"What is that useless person doing up there? Itâs outrageous."
"We should have gotten rid of this disgrace long ago. He keeps bringing shame to the Ye Race."
Listening to the harsh discussions around them, everyone from the Ye Race felt utterly humiliated, wishing they could go up and slap the face of that disgrace twice.
Ye Wuyuan was even more furious, his breath quickening, fists clenched tight, struggling to contain his erupting anger.
Although Ye Xiaotian and the others had already entered various sects, they had not yet officially joined a school, only receiving the qualification to cultivate within a sect.
At this moment, if people knew a member of the Ye Race had awakened a Plant Martial Soul, it could somewhat affect Ye Xiaotian and the othersâ future, possibly leading to them entering the sect but having no master to follow.
Initially, Ye Wuyuan and others thought even if Ye Xiaofan participated in the competition, at most heâd be defeated in the first stage, attracting almost no attention.
Yet to everyoneâs surprise, this useless person chose to go up now, instantly becoming the center of attention.
"I get it, heâs taking revenge. This useless person is avenging himself against the Ye Race. Getting on stage at this moment is deliberately letting everyone know that our Ye Race has birthed a useless Plant Martial Soul."
"This way, even if TianâEr and the others enter the various sects in the future, they will surely face discrimination and may not be accepted by any renowned masters."
"Such a vicious mind; itâs fine for him to be useless alone, but he wants to drag our Ye Race down with him."
"We should have dealt with him earlier. Now, from this moment, our Ye Race will bear this shame for eternity."
Many elders of the Ye Race were filled with killing intent, while Ye Xiaojiang and others were so anxious they were at a loss for what to do. In their view, Ye Xiaofan wasnât participating in the competition but was clearly taking revenge on the Ye Race, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"Ungrateful child!"
Ye Wuyuan was also beside himself with rage, no longer caring about the occasion. He immediately shouted with Spiritual Power, "You ungrateful son, get down here fast! Do you want to see the entire Ye Race fall because of you?"
On the platform, Ye Xiaofan slowly turned around, quietly looking at Ye Wuyuan, a subtle, meaningful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
This smile was no longer humble, nor a self-mocking grimace, but more like a release, a liberation.
However, in Ye Wuyuanâs eyes, that smile was seen as a challenge to his authority as a clan leader, implying he could no longer command the other party.
"Ye Xiaofan!"
Seeing this, Ye Wuyuan became even more furious. The thought that this useless person could affect Ye Xiaotianâs future in the Divine Sword Sect infuriated him.
"Ungrateful son, listen to me. If the Ye Race declines because of you, and becomes the laughing stock of the world, I will personally kill you after you step down."
Ye Wuyuan was now on the verge of an angry outburst, unashamedly displaying his murderous intent in public.
However, just as his words fell.
"Ye brother, Iâm afraid you wonât get the chance to kill him." Zhao Wuji, smiling broadly, looked at the embarrassed people of Ye Village, his lips curving up uncontrollably, saying, "Do you think he still has a life to step down from this platform?"
After Zhao Wuji spoke, everyone from Zhao Village was gloating, laughing unabashedly, and the surrounding spectators also cast strange looks.
"Everyone, donât misunderstand, that Ye Xiaofan was already expelled from the Ye Race, he is not one of us, and has nothing to do with our Ye Race."
"Yes, yes, he is not a descendant of our Ye Race. Everyone, donât misunderstand, how could our Ye Race have such a useless person?"
Seeing this, Ye Xiaojiang and others hurriedly explained to those around them, fearing any association with Ye Xiaofan, while the young cultivators of the Ye Race were frantically dissociating themselves from him as well.
Ye Xiaofanâs appearance not only incited the fury of the Ye Race but also drew the anger of some cultivators from Star Moon City.
Because today, present were not only the local cultivators of Star Moon City but also numerous cultivators from the Hundred Broken Mountain Range region, along with countless sect elders and disciples. Having such a useless person appear during the competition was also a disgrace to Star Moon City.
"Useless person, what are you doing up there? Shaming the Ye Race has nothing to do with us, do you want to disgrace Star Moon City too?"
"Hurry and get down, do you know where this is? A useless person like you has no right to stand on the Eighth Layer platform."
"I get it, this useless person is not only avenging the Ye Race, heâs also avenging Star Moon City."
