Chapter 262: Nominations for the Alliance Hunt

While the Lightning Sword Sect was going through the process of deciding the 40 nominees for the Alliance Hunt, which was to take place in half a year’s time, there was a rather significant blunder that happened.

The Lightning Sword Sect elder in charge of finalizing the nomination list had somehow included Zhou Donghuang’s name as part of the ten nominees under the category for the mid Dharma stage disciples.

Till the end, this remained unchanged until He Mengxi proffered a reminder on the issue. She had mentioned that Zhou Donghuang had already crossed over to the late Dharma stage and this was where the amendments had to be made.

However, at this point, all 40 names had already been confirmed.

Because of the mistake, the weakest disciple out of the ten disciples of the late Dharma stage was kicked out of the nominations in order to make space for Zhou Donghuang.

This late Dharma stage disciple had originally been unwilling to give up his position. However, towards his displeasure, the Lightning Sword Sect elder had said, “You can challenge Zhou Donghuang for this position. If you win against him in a fight, the nomination will remain yours.” The disciple had thus then shut his mouth immediately.

Out of the late Dharma stage disciples, he had originally been the weakest in terms of skills. Although Zhou Donghuang had only entered the late Dharma stage for a short period of time, he was definitely more skilled and could easily win against this disciple.

Zhou Donghuang’s superior capabilities had already once been demonstrated when he had first defeated an elite disciple of the Thunder Knife Sect, Han Yuzheng and showed his Dharma power. With the methods that he had utilized as a Dharma adept, it was enough to show that he had trained himself well even just as he had entered the late Dharma stage.

Other than this particular disciple, for the remaining nine nominees from the late Dharma stage, none of them could possibly fight Zhou Donghuang either.

Zhou Donghuang’s Dharma power was just trained too well as compared to them.

As Zhou Donghuang’s name was removed from the list of mid Dharma stage nominees and moved to the list for late Dharma adepts, a disciple who had previously been disqualified was now added back to the mid Dharma stage list of nominees as his skills were rather decent.

Once the list was confirmed, within the Lightning Sword Sect, other than topics regarding and related to the Alliance Hunt, most only talked about Zhou Donghuang and his rapid progress in crossing over to the late Dharma stage.

“Just as I expected! He managed to cross over to the late Dharma stage… Isn’t that crazily fast?”

“I’ve never heard of a 26-year-old late Dharma adept before… I think he is the first in the history of the Tielao planet!”

“Yes, I’ve never heard of such a late Dharma adept in the Tielao planet, at least not in the planet’s recorded history.”

“Doesn’t that mean that Zhou Donghuang is somewhat a legend of the Tielao planet? He has made history!”

“You are correct!”

“That elite disciple of the Thunder Knife Sect, Han Yuzheng… Has he entered the late Dharma stage? If so, Zhou Donghuang not only made history but also could even be considered as being on par with Han Yuzheng!”

“Han Yuzheng? He was defeated by Zhou Donghuang; can he even be compared to Zhou Donghuang at this point?”

The Summer Valley Head’s surrogate son, Lian Can, a direct disciple, had also been added to the nomination list for the Alliance Hunt under the category of mid Dharma stage adepts.

It was just that he had never expected that Zhou Donghuang, who had been added to the nominations without any testing, had managed to cross over to the late Dharma stage!

Needless to say, he was also shocked that Autumn Valley Head He Jin’s daughter, He Mengxi, who he had captured his heart and was a woman he wanted to be with, had managed to lose to Zhou Donghuang!

That woman had previously managed to defeat him within ten moves!

Not only had that woman defeated him, even the brute of the Autumn Valley, Da Zhuang, who was clumsy and had been easily defeated, had managed to defeat him as well!

After Zhou Donghuang had appeared, the duo’s powers had accelerated in power just like a rocket, and this was extremely shocking to all.

At this very moment, as Lian Can made his way back to the Summer Valley, he had on an awful expression on his face.

