Apotheosis

On the fourth floor, the two chests glowed with a dark golden light, tempting the warriors. Their eyes twinkled in a similar fashion.

So far in the test of Cloud Road, no one had been able to get their hands on the golden treasure chest.

Even head of Cloud Hall was never rewarded with it.

The gold treasure box was a great attraction to the other warriors, and Zen also found it particularly alluring.

He had received the rewards of three treasure boxes up until now. Each reward was greater and rarer than the one that came before it. Consequently, he was better aware of the merits of the treasure chest than the others.

The first floor was the reward that could improve one's spirit strength significantly; the second was the blood vigor of the nine-headed dragon, while the third floor was the Blood Fiend Emperor's secret manuscript that described the tier 5 cultivation method! What kind of a reward did the fourth floor conceal? And what about the fifth?

The rewards must be unimaginable.

However, Zen was not reckless enough to face the tests of the fourth and the fifth floors. He didn't want to die an early death like most others who challenged them.

In order to get the reward of the silver treasure chest, Zen had undertaken great risks. He had almost gotten himself killed. Considering his present strength, he was afraid he would be dead meat if he even attempted to get the reward in the golden box.

Treasures, weapons, and cultivation methods were important, but his life was infinitely more vital at the moment.

Moreover, Zen's level was still very low. He would always come across more opportunities to achieve the rewards once his level improved. According to Kenneth, the disciples who fell under the third-grade of the Illuminating Soul Realm were sanctioned to enter the test of Cloud Road. If he became an elite of Cloud Hall, he might be allowed to re-enter the Cloud Road. After all, Cloud Road came under the purview of Cloud Hall. As long as the rules were stipulated by their men, he would have chances aplenty.

Yet, even as Zen chose to abandon the chest at the moment, he was still curious to see what the test of the fourth layer entailed.

As he mulled over it, he slowly climbed along the cliff, then leaped to stand on the edge of the fourth stone platform. As he stationed himself there, he saw two red beams of light illuminate the cave. A low but heavy whimper resounded.

"Gods! It's a fierce beast!" Zen blurted out.

Fear crept up Zen's heart, soon spreading across the rest of his body. At the moment, he felt as if his heart was grabbed by an invisible force. He felt paralyzed like he was unable to move.

What kind of a fierce beast was this? And how did it possess such formidable power?

Even while facing the demons in the past, Zen had never been so terrified.

Pop-pop, pop-pop... Zen's heart thundered in his ears.

'Run!' Zen told himself.

The prospect of facing some ferocious beast inside the cave made him instinctively want to run away from the stone platform. He wanted to jump down and just escape.

Just as he was about to leave the platform, the beast in the cave emerged. It was so fast that Zen only saw the hint of a black shadow race to him—a pair of striking bl

ed that Lennon would use the Twelve Earthly Branches Array to do away with Zen. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to send Lennon a message; otherwise, he would have warned the top disciple not to act rashly. Even his family power would not be able to back him if he went through with killing Zen.

Fortunately, Lennon was a smart boy. He had shrewdly assessed the situation and decided not to aim the array at Zen.

Watching Zen leave safe and sound, Fernandez felt his mood brighten up once again.

Zen walked along the road that he had earlier taken to the lush jungle. As he made his way, he took out a robe from his Space Ring. Peeling off the cloth that the wolf had torn apart, he changed into the new robe. Just as he finished, he frowned, sensing that someone was spying on him. "Show yourself!" he said out loud.

Immediately, a shadow dropped down from the sky, landing onto the ground. It was the cloak boy, Lewis.

"You are amazing!" Lewis said earnestly. "You actually got the treasure chest of the third floor. It's unthinkable! Can I come with you? Be your team member?"

Zen glanced at the cloak boy dismissively, shaking his head. "I don't work with people who don't show me his real face," he said indifferently, looking away.

He soon heard the sound of rustling and looked in the direction of the boy.

The cloak boy had taken his cloak off, revealing a handsome face etched with a trace of wickedness. "My name is Lewis Baili," he introduced himself.

"I'm Zen Luo," Zen said simply.

They continued to walk ahead after the introductions. The test of Cloud Road was only halfway done. Zen couldn't be more aware of the importance of coalition as the test went along. The following ones would be even more difficult. Unfortunately, Rocher and Patrick had left earlier. But Lewis was strong too, and he would prove to be a good partner to him.

Lewis, however, was quite verbose. For a while, he kept asking Zen questions, bothering him, which made Zen regret agreeing to the partnership.

Zen walked out of the jungle and saw the upsurge of the Sea of Raging Fire. "The Sea of Raging Fire is beginning to recede," he said. "Let's go."