Clan Gathering Begins

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Ye Family training grounds, west side.

Several people walked along as they chatted. Leading them was a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth dressed in black, a saber strapped across his back. His face was resolute, and a faint aura of iron-blooded slaughter radiated from him.

"Brother Ye Hai, at this year's Clan Gathering, I reckon only you can contend with Ye Tang and Ye Xuan for first place." The youth speaking seemed to admire the black-clad youth greatly, flattering him.

Ye Hai said indifferently, "I became the disciple of my master, Duan Yueke, at thirteen. For more than three years, I have roamed the world at his side. I have been to the Devil's Great Grassland of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, the foreign Tuoluo Kingdom, and the Black Dragon Empire with its billions of people. I wrestled sharks in the Changbai River and lived in the Mud Puppet Desert for a month. During the hardest times, I went three days and three nights without sleep or food. So for me, taking first place in a mere year-end Clan Gathering is no challenge at all. As for Ye Ming, although he has also undergone harsh training outside, his cultivation is only at the Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer. He is not worth worrying about."

"Hmph, does having trained outside make you so impressive? If you have never stayed in a sect, you will never understand how important a sect is." Not far away, another group of three or four people approached. Ye Tang, dressed in white, looked provocatively at Ye Hai.

Ye Hai glanced at Ye Tang. "Indeed, a sect's training system is very comprehensive. But before someone like me, who has killed dozens, how much of your strength can you truly display?"

"Killing people? I thought you were going to say something impressive." Ye Tang laughed, pointing at Ye Hai. "At North Snow Manor, we practice the Killing Saber Art. I am no great talent, but more than a dozen people have died by my hand as well."

"The people you call killing were those weaker than you, weren't they? Have you ever challenged someone stronger? Have you ever felt the edge between life and death? Have you ever turned defeat into victory? You have none of that. You kill only to show off."

Ye Hai's three consecutive questions left Ye Tang speechless. He retorted, "There is no point saying anything now. We will settle who is superior at the Clan Gathering. Let's go."

After Ye Tang's group left, the youth beside Ye Hai said, "Brother Ye Hai, I support you. That Ye Tang is nothing special."

Ye Hai shook his head. "No. To be serious, his strength is no weaker than mine, perhaps even slightly stronger. North Snow Manor's Killing Saber Art is the finest in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, unmatched by any. But victory and defeat are not decided by a simple contest of brute force."

"By the way, have any formidable new talents emerged in the Ye Family recently?" Ye Hai asked.

"The top five are Brother Ye Hai, Ye Xuan, Ye Tang, Ye Ming, and Ye Feng. The others probably would not even catch your eye."

"What about Ye Chen?"

"Ye Chen? He is still a useless waste. At most, he is only at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer!"

"Strange. Five years have passed, and he is still at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer? Advancing a little over one layer per year on average—could you be mistaken?"

"How could that be? Aside from being the Patriarch's son, that fellow is good for nothing. He is truly a disgrace to our Ye Family."

"Since there are no particularly formidable disciples, I have a sixty percent chance of taking first place." Ye Hai was very confident in himself. He firmly believed that the life-and-death tempering of the past three years would become an unshakable driving force for his future development.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The year-end Clan Gathering began.

Early morning.

After washing up and straightening his clothes, Ye Chen headed toward the Ye Family training grounds with his Fine Steel Sword.

The training grounds were packed with people and alive with excitement. Nearly all the servants and martial artists living in the Ye Family had come to watch the Clan Gathering matches. Beyond that, many prominent figures from Luocheng City had also arrived, taking the opportunity to observe the strength of the Ye Family's younger generation.

After looking around, Ye Chen found a relatively quiet spot in the contestants' seating area and walked over.

High in the VIP seats, Ye Tianhao sat beside Shen Yuqing. To Ye Tianhao's right was a middle-aged man in brocade robes, somewhat portly in build. Every gesture he made carried an invisible majesty. He was clearly an important man of great authority—and no ordinary one at that.

"Patriarch Ye, which one is your son?" the middle-aged man in brocade asked with a smile.

Ye Tianhao had already spotted Ye Chen. Pointing toward him, he said, "City Lord Lin, that is my unworthy son. Please forgive the embarrassment."

