Late at night, the sky was as dark as ink.
The entire Jin Nation Academy seemed very quiet.
Most of the people had gone back to rest.
Huangfu Tianlong gazed at the sky alone, filled with an indescribable melancholy.
In the Jin Nation Academy, Ye Ping closed his eyes and sat quietly on the eaves.
He was comprehending the supreme sword intent.
It seemed extremely quiet in the Jin Nation Academy.
Apart from the sound of insects, there was no other sound.
Ye Ping’s eyes were tightly shut.
He wanted to comprehend the supreme sword intent.
However, no matter how Ye Ping tried, he unfortunately couldn’t comprehend the so-called supreme sword intent.
It was daybreak.
Ye Ping did not feel the supreme sword intent.
He could not even sense the ordinary sword intent, let alone the supreme sword intent.
Ye Ping felt a little upset because of that.
To be honest, if it were not for the fact that Su Changyu had told him about the supreme sword intent, Ye Ping would have felt that it was fabricated.
Otherwise, how could he have not comprehended the supreme sword intent yet after such a long period of time?
However, at this moment, Huangfu Tianlong’s figure appeared below.
“Senior Brother Ye, I was summoned by the academy and I have to get going now. I’ll come to see you again after the Ten Nations Grand Tournament is over.”
Huangfu Tianlong excused himself to handle something.
It was the Ten Nations Grand Tournament tomorrow and he had to make some preparations. He couldn’t keep staying in the Jin Nation Academy and hence came over to bid goodbye.
“Go, we’ll meet again soon.”
Ye Ping said and then watched Huangfu Tianlong leave.
After Huangfu Tianlong left, Ye Ping continued to comprehend the supreme sword intent.
There was no miracle. Even until noon, Ye Ping could not comprehend the supreme sword intent.
At this moment, Li Yu came again.
This time, the disciples guarding the door did not stop Li Yu but allowed him to enter.
“Master, Master, something major has happened.”
Upon arriving at the residence, Li Yu hurriedly appeared in front of Ye Ping, seemingly very agitated.
“What’s the matter?”
Ye Ping was a bit curious as he did not know why Li Yu rushed over.
“Master, the content for the assessment of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament has been released.”
Li Yu said.
He had come over today to inform Ye Ping of that matter.
“Assessment content? What is it?”
Ye Ping asked.
“Master, the content of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament this time consists of a test in the illusory realm, a physical body assessment, and a written literary test.”
Li Yu revealed the content of the competition of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament.
“Master, you might really make a name for yourself this time. Apart from the illusory realm assessment, the physical body test and literary test should be your forte.”
“The literary test, in particular. Master, do you know that this literary test has made many geniuses dumbfounded. They’ve all been weeping.”
Li Yu said with great agitation. While talking, he even had some movements.
“Literary test? There’s such an aspect in the Ten Nations Grand Tournament?”
Ye Ping was surprised.
Ye Ping initially thought that the so-called Ten Nations Grand Tournament should have been a violent competition in the first place.
However, he didn’t expect there to be a literary test.
“Master, the assessment for each Ten Nations Grand Tournament is different, but usually, literary tests are rare. I heard that the Ten Nations Academy has invited three Confucian scholars and so this literary test should be the highlight.”
“The geniuses of the Ten Nations might be smart but this test requires more than just a little intelligence. You have no idea how many geniuses were distressed after this announcement was made.”
Li Yu guffawed.
He was pleased to see how miserable they were.
“They wailed?”
“That’s uncalled for.”
This time, Ye Ping was indeed a bit surprised.
Although it was true that the literary examination rarely appeared in a cultivators’ meet, it shouldn’t leave the cultivators wailing.
Those who could become geniuses were not fools, and even if they spent most of their time on cultivation, they might not necessarily fail the test.
However, Li Yu shook his head and looked at Ye Ping while explaining to him.
“Master, you really underestimate the Ten Nations Academy.”
“I know what you mean, no one who can participate in the Ten Nations Grand Tournament is foolish, but the literary test of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament is not like an ordinary literary test.”
“This is the finale test, and the Ten Nations Academy has invited three contemporary great Confucian scholars to preside over the test. Clearly, it’s very strict.”
“Think about it, how difficult must it be to write an article that satisfies the Great Confucian scholars?”
“However, you’re different from others, Master. I feel that if you participate this time, you can definitely come in first place.”
