Flame Cloud Swordplay!

As the fiery red essence emerged, Zhao Chen immediately used the Crimson Token to store it away.

"Ding! Successfully killed a Fifth-Level Spirit Beast, obtaining one sign-in opportunity!"

Zhao Chen decisively thought, Sign in!

"Ding! Signing in... Sign-in location—Spiritual Road. Sign-in successful!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on successfully signing in. You have received the sign-in reward—'Flame Cloud Swordplay'!"

Zhao Chen's heart stirred as the Flame Cloud Swordplay appeared in his mind.

It was an offensive swordplay spirit art with nine sword forms, each stronger than the last.

When activated with spiritual power, it could condense Flame Cloud Spirit Swords that carried effects such as fiery penetration and burning.

Even without spiritual power, when used as a spirit art, every slash would be accompanied by scorching flame attacks.

Zhao Chen nodded, quite satisfied with the Flame Cloud Swordplay.

It would make him even more formidable when wielding the Asura Sword!

"That's amazing!"

Seeing the Fifth-Level Spirit Beast Fire Cloud Tiger lying dead, Wu Yingying could no longer contain her excitement. She quickly gripped the Snow White Dagger and began processing the Fire Cloud Tiger's corpse.

"These Flame Cloud Wings can be used to forge a spirit tool. Once used, they'll let you fly."

Wu Yingying was quite pleased with the Fire Cloud Tiger's pair of Flame Cloud Wings and added,

"It's just a pity that we can't forge spirit tools on the Spiritual Road. We'll have to wait until we leave."

With the Iron Wing feathers from the Level 2 Spirit Beast Iron Wing Bird, they did not need these for arrows.

"Put them away. We can forge them after we leave the Spiritual Road."

Zhao Chen knew full well that bringing the Spiritual Road Trial to a normal end would be extremely difficult.

He did not mind storing up some things early on in the Spiritual Road and using them after leaving.

"Give me the tiger tendons and tiger bones later."

Zhao Chen greatly anticipated the Fifth-Level Spirit Beast Fire Cloud Tiger's bones. If they were made into arrows, their damage would definitely be extremely high.

"How about giving them to me!"

Just then, a cold, gloomy voice rang out from behind them.

Zhao Chen and Wu Yingying turned and saw a blue-robed youth staring at them with a frosty expression.

He held an Iron Mace in his hand, and it clearly was no ordinary weapon.

"Run! He's Fang Zhong!"

Song Yuqing ran out from somewhere and hurriedly shouted at Zhao Chen and Wu Yingying.

After what had happened to a certain unlucky fellow earlier, she knew all too well how Fang Zhong had found them and why he had come here.

Zhao Chen had stolen the other party's mission, so a grudge had already been formed.

Although the missions in the Mission Hall of the Guardian Land could be accepted by anyone,

Fang Zhong had occupied it for half a month already and had even made threats.

For Zhao Chen to come and accept those missions now—wasn't that a slap in Fang Zhong's face?

As the only Third-Level Spirit Body in the Guardian Land, how could Fang Zhong possibly let this go?

"No, why aren't you leaving yet!?"

Song Yuqing was nearly frantic. She reached out, wanting to grab Zhao Chen and Wu Yingying and quickly take them away.

A Third-Level Spirit Body was no easy opponent.

Seeing this, Zhao Chen reminded her, "I know you're in a hurry, but don't be in a hurry just yet."

To be fair, her appearing at this moment to warn them did make her seem more likable.

It was just that Song Yuqing's little head was not quite sharp enough.

He had already slain the Fifth-Level Spirit Beast Fire Cloud Tiger. Would he really fear Fang Zhong, a mere Third-Level Spirit Body?

Although a Third-Level Spirit Body could, at great cost, severely wound or even kill a Fifth-Level Spirit Beast,

that did not mean Fang Zhong, a Third-Level Spirit Body, could act recklessly before Zhao Chen, a Fifth-Level Spirit Body.

