Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 169 A Series of Challenges
Finally, someone noticed Chen Ye, this oddball.

One of the few remaining experts at the Sea Condensation Realm, a burly man wielding a giant axe, turned his gaze to Chen Ye after defeating his opponent.

He clearly regarded Chen Ye as a lucky guy who had survived until now by luck and hiding, so he grinned maliciously, dragged his giant axe, and strode towards Chen Ye.

Before the person even arrived, a fierce and menacing aura swept over them.

The surrounding rogue cultivators instinctively stepped back, their gazes towards Chen Ye tinged with pity.

This burly man, nicknamed Mad Axe, was a formidable figure with a small reputation among the rogue cultivators of Qingzhou. He possessed unparalleled martial arts skills, making him impervious to blades and spears. Coupled with his cultivation at the Sea Condensation Realm, ordinary three or five people of the same level could not even get close to him.

This sickly fellow is probably going to be chopped in two with an axe.

Faced with the unstoppable charge of the Mad Axe, Chen Ye finally raised his head, and his half-closed, turbid eyes seemed to brighten for a moment.

In the eyes of the thug, the seemingly impeccable stance of the burly axe-wielding man was actually covered with dense gray lines of calamity.

In particular, on his right wrist where he gripped the axe handle, a calamity line flickered at a specific frequency as his true energy circulated.

That was the hub through which his power flowed, and also his greatest weakness.

Seeing this, Chen Ye moved, his entire body like a wisp of green smoke, instantly getting close to the burly man.

Then Chen Ye raised his hand and struck the burly man's thick right wrist hard with the end of the knife hilt.

An incredible scene happened.

The burly axe-wielding man's massive body froze in place as if struck by a spell.

The ferocious expression on his face turned into terror and pain.

At that moment, he felt an indescribable, terrifying force explode from his wrist, then instantly shatter his entire body's true energy defense along his meridians!
puff!
The burly man coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the giant axe in his hand could no longer be held, falling to the ground with a clatter.

Then he staggered back a few steps, looking at Chen Ye as if he were looking at a devil.

"you……."

The burly man only managed to utter one word before everything went black and he lost consciousness completely.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Everyone stared at this scene in amazement, their minds going blank.

what happened?
This fierce, burly axe-wielding man was defeated by that sickly fellow who tapped his wrist with the hilt of his knife.

how can that be!

Even Elder Zhao Xin, who was hovering in mid-air, suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face showing shock.

Just then, the incense stick burned out.

Boom!
The bell rang again.

In venue number seventeen, there were exactly ten people left, including Chen Ye.

The selection process is over.

Chen Ye withdrew his gaze, lowered his head again, and resumed his harmless demeanor, as if what had just happened was merely everyone's illusion.

The first round of selection has ended, leaving some happy and others sad.

The successful cultivators couldn't hide their excitement. After receiving their tokens for the next round, they left in small groups, chatting and discussing where to celebrate that night.

Those who were eliminated were mostly dejected, and some were even seriously injured and carried off the stage, their future uncertain.

Chen Ye mingled in the crowd, silently received his token—a bronze token—and then prepared to leave this place of trouble.

Although he tried to keep a low profile today, his final fight against the burly axe-wielding man inevitably attracted a lot of attention.

Chen Ye could feel that even after he had walked a long way, there were still several sharp gazes staring at him from behind, including that of the outer sect elder Zhao Xin.

trouble.

Chen Ye muttered to himself, but didn't pay much attention to it.

Even if the trees are beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy them!
But sometimes, if you don't show off, you don't even have the right to be blown by the wind.

What he needs to do now is find a delicate balance.

You need to make Tianjian Manor feel that you are a talent worth recruiting, but you also can't let them feel that you are a huge threat.

After leaving the bustling martial arts arena, Chen Ye did not go straight back to the inn.

His killing intent had been stirred up during the battle just now, which made Chen Ye feel a surge of blood and qi.

The best thing to do in this situation is to drink some alcohol to calm down.

So Chen Ye turned around and wandered over to the Tavern for Relieving Worries.

