Chapter 0940: Talents of All Kinds
At the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao, in front of a particular hall.
Several youths with exceptional auras and dignified demeanor had gathered.
In front of them was a particular figure of note. He was skinny but gave off a wild and berserk temperament.
Donned in black robes, he was clutching a dark-red, heavy spear engraved with numerous creatures. As energy surged through it, two violet-eye marks could be seen on the shaft of the spear.
This was Zhao Shenjiang, the number one youth amongst the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao.
Behind him was a youth shrouded in gloominess, staring at his own hand with his head lowered. His gaze was oozing with bloodlust.
This was a familiar face. It was Li Luo's good friend Zhao Jingyu, whom he had met at the Dark Domain.
The two had clashed in the Dark Domain, and he had lost an arm in the battle. However, some miraculous medicines had been utilized to regrow the lost limb.
Nevertheless, this newly grown arm was not the same as before. When Zhao Jingyu clashed against the youths of the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao in a martial contest, his performance had significantly declined.
This was the reason why Zhao Jingyu loathed Li Luo and wished to kill him.
Zhao Shenjiang noticed the brooding Zhao Jingyu, who was filled with murderous intent, and he glanced at him briefly. "I hear that Li Luo has attained the position of Dragon's Head. If you were to confront him as you are now, I'm afraid you might not hold an advantage."
"How infuriating!" Zhao Jingyu's expression contorted with anger before he turned towards Zhao Shenjiang and pleaded, "Elder Brother! You must avenge me!"
Although he and Zhao Shenjiang were not related by blood, they had grown up together, fostering an unbreakable bond.
Zhao Shenjiang smirked cruelly, similarly showcasing his killing intent. "If the opportunity presents itself in the Spiritual Resonance Cave, I'll hack off both his arms as a gift for you."
His peers shivered upon catching sight of that smile. Zhao Shenjiang was the brightest star amongst their Twenty Divisions, and he was known for being heavy-handed and savage in nature. He did not know how to hold back, and numerous individuals had been grievously injured by him throughout the years.
He was notorious for being cruel, battle-addicted, and ruthless.
No one wanted to provoke this fiend.
The bright side was that his sights were now fixed upon Li Luo. The two bloodlines held grievances that ran deep, so if Zhao Shenjiang beat Li Luo to death, it would merely be a demonstration of their faction's superiority!
This statement caused a genuine smile to surface on Zhao Jingyu's face. He would ensure that Li Luo’s life would become a living nightmare!
……
Heavenly Origin Ancient College
Similar to the Astral Sage College, the centerpiece of the school was a Tree of Resonant Power that covered the sky.
The only thing was that this Tree of Resonant Power was far superior in terms of quality when compared to the one in the Astral Sage College.
The lush canopy of the Tree of Resonant Power spanned tens of thousands of meters, and the worldly natural energy around it took the form of countless energy clouds that floated over the leaves. It was a sight to behold.
At this point in time, a group of youths was preparing to depart, surrounded by fellow students seeing them off.
Most of the gazes were focused upon a particular individual. It was a lithe girl who was wrapped in a light-red dress. Her cheeks resembled the autumn moon, her neck was slender and fair, her curvaceous figure accentuated by a small waist.
She was indeed remarkable when it came to looks.
However, her expression was a little cold. She seemed uninterested in the idolizing gazes directed at her.
This was Jiang Wanyu, a student of the Heavenly Origin Ancient College's Three Star Hall. Although she had just entered the Three Star Hall, she was already a two-pearl. What was interesting was that she had an aloof temperament despite possessing dual resonances of wind and fire. She was fierce and brutal in battle, which was a stark contrast to her personality.
It was this duality that garnered her numerous admirers in the college.
"Senior Jiang! Do your best! Beat those geniuses from the other powers and demonstrate to the people of the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent that our college is the best!"
"Junior Jiang, the Spiritual Resonance Cave will be a chaotic mess. You must take care of yourself..."
Amidst all this, Jiang Wanyu remained emotionless, only lowering her head and inspecting the contents of her pocket sphere. She was checking if there was anything important she might have overlooked, effectively filtering out the voices from the outside world.
"Junior Jiang." At this point, a voice rang out and a figure approached.
Jiang Wanyu raised her head and looked at the incoming youth. Though he was skinny and had no defining features, he radiated a sense of warmth and dignity.
Jiang Wanyu lightly nodded and responded, "Senior Zong Sha."
