"Yes, Clan Chief." Yu Leiting swallowed nervously. "The young master insisted on absorbing the six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Thunder Lizard Soul Ring. We couldn't talk him out of it..."
"Six hundred and fifty years?!" Yu Yuanzhen shot to his feet and slammed a palm down on the desk. "He's only level 10! Who gave him the nerve to absorb a six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Soul Ring?!"
"Bang—"
The teacups on the desk jumped from the impact, spilling tea everywhere.
Yu Leiting shuddered in fright and hurriedly dropped to his knees.
"Please calm down, Clan Chief! The young master said... said he wanted to surpass Yu Hong, so..."
"Surpass Yu Hong?" Yu Yuanzhen sneered. "Yu Hong absorbed a six-hundred-and-twenty-year-old Soul Ring, so he has to absorb one that's six hundred and fifty years old? What does he think Soul Rings are? That he can absorb one of any age he wants?"
Yu Leiting didn't dare answer. He simply knelt with his head bowed.
Yu Yuanzhen paced back and forth in his study, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
His disappointment in Yu Xiaogang hadn't come about overnight.
Over the past four years, he had given Yu Xiaogang an abundance of resources—even more than Yu Luomian had given Yu Hong.
But what had come of it?
Yu Xiaogang's cultivation had always lagged a step behind Yu Hong's.
When Yu Hong reached level 10, Yu Xiaogang was only level 9.
Yu Hong absorbed a six-hundred-and-twenty-year-old Soul Ring and reached level 11.
And Yu Xiaogang?
Not only had he failed to absorb a Soul Ring, he'd left himself seriously injured and unable to cultivate for three months!
What level would Yu Hong be in two years?
Level 13? Level 14?
And Yu Xiaogang?
Still level 10!
Would Yu Xiaogang have any chance of winning the duel in two years?
The more Yu Yuanzhen thought about it, the angrier and more disappointed he became.
He had once set such high hopes on Yu Xiaogang because he was his only legitimate son.
But now, it seemed this son... had let him down far too much.
"Clan Chief, the young master..." Yu Leiting ventured carefully.
"Enough. You may go." Yu Yuanzhen waved a hand, his voice weary. "I know about this."
"Yes, sir."
As if granted a pardon, Yu Leiting hurried to his feet and left.
Yu Yuanzhen was alone in the study.
He slumped back into his chair, rubbed his brow, and let out a long sigh.
"Xiaogang, Xiaogang... why can't you ever amount to anything..."
Meanwhile, at Yu Luomian's residence.
Yu Luomian was drinking tea in the courtyard, enjoying the cool night breeze.
A servant hurried in and whispered a few words in his ear.
Yu Luomian froze at first, then his expression turned wonderfully animated.
"What did you say? Yu Xiaogang failed to absorb a Soul Ring?"
"Yes, Vice Clan Chief." The servant nodded. "I heard the young master insisted on absorbing a six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Thunder Lizard Soul Ring. He couldn't withstand it and nearly lost his life. He's being treated at the infirmary now, and they say he won't be able to cultivate for at least three months."
Yu Luomian stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly threw his head back and roared with laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
He laughed so hard he doubled over, tears almost streaming from his eyes.
"A six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Soul Ring? A level-10 Soul Scholar actually dared to absorb one that old? Ha ha ha! What kind of precious son has my big brother raised?!"
The servant stood nearby, not daring to make a sound.
Yu Luomian laughed for quite a while before finally calming down.
He lifted his teacup and took a sip, unable to hide the smile tugging at his lips.
"Yu Hong absorbed a six-hundred-and-twenty-year-old Soul Ring because he had the strength to do it. For the past four years, that child has pushed himself to train and cultivate every single day. His physical fitness has long surpassed that of his peers."
"But what about Yu Xiaogang? All he knows is how to eat, drink, and have fun, and feed radishes to his Martial Soul. What makes him think he can absorb a six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Soul Ring? That he's the Clan Chief's son?"
Yu Luomian shook his head, his face full of scorn.
"Big brother, oh, big brother. Your son has really opened my eyes."
He set down his teacup, rose to his feet, and headed for the courtyard gate.
"Come on, let's go see Yu Hong. He should hear this good news too."
Yu Hong was getting ready to study Soul Skills when he heard a knock at the courtyard gate.
"Yu Hong, it's me."
It was Yu Luomian's voice.
Yu Hong hurried over and opened the gate.
"Vice Clan Chief, it's so late. What brings you here?"
Yu Luomian walked into the courtyard with a smile and sat down beside the stone table.
"I came to tell you some good news."
"What good news?" Yu Hong asked curiously.
Yu Luomian picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup, and said leisurely, "Yu Xiaogang went to the Soul Hunting Forest today too."
Yu Hong nodded. He already knew that.
Yu Xiaogang had reached level 10 around this time, so going to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain a Soul Ring was only natural.
"And then?"
"And then?" Yu Luomian chuckled. "Then he insisted on absorbing a six-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Thunder Lizard Soul Ring."
Yu Hong's brows lifted slightly.
Six hundred and fifty years?
Was Yu Xiaogang crazy?
With his physical fitness, he could only absorb a Soul Ring of around four hundred years.
Though Yu Xiaogang had been pampered, his physical fitness was still better than that of an ordinary person.
Why?
Yu Xiaogang was Yu Yuanzhen's son. He had eaten nothing but Soul Beast meat since childhood, and Yu Hong had heard that Yu Yuanzhen had him soak in medicinal baths.
Yu Hong suddenly thought of a possibility—the reason Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul had mutated.
Could it be that years of eating copious amounts of Soul Beast meat and soaking in medicinal baths, along with a little good luck, had caused the mutation?
But Yu Xiaogang couldn't provide enough Soul Power, so his Martial Soul had become Luo Sanpao.
"You can probably guess what happened next." Yu Luomian took a sip of tea. "He failed to absorb it and nearly lost his life. Now he's lying in the infirmary, and they say he won't be able to cultivate for at least three months."
Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, then shook his head gently.
"He brought it on himself."
"Exactly!" Yu Luomian slapped his thigh. "I always said there was something wrong with his head. See? I was right! Feeding radishes to his Martial Soul to make its farts stink worse, then trying to absorb a Soul Ring beyond what he could handle... That child's head is full of mush!"
Yu Hong said nothing.
He felt no sympathy for Yu Xiaogang.
That guy had picked on him, mocked him, and looked down on him ever since they were children.
Now he'd brought this on himself. Who could he blame?
"Still, this is good news for you." Yu Luomian's expression turned serious. "Yu Xiaogang won't be able to cultivate for three months. You can use that time to improve yourself. Your chances of winning the duel in two years have just grown."
"I understand." Yu Hong nodded.
Yu Luomian rose to his feet and patted Yu Hong on the shoulder.
"Keep working hard. I believe in you."
With that, he turned and left the courtyard.
Yu Hong stood alone in the courtyard, watching Yu Luomian's retreating figure, a faint smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
Yu Xiaogang, oh, Yu Xiaogang. You really are a wonderful opponent.
I can hardly wait for the duel in two years.
Before you continue