Chapter 167

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Chapter 167: Auction

Yang Hualong. This was the second time Ye Yun heard this name, having first learned it from Zhong Ying and others. This man supposedly held great sway in the inner sect as the leader of Junzi Hall, the top faction there.

Once, the inner sect had seemed like an unreachable dream to Ye Yun. Merely becoming an outer disciple would’ve been considered soaring success. Yet an unexpected twist of fate changed everything. The Heart of Immortals and Demons refined his body tenfold—no, a hundredfold—sending his cultivation rocketing forward like an unstoppable tide.

In cultivation, destiny reigns supreme. Great fortune lets one escape any danger.

Ye Yun wouldn’t call himself greatly fortunate, but his luck held. Otherwise, why would the Heart of Immortals and Demons choose him? How else could he have survived the great tomb’s perils, plundered its treasures, and nearly destroyed Hualun—a Golden Core stage cultivator—along with her soul?

Three figures abruptly surfaced in his mind.

First came scrawny Shen Mo. Though two years younger, he’d absorbed spirit stones far faster than Ye Yun—even after the Heart’s transformations made Ye Yun ten times quicker than ordinary disciples. Months had passed since Elder Lan took Shen Mo to Tian Zhu Peak’s higher-ups. What cultivation level did he reach now?

Next appeared a girl—Jun Ruolan—light as sparrow, white robes fluttering as she scaled cliffs in moments during the outer disciple trials. Her talent dwarfed all others. Had she joined the inner sect directly? Wherever she was, her future shone bright.

The third was Murong Wuhen. Arrogant yet gifted, even Elder Lan dared not cross him. Brother to Murong Wuqing, leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s younger generation. He’d promised to seek Ye Yun’s help once Ye Yun reached Qi refining stage.

Ye Yun smirked. Back then, Murong Wuhen had only been at fifth stage of body refinement, yet carried himself like the strongest below Qi refining. Months later, with his brother’s backing, he’d surely broken through.

These sudden memories puzzled Ye Yun, then clarity struck—they mirrored his deepest thoughts.

Shen Mo’s fearless loyalty when facing the hall of sect regulations. Jun Ruolan’s unmatched talent that became everyone’s secret benchmark. Murong Wuhen—destined to meet again, if only because chasing Murong Wuqing’s shadow gave Ye Yun direction.

After slaying Zhong Ying and Zhen Huacheng during Tian Zhu Peak’s trial, their tokens became his. No threats remained. The “assessment” became his solo performance.

News spread fast. Killing Zhen Huacheng—a fallen purple robe disciple now in black robes—proved Ye Yun’s strength defied expectations. Most shockingly, every outer disciple present could see his cultivation: merely first level of Qi refining.

If first-level Qi refining let him kill Zhen Huacheng, his future needed no explanation. The inner disciple exam would be child’s play.

When Ye Yun reappeared, all eyes burned with awe.

“Who among us will become inner disciples?”

“Who knows? For Brother Ye, it’s just formalities.”

“We’re older, entered earlier, yet weaker.”

“Questioning Brother Ye? In cultivation, achievement trumps seniority! He outranks us the moment he surpasses us.”

“True. We’ll need his guidance later.”

“Guidance? Don’t pretend equality! A word from him could shape our futures.”

“Right! My tongue trips over itself…”

"It’s fine. Brother Ye is the future pillar of our Heavenly Sword Sect. Why would he stoop to your level?"

The disciples stood ten zhang away from Ye Yun, flattering him like a tidal wave. The fact that Zhen Huacheng had died by Ye Yun’s hand proved his brutality. Remember, participants could crush their life-saving talismans to escape during this assessment—yet both Zhen Huacheng and Zhong Ying, top experts, hadn’t even managed to activate theirs before being slain. This spoke volumes about Ye Yun’s cultivation level.

Ye Yun gazed calmly at the crowd, his face blank.

"You bootlickers! Aren’t you embarrassed spouting such nonsense?" Yu Minghong stood beside Ye Yun, scowling.

"Little Yu, you’re clueless." Duan Chenfeng smirked. "If these fools couldn’t flatter their way through life, they’d have died hundreds of deaths already. Truth is, everyone loves being praised. If I were Ye Yun hearing this drivel, I’d be thrilled."

Yu Minghong wiped sweat from his brow, rendered speechless.

Ye Yun suddenly raised his right hand.

Instant silence fell. Breaths froze. The forest became so quiet one could hear a needle drop.

"Token holders. Step forward."

Ye Yun’s group held sixteen tokens. Fourteen remained unclaimed.

Several disciples shuffled forward, tokens displayed on their palms. Ten people emerged, each clutching one token. Four were still missing.

"Where are the last four? Hiding them?" Duan Chenfeng stepped forward, voice like winter ice.

"But… don’t we have enough?" Yu Minghong whispered.

"You idiot, don’t you get it?" Duan Chenfeng snapped. "Control the tokens, control who takes the inner disciple assessment. It’s power."

"Why steal others’ chances? We’ll pass anyway!"

"We’re not stealing." Ye Yun’s calm voice carried thunder. "We’re redistributing."

The crowd erupted. Thirty tokens for hundreds of disciples? Previously, the strong hoarded them. Now this?

"Think I can’t find the last four?" Ye Yun’s frost-laced words stabbed ears.

A black-robed disciple shuffled forward, four tokens trembling in his palm—reasonable for someone at the fourth level of Qi refining.

"Didn’t you hear about redistribution?" Ye Yun’s gentle tone brooked no argument.

"But… how?" The disciple’s face twisted with reluctance.

"Simple auction." Ye Yun smiled. "Highest bidder wins. But bid wisely—or face consequences."

Auction? The crowd buzzed.

"Brilliant! Finally, my twenty-year treasure gets used!" shouted a yellow-robed disciple.

"Easy as flipping my palm now!"

"Start already! Highest bid wins!"

Most cheered. Only the token-surrendering outer disciples forced smiles. Some considered crushing their talismans—but leaving meant forfeiting qualifications. They stayed, trapped.

Yu Minghong and Duan Chenfeng gaped. Ye Yun’s scheme? Unpredictable as ever.