The next morning, within the three hundred peaks of the Qiyun Sect, both inner and outer, a commotion unparalleled in previous years arose.
As dawn faintly broke, various groups of spectators organized by the Qiyun Sect’s Outer Disciples began to steadily make their way up the mountain.
The Qiyun Sect’s annual sect competition, especially the Inner Sect competition, was indeed a grand event.
Essentially, the heads of major and minor families within the Black Water Kingdom, as well as princes and nobles, would all receive invitations from the Qiyun Sect to come and observe the event.
The Qiyun Sect also aimed to use this opportunity to showcase its formidable strength and thereby influence various powerhouses to attract more outstanding disciples.
Atop Fairy Peak, after a night of healing, Caiyi’s complexion had turned rosy, and her injuries from the day before weren’t too severe after all, given that Caiyi’s own strength was nothing to scoff at.
"Caiyi, remember, you can’t do such foolish things in the future!"
Ye Zhen reproachfully pinched Caiyi’s translucent, delicate nose, causing her already pretty face to immediately blush at his intimate gesture.
Although Liao Feibai would say that Ye Zhen and Caiyi were ’flirting,’ in truth, they had never really had overly intimate interactions— at most, they held hands or leaned on each other’s shoulders.
"Heal well. I’m off to participate in the Sect Competition. I’ve arranged for Little Cat to keep you company!"
After leaving Fairy Peak, Ye Zhen unfolded the Gale Wind Shadow Technique, rushing towards Donglai Peak like a gust of wind.
Due to the vastness of Donglai Peak, the Inner Sect Disciple competition was still being held there.
"Senior Brother Ye!"
"Good day, Senior Brother Ye!"
As Ye Zhen arrived, he was greeted continuously. However, he could feel that many unfamiliar Inner and Outer Disciples looked at him differently, some even with disdain.
Fan Chuyu’s accusations from the day before had instantly sullied Ye Zhen’s reputation.
But, Ye Zhen didn’t care in the slightest.
So what if he was accused of instructing Caiyi to act? What of it?
"Old Ye, how is your wife doing?"
The rotund Golden Yuanbao squeezed through the crowd to reach Ye Zhen, "Seeing you so calm, she must be fine, right?"
Without waiting for Ye Zhen to respond, Golden Yuanbao answered himself with a beaming smile.
"Not bad..."
"I wanted to open a betting pool, but the elders said today’s event is too important and wouldn’t let me. Otherwise, I could’ve made another fortune."
Golden Yuanbao, somewhat loquacious, wouldn’t stop talking once he caught hold of Ye Zhen.
"You don’t know, man. Before yesterday afternoon, only about fifty to sixty percent of the disciples believed Qu Zhanqian would take first place. But after Fan Chuyu’s outburst, over ninety percent now think that Qu Zhanqian will be this term’s number one in the Inner Sect."
"Old Ye, you better show him what for! Today, you’re bound to clash with Qu Zhanqian. Give him a sound thrashing for your wife’s sake..."
As Seventh Elder Zhongli Jing took to the stage, Golden Yuanbao hurriedly left, while Ye Zhen’s eyes slightly narrowed.
His grievances with Qu Zhanqian were both fresh and old.
If it hadn’t been for the Profound Ice Sword Light Talisman given to him by Liao Feibai during the last incident at the Che Family’s mine, Ye Zhen might have been killed by Qu Zhanqian.
A few slaps in the face?
That wouldn’t be enough!
"Gentlemen, I am Zhongli Jing, and on behalf of the Qiyun Sect, I warmly welcome everyone who has come to watch our once-a-year Sect Competition. This Inner Sect competition will follow the same scoring system as in previous years.
A total of three hundred eighty-two Inner Sect disciples, excluding the top ten of the Heavenly List, will be divided into ten groups. Each group will draw lots for matches—two points for a win, one point each for a draw, and zero points for a loss. Only the top three Inner Sect Disciples with the highest scores in each group will advance to the finals.
