22: Qingyun Martial Arts Competition, Asking the Heavens with a Single Sword!

Early the next morning, Wang Duojin was the first to bolt out of his room.

He ran a lap around the courtyard, touched the stone railing that came with its own Sword Intent cleansing array, and sniffed the pure Spiritual Qi in the air.

"This won't do, it's too wasteful!"

He ran to the doors of Ye Chenfeng and Su Linger and knocked loudly.

(PS: Their own separate doors, they are not staying in the same room.)

"Senior Brother! Second Senior Sister! Come out quickly and see the immortals!"

The door opened. Ye Chenfeng was dressed in a green robe, his expression calm.

Su Linger had changed into a light blue long dress, which made her skin look whiter than snow, though there was still a hint of the restraint of a newcomer between her brows.

"Third Junior Brother, why the commotion?" Ye Chenfeng asked.

"Senior Brother, we can't just stay in this courtyard all the time!"

Wang Duojin pointed outside the courtyard.

"This is the Qingyun Sword Sect! A Sect with a Soul Transformation expert guarding it! We have to go out and look around, broaden our horizons, and learn from their advanced experience!"

Su Linger was a bit hesitant.

"Revered Master didn't give any instructions, can we... walk around freely?"

"Didn't Revered Master say yesterday to let us rest here?" Wang Duojin said righteously.

"Resting means free time! Let's go, let's go, let's see what a large immortal Sect looks like!"

As he spoke, he tried to pull the two of them outside.

Just then, Chu Xuanjin's voice drifted slowly from the main room.

"Go."

The three of them felt a shiver in their hearts and quickly turned around, bowing towards the main room.

"Thank you, Revered Master!"

Chu Xuanjin's voice sounded again, carrying a hint of warning.

"Only look, do not cause trouble."

"Understood!" Wang Duojin patted his chest in assurance.

Having received Revered Master's permission, the three of them finally walked out of the Listening to the Waves Pavilion.

The Qingyun Sword Sect was very large, with winding mountain paths, and Disciples flying on swords could be seen everywhere.

Those Disciples saw the three of them and cast curious glances, but no one came up to provoke them, only pointing and whispering from afar.

"Look, that's the Myriad Dao Divine Sect Disciple who saved Senior Brother Lin and the others!"

"Is that the sword-carrying youth, Ye Chenfeng, who slew the Black-Scaled Demonic Ape with one sword?"

"So young... he looks even younger than me."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! The Sect Master has ordered that we must treat the distinguished guests of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect with courtesy and not be the least bit negligent!"

Wang Duojin listened to these discussions, stood up straight, his face full of pride as if it were his own honor.

Soon, they were attracted by a sky-shaking shout and arrived at an incredibly vast, huge square.

This place was the main Martial Arts Field of the Qingyun Sword Sect.

On the square, thousands of Outer Sect Disciples wearing uniform attire were holding long swords, practicing a set of sword techniques in perfect unison.

The sword light was like a forest, the Sword Qi like a tide.

The movements of thousands of people were as precise as one person, and the gathered sword Aura carried a majestic momentum that moved forward without hesitation, which was extremely spectacular.

"My god..."

Wang Duojin watched, dumbfounded.

"Is... is this the presence of a large Sect?"

He subconsciously took out his abacus, his fingers moving rapidly.

"Three thousand two hundred and seventeen Disciples, each with a standard long sword, the grade is Low Grade Magical Artifact. Just these swords alone are a huge fortune! And the clothes on their bodies are all magical robes that can resist ordinary blades... tsk tsk, this Qingyun Sword Sect is really rich!"

Su Linger frowned slightly.

The Sword Qi here was too strong, too sharp, making her feel a bit uncomfortable.

She looked at the fanatical and uniform expressions on the faces of those Disciples, but a strange sense of alienation arose in her heart.

Ye Chenfeng's gaze swept across the entire Martial Arts Field, and finally he shook his head.

"What's wrong, Senior Brother?" Wang Duojin asked curiously.

"The form is present, but the intent is absent." Ye Chenfeng only said five words.

Wang Duojin didn't understand and wanted to ask again, but a familiar voice came from behind.

"Three Fellow Daoists, where is Senior Chu?"

Lin Qingyan and Liu Feiyan had arrived behind them at some point.

Lin Qingyan's injuries were no longer serious, and he was currently in high spirits.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lin, Fellow Daoist Liu." Wang Duojin immediately put on a smiling face, "My Revered Master likes quiet and is resting in the courtyard."

"I see." Lin Qingyan nodded.

Looking at the Martial Arts Field, he smiled and explained: "This is where our Sect's Outer Sect Disciples practice basic sword formations. Although the momentum is great, it is not very sophisticated. Please don't laugh at us."

Liu Feiyan's gaze remained fixed on Ye Chenfeng.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, I... I'll take you to a good place, shall I?" she said in a low voice, her cheeks feeling a bit hot.

"Oh? What good place?" Wang Duojin immediately became interested.

"It is the place where our Inner Sect Disciples comprehend Sword Intent, the Sword Intent Stele Forest."

