[Chapter 46]
That night, Luo Zheng took out He Bing's Zi Qing Sword and placed it in front of him.
This Zi Qing Sword was not only of good quality, but it also had a good appearance.
It could be seen that He Bing cherished this Zi Qing Sword very much. The scabbard was inlaid with multicolored gems and golden threads.
With a "Zeng" sound, Luo Zheng pulled the sword out of the scabbard. The sword's body flickered with purple and cyan light, which immediately enveloped the entire room.
"Good sword!"
Although this Zi Qing Sword and Xie Lang's Karmic Fire Sword were both high-grade profound weapons, Luo Zheng could clearly feel that this Zi Qing Sword was of a higher quality than the Karmic Fire Sword.
It was indeed a pity that such a good sword was smelted by Luo Zheng.
That He Bing even sent someone to intercede, wanting to redeem this Zi Qing Sword, but Luo Zheng flatly refused.
In order to increase his strength, Luo Zheng had no choice but to do this.
After carefully examining this Zi Qing Sword for a while, Luo Zheng clenched his teeth and began to communicate with the Heaven and Earth Furnace in his mind.
The black flame, like a small moth, drilled out from between his eyebrows. After spinning in a strange arc in the air, it pounced on the Zi Qing Sword.
The incomparably hard Zi Qing Sword was like a candle at this moment. It was devoured by the black flame from head to toe, turning into droplets of molten iron essence that emitted a metallic luster.
Luo Zheng counted the droplets of molten iron essence. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he happily said, "This Zi Qing Sword and the Karmic Fire Sword are both high-grade profound weapons, but the Zi Qing Sword can actually smelt ten droplets of molten iron essence!"
As for the reason, Luo Zheng could not understand. He did not even know what this molten iron essence was!
Luo Zheng had flipped through the refining books in Xie Lang's Sumeru Ring, but he couldn't find the origin and source of this molten iron essence. Perhaps those refining masters could explain it clearly …
When the black flames sucked the ten drops of molten iron essence into the mouth of the Qinglong sculpture, two green rays of light suddenly shot out from the two dark scales. After the rays of light dissipated, the two dragon scales lit up again.
On the body of the Azure Dragon statue, there were already four dragon scales lit up.
Luo Zheng clenched his fists. Now that he had stepped into the Marrow Refining Realm, coupled with the power of the four dragon scales, he might even be able to put up a fight against a Xiantian Realm expert.
That night, after Luo Zheng finished his preparations, he quietly left Little Rain Peak early in the morning the next day.
He didn't want to alarm Mo Can and the others. If they knew that he had accepted the mission, they would definitely stop him. He didn't want to waste his breath on this matter because it was something he had to do.
However, Luo Zheng didn't know that when he walked out of his room, he was noticed by someone.
That person had a stocky build and dark skin. He was Cao Lei, the person who had a dispute with Luo Zheng because of Steward Zhu.
After that day, Cao Lei sent Steward Zhu back and received instructions from Zhuge Feng to keep an eye on Luo Zheng. If Luo Zheng left Xiao Yufeng, he was to report to Zhuge Feng if there was an opportunity to make a move.
Today, when Cao Lei saw Luo Zheng leave Xiao Yufeng early in the morning, he realized that the opportunity had come. Thus, he followed Luo Zheng.
After following him for a while, Cao Lei discovered that Luo Zheng was actually walking east of the Blue Cloud Sect.
He originally thought that Luo Zheng was going to leave the Blue Cloud Sect, but there was no exit in the east. Cao Lei was confused.
However, not long after, Luo Zheng actually walked onto the "Azure Sky Platform". Only then did he understand that Luo Zheng must have accepted the mission. Moreover, he should have accepted the insect tide mission.
During this period of time, the insect tide was overflowing. The Blue Cloud Sect had issued a mission to exterminate the saber insects. Many disciples had accepted this mission.
The location of this mission was in the south of the empire. It was a long journey. If one walked, it would take too long to cross mountains and rivers. If one was late, the insect tide would probably end.
Therefore, the vast majority of disciples would head to the Azure Sky Platform after accepting the mission.
There were large flying chariots on the Azure Sky Platform. Those large flying chariots could travel thousands of miles a day and only needed a day to send people to the south of the imperial capital.
This Luo Zheng was most likely going to the Azure Sky Platform today because he had accepted the mission to exterminate the saber insects in the south.
Cao Lei was also somewhat puzzled. Luo Zheng was actually in such a hurry to complete a mission of this level now.
"Since you want to see the King of Hell as soon as possible, I'll send you on your way!" With a cold smile on his face, Cao Lei's figure slowly disappeared. He should report this matter to his superiors first.
The Azure Sky Platform was a large man-made rooftop. It was about ten feet tall and square.
When Luo Zheng climbed up the stairs, he had already discovered that many disciples of the Blue Cloud Sect were waiting here.
These disciples of the Blue Cloud Sect had the same goal as Luo Zheng. They had all accepted the mission of exterminating the insect tide issued by the Blue Cloud Sect.
Most of the disciples here wore black robes. Only a small number of disciples wore white robes. However, each of them faintly emitted a fierce aura. It was an aura that had been tempered in a sea of blood. Their strength was not ordinary.
