Have you conceded defeat?"
The inner disciples watching the match below were left in a state of shock, their expressions frozen until the figure of the Mad Blade vanished into the sky, at which point they regained their senses.
A wave of gasps erupted from the crowd as their gazes toward Ye Tian transformed. If they had previously regarded him as merely exceptionally gifted, now, through his formidable strength, he had completely won them over.
"Mad Blade!"
High above, Ye Tian observed the retreating figure of the Mad Blade with an air of indifference, a sudden, inexplicable feeling welling up within him. He could empathize with the Mad Blade's feelings; to lose before a large audience to a junior who had only recently entered the inner sect would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to his confidence.
However, Ye Tian did not allow himself to feel pity; this was the world of martial artists, where strength reigns supreme. Perhaps one day, he too would encounter an even more formidable opponent.
What Ye Tian could do was to strive to enhance his own strength before that day arrived, continuously amplifying his abilities.
"Ye Tian!"
"Well done! Look, that group of inner disciples is utterly dumbfounded."
"Hmph, let's see if they dare to underestimate us again."
As Ye Tian descended through the air, the thirteenth prince and Lin Fei approached him, their faces brimming with excitement and exhilaration.
Ye Tian winked at Lin Fei and smiled, saying, "Aren't you going to collect the bets? Be careful he doesn't abscond with the winnings."
"Oh dear, I almost forgot! Wait for me!" Lin Fei exclaimed, slapping his forehead before dashing toward a nearby group of inner disciples.
"What's happening?" The thirteenth prince asked, bewildered.
Yun Shuiyao and Meng Shiyun also looked at Ye Tian with curiosity.
Ye Tian smiled gently and explained, "Earlier, an inner disciple opened a betting pool, and I had Lin Fei place the remaining thirty spirit stones on my victory."
"You're quite bold, overflowing with confidence!" The thirteenth prince remarked, giving him a thumbs-up.
"What were the odds?" Yun Shuiyao inquired, her large eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"You'll find out soon enough!" Ye Tian replied with a mysterious smile, leaving them in suspense. No matter how much Yun Shuiyao pressed him, he remained tight-lipped.
Before long, a mournful wail resonated through the crowd, and Ye Tian and his companions turned to see Lin Fei approaching with a broad grin, clutching a large pile of spirit stones.
"Did you win this much?"
The thirteenth prince, Yun Shuiyao, and Meng Shiyun stared wide-eyed, struggling to believe their eyes.
"Ten to one odds! It would have been a crime not to win!" Ye Tian laughed heartily.
"Ah, you're mistaken!"
Lin Fei shook his head, saying, "That senior brother was just a bit pained; he actually made quite a bit himself. After all, most people bet on the Mad Blade to win, so he only profited without incurring losses."
"Regardless, we now have ample spirit stones to cultivate with for a while," Ye Tian said with a smile, then proceeded to distribute the spirit stones to Lin Fei and the others.
In total, there were three hundred spirit stones, with Ye Tian claiming one hundred, while Lin Fei, the thirteenth prince, Meng Shiyun, and Yun Shuiyao each received fifty.
In truth, Ye Tian intended to give the hundred to the thirteenth prince, as he had previously received the most spirit stones from him. However, the thirteenth prince persistently declined, and Ye Tian had no choice but to relent.
With the Mad Blade's concession, the challenge came to a close, and Ye Tian's reputation swiftly spread throughout the inner sect. At the very least, all the inner disciples remaining at the Divine Star Sect were now aware of the prowess of this newly arrived disciple.
Yet, although Ye Tian had secured his palace, the thirteenth prince, Meng Shiyun, and Yun Shuiyao soon found themselves displaced, having their palace taken by several powerful inner disciples in the following days.
Now, like Lin Fei, they had moved to the entrance of Ye Tian's palace, serving as his "guardians."
Time flowed like water, and three months passed in the blink of an eye. Ye Tian had aged another year, now twenty-two, shedding his youthful naivety to become a truly outstanding young man.
"This guy is truly idle!" Lin Fei cast a glance at Ye Tian, who was sleeping soundly within the palace, his expression one of disbelief. It seemed the gap between them and the genius was so vast that even in slumber, Ye Tian outshone him.
"This is the difference between a genius and an ordinary person!" the thirteenth prince said with a bitter smile.
"Oh dear, I feel so envious! I really want to go in and give him a good beating," Yun Shuiyao declared, raising her small fists, revealing a pair of adorable little fangs, her large eyes gleaming with jealousy.
"You three should focus on your cultivation. Knowing the gap between you and him, do you still dare to slack off?" A cool voice interjected.
Meng Shiyun slowly opened her eyes, resembling a celestial being descended from the heavens, her watery gaze clear and transparent, making it difficult to look directly at her.
After months of cultivation, aided by the effects of the spirit stones, her azure martial spirit finally surged, elevating her to the sixth level of martial spirit, leaving the thirteenth prince, Lin Fei, and the others far behind in terms of cultivation.
"Easy for you to say! You think we all have azure martial spirits like you?" Lin Fei retorted, disdain evident in his tone.
The thirteenth prince and Yun Shuiyao shared looks of envy and resentment. Aside from Ye Tian, whose exceptional talent defied logic, Meng Shiyun's progress was also impressively rapid.
At the sixth level of martial spirit, Meng Shiyun was considered a formidable figure among the inner disciples, surpassed only by those possessing palaces.
In contrast, the thirteenth prince at the first level of martial spirit and Lin Fei, along with Yun Shuiyao at the second level, were at the bottom of the hierarchy.
