Having officially joined the Blood-clad Guards, Ye Tian's life returned to a semblance of peace. Apart from his relentless training, he indulged in no recreational activities.
This near-maniacal devotion to training earned him the nickname among the Blood-clad Guards—"Madman Ye Tian!"
Every mealtime in the mess hall, conversations inevitably turned to him.
"Hey, did you know that madman hasn't set foot outside for a week?"
"Pfft! You have no idea. Ever since he returned from the bandit extermination last month, he's been holed up in his room, utterly obsessed."
"No wonder they call him a madman!"
...
In a corner not far away, Wu Qinghu, Yun Feifei, Huang Fei, and Bai Shui gathered for lunch.
"Listen, they're all talking about our fourth brother, and he even has a nickname now," Huang Fei said with a broad grin, his exuberance as infectious as ever.
"That weirdo has already reached the level of a Martial Master; it's no surprise they've given him that title. I think 'Madman' truly suits him!" Bai Shui chuckled.
Yun Feifei shot them a glare, exclaiming, "How can you even say that? We became Blood-clad Guards together, and now he's a Martial Master while we haven't even broken through!"
"He's a freak; we can't compare!" Bai Shui rolled his eyes at her remark.
"Comparison only breeds despair!" Huang Fei sighed.
"You all… sigh!" Yun Feifei echoed their sentiment with a heavy heart.
At that moment, Wu Qinghu suddenly exuded an aura of a Martial Master.
Yun Feifei and the others looked at him in astonishment.
"You three need to step up your game; otherwise, we'll be left in the dust behind fourth brother!" Wu Qinghu declared, standing with fierce determination.
This formidable man had finally ascended to the rank of Martial Master.
"Boss, congratulations!" Yun Feifei and the others couldn't help but rejoice.
...
While Ye Tian was immersed in his unending training, the entire Ye family in the distant Baiyun Town was engulfed in gloom.
Recently, the town had been plagued by attacks from a Martial Master-level ferocious beast. Not only had many residents suffered casualties, but even the newly constructed city had sustained significant damage.
"How is it? Is Ye Ba alright?"
As Ye Shi emerged from a room filled with a pungent medicinal aroma, he was surrounded by Ye Feng, Ye Meng, and the elders of the Baiwu Pavilion, all wearing worried expressions.
"He's fine, but he will need six months to recover. Ye Ba has sustained severe injuries. If it weren't for the timely advancement of Xiao Bai to the level of Martial Master, our newly constructed city would have been destroyed by that beast," Ye Shi sighed.
Ye Feng and Ye Meng shared expressions of lingering fear.
"What do we do? That beast is incredibly formidable. Xiao Bai has only just become a Martial Master; without our support, we wouldn't stand a chance against it," the elder from Baiwu Pavilion lamented.
"What's going on? That beast has always stayed in the mountains; why is it attacking our city now?" Ye Meng asked, puzzled.
"Recently, some strangers have appeared in the mountains; could they be related?" Ye Feng pondered aloud.
"It's a possibility, but for now, we must strategize on how to deal with that beast. If this continues, our newly constructed city will collapse," Ye Shi said solemnly.
"I suggest we send someone to Blood Jade City to inform Ye Tian. Given his talent, he may have already advanced to Martial Master by now," Ye Meng proposed.
Ye Shi and Ye Feng's eyes lit up at this suggestion.
"Let's do it!" Ye Shi nodded, then turned to Ye Feng, instructing, "You must hurry to Blood Jade City and bring Ye Tian back as soon as possible. We need to hold off that beast."
"Understood!" Ye Feng responded with a serious nod.
...
Blood-clad Guards Camp.
"Uncle Zhao, when will I have a mission?"
"Ah, it's you, Ye Tian. The surrounding areas of Blood Jade City have been quite peaceful lately. It seems the last bandit extermination frightened those mountain robbers and brigands, so there are currently no tasks for you. Just wait a little longer!"
"Oh!"
...
Ye Tian emerged from Zhao Dapeng's "office" looking dejected, his face clouded with worry.
"Ha ha! Ye Tian, you went looking for Uncle Zhao again, didn't you? I told you there were no missions for now, but you didn't believe me!" Liu Hongwu said, popping out of nowhere with a teasing grin.
"Hmph!"
Ye Tian shot her a sidelong glance and made his way towards his quarters.
Having tasted the advantages that contribution points brought, he had frequently sought out Zhao Dapeng for tasks lately. Unfortunately, the surroundings of Blood Jade City were currently very tranquil, and there were no tasks available for him.
"Hehe, I know you crave contribution points! I still have a hundred contribution points from my last mission that I haven't used! Why don't you call me 'sister' and I can lend you some?" Liu Hongwu approached with a cheeky smile.
"Get lost, you little brat!" Ye Tian glared at her and strode away.
