"What? King Dong Qing is also injured?
Who is so bold as to rob our goods?
Could it be those Roving Bandits? "Lie Zan exclaimed in shock.
"It's like this. I only know this much. Lord Lie Zan, you should go back first!" Commander Bu said.
"Don't worry. Let me introduce you to this little brother. He's Ling Xiao from Stone Heaven City. This is the genius I'm going to recommend to our Merchant Union!" Lie Zan pointed at Ling Xiao and introduced him.
Ling Xiao immediately greeted the man, "Ling Xiao greets Commander Bu!"
Commander Bu looked at Ling Xiao in surprise and immediately returned the greeting, "Brother Ling is too polite. Just call me Bu. If you need anything in the future, just let me know."
Commander Bu knew that a young man like this who could be recommended to the Merchant Union was definitely a potential stock. It would be of great use to him in the future if he could establish a good relationship with him.
"I'll need Commander Bu to take care of me in the future!" Ling Xiao said and let Lie Zan lead him into the house.
Along the way, other than some attendants and maids, they rarely saw other people.
However, Ling Xiao sensed that there were several terrifying auras in this courtyard. They were all existences no weaker than Lie Zan. Some of them were even existences that he couldn't judge.
"It really is a place with crouching tigers and hidden dragons. I just don't know what the situation in the Merchant Union headquarters is like!" Ling Xiao was secretly shocked.
Ling Xiao was temporarily placed in an attic. Lie Zan told him not to wander around for the time being, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble.
Afterward, Lie Zan left the loft and went to the Merchant Union Hall.
The Merchant Union Hall was similar to the city lord's mansion. However, there was no city lord's mansion in Blazing Flame City. The Merchant Union Hall was an organization that carried out all the orders issued by the upper echelons.
It could be said that all the biggest business transactions of the Blazing Flame Merchants were issued from the Merchant Union Hall. This was where the headquarters of the Blazing Flame Merchants was located.
The Blazing Flame Merchants prioritized profit first. Those who excelled in business would basically be in the Merchant Union. The space in the Blazing Flame Mountain Range was the guarantee of the Merchant Union's safety.
Ling Xiao had to pass through the Merchant Union Hall before he could have the opportunity to enter the Merchant Union's training ground.
Lie Zan had been gone for quite some time. Ling Xiao sat quietly in his room. Every time it was time to eat, someone would deliver food to him on time.
A day later, Lie Zan finally came back in high spirits.
"Ling Xiao, come with me. Today, the Deputy Director will see you. Whether you can join our Chamber of Commerce depends on whether you can be appreciated by the Deputy Director." Lie Zan took Ling Xiao's hand and walked out.
"Ling Xiao, come with me. The Deputy Manager will see you today. Whether you can enter our Merchant Union depends on whether you can get the Deputy Manager's appreciation." Lie Zan pulled Ling Xiao's hand and walked out.
The Merchant Union Hall covered a vast area. There were a few towering pavilions that reached more than thirty stories high. They were the tallest and most majestic of all the buildings in the city.
The surroundings were emitting dense formation patterns that gave people a great sense of oppression.
Even with Ling Xiao's strength, he felt that he was too weak when he walked to the most famous place in the Sky Dragon Territory. Even if he used his soul power and the Golden Dragon Spear, he might not be able to destroy the defense of the Merchant Union Hall.
However, Ling Xiao's shock did not stop there. At the entrance of the Merchant Union Hall, there were more than ten Demigod King martial artists guarding the entrance. This made him speechless.
What kind of strength was a Demigod King?
He couldn't believe that he could only serve as a gatekeeper in this place.
Ling Xiao's demeanor suddenly became much more respectful and shaky.
In the past, he thought that his Tenbin was outstanding. With his Tenbin and fortuitous encounters, his speed of advancement was peerless. This made him develop an arrogant personality that looked down on everyone in the world. He thought that he could become a Divine King one day and reach the peak of martial arts.
However, he now understood that although his Tenbin was outstanding, he had only cultivated for a short period of time. It was not the time for him to be arrogant.
Just the Demigod Kings that he met here could easily pinch him to death with one hand.
He realized that Lie Zan, who was respected in Stone Sky City, had become extremely cautious here. He no longer looked indifferent and arrogant.
Lie Zan asked someone to go in and report. He and Ling Xiao could only wait outside obediently.
After a while, the person who reported came out and allowed Lie Zan and Ling Xiao to enter.
As soon as he entered the door, Ling Xiao immediately felt countless divine thoughts descend on him. He felt as if his naked body was seen by others and there were no secrets to speak of.
Ling Xiao followed Lie Zan to the front of a pavilion.
Lie Zan bowed to the pavilion and said softly, "Deputy Master Ling Xiao is here!"
After a long time, a soft voice came from inside. "Okay, I got it. Let him come in himself!"
As soon as this was said, the door of the pavilion opened automatically.
Lie Zan glanced at Ling Xiao as if saying, "It's all up to you now!"
Ling Xiao nodded at Lie Zan, then raised his head and walked in calmly.
