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Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Killing Intent! Top Ten Seed Players!
Luo Cheng had just left his room when he encountered Zhang Lian waiting outside.
"Luo Cheng, are you okay?"
Seeing Luo Cheng come out, Zhang Lian immediately stepped forward and asked with concern.
Luo Cheng shook his head: "I’m fine."
Zhang Lian let out a sigh of relief, "That’s good! I thought Lin Jintai would give you a hard time. Don’t be fooled by Lin Jintai’s usual genteel demeanor; his methods are extremely ruthless! Those who offend him are either dead or maimed! Otherwise, how could he be Elder He’s right-hand man?"
Luo Cheng thought of the two strikes Lin Jintai had delivered yesterday and a shadow flickered in his eyes before dissipating. He smiled and said:
"Let’s go."
"Huh!"
Zhang Lian was about to move when his eyes fell on Luo Cheng and he froze, asking in surprise:
"What’s going on? I feel like you’re different from yesterday..."
Luo Cheng knew this was because he had broken through to the Transcendence Realm Fourth Layer, achieving blood like mercury and an aura that commanded respect without anger. He didn’t hide it and said:
"I broke through to the Transcendence Realm Fourth Layer."
"What!"
Zhang Lian’s eyes widened: "The Transcendence Realm Fourth Layer!"
Luo Cheng nodded.
Envy filled Zhang Lian’s face: "You really are something! I awakened a Four-Star Martial Soul and have been at the Transcendence Realm Third Layer for half a year now with no signs of advancement. Compared to you, my Martial Soul seems more like a Wasted Martial Soul!"
Luo Cheng chuckled softly.
He had a positive impression of Zhang Lian and bore no prejudice against him for awakening a Wasted Martial Soul.
"Keep pushing. Turn pressure into motivation."
"It’s so hard..."
Zhang Lian shook his head and then changed the topic: "Let’s not talk about that. Congratulations on advancing to the Transcendence Realm Fourth Layer! Now, you’ll have the strength to protect yourself in the Green Cloud Trial. If luck is on your side, you might even secure a spot in the top hundred!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Cheng smiled faintly.
His goal was far more ambitious than merely a spot in the top hundred!
When the two arrived at the plaza, it was already packed with people, a vast, surging crowd.
By Luo Cheng’s estimate, there were at least ten thousand people gathered!
Among them, the lowest cultivation level was the Transcendence Realm First Layer, and there were quite a few at that level.
"So many people... Looks like this year’s Green Cloud Trial is going to be fiercely competitive," Zhang Lian remarked.
Luo Cheng nodded. Out of nearly ten thousand servant disciples, only the top ten would earn promotion to the Outer Sect!
The competition was truly one-in-a-thousand!
As the two approached, many stared at them.
Seeing Luo Cheng, some gazes shifted subtly.
"Hiss, why is it so cold? Luo Cheng, I feel something strange about the atmosphere..."
Zhang Lian frowned slightly.
Luo Cheng noticed it too but dismissed it: "It’s probably because of my Martial Soul."
Zhang Lian nodded.
Awakening a Wasted Martial Soul and entering the Xuanyuan Sect was unheard of. He had always been curious about Luo Cheng.
At this moment, a youth dressed in a yellow martial outfit, holding a spear and exuding a sharp aura, walked straight toward them.
"Fang... Fang Rui!"
Seeing the youth in yellow, Zhang Lian suddenly became nervous.
The yellow-clothed youth didn’t even glance at Zhang Lian, his piercing gaze fixed firmly on Luo Cheng, flashing coldly.
"You must be Luo Cheng?"
Luo Cheng found it odd, but he nodded calmly: "That’s right. Do you need something?"
"Heh, nothing much. I’m just looking forward to our next meeting!"
Fang Rui smirked, left a cryptic remark, and then turned to walk toward the front of the crowd.
"Weird, so weird!"
Zhang Lian looked puzzled: "Even Fang Rui came over specifically to greet you! Normally, he’s so aloof, he doesn’t even acknowledge others!"