Then, those thirty disciples who enter the finals will be paired with the top ten of the Heavenly List to draw lots for matches, and ranks will be determined based on points."
"Say, Senior Brother Ye, why didn’t you push for a higher rank on the Heavenly List? If you don’t move up, I’ll still have to compete in the group matches, sitting at eleventh on the list."
Ren Xihua, standing beside Ye Zhen, went to draw lots for the front platform somewhat discontentedly. With his Mid-stage Spirit Summoning Realm strength, he really wasn’t interested in the group matches.
However, Ye Zhen’s gaze was fixed on a man not too far away. Carrying a long saber on his back, his muscles bulging, and his long hair casually tied up with a beast tendon— at first glance, he looked like a wild beast. His name was Gao Xinglie, also known as the Wild Lion, ranked as the mysterious second on the Heavenly List of the Qiyun Sect. He seldom appeared in the sect throughout the year and was extremely low-profile.
Yet his rank as second on the Heavenly List had been solidly held for two years, unshaken by anyone.
Despite Changsun Ran’s ferocious momentum over the past year, propelling him to the top three on the Heavenly List, even with his all-out efforts in Fish-Dragon Nine Transformations, he was unable to surpass Gao Xinglie’s points.
Ye Zhen was clear about his own strength.
At this year’s Sect Competition, his only real opponents were Qu Zhanqian, Gao Xinglie, and Changsun Ran.
Quickly, aside from the top ten on the Heavenly List, all other Inner Sect Disciples had finished their lot drawing, and the deacons at each Martial Combat Platform began random pairings with a lot bucket!
"First group, number seven against number thirteen!"
"Second group, number five against number twenty-one!"
"Seventh group, number one against number six!"
As the deacons’ voices rang out, one after another, the excited or nervous inner sect disciples stepped onto the martial combat platform. After a respectful greeting to their fellow disciples, they paired off and began to spar fiercely.
It would be fair to say that Golden Yuanbao was rather unlucky.
His first opponent was a martial artist at the True Essence Fourth Realm who wielded a spear, while Golden Yuanbao’s cultivation was only at the True Essence Third Realm. Under normal circumstances, Golden Yuanbao’s chances of winning were extremely slim.
However, Golden Yuanbao was the kind of person who had a quick wit. At first, his round figure appeared exceedingly clumsy on the martial combat platform.
But after a few exchanges, Golden Yuanbao’s uniquely nimble body skill suddenly erupted. With a roll of his rotund body, he slammed into his opponent and sent him flying off the platform, securing the victory.
Upon seeing this, Ye Zhen applauded with a smile.
"So boring. Against that junior brother, I didn’t even dare to use my strength..." Ren Xihua had just returned to Ye Zhen’s side after kicking his opponent away, wearing a look of dissatisfaction.
"Junior Brother Ren, if you always have that mentality, I’m afraid you might meet with an upset in these preliminary matches," Ye Zhen said.
"How is that possible?"
Ren Xihua expressed disbelief and said, "Senior Brother Ye, I’ve looked at our group. Other than me, only Du Yang and Niu Qiang have broken through to the Spirit Summoning Realm. I have sparred with both of them before, and they are no match for me. How could I possibly suffer an upset?"
"Heh, I wasn’t talking about Du Yang or Niu Qiang. I was talking about her!"
Following the direction of Ye Zhen’s finger, Ren Xihua looked on in astonishment. "Meng Xiaoyue?"
"That’s right!"
"Senior Brother Ye, Meng Xiaoyue is indeed a genius. Rumor has it that she has a talent of Top-Grade Six Veins, but no matter how gifted she is, the fact remains that her cultivation is only at the True Essence Fifth Realm Peak. She can’t be stronger than my Mid-stage Spirit Summoning Realm cultivation!"
"That’s not necessarily the case, don’t forget her master!"
Sss!
"You mean, the ’Demonic-Faced Luo’... Senior Sister Liao..."
