Along a desolate path not far from Ye City, around fifty soldiers clad in black armor gathered, their attire in tatters. At the center of the group stood a warrior of the third rank, his gaze cold and brooding as he glared hatefully toward Ye City in the distance.
"Second Brother, what should we do now?" a soldier, having lost even his helmet, asked in confusion. The others wore similar expressions of dismay. Originally, this was meant to be a treasure hunt, and they had indeed found their prize. Yet, just as they were ready to return triumphant, disaster struck. Their leader was killed, and they barely escaped with their lives.
Now, these few fortunate survivors were utterly disheartened.
"To think our Black Armor Legion would be disgraced by such a worthless city!" the third-ranked warrior snarled through gritted teeth, his gaze fixed on Ye City, his eyes brimming with resentment.
"You think I don't know who you are, even with your face covered? Who else but the captain of the Blood-Clad Guard could have killed my brother?" he sneered. "You just wait! The Black Armor Legion doesn't let things go lightly!"
"Let's leave and report this to our commander!" With one last, seething glance at Ye City, he turned, gesturing for his weary, tattered troops to follow him in defeat.
---
Back in Ye City, after giving a copy of the Black Demon Battle Manual to Ye Shi, Ye Tian returned to his room with the original to begin his secluded training. He also distributed the violet spirit stones he had acquired, totaling 153, among the Ye Clan.
For several days, Ye Tian, Ye Shi, and Ye Feng—who had reached the tenth level of warrior—immersed themselves in secluded cultivation. They practiced the Black Demon Battle Manual and refined the violet spirit stones to increase their power.
Days later, both Ye Shi and Ye Feng emerged, having advanced to the rank of martial masters, their faces alight with excitement. The Ye Clan was filled with jubilant celebration.
A week later, Ye Tian finally emerged as well. He had advanced the Black Demon Battle Manual to the sixth level, and his own rank had risen to the sixth level of martial master. This training, shared between Ye Tian, Ye Shi, and Ye Feng, had consumed 80 violet spirit stones, leaving the Ye Clan with only 73.
"Ye Tian, these 73 stones should go to you; they might be enough to help you reach the seventh level of martial master," Ye Shi suggested. Ye Feng, Ye Meng, and Ye Ba nodded in agreement.
"No. At my current level, I need five stones to open each new aperture. Using them for myself would be a waste. Better to save them for Father and Uncle Meng's future breakthroughs." Ye Tian shook his head firmly, reasoning that advancing to the seventh level would take over 150 spirit stones—resources better used to strengthen the clan as a whole.
Besides, he thought, with his martial master sixth level strength and lethal blade intent, he could hold his own even against seventh-level warriors. The extra spirit stones were simply unnecessary.
"Well…alright then," Ye Shi conceded, seeing Ye Tian's resolve.
Three days later, with the entire Ye Clan bidding him farewell, Ye Tian departed from Ye City with a squadron of Blood-Clad Guard at his side, heading toward Blood Jade City.
"Boss, don't let this happen again! We finally get to go out, and we didn't even get a chance to lift a finger!"
"It's your fault for handling those three fierce beasts all on your own!"
"With such a powerful leader, we never get any action!"
On the way back to Blood Jade City, his squad's ten captains complained playfully. After emerging from the mountains, Ye Tian informed them he had already taken care of the three beasts, so there was no need for them to enter. Now, his spirited guards were thoroughly bored.
Even Liu Hongwu pouted and muttered, "What a wasted trip...and somehow I feel like you've grown even stronger."
"Oh? Do you think so?" Ye Tian quickly stifled his aura to seem like a mere third-level martial master. If anyone realized he had jumped from the third to the sixth level, it would shake all of Blood Jade City. After all, Ye Tian was only seventeen, and at his age, being a martial master of the sixth level was unheard of.
"Not even this little girl can almost discern my level," he thought with a sigh of relief, seeing Liu Hongwu's suspicions subside. Blood Jade City had no shortage of experts, and many of the Blood-Clad Guard were exceptionally skilled. It was only a matter of time before his true level was exposed.
