Chapter 253: Witnessing With One’s Own Eyes
Ning Qi and Lu Ziyue’s relationship in the Boundless Sword Sect was no secret.
Almost everyone knew.
Ning Qi was brought back by Lu Ziyue, and in the early days, she had given him quite a few resources. The two were close friends, and many envied Lu Ziyue’s good fortune. Because of this, she received rewards from the sect, and her breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm this time was equally aided by the sect’s rewards.
And now.
Lu Ziyue had actually been “invited” by Ye Chen to Wind Thunder Peak just a few days ago.
Although nothing major would happen, this was clearly a provocation.
As for the reason, Qin Minghao knew.
It was most likely because of Wei Feng.
Qin Minghao lowered his head and brows, not daring to say more. After witnessing Ning Qi’s true origins in the True Martial Realm, he revered him even more. He wasn’t worried that Ning Qi couldn’t handle this trouble; he was only concerned about the aftermath.
“Senior Brother Ning…” he finally spoke cautiously.
But before he could finish, Ning Qi’s calm voice interrupted his words:
“Go to Wind Thunder Peak.”
Qin Minghao’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes!”
Cold sweat broke out on his back, and he immediately went down to make preparations.
He suddenly realized that he had underestimated Lu Ziyue’s place in Ning Qi’s heart.
Indeed.
Ning Qi valued Lu Ziyue greatly.
It wasn’t romantic affection, but accepting karma. When Lu Ziyue brought him back to the Boundless Sword Sect, their fates were bound, and moreover, Lu Ziyue had treated him sincerely. Ning Qi wouldn’t stand by regardless of emotion or reason, let alone that this tribulation for Lu Ziyue stemmed from him.
Five Elements Peak began operating at an astonishing speed.
Disciples who had just returned gathered in mid-air with cold, solemn expressions.
After the baptism of the True Martial Realm’s Origin, the disciples who went out this time all had greatly increased cultivation, especially the true disciples, whose cultivation had advanced tremendously, enough to rank among the top in the true disciples. Qin Minghao could even enter the top ten true disciples.
Gazes turned, all shocked.
In such a short time, Five Elements Peak’s foundation had surged like this?
Before they could think further, an otherworldly figure in white robes rose into the air, and the many powerful figures bowed fervently:
“Senior Brother Ning!”
Ning Qi nodded slightly and stepped through the air toward Wind Thunder Peak.
In an instant.
The entire Boundless Sword Sect boiled over.
Even many true disciples in closed-door cultivation emerged, knowing that what followed might affect the pattern among the true disciples.
…
Wind Thunder Peak.
Powerful figures stood respectfully. In the center of the white jade plaza, two figures sat playing chess. The man was tall and imposing, with wind and thunder seeming to follow his every move, domineering beyond compare. The woman had a graceful figure, clad in purple robes with unique charm, though her face now held a cold, frosty expression.
Ye Chen smiled:
“Junior Sister Lu, no need to be like this. Do you know how many in the Boundless Sword Sect wish to see me but cannot, let alone sit opposite me like this?”
He was somewhat arrogant, but it was the truth. As the Boundless Sword Sect’s first true disciple, he already stood at the peak among the disciples.
Lu Ziyue’s expression was cold:
“Senior Brother Ye is naturally heavenly born and divine. Lu Ziyue merely luckily stepped into true disciple status. What virtue or ability do I have to receive such regard from Senior Brother?”
Ye Chen eyed the stunning beauty before him. He had seen all kinds of beauties, but inexplicably, this woman had a unique allure. He casually placed a chess piece in a glaringly weak spot:
“Junior Sister Ziyue need not belittle yourself. These past few days with you have touched my heart deeply. How about you and I become Dao Companions?”
The words fell.
Envious and jealous gazes shot over from the surroundings. Ye Chen had no Dao Companion yet, and many female true disciples who followed him coveted that position, yet they never expected Ye Chen to take the initiative today, and with the target being the newly promoted true disciple Lu Ziyue.
Lu Ziyue was stunned, then a flash of anger rose in her eyes. She said coldly:
“Senior Brother Ye is such a figure; Lu Ziyue is unworthy.”
She knew.
His intentions weren’t genuine desire to become her Dao Companion; it was likely more to use her to strike at Ning Qi, treating her as a tool.
Even setting aside those factors, Ye Chen was not her ideal match.
His actions were too domineering, never considering others’ feelings. Becoming his Dao Companion would make her merely an appendage.
She inexplicably thought of Ning Qi.
In previous discussions of the Dao with Ning Qi, it was always like a gentle breeze and fine rain, refreshing like spring winds. If she truly considered a Dao Companion, she would only choose someone like Ning Qi. At this thought, a faint blush rose on her cheeks.
