Get That Arrogant, Unruly Attitude Back

"Imprint it for me!"

Ye Qingzhou summoned the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Seed and directly imprinted a record of the Xuan Heaven Soul Technique, without needing to comprehend it bit by bit.

He would have plenty of time to study it slowly later. During the imprinting process, however, he also learned the full scope of the Xuan Heaven Soul Technique.

It was actually an all-encompassing soul art, rather than a single technique for cultivating the soul.

Besides the method of devouring the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth to strengthen the soul, it contained three soul skills.

However, two of those soul skills could only be cultivated once one's soul power reached the Spirit Realm.

A few breaths later, the imprinting was complete. Ye Qingzhou rose and bowed. "Many thanks to you, Ancestor, for bestowing this technique upon me."

Ye Qingtian's gaze shifted slightly, a trace of disbelief in it. "You did it!?"

Ye Qingzhou smiled faintly and smoothly recited the contents of the Xuan Heaven Soul Technique's general principles.

Ye Qingtian believed him now. He threw back his head and laughed. "Good, excellent! Your talent surpasses even mine back then."

"You can go and see the scenery at those greater heights in my stead."

"With a descendant like you in the Ye Clan, I can rest easy!"

"The Ye Clan is fortunate to have you. You may go."

As his words faded, Ye Qingtian's soul body turned into specks of golden light and scattered into the mist.

At the same time, the entire space gradually dissolved, like morning mist beneath the sunlight.

Ye Qingzhou felt dazed again. When he came to, he found himself still standing in front of the Ye Clan's ancestral hall, with Ye Xinlan's voice sounding in his ear. "Cousin, Cousin Qingzhou, what's wrong?"

Ye Qingzhou had the illusion that everything he had just experienced was false, but the message from the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Seed made him realize it wasn't.

Quite some time had passed in the soul world, but only a single breath had passed outside.

"It's nothing." Ye Qingzhou smiled faintly. "I just thought this plaque was extraordinary."

"Naturally." Ye Zhong, who was walking ahead, turned around, a probing look in his eyes. "This plaque was left by the Ye Clan's first patriarch. It's said to conceal a great opportunity, but no one has ever found it."

"If such an opportunity really exists, our Ye Clan can surely turn its decline around."

Sensing Ye Zhong's probe, Ye Qingzhou smiled. "Granduncle, our Ye Clan will surely turn its decline around."

Ye Zhong's expression froze for a moment. Then he swept up his robes and stepped into the ancestral hall ahead of them. "Fine ambition. Come in."

Ye Qingzhou and Ye Xinlan exchanged a glance and followed close behind.

The ancestral hall was brightly lit by candles, their light falling on the old wooden altar and spirit tablets, lending the place a solemn air.

Four figures were already standing in the hall. They were the four people with the highest standing in the Ye Clan aside from Ye Zhong.

In the center stood a middle-aged man with a lean face and a pair of sharp, steady phoenix eyes. He wore a dark cyan robe and a jade token engraved with the character "Ye" at his waist. He was Ye Zhengqing, the Ye Clan's patriarch and, whenever Ye Zhong was in seclusion, the person whose word truly carried the most weight in the clan.

To Ye Zhengqing's left stood the second elder, Ye Jing, and to his right stood the third elder, Ye Su, and the fourth elder, Ye Liu.

Ye Jing was also a Dou Zong, though only a One-Star.

Ye Zhengqing, Ye Su, and Ye Liu were all Nine-Star Peak Dou Emperors, only one step away from breaking through to Dou Zong.

When Ye Zhong and the other two entered, Ye Zhengqing was the first to greet them. "First Elder, what urgent matter required you to summon us?"

As he spoke, his gaze passed over Ye Zhong and fell on Ye Qingzhou.

His intuition told him that Ye Zhong's sudden summons to the ancestral hall had something to do with this junior of the Ye Clan.

Ye Zhong wasted no words. He walked straight to the main seat in the hall and stood there, sweeping his gaze over everyone. His voice was steady, yet every word rang clear. "I summoned you here for one thing."

"You can see this junior beside me. His name is Ye Qingzhou, a descendant of Ye Fang's line."

"After observing and verifying it myself, I found that his cultivation talent, soul talent, and talent for alchemy are all far above Xin Lan's."

"I've decided to have Xin Lan cultivate alongside Qingzhou from now on. Outwardly, he will be listed as a seed disciple, but his actual treatment will be on par with that of the young patriarch."

At those words, Ye Zhengqing and the others' pupils contracted.

If his talents in every respect surpassed Ye Xinlan's, and he had the first elder's approval, there was nothing unreasonable about making him a seed disciple. They would have no objections.

But giving him the actual treatment of a young patriarch meant that Ye Qingzhou's status, authority, and the resources he could call upon would be second only to those of the first elder and the patriarch.

Did Ye Qingzhou really have such talent!?

"First Elder, should we take more time to consider this?" Ye Zhengqing asked.

