Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Three-Year Pact

“Yes, the Grand Ancestor has left. He asked me to tell you that if one day you reach the Nascent Soul stage, you may venture to a broader world. Perhaps then, you and your master will have the chance to meet again.” Ye Haiyi faithfully conveyed the Grand Ancestor’s words to Ye Yun.

“A broader world…” Ye Yun murmured, as an unwavering resolve quietly took root in his heart.

...

“You are the disciple of the Grand Ancestor, and Ye Peng is my pupil. Both of you are talents of the Ye family, the hope for our future. Therefore, neither of you shall be punished for what happened today; let this matter be laid to rest.”

“This feud will be settled in three years. I will arrange a duel between you then, as closure.”

Walking out of the main hall, Ye Yun’s ears still rang with the words of the house master, Ye Haiyi. Clearly, Ye Haiyi harbored dissatisfaction in his heart. He was not as accomplished as the Grand Ancestor, but he hoped that his own disciple might surpass the Grand Ancestor’s pupil.

Thus, he decreed that three years hence, Ye Yun and Ye Peng would settle their scores with a life-and-death battle, severing all ties of cause and effect.

The greatest pain in the world is parting. His master was gone, and who knew when they might meet again.

“Yun’er, you’re home!”

Upon returning, Ye Yun saw his parents, Ye Zili and Liu Shuyun, overjoyed and moved to tears by his safe arrival.

Ye Yun embraced his parents, knowing that today’s events had greatly frightened them. His heart was filled with guilt.

If only he were stronger—if he had reached the Golden Core or even Nascent Soul stage—who would dare insult his parents?

After the ordeal of the day, his parents were emotionally exhausted. Once they had been sent to rest, Ye Yun returned to his own room.

Standing by the window, he watched the servants tidying the courtyard damaged by battle, yet his heart was anything but calm.

“In three years, I will show no mercy. I must kill Ye Peng, eliminating future threats!” he vowed silently.

...

After Ye Yun departed, the house master Ye Haiyi summoned Ye Peng and informed him of the arrangement for the duel in three years.

Ye Peng clenched his teeth, making a secret vow as well: in three years, he would see Ye Yun suffer a fate worse than death before all eyes.

As the master’s disciple, Ye Peng had access to the best resources and allocations the Ye family could offer. If he devoted himself wholly to cultivation, his progress would be swift and extraordinary.

He was confident that, within three years, he could reach the mid or even late Foundation Establishment stage!

It would be a battle to the death. Ye Peng knew well that Ye Yun would surely want to kill him, so he had to work hard to ensure his survival.

Furthermore, during these three years, the house master Ye Haiyi declared that Ye Peng was not allowed to seek trouble with Ye Yun, or else he would be severely punished without leniency.

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“One day, if I become house master, I will trample you, Ye Haiyi, beneath my feet as well!”

Ye Haiyi was unaware that, in Ye Peng’s heart, there existed only himself; everyone else, including kin and master, were mere foils to his existence.

A month later, the Ye family was ablaze with lanterns and festivity, as Ye Peng married Ye Qian.

Though only thirteen or fourteen years old, for cultivators, such an age had already been tempered through many trials, and both mind and body were mature.

Among the elders of the Ye family, only a few attended the wedding; the rest abstained from participating.

At that time, Ye Yun was deep within Sunset Mountain, where he had remained for more than ten days.

There was no better tempering than combat, and demon beasts made the finest sparring partners.

Though living in Cloudwater City granted access to pills and various resources, for Ye Yun, ordinary low-grade pills and limited resources had little effect.

He possessed relics and spiritual marrow, and with life-and-death struggles, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds!

According to the Crimson Flame Demonic Art, he could now attempt to break through the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment, but he was in no rush.

Since setting foot on the path of immortality, his master Ye Yu had always emphasized the importance of a solid foundation.

The Crimson Flame Demonic Art also recorded that, before breaking through each stage, one must continually accumulate their own inner strength until reaching the limit, and only then advance. Future achievements would be far greater.

Though his cultivation had reached the peak of the Qi Refining stage, Ye Yun did not feel he was at the absolute limit. Thus, he refrained from breaking through, choosing instead to continue accumulating and strengthening his foundation.

At the peak of Qi Refining, one could battle a cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage—such was the benefit of a deep foundation.

A giant azure bird, its wings spanning over ten meters, soared through the sky. Its feathers flickered like blue flames. This was the Azure Feather Firebird, a great demon beast of the Foundation Establishment stage, rarely seen in Sunset Mountain.

Ye Yun had read in a book that the Azure Feather Firebird was rumored to possess a faint trace of the ancient divine beast Qingluan’s bloodline. Its claws and fangs could tear through anything, and it could spew blue demonic flames from its beak—truly formidable.

Boom!

From the silent forest below came the twang of a bowstring, quickly followed by a blazing light shooting skyward like a divine rainbow, directly targeting the Azure Feather Firebird.

Now that Ye Yun had perfected the Crimson Flame Demonic Body, his physical strength had grown tremendously. Using the Golden Crow Rainbow technique, his arrows were terrifyingly fast and powerful.

The Azure Feather Firebird, though a great demon beast of the Foundation Establishment stage, was caught off guard and unable to evade. The arrow struck its body, exploding and leaving a bloody hole, spraying demon blood.

Its body wracked with pain, the Azure Feather Firebird let out a mournful, shrill cry. Demonic energy surged to its wound, quickly staunching the bleeding. Its sharp eyes scanned the forest below, searching for the assailant.

Soon, it locked onto Ye Yun standing atop an ancient tree, and, burning with fury, dove down, roaring, “Damn human brat! How dare you ambush me!”

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...

It was a male bird, its voice hoarse and piercing.

Great demon beasts of the Foundation Establishment stage could speak human tongue, possessing extraordinary intelligence. The Azure Feather Firebird had been a great demon for over a hundred years and had mastered this skill long ago.

With its exceptional talent, though only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, its strength was top-tier among its peers, rivaling even mid-stage Foundation Establishment demon beasts.

“Crimson Flame Demonic Body!”

In an instant, Ye Yun pushed his strength to its peak.

To truly temper oneself in life-and-death struggle, one must seek opponents stronger than oneself. The Azure Feather Firebird was a perfect match.

Such a method of tempering was not for the faint of heart—even those who dared would only do so with expert protection nearby.

But Ye Yun was different. He relied solely on himself!

What is true growth? It is leaving the shelter of wings, soaring alone—the true eagle!

His red hair flew wildly, standing on end. Ye Yun bent his bow once more, his movements fluid and calm, his heart as still as a well.

The Azure Feather Firebird hastily dodged.

Yet its body was too large to evade entirely, and another bloody hole appeared, blue feathers falling. It was both agonized and wrathful.

However, the bird’s speed was indeed remarkable. After taking two arrows, it finally dove down, its sharp claws tearing through the air, striking fiercely.

...

Half an hour later, Ye Yun appeared exhausted and battered, ten miles away.

High in Sunset Mountain, the disheveled, wounded Azure Feather Firebird screeched in rage, unable to find any trace of the human youth, spewing blue demonic flames that scorched a patch of forest before storming off.

Watching the great demon depart through the gaps in the leaves, Ye Yun let out a long sigh of relief. His strength was considerable, but in a direct fight with a top-tier Foundation Establishment demon beast, he was still lacking.

If he hadn't escaped quickly, he might have died under the bird’s claws.

ps: Such bitter tears! The clicks and flowers are truly lacking, and I can’t make it onto the new book rankings. My frustration is about to shatter…

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