"Unrivaled, you mustn't be presumptuous; how can you speak to your elders like that?"
As soon as Lin Wudi's words fell, Lin Xiong bellowed, though his aged eyes bore no trace of reproach.
Ye Feng's piercing gaze fell upon Lin Wudi, who immediately felt a flicker of pressure. Yet, his eyes remained defiantly proud as he disdainfully scanned Ye Feng and the others, finally resting his gaze on Ye Tian.
"Is this the little brat?" Lin Wudi inquired, pointing at Ye Tian, a cruel glimmer flickering in his eyes.
Until now, Lin Xiong had been focused on Ye Feng and his companions, unaware of Ye Tian's presence behind them. At this moment, upon hearing Lin Wudi's words, Lin Xiong's attention sharpened.
"Wudi, this is Ye Tian. He possesses no martial soul and cannot possibly be your match; there must be someone else!" Lin Xiong's eyes flickered momentarily before he spoke flatly, as if he had entirely forgotten the previous incident of his withdrawal from the engagement.
Ye Meng clenched his fists and let out a cold laugh, his eyes ablaze with fury, though he maintained a greater calm than Ye Ba.
"Oh? Is he truly the first prodigy of Ye Family Village, the one they speak of in hushed tones? Oh! I almost forgot—he's now just a useless wastrel without a martial soul. What? You intend to challenge me with a waste?" Lin Wudi laughed heartily, having once regarded Ye Tian as a formidable foe, only to dismiss him upon learning of his lack of a martial soul.
No martial soul? Ha! Merely a useless being.
Lin Fei sneered, "Ye Feng, if you truly can't find anyone else, just let that brat Ye Wei step up. Why bother with a waste? No need for our Unrivaled to lift a finger; any child from Lin Family Village could easily surpass him. Haha!"
Their mocking banter drew dark expressions from Ye Feng and his companions.
"Enough of your nonsense! This time, it is Ye Tian who will challenge Lin Wudi; prepare yourselves!" Ye Feng declared coldly, wishing to cut short any further exchanges with the father-son duo.
"What?!"
"This waste?"
Lin Fei and Lin Wudi's eyes widened in disbelief. They had merely intended to irritate Ye Feng, as no one would be foolish enough to send a martial soul-less waste to face Lin Wudi. Surely, Ye Feng wasn't that naive.
Yet, the resolute tone of Ye Feng left the pair bewildered. Even Lin Xiong furrowed his brow, saying, "Ye Tian? Ye Feng, what trickery is this? Do you mean to abandon the marriage proposal? If so, we shall forget this matter; my daughter can find another suitor, humph!"
"Lin Village Chief, you speak too harshly. We have come with sincerity, and as for why we chose Ye Tian, you shall understand once they fight," Ye Feng replied nonchalantly.
"Oh? It seems you are quite confident!" Lin Xiong remarked, a hint of skepticism in his gaze as he turned to face Ye Tian, who met his look with a pair of cold, indifferent eyes.
"Since you have made your decision, let the contest begin. I shall lay down the rules: if Ye Tian cannot endure a hundred moves under Lin Wudi's assault, then you shall abandon the marriage proposal," Lin Xiong declared thoughtfully.
Ye Feng nodded and approached Ye Tian, whispering, "Are you confident?"
In truth, he harbored his own doubts; the gap between a second-level warrior and a first-level warrior was immense.
However, to his surprise, Ye Tian flashed a smile, nodding affirmatively. "Rest easy, Uncle Feng; when have I ever let you down?"
Ye Feng was taken aback, observing the confidence radiating from Ye Tian's face, and he was reminded of the bright, energetic child who used to run around the village carrying heavy sandbags seven years ago. This diligent young man had instilled great hope in him.
Having watched Ye Tian grow up, Ye Feng had seen the boy consistently adorned with a confident smile, which had vanished after that fateful failure of his martial soul awakening.
Now, that same confident smile reappeared before him.
Ye Feng laughed, relieved, and clapped Ye Tian on the shoulder. "From now on, Ye Family Village will be in your capable hands."
Like a solemn pact between men, Ye Tian nodded resolutely, then stepped forward to face Lin Wudi, his eyes blazing with intensity, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"Come at me! Allow this waste to experience the ultimate techniques of your Lin Family Village!"
His cold, mocking voice silenced the crowd, causing the villagers of Lin Family Village to cast sidelong glances, as if they were reassessing the so-called "prodigy."
"Just you?"
Lin Wudi, realizing that his opponent was indeed Ye Tian, could not help but reveal a scornful smirk. "A waste without a martial soul? I see Ye Family Village has truly run out of contenders to send you against me. Ha!"
His contemptuous words elicited laughter from the villagers of Lin Family, who could not fathom that a martial soul-less waste could endure a hundred moves under Lin Wudi's might.
Warrior? Second-level warrior?
The difference was vast; to put it bluntly, Lin Wudi could probably defeat Ye Tian with a mere fingertip.
Of course, in their eyes, Ye Tian was merely a martial artist without a soul.
