Seizing the Prize, the Arrogant Liu Family Young Master

The merchant ship traversed the sea of clouds and smoothly passed through layers of airspace, soon arriving safely at the Black Mist Marsh region on the Southern Border of the Heavenly Gift Dynasty.

The Black Mist Marsh is shrouded in dark demonic mist year-round, with a damp and miasma-filled atmosphere stretching for thousands of miles. The desolate marshland is overgrown with withered forests, making it a notoriously dangerous and desolate place in the Southern Border, and also a favorite stronghold for rogue demonic cultivators.

The collective trial and extermination mission arranged by the Ancient Path Holy Land this time focuses on the entire Black Mist Marsh as its core area.

Sweep away all the low-level demonic cultivators causing trouble, and hone the combat skills and Daoist resolve of the inner disciples.

After Elder Sun and his entire inner sect team landed, they immediately raised their hands and spread out their broad Divine Thought to quickly explore the danger distribution around the entire Black Mist Marsh.

The area where the lower-level demonic cultivators gathered was confirmed, and there was no trace of high-level demonic cultivators Lie Dormant throughout the entire process.

After confirming that the site was safe and secure, he immediately arranged the trial deployment in front of everyone, dividing the hundreds of inner disciples into pairs and groups of three, and evenly dispersing them to divide the entire outer area of Black Mist Marsh into a clearing zone.

He stood atop the desolate highlands, his steady voice resounding throughout the surrounding area, instructing all his disciples to train steadily, prioritize self-preservation, and cautiously eliminate enemies, accumulating practical combat merits as long as they did not rashly venture into the forbidden zone at the bottom of the swamp.

All the disciples dispersed in response, each finding companions and forming teams to take their own trial areas, stepping into the desolate forests and swamps surrounding the Black Mist Marsh Swamp.

Chen Du was given a moment of leisure and was randomly assigned to a desolate, withered forest area on the outermost edge of the Black Mist Marsh Swamp.

This area has the lightest demonic mist and the weakest malevolent aura. The demonic cultivators residing there generally have low cultivation levels, making it the most relaxed and safest area in the entire trial grounds, with almost no fatal dangers.

He maintained the superficial aura of an Eighth Stage cultivator, his steps leisurely and unhurried, as he slowly stepped alone into the vast, withered black forest.

The entire forest was desolate, with all the trees withered and cracked, their branches twisted and black, the ground covered with rotten branches and blackened mud, and a faint, demonic, and fishy smell wafted in the air, creating an atmosphere of desolation and bleakness.

Chen Du remained calm and unhurried, slowly making his way through the depths of the withered forest, leisurely probing the activity within. His expression was serene throughout, treating this trial as a casual stroll.

He strolled leisurely for most of the day, clearing away a few low-level demon slaves along the way. He encountered no significant resistance whatsoever, and the entire withered forest was so quiet that only the soft cracking of dry branches under his feet could be heard.

As he continued deeper into the forest, a faint ripple of spiritual light suddenly emanated from the depths of the woods, accompanied by the soft clanging of metal.

Chen Du's gaze shifted slightly, and he quietly approached the source of the sound, his footsteps becoming softer.

After passing two thick, dead trees, a simple, dilapidated thatched hut could be seen hidden in a low-lying area in the woods.

The shack was dilapidated and drafty, serving as a temporary shelter for lower-level demonic cultivators.

Inside the shack, a mage dressed in a jet-black robe sat cross-legged.

A pile of scattered low-grade spirit stones lay before him, his fingertips constantly fiddling with and counting them, his eyes filled with greedy delight.

This demonic cultivator possessed a refined and stable aura, surrounded by pure and powerful demonic energy. He was a genuine Ninth Tier demonic cultivator leader and one of the few high-level combatants in this withered forest area.

They have been entrenched here for years, robbing passing cultivators and accumulating a meager fortune. They are cautious and vigilant, and their perception far surpasses that of ordinary low-level cultivators.

The moment Chen Du's figure appeared, the Ninth Tier demonic cultivator instantly became alert, sensing the aura of a stranger. He didn't even have time to gather his spirit stones before he abruptly looked up and sprang into action.

His eyes flashed with ferocity, and his demonic energy surged around him. In an instant, his right hand grabbed the heavy ghost-headed sword that was lying beside him.

The blade, blackened and stained with blood, was wreathed in fierce, demonic energy, and with the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, it slashed fiercely down at Chen Du.

The blade whistled through the air, its killing intent sharp and direct, each strike aimed at the head, leaving no room for mercy.

Chen Du remained calm and composed, his feet slightly shifting to the side, seemingly dodging casually, yet he precisely avoided the powerful and heavy slash.

The heavy blade energy grazed his shoulder and slashed fiercely at the withered tree behind him. The thick trunk instantly exploded and flew everywhere, splintering wood everywhere, its power terrifying.

