C5 The Atmosphere Was Awkward

On a night graced by a luminous moon and wispy clouds, four dashing young men clad in the garb of the Inner Sect gathered around a stone table. Each stood tall, their presence commanding, as waves of chilling Profound Qi radiated from them. Among them, a youth with a jade crown and flowing locks exuded an air of exceptional grace.

This jade-crowned youth was leisurely handling a tea set, and astonishingly, he wasn't using ordinary wood fire to heat the water. Instead, he summoned a flame of Profound Qi from within himself, quickly bringing the pot's spring water to a boil. As he steeped the tea, a rich aroma filled the air.

"Yuntai, it's been ages since we last met, and your flame Profound Qi has become even more refined!" one of the companions remarked, savoring a sip of the tea.

"Indeed," another chuckled. "Our Yuntai has always been the trailblazer, the first among us to reach the Five Pluses Realm. Give it a few more years, and he'll be rivaling Lee Huayu and the Goddess Yun!"

"It's too bad the Goddess Yun has been in retreat. If she saw Yuntai now, she'd surely have a change of heart. Ye Feng wouldn't stand a chance."

The mention of Ye Feng cast a shadow over the mood, the jade-crowned youth's tea-pouring hand pausing momentarily.

Realizing their misstep, an awkward silence fell upon the group until the jade-crowned youth, with a chuckle, dispelled the tension. "It's been eight years. Ye Feng is nothing but a speck of dust to us now. There's no need to bring him up..."

"But Yuntai, I've heard that Ye Feng has made a breakthrough to the Profound Stage and is set to participate in the Inner Sect Assessment tomorrow."

"And what of it?" The youth's smile grew broader. "Do you really think that a nobody who's just reached the Profound Stage could ever stand on equal footing with us?"

Their laughter echoed, none taking the thought seriously.

"However..." The youth's expression hinted at a brewing scheme. Draining his cup, he set it down with a definitive clink and mused softly, "Since he's attempting the Inner Sect Assessment, perhaps we, as his former classmates, ought to 'thank' him for the 'care' he showed us back in the day."

"Boss Yuntai, I've heard Ye Feng is just as cocky as ever. Just this afternoon, he went and thrashed Ji Fanchen's lackey!"

"Oh? Now that's intriguing."

A glint of cunning flashed in the jade-crowned youth's eyes as he smirked like a sly fox, "Let's devise a plan to have Ji Fanchen give 'Brother Ye' a proper... caretaking."

Dawn gently erased the night's shadows.

Ye Feng drew a bucket of water and, in the glow of the rising sun, meticulously cleaned himself from head to toe before donning a fresh set of clothes. He then stood before a bronze mirror in the dormitory area.

Hmm, looking sharp.

It had been a while since Ye Feng had groomed himself. Now, having advanced to the Profound Stage, his presence was effortlessly commanding. At first glance, he wasn't the delicate type of handsome, but his gaunt face and deep-set eyes, coupled with the weight of eight years of struggle, gave him a depth and a touch of world-weariness that was rare among his peers, making him devastatingly attractive to the innocent hearts of young girls and boys alike.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Feng flashed a smile at his reflection and murmured as if to reassure himself,

"Dad, Mom, Feng has finally reached the Profound Stage. Just wait for me. Once I'm strong enough, I'll surely find you. You have to wait for me!"

Little did anyone know, Ye Feng had harbored such a secret in his heart all these years.

Only the bond with his dearly missed family could have sustained him through eight years of adversity, all to master the divine techniques, step beyond the Qin Empire, and uncover the truth behind that mysterious event and his parents' disappearance.

But now, Ye Feng's priority was to ace the Inner Sect Assessment and gain access to the powerful martial legacy of the Nephelo Sect.

His gaze in the mirror hardened, a surge of indomitable spirit welling up within him. With a resolute turn and a stride full of purpose, he stepped out to face his destiny.

'Inner Sect Assessment, here comes Ye Feng!'

...

The Nephelo Sect sprawled across seven towering peaks, linked by robust iron chain bridges.

The annual Inner Sect Assessment was hardly the highlight of the year for the vast Nephelo Sect. The event took place on Mo Yun Peak, one of the seven summits, overseen by three elders and managed by a hundred Inner Sect disciples.

When Ye Feng stepped onto the bustling square atop Mo Yun Peak, he was met with a cacophony of voices and a throng of people. Although only about a thousand disciples participated in the Inner Sect Assessment each year, the Outer Sect disciples who hadn't been dismissed also flocked to Mo Yun Peak to observe, swelling the crowd to nearly ten thousand. The entire square buzzed with a lively, raucous energy.

The crowd was a mosaic of activity. Clusters of Outer Sect elites, familiar with one another, engaged in animated conversations, while others sought solitude in quiet corners to focus and prepare. The majority of Outer Sect disciples, however, were drawn to a towering ten-meter-tall green stone monument—the starting point of today's Inner Sect Assessment, known as the Heavenly Cloud Questioning Stone Tablet.

