15 days later.
The Inner Court Exam would begin in another day. During this period of time, all the Inner Court Elders of the Sword Sect could be said to be extremely busy. On the other hand, the disciples participating in the exam were cultivating desperately because they were deeply afraid of failing the test and being forced to continue staying as inner court disciples. Because that would be extremely humiliating.
Even though it was like that, everyone still didn’t forget one matter, and it was that today was the day that the battle between the Labor Disciple, Yang Ye’s, who challenged Liu Qingyu who was ranked at the 19th on the Outer Court Rankings would occur.
After all, this matter had been a hot topic of discussion in the outer court at that time. Of course, at that time, most of them were ridiculing Yang Ye for overestimating his ability. Yet now, all of them were discussing about who would be the victor of the battle.
Even though Yang Ye was only at the Mortal Realm, he was able to ascend into the 22nd level of the Sword Servant Pagoda. So, there was absolutely no need to doubt his strength. On the other hand, Liu Qingyu was a senior Outer Court Disciple and a First Heaven Realm expert. Moreover, he was a genius that was ranked at the 19th position on the Outer Court Rankings. So, his strength was undeniable.
However, most of the people in the outer court didn’t look favorably upon Yang Ye because Liu Qingyu was at the First Heaven Realm after all. If Liu Qingyu was a First Heaven Realm disciple from a clan in the mortal world, then everyone would definitely look favorably upon Yang Ye. However, Liu Qingyu wasn’t a disciple from a clan in the mortal world, and he was an elite fostered in a sect.
So, it was difficult, extremely difficult for Yang Ye to surmount a realm of cultivation and defeat an elite of a sect!
In short, no matter who won and who lost, it would definitely be a fierce struggle. So, at this moment, numerous senior outer court disciple and new outer court disciples had surrounded the Life and Death Arena since a long time ago.
The new outer court disciples stood at the left side while the senior outer court disciples stood on the right. Even though they were all outer court disciples, they’d subconsciously divided into two groups.
However, the meaning behind the life and death battle between Yang Ye and Liu Qingyu had changed slightly. It was originally a private matter between Yang Ye and Liu Qingyu. But after Yang Ye became an outer court disciple, the meaning behind this matter had changed. Because Yang Ye seemed to have become the representative of the new outer court disciples. Ye, since Yang Ye deterred a disciple on the Outer Court Rankings, Yang Ye’s reputation amongst the new outer court disciples had shot up to a point that was simply impossible to compare to.
Now, all of these new outer court disciples on the left had come to cheer for Yang Ye.
Similarly, the senior outer court disciples on the right had come to cheer for Liu Qingyu. They didn’t care about the enmity between Yang Ye and Liu Qingyu, and all they knew was that Liu Qingyu represented the senior outer court disciples now. So, if Liu Qingyu lost, then all of them would lose face.
“Liu Qingyu is here!” Right at this moment, someone shouted from amidst the crowd.
Everyone looked up at the Life and Death Arena, and they saw a figure descend lightly onto it. When they focused their gazes over, they noticed that this figure belonged to none other than Liu Qingyu.
At this moment, Liu Qingyu’s expression was gloomy while his eyes contained ghastly killing intent. Yes, at this moment, Liu Qingyu wished for nothing more than to immediately slaughter Yang Ye.
After he found that Yang Ye’s mother was a Spirit Realm expert on that day, he was terrified indeed. So, he’d hurriedly returned to the Sword Sect and then hid within Seven Refinement Peak to cultivate diligently. However, never had he imagined that when he left Seven Refinement Peak, his Liu Clan had actually been annihilated.
Moreover, he’d never imagined that it wasn’t Yang Ye’s mother who annihilated his clan, and it was actually Yang Ye. Besides that, after Yang Ye annihilated his entire clan, the Grand Qin Empire actually didn’t order for Yang Ye’s arrest, and Yang Ye was even allowed to swagger back to the Sword Sect. He wasn’t able to find out why the Grand Qin Empire didn’t order for Yang Ye’s arrest, and he didn’t want to find out about it. All he knew was that he would avenge his clansmen today.
He was afraid of Yang Ye’s mother, but he was absolutely not afraid of Yang Ye. He admitted that Yang Ye’s natural talent was above his own, and if Yang Ye was given sufficient time, Yang Ye would definitely surpass him. However, Yang Ye was only at the Mortal Realm now. So, even if Yang Ye had ascended to the 22nd level of the Sword Servant Pagoda, Yang Ye was still a Profounder at the Mortal Realm in the end!
He’d decided that when he fought Yang Ye later, he would attack with his full strength to annihilate Yang Ye right at the beginning and give the elders of the Sword Sect no chance to rescue Yang Ye.
After two hours passed, Yang Ye still hadn’t made an appearance, and some of the senior outer court disciples couldn’t help but start mocking Yang Ye.
“Is Yang Ye afraid? Does he not dare to come to participate in this battle? Haha!”
