Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Qing Yifei

The terrifying fluctuation that suddenly erupted from the depths of the Star Academy made many hearts tremble. Numerous gazes shifted there, witnessing a slender shadow floating in the air, its faintly emerging aura extremely dreadful. "Qing Yifei! Qing Yifei has left seclusion! He's so terrifying now—what realm has he cultivated to?!" "Qing Yifei has been in secluded cultivation for a long time. His awakening this time must be aimed at the Star Palace." Shouts of astonishment rang out in the Star Academy. Qing Yifei was recognized as Qingzhou's number one prodigy, a title no one dared dispute. At a young age, he had cultivated to an unfathomable realm, and given a few more years, advancing to become a powerhouse was all but certain. Every realm in cultivation was极其（extremely ） arduous, and ascending to power was incredibly difficult. The Yunling Realm alone had dashed the martial dreams of countless people. Now, Qing Yifei's achievements had surpassed many elder figures. This aura alarmed many, who awakened from their secluded cultivations. Hundreds of fearsome auras emanated from the ten ancient Spirit Mountains. In an instant, the will to battle surged to the heavens. This scene made everyone's hearts tremble. As a major power in Qingzhou, the Star Academy harbored numerous prodigies, truly a gathering of风云 (talents and opportunities). On the peak of one ancient Spirit Mountain, a hazy shadow appeared, graceful and full-bodied, exuding a pure and脱俗 (refined) charm. Her beautiful eyes watched the shadow striding toward a certain Spirit Mountain from afar, and she followed. At the peak of the Spirit Mountain, the crowd was shocked by Daoling's strength—he had actually defeated Qing Yijun. But then a bolt of lightning struck from afar, sending Daoling flying backward, coughing up a large mouthful of blood. He expressionlessly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes fixed on the shadow approaching in the air. He could sense this person was extremely formidable. "Qing Yifei!" The chubby youth trembled. How had they summoned this legend of Qingzhou? "Oh no, why is he here?" Lin Shishi frowned, her face showing anxiety. Even if Daoling was strong, he was no match for Qing Yifei, who had been famous for too long and now stood at an unfathomable realm. Qing Yifei stepped forward. His face was as fair as jade, extremely handsome, and his expression remained unchanged. He surveyed Qing Yijun and said lightly, "What's going on? Didn't I tell you not to awaken me unless necessary?" Before Qing Yijun could speak, Qing Yiyun ran over with a venomous look, pointing at Daoling and shouting, "Big brother! This man stole my pill fire! Second brother came to reason with him, but he injured second brother! Kill him now!" Qing Yifei's eyes turned to Daoling. His slender figure emanated an indistinct yet terrifying aura. He said calmly, "I know my third brother's character well. I believe half of what he says. I want to hear your side." "What difference does it make if I tell you?" Daoling snorted, his young face凝重（Dignified）. The moment this person arrived, he had locked onto Daoling with his aura, indicating this matter would not be easily resolved. Qing Yifei was silent for a moment, then said, "Regardless, you took my third brother's pill fire. Hand it over." "Sorry, his pill fire was already consumed. I think my third brother knows this better than I do," Daoling replied, his clear young face carrying a hint of coldness. "See? See that?!" Qing Yiyun became extremely agitated, roaring, "Big brother, look at him! He's so arrogant! He doesn't even care that you're here! He's utterly lawless and needs severe punishment!" Simultaneously, he transmitted a voice to Qing Yifei, stating that his pill fire was extremely terrifying, having吞噬 (swallowed) the origin of Star Pill Fire—a confirmed Heavenly Fire with unlimited growth potential. Qing Yifei was moved. Star-origin pill flame was too important. His second brother had the Star Overlord Body, and if this flame could grow, it could be used to temper the body with fire. Moreover, if his third brother obtained it, he would surely rise in the field of pill refining! This pill fire was of great significance, and he coveted it. "It seems my third brother's pill fire was swallowed by yours. I won't bully you. Hand over your pill fire now, and I'll compensate you," Qing Yifei said lightly. This