Easily dispatching the Black-Haired Violent Bear King, Ye Tian felt a surge of excitement. He let out a hearty roar and sprang into action, dashing towards Ye Family Village.
The potent essence of true energy surged within him, propelling him forward with astonishing speed, as if he were soaring through the air. In the span of just one hour, he spotted Ye Family Village on the horizon.
"How fast! The true energy of a Level Six Warrior is truly formidable. After such an extended burst of sprinting, I've only exhausted one-third of my true energy!"
Stopping just outside the village, Ye Tian assessed his internal energy with delight. The strength of a Level Six Warrior was incomparably greater than that of a Level Three, and he felt as though he possessed an inexhaustible supply of energy.
"It's time to return. I never anticipated such an opportunity today; fate has truly favored me!" With a glance at the dimming sky, he composed himself and made his way toward the village.
By the time Ye Tian reached home, it was already dusk, and he saw his father, Ye Meng, emerging from the house.
"Where have you been, you little rascal? Why are you home so late? I was just about to go look for you!" Upon seeing Ye Tian, Ye Meng's furrowed brow relaxed, and he began to scold him.
Though Ye Tian often spent time outside, he had never been out this late.
"Father, I'm hungry. Let's eat first!" Ye Tian quickly diverted the conversation. He dared not mention his earlier escapade; if Ye Meng discovered he had ventured into dangerous territory, he would surely face a beating.
"Oh, you do remember to eat! Come inside; your mother has already prepared dinner and is just waiting for you to return," Ye Meng replied with a laugh, dismissing any further concern.
The two entered the warm house, one after the other.
"Tiān'er, you're back! You really shouldn't be running around so late…" Lin Mei, upon seeing them enter, approached with a familiar air of concern.
Ye Tian hurried through his meal, exchanging pleasantries before retreating to his room.
"This child…" Lin Mei shook her head with a sigh.
"Don't fret too much; Tiān'er is quite sensible and works diligently at his training. I believe it won't be long before he breaks through to Level Three Warrior," Ye Meng remarked nonchalantly.
"While training is important, he shouldn't devote himself to it entirely. I think it's time to find him a wife; having a woman to care for him would be beneficial," Lin Mei suggested.
"Who do you want him to marry? Tiān'er is likely still attached to that Ting girl and wouldn't agree," Ye Meng replied, shaking his head.
"Hmm… What if I visit my family and speak with the village head to see if they can restore the engagement between the two children? With Tiān'er's talent now renewed, I doubt the village head would refuse!" Lin Mei proposed.
"No way! Absolutely not!"
Ye Meng's anger flared at her suggestion, his voice cold. "Nonsense! They broke off the engagement themselves. Now you want me to beg them to reinstate it? That's out of the question! My son is a genius; he can have any woman he desires in the future, so why should we beg them? Hmph!"
With that, he turned his back and retreated to his room without finishing his meal.
Lin Mei watched his departing figure, shaking her head in resignation, fully aware of their stubborn temperaments. It seemed this avenue was a dead end.
"Roar!"
Upon entering his room, a flash of white suddenly lunged at Ye Tian. He smiled gently, embraced the white figure—it was the little white tiger!
After several months of growth, the little white tiger had grown significantly, now the size of a fully-grown dog. Though still somewhat youthful, it radiated an imposing presence, easily surpassing the village's larger dogs.
"Little Bai, stop messing around! I need to train!" Ye Tian gently patted the little white tiger's head before placing it on the bed, settling down cross-legged to begin another day of training.
Today, having jumped three levels, the true energy within him had increased considerably. He realized he could not fully control this immense power and would need time to adapt.
To acclimate quickly to this newfound strength, he would need to engage in combat with opponents of similar capability. However, Ye Tian was no longer willing to explore the dangerous area; even with his current Level Six Warrior status, he dared not venture there again.
Having narrowly escaped death once, he was determined to adopt a safer approach: waiting for the weather to warm up in two months and then joining the Beast Hunters on their hunts.
Indeed!
Ye Tian was preparing to join the Beast Hunters!
Time flew swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, two months had passed.
The colossal sun radiated intense rays, melting the remaining snow in the mountains.
The once desolate and quiet forest had come alive again, lush greenery bursting forth with vitality, as powerful beasts emerged to seek their prey.
The hunters in the village began their hunting expeditions once more.
Ye Family Village was no exception.
"Father, Mother!" Ye Tian emerged from his house, followed closely by a large white tiger. After two months of growth, Little Bai had grown to the size of a fully grown white tiger from Earth, with strength rivaling that of a Level Three Beast.
In the main hall, Lin Mei, busy with dinner, called out, "Tiān'er, come eat! Your father is about to enter the mountains to hunt with the team leader; you should see them off."
"Son, when I return, I'll bring you some fresh game. It's been a while since we've been hunting, and I imagine you've grown tired of the dried meat. Ha ha!" Ye Meng laughed heartily.
