You've lost.
The three words spoken calmly by Ye Chen echoed through the venue like a clap of thunder.
"He won, the honorary disciple actually won!"
"He actually defeated Zhou Mo, who was at the fifth layer of True Qi, with only the fourth layer of True Qi!"
"That Sky-Shocking Sword Force that descended from the heavens, it blasted Zhou Mo straight into the ground, what an immense power that is! Among the fifth-layer True Qi disciples of the Outer Sect, there are few who can achieve this!"
"This honorary disciple truly has the strength to challenge those at the fifth layer of True Qi!"
Seeing Ye Chen land on the ground with such flair and then gazing at Zhou Mo, half his body buried in the ground, the other contenders in the venue all opened their mouths wide in shock. Then, praises and exclamations swept in from all directions.
The image of Ye Chen's sequential leaps in the air and that sword strike from the sky was etched deeply into their minds, lingering for a long time. They had been skeptical about Ye Chen's chances of a successful challenge as an honorary disciple. Now, they were eyewitnesses to this miracle!
"I've lost?"
Zhou Mo, with half his body blasted into the ground, felt dazed as he heard the buzzing discussions around him and saw Ye Chen pointing his sword at him.
He had never expected that, even after he had deployed the Yellow Class superior martial skill "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills," he would still face defeat, and such a miserable one at that.
This outcome even caused him to forget to extricate himself from the ground, as he felt a sense of disorientation and despondency overcoming him.
"Your new sword skill is indeed powerful. If all five of your shadows had the power to attack, I might not have been able to withstand them. You must not have mastered this sword skill to Great Accomplishment," Ye Chen said slowly as he looked at Zhou Mo.
Reflecting upon Zhou Mo's swordsmanship, which split one into five and attacked from all sides, Ye Chen also felt admiration. He could sense that this martial skill had surpassed the category of a Yellow Class mid-tier martial skill, and it definitely must be a Yellow Class superior martial skill.
If it were not for the fact that Zhou Mo hadn't cultivated this superior martial skill to a state of Great Accomplishment, and if it were not for Ye Chen's enhanced environmental awareness after practicing the Vein Refining Chapter of the Primordial Star Scripture, allowing him to discern the real shadow out of the five, he might indeed have been defeated.
Yellow Class superior martial skill?
Ye Chen looked forward to the day he would obtain an even stronger martial skill.
Ye Chen's words fell into Zhou Mo's ears, and he recalled the strike directed solely at his real body by Ye Chen earlier, ignoring the other four shadows. He remembers what was written in the manual of the "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills": "When mastered to Great Accomplishment, all five shadows can strike as one." He finally regained his senses from his stupor.
He finally understood the reason for his defeat.
He had not truly mastered the Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills. Against the formidable Ye Chen, he was unable to unleash the true combat power of a Yellow Class superior martial skill.
Martial skills can be divided by mastery into basic comprehension, Minor Accomplishment, and Great Accomplishment. Ye Chen had cultivated both of his Yellow Class mid-tier martial skills to Great Accomplishment, while Zhou Mo had only grasped the basics of the "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills."
"I've lost."
"Your insight is indeed profound. Without having cultivated the Yellow Class superior martial skill to Great Accomplishment, I cannot defeat you," Zhou Mo admitted as he slapped the ground, leaping out from the earth to face Ye Chen.
Although he admitted defeat, there was still a hint of resentment hidden in the depths of his eyes.
Ye Chen looked deeply at Zhou Mo, shook his head with a smile, and then put away his treasured sword. He turned his head to look at the tall girl standing aside.
"Lin Jing, how about it, can I join your team now?" he said with a smile, remembering that the tall girl had introduced herself as Lin Jing. Noting her slightly dazed look, Ye Chen spoke up.
"Ah!"
Lin Jing, still absorbed in the memory of Ye Chen's graceful, descending figure, started slightly and then a faint blush spread across her pretty cheeks.
The thought that she, known within the Qingyun Sect's Outer Sect for her fiery temperament and straightforwardness, had been mesmerized by the young man before her, made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
"Of course you can! If you can't join our team, then what kind of teammates are we looking for?" she said as she regained her composure, smiling radiantly as she approached Ye Chen.
"My name is Lin Jing. You've met Zhou Mo already. Another teammate of ours is named Hong Man," she said, pointing toward a burly and honest-looking young man sitting beside her as she introduced him to Ye Chen.