It wasn't mealtime, so the tavern wasn't crowded; only a few tables of customers sat around, making it seem rather deserted.

Chen Ye chose the same corner by the window as before, ordered a pot of strong liquor and two side dishes.

"This fellow Daoist is quite skilled."

A burly figure carrying a large wine jar walked up to Chen Ye's table and sat down on his own.

It is Xue Shan.

Chen Ye looked up at him but didn't say anything.

"Don't misunderstand." Xue Shan grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. "I had nothing to do today, so I went to the martial arts arena to watch the excitement. But what you did to Mad Axe at the end really opened my eyes."

As he spoke, he filled the large bowl in front of Chen Ye with wine, and also filled his own bowl.

"I like to make friends with truly skilled men, especially swordsmen." Xue Shan picked up his bowl. "My name is Xue Shan. How about I offer you a drink and we become friends?"

Chen Ye watched quietly. Xue Shan's eyes were sincere, without any probing or malice, just pure appreciation.

Therefore, after a moment of silence, Chen Ye picked up his wine bowl, clinked it against Xue Shan's, and then drank it all in one gulp.

"Du Dao".

"Good! That's refreshing!" Xue Shan laughed heartily and downed his drink in one gulp. "Brother Du, your knife skills are truly divine and breathtaking."

"Just some tricks, nothing respectable," Chen Ye said calmly.

"Taking a trick?" Xue Shan shook his head, looking unconvinced. "To be able to control the force to such a subtle level, breaking the opponent's flow of energy with a single strike, if that's considered taking a trick, then 99% of the techniques in the world are just children playing house."

Xue Shan himself was an expert with a knife, so his eye for detail was extremely sharp.

He could see it clearly: Chen Ye's attack, though seemingly simple, was actually extremely terrifying.

At least he knew he couldn't do it.

"Brother Du, it's a waste of your talent to participate in that Ascension Ceremony with your abilities," Xue Shan said with some emotion as he refilled their glasses.

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Chen Ye feigned ignorance.

"Hey, you still don't know?" Xue Shan curled his lip, looking disdainful. "Tianjian Manor does this, claiming it's to provide a path for independent cultivators to advance, but in reality? Isn't it just to eliminate threats, to silence gossip, and to prevent people from saying they've monopolized all advancement paths and resources?"

"But in reality, they look down on us peasant cultivators. No matter how talented you are, you'll only be an outer sect steward at best, doing all the dirty and tiring work. You'll be the first to face any danger, and you'll never get any real benefits, but you'll be the first to take responsibility."

Chen Ye remained silent, simply drinking.

Xue Shan had drunk quite a bit and started talking more.

"I used to know a guy who, like you, was a genius with a knife." Xue Shan's eyes were a little unfocused as he drifted into memories.

“That kid is younger than you, but his ruthlessness and his comprehension are truly the best I’ve ever seen in my life. I knew then that he would definitely achieve great things in the future.”

"What a pity..." Xue Shan sighed heavily, drank most of the wine in his bowl, then turned the bowl upside down, spilling some on the ground.

"He was too arrogant and didn't know how to be tactful. He offended Tianjian Manor, and in the end... well, let's not talk about it."

Chen Ye watched his actions, and a strange emotion welled up in his heart.

This seemingly rugged man is actually a very sentimental person.

He still remembers himself and still feels sorry for himself.

This is very rare.

"It's a real pity." Chen Ye also picked up his wine bowl and, imitating him, spilled some wine on the ground.

It's a way of paying tribute to the "dead" version of myself.

"Yes, what a pity." Xue Shan looked at Chen Ye's actions, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Brother Du, you're a wise man."

"I'm telling you this for no other reason than to remind you," Xue Shan said in a low voice. "Tianjian Manor is a den of wolves and tigers, especially that young master Jian Wuchen who's been hyped up to the skies. I've met that guy; he's all smiles and hides a knife in his heart. He's definitely not a good person, so you have to be very careful when you go in and don't fall into his trap."