"This personâs mind is already twisted, no wonder Ning Xianyi from the Divine Sword Sect called off the engagement with this useless person. If I were Ning Xianyi, Iâd never associate with a useless person."
"Ye Xiaofan, it was that old brute Ye Wuyuan who expelled you from the Ye Race, and it was Ning Xianyi who called off the engagement. Star Moon City has done you no injustice, hurry and get down."
As many Star Moon City cultivators verbally assaulted Ye Xiaofan, Ye Xiaoyue bit her lips tightly, her eyes full of pain.
With more and more people speaking out, many foreign cultivators began whispering amongst themselves.
"Is he the boy Ning Xianyi called off the engagement with? Iâve heard heâs a rare useless person seen only once in centuries, awakening only a Level One Plant Martial Soul?"
"Brother, let me correct you, itâs a Plant Martial Soul not even Level One."
"Sss, thatâs quite the useless person then."
In an instant, Ye Xiaofanâs appearance stirred a huge commotion, seemingly even more thrilling than Xiao Yanâs entrance.
Several sect elders watched the scene, shaking their heads slightly, each showing interest, "Quite intriguing."
Obviously, they also didnât expect such a spectacle to unfold at the Star Moon City competition, treating it as a bit of entertainment.
Meanwhile,
Atop a mountain outside the city,
A middle-aged man stood beside Dugu Nan, also watching the unfolding scene in Star Moon City, unable to help but praise, "Thousands insult him, yet he remains unfazed. This boy, though young, has a mindset far beyond ordinary people. Rare, indeed rare. Itâs a pity, such a shame heâs a useless person."
Having said this, the man sighed slightly.
However, the next moment, he suddenly remembered something, staring blankly at Sword Saint Dugu Nan, "Wait, the competition is nearing its end, Nangong Jianchen, Shangguan WanâEr, Xiao Yan, it canât be these three, could the boy you mentioned in the woods actually be him?"
After muttering to himself, the middle-aged man wore a look of shock, his gaze once again focusing on Star Moon City, re-evaluating the boy. How could a young man favored by a First Generation Sword Saint be ordinary?
Dugu Nan remained silent, but his deep eyes never strayed from Star Moon City.
Within Star Moon City, on the platform.
Facing the increasing shouts and curses.
Ye Xiaofan turned a deaf ear, after experiencing the âRed Maple Treeâ incident, he already understood that many times explanations were powerless, only strength could conquer and silence others.
Ye Xiaofan held his sharp sword, step by step approaching Xiao Yan.
However, on the platform, Xiao Yan was bewildered at the scene, but quickly understood, sighing helplessly, "I know your thoughts, your aim has already been achieved, step down, I donât wish to compete with you, nor will I engage in a bout with you."
After saying this, Xiao Yan silently watched Ye Xiaofan, shaking his head slightly.
"Why?" Ye Xiaofan asked as he halted his steps and raised his head slowly. Gazing at this unparalleled talent of Star Moon City, he asked a soul-searching question, "Is it because Iâm a useless person, hence not worthy to fight with you?"
After Ye Xiaofanâs voice fell, Xiao Yanâs brows slightly furrowed, contemplating for a moment, then said, "You could understand it that way..."
Xiao Yan initially meant to say âyou could interpret it that way,â but he abruptly paused halfway through.
Just as Xiao Yan began to speak, the sudden unsheathing of a sharp sword echoed throughout the Martial Arts Arena.
Then, as Ye Xiaofan lifted his sword to his chest, gripping the sword handle with his right hand, he abruptly exerted force with his left hand, fiercely pushing it to the left.
In an instant, the scabbard in his hand was like an arrow, transforming into a rainbow, tearing through the air with overwhelming momentum, causing terrifying ripples as it swept over the heads of countless cultivators, ultimately embedding with a boom into an opposing stone pillar of the platform, creating a huge noise.
This sudden scene caught everyone off guard, and tens of thousands of people instantly fell silent, all the curses halting as everyone stared blankly at the sword scabbard embedded in the stone pillar, eyes full of shock.
The scabbard was embedded half a meter deep, almost the entire body in the stone pillar, terrifyingly so.
Tens of thousands of people stood frozen, unable to come back to their senses for a long time.
In fact, as the sword scabbard tore through the sky, countless sect elders had already raised their eyes, flashes of surprise and amazement in their gazes.
In an instant, the entire Martial Arts Arena was so silent that a pin drop could be heard until, after several breaths, an endless uproar erupted.