Vina: I've only been gone for half a month, and the Young Sect Master has already changed?

Looking at the claw marks on his arm, Long Aotian was silent for a long moment.

Only then did he raise his head to look at Ye Linyuan, his voice somewhat strained: "Little junior brother, that thousand-year soul skill you just used—what's its name?"

Seeing that he had no intention of continuing the fight, Ye Linyuan dismissed his Martial Soul Possession and said, "First soul skill, Wind Thunder Flash Strike."

"As for its effects, Brother Long just saw them for himself—mainly boosting speed, attack power, and sharpness."

Long Aotian stared into his eyes: "A thousand-year soul ring... how did you manage that?"

"I've had some fortunate encounters, and my Twin Martial Souls enhance my physical constitution far beyond ordinary people, so I barely managed it," Ye Linyuan explained.

Long Aotian fell silent once more.

He had seen Twin Martial Soul soul masters before, such as the Heavenly Soul Princess Weina.

But compared to this little junior brother, even with the same Twin Martial Souls, he could clearly sense the gap between them.

Sure, he had just taken Ye Linyuan's strike head-on, and on the surface, it seemed like only a minor flesh wound.

But Long Aotian knew very well.

Given the speed Ye Linyuan had just displayed, he had no chance of winning—he would only become the other's punching bag.

And what was even more terrifying.

Ye Linyuan's attacks weren't just fast; his strength and destructive power were equally fearsome.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been unable to even deflect the force and was sent flying by a single claw strike.

If he couldn't keep up with the opponent's speed, he would inevitably be suppressed continuously.

If Ye Linyuan had aimed his attack at vital points like the head or throat instead of the arm, Long Aotian would never have gotten off with just a few minor flesh wounds.

To defeat Ye Linyuan, he would have to go all out.

And even then, he couldn't guarantee victory.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger combined with a thousand-year first soul ring—its actual combat power was utterly incomparable to that of an ordinary one-ring soul master!

After a long pause.

Long Aotian took a deep breath, his gaze burning as he looked at Ye Linyuan: "Little junior brother, I admit defeat."

"Before today, I always believed I was unmatched at the same level."

"But now I have to concede that, if we were on equal footing, you are stronger than me."

"However, I won't be discouraged by this."

"Once you raise your cultivation level, we'll go all out and have a good, satisfying fight."

"By then, I will never lose to you again!"

Ye Linyuan smiled faintly: "Alright, I'm also looking forward to the day I catch up to Brother Long."

The sparring match ended quickly.

But that single strike had secretly changed everyone's attitude toward Ye Linyuan.

Amid the original warmth and enthusiasm, a new, genuine reverence—befitting the Young Sect Master—had taken root!

Next.

Everyone washed the pots, lit the fire, picked vegetables, and hunted rabbits.

Before long, the spicy, fragrant aroma spread once more from the lakeside.

This meal lasted a full hour before finally ending.

Ye Linyuan stood before Du Bùsǐ, waving to the senior brothers and elders of the Body Sect: "Everyone, I'll be off now!"

"Farewell, Young Sect Master!" they all laughed and waved goodbye.

Watching the two figures disappear into the sky, Wang Yanfeng suddenly said, "Hey, do you guys get the feeling that the Young Sect Master is always shrouded in a layer of mist, like he's hiding a lot of secrets?"

Chen Yu said in surprise, "You feel that way too? I've actually wanted to say it for a while—the Young Sect Master is two years younger than us, but when I'm with him, I always get the illusion that he's much older."

Long Aotian's gaze was intense: "Little junior brother's talent hasn't been seen in ten thousand years; naturally, he's extraordinary."

He turned abruptly and walked toward his residence.

"I'm going into seclusion for a while to comprehend a secret art. Unless something important comes up, don't disturb me."

Watching Long Aotian leave, the others exchanged glances and murmured among themselves.

"Aotian got provoked by the Young Sect Master."

"Heh, Aotian has never lost in sparring with us before, but now he got sent flying by the Young Sect Master with a single slap—who wouldn't be provoked by that?"

"The Heaven and Man Unity Secret Art that Aotian is cultivating was left by a sect elder from two thousand years ago. That elder, like him, had a skin-type Martial Soul."

"I'm really curious—if Aotian can master that secret art, can the Young Sect Master still beat him?"

Just as the group was gossiping.

A gentle yet slightly surprised girl's voice suddenly came over: "Eh? Such a nice smell—what were you all eating just now?"

Everyone turned to look and exclaimed in delight, "Weina, you're back!"

A young woman in a goose-yellow long gown approached gracefully, her curious gaze sweeping over the large pots by the lake. "What are you all doing here, having a group feast?"

"What a peculiar aroma. I've never seen this kind of dish before."

Wang Yanfeng laughed heartily. "Weina, your timing couldn't be worse. If you'd come back a bit earlier, you could've joined our hotpot feast!"

Weina looked puzzled. "Hotpot feast? Is this some new invention by an elder of the sect?"

Wang Yanfeng slapped his forehead. "Almost forgot—you just went back to the Imperial Palace a while ago, so you don't know about the Young Sect Master yet."

"Here's the thing: the Sect Master took on a new disciple named Ye Linyuan."

"And he's been designated as the next heir of our Body Sect, the Young Sect Master."

"This hotpot is a way of eating that the Young Sect Master invented."

Weina's eyes flew wide, her rosy lips parting slightly. "Young... Sect Master?"

Wang Yanfeng nodded emphatically, excited. "That's right!"

"Let me tell you, the Young Sect Master is incredible!"

"He's a Twin Martial Soul soul master just like you, and his Original Martial Soul is the heart."

"His other martial soul is a super fierce beast that's never appeared on a soul master before—the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!"

"Just now, the Young Sect Master sparred with Aotian. Guess what happened?"

"The Young Sect Master's first soul ring is actually at the Thousand-Year Level!"

"Aotian suppressed his cultivation to about the same level as the Young Sect Master, but he couldn't even take one hit—he got knocked straight into the lake!"

"Earlier, the Sect Master said the Young Sect Master's talent is a prodigy seen once in ten thousand years, even with the potential to become a god."

"I didn't believe it at first, but now I see the Sect Master wasn't lying!"

"If our Body Sect can produce a god, I'll go to the gates of Shrek every damn day to brag and piss them off, hahaha!"

Weina's body stiffened.

Wait—she'd only been away from the sect for half a month. How did it feel like several years had passed?

Twin Martial Souls... Dark Demon Evil God Tiger... a thousand-year first soul ring... Where did this freak called Ye Linyuan, the Young Sect Master, even come from!?

She glanced around instinctively and asked, "What about Aotian?"

Wang Yanfeng grinned with schadenfreude, pointing toward Long Aotian's residence. "Aotian got triggered by the Young Sect Master. He said he's going into seclusion to comprehend unity of heaven and man, and told us not to disturb him."

Weina's heart shook, her face full of confusion.

She'd barely finished psyching herself up to start accepting Long Aotian.

How, in the blink of an eye, had the Young Sect Master changed?