Wu Yingying grabbed Song Yuqing's hand, blinked, and pointed at the remaining corpse of the Fire Cloud Tiger. "It's only a Third-Level Spirit Body. The Fire Cloud Tiger is already dead, so what's there to fear?"

Song Yuqing froze for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

Right! They were not even afraid of a Fifth-Level Spirit Beast Fire Cloud Tiger, so why fear Fang Zhong?

At this moment, the blue-robed youth Fang Zhong had noticed the Fire Cloud Tiger's corpse, but he had not recognized it as a Fifth-Level Spirit Beast. At most, he thought it looked like a Third-Level Spirit Beast.

He frowned and shouted,

"So it was you people who dared steal missions from my Mission Hall after I, Fang Zhong, made my warning!?"

Fang Zhong had gone to the Mission Hall at his usual time to accept missions, expecting new ones to have refreshed as they normally did.

Instead, all the Level 2 and Level 3 missions were gone!

There was even one Fourth-Level Mission missing.

Fang Zhong had been so furious that his face turned green on the spot. After repeatedly interrogating people and making deductions, he had tracked them here.

In his eyes, whoever had accepted those missions was simply too arrogant and had to pay the price!

Only by hanging the corpses of such enemies outside the Guardian Land could he intimidate others!

The last person who had dared disobey and accept missions had grass three yards high growing over his grave!

"What do you mean, yours or mine? Whoever accepts it first owns it!"

Although Wu Yingying had behaved herself much more recently, she was still proud to the core.

Seeing Fang Zhong directly accuse them and claim that the missions they had accepted belonged to him, she immediately shot back.

The missions in the Mission Hall were meant to be accepted according to one's needs, and whoever was quick enough got them.

Fang Zhong was merely a participant in the Spiritual Road Trial. What right did he have to set rules for the Mission Hall?

Only the Five Great Academies had the right to make rules!

"What did you say!?"

Since arriving at this Guardian Land, when had the blue-robed youth Fang Zhong ever encountered someone so arrogant?

Furious, he swung the Iron Mace in his hand and shouted coldly,

"My Iron Mace is a Low-Grade Spirit Tool weighing over two hundred pounds. When it lands on you later, let's see if you can still talk so tough!"

Although there were three of them,

he was not the least bit flustered.

Fang Zhong knew very well that within this Guardian Land, he was the only Third-Level Spirit Body.

Everyone else was still struggling within the ranks of Second-Level Spirit Bodies!

"A Low-Grade Spirit Tool weighing over two hundred pounds!?"

Wu Yingying was quite surprised. She looked at Song Yuqing and asked,

"Is that true? With spiritual power unusable here, can he really lift such a heavy Low-Grade Spirit Tool!?"

No wonder almost no one in this Guardian Land dared compete with Fang Zhong.

A Third-Level Spirit Body plus that Low-Grade Spirit Tool Iron Mace was enough to make people kneel in minutes.

"I heard that this guy was born with great strength, so it's normal for him to be able to lift it."

Thinking of how even the Fifth-Level Spirit Beast Fire Cloud Tiger had died, Song Yuqing wondered what there was to fear from Fang Zhong, a Third-Level Spirit Body. She continued,

"Of course, he's definitely not as impressive as this handsome guy."

The sudden flattery made Zhao Chen's mouth twitch.

No wonder this girl had been able to impersonate a guard at the gates of the Guardian Land and collect spirit beast essences.

So she had quite the thick skin!

"Ding! A new sign-in mission has been triggered: Kill the invading enemy—a Third-Level Spirit Body—to obtain one sign-in opportunity!"

Hearing the system notification by his ear, Zhao Chen's expression immediately became more serious.

Compared to before, when only hunting spirit beasts could earn sign-in opportunities, things had clearly changed.

He could actually obtain sign-in opportunities by killing enemies.

Did this mean that encounters with other Spiritual Road Trial participants—and competition against them—would become extremely common from now on!?