"Attention, attention! Three months from now, the menial disciple will challenge the 19th-ranked outer sect member, Liu Qingyu. Everyone should go to the life and death arena to watch..."
"The menial disciple challenging an outer sect elite? Are you out of your mind... Are you talking about that menial disciple who killed Duan Jun?"
"Of course, it's him. Which other menial disciple is so impressive?"
"This menial disciple is truly remarkable. First, he challenges outer sect disciples, and now he's challenging someone ranked on the outer sect leaderboard. Although it's a reckless move, one can't help but admire his courage."
...
In no time, news of Yang Ye challenging the outer sect disciples spread throughout the entire sect. Even some of the outer sect elites who were cultivating on the Seven Refining Peak heard about it.
"A Profound Realm Rank 6 challenging someone at the Origin Realm? Truly ignorant!" said an outer sect elite upon hearing the news of Yang Ye challenging Liu Qingyu.
"While Liu Qingyu is nothing special, a Profound Realm Rank 6 mortal like him shouldn't dare to challenge someone at the Origin Realm. It seems that even the menial disciples in our sect have become so arrogant."
"A Profound Realm Rank 6 challenging someone at the Origin Realm... Interesting..."
Whether it was the Outer Sect Peak or the Seven Refining Peak, news of Yang Ye challenging someone at the Origin Realm spread rapidly. At this moment, Yang Ye's reputation truly spread throughout the entire outer sect.
Clear Wind Valley.
Upon arriving at Clear Wind Valley, Yang Ye took out a high-grade Huang Tier sword technique that an elder had given him: the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique. He carefully studied it. At this point, he urgently needed to improve his strength.
"Dividing Spirit Sword Technique, high-grade Huang Tier. Originally created by a senior of the Sword Sect, it consists of ten layers. Each layer can release a sword qi. When perfected, it can release ten sword qis simultaneously, sweeping through everything in its path!"
Upon seeing the description of the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique, Yang Ye secretly rejoiced. Thankfully, when he faced Duan Jun on the life and death arena, the latter had only mastered one layer. If he had learned a few more layers, Yang Ye would have been in danger.
As he continued reading, Yang Ye's expression grew increasingly solemn. The Dividing Spirit Sword Technique was formidable, even bordering on terrifying. While it was possible to release ten sword qis directly, the true power of the technique lay in its ability to "divide the spirits," meaning that the sword qi could attack from different directions.
Altering the direction of the sword qi!
Thinking about the ten sword qis attacking from various angles, Yang Ye couldn't help but feel excited. However, he quickly calmed himself down because changing the direction of the sword qi was incredibly difficult. It required an astonishing level of control over profound energy, a level that even some outer sect elders had not achieved.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Ye put away the scroll and held the longsword according to the operating method described in the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique. He began practicing it slowly.
Whether it was for his sister and mother or for himself, he wouldn't retreat. In this world where strength reigned supreme, without strength, one had no voice and no dignity. Just like earlier when Liu Qingyu had been stronger, he could have killed Yang Ye without caring about any rules.
In this world, only strength was the true way. He had understood this principle in An Nan City, but since he joined the Sword Sect, he had gained an even deeper understanding.
In the following days, aside from eating in the cafeteria, Yang Ye spent every day practicing diligently in Clear Wind Valley. He even slept there, taking advantage of the Pulse-Protecting Pills given to him by the outer sect elders and the energy stones given by Bao'er. He could cultivate without any restraints.
"Clap, clap..."
Standing on a giant rock, Yang Ye continuously swung his Profound Iron Sword. If someone were present, they would be astonished because every time Yang Ye swung the sword, it not only produced a loud sound of breaking through the air but also created several sword shadows.
The loud sound of breaking through the air was a testament to the tremendous power behind it. The sword shadows showed the incredible speed at which it moved.
After completing a set of basic sword techniques, Yang Ye pointed the longsword towards the ground, his eyes slightly closed. His young face remained calm, resembling a serene monk deep in meditation. Yang Ye's cheeks had become slightly gaunt, but his delicate features, coupled with his flowing black hair, gave him an appearance that could be considered handsome.
At this moment, Yang Ye was diligently trying to control the faint golden profound energy in his body, guiding it from his dantian to his arm and onto the Profound Iron Sword. However, that strand of profound energy within him acted like an unruly child, refusing to follow the path of the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique no matter how much Yang Ye tried to manipulate it.
Several minutes passed, and sweat droplets slowly rolled down Yang Ye's forehead, flowing across his eyebrows and through his closed eyes, making their way to his lips.
