I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1875 - 306:

Chapter 1875: Chapter 306:

"So, husband, you’re not really looking to accept disciples; you just want the Xiehe family to open up the trade route for us, right?" Yun Xiu realized with some regret. "It’s a good idea, but unfortunately, these families are bound to make a futile trip."

"It won’t be a futile trip."

Tang Luo said lightly, "Accepting disciples and opening up trade routes aren’t mutually exclusive. If any of their children truly have exceptional aptitude, why wouldn’t I take them in?"

...

Yancang Border

A merchant caravan of a hundred people halted here with their pack animals. According to the Wind Media’s map, this was supposed to be the boundary of the Lingjiang Water Region. They just needed to rent a medium-sized passenger boat to leisurely head to the Central Region.

But what stretched before them now was an endless black mire, with a few small boats stuck in it, showing no signs of the water region.

"Chieftain, it seems...we can’t get through."

Faced with this scene, the leader of the caravan had no choice but to bravely approach the chieftain, hoping he might rescind his order.

"If there’s no road, look for one. If you can’t find a road, trample one out. No matter what means you use, the young masters must reach the Lingjiang Central Region before August!"

The officers gave orders, while the subordinates broke their legs running.

Such unreasonable commands seemed to exist on every muddy path leading to Lingjiang.

For the leaders of these small families, if their smart children could enter the Red Cloud New King’s sect, then they could truly complete a leap in social status.

In some ways, they could be even more prestigious than the relatives of sacred lands.

So, even though they knew that their disciples stood little chance of being chosen, they went forward resolutely.

Apart from those who had already achieved something, there were also the young who felt "unrecognized in their talents."

Those unwilling to waste away in their hometowns, those who gritted their teeth through loneliness with ambitions greater than the heavens, those who held onto fantasies and refused to awaken.

Countless people were heading to Xiling, and the former gem of Lingjiang seemed to shimmer faintly once more.

But upon reaching Xiling, they inexplicably felt deceived.

The king’s test entrance was set within the ruins of a giant building in North City, Xiling.

Unlike other broken walls and remnants, this large building seemed to be the culmination of shoddy construction; not even the foundation survived the flood’s erosion, allowing only a vague semblance of structure visible from the pit.

Throughout, it exuded an aura of unreliability, and the new king’s test set within was brutally straightforward.

In the center of these ruins, clusters of white clouds floated several meters high. These clouds were kneaded like dough into long rectangular strips suspended in the air, resembling a cloud ladder extending to the ninth heaven.

Countless warriors who had shed their mortal selves gazed up at this cloud ladder, disbelief written all over their faces.

"Impossible! It can’t be done!"

Some who arrived early shouted in despair: "Climbing the ninety-nine-step cloud ladder? How could a mortal-shedding warrior possibly accomplish such a feat!"

Many warriors newly arrived were clueless about the situation and politely asked around. They soon realized that the dean’s test was indeed this ninety-nine-step cloud ladder.

But since it was a cloud ladder, it consisted of ethereal clouds. Warriors who had yet to forge their souls lacked the ability for sky-walking; naturally, they looked on helplessly.

And people always grow angry over the impossible. Hence, many warriors who couldn’t even reach the first step began expressing their misplaced anger.

"It’s a scam, just a scam. There’s no way a mortal-shedding warrior could pass the test, and the Red Cloud’s king is making fools of us!"