Chapter 105

Duan Yu plucked a few of his beard hairs, calming down for a moment. “Really?”

Ye Qiao nodded. “Really.”

Duan Yu: “Damn it.”

No wonder. He had wondered why Ye Qiao was so underwhelming. It turns out she had only studied for a year. If Mu Chongxi had this effect in just one year, he would laugh himself awake from a dream.

Not to mention Mu Chongxi, even Ye Qinghan wouldn’t reach Ye Qiao’s level after just one year.

She was a genius, or rather, a genius who had been delayed. Duan Yu’s heart ached even more, so in the latter part of the night, he trained Ye Qiao even harder.

“…”

Ye Qiao quickly leaned back to dodge a fierce punch from her opponent. “Is this how you treat geniuses?”

Duan Yu: “Who told you to have such talent?”

It was a pity that others didn’t know Ye Qiao’s swordsmanship level, otherwise, he could have shown her off.

On the first night back at the sect, only Ye Qiao ended up injured.

The next morning, Mu Chongxi, who had taken Xiao Qi away yesterday, saw Ye Qiao with two black eyes and having been beaten all night. He raised an eyebrow. “What did you do in the middle of the night?”

Digging graves?

Ye Qiao forced a smile. “Elder Duan spent the whole night instructing me on swordsmanship.”

“Oh,” Mu Chongxi responded with little reaction. “Then you really need to practice.” After all, Ye Qiao’s lack of proficiency in swordsmanship was indeed a shortcoming.

Ming Xuan decided to sit down right there and rubbed the boy’s head, “Can we take him into the secret realm with us this time?”

It was still dark when the diligent little bees came out to practice their swordplay in the back mountain. Ye Qiao lay down on the ground, “Probably not.”

The domain is too buggy. If it’s really brought out, not only would the elders be unhappy, but the direct disciples would definitely be the first to object.

“Then leave him with Master?” Xue Yu’s eyes lowered, but Qin Fanfan always believed that as long as the child was alive, that was good enough.

Xiao Qi was unhappy: “I don’t want to.”

“I can secretly hide on you.” He looked at Ye Qiao pitifully.

Ghostly energy is quiet and subtle, making it hard to detect when it settles somewhere on clothing. Plus, with his domain, he could manage not to be discovered.

Ye Qiao: “Try it first.”

Xiao Qi quietly transformed into a cloud of black mist and dispersed around Ye Qiao’s clothes, hiding completely. Indeed, there was nothing unusual.

“Okay.” Ming Xuan gave a thumbs up, “Let’s do that. If needed, we can just not let him out once we’re in the secret realm.”

Isn’t this more reliable than having Qin Fanfan take care of the child?

“Let’s go. We should first check with the Sword Sect about the coordination.” After hiding Xiao Qi, they needed to rush to the courtyards where the major sect’s direct disciples had gathered. Each sect was slowly returning to their courtyards to prepare for the next secret realm.

It’s worth mentioning that these direct disciples weren’t sleeping at night but started figuring out how to disrupt their opponents instead.

Since there was still some time before the fourth round, why not take the chance to make things difficult for the opponents?

Some direct disciples were concocting drugs, while others were banging wooden fish late at night. Ye Qiao, woken by the noise, felt like picking up a brick to smash their heads and wake them up.

The previous nights had been lively. When Xie Chuxue heard about it, she smiled and said, “It’s okay.”

“They’ll get even more lively soon.”

…

Ye Qiao caught up on several naps. When she woke up, she noticed that usually at this time, the candle flames in the windows of other sects’ courtyards would have dimmed, but today, for some unknown reason, they were all still bright.

She pushed open the door, and the others were gathered together, all with candles lit and a book in hand.

The collective scholarly appearance made Ye Qiao feel quite uncomfortable. She rubbed her arm and asked hesitantly, “What are you all doing?”

“Studying,” Ming Xuan, knowing she had been asleep for several days and was unaware of what had happened, explained. “There’s a test tomorrow.”

