23: Qingyun provokes, his sword crushes the pride of heaven!

“The Dao of others, one glance is enough.”

Ye Chenfeng's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the valley.

Those Inner Sect Disciples who were meditating cross-legged all opened their eyes, casting surprised looks toward this unfamiliar youth in green robes.

Wang Duojin followed behind, clicking his tongue, “Senior Brother, what you just said is too... too impressive! But I like it!”

Lin Qingyan and Liu Feiyan exchanged a look, both giving a wry smile.

This Fellow Daoist Ye is truly a person of strong character.

However, saying such words on the territory of the Qingyun Sword Sect would likely invite criticism.

Sure enough.

Before the group could even exit the valley mouth, several figures blocked their path.

Leading them was a young man in white robes, holding a long sword that was bright and snow-white all over. His face was handsome, but his eyes were sharp like an eagle's, carrying an air of condescending arrogance.

Behind him followed several Inner Sect Disciples who also had extraordinary Auras; clearly, he was their leader.

“Stop.”

The voice of the young man in white robes was as cold and sharp as the sword in his hand.

His gaze bypassed Lin Qingyan and the other person, fixing directly upon Ye Chenfeng.

“That sentence just now, did you say it?”

Lin Qingyan's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward, cupping his hands, “Greetings, Senior Brother Jian Wuchen. These few are honored guests of the Sect, Fellow Daoist Ye, he...”

“I didn't ask you.”

The youth, referred to as Jian Wuchen, didn't even lift an eyelid, interrupting Lin Qingyan.

His gaze remained firmly locked onto Ye Chenfeng.

“I ask you, the 'Heaven-Questioning Sword' left behind by our Sect's Founding Ancestral Master, in your eyes, is it only worthy of 'one glance'?”

His voice was not loud, but it made the surrounding air several degrees colder.

The surrounding Inner Sect Disciples also gathered around, their gazes toward Ye Chenfeng filled with hostility.

Seeing the situation turn sour, Wang Duojin immediately put on a smiling face and stepped forward to mediate.

“Senior Brother, you've misunderstood! What my Senior Brother meant was that your Sect's Ancestral Master's Sword Dao is too profound; he was so shaken by a single glance that he dared not look further, fearing he would defile this Supreme Sword Intent!”

He spoke eloquently, trying to turn black into white.

Jian Wuchen, however, sneered.

“Glib-tongued.”

The long sword in his hand vibrated, emitting a clear, resonant sword cry.

“My Qingyun Sword Sect establishes its foundation with the sword and makes friends with the sword.”

He stared at Ye Chenfeng, Battle Intent surging in his eyes.

“Since Your Excellency believes my Sect's Sword Dao is unworthy of a smile, I presume your own Swordsmanship must be earth-shattering.”

“I, Jian Wuchen, Chief of the Qingyun Sword Sect's Inner Sect, am here to seek guidance from Your Excellency!”

As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar broke out all around.

Senior Brother Jian Wuchen is going to act personally!

He is the acknowledged number one among the Inner Sect Disciples, possessing Golden Core Great Perfection cultivation. His mastery of the 'Qingyun Flowing Light Sword' is superb; it is said he once exchanged over a hundred moves without defeat against an Elder in the Nascent Soul Early Stage!

Liu Feiyan's small face turned red with anxiety.

“Senior Brother Sword! Fellow Daoist Ye is our benefactor!”

“Benefactor?” Jian Wuchen raised an eyebrow, “So what? I am merely sparring Swordsmanship with him, not taking his life.”

He looked at Ye Chenfeng, his tone full of provocation.

“What? Are you scared?”

Ye Chenfeng's brows furrowed slightly.

He recalled his Revered Master's words.

“Don't cause trouble.”

He shook his head, his voice calm.

“I am not your match.”

These words, falling into the ears of the crowd, took on a different meaning.

Not a match?

This was clearly an excuse to avoid battle!

“Hahaha!” A follower behind Jian Wuchen burst into laughter, “I thought he was some formidable figure, but he's just a silver spearhead, impressive on the outside but useless in practice!”

“Exactly! He doesn't even dare to accept Senior Brother Sword's challenge, yet he dares to criticize our Sect's Ancestral Master's Sword Intent?”

