Chapter 132: Lu Zhangsheng's Talent! Shocking the Entire Crowd!

Outside Tongtian Tower.

Many Martial Artists looked at the void ahead with shocked expressions.

The two pieces of information displayed above left the crowd hardly daring to believe it.

Challenger: Anonymous.

Talent: Top (Upper).

Currently challenging the ninth floor…

Two anonymous Strong Persons passing the eighth floor in succession instantly made the entire Square boil over.

These two people's talent had already reached Han Mingxuan's level; if they cleared the ninth floor too, it would likely be even more astonishing.

"Today a genius-level figure may appear in the Prefecture City."

"Hard to say, the ninth floor isn't that easy to clear."

"True, even Han Mingxuan didn't clear it; these two will probably stop here…"

A group of people began to discuss.

Han Mingxuan looked at the information ahead, his expression extremely ugly.

This assessment likely had a variable now; he might not be able to claim first place.

Even if all three had Talent: Top (Upper), the ranking still required the Tower Spirit to judge.

He had racked his brains to challenge publicly, never expecting such an outcome, leaving him extremely unwilling in his heart.

Zhou Mei'er beside him also had a rather dark expression.

She hadn't expected this kind of thing to happen in this assessment; her bet with Qin Ruobing was now hard to say.

If she lost, not only would her face be lost, the loss of ten Heavenly Crystal Stones would also pain her greatly.

Just as the crowd began to discuss, inside Tongtian Tower, the ninth floor.

Lu Zhangsheng stood on a patch of lawn, hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm as still water.

His entire body radiated a presence as steady as a mountain.

"Sizzle…"

The void ahead rippled slightly, and in an instant, a man in black appeared on the open ground not far away.

The man held a Long Blade, his features resolute, his aura as deep as an abyss-sea.

"Kill."

Lu Zhangsheng wasted no words and slashed forward with one blade.

A fierce Blade Light roared through the void, as if to cut through everything, its killing aura shockingly terrifying.

With this blade, he directly activated two-tenths of Killing Intent, and combined with the Secret Technique layered within his body, the attack power had already reached its limit.

"Slash."

The man in black was equally unyielding, drawing his blade and slashing out fiercely.

This blade came from above, like Mount Tai pressing down, carrying tremendous force.

At the same time, a powerful vitality surged from around the man's body.

"Boom boom boom…"

The two collided in an instant, violent energy sweeping in all directions; Lu Zhangsheng's protective qi around his body erupted suddenly, completely blocking the overflowing blade qi outside.

After one strike.

The man in black quickly retreated over ten meters, his stance even somewhat unsteady.

In contrast, Lu Zhangsheng stood firmly in place, his expression calm as still water.

In their full-force exchange, Lu Zhangsheng held the absolute upper hand.

This man's Martial Dao True Intent had only comprehended about one-tenth, still far behind his own.

Lu Zhangsheng no longer hesitated and once again raised his blade to charge.

The man in black likewise drew his blade to meet the attack.

"Bang bang bang…"

The two clashed fiercely in the void, powerful shockwaves sweeping in all directions, making both their robes flap loudly.

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Division Main Hall.

Qin Ruobing watched Lu Zhangsheng's combat scene, astonishment lingering in her eyes.

This level of strength was already top-tier among Strong Persons throughout Changping County.

And judging by the momentum of the fight, Lu Zhangsheng still held the absolute upper hand; it was entirely possible for him to claim the title of genius in this assessment.

This made her heart extremely delighted.

She hadn't expected this trip to the Prefecture City to bring such an unexpected joy.

That flirt Zhou Mei'er—taking this chance, she must properly humiliate her.

Even Liang Jinghui, the Prefectural City Hall Master, showed a strange glint in his eyes.

The other party could very well become a genius.

Such a figure appeared only once every several years throughout all of Qingning Prefecture; as long as they didn't fall, they would be a future Innate Strength expert.

Entirely worth his investment.

Inside Tongtian Tower.

The battle continued.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Lu Zhangsheng seized a flaw in his opponent, his body flashed, and like a swimming dragon he reached the opponent's flank, slashing forward with one blade.

"Whoosh…"

Before the black-clothed man could react, a fierce blade light pierced straight through his chest in an instant, and he then dissolved into specks of light that vanished into the void.

"Ninth floor cleared."

Talent Grade: Genius (Lower).

The information in the void ahead changed once more.

Even the text turned golden, as if celebrating the birth of a genius.

"Whoosh…"

Countless golden petals began to fall all around, filling the entire space, as waves of cool, refreshing qi swept outward.

Lu Zhangsheng drew in a deep breath, his spirit jolted instantly, and even the circulation of qi and blood within his body sped up considerably.

"What powerful Spiritual Energy."

It seemed clearing this level came with some benefits; his physical body had faintly begun to change.

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Division Main Hall.

"Good."

Qin Ruobing was overjoyed at the sight, her eyes filled with shock.

She hadn't expected Lu Zhangsheng to truly break through this level and reach the threshold of a genius.

Given strength like his, he might well keep pushing higher.

"Congratulations, niece Qin, on cultivating a genius— the benefits will be considerable."