As soon as he walked into the pavilion, the door closed again.
Suddenly, Ling Xiao's eyelids twitched. He sensed something, and quickly dodged to the side.
A ray of light like a meteor streaked past Ling Xiao. Its speed was extremely fast. If Ling Xiao hadn't dodged in time, he would have been dismembered.
However, the other party did not seem to be willing to give up. He actually changed his direction and slashed at Ling Xiao.
Eight slashes in one breath. It was extremely fast, and the power was overbearing and fierce. It seemed that he did not care about destroying the pavilion at all.
Ling Xiao did not know what was going on, but the other party's attack was too sudden. Moreover, the sword technique was extremely sharp, so he had no choice but to dodge.
He could be sure that the other party's strength was definitely not as simple as a high-level Holy Emperor, but an existence at the peak of a Holy Emperor!
The space inside the pavilion was narrow, so it was impossible to dodge far away. The sword light had already swept towards Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao's body arrived in front of the wall. He turned around and stomped on the wall. He roared, and the sound of a dragon's roar soared into the sky, shocking the sneak attacker into a momentary daze.
Ling Xiao seized the opportunity and unceremoniously attacked the attacker, sending him flying with a kick.
Ling Xiao's attack was very measured. He did not kill the attacker, but only seriously injured him and made him lose the ability to fight.
He looked coldly at the man on the ground, not understanding what was going on.
"The first level has been passed. You can go to the second floor. After passing three levels, you can see the Deputy Master!" A voice echoed in the pavilion.
Ling Xiao now knew that this sneak attack was a test for him. Even Lie Zan did not know about it. Otherwise, he would have definitely warned him in advance.
Ling Xiao smiled bitterly. When he was the master of a palace, he was high and mighty. Now, it was like he had returned to the time when he first came out into the world. He was a newcomer in the election, allowing others to test him.
However, he was new to the Qing-Yun Realm. He was not familiar with the people and the place, and his strength was only average. It was not a big deal for him to be under someone for the time being. If he could not bear this little grievance, how could he establish the Smiling Palace in the Qing-Yun Realm?
Ling Xiao raised his head and walked up to the second floor.
He was always on guard, in case he was attacked again.
However, the other party did not do that. They were waiting for him openly.
The three women were dressed in the same clothes. Whether it was their appearance or figure, they were all very good, pleasing to the eye.
They looked very young, but they were already more than a thousand years old. Their strength had reached the peak of the Holy Emperor's realm, which was very good.
The three women stood in three different positions. The woman in the middle said to Ling Xiao, "Young Master, please make your move. As long as you defeat the three of us, you will pass the test!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the three women unleashed all their power at the same time. Streaks of sharp wind blades locked onto Ling Xiao.
"They all cultivate the wind attribute!" Ling Xiao exclaimed. His own strength also increased.
The three women turned into ghostly figures, constantly intertwining and changing, leaving a series of afterimages. It was difficult to see which one was their real body.
The three women naturally did not want to confuse Ling Xiao's vision. In the next moment, they attacked at the same time. Countless sword blades from all directions swept towards Ling Xiao.
These attacks were filled with sharp killing intent, and they didn't seem like they were sparring at all.
If Ling Xiao could not handle it, he would be strangled to death.
All the sword lights had sealed off all of Ling Xiao's escape routes, leaving him nowhere to escape.
Just as Ling Xiao was about to be injured by these sword lights, a strange longsword appeared in Ling Xiao's hand. He brandished the longsword and blocked many of the dense sword lights.
Clang! Clang!
Many sparks flew in all directions.
Ling Xiao's purlicue was numb from the impact. Although he had blocked most of the sword lights, there were still many that penetrated and attacked his body.
That prickling sensation made his blood boil.
The momentum of the sword in his hand soared, and waves of sword light that could topple the mountains and overturn the seas flew toward the three women.
Although the three women were fast, they still could not escape the grasp of Ling Xiao's Spiritual Sense. Moreover, Ling Xiao had increased his combat strength, so his speed was not inferior to the three women.
In a short time, he exchanged hundreds of blows with the three women, and Ling Xiao recovered from his disadvantage.
However, it was impossible for Ling Xiao to defeat the three of them in a short time. This was because the three women had formed a Three Greats Sword Formation. The three of them cooperated with each other and relied on the power of the wind attribute to increase the sword formation's power.
An ordinary Holy Emperor at the peak of his strength would have died long ago under the attack of this Three Greats Sword Formation.
Only a combat genius like Ling Xiao, who had both speed and defense, could stop the momentum of defeat.
Of course, Ling Xiao could not be trapped here by this sword formation.
Since the other party had the intention to test his strength, then he would let them see his potential clearly.
His silhouette changed, and a total of forty-eight silhouettes appeared. In this narrow pavilion, there seemed to be a Ling Xiao everywhere.
His aura changed again, and it was actually several times stronger than before. The long sword in his hand actually slashed out two different types of attack power. It was sometimes hot and sometimes cold, sometimes fire and sometimes ice. It was really overwhelming, and there was no way to defend against it!