Chapter 12: Sparring

After Xuan Ming left, Yue Ning glared at Ling Feng with an angry face and said resentfully, "You can't be a bit more diligent? Learn from your older brother; if you keep going like this, you'll ruin yourself, you know? You're simply wasting your talent."

"Understood, senior sister, I understand what you're saying, but I think cultivation should balance work and rest." Ling Feng said helplessly, because he couldn't speak of the little pagoda's matter, which also gave him a headache.

"What do you know? You know, you're basically a pig—no, even pigs can't sleep as much as you!" After Yue Ning nagged at Ling Feng for half an hour, Ling Feng, under her scolding, ran off to cultivate in the little pagoda again.

Yue Ning talked for a long time, her mouth dry, then turned around and saw Ling Feng asleep on the bed again; instantly her anger flared. She went over and kicked Ling Feng, then left, having become helpless toward him.

As time passed, a year quickly went by. Ling Ye often took sect missions out for training during that year; all disciples and elders of the Profound Heaven Sect believed Ling Ye was someone to be bullied in the future. In that year of Ling Ye's external training, he, together with Lin Luyao of the Carefree Sect in the Da Yan Empire and Qin Dao Ming of the Thousand Cloud Sect in the Da Qin Empire, was called the Three Great Talents of the Southern Region.

This caused the elders of the Profound Heaven Sect to regard Ling Ye even more as the sect's savior.

As for Ling Feng? Throughout that year, aside from hiding in a corner of Heavenly Imperial Peak to cultivate in the little pagoda, he just went down the mountain to eat.

In the past few months, Yue Ning and Xuan Ming would still discipline Ling Feng, but now, aside from Xuan Ming occasionally seeing Ling Feng and scolding him a few times, everyone in the Profound Heaven Sect had almost forgotten that there was a person named Ling Feng in the sect, which actually let Ling Feng live a carefree life.

Moreover, after a year of tempering himself everywhere, plus Ling Ye's talent, Ling Ye had reached the ninth layer of the Myriad Laws Realm, only one step away from entering the Dharma Text Realm; this cultivation speed was astonishing.

"Sect Master, in a month it will be the five‑yearly martial competition of the younger generation of the Three Great Empires. This time the venue falls to our Da Yun Empire. During this month, many geniuses from the Three Great Empires will keep pouring into Yun Shui Cheng, making the place very lively." Grand Elder Sun Shen stroked his beard and said.

"Indeed, this time's talents are different from before. Lin Luyao of the Da Yan Empire was born with a flawless sacred body; cultivating such a sacred body encounters no bottlenecks. Moreover, Lin Luyao is a princess of the Da Yan Empire, receiving full support from both the Carefree Sect and the imperial household of the Da Yan Empire—her future is limitless."

"Qin Dao Ming of the Da Qin Empire, the crown prince of the Da Qin Empire, is also nurtured by the two major powers; at a young age he has mastered the Da Qin Empire's ancient technique, the Heart of the Sovereign—do not underestimate him."

The elders below were all discussing noisily.

Meanwhile, Xuan Ming sat in the chief seat, silent in thought. Indeed, compared to them, Ling Ye had too few cultivation resources. He also worried whether Ling Ye could defeat the two.

"What realm is Yue Ning at now?" Xuan Ming turned his head and asked.

"Replying to Master, the disciple is currently at the seventh layer of the Myriad Laws Realm."

This can't be blamed on Yue Ning's poor cultivation talent; know that before Ling Ye joined the Profound Heaven Sect, Yue Ning was the sect's first genius. But Ling Ye's talent is truly terrifying—in just a short year he went from the Origin Spirit Realm straight to the ninth layer of the Myriad Laws Realm; this cultivation speed can no longer be described as merely terrifying.

Xuan Ming nodded, then immediately said to all the elders: "According to past years' rules, within ten days the outstanding youths of the Three Great Empires will stream into Yun Shui Cheng; tell the sect disciples not to cause trouble when they go out recently."

The elders nodded and then passed down the orders.

Soon after, Xuan Ming and Yue Ning appeared outside Ling Ye's residence.

"Ling Ye, this month you must train hard and strive to break through to the Dharma Text Realm before the competition; that way our Da Yun Empire will have a good chance of winning this match." Xuan Ming said solemnly to Ling Ye.

No wonder—the Da Yun Empire had ranked last in the previous two occasions; if it still doesn't achieve a good result this time, two years later it will lose one quota for sending people to the Central Province two years hence.

Every five years, the Central Province recruits disciples from the other four regions; the Da Yun Empire, located in the Southern Region, has nine spots each time, with each empire getting three. If the Da Yun Empire ends up last again this time, it will lose one of those spots.

Know that the Central Province is the most prosperous place on the Profound Heaven Continent, a destination longed for by every cultivator.

"Master, rest assured, I will absolutely not disappoint your expectations." Ling Ye said with a serious expression.

Ling Ye is a person who repays kindness; over this past year, the Profound Heaven Sect doesn't know how much cultivation resources they have spent on him.

After Xuan Ming left, Ling Ye exited the room and turned to look for his younger brother Ling Feng.

Ling Ye wasn't looking for Ling Feng for any other reason; he wanted to find him to spar.

Everyone in the Profound Heaven Sect thought Ling Feng was extremely lazy; only Ling Ye, who had played with Ling Feng since childhood, knew that Ling Feng was definitely not what people imagined.

Not long after, Ling Ye found him in a secluded bamboo grove on Heavenly Imperial Peak.

Ling Feng was cultivating inside the little pagoda; upon hearing Ling Ye's voice, he immediately exited the pagoda.

"Big brother, what do you want with me?" Ling Feng said with a grin.

Ling Ye also didn't waste words; he directly grasped the Dragon Chant Sword, condensed a tremendously powerful sword aura, and then aimed it at Ling Feng and slashed.

Ling Feng raised an eyelid. "Oh crap, big brother, surely you're not going for a killing blow right at the start?" While he said that, his movements were not slow at all; he turned and with a single sword deflected Ling Ye's attack.

Immediately the brothers unleashed various killing moves one after another, explosion sounds rang out continuously; if an outsider were present, they'd surely have their jaw drop—Ling Feng actually fought Ling Ye with equal give and take.

After Ling Ye displayed the Instant‑Kill Sword, Ling Feng also executed the Azure Lotus Sword Technique.

After a clash of the two swords sounded.

Ling Ye also withdrew the Dragon Chant Sword, lying on the ground panting, while Ling Feng likewise lay on the ground.

"Big brother, there's no need to be so harsh—my clothes are all torn." Ling Feng lay on the ground complaining to Ling Ye.

Ling Ye smirked and said, "Why are you so low‑key?"

"Big brother, you know me—when I'm alone and idle, I'm extremely carefree; nobody manages me, it's too free." Ling Feng said with a completely indifferent expression.

Ling Ye also didn't argue with Ling Feng.

"In the coming month, I'll occasionally come to you for sparring, so don't think you can stay peaceful."

Ling Feng heard that and his face filled with bitterness, but what could he do? After all, it's his older brother.

Ling Feng kept thinking in his mind about how to reduce the number of spars with his older brother; otherwise, if Ling Ye came to him for a spar every day, Ling Feng would surely end up with a huge headache.