174: Intercept

In Qinglan Prefecture, Zhang Sheng, the Manor Lord of Hua Manor, slaughtered over five hundred True Fetus Realm desolate beasts in a single day!

He forcefully ascended the fledgling tiger ranking of Qingchuan Province, ranking 94,511th!

Although the rank wasn't prominent, the fledgling tiger ranking itself was a prestigious brand! This meant Zhang Sheng could bypass the examination and go directly to Qinglan Prefecture—Qinglan Academy!

"This fledgling tiger ranking... is truly powerful!" Zhang Sheng was shaken inwardly. "Not only does it know the number of desolate beasts I killed, but it even knows clearly that I did it alone?!"

What shocked him even more was that the ranking actually made his true appearance and identity information public!

At this moment, on the omniscient jade slip, his high-definition image was already displayed.

However, the next piece of information was like an icicle piercing his marrow:

"Tiger, the Manor Lord of Black Dragon Mansion, has offered a bounty of three hundred million spirit crystals for the head of Lin Jin of Swift Wind Mansion! Target characteristics: Proficient in light blade Spells. Anyone providing valid clues will be rewarded with ten million spirit crystals!"

"Lin Jin... my alias!" Zhang Sheng's pupils shrank. "How is that possible? I clearly erased all traces!"

Fortunately, the bounty portrait was not his true face.

"The methods in the cultivation world are unpredictable; I must be more cautious!" He made an instant decision, changed his clothes, and restored his original appearance.

"Hmph, with the face of 'Zhang Sheng,' I'll see how you track down 'Lin Jin'!" He sneered. But then his brows furrowed.

"The Moon Blade technique was still exposed... Although there are countless similar Cultivation Techniques, I must Seal 'Moon Slash' for a while!"

"The priority now is to use my fledgling tiger ranking status to rush to Qinglan Prefecture City and obtain an official identity!" A sharp light flashed in Zhang Sheng's eyes.

"Once I have this protective talisman, I can go anywhere in the world!"

With a thought, his body followed, turning into a crimson streak that tore through the sky, heading straight for Tiangu City in Luoxia Prefecture!

...Heavenly Injury City, the teleportation Formation hub.

A short-haired young woman stepped into the range of the Formation with her Senior Brother Huo Chen.

Just as the Formation light was about to brighten, the girl suddenly stopped. "Senior Brother Huo Chen, you go back to the Sect first! I haven't gathered the Desolate Bull Horns I promised Fourth Senior Brother yet!"

Before she could finish, the Formation beneath Huo Chen's feet had already activated.

He could only helplessly urge, "Junior Sister Lian Qiu, you must be careful!" The moment the Formation light completely engulfed his figure, Huo Chen suddenly remembered: weren't there still Desolate Bull Horns in the Sect's warehouse?

Confirming her Senior Brother had left, the bit of innocence on Lian Qiu's face instantly froze, her eyes becoming as gloomy as the ice of the Nine Nether.

Her Divine Sense sank into her storage ring, locking onto a black token—the front was branded with a flame totem, and at this moment, a new line of information was appearing on the back:

"New Addition to the fledgling tiger ranking—Zhang Sheng!"

It was originally a common mission prompt.

When Lian Qiu saw the name and image clearly, a surge of cold killing intent suddenly rose!

"Zhang Sheng... the new Manor Lord of Hua Manor? The kid who killed Feng Shaoqin just a few days ago!" She was filled with shock and doubt.

"A mere Divine Breath Realm, yet he could slaughter five hundred True Fetus desolate beasts and make it onto the fledgling tiger ranking? If his true Realm were exposed, I'm afraid...!"

"Hmph, want to enter Qinglan Academy? Wishful thinking!" Thinking of Zhang Sheng's fawning face toward Song Hao, Lian Qiu's killing intent was set.

She turned and coldly ordered the teleportation Formation deacon, "Open the teleportation to Tiangu City in Luoxia Prefecture! Immediately!"

"As you command!" The deacon did not dare to delay, and the core of the Formation instantly lit up.

No need to gather enough people—this was the privilege of a Supernatural Power Realm Cultivator!

...Zhang Sheng, having restored his original appearance, was rushing toward Tiangu City at lightning speed.

"Obtaining an official identity might allow me to exchange for second-tier Heaven-Grade secret techniques to make up for my shortcomings... I might even find a way to get Cultivation resources for the Myriad Manifestations True Embryo!" His thoughts raced, but thinking of the special resources needed for the Myriad Manifestations True Embryo gave him a headache. "Even after entering Qinglan Academy, it might not be very useful... I'll take it one step at a time!"

Ahead, the outline of Chaotic People City was already in sight.

However, just as the towering gates of Tiangu City came into view, a figure blocked the path like a ghost—it was the short-haired girl, Lian Qiu!

Those eyes, holding a depth of experience far beyond her appearance, were now surging with pure, undisguised killing intent!

"Lian Qiu!" Alarm bells rang in Zhang Sheng's heart. "If Huo Chen hadn't stopped her back then, she probably would have killed me! She comes with ill intent!"

The gates of Tiangu City were close at hand! Would she dare to act under the eyes of the city guards?

Zhang Sheng's True Essence surged, his speed soaring again as he intended to charge straight for the city gate!

