An hour later.
At the peak of Sword Peak, near the giant sword statue.
A dense crowd packed the area tightly, everyone craning their necks as they waited to see the final haul of the top ten in this tournament.
“Buzz—”
The secret realm entrance on the giant sword’s hilt suddenly materialized.
However, there was no thick surge of spiritual energy like everyone expected this time; only a faint pressure leaked out into the air.
“Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!”
Three figures abruptly appeared on the open ground before the secret realm.
They were none other than Nangong Yue, Bai Zhirou, and Du Ziteng.
According to Azure Mystic Sect tradition, the top ten of each tournament would emerge from the secret realm first to do a victory lap before the crowd, showcasing their “rapidly advanced” strength to inspire the younger disciples.
The veteran disciples in the audience looked left and right, their faces full of confusion.
“Didn't nine people go in? Why are there only two left? Did they play battle royale in there?”
Nangong Yue didn't bother acknowledging the crowd. With a flash of her figure, she vanished on the spot.
That left only Jiang Ye and Du Ziteng on the field.
The two of them had entirely different expressions. Jiang Ye still carried that arrogant smirk on his face, radiating effortless style just standing there.
In truth, Jiang Ye was tempted to improvise a “patient dance” that had been popular back on Blue Star, but he was afraid the little girl Xiao Bai would faint on the spot—he had already heard her giggling foolishly in his mind moments ago.
Beside him, Du Ziteng stood glued to the spot, pulling his neck in like a scared quail.
His mind was filled with pure relief: Thank goodness I didn't join that group of seven. Otherwise, I'd probably be down below enjoying the afterlife right now.
Earlier, watching Jiang Ye race all the way up to the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm had terrified him so much he hadn't dared to breathe.
And when he finally began his own breakthrough, he was shocked to discover that the spiritual energy of the entire secret realm had actually been drained dry by “Bai Zhirou”!!
It was only because the Sect Master threw tens of thousands more low-grade spirit stones into the array that he barely managed to make his breakthrough.
After an internal struggle, Jiang Ye decided to save the dance for another time. Just as he was preparing to make a quick exit, a gruff voice called out:
“You must be Bai Zhirou.”
Gao Chengji, his face covered in a full beard, blocked the way like a tower of iron.
Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up, an excited expression spreading across his face.
“Oh? Coming to pick a fight? Welcome, welcome!”
The disciples around them, having just come out of the secret realm, watched with question marks all over their faces.
After all, this girl had just spent her time in the secret realm stomping seven people into bloody mists with absolute dominance.
Not a single person had dared to utter a word, and even the sect's high command had remained silent.
Why was she being so pleasant to someone looking for trouble now?
The True Disciples of Sword Peak also looked puzzled.
They were frantically deducting in their heads: Is this Junior Sister Six's primary personality? No, the primary personality is supposed to be somewhat shy. Could it be the second personality? No, that second one certainly isn't this friendly.
The True Disciples exchanged glances with one another.
Could Junior Sister Bai have awakened a third personality?
Jiang Ye glanced back and forth at Gao Chengji’s left and right, urging eagerly, “Come on, come on, don't waste time! Pull out your big boy!”
Gao Chengji: “?”
The crowd: “?”
Seeing Gao Chengji remain silent, Jiang Ye said with impatience, “Your demon beast! Pick a big one! If it's too small, it won't be enough to eat... No, if it's too small, it won't be challenging!”
Gao Chengji gave a cold snort and raised his chin arrogantly. “I am not like those trash from Beast-Taming Peak who rely on beasts! Why would I need external help to fight?!”
The smile on Jiang Ye’s face froze.
“You're not from Beast-Taming Peak?”
“Of course not!”
Jiang Ye's face instantly collapsed into a scowl.
Damn it, what a waste of my time and effort! I coaxed you all this time just to get some game meat, and it turns out you're not even from Beast-Taming Peak?
Thinking that “Bai Zhirou” was intimidated by his domineering aura, Gao Chengji spoke indifferently, “You have offended—”
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly felt the sky go dark.
Jiang Ye pulled out the Meteorite Greatsword—which was taller than a human—with a flick of his hand and slammed it straight across!
Gao Chengji looked startled, but relying on his early-stage Golden Core cultivation, he snorted coldly and extended a thick, muscular arm to take the blow head-on.
“A mere Foundation Establishment—”
“BANG—!!!”
A deafening explosion.
The greatsword, which seemed weightless in Jiang Ye's hands, collided violently with Gao Chengji's arm.
The instant contact was made, Gao Chengji knew he had messed up.
His proud Iron Bone realm physique and protective spiritual energy were as flimsy as paper before this strike!
His arm instantly executed an impossible “six-way fold.”
“BOOM!”
Gao Chengji flew out like a cannonball, embedding himself so deeply into the neighboring peak that he couldn't be pried out.
The plaza of over a thousand people instantly fell into dead silence.
Everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their heads, screaming wildly in their hearts:
Sister, you literally just broke through to Foundation Establishment! How did you swat a Golden Core Senior Brother away with a single sword strike?!
Is this person even human?!
The gale winds whipped up by that single swing blew Huang Tianbei, who was hiding behind him, several steps back, unable to open his eyes.
When he finally opened them, he found that his tall and mighty “Gao-lang” was gone.
He hurriedly looked left and right. Following everyone's gazes, he finally saw the “human mural” embedded in the neighboring mountain peak.
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, noticing this “aftermath guy” Huang Tianbei.
Just as he was preparing to step forward and send him to “sleep” on the wall as well, Huang Tianbei suddenly let out an extremely high-pitched shriek. Running with pigeon-toed steps and wiggling his hips, he dashed over:
“Gao-lang! Gao-lang, are you okay?!”
Jiang Ye’s steps came to a sudden halt, his brows knitting into a tight knot.
Watching that twisted running posture and listening to that sickening address, he came to a definitive conclusion: This guy is definitely gay, gay!
Jiang Ye painedly closed his eyes as if he had seen something dirty, feeling that he desperately needed to go back and wash his eyes.
He immediately turned on his heel and left.
He summoned the greatsword to fly, stepped onto it, and nodded in satisfaction.
Nothing beats this big sword—it's so spacious to stand on.
Those “skinny dog” flying swords look sleek, but there isn't even room to turn around on them. Of course, it'd be a different story if someone else were driving.
...
The Sword Peak crowd had watched Jiang Ye slap away an early-stage Golden Core True Disciple with one swing. Although surprised, they managed to keep their composure.
After all, they were already used to this kind of “standard operation.”
Only Qin Zhiwei, who was several patches behind on updates, had wide eyes and a jaw that nearly hit the floor.
She found it hard to believe: We both just broke through to Foundation Establishment, so why are you flexing so hard?!
While she was staring in a daze, Qi Linger patted her shoulder, gesturing for her to follow.
Only then did Qin Zhiwei snap back to reality. Awkwardly steering her flying sword, she followed the main group to Bai Zhirou's cave abode.
Inside the pavilion.
Jiang Ye sat with his legs crossed, asking Qi Linger, “Which demon beasts from Beast-Taming Peak taste the best?”
As Qin Zhiwei approached, Gu Changqing cupped his hands with a smile.
“Congratulations to Junior Sister Qin on successfully advancing to the Foundation Establishment realm as well.”
At his words, the others stood up one after another to offer their congratulations.
This made Qin Zhiwei, who had still been somewhat dazed, grin wider and wider.
She eagerly began telling them about the miraculous phenomenon that had occurred during her breakthrough.
The more the others listened, the weirder their expressions became.
However, Qin Zhiwei, carried away by her excitement, didn't notice. Her lips curled upward, and she playfully said, “I'm multiplying by ten here, but my breakthrough phenomenon was a thousand-zhang green lotus! It enveloped several mountain peaks at once!”
Seeing that no one said anything, she assumed they were stunned by her “thousand-zhang green lotus,” so she laughed and clarified, “Hahaha, I said I was multiplying by ten! In reality, it was only a hundred-zhang green lotus.”
Although a hundred-zhang green lotus was the minimum threshold for triggering a phenomenon, anyone who produced an anomaly during a breakthrough was undeniably a genius among geniuses.
The crowd gave a few awkward chuckles, playing along.
Only then did Qin Zhiwei suddenly remember that Bai Zhirou had also just broken through, so she quickly asked, “Junior Sister Bai, how big was your green lotus when you broke through?”
Jiang Ye looked at her, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.
“Not big. Ten thousand zhang.”
Qin Zhiwei: “?”
“Junior Sister Bai, did you multiply by ten as well? You learn so fast, hahaha...”
Jiang Ye didn't say a word, simply staring at Qin Zhiwei with that smile.
She looked around in a circle and realized everyone was staring at her with that exact same smile.
Her laughter gradually died down.
“Ha... ha...”
It was like shouting at an all-guys gathering, “Anyone who smiles is gay!” only to find everyone around you looking back at you with a smile.
That creepy, unsettling feeling.
Qin Zhiwei swallowed hard with difficulty.
“Could it... really be ten thousand zhang?”
Jiang Ye nodded calmly.
Right at that moment, his body shuddered slightly—he had clearly been kicked offline again.
“That huge?!!”
Qin Zhiwei's mouth gaped open again, her eyes vacant with shock.
Bai Zhirou was completely speechless. Why did she have to take the fall every time she logged back on?!
Looking at Qin Zhiwei, whose Dao Heart was on the verge of shattering, Bai Zhirou racked her little brain furiously for words of comfort.
After a long moment, she blurted out:
“It's okay, Senior Sister Qin... Small ones... are cute too.”
A pfft echoed inside her mind.
Evidently, Jiang Ye couldn't hold back his laughter.
Rate on N.U.
