I saved the entire sect by playing idly by letting things fall apart.

Ye Qiao was among the last few to advance, ranking very low. In contrast, Yun Que advanced quickly, reaching over 300th in just one month.

Ye Qiao's evening routine was also quite fixed. During the day, she would draw lots to find opponents, and at night, her senior brother would drag her to train. She had only recently broken through to the Golden Core stage, and there were many more moves available after reaching the Golden Core stage. Zhou Xingyun was just like a doting father, patiently teaching her how to use them again and again.

Since having a junior sister, Zhou Xingyun has found himself quite busy.

Not only was he busy stopping Ye Qiao from her fancy antics and getting beaten to death, but he was also busy training her. Under these circumstances, Zhou Xingyun really liked this atmosphere; at least it was much better than the boredom he used to feel.

Ye Qiao watched the four sword shadows, stepped on the wind and darted through the narrow gap, the magic weapon in her hand lengthening and flipping, creating afterimages to block his attack.

The shattered sword energy materialized into chains that suddenly and tightly bound her.

Ye Qiao was strangled and unable to move. Zhou Xingyun lightly swung his sword down, and she was thrown hard to the ground. Looking at the courtyard with a crater in it, her lips twitched.

Senior Brother, you're fierce!

The sword energy dispersed, and Ye Qiao, wincing in pain, crawled out of the pit. "Was that sword energy manifesting?"

"Hmm." Zhou Xingyun's tone was indifferent. Ye Qiao hadn't yet mastered a skill that could only be learned by those at the Golden Core stage or above.

"I just demonstrated it once, you should remember it."

He had no doubt about Ye Qiao's memory.

She nodded, indicating that she had indeed remembered it.

"Imagine its shape, concentrate your consciousness on the sword energy. Then use it to attack me."

Ye Qiao was highly perceptive. With a flick of her wrist, she imitated Zhou Xingyun's gesture from earlier. A white gas materialized and suddenly swooped upwards. Zhou Xingyun calmly dispersed the sword energy she had painstakingly gathered. "Continue."

The transformation of sword energy consumes a lot of spiritual energy. Ye Qiao's spiritual root can absorb spiritual energy on its own, replenishing it quickly and allowing her to condense sword energy for a long time. This process is repeated, which is perfect for training the solidification of her sword energy.

……

For many days in a row, the Changming Sect continued in this manner, and gradually the neighboring sects got used to the noise they made from time to time.

Seeing the sword energy gathering in mid-air in the middle of the night, Zhu You frowned in disbelief: "With so many sword energies materializing, aren't they vulnerable?"

"It should only have been done by Ye Qiao alone." Ye Qinghan was a little tired. He had been pushing the list to the top 100 for a long time and hadn't slept much. He pursed his lips and added lightly, "But she's only at the Golden Core stage now, so she's nothing to worry about."

Fortunately, she was only at the Golden Core stage, otherwise it would have been quite troublesome.

On the Changming Sect's side, only Xue Yu is truly diligent, and it's a certainty that he'll make it into the top ten.

There are already few alchemists, and those with high talent in the entire cultivation world can be counted on one hand. However, alchemists are all stubborn and refuse to admit defeat, so he can only compete one match at a time.

These past few days he's been competing to the point of near oblivion. Ye Qiao respects Juan Wang's efforts, but she also realizes that Xue Yu's mental state is always too listless whenever he comes back.

None of them went to the stadium to watch Xue Yu's match, since a crushing defeat wasn't worth watching.

But Xue Yu, surely his mental state isn't that bad?

"What happened to you?" Ye Qiao poked him. "Are you okay?"

Xue Yu, still somewhat dazed, replied, "I'm alright."

The group hesitated, unsure of what to say; his appearance didn't seem to indicate he was alright.

But Xue Yu went straight to sleep after returning home. They exchanged a glance and prepared to go to the alchemy competition the next day.

