Chapter 359: Outraged
Surprisingly, an enormous fire ball rolled out from the inside of the cave.
The ball was as tall as a man and as dangerous as a falling stone from Heaven. It flew towards Lewis who stood outside the cave. If he was hit directly, he would be blown to pieces.
Lewis lamented his lost chance to open the blue treasure box himself. He was quite close to his target when the fire ball came.
However, he had to retreat. Otherwise, he would have been burnt into ashes and died.
He managed to move around and avoid the burning ball, but in turn he fell from the platform.
“Such a pity. He was so close to success!”
The old man in white clothes from the Auspice Sect said remorsefully as he patted his leg.
“He would've surely gotten it if he had just extended his arms further or stood a bit closer to it,” Fernandez added and shook his head.
However, other masters felt differently. Lewis' failure even pleased some of them.
“Prepare to finish this guy!” The disciples of Cloud Hall watched him closely and readied to strike.
Suddenly, someone hurriedly shouted. “Don't be a fool! Get out of here before it's too late!” The disciples from the Cloud Hall scrambled in different directions. The fireball was a giant flaming stone with an extremely high temperature.
The disciples had planned to use the Twelve Earthly Branches Array against the guy in the cloak, but the burning fireball suddenly appeared and foiled their plan. They had to quickly undo the array to avoid the risk.
Lennon didn't expect this as well. He had to abandon the Twelve Earthly Branches Array against his will, even though he was the best among the disciples of the Cloud Hall. He was confident that he could deal with the guy in the cloak even without the help of the array. Therefore, he decided to personally defeat the guy in the cloak.
However, the guy in the cloak moved when they failed to establish the array. His cloak unfolded and revealed huge bird wings. He flapped them, flew high above, went past the forest, and then disappeared completely. Lennon lost his chance to catch him.
“There's no escape from this. He still has a long way to go, I'll find him eventually one way or another,” Lennon said coldly. Suddenly, he sensed someone or something's presence.
A figure appeared from the other side of the valley and approached the enchanted barrier just as he cursed the cloak guy's escape.
“Look, it's the guy who is at the third grade of nature level,” a disciple from the Cloud Hall who first saw the newcomer shouted excitedly. However, Lennon didn't seem pleased.
“Keep quiet, kid. I've seen him already,” he scolded the fussy disciple. Other disciples from the Cloud Hall now turned their attention to Lennon and looked at him with surprise. Lennon's real strength had always been beyond their imagination, and he was calm and confident all the time. It looked like nothing could interest or annoy him at all.
On top of that, they had never heard him curse before.
However, this time…
It was obvious that he was pissed.
The anger was so evident in his eyes that he desperately wanted to strangle the man in front of them to death.
He gritted his teeth and glowered at Zen.
Zen felt Lennon's murderous gaze and looked back at him. He suddenly decided to do something outrageous. “Bite me if you can!” he said.
Flames of fury burned in Lennon's body. He couldn't believe that a guy with such limited martial arts skills dared to challenge him so boldly.
He was already outraged a while ago when the guy in a cloak hid his face with the cloak and sneaked through the light curtain under their noses.
However, Zen was bolder. He strutted confidently, got inside the light curtain, and challenged him with such a shameful remark. Lennon found it unacceptable.
He couldn't hold back his emotions anymore. He thought he had illusions. He had worked really hard over the past few years and finally became the top-level disciple of his generation--but how could someone from the second-grade sect think so little of him? Was he insane? Had he lost his mind?
Lennon grudgingly raised a finger and said in a low voice, “I don't know you or your master, but you will die today. I promise that nobody will come to your rescue.”
Even with his threat, Zen just blinked and smiled. He seemed unbothered by Lennon's warning. But he was in no mood to bicker, so he turned around and started to climb.
Beside the Picture Slab, Kenneth felt offended. “Such an arrogant young man,” Kenneth commented.
On the contrary, Fernandez didn't mind at all. “Lennon's proud. He surely felt mad when he was tricked by Lewis and Zen. But I'm a bit worried about Zen. If he succeeds today and becomes an elite of the Cloud Hall, he has to guard against Lennon. After all, Lennon is from the famous South Wang-Zhao Family.”
