Dark Struggle in the Dining Hall

P.S.: I just finished writing the climax, and I've got no passion left!

In Luocheng City, if one were to ask which residence was the largest, it was undoubtedly the Ye Family. Covering a thousand mu, the Ye Family estate was a third larger than even the City Lord's Mansion. Within it stood pavilions and towers, little bridges over flowing waters, bamboo groves and seas of trees—almost everything one could want, like a miniature Luocheng City.

After passing through several corridors and crossing a thirty-meter-long white jade bridge, Ye Chen found an enormous training ground before his eyes.

The training ground was exceptionally lively. Those Ye Family martial artists who did not need to work and only needed to hone their martial skills were all diligently cultivating. Some pondered and practiced alone again and again, some sought guidance from others, while others paired off to fight and temper their techniques. The scene was ablaze with activity.

"Young Master Chen." Outside the grounds, five middle-aged men and women greeted Ye Chen respectfully.

Ye Chen nodded. "Is it your turn to instruct martial skills today?"

These five were the Ye Family's martial skill instructors. The Ye Family claimed to have more than three hundred martial artists at the True Condensation Realm or above. Two-thirds of them were direct-line and branch-line family members, while the remaining third were outsiders who had joined the Ye Family. Their statuses differed according to their strength. For instance, Primal Origin Realm martial artists became the Ye Family's Outer Surname Elders, Late True Condensation Realm martial artists became Ye Family Stewards, and Mid True Condensation Realm martial artists became martial skill instructors, like the five before him. True Condensation Realm Early Stage martial artists, meanwhile, were apprentice instructors. They were not qualified to directly teach others and served as assistants to the martial skill instructors.

"Yes. The training ground changes shifts every three days, and today happens to be ours," answered the rather attractive middle-aged woman on the left.

"I'm merely passing through. Carry on." Ye Chen waved his hand and strode away.

The middle-aged scholar in the gray robe standing in the center sighed. "Young Master Chen has broken through to the True Condensation Realm. The few of us might not even be certain of defeating him."

"Geniuses can break common sense as easily as they please. How could we compare?"

"All right, stop complaining. One day, once we reach the Primal Origin Realm, we can become the Ye Family's Outer Surname Elders and live out our lives in peace and security."

"That's true."

The training ground was a full four hundred meters from the dining hall. It took Ye Chen some time to reach the entrance at an unhurried pace.

When Ye Chen entered, some people were already eating breakfast.

"Chen'er, you're up so early." Ye Tianhao had countless affairs to attend to and had always risen early.

Ye Chen said, "I didn't sleep last night. I cultivated until now."

A trace of surprise flashed through Ye Tianhao's eyes. "You broke through to the True Condensation Realm?"

"I just broke through."

"You really broke through?"

Ye Tianhao had only asked instinctively and had not expected Ye Chen's answer to be so certain. For a moment, he stood frozen, before wild joy overtook him. If Ye Chen before could only be considered a combat genius whose cultivation talent was not particularly eye-catching, then Ye Chen now was a genius in the truest sense. No one could strip him of the glory that belonged to him. He could stand shoulder to shoulder with Ye Xuan, Ye Tang, and the others.

"Let me see." Ye Tianhao reached out and placed a hand on Ye Chen's shoulder. Although Ye Chen's cultivation could be seen from the surface, under certain special circumstances, martial artists at the peak Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer could also emit faint True Qi fluctuations, making them easily confused with martial artists who had just entered the True Condensation Realm.

True Qi at the Primal Origin Realm level entered Ye Chen's body, only to immediately encounter a fierce counterattack. Afraid of injuring Ye Chen, Ye Tianhao hurriedly cut off his True Qi and withdrew his hand.

"It truly is True Condensation Realm Early Stage cultivation, and your True Qi is already remarkably stable. One more step and you'll reach the True Condensation Realm Early Stage Peak." Ye Tianhao's face was full of disbelief.

Ye Chen was not entirely certain either. He guessed, "Could it be the effect of the Pure Origin Skill?"

Ye Tianhao nodded. "It should be. Very few people can cultivate the Pure Origin Skill to its highest realm like you have. The Internal Energy it produces is incomparably pure. Once it liquefies into True Qi, the foundation is far more stable than that of most people, so there is no need to spend much time consolidating it."

That really is true. It saved me a great deal of hard work, Ye Chen thought.