There are relatively few people in the alchemy competition arena. It is not a one-on-one competition, but a group of alchemists gather together to compete. It is said that the competition is based on the appearance, grade and quantity of the pills.

Putting everything else aside, the appearance of the pills alone was enough to make Ye Qiao fail. She was extremely grateful that she had applied to be a sword cultivator.

Several hundred spectators sat outside to join in the fun. The arrival of the four was not particularly noticeable, especially since they were dressed casually. Ye Qiao, in a dark blue outfit, rested her chin on her hand and looked at the scene below.

"The alchemy competition is so boring." Mingxuan lazily covered his eyes, wanting to sleep.

It makes you lose all desire to continue watching.

The first half of the game proceeded as normal, leading some to suspect that Xue Yu's poor mental state was simply because he was too incompetent.

"He's so weak," Mingxuan said bluntly.

Ye Qiao agreed: "He's even more weak than me."

"..." You two, don't bring up such weird topics!

In the latter half of the match, Ye Qiao, who had been lying in the audience and occupying several seats without any manners, suddenly sat up. She blinked slightly and keenly sensed that the divine sense in the arena was subtly attacking Xue Yu.

Ye Qiao raised an eyebrow, stared straight into the arena, and said calmly, "Someone is interfering with him using divine sense."

No wonder he always looks so unwell when he comes back.

So it turns out they've been targeted in several matches in a row.

However, it's understandable. There are very few alchemists to begin with, so they'd rather take the opportunity to eliminate one of them.

The reason Xue Yu didn't tell them was the same: the alchemy competition was easier than other competitions, and the other four should be the ones who were busy. Telling them would only add unnecessary trouble.

Mu Chongxi stood up. "Then what should we do?"

Mingxuan sneered, casually grabbed a shoe from an audience member outside the arena, swung it around, and smashed it accurately into the arena. "I'll show you what you're capable of interfering with."

Never doubt the accuracy of a talisman master.

They could hit the target almost every time they threw a talisman, and hitting a shoe was even easier.

The man who was secretly trying to interfere with Xue Yu with his divine sense was instantly knocked backward by the shoe.

He roared in fury, "Who?! Who attacked me?"

The culprit, Ming Xuan, smiled nonchalantly and called out, "Your father."

"Wuhu." Ye Qiao's eyes lit up.

Just then, she had stuffed several steamed buns into her mustard seed bag, which were probably almost hard. Ye Qiao caught them in her hand, tossed them up, and then accurately smashed them down on the other alchemists.

"Are you crazy?" They couldn't take it anymore.

Looking up, I saw several good-looking teenagers who were smiling and rudely throwing things at me.

Xue Yu was stunned for a moment. He also saw several fellow disciples outside the arena. His fingertips paused, and he was somewhat moved. But why did their sect always take such unconventional paths?

The elders frowned as they watched the Changming Sect disciples smashing things around and having a great time on the sidelines.

What kind of weird art style is this?

"stop!!"

The leaders of the eight major families couldn't sit still any longer and warned without thinking, "Changming Sect members, no more throwing things into the arena! Anyone who violates this rule will have points deducted!"

"Tsk."

Mingxuan hadn't smashed enough yet. He leaned back and chuckled, "Rules, rules, and more rules. Those eight families are just too much trouble."

Xue Yu was the only one from Changming Sect to apply for alchemy training, making him one of those who fought alone.

The others were all organized alchemists, gathered together, all intentionally or unintentionally interfering with his judgment of the herbs.

You know, beating your personal mentor can really make you famous.

Regardless of how they won, just look at Ye Qiao and you'll see that as long as you can win, no matter how shameless you are, people will still like you.

Mu Chongxi curled her lips: "Those who interfered with Xue Yu are all direct descendants of the Eight Great Families, and they are quite talented."

They are all rare geniuses.

The organizers are the Eight Great Families, and the higher-ups turn a blind eye to this kind of unethical behavior.

Ye Qiao tilted her head: "Are the Eight Great Families so unreasonable?" It's like saying, "The magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps." What kind of logic is that?

