The weather in April is refreshingly pleasant, neither too cold nor too warm.
At the entrance of Ye Family Village, following Ye Meng's notification, the members of the Beast Hunting Team have gathered. Ye Ba is distributing weapons, and laughter and chatter among the team members create an atmosphere of excitement.
"I say, Ye Meng, your son Ye Tian has finally spoken up! We can finally hunt in the woods!"
"Yes, it's been a while since we've had a chance to get our hands dirty; I'm itching to get started."
"Hehe, today, I'm going to unleash a slaughter!"
To become a member of the Beast Hunting Team, one must possess a certain wildness. The prolonged absence from hunting has left them all itching for action. Hearing the news that they can venture into the woods has filled the members with exhilaration; they are eagerly rubbing their hands together, ready for a vigorous undertaking.
"Alright, everyone quiet down! Our team leader has arrived!" Ye Ba suddenly called out.
The team members were taken aback and then turned their heads to see a young figure approaching down the village path—none other than Ye Tian.
"Good morning, Captain!"
"Hehe, good morning, Captain!"
The team members greeted Ye Tian playfully, eliciting a mix of amusement and exasperation from him.
"Everyone, straighten up!" Ye Ba barked. His authority in the Beast Hunting Team, second only to Ye Feng, silenced the team, who quickly composed their expressions.
Ye Ba turned to Ye Tian, seriousness returning to his voice. "The Ye Family Village Beast Hunting Team is fully assembled. Please give the orders, Captain!" With that, he subtly winked at Ye Tian.
"Um... let's set off!" Ye Tian replied, a bit speechless. He shook his head and waved his hand, taking the lead as he walked toward the village exit.
"Let's go!" Ye Ba shouted, leading the Beast Hunting Team in pursuit.
As they raced through the woods, the sounds of nature surrounding them, Ye Tian maintained a sharp gaze, fully alert. This was his first time leading a hunt, and he could not afford any mistakes.
"Ye Tian, relax a little; trust yourself. You can do this splendidly!" Ye Ba remarked, noticing Ye Tian's tense demeanor as he approached him with a smile.
"I understand, Uncle Ba!" Ye Tian's taut face softened into a smile, but the vigilance in his eyes remained undiminished.
Half an hour later, as they entered a perilous area, Ye Tian became even more cautious.
Suddenly—
A shadow darted out, lunging at a nearby team member. Ye Ba's pupils dilated as he recognized the creature: a seventh-level black dragon python, its power formidable, and few in the hunting team could match it.
"Ye Tao, be careful!" Ye Ba shouted urgently, attempting to intervene, but it was too late; the black dragon python was too swift.
"Ah!"
"It's the black dragon python!"
Some team members cried out in alarm, while Ye Tao, the targeted hunter, wore an expression of sheer terror. He was only at the fifth level, hardly a match for the python.
With a single strike, the black dragon python could easily kill him, and at that moment, no one around could provide assistance.
Just when everyone thought Ye Tao was doomed, a dazzling crimson shadow flashed by—Ye Tian had intervened. The blood blade in his hand flickered like lightning, slicing through the neck of the black dragon python.
"Hiss!" The black dragon python's pupils contracted, letting out a low roar before its head severed from its body.
Boom!
Ye Tian landed gracefully on the ground, his bloodied blade still dripping with the python's blood.
Next to him lay the black dragon python, over ten feet long, cleaved in two, its blood staining the earth.
Silence!
Everyone stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the scene before them.
The black dragon python, a fierce beast of the seventh level, would take Ye Ba considerable time to subdue, and it was likely that only the former captain, Ye Feng, could dispatch it in a single blow. Yet, here was Ye Tian, achieving the impossible.
All eyes turned to Ye Tian, filled with astonishment, as an inkling of understanding dawned upon them.
While Ye Meng was still enveloped in shock, Ye Ba's excitement broke through. "Ye Tian, have you broken through to the eighth level?" His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"I just made the breakthrough today!" Ye Tian beamed, confidence radiating from him.
The Beast Hunting Team erupted into a flurry of excitement at his words.
"You little rascal! No wonder you were willing to go hunting today!" Ye Meng snapped back to reality, playfully scolding him, realizing the boy had kept this from even him.
"Hahaha! With your eighth-level cultivation and the perfected Thunder Palm, you can certainly unleash the strength of a ninth-level warrior!" Ye Ba exclaimed, elated. With Ye Feng injured, they had lost a ninth-level powerhouse, but now, with Ye Tian, the formidable Beast Hunting Team of Ye Family Village was reborn.
"Alright, let's collect the black dragon python's remains and move on!" Ye Tian commanded.
"Yes, Captain!"
The entire team, including Ye Ba, responded in unison, a hint of reverence flickering in their gazes toward Ye Tian.
Strength commands respect, no matter where one is, even if he is merely a sixteen-year-old youth.
In that moment, Ye Tian truly earned the acknowledgment of the entire Beast Hunting Team, becoming the bona fide leader.
Time flowed swiftly, and soon, three months had passed.
Under Ye Tian's leadership, the Beast Hunting Team of Ye Family Village enjoyed bountiful harvests with each expedition.
