Disappointed Yu Yuanzhen

Yu Hong stood where he was, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, that annoying, faint smile still lingering on his face.

He didn't speak, merely watching Yu Xiaogang quietly.

"Go to hell!" Yu Xiaogang roared, throwing a punch as he charged forward.

Seeing this, Yu Hong summoned his Martial Soul, and the White Stone of the Ancients appeared in his hand.

"You have a Martial Soul and don't use it—are you stupid?"

The corners of Yu Hong's mouth curled up. He gripped the White Stone of the Ancients, sidestepped Yu Xiaogang's fist, and swung his arm.

THUD!

The White Stone of the Ancients landed squarely on Yu Xiaogang's shoulder.

"Ah!" Yu Xiaogang cried out in pain, his figure staggering.

Yu Hong didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. Using the white stone like a handy weapon, he rained blows down on Yu Xiaogang, left and right.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

"It hurts, it hurts! Stop it!" Yu Xiaogang clutched his head, dodging clumsily, but he couldn't escape Yu Hong's assault at all.

That Jade Egg, which looked so harmless, had become a lethal weapon in Yu Hong's hands.

Every strike was precise and ruthless, specifically targeting the fleshy areas like Yu Xiaogang's shoulders, back, and backside.

"Didn't you want a one-on-one? Why are you only dodging?" Yu Hong said as he struck, his tone as relaxed as if he were out for a stroll.

"You, you, you... ah!" Yu Xiaogang tried to counterattack, but a strike from the white stone hit the back of his hand, making him wince in agony.

The surrounding children were already doubled over in laughter.

"Hahahaha! Yu Xiaogang is being chased and beaten by an egg!"

"A Pig-Dog Martial Soul that can't even beat an egg!"

"Yu Hong is amazing! He beat the clan leader's son like this with just an egg!"

Yu Xiaogang scrambled all over the ground, his body covered in bruises, looking utterly pathetic.

He tried several times to summon his own Martial Soul to fight back, but that purple Pig-Dog just squatted to the side, watching him get beaten with its innocent, wide eyes, occasionally letting out a "pfft" sound as if cheering Yu Hong on.

At the entrance of the great hall, Yu Yuanzhen watched the scene with a face as dark as water.

He had originally thought that even if his son's Martial Soul was mediocre, at least his physical fitness remained; dealing with Yu Hong, another waste, shouldn't have been a problem.

But the scene before him left him completely disappointed.

Chased and beaten by an egg, unable to offer any resistance—was this the legitimate son he had pinned his hopes on?

Beside him, Yu Luomian suppressed his laughter; his professional composure barely held it in.

It was one thing for Yu Xiaogang to awaken a trash Martial Soul, but to be unable to beat an ordinary clansman was truly pathetic.

If he were Yu Yuanzhen, he would just start over with a new heir.

Wait, the eldest sister-in-law was already dead; the eldest brother could only have children with his concubines.

"Enough." Yu Yuanzhen spoke in a low voice; it wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

Yu Hong's movements paused. He withdrew the White Stone of the Ancients, stepped back, and bowed respectfully to Yu Yuanzhen.

"Clan Leader."

Yu Yuanzhen glanced at Yu Hong without a word, then turned his gaze to Yu Xiaogang, who was slumped on the ground.

The disappointment and coldness in that look made Yu Xiaogang tremble all over.

"Father, I..." Yu Xiaogang wanted to explain, but a single look from Yu Yuanzhen silenced him.

"Go back and reflect on yourself." Yu Yuanzhen dropped these words and turned to walk back into the great hall.

Yu Xiaogang knelt on the ground, covered in dirt, his face a mess of bruises, looking utterly wretched.

The surrounding laughter pierced his heart like needles.

"Yu Xiaogang, are you alright?" one child asked hypocritically, his tone full of schadenfreude.

"Get lost! All of you, get lost!" Yu Xiaogang roared hysterically, scrambled up from the ground, and ran away stumbling.

His back looked pathetic and panicked, yet the shrill laughter and Yu Hong's faintly smiling face echoed in his ears.

Yu Hong, I'll remember this! One day, I will make you pay back a hundredfold!

Yu Hong watched Yu Xiaogang's retreating figure, withdrew his Martial Soul, and brushed the non-existent dust off his hands.

Consider this beating today as interest.

Inside the council hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like it could drip water.

Yu Yuanzhen sat back in the main seat and rubbed his brow, feeling his temples throbbing.

Everything that happened today felt like an absurd nightmare.

His legitimate son, the future hope of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, had awakened a Pig-Dog Martial Soul, and his Innate Soul Power was only level 0.5.

Even more ridiculous was that he had just been chased and beaten by another clansman—also a waste—using nothing but an egg, without being able to put up any fight at all.

If this were to get out, where would Yu Yuanzhen put his face?

But Yu Xiaogang was, after all, his only legitimate son, the only bloodline left to him by his late wife. No matter what, he could not give up on him.

"Everyone," Yu Yuanzhen cleared his throat and began, "the results of today's awakening ceremony are... less than satisfactory."

The people in the hall looked at one another, none daring to respond.

Yu Yuanzhen continued, "However, our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family has never judged a hero by their innate talent alone. While martial soul aptitude is certainly important, cultivation acquired through effort is equally indispensable."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the elders present, and said with profound meaning, "I am considering whether we should increase the intensity of our cultivation efforts for the clan's descendants. After all, some children may not have high talent, but if they can receive sufficient resource support, it is not impossible for them to become successful."

With things put this way, the meaning was already quite obvious.

Everyone present was a shrewd veteran; who couldn't tell that the clan head wanted to use family resources to prop up his own son?

But the clan head could not say this directly; after all, Yu Xiaogang's performance just now was truly too embarrassing. If he were to openly propose focusing on his cultivation, it would inevitably give others grounds for criticism.

For a time, the hall fell into silence.

Yu Luomian's eyes darted around, and he felt secretly delighted. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"Big brother is right!" Yu Luomian was the first to stand up, his expression full of righteous indignation. "Our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family should indeed increase the cultivation of our descendants. Especially this batch of children who awakened today; although their talents vary, they are all the future of the family!"

Yu Yuanzhen nodded slightly, feeling that his younger brother had finally seen the light.

However, Yu Luomian changed the subject: "However, for the sake of fairness, I believe we should treat everyone equally. All the children who awakened today, as long as they have soul power, should receive key cultivation from the family. Especially those two children with 0.5 levels of Innate Soul Power; they are in even greater need of additional resource support."

Yu Yuanzhen's expression stiffened slightly.

Two?

He only wanted to cultivate his own son; when did another one appear?

"What my second brother means is..." Yu Yuanzhen frowned.

"I mean that Yu Xiaogang and Yu Hong should both receive equal cultivation opportunities," Yu Luomian said with a sincere face. "After all, their Innate Soul Power is the same, and their martial souls are both... er, rather special. If we only cultivate one, it would inevitably make people feel it is unfair, which would be detrimental to the unity of the family."

Yu Yuanzhen's brow furrowed even tighter.

He wanted to ask what Yu Hong was supposed to be, and how he dared to be mentioned in the same breath as his son.

But he could not say these words, because on the surface, the conditions of Yu Hong and Yu Xiaogang were indeed quite similar.