243: One month limit, challenge from Lu Sheng!

Just as Lu Sheng had guessed, even if he killed Shi Kuang and Shi Ba, it had no effect on him; instead, it brought him into the Great Commander’s view.

As expected, less than an hour after Lu Sheng killed the two, someone came knocking.

“Haha, I heard that Ninth Commander just cut down two disobedient fellows. Well done! Within my Lion Demon Army, there are still people who dare to defy superior orders. Such people are better off dead!”

Inside Lu Sheng’s tent, a strong expert of the Lion Demon Clan, dressed in bronze armor just like Lu Sheng, walked in with a smile. Behind him followed two strong experts of the Lion Demon Clan, dressed in black armor.

Lu Sheng glanced at the person and immediately recognized his identity.

This person was a Commander-level expert, just like Shi Ming, and had served as a Commander for several years. He was also a confidant of the Great Commander, possessing a cultivation at the Late Stage of Rank Nine.

His name was Shi Quan!

He was the Third Commander under the Great Commander.

“So it’s Third Commander. I didn’t expect such a small matter of mine to have already reached the Great Commander’s ears. This matter was ultimately due to my impulsiveness. I will go apologize to the Great Commander later!”

Lu Sheng smiled and cupped his hands at Shi Quan.

“Alas, what are you saying? They were just two bad apples. However, these two bad apples did have some merits; at least they forced out Ninth Commander’s talent, didn’t they?”

Shi Quan looked at Lu Sheng with a beaming smile.

“Ninth Commander must have already stepped into the Rank Nine Realm, right? To think Ninth Commander, at only twenty-something years old, has already reached this Realm, his future prospects are limitless!”

“I’ll congratulate Ninth Commander in advance for a bright future!”

Lu Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

This fellow’s words were quite watertight, even probing his strength within his speech.

However... Lu Sheng had no intention of hiding himself since entering the Otherworldly Demon World. The Demon Race revered martial power and were extremely bloodthirsty. Only by displaying absolute talent and strength could one be highly regarded.

If he could gain the trust of a race in the Otherworldly Demon World without being exposed, it would naturally be beneficial for his future actions.

Lu Sheng smiled, and his cultivation within his body instantly surged forth, with a faint Devilish Qi circling around him.

“Just good luck; I barely stepped into this Realm!”

Lu Sheng said indifferently.

And it was precisely because of this faint fluctuation of aura that a hint of shock flashed in Shi Quan’s eyes.

He had initially thought that Lu Sheng merely had good combat power and was still some distance from Rank Nine, as Breakthroughs in cultivation were not that easy.

Who knew that he had actually broken through?

The flicker in his eyes quickly passed, and Shi Quan smiled slightly, turning his body to Lu Sheng and saying, “Since the two bad apples were killed by Ninth Commander, but as a Commander of a faction, you still need people to help. The Great Commander sent me to bring two Vice Commanders to Ninth Commander. From now on, these two will naturally follow Ninth Commander’s lead!”

With that, Shi Quan looked at the two behind him, his tone becoming a bit flatter.

“You two, why haven’t you greeted Ninth Commander yet!”

The two immediately stepped forward and half-knelt on the ground.

“This humble general Shi Kong (Shi Yun) greets Ninth Commander! We are willing to serve Ninth Commander like dogs and horses!”

Lu Sheng glanced at the two and said indifferently, “Rise!”

His tone was even flatter than Shi Quan’s towards the two.

The Lion Demon Clan was like this; the hierarchy of Ranks was very clear.

“Hahahaha, since this matter has concluded, please Ninth Commander, accompany me to meet the Great Commander. Now that Ninth Commander has broken through to Rank Nine and finally taken charge of his soldiers, the Great Commander is also happy for Ninth Commander!”

Shi Quan’s face once again broke into a smile as he spoke to Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng pondered for a moment, then nodded.

“Then I’ll trouble Third Commander to lead the way!”

“Of course!”

