There were two days left until the academy tournament.
Ye Qiubai stood before the painting of the Sword Immortal performing a sword dance.
He seemed to gain another insight, and waves of Sword Qi erupted from within him.
His presence climbed rapidly.
The peak Golden Core realm!
Sensing that his cultivation had advanced once again, he could not help marveling, "As expected of Master. Every time I look at this painting, I gain a different insight into the Sword Dao."
If Ye Qiubai learned that Lu Changsheng had actually dashed off this painting out of boredom, who knew how horrified he would be?
However, after cultivating these past days, Ye Qiubai also felt that he had reached a bottleneck.
Over these days, Ye Qiubai had also learned a little about Hidden Dao Academy.
At Hidden Dao Academy, contribution points served as the standard of assessment.
Contribution points could be used to enter the Treasure Pavilion and select cultivation methods and martial techniques, or exchanged for heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
There were three ways to earn contribution points.
The first was to complete academy missions.
The second was to make outstanding contributions to the academy.
The third was to go to the martial arena and spar with others from the academy.
By staking contribution points, one could take the stage and challenge others. The more matches one won, the more the contribution points would double; once one lost, all the contribution points would go to the opponent.
With that in mind, Ye Qiubai decided to go to the martial arena to spar.
It would be a good opportunity to engage in actual combat and test his current insights into the Sword Dao.
He could earn some contribution points along the way, too.
And so, carrying a wooden sword, Ye Qiubai descended the mountain.
When he reached the registration office, an old man was sitting by the entrance.
"Name, hall, cultivation, and contribution point stake."
Ye Qiubai gave his name. "The Cottage, Golden Core realm, staking 100 contribution points."
The Cottage?
The old man raised his head to glance at Ye Qiubai and handed him a token marked with the number 11. "The Golden Core realm matches have already begun. Head straight over."
"Thank you."
Ye Qiubai cupped his fists and entered the martial arena.
After roughly an incense stick's worth of time, Ye Qiubai's number, 11, was called.
Ye Qiubai took a light step and leaped onto the arena stage. Opposite him stood a massive man whose muscles brimmed with explosive power.
"Li He of the Martial Hall versus Ye Qiubai of the Cottage. Equal realms, one-times multiplier."
After making the announcement, an old man withdrew from the stage.
The spectators were all startled by his words.
"The Cottage? Is that the Cottage that hasn't accepted a disciple in several decades?"
"Yes. Now that the Cottage is taking disciples again, let's see just what it's capable of."
Hearing the murmurs around him, Li He could not help sneering. "A disciple of the Cottage? I'd like to see just what someone from the Cottage is capable of."
Ye Qiubai did not reply, merely drawing his wooden sword.
After all, as long as he showed his strength, these people would naturally shut their mouths.
Meanwhile, several elders arrived in the air above.
Among them was Qin Tiannan, the academy's headmaster.
"It seems you all want to see what that brat Changsheng's disciple is like."
The Sword Hall elder snorted coldly. "If his disciple isn't up to scratch, he must no longer be allowed to take up academy resources."
The Martial Hall elder nodded in agreement. "Discontent within the academy is growing. I'm afraid even you won't be able to suppress it, Headmaster."
Qin Tiannan sighed. "Let's watch this young man first."
The match began.
With a savage grin, Li He stamped both feet hard against the ground. His explosive muscles bulged as he hurled a punch toward Ye Qiubai's chest!
Everyone in the Martial Hall possessed an extremely powerful physique, and Li He, one of their finest, was all the more exceptional.
With that single punch, even the surrounding wind changed direction, and a succession of sonic booms rang through the air!
Even the spectators around them were aghast.
"Li He's physique has grown stronger again. Even someone at the peak Golden Core realm would probably struggle to block that punch."
"That Ye Qiubai is still standing there without moving. He's probably already been cowed by the might of that punch."
"The Cottage... amounts to no more than this."
Ye Qiubai watched the punch with a calm expression. Indeed, Li He's physique was powerful.
But that was all.
He lifted the wooden sword in his hand slightly, then thrust it forward!
"You think a wooden sword can block my punch?"
Li He sneered and brought his fist crashing down onto the wooden sword!
Yet the wooden sword did not shatter as Li He had imagined.
Instead, his fist felt as though it had struck an exceptionally sharp treasured sword!
Pfft!
In just an instant, the wooden sword pierced straight through his fist!
Li He's expression changed drastically, and he stepped back!
Above, the Sword Hall elder's expression grew grave. "Concealing Sword Qi within-this youngster has remarkable control over his Sword Qi."
Concealing Sword Qi within was not difficult, but containing it within a fragile wooden sword was harder upon harder.
The Martial Hall elder's expression darkened. "Let's keep watching. This alone isn't enough."
After all, Li He was a student of their Martial Hall.
The spectators were also stunned.
Clearly, this scene had exceeded their expectations.
Ye Qiubai's expression did not change at all. His eyes were as tranquil as a lake, without the slightest ripple.
He took a light step forward, then shot out like an arrow loosed from its bow!
His wooden sword slashed out, and streaks of Sword-Ray formed a sword net, pinning Li He in place.
There was no escape!
Seeing this, Li He knew that he had underestimated his opponent.
The net of Sword-Ray before him swept toward him as though it could slice through space!
The gusts of sword wind cut across Li He's powerful body, actually leaving trails of blood!
If he allowed those slashes to strike him, he would probably be sliced into pieces!
At that thought, Li He threw back his head and roared. His arms actually began turning to stone.
Streaks of black and gold flowed along his petrified arms toward his fingers, forming black-gold gauntlets.
"That's a peak-grade treasure artifact! The Black-Gold Gauntlets, and he's even using the Mountain-Shaking Fist. These are Li He's strongest moves!"
"Back when Li He was in the early Golden Core realm, he used this move to kill an expert at the peak of the Golden Core realm, crossing cultivation levels!"
Ye Qiubai was surprised at the sight. His opponent's presence was also soaring dramatically; presumably, that punch was quite powerful.
His former self probably would not have been able to withstand it.
But now, he had the Primordial Sword Scripture his master had given him, along with the transformations brought about by various pills.
This punch amounted to no more than this, either.
The wooden sword in his hand slashed again!
Sword Qi surged forth, and the sword net formed from streaks of Sword-Ray seemed to grow sharper and more solid, as though it could cleave through space!
Fist and sword collided with the clang of metal striking metal.
Great waves of air spread continuously in all directions!
Unfortunately, the stalemate did not last long.
Cracks were soon sliced into Li He's Black-Gold Gauntlets!
There was nowhere to hide!
Li He's expression changed, and the Black-Gold Gauntlets shattered in an instant!
His petrified arms, too, were slashed with cracks amid a series of cracks and snaps, blood gushing from the fissures!
With a scream, he was sent flying backward and crashed down outside the arena stage.
"The winner, Ye Qiubai of the Cottage!"