"What a fierce Sword Qi!"
The mysterious young man watched the increasingly intense battle in the forest, his eyes full of disbelief.
It was evident that he had recognized Ye Xiaofan in the forest, but while he was shocked, he also found it hard to believe his eyes.
"Isn't this person the Ye Race descendant who awakened the Plant Martial Soul in Star Moon City half a month ago? How could he be so strong?"
The mysterious young man muttered to himself, his gaze increasingly puzzled, frowning as he thought, "Could it be… this is Ye Wuyuan's Blinding Technique?"
The young man seriously doubted that the person before him might not be any waste at all, but rather a true genius hidden by the Ye Race, for a stunning debut at the upcoming competition in Star Moon City.
With the mysterious young man's current strength, although he couldn't fully see through Ye Xiaofan's cultivation level, merely judging by the Spiritual Power he infused when using the Sword Technique, it wasn't difficult to deduce that he was around the Fifth Layer of the Profound Spirit Realm.
Merely half a month had passed since the Martial Soul Awakening, yet he was already a Fifth Layer cultivator in the Profound Spirit Realm. The mysterious young man would never believe that such a person was a cultivation waste. If this kind of person is considered a waste, then there would be no geniuses in Star Moon City.
That leaves only one possibility—the other party is a well-protected peerless prodigy!
After all, small mountain clans like Ye Village, once a true prodigy is born, would unquestionably keep it hidden and wait for the right moment for their safety's sake.
"Ye Wuyuan, Ye Race, haha, hiding pretty deep, huh? If I hadn't come across this by chance today, I might really have been caught off guard during the competition in Star Moon City half a month later."
The mysterious young man's lips curled slightly upward, his gaze tightly fixed on Ye Xiaofan battling in the forest, his pupils gradually constricting.
However, soon, the mysterious young man's expression changed again, as if he had discovered a new world, his eyes becoming astonished and surprised: "Is this… the 'Grass Cutting Sword Technique'?"
Upon recognizing that the Sword Technique Ye Xiaofan was using was the long-familiar 'Grass Cutting Sword Technique' of Nanming Country, the mysterious young man felt as if a storm was surging in his heart.
Although this Sword Technique was created by Sword Saint Dugu Nan, no one could truly harness its power, and over time, it became known as 'the most famous useless Sword Technique.'
However, at this moment, the figure in the forest had cultivated this Sword Technique to perfection, even producing Sword Qi.
"How is this possible?"
The mysterious young man was struck as if by lightning, suffering a huge psychological blow.
It wasn't that he hadn't studied this Sword Technique, quite the contrary since the Sword Technique was created by the Sword Saint, the mysterious young man had studied it for a long time. He believed himself to have some talent in the Sword Dao, yet he had never glimpsed its profound mysteries.
"A genius in the Sword Dao!"
The mysterious man whispered, his eyes full of shock, confirming his suspicion that this person was indeed a hidden trump card of Ye Wuyuan and the Ye Race. They pushed Ye Xiaotian into the spotlight to cover for this true peerless prodigy, intentionally using Ye Xiaotian to attract external attention.
Just as the mysterious young man was in a state of shock.
An anomaly suddenly occurred in the forest.
After forcing back the soul leopard with one strike, Ye Xiaofan found the latter suddenly stopped, its previously furious expression gradually turning into terror.
"What's going on?"
Ye Xiaofan also instantly sensed this change and simultaneously felt a chill rushing from behind.
Instinctively, he turned around only to see that in the distant primitive jungle, under the night sky, countless shrubs were collapsing with a loud crash. A terrifying aura was rushing toward him, vaguely revealing what seemed to be a terrifying creature rapidly approaching.
"Sixth Order Soul Beast!"
Ye Xiaofan's face changed drastically, realizing that it was too late to escape upon recognizing the colossal creature.
It was an enormous Earth Snow Bear, a Sixth Order Soul Beast, entirely snow-white, with a massive and powerful build.
The Great Earth Bear, bursting out from the bush, also spotted Ye Xiaofan. This Sixth Order Soul Beast seemed to be on the run and was in a rampaging state. Seeing a Human Race Cultivator blocking the way ahead, it immediately leaped forward, its immense paw crashing down on Ye Xiaofan.
Ye Xiaofan's face turned ashen at the sight, feeling the overwhelming Sixth Order strength emanating from the bear's paw, causing his pores to open and a cold sweat to break out all over.
A Sixth Order Soul Beast was equivalent to a Sixth Layer cultivator in the Profound Spirit Realm, and despite it only differing by a small realm, the difference was like heaven and earth.
If he were to be slapped by this paw, even if he didn't die, he would be in mortal danger.
Yet, with no time left to dodge, in a desperate clutch and under the oppressive force from the Sixth Order Soul Beast, Ye Xiaofan's potential was unleashed at that moment, and he instinctively mobilized all his Spiritual Power to thrust out a sword.
"Sword Break!"
The sword thrust in desperation played a crucial role at the critical moment.
The instant Ye Xiaofan thrust his sword, the surrounding void trembled; the sound of a sword's cry resounded in his ears, and a surge of powerful Sword Intent burst forth, rushing toward the Earth Snow Bear!
Although Sword Intent is formless, it caused ripples in the void, carrying an impressive force to strike against this sudden change.
Boom——!
"Roar——!"
Upon the collision, Ye Xiaofan was instantly blasted away, his whole body flying backward, spewing blood from his mouth.
However, the Formless Sword Intent also broke through the Earth Snow Bear's exterior defense, directly piercing its paw and embedding into its forehead. With a sorrowful roar, it heavily crashed to the ground, lifeless.
Ye Xiaofan, upon landing, felt a wave of exhaustion throughout his body, almost unable to stand. However, his small face was full of astonishment.
After countless thrusts, he finally succeeded in performing "Sword Break." Although the range of Sword Intent was only five inches wide, it was truly executed. Moreover, at the moment of performing "Sword Break," he seemed to grasp something, fleetingly, like a flash of insight.
Yet, this scene in the eyes of the mysterious young man in the dark was akin to witnessing a ghost.
The mysterious young man even found it hard to believe his own eyes, instinctively stepping forward, his whole being petrified: "Was that… Sword Intent just now?!"
Though the mysterious young man himself hadn't cultivated Sword Intent, he was not unfamiliar with it.
But the other party, being of similar age and having only awakened his Martial Soul not long ago, how could he have comprehended Sword Intent?
Not to mention the mysterious young man, even Ye Xiaofan himself was startled by his own comprehension.
Even though this sword was a result of potential unleashed in dire circumstances, he hadn't expected to thrust it. To know, only less than five days had passed since Dugu Nan imparted this sword.
Just as Ye Xiaofan was desperately trying to grasp the fleeting insight.
Suddenly.
"Quick, quick, quick, it should be just ahead. It's already severely injured, we mustn't let it escape."
"Why did it suddenly get so quiet? I clearly saw it fleeing in this direction."
Familiar voices came from the direction where the Earth Soul Bear had fled, interrupting Ye Xiaofan's thoughts.
Before long.
A figure leaped out from the bush, seemingly in pursuit of something.
"Found it, it's here."
One of the Ye Race cultivators looked at the Earth Snow Bear lying on the ground, too excited to contain himself, and soon, several other figures leaped out of the bush in succession.
Seeing the belated arrivals, Ye Xiaofan couldn't help but frown slightly.
For those who came were none other than a dozen or so young cultivators from Ye Village, including several so-called heavenly prodigies, Ye Xiaotian and Ye Xiaojiang.