Shi Quan smiled slightly, and then he and Lu Sheng proceeded to the Great Commander’s tent... Lu Sheng followed behind Shi Quan, slowly walking into the Great Commander’s tent. However, upon entering the tent, Lu Sheng noticed that quite a few people were already standing inside.

Lu Sheng looked around and realized that these were the other Commanders under the Great Commander.

Including himself and Shi Quan, all ten Commanders had actually arrived.

Through Shi Ming’s memory, Lu Sheng also learned that the Battle Group he belonged to was the Scout Battle Group of the Lion Demon Army, responsible for carrying out special missions during combat.

For example, assassination, intelligence gathering, and similar tasks.

Among all the Battle Groups in the entire Lion Demon Army, the Scout Battle Group’s strength could definitely Rank within the top two.

Within the Scout Battle Group, there were three Battalions.

Each Battalion was led by a Vice Battle Group Leader. Lu Sheng was currently in the Third Battalion of the Scout Battle Group.

And within each Battalion, there were three different Great Commanders stationed.

Lu Sheng was currently under Great Commander Shi Lei of the Third Battalion.

The reason he was under Shi Lei was because Shi Ming’s father was once also a Great Commander of this Third Battalion, and had a very good relationship with Shi Lei.

Therefore, when Shi Ming was exceptionally promoted to Commander, he was taken under Shi Lei’s wing, with the intention of being looked after.

However, although it was said that he would be looked after, everything in the Lion Demon Army still revolved around strength.

If one’s strength was insufficient, even with Shi Lei’s care, they would ultimately not gain the recognition of other strong experts of the Lion Demon Army.

“Haha, Ninth Commander, at such a young age, has already stepped into the Rank Nine Realm. I imagine he will surely become a figure like the Great Commander in the future!”

At this moment, a Commander closest to Shi Lei smiled and spoke to Lu Sheng, who had just entered.

This person was the top-ranked Commander among the ten Commanders under Shi Lei. Although he only held the position of Commander, his authority was the highest under Shi Lei.

His name was Shi Chong!

He possessed the strength of Rank Nine Peak, only one step away from Rank Ten.

In response to Shi Chong’s goodwill, Lu Sheng also cupped his hands at him and smiled slightly, not giving him any offense.

“Hahaha, good! You have your father’s demeanor. If your father knew of your current demeanor, he would surely be overjoyed!”

Shi Lei sat in the main seat, let out a hearty laugh, and looked at Lu Sheng with eyes full of relief.

“I still have to thank everyone for their support. Without the Great Commander and everyone’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to advance so quickly!”

Lu Sheng bowed his head slightly and said softly.

“Alas, there’s no need for that. We all know what you’ve been through, but we couldn’t interfere. After all, to firmly hold a Commander’s position, relying on external forces is never possible. The situation you’ve reached now is entirely due to your own talent and strength!”

Shi Chong said with a smile.

Everyone nodded slightly.

Indeed, what Shi Chong said was correct.

In the Lion Demon Army, all connections were a joke. Here, only strength mattered!

As long as one was powerful, even killing subordinates would not result in any punishment, just as Lu Sheng killed Shi Kuang and Shi Ba.

Not only was he not punished, but he even gained the Great Commander’s appreciation.

“Alright, we’ll talk about Shi Ming’s matter later. You all should know why I called you here today, right?”

Shi Lei sat upright in the main seat, waved his large hand, and said in a booming voice.

Listening to Shi Lei’s words, Lu Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, a faint gleam flashing in them.

Could it be... a martial arts competition?

According to Shi Ming’s memory, the martial arts competition was scheduled for just over a month later. In such a short time, Shi Lei hadn’t yet finalized the competition slots. Now, suddenly calling them over, could it be for this matter?

If that were the case... Lu Sheng’s brows furrowed slightly.

This would somewhat disrupt his plans.

He had originally thought that Shi Lei would confirm the slots after some time, allowing him a buffer period to gradually reveal his strength.

