Chapter 4

"Ling Ye, we haven't fought in a long time; let me see your progress." Chen Tian'ao lived up to his name. Indeed arrogant, he and Ling Ye have been rivals since childhood.

"Heh, Chen Tian'ao. You're still as talkative as ever; let's see whose skill is superior." Ling Ye said and threw a punch at Chen Tian'ao.

Chen Tian'ao lived up to his reputation as the First Genius of the younger generation of the Chen Clan; he dodged Ling Ye's punch and seized his arm.

Ling Ye quickly twisted his body and kicked a whip kick at Chen Tian'ao's face.

Chen Tian'ao blocked with both hands, and each stepped back a few paces.

"Hahaha, Ling Ye, again." Chen Tian'ao said and launched an attack. He used the Yellow Rank Mid-grade Martial Art Shadowless Kick, aiming at Ling Ye's lower body. Ling Ye retreated while blocking with his hands, taking advantage of Chen Tian'ao's focus on his lower body. He leapt up and used the Mountain-Splitting Fist.

Chen Tian'ao reacted just as quickly, bracing his hands on the ground to change direction. The Shadowless Kick collided with Ling Ye's Heaven-Splitting Fist. Instantly Ling Ye was flung away, while Chen Tian'ao was punched and vomited blood. Ling Ye fared no better; he hadn't expected that after learning to control his power he would only barely manage to gain a slight edge over Chen Tian'ao.

Ling Ye rubbed his numb right arm. His eyes hardened, and he threw another punch at Chen Tian'ao. Chen Tian'ao couldn't dodge in time and was struck by Ling Ye, vomiting blood repeatedly.

"Ling Ye." *cough cough* "Not bad, you actually managed to injure me this badly. Let me show you our Chen Clan's ancestral Profound Rank Martial Art, Eight Extremes Collapse!"

"What? Chen Tian'ao is only at the Body Refining Stage, isn't he? Chen Qing, you're actually passing down a Profound Rank Martial Art to him?" Ling Hai shouted angrily from the stands.

"Chief of the Ling Clan, Tian'ao is exceptionally intelligent; what's wrong with him learning our Chen Clan's ancestral martial art?" Chen Qing laughed heartily.

"Chief of the Ling Clan, forcing the use of a Profound Rank cultivation method before reaching Qi Condensation has a high chance of turning Chen Tian'ao into a cripple."

"Chief of the Ling Clan, you don't need to worry about this; our Chen Clan has claimed this spirit vein."

Ling Hai never expected the Chen Clan to risk their most talented disciple for this spirit vein.

On the stage, Ling Ye watched Chen Tian'ao's formidable aura, lowered his head to look at his right fist, gathering all his bodily strength into it. Then he thrust it forward, clashing palm-to-palm with Chen Tian'ao.

With a bang, both figures collapsed to the ground. Chen Tian'ao lay immobile, because using a Profound Rank Martial Art at the Body Refining Stage can drain one's entire bodily strength.

Ling Ye's condition was no better; he lay on the ground vomiting blood repeatedly. Although the clash had just bested Chen Tian'ao, he himself had been severely injured by him.

This round, Ling Ye wins.

As the referee's voice sounded, Ling Ye ended the battle.

As for Ling Feng, since everyone was watching Ling Ye's duel with Chen Tian'ao, few paid attention to him, and he easily defeated the Xiao Clan's First Genius, Xiao Jing.

Neither the Chen nor the Xiao Clan advanced, and the ownership of this spirit vein was settled.

Ling Ye laughed heartily. He quickly had the Ling Clan members carry his severely injured self back.

Seeing this, Ling Feng shivered, unaware that others knew—he realized the Profound Heaven Sect's saintess was still lying in his older brother's room, and he hurriedly took over the task of carrying his brother back.

Soon after, Ling Feng brought Ling Ye to Ling Ye's room. Upon entering, they found the Profound Heaven Sect's saintess had already left.

"That woman finally left." Ling Feng thought, quickly helping Ling Ye onto the bed and wiping away the blood.

Suddenly Ling Feng thought of something, his face showing bitterness.

"It's over; will that woman forget the antidote? Damn, is her memory really that bad?"

Seeing Ling Feng like that, Ling Ye couldn't help but smile. He told him the throwing darts weren't poisoned.

"Damn, this woman dares to toy with us; once I become stronger than her, I'll make her know what it means to mess with me."

Ling Feng said viciously.

"Ling Feng, once my injuries heal I want to go out and see the world; Tianye City really isn't a good place for cultivation, and I want to go out to find my mother." Ling Ye said from his bed.

Upon hearing this, Ling Feng also wiped the grin from his face.

"Older brother, no matter what you do I'll support you. I'll come with you." Ling Feng said seriously.

"All right, younger brother, we'll leave in a couple of days."

Soon after, Ling Hai rushed over in a hurry.

"Ling Ye, how are your injuries?"

"Chief, it's fine; a day's rest will do."

"Hahaha, that's good, Ling Ye, Ling Feng. This time we managed to seize this top-grade spirit vein from the Chen and Xiao Clans. You two have rendered great service." Ling Hai said happily.

Furthermore, he gave each of the Ling Feng and Ling Ye brothers one thousand spirit crystals.

"This is the clan's reward for you."

"Thank you, Chief."

Afterwards, Ling Ye informed Ling Hai that he and his brother Ling Feng were preparing to go out and adventure.

After listening, Ling Hai fell silent for a moment and then said: "Ling Ye, you've grown up, so I'll speak frankly. I am not your biological father; your mother and father are both great people, and because of some important matters they had to entrust you to our Ling Clan. Don't blame them. Tianye City is indeed too small for you two brothers. Anyway." Having said that, he produced a storage ring.

"Here are ten thousand spirit crystals; may your journey be smooth."

Upon hearing this, Ling Ye felt little emotion, for he had long suspected Ling Hai wasn't his biological father, yet the man had given him the paternal love his real father never could. He had been very happy living in the Ling Clan.

"Chief, thank you for your care over the years; the Ling Clan of Tianye City will forever be my home, Ling Ye's."

Upon hearing this, Ling Hai was very pleased and thus let the youngster rest.

"Tonight we'll hold a victory celebration, and in passing see you off."

"All right, Chief."

Having said that, Ling Hai then left.

"Older brother, what are your plans?"

"Sigh, after this battle I've broken through to the ninth layer of the Body Refining Stage; I plan to first go train in the deep mountains, and once I reach Qi Condensation I'll go seek a sect." Ling Ye said after thinking.

"Fine, older brother. Wherever you go, I'll go."

After the evening's victory feast, the next morning at dawn the two brothers arrived at the Myriad Beasts Mountain Forest.

The deeper into this mountain forest, the stronger the demonic beasts become.

The two brothers exchanged a glance and then entered together.

Not long after, the two brothers spotted a Bloodflame Wolf.

The Bloodflame Wolf is a first-tier demonic beast, corresponding to the human Body Refining Stage, making it a suitable opponent; Ling Ye, without hesitation, immediately engaged it in combat.

Seeing this, Ling Feng immediately left to look for another demonic beast.

Ling Ye fought this demon** for a while.

"The demon beast's flesh is indeed not ordinarily strong; after throwing so many punches, it only made him spit out a bit of blood."

"And the Blood Flame Wolf's trait is that as soon as there is a hint of bloodiness, it becomes extremely ferocious, and its speed keeps increasing."