yet she couldn’t withstand even one move from a Sixth Layer Martial Artist, let alone defeat one.
No matter how talented Sect disciples were, it was impossible to disregard such a gap in cultivation!
Moreover, Luo Cheng looked younger than her.
Ling Qifeng sighed, "It’s indeed hard to believe, but this is the truth. Along the way, you may rely on him more."
Ling Xuan glanced toward Luo Cheng, her bright eyes flickering slightly, yet remained noncommittal.
When all preparations were complete, Ling Xuan immediately ordered the merchant convoy to set off.
A dozen carts departed from Wushi City, winding their way northward.
Luo Cheng and Guo Qing rode abreast at the front of the convoy.
Guo Qing suddenly chuckled, "Luo Cheng, why don’t you head back to one of the carts to rest? Leave small troubles to me and Junior Sister Ji."
Luo Cheng was taken aback, "This... wouldn’t be right."
Guo Qing said, "There’s nothing wrong with it. This journey won’t be peaceful, especially across Running Horse Plain, where Demon Beasts roam and numerous bandits lurk. Since you’re the strongest, conserve your energy. If we encounter enemies that Junior Sister Ji and I can’t handle, we’ll need you to step in."
"Alright then."
Luo Cheng agreed, finding the reasoning sound.
He also wished to seize the time for cultivation.
Finding a spacious cart, Luo Cheng was just preparing to meditate.
At that moment, Ling Xuan approached.
"Miss Ling, do you need something?"
Ling Xuan scrutinized Luo Cheng for a moment and then said, "Luo Cheng, I heard you defeated three Sixth Layer Martial Artists yesterday, and they were disciples of the Fierce Cloud Sect!"
Luo Cheng replied, "It was only luck."
Seeing Luo Cheng admit to it, Ling Xuan’s bright eyes flickered, and she smiled:
"For someone as young as Luo Cheng to possess such extraordinary strength and challenge higher levels, you must be a talented disciple of the Xuanyuan Sect?"
"I suppose you could say that."
Luo Cheng smiled faintly, neither denying nor elaborating.
With his current skills, he could easily overwhelm Transcendence Realm Martial Artists, fully deserving of the word ’genius.’
Ling Xuan was momentarily startled by Luo Cheng’s straightforward admission. She had initially intended to test whether he was as strong as her father had claimed, but didn’t expect him to own it so openly, leaving her unsure of what to say.
Taking a light breath, Ling Xuan smiled, "If danger arises on the road ahead, I hope Luo Cheng will lend us your protection."
"Of course. As long as we don’t encounter Third Stage Tongxuan Realm experts, the convoy will remain safe."
Luo Cheng nodded.
Ling Xuan bid him farewell but turned away with a subtle knit to her brows. She found his confidence excessively brash, bordering on arrogance!
’As long as we don’t encounter Third Stage Tongxuan experts, the convoy will remain safe!’
That tone was as if he were invincible within the Transcendence Realm.
But he was merely at the Fifth Layer!
By this point, Ling Xuan found her father’s words harder to believe. 𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝒐𝙢
She was convinced her father had been deceived!
Unfortunately, the personnel had already been fixed, and there was no way to change it now.
For the next three days, the convoy traveled peacefully.
They encountered only minor trouble from Demon Beasts, mostly One-star Demon Beasts, which were easily slain by Ling Family guards and Guo Qing’s group.
The convoy occasionally came across small groups of bandits.
These bandits fled the moment they saw the Ling Family banner of Wushi City and the Sect markings on Guo Qing’s clothing, not daring to linger.
During these three days, Luo Cheng stayed inside the carts, focusing on cultivation without making a move. Occasionally, he would leave the convoy to refine the Beast Souls of slain Demon Beasts!
Though Beast Souls weren’t as powerful as Martial Souls, their advantage lay in sheer quantity.
Over three days, Luo Cheng refined hundreds of One-star Demon Beast Souls and dozens of Two-star Demon Beast Souls! His strength steadily increased, and the scales of Dragon Energy within his Dantian grew clearer!
With the evolution of Dragon Energy, Luo Cheng’s power gradually rose from ninety-five thousand pounds to ninety-seven thousand pounds!
On the fourth day, the convoy’s pace slowed suddenly.
The guards protecting the convoy gripped their weapons tightly, their once-relaxed gazes sharpening into vigilance, scanning the surroundings continuously.
Ahead lay an endless expanse of barren plain.
This was the most perilous segment of their journey: Running Horse Plain!