Legend has it that the Nephelo Sect's founder, upon seeking enlightenment on Nephelo Mountain, had his epiphany atop this very ancient stone, leading to the creation of the universe-shaking Spiritual Cloud Scripture. His victories were legendary, never meeting his match. It was believed that the stone tablet harbored the ultimate Dao legacy of the Nephelo Sect's ancestor. Yet, as the millennia passed and the Nephelo Sect's fortunes waxed and waned, no one could emulate the founder's mastery of the Spiritual Cloud Scripture. A century ago, the Nephelo Sect fell under the ruthless hand of the Divine Martial Emperor of the Qin Empire, who with a single sword stroke shattered seven peaks and subdued the Nephelo Sect, reducing it to just another territory under the empire's dominion—a thought that evoked a sense of melancholy.

Nowadays, the Heavenly Cloud Qi Tablet had shown no signs of the anomalies it once did for hundreds of years. Its sole remaining function was to test the 'Profound Qi' attributes of disciples, a fundamental component of the Inner Sect Assessment.

At the base of the tablet, the crowd was dense with Outer Sect disciples undergoing the assessment and newcomers eager to witness the spectacle, craning their necks on tiptoes, hopeful to spot the emergence of an extraordinary Inner Sect disciple.

Within the throng, a ten-meter-wide clearing formed a silent circle where a few individuals stood with an air of menace. Among them, two figures stood out: one with his entire face swathed in bandages, eyes burning with resentment, and another with his right arm encased in plaster, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with clenched teeth. They resembled a pair of bloodthirsty jackals, each on the hunt for today's prey.

Before them, Jee Fanchen stood with his eyes closed, hands clasped behind his back, exuding an icy presence. His aura was like a half-drawn sword, chilling even from a distance, as people sensed the lethal intent brewing within this domineering prodigy, sending shivers down their spines.

All this display was for Ye Feng.

Doubt had already clouded the crowd's faith in Ye Feng, but upon witnessing Jee Fanchen's formidable entourage, heads shook in unison, as if a tragic scene was already unfolding in their minds.

Then, a voice cut through the murmurs.

"Ye Feng is here!"

With a swift motion, Jee Fanchen's eyes snapped open, predatory and fierce, like a jackal catching the scent of prey.

The crowd parted, revealing a young man in black striding forward with confidence. It was indeed Ye Feng.

"So, this is Ye Feng..."

"He's quite handsome! And those eyes, utterly captivating~~" Some girls still couldn't grasp the gravity of the situation.

"Pfft, handsome? What good is that? Can't fill your belly. Just watch, Young Master Jee's going to crush him!"

The buzz of conversation served as a lackluster overture to Ye Feng's entrance. Unfazed by the whispers and stares, he made a beeline for Jee Fanchen and his crew.

"Ye Feng! You finally showed up!" Zhang Yun and Zhao Feihong seethed with anger.

Jee Fanchen's smirk revealed a glint of white teeth as his aura intensified.

"Ye Feng, I must say, I've underestimated you! You dare to strike my men, do you have any idea of the consequences?"

Jee Fanchen's cold laughter filled the air, but Ye Feng didn't miss a beat, striding right past him without a glance.

Footsteps echoed.

The cold wind hissed.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Jee Fanchen's expression soured instantly.

"Ye Feng, I am speaking to you. How dare you ignore me!"

Without a backward glance, Ye Feng approached the registration desk, flashing a slight smile at the disciple behind it.

"Senior Brother, good day. I'm here to sign up for the Inner Sect Assessment. I'm Ye Feng, and this is my disciple identity card."

The cold wind continued to blow as he maintained his silence, his focus solely on the task at hand.

It remained an uncomfortable situation.

"Oh, oh, sure!"

The Inner Sect disciple handling the registration was taken aback.

Disrespect was one thing, but this was Jee Fanchen, the renowned young master of Lightdale. Ye Feng had not just slighted him; he had crushed his reputation underfoot.

"Ye Feng! Young Master Jee is speaking to you. Are you deaf?!"

Zhao Feihong was fuming, his face bandaged, as he charged like a bull in a fury.

Ye Feng couldn’t care less about Jee Fanchen, much less his lackey.

He grabbed the freshly registered identity token and strode toward the Skycloud Divine Stele.

"I said stop!"

Zhang Yun, nursing his injured hand, couldn't stand it any longer. He and Zhao Feihong flanked Ye Feng, blocking his way.

Jee Fanchen stepped directly in front of Ye Feng, his face twisted with scorn, "Ye Feng, do you think ignoring me will make me go away? Today, I'll teach you the price of crossing me!"

"Senior Brother... isn't it problematic that these people are disrupting the Inner Sect Assessment?"

Ye Feng turned to the Inner Sect disciples who had been eager for a spectacle. He blinked and suggested, "If you can't manage this, perhaps I should inform the elders."

Everyone was stunned.

Ye Feng seemed to be backing down!

Seeking help in the face of Jee Fanchen's challenge was like a child running to a teacher after being bullied.

This was not the drama they had anticipated.

"Uh... Absolutely not!" The Inner Sect disciples snapped out of it, casting contemptuous looks at Ye Feng before stepping forward. "You two, cut out the commotion. Either join the assessment or step aside!"

Ye Feng!