24: Chapter 24 Returning to Simplicity! This is the True Way of the Sword!

Ye Qingyao's sword strike was like a red-hot meteorite dropped into the calm, still lake that was the Qingyun Sect.

The heat was immense.

The subsequent competition completely devolved into her personal stage.

"Round two, Ye Qingyao versus Li Mang from the Beast Taming Peak!"

As the Elder referee finished speaking, a burly man like a steel tower walked onto the arena, his every step causing the hard stone floor to groan dully.

Beside him followed an iron-armored bull the size of a small hill, two streams of scorching air spraying from its nostrils.

A Peak Foundation Establishment Spirit Beast, its armor was impervious to blades and spears, and once it charged, its force was unstoppable.

"Senior Brother Li Mang's human-beast fusion is something even Senior Brothers at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage have to avoid!"

"Let's see how she blocks this!"

The bell for the start of the match rang.

Li Mang roared, his figure strangely merging into the bull's body. The giant bull's eyes instantly turned crimson, flickering with human-like cruelty.

Human-beast fusion!

Rumble!

The entire arena shook violently. The iron-armored bull transformed into a black torrent, carrying a terrifying Aura that could crush everything, charging straight at Ye Qingyao.

The hearts of everyone under the stage jumped into their throats.

However, Ye Qingyao remained standing still, not even raising the hand holding her sword.

Just as the bull horn, capable of smashing mountain rocks, was less than three feet from her brow.

She moved.

No earth-shattering sword light, no thunderous sound.

She simply turned sideways, drew her sword, and flicked her wrist lightly.

A silver line, so fine it was almost invisible, flashed and vanished in the air.

Hiss.

A soft sound, like a sharp blade slicing through silk.

The unstoppable black torrent abruptly froze.

The iron-armored bull's massive head maintained its charging posture, cruelty still lingering in its eyes, but its huge body collapsed heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.

A line of blood slowly bloomed from the thickest part of its neck.

Li Mang fell out of the bull's corpse in a sorry state, a sword mark deep enough to see bone on his chest, blood spraying wildly, his face full of unbelievable horror.

One sword, breaking ten thousand jin of force!

"Round three, versus Sun Qiao'er from the Formation Peak!"

This time, the opponent was a delicate-looking female Disciple. She did not underestimate her enemy in the slightest. The moment she stepped onto the stage, dozens of Formation Flags left her hands, turning into streaks of light that nailed themselves all over the arena.

Hum—!

Thick white mist rose from the ground, instantly swallowing the entire arena.

"It's Senior Sister Sun's Maze Formation! It's said that even a Golden Core Elder's Divine Sense can be blinded for a moment!"

"It's over. Can't see, can't hear, senses stripped away. What's the use of Ye Qingyao's sword being fast?"

However, no one saw it.

Inside the mist, Ye Qingyao slowly closed her eyes.

She abandoned her sight, abandoned her hearing, and immersed her entire focus into the ordinary iron sword in her hand.

Revered Master once said that all things have a "Reason."

A Formation is a "Reason" woven with threads of Spiritual Qi.

As long as you find that main thread and pluck it gently, even the most complex tapestry will instantly collapse.

She felt the flow of Spiritual Qi around her, felt the patterns of those invisible threads.

Then, towards an empty direction, she casually thrust her sword.

Ding!

A crisp sound of metal clashing was exceptionally piercing in the silent mist.

Immediately after.

"Crack... Crack, crack!"

A series of dense shattering sounds like dry branches being stepped on rang out. The thick fog, like a popped balloon, suddenly shrank inward and instantly dissipated without a trace.

Sun Qiao'er stood at the edge of the arena, pale-faced. Three inches in front of her, the tip of an iron sword was quietly hovering.

Under her feet, the jade plate that served as the core of the Formation had already shattered into powder.

One sword, breaking the Formation!

"Round four..."

"Round five..."

One match after another.

Ye Qingyao's figure became a nightmare in everyone's hearts.

