"I heard that you have become a public enemy of the Outer Sect. As your buddy, I naturally have come to see you," said Yang Yiyi as she casually approached Ye Changkong, swaying her body. She gently placed her hand on Ye Changkong's shoulder and tilted her head with a playful smile.
"A public enemy of the Outer Sect?" queried Ye Changkong.
The faint fragrance wafted into Ye Changkong's nostrils. Unable to resist, his gaze followed the close-up view of the young girl's face down to her curvaceous figure outlined by her tight inner clothes, almost as if the buxom peaks were touching his arms—a sensation so enticing it made him feel like he was going to bleed.
The scene from the Lingchi Lake came back to him.
"What? You don't know yet?"
"With those four pests issuing both rewards and death orders, they're waiting for you at the Outer Sect Grand Competition to..."
As Yang Yiyi spoke, she caught sight of Ye Changkong's wandering gaze. The fair-skinned hand swiftly pinched a soft, fleshy part of Ye Changkong's waist area. "Hey, are you even listening to me? You, this guy really doesn't miss an opportunity to take advantage of people."
If it had been anyone else, they would have been struck on the spot.
Thinking of the moment when this guy kept sneaking peeks at her in the Lingchi Lake, Yang Yiyi couldn't help but clench her silver teeth. She really wanted to sink her teeth deep into his arm.
-Air sucking noise! -
Feeling the pain around his waist, Ye Changkong drew in a gasp of cold air, feeling the pain in the pit of his stomach.
He immediately dared not let his gaze wander anymore, awkwardly chuckling, "Of course, I'm listening."
Yang Yiyi took her hand off Ye Changkong's arm and pushed him gently, "You're still laughing. Don't you worry about yourself at all?"
"I'm not laughing. Can't I even cry?" Ye Changkong said helplessly.
From the battle at the Qingyun platform, he was ready to confront those four pests in the Inner Sect until the end. Even without that battle, they would not have let go of him once he gradually entered their sight.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have come to see you."" Yang Yiyi huffed lightly, taking out a bottle from the storage ring. "Here, take it. You don't want to be beaten up and left stranded without healing medicine."
Ye Changkong caught the vial and stored it in his own ring, joking, "If my senior sister comes to see me, of course, I'm happy. Please, sit inside senior sister."
"Don't bother sitting. I came here today to tell you something."
Seeing Ye Changkong's behavior, Yang Yiyi nodded approvingly, "The rules for this year's Grand Competition have changed, according to the guidance of those four pests."
"They initiated the changes?"
Ye Changkong was taken aback, Qin Feiyu, Tang Feng, Luo Xin, Liuyan having such power within the Inner Sect.
Now that Chu Yifan had left, their positions within the Qingyun Sect were truly reaching new heights. Even the annual Outer Sect Grand Competition rules could be altered by them using their connections.
"They have quite a bit of power now. They say that the Sect Master and the elders of the Inner Sect are planning to cultivate one of them as the next Chu Yifan. But never mind them, you'll know when you enter the Inner Sect."
Yang Yiyi turned the conversation around, "In previous Outer Sect Grand Competitions, it was a knockout competition and ended once someone gave up. But this year it's different."
"How is it different?" Ye Changkong immediately asked. After all, he would participate in the Grand Competition tomorrow and this concerned his own interest.
"This year's competition has two rounds. Only after winning ten consecutive matches in the first round can you enter the second round. The second round is a ring fighting match with ten arenas, whoever stands last on the platforms will be the top ten of the Outer Sect."
Yang Yiyi honestly disclosed all the information she knew, "Also, whether in the first or second round, the match only ends if one side actively admits defeat."
Ye Changkong immediately frowned, "So, if you beat your opponent to the point where they can't speak, no one will do anything if they die?"
"Exactly." Yang Yiyi looked worried, "If you can't win, admit defeat. Don't insist until the end."
"The rules are too illogical. How did they manage to pass this?" Ye Changkong found it hard to believe.
"It's those four pests making unfounded claims and stirring up fear," Yang Yiyi said, "They've been talking to the Sect Master about your name being linked to a life-and-death battle with Huang Wei, saying that the resentment among the Outer Sect disciples is deep, and they can't afford to bring that kind of negative atmosphere to the Inner Sect as it will waste the resources used to cultivate Inner Sect disciples. They'd rather release that tension during the Outer Sect Grand Competition..."
"Nonsense!" Yang Yiyi was interrupted by Ye Changkong before she could finish her words. "Even if there is friction between the Outer Sect disciples, it's not about life and death. My enmity with Huang Wei is just an exception. I don't believe there isn't any similar situation in the Inner Sect?"
Ye Changkong knew that these rules were a blatant trap set up by those four pests to make him fall for it and try to get rid of him through these premises.
"Good, as long as you understand. In any case, you must be careful. If you can't beat them, don't try to force it. You can just wait for another year."
Yang Yiyi sighed softly, knowing that the situation was stronger than man. Among the young disciples of Qingyun Sect today, no one could suppress the four major troublemakers.
"Don't worry, I have my own discretion."