And thus obtain the slot.

But now... Lu Sheng fell into contemplation.

“The Lion Demon Army’s grand martial arts competition is about to begin. As members of the Scout Battle Group, if we can’t secure a place in the top ten, we’ll lose face for the Battle Group Leader.”

Shi Lei’s voice slowly echoed through the tent.

“Demon Marquis has already spoken; our Third Battalion must have at least one person in the top ten, otherwise... the entire Battalion will be punished!”

"So, for this grand martial arts competition, the First, Second, and Third Commanders will represent our Third Battalion!"

Shi Lei spoke, directly setting the nominations.

All the Commanders, except for Lu Sheng, nodded slightly.

The First, Second, and Third Commanders were absolutely the strongest among the ten Great Commanders under Shi Lei. This competition concerned the honor of the entire Battle Group and even their Third Battalion, so it was naturally best for them to participate.

Shi Lei's gaze swept over everyone and finally stopped on Lu Sheng. He naturally saw the expression on Lu Sheng's face, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Shi Ming, what do you want to say?"

Upon hearing Shi Lei's words, everyone turned their gaze to Lu Sheng.

Suddenly, Lu Sheng was the center of attention.

Lu Sheng felt a bit unwilling, and now being watched, he finally let out a long breath, stepped forward, and spoke to Shi Lei.

"Great Commander... this subordinate would like to participate in this grand martial arts competition!"

As Shi Ming's voice rang out, the entire tent immediately became incredibly quiet.

Many Commanders looked at Lu Sheng in surprise, seemingly puzzled.

Even Shi Quan and Shi Chong couldn't help but cast a surprised glance at Lu Sheng at this moment.

What's going on?

This Lu Sheng actually wants to participate in the competition?

Although Lu Sheng had reached the Ninth Rank at just over twenty years old, he was only a beginner at the Ninth Rank. If he participated in the competition, it would be akin to seeking death.

This competition is so important... Is this guy joking?

At this point, some people even let out a sneer.

They acknowledged Lu Sheng's talent, but talent was not strength. To enter the competition, one needed at least the combat power of the Late Stage of the Ninth Rank.

Even without the Peak combat power of the Ninth Rank, one wouldn't be qualified to contend for a top ten position.

Where did this Lu Sheng get such confidence?

Even Shi Lei, looking at Lu Sheng, couldn't help but frown deeply.

If Shi Ming's father hadn't been his former comrade, he would have wanted to reprimand him right now.

Does he really think he can do whatever he wants just because he reached the Ninth Rank?

And at this moment, Lu Sheng slowly spoke: "Since there's still over a month until the competition, how about a month from now, I fight the three of you? If I can defeat one of you three, how about giving me a spot in the competition?"

Lu Sheng spoke calmly.

Since he wanted to display his talent and strength, he would display it to the fullest!

Although Lu Sheng's current strength was already capable of defeating Ninth Rank Otherworldly Demons, this was still too different from Shi Ming's previous performance.

And with a month's time as a buffer, that was already enough!

Indeed, after hearing Lu Sheng's words, Shi Lei's furrowed brow gradually relaxed. He glanced at Lu Sheng and laughed loudly.

"That's quite bold! Good, I'll give you this chance. A month from now, if you can defeat any one of the three of them, why not give you the spot!"

"But..."

Shi Lei's tone subtly shifted at this moment, and he said in a deep voice, "If you can't do it, you will face certain punishment. Under my command, you can be arrogant, but sometimes speaking big... I cannot accept it!"

"Are you willing?"

Shi Lei looked at Lu Sheng with sparkling eyes.

However, facing Shi Lei's gaze, Lu Sheng remained incredibly calm, and under everyone's watchful eyes, he nodded.

"Alright, I won't assign you any tasks for this month. A month from now, we'll see the truth in our actions!"

Shi Lei waved his hand, then dismissed everyone.

Lu Sheng also bowed slightly to Shi Lei, left the tent, and returned to his own tent.

