**Thunderclap's Fury**
"Thunderclap Palm!"
At the sight of Ye Tian executing this martial technique, Ye Ba and Ye Meng could not help but exclaim in astonishment. As the formidable figures of Ye Family Village, they were well aware of the immense difficulty and power of this technique.
Ye Feng was equally taken aback; having practiced the Thunderclap Palm himself, he understood the arduousness involved in mastering it. Even now, he could only unleash three palm shadows, which led him to abandon its study.
To his surprise, Ye Tian managed to produce eight palm shadows, a feat that indicated he had nearly perfected the technique.
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
The eight palm shadows left Lin Wudi unable to discern reality from illusion. In the midst of his fearful gaze, they all struck him with formidable force, sending him hurtling three zhang away.
"Spit!"
A cry of anguish escaped Lin Wudi as he coughed up blood, his face paling significantly. Although he remained conscious, he lacked the strength to continue fighting. He glared at Ye Tian from a distance, his expression rife with unwillingness.
His father, Lin Fei, stood frozen in shock, his mouth agape and words failing him.
Lin Xiong stared at Ye Tian with disbelief. With his discerning eye, he recognized that Ye Tian had cultivated the martial technique to an exceptionally profound level, enabling him to surpass his opponent.
"Do you wish to continue?" Ye Tian asked casually.
At that moment, the surroundings fell into an eerie silence. Many villagers from Lin Family Village gazed at the young man with mouths agape and eyes wide, rendered speechless by shock and awe.
"Cough! Cough!" Ye Feng's voice cut through the silence, pulling the onlookers back from their stupor. He approached Lin Xiong and said coolly, "Village Chief Lin, may we proceed with the wedding?"
At these words, Lin Xiong finally regained his composure and glanced at Ye Tian, his gaze a mix of emotions. Yet, as the village leader, he quickly masked his feelings: "Since you have adhered to the customs, I have no reason to obstruct you any further. Someone, please bring the young lady here."
Having little interest in the ensuing events, Ye Tian turned away and rejoined the wedding procession.
At that moment, the gazes of both Ye Family Village and Lin Family Village residents shifted towards him. The former expressed admiration, reverence, and astonishment, while the latter was marked by shock, disbelief, and envy.
Unfazed by the glances of others, Ye Tian greeted Ye Wei.
"Thank you!" Ye Wei replied, a bittersweet smile adorning his face. "Second-level martial artist? Haha, I'm afraid I'll never catch up to you."
Initially confident, witnessing the clash between Ye Tian and Lin Wudi made him realize that no matter his talent, he would never surpass Ye Tian.
Unsure how to console this once-proud youth, Ye Tian simply placed a reassuring hand on Ye Wei's shoulder and whispered, "One does not need to surpass others, but must strive to surpass oneself."
With that, Ye Tian departed, leaving Ye Wei to ponder his words, perhaps leading to a newfound understanding.
"Surpass oneself..." Ye Wei murmured, watching Ye Tian's retreating figure, a flicker of enlightenment in his eyes.
Little did Ye Tian know, his simple words had instilled strength in Ye Family Village, aiding them in resolving lingering concerns.
At that moment, he had already ascended to become one of the most formidable figures on this land.
...
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the wedding procession from Ye Family Village moved toward their destination amidst the astonished and complex gazes of the Lin Family Village residents.
What should have been a joyous occasion was marred by a palpable sense of unease among the Lin villagers, including Lin Xiong.
They watched the procession fade into the distance, and after a long silence, he sighed deeply.
"A remarkable genius has emerged from Ye Family Village!" someone lamented, but was immediately hushed by a friend who gestured toward Lin Xiong.
As a resident of Lin Family Village, everyone was aware of Lin Xiong's earlier coercion of Ye Tian to annul the engagement. Now, the one they deemed a failure had unexpectedly transformed into a genius.
The most distressed was likely Lin Xiong himself.
Had he not forced the engagement's dissolution, he would be rejoicing at having such a prodigious son-in-law.
Now, however, this extraordinary talent was entirely at odds with him.
"Everyone, disperse!" Lin Xiong waved his hand. With his martial prowess at the tenth level, he heard the murmurs among the villagers. A resigned sigh escaped him as he turned to leave.
The villagers of Lin Family Village followed suit, departing one after another.
Outside a locked stone house in Lin Family Village, a girl in white spoke through the sole window to a girl in a green dress confined inside.
"Little sister, did you know? I just heard that the wedding procession from Ye Family Village has arrived!" The girl in white was Lin Xue, her face alight with excitement.
"Oh..." came a dull and resigned voice from within.
The girl in green, trapped inside, appeared pale, her eyes red and swollen from frequent tears, her frail form seemingly able to be toppled by a mere gust of wind.
Seeing her younger sister, Lin Xue felt a pang of sorrow and could not help but implore, "Little sister, please don't starve yourself any longer. You know, I saw Ye Tian earlier; he came with the wedding procession."
"Ye Tian!"
