Azure Sky Platform

That evening, Luo Zheng took out He Bing's Purple Azure Treasure Sword and placed it in front of him.

This Purple Azure Treasure Sword was not only of good quality but also looked excellent.

It was clear that He Bing cherished this Purple Azure Treasure Sword greatly. The scabbard was inlaid with colorful gemstones and golden threads.

With a clang, Luo Zheng drew the sword from its scabbard. The purple and azure lights shimmering on the sword instantly illuminated the entire room.

"What a good sword!"

Although this Purple Azure Treasure Sword and Xie Lang's Karma Fire Sword were both High-Grade Profound Artifacts, Luo Zheng clearly felt that the quality of this Purple Azure Treasure Sword was a cut above the Karma Fire Sword.

It was indeed a bit of a shame to melt down such a fine sword.

He Bing had even sent someone to plead with Luo Zheng, hoping to redeem the Purple Azure Treasure Sword, but Luo Zheng had flatly refused.

To improve his strength, Luo Zheng had no choice but to do this.

After examining the Purple Azure Treasure Sword for a while, Luo Zheng gritted his teeth and began to communicate with the Heaven and Earth Furnace in his mind.

A black flame, like a small moth, drilled out from between his eyebrows. After spinning a strange arc in the air, it pounced on the Purple Azure Treasure Sword.

The incredibly hard Purple Azure Treasure Sword was now like a candle, consumed by the black flame from tip to tail, turning into droplets of metallic essence that shimmered with a golden luster.

Luo Zheng counted the droplets of metallic essence. His eyes immediately lit up, and he said happily, "This Purple Azure Treasure Sword is a High-Grade Profound Artifact just like the Karma Fire Sword, but the Purple Azure Treasure Sword can actually melt down into ten drops of metallic essence!"

As for the reason, Luo Zheng couldn't understand it. He didn't even know what this metallic essence was!

Luo Zheng had flipped through the artifact refining classics in Xie Lang's Sumeru Ring, but he hadn't found the origin or source of this metallic essence. Perhaps those artifact refining masters could explain it clearly...

After the black fire rolled the ten drops of metallic essence into the mouth of the Azure Dragon sculpture, two bright green lights suddenly shot out from two dim scales. After the light dissipated, two more Dragon Scales were lit up.

On the body of the Azure Dragon sculpture, four Dragon Scales had already been lit up.

Luo Zheng clenched his fists. Now that he had entered the Marrow Refining Realm and could utilize the power of these four Dragon Scales, he felt he could even contend with experts in the Innate Secret Realm.

That night, after Luo Zheng had made all the preparations, he quietly left Little Rain Peak early the next morning.

He didn't want to alarm Mo Can and the others. If they knew he had accepted a mission, they would definitely try to stop him again. He didn't want to waste words on this matter, as it was something he had to do.

However, Luo Zheng didn't know that as soon as he stepped out of his small house, he was spotted by someone.

That person was stocky with dark skin, and it was none other than Cao Lei, who had argued with Luo Zheng that day because of Steward Zhu.

After that day, Cao Lei had sent Steward Zhu back and then received instructions. Zhuge Feng told him to keep an eye on Luo Zheng for now. If Luo Zheng left Little Rain Peak and there was an opportunity to act, he was to report it.

Today, when Cao Lei saw Luo Zheng leaving Little Rain Peak early in the morning, he realized that this opportunity had arrived, so he followed behind Luo Zheng.

After following for a while, Cao Lei discovered that Luo Zheng was heading towards the east of the Azure Cloud Sect.

He had originally thought Luo Zheng was leaving the Azure Cloud Sect, but there was no exit to the east. Cao Lei was immediately confused.

But before long, Luo Zheng actually walked onto the "Azure Sky Platform." Only then did he understand that Luo Zheng must have accepted a mission, and it should be the mission regarding the Blade Worm swarm.

This period was precisely when the Blade Worm swarm was rampant. The Azure Cloud Sect had issued a mission to exterminate the Blade Worms, and many disciples had accepted this mission.

The location of this mission was in the southern part of the Empire. The journey there was long. If one traveled on foot, it would take too long to cross mountains and rivers. If they arrived late, the Blade Worm swarm would probably be over.

Therefore, the vast majority of disciples who accepted the mission would go to the Azure Sky Platform.

On the Azure Sky Platform, there was a type of large Flying Carriage. These large Flying Carriages could travel a thousand miles a day, and it would only take one day to transport people to the southern part of the Imperial City.

Luo Zheng's trip to the Azure Sky Platform today meant that he had most likely accepted a mission and wanted to go south to exterminate the Blade Worms.

Cao Lei was also a bit puzzled. Luo Zheng was so eager to complete a mission of this level right now.

"Since you want to see the King of Hell early, I'll give you a ride!" With a cold smile on his face, Cao Lei's figure slowly disappeared. He decided to report this matter first.

The Azure Sky Platform was a large artificial platform, about ten zhang high and square-shaped.

When Luo Zheng climbed up the steps, he found that many Azure Cloud Sect disciples were already waiting there.

These Azure Cloud Sect disciples had the same purpose as Luo Zheng; they had all accepted the mission issued by the Azure Cloud Sect to exterminate the Blade Worm swarm.

Most of the disciples here wore black robes, with only a small number wearing white robes, but each of them subtly exuded a sharp aura. It was an aura honed in a sea of blood, and their strength was considerable.

