Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 168 The Ascension Ceremony (Seeking Subscriptions of 10,000 Words)
Chen Ye finished the last sip of strong liquor in his cup, the spicy liquid sliding down his throat and into his stomach, turning into a warm feeling.

He heard enough.

Tianjian Manor truly treated Jian Wuchen like a precious gem, praising him relentlessly and shaping him into a near-perfect, top young talent.

Jian Wuchen himself seemed to enjoy this feeling, and his actions became increasingly domineering, drawing complaints from all over Qingzhou.

However, these are just appetizers.

What really bothered Chen Ye was the increasingly blatant dissatisfaction and disdain expressed by the drinkers towards Tianjian Manor.

Public resentment is like water; it can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

Although Tianjian Manor appears to be incredibly powerful now, it has actually sown many hidden dangers for itself.

Chen Ye's mind was racing, but his face remained sallow and tired. He placed a piece of silver on the table and got up to leave.

This Tavern is a good place to gather information, but staying too long can attract attention, so it's best to leave as soon as possible.

Just as Chen Ye stepped out of the tavern, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the distance.

Not far from the tavern entrance, in a corner of the wall, a somewhat thin Taoist priest dressed in a faded gray robe was peddling talismans to a drunken customer with spittle flying everywhere.

"Fellow Daoist, I see your forehead is dark; you are sure to suffer a bloody disaster soon! Come, come, I have a peace talisman here, which I blessed in front of the statue of the Three Pure Ones. For just three taels of silver, it will protect you from disaster and bring you good fortune!"

The Taoist priest spoke with a sincere expression, but his eyes darted around, revealing a shrewd and cunning nature.

Chen Ye paused slightly.

Yunheqing.

It's really him.

Five years later, this guy seemed even more down on his luck. His hair had turned quite a bit whiter, and there were several patches on his Taoist robe, but his slick, old-timer air remained unchanged.

Chen Ye felt nothing; in fact, he even felt a little amused.

The scene of setting up a stall with Yun Heqing five years ago is still vivid in my mind. After the incident, I felt a little guilty, worried that it would implicate Yun Heqing.

Now it seems my worries were completely unnecessary; how could someone like Yun Heqing die so easily?

He probably fled as soon as news of his identity being exposed came.

However, there's nothing wrong with that, since if it were me, I probably would have run even faster.

Chen Ye kept thinking to himself, but his feet didn't stop.

Just then, as if sensing that someone was watching him, Yun Heqing suddenly turned his head and glanced at Chen Ye.

Chen Ye did not dodge, but simply lowered his head slightly, met his gaze with his slightly cloudy eyes, and then casually followed the crowd into the night.

His disguise is too perfect right now.

He was just a down-on-his-luck swordsman with a sallow complexion, weak breathing, and cloudy eyes; no one would give him a second glance if he were thrown into a crowd.

Yun Heqing frowned, feeling as if someone had been watching him, and that gaze seemed so familiar.

"What's wrong? Could it be that I've been harming my health with alcohol and women lately? No, starting tomorrow, I'm quitting drinking!" he muttered to himself, then shook his head, telling himself not to think about it anymore.

After all, everyone knows that guy was beheaded five years ago.

When Yun Heqing learned the news, he sighed with regret for a long time. After all, he had made a small fortune by setting up a stall with Chen Ye and Su Yuan.

That's secondary. The key point is that Chen Ye was young at the time, but his skills and temperament far surpassed those of ordinary people. Unfortunately, such a talented young man had offended a behemoth like Tianjian Manor.

"Alas, it's all about timing and fate!" Thinking of this, Yun Heqing sighed deeply, a complex expression flashing across his face.

……

After returning to his small, shabby inn room, Chen Ye closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, and went through all the information he had gathered that day in his mind.

First of all, the fact that I am already dead is my biggest advantage, and I must make good use of it.

Secondly, Jian Wuchen is extremely arrogant and concerned about his reputation, as can be seen from his act of finding a scapegoat.

This personality trait is also his greatest weakness.

Finally, and most importantly, the Ascension Ceremony.

This is indeed a golden opportunity.

As the young master of Tianjian Manor, Jian Wuchen, the focus of attention throughout Qingzhou, would inevitably be present at this grand event.

Taking action in such a situation, if successful, would have devastating consequences.

But Chen Ye knew the risks were equally enormous.