However, he intended to delay this revelation. Upon returning to Blood Jade City, he would enter secluded training immediately, emerging a month later with the pretense of having achieved the fourth level. He would then continue to reveal incremental progress, allowing his peers to adjust, rather than leaping three levels at once and sparking undue alarm.
Progressing in measured steps would make his rapid advancement more acceptable, even if it remained impressive.
**A few days later, Ye Tian and his group finally returned to Blood Jade City.**
Upon reaching the Blood-Clad Guard's camp, Ye Tian did not report to Zhao Dapeng in person. Instead, he sent a message through his subordinates, explaining that he had reached a revelation and needed to enter secluded training immediately. Zhao Dapeng, holding Ye Tian's cultivation in high regard, had no doubts and refrained from disturbing him.
Seizing this chance, Ye Tian immediately dedicated himself to intensive cultivation. Indeed, he needed to strengthen his foundation after the rapid breakthroughs he'd achieved recently. Moreover, he wished to further comprehend his blade intent, striving to make it even more formidable.
After a month, Ye Tian subtly advanced to the fourth level of martial master, drawing no suspicion due to his well-known talent. Zhao Dapeng laughed heartily at the news, encouraging him to focus on cultivation, unconcerned about missions.
With his power now so elevated, Ye Tian no longer cared about the contribution points from missions. At his current level, only a top-grade Impact Pill could aid his progress—but regrettably, the Blood-Clad Guard's treasury held none of this caliber.
Thus, with ample time, Ye Tian devoted himself entirely to cultivation. His green martial soul indeed showed remarkable potential. By the end of the year, after half a year's seclusion, he had reached the peak of martial master level six, nearly breaking through to level seven.
When he finally announced his promotion to the fifth level, it left everyone astounded. By now, Ye Tian's reputation as a prodigy had spread beyond the Blood-Clad Guard's camp. Even some cultivators in Blood Jade City had heard of this exceptional talent who had risen from first to fifth level martial master within a single year. His astonishing cultivation speed was nothing short of monstrous.
Due to this, Liu Hongwu's father, the Blood-Clad Guard commander Liu Bao, intended to summon Ye Tian once again. However, Ye Tian politely declined, citing his focus on cultivation. Rather than feeling slighted, Liu Bao admired his humility and sent him a precious gift: a yellow-tier top-grade blade technique, the "Thirteen Strikes of Blood Shadow."
When Ye Tian received this technique from Liu Hongwu, he was thrilled—it was an unexpected boon. He had long desired a powerful blade technique to train with, and this one was just short of his lower mystic-tier skill, the "Celestial Hand."
"You little brat! Maybe you're naturally gifted in cultivation, but your martial arts comprehension might not be as strong. Try out this Blood Shadow Thirteen Strikes. So far, in the Blood-Clad Guard, only my father has perfected it—achieving the ability to deliver thirteen strikes in a single move!" Despite her admiration for his talent, Liu Hongwu enjoyed challenging him.
"Oh? Is that so? Then I'll give it a go!" Ye Tian's interest was piqued, his eyes fixed on the manual with an intensity he couldn't hide.
"Ugh, training maniac!" Huffing, Liu Hongwu dashed off. Ye Tian's rapid advancement had spurred her determination to train as well, and she now stood as a formidable martial master of the second-level peak.
Not only Liu Hongwu but the other guards in the camp, especially the new recruits who had joined alongside Ye Tian, were inspired by his progress. This fervor for cultivation soon permeated the entire camp, much to the satisfaction of the five centurions, who held Ye Tian in even higher regard.
In the blink of an eye, three months passed, and Ye Tian turned eighteen. He had shed his youthful appearance; his handsome face was now marked by rugged determination, and his eyes gleamed with a piercing light. His mere gaze left a palpable tension, intimidating many of the Blood-Clad Guards who came to visit him.
In truth, they were unaware that Ye Tian had already broken through to the seventh level of martial master. The leap from sixth to seventh was significant; the most notable difference lay in the aura. The aura of a seventh-level martial master had nearly materialized into something tangible, striking awe in warriors of lower ranks.
Ye Tian's aura now felt akin to a fierce, monstrous beast, leaving those below martial master level too daunted even to meet his gaze.