Ye Xing’s face instantly turned ashen.
Even Ye Youran’s expression changed slightly. She had no idea what had gotten into her little brother today. His temper was unusually explosive.
The many newly admitted disciples were equally startled. Their gazes toward Ye Xing gradually became strange.
The Peak Master of the Fifth Peak seemed rather unimpressive.
He had been openly humiliated by the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, yet he appeared to lack even the confidence to argue back.
And that… was indeed the truth.
Lu Qing had become a Peak Master at such a young age not because of his connections or background.
There was only one simple reason.
He was strong.
Overwhelmingly strong.
Among the Peak Masters of the seven main peaks, not one was his match. As long as no Supreme Elder intervened, Lu Qing alone could run rampant among the seven peaks without fear.
Just as he had said, what did Ye Xing amount to?
“Ye Lian’er, come to me,” Lu Qing said calmly.
“Yes, Master.”
Ye Lian’er immediately nodded and obeyed.
Seeing this, Ye Xing nearly burned with jealousy and rage. Just moments earlier, Ye Lian’er had hesitated when facing him. Yet the instant Lu Qing spoke, she agreed without the slightest hesitation.
There was nothing Ye Xing could do about it.
He liked Ye Lian’er far too much. She greatly resembled a former lover of his, which was why he had taken the risk of trying to claim her.
Yet he had never imagined that Lu Qing, who had always avoided competing with others, would suddenly refuse to show him any consideration and directly intervene.
Worse still, Ye Lian’er seemed perfectly willing. In fact, she appeared eager to join Heavenly Sword Peak.
That only made the fury in Ye Xing’s heart burn even hotter.
“Lu Qing, don’t go too far!” Ye Xing shouted.
However, the moment his words fell, an enormous palm imprint descended directly in front of him.
Ye Xing was horrified.
He immediately surged his True Qi throughout his entire body and struck upward with all his strength.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted.
Ye Xing was battered into a miserable state. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he remained standing in place, his expression twisted with humiliation and fury.
Only then did Lu Qing’s calm voice drift over.
“Peak Master Ye, I am the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, and my cultivation realm is above yours. The accomplished are respected as teachers. Even if you refuse to address me as Senior Brother, you should at least address me as Venerable Heavenly Sword. Yet you dared to call me directly by name.”
“That palm strike was merely a minor punishment and a warning. If there is a next time, Peak Master Ye, you will no longer need to remain the Peak Master of the Fifth Peak.”
“You…”
Ye Xing flew into a rage and pointed at Lu Qing, yet he could not force out another word.
Instead, he spat out a mouthful of pent-up blood.
In the end, overwhelmed by humiliation and fury, he turned around and left.
There was nothing else he could do.
He had lost far too much face.
He no longer even bothered selecting disciples. With grief and rage churning in his heart, he simply departed.
Lu Qing snorted coldly as he watched him leave.
‘Ye Xing? What does he amount to?’
In his previous life, Lu Qing simply had not bothered arguing with him.
Yet in this life, Ye Xing actually dared to snatch a disciple from him.
If Lu Qing had not considered the fact that Ye Xing had some connection to Ye Youran and was also the Peak Master of one of the main peaks, making his death a serious matter, Lu Qing would have been tempted to kill him with that single palm strike.
Being weak was one thing.
But to be weak and still dare to jump around provoking others?
He was courting death.
“Sect Master, please continue,” Lu Qing said after administering his punishment. His expression had already returned to its usual calm.
Ye Youran did not know whether to be angry or amused.
Such an incident occurring in public naturally made her beautiful expression somewhat unsightly. However, when she remembered that her little brother was the one who had caused the disturbance, she decided to forget about it.
Her little brother could do whatever he wanted.
After all, he was still young.
Besides, Ye Xing had brought this upon himself by harboring inappropriate intentions. She would have to visit him later and give him a warning as well, lest that fellow attempt anything reckless.
With those thoughts flashing through her mind, Ye Youran said, “Peak Masters, please continue. Don’t allow this matter to delay important business. As for Peak Master Ye, I will deal with him afterward.”
Then she added, “By the way… Heavenly Sword Peak has traditionally maintained a single lineage. According to the old rules, even if another peak selects someone first, Heavenly Sword Peak still has the right to choose that disciple.”
“It can even take every prodigy within the top ten. This is a privilege granted specifically to Heavenly Sword Peak. However, if the current generation uses this privilege, the next generation will not have it. The opportunity is available only once every 1,000 years.”
The entire venue fell silent.
Everyone was speechless.
Peak Master Ye had suffered such a humiliating defeat, yet this was the Sect Master’s response?
She had not spoken even half a sentence of reproach toward the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, despite Lu Qing directly attacking someone and causing such a disturbance.
At this point, anyone could see what was happening.
The Sect Master was clearly siding with the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak.
Her favoritism was simply outrageous.
However, what she said afterward also filled the disciples with anticipation.
Heavenly Sword Peak already had very few disciples. If they could become disciples there, the sheer abundance of cultivation resources available to them would already be an enormous advantage.
Now, its Peak Master was obviously the Sect Master’s favorite, and she was so blatantly partial toward him.
If someone managed to join Heavenly Sword Peak, the benefits they could obtain, both openly and behind the scenes, would surely be immense.
Countless disciples began yearning for the same thing.
‘If only I could join Heavenly Sword Peak…’
Amid this atmosphere, the Sixth Peak began selecting its disciples.
The Sixth Peak was Falling Rain Peak.
Its Peak Master, Daoist Qingguang, calmly selected one disciple from the top ten and another three from the remaining candidates.
Only after he finished did the selection order finally reach Lu Qing.
The remaining disciples and prodigies all turned their expectant gazes toward him.
The other Peak Masters could not help looking at Lu Qing as well.
They were all quite fond of the disciples they had selected. However, if this Senior Brother truly wanted to take one of them away, there was nothing they could do.
A faint trace of concern inevitably appeared in their hearts.
Meanwhile, Ye Qingyan, Xiao Ning, Ye Lingyu, and Liu Yao, the former female Great Emperors who had already been selected, could not stop themselves from looking toward Lu Qing.
Previously, they had assumed that once another peak selected them, they would lose any chance of entering Heavenly Sword Peak.
Unexpectedly, there was still another possibility.
For a moment, they all desperately wanted to know what Lu Qing would choose.
They had deliberately tested fate.
They had changed their circumstances and had even written in their preferences that they did not want to join Heavenly Sword Peak.
Yet deep within their hearts, they still wanted to know.
‘Will you still accept us into Heavenly Sword Peak just as you did in our previous life?’
‘Will you still shower us with heavenly treasures and divine-grade artifacts without the slightest concern for their value?’
‘Will you still cherish us to the very depths of your heart?’