As the sun rose in the east, its warm rays cascaded over the pristine landscape, melting away the remnants of snow.
The long-awaited yearly festival had finally arrived, enveloping the entire Ye Family Village in a vibrant and jubilant atmosphere, bustling with activity and excitement.
In the vast square to the east of the village, a multitude had gathered, their forms creating a dense sea of shadows—over a thousand people had evidently come together for the occasion.
"The yearly festival is always the most lively time in Ye Family Village," Ye Tian mused as he pushed his way into the square.
At this moment, on a nearby elevated platform, the village chief, Ye Shi, and other prominent figures, including the leader of the beast hunting team, Ye Feng, stood solemnly, their expressions grave and their eyes shining with anticipation.
The grand platform, entirely black and cylindrical, towered three meters high, resembling a magnificent pagoda that emanated a formidable presence.
Ye Tian recognized it as the sacrificial altar; although he had seen it every year, each sighting left him profoundly awed.
The ancient altar, coeval with Ye Family Village, bore the weight of countless years, its surface imbued with the essence of time itself, standing like an elderly sage quietly observing the village's growth.
As time flowed amidst the cacophony, the crowd began to settle down, each person finding a place to sit, many having brought stools along.
Ye Tian had not brought one, but soon enough, someone had done so for him.
"Ye Tian, come over quickly! The festival is about to begin!" called Ye Niu, a close friend, his voice rising above the din. Ye Tian smiled faintly and walked over to join him.
The two leaned in and began to converse privately.
"Ye Tian, did you hear? This year, the village chief plans to sacrifice a Sky Tiger!" Ye Niu whispered, his face alight with excitement, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"A Sky Tiger? You mean that beast comparable to a level nine martial artist?" Ye Tian exclaimed, astonished. In previous years, the sacrifices had been formidable beasts, but all had been level seven or below.
Even so, those had left a significant impression on the young boys.
As for a beast reaching level nine, they had yet to behold one.
"Yes! I heard the village chief personally captured it. It's incredibly powerful; my father and I caught a glimpse from afar, and it made our hearts tremble. You'll see soon enough!" Ye Niu replied, brimming with enthusiasm.
"Indeed!" Ye Tian nodded, casting his gaze towards the altar, his heart swelling with anticipation.
Before long, the throng of villagers parted, and several sturdy men hoisted a massive cage, placing it atop the lofty altar.
"Is the Sky Tiger inside that cage?" Ye Tian's gaze sharpened, curiosity piqued. Beside him, Ye Niu's eyes were wide with fascination, unblinking as he stared at the altar.
"That's the sacrificial beast!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Silence!"
The village chief Ye Shi and the other top figures from Ye Family Village gradually approached the high platform. With a sharp command from Ye Feng, the surrounding chatter abruptly ceased.
Under the protection of the village's strongest warriors, the village chief Ye Shi ascended the altar, his aged form seeming taller against the backdrop.
All eyes turned toward him, eager to hear his address.
"For seven hundred thirty-two years, Ye Family Village has thrived here, and every year we offer sacrifices to the heavens, thus ensuring that during times of calamity, we may turn misfortune into fortune..."
Ye Shi's deep voice resonated, echoing throughout the square.
Listening below, Ye Tian felt a tinge of impatience; the address was the same as every year, reminiscent of the endless lectures from school principals in his past life—tedious and monotonous.
Beside him, however, Ye Niu was invigorated, his face alight with excitement.
"Today, I, Ye Shi, as the one thousand thirty-second village chief of Ye Family Village, lead our villagers in offering sacrifices to heaven and earth. May Ye Family Village flourish and endure for all time!"
At last, the chief concluded his speech.
The villagers rose in unison, echoing Ye Shi's fervent call.
"Offer to the heavens!"
Ye Shi's aged face bore an intense seriousness, his deep-set eyes gleaming with fierce resolve. As the cage atop the altar was opened, a series of furious roars erupted from within, reverberating through the crowd.
With a rush, a colossal figure burst forth from the cage, soaring into the sky.
Ye Tian stood astonished, his face etched with shock as he gazed skyward. It was a gigantic yellow tiger, its wings unfurled, ascending effortlessly into the heights.
"Remarkable! Is this truly a level nine martial beast?" Ye Tian felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him; in the presence of the Sky Tiger, he was clearly outmatched.
"It's the Sky Tiger!"
"Oh my! A level nine martial beast!"
The villagers were equally astonished, those unaware of the unfolding events appearing utterly flustered.
However, in the next moment, an aged figure soared into the sky.
It was the village chief!
Ye Tian's gaze sharpened in disbelief—how could the village chief jump so high?
With a powerful leap upon the altar, Ye Shi ascended like a dart, his focus fixed on the fleeing Sky Tiger, and he bellowed, "Knife, now!"
Below, Ye Feng, the captain of the beast hunting team, sprang into action, unsheathing his long knife and hurling it into the air.
Ye Shi caught the blade effortlessly, his eyes gleaming with intensity. With a commanding shout, he propelled himself even higher, appearing directly above the Sky Tiger.
