72: It feels like... the heavenly soldiers and generals are coming?

“Taken a fancy to?”

Everyone’s hearts tightened.

Could it be that the Chu family of Jingming City also had a Sword Emperor background?

Everyone looked up at the light screen in the sky.

On the screen, a girl with a bun hairstyle was doing stretching exercises.

Her proud figure, combined with her form-fitting martial arts uniform, gave off a beauty that was both incredibly resilient and full of strength.

That was Chu Mengxuan, the daughter of the Chu family of Jingming City.

At this moment, she was being besieged by ten challengers in turns.

The Professions of these challengers were surprisingly uniform.

Swordsmen, spearmen, assassins, greatsword warriors… all close-combat Professions!

Blades, spears, staves, and clubs, carrying gusts of Qi, attacked Chu Mengxuan in turns, causing sparks to fly.

Facing such a 'chopping knife' team, an ordinary tank Profession would have had their defenses broken long ago.

But Chu Mengxuan was easily doing stretching exercises.

It was as if those attacks hadn’t even hit her.

“Has she already entered Overlord Body state?”

“The Golden Bell Shield’s Rank should be Lv5 by now.”

“Not bad, not bad. Her brain isn’t great, but her talent is good.”

Lin Xiaoer’s eyes were full of approval.

Just then, Chu Mengxuan finished her stretches.

She stomped her foot on the ground and unleashed her fist technique.

A majestic lion faintly appeared behind her.

This single burst of Qi attack sent two warriors flying backward.

Then, she lunged forward like a cannonball, colliding with a spearman.

Eight Extremities Collapse!

The spearman’s shield shattered instantly, and the hand holding the shield twisted unnaturally. Clearly, the immense force had fractured his bones.

Black Tiger Steals Heart—!

Dragon Subduing Tail—!

Shadowless Kick—!

Iron Mountain Lean—!

Chu Mengxuan unleashed one unarmed combat technique after another. In less than ten seconds, she had taken down all ten challengers, as easily as cutting melons and vegetables!

Whoosh!

The battle ended, and Chu Mengxuan took a deep breath.

Then she clasped her hands together and bowed to each of the fallen Professionals.

“She’s… quite nice!”

“Her personality is so cute, I feel like she’s even more likable than Ye Qiuning. I’m a fan, I’m a fan!”

“Tsk, is that really ‘liking’ her? I don’t even want to say anything to you!”

Chu Mengxuan’s martial arts etiquette contrasted sharply with Luan Tian’s brutality.

In an instant, she gained countless fans and earned the goodwill of many Professionals.

Just then, an assassin challenger suddenly sprang up, drawing a dagger and attacking Chu Mengxuan, who was still bowing.

“Oh no! There’s a dog!”

“Bun-head girl, be careful!”

Seeing Chu Mengxuan being ambushed,

everyone below the light screen was horrified.

It was true that assassins relied on sneak attacks to win.

But to ambush someone after the battle had ended,

still made most people feel disdainful.

Just as everyone’s hearts were in their throats, Chu Mengxuan instantly raised her hand and fiercely grabbed the assassin’s dagger-wielding hand.

At the same time, her other palm opened and slammed hard against the assassin’s chin!

Splat!

The immense force actually sent the assassin’s head flying directly off!

The headless corpse, gushing blood, collapsed limply.

Chu Mengxuan’s kill scene was as bloody as Luan Tian’s.

But it drew thunderous applause in Hongwu City.

“Well done!”

“Awesome! Bun-head girl!”

“Such a dog deserves to have his head twisted off!”

“It’s because of these inhuman, demonic beasts that there’s no trust among Professionals!”

Seeing the assassin dismembered by Chu Mengxuan, the Professionals all cheered loudly.

Even Lin Xiaoer on the viewing platform was full of pride, asking everyone, “My judgment isn’t bad, is it? The Chu family girl is a bit slow-witted, but she’s slow-witted in just the right way!”

“Yes! Yes!”

Zhong Yuan and Zhang Qian, City Lord nodded repeatedly, smiling ingratiatingly.

At the same time, they were muttering to themselves.

Slow-witted in just the right way?

How can you praise someone like that… The third round, the Cloud Challenge, was conducted simultaneously.

Not long after,

the Professionals decided the winners and losers.

There were some slight changes in the final rankings.

Among them, the top hundred saw the biggest changes.

Almost half of the people were eliminated.

Many of these were eliminated because they challenged the top ten and were defeated.

In contrast, the top ten remained unchanged in their order.

Except for Qin Yang, the nine Prodigies all went through round after round of challenges, yet they stood unshakeable like nine great mountains.