Li Yu smiled the most widely after learning about the content of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament.
Ye Ping also kind of understood after hearing Li Yu’s explanation.
The cultivators who participated in the Ten Nations Competition were indeed geniuses, and hence, it was true that there was nothing too difficult to write some essays, but the essays they wrote had to gain the recognition of the Confucian scholars.
They could basically forget about it.
“I really didn’t expect that there would be a literary test in the Ten Nations Grand Tournament this time. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that had happened only twice over the years. This is the third time there’s going to be one at the Ten Nations Grand Tournament.”
“I think this year’s Ten Nations Grand Tournament is going to be more exciting than ever. Tsk, tsk.”
Li Yu’s eyes were full of anticipation.
However, after he was done, Li Yu looked at Ye Ping and continued, “Master, I have already had someone prepare the Teleportation Array. It’s going to be the Ten Nations Grand Tournament tomorrow, would you like to sign up? If you do, I’ll have someone arrange it immediately.”
Li Yu didn’t know if Ye Ping wanted to participate in the Ten Nations Competition, so he asked curiously.
“Sign me up.”
Ye Ping nodded. After thinking about it for a while, he decided to let Li Yu sign up on his behalf. After all, it would be a waste not to get those million Spirit Stones.
Besides, the content of the assessment of the Ten Nations Grand Tournament did not have any violent bouts and the literary test was quite good in his opinion.
If it was a fight in a ring, Ye Ping would really not be interested.
“Alright, I’ll go handle it now. The Ten Nations Grand Tournament will begin at noon tomorrow. How about we set off in the morning, Master?”
Li Yu asked after calculating the time.
“Sure, you shall make the arrangements.”
Ye Ping nodded and agreed.
He would leave it to Li Yu to arrange those things.
“Okay, Master, I’ll get to it and come see you in the morning tomorrow.”
Li Yu also did not say anything else. He was there to get Li Yu’s answer today.
Li Yu left after getting Ye Ping’s answer.
After Li Yu left, Ye Ping did not idle about either. Since there was a literary test in the Ten Nations Grand Tournament, Ye Ping felt that he ought to read some books.
There was no harm in reading more.
At the same time, in Qingyun Dao Sect.
Su Changyu was seated quietly on the rear cliff.
Since he woke up last night, he hadn’t caught any shuteye.
At his realm, lack of sleep would not actually cause any major problem.
Su Changyu was very curious about the reason for his increased frequency of dreams.
Even till now, he still remembered that face.
It was a beautiful woman who was smiling at him at first, but her laughter gradually got maniacal and Su Changyu got the creeps from it.
He did not know what happened nor why he had that dream.
Su Changyu did not want to think about it, but he couldn’t help but think about it.
However, at this moment, a figure appeared in front of Su Changyu.
It was Wang Zhuoyu.
At this moment, Wang Zhuoyu appeared at a short distance away from him. He was hanging his head low and seemingly studying something.
Seeing this scene, Su Changyu could not help but be curious as he leaped off the cliff and quickly appeared in front of Wang Zhuoyu.
“Zhuoyu, what are you doing here?”
Su Changyu said.
Wang Zhuoyu was immediately startled and he seemed rather panicky.
“Are you a thief? Why are you so flustered?”
Su Changyu got even more curious.
He didn’t understand what Wang Zhuoyu was doing.
“Eldest Senior Brother, don’t slander me, I haven’t been stealing.”
Wang Zhuoyu quickly retorted.
However, he couldn’t hide the panic in his eyes at all.
At this moment, Su Changyu knew that this guy must have something to hide.
At the thought of this, Su Changyu immediately took a step forward and looked at Wang Zhuoyu before saying, “Zhuoyu, you’d better come clean and tell me the truth. Otherwise, don’t blame me for going to Master.”
Su Changyu had a composed gaze.
After hearing his words, Wang Zhuoyu became even more flustered.
“Eldest Senior Brother, it’s really nothing, you’re being too paranoid. I just came here for a casual walk, what are you suspecting me for?”
Wang Zhuoyu explained, looking mysterious.
“What’s that behind you? You’re being all sneaky, what are you trying to hide?”
The more Wang Zhuoyu behaved that way, the more curious Su Changyu was. He could tell that Wang Zhuoyu was hiding something, and at that moment, he directly pushed Wang Zhuoyu away in a bid to see what he was hiding behind him.