No matter who the opponent was, no matter how many methods they had, the final result was always the same.

Defeated by one sword.

What she used, over and over, were just the basic sword Moves—chopping, hacking, thrusting, and lifting—that entry-level Disciples practiced again and again.

At first, everyone was just shocked.

Gradually, the shock turned into numbness.

And when those Elders and inner sect Prodigies who truly understood the sword saw the essence of it, the numbness turned into fear and horror that went deep into their bones.

"I... I understand now..." A Sword Cultivator Elder's lips trembled as he pointed at Ye Qingyao on the stage, as if he had seen a miracle, his voice out of tune.

"Every one of her sword strikes is not a fixed Move! She sees through the opponent's flaws and uses the simplest movements to execute the most fatal sword strike!"

"This is not a Move; this is 'Dao'! This is the true meaning of the Dao of the Sword, simplifying the complex and pointing directly to the Origin!"

"The Great Dao is simple... Return to Simplicity! What Little Martial Ancestor taught was not sword techniques, but the root of the Dao of the Sword!"

Once these words were spoken, it was like a thunderclap on flat ground.

The whole place fell silent.

The way everyone looked at Ye Qingyao completely changed.

The mockery had long since vanished.

Replacing it was awe, as if looking up at a god.

What firewood-chopping sword technique?

That was a supreme Dao of the Sword that they, mere mortals, didn't even have the qualifications to look up to!

Finally, this immense awe, like hundreds of rivers returning to the sea, gathered entirely on the man in the VIP stand who hadn't even lifted an eyelid from the beginning—Su Changge.

"Little Martial Ancestor... truly is a Divine Being!"

"We are dull and stupid, actually mistaking teachings containing the supreme Dao of the Sword for firewood chopping! We deserve death!"

"With such a god-like Revered Master, it's hard for Martial Uncle Ye not to be strong!"

Su Changge listened to the crazy scrolling notifications in his mind: "emotion points + 100," "emotion points + 200," and could barely suppress the corner of his mouth.

Awesome! So awesome!

But on the surface, he remained as indifferent as a still well, his brows even furrowing slightly, barely perceptibly, as if these praises were too noisy.

This tiny movement caused the entire venue to fall silent instantly.

"Look! Little Martial Ancestor is displeased!"

"It must be that we are too noisy, disturbing the Senior's peace! In his eyes, teaching such a Disciple is just a trivial matter, yet we are making a fuss and inviting ridicule!"

Everyone lowered their heads in shame, and the look they gave Su Changge added twelve points of worship on top of their awe.

Under the arena, on the other side of the contestant area.

Zhao Wuji's knuckles were white from excessive force, his handsome face slightly twisted with jealousy.

He was supposed to be the most dazzling sun of this competition.

But now, all the light had been stolen by that girl in white.

No, it had been stolen by the man behind her!

Zhao Wuji's gaze cut through the crowd and nailed itself onto Su Changge, his eyes cold and venomous.

Why?

A piece of trash who climbed the ranks based on seniority, why is he able to teach such a Disciple?!

He suppressed the jealousy churning in his chest, and deep in his eyes, a touch of crazy ruthlessness was gathering.

If that's the case...

In the finals, I will break her sword and crush her Dao Heart right in front of your precious Revered Master.

I will let you know that in front of my 'Xuanhuang Tyrant Body,' all sword Daos are illusions!

Zhao Wuji didn't know that his unabashed murderous intent had long been clearly captured by Su Changge in the VIP stand.

Su Changge opened his eyes, his indifferent gaze meeting Zhao Wuji's venomous stare in the air.

【Ding! Detected that the Host's Disciple is facing a life threat, triggering side quest: Protect the Short!】

【Quest Description: How can my Disciple be coveted by the likes of you? In the finals, ensure Ye Qingyao's safety and victory.】

【Quest Reward: Depends on the completion rate.】

A cold sneer rose in Su Changge's heart.

Want to touch my people?

It seems you have some misunderstanding about the words "Protect the Short."