Chapter 239
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Chapter 239: Grouping
The sect competition did not allow everyone who signed up to participate; a selection process was required. Each peak could send sixteen disciples, and participation in both individual and team battles was permitted. Team battles were typically assigned directly by the Peak Master and Grand Elder without selection. Only the individual battles held a competitive selection to determine the sixteen participants, ensuring fairness.
At Shadowless Peak, 128 disciples had registered for the youth group’s individual battles. Many had become inner disciples within the past three years, and the new disciples, young and spirited, all clung to the hope of advancing through the trials to the main competition.
Ye Yun stood quietly outside the Trial Hall, flanked by Nie Yuanping and Yin Haotian. Since Ye Yun had disciplined them, the pair now treated him with unwavering respect and no longer avoided him.
“Senior Brother Yin, you’re in the adult group, while Brother Ye and I are in the youth group. We won’t be competing together,” Nie Yuanping remarked with a grin.
Yin Haotian frowned, his smile strained. Though he boasted loudly, he knew his limits. In the youth group, he might stand a chance, but the adult group relied purely on luck. Breaking into the final sixteen seemed impossible.
“I’ll try anyway. Maybe I’ll make it. Just getting into the main competition brings decent rewards,” Yin Haotian muttered.
“Then just avoid bad luck! You still have a shot,” Nie Yuanping chuckled.
“What shot? The youth group’s full of tough opponents—plenty at Qi refining stage level seven and even more at level six. What’s *your* cultivation level?” Yin Haotian retorted, rolling his eyes.
Nie Yuanping grimaced. “I told you—it’s all about luck!”
“You think you’re on Brother Ye’s level? Ming Siyu could crush you in a heartbeat!” Yin Haotian snapped.
“Fine, we’ll just cheer for Brother Ye instead,” Nie Yuanping said, shrugging. He harbored no illusions about reaching the final sixteen; his goal was simply to gauge his progress.
Watching their banter, Ye Yun felt a pang of nostalgia. In the past, Yu Minghong and Duan Chenfeng had been at his side—one calm yet occasionally rash, the other brash yet sometimes timid. He wondered how far they’d progressed under the Two Elders in Black and White and whether they’d join this competition.
After scanning the crowd without spotting them, Ye Yun shook his head. They likely weren’t participating.
“Ye Yun!”
A familiar voice rang out. He turned to see Su Ling bounding toward him, trailed by two smiling disciples. One was Lu Qianqiu, whom he’d met at Zang Wu Pavilion.
Ye Yun caught Su Ling as she leaped at him, then nodded to Lu Qianqiu and the other disciple. “Greetings, Senior Brothers.”
Lu Qianqiu smiled warmly, and the other disciple returned the gesture.
“How’d you know they’re Senior Brothers, Little Leaf?” Su Ling asked.
“I’m a new inner disciple. Everyone here’s my senior,” Ye Yun teased.
“Exactly! So call me Senior Sister—I joined earlier!” Su Ling declared.
“Can’t. I’m Master’s disciple. You’re not,” Ye Yun replied casually.
Su Ling jumped. “Who says I’m not? Daddy taught me himself!”
“How many disciples does Master have?” Ye Yun countered.
Su Ling hesitated. “Ten. You’re the youngest!”
“Are *you* one of the ten?”
“…No.”
“Then you’re not his disciple. But you could beg him to take you as his inner disciple. We’ll call you ‘Little Eleventh’ or ‘Junior Sister’—your pick,” Ye Yun said, grinning.
Su Ling yelped and punched his arm.
“Enough jokes—let’s not embarrass ourselves. I’ve met Senior Brother Qianqiu, but who’s this?” Ye Yun asked, steering Su Ling aside.
"Eighth Junior Brother, introduce yourself," Lu Qianqiu said with a smile.
The man nodded at Ye Yun. "Junior Brother, I’m Jiang Qianfan, eighth disciple under Master. Just reached the Foundation Establishment stage, still far behind Fifth Senior Brother."
Ye Yun bowed. "Ye Yun greets Fifth Senior Brother."
Lu Qianqiu stepped closer, patting Ye Yun’s shoulder. "With your skills, reaching the final sixteen in Shadowless Peak’s youth group should be easy. But Master sent me with special orders."
"What orders?" Ye Yun blinked.
"Master wants you to win first place," Lu Qianqiu grinned.
"Of course. I planned that anyway," Ye Yun said, frowning slightly. Why would Su Hao send specific instructions?
"He wants you to suppress your cultivation and win without showing true strength," Lu Qianqiu explained slowly.
Ye Yun’s eyebrow twitched. "Hold back?"
"Exactly. This sect competition’s different. Showing your cards early could bring trouble. Also…" Lu Qianqiu lowered his voice. "Master says this final round might ignore life and death rules."
Ye Yun’s eyes sharpened. "No life-and-death restrictions? For selecting elites? Something big’s happening."
He remembered Tian Zhu Peak’s last sect trial mentioning life-and-death rules, but with everyone’s low cultivation then, few died during matches. The real slaughter happened later in Hualun Secret Vault.
"Not our concern. Just hide your strength. Don’t use Illusory Thunderlight Escape yet." Lu Qianqiu’s quiet words surprised Ye Yun – why not use sound transmission?
Ye Yun nodded. He’d avoid Born as a Sword and Thundercloud Lightning Sword’s third style, Divine Thunder Annihilation. Even without them, winning Shadowless Peak’s youth group seemed easy – most peak Qi refining disciples became inner disciples over three years ago.
The 128 competitors weren’t paired directly. Eight groups of sixteen would each produce two finalists for the top sixteen. This helped weaker disciples avoid strong opponents, while creating "death groups" with multiple top fighters.
After random shuffling, Ye Yun found himself in third group. A familiar name jumped out:
Duan Chenfeng!
"Duan Chenfeng’s competing?" Ye Yun rubbed his eyes. If present, the loudmouth should’ve come roaring over already.
Same name? Unlikely – only 128 entrants, and "Duan Chenfeng" wasn’t common.
A figure suddenly lunged from behind, fist aimed at Ye Yun’s skull.
Ye Yun sidestepped, hand arcing back to block the strike. The punch held terrifying force – enough to crush a normal second-stage Qi refining cultivator.
"Improved strength, Brother Duan?" Ye Yun spun, gripping the fist tightly.
A twitching-faced disciple glared. "Damn! How’d you get stronger again?"
Duan Chenfeng himself. He’d hidden after seeing the group list, aiming to surprise Ye Yun – only to get caught mid-ambush.
"Brother Duan! Shouldn’t you be training with Two Elders in Black and White?" Su Ling exclaimed happily.
Duan Chenfeng retrieved his fist, grimacing. "Spotted you earlier. Wanted to surprise Ye Yun – got surprised myself!"
"Stop showing off your weak skills," Su Ling giggled behind her hand.
"Why join?" Ye Yun asked.
"Old men forced me. Said my cultivation’s stuck, maybe breaking through to sixth Qi refining level through combat." Duan Chenfeng scowled.
"Fifth Qi refining level? Fast progress." Ye Yun blinked. When taken by the Elders two months ago, Duan Chenfeng had barely reached second stage peak.
"Not fast! Little Yu’s already sixth level!"
Ye Yun’s eyes widened. Yu Minghong’s talent was known, but sixth level? The Two Elders truly lived up to their reputation.
"With us three reunited, Shadowless Peak won’t know what hit it!"
Ye Yun’s lips curved into a fox-like smile.