The Ascension Ceremony is also a time for Tianjian Manor to flex its muscles. At that time, not to mention Jian Wuchen, who is at the Inner Realm, there will probably be other elders of Tianjian Manor present, and there may even be more than one Inner Realm elder.

Although his strength has greatly improved, he is still stuck at the peak of the Condensation Sea Realm, so charging in alone would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

Therefore, we cannot act rashly.

Chen Ye closed his eyes, and his mind began to rapidly deduce the possibilities.

The first and most crucial step is getting close to Jian Wuchen.

In that situation, Jian Wuchen would definitely be surrounded by experts, three layers deep, and ordinary people would not be able to get within ten feet of him.

Forcing our way in is definitely not an option.

Then the only thing to do is to find a way to become someone who can reasonably get close to him.

Who can reasonably approach him?

Disciples of Tianjian Manor, or... geniuses who performed exceptionally well at the Ascension Ceremony and were personally received by him.

Chen Ye's eyes snapped open.

Participate in the Ascension Ceremony!

Once the idea popped into my head, it spread like wildfire and could no longer be contained.

As a contestant, I fought my way up step by step until I stood in front of Jian Wuchen.

This sounds crazy, even a bit far-fetched.

The Ascension Ceremony only recruits teenage geniuses. At my age, with a bone age of almost thirty, how could I possibly get in?

But Chen Ye quickly recalled what the talkative fellow in the caravan had said, as well as the discussions he had just overheard in the tavern.

In addition to recruiting promising young immortals, the Ascension Ceremony also recruits some powerful independent cultivators to serve as guest elders or outer sect stewards of the manor.

This is an opportunity!
With my current cultivation level, disguising myself as a reasonably strong rogue cultivator to participate in this selection should not be a problem.

As long as you make it to the final selection, you'll have the chance to stand on that high platform that everyone is watching.

Stand in front of Jian Wuchen!

Although there will still be many experts around, the distance will have changed from being out of reach to being within reach.

For a top-notch swordsman, as long as the distance is close enough, a single strike is enough to decide life or death!
Moreover, with the added advantage of his professional talent, the Eye of the Thief, his chances of success are high if he can catch the enemy off guard.

Let's do it this way. I'll go to the registration place first thing tomorrow morning.

Having made up his mind, Chen Ye lay down fully clothed and began to rest.

Nothing happened that night, and Chen Ye left early the next morning.

The registration point for the Ascension Ceremony was set up in a huge square in the east of the city. When Chen Ye arrived, the square was already packed with people, a dark mass of heads.

Dozens of registration booths were temporarily set up in the square, and long queues stretched as far as the eye could see in front of each booth.

Most of the people in line were teenagers, their faces showing a mixture of nervousness and excitement, filled with dreams of instant success.

At the northernmost side of the square were several separate registration points. There were far fewer people queuing there, and they all looked older. They were all imposing and had sharp eyes, clearly cultivators with some level of cultivation.

That's the registration area set up for independent practitioners.

Chen Ye observed for a while, taking in the registration process and some details. With a clear understanding of the process, he slowly walked over and joined the end of a queue.

"Hey bro, here to try your luck too?"

Ahead of Chen Ye in line was a tall, thin young man carrying a long sword. Seeing Chen Ye behind him, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

"Yeah, just trying to make a living," Chen Ye replied in a low, hoarse voice, his words concise and to the point.

"Making a living? Haha, brother, you're absolutely right." The young man chuckled and said in a friendly manner.

"However, life is tough for independent cultivators these days. Without a backer, they are bullied everywhere! So, although the Heavenly Sword Manor is domineering, it is a large and powerful family. If you can get in and become an outer sect steward, you will have a place to settle down in the future."

Chen Ye gave a noncommittal "hmm".

Seeing that Chen Ye didn't like to talk, the young man turned his head away, no longer wanting to make a fool of himself.

The procession moved very slowly, and Chen Ye waited for almost an hour before it was finally his turn.

Behind the registration desk sat a young man in his early twenties, dressed in the outer disciple robes of Tianjian Manor, with an undisguised arrogance on his face.

Without even looking up, he lazily asked, while fiddling with the roster on the table, "Name, age, cultivation level."

Chen Ye said in a deep voice, "Du Dao, twenty-nine, Sea Condensation Realm... initial stage."

He deliberately downplayed his cultivation level.

The peak of the Sea Condensation Realm is too astonishing for a rogue cultivator who is not yet thirty years old, and it will inevitably attract unnecessary attention.