"Thank you for reminding me." Chen Ye nodded.

After having a few more drinks with Xue Shan, Chen Ye got up to say goodbye as it was getting late.

Xue Shan didn't linger, but patted him on the shoulder and said that he would treat him to drinks whenever he had time.

Chen Ye returned to the inn, lay down and fell asleep immediately. Perhaps because he had drunk a few cups that night, he slept very soundly.

The following morning, at the same Xicheng Martial Arts Arena, the atmosphere was even more somber and tense than the day before.

Yesterday, after a brutal elimination round, thousands of independent cultivators were reduced to less than three hundred.

Today, most of these 300 people will be eliminated, leaving only the final 30.

Chen Ye stood in the crowd, listening to the outer sect elder Zhao Xin announce the rules for the second round.

The rules for the second round are actually quite simple: defend your title!
In the center of the training ground, ten arenas, each ten feet high, were temporarily erected.

Ten initial champions will be selected by drawing lots later, and then anyone can go up on stage to challenge them.

The challenger who wins becomes the new champion. If the champion can defend against five consecutive rounds of attacks, they advance directly to the next round, where a new champion will be chosen by drawing lots.

Only the first thirty people to advance in the entire selection process will be considered.

This rule tests individual skill even more than yesterday's free-for-all.

Because once you become the champion, you will face the exhaustion of a series of matches.

Most importantly, there are limited spots available, so it's first-come, first-served.

This means that the battle will be intense from the very beginning.

Soon, the draw began.

Ten initial champions were selected, and without exception, they were all experts at the Sea Condensation Realm who had performed outstandingly yesterday.

Chen Ye was not selected, but he was not in a hurry and continued to stand in the crowd and observe coldly.

"start!"

At Zhao Xin's command, the ten arenas instantly erupted in chaos.

Countless restless cultivators, who had been unable to contain themselves for a long time, surged wildly toward the arena.

"I'll challenge you!"

"Get out of my way! This arena champion is mine!"

"Anyone who dares to take it from me, I'll cripple them first!"

The situation got out of control; before anyone even got onto the ring, the people below started fighting amongst themselves.

The disciples of Tianjian Manor had to step in to forcibly suppress the unrest in order to barely maintain order.

Chen Ye didn't try to squeeze in; he used his clairvoyance to observe the battle situation on the ten arenas.

These ten champions are indeed quite skilled.

Most of them were at the early or mid-stage of the Sea Condensation Realm, and their cultivation techniques and martial arts skills were all unique. They were able to handle the swarms of challengers with ease.

Chen Ye's gaze fell on the number seven arena.

The champion of the seventh arena was a swordsman who looked very young, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He was dressed in brocade robes, holding a magnificent longsword of considerable value, and his face was full of arrogance.

His swordsmanship was light and swift, bearing some resemblance to that of the Heavenly Sword Manor, yet also somewhat different.

Chen Ye guessed that this person was probably a member of a family that was affiliated with Tianjian Manor. He had been exposed to the culture from a young age and had thus learned some basic skills.

But even this fur was enough to make him stand out from the crowd.

This man was particularly ruthless, aiming every sword strike at his opponent's vital points. In a short period of time, two challengers had been severely injured and carried off the field.

Moreover, he seemed to enjoy the feeling of trampling his opponents underfoot, and would humiliate them after each victory.

"Useless trash! With such meager skills, you dare to participate in the Ascension Ceremony?"

"Get out of here, stop making a fool of yourself!"

He quickly won three games in a row, and only needed two more wins to advance directly.

He stood there, sword in hand, coldly surveying the crowd below. "Who else wants to come up and die?"

His words provoked the anger of the crowd below the stage, but for a moment no one dared to go up on stage again.

Just then, a hoarse voice came from behind the crowd.

"I'll try."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a thin, sallow-faced swordsman carrying a sword wrapped in tattered cloth slowly walking onto the number seven arena.

It was Chen Ye.

The young man in brocade robes looked Chen Ye up and down, and when he saw his poor and destitute appearance, a contemptuous smile appeared on his lips.