Half an hour later.

Led by Lin Qingyan and the other, they arrived at a more secluded valley.

In the valley stood hundreds of black stone steles of varying sizes.

On each stele, crisscrossing sword marks were carved.

Some sword marks were domineering and peerless, some light and elegant, some ancient and heavy.

Waves of distinct, yet equally powerful Sword Intent emanated from the steles, permeating the entire valley.

Many Inner Sect Disciples were sitting cross-legged in front of their preferred steles, eyes closed in contemplation.

"These are the Sword Intent imprints left by our Sect's successive Ancestral Masters and Elders," Lin Qingyan introduced, his tone filled with pride.

"Those who can comprehend here are all elite Disciples of our Sect."

Wang Duojin looked at these steles, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"Good stuff! If this were moved back to our Sect..."

Before he could finish, he was glared at by Su Linger and quickly shut his mouth.

Ye Chenfeng's gaze, however, was drawn to the tallest stele in the very center.

On that stele, there was only one sword mark.

A sword mark from top to bottom, as if it were about to split heaven and earth apart.

The Concept emanating from that sword mark was aloof and resolute, as if questioning heaven, questioning the Dao.

"That is the 'Sword That Questions Heaven' left by the founding Ancestral Master," Lin Qingyan said with emotion.

"It is said that the Ancestral Master relied on this one sword to slay strong enemies and founded the Foundation of the Qingyun Sword Sect. Unfortunately, for thousands of years, no one has been able to truly comprehend even a ten-thousandth of it."

Ye Chenfeng walked to the stele, reached out his hand, and gently touched the cold sword mark.

He closed his eyes.

...

Listening to the Waves Pavilion.

Beside the stone table in the courtyard, Chu Xuanjin and Yun Tianqing sat opposite each other.

On the table, a chessboard made of thousand-year-old warm jade was set up.

Yun Tianqing held the white pieces, Chu Xuanjin held the black.

"Senior Chu, please." Yun Tianqing placed a piece, the chess piece striking the jade board with a crisp sound.

Chu Xuanjin picked up a piece and casually placed it in a corner that seemed unremarkable.

"Sect Master Yun, you seem to have something on your mind?" he said, his gaze never leaving the chessboard.

Yun Tianqing gave a bitter smile.

"I cannot hide it from you, Senior."

He sighed.

"To tell you the truth, the Eastern Desolate Region has been turbulent recently."

"Oh?"

"Senior may not know, but just half a month ago, the Third Elder of the Blazing Fire Sect fell." Yun Tianqing placed a piece, his voice lowering a few notches.

"Not only that, it is said that to seek revenge, the Blazing Fire Sect used their Sect-protecting treasure, the 'Ten Thousand Mile Soul-Chasing Mirror', but... the treasure mirror was destroyed, and Sect Master Lie Shan and a group of Elders all suffered backlash and were seriously injured."

As he spoke, he looked up to observe Chu Xuanjin's expression.

There was no expression on Chu Xuanjin's face.

He just placed another piece and asked indifferently.

"What does that have to do with you?"

Yun Tianqing paused.

He had intended to test the other party's reaction with this, but he hadn't expected the other party to be so direct.

He had no choice but to continue: "The Blazing Fire Sect has always been domineering in their actions. Now that they have suffered such a big loss, they will definitely not let it go. I am worried that this Eastern Desolate Region is about to become chaotic."

"Chaotic times are also an Opportunity."

Chu Xuanjin's black piece, like a lurking viper, silently cut off a large Dragon of the white pieces.

"Sect Master Yun, this white Dragon of yours looks aggressive, but in reality, its Foundation is unstable, and it is full of flaws."

Yun Tianqing looked at the chessboard, a layer of fine, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

He realized that, unknowingly, his white pieces had been surrounded by the other party's black pieces, falling into a desperate situation of ambush from all sides.

And the other party's layout, seemingly loose and casual, actually hid murderous intent, with every piece landing in the most critical position.

He was not playing chess.

It was a dragnet!

"Senior's chess skills are divine; I... have lost."

Yun Tianqing put down the white piece in his hand, stood up, and bowed deeply to Chu Xuanjin.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

At this moment, the slight probing and wishful thinking in his heart vanished completely.

Only the purest awe remained.

The person before him was definitely not someone he could fathom.

Befriend him, must befriend him at all costs!

Chu Xuanjin picked up the teacup and gently blew away the tea leaves.

"The chess game is small; the world is big."

"Sect Master Yun, guard your own territory well, and you can sit back and watch the storm."

...

Sword Intent Stele Forest.

Ye Chenfeng's hand slowly withdrew from the stele.

He opened his eyes, his eyes clear.

"So that's how it is."

He whispered to himself.

"His sword questions heaven."

"My sword questions the heart."

The Dao is different.

He turned around, bowed slightly to the stele to show respect.

Then, he walked out of the valley without looking back.

"Senior Brother! You're leaving already? Won't you contemplate a while longer?" Wang Duojin chased after him.

"No need," Ye Chenfeng replied.

"To see someone else's Dao, one glance is enough."