Supreme Dragon Martial Soul-Chapter 261: A Snake is a Snake! Sixteen!

Seeing Tuoba Lie light up eleven crystal stones, the area around the stele first fell silent. Then, an uproar of astonishment erupted one after another.

"He lit up eleven crystal stones! This attack power is comparable to a late-stage Tongxuan Realm Second Layer martial artist! And Tuoba Lie is only at the late stage of the Tongxuan Realm First Layer, right?"

"Too strong! He’s practically leaping across an entire Great Realm! Absolutely monstrous in strength!"

"As expected of a genius who awakened a Nine-star Martial Soul! Given time, he’s certain to carve out a place among the top hundred disciples!"

All around, the crowd buzzed with discussion, their gazes toward Tuoba Lie filled with a mix of respect and awe.

Though attack power alone doesn’t determine one’s entire strength, at the Tongxuan Realm level, it’s not far off.

After all, with overwhelming attack power, all it takes is one strike to breach defenses and secure victory.

"Not bad!"

Tuoba Lie, satisfied with his attack strength, clapped his hands and turned to look at Luo Cheng: "Luo Cheng, your turn to try!"

"Luo Cheng!"

The surrounding Outer Disciples instantly shifted their gazes to Luo Cheng, filled with surprise.

"Luo Cheng is really going to participate in the Outer Sect Competition!"

"I wonder how many crystal stones he will light up."

"I estimate it’s probably around thirteen or fourteen. He managed to sweep through Tongxuan Realm Second Layer peak-stage martial artists and is a Sword Cultivator! His attack power must be incredibly formidable, comparable to an early-stage or even mid-stage Tongxuan Realm Third Layer martial artist!"

"Thirteen or fourteen stones! You’re overestimating him! His combat strength is undoubtedly strong, but the gap between the Tongxuan Realm Second Layer and Third Layer is a chasm that isn’t so easily crossed."

Ever since Luo Cheng dominated the disciples from the Crown Prince Hall on the arena, unrivaled, he had become a renowned figure within the Outer Sect. His very appearance immediately drew everyone’s attention.

All were speculating how many crystal stones Luo Cheng could light up.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Luo Cheng calmly approached the crystal registry counter, handing over his Disciple Token and three Essence Energy Pills.

"Elder, I would like to register for the Outer Sect Competition!"

"Luo Cheng!"

The three elders behind the counter simultaneously turned their gazes toward Luo Cheng.

These past months, his name had been nothing short of thunderclaps in their ears.

An elderly man with graying hair took the token, pinched his fingers into a seal, and shot a beam of Xuan Energy into the Identity Token before handing it back to Luo Cheng: "Go test your attack power!"

"Understood!"

Watching Luo Cheng’s retreating figure, a glimmer of light flickered in the elder’s eyes as he muttered in surprise:

"This Luo Cheng is no ordinary individual. He’s already at the mid-stage of the Tongxuan Realm Second Layer, with a cultivation that feels near perfection. He’s likely to advance to the late stage of the Tongxuan Realm Second Layer very soon! If I recall correctly, when he first entered the Outer Sect, he was merely at the Transcendence Realm Fifth Layer." freewebnøvel.coɱ

Beside him, a female elder nodded:

"Such an immense improvement in just a few months, and he awakened the so-called Wasted Martial Soul—it’s truly inconceivable! It seems that Yun Mengli’s insistence on recommending him to join the sect wasn’t without reason."

At these words, a slightly plump elder nearby let out a heavy snort:

"A flash in the pan, that’s all! A snake is still a snake, and a dragon is still a dragon! Awakening a Wasted Martial Soul, he’ll eventually fade into mediocrity like everyone else! Don’t tell me you still harbor expectations for a useless individual like that?"

The plump elder’s personal Direct Disciple was also a member of the Crown Prince Hall, who had been severely injured by Luo Cheng on the arena previously and had yet to recover! If not for Yun Mengli’s influence, he would have personally taught Luo Cheng a lesson!

The female elder, knowing the reason behind his frustration, replied indifferently:

"Let’s see how many crystal stones he can light up first."

Luo Cheng approached the stele, preparing to strike.

At this moment.

The crowd parted as several figures pushed their way through. Each was dressed in luxurious attire, radiating an air of nobility. At their head was a tall man clad in a purple-gold robe—Ren Qian’s elder brother, Ren Xiaoguang.

"Luo Cheng! So it really is you!"

Seeing Luo Cheng, Ren Xiaoguang’s eyes lit up as he burst into laughter: "I thought you had tucked your tail between your legs and fled, but it seems you’ve got some backbone after all, daring to return."

