Translator: Aristophaneso Editor: Caron_
The Ye Family hunters were currently walking home, happily carrying huge carcasses as they returned with a magnificent harvest.
Ye Tian was similarly burdened, a purple cheetah on his shoulders.
Most of the hunters spent the journey back distracted by Ye Tian’s catch, staring with an admiration verging on worship.
“Tsk tsk, the Captain is growing more and more powerful. He killed the Purple Cloud Cheetah with a single blow!”
“That was definitely the strongest saber strike I’ve ever seen! Fast! Powerful!”
“And did you see how far the Purple Cloud Cheetah was? The Captain’s Saber was nowhere near its throat, but it died.”
…
Ye Tian’s mouth tilted upward in a small smile as the other hunters gossiped around him.
After this month of diligent practice, Ye Tian had gained some measure of control over his Saber Intent, allowing him to use its preliminary power at will. Today, even the Peak Stage Level Nine Purple Cloud Cheetah had fallen before him.
It was common knowledge that the Purple Cloud Cheetah’s extreme speed could only be defeated by a Level Ten Martial Artist.
But Ye Tian had killed it.
This was sufficient proof that Ye Tian’s might was already comparable to Village Chief Ye Shi’s, and he was now firmly the number two expert of the village.
“Captain, the village is just up ahead!” one of the hunters called out.
Ye Tian turned to the vista of his not-too-distant home, the familiar walls warming his heart.
“Let’s go! Double time and we’ll be home before dinner!” Ye Ba called out with laughter.
The other hunters grinned as they stepped up their pace.
Right at that moment—
“Da da da…”
The neighing and footfalls of horses filled the air, turning their gazes.
“En?” Ye Tian frowned, spotting the horses by the village gate. Where had they come from?
All the other hunters were surprised as well.
It was at this moment that a dozen or so men exited the village gates, their clothes clearly marking them as strangers. Each of their gazes shone with sharpness, and the way they carried themselves marked each as a powerful Martial Warrior. Even their horses were uncommon—they were clearly higher quality breeds than the horses the Ye Family Village owned.
“They’re villagers from the Wang Family!” Ye Meng said in his deep voice.
Everyone’s brows furrowed.
The Wang Family Village was the strongest power in White Cloud Town and possessed the only Martial Master Realm Martial Warrior in the entire area.
More importantly, the Wang Family Village was incredibly ambitious and desired to rule over the entire town area. Every villagers understood the basic politics at hand, and the Ye Family Village had always been on guard against the Wang Family Village.
“What are they here for?”
Ye Tian frowned.
A dark skinned man in the Wang Family’s team was calling out in a loud voice, “In three days, on the eighth day of August! Ye Village Chief, don’t forget, haha!”
“Wang Hu, rest assured. On the eight of August, the Ye Family Village people will be there!” Village Chief Ye Shi’s loud, clear voice echoed from within the village walls.
“Good!” The dark face man saluted the Village Chief before turning his horse around, calling out a command: “Let’s go.”
With a patter of horse hooves, the dozen or so people quickly disappeared down the road.
The Ye Family hunters watched the group leaving, faces curious.
“Three days? The eight of August?” Ye Tian muttered with confusion.
“August Eighth? Perhaps the Wang Family Village Chief’s birthday?” Ye Ba cocked his brows, pondering.
“Birthday?” Ye Tian looked at Ye Ba.
Ye Ba explained: “August Eighth is the Wang Family Chief’s birthday. Every year, he throws a birthday party and all of the White Cloud Town villages need to present their best wishes.”
“Oh!” Ye Tian nodded, feeling as though he had heard about this before but had never paid it any mind.
“Hmph. He’s clearly just showing off, trying to intimidate the other villages.” Ye Meng sneered, his face filled with disdain.
“Alright, we should hurry. This is an important matter and the Village Chief will definitely want to discuss it with us,” Ye Ba replied, gesturing and picking up his pace.
…
As soon as they returned, Ye Tian, Ye Ba, Ye Meng and the other powerful hunters were summoned by the Village Chief.
In the Village Chief’s home, the seats around the long table were filled. Ye Tian, Ye Feng, and the other experts were all gathered.
Village Chief Ye Shi sat at the head of the table, Ye Feng to his left and Ye Tian to his right. Around them were the Martial Instruction Elder and Ye Ba, followed by the others.
Everyone was seated according to their position in the Ye Family Village.
Everyone here was an expert of the Ye Family Village; the lowest cultivation level was Level Seven Martial Artist. A total of fifteen people were gathered, the pillars of the village. This was the reason why the Ye Family Village was top three in the area.
In all of the village’s history, it was the first time that a sixteen year old boy could sit at this table, but there was no surprise or envy for Ye Tian had earned this position through his strength.