Whether they were Outer Sect Disciples wearing white robes or Inner Sect Disciples wearing black robes, when they saw Luo Zheng, a hint of surprise appeared in their eyes.

It wasn't that Luo Zheng was too special, but rather that his realm was too low; he was only in the Marrow Refining Realm.

The "Blade Worm swarm" mission was not simple. The number of Blade Worms was vast, and each individual was fierce. What was even more terrifying was that they did not fear death. Even when facing strong opponents, they would swarm forward in piles, disregarding their own safety.

Even cultivators who were Half-Step to the Innate Realm could lose their lives under the siege of the Blade Worms if they were not careful.

Therefore, the minimum requirement for accepting this mission was a cultivator who was Half-Step to the Innate Realm.

Now, a guy in the Marrow Refining Realm had appeared, so it was normal for everyone to have such a strange reaction.

Luo Zheng ignored their surprised gazes. He found a corner on the Azure Sky Platform and sat down, then closed his eyes to rest.

Across from Luo Zheng, four or five Inner Sect Disciples kept looking at Luo Zheng's side, discussing in low voices.

The sound was neither loud nor soft, and Luo Zheng could hear it clearly. It was obvious that they were doing it on purpose.

"Since when can someone in the Marrow Refining Realm accept missions?"

"There are many ways to seek death. There are always some people in this world who overestimate themselves."

"Hehe, I'll go tease him a bit!"

These few people discussed for a bit, and a burly strong man walked out from among them. He strode towards Luo Zheng with a swagger, looking down at him and saying, "Hey, kid, you want to go kill Blade Worms too?"

Luo Zheng opened his eyes, staring at the strong man and said, "Is there a problem?"

"Haha," the strong man let out two strange laughs, "You're just in the Marrow Refining Realm. Looking at your build, you'll probably be split open by a Blade Worm with one strike!"

"Oh," Luo Zheng responded indifferently, then closed his eyes again.

Seeing Luo Zheng's cold reaction and that his intimidation seemed ineffective, the strong man's eyes darted around. He saw the token on Luo Zheng's waist and reached out his large, fan-like hand to grab it.

Just as the strong man was about to touch the token, Luo Zheng's eyes suddenly snapped open. His body moved like a startled rabbit, and with an extremely agile posture, he clamped onto the strong man's neck. At the same time, he used the momentum of standing up to get behind the strong man. In his hand, there was already a broken Flying Knife, pressed against the strong man's neck.

Although the Flying Knife was broken, the power it emitted was astonishing, as if it could cut through everything in the world. The wisps of sharp aura spread onto the strong man's skin, making him shiver uncontrollably.

The strong man's companions also changed color at this scene. They never expected this unassuming kid to be so fierce, subduing the strong man in an instant.

"Friend, this is within the Azure Cloud Sect. What do you want to do?"

"Don't mess around, Qing Shan was just joking with you!"

The strong man's companions surrounded them, saying with nervous expressions.

"Are we close? You want to take my token?" Luo Zheng said expressionlessly.

One of them saw the situation and said, "This is Qing Shan's fault. Let him go first, and we can talk things over. Qing Shan, quickly apologize to him."

The strong man named Qing Shan was already scared out of his wits. Only he could feel the killing intent Luo Zheng had released at that moment. If he had really tried to make a move, he would probably be a dead man by now. He said tremblingly, "Yes, I'm sorry, I was just trying to make a joke... I offended you..."

Hearing Qing Shan's words, Luo Zheng withdrew the Flying Knife and put it into his Sumeru Ring. He took a few steps back without saying a word, his face full of vigilance.

Although they were both Azure Cloud Sect disciples, Luo Zheng's vigilance did not lessen in the slightest. Since entering the Azure Cloud Sect, he had been ambushed by various people and understood that the law of the jungle was still precisely enforced in this martial arts holy land.

If he were a sheep, he would only be eaten.

The strong man moved his neck and then touched it with his hand, finally letting out a sigh of relief. The look in his eyes towards Luo Zheng also carried a hint of awe.

However, the strong man seemed to be someone who didn't learn from his mistakes. After sizing up Luo Zheng, a smile appeared on his face again: "Friend, my name is Qing Shan. The five of us often hunt Blade Worms. Blade Worms appear in groups, and it's very troublesome to go alone."

Hearing the strong man's words, Luo Zheng was noncommittal.

Seeing this, the strong man added, "They, they go hunting Blade Worms in groups of several people, just to avoid being attacked from front and back. How about you join us?"

Luo Zheng shook his head and immediately refused the strong man, saying, "Thanks, I'm used to being alone."

After speaking, Luo Zheng found a corner to sit down in again and closed his eyes once more.

The move Luo Zheng had just shown attracted the attention of many people on the platform.

Most people put away their contempt, and even some inner sect disciples who had entered the Innate Secret Realm had a hint of solemnity in their eyes.

Martial artists like to put themselves in a hypothetical danger and imagine if they were that strong man just now, could they have dodged Luo Zheng's knife?

Most people came to the same conclusion in their hearts: they couldn't dodge it. Luo Zheng's reaction just now was too fast, and his attack was too sudden.

Of course, Luo Zheng wasn't bored enough to guess what these people were thinking. He sat in place and meditated for a while, then heard a vibrating sound from the air. He looked up and saw a massive object descending from high altitude.

It was a giant Flying Carriage.