Chapter 150: Unprecedented Attention

The central square of the Cyan Wind Profound Palace's outer division is vast. It's a regular gathering spot where numerous outer division disciples spar, often drawing large crowds of onlookers. All sorts of profound energy competitions for the outer division are also held here.

Today, however, the square was dozens of times more bustling than usual. The central platform was swarmed with people, with over 80% of the outer division's more than 50,000 disciples gathered there, completely encircling the central area. They craned their necks, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the day's main figures.

Today marked the scheduled duel between Yun Che and Murong Yi.

Yet, for the outer division disciples, the true star wasn't Yun Che, but Murong Yi. Most had come simply to catch a glimpse of an inner division disciple. Yun Che, on the other hand, had been nothing more than a widespread joke among outer division disciples for the past three months.

Ordinarily, a newly admitted disciple's overconfident challenge to an inner division member wouldn't garner such immense attention. The key, however, was that this duel had caught the attention of Vice Palace Master Qin Wushang, who had personally agreed to witness it. This unprecedented involvement ensured the entire Profound Palace's focus.

With less than fifteen minutes until the appointed time, neither Yun Che nor Murong Yi had made an appearance. Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the eastern side of the square, followed by excited shouts.

"Look! It's Vice Palace Master Qin! He's here!"

The crowd parted as a group of figures slowly approached. At the forefront was a middle-aged man in purple robes, with a benevolent expression and an aura of awe in his every gesture. This was Qin Wushang, the Vice Palace Master of the Cyan Wind Profound Palace. Beside him was a smiling Qin Wuyou, followed by several elders and outer division instructors.

Qin Wushang and his entourage took seats in a pavilion situated near the platform, their gazes calmly fixed on the empty stage. The surrounding disciples instinctively retreated, their eyes filled with reverence as they looked towards the pavilion.

"Vice Palace Master Qin truly came!"

"Of course! Vice Palace Master Qin is a man of his word."

"But why would Vice Palace Master Qin agree to personally witness a duel like this? There's a whole major realm of difference between Yun Che and Senior Brother Murong. Even with three months passed, that gap can't have closed significantly; it might even be wider. The outcome of the fight is obvious to anyone with eyes..."

"Vice Palace Master Qin's reasoning is, of course, beyond our understanding. Perhaps it's just a whim..."

Even after Qin Wushang's arrival, Murong Yi and Yun Che remained absent. As the final minutes ticked down to the duel's scheduled start, the discussions in the square grew louder. Suddenly, a chorus of gasps erupted from the northern part of the square.

"Murong Yi! Murong Yi is here!"

Under the excited gazes of countless disciples, Murong Yi finally appeared. Beside him, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, was a man clad entirely in white. His face was handsome with a hint of effeminacy, and his half-closed eyes held a languid yet chilling gaze.

"Look at the person next to Murong Yi! That's Feng Baiyi, ranked thirty-sixth on the Heavenly Profound Ranking!"

"Wow! Thirty-sixth?" The outer division disciples' excited shouts immediately intensified.

Murong Yi and Feng Baiyi's arrival sent a complete ripple through the crowded square. The vast majority of outer division disciples had squeezed into the throng precisely to catch a glimpse of these legendary inner division disciples, and they now stood on tiptoes, their gazes burning with anticipation.

"Cousin, this time you absolutely must teach Yun Che a thorough lesson, preferably beating him to a pulp! I've been holding onto that grudge for three whole months!"

Murong Ye, having struggled through the crowd for what felt like an eternity, finally reached Murong Yi's side and said through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry, he's just an ignorant little mouse," Murong Yi sneered disdainfully. "I'll shape him as I please. If you want to take your own revenge, hmph, after I've crushed him, I'll hand him over to you... He did say himself that if he loses, he'll be at my mercy."

"Hehe," Murong Ye rubbed his hands together, his face alight with anticipation. "Cousin, I'll be waiting for you to beat him into a dead dog. For the next three days, just name anywhere you want to go, and it's on me."

"Is there any need to make such a big deal out of stepping on a grasshopper that's practically asking to die?" Feng Baiyi yawned, a lazy, bored expression on his face.

Murong Yi glanced towards the platform and snorted. "Hasn't Yun Che arrived yet?"

"Not yet," Murong Ye quickly replied, then sneered, "He probably doesn't dare to show up."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the distant crowd suddenly erupted in jeers. Feng Baiyi narrowed his eyes and smirked sarcastically. "Oh, he actually showed up."

Yun Che, clad in a white training uniform, arrived almost simultaneously with Murong Yi. However, owing to the boisterous crowd, his unassuming entry, and the fact that few recognized him, he remained unnoticed for some time. It wasn't until he finally managed to squeeze into the central area and calmly ascended the platform that the crowd's attention shifted to him.

Yun Che stepped onto the platform, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below. He immediately spotted Qin Wushang and Qin Wuyou in the nearby pavilion. After a brief moment, his eyes settled on an unassuming corner at the back of the crowd, where Lan Xueruo stood quietly, watching with a blend of concern and nervousness. When their eyes met, Lan Xueruo first offered a faint smile, then involuntarily recalled an earlier moment, her cheeks flushing as she quietly lowered her head. Even now, her mind felt hazy; she couldn't comprehend why, despite his sudden treatment and "intrusion," she felt not even a hint of the repulsion she should have.

"Hm? True Profound Realm Level Two?" Murong Yi glanced at Yun Che on the platform, instantly discerning his profound energy level.