He was Ye Zhong's youngest son, but he remembered well that they were to use official titles when discussing serious matters in the ancestral hall.

Previously, the Ye Clan's patriarch had been Ye Zhong's eldest son, Ye Xinlan's father. More than ten years ago, he had died while leading the clan's elites to explore some ruins.

Now Ye Zhengqing had become patriarch, and he had always treated his niece Ye Xinlan well.

But everyone had selfish desires, and Ye Zhengqing still hoped his own eldest son could become the young patriarch.

Ye Zhong knew exactly what his youngest son was thinking. He said calmly, "All of Qingzhou's meridians are open, and his soul has already developed spirituality. His soul is already at the Late Mortal Realm. It won't be long before he becomes a seventh-tier alchemist, and he has a better chance than any of us here of becoming an eighth-tier alchemist."

"What!?" Ye Zhengqing and the others were shaken to the core.

The Ye Clan actually had such a prodigy!?

"If that's the case, I have no objections." Ye Jing was the first to state his position.

"I agree as well," Ye Su said.

Ye Liu glanced at Ye Zhengqing. "I agree too."

Ye Zhengqing knew he had no way to object. Though unwilling, he agreed as well.

For the clan's sake, whether his son would become the next patriarch was unimportant.

Ye Qingzhou watched it all quietly. After a moment's thought, he spoke. "Granduncle, I don't wish to become the young patriarch."

"Hmm?" Everyone's expressions changed at once. Ye Xinlan was especially quick to cry out, "Cousin?"

Has this brat gone mad? Ye Zhengqing wondered, though he wasn't particularly delighted.

More than he wanted his son to become patriarch, he hoped the clan could produce a true prodigy and expert.

But this brat actually called Father Granduncle. We're in the ancestral hall right now. Ye Zhengqing thought he was in for a good show.

To his surprise, however, Ye Zhong didn't get angry. Instead, he asked gently, "Why?"

"Granduncle, my future won't be confined to the Ye Clan." Ye Qingzhou spoke honestly. "Becoming patriarch would be a shackle."

Ye Zhong and the others: "..."

"It's not that I'm being conceited or aiming too high, Granduncle. I've just received an opportunity." Ye Qingzhou raised a hand and took out a jade slip, imprinting it with part of the Xuan Heaven Soul Technique's method for increasing soul power. Then he said, "When I saw the ancestral hall's plaque just now, I met our ancestor."

"Ancestor passed down a soul cultivation technique. I can give it to the clan."

"With this technique, I'll certainly travel the continent in the future."

"For the position of young patriarch, and future patriarch, you should find someone else."

Everyone present: ?!?

Ye Zhong immediately took the jade slip to examine it.

With a sweep of his soul power, he was overjoyed. "Good, good, good! Heaven blesses our Ye Clan! Heaven blesses our Ye Clan!"

Who could have imagined that Ye Qingzhou's talent was so outstanding that he had not only earned the ancestor's recognition, but also passed the trial and obtained the inherited technique?

"This matter is to be made the clan's highest secret. Anyone who leaks it will atone with their life." Ye Zhong's gaze turned exceedingly grave. "Do you understand?"

Ye Zhengqing and the others immediately accepted the order and swore blood oaths before the plaques in the ancestral hall.

Everyone wanted the Ye Clan to prosper, and none of them thought there was anything wrong with the arrangement.

In the end, Ye Zhong made the decision: outwardly, Ye Qingzhou would remain among the seed disciples and would not be groomed as patriarch, but the resources he received would exceed those of the young patriarch.

Ye Zhengqing and the others had no objections, their smiles exceedingly eager.

Ye Qingzhou: Actually, I liked your arrogant, unruly attitude just now.

"Granduncle, I'd like a Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill. May I have one?" Ye Qingzhou asked.

Ye Zhong immediately said it was a small matter. "Our Ye Clan has many alchemists, and we possess more than ten kinds of Beast Flame. We can easily gather what we need to refine a Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill of the highest grade. Second Elder, you handle this."

Ye Jing accepted the order.

Eager to cultivate the Profound Heaven Soul Art Qi Induction Chapter, Ye Zhong immediately declared the meeting over.

Ye Qingzhou left with the fourth elder, Ye Liu, and spent the afternoon receiving instruction in spear techniques from the Dou Huang expert.

By the time he was ready to cultivate that evening, he had received a Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill from Ye Xinlan and a Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill from Ye Jing.

After entering the secret chamber, he swallowed the pills without hesitation and used the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Seed to refine their medicinal effects, unconcerned about failing.

Boom!

Four-Star Da Dou Shi.

Five-Star Da Dou Shi.

Six-Star Da Dou Shi.

Seven-Star Da Dou Shi...

His cultivation rose rapidly, climbing from Three-Star to Seven-Star Da Dou Shi in one go, from the early stage to the late stage.

The feeling of his strength surging made Ye Qingzhou feel great.

But he didn't think it was enough.

It's about time.

I wonder if the diary will give me another surprise.

Let me...

Step straight into the Dou Ling realm!