To match the average combat strength of an Eighth Stage disciple, Chen Du deliberately pretended to be unsteady and hasty in his movements, staggering a couple of steps to appear as if he had barely managed to dodge a fatal blow.

Seeing that his attack had missed and that his opponent was unsteady, the Ninth Tier demonic cultivator immediately recognized an opportunity and his killing intent intensified.

With a flick of the wrist, a second domineering blade strike followed immediately, the continuous slashing giving the opponent no chance to breathe.

Just as the ghost-headed blade was about to close in again, Chen Du stopped dodging and evading, raised his hand and accurately struck the center of the heavy blade with his palm.

A dull thud suddenly exploded.

The seemingly casual palm strike carried an immense and terrifying force that was impossible to resist. It instantly shattered all the demonic energy on the blade, and the violent recoil flowed upwards along the blade.

The Ninth Tier demonic cultivator couldn't even grip the hilt of the sword. His tiger's mouth instantly cracked and went numb, and the heavy ghost-head sword flew out of his hand and crashed heavily into the mud beside him.

The demonic cultivator's pupils constricted sharply, his face filled with shock and astonishment. He had no time to react to this sudden turn of events, and a sense of foreboding just began to rise in his heart.

Chen Du's figure was already like a shadow, instantly closing in on him, the distance was so close that he didn't give the other party any chance to gather strength to resist or escape.

He closed his five fingers and delivered a steady, unassuming palm strike, which landed precisely in the center of the demonic cultivator's chest.

The seemingly simple palm strike contained a primal power that could crush dimensions, instantly shattering the protective demonic energy that the Ninth Tier demonic cultivator had cultivated for many years.

The protective aura shattered and disintegrated instantly, and the immense palm force poured into the demonic cultivator's body, causing his internal organs to shift instantly and his meridians to break inch by inch.

The demonic cultivator's face turned deathly pale instantly. He spat out a mouthful of thick, black blood mixed with bits of flesh, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

He crashed heavily into the dry, cracked trunk of a dead tree behind him. The tree trunk trembled violently, and the demonic cultivator's body slid limply to the ground. His neck lolled to the side, his eyes wide open, and all signs of life were completely extinguished.

The entire movement was clean and crisp, without any unnecessary fancy moves. What appeared to be an extreme battle between Eighth Stage cultivators was actually Chen Du's casual crushing of power, deliberately restrained.

Chen Du slowly walked forward, bent down, took out his short blade, and cleanly severed the demonic cultivator's head. He then casually stuffed it into his personal trial storage bag to record his trial achievements.

He then casually took the cloth spirit stone bag hanging from the demonic cultivator's waist, stuffing all the spirit stones inside in a natural and relaxed manner, calmly looting all the spoils.

Just as he finished packing up all his belongings and was about to get up to continue exploring the remaining areas of the forest, a clear and steady sound of footsteps suddenly came from the forest path on the outer edge of the withered forest.

The footsteps were orderly and rhythmic, carrying a languid air of superiority, unlike the hurried and cautious manner of the trial disciples. Instead, they exuded the arrogance and relaxation of the wealthy and powerful.

Several figures slowly turned into the forest path and entered the secluded, withered woods, where they bumped into Chen Du, who was squatting beside the corpse, cleaning up the mess.

The leader was a young man in his early twenties, tall and elegantly dressed. His brocade robe with gold patterns shone brightly, and the robe was covered with fine gold cloud patterns, which were particularly eye-catching in the dark and withered forest.

A warm, white jade pendant hung from his waist, with a powerful and vigorous character "Liu" carved on it, clearly identifying him.

This person is none other than Liu Chengyu, the young master of the Liu Family, one of the most prestigious and powerful families in Lingzhou.

The Liu Family of Lingzhou has a profound foundation, having occupied Lingzhou for thousands of years. The family has a vast background, with a patriarch at the Peak Stage the Fourteenth Tier secretly in charge. Their power is deeply rooted, making them a well-known top secular force in the entire Southern Border region.

Even if it is slightly inferior to a sect giant like the Ancient Path Holy Land, it is by no means an existence that ordinary sect disciples can provoke at will.

Liu Chengyu was pampered since childhood and was used to bullying others and acting tyrannically. As the young master, he was extremely arrogant and never took ordinary disciples of the sect seriously.

He was followed closely by three bodyguards, all of whom were veteran cultivators of advanced age. Their auras were calm and composed, and their power was restrained and heavy. Each of them was a genuine Twelfth Tier cultivator.

Three Twelfth Tier cultivators served as his personal bodyguards, dedicated to protecting him and ensuring Liu Chengyu safety and freedom of movement within the mortal realm.

The four of them stopped in the woods, looking down at the headless demonic cultivator's corpse on the ground, and then glanced contemptuously at Chen Du, who had stood up. Their eyes were full of scrutiny and disdain.

