Uncle Shawn Yew, maintaining his image as a gracious elder, bowed respectfully to Emperor Alexander and his father Haye Yew, and greeted representatives from the three families.
He then turned to Eddie, nodding his head, "Eddie, I know you're eager to learn, but haste makes waste.
In cultivation, patience and insight are key to the path of the strong.
Seeing your spirit, I'm pleased as it reminds me of your father, Quinn.
Your Uncle Quinn and I will support you in carrying forward your father's combat skills. Not right now, but anytime you need guidance, we're here to share our knowledge fully and freely."
The crowd applauded Uncle Shawn's sincere words. Sophia Yew felt frustrated knowing his true nature - a hypocrite with a heart as cold as a snake.
Despite his eagerness to accept Eddie's challenge, Shawn knew it was impossible under the watchful eyes of Emperor Alexander, his father Haye, and the crowd.
The moment he saw Eddie as a threat, he wanted to eliminate him but couldn't risk it now with everyone's attention on them.
Uncle Quinn Yew echoed Shawn's sentiment, "What Shawn said is true. Eddie, we recognize your remarkable progress and desire to demonstrate it, but your cultivation journey is still young. "
"What if you accidentally cause harm? "
"We can't bear to strike at Quinn's only son. Let's have Blaze, Yehky, and Shawn Jr. compete together in a thrilling New Year match for everyone's enjoyment."
Quinn's words were equally smooth, masking his intentions under the guise of concern and tradition.
The crowd applauded upon hearing Uncle Shawn Yew's words, praising him as a model elder.
Representatives from the three major families also expressed their agreement, though they were well aware of the fierce internal struggle within the Yew family.
Such family conflicts were common, and the most talented often became targets of jealousy and resentment.
Eddie Yew knew that his uncles, Shawn and Quinn Yew, wouldn't accept his challenge.
He had deliberately provoked them to expose the underlying conflict between the branches of the Yew family and tarnish their public image.
While many applauded, they would likely view Shawn and Quinn as hypocrites behind closed doors.
Blaze Yew and Yehky Yew hesitated to accept the challenge, knowing the risks of facing both Eddie and Sophia Yew.
Only the naive and sturdy Shawn Jr. accepted the challenge, warning Eddie and Sophia to be cautious against his combat bear's formidable abilities.
Eddie realized something crucial: the Yew family hadn't groomed a successor for the family head.
Given the talents and reputations of Blaze and Yehky, they weren't ideal candidates.
It dawned on Eddie that the family's tradition favored a leader who was unassuming, kind-hearted, and allowed for the growth of younger generations – qualities that Shawn Jr. seemed to embody.
This insight shed light on why his father, Quinn, despite his fame and talent, was not chosen as the family head.
The Yew family valued stability and unity over individual brilliance, ensuring their enduring legacy through wise leadership.
In the Yew family's selection of the family head, the head must be strong yet inclusive, able to embrace the entire family and not just their own lineage.
The family head typically has the support of at least twelve elders and doesn't necessarily need exceptional abilities.
The key is to lead the family forward while maintaining the Yew family's honor, traditions, and continuity.
Eddie Yew had pondered who the next family head would be. Upon seeing Shawn Jr. Yew step up, Eddie realized that Haye Yew, the current family head, had likely chosen Shawn Jr. as his successor.
Shawn Jr.'s sole contract with a bear, specifically chosen for its potential to inherit the family's Gold Tier Earth Bear, was a clear indication of this.
Moreover, Shawn Jr.'s early placement as the Princess's personal guard in the palace provided a safe environment for his development, away from the family's internal strife.
Sophia Yew was surprised by Shawn Jr.'s Bronze Tier Level 5 Combat Bear. Her own Hundred Year Tree Guardian had only reached Bronze Tier Level 5 through the infusion of a Life Tree's Regrowth Branch given by her brother, Eddie.
Shawn Jr. summoned a blood-colored bear shadow that merged into his body, transforming him into a bear-like figure with immense strength. His body grew larger and muscular, covered in bear fur, with hands resembling bear paws and eyes turning blood-red. As he roared, golden light radiated from his body, especially concentrating on his hands and feet.
Shawn Jr., nearly transformed into a bear, raised his giant paw and approached the arena, causing it to tremble with each step.
Weaker warriors among the spectators felt dizzy from the deep rumblings, marveling at his strength.
"Don't worry about my safety, Eddie. My bear-form's skin is thick and resistant to cuts. Attack with your full strength," Shawn Jr. said, reassuring his brother as he advanced towards him, shaking the arena with his powerful presence.
Sophia Yew looked nervously at her brother Eddie Yew for guidance as Shawn Jr. Yew transformed into a bear-like figure, displaying immense power and durability.
Eddie reassured her, "Sophia, a true warrior needs more than just strength. Speed, like the wind, is also crucial."
He then swiftly moved behind Shawn Jr. and launched a series of punches at the back of his head, skillfully dodging Shawn Jr.'s counterattack and delivering a flurry of kicks that pushed him back.