The sturdy Hong Man, towering at 1.8 meters, had an honest and simple demeanor. He grinned at Ye Chen, saying, "Brother, you're really impressive. I wouldn't be a match for you. Only Jing can spar with you."
Seeing the sincere manner in which Hong Man spoke, and feeling the same heartfelt directness from Lin Jing, Ye Chen felt a sense of affinity toward the two. He gave them a salute and said, "My name is Ye Chen. After we enter Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, I hope for your guidance and care."
"Ye Chen."
Lin Jing's beautiful eyes glimmered as the name uncontrollably echoed through her mind.
...
Ye Chen defeated Zhou Mo and successfully joined Lin Jing's team.
There was still one more team member left to pick for the small squad.
After the battle with Ye Chen, Zhou Mo had some wear on his True Qi and body, so he sat down to recuperate, and Hong Man took over in continuing to pick team members.
Ye Chen also sat down, beginning to reflect on the gains and losses of his recent battle with Zhou Mo.
In the fight with Zhou Mo, they first exchanged blows with fast sword techniques. Ye Chen saw another set of rapid Swordsmanship beyond the "Torrential Rain Sword Skills": the "Fierce Light Sword Skills." Later, he witnessed the high-grade Yellow Class Martial Skill "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills."
These two sets of swordsmanship gave him a vague insight into the third form of the "Torrential Rain Sword Skills."
"The speed of the 'Fierce Light Sword Skills' has similarities to my 'Torrential Rain Sword Skills' yet they differ."
"Swift Sword, what is swiftness? One Sword Seven Cuts, One Sword Ten Cuts, at what point does it reach the pinnacle?"
"Light-splitting, Shadow-stealing, combining movement technique and swordsmanship, what is the true essence of the Swift Sword, and what does it combine with?"
Ye Chen's mind and spirit calmed as he thought deeply.
While Ye Chen was immersed in his contemplation, the selection of team members continued in the arena.
Challengers continuously engaged Hong Man to vie for the last spot in Lin Jing's small squad.
One would fail, another would take their place to challenge.
And amidst all this, Ye Chen paid no attention, as he had become fully engrossed in his post-battle enlightenment.
Not knowing how much time had passed, Ye Chen finally came back to his senses from his deliberations and opened his eyes, revealing a smile that suggested some level of attainment.
"Ye Chen, have you finished cultivating?"
Just as Ye Chen opened his eyes from his contemplation, he smelled a fragrant breeze and saw a pair of long, straight, and beautiful legs step up in front of him. Looking up, who could it be gazing down at him if not the beautiful Lin Jing?
Looking around, he noticed that the crowd of aspirants had dispersed, and next to Lin Jing, Zhou Mo, and Hong Man stood a young man dressed in green.
Ye Chen stood up: "Senior Sister Lin Jing, has the team selection ended?"
"It ended some time ago, you've been cultivating for a good half hour. We've been waiting for you to come out of cultivation. You really are diligent," Lin Jing said with a light smile as she introduced the newly picked teammate, "This is our new teammate, an Outer Sect disciple with the fifth level True Qi, Fang Shan."
"Hello, Ye Chen," the young man named Fang Shan greeted with a smile.
"Alright, our five-person team is finally complete. Now, let's set out to hunt Demon Beasts in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain!"
With Lin Jing's call, the five, including Ye Chen, left Woniu Valley and headed towards the first great mountain "Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain" in the eastern region of Heavenly Wind Kingdom.
...
Silent Ridge, a mountain ridge on the outer southern part of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain.
The ridge was filled with lush, towering trees, each of which was over a meter in diameter and over a hundred meters tall, reaching into the sky.
Below the trees, there were dense bushes entwined with various vines, and scattered rocks strewn throughout the ridge, from where one could faintly hear the roars of Demon Beasts.
This was a region where fourth to sixth grade Demon Beasts from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain gathered.
The location chosen by Ye Chen and Lin Jing's five-person squad for their Demon Beast hunting in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain was this very Silent Ridge!
Ye Chen and Hong Man, both experiencing their first hunt in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, hadn't even had a chance to admire the scenery of the largest mountain in the eastern region of Heavenly Wind Kingdom when a large group of fourth-grade Demon Beasts, Black Bat Winged Beasts, swooped in, launching an attack on the five team members.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
All five team members, including Ye Chen and Lin Jing, drew their weapons to face the onslaught of the Black Bat Winged Beasts.
Their mission to hunt Demon Beasts in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain officially commenced!