Yu Xiaogang's Provocation

[The next morning, Yu Chen rose as usual, washed up, and left the house, with not the slightest abnormality visible on his face.]

[Even though he was already somewhat excited about the next stage of his experiment, he forcibly suppressed every emotion, determined not to let anyone notice anything unusual.]

[It was not until the afternoon that Yu Chen went alone to the wooden house and entered the basement.]

[Inside the basement, Yu Kun was tightly bound to a chair, his eyes bloodshot and the veins on his forehead bulging.]

[The moment he saw Yu Chen enter, he immediately began cursing.]

["You damned bastard! How dare you treat me like this!"]

["Do you know what happens to those who harm their own clansmen?!"]

["If you know what's good for you, release me immediately! Otherwise, once I recover my Soul Power, I'll make you wish you were dead!"]

[Yu Chen's expression did not ripple in the slightest before Yu Kun's curses.]

[He calmly walked to a table nearby, picked up a glass that had long been prepared, then approached Yu Kun step by step. Squatting down, he pried open Yu Kun's mouth and forcefully poured the black liquid from the glass into it.]

[This was the Bone-Eroding Velvet Vine extract Yu Chen had specially refined for Yu Kun. It could destroy Yu Kun's throat without endangering his life.]

[The instant the liquid entered his mouth, Yu Kun's entire face twisted.]

[It felt as though a ball of fire had burned from his mouth all the way down his throat, and the intense pain made his entire body convulse.]

[After only a few breaths, Yu Kun could no longer endure it and fainted from the pain.]

[Yu Chen merely watched everything silently, his expression unchanged from beginning to end.]

[Only after seeing Yu Kun lose consciousness did Yu Chen slowly rise and walk to the corner, where he pushed over a cart.]

[Then, he picked up a small blade as thin as a cicada's wing from the cart.]

[At that moment, the second stage of theoretical research officially began.]

[For the first few days, no one in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan noticed that Yu Kun had disappeared.]

[After all, it was perfectly normal for Soul Masters to leave on training excursions from time to time.]

[It was not until a month later, when Yu Kun still had not sent any word, that someone in the clan realized something was wrong. The clan stewards then began an investigation.]

[Throughout this process, Yu Chen did not reveal the slightest flaw.]

[He still ate on schedule, went to the Library Pavilion on schedule, and returned to his residence to rest on schedule.]

[Even though he wished he could spend every day in the wooden house conducting experiments, he still forcibly suppressed that impulse.]

[It was not until a year later, when the matter of Yu Kun's disappearance gradually died down and no one pursued it any longer, that Yu Chen finally let loose completely and devoted nearly all his time to research.]

[In the blink of an eye, another two years passed.]

[On this day, Yu Chen was unusually excited.]

[He got up at dawn and, after washing up briefly, hurried eagerly toward the wooden house.]

[But midway there, someone blocked his path.]

[That person was Yu Xiaogang.]

[Ever since awakening his Martial Soul four years ago, Yu Chen had never seen Yu Xiaogang or Yu Yuanzhen again.]

[The two of them also seemed to have forgotten about him and had never taken the initiative to seek him out.]

[Yu Chen did not care about this.]

[But just as he was about to walk around him, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stepped sideways and blocked his path again.]

["We're brothers, after all. Don't be in such a hurry to leave the moment we meet."]

[Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back and his chin raised, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.]

[In his eyes, he was a Soul Master with Soul Power no matter what.]

[As for Yu Chen, he was merely an ordinary person without even a trace of Soul Power.]

[If their blood relation could be changed, he would never acknowledge such trash as his older twin brother.]

["What is it?" Yu Chen asked flatly.]

["It seems your sources of information are too limited. You haven't even heard of my accomplishments."]

[Yu Xiaogang raised his head, unable to conceal the pride in his words.]

["I have now successfully evolved my Martial Soul through my own wisdom!"]

[Yu Chen had heard of it, but in his view, it had nothing to do with him.]

[So he merely glanced at Yu Xiaogang, his tone remaining calm.]

["So?"]

[The moment those three words came out, the proud expression on Yu Xiaogang's face froze.]

[He had clearly not expected Yu Chen to react this way.]

["Don't fail to appreciate my kindness."]

[Yu Xiaogang frowned, and his tone carried an added hint of condescension.]

["I can give you a chance to become a Soul Master."]

["As long as you are willing to cooperate with my experiment, I guarantee..."]

[Before Yu Xiaogang could finish speaking, Yu Chen had already lost all interest in listening. He simply stepped around him and continued toward the wooden house.]

["Damn it!"]

[Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang could not help becoming embarrassed and furious. He abruptly turned around, pointed at Yu Chen's retreating figure, and cursed.]

["A piece of trash who isn't even a Soul Master dares to talk back to me like this?!"]

["If it weren't for the fact that you and I are twin brothers, making you more valuable for research, do you think I would say another word to trash like you?"]

["Since you refuse the kindness offered to you, then obediently remain trash for the rest of your life!"]

[Up ahead, Yu Chen did not stop walking.]

[He could not even be bothered to turn back in response to Yu Xiaogang's insults.]

[However, the words "twin brothers" and "research value" made Yu Chen pause for a moment.]