As Ye Chen stepped out of Tianlei Cave, the warm sunlight of Qingyun Sect poured down on him, dispelling the slight chill of the cave. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of spiritual herbs and the gentle flow of spiritual energy across the mountains. The entire sect was already bustling with noise and excitement, for the long-awaited monthly disciple competition was finally about to begin.
Along the stone path, groups of disciples walked hurriedly toward the main competition arena. Some wore relaxed expressions, chatting and laughing as if victory was already within their grasp. Others wore solemn faces, silently adjusting their state and calming their restless hearts. Everywhere he went, Ye Chen could feel the surging ambition and competitive spirit among his fellow disciples.
Before long, whispers began to spread the moment he appeared.
"Look, that's Ye Chen!"
"The one who suddenly rose up in the last trial and defeated several powerful inner disciples?"
"I can't believe he actually came. I thought he would hide and avoid the competition after showing off a little."
"Hmph, fluke or not, we'll find out today. The formal competition is different from a small trial. There are far more experts here."
Discussions, curiosity, disdain, and provocation—all kinds of gazes fell on Ye Chen. But he remained indifferent, his expression calm as he walked forward step by step. He had long been used to such scenes. In his past life, he had stood above tens of thousands of beings, facing the reverence and envy of the entire cultivation world. The trivial gossip of a few sect disciples was not enough to affect his state of mind.
Soon, he arrived at the Qingyun Sect Competition Arena.
The enormous square was surrounded by high stone platforms, on which several elders sat upright, exuding a faint but powerful aura. The main seat was reserved for the sect leader, though he was not present today. Even so, the solemn atmosphere of the arena was enough to make most new disciples feel nervous.
In the center of the square, dozens of competition stages stood neatly arranged. Once the competition began, disciples would draw lots to determine their opponents and fight on stage. The rules were simple: defeat your opponent, admit defeat, or be knocked off the stage. There were no life-or-death rules, but injuries were common during battles.
Many disciples had already gathered here, lining up in order according to their status. Outer sect disciples stood on the outer perimeter, looking enviously at the inner sect disciples who occupied more prominent positions. For them, entering the inner sect was already a great dream, let alone becoming a direct disciple respected by all.
Ye Chen blended into the crowd of inner sect disciples, standing quietly in the corner with his eyes slightly closed. He did not communicate with anyone, nor did he deliberately show his presence. He was like a sharp sword sheathed in its scabbard, silently accumulating momentum.
At this moment, a cold snort sounded from not far away.
"Ye Chen, you really dare to come."
A young man in a blue inner sect uniform walked over with several followers. His cultivation was at the sixth level of the Qi Refining Realm, considered a fairly strong figure among ordinary inner disciples. His name was Liu Tao, and he had always been jealous of Ye Chen's sudden rise.
Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes and glanced at him lightly.
"If I don't come, how will I know who is overestimating themselves?"
Liu Tao's expression turned cold.
"You think you can run wild just because you won a few insignificant fights? Today, I will let you understand the gap between you and real experts. Don't think that the sect's disciple competition is a place where you can act recklessly."
"Really?" Ye Chen smiled faintly.
"Then you can try. But I advise you to think carefully before you act. Once the fight starts, I won't show mercy."
Liu Tao's face twitched. He wanted to say something harsh, but under Ye Chen's calm and deep gaze, he suddenly felt a trace of invisible pressure. In the end, he just snorted coldly and turned back.
"We'll see. The match will begin soon. Don't cry when you lose."
Ye Chen ignored him.
He knew that such small characters were not worth his time. The real challenges would only appear as the competition progressed. His goal was not to defeat random opponents, but to shock the entire audience, win the top spot, and obtain the qualification to become a direct disciple.
Not long after, an elder with a white beard stood up from the high platform.
His voice was not loud, but it spread clearly to every corner of the arena with the help of spiritual energy.
"The monthly Qingyun Sect disciple competition, now begins!"
As the voice fell, the entire arena burst into thunderous cheers.
One by one, disciples stepped onto the stages, and the sound of fighting and spiritual energy colliding soon echoed across the square.
Some disciples displayed exquisite sword techniques, their sword lights flickering like rain.
Some specialized in fist and palm techniques, their movements fierce and overbearing.
Others relied on powerful spiritual energy to suppress their opponents with sheer force.
The competition was fierce from the very beginning.
But Ye Chen remained unmoved.
He stood quietly, watching the battles on the stages, his eyes calm. Every move and technique of the disciples fell into his eyes. With his past life experience, he could easily see the flaws in their paths and the limits of their cultivation.
Compared with the powerful experts he had faced in his previous life, these battles were indeed too trivial.
However, this was the starting point of his comeback.
He needed this stage to announce his return to the world.
Soon, it was time for the lottery.
Ye Chen walked forward casually and drew a number.
When the match list was announced, many people's eyes focused on him again.
His first opponent was none other than the one who had provoked him earlier—Liu Tao.
Liu Tao also heard the result.
A cruel smile appeared on his face as he stared at Ye Chen.
"Ye Chen, it seems heaven is helping me. Today, I will personally step on you and let everyone know that your so-called genius reputation is nothing but a joke."
Ye Chen shook his head slightly.
"You talk too much."
Amid the heated gazes of the surrounding disciples, the two stepped onto the same competition stage.
The crowd boiled instantly.
"Look! It's Ye Chen versus Liu Tao!"
"I heard Liu Tao has been practicing hard recently. His strength is not ordinary."
"Let's see if this sudden rising star can really win!"
On the high platform, several elders also cast their gazes over, slightly curious about this much-discussed young disciple.
Liu Tao stood opposite Ye Chen, his spiritual energy surging. He assumed a fighting stance, ready to attack at any moment.
"Ye Chen, I'll give you one last chance. Admit defeat now, and I can spare you from pain."
Ye Chen stood calmly, his hands behind his back.
"Make your move. Otherwise, you won't have a chance later."
Liu Tao was enraged.
"Arrogant fool! Take this!"
He shouted loudly, his body moving like a gust of wind. His palms carried surging spiritual energy, striking straight toward Ye Chen's chest. The move was fast and fierce, clearly a mature inner sect martial skill.
Many disciples held their breath, waiting to see how Ye Chen would respond.
In the face of the incoming attack, Ye Chen did not even move his footsteps.
At the moment Liu Tao's palm was about to hit him, he finally moved.
A faint light flashed across his fingertips.
With a casual motion, he stretched out a single hand and gently tapped forward.
Bang—!
A dull explosion echoed.
Liu Tao's surging spiritual energy was instantly shattered, as if it had hit an indestructible rock. His entire body trembled violently, and a powerful force rebounded toward him.
Before he could react, his figure flew backward uncontrollably.
He fell heavily off the competition stage, his face pale, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
The entire arena fell into dead silence.
Everyone stared at the stage in shock.
One move.
Just one casual move.
Liu Tao, a sixth-level Qi Refining Realm inner disciple, was defeated without any resistance.
Ye Chen stood calmly on the stage, his white clothes fluttering slightly.
His expression remained unchanged, as if he had just done something trivial.
He slowly raised his eyes and scanned the audience.
In that calm gaze, everyone felt an invisible shock.
The real storm of the disciple competition had only just begun.