"With so many spirit stones available for your cultivation, given your talents, you should have advanced at least one level by now. Of course, that is contingent upon your dedication to training," Meng Shiyun remarked, casting a disapproving glance at Lin Fei.
Lin Fei chuckled sheepishly at her words; he had indeed been diligent in his training, but he often spent time in the battle hall seeking martial techniques, which had delayed his progress. He remained at the pinnacle of the first level of martial spirit and had yet to advance to the second level.
The thirteenth prince's expression bore a hint of bitterness, not due to a lack of effort, but because he knew that no matter how hard he trained, he could not catch up to the seventh prince. Thus, he devoted much of his time to befriending several inner disciples of the Divine Star Sect, hoping to establish connections for future use.
Yun Shuiyao appeared indifferent; despite her superior talent compared to Lin Fei and the thirteenth prince, her commitment to training was insufficient. Ironically, she was the one who felt aggrieved at Ye Tian's leisurely demeanor, prompting Meng Shiyun to shake her head in disapproval.
"Dream sister, it's so dreary to be cooped up here all day training. How about we go to the elder in charge of missions and pick up a task to explore a bit?" Yun Shuiyao suddenly brightened, her excitement palpable.
"Do you think our strength is sufficient to venture out?" Meng Shiyun immediately shook her head, her clear eyes blinking as she looked at Yun Shuiyao with a hint of exasperation. "You probably don't realize that there's a powerful force in Nanlin County. Previously, we didn't join the Divine Star Sect, so we didn't need to concern ourselves with them. But now that we have joined, we are effectively their enemies; if we encounter them, it could spell disaster."
"What force is so formidable that it dares to confront the Divine Star Sect?" Yun Shuiyao asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Dream sister must be referring to the Hundred Poisons Sect," the thirteenth prince interjected, his gaze sharpening as he spoke. "The members of this sect are notoriously ruthless and are in direct opposition to the Divine Star Sect. However, they fear the royal family of the Great Flame Kingdom, which prevents them from acting recklessly in Nanlin County. Yet, should they encounter disciples of the Divine Star Sect, they will stop at nothing to eliminate them."
"Indeed, I have also heard of this sect; it is said to be nearly as powerful as the Divine Star Sect. Their disciples are spread throughout Nanlin County, frequently clashing with those of the Divine Star Sect, resulting in fierce battles." Lin Fei added, joining the conversation.
"Were you just discussing the Hundred Poisons Sect?"
A familiar voice suddenly emerged.
Everyone turned to discover Ye Tian stepping out from the palace.
"Indeed, we were discussing the Hundred Poisons Sect. Could it be that you are aware of it as well?" Yun Shuiyao exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and indignation in her gaze directed at Ye Tian, feeling somewhat isolated in her ignorance of the sect's existence.
In truth, given the Yun family's influence in Nanlin County, they were certainly aware of the Hundred Poisons Sect; however, the elders had chosen not to disclose this information to her.
Perhaps they deemed her too carefree and reckless.
"I have merely heard a few whispers," Ye Tian replied with a faint smile, yet his thoughts involuntarily drifted to Liu Yunfei, the former top inner disciple of the Divine Star Sect, who had fallen victim to the machinations of Lang Fantian, allied with the Hundred Poisons Sect.
Reflecting on Liu Yunfei, Ye Tian let out a soft sigh. Recently, he had sought information regarding Liu Yunfei's partner, Wan Yunxia, as well as the circumstances surrounding Lang Fantian.
The information he received was far from favorable.
After conspiring with the Hundred Poisons Sect to eliminate Liu Yunfei, Lang Fantian had usurped his position, becoming the foremost inner disciple of the Divine Star Sect.
Now, Lang Fantian had already ascended to the rank of true disciple, standing as the most formidable among them. He was revered by many within the sect as "Senior Brother," his prestige surpassing that of several elders, making him a leading candidate for the next sect master.
Naturally, Liu Yunfei's partner, Wan Yunxia, was no slouch either; she ranked just below Lang Fantian as a true disciple and had a chance of succeeding the next sect master.
Both individuals were prominent figures within the Divine Star Sect, celebrated geniuses renowned throughout the Great Flame Kingdom, with considerable popularity.
However, they had both departed the Great Flame Kingdom for nearby realms to hone their skills, and it had been seven or eight years since their last return.
"It seems unlikely that I will fulfill Liu Yunfei's request in the near future, and I suspect that Lang Fantian will not be easily toppled," Ye Tian mused inwardly.
Given the events surrounding Liu Yunfei, Ye Tian harbored a strong aversion towards Lang Fantian, the senior disciple of the Divine Star Sect, who had conspired with the Hundred Poisons Sect to harm his fellow disciples. Should such a person ascend to the position of sect master, the Divine Star Sect would be on the brink of destruction.
Although Ye Tian was not one to be driven solely by a sense of justice, having joined the Divine Star Sect made him a part of it, thus he maintained a cautious vigilance against Lang Fantian.
"Ye Tian, I wish to venture out for training. What are your thoughts?" Yun Shuiyao's voice pulled Ye Tian from his reverie.
"Isn't there a one-year grace period? Let's wait a few more months until our cultivation progresses further; then we can embark on our training," Ye Tian replied, shaking his head. At present, he was in a period of significant cultivation growth and was in no rush to venture out.
Seeing Ye Tian's reluctance to agree, Yun Shuiyao could only lower her head in resignation.