Chapter 763: The Fifth Division's First Clear

Crash!

A massive energy chain pierced through from the void, its arc as cunning and vicious as a venomous snake, finally breaking through the Fiend Devil Leader's defenses and piercing straight out through its chest.

The Fiend Devil Leader struggled desperately, but the energy chains only grew more numerous, trapping it in place.

Zhong Ling watched this scene, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Down below, the banner members of the First Division erupted in thunderous cheers, among which Zhong Ling's name could be heard.

In the previous exchange, this Fiend Devil Leader, whose strength rivaled Xiao Tian Xiang Jing, had been suppressed by Zhong Ling almost the entire time, which fully demonstrated Zhong Ling's ability and his mastery over the power of "Combined Qi."

In a certain sense, Zhong Ling could be considered the undisputed number one person of the Qing Ming Banner.

After trapping the Fiend Devil Leader, Zhong Ling rapidly formed hand seals and brought his hands together; the seal technique was peculiar, resembling the opening and closing of a dragon's maw.

Seeing Zhong Ling's hand seals, the people below immediately exclaimed in admiration: "Is the Banner Leader about to use the 'Little Dragon Breath Art'? It's said he comprehended it by observing the Nine-Turn Art 'Heavenly Dragon Thunder Breath.'"

"That Fiend Devil Leader is done for."

"Haha, this time the twenty-eighth floor is still thanks to our First Division!"

The banner members cheered triumphantly.

Up above, Zhong Ling's cheeks suddenly puffed out, and he blew toward the seal formation. The next instant, a viscous torrent of energy, carrying an astonishingly domineering force, pierced straight through the void.

In that instant, it was like a Tianhe spanning the heavens, surging toward the struggling Fiend Devil Leader with an overwhelming momentum.

The smile on Zhong Ling's face grew even thicker.

However, just as the dragon breath torrent was about to strike the Fiend Devil Leader, every banner member of the First Division suddenly noticed in shock that the surrounding space began to twist violently. The next moment, the scene before their eyes was like a still water surface broken by a stone, with ripples beginning to spread.

When everyone came back to their senses, they found that all of them had exited the "Combined Qi" state, and at the same time, their positions had appeared outside the great hall.

All the banner members of the First Division, including Zhong Ling, wore expressions of bewilderment and blankness at this moment.

How did it suddenly end?

It seemed Zhong Ling's attack was still a little short of hitting the Fiend Devil Leader, wasn't it?

"Hehe, Banner Leader Zhong Ling, it seems you've once again gotten there first for your First Division. The rest of us divisions are indebted to you again."

At this moment, at the entrance of the great hall, the banner members of the other four divisions of the Qing Ming Banner had all been teleported out. The banner leaders of the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions all turned their gazes toward Zhong Ling, then cupped their fists and laughed.

The banner members of the other three divisions also nodded repeatedly, expressing their admiration.

"Truly worthy of being the strongest banner leader of the Qing Ming Banner. It seems that ever since entering the twentieth floor, the First Division has always been the first to clear it."

"We've just been lying back and enjoying the fruits."

"In the future, having Banner Leader Zhong Ling serve as the

Great Banner Leader would also be a fine thing."

"......"

Hearing these many words of admiration, not the slightest smile appeared on Zhong Ling's face. Instead, his expression was uncertain and shifting.

The banner members of the First Division also maintained an awkward silence.

At this moment, the banner leaders of those three divisions also noticed something was off. Why did the First Division, having achieved such a result, instead look as though they had lost a close relative?

"Tee-hee, I think everyone may be congratulating the wrong person. The twenty-eighth floor was cleared first by our Fifth Division." At this moment, a somewhat teasing and coquettish laugh came from one side.

Everyone looked over in astonishment, and then saw the team from the Fifth Division.

The one speaking was precisely Zhao Zhao Yanzhi.

"It was Banner Leader Li Luo who took the lead in defeating the Fiend Devil Leader of the twenty-eighth floor?" the banner leader of the Second Division said in surprise.

"That can't be faked, after all, you can ask the elders to check." Mu Bi laughed heartily.

Immediately, the banner members of the other four divisions of the Qing Ming Banner all turned their gazes in astonishment toward Li Luo, who had not spoken. No one had expected that this time, the first to clear the twenty-eighth floor would actually be the Fifth Division!

In the past, the Fifth Division had always been the slowest!

Obviously, such a earth-shattering change must be inseparable from Li Luo, this newly arrived banner leader.

Feeling the gazes from the others, the banner members of the Fifth Division couldn't help but feel a bit of pride, and at the same time, their recognition and support for Li Luo, their new banner leader, grew even stronger.