“Why do you have on such a troubled expression… Did you somehow get robbed of a spot on the nominee list?”

Seeing as Lian Can had on an unreadable expression, the Summer Valley Head, Lian Kun, could not help but furrow his brows. It was unlikely that Lian Can had not been nominated for the Alliance Hunt as his current capabilities would make it extremely easy for him to be one of the top mid Dharma adepts.

“I’ve been nominated.”

Lian Can smiled bitterly.

Upon hearing those words, Lian Kun relaxed slightly. “Since you’ve been nominated, why the long face?”

“Father.”

Lian Can sighed deeply. “As you had predicted previously, that Zhou Donghuang was personally appointed by the Sect Leader to enter the Alliance Hunt without any need for a test of his abilities.”

“Well, that is to be expected.”

Lian Kun smiled lightly. “With his abilities, entering the Alliance Hunt means that he has a shot to be part of the top ten participants… For our Lightning Sword Sect, we already have not had any disciple enter the top ten scorers for the last 100 years…

“This time, I’m sure the Sect Leader is looking to Zhou Donghuang to earn some glory for our sect.”

Towards this, Lian Kun was not surprised at all. If he were the Sect Leader of the Lightning Sword Sect, he would have made such a choice as well.

“He has entered the late Dharma stage.”

Lian Can continued to sigh.

“Who!?”

Lian Kun was a little stunned and confused.

“Zhou Donghuang!” Lian Can replied.

“What!?”

Lian Can’s words immediately shocked Lian Kun. Hadn’t Zhou Donghuang entered the mid Dharma stage only one and a half years ago?

Within such a short period of time, he had managed to cross over to the late Dharma stage?

What kind of miracle was this?

In the entire Tielao planet and even within the entire Hengliu galaxy’s history, there had been no one who had spent any less than two years training before they were able to cross over from the mid Dharma stage to the late Dharma stage, much less in the Lightning Sword Sect!

This was extremely frightening news to hear!

“Are you speaking the truth?” Lian Kun asked doubtfully.

“He Mengxi said so. I think she’s right. After all, the sect has now accorded him a nomination under the list of late Dharma stage adepts.”

Upon hearing Lian Can’s words, Lian Kun’s face suddenly had on a serious expression, and his eyes clouded over as he thought to himself. “That Zhou Donghuang is really a beast!

“It’s already shocking that he has trained his Dharma power so well. I can’t believe he managed to level up so quickly as well!”

Lian Kun had met many talented individuals in his life. However, he was now beginning to think that none of these individuals could even hold a candle to Zhou Donghuang!

“There’s more…”

As Lian Kun remained in a state of shock, Lian Can spoke up once again with a bitter look on his face. “In the test today, I dueled with He Mengxi of the Autumn Valley. Within ten moves, she was able to defeat me.”

Just as Lian Kun was further dumbfounded, Lian Can continued to speak. “That disciple of the Autumn Valley, Da Zhuang, managed to defeat me within 20 moves as well!”

With these words, Lian Kun was shocked till he felt numb.

How had Autumn Valley upgraded themselves so well?

“It seems like Zhou Donghuang is the lucky charm of the Autumn Valley… After he entered the Autumn Valley, the other disciples have seemed to upgrade themselves as well…” Lian Kun muttered under his breath.

Of course, it was not hard for Lian Kun to deduce that for He Mengxi and Da Zhuang to be able to upgrade themselves within such a short period of time, Zhou Donghuang must have provided aid in one way or another.

If not He Mengxi, Da Zhuang for sure at the very least.

Two years ago, he was only an ultimate Primal Core adept.

Now, not only was he a Dharma adept, he was even at the mid Dharma stage!

The Spring Valley Head, Liu Fenggu’s only son, Liu Lang, had also secured a place in the nominee list under the category of early Dharma stage adepts.

Although he had only entered the early Dharma stage for a short period of time, when he was at the ultimate Primal Core stage, under his father’s coaching, he had managed to train his Dharma power. When he had finally entered the early Dharma stage, his skills were thus much stronger than that of most other early Dharma adepts.