However, Wang Zhuoyu refused to let Su Changyu see what he was hiding and even turned around to try to destroy it. However, Su Changyu was the Sword Immortal of Qingyun Dao Sect.
Hence, Su Changyu swiftly pushed Wang Zhuoyu away and soon saw what Wang Zhuoyu had been hiding.
Stones.
Yes, stones.
There were twenty to thirty stones behind Wang Zhuoyu which seemed to be in strange positions but they seemed somewhat familiar to Su Changyu.
Soon, Su Changyu remembered what they were.
A few days ago, Ye Ping returned to the sect and would fiddle with stones every now and then, claiming to be setting up an array. Hence, he did not pay too much attention at the time.
Upon seeing this scene, Su Changyu was first stunned, and then he couldn’t help but be bewildered.
“Oh, Zhuoyu, are you studying Ye Ping’s array formation?”
Su Changyu finally understood what Wang Zhuoyu was doing.
He was studying Ye Ping’s array formation.
“Eldest Senior Brother, don’t talk nonsense, how could I possibly be studying Junior Brother’s array formation? You’re spouting nonsense.”
Wang Zhuoyu blushed and hurriedly explained.
“You still don’t admit it? The other day, Ye Ping has been setting up array formations with stones.”
“No way, no way. Zhuoyu, surely you’re not starting to learn from Ye Ping, are you?”
“Are you worthy?”
Su Changyu couldn’t help but speak up. It was not that he despised Wang Zhuoyu, but rather, Ye Ping was truly a peerless genius while Wang Zhuoyu couldn’t even pass his array formation assessment.
‘Does he really think he’s a supreme array formation master?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, you’re wrong. Firstly, I’m not learning from Ye Ping, he’s the one who learned from me. Secondly, what does worthiness have to do with this? No matter what, I’m better than you.”
Since he had been exposed, Wang Zhuoyu simply admitted it, but he felt that it was not that he learned from Ye Ping but the other way around. He was just taking the time out to study it.
‘Besides, if I can’t make it, you can’t either, can you?’
‘Seriously, Eldest Senior Brother, you don’t really think you’re a supreme Sword Immortal, do you?’
“Better than me? How are you better than me? I’m not trying to criticize you but you’ve been studying array formations for more than ten years, yet you couldn’t even pass the final array formation assessment. How dare you say anything?”
“No matter what, I’ve come in the top ten places in the Qingzhou Sword Dao Meet, what about you? Not to mention the Qingzhou Sword Dao Meet, have you ever secured one of the top ten places in the array formation competition in Baiyun Ancient City?”
Su Changyu was indeed very sharp-tongued as his words rendered Wang Zhuoyu speechless.
Wang Zhuoyu was even more upset when the array formation assessment was mentioned.
He could have passed the assessment at first, but after being affected by Ye Ping, he had a slip-up and failed again.
That made Wang Zhuoyu feel extremely upset.
Now that Su Changyu brought it up again, Wang Zhuoyu felt like his heart had been stabbed by a knife.
“Eldest Senior Brother, I don’t mean anything else, but it’s not like we don’t know how you managed to get into the top ten places of the Qingzhou Sword Dao Meet.”
“Besides, array formation is completely different from the Sword Dao. To be honest, if it wasn’t for the fact that Master made me study array formations, I might have excelled in the Sword Dao.”
Wang Zhuoyu was indignant.
The few of them were orphans who were adopted together by Daoist Tai Hua.
Daoist Tai Hua had also done some divination for them and learned that Su Changyu was suitable for learning the Sword Dao while Wang Zhuoyu was suitable for learning array formations. Hence, the latter continued learning array formations.
In fact, Wang Zhuoyu sometimes thought that he might not be suitable for array formations but the Sword Dao. Be it the Sword Dao or array formations, they were just as difficult.
However, Wang Zhuoyu was furious because of how Su Changyu mocked him.
“Hah, stupid.”
Su Changyu humphed coldly before speaking coldly.
“The Sword Dao is incredibly difficult. In the Dao of array formations, array artifacts, array material, and array diagrams would have to become one and ordinary array formations can be set up by an individual. You’re just foolish.”
Su Changyu could tolerate anything except being mocked. Hence, he criticized his skill in array formations.
After hearing his words, Wang Zhuoyu couldn’t hold back again.
He respected Su Changyu as his Senior Brother but it didn’t mean that he had to be polite all the time. Besides, at the end of the day, they were about the same age so they were close like brothers.
