Chapter 42

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Chapter 42: Speculation

“Those who didn’t receive jade tablets were lucky. They wouldn’t have to fight this round and could prepare for the next battle.”

Though Elder Lan had distributed the jade tablets, the announcement came from Chunyu Yan—the most powerful elder present.

“Ye Yun actually got a free round! Such incredible luck!”

Envious murmurs rippled through the crowd.

The previous fights had been dangerous enough. Now only thirty-one disciples remained, most being tough opponents. Skipping a round gave clear physical advantages.

Yet Ye Yun felt no joy upon hearing the elder’s words.

His earlier performance had raised the elders’ expectations, making them view him differently. This attention troubled him.

“Seems we’re fated to clash in the final round.”

Qu Yiping whispered with a cold smirk after hearing Chunyu Yan’s announcement.

He knew the elders had already sorted them by strength. This round would pit experts against weaker disciples—no chance for strong rivals to meet yet.

True to Qu Yiping’s prediction, most matches were one-sided. Even Yu Minghong defeated his opponent easily.

But an unexpected tragedy occurred.

On Arena Seven, a clearly outmatched disciple refused to surrender after being knocked down. He launched a mutual destruction attack, failed, and died on the spot.

Ye Yun kept his head lowered. He didn’t watch as they carried the corpse away, but glanced sideways at the elders.

Not one showed regret.

This confirmed his suspicion—Tian Zhu Peak wouldn’t care if every disciple here died.

“What kind of sect trial is this?”

Nan Cheng stared at the dead new disciple’s bloody form, growing uneasy.

Even in unrestricted combat, elders should intervene during fatal moments. Their power made stopping deaths effortless.

Yet none had acted.

It seemed intentional—the elders wanted them to witness this cruelty.

“Are we being hardened for deadly future trials?”

The chilling thought made Nan Cheng’s spine tingle.

Ye Yun had the same realization.

“Could there be inter-sect competitions?”

He knew some sects settled disputes through controlled clashes in trial grounds—real life-and-death battles.

But why would Tian Zhu Peak send new disciples and ordinary members? What linked all participants?

Unless… there were cultivation level restrictions?

Suddenly, a lightning-like thought flashed through his mind, causing his breath to hitch momentarily. None of the black robe disciples seemed to participate in these selections.

The new disciples along with the upcoming blue-robed and Yellow Robed Disciples were all at body refinement stage – none had reached Qi refining stage!

"Could this really be the case?" Ye Yun suddenly felt he’d found the crux. The top eight selected from new disciples either possessed spiritual power matching his own, mastered Celestial Techniques, or wielded spiritual weapons. Their strength might not only rival earlier disciples but possibly surpass many of them.

"What trial requires so many disciples?" Understanding this, disbelief surged through Ye Yun. Tian Zhu Peak alone would select over a hundred disciples. Combined with Shadowless Peak’s four to five hundred, the entire Heavenly Sword Sect might send thousands of body refinement stage disciples. What kind of sect task required such numbers?

Though increasingly baffled, Ye Yun felt slightly reassured. Against Qi refining stage opponents, obtaining proper cultivation techniques and Celestial Techniques during trials could ensure survival.

The mangled corpse already shocked everyone, but Elder Chunyu Yan seemed unsatisfied. "Some showed pathetic hesitation!" he sneered. "In real combat, you’d deserve death!"

"Qu Yiping! Why waste time with spiritual weapon? Liu Xuan! Why hold back after striking? Will you coddle enemies when traveling later?"

Though bowing respectfully, Liu Xuan protested: "Elder Lan, sparring differs from real combat." This youth had reached Internal Breathing stage’s peak, being among first to summit after Ye Yun discovered bloody cliff wall’s secret.

"Fool! Enemies come in all forms!" Chunyu Yan’s icy stare pierced him. "Even gravely wounded foes can kill you countless ways. Even sectmates might betray you during missions!"

Most new disciples shivered at these words. Liu Xuan paled and fell silent. Ye Yun kept his head bowed, eyes glimmering with unreadable thoughts.

"Stay vigilant until enemies are completely crushed." Chunyu Yan nodded to Elder Lan, who emotionlessly summoned white light and shadow. Sixteen jade tablets appeared, including Ye Yun’s.

"Number One! Should’ve been mine from start!" Duan Chenfeng crowed. Older disciples ignored him, certain he’d meet grim fate.

Ye Yun studied his "3" jade tablet. Qu Yiping would fight second. Glancing at Elder Lan above, Ye Yun suspected their tablets weren’t random but intentional warnings against hiding true strength.

"Brother Ye, I’m Seven," Yu Minghong whispered. "Three," Ye Yun replied, noting Yu might reach top eight.

"Enter arenas!" Black robe disciples barked. Before Ye Yun moved, his opponent already stood on stage – a sneering youth slightly younger than him.