Ye Shi looked around him, happiness in his old eyes. Since he had become Village Chief, the Ye Family Village had grown rapidly from the previous generation’s eleven experts to the current fifteen. Ye Shi was filled with pride.
Not to mention that the Ye Family Village’s youths had produced a peerless genius.
Ye Shi glanced at Ye Tian, the young man sitting silent and calm. The Village Chief nodded to himself in approval, the happiness in his eyes deepening. Finally, he coughed lightly and hid his smile, turning to the others gathered with his expression growing serious.
Everyone grew alert, waiting for Ye Shi to speak.
“Wang Family Village’s Black Face Mad Tiger just left. Three days from today will be August Eighth. You all know what this day means.” Ye Shi’s deep voice filled the room.
Ye Tian listened carefully, thinking to himself: Black Face Mad Tiger? What a fitting name.
Ye Meng had explained to him before that the Wang Family Village had four powerhouses with Martial Master Wang Xu as the Village Chief; he was the powerful entity who held all the villages in awe.
Beneath him was the Captain of the Wang Family Hunters, Wang Tian, a Level Ten Martial Artist expert.
The Wang Hunters had two Level Nine vice-captains, Wang Hong the Evil Eyed Venom and Wang Hu the Black Face Mad Tiger.
Level Nine? Hmph, this Wang Hu is no opponent for me, Ye Tian thought secretly, filled with confidence.
Ye Shi picked up his cup and took a sip, peering out at the gathered experts. “Wang Xu’s birthday should be known to you all. He’s held this celebration every year since he’s broken through to test the power of the other villages and to demonstrate his power.”
Everyone nodded. Since Wang Xu had broken through to Martial Master, the Wang village had hosted this birthday celebration five times with the Ye Family Village attending each year.
They were gathered here today to select who would go.
“Village Chief, will it be Brother Feng and I this time as well?” Ye Ba asked as he stood. This had been the arrangement the previous year.
They couldn’t send any random assortment of people—the people they sent couldn’t be too powerful or too weak.
If Ye Shi went to offer his congratulations, none of the villagers expected that he would return alive. The Wang Family Village was clearly waiting for an opportunity to kill the Village Chief.
The Wang Family Village wanted to unify White Cloud Town, but even though they had a Martial Master expert, they had no way of facing all the villages at the same time.
The Martial Master realm was indeed powerful, but Wang Xu had only just broken through. He might be able to kill Ye Shi, but the Ye Family Village had other experts. Wang Xu wouldn’t be able to defend his village against all the different attacks, and even a Martial Master like him might be taken unawares and injured or killed.
But if Ye Shi left the Ye Family Village by himself, then Wang Xu would definitely seize the opportunity and secretly assassinate him.
So Ye Shi couldn’t be the one to attend.
At the same time, the people they sent couldn’t be weak or else it would bring shame to the village, causing the others to laugh and look down on them.
So, typically the experts directly below Ye Shi were the best choice. In the years before, Ye Feng and Ye Ba had been the perfect pair and had dealt with the last celebration perfectly.
But now the Ye Family Village had the genius Ye Tian, so Ye Ba hesitated and voiced his question.
The others also watched Ye Shi.
Ye Shi waved, gesturing for Ye Ba to sit. Once the man was seated, Ye Shi began speaking. “Ye Feng will not go this time. I’ve spoken with him already and we have decided that Ye Tian will take his place to offer our congratulations to the Wang Family Village.”
Ye Feng nodded, indicating his support.
“Me?” Ye Tian asked, surprised.
Everyone else was surprised as well. The Village Chief was willing to risk Ye Tian? The young man was the precious treasure of the village and no one was willing to risk him. How could the Village Chief dare to send him over?
Ye Feng explained, “We cannot let the Wang Family know that I have lost my arm. The only one who is strong enough to replace me is Ye Tian.”
The others nodded. If the other villages knew that Ye Feng had lost an arm, they would definitely think that the Ye Family’s strength had weakened and their respect would wane.
“Ye Tian, what are your thoughts?” Ye Shi turned to young man in question.
Ye Tian had already regained his calm, smiling as he nodded. “I have no objections!”
He was quite curious about this Martial Master of the White Cloud Town and wanted to see how large the gap was between him and the expert. On the other hand, he also wanted to go out and experience more of the world. After all, routine life in the Ye Family Village could grow stale.
“Ye Tian, you cannot reveal your true talent so you will be under Ye Ba’s command. The others cannot know your true cultivation level or else you will be in danger,” Ye Shi warned in his deep voice. He wanted Ye Tian to test himself and gain experience, but he also could not let him fall into true danger.
Obviously, once the Wang Family Village discovered Ye Tian’s talent, they would immediately move to smother this genius in the cradle.
“Yes, I understand.” Ye Tian nodded. He wasn’t a fool and completely agreed with the reasoning.