First (Bonus Chapter for Cumulative Tips)

At this moment, it was nearing midnight, and the bright moon hung high at the center of the sky.

Without question, everyone favored Ye Jingyong even more. After all, he possessed the Mountain-Opening Seal and the Broad Cloud Sword, as well as two formidable spirit beasts.

At that moment, Ye Jingcheng waved his hand once more. Before him appeared a Golden-Scaled Beast covered in golden armor.

Its golden scales were not as eye-catching as the Scarlet-Armored Beast's crimson spikes.

Yet its gleaming golden armor and agile, powerful body still struck the gathered cultivators with an incomparable sense of impact.

Together with its enormous fangs and sharp claws, both glinting with golden light, it was dazzling to behold.

The cultivators present all knew quite a bit about spirit beasts.

They could naturally tell that while this Golden-Scaled Beast was inferior to the Scarlet-Armored Beast, it was far stronger than the Flying Cloud Leopard!

Viewed this way, Ye Jingcheng's demon beasts actually surpassed Ye Jingyong's by quite a bit.

After all, everyone had already witnessed the Crimson Flame Fox's strength!

"Looks like your second brother is about to capsize," Ye Jingyong said with a self-deprecating laugh, but his hands did not pause in the slightest as he began forming hand seals.

He immediately unleashed the Broad Cloud Sword!

Dazzling waves of blade shadows appeared in the sky!

Meanwhile, the Flying Cloud Leopard lunged to bite the Crimson Flame Fox, while the Scarlet-Armored Beast drilled directly into the arena!

It too charged toward the Crimson Flame Fox!

Compared to the Golden-Scaled Beast covered in scales, the Crimson Flame Fox was clearly the weak point Ye Jingyong had chosen to break through.

But Ye Jingcheng had long since formed his hand seals as well. Ironwood Vines surged forth in an instant, filling the sky as they coiled toward the Flying Cloud Leopard!

At the same time, nine Silver Snow Needles shot toward Ye Jingyong in a sneak attack!

Forced to divide his attention, Ye Jingyong immediately sent the Mountain-Opening Seal toward Ye Jingcheng.

A flash of spiritual light spread out and enveloped Ye Jingcheng!

It immobilized Ye Jingcheng's body, just as Ye Jingyong had won their previous match!

Many cultivators sighed inwardly at Ye Jingcheng's carelessness.

But in the next moment, Ye Jingcheng's Ironwood Vines dragged him out and swept toward the Flying Cloud Leopard.

The Flying Cloud Leopard was extremely agile, dodging many of the Ironwood Vines. But at that very moment, a bell transformed into a great clock and abruptly covered it!

Ye Jingyong's expression changed drastically. He had not expected Ye Jingcheng to have been baiting him. Just when he thought the Scarlet-Armored Beast would succeed—

The Golden-Scaled Beast began stomping the ground repeatedly. Countless earth spikes stabbed down into the ground, piercing through the Scarlet-Armored Beast's earth-escape technique and forcing it to burst out onto the surface, where it was met by no fewer than five successive Fireball Techniques!

Brilliant explosions rang out one after another. At the same time, Ye Jingcheng sent the nine Silver Snow Needles stabbing toward Ye Jingyong once more!

The Flying Cloud Leopard was trapped by the Heaven-Trapping Bell, while the Scarlet-Armored Beast had its greatest advantage—its escape technique—broken by the Golden-Scaled Beast and Crimson Flame Fox!

It was even being besieged by the Crimson Flame Fox!

Ye Jingyong frowned and rushed toward the Scarlet-Armored Beast. The Broad Cloud Sword cleared the way, shredding all the Ironwood Vines, and he recalled the Mountain-Opening Seal, intending to smash it down on the Golden-Scaled Beast!

But even when the spiritual light trapped the Golden-Scaled Beast, Ye Jingcheng's Ironwood Vines could still drag it beyond the range of that spiritual light!

Then, at some unknown point, an Ice-Freezing Talisman appeared beneath the Scarlet-Armored Beast's feet!

As ice spread across the ground, the Scarlet-Armored Beast was unable to move and took a Fireball Technique head-on!

It was blasted out of the arena.

In his urgency, Ye Jingyong charged out as well, intending to defeat Ye Jingcheng first while he was unable to attend to anything else after casting Ironwood Vine.