"All right, have breakfast first. When I return and tell your mother, she'll surely be very happy." Ye Tianhao had originally been full, but in his excitement, he sat down and ate with Ye Chen again, chatting as they ate.

Before long, Ye Hai, Ye Xuan, and the others arrived.

At first, they did not pay much attention upon seeing Ye Chen. But after a closer look, they immediately discovered that he had broken through to the True Condensation Realm, and every one of them was greatly shocked.

Seeing that it was getting late, Ye Tianhao said to Ye Chen, "Take your time eating. I'll be leaving first."

"All right, Father."

After Ye Tianhao left, Ye Hai walked over and asked, "Ye Chen, did you break through to the True Condensation Realm?"

Ye Chen smiled. "Wouldn't you know if we tried?"

"Fine, let's do it!" Ye Hai assumed a stance.

Ye Chen rose to his feet. "One punch will do. Come on!"

Ha!

Ye Hai did not dare underestimate Ye Chen. He threw a punch brimming with True Qi, and faint ripples spread through the air in all directions.

Without moving his body, Ye Chen threw out a punch of his own to meet it.

Bang!

The air was torn apart. As the two fists collided, a string of crackling explosions rang out.

"No good. You're too monstrous. You just broke through, yet your True Qi is already so stable." Ye Hai staggered back ten steps in a row and gave a helpless bitter smile.

Ye Chen sat back down in his chair. "Let's have breakfast together."

The two sat facing each other, without the slightest affectation.

Not far away, Ye Xuan wore a deeply frustrated expression. She had thought that after some time, once she broke through to the Mid True Condensation Realm, she would be able to suppress Ye Chen with certainty. Who would have thought that he would get there first, already advancing to the True Condensation Realm Early Stage? Moreover, his True Qi was extraordinarily stable. Defeating him now was simply the dream of a fool. Even if she reached the Mid True Condensation Realm, she would have no confidence at all.

"Ye Chen, I forgot to tell you—Sister Xueyan has already entered the Late True Condensation Realm." Unwilling to suffer a setback before Ye Chen, Ye Xuan brought up Ji Xueyan to strike at him.

Ye Chen replied casually, "She isn't my target to catch up to. My first goal is to dominate the younger generation of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. As for my second goal, I haven't thought of one yet."

Hearing this, Ye Xuan said disdainfully, "Keep dreaming! There are countless young experts in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. Not to mention the renowned Four Great Young Masters, even the Inner Sect Disciples of our Jade Valley could firmly suppress you. Of course, perhaps you think I'm boasting, but you only need to return and ask your senior brothers and sisters to know. In the martial world, who hasn't suffered at the hands of us Jade Valley disciples?"

"Ye Xuan, I don't like hearing that. Granted, you're a Jade Valley disciple, but you're first and foremost a direct descendant of the Ye Family. Why do you always use outsiders to belittle your own people?" Unable to stand Ye Xuan's attitude, Ye Hai put down his chopsticks and spoke up for Ye Chen.

Ye Xuan snorted coldly. "I simply can't stand him."

Ye Hai said bluntly, "I think you just can't accept the contrast of defeat, can you? That makes sense. Ye Chen's talent used to be quite ordinary, nothing compared to yours. You never imagined you would lose to him. So when Ye Chen displayed strength far beyond yours, it made you uncomfortable. Am I right?"

"Don't celebrate too early. Surpassing someone now doesn't mean you'll keep surpassing them in the future. Jade Valley is the number one Great Sect in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, and the disciples it nurtures are all the finest." Ye Xuan was stunned by Ye Hai's words, and her tone became somewhat agitated.

"Ye Xuan is right. You two are frogs at the bottom of a well. North Snow Manor and Jade Valley are Seventh-Rank Great Sects. How could you possibly imagine the extent of their strength? Just wait. In one year, I will definitely defeat both of you." At some point, Ye Tang had arrived at the dining hall.

Ye Chen sneered inwardly. Although the two had quite good talent, their temperaments were far lacking. Things were fine when everything went smoothly, but once they encountered setbacks, they were usually even more unbearable than ordinary people. They also liked to bore into a dead end, clinging to one point and refusing to let go, ultimately throwing their minds out of balance.

Put simply, their minds had been blinded.

There was no need to entangle himself with them. Ye Chen said blandly, "Everything must be proven through action. Anyone can talk. All right, don't disturb my breakfast."