51: Yunzhou Pacification Envoy, Ye Lingkong

Time passed bit by bit.

With a quarter of an hour remaining before the three-hour mark, Chu Jiang unleashed his Great Strength Demon Suppression Fist, shattering the door and entering the eighth floor.

Eighth floor.

Chu Jiang looked at the wall; it was still a string of characters, but there were fewer words than on the seventh floor, and the text was more obscure and difficult to understand.

Just deciphering it would take a lot of time.

“Within three hours, if you achieve Minor Achievement in the martial art on the wall, you will pass.”

From within the Demon Suppression Tower, that resonant voice echoed once more.

“Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade!”

Chu Jiang spent some time reading this martial art.

This blade technique was fierce and overbearing, possessing boundless power. When the blade was unsheathed, it was like a chorus of beasts, shaking one's spirit and striking fear into all demons, making it a large-scale area-of-effect martial art.

【Vajra Martial Art · Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade (Uninitiated)】

The panel flickered, and demon life essence slowly poured in, causing the Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade to change.

【First year, you began to Cultivate the Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade. Due to the Blood Blade Divine Manual reaching the Transcendent Realm, you have a profound understanding of similar martial arts, and your Cultivation speed has increased.】

【Third year, the Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade reached Minor Achievement.】

【Tenth year, the Golden Qilin Demon Suppression Blade reached Minor Achievement.】

Chu Jiang stopped the infusion of Lifespan; Minor Achievement was already enough.

Although he had eight hundred demon life essence, cultivating more profound martial arts later would consume even more demon life essence, so he needed to maintain at least five hundred Lifespan at all times.

This was to prepare for any unexpected situations.

As the three-hour mark approached, Chu Jiang shattered the door leading to the ninth floor with a single blade strike.

His figure blurred for a moment, then disappeared from the eighth-floor space.

...

“Look, the sixth floor lit up!”

“Our Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division has produced a Class B Genius!”

“Could it be Fu Yunxuan?”

“It’s also possible it’s Chu Jiang; only the two of them are left in the Tower now.”

The other Demon Suppression Guards exclaimed, having passed through the Demon Suppression Tower themselves, they naturally understood its difficulty.

Even the second floor was already very difficult.

Going further up, the difficulty would only increase exponentially.

This time, although there were more Class D Geniuses than in previous years, there were no Class C ones. They had thought that this time, a Class C Genius would be good enough.

As a result, it was a huge surprise.

No Class C, but a Class B appeared.

The faces of several Bǎihù also showed smiles. The sixth floor—after thirty years, they actually had a Class B Genius appear this time.

“Shen Commander, congratulations! This time, you’ll likely receive commendation from Pacification Envoy Sir!”

Sun Commander congratulated him, saying, “Although it’s not one of my own people, it’s a great fortune for the Demon Suppression Division to have such a Genius. In the future, he might become another powerful Grandmaster, giving us more confidence against the Demon Clan.”

Although there were some frictions and disputes between the Bǎihù due to personal interests, when facing the Demon Clan, their primary enemy, most could set aside their prejudices.

Otherwise, if a Genius appeared and wasn't one of their own, and they suppressed them vigorously, the Demon Suppression Division would not have survived until now, and the Great Chu Dynasty would have long since collapsed.

“This time, the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division might produce two Class B Geniuses,” Shen Commander said slowly, looking at the Demon Suppression Tower.

Sun Commander, surprisingly, did not retort this time. Currently, only Fu Yunxuan and Chu Jiang remained in the Demon Suppression Tower, and it was highly probable that both had passed the sixth floor.

As for the other Demon Suppression Guards, they generally stopped at the second or third floor.

They had already exited the Tower.

“That kid Chu Jiang, I misjudged him. He truly is a Genius comparable to Fu Yunxuan,” Sun Commander said after a moment of silence, then changed his tune.

...

“The seventh floor also lit up!”

Centurion Qin's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. The seventh floor—Left Qianhu had passed the seventh floor back then, stopping at the eighth.

Was this another Left Qianhu?

Within a hundred years, only Left Qianhu had passed the seventh floor.

Shen Commander had passed the sixth floor, stopping at the seventh.

Both were outstanding figures of the same era, hailed as the peerless twin Prodigies of the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division.