A gentle breeze brushed past, rustling the leaves in the mountain forest. A few withered yellow leaves floated down from the sky, while the young man on the giant rock stood tall as if he were a statue.
About half an hour later, suddenly, a faint golden glow flashed on the Profound Iron Sword in Yang Ye's hand. It trembled slightly, as if it were coming to life.
After a brief silence, Yang Ye opened his eyes wide, and a chilling light shot out from them. He held the Profound Iron Sword tightly and swiftly made a powerful strike towards a distant giant tree.
"Dividing Spirit Sword Technique!"
Whispering softly to himself, in an instant, a faint golden sword qi burst forth from the tip of the Profound Iron Sword. A crisp sound echoed as the giant tree more than ten meters away snapped in response. The broken section was smooth as a mirror. With a loud crash, the tree crown fell to the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.
As Yang Ye looked at the fallen tree crown, an undisguised excitement appeared on his slightly youthful face. After six days and nights of practice, not only had he improved his basic sword techniques, but he had also reached the first layer of the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique. How could he not be excited?
Suddenly, a sense of emptiness surged from the depths of Yang Ye's heart, a feeling of depleted profound energy.
"It seems that unless it's a critical moment, I can't easily use this Dividing Spirit Sword Technique!" Yang Ye looked at the Profound Iron Sword in his hand and couldn't help but smile wryly. As powerful as the Dividing Spirit Sword Technique was, the consumption of profound energy was terrifying. At this moment, he had only released one sword qi, and his profound energy had already been depleted.
Yang Ye took out an energy stone and held it, absorbing the profound energy within it. Instantly, the mysterious little vortex absorbed it. However, Yang Ye furrowed his brows because this time the little vortex didn't release any faint golden profound energy like it used to.
Another problem?
Thinking of this, Yang Ye couldn't help but feel a bit panicked. He focused his mind and tried to enter the vortex within his body, but this time, it seemed like something was blocking him from seeing what was inside the vortex. It was as if there was an obstruction preventing him from exploring the vortex with his spiritual power, which he had been able to do in the past.
Seeing this, the feeling of panic completely spread through Yang Ye's heart. He quickly took out more than ten energy stones and absorbed them, but just like before, the profound energy was instantly absorbed by the vortex, and the faint golden energy still didn't flow out.
"Big brother, what trick are you playing?" Seeing that the little vortex was only taking in and not giving back, Yang Ye's expression turned unpleasant. Could the little vortex be acting the same way as before?
Soon, Yang Ye dismissed this thought. He and the little vortex were one entity. If he didn't absorb the profound energy, the little vortex couldn't absorb it either. They were interconnected. He didn't believe the little vortex would engage in such a parasitic act.
After a moment of silence, Yang Ye took out more energy stones and absorbed them. He wanted to see what the little vortex was up to.
Fifteen minutes passed, and two hundred energy stones were gone, but the little vortex was still absorbing.
Half an hour passed, and eight hundred energy stones were gone, yet the little vortex continued to absorb, and its absorption speed had increased.
In this manner, three hours passed, and the little vortex was still absorbing without any signs of stopping or giving back the faint golden profound energy. Yang Ye seemed determined to compete with the little vortex, continuously taking out piece after piece of energy stones. In these few hours, he had already consumed thousands of energy stones.
Looking at the disappearing energy stones, Yang Ye felt a twinge of pain in his heart. Fortunately, Bao'er had given him more than a hundred thousand energy stones; otherwise, he wouldn't be willing to let the little vortex consume them like this.
The absorption continued. Yang Ye sat from morning till evening, with energy stones vanishing one by one. However, the little vortex seemed like a bottomless pit, as tens of thousands of energy stones failed to satisfy it.
In the blink of an eye, Yang Ye went from sitting throughout the night until morning. A whole day and night passed, and twenty thousand energy stones disappeared.
Watching the energy stones gradually disappear, Yang Ye had several moments when he wanted to stop, but he couldn't. He had to understand this little vortex; otherwise, not only would he face the life-or-death battle with Liu Qingyu in three months, but he would also be eliminated from the outer sect disciples' assessment in just over twenty days.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed, and half of the energy stones given by Bao'er had already been consumed. At this point, Yang Ye had become numb. He was determined to fight the little vortex to the end!
At noon on the third day, at a certain moment, Yang Ye's hand holding the energy stone suddenly paused. He focused his mind, delving into his body. When he discovered his dantian, Yang Ye's eyes widened in disbelief, his face filled with astonishment.