Mingxuan snorted, "That's how they've always been. These powerful families aren't meant to reason with ordinary people like us."

Zhou Xingyun glanced at him and felt that Mingxuan had been attacking indiscriminately lately.

Ye Qiao raised her hand and asked the referee, who was also in charge, "Excuse me, isn't their use of divine sense to interfere a violation of the rules?"

The other party remained calm and composed. When he saw that it was Ye Qiao who had asked the question, he raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently, "This is just doing something insignificant within the rules, and that's all." He emphasized the last two words, which were full of warning.

He knew Ye Qiao.

Everyone knows her after the competition, but even Ye Qiao can't join the alchemy competition. What can she do?

Ye Qiao looked at him as if she understood something, "If that's the case, then it means that outside interference is allowed, right?"

"Can."

If they've already caused such a disturbance inside the venue, then intervention from outside is certainly an option.

But no one can interfere with someone else's alchemy from the sidelines. They're so far away, what can even Ye Qiao do?

"Are you going to cause trouble again?" Mingxuan opened his eyes, perking up.

"Don't say that. I was just doing some simple things within the rules. That's all."

Ye Qiao casually took out the Red Lotus Cauldron from the mustard seed bag and smiled slightly.

This was a gift from Xue Yu and the others. It's said to be a magical artifact, but we haven't had a chance to test its effects yet.

"Would you like to see how I refine pills using the alchemy furnace?" she asked.

Mingxuan: "Take a look."

Without saying a word, Ye Qiao sat down on the spot, recalling the steps of the Replenishing Spirit Pill. Her movements were smooth and fluid as she added spiritual plants into it. She was very fast at refining pills, and could even make ten pill imprints at a time.

To ensure the power was strong enough, Ye Qiao fired fifteen shots at once, and then blood started flowing from her ears.

Without raising her head, she fused the elixir, combined it, and blended the fragrance.

When it came to the fragrance mixing stage, Ye Qiao calmly threw in the ingredients. This time, she chose durian flavor. Fifteen pills lay scattered in the furnace, and the spiritual artifact's effect was rapid, several times faster than her previous pill refining speed.

While the other alchemists hadn't finished refining their pills, Ye Qiao took the opportunity to release the fragrance from the fifteen pills.

"Where's the Wind Control Talisman?"

Ye Qiao didn't even look up when she asked Ming Xuan.

Mingxuan immediately handed it over: "Big brother, here you go."

Ye Qiao pinched the talisman with her fingertips, blew it open, and a gust of wind swept into the arena. When the faint stench drifted over, the alchemists with their sensitive sense of smell noticed it.

"What does it taste like?"

Xue Yu: "..."

He could tell who was capable of such an operation just by smelling it.

But actually, after smelling it for a while, you calm down.

But other people can't stand it.

The referee on the sidelines couldn't sit still any longer. He stormed up to Ye Qiao and, seeing this legendary genius who cultivated three disciplines refining pills, slammed his hand on the table beside him. "What are you doing?"

Ye Qiao: "Alchemy, huh?"

She handed it to him, "Would you like to try some?"

Well... he's quite kind-hearted.

"No need," he refused instinctively. "You can go outside and practice."

"Why?" Ye Qiao exclaimed in surprise, clutching her alchemy furnace. "What are you doing? I'm just refining some pills that I like within reasonable limits, that's all!"

She responded with the same pronunciation of the word "而已" (that's all).

The referee's face darkened.

Unfortunately, I couldn't refute it.

He said it, so there's nothing wrong with it. Nobody said you can't practice alchemy outside the venue.

Could a normal person create such a bizarre thing?

The atmosphere among the alchemists was also quite subtle. Some people had strange expressions, wondering, "Who's refining shit in the alchemy furnace?"

"...No, I don't think so."

but--

It smells awful.

Alchemists originally relied on their sense of smell and memory to distinguish spiritual plants, and this kind of smell can really easily interfere with one's sense of smell!