"W-what? True Profound Realm Level Two? That's impossible! Three months ago, he was still only in the Nascent Profound Realm!" Murong Ye exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Feng Baiyi said, eyes gleaming. "Tch, a slightly fatter grasshopper is still a grasshopper. Brother Murong could crush him with a mere pinky finger. But if I were Brother Murong, tsk tsk, before finishing him off completely, I'd enjoy myself thoroughly. It's not every day you find a grasshopper stupid enough to practically beg for a beating."

"I'll make him remember today forever," Murong Yi scoffed. He then suddenly pushed off with his foot, his body soaring into the air like a great bird. He covered dozens of meters in a single leap, landing steadily on the platform directly in front of Yun Che.

"Wow!!"

Murong Yi's aerial maneuver immediately elicited gasps from the entire audience. Over half of the outer division disciples gaped, their faces filled with worship and envy as they watched him, fantasizing about reaching such a realm themselves one day.

"Truly an inner division disciple! Leaping nearly thirty meters through the air! Sigh, I probably won't reach that level before I'm twenty."

"Is that Yun Che in white? Tsk tsk, he looks so delicate and soft-skinned, not at all like a profound practitioner. He's practically a pretty boy. How could such a weakling dare challenge Murong Yi? I could knock him out with a single punch."

On the platform, Murong Yi and Yun Che stood facing each other. Murong Yi was tall, with dark skin and bulging muscles that clearly indicated explosive power. Yun Che, in contrast, was slender, with smooth, delicate skin, showing no hint of aggression. Calling him a "pretty boy" was charitable; he looked more like half a woman.

"How many moves do you think it'll take Murong Yi to crush Yun Che? I bet three moves will be more than enough."

"What? Three moves? That's an insult to an inner division disciple! If Murong Yi just got a little serious, one move... one move would be entirely sufficient!"

In the pavilion near the platform, Qin Wushang wore a smile, seemingly anticipating the upcoming confrontation. He turned to Qin Wuyou beside him and remarked, "Two levels in three months, quite impressive. But Murong Yi is at True Profound Level Nine, and his profound energy has also significantly advanced over the past three months, nearly reaching Level Ten. Wuyou, do you believe Yun Che has any chance of defeating Murong Yi?"

"Well..." Qin Wuyou hesitated for a moment, then shook his head with a sigh. "Honestly, I believe it's utterly impossible. After all, that's a full seven-level gap. While he once severely wounded a Nascent Profound Realm Level Ten opponent with just Nascent Profound Realm Level One profound energy, the difference between each level in the True Profound Realm is simply not comparable to that in the Nascent Profound Realm."

"Hmph, that boy is simply arrogant and overestimates himself," Instructor Qi scoffed from behind them.

Qin Wushang, however, smiled faintly. "I, on the other hand, believe Yun Che might win."

Qin Wuyou immediately turned his head, surprised. "Brother, you never speak without certainty. Why are you so optimistic about Yun Che? While Yun Che's talent is astonishing, allowing him to fight above his level, a seven-level gap in the True Profound Realm is fundamentally insurmountable. I've never heard of anyone bridging such a divide."

Qin Wushang's gaze remained fixed on Yun Che as he slowly continued, "Murong Yi's profound energy has advanced significantly in these three months; I can clearly sense all his progress. However, Yun Che's improvement isn't merely in his profound energy. While his appearance seems unchanged from three months ago, everything else about him is entirely different, almost as if he's a completely new person. Furthermore, he faintly emanates an aura that I simply cannot discern. This elusive feeling leaves me equally unable to predict the outcome."

Qin Wuyou was speechless.

"Wuyou, the time has come. Please go and preside over this duel," Qin Wushang said meaningfully. "But regardless of the outcome, with all eyes upon us, I expect you to be completely impartial. Other matters can be handled afterward."

Qin Wuyou nodded, then leaped into the air, landing gracefully on the edge of the platform. The moment he appeared, the entire square instantly hushed. All the onlookers held their breath, awaiting the start of the match.

"It's almost time; you two may begin," Qin Wuyou announced in a calm yet authoritative voice. "But remember, this is merely a spar, not a battle to the death. You must absolutely not take each other's lives, or you will face severe punishment. Alright, begin!"

As Qin Wuyou's voice faded, Murong Yi retained his nonchalant expression. Indeed, facing an opponent only at True Profound Realm Level Two, there was no need for him to be serious. He glared at Yun Che and said with utter disdain, "Yun Che, have you decided how you want to die?"

"That's a question I should be asking you," Yun Che retorted with an equally disdainful sneer. "Show me your weapon."

"A weapon?" Murong Yi burst into laughter. "Do I even need a weapon to deal with you?"

"Is that so?" Yun Che's lips curved into a smile as he unhurriedly flexed his wrists. "In that case, there's no need for me to use my weapon either. I hope you'll still be laughing later."

Murong Yi and Yun Che's brief exchange was met with a chorus of jeers from the crowd below.

"Damn it! I can't stand listening to this! Does Yun Che even know who he is? Does he know who he's standing in front of?"

"I heard Yun Che had something wrong with his head before, but I didn't quite believe it. Now I fully do. A True Profound Level Nine expert needs a weapon to deal with a True Profound Level Two? This guy is still so arrogant. Our esteemed Cyan Wind Profound Palace actually has such a joke among us."

"This Yun Che, he should take a good look at himself. True Profound Realm Level Two acting arrogant in front of Senior Brother Murong? Bah! Senior Brother Murong, quickly make him get off the stage!"