While the early stage of the Sea Condensation Realm is not bad, it is still within an understandable range and not particularly conspicuous.

Upon hearing the words "Sea Condensation Realm," the previously lazy disciple suddenly raised his head and began to properly examine Chen Ye for the first time.

When he saw Chen Ye's sallow face and tattered clothes, a look of surprise and doubt flashed in his eyes.

"Sea Condensation Realm?" He drawled, his tone tinged with disbelief. "Put your hand up here."

He pointed to a piece of green jade about half a foot square on the table.

Chen Ye placed his palm on the stone as instructed, while carefully controlling the true essence in his dantian and dantian. He mobilized a small amount of power to simulate the feeling when his true essence was not yet refined and its circulation was slightly sluggish, just like when he broke through to the Condensation Sea Realm. He then slowly injected it into the spirit-testing stone.

hum!
The spirit-testing stone emitted a soft hum, then lit up with a not-too-strong, but definitely sea-condensation-realm-like azure light. The disciple's eyes widened instantly.

It really is the Sea Condensation Realm!

How could a seemingly impoverished fellow actually be a master of the Sea Condensation Realm?
Are Condensation Realm cultivators really that worthless these days?

Although shocked, the disciple's attitude immediately underwent a complete 180-degree change.

The arrogance on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a warm smile.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Du, my apologies for not recognizing you sooner." He stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Ye. "Fellow Daoist, to have such cultivation at the age of twenty-nine is truly a prodigy with limitless potential!"

In the cultivation world, strength is paramount.

A rogue cultivator at the Sea Condensation Realm deserves basic respect wherever they go.

"You're too kind, it was just a fluke," Chen Ye replied casually.

"Fellow Daoist is too modest." The disciple quickly pushed a roster in front of Chen Ye and handed him a pen. "Please leave your name here. The first round of selection will be held in the West City Martial Arts Arena in three days. You can enter with this token."

As he spoke, he presented a wooden plaque engraved with a sword-shaped pattern with both hands.

Chen Ye took the wooden plaque, wrote the name "Du Dao" crookedly on the roster, and then turned and left.

He could feel the mixed feelings of envy, jealousy, and awe in the eyes of the independent cultivators queuing around him.

A rogue cultivator at the Sea Condensation Realm who is not yet thirty years old is enough to become the focus of attention wherever he goes.

Chen Ye frowned slightly. This was somewhat different from his expected low-key approach, but it was also within his expectations.

After all, sometimes you can't hide your true abilities.

However, this is also good, as showing some talent makes it easier to get a chance to enter the final round.

For the next two days, Chen Ye did not go out for a stroll, but stayed quietly in the inn.

He did not cultivate, because Chen Ye's cultivation had reached a bottleneck. No matter how much spiritual energy he absorbed, he could not make any progress. Instead, his true essence was easily disordered due to his restless mind.

He simply sat quietly, recalling and rehearsing his swordsmanship in his mind over and over again.

From the initial needle-like movements to the various sword techniques gleaned through countless battles, and finally to the understanding of tribulation after becoming the Master of the Hundred Tribulations Sword.

In particular, the three years he spent fighting against various powerful demonic beasts arranged by Yuan Lan in the Southern Wilderness Mountains brought his use of the Eye of Calamity to a whole new level.

Now, Chen Ye's strikes are no longer about slashing and killing, but about detonating the inner turmoil of his target, causing a chain reaction of destruction that defies common sense.

This is his biggest trump card that allows him to challenge Jian Wuchen.

Besides strategizing his swordsmanship, Chen Ye was also considering his strategy for the selection process three days later.

The first round should be some kind of free-for-all to eliminate most of the mediocre players.

All I need to do is get through the challenge easily without revealing my full strength.

One must demonstrate the level of genius expected, but not be too outrageous and attract unnecessary trouble.

This balance needs to be carefully managed.

Time slipped away quietly in this silent contemplation.

Early morning on the third day.

Chen Ye got up, wrapped the Jingzhe Blade in the rag again, slung it on his back, and then pushed open the door and went out.

The West City Martial Arts Arena in Qingzhou Prefecture covers a vast area, large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people training there at the same time.

Thousands of independent cultivators who had passed the initial screening were divided into dozens of areas according to the wooden tags they had received earlier, with a huge circular area marked out in the center of each area.

Chen Ye was assigned to field number seventeen.

When he arrived, there were already nearly a hundred people standing in the venue, each of them warily scrutinizing everyone around them.

