Chapter 20

"Since that's the case, I'll see this through to the end!"

Ye Feng's tone was icy, a cold smile playing on the corner of his lips.

"Very well, you have spirit. We'll see each other tomorrow!"

Tie Kui did not make a move here, stepping aside to let Ye Feng pass.

After returning to the courtyard, Ye Feng sat cross-legged on the bed. One Tie Kui was not enough to change Ye Feng's resolve; he was merely a stepping stone on his life's journey. His goal was the Innate Realm, and he would eventually leave this place.

The night passed quickly, and the entire Tianling Academy was in a frenzy. It was once again the day of the annual Inner Disciple Competition, where the top five would have the chance to challenge the Elite Disciples and gain Elite Disciple status.

To maintain their status, Elite Disciples had to continuously cultivate, as there were only a hundred spots. Those at the bottom had to work hard to widen the gap, and each time, the weakest Elite Disciple would be challenged.

Dressing himself, Ye Feng put on the Inner Disciple uniform, tucked the small axe into his waist, and tidied his appearance before heading to the arena.

By the time he reached the arena, it was already packed with people. Ye Feng squeezed through the crowd and walked inside, where most of the spectators were disciples.

In the center of the arena, a large area was cleared, and hundreds of disciples had already arrived. The rules of the competition were simple: a lottery system where the number drawn would determine the opponent.

The time was almost up, and the higher-ups of the Tianling Academy began to appear, flying to the high platform to oversee the competition.

Many Elite Disciples had already arrived, paying close attention to this internal competition, while the Outer Disciples looked on with envy, all determined to enter the Inner Sect and have the chance to become Elite Disciples, or even join the Inner Court.

Ye Feng could feel the tension in the air the moment the higher-ups of the Tianling Academy appeared. Everyone was trying their best to stand out. If they performed well and caught the eye of a mentor, they might be taken as a disciple or even recommended to the Inner Court.

Among the dozen or so figures, Ye Feng saw Mentor Li, who nodded at him, encouraging him. When he learned that Ye Feng was also participating in the Inner Disciple Competition, he was stunned for a moment before feeling delighted.

The entire arena was vast, with about a hundred stages. In one round, half of the participants would be eliminated, making the competition extremely fierce.

Ye Feng walked to stage fifty, the number on the bamboo slip in his hand.

"Your luck is really good, meeting me means you won't have to suffer at the hands of Tie Kui. Being eliminated early isn't such a bad thing."

When Ye Feng stepped onto the stage, his opponent spoke.

"It's an honor to face Senior Brother Yi Yun." Ye Feng's first opponent was named Yi Yun, who could rank around the top thirty among Inner Disciples, with a strength of around the Seventh Level of the Later Heaven Realm.

This time, Yi Yun was aiming for the top five, determined to win. Facing Ye Feng in the first match, he was eager to start off with a victory.

"Make your move!" Yi Yun was unarmed and had no intention of making the first move.

"Sorry!" Ye Feng leaped into the air, not using any martial techniques, just a simple punch with sheer brute force, creating a shockwave that split the air, his fist whistling through.

The power Ye Feng displayed shocked Yi Yun, who underestimated Ye Feng's strength. His body moved, and he slashed with a palm, exerting about seventy kilograms of force, which was quite formidable.

"Bang!"

A strong gust of air swept through, creating a whirlwind, and a figure was blasted out of the dust, nearly falling off the stage.

"How is this possible? Yi Yun couldn't even withstand one punch from this kid." Yi Yun's body appeared at the edge of the stage, the outcome already decided. Ye Feng had given him enough face, not knocking him off the stage with one punch.

Yi Yun's face turned red, and he bowed to Ye Feng before leaving the stage in disgrace. Ye Feng won the first match, defeating his opponent in a single move.

The first round ended quickly, with over a hundred people eliminated. The second round soon began, with very few participants at the Fifth Level of the Later Heaven Realm; most were between the Sixth and Seventh Levels.