Ye Changkong took a deep breath and his eyes showed a hint of coldness. "They want to kill me quickly, but why can't I take this opportunity to cut off their minions? I'm not easy to deal with."
If he were to stop his footsteps and wait for another year because of such obstacles, when would he catch up with Chu Yifan?
He did not believe in giving up just like that. With his current strength, he couldn't even make it into the top ten of the outer sect?
Even if Qin Feiyu, Tang Feng, Luo Xin, and Liu Yan obstructed him and secretly rewarded some outer sect confidants with spiritual pills and treasures, he would still kill them all.
They weren't enough to make Ye Changkong stop.
Yang Yiyi nodded and continued, "However, there is some good news. The rewards for this year's Outer Sect Grand Competition will no longer be defined by the Outer Sect Elders as before, but will be directly announced. It depends on your abilities to compete for them. The rewards are more abundant than those of all the previous sessions combined!"
When Ye Changkong heard the word "rewards," he immediately became interested and asked, "Do you know what this year's rewards are?"
"Of course, don't forget who my senior sister is. With her popularity, is there anything she can't find out within the Inner Sect?"
Yang Yiyi said proudly, "If you can make it into the top one hundred, you will have a chance to enter the second level of the Outer Sect Library and receive a third-grade Xuanling Pill. If you can enter the top ten, not only will you qualify for the Inner Sect, but you will also get better rewards of spiritual pills and have an additional chance to enter the third level in the Inner Sect Library."
"The efficacy of a third-grade Xuanling Pill is more than a hundred times that of a first-grade Qingling Liquid, which is very precious even for the Inner Sect disciples, who only receive one every three months."
"And what is stored in the third level of the Inner Sect Library are all Xuan-level superior martial arts, which even some Inner Sect disciples are envious of, are eager to obtain, and would love to participate in the Outer Sect Grand Competition."
Yang Yiyi was also a little envious as she had put in a lot of effort just to have access to the third level of the Inner Sect Library.
Ye Changkong wasn't too interested in the martial arts in the Inner Sect Library. Qin Yaorou told him that as long as his strength caught up, he could bring out several books of Earth-grade martial arts, not to mention Heaven-grade ones.
But when he heard that a third-grade Xuanling Pill was a hundred times more powerful than Qingling liquid, Ye Changkong's eyes lit up.
He could get a Xuanling Pill if he made it to the top 100, and if he made it to the top ten...
This time, Qingyun Sect had really spared no expense!
Yang Yiyi continued, "For those who achieve a rank of top three, they will receive a 500-year-old Blood Ginseng in addition to all the rewards of the previous ranks!"
A 500-year-old Blood Ginseng!?
Ye Changkong took a deep breath, excited. He had to break into the top three!
Blood Ginseng is a special kind of spirit plant that is different from other spiritual herbs and pills as it contains not only powerful blood essence but also energy components that are beneficial for a cultivator's progress. The longer its age, the more substantial its effects.
Not only was there no side effect, but it also does not have the diminishing potency seen in other spiritual pills when taken again.
This special kind of spirit plant is tailor-made for cultivators, and nobody would think it was too much.
In the Clear Breeze Beast Ridge, Ye Changkong swallowed a ten-year-old Blood Ginseng plant alive. It greatly improved his physique and refined blood. If it's 500 years old, it might bring a leap in his physical body!
And the value of a 500-year-old Blood Ginseng has been hyped up to tens of thousands of spirit stones on the black market.
"As for the first place reward, in addition to enjoying all the rewards of the top three, they will also receive a special reward."
"What special reward?" Ye Changkong immediately asked.
"I'm not sure about that, but one thing I can be sure of is that this special reward will be personally given by the Sect Master himself."
Yang Yiyi's eyes glowed with deep envy. These generous rewards were enough to make even Inner Sect disciples eager.
The Sect Master of Qingyun Sect is the head of the whole sect, and any rewards given by him will definitely be exceptional.
"Reward directly given by the Sect Master?"
Ye Changkong took a deep breath before looking extremely enthusiastic.
If he could win first place in the Grand Competition, would he be able to ask the Sect Master directly for qualifications to attend the next Wind and Cloud Summit?
Even if the Sect Master refused, he could establish his popularity and reputation, building up enough qualifications to participate in the Wind and Cloud Summit later on.
It is only after one has participated in the Wind and Cloud Summit that one can be eligible to enter the Wind and Cloud Palace.
And the Wind and Cloud Palace is the ruler of this world, controlling the life and death of everyone within its influence. Qingyun Sect is just a third-rate sect within the Wind and Cloud Palace's sphere of influence.
Chu Yifan and Lin Yueqing are the ones who stood out in the Wind and Cloud Conference, successfully entering the Wind and Cloud Palace and bringing unparalleled glory to Qingyun Sect.
Qingyun Sect is one of the three major forces in the Cangyan Kingdom, but in the entire Southern Wilderness, there are countless sects like Qingyun Sect.
Since its establishment, Qingyun Sect has never had anyone break into the Wind and Cloud Palace before, let alone two at once!
That's why on that day, Qingyun Sect held a grand feast and invited strong warriors from all over to celebrate together.
All the elders of Qingyun Sect felt incredibly proud because of them. (To be continued)