"Old man, looking at you half-dead, you should just go home and lie down and wait to die. Why come here looking for trouble?"

Chen Ye ignored his taunts and simply walked to the center of the arena and stood there.

"The rogue cultivator, Du Dao, has come to challenge me."

"Humph, I don't know whether to live or die!"

Before he finished speaking, the young man in brocade robes made his move!

With a swift movement, his longsword flashed with a dazzling light, like a peacock spreading its tail, instantly enveloping Chen Ye.

This move was both dazzling and deadly.

However, faced with the sky full of sword light, Chen Ye seemed to be stunned and stood still.

A cruel sense of pleasure flashed in the young man's eyes.

He could almost see this arrogant fool being sliced ​​into countless pieces by his sword light.

But just as the sword light was about to reach him, Chen Ye moved.

He neither drew his sword nor dodged, but instead took a step forward.

It's a very small step.

Then he raised the knife, still wrapped in rags, and casually slashed downwards at the impenetrable net of swords in front of him.

However, this seemingly casual slash landed with unparalleled precision on a specific point within the dazzling sword light.

This point is the pivot of all the sword moves of the young man in brocade robes, and also his greatest tribulation!
Ding!
A soft sound.

The blade, wrapped in tattered cloth, clashed with the flash of sword light.

The next second, this dazzling sword light vanished like a punctured balloon.

The young man in brocade let out a painful groan, flying backward and crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena, his longsword flying out of his hand.

He struggled to get up, but felt as if an invisible force had disrupted the meridians throughout his body. His true energy surged and his blood churned, causing a sweet taste in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"What...what did you do...?"

He looked at Chen Ye with a face full of horror, his eyes filled with incomprehension and fear.

He didn't see how the other person made their move, and he didn't even feel the other person's knife touch him.

But I still lost, and lost inexplicably.

The entire area around Arena Number Seven was completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw.

If Chen Ye's victory over the burly axe-wielding man yesterday had some element of trickery involved...

So today, facing this young man in brocade robes with superb swordsmanship, he still won with a single, effortless strike.

That's not about taking shortcuts.

This is an absolute crushing defeat!
Chen Ye did not answer the question from the young man in brocade robes. Instead, he walked to the center of the arena and said in a hoarse voice, "Who else?"

There was silence in the audience.

After a long while, a man who looked very cautious, holding two daggers, took a deep breath and jumped onto the arena.

This man wielding two daggers was clearly much more cautious than the young man in brocade robes from before.

Instead of launching a fierce attack right away, he lowered his body and slowly circled around Chen Ye, trying to find an opening.

However, Chen Ye just stood there quietly, his back slightly hunched, his eyes cloudy, and his whole body looked full of flaws.

But the more this happened, the more uneasy the man became.

He had witnessed the scene firsthand and knew that the seemingly sickly swordsman in front of him was a ruthless character.

After a stalemate lasting a full half minute, the man finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He roared and suddenly pushed off with his feet, charging forward from Chen Ye's left.

The dagger in her left hand was a feint, meant to attract Chen Ye's attention.

The real killing move was the dagger in his right hand, which stabbed towards Chen Ye's ribs like a venomous snake!

He practiced this combo countless times, mastering its essence of speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness. Countless skilled fighters have lost their lives to this move.

However, the moment he launched his attack, Chen Ye moved. With just a slight sway, the man felt a blur before his eyes and lost all trace of Chen Ye.

not good!

Alarm bells rang in his mind, and without thinking, he tried to back away.

But it's too late.

With a muffled thud, the man felt as if a large hammer had struck the back of his neck. His vision went black, and he instantly lost consciousness.

Chen Ye sheathed the knife, still wrapped in tattered cloth, looked at the man who had collapsed to the ground, and shook his head.

too slow.

Under Chen Ye's keen observation, from the moment this guy made his attack intention, all his movements and all his follow-up moves were clearly seen, so he posed no threat whatsoever.

They won the second battle as well.

(End of this chapter)