"Hehe, Banner Leader Li Luo is truly full of surprises. In the future, our Qing Ming Banner will have another fierce general." The banner leaders of the other three divisions also cupped their fists toward Li Luo with friendly smiles, their attitudes amicable.

They didn't have much competition with Li Luo. After all, they knew the position of Great Banner Leader had nothing to do with them. Now that Li Luo kept revealing astonishing abilities, who knew if he might really surpass Zhong Ling in the future, so naturally they wouldn't get too hostile with Li Luo.

Li Luo also showed a smile, returning the greetings one by one.

Seeing the Fifth Division so triumphant, some banner members of the First Division couldn't help but say sourly: "What's there to be proud of? It's just getting lucky and clearing it once. We were clearly about to slay that Fiend Devil Leader."

However, such words drew no response, after all, no one cared how close the second place was to catching up.

After Zhong Ling's expression shifted for a moment, he finally reined in his emotions. His face was expressionless, and he couldn't be bothered to put on a polite front with Li Luo. Instead, he waved his hand and said in a slightly sullen voice: "First Division, prepare to enter the twenty-ninth floor."

The banner members of the First Division exchanged glances. They had just gone through a grueling battle lasting several hours, and now they had to directly challenge the twenty-ninth floor without a break?

According to the usual rhythm, they should rest for a while at this point. Especially since over a hundred banner members had been eliminated in the twenty-eighth floor, if they rested for some time, some of them might be able to recover their fighting strength.

Some banner members tried to persuade him, but under Zhong Ling's

sullen face, no one dared to speak up in the end. So the First Division, which had just emerged from the Fiend Devil Cave, set off once again.

Watching the First Division enter the Fiend Devil Cave again under Zhong Ling's lead, the other four divisions of the Qing Ming Banner were somewhat stunned. In the end, the banner leaders of the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions all forced a bitter smile.

"Fifth Division banner members, rest on the spot." Li Luo paid no attention to Zhong Ling, who had re-entered the Fiend Devil Cave in anger, and calmly gave the order.

Zhong Ling's action was clearly a fit of pique, and naturally Li Luo couldn't follow suit.

Zhao Zhao Yanzhi also instructed at this moment: "Banner members whose resonance has healing properties, come with me to help those previously eliminated banner members heal."

Then some banner members stood up and followed Zhao Zhao Yanzhi to find those banner members who had been severely injured and eliminated earlier.

Li Luo sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes slightly closed, but his mind sank into the Water Light Phase Palace.

Inside, numerous Earth Fiend Mysterious Lights danced. Li Luo sensed them slightly, and a hint of joy welled up in his heart. From clearing the twenty-eighth floor earlier, he had ultimately obtained a hundred and twelve strands of Earth Fiend Mysterious Light here.

This was equivalent to refining nearly twenty top-grade Yuan Sha Pills!

And one must know that the monthly stipend of a Qing Ming Banner leader for a month was only this amount.

From this, one could see how generous the gifts of the Fiend Devil Cave were for those at the Earth Fiend General rank.

Most importantly, this was only the twenty-eighth level—if later levels become even higher, how immense would the rewards be?

At this thought, even Li Luo's composure could not help but quicken with excitement, his heart yearning for it.

At this moment, he finally understood: among these twenty banners, the true display of the Dragon Five Bloodline's depth was not the monthly stipends, but this Seventy-Two Level Demon Trap Cave.

"Breaking through the twenty-eighth level took nearly five hours... Excluding the time spent resting, if we can consecutively clear three floors within three days, then this expedition to the Shamo Cave might yield approximately five hundred strands of Earthly Fiendish Mystic Light."

【64】 Excluding rest time, if we can consecutively break through three layers within three days, this journey through the Demon Trap Cave could yield roughly five hundred units of Earthly Demon Mystic Light.

Li Luo's heart swelled with joy—if calculated this way, he might truly strengthen both his Phase Palaces to the Great Demon Palace level within three months.

Even surpassing expectations!

Next, Li Luo led the group in another two hours of rest, while Zhao Zhao Yanzhi completed healing the twenty-plus wounded banner members; they regained most of their combat strength and could continue the Demon Trap Cave campaign.

Of course, dozens of banner members still suffered severe injuries and could only sit out the coming battles.

The Fifth Banner gathered behind Li Luo, their morale visibly high and formidable, causing the Second, Third, and Fourth Banners preparing to enter simultaneously to glance sideways—clearly, after their achievement on the twenty-eighth level, the Fifth Banner's confidence had been fully ignited.

And all of this was brought to the Fifth Banner by that new banner chief.

Amid the many complex gazes, Li Luo's expression remained unruffled; he gave a single order and led the fiercely motivated Fifth Banner into their second assault on the Demon Trap Cave.