“What Myriad Dao Divine Sect? I think it's the Turtle Hiding Sect!”

The phrase “Turtle Hiding Sect” caused Ye Chenfeng's eyes to instantly turn cold.

He could ignore the provocation directed at himself.

But he would absolutely not allow anyone to insult his Master's Sect.

“Senior Brother!”

Wang Duojin was also enraged. He rolled up his sleeves and prepared to step forward to argue.

“Why waste words on these arrogant fools! It's just a fight, who's afraid of who!”

Su Linger also took a step forward, her small face icy cold, and the temperature of the surrounding air dropped by several degrees.

“Enough.”

Ye Chenfeng reached out and stopped them.

He raised his head and looked directly at Jian Wuchen. For the first time, ripples appeared in his eyes, which were usually as calm as an ancient well.

“If you want to fight, then fight.”

A smug smile curled up the corner of Jian Wuchen's mouth.

“Good! You have guts!”

He turned around, pointing his sword toward a slightly smaller Martial Arts Platform not far away.

“Please!”

...The news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching the entire Inner Sect.

Jian Wuchen, the Inner Sect Chief, was going to compete against Ye Chenfeng, the mysterious Disciple of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect, at the Third Martial Arts Platform!

Countless Inner Sect Disciples arrived upon hearing the news, surrounding the entire Martial Arts Platform so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through.

Lin Qingyan and Liu Feiyan stood below the stage, anxious as ants on a hot pan.

“This is bad! Senior Brother Sword's temperament has always been unforgiving when he feels justified. Fellow Daoist Ye is probably going to suffer a huge loss!” Lin Qingyan was filled with worry.

Liu Feiyan tightly clenched her fists, her worried gaze fixed on the solitary figure in green robes on the stage.

On the stage.

Ye Chenfeng and Jian Wuchen stood facing each other, separated by Ten Zhang.

“Your Excellency, you may make your move.” Jian Wuchen flicked his wrist, making his long sword trace a beautiful Sword Flower. The tip of the sword pointed diagonally toward the ground, displaying the demeanor of a Grandmaster.

Ye Chenfeng did not speak.

He merely, slowly, drew the long sword from his waist.

It was an ordinary Iron Sword.

Seeing this sword, a wave of suppressed chuckles rose from below the stage.

“Am I seeing things? He's actually using a Mortal Iron Sword?”

“It's not even a Magical Artifact? Is he here to joke around?”

A trace of contempt flashed in Jian Wuchen's eyes.

“Since Your Excellency is acting so conceited, then don't blame me for not showing you any face!”

Before his voice faded, he moved!

His figure was like a streak of blue lightning, instantly crossing the Ten Zhang distance.

“Qingyun Style, Cloud Scroll!”

The long sword in his hand flickered, transforming into sword shadows that filled the sky, sweeping toward Ye Chenfeng like layers of rolling cloud waves.

The Sword Momentum was vast, and the Sword Qi was chilling!

The crowd below the stage cheered in unison.

Facing this overwhelming attack, Ye Chenfeng's movement was simple to the extreme.

He merely took one step forward.

Then, he struck with his sword.

A direct stab.

Fast!

So fast that everyone only saw an afterimage!

Ding!

A crisp clash of metal.

The sky-filling, cloud-wave-like sword shadows instantly vanished into thin smoke.

Ye Chenfeng's sword tip accurately struck the spine of Jian Wuchen's snow-white long sword.

Jian Wuchen felt a massive force transmit from the sword body, shaking his hand until the web-between-thumb-and-forefinger went numb. He uncontrollably retreated three steps backward before barely managing to stabilize his body.

The contempt on his face froze.

The cheering below the stage also came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone widened their eyes, unable to believe the scene they were witnessing.

“Again!”

Jian Wuchen roared in anger, feeling a loss of face.

“Flowing Light Style, Star Dash!”

His Swordsmanship changed, no longer pursuing Aura, but instead pursuing extreme speed.

Streaks of snow-bright sword light, like shooting stars in the night sky, stabbed toward the vital points all around Ye Chenfeng.

Ye Chenfeng remained standing where he was, his feet not moving an inch.

The Iron Sword in his hand transformed into a screen of cyan light.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

The dense clashing of metal sounded like heavy rain hitting banana leaves, ringing out continuously.