Chen Ye remained half-dead, finding a spot on the far side, head down, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.

Soon, a middle-aged man dressed in the robes of an elder of Tianjian Manor arrived on the wind and hovered above the martial arts arena.

His aura was deep and his gaze sharp as he swept his eyes across the dark mass of people below, instantly silencing the noisy training ground.

"I am Zhao Xin, an outer sect elder of Tianjian Manor. Today, I will preside over the first round of selection."

Zhao Xin's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"The rules are simple." He held up one finger. "Each venue has a hundred people who fight each other, and the ten people who are left standing at the end are considered to have passed."

"Time limit: one incense stick's time."

"Life or death is irrelevant during this period! If you're afraid of dying, you can get out now!"

Zhao Xin's words were cold and cruel, causing many people to turn pale.

No matter life or death!

These four words instantly transformed the nature of this selection process from a competition into a bloody battle.

But not many people quit.

After all, fortune favors the bold, and there's no such thing as getting rich quick without paying a price.

"Alright, since no one is quitting, let's begin!"

At Zhao Xin's command, one of his disciples immediately lit a giant incense stick as thick as an arm.

Boom!
A deep, resonant chime echoed throughout the hall.

The selection process has begun!

Almost the instant the bell rang, the entire training ground transformed into a chaotic battlefield.

Shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and piercing screams rose and fell.

The same applies to venue number seventeen, where Chen Ye is located.

Everyone attacked the people around them as if they had gone mad.

The weak instinctively band together, while the strong ruthlessly begin to clear the field.

Chen Ye remained standing at the edge of the field. It wasn't that no one wanted to attack him, but rather that his position was too out of the way, and his sickly appearance was simply unappealing.

Most people would think that such a person would definitely be eliminated, so there's no need to waste too much effort on him.

Chen Ye was happy to have some peace and quiet, so he half-closed his eyes and quietly activated his Eye of Calamity.

In his vision, the entire site transformed into a complex network woven from countless energy lines and causal lines.

Everyone's movements, the flow of true energy, and the intent of their attacks were presented to him in the most direct way.

He could see clearly who the real strongman was, who was bluffing, and who wanted to reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

"what!"

With a scream, a man not far from Chen Ye was slashed to the ground, his blood splattering all over Chen Ye.

The swordsman who had just succeeded licked his lips, his bloodshot eyes turning to Chen Ye, and he sneered, "Kid, you're out of luck!"

As he spoke, he raised his blood-dripping steel knife and slashed at Chen Ye's neck.

In his view, dealing with Chen Ye, who looked so weak, was just a matter of convenience.

Chen Ye didn't even lift his eyelids, but simply shifted his body slightly to the side and took a half-step off course.

The powerful slash narrowly missed his nose.

At the same time, Chen Ye thrust the Jingzhe Blade he was carrying on his back upwards at an extremely tricky angle.

boom!
There was a muffled sound.

The end of the hilt struck the swordsman's chin with perfect precision.

The swordsman didn't even have time to scream before his eyes rolled back and he fainted on the spot.

The whole process was as fast as lightning and as silent as a whisper.

The people around them, engrossed in their fight, didn't even notice what was happening.

Chen Ye sheathed his knife and returned to his original position, as if nothing had happened.

But soon, some clueless people approached him.

This time there were two people, one tall and one short, holding short sticks and working in perfect harmony, clearly they were independent cultivators who often teamed up together.

Seeing that Chen Ye was all alone, they decided to join forces to get rid of him first.

The two attacked Chen Ye from the left and right, simultaneously targeting his upper and lower flanks.

Chen Ye still did not dodge.

He simply took a step forward just as the two were about to get close.

This seemingly simple move was actually incredibly clever, perfectly positioned to exploit the blind spot of their attacks.

Then Chen Ye stretched out his hands and gently brushed them across their wrists.

The two men felt a numbness in their wrists, and a strange vibration spread from their arms throughout their bodies, causing them to instantly lose control of their bodies. The short sticks in their hands clattered to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Ye's shoulder slammed into the chests of the two men, sending them flying backward. They struggled on the ground for a few moments but couldn't get up.

As time went on, fewer and fewer people were in the venue.

More than half of the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed.

There were fewer than twenty people left standing on the field, and they were all injured and panting heavily.

Apart from Chen Ye.

He remained standing in the corner, clean and tidy, as if he had been nothing more than a spectator from beginning to end.

(End of this chapter)