Liu Chengyu slightly raised his chin, his eyes brimming with innate arrogance and aristocratic conceit. His tone was calm yet carried an undeniable air of command, "Bring out the head of that demonic cultivator."

Chen Du straightened up, gently holding the trial storage bag in one hand, his tone calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant.

"I killed him, why should I give him to you?"

A simple sentence instantly deepened the contempt in Liu Chengyu's eyes, and a sneer of extreme sarcasm curled up on his face.

In his view, an ordinary inner disciple of a sacred land with no background had no right to refuse him, the young master of a powerful family.

He casually pulled a bulging bag of low-grade spirit stones from the wide sleeve of his brocade robe, and without even glancing at Chen Du, tossed it down hard.

The spirit stone bag slammed heavily onto the muddy forest floor, its opening instantly shattering and loosening, spilling out several ordinary-looking low-grade spirit stones, stained with black mud and looking utterly disheveled.

"These spirit stones are enough for you to cultivate peacefully for half a year. Hand over your head and get out of here immediately."

His condescending attitude and predatory tone made it seem as if his willingness to part with these worthless spirit stones was an immense favor to Chen Du.

Chen Du glanced down at the cheap spirit stones covered in mud on the ground, then looked up at Liu Chengyu's arrogant and self-important face, his heart unmoved.

Just as he was about to respond, hurried footsteps sounded again from the outside of the withered forest, and a figure rushed over.

The newcomer was Zhou Yuan, an inner disciple of the Ancient Path Holy Land who was participating in the same batch of trials. He had just heard the fighting in the forest and came to investigate. He did not expect to encounter such a standoff as soon as he entered the forest.

When his gaze fell upon the white jade pendant with the character "Liu" engraved on Liu Chengyu's waist, his expression instantly changed, and a deep sense of apprehension and panic welled up in his eyes.

He rushed to Chen Du's side, lowered his voice, and urgently persuaded him in a volume that only the two of them could hear.

"Junior Brother Zhang, don't be so stubborn. This is Liu Chengyu, the young master of the Liu Family in Lingzhou. You must not provoke him."

"Although the Liu Family is not as otherworldly as our Ancient Path Holy Land, their foundation is extremely terrifying. They have Fourteenth Tier ancestor presiding over the clan, and have been entrenched in Lingzhou for tens of thousands of years. Their power is deeply rooted and intertwined."

"We are just ordinary inner disciples with no background. If we really fall out with the young master of such a top-tier wealthy family, the Holy Land will not offend the Liu Family, which has a deep foundation, for our sake."

"He's a chosen one from a powerful family, while we're just low-level disciples of a sect. We can't afford to offend him. Let's just hand over the demonic cultivator's head and pay up to avoid further trouble."

Zhou Yuan was filled with anxiety, fearing that Chen Du might act impulsively and cause an irreparable disaster. His tone was full of helplessness and fear.

After saying this, he immediately forced a smile, turned to Liu Chengyu in front of him, and bowed respectfully, trying his best to ease the tense atmosphere and smooth over the conflict.

Seeing Zhou Yuan's fearful and obsequious appearance, and then comparing it to Chen Du's calm and unmoved demeanor, Liu Chengyu instantly threw his head back and burst into unrestrained laughter, his laughter full of mockery and arrogance.

He turned to the three Twelfth Tier guards behind him and waved casually, his tone mocking and arrogant. "Did you hear that? Even his own people know that you can't afford to mess with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to look at Chen Du and Zhou Yuan again, raising his chin high, his contempt almost overflowing in his eyes, every word filled with extreme trampling and mockery.

"You disciples of the Holy Land, don't always think too highly of yourselves. As mere inner disciples, you're overshadowed by layers of core disciples and true disciples. You're not even in the running."

"My Liu Family may not be considered a top-tier power in the eyes of the Holy Land, but I, Liu Chengyu, am the young master of a legitimate and prestigious family. What are you mere ordinary inner disciples compared to me?"

"A mere steward from my Liu Family would far surpass you lowly disciples in status, power, and influence."

The three Twelfth Tier guards behind him stood with their arms crossed, and then burst into unrestrained laughter.

Having lived for thousands of years, they had seen countless sycophantic cultivators and were already used to their young master's domineering attitude.

The way he looked at Chen Du was as if he were looking at a lowly ant or grasshopper on the roadside, full of indifference.

Zhou Yuan's face flushed red and then turned pale, extremely embarrassed. He was anxious and flustered, at a loss for what to do. He hurriedly reached into the storage bag in Chen Du's hand, wanting to forcibly take out the head and quickly quell the storm.

Chen Du raised his hand and gently blocked Zhou Yuan's flustered hand. His movements were gentle yet firm, showing no intention of backing down.