Liang Jinghui was all smiles as well.

The strength of their Qingning Prefecture Demon-Suppressing Division would grow once again.

With the talent he had displayed, the Innate Dao was within reach.

When that day came, he would surely be another great general of the Prefecture City.

"This Zheng Yufan is also performing well; he very likely can clear the ninth floor."

Qin Ruobing smiled faintly.

His performance was quite a bit worse than Lu Zhangsheng's; he had only just managed to suppress the floor guardian.

"This one does have some hope, but the tenth floor is impossible for him to clear."

Liang Jinghui nodded in full agreement.

Outside the Tongtian Tower.

A group of Martial Artists all stared at the information on the tower with looks of utter shock.

They hadn't expected this assessment to truly produce a genius-level Strong Person.

Just then, the information ahead changed once more.

Challenger: Anonymous.

Talent Grade: Genius (Lower)…

"Another genius! Who would have thought two could appear in a row this time."

The Martial Artists on the Square began to boil with excitement.

A crowd, thrilled beyond measure, began rushing about to spread the news.

Han Mingxuan's face had already gone black as the bottom of a wok.

He hadn't expected that he couldn't even hold onto second place.

He'd truly become a complete clown.

The two anonymous geniuses had utterly shattered his illusions.

"Hmph…"

Zhou Mei'er gave a cold snort and swept her sleeves away at once.

She had lost completely— lost badly.

This time she hadn't just lost face; she would probably be thoroughly humiliated by the other party for a while to come.

"These two will most likely stop here; the tenth floor's difficulty will rise sharply."

"True, but even having just stepped into the genius level is already astonishing."

A crowd waited for the trial to end.

In everyone's view, clearing the ninth floor was already beyond expectation; breaking through the tenth was nearly impossible.

Just as the crowd was buzzing with discussion, the tenth floor of the Tongtian Tower.

Lu Zhangsheng stood in place, quietly gazing at the void ahead.

"Sizzle…"

As the space ahead rippled like water, a red-robed man abruptly appeared.

The man held a Long Blade, his face sullen and hawkish, brows and eyes like hooks, his aura of killing intent terrifyingly intense.

Not only that.

Sinister patterns covered his face, spreading across his entire body.

"A High-Rank Demon Servant? Or a Strong Person who has comprehended Martial Dao True Intent?"

Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly.

He sensed a powerful Martial Dao Will emanating from the man.

Clearly, the man had long since comprehended Martial Dao True Intent, and quite deeply at that— around twenty percent.

Even he felt a faint pressure.

The man's strength was probably not much inferior to that Demon Witch Zhao Yuanjing.

"Kill." The red-robed man immediately charged at Lu Zhangsheng, killing intent rolling off him in waves.

In an instant, he arrived before Lu Zhangsheng and slashed down with a blade.

A blood-red blade light flickered in the void, as if ready to cleave through all before it.

"Slash."

Lu Zhangsheng refused to yield, swinging his blade fiercely forward.

The Killing Intent was pushed to its absolute limit.

Infinite killing intent manifested along the blade's edge, as if turning the empty air before him into a sea of corpses and blood.

"Boom—boom—boom…"

The two clashed violently, sharp blade qi spraying wildly in all directions.

Lu Zhangsheng's defensive aura erupted around him, repelling all surrounding force with piercing, shrill flashes.

The two unleashed their full strength in a single collision.

Lu Zhangsheng stood firm in place, holding his Long Blade, unmoving as a mountain.

The red-robed man stepped back several paces, his breath faltering.

Clearly, in this clash, Lu Zhangsheng held a slight upper hand.

Lu Zhangsheng did not pause—he charged forward again, raising his blade.

The red-robed man likewise rushed toward Lu Zhangsheng to kill.

"Bang—bang—bang…"

The two fought relentlessly in the void, the Battlefield crisscrossed with crimson and pure white blade lights.

The collisions grew even fiercer.

Relying on his powerful protective aura, Lu Zhangsheng held his ground steadily, gradually forcing his opponent into absolute disadvantage.

No matter how the man roared in fury, he could not break through Lu Zhangsheng's defense.

As Lu Zhangsheng swung his Long Blade, his movements became increasingly seamless.

The power of each strike continued to rise.

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Division Main Hall.

Qin Ruobing, seeing Lu Zhangsheng gradually overpower the gatekeeper, filled with astonishment.

If this continued, Lu Zhangsheng had a strong chance of passing this trial.

"This youth is impressive."

Liang Jinghui also wore an expression of admiration.

He had seen many geniuses—even in the capital of Dazhou Kingdom, there were those who reached Foundation Establishment before twenty—but for someone to rise from a Commoner was rare indeed.

It was not impossible he might one day become a Top Heaven's Proud Son.

Outside the Tongtian Tower.

A group of Martial Artists waited for the Stone Gate to open.

Seeing no movement for half a day, they could not hide their surprise.

"Could someone truly pass the Tenth Level?"

After all, the later levels were only passable by Elder Senior Strong Ones nearing Foundation Establishment.

For young Martial Artists, the Tenth Level was already terrifying.

The crowd began to secretly hope.

