You''ve lost.


    The three words spoken calmly by Ye Chen echoed through the venue like a p of thunder.


    "He won, the honorary disciple actually won!"


    "He actually defeated Zhou Mo, who was at the fifthyer of True Qi, with only the fourthyer of True Qi!"


    "That Sky-Shocking Sword Force that descended from the heavens, it sted Zhou Mo straight into the ground, what an immense power that is! Among the fifthyer True Qi disciples of the Outer Sect, there are few who can achieve this!"


    "This honorary disciple truly has the strength to challenge those at the fifthyer of True Qi!"


    Seeing Ye Chennd on the ground with such ir and then gazing at Zhou Mo, half his body buried in the ground, the other contenders in the venue all opened their mouths wide in shock. Then, praises and exmations swept in from all directions.


    The image of Ye Chen''s sequential leaps in the air and that sword strike from the sky was etched deeply into their minds, lingering for a long time. They had been skeptical about Ye Chen''s chances of a sessful challenge as an honorary disciple. Now, they were eyewitnesses to this miracle!


    "I''ve lost?"


    Zhou Mo, with half his body sted into the ground, felt dazed as he heard the buzzing discussions around him and saw Ye Chen pointing his sword at him.


    He had never expected that, even after he had deployed the Yellow ss superior martial skill "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills," he would still face defeat, and such a miserable one at that.


    This oue even caused him to forget to extricate himself from the ground, as he felt a sense of disorientation and despondency oveing him.


    "Your new sword skill is indeed powerful. If all five of your shadows had the power to attack, I might not have been able to withstand them. You must not have mastered this sword skill to Great Aplishment," Ye Chen said slowly as he looked at Zhou Mo.


    Reflecting upon Zhou Mo''s swordsmanship, which split one into five and attacked from all sides, Ye Chen also felt admiration. He could sense that this martial skill had surpassed the category of a Yellow ss mid-tier martial skill, and it definitely must be a Yellow ss superior martial skill.


    If it were not for the fact that Zhou Mo hadn''t cultivated this superior martial skill to a state of Great Aplishment, and if it were not for Ye Chen''s enhanced environmental awareness after practicing the Vein Refining Chapter of the Primordial Star Scripture, allowing him to discern the real shadow out of the five, he might indeed have been defeated.


    Yellow ss superior martial skill?


    Ye Chen looked forward to the day he would obtain an even stronger martial skill.


    Ye Chen''s words fell into Zhou Mo''s ears, and he recalled the strike directed solely at his real body by Ye Chen earlier, ignoring the other four shadows.


    He remembers what was written in the manual of the "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills": "When mastered to Great Aplishment, all five shadows can strike as one." He finally regained his senses from his stupor.


    He finally understood the reason for his defeat.


    He had not truly mastered the Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills. Against the formidable Ye Chen, he was unable to unleash the truebat power of a Yellow ss superior martial skill.


    Martial skills can be divided by mastery into basicprehension, Minor Aplishment, and Great Aplishment.


    Ye Chen had cultivated both of his Yellow ss mid-tier martial skills to Great Aplishment, while Zhou Mo had only grasped the basics of the "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills."


    "I''ve lost."


    "Your insight is indeed profound. Without having cultivated the Yellow ss superior martial skill to Great Aplishment, I cannot defeat you," Zhou Mo admitted as he pped the ground, leaping out from the earth to face Ye Chen.


    Although he admitted defeat, there was still a hint of resentment hidden in the depths of his eyes.


    Ye Chen looked deeply at Zhou Mo, shook his head with a smile, and then put away his treasured sword. He turned his head to look at the tall girl standing aside.


    "Lin Jing, how about it, can I join your team now?" he said with a smile, remembering that the tall girl had introduced herself as Lin Jing. Noting her slightly dazed look, Ye Chen spoke up.


    "Ah!"


    Lin Jing, still absorbed in the memory of Ye Chen''s graceful, descending figure, started slightly and then a faint blush spread across her pretty cheeks.


    The thought that she, known within the Qingyun Sect''s Outer Sect for her fiery temperament and straightforwardness, had been mesmerized by the young man before her, made her feel somewhat embarrassed.


    "Of course you can! If you can''t join our team, then what kind of teammates are we looking for?" she said as she regained herposure, smiling radiantly as she approached Ye Chen.


    "My name is Lin Jing. You''ve met Zhou Mo already. Another teammate of ours is named Hong Man," she said, pointing toward a burly and honest-looking young man sitting beside her as she introduced him to Ye Chen.


