Rage

Along the road back the way he had come, Luo Zheng felt as light as a feather, as if a gentle hop would send him flying.

He had now reached the peak of the Viscera Refining Realm. His breathing was longer and smoother, and his strength had improved slightly as well. He practically sprinted the whole way and soon returned to the plaza.

Those who had failed the assessment had already left of their own accord. Everyone remaining in the plaza had passed. After a rough estimate, Luo Zheng figured that more than a thousand people had passed the assessment. The elimination rate of the Sea Trials had actually reached a staggering ninety percent!

The moment he entered the plaza, someone excitedly waved and greeted him.

"Brother Luo Zheng! You passed the assessment!" Mo Can's gaze fell on the jade pendant at Luo Zheng's chest. It had already turned bright red.

Luo Zheng nodded and asked, "I heard we're supposed to exchange the jade pendant for a Disciple Token. Where do we do that?"

Mo Can grabbed Luo Zheng and led him toward a corner of the plaza. A long counter stood there. As they walked, he said, "Right here. Once we exchange them for Disciple Tokens, we'll officially be temporary trial disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect."

Following Mo Can's directions, Luo Zheng removed the jade pendant and handed it over the counter.

Behind the counter, two people from the Azure Cloud Sect were busy working. One of them glanced at Luo Zheng, took the jade pendant from his hand, and brought it close to examine it for a while, apparently checking the information recorded inside.

After finishing the inspection, that person took out a small wooden plaque wrapped with a silver rim, along with a small engraving chisel.

The person waved the engraving chisel and carved the two large characters "Luo Zheng" into the wooden plaque. The carving skill was remarkably impressive. It was as if the person held not an engraving chisel but an ink brush, writing in one fluid sweep.

A moment later, Luo Zheng's Disciple Token was finished. The person said, "Please keep your Disciple Token safe and wait over there."

Luo Zheng took the exquisite Disciple Token in his hand and toyed with it for a while before waiting off to the side with Mo Can.

The atmosphere in the plaza was far from pleasant. More than a thousand people had each found a corner, and all of them faintly revealed their wariness toward those around them.

The Sea Trials were not an elimination event. Anyone who reached the distance stipulated by the Azure Cloud Sect could pass. Unless someone had provoked others like Luo Zheng had, all they needed to do was keep their heads down and run to the required distance to pass with absolute certainty.

However, the upcoming trial assessment would be much more difficult because it used an elimination system. Of the more than a thousand people present, over eighty percent were destined to be eliminated.

After they waited for quite a while, someone finally came over and ordered all the trial disciples to assemble before leading them away from the plaza.

They followed the Azure Cloud Sect's complicated roads and stopped on a gently sloping mountain. Compared with the steep peaks of the Azure Cloud Sect, this mountain was not particularly remarkable. What was strange was that the entire mountain was blood-red.

Whether it was the soil on the mountain or the various plants, everything was a vivid blood-red. Against the surrounding verdant mountains, that unbroken red was exceptionally jarring.

When Mo Can saw the mountain, he said to Luo Zheng, "This should be the famous Bloodcolor Mountain."

"Bloodcolor Mountain. Its shape certainly lives up to its name. It's quite unique." It was Luo Zheng's first time seeing such scenery, and he was drawn in despite himself.

"Judging by the looks of it, this trial disciple assessment should be the legendary Bloodcolor Trials," Mo Can said solemnly.

"What's so special about the Bloodcolor Trials?" Luo Zheng asked again.

In terms of experience alone, Mo Can was actually inferior to Luo Zheng. But as a native of the Imperial Capital, Mo Can had set his heart on entering the Azure Cloud Sect since childhood. Naturally, he was much more familiar with the sect's various rules. He explained to Luo Zheng, "The reason this mountain is blood-red is that its body contains a mineral called Crimson Illusion Sand."

"Crimson Illusion Sand? The mineral used to create illusion arrays?" Luo Zheng raised his brows. He had heard of Crimson Illusion Sand. It was an important material for cultivating illusion arts. For example, when some Mysterious Artifacts incorporated Crimson Illusion Sand during refinement, they could gain bewildering effects. Beyond that, the mineral was also commonly used in illusion arrays and illusion talismans.

Mo Can nodded. "That's right. I heard that the Great Powers within the Azure Cloud Sect used Crimson Illusion Sand to transform the entire Bloodcolor Mountain into a massive illusion array for trial assessments. Since they've brought us here today, they should be preparing to conduct the Bloodcolor Trials."

As for the details of the Bloodcolor Trials, Mo Can did not know much either. In any case, the Bloodcolor Trials were certainly related to an illusion realm.

The Azure Cloud Sect's stewards brought the more than a thousand trial disciples to the foot of the mountain. Row upon row of imposing residences stood there, and all the trial disciples were settled inside them.

That evening, everyone retired early to prepare for the Bloodcolor Trials the next day.

Early the following morning, more than a thousand trial disciples began assembling at the foot of the mountain.

However, the Azure Cloud Sect's stewards did not order them up the mountain.

After waiting for roughly an hour, everyone finally understood why. They had been waiting for people.

