Chapter 117

The cultivators clearly understood who the main character and focus of this event were. When the recording stone was activated, it started from Ye Qiao’s perspective. They saw her entering the secret realm and rummaging through the bushes, trying to find her teammates. Xue Yu and the others gave her sympathetic looks.

“Didn’t expect it, huh? It’s finally your turn to be alone.”

In the recording, Ye Qiao also realized this unfortunate situation. She stood there, looking weary for a moment, before quickly collecting herself and starting to set up an formation.

She found an inconspicuous spot and hid there.

It was evident that Ye Qiao’s initial plan was to hide until the fifth day, so she went to sleep.

“…” Song Hansheng furrowed his brow, understanding now. “Is this how you managed to avoid being discovered?” The concealment formation she set up hid her aura, while the other direct disciples, busy capturing spirit beasts and chasing Ye Qiao, naturally didn’t conceal their auras.

Then, when those two Nascent Soul cultivators arrived, they captured everyone without fail.

After Ye Qiao woke up, the recording showed that the weather had changed. She emerged from the formation and continued deeper into the realm, finding Miaomiao’s spirit bow along the way.

Miaomiao exclaimed, “Oh, so that’s where my spirit bow went!”

After exiting the secret realm, Ye Qiao had returned the spirit weapon to her. At the time, Miaomiao had wondered where her bow had come from.

After picking up the spirit bow, Ye Qiao unceremoniously stuffed it into her mustard seed pouch. Along the way, she also took the mustard seed pouches from the trapped direct disciples in the barrier.

With this part of the recording stone playing, the mystery was finally solved.

“So that’s how it was!” Qin Huai exclaimed. “You were the ghost?”

Seeing a bunch of mustard seed pouches disappear right before his eyes, his first thought was that there were ghosts.

Ye Qiao responded, “Oh, what else did you think?”

Su Zhu immediately criticized, “You took the mustard seed pouches. Why didn’t you return them immediately and waited until the end?”

A group of direct disciples watching the recording stone together naturally led to bickering. Song Hansheng, annoyed, reluctantly explained, “She came out with me later. You were there too. Are you blind?”

Besides, even if she wanted to return the pouches, she needed time. Ye Qiao was busy dealing with a Nascent Soul cultivator by herself. Where would she find the time to return the pouches?

Although Song Hansheng didn’t like Ye Qiao, he still spoke the truth.

Su Zhu, not wanting to argue with Song Hansheng, held back his retort and continued watching. After taking the mustard seed pouches, Ye Qiao quickly left. As the recording stone continued playing, it showed Ye Qiao saving Duan Hengdao. The direct disciples watching had strange expressions.

Duan Hengdao was saved by her?

“Why wasn’t she there when the barrier was opened?” This was the main question.

If she had been there, they wouldn’t have thought it was Duan Hengdao’s idea.

After all, who could match Ye Qiao in being flamboyant?

“Keep watching,” Xue Yu signaled them to be quiet.

Next, it showed Ye Qiao and Duan Hengdao working together, with one drawing and the other refining tools, eventually creating a strange magical artifact.

Ming Xuan remembered clearly that it was this strange object that quietly broke through the barrier, allowing spiritual energy to flow in.

Duan Hengdao explained, “This strange weapon was her design. I just made it.”

She indeed had many peculiar things, each with its unique use.

Then Ye Qiao tied the “duo bamboo shoots” to a spirit beast, causing a significant beast tide, drawing away the nearby Nascent Soul stage spirit beasts. She then went to the spirit beasts’ lair alone.

“…” Shen Ziwei also understood.

He had wondered why there was a beast tide. If it weren’t for that, he might have been sacrificed before Ye Qiao arrived.

“She saved me afterward,” Shen Ziwei recalled the scene with lingering fear. Ye Qiao’s appearance back then gave him immense security; she was his savior.

As the recording stone continued, the bickering direct disciples fell silent.

Ye Qiao had only two concealment talismans, giving one to Duan Hengdao and one to Shen Ziwei. After giving them ideas, she even drew away a demon clan saintess.

