C22 Lee Desheng

"I'm good," Ye Feng said as he flexed his sword, his eyes ablaze with a warrior's zeal.

Once again, they locked gazes, their silhouettes flickering simultaneously, leaving behind mere afterimages to the onlookers.

Ye Feng was mildly taken aback that Lee Desheng could match his pace.

According to the elder, with Ye Feng's current mastery of the Ghost Shadow Step, he was unrivaled among the Outer Sect Disciples.

Unless Lee Desheng had also mastered the Ghost Shadow Step, or perhaps he possessed a more formidable technique.

"Crash!" They exchanged blows once more, and Lee Desheng's body shook violently, his speed abruptly decreasing.

"I concede." Ye Feng had just regained his stance and was ready to advance when Lee Desheng surprisingly surrendered.

"You're conceding?" Ye Feng wasn't the only one perplexed; Ye Fann also eyed him with bewilderment.

Lee Desheng affirmed with a decisive nod, "Indeed, I concede. I'm no match for him."

"How can that be? You were evenly matched," Chen Feng protested, unwilling to accept the concession.

At the impasse, the third elder rose to his feet. "If he concedes, then let it be."

With the third elder's decree, Chen Feng, however reluctantly, had to accept it.

Ye Feng advanced to the final round with ease.

As Ye Feng was about to exit the stage, Chen Feng's taunting words floated to his ears, "Your luck won't last. In the third round, I'll see to it that your reputation is tarnished."

Unfazed, Ye Feng paused briefly before returning to his seat.

Facing an opponent at the Spirit Astral Stage Rank One was challenging, but not insurmountable. Having already bested Chen Yu, he was undaunted by this so-called elder brother.

Bai Yunxue also made it to the third round without a hitch.

But the third round would bring a new set of rules.

"Traditionally, the third round was among your peers. This year, we, the Inner Sect Disciples, have decided to spice things up," announced Chen Feng, the overseer of the entire event.

"Junior Brother Chen, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly changing the rules?" No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice of dissent echoed through the air.

Heads turned toward the source of the voice, the seating area for Inner Sect Disciples, where a young man in a black robe was seated.

"Senior Brother Xue, don't you think it's a bit excessive for the disciples to constantly be pitted against each other? Why not introduce something fresh this year? I'm sure the elders will agree with my proposal, right?" Chen Feng's gaze shifted to the elders' seats. If at least half of the elders supported his idea, then his rule change would be justified.

The Ninth Elder, who enjoyed a good spectacle, was the first to respond. "The young Chen is correct. It's tiresome to always watch the Inner Sect Disciples spar. Let's change the rules."

His response indicated agreement with Chen Feng's initiative.

The Seventh Elder, who was more cautious, spoke next, "Before I agree, I'd like to know exactly how you plan to change the rules?"

The other elders nodded, showing their interest in the proposal.

Chen Feng, having clearly prepared in advance, bowed respectfully in response to the elders' inquiries.

"My thinking is that since the junior brothers and sisters have made it to the third round, their cultivation must have reached Body Tempering Rank Five. They are bound to face formidable opponents eventually. As Sect Disciples, they will have to enter the Mysterious Heavenly Illusionary Land at some point. Allowing them an early experience there will be advantageous for their future trials."

"And the rules?" inquired the Seventh Elder.

"We'll adhere to the Inner Sect trial rules," Chen Feng replied, his rationale sound and unassailable.

After deliberating for a while, surprisingly, half of the elders agreed with Chen Feng's proposal.

"Since you've set this in motion, you'll be in charge. But I want to avoid any serious injuries. If things go awry, I'll make sure to discuss your recent conduct with Master once he emerges from seclusion," Senior Brother Xue warned Chen Feng coldly before returning to his seat.

Chen Feng nodded in agreement outwardly, but as he turned away, a flicker of contempt was briefly visible in his eyes.

The key had always been in the great elder's possession. Once he saw that all the elders were in agreement to allow the disciples to test their mettle in the Mysterious Heaven Realm, he didn't hesitate. With a swift gesture, he activated the realm's gateway.

"Go ahead, enter. When you come upon the black forest, that's the boundary between the inner and outer circles. Do not cross it, or you'll bear the consequences," Chen Feng said, casting a meaningful glance at Ye Feng.

"Young Martial Uncle, shall we enter together?" Ye Feng was about to step through the portal when a delicate figure sidled up to him—it was Bai Yunxue.

"Do you want to join me?" Ye Feng inquired, his tone suggesting he understood the implications of her decision.

She was well aware that Chen Feng's sudden rule change was because of him. Bai Yunxue nodded firmly, "Naturally. I have faith in Young Martial Uncle's abilities."

Ye Feng shook his head with a mix of resignation and affection, and together they entered the passageway.

Their closeness caused Elder Bai to furrow his brow in concern. True, beauties have been drawn to heroes throughout history, but considering their generational gap, it seemed a bit much.

With the passageway now sealed, Elder Bai, no matter how anxious, could only observe the events unfolding on the plaza's Spiritual Force mirror.

Throughout their journey in the passageway, Bai Yunxue clung to his arm, unwavering in her grip.

They encountered no other competitors along the way, leading Ye Feng to suspect the passageway had a feature that shielded those who entered simultaneously.

After traversing some distance, they were suddenly bathed in a brilliant light. As it receded, they found themselves standing before an expansive forest.

"Young Martial Uncle, we've made it. This is the outer circle of the Profound Sky Mirror," Bai Yunxue announced cheerfully.

Observing her nonchalant demeanor, Ye Feng couldn't resist asking, "You seem quite familiar with this place. Do you come here often?"

Caught off guard by the question, Bai Yunxue's face flickered with unease, but she quickly regained her composure and responded with a beaming smile, "You're quite perceptive, Young Uncle. Indeed, my grandmother often brings me here to train, hoping to unlock my potential."

"What's your constitution? What kind of constitution do you have?" Ye Feng asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

During his training in the Nine-level Demon Tower, the elder had imparted a wealth of knowledge about the world to him. There are innumerable rare constitutions in this world, and with the elder's vast experience, he had encountered individuals with the Sky Poison Constitution and the Profound Cold Constitution before.