Even the Martial Artists who had failed their trials waited in silence.

All faces were filled with shock.

They never imagined one of their group was a hidden master.

Tong Yuhua, Chen Zhanpeng, and the others also looked stunned.

After waiting a long time without the Stone Gate opening, they immediately realized.

A Strong Person was ascending to a higher level—someone who could endure such a long trial must far exceed their imagination.

Zheng Yufan had just been effortlessly defeated by the Tenth Level gatekeeper, expecting to be instantly teleported out of the Tongtian Tower—but no movement came from anywhere around him.

He instantly understood: someone stronger than him still remained.

"Is there an unparalleled genius hiding among this group?"

His heart surged with a tidal wave of shock.

After years of concealment, he had believed he was destined to claim first place—but now he saw there were mountains beyond mountains.

He had underestimated the Strong Persons of Qingning Prefecture.

As thoughts swirled among them, on the Tenth Level of the Tongtian Tower.

Lu Zhangsheng continued battling the red-robed man.

As time passed, he fully dominated his opponent, forcing him into the lower hand.

Moreover, the man's aura gradually weakened.

After half an hour.

Lu Zhangsheng seized a fleeting opening and slashed forward with all his might.

"Whoosh…"

A brilliant blade light seemed to split the void, carrying immense killing intent, crashing toward the man's skull.

Before he could react, the blade light pierced straight through his head.

"Sss…"

The man's body instantly disintegrated, dissolving into streams of light that vanished into the void.

"Tenth Level passed."

Talent Level: Genius (Middle).

……

The information ahead changed again.

"Terminate subsequent challenges."

Lu Zhangsheng stopped immediately. He knew this level was likely his limit—his own strength was only slightly superior to that of the red-robed man.

The next few levels could only be challenged once his Cultivation Realm broke through again.

Outside Tongtian Tower.

On the Square, numerous Strong Persons had already erupted into chaos.

"I never expected someone could actually pass the tenth trial."

"Such talent is rare in Qingning Prefecture—even once every ten years."

The crowd burst into exclamations, eyes filled with disbelief.

A group had gathered near Stone Gate, hoping to identify the anonymous Strong Person.

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Division Main Hall.

"Since the opponent refuses to reveal themselves, do not announce it for now. Starting today, provide them with Cultivation resources at the rank of Deputy Hall Master."

Liang Jinghui's face was full of smiles—he was clearly in excellent spirits.

Having such a Talent under his command was a major achievement; Qingzhou City's Demon-Suppressing Division would issue substantial rewards.

"Niece thanks Uncle Liang."

Qin Ruobing's face glowed with joy.

Normally, one must wait a period after passing the trial to be promoted—it seems Lu Zhangsheng is highly favored.

That Lu Zhangsheng reached the Genius (Middle) Talent Level was beyond her wildest expectations.

It seems he will be promoted very soon.

"Boom—boom—boom…"

As the stone door of Tongtian Tower slowly rose, a large group emerged from within.

A dense crowd of Martial Artists stood on the open ground.

Lu Zhangsheng blended into the crowd, utterly unremarkable; Zheng Yufan also appeared ordinary.

He had no intention of exposing himself—he understood the saying: the first bird shot gets the bullet.

He wouldn't reveal his identity when even the Genius (Middle) Strong Person had stayed hidden.

"Shhh…"

A large group of Martial Artists immediately surrounded them, scrutinizing the newcomers.

After sweeping the area from all angles, they found no anomalies.

They all looked puzzled.

"It seems those two Talented individuals have mastered some Secret Technique to conceal their strength."

Unable to locate them at all, they reached this conclusion.

Even Tong Yuhua and Zhu Houyu and others were carefully scanning the surroundings, their hearts still shaken.

Soon after, the last batch of challengers left the Square.

Lu Zhangsheng also blended into the crowd, heading toward his pavilion.

The next few days.

The news that the anonymous Strong Person had taken first place spread instantly.

Countless Martial Artists from the Prefecture City were stunned—they never expected such a Talent to appear in this trial.

Many even regretted not attending in person.

As the incident gradually spread, the entire Qingning Prefecture's subordinate County Cities buzzed with talk.

Everyone speculated over who had claimed first place.

After repeated failed attempts to uncover the truth, many turned to the shadows.

How many among them harbored ill intentions remained unknown.

…………

Late at night, in a lavish pavilion.

Qin Ruobing looked at Lu Zhangsheng with a complex expression.

"You hid it well—even This Seat knew nothing, and I was worried you lacked sufficient strength…"

Lu Zhangsheng smiled awkwardly: "The Wenxiang Sect has Strong Persons lurking in the shadows—I had no choice."

He had always suspected Zhao Yuanjing's Demon Witch's hidden moves had not yet been unleashed.

The day of the final battle would be when she struck—his vigilance on this point had always been high.

"Your strength is likely equal to mine—no need to call yourself 'subordinate.' We shall treat each other as peers."

Qin Ruobing smiled sweetly, radiating charm.

"With the final battle imminent, your concealment is a powerful hidden card—well done."

Her tone was gentle, as if chatting with an old friend.

(End of Chapter)