Ye Bufan spent a long time in the ancient tower, reaching the tenth floor. Ten days inside the tower equaled one day outside. However, in the outside world, the lamp within the ancient tower had stopped at the eighth floor.
The eighth floor was already an insurmountable height for most martial artists. Furthermore, a few days prior, someone had broken through to the twelfth floor in the martial arts passage, which was enough to cause a stir.
Yet, Ye Bufan had now reached the tenth floor. If the actual fourteenth and tenth floors were revealed, it would likely crush the confidence of those martial artists.
Despite this, the martial artists were already inspired and were exerting all their effort to continue striving.
The families in the capital began to take action, investigating who had recently entered the underground city. They even sent people to watch the entrance of the ancient tower to see if any unusual individuals appeared.
Ye Bufan was engrossed in practicing his mental sword. Seeing Ye Bufan's skills, Xuan Yin completely understood that she had become a mere sparring partner.
"Sword come!" Ye Bufan shouted. His mental sword transformed into a giant sword and descended from the sky, pressing down on Xuan Yin. Xuan Yin felt utterly defenseless, resisting with her own mental power. However, Ye Bufan's sword energy grew stronger, making her feel the physical pain as if she were still a corpse.
"Bang—"
Everything around them shattered instantly, and Ye Bufan returned to the ancient tower.
"Very good." This was the first time Xuan Yin had praised Ye Bufan in all these days.
"I originally thought that old fellow Bai Qi thought too highly of you, but your performance these past few days has changed my opinion. Ye Bufan, you are indeed very strong," Xuan Yin said. "Given your strength, I believe you could reach the fourteenth or fifteenth floor. However, you probably don't have time to continue exploring now."
"Why?" Ye Bufan asked Xuan Yin, confused.
"Qingcheng said someone has come looking for you," Xuan Yin replied.
"Oh?" Just as Ye Bufan was pondering, Xuan Yin had already teleported him to the City Lord's mansion.
"Hmm?" Ye Bufan discovered that Xuan Yin had teleported him to the training grounds.
"Senior Xuan Yin, where have you teleported Ye Bufan?"
Ye Qingcheng's voice rang out, followed by Xuan Yin's voice from the City Lord's mansion, "It should be the training grounds."
"I say, you and Senior Bai Qi are truly something. Why can't the teleportation point ever be precise?" Ye Qingcheng rolled her eyes.
"You'll have to ask the person who built this underground city for that," Xuan Yin said, and then fell silent.
Ye Bufan heard Ye Qingcheng sigh softly, and then she started heading towards the training grounds. Judging by the footsteps, there were three people.
Soon, Ye Qingcheng appeared with two other people.
"Huangfu Yun." Ye Bufan's eyes narrowed upon seeing the visitor. He hadn't expected him to show up. Moreover, Huangfu Yun's cultivation had progressed from the Great Perfection of Qi Refining to the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Judging by his aura, it wasn't very stable, suggesting he had broken through not long ago.
"You tell him," Ye Qingcheng said helplessly, gesturing to Ye Bufan.
After speaking, Ye Qingcheng turned to Ye Bufan and gave him a wink. Ye Bufan immediately understood that he was being used as a shield again.
"Ye Bufan!" Huangfu Yun said, looking at Ye Bufan spiritedly, "I've come to challenge you."
"Are you sure?" Ye Bufan asked Huangfu Yun, confused. "I am at the Great Perfection of the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and you are in the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Are you sure you want to challenge me?"
Huangfu Yun became somewhat flustered by Ye Bufan's question. He glanced at the middle-aged man who had accompanied him.
The other man nodded at Huangfu Yun, and Huangfu Yun regained a bit of confidence.
Huangfu Yun stammered, speaking to Ye Bufan, "I... I thought about it, and the difference in our cultivation is too great. When will I ever catch up to you?"
"So?" Ye Bufan retorted.
"So, I strongly request that the rules be revised," Huangfu Yun suddenly raised his voice. "I've already told Sister Qingcheng, and she said she has no problem with it. As for you, I had to come find you in person."
After speaking, Huangfu Yun glanced at the middle-aged man again. Ye Bufan immediately understood; it seemed this middle-aged man had come up with the idea for Huangfu Yun.
Ye Qingcheng kept winking at Ye Bufan, wanting him to refuse.
"Tell me, how do you want to revise it?" Ye Bufan asked.
"It's simple," Huangfu Yun said. "You should suppress your realm to the same early stage of Foundation Establishment as mine and fight me." Huangfu Yun declared.
Ye Qingcheng blinked vigorously at Ye Bufan, almost shaking her head.
Ye Bufan agreed without hesitation, "Alright, I accept."
"Ye Bufan!" Ye Qingcheng urgently transmitted her voice to Ye Bufan, "Why did you agree?"
"Don't worry, I have my reasons. Since he said this, he must have come prepared. Naturally, I'll give him a generous gift to make him retreat," Ye Bufan replied calmly.
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingcheng suddenly thought of something and didn't ask further.
"Even if I suppress my realm to the early stage of Foundation Establishment, you still won't be able to beat me," Ye Bufan said composedly.
Unexpectedly, after hearing Ye Bufan agree, Huangfu Yun became exceptionally confident and said to Ye Bufan, "Heh heh, Ye Bufan, you shouldn't speak too soon."
"Is that so? Shall we have a match on the dueling platform first?" Ye Bufan, understanding Huangfu Yun's intentions, got straight to the point.
"Okay!" Huangfu Yun immediately agreed. "Great, today I'll show you the might of our Huangfu family's ultimate techniques."
"Young Master!" The middle-aged man saw Ye Bufan agree so readily and quickly went up to Huangfu Yun, saying, "Young Master, something unusual must be afoot."
"Old Qiu, don't overthink it. What's so unusual about this? I have confidence in our Huangfu family's ultimate techniques." Huangfu Yun patted Qiu He's shoulder and then walked onto the dueling platform.
"Since that's the case, then I won't hold back," Huangfu Yun grinned. "Thank you in advance, Mr. Ye."
Qiu He stood to the side, his brow furrowed. His young master's personality was like this; he never thought things through seriously.
Ye Bufan couldn't help but smile upon hearing this and said, "Save the thanks until after you win."
The two stood on the dueling platform, bowed to each other, and the match began.
"I'm starting," Huangfu Yun shouted.
Ye Bufan smiled slightly, his mental power already spreading invisibly.
"Not good!" Qiu He, watching from below, couldn't help but frown.