“Exactly. I knew it. So what if he has ascended to the 22nd level? He’s only at the Mortal Realm now, and it’s utterly impossible for him to be a match for Senior Brother Qingyu who’s at the fourth rank of the First Heaven Realm!”
“Being able to retreat in the face of difficulties is good as well. No matter what, Yang Ye is a genius of my Sword Sect, and I only hope that he’ll learn how to keep a low profile after this incident!”
“I think that it isn’t just Yang Ye and even all of those new outer court disciple should learn to keep a low profile. I heard they established some sort of Sword School, and over 80% of the new outer court disciples have joined it. What do they intend to accomplish by doing that? We haven’t even left yet they’re already thinking about taking control of the outer court?”
“Hehe, the Sword School? Fellow Senior Brothers, after this matter comes to an end, why don’t we go teach these newbies how to act?”
“Alright, count me in!”
“Count me in as well!”
The senior outer court disciples seemed to be speaking extremely loudly on purpose for the new outer court disciples to here, and it was to the point that all the new outer court disciples on the left could hear them clearly.
The faces of the new outer court disciples flushed red. If it wasn’t out of fear for the sect’s punishment, they would have been unable to restrain themselves from attacking. If all of them just humiliated Yang Ye, then many outer court disciples wouldn’t feel furious. However, these senior outer court disciples had even humiliated all of them as well. So, how could they not feel furious?
“Senior Sister Qingxue, why hasn’t Senior brother Yang Ye arrived yet?” An outer court disciple by Qingxue’s side couldn’t help but ask this question while his voice already carried a trace of resentment.
Qingxue turned around to look at the disciples behind her. When she saw all of their faces had flushed red while they seemed to be extremely infuriated, her beautiful brows instantly knit together while she said in her heart, What exactly are you doing?
Actually, she really understood their feelings because she felt slightly resentful as well. She believed that Yang Ye wouldn’t shrink back from battle, but since he still hadn’t made an appearance, she couldn’t help but have other thoughts.
This battle wasn’t just related to Yang Ye and Liu Qingyu, and it was also related to the reputation of the Sword School. If Yang Ye won, then the Sword School’s reputation would rise to extraordinary heights, and no group or person in the outer court would be able to go against the Sword School. On the other hand, it didn’t matter even if Yang Ye lost. Because so long as Yang Ye fought Liu Qingyu for a period of time, then it would still be an honorable defeat, and even though it would affect the Sword School’s reputation, it was within her ability to control.
However, if Yang Ye shrunk back from battle, then it would be over. At that time, everyone within the Sword School would be unable to walk with their heads held high, and there would definitely be no one willing to stay in the Sword School.
So, this battle was a matter of utmost importance!
Yet what exactly was Yang Ye doing?
At this moment, Yang Ye was within a dense expanse of forest in Cool Breeze Gorge. He held a sword in his hand while he’d been standing before an Ironshell Tree for a few days now.
After he returned from the Grand Myriad Mountains, Yang Ye had continued hit bitter cultivation, and just four days ago, Yang Ye had suddenly entered into a strange state while training in his drawing technique. He’d come into contact with something under that state, and it was the same thing he’d come into contact with before he was interrupted by that black robed person in the Grand Myriad Mountains. Moreover, this matter had caused Yang Ye to be extremely furious at that time.
Now, Yang Ye had entered once more into that state! Moreover, he’d been in this state for four days and four nights now.
Rustle!
Suddenly, with Yang Ye as the center, all the leaves around Yang Ye suddenly flew up into the air while the large trees in the surroundings seemed to have been blown by violent winds, and they swayed violently.
More and more leaves flew up from the ground, and these leaves drifted slowly around Yang Ye as if they were controlled by an invisible hand. On the other hand, the large trees in the surroundings seemed as if they were being destroyed by something. Numerous branches started emanating cracking sounds while the leaves on those trees started to drift down slowly. For a time, the entire scene in the surroundings was slightly strange.
After this continued for around an hour. At a certain moment in time, Yang Ye suddenly opened his eyes, and a cold glow flashed in his eyes. The leaves before Yang Ye instantly transformed into shattered bits that covered the sky. At the same time, Yang Ye raised his sword and swept it swiftly towards his surroundings.
No sword qi shot out from the sword, yet the large trees in an area of over 30m around Yang Ye crashed to the ground.
This wasn’t the end. The sword in Yang Ye’s hand suddenly charged out from its sheath, and it emanated a few sword lights before it automatically flew back into its sheath.
Rumble!
At the instant the sword flew back into its sheath, a few tens of trees in the area around Yang Ye rumbled and collapsed, causing branches and leaves to fly up and fill the sky.
After he witnessed everything that occurred before him, Yang Ye said in a low voice, “This is the ‘Intent’ that Qingshi spoke of?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Ye turned around and walked towards the entrance of the gorge. He didn’t have the time to think about this so-called ‘intent’ because he didn’t know what day today was, and he just hoped that he didn’t miss the agreed-upon date to battle Liu Qingyu on the Life and Death Arena.
Right when Yang Ye walked out of the gorge, four beautiful women that wore palace clothes had arrived at Sky Peak.