Chapter 115: Daggers Drawn

Even the three elders above turned their gazes toward Ye Wuya, waiting to see how he would respond.

"That is nothing to worry about! My disciple will not use any artifacts belonging to a cultivator at the Golden Core stage," Ye Wuya said calmly, as if nothing in the world could stir his emotions. From beginning to end, he remained perfectly composed.

"Whoa!"

The crowd erupted with excitement! Upon hearing that Ye Wuya would not allow the use of any Golden Core-level artifacts, their emotions surged with incomparable fervor. If they were on equal footing, they could truly test their mettle; the chance to cross swords with an opponent of such caliber was a rare opportunity indeed.

The elders of the Azure Cloud Sect understood this as well. This martial competition was entirely to their advantage: if they won, they would gain a powerful artifact used by a Golden Core master; if they lost, they would gain experience, identifying their own flaws and broadening their horizons. No matter how one looked at it, it was as if the other party had come to shower their sect with benefits, and they could find no reason to refuse.

"Since you have said as much, fellow daoist, we shall also guarantee that we will not use any Golden Core-grade artifacts," the Seventh Elder said, rising to his feet.

This promise was essentially meaningless. Their sect possessed only ten such artifacts in total, and their strongest disciples under the age of forty were only at the peak of the Form-Gathering stage. It was impossible for them to even possess Golden Core artifacts. The elder was merely speaking for the sake of appearances; if they were truly asked to use them, they would be far too stingy to comply.

Every cultivator cherished their artifacts as if they were their own flesh and blood, fearing even the slightest scratch or damage. If a standard artifact were damaged, its power would be diminished, and repairs would be incredibly difficult. Unless it were a Spirit-grade artifact capable of self-repair through the constant nourishment of a cultivator's dantian, the cost of repair for ordinary artifacts would make even these elders' hearts ache. Yet, they had no choice; if they did not repair them, they might face defeat or even death in battle due to the inferiority of their equipment.

"Then it is settled," Ye Wuya said placidly.

"Agreed! It is a deal!" the Seventh Elder replied, feeling quite stirred. With over ten thousand disciples under forty in the Azure Cloud Sect, could it be that none of them could defeat an opponent of the same rank?

"Master, can I have them come at me in groups? I have many lethal techniques I'd like to use!" Jiang Xiaoxiao said, sounding rather displeased. She had assumed that when her master spoke of "breaking in," he meant forcing their way through and beating everyone into submission. She had fantasized about battling ten thousand cultivators single-handedly, but now that Ye Wuya was asking her to play house with a bunch of brats, she could hardly muster any interest.

"No. Fight them slowly, and offer a few pointers while you're at it. I have important business to attend to, and you should take this time to understand your own shortcomings," Ye Wuya instructed.

"Oh, alright..."

Jiang Xiaoxiao immediately drooped. Who told her that Ye Wuya was both her ancestor and her master? As a model disciple, she would never betray her master's teachings or defy his will. Besides, Ye Wuya had invoked the "important business" card.

"May I ask, fellow daoist, what is your second request?" Seeing that the first matter was settled, the Seventh Elder inquired.

With the Seventh Elder's question, the excited crowd quieted down. That was true—the man in black had stated he came for two reasons. The first was to find opponents for his disciple, but he had yet to reveal the second. They were eager to know what it was; perhaps the benefit offered in the first request was merely a prelude to the second.

"The second reason I have come is that, during my stay at the Azure Cloud Sect, I wish to have the freedom to enter and exit your Scripture Pavilion at will!" Ye Wuya said faintly.

"What?"

"How is that possible?"

"That is absolutely out of the question!"

...

The crowd erupted once more! What was the Scripture Pavilion? It was the repository of all the sect's martial arts manuals and secret techniques—the very foundation of their legacy. As long as those texts remained, even if the Azure Cloud Sect were destroyed, it could rise again from the ashes. Since time immemorial, the Scripture Pavilion had been the most heavily guarded place in every sect, with powerful masters secretly stationed to watch over it. How could they possibly allow an outsider free access to such a vital place? It was unthinkable. No one with a brain would ever agree to it.

The value of the Scripture Pavilion far exceeded that of a single Golden Core artifact. If they were to exchange its contents, they could easily obtain ten or more such artifacts. And besides, whether they could even defeat Jiang Xiaoxiao at the same cultivation level remained to be seen.

A cold, glinting light appeared in the Seventh Elder's eyes, and the sky above the Azure Cloud Sect suddenly turned dark. To covet another sect's foundation was, to any cultivator, an affront as grave as the murder of one's own father.

As Ye Wuya’s words hung in the air, the Seventh Elder's reaction and the darkening sky made the atmosphere heavy and oppressive, as if they were on the brink of an explosion, needing only a single spark.

"Boom!"

Seeing the Seventh Elder flare with power, Jiang Xiaoxiao followed suit. A surging golden flame ignited, piercing through the dark clouds above, and the entire martial arena was bathed in her golden radiance.

"Boom!"

A brilliant cyan light erupted from the Seventh Elder’s body, equally fierce and flowing with divine energy. The cyan and gold clashed. Both were ready to strike at any moment.

"Boom!" "Boom!"

Two more beams of light erupted from beside the Seventh Elder. The entire sky became stiflingly heavy. The pressure of three Golden Core-stage powerhouses caused everyone present to tremble, as if they were crushed under the weight of a thousand pounds.

The Seventh Elder waved his hand, and the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect felt the pressure lift, allowing them to gasp for air. The Golden Core stage was terrifying! Just the aura alone was enough to make the Form-Gathering cultivators feel as though they were suffocating. If this had continued for even a quarter of an hour, they would have perished.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom, boom, boom!"

The masters dwelling on the other six peaks seemed to sense the fluctuations in power, and they all erupted in energy, rushing toward the scene. Ye Wuya felt dozens of gazes locked upon him. It seemed the Azure Cloud Sect was not lacking in powerhouses after all, Ye Wuya thought to himself.

Including the three present, there were now eighteen beams of light—five colors and ten hues—illuminating the entire Azure Cloud Sect.