Ye Family Village was fortified by towering walls, with four villagers stationed at the entrance, each possessing the strength of a Level Five warrior.
"The village chief and the others have returned!" the guards shouted.
Instantly, a throng of villagers gathered at the gate, their expressions shifting as they beheld the countless corpses of the Howling Moon Wolves. Instead of excitement, their faces were clouded with concern.
The more wolves slain in the attack, the greater the losses suffered by Ye Family Village.
Indeed, as the Beast Hunting Team approached, carrying twenty-seven bloodied bodies, a heavy sorrow enveloped the village.
"Father of my child... woe is me…"
"Brother Daxiong..."
"Fei'er…"
…
The anguished cries and heart-wrenching laments echoed throughout Ye Family Village.
Tears streamed down the faces of the villagers, with some women sobbing uncontrollably, engulfed by profound grief.
…
Half an hour later, in the village square, the villagers gathered, their faces etched with solemnity, many still bearing traces of tears. The village chief, Ye Shi, was also visibly heartbroken.
"During this hunt, we were besieged by a wolf pack, resulting in the death of twenty-two members of the Beast Hunting Team, and five elders who went to assist. In total, twenty-seven lives have been lost." Ye Shi's voice was grave, and sobs resonated among the crowd.
Ye Feng stepped forward, clutching a piece of animal hide in his one arm. He solemnly declared, "Ye Xuan, Ye Daxiong, Ye Lin Fei..."
He recited the names of all twenty-seven fallen, and with each name, the bereaved families wailed in grief.
"They fought valiantly for Ye Family Village, and they are our heroes. We will collectively support the families of the fallen!" Ye Shi's voice reverberated throughout the square.
In the midst of the mourning, Ye Tian silently observed the scene, his fists clenched, nails digging into his palms, blood dripping onto the ground.
Since his arrival in this world, although some villagers had passed away, it had always been due to natural causes. But witnessing twenty-seven vibrant lives extinguished before him was an experience like none other.
Among the fallen were several who had spoken with him, even sharing tales of their hunting exploits, and now they were gone in the blink of an eye…
"Listen carefully, everyone. No one shall sleep tonight. We will vigil for our heroes, ensuring their passage to join the ancestors of Ye Family Village." Ye Shi commanded.
Ye Tian was jolted awake!
The customs of Ye Family Village dictated that all heroes who died for the village would be honored with a night of vigil, culminating in a farewell fire ignited by the village chief at dawn.
…
Night fell shortly thereafter.
Every household in Ye Family Village lit their oil lamps, and all villagers, including the injured members of the Beast Hunting Team, congregated in the village square.
They sat in a circle with the village chief, eyes closed and silence reigning.
At this moment, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on both the elderly and the young alike!
In a nearby stone hut, the twenty-seven corpses lay respectfully arranged, illuminated by torches that cast a bright light.
Ye Feng stood guard, his eyes closed, his expression one of deep seriousness.
Just then, footsteps approached.
"Hmm? Ye Tian, why are you here instead of keeping vigil?" Ye Feng opened his eyes, frowning at the figure of Ye Tian approaching.
It was Ye Tian, his face marked by sorrow, tears glistening in his eyes as he murmured, "Uncle Feng, I wish to take one last look at the uncles and grandfathers."
"Very well... but do not grieve too deeply; they died honorably for Ye Family Village." Ye Feng nodded, permitting Ye Tian to enter.
The interior was simple, with the twenty-seven bodies laid out, each covered with straw mats.
The silence in the room was profound, imbued with solemnity as Ye Tian gently closed the door behind him.
*Thud, thud, thud!*
Suddenly, Ye Tian knelt before one of the bodies, bowing three times with great reverence.
"Uncle Daxiong, I despise myself. If I had been stronger, you would not have perished." Ye Tian's voice was low, his face a mask of sorrow.
"I despise myself. If I hadn't slain that Howling Moon Golden Wolf, you would still be alive." He gritted his teeth, filled with regret.
"I despise myself. If I could have become a warrior sooner, today's tragedy could have been avoided." Ye Tian's fists tightened, his eyes blazing with determination.
Finally, he rose and approached the body of "Uncle Daxiong," carefully unbuttoning his clothing to reveal the broad chest beneath.
"Forgive me, Uncle Daxiong. In my quest for strength, I must desecrate your remains." Ye Tian's gaze hardened, and with trembling hands, he placed his palm upon "Uncle Daxiong's" chest.
In that instant, Ye Tian closed his eyes, feeling the remnants of the warrior's soul lingering within. He activated his unique devouring talent, beginning to absorb the lifeless martial spirit.
It was an orange martial spirit, utterly incapable of resisting the voracious appetite of Ye Tian's yellow martial spirit, and was quickly consumed.