“South Wang-Zhao Family?” Kenneth asked in surprise. That explained the boy's proud and arrogant behavior.
The South Wang-Zhao Family was actually formed by two families--the Wang Family and Zhao Family merged together. Both of them were renowned at the southern Central Region. They had good relations and finally decided to merge into one third-grade family.
The top seven noble clans in Eastern Region only had the first-grade power, while the Cloud Sect was considered as the second-grade power.
The third-grade power was lesser than the Cloud Hall, but it was still an important existence in the Central Region.
“I know. After Zen has walked through the Cloud Road, I'll tell him to be cautious,” said Kenneth, and nodded in agreement.
The treasure boxes must be acquired one by one. The red treasure box was the first in line.
Two people had climbed to the first floor a few moments ago, which made Zen well-prepared for it. He would surely take the red treasure box.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew.
Even people swayed with the gale-like force of the wind.
The first Cloud Hall disciple, who had reached the first floor was too weak to resist the wind. He fell.
Trapped in the wind, Zen leaned forward by exerting his physical strength, just like the cloaked man.
The wind was strong, but couldn't make Zen sway.
“It's just too easy for Zen. It's even much easier for him than for the cloaked guy.”
“I think he'll get the red treasure box.”
Some Cloud Hall disciples were speechless. The disciples from the second-grade sects had always been humble since their sects were inferior to the Cloud Hall. Besides, the advises they received, the drugs they used, and even their masters were nothing compared to those from the Cloud Hall. Thus, they always appeared weaker and less confident before.
Today however, was different. The appearance of the cloaked guy and Zen completely changed the situation and people's opinions.
“Hoot, hoot, hoot...”
Wind blades stabbed at anyone who dared to come to the first floor.
The second round of attacks in the cave commenced.
“Wind blades?”
“Demonic Phantom!” Zen shouted. He decided to use the phantoms to block the blades for him.
Zen cursed. He didn't intend to consume too much of his inner energy at the beginning.
He was determined to take as many treasure boxes as possible. The blue, red, and silver treasure boxes were the ones he wanted.
Ambition ran through his blood. Ever since he decided to walk on the Cloud Road and compete with other participants, he had tried to seize each and every chance to win.
Some things for enhancing the soul could be hidden inside the red treasure box. What about the blue and silver treasures boxes? What kind of treasures were there? Would they be more precious? Zen could only imagine and guess. What about the golden treasure box?
Or the black one?
Zen had no idea which floor he could get on. He just wanted to climb higher and higher.
Six demonic phantoms bravely faced the sharp wind blades. The cloaked guy successfully dodged the dangerous blades with his surprisingly fast agility, while Zen just used his indestructible body.
Two demonic phantoms blocked the wind blades and were repeatedly cut in the process.
Although the phantoms had a solid and sturdy built, there were marks left on their bodies.
As time passed, the two demonic phantoms in the front couldn't bear the damages any longer. They finally shattered and broke.
When the two phantoms disappeared, another two phantoms took their places. They continued to block the wind blades and shelter Zen. He had six phantoms. The two shattered ones reshaped themselves and waited for their time to replace the others.
Meanwhile in the forest, Lewis had taken off his cloak and revealed his handsome face. His hair was red, and a wicked smile lit up his features. He was widely considered the most charming man in Auspice Sect.
He didn't escape, although Lennon was really outraged. He chose to hide himself in the forest and see what would happen next. Only a confident disciple dared to risk his life just to have some fun.
Lewis was in good mood. It seemed that nothing would depress him, not even when he failed to acquire the blue treasure box.
“Such an interesting guy! How could he work out such a method to block the sharp wind blades? Those six sculptures shaped like humans are quite weird. Whenever they shattered, they would reshape themselves. If I'm not mistaken, he's already practicing the tier-5 martial arts skills. I thought I might meet some competent rivals, such as Lennon and Frank, although neither of them is capable of winning against me. But a guy who just reached the third-grade of nature level unexpectedly showed such amazing inner energy and remarkable abilities. Perhaps I have underestimated other cultivators and martial arts practitioners all over the world,” Lewis sighed.