Chapter 293 - 43: Consecutive Breakthroughs

Chapter 293: Chapter 43: Consecutive Breakthroughs

Finally, someone noticed the anomaly that was Chen Ye.

One of the few remaining Sea Condensation Realm masters on the field, a burly man wielding a Giant Axe, turned his gaze to Chen Ye after finishing off his opponent.

He clearly saw Chen Ye as some lucky fool who had only survived this long by hiding and getting lucky. With a savage grin, he dragged his Giant Axe and charged toward Chen Ye like a meteor.

Before he even arrived, a ferocious wave of Evil Qi washed over them.

The few Loose Cultivators nearby instinctively backed away, their gazes toward Chen Ye now tinged with a hint of pity.

This burly man went by the nickname Mad Axe. He was a ruthless figure of some renown among the Loose Cultivators of Qingzhou. Thanks to his Horizontal Training, his body was impervious to blades and spears. Coupled with his Sea Condensation Realm Cultivation, even three to five cultivators of the same level couldn’t get near him.

This sickly-looking fellow was probably about to be split in two by a single swing of the axe.

Facing Mad Axe’s unstoppable charge, Chen Ye finally lifted his head. For an instant, his half-closed, murky eyes seemed to flash with light.

In his Tribulation Eye, Mad Axe’s seemingly flawless stance was riddled with a dense web of gray Tribulation Lines.

One Tribulation Line in particular, located on the wrist of the right hand gripping the axe handle, flickered at a specific frequency in time with the flow of his True Essence.

That was the nexus of his power, and also his greatest weakness.

Seeing this, Chen Ye moved. He became a wisp of green smoke, closing the distance to the burly man in an instant.

Then, Chen Ye raised his hand and brought the pommel of his sword’s hilt down hard on the man’s thick right wrist.

An unbelievable scene unfolded.

Mad Axe’s massive body froze on the spot, as if he had been struck by an Immobilization Technique.

The savage expression on his face twisted into one of terror and agony.

He felt an indescribably terrifying power erupt from his wrist, then surge through his meridians, instantly shattering all of his True Essence defenses!

PFFT!

The burly man violently spat out a mouthful of blood. He could no longer hold his Giant Axe, and it fell to the ground with a CLANG.

He staggered back a few steps, his eyes fixed on Chen Ye as if he were looking at a demon.

"You..."

The burly man only managed to get out one word before his vision went black and he lost consciousness completely.

The entire field fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded, their minds completely blank.

’What just happened?’

’The aggressive Mad Axe was defeated just by that sickly weakling tapping his wrist with a hilt?’

’How is that possible?!’

Even Elder Zhao Xin, who was hovering in mid-air, suddenly widened his eyes, a look of utter shock on his face.

At that very moment, the incense stick finished burning.

DONG!

The bell rang again.

In arena seventeen, including Chen Ye, exactly ten people remained.

The selection was over.

Chen Ye withdrew his gaze and lowered his head again, reverting to his harmless appearance as if the scene just now had been nothing but a collective illusion.

The first round of selections was over, leaving some to rejoice and others to despair.

The Loose Cultivators who passed couldn’t hide the excitement on their faces. After receiving their tokens for the next round, they left in groups of three and five, chatting animatedly and discussing where to celebrate that night.

Meanwhile, most of those who were eliminated were dejected. Some were even seriously injured and had to be carried away, their futures uncertain.

Chen Ye blended into the crowd and silently collected his pass for the next round, a bronze Token, before preparing to leave this place of conflict.

Although he had tried his best to keep a low profile today, that final move against Mad Axe had inevitably drawn too much attention.

Chen Ye could feel several sharp gazes fixed on his back even after he had walked a fair distance away. Among them was the gaze of that Outer Sect Elder, Zhao Xin.

’Trouble.’

Chen Ye muttered to himself but didn’t pay it too much mind.

’The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.’

’But sometimes, if you don’t stick out a little, you don’t even get the chance to be hammered down.’

What he needed to do now was find a delicate balance.

He had to make Celestial Sword Manor see him as a talent worth recruiting, but not as a major threat.

After leaving the noisy martial arts arena, Chen Ye didn’t head straight back to his inn.

A trace of his killing intent had been stirred up during the fight, making Chen Ye’s blood and qi churn.

The best way to suppress it at a time like this was to have a drink.

So, Chen Ye changed direction and ambled over to the Worry-Free Tavern.

It wasn’t mealtime, so the tavern wasn’t crowded. Only a few tables were occupied by scattered customers, making the place feel a bit deserted.

As before, Chen Ye chose a corner table by the window, ordering a pot of fiery spirits and two small side dishes.

"You’ve got some impressive skills, friend."

A burly figure carrying a large wine jug walked up to Chen Ye’s table and sat down without invitation.

It was Xue Shan.

Chen Ye glanced up at him but said nothing.

"Don’t get me wrong," Xue Shan said with a grin that revealed two rows of white teeth. "I had nothing better to do today, so I went to the martial arts arena to watch the show. And that final move of yours against Mad Axe, friend... it was a real eye-opener."

As he spoke, he filled the large bowl in front of Chen Ye with wine, then poured a full bowl for himself.

"I’m the kind of guy who likes to befriend men with real skill, especially Swordsmen." Xue Shan raised his bowl. "My name is Xue Shan. Let me treat you to a bowl of wine. What do you say we become friends?"

Chen Ye watched him quietly. Xue Shan’s gaze was sincere, with no hint of probing or malice—only pure admiration.

And so, after a moment of silence, Chen Ye raised his wine bowl, clinked it against Xue Shan’s, and drank it all in one go.