"Can't you catch your breath?" Xue Yu's lips twitched as he looked at the person diagonally opposite him who was frantically holding his breath.

Surely not?

These sarcastic remarks show that Xue Yu had completely forgotten the scene where Ye Qiao's smoke had caused him to explode.

"Impossible!! You can't expect me to see my great-grandmother." He blushed and refused to admit defeat.

Xue Yu shrugged: "Whatever."

Ye Qiao noticed that apart from some distorted expressions, none of the alchemists in the room had experienced any explosions in their furnaces. She pressed on, took a megaphone, and called out, "Third Senior Brother."

She pointed to the stage and said, "Do you remember the elixir I brewed in class?"

Xue Yu: "..."

Do you remember that taste?

"Come on, let's hurt each other, we'll suffocate them!"

Xue Yu was somewhat tempted.

He's become a bit abnormal. Even a normal person would have their mentality twisted after competing in more than ten matches in a row, being interfered with every time, and being attacked with their divine sense.

Seeing Xue Yu's somewhat distorted expression, the other alchemists frowned, wondering what these two disciples were keeping secret.

Xue Yu refined the snail rice noodle flavor that Ye Qiao had previously created. He was the fastest at refining pills, and after creating ten pill imprints, he proceeded to adjust the fragrance and allow it to evaporate.

The combination of Ye Qiaolian's durian flavor and the two is simply amazing.

A strange stench gradually filled the entire arena.

With a flick of his finger, the spiritual plant flowed smoothly into the alchemy furnace. The young man stood tall and elegant, with clear and bright eyes. He was the only one in the room who remained expressionless and unaffected.

This is thanks to Ye Qiao's heroic deeds back then.

There's a saying that's quite true: the best way to deal with an opponent's interference is to try to adapt.

Having spent so much time with Ye Qiao, Xue Yu had successfully adapted to the strange flavors she cultivated.

So the only ones who suffer are those who can't accept it.

Danxiu's face flushed red, and he looked around, seemingly trying to find the source of the stench.

With a sudden jerk of his hand, the proportions were immediately messed up.

Finally, one of the alchemists, unable to bear it any longer, threw down the herbs and rushed out of the arena.

"I abstain." I can't take it anymore.

Dan Xiu already has a sensitive sense of smell, and this smell was wafting both inside and outside the arena. Who the hell is this trying to mess with?

After competing in dozens of matches, he had never encountered anyone who withdrew. Xue Yu's eyes lit up slightly. He hadn't expected that this kind of operation could actually make those people withdraw.

At that moment, he seemed to have found a good way to quickly end the game.

the other side.

In front of a disciple diagonally opposite Xue Yu, the alchemy furnace suddenly began to boil for no apparent reason, and then exploded without warning the next second.

After the alchemy furnace exploded, brown liquid flew everywhere, and Xue Yu unfortunately got splashed all over his face.

He was in the very center and suffered greatly, his body covered in brown medicinal liquid. Coupled with the stinky snail-noodle-scented pills he was making in front of him, the scene became somewhat out of control.

"Oh my god."

What happened?

"Has Xue Yu gone mad with demonic possession?"

That can't be right.

Who went mad and started eating shit?

To be honest, it's just refining an elixir.

However, Xue Yu's terrifying expression, which could stop a child from crying at night, coupled with the brown medicinal juice on his body, led everyone to misunderstand.

Who knows what happened to these alchemists?

The referee looked at the field with equal suspicion, not only because it was covered in brown juice, but also because it had become extremely smelly.

The perfumery process is meant to allow disciples to express themselves freely, but they shouldn't be allowed too much freedom.

The alchemists were also quite distraught, stunned by the overwhelming stench and the only one in the room, Xue Yu, who remained unfazed.

finally--

"yue".

I don't know who threw up.

The alchemy furnace exploded at the same time.

Without exception, all the alchemy furnaces in the arena exploded with a series of crackling sounds.

referee:"……"