Who said Ye Qiao didn’t have camaraderie and ran away first?

Nonsense. It was because she had too much camaraderie that she ended up in such a situation.

“Ye Qiao,” Qin Huai looked at her with a complicated expression. “I admit, I initially had a prejudice against you, but now I’ve changed my mind.”

“You are indeed impressive.” He said calmly, “Be careful in the next match. I won’t hold back.”

Ye Qiao: “…?” I saved you, and this is how you repay me?

Chu Xingzhi gradually quieted down, “So it was you again.”

Why is it that among the direct disciples, there’s always someone who stands out, and that person is always Ye Qiao?

Shen Ziwei, using the spirit beast egg Ye Qiao gave him, bought some time to open the barrier for Duan Hengdao.

The following scenes showed Song Hansheng and Ye Qiao falling into the cliff.

Now, everyone had no more questions.

No wonder the two of them came out last. It seemed no one had an easy time.

The recording stone shattered, marking the end.

They had mostly guessed the rest.

The girl drew the bowstring, and the spirit arrow shot straight ahead. Who wouldn’t be impressed by that scene?

Zhu You sighed, “Impressive.”

Ye Qinghan was at a loss for words and nodded slightly at her. “Thank you.”

Without Ye Qiao, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they could have been wiped out in the fourth round.

His gaze softened as he declared, “But in the individual match, I won’t hold back.”

Ye Qiao clicked her tongue, “No need for you to hold back.”

The top ten could go to the Sword Cavern to choose their life swords. Ye Qiao already had a sword and didn’t want to participate, but all direct disciples had to join the individual match. She had no choice but to go.

It meant she would inevitably face Ye Qinghan sooner or later.

Si Miaoyan sincerely said, “Thank you.”

Song Hansheng had thanked her before, so he remained silent. Ye Qiao, disinterested, smiled slightly at Si Miaoyan, “You’re welcome.”

Whether they liked it or not, Ye Qiao had indeed saved everyone. Without her, their survival would be uncertain.

Su Zhu, embarrassed, blushed and stammered, trying to find the right words, fearing Ye Qiao would mock him.

But seeing Ye Qiao ignoring him, Su Zhu felt an inexplicable frustration.

The forums in the cultivation world had been abuzz these past few days. Ye Qiao had become famous overnight, despite her low cultivation level and poor spiritual roots. Her ability to save everyone in the secret realm was unmatched.

The discussions were intense.

“Her move with the spirit beast egg was completely unexpected.”

“I was stunned at that moment, thinking she had gone mad.”

“Well, if I had that stick, I wouldn’t have thought of it either. Seeing so many direct disciples captured, I would have been anxious.”

“It’s not about cultivation level. If Ye Qinghan were there, he would have fought those two demons to the death and then reunited with the other direct disciples in the barrier.”

“Hahaha, regardless of the fight, our direct disciples’ main trait is unity.”

“Wait, did the one from Yueqing Sect survive?” someone asked.

“Don’t worry about it. The Five Sects will definitely protect their own. An outstanding water spiritual root at the Golden Core stage is rare, but there will definitely be some punishment.”

While the forums were in an uproar, the direct disciples weren’t any calmer.

These days, their nightmares were as bad as having an elder sit in their courtyard every afternoon, repeatedly talking about Ye Qiao.

The direct disciples were so overwhelmed that they felt nauseous just seeing Ye Qiao.

The final round in the secret realm was the individual competition. In Changming Sect’s courtyard, Elder Zhao was discussing the upcoming individual competition with Duan Yu.

“Do you think Ye Qiao can make it into the top ten of the sword cultivator ranking?”

“Unlikely,” Duan Yu answered honestly, “There are too many Golden Core stage cultivators.”

Although Ye Qiao was a genius, geniuses needed time to grow, and the time given to her was far too short.

A few more years, and it wouldn’t be this tense.

With only one round left, she had to reach the Golden Core stage; otherwise, there was no hope.

“Let them go train together in the next few days and try to reach the Golden Core stage.”

It wasn’t that he wanted to pressure Ye Qiao, but there simply wasn’t enough time.