For some time now, Luo Cheng had been out of sight. Ren Xiaoguang assumed he had likely fled in fear and dared not return to the sect. As soon as he got wind of Luo Cheng’s reappearance, he immediately rushed over with his people.

Luo Cheng turned his head: "Why would I need to run?"

Ren Xiaoguang scrutinized Luo Cheng and noticed his mid-stage Tongxuan Realm Second Layer cultivation. His eyes flickered with surprise but quickly regained composure:

"Heh, it seems you’ve made considerable progress during this time. No wonder you’ve got such an arrogant tone! Unfortunately, this level of strength in front of me—well, it’s nothing worth mentioning!"

"Whether it’s ’nothing worth mentioning’ is not decided by words," Luo Cheng replied calmly.

At these words, the crowd took a collective gasp.

No one had expected Luo Cheng to show such defiance and confrontational behavior toward Ren Xiaoguang.

It was outright provocation—a deliberate clash!

And just who was Ren Xiaoguang?

The fourteenth-ranked powerhouse among Outer Sect disciples, as well as a favored confidant of Qi Guyun. In the Outer Sect, he wielded tremendous influence, and no one dared disrespect him.

To the crowd, Luo Cheng’s actions seemed akin to poking a tiger in the eye!

"Hmm?"

Publicly provoked, Ren Xiaoguang’s expression turned icy cold. With a sinister smirk, he said:

"What, are you looking to fight me?"

Luo Cheng remained unperturbed. "Don’t worry. In the Outer Sect Competition, we’re bound to face each other."

At this point, he no longer regarded Ren Xiaoguang as a threat. He was fully confident he could eliminate him.

"Such bold words! A mere waste who gains a bit of strength and suddenly forgets his place! Do you truly think you’re qualified to face Senior Brother Ren? I could crush you with a single finger!"

On Ren Xiaoguang’s left, a Crown Prince Hall disciple with a hooked nose stepped forward, unleashing the force of a mid-stage Tongxuan Realm Third Layer martial artist, which bore down upon Luo Cheng with oppressive momentum.

Tongxuan Realm Third Layer martial artists, after opening the Heavenly Gate and nourishing their Spirit, can suppress others with sheer presence. Clearly, this was an attempt to publicly humiliate Luo Cheng!

Luo Cheng sneered. Back when he was in the Transcendence Realm, he dared to face Jin Min head-on. Now, having achieved the Tongxuan Realm and mastering Human Sword Integration, how could a mere mid-stage Tongxuan Realm Third Layer martial artist hope to suppress him?

Bzz!

His eyes narrowed slightly, and suddenly, a sharp and deadly aura exploded from him, giving others the vivid illusion of a peerless, unsheathed treasure sword.

"Ah!"

Soundlessly, the Crown Prince Hall disciple’s oppressive force was shattered. In his vision, an unparalleled sharpness seemed to sweep toward him. Caught off guard, he screamed in panic, stumbled backward, and fell to the ground with a thud.

"What just happened?"

The crowd was left in shock.

All they saw was Luo Cheng narrowing his eyes, and the Crown Prince Hall disciple seemed to have seen a ghost, letting out a terrified scream before falling over!

"Sword Momentum?"

The female elder responsible for registrations, herself a Sword Cultivator, sensed the anomaly and was visibly shaken, her disbelief apparent.

A Tongxuan Realm Second Layer swordsman actually unleashed Sword Momentum—even though it’s a skill typically reserved for Third Layer swordsmen who’ve opened their Heavenly Gate?

And what’s more, the Sword Momentum just now was far from ordinary!

"Trash, I’ll kill you!"

The fallen Crown Prince Hall disciple, named Li Lie, finally came to his senses. Consumed by humiliation and rage, he nearly lost all rationality. He sprang to his feet and lunged directly at Luo Cheng.

"Enough!"

At that moment, the female elder’s icy voice rang out. Infused with Essence Energy, her words hit like thunder, resonating in everyone’s ears:

"This is not the place for your petty brawls. If any of you defy orders again, you’ll be dealt with according to Sect Rules!"

Li Lie’s body stiffened, halting mid-charge. With bloodshot eyes, he glared daggers at Luo Cheng, his fury barely restrained, as he growled through gritted teeth:

"Kid, just you wait! At the Outer Sect Competition, I’ll deal with you properly!"

"I’ll wait for you!"

Luo Cheng’s tone remained cold. As his words fell, he turned and punched toward the crystal-covered stele with a fist across the air.

Boom!

A thunderous sound reverberated, and the entire Martial Arts Square seemed to tremble slightly.

Before everyone’s eyes, the polygonal crystals on the stele lit up one after another.

One, two, three... Ten... Fourteen!

Fifteen!

Sixteen!