Shawn Jr. attempted to retaliate, but Eddie's agility allowed him to evade and counter effectively. Finally, Eddie performed a complex maneuver, hurling Shawn Jr. out of the arena. Despite being thrown out, Shawn Jr. was unharmed and quickly returned, ready to continue the fight, demonstrating his extraordinary resilience.
Eddie, without using his weapon, continued to overpower Shawn Jr. with his superior speed and technique, eventually knocking him out of the arena once again.
Shawn Jr., though slightly pained, remained injury-free and eager to keep fighting.
At that moment, Snow Greedy Wolf, a guest known for his love of battle, couldn't contain his excitement any longer. Declaring his intention to seek justice on behalf of his sister, he summoned a fierce blizzard, filling the arena with a chilling atmosphere that made everyone shiver.
When Snow Greedy Wolf concentrated on amplifying his tornado tenfold and further condensing it, everyone scattered in panic, fearing the devastation it could cause.
The entire arena turned bone-chillingly cold, with frost forming everywhere. Even Eddie Yew's sinister Moon Blade began to freeze.
Seeing this, Shawn and Blaze Yew quickly descended into the arena, summoning their tomes.
Shawn Jr. feigned concern, "Brother Greedy Wolf, this is a battle among brothers, a family affair. Why involve yourself?" Blaze echoed, "Yes, Brother Greedy Wolf, please step back and watch from the sidelines."
While they spoke, they didn't hesitate to summon a fiery lion and a golden eagle, preparing to double-team Eddie.
They didn't expect to kill him, but they were determined to defeat the overly arrogant Eddie, proving that even a transformed underdog couldn't match their long-established talents.
With Shawn Jr. as their shield and Snow Greedy Wolf's formidable attack power, they believed their moment of triumph over Eddie had finally arrived.
"Little sister, what do you think of your brother taking on four opponents?" Eddie casually asked Sophia.
"You're the strongest, always!" Sophia clenched her fists, full of unwavering confidence in her brother, even against the formidable Snow Greedy Wolf. "I'll help you, brother!"
Eddie smiled, "You're very good, but just cheering me on is enough. Once I win, shout loud and clear to those opportunists that you have the strongest brother. With me around, no one can bully you. Let those who looked down on me meet their end!"
Eddie then summoned his silver tome, calling forth a shadow of a wild bull, augmented with a hundredfold strength increase from a giant's shadow.
The wild bull roared, sending the charging fiery lion flying with a powerful punch.
Its nostrils spewed smoke, and its eyes blazed with fury. In the sky, the golden eagle attempting to flee screeched tragically as it plummeted to the ground, lifeless.
Emperor Alexander and Haye Yew stood up in shock, unable to believe that Eddie, known primarily for his battle skills, also possessed such a formidable beast.
How could he, who had recently contracted his tome, have a bronze level five life guardian beast?
They wondered what he had done to achieve such rapid progress, baffled by the number of battles he must have endured to reach this level.
In less than half a year, Eddie Yew managed to acquire a silver tome and elevate his life guardian beast to a bronze level five, which was utterly unbelievable.
Blaze Yew, who had always despised Eddie, was nearly driven mad with rage.
"This is impossible! How can you possibly have a bronze level five summoning beast? You just contracted your tome!"
Eddie nonchalantly replied, "Ah, my mistake. I'm not too familiar with summoning since I just contracted the tome. I meant to summon the gold level three Bloody Queen, but somehow I summoned the low-level bronze wild bull shadow by accident. What a failure! It seems I'm naturally a good-for-nothing, even confusing my summoning beasts."
Blaze Yew was infuriated to the point of almost spitting blood. "In your dreams! You'll never have a gold-level summoning beast!"
To everyone's shock, Eddie then summoned the Bloody Queen, leaving the crowd petrified.
A third of the onlookers immediately fainted from the sheer disbelief, Blaze Yew included. It wasn't fear, but pure anger that overwhelmed them.
They had never seen such an anomaly – a person who, in less than half a year, not only had a bronze level five life guardian beast but also possessed a gold level three Bloody Queen, a beast beyond the wildest dreams of any warrior below the level of sect master.
Another third of the crowd, including Shawn Jr., were in denial, refusing to believe their eyes.
A few, like Emperor Alexander, Haye Yew, Shawn Yew, Blaze Yew, Wind Howling Cloud, Wind Fury, Snow Greedy Wolf, Grandpa Five, and Mother Grace, remained in stunned silence.
They couldn't comprehend how Eddie, a novice with less than six months of experience with his tome, had managed to contract with a sentient beast like the Bloody Queen. Even fools wouldn't believe such a tale.
But there it was, right before their eyes. The question remained: where did Eddie acquire such formidable summoning prowess?
Eddie, however, was unfazed.
The wild bull shadow and Bloody Queen were just the tip of his real power.
He thought of his diamond tome, Little Wenli, the mysterious metal beast, and the life guardian beast in his holy tome, realizing that these were far greater forces yet to be unveiled.
If the sight of the Bloody Queen and wild bull shadow had caused such reactions, he wondered what the future held when his true strength would be revealed.