Ji Yue fought with the man, her sword in hand.
The man was incredibly strong, his pair of purple-golden giant hammers making the space tremble with each strike. Ji Yue, on the other hand, relied on agile movement and sharp swordplay, sending out waves of sword Qi that sliced through the air with a sizzling sound.
For a moment, it was difficult to separate the winner from the loser in their duel.
The arena was vast enough that their fight occupied only a small part of it, not affecting anyone else at all. This so-called arena could host multiple bouts simultaneously.
While Ji Yue and the man were fighting, another dozen or so young people charged onto the arena to contest for the vacant cushion seats.
For a time, several battles were occurring concurrently on the vast platform, the energy unleashed by the clashes rolling outward in all directions.
"Their combat power is quite similar. It's hard to decide a victor," Ye Yunfei thought as he watched a few exchanges between Ji Yue and the man, his brows slightly furrowing.
Although Ji Yue was a scion of the Ji Family, she was also a Ziwei Sect disciple, so Ye Yunfei still hoped for her victory.
"Follow my instructions on swordplay. Don't use Ji Family's sword techniques; use our Ziwei Sect's Thousand Purple Sword Art instead."
Ye Yunfei suddenly sent a Sound Transmission to Ji Yue.
After watching over a dozen moves, Ye Yunfei had roughly discerned the man's style.
It was strength-focused, relying on oppressive momentum.
"Follow your instructions?" Ji Yue was startled upon hearing Ye Yunfei's transmission.
"Yes.
Believe me. Otherwise, you cannot win."
Ye Yunfei replied.
"This..." Ji Yue hesitated. Her cultivation realm was higher than Ye Yunfei's, and she believed her own strength surpassed his as well.
But recalling Ye Yunfei's many miraculous deeds, her conviction wavered somewhat.
She had fought over a dozen exchanges with the man and could only rely on her movement techniques to dodge his frenzied power-based attacks. She had no idea how to fight in order to secure victory.
"In truth, many legacies of our Ziwei Sect were left behind by the Ziwei Great Emperor of antiquity. It's just that over the long river of time, many core tenets and insights were lost, leaving behind only the forms and moves. If you can grasp the true essence of the Thousand Purple Sword Art, defeating him will be as easy as turning over one's palm."
Seeing Ji Yue's indecision, Ye Yunfei let out a soft sigh.
This Ji Yue was, after all, a disciple personally taught by Zisheng Zhenjun once, so Ye Yunfei had always been somewhat patient with her.
In Ye Yunfei's mind, he had always held great gratitude toward Zisheng Zhenjun. Even after becoming a Great Emperor in his previous life, he never forgot the nurturing kindness bestowed upon him back then.
Otherwise, given Ye Yunfei's temperament, how could he have shown such forbearance towards Ji Yue?
"Alright. Tell me, what should I do?"
Upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words, Ji Yue recalled how even a divine decree left behind by the Ziwei Great Emperor could be activated by him back at Ziwei Sect headquarters. Perhaps he truly understood the so-called 'true meaning' of the Thousand Purple Sword Art.
"I will now send the true essence of the Thousand Purple Sword Art into your Soul Sea. Then, you must wield your sword following my guidance."
Ye Yunfei said.
With a thought, Ye Yunfei sent a cluster of Soul Power information across space and into Ji Yue's Soul Sea.
Ji Yue shuddered, finding an extra piece of information in her Soul Sea. Upon a brief reading, it indeed contained explanations of some key tenets and personal insights regarding the Thousand Purple Sword Art.
"Now, make your moves as I say!"
Ye Yunfei uttered a low command.
He then began instructing Ji Yue on how to wield her sword.
Ye Yunfei called out three sword techniques in one breath. Thankfully, Ji Yue had already cultivated this Thousand Purple Sword Art to a state of great proficiency. As soon as Ye Yunfei named a technique, she would immediately execute it, fluid and seamless.
The coordination of the first two techniques forced the man back a step.
*Ssssh!*
The third move miraculously landed on the man's left wrist, severing the tendon there!
*Clang!*
The large iron hammer held in the man's left hand flew straight out of his grip.
"Now, the lethal move!
Channel the Spiritual Qi within your body as I instruct!"
Ye Yunfei commanded softly, guiding Ji Yue on circulating her internal Spiritual Qi before thrusting out with her sword. The angle was bizarre, the technique cunning.