Drawing a bamboo slip, it read fifteen. Ye Feng walked to stage fifteen.

"This kid is unlucky; he's facing Lei Zhan, the Thunder Hand. This should be a good show." Murmurs spread around, reaching Ye Feng's ears.

Ye Feng recalled the information on Lei Zhan, who was known for his cruelty, having crippled several Inner Disciples, some of whom were still recovering and would take at least a year to fully heal. Ye Feng had known about Lei Zhan's reputation and his cruel nature, which made him quite influential among the Inner Disciples.

"You're very unfortunate; someone wants me to cripple your legs." Ye Feng stepped onto the stage, where a towering young man was grinning at him.

"How domineering!" Ye Feng sneered.

"Domineering, hahaha, it's been a long time since someone called me that!" Lei Zhan laughed loudly on the stage.

"However domineering you are, you're just a lackey, barking wildly!" Ye Feng sneered, knowing that Lei Zhan was acting on Yun Cai Shi's orders, planning to cripple him on the stage.

"Kid, you shouldn't have come up. I'll not only cripple one of your legs, but all of you!" Lei Zhan grinned, "If you kowtow to me a hundred times right now, I'll consider only crippling one of your legs."

"Just you!" Ye Feng sneered and leaped forward.

"Since you've taken someone else's money to cripple my legs, I'll make you suffer the consequences!"

"Good kid, you really dare to make a move. One move, and I'll cripple you!" Lei Zhan laughed loudly.

The referee at the edge of the stage ignored their conversation, declaring the match to begin as if he hadn't heard anything. The two charged at each other.

As soon as the words were spoken, Lei Zhan shot forward like a cannonball. Despite his large size, he was incredibly fast, charging at Ye Feng.

Though he was extremely arrogant, Lei Zhan's strength was genuine. His movements were not as fast as Ye Feng's, but his power was immense, reaching seventy-five kilograms of force. He was in front of Ye Feng in the blink of an eye.

Grinning, Lei Zhan opened his large hand, as if to wrench off Ye Feng's head.

"Mentor Li, I heard you have high hopes for this kid. What do you think?" A mentor sitting next to Mentor Li asked.

"My opinion is simple. He's very hardworking. I've seen his efforts over the years. His achievements today are all due to his own hard work. I just admire his character."

Mentor Li was very pleased. After three years of interaction, he had developed some affection for Ye Feng. Sometimes, the two would spend the whole day in the library, discussing various topics.

"His opponent is not easy to deal with! Lei Zhan is not only cruel and ruthless but also has innate strength, a battle maniac. This time, the kid is in grave danger!" The mentor continued.

"No problem, it's not bad for him to see this. It will be more beneficial for his future cultivation." Although Mentor Li said this, his eyes were fixed on Ye Feng, hoping he would bring more surprises.

"Bang!" Ye Feng extended his hand, clashing fiercely with Lei Zhan's large hand. The collision of their true qi produced a loud explosion.

Ye Feng stood firm, his feet planted firmly on the ground. Lei Zhan, at the peak of the Seventh Level of the Later Heaven Realm, with innate strength, could even challenge an Eighth Level Later Heaven Realm cultivator. Even an early Eighth Level Later Heaven Realm cultivator would not be a match for him. Yet, he was unable to move Ye Feng with one punch.

"How is this possible!" Lei Zhan's eyes widened in disbelief, unable to comprehend how Ye Feng could remain unmoved. Even an early Eighth Level Later Heaven Realm cultivator would struggle against his punch, but Ye Feng stood firm.

"Rumble!"

With a surge of true qi, Ye Feng retracted his fist and struck again, with the speed of a bolt of lightning, like a thousand horses galloping. His palm struck Lei Zhan's chest, leaving no time for him to react.

"Bang!"

Lei Zhan's towering body was sent flying by Ye Feng's strike, spewing a mouthful of blood, his bones cracking, and he fell off the stage.

"What, how is this possible!"

The scene was in an uproar!