Chapter 169: Prelude to the Grand Competition

Ye Jiuyao’s eyes narrowed slightly. He gently pulled Luo Qingyu into his embrace and stepped aside, though his hands did not leave her waist.

"Where did this stray cat and dog come from, barking and howling here? Didn't your parents teach you to mind your... manners in public?!" Ye Jiuyao said to the man, his words sharp as a blade.

"Huh, he looks quite familiar."

"That's the top prodigy of the Iron District, though I seem to have forgotten his name."

"As for that handsome young man and the delicate, lovely girl, I’ve never seen them before. They must be nobodies of no renown."

"..."

Wherever there is a spectacle, onlookers are never far behind.

Thus, the crowd began to chatter once more, analyzing the situation according to their own insights.

However, this in no way affected the impending battle.

"Brat, I advise you to stay away from her! She is my future wife!" The man pointed at Luo Qingyu, declaring with absolute certainty.

"Oh? Qingyu, is what he’s saying true?"

"No, it's not! He's just a toad lusting after a swan's meat! He begged Master to grant our marriage, but Master refused, saying that my heart already belongs to someone else..." Hearing this, Luo Qingyu looked into Ye Jiuyao’s eyes with a trace of panic and hurriedly explained.

"I see. Then, my Princess, may this humble subject drive away the wolves and tigers for you? Or rather... the toad?!"

"Pfft—" Luo Qingyu couldn't help laughing at Ye Jiuyao's remark.

How could anyone possibly phrase it like that? Yet, coming from Ye Jiuyao, it was hardly surprising.

"Damnable fool!"

Seeing Luo Qingyu and Ye Jiuyao exchanging such affectionate banter, the man could no longer suppress the raging fire within his chest.

"Bastard, you're courting death!"

With that, a long spear surged forward with the momentum of a roaming dragon, instantly erupting toward Ye Jiuyao.

The terrifying force pierced through the void, accompanied by a howling, storm-like roar as it hurtled through the air.

Ye Jiuyao’s eyes narrowed slightly as the Mountains and Rivers Sword appeared in his hand. With a sudden, violent vibration, an unmatched sword Qi swept outward.

"Pfft!"

The sound of sword Qi cutting through flesh echoed. The man’s expression turned utterly blank, then instantly morphed into one of extreme hideousness.

"Clang."

The long spear fell from the man’s hand, and blood spurted from his gripping palm, spraying in all directions.

A miserable shriek immediately tore from the man's throat, leaving many in the crowd bewildered, completely failing to comprehend what had just happened.

"Senior Brother!!"

After a brief, stunned silence, the disciples accompanying the man finally erupted into a roar, crying out to him.

"You... you... you actually severed my arm?!"

With his only remaining hand, the man pointed tremulously at Ye Jiuyao, his tone brimming with agonizing reluctance and despair.

"Just an arm. If you were even slightly more irritating, you'd already be dead by now," Ye Jiuyao said, looking at him with utter indifference.

"You... Pfft—"

Before the man could finish his sentence, another mouthful of blood spewed from his lips, driven by sheer fury, and he collapsed unconscious.

"Stop the bleeding for him, lest he dies and tries to pin it on me," Ye Jiuyao said, pulling Luo Qingyu along as he began to walk away.

"Despicable!"

"This kid is truly arrogant beyond bounds!" the man's junior disciples gnashed their teeth in hatred.

"I... I remember now!"

"He—he’s that young man who defeated the top prodigy of the Gold District’s Qianye Sect with a single move!!"

Suddenly, someone recognized Ye Jiuyao.

"What?!"

"It's him?!"

"He's far too strong! What a monstrous level of strength!"

"And he won with a single move again!"

Exclamations of shock rippled through the crowd.

Many people wore expressions eager to try their hand against him, but the moment they recalled the sword strike Ye Jiuyao had just unleashed, their faces turned ashen gray.

...

"How did you become so strong?" Luo Qingyu asked.

"Sleep a little less, eat a little less, and it just turns out like this," Ye Jiuyao replied calmly.

Luo Qingyu shot him an exasperated look.

After all, her prospective husband had everything going for him, except for the fact that he was a little... lazy.

Yet, laziness aside, his talent was simply terrifying.

He could achieve breakthroughs simply by sleeping when he wasn't cultivating, let alone now.

Therefore, Luo Qingyu felt no real surprise.

"What realm are you in now?"

"Early-stage Monarch of Virtue."

Luo Qingyu did not hide anything from him.

"It seems the Exquisite Jade Heart Scripture is indeed powerful. My choice was right after all."

Back then, Ye Jiuyao had discovered the Tianyu Sect's cultivation technique among a vast sea of ancient texts, even though it was incomplete.

However, at a single glance, Ye Jiuyao had recognized that this technique was the absolute best fit for Luo Qingyu.

That was the very reason he had sent Luo Qingyu into the Tianyu Sect.

As the two walked and chatted casually, they caught up on all the details of the time they had spent apart.

Ye Jiuyao recounted the events concerning the Tongxuan Sect and the Hundred Realms.

Though a flash of sorrow crossed Luo Qingyu's face, she knew how to conceal it; after all, she was not the one suffering the deepest pain.

The one hurting most was the handsome man walking by her side.

After all, that was his home—a place filled with his grandfather, his mother, his father, and countless fellow disciples, junior brothers, and uncles of the Tongxuan Sect.

Eventually, the two returned to Luo Qingyu’s private chamber and talked deeply through the night.

Her senior sister wisely took her leave, casting a meaningful "I know what you're up to" glance at Luo Qingyu just before departing, which instantly dyed the young woman's cheeks a rosy blush.

They sat by candlelight, conversing until the first bell of dawn rang out, at which point Ye Jiuyao hurriedly took his leave.

When this scene was witnessed by Luo Qingyu’s senior sister, she giggled endlessly, her gaze toward Luo Qingyu carrying a distinctly teasing flavor.

This left Luo Qingyu utterly speechless, though she didn't bother to explain anything, knowing full well that the more one tries to explain, the harder it is to clear things up.

...

Qianqing Domain, Martial Arts Arena.

By this time, the grounds were already bustling with clamor and noise. A vast multitude had gathered, and the Qianye Sects from various districts had already arrived.

Directly below the main seats lay the designated areas for the district Qianye Sects.

Occupying the foremost positions was the Qianye Sect of the Five Elements District, while the Qianye Sect of the Southern District was relegated to a much more inconspicuous spot near the back.

Just as the crowd was engaged in heated discussions, a series of oppressive, formidable auras came hurtling through the sky.

Naturally, these were figures of high standing, such as the Sect Masters of the various district Qianye Sects.

However, once they took their seats, one could clearly observe that certain tables lacked any identifying nameplates.

Beside those tables that did possess nameplates stood anywhere from one to several young disciples, making it abundantly clear that the sects with nameplates were the ones participating in the current contention.

Before long, the emissary dispatched by the higher authorities of Qianqing also appeared before the crowd. Qianqing looked much as he had before, though his aura was palpably stronger.

"The Qianqing Domain's Grand Sect Tournament will follow past rules: only the top ten will be selected for the allocation of resources. The top three will be permitted to challenge disciples from other domains; victory means elevation for their domain!"

Qianqing’s words were concise and to the point, yet no one dared to show the slightest hint of contempt, for in a tournament of this scale, no one could predict where final victory would land.

After all, dark horses invariably emerged in such grand competitions.

Consequently, the excitement and anticipation within the crowd grew only more intense.