Besides the more than one thousand trial disciples who had passed the Sea Trials, another group would be participating in this Bloodcolor Trials: the Scholar Clans.

Because the Scholar Clans possessed special privileges, they did not need to participate in the Sea Trials.

Compared with these trial disciples born from humble roots, those Scholar Clan Disciples were far more flamboyant.

Hundreds of Flying Carriages blotted out the sky as they flew over from midair and stopped in neat formation not far ahead. Every Scholar Clan Disciple participating in the Bloodcolor Trials had three or four people accompanying them. Among those attendants were more than a few experts radiating powerful auras.

When the Scholar Clan Disciples saw the more than a thousand trial disciples, most wore expressions of disdain. It was the attitude of those above toward the common-born.

After getting off the Flying Carriages, the Scholar Clan Disciples also gathered together into a small group and did not approach.

At that moment, the more than one thousand trial disciples on this side were also deeply resentful. Cultivators generally had good dispositions, and waiting several hours would not have made them anxious. But because of this bunch of overbearing Scholar Clan Disciples, were they supposed to waste their time standing here waiting for them?

Though they were furious, they only dared to curse under their breath a few times. Born from humble roots, they understood the influence of the Scholar Clan Disciples all too well. These were people they could not afford to offend.

Besides, they would soon be going up the mountain to participate in the Bloodcolor Trials. Though these Scholar Clan Disciples were all arrogant to the heavens, they had received excellent training since childhood. Nourished by all kinds of miraculous pills and trained in powerful cultivation methods, none of them would be weak. If someone stuck his neck out here only to be surrounded and attacked by those Scholar Clan Disciples on the mountain, who could withstand it?

Just then, a small group of Scholar Clan Disciples walked straight toward the trial disciples.

Seeing the menacing group of Scholar Clan Disciples, the trial disciples instinctively moved aside, splitting apart on both sides. One person stood in the middle—the meditating Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng had been standing among the group with his eyes closed, resting his mind. Ever since discovering that he could extend his consciousness deep into his mind, he often maintained this meditative state. He paid no attention to what was happening around him. In any case, he could simply wait for the proctoring instructor to arrive.

But he suddenly sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere. Only then did he open his eyes, whereupon he saw a group of extravagantly dressed Scholar Clan Disciples walking straight toward him.

Luo Zheng even glanced left and right before realizing that the group was coming for him.

"Do you need something?" Luo Zheng asked with a smile. Unless he had no choice, he tried not to offend people. He would not invite enemies for himself without reason.

At that moment, two people walked out from among the Scholar Clan Disciples. One was Wang Hengzhi, while the other was Luo Zheng's cousin, Luo Peiran.

The moment Luo Zheng saw Luo Peiran, a cold light flashed through his eyes, and his expression darkened. He said coldly, "Luo Peiran, what happened between you and me doesn't need to involve so many people."

A sinister smile appeared on Luo Peiran's face. He was just about to speak when Wang Hengzhi patted him on the shoulder. "Peiran, don't speak yet." He then walked up to Luo Zheng and said with a smile, "I heard you sent me a message, telling me not to interfere in the matter between you and Luo Peiran?"

"Young Master Wang, the conflict between Luo Peiran and me is a family matter. It has nothing to do with you." Luo Zheng suppressed the anger in his heart and spoke calmly.

Wang Hengzhi sauntered two steps, toying with a dark blue Butterfly Jade Pendant in his hand. "What if I think it does?"

"Then I ask Young Master Wang to raise your hand high," Luo Zheng said, cupping his fists.

"Heh heh, I, Wang Hengzhi, have never been reasonable. If you want me not to interfere, then agree to one condition." Wang Hengzhi lifted his head.

"What condition?" Luo Zheng asked, frowning slightly.

"Withdraw from the Azure Cloud Sect's Bloodcolor Trials. Then go to the Wang Family shop south of the city, buy a knife, stand on Wei River Bridge, and slit your own throat. If you do that, I, Wang Hengzhi, won't interfere in this matter." Wang Hengzhi's tone was always so indifferent, as if he were describing some insignificant little matter.

After hearing Wang Hengzhi's words, a flush rushed across Luo Zheng's cheeks. Fury instantly filled his chest. A moment later, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Luo Zheng had endured again and again. Even when Wang Hengzhi sent those four people yesterday, he had not dealt them a vicious lesson. The reason was that he did not want to offend Wang Hengzhi too deeply. After all, the Wang Family was a Scholar Clan, while he stood alone and powerless.

But he had discovered that his forbearance was utterly useless. In Wang Hengzhi's eyes, he was like an ant. The other party had never taken him seriously. In that man's heart, Luo Zheng was already as good as dead—a man with no qualifications to negotiate with him.

Against this kind of person, patience was useless.

"Wang, you really think I'm afraid of you? You want me to withdraw from the Bloodcolor Trials? You want me to slit my own throat? That's the most ridiculous thing under heaven! My life is right here. Let's see whether you have what it takes to take it!" As he spoke, a powerful aura burst from Luo Zheng's body. His face was like that of a god of slaughter, radiating boundless, savage fury.