Judging by Ye Qiao’s current situation, she couldn’t defeat anyone but could manage a couple of moves with anyone. Elder Zhao frowned, “Didn’t I hear that she defeated Chu Xingzhi?”

Duan Yu replied, “Yes, but she won using clever tactics.”

Chu Xingzhi was too naive and didn’t expect Ye Qiao to change her hand techniques, catching him off guard with a feint. If Ye Qiao wanted to compete fairly with these sword cultivators, increasing her strength was key.

…

Meanwhile, unaware of the plans made for her, Ye Qiao was with Xue Yu. The individual competition was fast approaching, leaving only a month or two. Xue Yu was busy refining pills repeatedly.

During this time, Ye Qiao observed Xue Yu. His movements in forming the pill seals were smoother than hers, his speed faster, and he was making more seals than the first time she saw him.

Ten pills, snow-white and round, fell into his hand.

Ye Qiao sniffed them, “Solidification Pills?” Xue Yu rarely made these. “Why are you making these suddenly?”

Xue Yu glanced at her, “For you.”

“Huh?”

“For me?”

Xue Yu put away the pill furnace and leisurely said, “You’re suppressing your cultivation.”

Ye Qiao was stunned and nodded, surprised that Third Senior Brother noticed, but there was no need to deny it. “Yes.”

“Why?” Xue Yu asked. “Afraid it won’t be stable?”

“Yes.” Ye Qiao thought for a moment. “Mainly because my spiritual root is too small and can’t keep up with the breakthrough speed.”

Too small? Can’t keep up with the breakthrough speed? Xue Yu found this analogy strange. “Then your…”

“Sky spiritual root,” Ye Qiao interrupted before he could finish. “The elders told me to get struck by lightning more often to help it grow. Otherwise, I’ll have to keep suppressing it.”

This was Ye Qiao’s biggest frustration.

Xue Yu was stunned, not doubting Ye Qiao’s claim, but the sky spiritual root was extremely rare.

“Ye Qiao,” he said with a smile, “I realize the outside world’s guesses about you are quite conservative.”

Top-grade, my foot. She was sky-grade.

Thinking this, he handed her the pills. “Try these. They can help stabilize your spiritual energy, so you don’t end up with chaotic energy from suppressing it too long.” Suppressing it for too long could lead to a backlash.

Ye Qiao’s situation was indeed difficult.

Golden Core stage cultivators were rare, let alone Nascent Soul stage. Beyond that were a bunch of old monsters who took decades or even centuries to break through. Where would she find tribulation lightning to borrow?

A sky spiritual root—there might not be one in a hundred years. Now that one finally appeared, it was being held back.

Xue Yu tentatively suggested, “Maybe we could get Senior Brother to help?” A Nascent Soul stage tribulation; with Zhou Xingyun’s talent, enduring it for three days shouldn’t be a problem.

“Forget it.” Ye Qiao recalled Zhou Xingyun’s recent state. “He’s in worse shape than I am.”

Zhou Xingyun wasn’t an option.

Xue Yu agreed, “In that case, we might as well count on Ye Qinghan from Wenjian Sect. He’s as diligent as a bee.”

Ye Qinghan was already in the late Golden Core stage, just two steps away from Nascent Soul.

Moreover, his breakthrough speed was extremely fast, and the outside world speculated he might be the first Nascent Soul stage genius at eighteen in the cultivation world.

“Right.” Ye Qiao turned her head, her tone light. “Why don’t we go visit Ye Qinghan?”

Xue Yu pursed his lips, “We’re just going to build rapport.”

The two planned to visit Wenjian Sect to build rapport, and along the way, they ran into a few direct disciples.

Their courtyards were close to each other, and they usually saw each other frequently. But as soon as they saw Ye Qiao, they turned away and gagged.

Ye Qiao: “???”

“Sorry,” the direct disciple from Wenjian Sect said bitterly, “I just don’t want to see you these days.”

*

I’m a bit stuck on the plot and reorganizing the outline. Sorry, I’ll try to update more in a few days.