At that moment, one of Ye Tian's subordinates from the Blood-Clad Guards rushed over.
"Xiao Liu, what's the matter? You seem awfully flustered," Ye Tian remarked, turning his attention to the Blood-Clad Guard.
"Report, boss! There's someone outside named Ye Feng who says he wants to see you..." Before the guard could finish, Ye Tian was already sprinting toward the entrance of the camp.
"You little rascal, wait for me!" Liu Hongwu curiously followed behind him.
…
At the entrance of the Blood-Clad Guard camp, Ye Feng stood in front of the guarding soldiers, lost in thought.
"Blood-Clad Guards..." A hint of longing flickered in Ye Feng's eyes. Had it not been for Ye Family Village and the loss of an arm, he would have already stood here as a Blood-Clad Guard.
Although he felt a tinge of regret, the thought of Ye Tian filled him with resolve... all of this was worth it.
"Uncle Feng!"
Suddenly, a voice cried out from within the Blood-Clad Guard camp.
Ye Feng turned to look, only to see a crimson figure shooting toward him at an astonishing speed.
"What incredible speed!" Ye Feng's pupils contracted; just by observing the velocity, he knew the newcomer was a martial artist of great caliber.
However, when he discerned the figure's identity, he was momentarily stunned.
"Uncle Feng, what brings you here?" Ye Tian exclaimed, embracing Ye Feng with evident excitement.
"Ye... Ye Tian!" Ye Feng's mouth fell open in disbelief as he gazed at the tall young man before him.
At that moment, Ye Tian was clad in a blood-red uniform, with shoulder-length hair flowing in the wind, and a pair of piercing eyes that shimmered with a hidden brilliance, exuding an unspoken aura of authority.
What a transformation!
Ye Feng couldn't help but marvel; in just a few months, Ye Tian had undergone such a significant change, no longer the innocent child who had merely stepped out of Ye Family Village.
"Uncle Feng, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's head to the restaurant and treat you!" Seeing Ye Feng, Ye Tian was elated and pulled him towards the dining hall.
"Wait... Ye Tian, I have something important to tell you!" Ye Feng recalled the gravity of the situation and quickly interjected.
"What important matter? We can talk while we eat," Ye Tian replied with a smile.
"There's no time! The Ye Family is in grave danger!" Ye Feng said, his expression turning serious.
"What! What has happened?" Ye Tian's expression shifted to one of alarm.
"Listen to me..." Ye Feng hastily recounted the events.
After hearing the explanation, Ye Tian's expression changed, but he ultimately replied with a calm demeanor, "This situation is indeed quite strange..."
"You little brat, why are you running so fast? Are you in a hurry to meet the Grim Reaper?" Liu Hongwu caught up at that moment, initially intending to scold Ye Tian. However, upon seeing Ye Feng beside him, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"You came at the right time, little girl. Take my uncle to the cafeteria for a meal!" Ye Tian said before turning to Ye Feng. "Uncle Feng, go ahead and eat; I'll take a leave of absence and join you back in Baiyun Town."
"Alright!" Ye Feng nodded.
With that, Ye Tian hurriedly dashed into the Blood-Clad Guard camp!
Before long, he returned to Zhao Dapeng's "office."
"Hmm~ Ye Tian? It's you again, you little rascal. Didn't I say there are no tasks for you right now?" Zhao Dapeng's headache worsened upon seeing Ye Tian.
"Um... Uncle Zhao, I'm here to request a leave!" Ye Tian replied sheepishly.
"A leave?" Zhao Dapeng looked at him with curiosity. "Why the sudden request? Is there something going on? If it's inconvenient to discuss, that's fine. Anyway, things aren't busy right now... How many days do you want to take off?"
"Uncle Zhao, here's the thing..." Ye Tian briefly explained the situation, then added, "Our town is currently under attack from ferocious beasts, and I need to hurry back to help. If all goes well, I should be back in about two months."
"Mm!" Zhao Dapeng nodded, stroking his beard as he contemplated. "How about this: bring your subordinates along too. Consider it a training exercise for you all."
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao!" Ye Tian's eyes lit up with excitement as he expressed his gratitude.
It was known that his hundred Blood-Clad Guards were all formidable, especially Liu Hongwu, who had recently advanced to the martial artist realm.
With such a capable team, Ye Tian was confident that even if faced with a greater number of ferocious beasts, they would be doomed.
"This time, we'll also eliminate those three martial artist-level beasts, ensuring that the Ye Family has no lingering worries!" Ye Tian clenched his fists, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He now possessed enough strength to slay those three martial artist-level beasts.
…
By evening, a grand procession of over a hundred Blood-Clad Guards departed from Blood Jade City,
like a torrent of crimson rushing swiftly toward Baiyun Town.