And at this moment, in Shi Lei's tent, Shi Chong, Shi Quan, and the Second Commander looked at Shi Lei.

"Haha, this Shi Ming is quite arrogant, but to think he can defeat us three in just a month, isn't that a bit too presumptuous!"

The Second Commander said with a chuckle.

Shi Chong shook his head with a smile: "He's still a young man, full of youthful vigor. He doesn't realize how vast the difference is in the Ninth Rank Domain. He has just entered the Ninth Rank. If he can Break through to the Middle Stage of the Ninth Rank in a month, I'd consider him impressive!"

Only Shi Quan stroked his chin. He had spent a bit more time with Shi Ming and then slowly spoke.

"I've noticed that Shi Ming seems to have changed a bit."

"Oh?"

Shi Lei's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said faintly, "Tell me about it!"

Shi Quan slowly said, "The previous Shi Ming was taciturn and always immersed in cultivation, a true martial arts fanatic. But ever since Shi Ming returned from this mission, his temperament has undergone some changes."

"Upon his return, he immediately killed two Deputy Commanders, and even when facing me, he showed a hint of shrewdness!"

"This is quite strange!"

Hearing this, Shi Lei waved his hand: "This boy lost his parents at a young age, so his personality is more or less a bit reclusive. However, those two Deputy Commanders under him were really out of line. I suppose after this mission, his mentality changed, and he immediately took action to suppress them upon his return. There's no big problem with that."

Shi Quan seemed to ponder, but ultimately shook his head: "That's also a reason."

It's not easy for someone to rise to a high position, only to be targeted by their subordinates. If it were them, they wouldn't tolerate it either.

In Shi Lei's view, the mission was a catalyst. This catalyst made Shi Ming realize that if he didn't display his strength, he would be bullied.

Even his own subordinates would secretly and openly bully him.

Under such circumstances, it was normal for Shi Ming to undergo some changes.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I watched this boy Shi Ming grow up. Most of what he says has some basis. Don't you three dare lose to my nephew then!"

Shi Lei said with a smile.

The three Commanders exchanged glances, and although there was still some disdain in their eyes, they still echoed, "Naturally, it's a sure thing. If we can't even defeat this child Shi Ming, then we might as well just abdicate!"

Shi Chong said with a smile... After Lu Sheng returned to his tent, he never came out again.

Fortunately, Shi Lei had also said that he wouldn't assign him any tasks, and he had previously brought him two Deputy Commanders. Lu Sheng directly handed over his subordinate team to these two to manage.

He, on the other hand, immersed himself in cultivation.

Although he was confident, he still needed to advance to above the Third Layer of Flying Heaven. This way, at least his Realm would look better, lest he defeat his opponent with a cultivation of the Second Layer of Flying Heaven, which would be a bit too exaggerated.

Just right, Lu Sheng also wanted to try cultivating in the Otherworldly Demon World relying on the energy conversion stone, to see if it would affect efficiency!

And as Lu Sheng entered a state of cultivation, news of Lu Sheng challenging the top three Commanders for a competition spot a month later also spread throughout the Third Battalion's team under Shi Lei.

Many people scoffed after hearing Lu Sheng's words.

Although Lu Sheng had successfully solidified his position, he was facing veteran figures among the three Commanders.

The cultivation of any one of these three Commanders was above Lu Sheng's.

In just one month, even if Lu Sheng's talent was Heaven-Defying, it would be impossible for him to Break through to the Late Stage of the Ninth Rank.

In their opinion, this was simply Shi Ming being arrogant and speaking presumptuous words.

In fact, many people even treated this matter as a joke after meals.

They simply couldn't imagine how Lu Sheng could possibly defeat the three top-ranked Commanders in a month.

As a result, Lu Sheng's image in their minds gradually became clownish.

However, Lu Sheng was completely unaware of such things, and of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't care.

They were just a bunch of stupid Otherworldly Demons, it was better to cultivate properly.