Chapter 525: Golden Claw Gard Trial Begins!
"Is this a joke? This assessment mission actually wants us to exterminate the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds. With just us, we would be lucky if they do not exterminate us first, let alone wipe them out."
"Madness. This is sheer madness. Even if the three peak Earthly Core Realm experts do not make a move, any one of the other stronghold leaders could probably wipe us all out."
"Previous missions were difficult, but at least they were still within a reasonable range. This mission is practically sending all of us to our deaths."
The cultivators qualified to participate in the Golden Dragon Guard re-examination were not cowards. However, after hearing the requirements of this mission, many of them still revealed expressions of fear.
They were not lacking courage, but charging forward while knowing death was certain was not bravery. It was suicide.
"Silence!"
Seeing the crowd fall into an uproar and grow increasingly restless, one of the old men finally lost his patience. He snorted heavily and spoke in an indifferent voice.
"When has the Golden Dragon Hall ever issued a mission that was guaranteed death? All of you, wait quietly."
These words finally calmed most of the crowd, though many people still wore anxious and uneasy expressions.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
At that moment, three sharp sounds suddenly rang through the air.
Immediately afterward, three middle-aged men dressed in golden robes appeared before the crowd. Each robe was embroidered with a four-clawed golden dragon, making their identities obvious at a glance.
Each of these three middle-aged men exuded an extremely powerful aura. This was especially true of the man standing in the center. His presence was firm and imposing, like a deep abyss or an unshakable prison. Clearly, he was a Half-Step Heavenly Core Realm expert.
"Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards! Three Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards have appeared together!"
"They are not just ordinary Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards. The one in the center is Lord Yue Cangshan. Lord Yue Cangshan is among the top three Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards, a super expert who is only one step away from breaking through to the Heavenly Core Realm."
Upon seeing these three, the worries in the crowd instantly eased. Instead, many people revealed expressions of intense excitement.
Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards held an extremely high status in the Cloudheaven Ancient Kingdom. Their status was higher than ordinary prefecture city lords and was second only to prefectural capital lords. As for Yue Cangshan, he was a renowned powerhouse throughout the entire Cloudheaven Ancient Kingdom.
The appearance of Yue Cangshan and the other two also proved that the Golden Dragon Hall’s plan to exterminate the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds was not a sudden decision. It had clearly been planned in advance.
Sure enough, the three old men, who had maintained stern expressions until now, finally showed smiles when they saw Yue Cangshan and the others. They stepped forward and spoke with utmost courtesy.
"We will have to trouble the three lords from here on."
"Mm."
Yue Cangshan nodded lightly.
Then, with a sudden movement, he disappeared from everyone’s sight along with the other two Four-Clawed Golden Dragon Guards.
"What incredible speed!"
Seeing this, everyone present was astonished. They were all powerful cultivators themselves, yet they could not even follow Yue Cangshan and the other two with their eyes. This alone revealed the enormous gap in strength between them.
Boom!
At that moment, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from deep within the Cloudchain Mountain Range. Immediately afterward, several furious howls rang out.
"Who dares invade our Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds?"
"Damn it! Golden Dragon Guards! Our Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds have never provoked your Golden Dragon Hall. Why are you attacking us?"
"Bastards! Damned Golden Dragon Guards, I will fight you to the death!"
Furious roars continued to echo from the depths of the Cloudchain Mountain Range. Thunderous rumbles shook the mountains again and again, clearly showing that an intense battle had broken out inside.
After some time, the deafening sounds gradually subsided.
Then, Yue Cangshan and the other two reappeared before Li Yun and the others.
"All experts at the 6th, 7th, and 8th levels of Earthly Core Realm and above within the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds have been exterminated. Only ten cultivators at the 4th and 5th levels of Earthly Core Realm remain."
Yue Cangshan spoke calmly and indifferently. "Our mission is complete. We will take our leave first."
After saying this, Yue Cangshan and the other two vanished from sight once again.
Seeing this, a steward of the Golden Dragon Hall nodded, stepped forward, and shouted toward Li Yun and the others.
"The mission of the three lords is complete. Now, it is your turn."
"All significant experts of the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds have already been slain by the three lords. Only ten experts at the 4th and 5th levels of Earthly Core Realm remain, along with a large number of 1st and 2nd level Earthly Core Realm cultivators, Half-Step Earthly Core Realm cultivators, and Mortal Core Realm cultivators. Your task is to evade the pursuit of those ten 4th and 5th level Earthly Core Realm experts while killing the remaining bandit remnants."
"Killing one Mortal Core Realm cultivator earns one merit point. Killing one Half-Step Earthly Core Realm cultivator earns three merit points. Killing one 1st level Earthly Core Realm cultivator earns ten merit points. If you manage to kill a 4th or 5th level Earthly Core Realm cultivator, you will earn one hundred merit points."
"During the bandit extermination, you may act alone or form teams. However, if you act as a team, the merit points will be fully awarded to the person who lands the final blow."
"Ten days from now, the top ten cultivators in merit points will become Golden Dragon Guards. Everyone else will be eliminated."
The Golden Dragon Hall steward’s indifferent voice rang out, once again causing an uproar among the crowd.
Although the main experts of the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds had already been exterminated, this mission was still incredibly difficult.
The Golden Dragon Hall had deliberately left ten experts at the 4th and 5th levels of Earthly Core Realm alive within the Seventeen Cloudchain Strongholds. It was easy to imagine that these experts, after witnessing the destruction of their strongholds, would be filled with deep hatred. They would certainly vent their rage toward the Golden Dragon Hall onto the examinees.
During the next ten days, those ten 4th and 5th level Earthly Core Realm experts would undoubtedly hunt them relentlessly.
On the other hand, there were about two thousand cultivators participating in the assessment, yet only ten could become Golden Dragon Guards. It was obvious that peace among the examinees was impossible. In order to reduce competition, mutual killing was almost inevitable.
Even forming teams was not necessarily a good option. Since only the person who landed the final blow would gain merit points, conflict within teams could easily become irreconcilable.
The assessment missions of the Golden Dragon Hall were indeed filled with danger at every step.
"Alright. The mission requirements have already been made clear. Now, you may begin."
The three Golden Dragon Hall stewards paid no attention to the emotions of the crowd and spoke indifferently.
At this moment, the Golden Dragon Guard assessment mission officially began.