C29 Refusing the Holy Spear Marquis!!

"This child... possesses the makings of a king!"

The robust voice of the Holy Spear Marquis thundered across the heavens and earth, sending ripples of shock through everyone present.

These were the words of a Marquis, and not just any Marquis, but one with the highest prospects of ascending to kingship himself!

Even the five instructors couldn't conceal their astonishment.

The middle-aged man was particularly overwhelmed with excitement.

It had been ages since Jiangnan Province, a significant region within Great Xia, had seen the rise of a warrior more formidable than a Martial Grandmaster.

Now, with the Holy Spear Marquis's declaration, Jiangnan was poised to witness the emergence of another Conferred Expert!

The Holy Spear Marquis stood atop the Nine Heavens, hands clasped behind his back, his piercing gaze fixed upon the Mirage Tower.

"Let's observe the extent of this youngster's capabilities. If he can breach the fortieth level..."

His eyes sparkled with anticipation, leaving his sentence hanging in the air. The challenge for a Blood Essence Stage martial cultivator to surpass the fortieth level was indeed daunting.

It was well known that even for those in the Blood Refining Stage, conquering the fortieth level without a Blood Essence Value exceeding fifty was virtually impossible.

For Su Yu to have reached the thirty-eighth level was nothing short of astonishing, especially considering his Blood Essence Value was a mere nine!

As time marched on, countless eyes were glued to the Mirage Tower, not one person willing to miss this potentially historic moment.

Then, a subtle tremor passed through the tower.

The glow from the thirty-eighth floor faded in an instant, and anticipation hung heavy in the air.

Yet, there stood Su Yu, materializing before the crowd.

"Has he failed?"

Perched high above, the Holy Spear Marquis's eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment, which quickly dissipated.

After all, reaching the thirty-eighth level while merely at the Blood Essence Stage was a feat in itself.

Su Yu had already set a new record!

As Su Yu stepped forward, he sensed something amiss. He was met with a sea of stares, as if he were some kind of anomaly.

Confused, Su Yu blurted out, "What's the matter? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Such nonchalant remarks, when overheard by others, came across as pure braggadocio.

Thirty-eighth floor, no less!

And you're only at the Blood Essence Stage. Imagine if you advanced to the Blood Refining Stage, wouldn't you be storming up to the fortieth floor by now?

Keep in mind, even Yang Xiao, with his orange-level talent, barely managed to reach the fortieth floor, thanks to his mid-Blood Refining Stage cultivation.

For a moment, the assembled prodigies were at a loss for words.

They gazed at Su Yu, their faces a mix of emotions.

They had considered themselves unparalleled geniuses before arriving here. But after encountering Su Yu, a veritable freak of nature at the God's Favored Camp, they had an epiphany.

Now they truly understood the meaning of 'genius'!

Next to Su Yu, they felt utterly insignificant.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The middle-aged man coughed, gesturing for Su Yu to look skyward.

Su Yu cast a puzzled look upwards.

There, a towering figure stood against the heavens, a long spear in hand, poised as if to pierce the firmament itself.

His presence was volcanic, radiating an awe-inspiring pressure.

Su Yu's pupils sharply focused.

Then, the middle-aged man's voice whispered in Su Yu's ear.

"That is the phantom of the Holy Spear Marquis. He wishes to take you as his apprentice."

Upon hearing this, Su Yu's face took on an odd expression.

Wang Loong had mentioned at his arrival to the God's Favored Camp that someone was interested in taking him as a disciple. Now, the Holy Spear Marquis was extending the same offer.

Was he really in such high demand?

The Holy Spear Marquis regarded Su Yu with increasing approval, his smile broadening as he spoke.

"Young man, what do you say? To become my disciple is a coveted honor that countless geniuses from the capital and Devil Capital would vie for!"

Listening to the Holy Spear Marquis's proposition, Su Yu found himself torn.

After a brief contemplation, Su Yu bowed respectfully to the Holy Spear Marquis, replying,

"I am deeply flattered by your generous offer, Holy Spear Marquis. However, I recently pledged to Senior Wang Loong that I would accept his friend as my mentor. To now pledge myself to another would surely stir up talk."

The Holy Spear Marquis's brow creased ever so slightly; he had truly not anticipated being turned down after personally offering to take on a disciple.

By now, impatience was etching itself onto the Holy Spear Marquis's face.

What was his standing, after all?

He was among those most likely to ascend to kingship.

Once he achieved that breakthrough, he'd be among the elite of Great Xia.

And yet, someone had the audacity to refuse him.

But Su Yu's talent was indeed formidable, making it hard for the Holy Spear Marquis to let go.

He spoke with a detached air, "What kind of powerhouse could that old man Wang Loong possibly know? At best, he's a mere Grandmaster. Accept me as your master, and I'll deal with Wang Loong for you."

"But..."

Su Yu hesitated.

The middle-aged man beside him was growing anxious on Su Yu's behalf. This was the Holy Spear Marquis, after all. Miss this chance, and there might never be another.

Just then, Bai Zhan stepped forward, bowing to the Holy Spear Marquis. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as he managed a strained smile and addressed the Holy Spear Marquis.

"Holy Spear Marquis, Su Yu has indeed given his word. Please, spare the younger generation any further difficulty."

The middle-aged man's face blanched as Bai Zhan stepped out unbidden.

He blurted out, "Bai Zhan, come back! You cannot sway the Holy Spear Marquis's decision."

At Bai Zhan's intervention, a chill swept over the Holy Spear Marquis's features.

"Oh? I'm curious to see whose influence outweighs mine."

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura of oppression descended, pinning Bai Zhan down like a colossal weight, forcing him to the ground.

Coughing up blood, Bai Zhan struggled to send a telepathic message to the Holy Spear Marquis.

"Forgive me, Lord Holy Spear Marquis. The one who wishes to take Su Yu as a disciple... is the Dragon Destroying King!"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of fear, almost imperceptible, crossed the Holy Spear Marquis's face. His gaze softened with gratitude as he looked at Bai Zhan once more and promptly retracted his oppressive presence.

Bai Zhan finally felt a bit of relief.

"Thank you so much, Lord Holy Spear Marquis!"

With a wry smile, Bai Zhan offered a bow.

The Holy Spear Marquis inhaled deeply, his gaze upon Su Yu tinged with complexity.

"To think it was that individual..."

He murmured, then continued.

"Well, in light of this, I'll spare you any further trouble. Just look after yourself!"

With those words, he vanished into the midst of the God's Favored Camp.

...

Meanwhile, on the Myriad Clan Battlefield within a legion of the Human Tribe, the Holy Spear Marquis sat sternly in his tent.

Suddenly, he tensed.

A shiver of dread washed over him.

"Damn, to think it was them... I nearly severed my own retreat!"

The Holy Spear Marquis clutched his chest, gasping for air.

It was then that a soft voice echoed in his mind.

"Are you the one trying to steal my disciple?"

Hearing this, the Holy Spear Marquis's complexion went ashen. He stammered out,

"Cough, cough, Dragon Destroying King, it was all in jest..."

But before he could finish, an overwhelming force, as if emerging from the void itself, bore down on him from every direction.

In a mere moment, the Holy Spear Marquis, at the pinnacle of his power, found himself being crushed, his very form distorting.

"For that, you'll suffer a penalty of ten thousand times gravity for one hour!"

The chilling voice resounded once more.