"Fang Rui? Is he well-known?"
Zhang Lian nodded emphatically: "Of course! Fang Rui is one of the ten favorites to win the championship. His popularity even surpasses Lin Jintai’s! Rumor has it, his strength rivals that of Transcendence Realm Sixth Layer cultivators!"
"Is that so?"
Luo Cheng’s eyes remained calm.
He didn’t feel much about Fang Rui’s strength.
It was far more puzzling why Fang Rui, someone he’d never met, would go out of his way to address him.
Not just Fang Rui—since stepping into the plaza, Luo Cheng had felt countless gazes lingering on him.
Initially, Luo Cheng assumed it was because of his Wasted Martial Soul.
But now, Luo Cheng realized that these gazes—including Fang Rui’s—were filled with murderous intent!
It seemed everyone wanted him dead!
"Look over there, those ten must be this year’s Green Cloud Trial’s top contenders!"
Zhang Lian’s voice interrupted Luo Cheng’s thoughts.
At the same time, the entire plaza erupted into chatter, discussions rising and falling endlessly.
Luo Cheng’s gaze followed their direction.
At the forefront of the plaza stood a high platform. Ten figures stood on the stairs beneath it, towering above the rest of the servant disciples and clearly set apart!
The ten consisted of seven men and three women, standing far apart yet emanating an overwhelming, piercing aura that evoked instinctive fear in onlookers!
"Gu Lingfeng! Yuan Zhilan! Fang Rui! Zuo Changshan! Cao Qing! Zhou Ruo! Lin Jintai... Their auras are so powerful!"
"Of course, they’re this year’s ten seeded contenders for the Green Cloud Trial! Each of them has the strength to dominate others in the same cultivation realm!"
"Looks like this year’s top ten spots are guaranteed for these ten!"
Standing together, the ten exuded unparalleled prowess, drawing the attention of everyone present.
Many didn’t even have the confidence to meet their eyes.
"Such strength! Their aura alone is enough to overshadow everyone else! This is the caliber of seeded contenders! It seems no one could possibly measure up to them!"
Zhang Lian, like many others, was utterly awestruck by their aura, murmuring absentmindedly.
Seeded contenders, huh...
Luo Cheng looked at the ten, his eyes igniting with fierce resolve.
Unlike the others, Luo Cheng was focused on figuring out how to defeat them!
If he could win against them, the Green Cloud Trial’s top ten spots would undoubtedly include him!
Then, he would immediately become an Outer Disciple, basking in glory!
At that moment, several gazes fell on Luo Cheng, all originating from the ten seeded contenders.
A total of three people!
Aside from Fang Rui, they included Lin Jintai and a tall, burly youth named Cao Qing.
Cao Qing stared at Luo Cheng, licking his lips with a cold smile full of murderous intent, resembling a lion sizing up its prey!
"Not just Fang Rui—even Cao Qing is paying attention to you! Such intense killing intent! What’s going on?"
Zhang Lian was stunned.
Luo Cheng’s expression darkened.
Even Zhang Lian could sense the killing intent, so it was undoubtedly real!
In fact, since earlier, Luo Cheng had felt a constant sense of danger, as though surrounded by a pack of wolves!
"I’ll find out exactly what schemes you’re plotting!"
Luo Cheng’s gaze turned icy.
His instincts told him the Green Cloud Trial wouldn’t be easy this time!
Rumble!
Just as the crowd was buzzing, the clouds in the sky suddenly churned violently, revealing five small dots in the distance.
The dots grew larger and larger, descending upon the plaza in an instant—they were five gold-plated warships, each over a hundred meters long!
Hovering just outside the plaza, ten elders leapt from the warships and landed on the high platform, Elder He among them.
Elder He stepped forward.
Immediately, the previously boisterous plaza fell silent.
After casting a cold glance at Luo Cheng, Elder He cleared his throat and spoke, his voice reverberating throughout the plaza:
"Welcome, everyone, to the annual Green Cloud Trial!"