Ren Xihua gasped and quickly covered his mouth, glancing around to make sure no one, especially Liao Feibai, had overheard their conversation.
It had been a while since Ye Zhen last saw Meng Xiaoyue. According to Liao Feibai, she had been rigorously cultivating all this time.
But Meng Xiaoyue’s Seventh-grade Heavenly Vein was truly extraordinary. In just half a year, she had broken through from the True Essence Third Realm to the True Essence Fifth Realm Peak.
And it had been only three months since Ye Zhen himself had broken through to the Spirit Summoning Realm.
If Ye Zhen hadn’t taken the initiative to use pills to enhance his cultivation, he might have been caught up to by Meng Xiaoyue by now.
With a cultivation at the peak of the True Essence Fifth Realm, combined with Liao Feibai’s devoted mentoring and some mysterious Half-vein Divine Power known by few, Ye Zhen was very eager to see just how terrifying combat power Meng Xiaoyue could display.
Two hours later, Ren Xihua, who had just finished his battle with Meng Xiaoyue, returned to Ye Zhen with a forehead covered in cold sweat.
"Senior Brother Ye, I really owe you one for your warning. If I had been slightly careless just now, I could have easily been defeated! You said Senior Sister Liao was fearsome, but who could have imagined that her disciple would be so terrifying too?"
Actually, even Ye Zhen’s face was filled with surprise at what had transpired.
Just then, relying on her exquisite swordsmanship that seemed divinely inspired, Meng Xiaoyue almost managed to knock Ren Xihua off the martial combat platform.
In the end, it was only by virtue of his superior cultivation that Ren Xihua, like a wild bull, defeated Meng Xiaoyue and barely maintained his title of first place in the group, avoiding the tarnish of the reputation of Qiyun Sect’s number one genius.
And Meng Xiaoyue, against the odds, with her cultivation at the True Essence Fifth Realm Peak, impressively bested several martial artists in the Early Stage Spirit Realm and secured the second rank in her group.
In the group matches, aside from the dark horse Meng Xiaoyue, there was another unexpected success named Sunx Zuohai.
Sunx Zuohai’s cultivation was only at the Early-stage Spirit Summoning Realm, but with a set of extremely sharp leg techniques, he effortlessly defeated a disciple who was ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly List.
In the end, even Cao Luo, who had once had an intense fight with Ye Zhen and was twelfth on the Heavenly List, was defeated by Sunx Zuohai, forcing Cao Luo to settle for the second place in his group.
However, Sunx Zuohai’s arrogant laughter upon securing first place in his group somewhat displeased Ye Zhen.
"Senior Brother Ye, Sunx Zuohai’s leg technique..."
"At the very least, is of the Lower-grade Earth Level, and it seems he has grasped the essence of this leg technique..."
"The group matches are over, and now we will move on to the finals!" The Seventh Elder Zhongli Jing once again stepped onto the martial combat platform.
"The finals will still be a random draw points match system, with each person competing in ten rounds. In the end, the ten disciples with the highest points will participate in the ranking matches for the final rewards!"
As he spoke, Elder Zhong blended together the draw tokens of the thirty disciples who had made it into the top three in their groups with those of the top ten disciples from the Heavenly List into a large barrel.
After shaking it vigorously, Elder Zhong reached in without looking and pulled out two long tokens.
Seeing the two long tokens, Elder Zhong’s expression suddenly became astonished.
Unexpectedly, the first match of the finals would feature a battle between the two dark horses of Qiyun Sect.
"First match, number ten, Ye Zhen, versus number nineteen, Sunx Zuohai."
Sunx Zuohai was the biggest dark horse of the group competition, but Ye Zhen was considered Qiyun Sect’s biggest surprise on the martial combat platform in recent years.
"Heh, the first match is mine..."
With a slight smile, Ye Zhen strode toward the martial combat platform, as the gathered disciples and guests began to buzz with discussion. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

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