All of Jian Wuchen's attacks were blocked precisely and completely by that seemingly thin screen of light.

“Impossible!”

Jian Wuchen's heart sank.

The opponent's Sword Moves were simple and plain, without any exquisite variations.

But they were simply fast!

No matter what angle or speed his sword stabbed out, the opponent's sword could always strike later but arrive first, accurately blocking his attack path.

He felt like a fancy embroidered pillow with elaborate footwork, fighting against a Martial Dao Grandmaster who only knew how to throw straight punches.

He had strength, but couldn't use it.

“Ah—!”

Unable to press the attack for long, Jian Wuchen's mental state completely collapsed.

He let out an angry roar, his Golden Core frantically circulating within his body. A terrifying Sword Momentum, far surpassing the previous one, condensed around him.

“This is the strongest move I have just mastered!”

“Take my sword strike, Qingyun Dawnbreaker!”

He poured all his Spiritual Power into this single sword strike.

The long sword in his hand erupted with dazzling light, like a rising sun, carrying the supreme might to cleave through darkness and Split the Heavens and Earth, hacking down toward Ye Chenfeng.

This sword strike already possessed some of the power of a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

Below the stage, Lin Qingyan and Liu Feiyan simultaneously let out a cry of alarm.

How could Fellow Daoist Ye block this sword strike?!

Right at this moment.

Ye Chenfeng moved.

He did not try to block the sword strike that resembled the rising sun.

His figure once again transformed into a wind-chasing afterimage, brushing past the brilliant sword light.

Pfft.

A soft sound.

Jian Wuchen only felt a chill on his wrist.

He looked down and saw that the tendon in his right hand, which was tightly gripping the long sword, had been severed by a single Sword Move.

The long sword that had erupted with endless brilliance let out a mournful cry, flew out of his hand, and plunged diagonally into the stone slab far away.

Meanwhile, a cold Iron Sword had, without his notice, pressed against his throat.

The sword tip was only One Inch away from his skin.

The world fell silent.

That rising sun was extinguished.

Only the youth in green robes, holding the Mortal Iron Sword, remained standing there quietly.

Below the stage, there was deathly silence.

All the Disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect looked as if they had been hit by a Body-Fixing Spell, staring blankly at this scene on the stage that completely overturned their understanding.

Inner Sect Chief, Jian Wuchen.

He lost.

He lost so completely, so decisively.

“You...”

Jian Wuchen's lips were trembling. He looked at Ye Chenfeng's expressionless face, his eyes filled with humiliation, unwillingness, and deep fear.

Ye Chenfeng slowly withdrew his sword.

He didn't say anything, turned around, and prepared to walk off the Martial Arts Platform.

Just then, an angry shout full of majesty descended from the sky.

“Stop!”

The Law Enforcement Elder in gray robes, accompanied by several powerful Deacons, landed on the Martial Arts Platform.

He looked at Jian Wuchen, whose Hand Tendon was severed and whose face was utterly devastated, then looked at the unharmed Ye Chenfeng, his face so grim it looked like it was about to drip water.

“What audacity!”

He stared at Ye Chenfeng, his voice icy cold.

“To severely injure our Sect's Chief Disciple right here in my Qingyun Sword Sect!”

“Does your Myriad Dao Divine Sect intend to start a full-scale war with my Qingyun Sword Sect?!”

A terrifying Pressure abruptly erupted from his Nascent Soul Great Perfection body, pressing down on the three people, including Ye Chenfeng, like a towering mountain.

Su Linger and Wang Duojin's faces turned pale, and they retreated repeatedly.

Ye Chenfeng straightened his spine, shielding them behind him, enduring the Pressure alone, his face turning alternately green and white.

“If his skills were inferior, how can you speak of severe injury?”

He replied coldly.

“Impudence!” The Law Enforcement Elder was furious and was about to strike.

Right at this moment.

A calm voice, yet seemingly containing the Profound Truths of Heaven and Earth, causing the Divine Souls of everyone present to tremble, drifted leisurely from the direction of the Listening to the Waves Pavilion.

The voice was not loud, yet it clearly echoed throughout every corner of the Qingyun Sword Sect.

“My Disciple—is he someone you can touch?”