Chapter 78

(It's late again, really. Thinking about the plot makes me write so slowly. I'm so frustrated with my slow writing. Please give me recommendations and favorites. The number of favorites has already exceeded ten thousand.)

Candidate Dragon Guard!

The demon soldier Zhao Xueshan's pupils narrowed slightly. After being promoted to demon soldier, his perspective had changed, and he knew much more than an ordinary demon soldier.

The Dragon Guard Manor is directly under the Ministry of War of the Han Dynasty, overseeing and managing the chaos caused by demons and monsters across the land. The members of the manor are called Dragon Guards, controlled by the royal family. Outstanding disciples from the Royal Academy and various sects and families are dispatched to join, and those who excel can be granted the position of Dragon Guard, ranking as a seventh-grade official. However, they do not have the right to attend court or participate in political discussions. Additionally, they can even enter the imperial armory to select a first-class martial art.

As for a candidate Dragon Guard, they have no official rank and do not need to be reported to the Ministry of Personnel for formal appointment. Instead, they are directly selected by the secondary Dragon Guard Manors in various regions from the outstanding disciples of local martial arts sects and families. Once their skills are proficient and they pass the examination at the Chang'an Dragon Guard Manor, they can officially be promoted to Dragon Guard.

"A candidate Dragon Guard? Unfortunately, not a real Dragon Guard. If it were a real Dragon Guard, I would immediately flee. Now, just a local candidate Dragon Guard, not even from a major sect like Wudang, a minor figure from a second-rate sect, also comes to the Moyun Mountains to show off. Perhaps you still don't know what it means to be overconfident. You've heard too much flattery and think you are invincible among your peers. I remember, there's a saying among humans, it's called 'arrogance of a small country.'"

The demon soldier Zhao Xueshan spoke slowly, even sitting down again. The wolf demon and leopard demon exchanged glances and calmed down. They knew something about Zhao Xueshan, who came from the Blood Wolf Clan and was as young as he looked, having already established his foundation at just nineteen years old. Two years had passed, and it was rumored that he had already unblocked at least three of the twelve main meridians, making his power well-known among the young demon soldiers in the Moyun Mountains.

"Bold!"

Before the candidate Dragon Guard Qi Su could speak, the five young men behind him were enraged. This demon soldier was so arrogant, even looking down on a candidate Dragon Guard, and they were still in the examination process, not even considered candidate Dragon Guards. How could they be any less?

Kill!

In an instant, the five of them attacked together. They seemed to be from the same sect, drawing their five long swords, the sword light intertwining, cutting through the air, and the sound of the sword whistling like thunder, forming a thunderous sword net that fell directly on Zhao Xueshan.

"The Five Elements Thunderlight Sword Formation?"

The demon soldier Zhao Xueshan was not surprised, as if he were commenting, saying, "So the five of you are from the Thunderlight Sword Sect in Zhushan County. A third-rate sword sect, with only the Five Elements Thunderlight Sword Formation barely worth mentioning. The sword embodies the five elements, and the thunder's wrath, but unfortunately, it is just a superficial display. I heard that your sect started by obtaining the legacy of a senior swordsman in the past, but without the true essence, it is just an empty shell, easily shattered."

He spoke confidently, as if he knew everything, making the five attackers' hearts tremble, and the sword net they formed immediately wavered.

Right now!

Without Zhao Xueshan needing to act, the wolf demon and leopard demon moved, their iron palms like the wind, their human hands instantly transforming into sharp claws, emitting a cold, blood-red light.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

A series of metallic clashes, sparks flying, the face of the candidate Dragon Guard Qi Su changed abruptly. Before he could act, the five figures were thrown out like rags, crashing into the mountain wall, their bones broken and muscles torn.

...

In the stone room.

"Everyone, it's time."

The moment the faint sound of metal clashing was heard, the seven young people who had been captured last stood up simultaneously. They were no longer weak and pale, but instead looked vigorous and alert, their eyes bright, even though they had some bruises and contusions, they paid no attention to them.

"Who are you!" The eyes of many people in the stone room suddenly became bright.

"No need to ask more. We are disciples from various sects participating in the candidate Dragon Guard examination at the Zhushan County Dragon Guard Manor. We accidentally discovered the conspiracy of the sheepskin map and decided to use it to our advantage. Under the leadership of the candidate Dragon Guard, the eldest disciple of Luoxia Sect, Qi Su, we came to eliminate the demons and save everyone from their suffering!"

With these words, everyone in the stone room who could move struggled to stand up. They had already given up hope, but now, a flame of hope ignited in their hearts.