The youth who had approached was Zong Sha. He was a student of the Four Star Hall and was the strongest individual entering the Spiritual Resonance Cave from the college's side. In a way, he was also the leader of the squad.
His reputation within the college was pretty good, known for being friendly and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.
"There are several peers you have to be wary of when we enter the Spiritual Resonance Cave. The Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li's Zhao Shenjiang, the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qing's Qin Yi, the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhu's Zhu Dayu, and before I forget, the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li's Li Luo. It is rumored that he came from an outer divine continent a year ago, and although he is at the lowest cultivation level on the list, you should not underestimate him if you happen to cross paths. A genius who has slaughtered his way out of the outer divine continent naturally has unique methods at his disposal." Zong Sha's tone was warm as he patiently offered his advice.
Jiang Wanyu's eyes fluttered for a moment. "I will naturally not provoke them without reason. However, if we have to fight over opportunities, conflicts cannot be avoided. When push comes to shove, if you can hold down the stronger Heavenly Pearl Tier cultivators, Senior Zong Sha, that will be enough."
Zong Sha gave a bitter smile, but he nodded in agreement. After all, this was his responsibility.
"Once your preparations are complete, we will head off," he replied.
After which, the squad from the Heavenly Origin Ancient College started to move out amidst the enthusiastic farewell of the crowd.
...
Heavenly Origin Divine Continent, Golden Dragon Bank Headquarters
Within a glittering and shining massive palace, the sounds of countless individuals could be heard.
Although the Golden Dragon Bank’s belief was that harmony resulted in wealth, no faction truly regarded them as a pure business. They possessed unparalleled financial wealth, and they required substantial power to guard their riches. Otherwise, they would just be a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
Thus, the Golden Dragon Bank invested significant effort in developing their own talented youths. They would similarly dispatch their best to the Spiritual Resonance Cave as a form of tempering.
In a secluded corner of the golden palace was a group of individuals. The most eye-catching of them all was a female dressed in white robes. She had extraordinary looks and a body that put others to shame.
Her name was Bai Lingyan, and she was the daughter of one of the vice presidents of the Golden Dragon Bank headquarters on the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent. This was a position of considerable influence, making her a pivotal figure amongst the youths within the headquarters. She was sought after by many and was treated like a princess.
Bai Lingyan was in the middle of chatting with her companions, but her gaze seemed to contain a hint of displeasure as she glared at a seat in the middle of the golden hall.
The source of her displeasure was the fact that the Golden Dragon Bank had unexpectedly added newcomers to the squad that would be heading to the Spiritual Resonance Cave. Specifically, there was a mysterious girl who had caught her attention.
The girl was simply too brilliant. Although she was wearing a veil, her eyebrows hinted at the enchanting face hidden beneath, one capable of toppling nations. Her skin was so luminous that even the golden palace’s radiance seemed dim in comparison, resembling the purest snow. Her slender legs were adorned with snow-white stockings, outlining their contours and instilling a sense of raw beauty to anyone who saw it.
Just looking at this girl caused Bai Lingyan to unconsciously clench her teeth. She was once the heart of the squad, but other youths with status comparable to hers had converged around the newcomer.
"Elder Brother Zhao Ying, who exactly is she? How could they suddenly jam this stranger into our squad? Has the Golden Dragon Bank fallen to the point that any rabble can randomly join us?" Bai Lingyan glanced at the guy beside her.
The one known as Zhao Ying was temporarily speechless. His own father held a senior management position at the Golden Dragon Bank. Additionally, his father was in charge of choosing the individuals who could participate within the Spiritual Resonance Cave. Thus, he would naturally know something about this.
"Lingyan, don't trouble her. She was not randomly thrust into our team," the youth advised.
"Huh?" Bai Lingyan coldly smiled.
The youth softly replied, "She comes from the Mountain."
These words were puzzling to an outsider. However, Bai Lingyan had grown up in the Golden Dragon Bank and could be considered an insider. Thus, her expression changed as she knew what the Mountain represented.
The term “the Mountain" was referring to the Golden Dragon Mountain.
That was where the true core of the Golden Dragon Bank sat.
That single line caused Bai Lingyan's expression to turn gloomy.
"Her surname is Lu."
Bai Lingyan clenched her teeth and withdrew her piercing gaze from the mysterious girl.
Only one clan in the Golden Dragon Mountain had the surname Lu. If the newcomer was truly surnamed Lu, then her status was an entire level higher than those in the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent's Golden Dragon Bank headquarters. The difference between them was akin to the gap between a royal princess from the capital and one from a remote land.