Chapter 82: News from the Heavenly Jade Sect

After Ye Jiuyao finished speaking, he truly departed, showing not the slightest concern for the Mo family brothers and the others who were embroiled in battle. He flew straight back into the Profound Tower.

Outside, the fight raged fiercely. Bodies fell ceaselessly amid the exchange of blows, stirring even the hearts of those uninvolved. The Profound Sect had gone mad. These men were representatives of eighth-grade sects, and now they were all dying here; the fate awaiting the Profound Sect was all too easy to imagine. The Profound Sect was finished.

Yet Zhong Shaoshan and his companions showed no awareness of this, their battle only growing more intense, the power unleashed increasingly terrifying. Thunderous eruptions shook the earth and sky, but the invaders sent by the eighth-grade sects were, after all, merely third-rate individuals. In cultivation and strength, they could not compare with the members of the Profound Sect, who, while not the strongest, were still among the elite of Xuantian Town.

Thus, the battle was largely one against ten. Before long, it was over. The Profound Sect’s members suffered barely any injuries. When they gazed upon the heap of corpses below, their hearts were startled, but seeing the fearful eyes of the onlookers, they understood the brutal reality of the Thousand Emperor Realm. Or rather, in a place of cultivation, this was simply the way of things.

“Any who refuse to submit, the Profound Sect will meet them all! Eighth-grade sects merely possess a few more worthy lords—what of it?” The speaker was Nangong Mingyue. Her close-fitting robes accentuated her graceful figure; she stood with heroic poise, surveying those who still lingered to watch.

“The Artifact Pavilion and the Yuan Dan Pavilion will not take action over the Falling Leaf Sect’s affairs, which means your Falling Leaf Sect has ulterior motives…” “Your sect has committed a grave taboo!”

Nangong Mingyue spoke with utmost seriousness. Upon hearing her, people’s faces showed sudden understanding; the Falling Leaf Sect was likely not just after the title of Xuantian Town’s top sect. Perhaps there were hidden secrets at play. Nangong Mingyue’s words awakened them to this possibility.

The Profound Sect’s grand formation continued to run, but Nangong Mingyue and her companions departed. Seeing the principal figures leave, the crowd dispersed as well. Among them, members of the Li and Jiang families left with gloomy expressions, melting into the departing tide.

“Senior sister, did you tell them?” “Yes, I did.” “Then time is short. Starting today, you’ll receive special training. Although the Profound Sect doesn’t have many people, once the batch of alchemists and artificers develop true loyalty, the sect can expand!”

Every step taken by Ye Jiuyao seemed random, yet each was thoroughly considered. After all, if a sect suddenly grew strong, it would inevitably face a storm of attacks. Thus, he proposed the concept of education. Only through the infiltration of thought could true pillars loyal to the Profound Sect be cultivated.

“Very well.” Now, the members of the Profound Sect admired Ye Jiuyao from the depths of their hearts. For a young man to reach this point step by step was no small feat.

“Cultivate diligently. I will guide you all from now on—prepare yourselves mentally.” “Come now, junior brother, it’s nothing…” “Heh…”

Ye Jiuyao made no reply, only chuckling, then sent Tong Zhatian and Xuantian Zha to instruct the newcomers. Thus, the Profound Sect plunged into cultivation. In no time, the former laziness vanished; everyone rose early and trained late, each pursuing their own progress.

Soon, they discovered what Ye Jiuyao’s guidance truly meant. Under his control of the Heavenly Demon Fire, waves of scorching energy radiated forth, enveloping the disciples and subjecting them to an intense trial. This heat was not like ordinary fire; instead, it burned away their internal energy, relentlessly consuming their reserves.

At first, most paid little mind, but when the flames began to invade their bodies and devour their essence, panic struck. They hurriedly circulated their energy to expel the fire, only to find, to their horror, that it acted as if alive—evading their efforts and wreaking havoc within.

“Heh… amusing, isn’t it? This is only the first step. Each day I’ll train you in a new way, so you understand what cultivation truly means!” Ye Jiuyao watched their faces sink into despair and spoke calmly.

“Ah… no, this fire is terrifying…” “Newcomer, hurry and get rid of it, it’s burning me alive!” “J-junior brother, senior brother can’t hold on…”

“Heh…”

The disciples wailed bitterly, but Ye Jiuyao only replied with a laugh. The flames of Heavenly Demon Fire slipped in unnoticed, their presence undetectable. After all, Ye Jiuyao had inherited some of its innate abilities—such as absorbing the world’s energy and converting it into demon fire.

The flames within their bodies were thus formed from the energy Ye Jiuyao drew from the world, enabling them to invade unsuspectingly. Soon, a month passed in a blur. Throughout, Ye Jiuyao changed his methods daily, tormenting his disciples. In the first three days, complaints rang out incessantly, but afterward, the torment seemed to ease.

From the third day onward, they discovered their strength was increasing at a startling rate. Realizing this, they grew delighted, soon understanding it was Ye Jiuyao’s doing. By the fourth day, they began to jeer that his training was as gentle as a woman’s.

Ye Jiuyao was instantly incensed. He casually deployed several formations in succession, and the disciples quickly lost their bravado.

“Grandpa…” “Grandpa, I won’t dare again…” “Out of the way, I didn’t plant any gourd seeds…”

But amid this mad “abuse,” a remarkable phenomenon occurred: all achieved the Human Immortal Realm, with the bartender progressing fastest of all. Ye Jiuyao finally gave him a name, deeming it inappropriate to forever call him “old brother.”

“Gu Ying, cultivate according to the method I’ve given you. When the others can best you, I’ll pass on their own methods…” Ye Jiuyao addressed Gu Ying—naturally, the bartender.

After their breakthroughs, the disciples held a battle—a Profound Sect tradition, ranking their strength through combat. Gu Ying claimed first place, leaving Xuan San, Zhong Shaoshan, Nangong Mingyue, and the others unable to match him, much to their astonishment.

Failing to defeat Tong Zhatian and Xuantian Zha was understandable; the pair had advanced far along the paths of alchemy and artifact forging, their power immense. Thus, they ranked just below Gu Ying and were delighted for days, while Xuan San and Nangong Mingyue were most frustrated. Once, they had been the strongest, but now others had surpassed them, and their hearts could not help but feel aggrieved.

…

Just as Ye Jiuyao was guiding their cultivation, a piece of news spread swiftly through Xuantian Town. In truth, it was not limited to that place; all sixth-grade sects beneath it were abuzz with the same stunning rumor.

The Tianyu Sect is seeking a son-in-law!

Soon, this news reached Ye Jiuyao’s ears.