Chapter 107: Too Weak

The group watched the direction Ye Jiuyao had departed, their expressions dimming. The strength of the senior disciples was not to be underestimated; after all, if someone like Scar-Face was that formidable, the others would certainly be no less capable. Furthermore, according to the information they had gathered, the senior disciples were even stronger than Scar-Face, who was merely a shiftless thug.

Those who intended to participate in the Grand Competition were practitioners who kept to themselves, all vying for a spot as outer sect disciples. The hierarchy of the Qianye Sect was strict; the higher one’s rank, the better the resources. The disparity between a chore disciple and an outer sect disciple was a prime example: the former received only ten low-grade origin stones a month, while the latter received a hundred. This was to say nothing of the inner sect or core disciples. They were desperate to compete, but lacking the necessary strength, they had hoped to rely on Ye Jiuyao after witnessing his peerless power. They had never expected, however, that Ye Jiuyao would be so confident in his own abilities.

"Sigh... forget it. We must strive on our own. After all, we looked down on him from the start; he would naturally never help us just because of a few words," one remarked.

"True. Given his strength, even if he were to lose, the sect elders would surely make an exception and approve his promotion."

"As for us, we are merely eighth-grade... our talent is sufficient, but our strength is too weak, and our foundations are unstable. The Grand Competition exists precisely to eliminate people like us. The sect is looking for the future," another analyzed profoundly.

The rest nodded in agreement, and a heavy silence fell over them once more.

*Boom!*

Just as they sat in silence, a deafening sound erupted from the spot where Ye Jiuyao had previously stood. Without warning, the ground suddenly shattered, the cracks spreading right up to their feet.

"He... he is terrifying!" they exclaimed in horror once the earth stopped trembling.

"No wonder he didn't need us..."

"This is power—only with power does one have the right to speak!"

"I want to become stronger! I want to be just like him!"

A surge of intense desire ignited within the hearts of these new disciples. They yearned for strength, for the power to have a voice. An atmosphere of cultivation suddenly took hold in the new disciples' quarters, with endless streams of origin energy pouring in from all directions. The Qianye Sect was a massive institution, and even its branch possessed a terrifying density of origin energy. These individuals were inherently talented; they simply lacked a solid foundation, much like someone who had never attended tutoring sessions compared to one who had. Once the latter caught up, they would stand on equal footing, and everything would then come down to natural talent.

...

Meanwhile, Ye Jiuyao strolled through the sect, his mind occupied by the Grand Competition the new disciples had mentioned. "Don't tell me this competition is just another session of beating people up? That would be terribly dull..." he thought with a bitter smile. If the competition remained like this, his strength would easily secure him a spot in the top three of the outer sect. As for the inner sect, he dared not say, having yet to meet any inner sect disciples—only Cao Sisi from the outer sect. If the outer sect was filled with those of her caliber, Ye Jiuyao could easily take on ten at once. She was simply too weak.

"Sigh... is being invincible not a form of sorrow? I finally understand what the great master in the Canglang Scroll meant..." Ye Jiuyao gazed at the bright moon, feigning a look of deep melancholy.

"Hah!"

"Again! I refuse to accept this!"

Soon, the sounds of shouting—a form of self-encouragement—reached his ears.

"Already here?" Ye Jiuyao murmured, looking at the group of people waving their arms about. The martial arts arena was crowded, each person locked in combat with an opponent of varying strength. The arenas for outer sect disciples and chore disciples were connected, or rather, shared, and Ye Jiuyao had arrived exactly there.

The disciples on the stage all had the characters "Outer Sect" embroidered on their robes. Ye Jiuyao scanned the area, but seeing no worthy opponents, he shook his head with a sigh. Perhaps his sigh was too loud, or perhaps these outer sect disciples were overly sensitive, but they heard him amidst the din.

"Hey, you newcomer! Come and spar with this senior brother. If you do well, I might go easy on you during the assessment..."

Ye Jiuyao ignored him entirely and continued walking. The man was instantly incensed; having been soundly beaten for the entire night, he couldn't let such an opportunity to vent on a chore disciple pass him by. "Hey! A mere chore disciple dares to defy me? Today, I shall teach you the meaning of respect!"

The disciple leaped off the stage, drawing the attention of others, many of whom wore mocking smiles. "That kid is in for it. 'Mad Dog' is the most terrifying when he's angry. I bet he won't last a single round."

"Exactly. Mad Dog was suppressed by 'Raging Bear' all night and is feeling stifled. Now that there's a newcomer, he’s bound to go all out. Plus, this kid isn't very bright."

"Heh... just watch..."

Ye Jiuyao remained indifferent. Even as Mad Dog charged at him, he didn't give it a second thought, continuing his stride.

"You brat, you're courting death!" The pent-up frustration in Mad Dog's chest reached a breaking point as he neared Ye Jiuyao, pouring all his strength into a single punch.

"Noisy!" Ye Jiuyao’s face darkened in annoyance. Why did some people insist on seeking their own demise?

"So strong!"

"Mad Dog's power has broken through! That kid won't even be able to participate in the assessment."

Raging Bear, a burly man watching with a fierce glint in his eyes, observed the two. But just as Mad Dog's fist was about to land, Ye Jiuyao turned around, followed by a swift slap.

*Smack!*

The slap was incredibly fast, faster even than the incoming fist. A flicker of triumph had crossed Mad Dog's eyes, but the moment the sound of the blow echoed, his expression turned to one of immediate regret.

"Ugh..."

Mad Dog was sent flying by Ye Jiuyao's slap. His face was completely distorted, the right side caved in.

"This..."

The crowd was left speechless. It was simply too powerful. Even Raging Bear, known for his own strength, saw his pupils contract in shock. As for the others, their expressions were a sight to behold. Those who had been cheering for Mad Dog looked as though they had seen a ghost in broad daylight—stunned and terrified.

"Too weak."

Leaving behind those words, Ye Jiuyao stepped away, leaving the crowd in a state of utter bewilderment.