King of Ten Thousand Years

The shadow of a massive, pitch-black ship rapidly descended, enveloping Luo Tian and Ying Long. A chilling Ghost Qi spread in all directions, making one’s skin crawl.

As one of the Seven Great Legendary Thief Gangs, its flag alone was a terrifying sight that struck fear into the hearts of all who saw it!

On the towering bow of the ship, several figures appeared.

"Hm? Yu Ding is dead?"

Yu Ding did want to join them and had accepted their trial.

"These two must be disciples from the Tai Yuan Sect."

Several Necromancer Thieves murmured to each other, brazenly sizing them up without a shred of reverence or fear for disciples of the Tai Yuan Sect.

"It’s that kid! He’s the one who stole our treasure back in the Chaotic Wind Flow!"

A corpulent Alien Race member glared angrily.

Back then, he had personally taken action, yet Luo Tian had still escaped, for which he received a harsh scolding.

"He killed our prospective crewman?"

Vicious malice filled the eyes of the Necromancer Thieves.

’So it’s them...’

Luo Tian now remembered. This was the very same contingent of Necromancer Thieves he had encountered in the Chaotic Wind Flow.

Ying Long froze for a moment as he heard the Necromancer Thieves’ curses.

’Luo Tian actually had a history with this gang of Necromancer Thieves, and a bad one at that!’

"Hahaha! Luo Tian, you’ve dug your own grave!"

Ying Long laughed wildly and arrogantly.

He then turned to the Necromancer Thieves and shouted, "I want to join you! I’ll accept any trial!"

’Better to join the Necromancer Thief Gang than to die at Luo Tian’s hands.’

’This gang of Necromancer Thieves has a grudge against Luo Tian, and so do I. With my top-tier strength and aptitude, they’ll surely accept me!’

Just then, the Necromancer Thieves on the bow suddenly fell silent and obediently parted to either side.

A bewitching woman approached slowly. She was dressed in a translucent red silken gown that offered teasing glimpses of her voluptuous and alluring figure. Her fair, jade-like face was adorned with crimson eyes and red lips, a combination that could steal one’s very soul.

Luo Tian also noticed a purple whip coiled around her waist.

’That’s the powerful Profound Artifact left behind by the skeleton!’

Luo Tian’s pupils constricted.

’How did the most valuable treasure fall into her hands?’

"We pay our respects to the Captain!"

The surrounding Necromancer Thieves all bowed in unison.

"Captain, please accept me!"

Ying Long also called out respectfully.

The woman in red had a bewitching yet haughty expression. She completely ignored Ying Long, her gaze fixed on Luo Tian.

"Luo Tian, we meet again!"

"I never thought you’d become a captain in less than a year. Congratulations!"

Luo Tian remained outwardly calm, but his heart stirred with surprise.

’To become captain, and with that powerful Profound Artifact in her possession... the woman in red must have killed the former Ninth Master and taken his place!’

’The internal competition within the Legendary Thief Gangs is even more brutal than in the Tai Yuan Sect.’

’To stand out from that and become a captain... this bewitching woman is truly a ruthless and formidable character!’

"However, my ship is still missing a Helmsman."

The woman in red said with a light smile.

"I’m a disciple of the Tai Yuan Sect now. I can’t possibly throw away a promising future to become a pirate with you."

Luo Tian tactfully refused.

Ying Long, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded as he listened to Luo Tian converse so casually with the Necromancer Thief captain.

"Captain, I want to join you!"

Ying Long said, his voice lacking confidence.

The woman in red shot him a cool glance, ignoring him, and turned to Luo Tian. "An enemy of yours?"

Luo Tian nodded.

"Do you remember what I said when I left the Martial City Spirit Hall? Let’s make another bet!"

Intense interest glinted in the woman in red’s eyes.

"What’s the bet?"

"You’re just an Auditor Disciple of the Tai Yuan Sect. And if I recall correctly, the assessment for Main Peak Disciples is in less than four months!"