"Luoxia Sect, so it's the eldest disciple of the Luoxia Sect in Zhushan County. No wonder he could enter the county Dragon Guard Manor and become a candidate Dragon Guard."

"A candidate Dragon Guard, I heard that the lowest cultivation level is at least the foundation stage, with the strength of a blood-sweating treasure horse, and some have even established their foundation, opened their dantian, and cultivated internal true qi."

"We are saved!"

Under everyone's gaze, the seven young people remained calm, each with a smile on their lips, but they did not lose their composure, showing a steady and serious demeanor, not frivolous at all.

Su Qinnian also stood up. He had seen everything, his mental energy extending straight out, seeing the battle in the stone hall about twenty yards away.

Puff!

A soft sound, in the stone room, a young man drew a very fine soft sword from his waist, black as ink, but extremely sharp. He slashed in the air, and the rusted iron door split in two. Another slash, and it shattered into pieces.

"Damn!"

Outside the door, a tiger demon guarding the entrance immediately rushed in. He was extremely tall, with bulging muscles and a robust physique. With a roar, his blood-red mouth opened, revealing sharp, white tiger teeth.

Whoosh!

The wind howled, the tiger demon's two large hands transformed into tiger claws, larger than a human head. He pushed with both palms, creating a powerful palm wind.

This palm was extremely fierce, in the eyes of the people in the stone room, it was as if countless fierce tigers were charging from all directions. The palm wind roared like a tiger, shaking the mountains and forests, and the demonic aura swept in all directions.

Terrifying!

This was the only thought in many people's minds. This was clearly a foundation-stage palm technique of the tiger demon clan, fierce and powerful, simple yet profound, combined with a heavy demonic aura, even the Hu demon Yu Hu from the Divine Fist Sect was startled. The tiger demon's blood qi was even more vigorous than his prime, with the power to tear apart a blood-sweating treasure horse.

"Kill!"

However, facing the tiger demon, the seven young people did not panic at all. Seven black soft swords were drawn almost simultaneously, six of them intertwining in the air, forming a black "kill" character, emitting an overwhelming killing aura that tore apart the incoming demonic aura.

"Formation complete! Seven Kill Life Shattering!"

Finally, the seventh sword light bloomed, flowing like water, merging into the "kill" character in the air. Under the tiger demon's suddenly terrified gaze, it descended like a mountain, pressing down.

Puff!

Blood splattered, the air split like silk, the palm wind and demonic bones were like paper, shattered and scattered on the ground.

"The Seven Kill Life Shattering Sword Formation!"

Yu Hu from the Divine Fist Sect, covering his torn right arm, looked incredulous.

"Yes, you seem familiar, but good eyesight. This is the third-rate sword formation, Seven Kill Life Shattering, that every candidate Dragon Guard in our Dragon Guard Manor must master. We were not yet true candidate Dragon Guards, still in the examination process, but due to the changes in the Moyun Mountains, our Zhushan County Dragon Guard Manor was short of personnel, so we were exceptionally taught this technique."

"No more talk, let's leave, break out!"

This caused some chaos in the stone room, but the seven young people did not pay attention. They rushed out first, faster than galloping horses, and in a moment, they reached the stone hall.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two figures stood like mountains, their fingers and palms colliding, like two large millstones grinding against each other. The air exploded, and within a few yards, the air was in a chaotic state, with invisible currents surging, making it difficult to approach.

"Not good! The five senior brothers from the Thunderlight Sword Sect!"

The seven immediately saw the five people lying on the ground, no longer breathing. The wolf demon and leopard demon stood to one side, wearing cruel and mocking smiles.

"So terrifying!"

The people in the stone room stopped here, as the wolf demon and leopard demon blocked the exit of the tunnel. Looking at the center of the stone hall, the eldest disciple of the Luoxia Sect, Qi Su, had not yet fallen, but was clearly at a disadvantage.

The battle between two foundation-stage experts, with internal true qi surging, the astonishing destructive power left the martial artists present speechless. The wind howled, as if ghosts were crying and wolves were howling, sharp and piercing.

"Seven Kill Life Shattering!"

The seven young people did not hesitate, the sword formation rose again, the black sword light intertwining, forming a "kill" character that enveloped the wolf demon and leopard demon, aiming to open a path to safety.

Even as the sword light approached, the wolf demon and leopard demon did not move, only watching the seven with cold eyes, their mocking smiles growing wider.

Not good! (It's late again, really. Thinking about the plot makes me write so slowly. I'm so frustrated with my slow writing. Please give me recommendations and favorites. The number of favorites has already exceeded ten thousand.)