    The sturdy Hong Man, towering at 1.8 meters, had an honest and simple demeanor. He grinned at Ye Chen, saying, "Brother, you''re really impressive. I wouldn''t be a match for you. Only Jing can spar with you."


    Seeing the sincere manner in which Hong Man spoke, and feeling the same heartfelt directness from Lin Jing, Ye Chen felt a sense of affinity toward the two. He gave them a salute and said, "My name is Ye Chen. After we enter Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, I hope for your guidance and care."


    "Ye Chen."


    Lin Jing''s beautiful eyes glimmered as the name uncontrobly echoed through her mind.


    ...


    Ye Chen defeated Zhou Mo and sessfully joined Lin Jing''s team.


    There was still one more team member left to pick for the small squad.


    After the battle with Ye Chen, Zhou Mo had some wear on his True Qi and body, so he sat down to recuperate, and Hong Man took over in continuing to pick team members.


    Ye Chen also sat down, beginning to reflect on the gains and losses of his recent battle with Zhou Mo.


    In the fight with Zhou Mo, they first exchanged blows with fast sword techniques.


    Ye Chen saw another set of rapid Swordsmanship beyond the "Torrential Rain Sword Skills": the "Fierce Light Sword Skills." Later, he witnessed the high-grade Yellow ss Martial Skill "Light-splitting Shadow-stealing Sword Skills."


    These two sets of swordsmanship gave him a vague insight into the third form of the "Torrential Rain Sword Skills."


    "The speed of the ''Fierce Light Sword Skills'' has simrities to my ''Torrential Rain Sword Skills'' yet they differ."


    "Swift Sword, what is swiftness? One Sword Seven Cuts, One Sword Ten Cuts, at what point does it reach the pinnacle?"


    "Light-splitting, Shadow-stealing,bining movement technique and swordsmanship, what is the true essence of the Swift Sword, and what does itbine with?"


    Ye Chen''s mind and spirit calmed as he thought deeply.


    While Ye Chen was immersed in his contemtion, the selection of team members continued in the arena.


    Challengers continuously engaged Hong Man to vie for thest spot in Lin Jing''s small squad.


    One would fail, another would take their ce to challenge.


    And amidst all this, Ye Chen paid no attention, as he had be fully engrossed in his post-battle enlightenment.


    Not knowing how much time had passed, Ye Chen finally came back to his senses from his deliberations and opened his eyes, revealing a smile that suggested some level of attainment.


    "Ye Chen, have you finished cultivating?"


    Just as Ye Chen opened his eyes from his contemtion, he smelled a fragrant breeze and saw a pair of long, straight, and beautiful legs step up in front of him. Looking up, who could it be gazing down at him if not the beautiful Lin Jing?


    Looking around, he noticed that the crowd of aspirants had dispersed, and next to Lin Jing, Zhou Mo, and Hong Man stood a young man dressed in green.


    Ye Chen stood up: "Senior Sister Lin Jing, has the team selection ended?"


    "It ended some time ago, you''ve been cultivating for a good half hour. We''ve been waiting for you toe out of cultivation.


    You really are diligent," Lin Jing said with a light smile as she introduced the newly picked teammate, "This is our new teammate, an Outer Sect disciple with the fifth level True Qi, Fang Shan."


    "Hello, Ye Chen," the young man named Fang Shan greeted with a smile.


    "Alright, our five-person team is finallyplete. Now, let''s set out to hunt Demon Beasts in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain!"


    With Lin Jing''s call, the five, including Ye Chen, left Woniu Valley and headed towards the first great mountain "Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain" in the eastern region of Heavenly Wind Kingdom.


    Silent Ridge, a mountain ridge on the outer southern part of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain.


    The ridge was filled with lush, towering trees, each of which was over a meter in diameter and over a hundred meters tall, reaching into the sky.


    Below the trees, there were dense bushes entwined with various vines, and scattered rocks strewn throughout the ridge, from where one could faintly hear the roars of Demon Beasts.


    This was a region where fourth to sixth grade Demon Beasts from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain gathered.


    The location chosen by Ye Chen and Lin Jing''s five-person squad for their Demon Beast hunting in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain was this very Silent Ridge!


    Ye Chen and Hong Man, both experiencing their first hunt in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, hadn''t even had a chance to admire the scenery of thergest mountain in the eastern region of Heavenly Wind Kingdom when arge group of fourth-grade Demon Beasts, ck Bat Winged Beasts, swooped in,unching an attack on the five team members.


    "Swish!"


    All five team members, including Ye Chen and Lin Jing, drew their weapons to face the onught of the ck Bat Winged Beasts.


    Their mission to hunt Demon Beasts in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain officiallymenced!