From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

After the loud noise subsided, no more explosive sounds from powerful martial techniques could be heard. It seemed that the battle between the Martial Masters had ended.

"I wonder if we'll run into those fanged black spiders again in this passage," Ye Fan mused, not paying much attention to the battle. He stared at the dimly lit passage with some thought. The thrill of killing those fanged black spiders and gaining evolution points had been exhilarating!

While defeating a Martial Master could grant 100,000 evolution points, such opponents were not easy to kill. When Lin Luoluo killed She Junba earlier, she had to rely on Bloodthirsty Frenzy, consuming much of her own blood energy. And even then, She Junba had already been in a weakened state.

The passage ahead grew darker as Lin Luoluo continued walking, but soon, a faint light appeared in the distance.

"Hmm?" Lin Luoluo noticed something unusual—it seemed like an exit.

With her left hand on her sword's sheath and her right hand gripping the hilt, she remained cautious, not letting her guard down.

"What is this...?"

As she stepped out of the passage, Lin Luoluo was struck by a breathtaking sight. She found herself in a vast space, and at the center of this area floated many intricately carved stone lotus platforms. Each platform was inscribed with numbers, starting from 'One' and continuing upward, arranged in different heights, from high to low.

In total, there were 199 lotus platforms, each hovering at varying heights according to its number.

As Lin Luoluo ventured further into the space, she noticed more warriors emerging from different passageways opposite hers. After scanning the surroundings, she realized there were twelve passage exits in total—confirming that the twelve paths earlier all led to this same destination.

"What does this mean?" Ye Fan wondered aloud, intrigued by the sight before them.

"We've finally reached this place again!" exclaimed one of the ninth-rank warriors, his excitement evident.

"Yuan Qiu, do you know what this place is?" asked another warrior beside him, curiosity filling his voice.

"These are the Enlightenment Lotus Platforms," Yuan Qiu replied seriously. "Each platform, from number one to one hundred ninety-nine, offers visions of powerful warriors from the past. The higher the platform, the more powerful the warrior's image you'll witness."

He continued, "It's said that the first platform holds the image of the strongest Martial Sage. Also, during the energy bath, those seated on higher platforms will receive the most potent essence."

The warriors around them were visibly shocked by Yuan Qiu's words. Lin Luoluo, who had keen hearing, also overheard the explanation.

"So, the goal is to seize the first platform," Lin Luoluo murmured to herself.

"Huh? It looks like I see a familiar face," Ye Fan chimed in, scanning the area. "It's Speitare!"

To his surprise, Speitare had also arrived in this space.

"This is getting interesting," Ye Fan chuckled. Given Lin Luoluo's current strength, especially with Bloodthirsty Frenzy activated, she could definitely kill Speitare. Defeating him would net a hefty 100,000 evolution points.

Some powerful warriors began to make their way toward the platforms. Lin Luoluo followed suit, striding forward calmly.

"Stop," a voice called out from ahead.

The speaker was a towering, muscular warrior exuding a strong and oppressive aura. He glanced at Lin Luoluo and spoke sternly, "The Martial Masters haven't taken their seats yet. Do you really think a mere ninth-rank warrior like you can just walk up here?"

Lin Luoluo glanced at him briefly, but she didn't respond and continued walking.

"How dare a lowly ninth-rank defy my words!" the man growled, clearly irritated by her disregard. A powerful surge of energy erupted from his body, blasting toward Lin Luoluo like a gust of fierce wind, intending to blow her away.

"Scram," Lin Luoluo said coldly, her eyes sharp. In that instant, an even more powerful force erupted from her body, countering the man's energy with an overwhelming impact.

Boom—

The collision of their energies produced a thunderous sound. The man was forced to take several steps back.

Impossible! His eyes widened in disbelief. The power Lin Luoluo had just unleashed was far beyond that of an ordinary ninth-rank warrior.

"You…" he began, staring at her in shock.

"You may proceed," he said reluctantly, stepping aside.

Lin Luoluo continued toward the area with the floating lotus platforms.

"Useless weaklings, stay where you are," the man growled, now blocking the path of the others.

"Damn him…" Some of the other warriors clenched their fists in frustration. A few of the ninth-rank warriors exchanged glances before rushing forward.

"I said, no weaklings may pass," the man sneered, drawing the enormous battle blade strapped to his back and launching an attack.

Boom, boom, boom—

The sounds of violent clashes echoed in the space. Before long, the challengers were writhing in agony, some with severed limbs, and one warrior had even been killed outright. His brutal display served as a warning to the others.

The remaining warriors were frozen in place, too terrified to make another move.

"We'll just cultivate here," Yuan Qiu suggested to the others. "The energy in this space is thick, and when the energy light descends later, even though we won't get the most potent part, we'll still benefit."

The other warriors nodded in agreement. They didn't want to risk their lives over a better spot.

Meanwhile, Lin Luoluo had already reached the area with the floating lotus platforms.

"I'm claiming the first seat!" A Martial Master leaped up, aiming to sit on the highest lotus platform. As soon as he landed on the platform and sat down, a surge of energy erupted from it.

Boom—

The energy instantly flooded his body, causing it to swell visibly.

The warrior's eyes widened in horror as his face turned pale. His body began to inflate, seemingly out of control.