Gradually, Ye Tian's reputation in the village soared, and no one regarded him as merely a child any longer.
He had become a reliable and formidable warrior!
Swish!
Swish!
Amidst the dense forest, two figures wove through the trees in a dazzling dance, one of whom was Ye Tian, while his opponent was none other than a leopard adorned with striking purple fur.
This purple leopard was exceptionally formidable; Ye Tian had been locked in combat with it for an entire hour without a clear victor emerging.
"Wow, the captain is actually able to hold his own against the Purple Cloud Leopard!"
"Indeed! The Purple Cloud Leopard is a peak-level beast of the ninth martial tier, a true dominator of this region. Even Brother Feng dared not provoke it in the past."
"The captain's talent is remarkable; his cultivation speed is astonishingly rapid. He is already at the late stage of the eighth martial tier. It won't be long before he breaks through to the ninth tier, and then he need not fear even the tenth-tier beasts."
…
Not far away, members of the hunting team were spectating, their faces alight with excitement as they murmured among themselves.
During every hunt, whenever they encountered a powerful beast, Ye Tian would take the initiative to engage, both to prevent injuries among his comrades and to hone his own skills.
The hunting team had grown accustomed to this, witnessing Ye Tian's relentless growth day by day, and now, even the formidable Purple Cloud Leopard at the peak of the ninth martial tier found itself unable to prevail against him.
"Xiao Tian has made tremendous progress!" Ye Meng exclaimed, his face beaming with pride.
"Absolutely! I believe within three to five years, he will undoubtedly become a martial master!" Ye Ba said, his face flushed with excitement.
To witness the emergence of a martial master from Ye Family Village filled everyone with exhilaration.
…
In the midst of his battle with the Purple Cloud Leopard, Ye Tian remained remarkably composed.
"What a powerful beast the Purple Cloud Leopard is; it truly lives up to its reputation as the ruler of this region. Despite employing both my swordsmanship and Thunderclap Palm, I am unable to gain the upper hand," Ye Tian thought, his brow furrowed as he continued to evade and engage with the leopard while contemplating his strategy.
"Roar!"
The Purple Cloud Leopard roared in frustration; this young adversary was proving too challenging, instilling in it a sense of danger. Moreover, with numerous members of the hunting team nearby, it yearned to escape the fight quickly.
However, Ye Tian was not one to let it slip away so easily.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, a glimmer sparked in Ye Tian's eyes as he felt an uncanny sensation emanating from the blood knife in his hand, as if it had come alive, moving autonomously and directing his hand with a life of its own.
"What's happening?" Ye Tian was taken aback; the feeling was extraordinary, unlike anything he had ever experienced, as if the blood knife was guiding his hand instead of the other way around.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three swift arcs of blade light sliced through the air. The Purple Cloud Leopard's pupils constricted as it sensed an intense threat, leaping into the air in an attempt to evade. Yet, it was a moment too late, as the blade struck its tail!
"Hmm?" In the distance, Ye Ba felt a sudden jolt of surprise, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Did he hit it?" the members of the hunting team gasped, astonished.
"Boom!"
At that moment, Ye Tian felt a resounding roar in his mind, as if he had glimpsed something profound before it slipped away, along with the extraordinary sensation that had previously enveloped him.
The blood knife now felt heavy and unyielding in his grip, devoid of the magical connection he had just experienced.
"Roar!"
Seizing the opportunity while Ye Tian was momentarily dazed, the injured Purple Cloud Leopard dashed into the woods and vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Ye Tian, what happened? Why did you let the Purple Cloud Leopard escape?" Ye Ba approached, regarding Ye Tian with a puzzled expression.
"Indeed, Tian'er, that was the Purple Cloud Leopard! We could have reaped substantial rewards from it," Ye Meng reproached, somewhat disappointed that Ye Tian hadn't pressed his advantage after clearly defeating the beast.
"Uncle Ba, Father, let's call it a day for now. It's time to return," Ye Tian replied, lowering his head in contemplation, still grappling with the strange sensation he had just felt.
"Ye Tian, are you alright?" Ye Ba asked, noticing that Ye Tian's expression was off.
"Tian'er, what's wrong? Are you injured?" Ye Meng inquired, concern etched across his face.
"I'm fine; I merely gained some insights. Let's go, it's getting late, and we should head back," Ye Tian said, shaking his head as he began to instruct the team to gather their belongings and return to Ye Family Village.
Ye Ba and Ye Meng exchanged glances, shaking their heads in resigned understanding.
On the way back to Ye Family Village, Ye Tian remained deep in thought, replaying the bizarre moments of his battle with the Purple Cloud Leopard in his mind.
"How peculiar; at that moment, I felt as if the blood knife was an extension of my arm, capable of fluidly responding to my will. Could this be the legendary state of 'Unity of Man and Blade' spoken of so often online?" Ye Tian pondered.
"Perhaps I should inquire with the elders at the Baiwu Pavilion and Uncle Feng. They possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, and I'm sure they can provide answers."
Ye Tian shook his head, quickening his pace as he made his way towards Ye Family Village.