The middle-aged man in brocade was none other than the City Lord of Luocheng City. He commanded the soldiers of an entire city and was himself an Early Primal Origin Realm martial artist. Yet no matter who he was, he still stood a rank below Ye Tianhao. As one of the Eight Great Families, the Ye Family was not something a mere City Lord could compare to. To put it bluntly, the Ye Family had the final say in Luocheng City. Whenever the City Lord made a major decision, he had to consider the Ye Family's wishes.

City Lord Lin looked toward Ye Chen and examined him closely, then said in puzzlement, "It seems rumors cannot be wholly trusted. This boy is clearly at the peak Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer, only one step away from entering the True Condensation Realm."

Shen Yuqing smiled proudly beside Ye Tianhao. "To be honest, even we as his parents were surprised. It seems the trials outside have indeed done him some good."

"Hehe, this Ye Family Gathering will not be simple. I will watch with anticipation."

With his powerful Soul Force, Ye Chen sensed that people were watching him, and there was more than one group. The first was his parents and City Lord Lin; the second was his third uncle and his son, Ye Ming; the third was Ye Hai, who had traveled the world and roamed the martial realm alongside his master.

Ye Ming's cultivation was even lower than his, only at the late Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer. Ye Hai, however, was much stronger, already at the True Condensation Realm Early Stage. Perhaps he did not possess any formidable martial skills or cultivation arts, but after roaming outside for so many years, he could not be underestimated. Moreover, since he had returned this time, his master Duan Yueke had surely taught him one or two trump cards to help him seize first place.

"Interesting. I knew it—how could he possibly have remained at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer after five years? So he has already reached the peak of the Tenth Layer." Ye Hai nodded slightly, but he did not attach much importance to it. In his eyes, only Ye Tang and Ye Xuan were worthy opponents.

Suddenly, a powerful Momentum swept across the entire training grounds, silencing everyone as they turned to look eastward.

"Hahaha! How could the year-end Clan Gathering be without me, Ye Batian?" The crowd automatically parted as a burly middle-aged man strode over with the gait of a dragon and tiger. He wore a purple brocade robe, its sleeves embroidered with a blazing sun and edged with exquisite patterns. Whenever his tiger-like eyes glared in a direction, the people there scarcely dared breathe, afraid of drawing his attention.

This man was Ye Chen's eldest uncle, Ye Batian, an Inner Sect Elder of the Purple Sun Sect.

Beside him were Ye Tang and Ye Feng. As they walked with Ye Batian, they carried themselves with a smug, lofty arrogance, their eyes practically looking down upon everyone.

Yet it was no wonder they were so arrogant. Though Ye Batian's authority in the Ye Family was not greater than Ye Tianhao's, his status was not the slightest bit lower. Sometimes, he even openly opposed Ye Tianhao and left him unable to save face. Ye Tianhao could do nothing about it. The other man was an Inner Sect Elder of the Purple Sun Sect, someone whose words carried weight even within the Purple Sun Sect. His cultivation was exceedingly high as well, having reached the Late Primal Origin Realm. He was known as the Ye Family's strongest expert. Although the Ye Family was one of the Eight Great Families, it lagged far behind the Eighth-Rank Sect Purple Sun Sect. Perhaps only the Duanmu Family, foremost among the Eight Great Families, possessed strength comparable to a sect.

"Brother Batian, I never expected even you would be drawn here by this year's Clan Gathering."

"That is right, Brother Batian. You have not returned for years, have you? Once this Ye Family Gathering is over, let us have a few drinks to welcome you back." The important figures nearby all fawned over Ye Batian, bowing and scraping even more deeply than they did before Ye Tianhao, like servants.

Ye Batian waved his hand. "Fine. I, Ye Batian, will give you all that face."

With that, he strode up to the VIP seats and signaled Shen Yuqing to leave with his gaze, his eyes carrying an overbearing authority that could not be refused.

Ye Tianhao's expression darkened. Shen Yuqing knew that circumstances were stronger than people, so she rose to her feet. "Eldest Brother, please sit."

"Good. Then I will accept without ceremony." He sat down carelessly, placing his palm on the table with a dull slap.

In the distance, fury flickered in Ye Chen's eyes.