Once the spirit was absorbed, Ye Tian's yellow martial spirit gleamed even brighter, radiating a dazzling light.
"Uncle Lin Fei..."
Thud, thud, thud!
Ye Tian continued to absorb the souls of the fallen warriors, bowing three times before each body he consumed.
Once he had fully assimilated the souls from all twenty-seven corpses, a low growl erupted from his throat as he felt a significant surge in his own soul's power.
Although his soul remained yellow, it had doubled in size compared to before. Moreover, he sensed a marked increase in his ability to absorb the essence of heaven and earth. Previously, his cultivation speed was ten times that of those with orange souls; now, it had escalated to thirty times.
His soul talent had tripled.
"At this rate, I should soon break through to Level Eight Martial Artist!" Ye Tian's eyes gleamed with determination as he pushed open the door, revealing a bright dawn. Villagers had gathered in the square, preparing for the impending cremation ceremony.
Dozens of villagers worked together to carry the twenty-seven corpses from the house to the square, carefully arranging them upon the pyres.
Silently, Village Chief Ye Shi raised his torch, igniting each pyre one by one. Flames surged into the sky, and cries of mourning filled the air, enveloping Ye Family Village in an atmosphere of profound sorrow.
Ye Tian observed this scene quietly, his gaze growing ever more resolute as he internally vowed: I must become stronger, and swiftly!
...
A month later.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window as Ye Tian suddenly opened his eyes, unable to suppress an excited growl.
"I've finally broken through to Level Eight Martial Artist!"
Leaping from his bed, he reveled in the powerful energy coursing through his body and the eight main meridians, all now open and connected. His heart raced with elation.
Through a month of arduous training, bolstered by a threefold increase in his soul talent, he had surged from the late stages of Level Seven Martial Artist to the early stages of Level Eight.
"With my perfected Thunder Palm, I could likely contend with some Level Nine Martial Artists. Even Uncle Ba would no longer pose a threat." Ye Tian's gaze burned with intensity; given his current strength, he was undeniably the foremost among the Beast-Hunting Team.
In Ye Family Village, only two or three individuals surpassed him in prowess.
"Son, hurry up and come eat!"
As Ye Tian entered the dining hall, Lin Mei approached, carrying a bowl of steaming porridge.
Ye Tian took the porridge and turned to Ye Meng, who was already enjoying his breakfast. "Dad, after you finish eating, please inform Uncle Ba and the others that we'll be hunting in the mountains today."
"Hunting?" Ye Meng abruptly halted his meal, lifting his head in surprise. "Really, Tian? We're actually going to hunt in the mountains?"
In fact, a week prior, both Ye Ba and Ye Meng had broached the subject of mountain hunting. Although Ye Family Village was currently well-fed, they still wished to gather enough provisions for the winter to avoid future shortages.
Previously, when Ye Feng led the hunts, this was always the case.
Yet, Ye Tian had consistently declined, leaving Ye Ba and Ye Meng frustrated, knowing they had to heed Ye Tian's authority as the leader of the Beast-Hunting Team.
"Alright!" Seeing his father's delight, Ye Tian smiled and nodded.
His previous reluctance stemmed from a lack of confidence; now, however, with his strength comparable to a Level Nine Martial Artist, he felt adequately prepared.
A sharpened blade does not delay the woodcutter!
"Great! I'll go notify that old fellow Ye Ba right away; he must be going out of his mind!" Ye Meng swiftly finished his breakfast and hurried out.
Lin Mei approached, shaking her head. "I think he's the one who's truly anxious. By the way, Tian, be careful while hunting in the mountains."
Word of Ye Tian's ascension to Level Seven had already spread throughout the village, and no one opposed the idea of a genius like him leading the Beast-Hunting Team.
Lin Mei felt proud of her son, yet her worry lingered, especially after the recent wolf pack incident.
Understanding his mother's concerns, Ye Tian smiled and reassured her, "Mother, I forgot to mention—I've just broken through to Level Eight. Now, even Uncle Ba isn't my match."
"Really?" Lin Mei's face lit up with joy. For her, her son's growing strength ensured his safety.
Ye Tian nodded, revealing his true power to ease her mind.
"Roar!" Beside him, Xiao Bai let out a low growl, nudging his massive head against Ye Tian's thigh.
Xiao Bai had grown significantly, now as large as three tigers from his previous life and appeared quite formidable, even capable of carrying Ye Tian on his back.
This fulfilled Ye Tian's wish to have a majestic steed.
"Ha ha! Xiao Bai, we're going hunting together today, so don't embarrass me, alright?" Ye Tian chuckled, stroking Xiao Bai's head affectionately.
Not only had Xiao Bai grown in size, but his strength had also advanced considerably, now comparable to a Level Five ferocious beast.
"Roar!" Xiao Bai responded with a low growl.