Ye Jingyong's Trump Card (Seeking Follow-Up Reads Next Tuesday)

Under the dazzling moonlight, it echoed the bright moon in the heavens.

Its vast, pure radiance bathed the entire martial arena, making it seem like broad daylight.

At this moment, Ye Jingcheng found it somewhat hard to understand. The Ye Family's clan competition today was far more intense than before.

The matches continued through the night.

It made all of Soaring Cloud Peak exceptionally lively.

There was not only the clash of spells, but also brilliant spiritual lights and the roars of beasts.

The mid-stage Qi Refinement arena began again. Ye Jingyong stepped up once more, and this time his opponent was still a sixth-level Qi Refinement cultivator from the Xing generation.

His opponent also had two spirit beasts now, and the Flying Cloud Leopard had instead fallen into a disadvantage. After all, one beast could hardly fend off two.

Yet his second brother, Ye Jingyong, remained overwhelmingly fierce. His Broad Cloud Sword swept wide and opened broad, forming huge sword radiance that slashed out again and again, while the Mountain-Opening Seal constantly sought an opportunity.

At the critical moment, the Mountain-Opening Seal suddenly emitted a burst of earthen-yellow light, immobilizing the Ye Family cultivator of the Xing generation and sealing the victory.

Ye Jingyong had never used this light-based method of the Mountain-Opening Seal before. In the past, he had always appeared careless and straightforward, so this took everyone by surprise.

Ye Xinghe then announced Ye Jingyong's victory.

Before long, the second match began as well.

There was even less suspense in this one, and the final fifth-level Qi Refinement cultivator was eliminated.

The third match was Ye Jingcheng against Ye Jingli.

"Jingcheng, I hope you'll go easy on your sixth brother. My Azure-Scaled Python is still a little too small..." Ye Jingli stepped onto the stage with a bitter expression.

At first glance, his Azure-Scaled Python looked enormously large. Coupled with its snake armor, it had indeed been invincible in spirit beast battles.

But the Crimson Flame Fox was no smaller in the slightest, and it was a spirit beast skilled in fire spells.

His Azure-Scaled Python might not even be able to get close.

"Jingcheng only just broke through. I hope Sixth Brother will go easy on me!" Ye Jingcheng replied earnestly. Since Ye Jingli was being modest, he would be modest as well.

He had no intention whatsoever of underestimating Ye Jingli.

An artifact refiner could pull out a new magical artifact at any time.

Ye Jingcheng first formed a hand seal, but did not have the Crimson Flame Fox spit fireballs right away.

Instead, he immediately activated the Ironwood Plaque in his hand, shooting countless Ironwood Vines toward Ye Jingli.

Faced with Ye Jingcheng's vines, Ye Jingli clearly focused on dodging. He was also constantly watching to see whether Ye Jingcheng had mixed talismans such as freezing talismans into the Ironwood Vines.

Given the power of the Crimson Flame Fox's Fireball Art, if he failed to evade them, he would certainly lose!

He first drew a nine-ring broad saber magical artifact and severed all the vines from a distance.

Then he brought out a silver ring magical artifact, trying to encircle the Crimson Flame Fox.

But the Crimson Flame Fox had previously been trapped by the Heaven-Trapping Bell, so it was extremely alert to such magical artifacts!

It casually spat out several Fireball Arts, leaving the Azure-Scaled Python with no choice but to dodge everywhere!

And in the opening created while the Azure-Scaled Python was dodging, Ye Jingcheng released another nine Silver Snow Needles.

After breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refinement, his divine sense had greatly increased as well. Controlling nine Silver Snow Needles was more than manageable.

The Silver Snow Needles shot from nine directions at the joints of the Azure-Scaled Python's spiked armor.

The Azure-Scaled Python relied on twisting and coiling its body, so its spiked armor was segmented piece by piece, allowing it sufficient flexibility.

Once the Silver Snow Needles emerged, the Azure-Scaled Python's speed was restricted. At the same time, the Crimson Flame Fox in the distance spat out fireballs.

In the blink of an eye, the Azure-Scaled Python was blasted flying.

Though Ye Jingli still had quite a few magical artifacts in hand, he ultimately conceded defeat.

He knew full well that Ye Jingcheng still had another spirit beast—the Golden-Scaled Beast!

Although the Golden-Scaled Beast was inferior to the Crimson Flame Fox, if they were unleashed together, he would lose even faster.