But the Golden-Scaled Beast suddenly stomped the ground, and countless earth spikes thrust toward Ye Jingyong's abdomen.

The sight horrified Ye Jingyong.

As he dodged, Ironwood Vines wrapped around him. At the same time, the distant Crimson Flame Fox spat out an enormous fireball.

It was about to blast Ye Jingyong.

Though unwilling, Ye Jingyong still opened his mouth and conceded.

"Jingcheng, your second brother has lost!"

Bitterness showed in Ye Jingyong's eyes. He knew this was still only a contest. If it had been a true fight to the death, Ye Jingcheng's Crimson Flame Fox and Golden-Scaled Beast might have acted even more without restraint!

This combination of two spells, together with Ye Jingcheng's Ironwood Vines, was simply too difficult to counter!

Of course, what Ye Jingyong admired even more was Ye Jingcheng's control over his two spirit beasts.

"Jingcheng, does having spirit beasts refine pills improve your control over them?" Ye Jingyong still asked.

"It can," Ye Jingcheng nodded. Of course, the truth was that he did not know either.

He relied on the blood contract from the treasured book. He understood every single thought his spirit beasts had; that was where his advantage lay!

But he could not tell Ye Jingyong about that.

He could not guarantee their tacit understanding, but it could increase the spirit beasts' responsiveness to spells.

His Golden-Scaled Beast and Crimson Flame Fox practiced without cease!

Ordinary cultivators simply had no way to replicate his training—after all, he could use the Treasure Book to restore his two spirit beasts' spiritual power.

"Ye Jingcheng wins!"

"In this mid-stage Qi Refinement clan tournament, Ye Jingcheng ranks first and may choose one Profound-tier cultivation technique from the Scripture Repository or one late first-rank spirit beast. Ye Jingyong ranks second and may choose one Yellow-tier cultivation technique or one late first-rank spirit beast. Ye Xingyuan ranks third and may choose one Yellow-tier cultivation technique or one mid first-rank spirit beast!"

Ye Xinghe began announcing the results!

The top three could choose either cultivation techniques or spirit beasts, while those ranked fourth through tenth received rewards of spirit stones, magical artifacts, or spirit pills.

These were all choices the cultivators could make for themselves!

This was especially true for those in the late stage of Qi Refinement. Since there were only ten of them to begin with, all ten received rewards.

It was also recognition that they had managed to break through to the late stage of Qi Refinement before reaching fifty.

"All rewards may be collected from the Treasure Pavilion tomorrow!" Ye Xinghe said at last.

Nearby, the matches for the early stage of Qi Refinement also soon came to an end.

The announced results were more or less the same as those for the mid stage of Qi Refinement.

"Alright, the clan tournament is over. I hope everyone remembers today's humiliation. From the blazing sun to the bright moon, we of this generation must engrave it in our hearts!" Ye Haiyi flew into the sky and spoke once more!

His words drew a response from every member of the Ye Family.

Ye Jingcheng could not help looking toward the mountain peak, his gaze shifting slightly. He still had not seen Ye Haiyun.

Logically speaking, with something having happened to the Turtle Ancestor, Ye Haiyun should have been free as well.

With so much evidence pointing to it, Ye Jingcheng's belief that the Turtle Ancestor was not dead grew stronger and stronger!

However, he knew that his current strength was far too low. He was not yet qualified to stand at the center of the Ye Family's decision-making.

It was enough for him to understand it in his heart. If he truly insisted on digging into the matter, he might even be mistaken for an informant from another family.

Ye Jingcheng shook his head and resumed considering cultivation techniques!

Now that both of his spirit beasts could increase his cultivation, the most important thing was to find a fire-and-earth-attribute cultivation technique!

Yet what made Ye Jingcheng hesitate was that his Beast-Link Mark was a full seven cun long. How many more spirit beasts could he still link with?

If possible, he wanted to choose cultivation techniques of four different attributes, perfectly corresponding to his four spirit roots!

But if he did that, raising too many spirit beasts might also drag down his progress.

As Ye Jingcheng hesitated, he headed toward his own small courtyard beneath the moonlight!

Before long, the gate of the small courtyard appeared before his eyes.