“Failing means public execution and becoming a flower pot.”

“… Huh.” This was a shock for Ye Qiao.

“Come on. The books have all been prepared by Little Master Uncle.” Xue Yu tilted her head back and started reciting.

No one was allowed to sleep tonight.

Ye Qiao: “Are you serious?” Her eyes widened slightly, “Was there such a thing in the cultivation world before?”

“Not before,” Zhou Xingyun, looking increasingly disillusioned, said in a dejected tone, “Perhaps it’s added because of the varying IQ levels among direct disciples in the cultivation world.”

So frustrating, but it was no use.

Not only them, but the other sects were the same. That night, everyone stopped poisoning and disturbing their opponents. Instead, they all stayed up late, burning the midnight oil and studying.

Seeing so many direct disciples frantically studying through the night, the elders were extremely satisfied.

This is the spirit that direct disciples of the cultivation world should have!!

Diligent and studious!

…

No.

Why are they still memorizing things when they’re already cultivating immortality? Is this reasonable?

Ye Qiao was almost exhausted from studying and, despite her remarkable memory, found it quite challenging to finish all the books in one night.

By the late night, Ye Qiao even started losing her sanity from the studying.

She held her KFC in her arms and felt comforted that KFC would soon be tested just like them, so it was time to find a better school for it.

KFC: “…”

That night, all five sects’ direct disciples’ courtyards were brightly lit. Everyone was gathered together, asking questions and reciting.

Ye Qiao even considered using some underhanded methods, trying to sneak in cheat sheets and pass answers.

The next morning, no one had slept. Ye Qiao had to take three tests in a row. In the alchemy test, since alchemists were all good students, she couldn’t find any group for cheating.

Comparing with the calm demeanor of the alchemists, when she arrived at the sword cultivation test, she found the sword cultivators were all stressed out. Ye Qiao strangely found an organized group.

During the test, Ye Qiao brought her books into the room and quickly exchanged answers and cheat sheets with Mu Chongxi. Chu Xingzhi, already frustrated with the test, saw their actions and immediately knocked on the wooden desk, silently signaling, “Include me.”

“You, a questioner from the Sword Sect, want our Changming Sect’s cheat sheets?” Mu Chongxi sneered, “In your dreams!”

Chu Xingzhi sighed, “Elders…”

Ye Qiao quickly tossed him a cheat sheet to shut him up.

The three of them worked together, becoming increasingly immersed in cheating.

So much so that they didn’t even notice the Grand Elder of the Sword Sect arriving behind them.

“What are you doing?”

Ye Qiao instinctively answered, “Cheating.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a chill on her back and turned to see the stern, unsmiling face of the elder.

“… We’re screwed.”

“Ye Qiao.”

“Chu Xingzhi.”

“Mu Chongxi.”

“Zero points.”

Ye Qiao: “Huh.”

“Ah!!”

“Ah, ah, ah.”

The three of them were fuming, and Ye Qinghan, sitting at the back, glanced at the three who were having a fit after finishing the test and said lightly, “Stop yelling.”

Whenever there’s a Changming Sect, it’s always noisy.

Ye Qinghan had been exposed to swordplay since childhood and didn’t find it difficult. Zhu You was also a good student, so the sword cultivator group was only left with the three of them suffering.

Two sides of the story.

After finishing the sword cultivation exam, Ye Qiao had to take other exams as well. The talisman yard (Fulu cultivation) courtyard was equally chaotic, with explosive talismans flying everywhere. As soon as she stepped in, she almost got blown up.

“You guys are fighting?”

Ming Xuan smiled slightly, his fingertips flickering with talismans, “It’s just friendly sparring.”

As soon as he finished speaking, various talismans exploded, creating a dazzling display.

The Moonlight Sect and Changming Sect, long harboring grudges, were using the pretext of sparring to throw talismans at each other and test each other’s strength.

Several rival talisman yard (Fulu cultivators) gathered and nearly tore the courtyard apart. In the midst of the dust, everyone looked like they had just returned from a coal mine, covered in grime.