As if awakening the last flicker of hope within her heart, the girl in the green dress suddenly lunged forward, pressing her hands against the window as she urgently implored Lin Xue outside, "Second sister, is Ye Tian here? Where is he? Please, can you bring him to me? I beg you! I only wish to see him just once, sob..."
Tears streamed down the girl's face in her excitement.
Lin Xue felt a surge of urgency and quickly comforted her, "Little sister, don't cry! I have good news—Ye Tian has not only arrived but has also defeated Lin Wudi! You must hold on; he promised he would not let you down, and he truly has."
Originally intending to surprise her sister, Lin Xue couldn't help but reveal everything upon witnessing her sister's state.
"Defeated Lin Wudi? Second sister, please don't try to comfort me. He doesn't have a martial soul! No! Even if he had one, he could never defeat Lin Wudi," the girl in the green dress shook her head. As a resident of Lin Family Village, she knew all too well of Lin Wudi's terrifying talent, the genius upon whom all villagers had pinned their hopes.
Even without a martial soul, it was inconceivable for Ye Tian to have reached the second rank of martial artists in just one month, making it impossible for him to be Lin Wudi's opponent.
"Little sister, this is the truth!" Lin Xue replied, realizing how hard it was for her sister to believe, especially since she herself had doubts, but facts were facts.
"Little sister, do you not recall what I told you? Because Ye Wei did not come to the wedding yesterday, Father set a rule. Had Ye Tian not defeated Lin Wudi, would Father have allowed our eldest sister to marry him?" Lin Xue's eyes brightened as she found a reason to persuade her sister to believe.
The girl in the green dress paused, gazing out at Lin Xue with confusion, "Second sister, you truly aren't deceiving me?" Seeing Lin Xue's earnest expression, she began to believe.
"Indeed! How could I lie to you? Do you still doubt me? Now, the whole of Lin Family Village knows that Ye Tian is a genius—a truly exceptional one. Did you not see Father's expression when he returned? It was one of discontent, clearly filled with regret for having pressured you to break off the engagement," Lin Xue insisted.
"So, does that mean there is still hope for me and Ye Tian?" The girl in the green dress suddenly radiated delight, her previously pale complexion now flushing with color.
"Of course! Who wouldn't want an extraordinary genius as a son-in-law? Father is no fool. Just wait; he will likely release you soon," Lin Xue quickly nodded, but inwardly sighed. She knew Lin Xiong valued his reputation highly; otherwise, he wouldn't have forced her sister to break off the engagement in the first place, not wanting a perceived useless son-in-law.
Though Ye Tian had regained his talent, it would be impossible for Lin Xiong to lower his pride and restore the engagement unless Ye Tian came to him himself, which might offer a glimmer of hope.
Yet, could Ye Tian simply forget the humiliation he endured at the hands of Lin Jiao, becoming a laughingstock between the two villages?
Lin Xue shook her head, having known Ye Tian for a long time; she understood his stubborn nature. However, she dared not tell her sister the full truth and could only calm her for now, leaving future matters for later discussion.
That night, many in Lin Family Village were destined to spend their sleepless hours.
…
In stark contrast, Ye Family Village was immersed in an atmosphere of joy.
With Ye Wei's wedding, the entire village celebrated, but the villagers were especially elated to hear about Ye Tian's ascension to the second rank of martial artists and his victory over Lin Wudi.
Though it was Ye Wei's wedding day, Ye Tian was the true protagonist. He was summoned by Village Chief Ye Shi and Elder Bai Wu, joining them at the same table for a meal.
"Ye Tian, I never expected you to ascend to the second rank of martial artists so quickly! We thought it would take you at least a month!" Ye Shi laughed heartily, thrilled that a genius had emerged from Ye Family Village.
"Indeed, you have even mastered the Thunderclap Palm to such a degree! Just how many surprises do you still have for us?" Elder Bai Wu regarded Ye Tian with admiration.
Several village elders wore smiles as they gazed at Ye Tian, causing him to feel a tad embarrassed as he waved his hands in refusal, saying, "Village Chief, Elder, truly there are no more. Defeating Lin Wudi was my utmost capability."
He meant it; Lin Wudi was formidable. Having just broken through to the second rank, Ye Tian had to display his full strength to defeat him.
"That's still quite an achievement! At your age, we hadn't even advanced to martial artists yet. You truly deserve the title of a yellow martial soul!" Ye Shi remarked, a hint of envy creeping into his voice. Had he possessed a yellow martial soul, he might well have become a powerful martial master by now.
The other elders nodded in agreement, filled with nostalgia.
The wedding feast concluded quickly, and villagers began to return to their homes.
"Ye Tian, while you have undeniable talent in martial arts, don't let it distract you from your training. Remember, cultivation is the foundation. If you were to face a third-rank martial artist, even your Thunderclap Palm would struggle to prevail," Elder Bai Wu reminded him as he departed.
"Understood, Elder! I will take your words to heart!" Ye Tian replied earnestly, nodding. He had nearly perfected the Thunderclap Palm and was now focused on elevating his cultivation level.
Elder Bai Wu's words rang true; cultivation was indeed paramount.