"Roar!" The Sky Tiger, spotting Ye Shi with the knife, was filled with terror.
"Strike!"
With a low growl, Ye Shi brought the blade down with all his might, the flash of steel slicing through the air as blood rained down, the Sky Tiger's massive form crashing onto the altar, blood pooling down toward the earth.
"Long live the village chief!"
"Long live Ye Family Village!"
The villagers erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable, and even Ye Tian felt invigorated by the spectacle.
"I declare the yearly festival begun—bring forth the wine and meat!" Ye Shi proclaimed, setting down the bloodied knife as villagers rushed forward with offerings.
At that moment, Ye Feng stepped forward, his voice cold and authoritative: "The martial competition for the festival commences! All martial disciples below the rank of martial artist must participate. Those above may spar freely. Remember, keep it light—no serious injuries!"
Instantly, a line of young disciples from Ye Family Village emerged from the crowd, queuing before Ye Feng.
"Ye Tian, it's our turn," Ye Niu urged, tugging at Ye Tian.
"You go ahead; I won't participate," Ye Tian replied, shaking his head. As a martial artist, he had no need to engage in such children's games.
"But Uncle Feng said all martial disciples must join!" Ye Niu insisted, confusion etched on his face.
"Don't worry; Uncle Feng won't hold it against me. Besides, who could possibly be my opponent if I entered?" Ye Tian smiled, reassuring his friend.
"That's true; even without a martial soul, you're the strongest among the martial disciples!" Ye Niu chuckled, but then suddenly seemed to remember something, quickly covering his mouth and looking at Ye Tian with concern. "Ye… Ye Tian, I… I…"
He realized he had misspoken; not having awakened a martial soul was a significant blow to Ye Tian.
"It's alright; you go on!" Ye Tian responded nonchalantly, patting Ye Niu on the shoulder, encouraging him with a smile. "Good luck, brother; bring home a great ranking."
"Sure!" Relieved that Ye Tian was not upset, Ye Niu eagerly dashed off to join the queue.
"The yearly festival…"
Watching the young disciples lining up before Ye Feng, Ye Tian murmured to himself, "I've been looking forward to this!"
These disciples, merely at the martial disciple level, had not trained in martial techniques; they relied solely on their brute strength to compete, and soon enough, the victors would emerge and rankings decided.
Ye Niu performed admirably, placing within the top ten, which was commendable among this generation of youths.
"With such talent, reaching level seven martial artist should be a breeze!" Ye Tian thought to himself, pleased for his friend.
"Isn't that our Ye Family Village's number one talent? Why isn't he competing? With your strength, securing first place shouldn't be a challenge."
Just as Ye Tian reveled in his friend's success, a cold sneer suddenly pierced his ears.
Turning around, he spotted Ye Wei approaching with three young men, one of whom was speaking with a mocking expression fixed on Ye Tian.
"Ye Tian, as a martial disciple, why aren't you joining the competition? Didn't you hear Uncle Feng's announcement?" Ye Wei's tone was low, yet the mockery in his eyes was unmistakable to someone with Ye Tian's life experience.
Ye Tian's expression darkened immediately, thinking to himself: Truly, you seek a path of ruin when heaven has provided you one; this is sheer folly!
"Hey, isn't that Ye Tian and Ye Wei?"
"Looks like they might be quarreling."
"Let's go see!"
Whether it was Ye Tian or Ye Wei, both were renowned prodigies within Ye Family Village, quickly attracting a crowd of villagers eager to witness the exchange.
Ye Feng noticed the commotion in the crowd and approached with a stern expression, demanding, "What's going on here? Don't you all realize it's the yearly festival?"
His high standing commanded immediate silence throughout the square.
"Uncle Feng!"
"Uncle Feng!"
Ye Wei hastily approached to greet him, while Ye Tian simply nodded.
"Again with you two? Looking to spar?" Ye Feng's sharp gaze landed on Ye Wei, instinctively sensing that he was the instigator, well aware of Ye Tian's character.
"Uncle Feng, it's not me causing trouble. You just said all martial disciples must compete, and Ye Tian is a martial disciple, yet he refuses to participate," Ye Wei asserted, his tone deferential.
"Oh?"
Ye Feng's gaze flickered. Indeed, he had said that, but he also understood Ye Tian's circumstances—lacking a martial soul meant he couldn't become a martial artist, and not participating wasn't a significant issue.
Yet, Ye Wei was correct; those words had come from his lips. If he contradicted Ye Wei, wouldn't that be a slap to his own face?
Ye Feng shot Ye Wei a cold glance, recognizing his intent to see Ye Tian humiliated, and internally shook his head—such a demeanor would lead to little accomplishment, even as a martial artist.
Feeling Ye Feng's piercing gaze, Ye Wei awkwardly chuckled, silenced by the weight of his scrutiny. However, he was confident that, with so many watching, Ye Feng would not defend Ye Tian.
"Boy, let's see how you handle this. Hmph!"
As he observed Ye Tian's unflappable demeanor, Ye Wei's expression turned smug.