20: Early fame

On the Martial Arts Training Ground, a dead silence lasted for several breaths before being shattered by a sudden Explosion of discussion.

"One sword! Just one sword!"

"A Quenching Body Realm defeating a Kaiyuan Realm! Is this Ye Chen going to defy the heavens?"

"That final sword strike of his... what a terrifying aura! I felt my Soul trembling!"

All eyes looking at Ye Chen were filled with shock, awe, and a trace of indescribable fear. Those who previously held malicious or contemptuous looks now withdrew them completely, not daring to meet his gaze.

Liu Feng had long since collapsed to the ground in terror, his crotch soaked through, as a foul, acrid stench filled the air.

Steward Zhao Qianjun took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. His gaze toward Ye Chen was filled with complexity. This boy's talent, Heart-Nature, and strength were all top-tier; especially that destructive Sword Intent contained in the final strike, it even made him feel a trace of palpitations.

"In a sparring match, injuries are inevitable," Zhao Qianjun spoke slowly, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority that spread across the field. "Zhao Gan's skills were lacking, and he was defeated by Ye Chen's hand; he brought this upon himself. This matter ends here!"

He made the final call, and no one dared to object. Immediately, Law Enforcement Disciples went onto the stage to carry away the unconscious, arm-severed Zhao Gan for treatment.

Zhao Qianjun turned his gaze to the slumped Liu Feng, his eyes turning cold. "Disciple Liu Feng, for falsely accusing a fellow Disciple and bullying a newcomer, as of today, your status as a managing Disciple is stripped, half a year of cultivation resources will be docked, and you are confined for three months of self-reflection! Let the rest of you take this as a warning!"

After handling all this, Zhao Qianjun finally gave Ye Chen a slight nod, his tone softening considerably. "Ye Chen, come with me."

Ye Chen sheathed his sword and followed Zhao Qianjun away from the Martial Arts Training Ground with a calm expression, leaving behind a crowd of onlookers with various thoughts.

After today, the name Ye Chen would surely resound throughout the Outer Court!

He followed Zhao Qianjun to a quiet room within the Instruction Hall.

"Sit," Zhao Qianjun gestured for Ye Chen to sit and personally poured him a cup of spiritual tea. The tea's aroma curled upward, refreshing the mind.

"Thank you, Steward," Ye Chen said as he took the cup, not saying much else.

Zhao Qianjun looked at him with undisguised admiration. "You have been in the sect for barely over a month, yet you have made such progress; it is truly rare. Especially your comprehension of the Dao of the sword, which far exceeds your peers. That final strike... did it contain some kind of special Sword Intent?"

Ye Chen felt a slight chill in his heart, knowing he couldn't hide it from such an expert. He said frankly, "I had a sudden realization, but I haven't fully mastered it yet. I've made a fool of myself before the Steward."

"No need for false modesty," Zhao Qianjun waved his hand. "Sword Intent is the essence of the Dao of the sword. Countless Sword Cultivators spend their entire lives without even touching the threshold. For you to catch a glimpse of it while still in the Quenching Body Realm is a heaven-sent Opportunity; you must grasp it well."

He pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you know why I called you here alone?"

"Please enlighten me, Steward."

"The tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be buffeted by the wind," Zhao Qianjun's expression became serious. "By showing your brilliance today, you will certainly intimidate the petty, but you have also placed yourself at the center of the storm. Lin Batian's side will definitely not let this go. Although death matches are forbidden within the academy, open spears are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to defend against. Things like Secret Realm explorations, mission competitions, or even some 'accidents' could happen."

Ye Chen nodded. "I understand."

"It's good that you understand." Zhao Qianjun took out a pale gold jade talisman and handed it to Ye Chen. "This is a 'Golden Sword Protection Talisman' I refined. It can withstand three full-strength strikes from a Cultivator below the Linghai Realm. Take it; it might save your life at a critical moment."

Looking at the talisman brimming with spiritual energy, Ye Chen's heart stirred. This Steward Zhao seemed intent on looking after him.

"The Steward's generous gift is accepted with gratitude," Ye Chen did not refuse. He truly needed this kind of life-saving item right now.

"You're welcome," Zhao Qianjun said. "I see that your spiritual power is pure and your Foundation is solid, but the grade of the Cultivation Technique you practice doesn't seem high, which limits your accumulation and qualitative change of spiritual power. Have you considered switching to a higher-grade technique?"

Ye Chen's heart skipped a beat; this was indeed his current Bottleneck. The Basic Qi Guiding Art was no longer sufficient to support his push into the Kaiyuan Realm.

"I have that exact intention, but my points are insufficient. I was planning to go to the Scripture Pavilion to take a look."

"While there are many techniques in the Scripture Pavilion, there aren't many that suit a Sword Cultivator and can lead directly to the Great Dao," Zhao Qianjun advised. "On the third floor of the Outer Court Scripture Pavilion, there is a technique called the Azure Origin Sword Art. It is a Profound Rank High Grade technique. Although it is incomplete, with only the first four levels remaining, it can be cultivated up to the Linghai Realm. Its strength lies in being moderate and peaceful, with pure spiritual power and extremely high compatibility with the Dao of the sword. It might suit you. Exchanging it requires three thousand points."