Whether it was the white-robed outer sect disciples or the black-robed inner sect disciples, when they saw Luo Zheng, their eyes revealed a hint of surprise.
It wasn't that Luo Zheng was too special, but that Luo Zheng's realm was too low. He was only in the Marrow Refining Realm.
The "insect tide" mission was not simple. The number of blade insects was enormous, and each individual was very ferocious. What was even more terrifying was that they were not afraid of death. Even in the face of an expert, they would attack in groups without any regard for their own safety.
Even half-step Xiantian cultivators would die under the siege of saber insects if they were not careful.
Therefore, the minimum requirement to accept this mission was to be a half-step Xiantian cultivator.
Now that a guy in the Marrow Refining Realm had appeared, it was normal for everyone to have such a strange reaction.
Luo Zheng ignored the astonished gazes of these people. He found a corner on the Azure Sky Platform and sat down. Then, he closed his eyes and rested.
Opposite Luo Zheng, four or five inner sect disciples were sizing up Luo Zheng and whispering at the same time.
Their voices were neither loud nor soft. Luo Zheng could hear them clearly. It was obvious that the other party was doing it on purpose.
"Since when can a Marrow Refining Realm accept missions?"
"There are many ways to court death. There are always some people in this world who overestimate themselves."
"Hehe, I'll go tease him!"
These people discussed for a while. Then, a brawny man walked out from among them. He strode towards Luo Zheng and said condescendingly, "Hey, kid, you want to kill saber insects too?"
Luo Zheng opened his eyes, stared at the brawny man and said, "Is there a problem?"
"Haha," the brawny man laughed strangely. "You're only in the Marrow Refining Realm. Looking at your body, I'm afraid you'll be split in half by the saber insects!"
"Oh," Luo Zheng responded indifferently and closed his eyes again.
Seeing Luo Zheng's indifferent reaction, it seemed that his intimidation had no effect. The brawny man's eyes swept over and saw the token on Luo Zheng's waist. He reached out his large hand to take the token.
Just before the brawny man touched the token, Luo Zheng's eyes suddenly opened. His body moved like a rabbit, and he grabbed the brawny man's neck in an extremely dexterous manner. At the same time, he used the momentum of getting up to circle behind the brawny man. A broken throwing knife appeared in his hand, and he pressed it against the brawny man's neck.
Although the throwing knife was broken, the power it exuded was astonishing. It was as if it could cut through everything in the world. The sharp aura spread to the brawny man's skin, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.
When the brawny man's companions saw this scene, their faces all changed color. They never thought that this ordinary-looking boy would be so fierce. In the blink of an eye, he had subdued the brawny man.
"Friend, this is the Blue Cloud Sect. What are you trying to do?"
"Don't mess around. Qing Shan was just joking with you!"
The brawny man's companions came over and said nervously.
"Am I familiar with him? Do you still want to take my token? "Luo Zheng said expressionlessly.
One of them saw this and said, "This is Qing Shan's fault. Let him go first. We can talk things over. Qing Shan, quickly apologize to him."
The brawny man called Qing Shan was scared out of his wits. Only he could feel the killing intent released by Luo Zheng at that moment. If he really wanted to make a move, he was afraid he would already be a dead man. He said in a trembling voice, "I, I'm sorry. I was just joking … I offended you …"
Hearing Qing Shan's words, Luo Zheng withdrew the throwing knife and put it into the sumeru ring. He took a few steps back without saying a word, his face full of vigilance.
Although he was also a disciple of the Blue Cloud Sect, Luo Zheng's vigilance was not lowered in the slightest. Ever since he stepped into the Blue Cloud Sect, he had been plotted against by various people. He understood that in this martial arts holy land, the law of the jungle was still accurately enforced.
If he were a sheep, he would only be eaten.
The brawny man moved his neck and touched it with his hand. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at Luo Zheng with a trace of awe in his eyes.
However, the brawny man seemed to be a person who remembered to eat but not to be beaten. After sizing up Luo Zheng, he piled up a smile on his face and said, "Friend, my name is Qing Shan. The five of us often hunt knife insects. Those knife insects appear in groups. It would be very troublesome for one person."
Hearing the brawny man's words, Luo Zheng did not comment.
Seeing this, the brawny man added, "You guys, they hunt knife insects in groups because they are afraid of being attacked from the front and back. Why don't you join us?"
Luo Zheng shook his head and immediately refused the brawny man, saying, "Thanks, but I'm used to being alone."
After saying this, Luo Zheng found a corner to sit down and closed his eyes again.
Just now, Luo Zheng's move had attracted the attention of many people on the platform.
Most people put away their contempt. Even some inner court disciples who had stepped into the Xiantian Secret Realm had a dignified look in their eyes.
Martial artists liked to put themselves in the shoes of a hypothetical danger. Just imagine, if they were the brawny man just now, would they be able to dodge Luo Zheng's knife?
Most people had the same answer in their hearts: they couldn't dodge. Luo Zheng's reaction just now was too fast, and his move was too sudden.
Of course, Luo Zheng would not be so bored as to try to figure out what these people were thinking. After meditating for a while, he heard a trembling sound in the air. He looked up and saw a huge object descending from the sky.
It was a giant flying chariot.