"The bet is this: you must participate in the Main Peak Disciple assessment and pass with a top-five result. Otherwise, it proves you’re not suited for the Sect. You should come be a pirate instead."

The woman in red seemed to be thinking up the terms of the bet as she spoke.

’The Main Peak assessment? Top five?’

Upon hearing this, Ying Long felt the woman in red was deliberately making things difficult for Luo Tian.

There were less than four months until the Main Peak assessment.

When the time comes, countless Official Disciples and Auditor Disciples from the Six Major Side Peaks will flock to participate.

Moreover, the requirements for Auditor Disciples are even higher than for Official Disciples.

It would be an incredible achievement if Luo Tian managed to pass the assessment at all; breaking into the top five was virtually impossible.

In the last hundred years, across fifty Main Peak assessments, not a single Auditor Disciple had ever placed in the top five!

Luo Tian frowned as well.

The terms of this bet were much more difficult than the last one.

’It seems the woman in red has learned from her last failure, setting such harsh conditions this time.’

"I accept!"

Luo Tian accepted.

"Good. You can kill him and then leave." The woman in red turned and returned to the Void Ship.

"No! Captain, I’m an Official Disciple of the Tai Yuan Sect, I want to join the Necromancer Thieves."

Ying Long screamed frantically.

The Necromancer Thieves’ Void Ship turned around and sailed into the distance.

"Die!"

With a cold expression, Luo Tian swung his sword, and a head tumbled to the ground.

If it weren’t for Ying Long’s sudden attack delaying him, he wouldn’t have run directly into the Necromancer Thief Gang and ended up in another bet with the woman in red.

Next, Luo Tian collected his spoils.

’The possessions of these two shouldn’t disappoint me!’

A smile appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

SWISH!

He quickly returned and soon met up with Xie Lei.

"Where’s Senior Brother Ying?"

Xie Lei asked, confused.

"He was too stupid, fell for Yu Ding’s trick, and was killed. I took the opportunity to kill Yu Ding. The mission is complete."

Luo Tian casually made up an excuse.

"I see. What a pity."

Xie Lei didn’t ask any more questions.

’He knew it wasn’t that simple, but Official Disciples often bullied Auditor Disciples, and Ying Long’s character was questionable anyway.’

’He chose to side with Luo Tian.’

Afterward, the two of them regrouped with the female Auditor Disciple.

The female Auditor Disciple didn’t question Ying Long’s death too much either.

’In her eyes, fewer people meant a larger share of the mission rewards for herself.’

"First, let’s go back to the Martial City Spirit Hall and repair the Void Ship," Luo Tian said.

"We could go back to the Tai Yuan Sect first. The Sect has masters who can repair Void Ships," the female Auditor Disciple suggested.

"No, we’ll repair it at the Martial City Spirit Hall."

Luo Tian insisted.

He faintly sensed a crisis, making it unwise to return to the Tai Yuan Sect immediately. Stopping at the Martial City Spirit Hall for a while might change his fortunes.

...

「Within the Tai Yuan Sect.」

Steward Lü, who was handling affairs, suddenly felt a sensation.

’He’s dead?’

Steward Lü’s face darkened.

He used a special Spiritual Secret Technique to control and enslave Ying Long. Once the target died, he would sense it.

’At this hour, they should be in the middle of their mission...’

Steward Lü had used his authority to learn that Luo Tian was going out on a mission, so he arranged for Ying Long to go and find a chance to kill Luo Tian.

But he never expected that instead of news of Luo Tian’s death, he would receive word of Ying Long’s so soon.

’I don’t know if I underestimated that kid, or if Ying Long was just an idiot!’

Steward Lü frowned and sighed.

’This is a good opportunity to deal with Luo Tian. I absolutely cannot miss it...’

Steward Lü’s eyes darkened, planning to use other pawns to get rid of Luo Tian.

...