Ye Chen’s eyelids drooped slightly, and the chess piece at his fingertips turned to powder and drifted down.
Several angry shouts rang out from the surroundings:
“Bold! Senior Brother Ye’s immortal bearing pities you—this is your fortune of hundred lifetimes. Not knowing gratitude is one thing, but daring to refuse? You don’t know the heights of heaven or the depths of earth!”
“Frog at the bottom of a well, you are an ant, Senior Brother Ye is the bright moon. Now with a chance to bathe in the moon’s glow, you don’t cherish it?”
Followers glared angrily at Lu Ziyue.
If not for Ye Chen being present, Lu Ziyue would likely have been crushed by that terrifying aura.
Even so, she still felt immense pressure, her face paling.
But Lu Ziyue said nothing, only lowering her head and pursing her lips.
Ye Chen lost interest and shook his head:
“It seems my expectations of you were too high.”
He slowly stood.
About to say something, his gaze suddenly turned to the distant horizon, a cold smile rising on his face. He glanced at Lu Ziyue and said indifferently:
“I know what you’re thinking. Soon you’ll know the gap between me and him.”
The crowd’s gazes all turned to the distance.
Those powerful auras stirred the winds and clouds, and the starry cloud sea over the central peaks shook unceasingly.
The many disciples of Wind Thunder Peak all revealed cold smiles.
Moments later.
A cold voice resounded:
“Senior Brother Ye, we are here on Senior Brother Ning’s order to pick up Junior Sister Lu. Junior Sister Lu has stayed at Wind Thunder Peak for several days; thank you for your hospitality, Senior Brother Ye.”
A blue-robed youth appeared outside Wind Thunder Peak, with the Three-Colored Treasure Boat faintly visible in the distance, powerful figures appearing and disappearing.
Ye Chen said nothing.
A mere Qin Minghao had no qualification to speak with him.
Surrounding followers already sneered:
“What status do you have? How dare you speak to Senior Brother Ye? Have the one behind you come!”
Ye Ning rose into the air, landing opposite Qin Minghao, a ferocious smile on his face. Soldier against soldier, king against king—if a mere Qin Minghao made Senior Brother Ye act, it would be the followers’ dereliction.
“I recognize you, Qin Minghao, right? Just a nobody among true disciples, yet you dare be presumptuous. Do you think you’ve transformed? Today I’ll make you see reality!”
Ye Ning laughed. He and Ye Chen were from the same clan, and among the followers, his strength was impressive.
With that.
He condensed a Nascent Soul giant hand and grabbed toward Qin Minghao. This was a higher application of the Nascent Soul Dharma Idol, condensing only partial power for greater purity. In an instant, the cloud sea roiled, revealing many distant onlooker true disciples.
The crowd was somewhat excited, not expecting things to heat up so quickly right from the start.
But Qin Minghao’s expression was calm.
Once, he had to look up to Ye Ning, but now, he had long transformed.
He stood with hands behind his back, then threw a punch. Black and white lights flickered, shifting unpredictably. He cultivated Yin Yang Sword Dao, vastly improved after multiple pointers from Ning Qi, profound and mysterious. Even without using sword arts, it held immense power.
“Boom!”
A massive explosion shook, and Ye Ning’s expression changed. His Nascent Soul giant hand was instantly blasted to powder. His Nascent Soul shook, and he spat a mouthful of blood.
The crowd erupted in uproar.
Qin Minghao was this fierce?
Ten years ago, he had been the most unremarkable among hundreds of true disciples.
“Following True Disciple Ning for less than ten years, and achieving such great improvement?” True disciples’ eyes reddened, while fervent zeal rose toward the figure high on the Three-Colored Treasure Boat.
Ye Ning flew into a humiliated rage, shocked and furious. Losing face in front of so many wasn’t just his own shame, but Ye Chen’s as well.
“That was me underestimating you. Again!” he roared.
But an arm was grabbed by a disciple.
“Senior Brother Wang.” Ye Ning suppressed his anger.
He and Ye Chen were from the same clan; aside from Ye Family members, he looked down on most of Ye Chen’s followers. But Wang Ye was different, ranked ninth among the top ten true disciples.
The top ten true disciples each had their pride.
Even the first and second true disciples wouldn’t follow others.
Yet Ye Chen had won Wang Ye’s allegiance. Another, ranked tenth, He Tian, followed Jiang Qingxue. The higher-ranked ones were lone wolves, even harboring competitive thoughts toward the two.
“I’ll handle it. You’re not his match,” Wang Ye said deeply.
He was tall, clad in Spirit Armor, with a muscular arm exposed. He was one of the few in Boundless Sword Sect who didn’t walk the Sword Dao, instead pursuing the Body Refining Path. Ye Chen had once promised to gather Ye Family resources to find him a Body Refining Profound Technique, earning his loyalty.
