"Master, where did you go? I haven't seen you in so long." Chase Chu opened his eyes and was startled to see Evan Yang here.
"It's nothing, I just went out to take care of some things." Evan Yang smiled. "Take care of things? What kind of things?" Chase Chu asked curiously.
"Of course it's something important. By the way, how's your sword practice going?" Evan Yang asked.
"Master, don't say I was slacking off while you were gone. I've already reached the second layer, third stage now!" Chase Chu said proudly.
"Is that so? Then you need to keep working hard. I won't go easy on you," Evan Yang laughed.
Chase Chu didn't quite understand what Evan Yang meant, but Evan had already sat down and closed his eyes to cultivate. Seeing his master cultivating, Chase Chu didn't say anything more and simply sat down to cultivate as well.
On the other side, after Aurora Qing told Hannah Nangong and Lora Luo about Evan Yang, they were overjoyed.
"I told you he'd be fine," Hannah Nangong said with a smile.
Lora Luo also smiled and said, "I thought so too."
"Alright, you two, don't get too excited. The Immortal Realm might have a lot going on soon, so just stay in your cultivation grounds and don't go out," Aurora Qing said.
"Master, why is that?" Lora Luo asked curiously.
"The Devil Realm sent an emissary to stir up trouble in the Immortal Realm. To prevent him from invading each sect, we all have to stay alert," Aurora Qing explained.
Lora Luo and Hannah Nangong nodded, but they both knew Evan Yang would leave Blue Robe Sect once the time came, so they had to work hard, hoping they could leave together in the future.
Evan Yang didn't expect them to think that way, but he had other plans—he wanted to go alone to the Territory War Contest, since it was too dangerous. With the Devil Realm causing trouble and Simon Spring still missing, he didn't want his friends to get dragged into disaster.
So, for the next stretch of time, Evan Yang kept working on comprehending sword arts.
Elder Joe Qiao made several inquiries. After learning Evan Yang was with Mad Elder, he tried many times to find Evan's whereabouts, but got no information at all.
It wasn't until the sect master returned that everyone was shocked by the news. The nine people were questioned one by one, and when the truth came out, Simon Spring was immediately stripped of his position, and the Blue Robe Sect issued a wanted order for him.
Elder Joe Qiao told Simon Spring what happened. After listening, Simon snorted coldly, "A lousy sect master position isn't anything special. What I want is the Dual-Heaven Pill. What about those nine people?"
"They're being protected, I can't get close to them," Elder Joe Qiao replied. But he knew that even if he could, he wouldn't be stupid enough to grab them. All he wanted now was for Evan Yang to die—he didn't want any more trouble for himself.
"And what about Evan Yang?" Simon Spring asked angrily when he heard this.
"He's with Mad Elder. I haven't been able to find him, maybe Mad Elder is protecting him," Elder Joe Qiao replied.
"Damn it, damn it! That guy—I won't let him off. Keep watching for me. If you hear anything about him, tell me immediately," Simon Spring said.
Elder Joe Qiao nodded and left, leaving Simon Spring cursing at Evan Yang in anger.
Evan Yang focused on cultivating, ignoring everything outside. Time slipped by: ten years, twenty years, thirty years.
Seeing that only half a year was left until the tournament, Evan Yang opened his eyes and muttered, "Tenth stage of the fifth layer, and I still can't break through."
Evan Yang had been stuck at this stage for ten years, unable to comprehend the sixth layer: Ten Thousand Swords Soaring to Heaven.
Ten Thousand Swords Soaring to Heaven means one sword can split into ten thousand clones, attacking a target with tremendous power.
But Evan Yang just couldn't comprehend it, so he opened his eyes, planning to head out—maybe he'd have sudden insight someday.
Chase Chu had no idea Evan Yang had already left.
Following Mad Elder's instructions, Evan Yang left the inner space and came outside.