And before these nine great mountains, there was an even higher peak, Qin Yang.

Clang!

The sound of a great bell rang out.

The final championship battle officially began!

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Nine beams of light flashed.

On the four-sided array, nine figures appeared.

They were all Prodigy powerhouses ranked from second to tenth.

Since entering the Summoning Battlefield,

this was the first time these nine had met.

Before this, they had been competing against each other for a long time.

After exchanging glances,

a young man dressed as a monk said gently, “Looking at the rules of the stage, we are to collectively attack the first-place participant. For easier cooperation, let’s all introduce ourselves.”

With that, he chanted a Buddhist epithet and said, “This humble monk is Namo, my Profession is Demon Subduing Vajra, and my role is a warrior.”

A soft-spoken youth responded, “Hua Yan, Flower Knight. My main offensive methods are poison, and I can provide some crowd control.”

After Hua Yan, everyone introduced themselves one by one.

“Ye Qiuning, Sword Immortal, skilled in long-range combat.”

“Sang Qin, Shadow Phantom Assassin, specializes in sneak attacks.”

“Zuo Dongdong, my Profession is Holy Light Bishop. I specialize in team buffs, and my core skills are Holy Light Healing and Holy Light Shield.”

“Then you can’t cooperate with me.”

A gloomy, emaciated girl raised her hand and said, “My name is Lin Mo, my Profession is Undead Monarch. Bishop, please be careful when casting skills, don’t accidentally obliterate me.”

“Pfft! You’re so funny when you talk!”

Chu Mengxuan laughed carelessly, saying, “My name is Chu Mengxuan, Hundred Beast Warrior. I can be a front-liner or a damage dealer.”

Finally, only Luan Tian stood with his arms crossed, silent.

Chu Mengxuan frowned and introduced him to everyone, “This guy is a Blood Frenzy Warrior. He can be a front-liner and a damage…”

Before Chu Mengxuan could finish, Luan Tian interrupted, “No need for introductions. I plan to challenge the first-place participant alone.”

“Alone?”

Everyone was stunned, looking at each other.

Namo shook his head and stepped forward to persuade him, “The arrangements of Heavenly Dao always have a certain rationality. It wants us to collectively attack the first-place participant, which proves that the opponent’s strength is very strong.”

“Namo is right.”

Ye Qiuning nodded in agreement and said to Luan Tian, “If a solo challenge could win, the rule wouldn’t be a collective attack.”

Luan Tian remained unmoved, saying coldly, “I have my own confidence. Just watch later.”

“Tsk, just show off then!”

Chu Mengxuan snorted.

Lin Mo, the Necromancer beside her, murmured, “Why isn’t the first-place participant here yet? Making nine of us wait for him? What a grand display of authority…”

“Exactly, we should make him suffer later!” Chu Mengxuan waved her fists, full of vigor.

Just then.

On the clouds, the floating four-sided array trembled slightly.

From the heavy mists ahead, came bursts of murderous war cries.

Wind! Wind! Wind!

The clouds churned, and a dense military presence rolled in.

Hearing these war cries, everyone’s hearts trembled involuntarily.

“What… what is coming?”

“It feels like Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are coming…”

“But we’re challenging one person, aren’t we?”

“Don’t panic… maybe it’s to set the mood?”

The Prodigies looked at each other, seeing fear in each other’s eyes.

At this moment, the mists ahead slowly parted.

As if pushed aside by an invisible force.

A larger, grander platform emerged from within.

The platform was like a divine palace suspended in the sky, merging with the clouds, high above, looking down on all creation.

Rows of warriors in dark-gold armor stood along the edge of the platform, forming a golden bulwark.

Behind the forest of long halberds, in the center of the platform, was a magnificent throne.

Upon it sat a man in a red robe.

The red robe was like blood and fire, like the heart of the sky.

As golden lightning erupted, two sharp gazes pierced through the clouds, staring at them.

Instantly!

The nine Prodigies on the four-sided platform,

all experienced an unprecedented sense of oppression.

This sense of oppression was not the suppression of the weak by the strong.

Rather, it was a Law that naturally formed when a higher dimension looked down upon a lower dimension.

“So, it really is Heavenly Soldiers and Generals!”

“Buddha be merciful, this script isn’t right, is it?”

The gentle monk Namo cried out, his voice trembling.

Clearly, he was panicked.

But he wasn’t the only one panicking.

Luan Tian, who had just said he would challenge the first-place participant alone, had already frowned and retreated to the back of the crowd… Retired Emperors: Your imperial son daily sends greetings, seeking continued readership, seeking ad views orz…