Wang Ye saw clearly: Qin Minghao already had strength to enter the top ten true disciples. Letting Ye Ning continue would only shame Ye Chen, so he stepped forward decisively.
Ye Ning was unwilling.
But he stepped back anyway.
Under the gaze of thousands.
Wang Ye rose step by step into the air, standing opposite Qin Minghao, gaze calm:
“For you to rise from an unknown to today is no small feat. Unfortunately, you shouldn’t oppose Senior Brother Ye.”
Qin Minghao sneered disdainfully:
“The same to you. Senior Brother Ning is an existence you can’t reach.”
“How long have you followed Senior Brother Ye? How much progress? I, under Senior Brother Ning’s guidance, can defeat you today.”
These words subtly stung Wang Ye. He had once been so proud, but with no path forward, he joined Ye Chen hoping for a profound technique. Yet after so many years, results were minimal. Each time he raised it, Ye Chen said the timing wasn’t right.
Looking at the opponent, in merely ten years, from the bottom of true disciples to top ten level—the gap was absurd.
For a moment, jealousy stirred in his heart.
Wang Ye’s gaze turned cold:
“Defeat me? Try it.”
Anger burned in him, eager to vent on Qin Minghao. He stepped into the air, his figure rising rapidly, instantly transforming into a hundred-zhang giant with three heads and six arms. Each of the six arms gripped high-grade vicious weapon magic treasures—axes, hammers, spears, halberds—radiating baleful intent. Striking traces tore through the cloud sea, reflecting the crowd’s shock.
“Three Heads Six Arms Soldier Fiend Body!” He Tian murmured, his gaze grave. He and Wang Ye were old rivals, very familiar. This was Wang Ye’s early fortuitous encounter Body Refining Profound Technique. Without the missing parts, his achievements would be greater. After ten years without clashing, he hadn’t expected the opponent’s progress.
Beside him, Jiang Qingxue nodded slightly.
She looked toward the distant Three-Colored Treasure Boat, curiosity and inquiry in her eyes. If Ning Qi didn’t show fitting ability today, the matter with Jiang Xuan wouldn’t end there.
Her gaze then fell on Qin Minghao.
Qin Minghao’s gaze was slightly cautious but fearless. Soaring Sword Intent rose from his body, manifesting Yin and Yang. Black and white Sword Lights flashed, slashing toward Wang Ye.
Ye Ning’s level could be toyed with casually, but facing Wang Ye required full effort.
Senior Brother Ning was watching from behind; he absolutely couldn’t lose face for him.
In an instant.
The two clashed fiercely.
Both top-tier Nascent Soul Realm experts, with superior cultivation methods and magic treasures—the battle fluctuations were intense. The cloud sea overturned, leaving true disciples enthralled and shocked. They couldn’t believe Qin Minghao could match Wang Ye evenly.
Even… holding a slight advantage.
Nascent Soul mana formed Sword Lights, shifting through the void, constantly dividing. Sometimes Sword Lights turned to dragons, sometimes rivers—profoundly wondrous. Wang Ye also displayed the might of a Body Refining True Monarch: each punch and kick held immense power, his flesh body comparable to a magic treasure, charging wildly.
The battle drew more and more disciples.
Even sect higher-ups cast gazes.
But those Great Powers didn’t intervene to stop it. To become experts, one must strive— even within the sect. This conflict stemmed from Ye Chen and Ning Qi; before those two acted, they wouldn’t stop it. As long as it didn’t spiral out of control, they wouldn’t interfere.
Lu Ziyue watched with a shaken mind, but her gaze remained locked on the distant Three-Colored Treasure Boat. Vaguely, she felt a warm gaze upon her, as if reassuring her.
The slight tension in her heart miraculously faded, a shallow smile curving her lips.
Ye Chen snorted coldly.
He stood with hands behind his back, watching the battlefield.
Initially confident, his gaze gradually chilled.
On the horizon, the black and white Sword Lights grew fiercer, turning into black and white twin flood dragons, slashing Wang Ye’s flesh bloody.
“Slash!”
Qin Minghao shouted, brimming with vigor. The Yin Yang mysteries Ning Qi had taught fused perfectly—this slash was unimaginably strong, forcibly sending Wang Ye flying.
In an instant.
The Dharma Image shattered; the crowd was shocked.
They witnessed the rise of a heavenly pride.
Qin Minghao calmed his surging emotions, knowing it all came from whom. He met Ye Chen’s gaze fearlessly:
“Senior Brother Ye, on Senior Brother Ning’s order, here to take Junior Sister Lu!”