Today, he had personally witnessed He Mengxi defeat Lian Can, a disciple of the Summer Valley.

Before he had watched that scene, he had already heard that Lian Can was one of the strongest amongst the mid Dharma stage adepts of the Summer Valley and was hard to beat.

His father had also told him that even if he entered the mid Dharma stage now, he would lag far behind as compared to Lian Can.

However, He Mengxi, who had previously been on par with Lian Can, now had somehow managed to defeat Lian Can and had even done so within ten moves!

What shocked him the most, however, was still the Autumn valley disciple, Da Zhuang.

With a short time frame of two years, Da Zhuang had managed to go from the ultimate Primal Core stage to the mid Dharma stage. Furthermore, he was capable of defeating Lian Can within 20 moves!

“The change they underwent is too huge… Behind all of this, Zhou Donghuang must have helped out in one way or another.”

Another thing that had shocked Liu Lang greatly was that Zhou Donghuang had already entered the late Dharma stage.

My goodness!

How long had it only been?

He remembered clearly. Two years ago, Zhou Donghuang was only a Golden Essence adept just like Da Zhuang. However, within a short two years, he had entered the late Dharma stage!

Furthermore, he had trained his Dharma power to perfection.

His father had told him before that with Zhou Donghuang’s current Dharma power, once he entered the ultimate Dharma stage, he would be one of the strongest of the Lightning Sword Sect.

“With Zhou Donghuang’s Dharma power and the fact that he is now a late Dharma adept… Within the Lightning Sword Sect, for the Dharma adepts, no one can defeat him as of now.”

After guessing that He Mengxi and Da Zhuang’s powers had probably improved due to Zhou Donghuang, Liu Lang could not help but feel enraged and yet also resigned to his fate at the same time.

He had always wanted to forge a good relationship with Zhou Donghuang.

However, Zhou Donghuang had been rather adamant in ignoring his attempts at a friendship.

“If he had not entered the Autumn Valley but had come to the Spring Valley and forged good relations with me… Well, I could also be at the mid Dharma stage by now!”

Liu Lang knew that his innate talent and skills were not worse than that of Da Zhuang of the Autumn Valley, after all.

In reality, Da Zhuang’s ability to greatly improve himself was mostly because his body was suited for the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen style.

Since his body was suited for the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen style, his early training would be boosted to create the form he had now.

Da Zhuang had thus managed to use merely one year to go from the early Dharma stage directly to the mid Dharma stage!

…

The Ziji planet

The Jihan Sect.

Similar to the Lightning Sword Sect, the Jihan Sect had also confirmed their 40 nominees for the Alliance Hunt half a year ago.

“That was close.”

Towards the testing that had occurred recently, after it had ended, Luo Qinghan had breathed a deep sigh of relief.

She had nearly missed out on being nominated for the Alliance Hunt.

Her skills had been the weakest among the ten early Dharma adepts chosen by the Jihan Sect.

Of course, this was also because Luo Qinghan had not changed her training style to the Immortal training style, the Technique of Everlasting Youth that Zhou Donghuang had left behind for Luo Wuchen. If not, her skills would definitely be of a higher level than they were at now.

“If I had not entered the early Dharma stage a year ago or had grandmother’s careful guidance, well, I definitely would not have managed to become one of the ten early Dharma stage nominees!”

Luo Qinghan felt relief deep in her heart.

Within the past years’ time, after she had entered the Dharma stage, Luo Qinghan had returned home once again and stayed for a long time before traveling out again.

While she was dwelling at home, she had been under the careful guidance of her patient maternal grandmother, Li Yu, who had taught her how to train her Dharma power with more effectiveness and better results.

After all, Li Yu had been training under the Immortal training style, the Technique of Everlasting Youth, and she had improved her skills greatly at her stage. Many of the other ultimate Dharma adepts were now unable to compete with her at this point.