Chapter 287: Realizations and Opportunities

At the judge’s stand, Xiao Xiao and Ling Xiaoyu watched Ye Qingchen’s match attentively.

Seeing an Eighth-Layer Martial Spirit Realm expert make a move against Ye Qingchen, Ling Xiaoyu couldn’t help but shake his head. "It seems your young master is going to be stopped here. At the Third Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm, it’s impossible to withstand an attack from someone at the Eighth Layer without some special method!"

Xiao Xiao, however, simply smiled faintly and replied, "Just watch. The young master won’t lose."

Ling Xiaoyu gave Xiao Xiao a surprised look, noting the unwavering determination in her eyes. She clearly wasn’t worried in the slightest that Ye Qingchen would lose. He shook his head again, wondering where her confidence came from, but he didn’t say anything more and turned his gaze back to the arena.

Ye Qingchen, on the other hand, was rather disdainful. If this Eighth-Layer Martial Spirit Realm opponent had used his full strength, he might have lasted two or three moves. But the man was arrogantly using his Martial Soul to attack Pavilion Master Zhang, which in Ye Qingchen’s eyes was simply courting death. Remembering Li Qingfeng’s advice to conserve his strength, he didn’t even use his Martial Techniques, relying solely on the Willow Wood Martial Soul to deal with the opponent.

"Bind!"

Ye Qingchen activated his innate ability. His Willow Wood Martial Soul transformed into numerous willow vines that bound the opponent’s feet. Then, with a swift move, he positioned himself in front of Pavilion Master Zhang, effortlessly neutralizing the man’s Martial Soul attack.

"Retract!"

Having blocked the attack, Ye Qingchen gave another soft command. The vines entwining the opponent quickly constricted, locking him securely in place. This was an improvement to his binding skill, a sudden insight Ye Qingchen had after observing other people’s fights. The vines could now not only bind an enemy but also exert immense pressure on their body by continuously constricting. If the opponent failed to break free in time, the vines could even crush them into a bloody pulp!

However, this was merely a competition, and Ye Qingchen’s only goal was to snatch the man’s Token. Once the vines had his opponent bound, Ye Qingchen walked straight over and, under the man’s horrified gaze, plucked the Token from his chest. With the referee’s announcement from the side of the arena, this Eighth-Layer Martial Spirit Realm expert was disqualified from the match.

"How... how could this happen?"

The other experts from the Changhong Sect were dumbstruck. They couldn’t comprehend how their strongest combatant had been so effortlessly eliminated. How could they possibly continue the fight now?

Up at the judge’s stand, Ling Xiaoyu glanced at Xiao Xiao, whose expression remained placid, as though everything that had just occurred was completely expected. A smile flickered across Ling Xiaoyu’s lips as he thought,

A Seven-Star Willow Wood Martial Soul, is it? I guess I underestimated him. This kid really does have some skill.

Down in the arena, Li Qingfeng saw that Ye Qingchen had effortlessly defeated the opposing team’s strongest member and naturally didn’t miss such a golden opportunity. With a command, he launched a full-scale offensive against the Changhong Sect. Ye Qingchen joined the fray, continually using his innate ability to test and perfect the new combat methods he had created.

The match was scheduled to last an hour, but the Qingyun Sect finished the battle in just two minutes. All credit went to Ye Qingchen’s Willow Wood Martial Soul. Its binding skill was simply impossible to defend against. Once an opponent was ensnared by the vines, Ye Qingchen would use the Mystifying Steps to swiftly pluck the Token from their chest, signaling their elimination from the contest. This match was, in every sense, Ye Qingchen’s personal showcase.

The referee at the side of the arena was also astonished. He had never expected that a boy at the Third Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm could dictate the entire battle, and he promptly announced the Qingyun Sect’s victory and their advancement to the next round.

After leaving the arena, a waiting Li Zongrui ran over excitedly. "Ye Qingchen, you’re getting more and more formidable!"

Ye Qingchen smiled and nodded, while Li Qingfeng expressed his concern. "Qingchen, this was only the first match. You shouldn’t have revealed so much of your hand. The subsequent matches will be much more challenging now!"

Ye Qingchen nodded again. He had indeed held back his strength but saw no reason to boast about it.

The morning’s competitions were not yet over. After swallowing an Elixir to restore his Vitality Force, Ye Qingchen continued to wander among the arenas to observe the other experts’ matches, mentally refining his Martial Soul’s abilities. The afternoon’s matches passed without incident. With Ye Qingchen’s steady performance, the Qingyun Sect successfully advanced to the next round.

However, Ye Qingchen didn’t rush to leave. As the competition entered the second round, it became even more intense. Some sects of comparable strength began to reveal their hidden cards, and Ye Qingchen found the thrilling matches incredibly satisfying to watch. He only left the venue reluctantly after sunset, returning to his residence to digest and summarize everything he had learned that day.

Over the next day’s two matches, the Qingyun Sect continued to clear all obstacles, smoothly advancing into the top sixty. On the third day, due to the dwindling number of teams, only ten arenas were in use. Thanks to receiving a bye, the Qingyun Sect’s points at the end of the day placed them eleventh in the team competition. This meant that if they could win just one match on the final day, they would secure a spot in the top five, bringing them one step closer to ultimate victory.

After the Qingyun Sect’s match ended on the third day, Ye Qingchen didn’t stay to watch the others, instead returning to his residence early. Following three days of battles and observation, he felt his Realm was on the verge of loosening again. He decided to enter closed-door cultivation to enhance his strength. If he could reach the Fourth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm before the next day’s competition, his combat power would increase exponentially, greatly improving his odds of winning.

Ye Qingchen took out a Low-grade Spirit Stone, placed it beside him, and began circulating the Divine Wood Technique. As he absorbed the Spiritual Energy, he also circulated both his Willow Wood Martial Soul and Dual Pupil Martial Soul.

Just as I suspected, Martial Souls can also absorb Spiritual Energy to grow stronger.

Ye Qingchen was thrilled to feel his two Martial Souls involuntarily absorbing Spiritual Energy as they operated. Although the strengthening effect was minuscule, he was overjoyed, as if he had discovered a new continent. While the Martial Souls siphoned off a portion of the Spiritual Energy and slowed his advancement, his tests over the past few days had revealed just how tremendously they enhanced his combat abilities.

And so, the Low-grade Spirit Stone before him was steadily depleted as his Cultivation and Soul Power grew ever stronger.