As expected, aside from a few diligent students like Song Hansheng and Ye Qinghan, the rest were all judged as failing.

A bunch of people stood there with flower pots on their heads, yawning and looking very orderly. Passersby couldn’t help but stare in confusion.

“What’s going on??? These direct disciples?”

“Practicing new techniques?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen so many living direct disciples from the five sects, quite exciting.”

The sight of various direct disciples in their colorful robes gathered together was indeed a beautiful scene.

Such public shaming didn’t really harm Ye Qiao, who was so tired she just wanted to sleep.

But the sense of camaraderie among the sects was palpable, with flower pots being worn in groups. To outsiders, it might have seemed like the five sects were harmoniously joining forces.

Xue Yu, passing by and seeing this scene, nearly laughed himself into a cramp.

Ming Xuan, filled with jealousy, said, “You really should be punished. Why aren’t you here?”

Xue Yu shrugged, “Who told you not to attend classes?”

Passersby who saw this also started discussing:

“Ye Qiao and Qin Huai are standing together. What does that mean? Is it love?”

“Bullshit. Mu Chongxi is also standing next to Chu Xingzhi. If they meet, just watch who makes the first move.”

“I was in a bad mood today, but seeing this made me laugh.”

“Are all direct disciples so uneducated?”

“Not really. There are exceptions, like Song family’s disciple, Ye family’s disciple, Zhu You, and Si Miaoyan. They’re all good students.”

Indeed.

“So, Changming Sect, do you have some kind of poison? Four out of five are here.”

…

With everyone wearing flower pots, things only got more chaotic. The five sects already had a history of conflict, and being together made things even more likely to explode. While Ye Qiao dozed off, Mu Chongxi and Chu Xingzhi, both at the Golden Core stage, started fighting.

Others quickly moved out of the way.

Mu Chongxi, having recently acquired a new inheritance and wanting to test his skills, found Chu Xingzhi to be a suitable opponent. During their clash, the residual sword energy nearly swept towards the nearby bystanders.

The commotion from their duel was significant.

It attracted other direct disciples who weren’t present to come and watch.

Ye Qinghan squinted and happened to see Mu Chongxi’s sword move. He asked, “New sword technique?”

Ye Qiao remained silent, not revealing any details about the inheritance, but Yun Que spoke up with a soft voice, “It’s an inheritance given by a senior. You don’t need to learn it, you just know it.”

So it’s just taking shortcuts.

Ye Qinghan showed some disdain.

“Under the same realm, Chu Xingzhi can tie with Mu Chongxi.”

“But if there’s an inheritance, Chu Xingzhi would be at a disadvantage.”

Mu Chongxi’s attacks were mostly unsuccessful. Only when he used the new sword technique could he catch Chu Xingzhi off guard. On the other hand, Chu Xingzhi was aggressive, pressing the attack on him.

“Studying the Clear Wind Technique so thoroughly, it seems the Sword Sect practices every day without rest, huh?” Ye Qiao stroked her chin.

“Who told you to only know these two moves.” Ye Qinghan scoffed.

Ye Qiao raised an eyebrow. Is she being looked down upon?

“They’ve probably studied our methods thoroughly.” Ming Xuan clicked his tongue, “They’ve figured it out.”

Ye Qiao murmured thoughtfully, “Seems so. But their sword technique…”

To her, the difficulty seemed manageable, and she could learn it.

As long as Mu Chongxi practiced a bit more.

In the end, the sparring between the two ended in a draw. Chu Xingzhi smiled slightly and walked up to them, silently taunting, “Is the Changming Sect only capable of the Clear Wind Technique?”

“Ye Qiao?”

Ye Qiao, being called out, glanced at him and asked, “Want to spar?”

“It’s just a friendly sparring session. The direct disciples present have been curious about you for a while.” Chu Xingzhi only had a vague idea of her strength and only knew that she was fast and had diverse skills.