But was Ye Tian truly devoid of a martial soul?
In the distance, Ye Feng, Ye Meng, and Ye Ba shared cold laughs.
Ye Tian fixed his gaze on Lin Wudi, stating coolly, "I hope your skills are as formidable as your boasting; strike me, and let us not waste time."
"Since you are so eager to meet your demise, I shall grant your wish," Lin Wudi replied with a sinister grin, strolling forward, his fists swirling through the air, causing ripples of air and a whistling wind.
Ye Tian's expression sharpened; facing Lin Wudi, a mid-level second warrior, he dared not let his guard down. He understood that his own strength paled in comparison and could only rely on the Thunderclap Palm to secure victory.
Indeed! Victory!
Ye Tian had never contemplated enduring a hundred strikes under Lin Wudi's onslaught; what he sought was victory. Now that the heavens had granted him a martial soul once more, no one in this world would ever dare to insult him again.
His gaze blazed with intensity as he moved, springing forth with the swiftness of a leopard, charging ahead with unbridled ferocity.
"Oh? Impressive speed, but too bad you haven't ascended to a martial artist; your strength is insignificant before me," Lin Wudi sneered as he squinted at the approaching Ye Tian, unleashing a punch aimed directly at him.
Upon witnessing this, Ye Tian swiftly retaliated with a punch of his own. Although he could have evaded Lin Wudi's attack and secured victory using his Thunderclap Palm, he opted to test Lin Wudi's strength instead. After all, he was merely one minor realm above him, and the disparity should not be insurmountable.
As their fists collided, a heavy silence enveloped the onlookers, particularly Ye Feng and the others, who were fixated on the fierce duel unfolding between the two youths.
The residents of Lin Family Village exchanged derisive smiles.
"Foolishly engaging Lin Wudi in a direct clash? That arm of his is as good as ruined!"
"And that's not all! Ye Tian has no martial soul and isn't even a martial artist; one punch from Lin Wudi will leave him crippled, if not dead."
"Isn't this a bit excessive?"
"What's excessive about it? They sent a waste from Ye Family Village to challenge us, so we ought to teach them a lesson, ha!"
Amidst the cacophony of mocking laughter, Lin Xiong and Lin Fei observed the combatants with disdain, convinced that Ye Tian was destined for defeat.
However—
"Boom!"
A resounding thud echoed in the ears of the gathered crowd, causing their eyes to widen in disbelief.
In the center, Ye Tian's fist met Lin Wudi's with tremendous force. Though he felt a powerful surge emanating from Lin Wudi, he managed to withstand it, only taking five or six steps back.
Conversely, Lin Wudi stood his ground, his eyes filled with shock and incredulity.
"Remarkable strength; no wonder you are a mid-level martial artist," Ye Tian grinned, confidence radiating from him. After gauging Lin Wudi's power, he understood that with his Thunderclap Palm, victory was within his grasp.
"Mid-level martial artist? Impossible! Aren't you devoid of a martial soul?"
Unlike Ye Tian's calm demeanor, Lin Wudi's face reflected sheer astonishment as he shouted incredulously.
His words silenced the crowd momentarily, only to erupt into an uproar.
Lin Xiong and Lin Fei were equally astounded, their eyes bulging in disbelief as they stared at Ye Tian.
Even Ye Feng, Ye Ba, and Ye Meng were momentarily taken aback before their expressions transformed into pure delight, with Ye Meng bursting into laughter.
"A martial artist of the second level?"
"How is that possible?"
"Didn't he fail to awaken his martial soul? How could he possibly ascend to martial artist status, let alone the second level?"
Surrounded by gasps of astonishment, the residents of Lin Family Village were left in shock. If it weren't for the undeniable evidence before their eyes, they would have thought it a joke.
A waste without a martial soul suddenly transformed into a genius of the second level?
This world was utterly bewildering!
"There's nothing impossible! A soldier departs for three days, and one must regard him with fresh eyes; it is merely your own blindness," Ye Tian stated coldly, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction at that moment, especially witnessing Lin Xiong's astonished expression.
"Humph! Even if you've become a martial artist, what of it? You can't defeat me with the gap between a mid-level and a beginner martial artist," Lin Wudi roared, now disregarding their earlier agreement of a hundred strikes. This former rival had reemerged as a threat, igniting his desire to vanquish him and demonstrate that he was the true prodigy.
Whoosh!
The two engaged in a fierce duel on the open ground, both being martial artists of the second level, and the clash was intense.
Yet it was evident to all that Ye Tian's combat experience far surpassed Lin Wudi's; despite being outmatched in power, he thoroughly dominated the encounter.
"Running around and dodging, what kind of hero does that make you?" Lin Wudi bellowed in frustration.
"Oh, since you wish to brawl, I shall oblige!"
Hearing this, Ye Tian sneered and swiftly closed the distance to Lin Wudi, launching a strike with a palm that manifested eight distinct shadows of his hand. The surrounding winds roared fiercely, causing the very air to tremble violently.
The spectators could only widen their eyes in astonishment, gasping in shock.