"Want to escape?" Lian Qiu gave a sharp cry, her figure cutting off the path ahead again, her pressure crushing down like a mountain!

"Senior Lian Qiu!" Zhang Sheng stabilized himself, suppressing his anger. "I, Zhang, believe I have no grievance or enmity with you. Why push me so hard?"

"No grievance or enmity?" A cruel curve appeared at the corner of Lian Qiu's mouth.

"Feng Shaoqin was a seed I personally selected and sent to the Eight Gods Sect! Yet he was killed by an ant like you!"

"Senior Brother Huo Chen is soft-hearted, but I, Lian Qiu, am not!"

Her gaze was like a knife, scraping over Zhang Sheng.

"Tsk tsk, a Divine Breath Realm actually able to slay True Fetus desolate beasts? No wonder you made it onto the fledgling tiger ranking! When I learned you were on the list, I was certain you must be hunting beasts around Luoxia Prefecture!"

"I even guessed that a 'fledgling Tiger' like you, who got on the list by luck, would definitely be impatient to scurry back to Tiangu City, take the teleportation Formation, and rush to the Prefecture City to become a lackey of the imperial court!"

The sarcasm in her eyes grew stronger. "Unfortunately, Zhang Sheng, your road ends here! Today is the moment of your Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!"

Before she finished speaking, a piercing "crackle" tore through the air!

In Lian Qiu's palm, a blindingly bright azure lightning ball condensed out of thin air, its violent destructive energy causing the surrounding space to warp slightly!

The aura of death rushed toward him!

Zhang Sheng hurriedly sent a Divine Thought transmission to the city gate guards: "My Lord! New fledgling Tiger Zhang Sheng is being intercepted and killed! Help!"

However, the only response he got was several cold and playful gazes from the city walls.

These guards, and even a Supernatural Power Realm commander with a deep aura, just crossed their arms, maintaining an indifferent posture as if watching a play.

"Ranking over 90,000 on the fledgling tiger ranking? Before officially joining a major power, it's just a title. Who would offend another notoriously powerful Supernatural Power Realm expert for a dying man?"

The lightning ball roared, reaching his face in an instant!

At the critical moment of life and death, Zhang Sheng hurriedly sent a transmission to beg for mercy:

"Senior Lian Qiu! This Junior has just entered the Upper Realm and really didn't know Feng Shaoqin was your person!"

"If I had known, even with a hundred thousand times more courage, I would never have dared to offend you!" Meanwhile, his Divine Thought surged wildly, and the True Essence in his body erupted like a volcano!

"Buzz—"

Eighty-one solid Profound Light Shields instantly appeared in layers, protecting him so tightly that not even air could pass!

At the same time, his figure turned into a blurred afterimage, exploding with his limit, attempting to move sideways!

"Scared? Too late!" Lian Qiu sneered, her killing intent burning even hotter.

"That day, my Senior Brother and I were in the shadows. Knowing this, you still dared to instantly kill Feng Shaoqin. How malicious your heart is! A mere Divine Breath Realm, even with some speed, cannot escape the power of a Divine Ability!"

"Divine Ability—Startling Thunder!"

She flicked her finger!

The terrifying lightning ball, over a meter in diameter, suddenly surged in speed!

Like blue lightning tearing through space, it ignored the distance and accurately locked onto Zhang Sheng, shooting toward him!

"Boom—Crackle crackle crackle!!!"

A deafening explosion resounded through the wilderness! The lightning ball and the Profound Light Shield collided violently!

The first layer of the shield was instantly vaporized!

The second layer, the third... like fragile glass meeting a heavy hammer, the layered Profound Light Shields, which contained powerful defensive strength, actually exploded simultaneously like dry weeds before the mighty power of the Divine Ability that contained the Laws of Heaven and Earth's thunder!

The blinding lightning and the shattered fragments of profound light mixed into a torrent of destruction, completely swallowing Zhang Sheng!

"Ugh—!"

Intense pain! Numbness! It was as if billions of steel needles had pierced his entire body in an instant!

The violent blue electric arcs brutally tore through his protective True Essence and lashed fiercely against Zhang Sheng's skin, leaving large patches of charred, spider-web-like burn marks!

A surge of hot, rebellious blood rushed uncontrollably up his throat and overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

How long had it been? Zhang Sheng had almost forgotten the taste of being injured.

He knelt on one knee, barely stabilizing his body, and looked up to stare fixedly at Lian Qiu. In his eyes was shock, but even more so, an unyielding fire burning:

"Is this... the true power of a Divine Ability?"

For the first time, a trace of genuine surprise flashed in Lian Qiu's eyes.

"A True Fetus Realm desolate beast would surely turn to charcoal upon being hit by this Startling Thunder! Even a Divine Power Realm desolate beast would be killed or crippled! This Zhang Sheng actually managed to stay standing after taking a direct hit?"

"Interesting!" A cruel curve appeared at the corner of Lian Qiu's mouth. Lightning gathered in her palm again as a second, more condensed lightning ball with even more terrifying energy fluctuations was being nurtured, with sizzling lightning snakes coiling and leaping.

"Zhang Sheng, let's see how many 'Startling Thunders' you can withstand!"