He hadn’t seen anything else outstanding about her.

Direct disciple sparring usually makes a big noise, and most reactions were stunned.

“Ye Qiao? How dare she fight Chu Xingzhi?”

“If it’s a spar, Chu Xingzhi would suppress his cultivation. Besides, if Mu Chongxi only managed a draw, how dare Ye Qiao agree?”

“…”

“Chu Xingzhi is fighting Mu Chongxi.”

When Qin Fanfan received the news, he was unsurprised: “Isn’t that normal?”

He had sensed this would happen during the grand competition. It was only a matter of time before these two would fight.

“Mainly, Ye Qiao has joined in.”

Damn.

Qin Fanfan didn’t know Ye Qiao’s exact strength, but the experience from Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stage battles was different. Wasn’t this like courting death?

Qin Fanfan jumped up in a panic and rushed to the training ground: “Bold Sword Sect, stop harming our sect’s genius!!”

…

Si Miaoyan looked puzzled: “Fighting is prohibited during the grand competition.”

It wasn’t even the individual matches yet.

However, this year’s once-in-a-century grand competition could be dubbed the direct disciples’ grudge match.

With Ye Qiao’s involvement, all five sects had their own grudges. The outcome would depend on which direct disciple was stronger.

Song Hansheng said sarcastically, “This is just how sword cultivators are.”

Go ahead and fight. It’d be best if the training ground gets overturned, and both sects lose points.

Ye Qinghan’s expression was indifferent as he pursed his lips. “I’m also curious about how someone who excels in all three cultivations performs in sword techniques.”

Yun Que replied softly, “Certainly not as good as Brother Chu.”

Although this comment carried some personal grudges, it was true. Ye Qiao’s Clear Wind Technique flowed smoothly, but it was no match for Chu Xingzhi’s sharp sword energy. In the same realm, she was clearly at a disadvantage.

Zhu You frowned, “Ye Qiao’s sword technique seems rather clumsy. It’s no wonder she’s being suppressed.”

It was strange.

Ye Qiao had been in the Moonlight Sect since she was young and had learned swordsmanship for over a decade.

Ye Qinghan was nonchalant about the result: “She only knows the Clear Wind Technique.”

They had studied the Clear Wind Technique overnight. It emphasized speed and invisible attacks, making it easy to find flaws if one could catch the speed and patterns of the strikes.

But it didn’t seem like it would end so easily.

Ye Qiao missed several consecutive strikes, and Chu Xingzhi’s mocking laughter could be heard.

Ming Xuan didn’t understand the nuances of sword cultivator duels but could tell that Ye Qiao was losing ground.

“What does Ye Qiao intend to do?” Mu Chongxi, who often trained with Ye Qiao, thought it unusual that she continued using the Clear Wind Technique despite being unable to hit her target.

After falling behind in several strikes, Ye Qiao evaded two sword shadows that resembled sharp blades. When Chu Xingzhi closed in, she twisted her wrist and redirected his attack with minimal force.

A sword move like Clear Wind and Moonlight was familiar to Chu Xingzhi. He easily blocked it and neutralized it.

With a restrained expression, Chu Xingzhi adjusted his sword stance and prepared his sword technique, aiming a direct strike at Ye Qiao.

The attack was fierce. Ye Qiao had seen him use his sword before and knew the consequences of Elder Duan’s kick weren’t in vain. She dodged and used the first form of the Clear Wind Technique.

Chu Xingzhi noticed and smirked, his expression casual as he had already prepared his defense, expecting Ye Qiao’s efforts to be in vain.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, the girl abruptly changed her sword technique. The Sword Sect’s initial stance caught Chu Xingzhi off guard. At the moment Chu Xingzhi raised his hand, she used the same sword stance he had just used, with a force that seemed to cut through the sky, and struck at the dark sword in his hand.

With the crisp sound of his long sword breaking in half, Ye Qiao stood up from the ground, using the same mocking tone he had used earlier:

“Thank you.”

“……”

*

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