Since they were close like brothers, it was normal to have arguments every now and then. However, later on, they became more sensible as they got older and thus became more polite towards each other.
However, Wang Zhuoyu could not tolerate Su Changyu’s mocking.
“Eldest Senior Brother, I don’t mean anything else. The Sword Dao is indeed very difficult but it wouldn’t be that difficult. You tried to learn the Four Thunder Sword Technique, but even till now, you haven’t condensed the sword momentum.”
“What right do you have to say that the Dao of array formations is simple?”
Wang Zhuoyu retorted.
“Hah!”
Su Changyu sneered and glanced at the stones on the ground, and then slowly spoke, “It looks like you’re still not convinced. Do you believe that I can casually set up an array formation?”
Su Changyu was angered too. Wang Zhuoyu actually wanted to mock him for failing to condense the sword momentum.
‘They’re making it sound like I’m very untalented.’
“Eldest Senior Brother, I’m not being sarcastic, but if you can casually set up a formation, from now on, I will do whatever you tell me to. I’ll give you half of my earnings in the future.”
Wang Zhuoyu laughed.
‘Casually set up an array formation?’
‘Do you think you’re my little Junior Brother Ye Ping?’
‘No, no, big brother, you don’t really think you’re a peerless expert, do you?’
‘The highest realm of lying is to deceive yourself?’
At this moment, Wang Zhuoyu felt that Su Changyu had slipped into obsession and really thought that he was a supreme expert.
“Okay, you said so yourself, don’t regret it.”
Su Changyu said stubbornly.
In fact, he was now somewhat left with no means of turning back, but in order to defend his dignity and pride as the Eldest Senior Brother, he had no choice but to continue.
“I won’t regret it, but Eldest Senior Brother, what if you can’t set it up?”
Wang Zhuoyu took a deep breath and looked at Su Changyu.
“Can’t set it up? If I can’t, I’ll call you Eldest Senior Brother.”
Su Changyu said furiously.
“Okay then, Eldest Senior Brother, please.”
Wang Zhuoyu was furious too. He raised his hand and asked Su Changyu to continue performing.
After he said that, Su Changyu suddenly calmed down.
‘What?’
‘You really want me to set up an array formation?’
‘Great, Zhuoyu, I didn’t expect you to have such a grudge against me.’
Su Changyu gritted his teeth and continued.
“You and I are alone here. What if you go back on your word after I really set it up?”
Su Changyu was afraid that Wang Zhuoyu would go back on his word.
“I’ll get someone to come over and testify for everyone, alright?”
Wang Zhuoyu seemed to be really insistent.
All of a sudden, Su Changyu was confused.
However, the arrogance in his heart made Su Changyu unable to swallow his pride.
He said calmly, “Go ahead.”
Wang Zhuoyu did not say anything more, turned around, and went to invite someone over.
However, as soon as he took a few steps, Wang Zhuoyu said, “Eldest Senior Brother, do you need me to prepare some array artifacts and materials for you? I don’t want to hear you making excuses when you fail to set it up later!”
Wang Zhuoyu said in displeasure.
“No, only good-for-nothings need an array artifact.”
Su Changyu said. Anyway, he wouldn’t be able to set up an array formation with or without an artifact so he decided to pretend to be impressive.
“Okay, Eldest Senior Brother, I’ll get someone to come over. Don’t go missing later. Whoever slips away will be a dog.”
Wang Zhuoyu said again after being mocked.
In fact, he did not want to make it so tense and actually just wanted to go back and rest when he said that he would ask someone to come over.
However, he didn’t expect Su Changyu to continue boasting.
Wang Zhuoyu couldn’t tolerate it any longer.
He was really going to ask someone to come over, and he deliberately decided to be ruthless.
He wanted to prevent Su Changyu from running away.
After hearing that, Su Changyu froze because he could tell that Wang Zhuoyu was really angry.
They were Senior Brother and Junior Brother after all and they had argued before too. However, their arguments would often end without an outcome.
However, at this point, Su Changyu also understood that Wang Zhuoyu was being serious.
At the thought of this, Su Changyu couldn’t help but feel that he had indeed been a bit too harsh with his words.
Su Changyu immediately wanted to say something to ease the tension.
However, he messed up again after saying that.
“Childish.”
He said calmly.
All of a sudden, it became the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
Wang Zhuoyu’s eyes turned red.
He was doing it for real this time.
