After entering his room and sending the steward out, Yu Xuan recalled what had happened not long ago.
Gangzi had actually wanted to snatch his Immortal Herbs ahead of him.
It seemed he could only put off going to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for now.
At his current age and strength, his father certainly wouldn't allow him to go out alone. If he wanted to visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he would have to reveal every secret of that treasure trove.
Then he could have Yu Yuanzhen take him along.
But if he did that, his father might give Yu Xiaogang an Immortal Herb, considering that Yu Xiaogang was his son.
After all, there were so many Immortal Herbs.
Putting himself in his father's shoes, no matter how much Yu Xiaogang was a lump of mud that couldn't be plastered onto a wall, he was still his son. It was only natural to look after him.
He was curious about the Fire Dragon King's treasure, but the thought of letting Yu Xiaogang reap the benefits without lifting a finger left him feeling aggrieved.
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is in Sunset Forest. It won't grow legs and run away. Once I'm strong enough to go out and train alone, I'll explore it. Then I'll come back and give Father an Immortal Herb... As for Yu Xiaogang, he can forget about smelling even a whiff of one. Let him die of craving."
Yu Xuan made up his mind.
It wasn't that he, as Yu Xiaogang's elder brother, felt no familial affection for him. Rather, Yu Xiaogang had never respected him at all.
Those who respect others will always be respected in return.
Time flew like a white steed glimpsed through a crack.
Before he knew it, three years had passed.
At the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's grand training ground.
Yu Xuan was sparring with three direct-line disciples, while the weak Yu Xiaogang watched from the sidelines with some other Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciples.
"Young master, watch out! Second Soul Skill-Thunderous Might!"
A Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciple shouted, and the countless electric serpents coiling around him swelled at once. In the next instant, they transformed into more than a dozen arrows of lightning that shot toward Yu Xuan.
"Good!" Yu Xuan's pupils narrowed. Gripping his greatsword in both hands, he slashed out a blade of flame to meet the lightning arrows.
"Boom!"
A thunderous crash erupted as the two attacks canceled each other out and dissipated, leaving only streams of fire and flashes of lightning scattering in every direction.
"First Soul Skill-Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Another Blue Lightning disciple charged forward, his hands transforming into lightning dragon claws as he struck fiercely at Yu Xuan.
He was as fast as a thunderbolt, but Yu Xuan had a keen instinct for battle. He spun around and swept the Sword of Flame Radiance out to meet him.
The scorching blade howled toward him, a wave of heat washing over his face. Alarm bells rang wildly in the Blue Lightning disciple's heart!
He knew how formidable the sword was. His dragon claws collided with the greatsword just once before he immediately retreated.
"First Soul Skill-Mystic Flame Dragon Claw." Blazing fire ignited in Yu Xuan's eyes. He put away the Sword of Flame Radiance, and scarlet-gold flames gathered around his claws. His presence surged as he closed in.
The Blue Lightning disciple couldn't find his footing and could only defend himself in a panic. Yu Xuan struck him with a palm, sending him flying back seven or eight meters.
"Third Soul Skill-Thunderous Fury!"
"First Soul Skill-Thunder Dragon Claw!"
The other two Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciples unleashed their respective Soul Skills in succession and lunged at Yu Xuan.
"Come and fight!" Yu Xuan shouted. Without using his second Soul Skill, he swept out with both fire dragon claws, raising two waves of flame as he met the two disciples!
Four palms collided, lightning and flame contending against each other. But before long, the scorching flames swallowed and crushed the raging lightning.
Both opponents flew backward at the same time, each spraying out a mouthful of blood!
"As expected of the young master! Those were three Soul Elders over level thirty!"
"I heard the young master is only nine this year. Tsk, tsk, he really defies the heavens."
"So strong! No wonder the clan leader and the elders all favor him as the next heir."
The surroundings instantly erupted as the watching disciples murmured among themselves.
Hearing the undisguised praise all around him, Yu Xiaogang's face was filled with envy and jealousy.
So strong. I should have had talent and strength like that too. If I hadn't rushed up to awaken my Martial Soul, but switched places with my elder brother instead, would the result have been different?
All sorts of thoughts filled Yu Xiaogang's mind as he watched Yu Xuan on the training ground. That was the life he had dreamed of: possessing world-shaking talent and standing in the spotlight.
The image of Yu Xuan even began to blur and double before his eyes, transforming into his own likeness.
"That was so exciting! Gangzi, come up and fight me!" A Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciple hooked an arm around Yu Xiaogang's neck, saying he wanted to spar with him.
Since Yu Xuan often called Yu Xiaogang Gangzi, the nickname had spread throughout the clan over the past three years.
"No! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You just want to bully me." Snot running from his nose, Yu Xiaogang broke free of his arm and backed away repeatedly.
"Hey, who comes here without sparring?" The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciple refused to let the matter drop and insisted on going up to fight him.
While the two were tussling, Yu Xuan had already left the training ground and happened to run into his father, who was walking by the river.
His father's face was full of worry, and he seemed troubled by something.
"Father, is something the matter?" Yu Xuan couldn't help stepping forward to ask.
"Oh, it's you, Xiao Xuan."
Yu Yuanzhen had been lost in thought. He froze for a moment when he saw Yu Xuan approaching.
He considered his words, but in the end, he hid nothing and told him the truth. "Your second uncle is a womanizer by nature. He had a daughter with a woman of the pleasure quarters outside the clan."
"Going by the time, that illegitimate daughter of his is already six. I thought I'd bring her back to the clan to awaken her Martial Soul. I've already sent your second uncle to fetch her."
"After all, if we let her awaken her Martial Soul on her own outside the clan and she happens to awaken a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, our bloodline would fall into outside hands. That's something the clan can never accept."
An illegitimate daughter. Could it be Liu Erlong?
Yu Xuan's heart stirred. If he remembered correctly, Liu Erlong was Yu Luomian's only illegitimate daughter in the original story.
Liu Erlong's talent was quite good.
Her Martial Soul was a fire dragon, also called a scarlet dragon. But it didn't seem to be a true dragon-type Martial Soul; it was probably only a sub-fire dragon.
Yu Xuan couldn't help asking, "Father, if Second Uncle's daughter awakens a dragon-type Martial Soul, but it isn't the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, what do you plan to do with her?"
Yu Yuanzhen didn't even have to think about it. "That depends on what your second uncle and the child want. If the child is willing to stay in the clan, I can agree to that."
As long as she awakened a dragon Martial Soul, she was certain to have Innate Soul Power. It was only a question of how much.
If she was willing to stay in the clan, she would be just one more mouth to feed. It was no great matter.
Yu Xuan nodded slightly. That was a perfectly normal arrangement.
In the original story, Liu Erlong probably hadn't stayed in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Otherwise, that fellow Gangzi wouldn't have failed to recognize her.
As they talked, a small boat came into view. Standing at the bow was none other than Yu Luomian.
A little girl in red sat behind him.
"Second Brother is back. I'll go meet him." Yu Yuanzhen smiled faintly.
"I'm coming too!" Yu Xuan hurried after him.
He was somewhat interested in Liu Erlong's upcoming Martial Soul Awakening.