statement earned the admiration of many around him for Qing Yifei's magnanimity. Most of them looked up to Qing Yifei, and now this legendary figure was resolving conflicts with an unknown youth, which they respected. Some secretly frowned. A pill fire was the lifeblood of a pill refiner—could it really be exchanged with treasures? "What if I don't give it?" Daoling said coldly, his fists starting to clench. The atmosphere froze. The indistinct yet terrifying aura around Qing Yifei showed signs of awakening, making many hearts tremble under the pressure. "Yes, what will you do if he doesn't give it?" A clear, cold voice suddenly cut through the oppressive atmosphere. All eyes turned to the approaching woman in a blue dress. She was elegant and otherworldly, her full red lips slightly curved as she walked slowly. "Ye Yun! It's Ye Yun!" someone exclaimed, recognizing her identity with great surprise. The crowd frowned, many scratching their heads in confusion. When had such a beautiful woman with great strength appeared in the Star Academy? "Who is Ye Yun?" someone asked, puzzled. "She's a legendary figure of our Star Academy! If it weren't for Qing Yifei, she might have been the top person in our academy two years ago!" "True, but Ye Yun left here two years ago. I didn't expect her to be back." "I know about this. It's said that Qing Yifei and Ye Yun have some special relationship. I wonder if it's true?" "If so, that would be a beautiful story—the two prodigies together." The crowd whispered among themselves. Qing Yifei looked at Ye Yun, a rare smile appearing on his face. He asked, "Ye Yun, when did you come back? Why didn't you tell me? After all this time, you've become even more beautiful." Ye Yun looked at him with cold eyes and said indifferently, "I don't think our relationship is that close. Is there a need to inform you? I think you should leave now. With your status, you shouldn't interfere in this matter, right?" At these words, Qing Yifei's smile僵硬 (stiffened) slightly. He glanced at Daoling, then smiled again: "You know him?" "My student," Ye Yun replied lightly. Qing Yifei's face twitched, and his palm slightly clenched. He said, "In that case, I won't make things difficult for him. As long as he hands over the pill fire, this matter will be settled, since he did steal my third brother's pill fire." Ye Yun was astonished. In just a few months, this guy had become a pill refiner and even stolen Qing Yiyun's pill fire? It was a bit speechless, but the immediate issue wasn't to ask questions. She said, "Then compensate your third brother. After all, you just said you could offer compensation." Qing Yifei felt like spitting blood. The woman he had always regarded as his exclusive possession was openly protecting a youth, which he couldn't accept. He said coldly, "This matter is non-negotiable. He must hand over the pill fire!" "Are you going to bully the weak?" Ye Yun's voice grew more serious. "I不屑于 (disdain) that!" Qing Yifei's eyes turned to Daoling, coldness in his voice. "He isn't even worthy of that!" "Then let's have a battle," Daoling stepped forward. He didn't want to put Ye Yun in a difficult position. Hearing this, Ye Yun's face changed. Qing Yifei wasn't an ordinary person. He had practiced many ancient techniques, and even if he suppressed his realm to Yunling, his combat power was still terrifying. "Good, you said it!" Qing Yifei's face turned cold. If it weren't for Ye Yun's presence, he wouldn't have hesitated to kill Daoling long ago. "Good, I agree too!" Ye Yun suddenly said. Before Qing Yifei could rejoice, she changed her tone. "Let's have the battle after the Star Palace event ends." The smile that had just appeared on Qing Yifei's face froze. His嘴角 (corner of the mouth) twitched, and his eyes turned cold. After the Star Palace event? That would be several months later. She was deliberately拖延（delay） time. In Qing Yifei's memory, Ye Yun had always been decisive, but now she was taking advantage of loopholes and desperately protecting a youth. His heart grew colder. "This is my final concession. If you don't agree, we'll let the Star Academy decide," Ye Yun said indifferently. Qing Yifei's face darkened. Daoling had just defeated Qing Yijun, which meant his talent would catch the Star Academy's attention. Moreover, he was a pill refiner supported by Ye Yun, which would be troublesome. The old masters of the Star Academy wouldn't let a prodigy be wronged, after all, they