Was this a return to past glory?

“Is Fu Yunxuan’s talent truly so Heaven-Defying? This is the seventh floor!”

“I think Chu Jiang is more likely. That guy just got the Black Saber Heritage not long ago, and his strength soared. He has the highest chance of success.”

“The Demon Suppression Tower doesn’t depend on who has a higher Realm. I still think Fu Yunxuan has a greater chance of passing the seventh floor.”

The Demon Suppression Guards conversed, each holding their own opinion, but no matter the outcome, their Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division was about to make a name for itself this time.

The simultaneous appearance of two Class B Geniuses was relatively rare among the various provinces of the Great Chu.

...

“The eighth floor lit up too?”

“Wait, am I seeing things...?”

The other Demon Suppression Guards were completely shocked. The eighth floor—that represented a Class A Genius.

Class A Genius.

What kind of concept was that? Aside from the Royal Capital Demon Suppression Division, they were as rare as Phoenix feathers in the local provinces. This time's Genius trial, it was said, only Tianzhou had one.

Several Bǎihù looked at the Demon Suppression Tower in unison, their faces changing dramatically.

“A Class A Genius has emerged!”

Sun Commander’s eyes widened, saying, “Whether the Class A Genius is Fu Yunxuan or Chu Jiang, they must be cultivated vigorously, cultivated heavily...”

If a Class B Genius could bring glory to the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division, then a Class A Genius could change the future landscape; each one was invaluable.

The other Bǎihù also nodded. A Class A Genius held too much significance for the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division; it was completely immeasurable.

Left Qianhu looked at the Demon Suppression Tower, momentarily lost in thought. He hadn't expected that kid Chu Jiang to actually do it—the eighth floor. He himself had stopped there back then.

If he had been given one more hour, he would have achieved Minor Achievement, but he was just that close.

Let alone an hour, even if he was off by a second, he wouldn't have passed.

As for Fu Yunxuan, he had seen her bone structure; it was absolutely impossible for her to pass the eighth floor. The sixth floor was a high probability, and her absolute limit with good luck was the seventh floor.

Just then.

A man in a green robe approached from afar.

He walked in the Void Realm, the sky beneath his feet as level as the ground, like an Immortal from another world.

Several Bǎihù were startled; as expected of a Class A Genius, he had even alarmed this person. They all cupped their hands and said:

“Greetings, Pacification Envoy Sir!”

The Pacification Envoy, named Ye Lingkong, was the stabilizing force of the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division, his strength already above that of a Grandmaster.

He commanded the military power of thirteen prefectures in one province, guarding thousands of miles of territory.

Ye Lingkong’s steps were divine. His gaze swept over the Demon Suppression Tower, and he spoke, “Not bad. Our Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division has also produced a Class A Genius.”

“You all have done very well.”

Several Bǎihù spoke in unison, saying it was thanks to the Pacification Envoy Sir’s excellent guidance.

Although they rarely saw him normally.

Still, pleasantries had to be exchanged.

Just then, a tall woman emerged from the Demon Suppression Tower.

Her skin was like white snow, and her eyes were like stars, deep and lively.

“It’s Fu Yunxuan! She’s out!”

Sun Commander: “Niece Yunxuan, which floor did you reach?”

“The seventh floor. The eighth floor was too difficult, I failed,” Fu Yunxuan replied, her eyes subtly moving as she cupped her hands. She had done her best and felt no regret.

“Good, good, good!”

Sun Commander said “good” three times in a row.

Fu Yunxuan was already exceptionally talented. If not for Chu Jiang's appearance this time, she would undoubtedly be the most dazzling new star of the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division.

Fu Yunxuan looked at the Bǎihù, who were still staring at the Demon Suppression Tower, as were the other Demon Suppression Guards, and a man in a green robe stood in the Void Realm.

“Is there still someone inside?”

Shen Commander smiled faintly: “Yunxuan, this time, someone even more Prodigy than you has appeared. He has already passed the eighth floor and is probably attempting the ninth now.”

“I estimate the chances are slim.”

The ninth floor—throughout the entire Great Chu, including the Royal Capital Demon Suppression Division, such a Prodigy had not appeared for several centuries; it was exceedingly rare.

“Is it Chu Jiang?”