"What a pity—I couldn't even force out your Golden-Scaled Beast!" Ye Jingli transmitted to Ye Jingcheng with slight regret, without directly revealing Ye Jingcheng's spirit beast.

After all, only Ye Jingli, Ye Jingyun, and Ye Xingyu knew that Ye Jingcheng possessed a Golden-Scaled Beast.

Of course, Ye Jingcheng did not particularly care whether Ye Jingli mentioned the Golden-Scaled Beast. As far as he was concerned, there was no need to use it under the current circumstances.

"Ye Jingcheng wins!" Ye Xinghe confirmed the result once more.

"Thank you, Eldest Uncle!" Ye Jingcheng thanked him and stepped down again, his gaze returning to the late-stage Qi Refinement battles.

The late-stage Qi Refinement battle had already reached its end. The final match was Ye Jingyu against Ye Jingteng!

The Golden Feather Eagle and Flying Cloud Leopard, one in the sky and one on the ground, continuously harassed Ye Jingteng.

Ye Jingteng used the Azure Origin Sword Art, unleashing Azure Origin sword radiance that circled around him.

The Golden Feather Eagle and Flying Cloud Leopard did not dare approach at all.

Ye Jingyu then continued to take out his wind banner, pairing it with a Fire Serpent Talisman and a Fire Rain Talisman.

In an instant, flames that covered the sky and earth rode the wind as they swept toward Ye Jingteng.

Ye Jingcheng felt that if it had been him, he would not have been able to withstand that attack.

At that moment, his eldest brother Ye Jingteng sent all three flying swords slashing out at once.

The Azure Origin sword light merged into one, transforming into a massive Azure Origin Sword that slashed toward Ye Jingyu. This strike had nearly drained all of Ye Jingteng's spiritual power.

The sword came down without the slightest reservation, shattering every flaming wind blade artifact in its path like dead wood before a raging storm.

It continued toward Ye Jingyu, only to be blocked by Ye Haiyi's top-grade magic sword.

"Ye Jingteng wins!" Ye Haiyi announced the result.

Ye Jingteng then looked at Ye Jingyu.

"Fourth Brother, spirit beasts will only delay our cultivation. Focusing on our own cultivation is the true path!" Ye Jingteng said.

Ye Jingyu remained silent. He quietly put away his spirit beast and jumped down from the arena.

Ye Jingcheng had not expected such an outcome either, but he knew perfectly well that Ye Jingyu's methods went far beyond this. With the Beast-Link Mark, Ye Jingcheng himself could cast instantaneous Fireball Arts just like the Crimson Flame Fox. Since Ye Jingyu had a Golden Feather Eagle, his methods certainly did not end here.

And this eldest brother of his seemed to possess a strong streak of individualism.

Ye Jingcheng frowned.

But he had no time to think further. The matches for those in the middle stage of Qi Refining were about to begin. This round, Ye Jingyong received a bye. Yet the moment Ye Jingcheng stepped onto the stage, the remaining clansman voluntarily conceded.

Before Ye Jingcheng's Crimson Flame Fox, he had no confidence!

Thus, Ye Jingyong stepped up directly. If Ye Jingcheng won, he would take first place.

"Second Brother, please show mercy," Ye Jingcheng said with a cupped-fist salute.

Ye Jingcheng greatly acknowledged Ye Jingyong's strength. More importantly, he had a feeling that Ye Jingyong still had another spirit beast!

"Jingcheng, your Second Brother isn't qualified to go easy on you. This time, we'll settle who stands higher. Let Second Brother see just how capable the Ye Family's most gifted alchemist is!" Ye Jingyong replied.

A huge crimson Scarlet-Armored Beast appeared behind him. Ye Jingcheng was no stranger to this creature: a Scarlet-Armored Beast.

This Scarlet-Armored Beast resembled a pangolin in appearance, but its body was red as fire. It excelled in Earth Escape and Metal Escape techniques.

Even atop this arena, it could appear and vanish like a ghost. Most importantly, this Scarlet-Armored Beast was a mature late first-rank Scarlet-Armored Beast.

The moment it appeared, the Jing-generation cultivators below the stage stirred with excitement. Ye Jingyong had not brought out the Scarlet-Armored Beast even when facing cultivators of the Xing generation, yet he had summoned it against Ye Jingcheng!

That alone showed just how seriously Ye Jingyong regarded Ye Jingcheng.