Devouring Soul Emperor

The registration point for the Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment was set up inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

It was said that for this assessment, many Great Xia Dragon Guards had come all the way from the County City. Their leader was even a Lord Guardian, an expert at the Martial Spirit Level.

By the final day of registration, the feverish excitement from the first two days had largely died down. The crowd on this third day was much sparser than before.

When Chu Qingyun arrived, he didn’t even have to wait in line; it was his turn right away.

The registration process wasn’t complicated. First, they registered his name, age, realm, and Martial Soul information, then checked the authenticity of his Great Xia Martial Token.

Every Great Xia Martial Token contained a trace of its holder’s Primordial Power, so there was no risk of impersonation.

When the Great Xia Dragon Guards on duty heard Chu Qingyun was only sixteen, their expressions subtly changed. Their initial indifference shifted to curiosity, and they began to take him seriously.

A Fifth-level Martial Artist was nothing in the eyes of the Great Xia Dragon Guards.

With their talent, reaching the Ninth-level Martial Artist realm was a certainty; it was only a matter of how long it would take.

But a sixteen-year-old Fifth-level Martial Artist was a different story entirely.

At the same realm, a younger age clearly signified greater talent.

With his level of talent, as long as he didn’t meet an untimely end, he had a real chance of breaking through to the Martial Spirit realm one day.

"Hmph. Sixteen? He’s barely a man and he dares to participate in the Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment? Let’s hope he doesn’t piss his pants from fear when the time comes."

A clean-shaven Great Xia Dragon Guard with a pale, sinister face and triangular eyes taunted Chu Qingyun in a sneering, passive-aggressive tone.

Chu Qingyun frowned slightly, shot him a glance, and chose to ignore him.

This place was, after all, full of Great Xia Dragon Guards. He didn’t understand their internal dynamics, and starting a conflict with one of them here was clearly unwise.

"Heh heh, Liu Lang, he’s ignoring you."

"Haha! Liu Lang, oh, Liu Lang. Even a sixteen-year-old kid can’t be bothered to look at you. If I were you, I’d have died of shame by now."

Many of the others burst into laughter, mocking the Great Xia Dragon Guard named Liu Lang.

Although Liu Lang was a Seventh-level Martial Artist, he wasn’t strong at all. The only reason he’d managed to get into the Great Xia Dragon Guard was because his uncle, a Lord Guardian, had pulled some strings to get him through the assessment.

The entry requirement for the Great Xia Dragon Guard was ten consecutive victories in the Great Xia Martial Palace and the title of Great Xia Samurai. As such, the Great Xia Dragon Guard was a gathering place for all the geniuses in the Great Xia Kingdom.

In a place like this, someone like Liu Lang who had gotten in through connections was naturally disliked and ostracized by everyone.

This was especially true after he caused several missions to fail, and now he was looked down upon all the time. No one even wanted to team up with him anymore.

As a result, what Liu Lang hated most were so-called "geniuses"—especially those without any powerful backing.

And that was precisely why he couldn’t resist provoking Chu Qingyun.

"Kid, you dare ignore me? Liu Lang? You’re this arrogant before you’ve even joined the Great Xia Dragon Guard? Today, I’m going to have to teach you the rules."

Goaded by the mockery of the crowd, Liu Lang’s glare at Chu Qingyun grew even more malevolent.

He felt that he was only being scorned because Chu Qingyun hadn’t immediately submitted to him. He conveniently forgot that none of this would have happened if he hadn’t run his mouth in the first place.

"What do you want?"

Facing Liu Lang, Chu Qingyun didn’t dare let his guard down.

With his current strength as a Fifth-level Martial Artist, combined with a few secret techniques and trump cards, he might be able to handle an ordinary Seventh-level Martial Artist.

However, Liu Lang was a Great Xia Dragon Guard. A Seventh-level Martial Artist from their ranks was in a completely different league than an ordinary one.

If he were to use his Thundercloud Sword, Chu Qingyun was absolutely certain of victory.

But a Spirit Level Divine Weapon was far too conspicuous. He didn’t want to reveal the Thundercloud Sword in front of so many people.

"What do I want? Get on your knees, kowtow, and apologize!"

Liu Lang’s face was flushed with excitement, his eyes betraying the twisted pleasure he took in bullying the weak.

Hearing this, Chu Qingyun’s expression turned cold. "Liu Lang, I’ve been patient with you out of respect for your status as a senior in the Great Xia Dragon Guard. But don’t push it. Being a Seventh-level Martial Artist is nothing to be so arrogant about!"

Chu Qingyun had chosen his words carefully, making sure to show respect for the Great Xia Dragon Guard first to avoid offending anyone else.

Besides, it was clear from what had happened earlier that Liu Lang wasn’t on good terms with the others present anyway.

"Good. Fine. You’re courting death..."

A vicious glint flashed in Liu Lang’s eyes as he advanced on Chu Qingyun, his face twisted into a savage expression.

Chu Qingyun, in turn, was on high alert. He gathered Primordial Power in his palm, ready to unleash it at a moment’s notice.

"Both of you, stop!"

Just as the tension between the two reached its peak, a thunderous shout came from the doorway.

A powerfully built man with dark skin strode in like a tempest.

The instant the man entered, everyone fell silent, their expressions turning serious.

Chu Qingyun could even feel the air grow heavy. An invisible pressure filled the entire area.

Even without deliberately releasing his aura, the sheer presence he naturally exuded was enough to intimidate everyone.

’This guy... he’s incredibly strong!’

Not knowing if the newcomer was friend or foe, Chu Qingyun became even more guarded.

"What’s going on here?" the burly man boomed, his brow furrowed.

Someone nearby immediately stepped forward and recounted the entire incident from start to finish. His account was fair and didn’t favor either side.

After hearing the explanation, the burly man walked up to Liu Lang, glared at him, and barked, "You’re a disgrace! Bullying a candidate for the assessment? No wonder everyone looks down on you!"

His words were harsh and struck right at Liu Lang’s sorest spot.

But Liu Lang could only lower his head, gritting his teeth and not daring to say a single word in response.

The burly man’s name was Sun Daxiong, a Guard Captain in the Great Xia Dragon Guard. Only Ninth-level Martial Artists could become captains, and even among them, Sun Daxiong was known for his formidable strength.

Forget Liu Lang—even his uncle, the Lord Guardian, was always cordial and pleasant when dealing with a captain like Sun Daxiong.

After berating Liu Lang, Sun Daxiong turned his attention to Chu Qingyun. A powerful, terrifying aura began to rise from him, subtly locking onto the boy.

Instantly, Chu Qingyun’s expression changed as he felt the pressure on him suddenly intensify.

As Sun Daxiong stared at him, he had the distinct feeling of being targeted by a powerful, bloodthirsty Demon Beast. He couldn’t stop his legs from trembling slightly.