"Yeah!" Ye Tian sat down, taking a few bites before lifting his head to declare, "Father, Mother, I want to join the Beast Hunters."
"Join the Beast Hunters!"
"Join the Beast Hunters!"
Yemong and Lin Mei looked at Ye Tian in astonishment, their faces soon transforming into expressions of joy.
"Son, have you truly broken through to the third level of martial arts?" Ye Mong asked, his excitement palpable, while Lin Mei beamed with delight beside him.
In Ye Family Village, the rules dictated that only those who had reached the third level of martial arts were eligible to join the Beast Hunting Team, a fact Ye Tian was undoubtedly aware of. Since he had the audacity to make such a claim, it was clear that he had indeed achieved that breakthrough.
"Father, may I join the Beast Hunting Team now?" Ye Tian did not nod but implicitly acknowledged his qualification.
Lin Mei glanced hesitantly at Ye Mong, concern evident in her eyes.
While Ye Mong reveled in the moment, he soon furrowed his brows and said, "Son, although your strength is indeed sufficient, you are still quite young—only sixteen. Is it not a bit premature for you to join the Beast Hunting Team?"
Historically in Ye Family Village, the earliest members of the team had been around twenty-five when they joined. One of them had ultimately become the village chief, a remarkably talented individual who led the village to substantial progress.
Ye Mong hoped to delay his son's entry into the team for a few more years, at least until Ye Tian reached the fifth level of martial arts, as the hunting missions were fraught with danger, and he wished to shield his son from harm.
"Father, I am already at the fourth level of martial arts!" Noticing his father's hesitance, Ye Tian flashed a confident grin.
"The fourth level of martial arts!"
"What?!"
Ye Mong and Lin Mei sprang to their feet, eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at Ye Tian. They could hardly believe that he had reached the fourth level so swiftly.
Had they not known their son to be incapable of lying, they would have dismissed his claim as impossible.
"I truly have achieved the fourth level, having just broken through yesterday!" Ye Tian replied with a smile.
Two months prior, he had meticulously devised a plan to gradually reveal his strength, ensuring the villagers would become aware of his progress without taking too long, as he still needed to intensify his training.
Thus, he decided to temporarily showcase his fourth-level prowess to secure a spot in the Beast Hunting Team.
Rising from the second to the fourth level in just three months was astonishing, yet considering Ye Tian's innate talent with a yellow martial spirit, the villagers were likely to accept this accomplishment.
Indeed, that was the case for Ye Mong and Lin Mei; after their initial shock, they soon erupted with enthusiasm.
Ye Mong triumphantly raised a fist in exhilaration, declaring, "Wonderful! You truly are my son, Ye Tian! You've made me proud, ha-ha!"
Lin Mei was equally thrilled. Although she was not a formidable martial artist, she understood that the stronger her son became, the better their lives would be in the future.
Seeing the delighted smiles of his parents, Ye Tian eagerly inquired, "Father, can I join the Beast Hunting Team now?"
"Well..."
Not wanting to dampen his son's excitement, Ye Mong observed Ye Tian's eager expression and nodded, "Alright, let us go find the team captain. With your fourth-level strength, joining the Beast Hunting Team should not be an issue. But remember, do not wander off; stay close to the captain in the mountains, as he will protect you."
Ye Mong was no fool; he understood the importance of Ye Tian to Ye Family Village. If anything were to happen, Ye Feng would certainly prioritize Ye Tian's safety. Thus, he felt comfortable allowing his son to join the team.
"Thank you, Father!" Ye Tian couldn't help but smile, elated that he could finally join the Beast Hunting Team.
Lin Mei shot Ye Mong a disapproving glance, seemingly resenting his agreement to their son's request.
"Come, son, let us go! Today, the two of us may just achieve a bountiful harvest!" After finishing breakfast, Ye Mong pulled Ye Tian along toward the village entrance.
"Be careful! If my son loses even a single hair, I will hold you responsible!" Lin Mei called out from behind.
"I know, I know! With me around, your son will be just fine!" Ye Mong waved his hand dismissively.
The two figures vanished along the village path.
At that moment, outside the gates of Ye Family Village, a group of robust men stood in formation, over a hundred in number, each exuding a formidable aura.
This was the Ye Family Village's Beast Hunting Team!
"Here you go, Da Lang, this is your large machete; I had it cleaned for you. Remember to slay as many ferocious beasts as you can this time!" Ye Ba laughed heartily, serving as the vice-captain while distributing weapons to the team members.
The men in the village had fiery tempers, typical of martial artists; a mere disagreement could spark a brawl. Thus, distributing weapons required caution to prevent any injuries.
Consequently, Ye Family Village had established rules prohibiting the private possession of weapons outside of hunting trips.
Before each excursion, weapons would be distributed to the team members.
"Ye Ba, bring me my Blood Dragon Spear. Oh, and prepare a weapon for my son as well... Son, what weapon would you like?"
Not far away, Ye Mong and Ye Tian walked side by side, Ye Mong bellowing at Ye Ba.