"Three thousand points..." Ye Chen clicked his tongue slightly; that was no small amount.

"Points can be earned slowly," Zhao Qianjun laughed. "With your abilities, earning points won't be difficult. Additionally, in three months, the Outer Court will hold a 'Minor Competition.' The top ten will receive generous rewards, especially the top three. Besides a large amount of points, they will also have the chance to obtain the qualification for baptism in the 'Sword Pool.' For a Sword Cultivator, that is a massive Opportunity. If you can grasp it, both the points and the Azure Origin Sword Art will be well within your reach."

Minor Competition? Sword Pool?

A sharp light flashed in Ye Chen's eyes. This was indeed a good Opportunity to quickly increase his strength and obtain resources.

"Thank you for informing me, Steward. I will certainly do my best."

"Cultivate well," Zhao Qianjun patted his shoulder. "I hope to see you in the Inner Court."

Leaving the Instruction Hall, Ye Chen returned to the Ding-Character Courtyard. After this incident, he clearly felt that the prying eyes around him had decreased significantly, replaced by a subtle sense of awe.

Strength, as expected, was the best passport.

He sat cross-legged and sank his consciousness into the System. Today's battle with Zhao Gan, especially the final use of that trace of 'Explosion' Sword Intent, had deepened his understanding of the Dao of the sword by another level.

[host: Ye Chen]

[Realm: Ninth Level of Body Tempering Realm]

[Cultivation Technique: Basic Qi Guiding Art (System Improved Version)]

[Skills: Wind Shadow Sword Art (Fusion Prototype, Minor Achievement), Wind Chasing Sword Art (Well-Versed)]

[Sword Intent: Explosion (Faint)]

[System Points: 100 (Gained prestige from defeating Zhao Gan, rewarded 100 points)]

Looking at the skill column, the proficiency of the Wind Chasing Sword Art had actually risen to 'Well-Versed,' likely due to insights gained during the life-and-death struggle. And the newly appeared 'Sword Intent' column surprised him even more.

"System, how do I improve Sword Intent?"

[Ways to improve Sword Intent: 1. Absorb and comprehend higher-level Sword Intent within the Myriad Worlds Sword Tomb. 2. Deepen the understanding and application of existing Sword Intent through combat tempering. 3. Consume System points for enhancement (current authority insufficient).]

It seemed he mostly had to rely on his own comprehension and actual combat.

"Myriad Worlds Sword Tomb exploration authority has been refreshed. Enter now?"

"Enter!"

Ye Chen did not hesitate. He needed more Sword Intent insights to perfect his Wind Shadow Sword Art and enhance that trace of 'Explosion' Sword Intent.

His consciousness once again descended into that desolate and silent world of swords. This time, he was more composed than before, his Divine Sense carefully avoiding those dangerous areas as he focused on searching for residual Sword Intent suitable for absorption.

[Found absorbable residual Sword Intent: Sharp Metal Sword Intent (Faint). Absorb?]

[Found absorbable residual Sword Intent: Flowing Water Sword Intent (Faint). Absorb?]

Like a sponge, he continuously absorbed these scattered Sword Intent insights. Although each was extremely faint, they added up. His understanding of basic Sword Intents like 'Sharpness,' 'Continuity,' and 'Heaviness' gradually deepened, and he tried to integrate them into his own sword technique Concepts.

At the same time, he also paid more attention to residues related to 'Explosion.' Hard work paid off; as the exploration time was about to end, he finally found a wisp of extremely thin but incredibly pure 'Nirvana' Sword Intent residue next to a broken sword that was charred black as if struck by lightning!

This wisp of Sword Intent was even more profound than 'Explosion,' carrying a Concept of the end of all things and returning to nothingness!

Ye Chen carefully guided and absorbed it.

[Obtained special Sword Intent insight: Nirvana (Extremely Faint).]

His consciousness returned, and Ye Chen opened his eyes, which seemed to contain countless sword shadows appearing and disappearing. This trip to the Sword Tomb was a huge harvest! Not only did it solidify his Foundation, but he also touched upon a trace of a higher level of Sword Intent!

He felt that the prototype of his Wind Shadow Sword Art was evolving toward a more perfect and powerful direction.

"Azure Origin Sword Art... Outer Court Minor Competition... Sword Pool..."

Ye Chen clenched his fists, his goals crystal clear.

Earn points, exchange for the technique, improve strength, stand out in the Minor Competition, and enter the Sword Pool for baptism!

He glanced at the pitiful one hundred points in his identity jade token, his gaze determined.

It was time to take on some more challenging missions.

However, just as he was preparing to head to the Mission Hall, uninvited guests arrived outside his courtyard gate once again.

This time, it wasn't just one person, but several powerful auras arriving together, one of which had actually reached the Kaiyuan Realm Third Level!

"Junior Brother Ye Chen, are you there? We are Disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall; regarding the matter of the Black Wind Stockade, we need you to assist in the investigation!"

Law Enforcement Hall? Ye Chen's gaze narrowed. It seemed Lin Batian's counterattack had come faster than he expected, and it was much more 'official.'