were all disciples of the Star Academy. "I'll make you concede defeat then!" Qing Yifei said coldly. He still didn't take Daoling seriously, but Ye Yun's actions enraged him. Qing Yijun and the others were extremely unwilling, but since their big brother had spoken, they couldn't object and could only wait until after the Star Palace event. Watching their retreating backs, Ye Yun sighed helplessly. The coldness on her face dissipated slightly, and she turned to look at Daoling with a reproachful glance: "You really know how to cause trouble. If I hadn't arrived in time, he wouldn't have let you go." "I didn't cause trouble. He tried to steal my pill fire, but I took his instead. How dare he ask for it back?" Daoling grinned. Ye Yun frowned: "You can still smile? Qing Yifei isn't an ordinary person. As Qingzhou's number one, he naturally has his terrors. You should think about what to do then." "There's still time," Daoling clicked his tongue. He had never underestimated the number one prodigy of a province, but he was eager to try. If he couldn't even defeat Qingzhou's best, how could he compete with the Martial Emperor? Ye Yun was very curious about what kind of pill fire was worth Qing Yifei's trouble. The crowd dispersed, and the news quickly spread throughout the Star Academy, leaving everyone dumbfounded. A bold newcomer was challenging Qing Yifei? "Is this kid找死 (seeking death)? Like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers! Countless prodigies in Qingzhou have challenged Qing Yifei, but all ended up狼狈 (embarrassed) in defeat. Now someone is courting death by challenging him?" "Probably this newcomer wants to become famous by challenging Qing Yifei. I have to say, this strategy is clever, especially since it's months away." Many versions quickly circulated, and many scoffed. Qing Yifei was Qingzhou's number one prodigy, and the Qing Clan in Qingzhou was extremely powerful. They could mobilize the province's resources to cultivate Qing Yifei—how could an unknown youth compare? In the palace, Ye Yun's autumn-water eyes looked at the glazed pill fire in the air. She licked her full lips and couldn't help but ask, "This pill fire is very strong. Where did you get it?" "By accident," Daoling scratched his head. He hadn't told anyone about the Inheritance Hall. "This pill fire is a bit strange and has great growth potential," Ye Yun praised, her autumn-water eyes rippling as she scanned the glazed pill fire. "The pill fire absorbed the origin of Star Pill Fire, so it should be able to grow," Daoling agreed. The origin of this pill fire was very mysterious, and they still didn't know what kind of flame it was. "Indeed, it seems you've had many opportunities recently," Ye Yun smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. After a moment of thought, she said, "Be careful during this time. Although Qing Yifei stopped just now, it's hard to say that others won't come to trouble you." "Alright, I understand," Daoling nodded. He took out a jade bottle and handed it to her, looking at her white and delicate face with a smile: "For you. It should be useful to you." Ye Yun couldn't help but smile, biting her red lips as she took it, curious to see what treasure he had given her. When the jade bottle was opened, a wisp of sacred气息 (energy) flowed out, golden light溢出 (overflowing), dazzlingly bright, exuding an extremely旺盛 (vigorous) life波动 (fluctuation). At this sight, Ye Yun's face changed in surprise. Her eyes stared into the golden light, where ten drops of crystal-clear, dazzling liquid flowed, each emitting a sacred aura. In a small den, the sleeping Spirit Mink twitched its furry body, drool dripping from its mouth, clearly alerted by this energy. The Spirit Mink had eaten a lot of it some time ago and fallen into a deep sleep. "Where did you get this?!" Ye Yun's heart pounded. This energy was extremely vast, with the most vigorous life气息(energy) she had ever encountered. "Also by accident. Is this useful to you?" Daoling摸了摸 (touched) his nose. "Extremely useful," Ye Yun said with joy, then pouted, "But this is so precious. You should keep it for yourself. I don't need it." "No need. I have more. If you can use it, take it," Daoling shook his head. "Really?" Ye Yun's heart warmed, and she looked at him softly. "Of course," Daoling nodded. "This energy is very strange and should help you a lot." Ye Yun's eyes sparkled with delight. This energy wasn't just useful—it was of great use.