As the old man announced the result.
No one applauded.
There were only faces filled with shock.
Li He of the Martial Hall.
A figure ranked among the best in the Martial Hall, courted by countless aristocratic clans and dynasties, who had killed opponents above his level several times.
Now, he had actually lost to an unknown Ye Qiubai.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Ye Qiubai had been relaxed and effortless throughout, as though he had never used his full strength at all.
Above, Dean Qin Tiannan smiled. "Looks like that brat Changsheng has a pretty good eye."
The Confucian Academy elder also nodded. "This young man's talent is indeed impressive."
Meanwhile, the Sword Hall elder beside them stared at Ye Qiubai with a peculiar look, his thoughts unknown.
At this moment, the old man stood beside Ye Qiubai and asked with an odd expression, "Ye Qiubai, you now have 200 contribution points. Do you wish to continue challenging? If you lose, however, all your contribution points will go to the winner."
Ye Qiubai did not hesitate in the slightest. He had come here for actual combat in the first place, to use it to break through.
"Let's continue."
The old man nodded and read out the next challenger's name.
"Qiu Ming, Formation Hall."
Qiu Ming looked at Ye Qiubai and said solemnly, "You're very strong, but I wonder whether you can break my formation."
With that, formation flags shot out one after another with flicks of Qiu Ming's fingers.
Around the entire martial platform, streams of seven-colored mist actually formed between the flags, enveloping the whole platform.
Someone in the audience cried out in surprise.
"That's Qiu Ming's Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation! Anyone caught inside will experience seven illusions. If they can't find their way out, they'll be trapped for life!"
"Doesn't that mean Ye Qiubai is in trouble?"
"Everyone has the seven emotions and six desires, don't they?"
Watching this, the Formation Hall elder could not help smiling. "Qiu Ming is my disciple. I personally taught him the Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation. Ye Qiubai will have a hard time now."
The Sword Hall elder shook his head instead. "Those who cultivate the sword won't be trapped by an illusion formation so easily."
"Then let's wait and see."
As for Ye Qiubai, now trapped within the Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation, the first illusion was the scene of his talent test in his lineage.
"Next, Ye Qiubai!"
Looking at the lifelike, mocking smiles all around him in the illusion, Ye Qiubai slowly walked forward.
Those smiling faces were like the world's most vicious words of humiliation, charging toward Ye Qiubai's heart.
However.
How could such words disturb Ye Qiubai's state of mind now?
He pressed one hand against the Heaven-Reaching Stone. Instantly, light burst forth, and streams of Sword Qi crisscrossed the entire illusion!
Crack!
At once, the first illusion shattered!
Immediately afterward, the second, the third, and all the way through the sixth were broken by Ye Qiubai in an instant, one after another!
When he reached the seventh, a little girl stood before Ye Qiubai.
The little girl chased after a little boy, following right on his heels.
Again and again, she called, "Big Brother Qiubai."
The two played together and cultivated together.
The boy was hailed as Heavenly Origin City's greatest genius.
The two were a talented boy and a beautiful girl, and their engagement had been arranged when they were young.
Ye Qiubai quietly watched this scene, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
The scene shifted.
The girl had grown up, blossoming into a woman of a thousand charms.
Yet the boy had lost all his talent during his trials.
The woman then took their marriage contract to the man's lineage, tore it up, and drifted away.
Afterward, she sent people to hunt him down and kill him.
The scene ended there.
Ye Qiubai sighed. "What's past should stay in the past. Repay kindness and settle grudges freely. Return favors for favors, vengeance for vengeance."
"How could I sink into this now?"
"The Sword Dao should press ever forward!"
Ye Qiubai's eyes were utterly clear. Something seemed to dawn on him, and he slashed out with his sword.
The seventh layer of illusion shattered!
Outside.
Everyone was still discussing whether Ye Qiubai could break the formation.
At that very moment, Qiu Ming's expression changed.
The layers of rainbow mist within the Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation actually began to disperse, one after another!
"Impossible!"
Qiu Ming hurriedly tried to stabilize the formation, but the formation flags began to crumble outright!
Qiu Ming spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground!
Formation backlash!
A wave of shock swept through the audience.
When all of them had believed Ye Qiubai could not break the formation.
Ye Qiubai had not only broken it, but had done so in a mere ten breaths!
He had broken Qiu Ming's Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation in ten breaths. What did that mean?
Above, the Sword Hall elder cried out, "Clear Sword Heart!"
Qin Tiannan's face was also filled with solemnity.
The Formation Hall elder's face was even more incredulous.
"To comprehend Clear Sword Heart at such a young age-this young man's future is boundless!"
With that, the Sword Hall elder flashed directly onto the martial platform. Looking at Ye Qiubai, he asked with a face full of urgency, "Would you be willing to join my Sword Hall and become my disciple?"
Qin Tiannan and the others exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
The surrounding crowd also erupted in cries of surprise.
"Even the Sword Hall elder has personally come to snatch him up!"
"Looks like Ye Qiubai really is impressive."
"Exactly! Even an elder has set aside his pride to snatch him up!"
Ye Qiubai froze at the sight, but without even thinking, he cupped his fist and declined. "I'm already a disciple of the Cottage. My apologies, Elder."
The Sword Hall elder said urgently, "You cultivate the sword, and our Sword Hall has countless accumulated legacies of the Sword Dao. If you join us, it wouldn't even be impossible for you to comprehend Sword Intent within sixty years... whereas in the Cottage..."
Sword Intent...
Ye Qiubai's expression turned odd, but he still shook his head. "I already have a master."
Seeing this, the Sword Hall elder could only sigh. "Very well. Still, the Sword Hall will welcome you at any time."
Then he tossed Ye Qiubai a sword-shaped jade token.
"This is my Sword Hall's jade token. If you have any questions about the Sword Dao in the future, you may come and ask me."
"Thank you, Elder."
Ye Qiubai offered his thanks respectfully.
With that, the Sword Hall elder vanished from the spot.
Afterward.
Ye Qiubai won one match after another.
He defeated people from every hall.
The Cottage's name once again began to resound throughout the Hidden Dao Academy.
Decades ago, there had been no one who did not know the Cottage's name, no one who had not heard of it.
Now, the Cottage had finally taken in a disciple, proclaiming its return in an extraordinarily domineering manner.
Meanwhile, Qin Tiannan arrived at the Cottage.
He told Lu Changsheng everything that had happened.
Lu Changsheng's expression turned odd. "Why does that brat like drawing attention so much? What if everyone wants to join the Cottage later? Wouldn't that mean I couldn't slack off anymore?"
Qin Tiannan's face darkened. "Since you have the ability, why don't you take in more disciples?"
"What ability do I have?"
Lu Changsheng spread his hands. "I've already told you, I can't even figure out my own cultivation. How could I possibly teach anyone else? As for that brat Qiubai, it's purely because of his own tremendous talent."
Qin Tiannan sighed and patted Lu Changsheng on the shoulder. "I know you have the ability. You just like being lazy."
With that, Qin Tiannan left.
Lu Changsheng's face was full of innocence.
Did nobody believe the truth these days?