Luo Tian’s group of three arrived at the Martial City Spirit Hall once again.

They had just parked the damaged Void Ship outside the Martial City Spirit Hall.

"Oh? Isn’t this our fellow disciple?"

A flippant voice suddenly came from behind them.

Luo Tian turned to see that it was Ying Long’s friend, the thick-lipped man who had deliberately made things difficult for him in the lecture hall.

"Sun Ye, since when are your standards so low? How is an Auditor Disciple worthy of being called our fellow disciple?"

Another person jeered bluntly.

The thick-lipped man, Sun Ye, was with two others. They were also returning from a mission and had run into them by chance.

"This must be your first mission, right? You all look a little rough. Don’t tell me you failed?"

Sun Ye glanced at the damaged Void Ship and sneered.

"They’re just Auditor Disciples. Naturally, they’re incompetent. Can’t even handle a simple mission."

The other person followed up with a taunt.

"Don’t bother with this trash. Senior Brother Gongsun is also here. Let’s hurry over."

The third person said.

After that, Sun Ye and his two companions departed quickly.

"Senior Brother Gongsun, could it be Gongsun Long from the Fourth Peak?"

The female Auditor Disciple in Luo Tian’s group suddenly became excited.

"Oh? You know him?" Xie Lei asked.

"How would I know him? I’ve only heard of him! Gongsun Long is a renowned genius from the Fourth Peak and one of the most popular candidates for the upcoming Main Peak assessment. He’s guaranteed to get in, and he’ll rank in the top ten at least..."

The female Auditor Disciple gushed.

"So, he’s very strong, then," Luo Tian remarked.

"Of course! Senior Brother Gongsun is at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Sixth Layer!" the female Auditor Disciple said.

"Then let’s go take a look too."

Luo Tian’s group of three followed behind Sun Ye and the others.

Normally, Luo Tian would have only a passing interest in a powerful senior disciple from his sect; he wouldn’t be this proactive.

But he sensed that there was danger on the way back to the sect.

If he could travel with Gongsun Long and the others, it would undoubtedly be much safer.

A short while later, they arrived at a restaurant.

"We pay our respects to Senior Brother Gongsun and Senior Sister Li!"

Sun Ye and his companions said with respectful smiles.

At a window seat sat a burly man. His features were sharp, as if carved from stone, and his expression was cold and imposing.

Across from him, there was also an elegant and noble woman.

"Oh? You lot are from the Eighth Peak?"

The burly man, Gongsun Long, had some vague recollection of Sun Ye.

"That’s right! I’m honored that Senior Brother Gongsun remembers me."

"Senior Brother Gongsun, why drink in such a humble place? We’ve already booked the ’Xuan’ private room at the Immortal Residence and prepared a fine banquet. We hope that you and Senior Sister Li will honor us with your presence."

Sun Ye said, his face wreathed in smiles.

Immortal Residence! One of the most high-end establishments in this Martial City Spirit Hall.

It was said that every time the Hall Master of the Martial City Spirit Hall entertained important guests, it was there.

A banquet at the Immortal Residence used only the best rare and precious ingredients, and the price was extremely expensive.

"The Immortal Residence?"

Gongsun Long and Senior Sister Li Ya were both a little surprised.

Even they wouldn’t be extravagant enough to go eat there.

"Good!"

Gongsun Long laughed loudly, and Li Ya also gladly accepted.

The two stood up, preparing to head to the Immortal Residence.

It was only then that Gongsun Long noticed Luo Tian and his companions. "You’re disciples of the Tai Yuan Sect as well?"

"Greetings, Senior Brother Gongsun, Senior Sister Li."

Luo Tian and the others called out.

Gongsun Long gave a cold, indifferent nod.

"You lot are completely clueless. You see Senior Brother Gongsun and Senior Sister Li and make no gesture of respect? An Auditor Disciple is an Auditor Disciple, after all. A gathering of trash!"

Sun Ye took the opportunity to belittle and mock them.