The Ye Family Small Tournament ended triumphantly amid cheers for Ye Lingyun's victory. Yet its impact was like a massive boulder hurled into a tranquil lake, stirring wave after towering wave throughout the Ye Family. Ye Lingyun, a collateral-branch descendant once dismissed as a failure at Martial Soul Awakening, had turned his fortunes around with his stunning performance in the tournament, becoming the focus of the entire family's attention.
After the competition, before Ye Lingyun had even returned to his residence, the news swept like a gale through every corner of the Ye Family. From the family's central grounds to the servants' quarters on its outskirts, everyone eagerly discussed Ye Lingyun's astonishing transformation.
"Have you heard? Ye Lingyun actually defeated Ye Long and won the tournament!"
"I can hardly believe it. That former good-for-nothing is so powerful now. It seems we all underestimated him."
"Ye Lingyun is about to soar to the heavens. His standing in the Ye Family will never be what it was before."
As Ye Lingyun's reputation spread rapidly, the family members who had once mocked and scorned him found themselves filled with conflicting emotions. There was surprise and shame, but above all, awe and anticipation for what he might accomplish in the future.
The Ye Family's elderly patriarch was deeply pleased with Ye Lingyun's performance. He understood that Ye Lingyun's rise had not only set an example for the younger generation but also brought fresh hope for the family's future. To commend his outstanding performance, the patriarch decided to grant him a series of generous rewards and privileges.
That evening, the Ye Family held a grand victory banquet, bringing the entire clan together. As the guest of honor, Ye Lingyun wore splendid new robes and strode into the banquet hall with his head held high beneath everyone's envious gazes. The elderly patriarch rose personally to welcome him and seated him in the place of honor at his side.
During the banquet, the patriarch publicly announced Ye Lingyun's rewards. "Ye Lingyun, you demonstrated extraordinary strength and unyielding fighting spirit in this tournament, winning honor for the Ye Family. The family has decided to grant you a private, high-grade cultivation cave abode. It is rich in spiritual energy and equipped with a special spiritual power gathering array to help you improve your strength more quickly. In addition, you may freely select three mid-grade magical treasures and five advanced cultivation manuals from the family treasury. The family will also provide you with an additional ten third-tier spirit herbs every month for your daily cultivation."
The moment the patriarch finished speaking, gasps of amazement filled the hall. For the Ye Family's descendants, these rewards were undoubtedly an enormous fortune. The private, high-grade cultivation cave abode in particular was a cultivation sanctuary that many core descendants could only dream of. Ye Lingyun stood and bowed respectfully to the patriarch. "Thank you for your generosity, Patriarch. I will devote myself to cultivation and live up to the family's expectations."
After the banquet, under the envious gazes of the Ye Family's disciples, Ye Lingyun went to his own high-grade cultivation cave abode. It lay in a secluded valley on the Ye Family Back Mountain, surrounded by verdant hills and shady trees in a peaceful, tranquil setting. Inside, the abode was spacious and bright. Spirit crystals embedded in its walls cast a gentle glow, illuminating the entire space as brightly as daylight. At its center, an enormous spiritual power gathering array revolved slowly, and dense spiritual energy filled the air like tangible mist. Ye Lingyun drew a deep breath and felt comfort wash through his entire body, his spiritual power circulating joyfully within him.
"This cultivation environment really is extraordinary." Ye Lingyun was delighted. He knew that cultivating in such surroundings would allow his strength to advance by leaps and bounds.
Next, Ye Lingyun visited the Ye Family's treasury. A dazzling assortment of rare magical treasures, manuals, and spiritual items filled it, all radiating enticing light. Drawing on his distinctive understanding of cultivation and his long-term plans, he carefully selected a mid-grade magical treasure called the Star Mantle. It could not only strengthen his defenses but also draw upon the power of the stars at critical moments to increase his attack speed. He also chose a Spirit Link Sword, which complemented the sword technique he practiced and would help him unleash more of its power, and a Spirit Ward Shield to defend against various spiritual power attacks.
Ye Lingyun was equally careful when selecting cultivation manuals. He chose the Nine-Turn Spirit Illusion Art, which focused on transforming and controlling spiritual power and would further refine his skill in wielding it; the Martial Soul Body Tempering Art, which could strengthen the bond between his martial soul and his body, allowing its power to merge more perfectly with his flesh and improve his physique; the Star Essence Record, which contained cultivation methods related to the power of the stars, resonating with his Star-Splitting Void Sword Technique and offering the prospect of developing stronger sword moves; the Spiritual Power Concealment Technique, which would allow him to hide his spiritual power fluctuations in battle and launch surprise attacks; and Advanced Spirit Array Fundamentals, through which he could study spirit arrays and lay the groundwork for constructing powerful ones in the future.
With his chosen magical treasures and manuals, Ye Lingyun returned to his cultivation cave abode. He eagerly began studying the manuals, seeking to draw more knowledge and power from them. His rise, however, was not all smooth sailing. As his standing in the Ye Family soared, hidden dangers quietly began to emerge.
Within the Ye Family were several conservative factions. They had long controlled portions of the family's resources and authority, and they were accustomed to preserving the status quo. They regarded the sudden rise of a collateral-branch descendant like Ye Lingyun with apprehension, fearing that his growth would upset the family's existing balance of power and threaten their interests.
"Ye Lingyun was merely lucky, yet he received so many resources and privileges. If this continues, I fear our standing will suffer," one conservative elder said with a frown.
"Exactly. How can a collateral-branch descendant compare with those of us born into the main line? We must find a way to suppress him and make him understand that we still have the final say in the Ye Family," another elder agreed.
Thus, these conservative factions began plotting in secret, seeking to make trouble for Ye Lingyun. First, they spread rumors throughout the family, claiming that he had only defeated Ye Long by using underhanded methods during the tournament. The rumors spread rapidly, and for a time, some family members who did not know the truth began to question him.
Meanwhile, they also tampered with the allocation of Ye Lingyun's cultivation resources. The ten third-tier spirit herbs promised each month were replaced with poor-quality second-tier herbs when they were distributed. Ye Lingyun noticed these irregularities but kept silent. He knew that confronting the conservative factions directly at this point would do him no good. He decided to endure for the time being and wait for the right opportunity to resolve these problems once and for all.
"Hmph. Do they think this will stop me from moving forward?" A cold gleam flashed in Ye Lingyun's eyes. "My path is mine to walk. No one should even think of standing in my way." He poured all his energy into cultivation. With the manuals he had selected from the treasury and the exceptional environment of his high-grade cultivation cave abode, his strength began to improve steadily. He believed that as long as he became strong enough, all these schemes and tricks would crumble at a single blow...
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