What made Ji Yue even more pleasantly surprised was that by following Ye Yunfei's guidance, the sword Qi erupting from her sword tip was at least ten times stronger than before!
*Pfft!*
The sword Qi spurting from the longsword pierced right through the man's abdomen, creating a bloody hole through which even his internal organs could be seen.
"I surrender!"
The man screamed in terror, sensing the aura of death.
"That was incredible!
Su Fei, your mastery of the Thousand Purple Sword Art far surpasses mine!"
Ji Yue, who had previously fought the man to a stalemate, had never imagined that after receiving Ye Yunfei's instruction, she could win within a few moves and even nearly kill her opponent.
"Not now.
You are actually already quite familiar with the Thousand Purple Sword Art; you simply haven't truly understood the essence of this sword art. Seize the time right now to contemplate the information I just sent you. It can double the power of your swordsmanship. Someone else might challenge you later."
Ye Yunfei transmitted to Ji Yue.
"Understood."
Ji Yue nodded.
Her figure flashed as she took a cross-legged seat on the cushion representing the 270th rank.
Seeing how vicious Ji Yue's swordplay was—almost cleaving her opponent in two—the other martial artists grew somewhat wary.
For the moment, no one else challenged Ji Yue.
"Excellent, Ji Yue! You truly are a worthy scion of our Ji Family!"
Seeing Ji Yue successfully defeat the man, Ji Yan exclaimed in delight.
"My victory didn't rely on Ji Family techniques, but on Ziwei Sect's sword art," Ji Yue thought to herself.
She then began focusing on comprehending the Soul Power information Ye Yunfei had just transmitted.
After a series of struggles, all twenty-something vacant cushions were now occupied. Those defeated in the fights left the stage dejectedly.
Next came the challenges!
The gazes of the crowd swept over the three hundred young geniuses seated cross-legged on their cushions on the arena—filled with awe, envy, provocation, hesitation...
Finally, someone stepped up to issue a challenge!
"Number three hundred, I challenge you!"
A young woman in red clothes charged onto the arena, her eyes fixed on the young genius seated on the cushion of the three hundredth rank.
*BOOM…*
The two sides started fighting.
"Number two hundred ninety-six, I challenge you!"
"Number two hundred ninety-three, I challenge you!"
Soon, more and more young warriors were stepping onto the stage to issue challenges.
Many of these young martial artists had prepared extensively for this Lesser Lantai Gathering and continually ascended the arena, heading towards the cushions they intended to contest.
It wasn't just young warriors from outside the arena who issued challenges. Among the three hundred seated young geniuses who already possessed a ranking, if they wished to contest for a higher rank, they could also challenge each other.
For a while, the scene became somewhat chaotic.
Multiple battles were being fought simultaneously on that vast arena, turning the place into a lively furnace of combat.
However, the arena was indeed extremely spacious, so even with several fights going on at once, it didn't feel crowded at all.
As the fighting continued, some challengers succeeded, securing a ranking, while others failed and retreated from the stage in disarray.
Watching this, Ye Yunfei couldn't help but yawn.
These so-called young geniuses were no longer worth a second glance in his eyes.
Gradually, as time passed, even those ranked within the top few dozen began facing challenges. Naturally, all those who dared to challenge the top few dozen were geniuses who already held a ranking within the Freak Minor Ranking's three hundred. They were challenging those ahead of them to obtain higher positions.
Ye Yunfei watched as Ji Yan stood up and challenged a genius ranked twenty-eighth, resulting in an exceptionally fierce battle.
"Not bad.
As expected of a core descendant of a major Eastern Barrens family."
After watching a few moves, Ye Yunfei gave a slight nod.
"However, if Ji Yue follows me back to Ziwei Sect and wholeheartedly cultivates Ziwei Sect's techniques and martial skills, she could catch up to her, perhaps even surpass her, before long. Our Ziwei Sect carries the heritage of a Great Emperor. The depth of its foundation is something a mere Ji Family cannot compare to."
Ye Yunfei mused inwardly.
"Ji Yue, I know you are a core disciple of Ziwei Sect. I represent the Zhao Family of the Eastern Barrens, and I challenge you!"
Suddenly, a young man in a yellow robe charged onto the stage, shouting coldly as he strode toward Ji Yue.
*More people from the Zhao Family!*
Hearing this, Ye Yunfei's expression darkened instantly.