Ignoring Ye Xiao's mockery, Ye Qingchen simply shook his head with a smile and walked toward the exit of the Martial Soul Testing Room. Having just discovered he possessed a ten-star Holy Soul, he was in an excellent mood and couldn't care less what Ye Xiao had to say.
However, Ye Xiao took a step forward, spreading his arms to block Ye Qingchen's path.
"When challenged, you just cower in your shell like a turtle, not daring to say a word in response... Ye Qingchen, you're a real disappointment! As Martial Artists, our talent might be inferior, but our spirit must never be! You don't even have the courage to fight back. What kind of Martial Artist are you? A complete waste!"
Ye Xiao glared viciously at Ye Qingchen, his fists clenched and his eyes glinting with ferocity.
"My fists are for enemies, not my own people," Ye Qingchen said with a smile, brushing aside Ye Xiao's arms and walking away.
Ye Xiao: "..."
Stunned for a long moment, Ye Xiao finally processed what had happened.
Wait, that's not right! I was supposed to be teaching him a lesson, so how did it seem like he ended up teaching me one instead?
Glaring resentfully at Ye Qingchen's retreating back, Ye Xiao turned to the chubby, baby-faced children beside him. "As Martial Artists, you must possess the heart of a warrior! You must never be like Ye Qingchen—a coward who loves to put on an act. Got it? Come, I'll take you to get your Martial Souls tested!"
***
After leaving the Martial Soul Testing Room, Ye Qingchen didn't head straight back to his courtyard. Instead, he made his way to the Family Martial Skill Pavilion. His near-death battle with the Third Elder had made him fully realize the importance of Martial Techniques. If he had possessed a Movement Technique Martial Skill back then, he could have held out longer until the clan leader, Ye Changyun, arrived. Even if escape was impossible, he wouldn't have been injured so badly.
Therefore, Ye Qingchen's purpose today was to select a suitable Movement Technique Martial Skill.
"Stop! Only Martial Apprentices at the Third Layer or higher are permitted inside the Family Martial Skill Pavilion! A waste like you has no right to enter!" two junior family members guarding the entrance shouted coldly as Ye Qingchen was about to step inside.
"I have no right?"
Ye Qingchen scoffed as a powerful aura erupted from his body, enveloping the two guards in an oppressive pressure. The two instantly turned deathly pale, struggling to even remain on their feet.
Without wasting any more time, Ye Qingchen stepped straight inside.
"So strong!"
"How is that possible? I'm a Fifth-Layer Martial Apprentice, yet I almost buckled to my knees under his pressure!"
The two junior members stared at Ye Qingchen's retreating figure in utter shock.
Could it be that the former genius of the Ye Family has returned?
Upon entering the Martial Skill Pavilion, Ye Qingchen's gaze immediately fell upon a white-haired old man leisurely sipping tea in the center of the main hall.
"Second Elder!" Ye Qingchen greeted him respectfully, clasping his hands.
"You're here? The clan leader already spoke to me about your situation. You may choose any Martial Technique on the first floor. Only the forbidden area on the second floor is off-limits," the Second Elder said with a smile, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes as he looked at Ye Qingchen.
"Thank you, Second Elder!"
After taking his leave of the Second Elder, Ye Qingchen crossed the hall and went to the area where the Martial Techniques were displayed. As far as the eye could see, dozens of rows of shelves stood neatly arranged, packed densely with martial technique scrolls. Some clansmen were browsing the shelves, while others had stopped to carefully study the scrolls in their hands. As one of the three great families of Qingyun Town, the Ye Family had quite a large collection.
Ye Qingchen walked along the aisles, searching exclusively for Movement Technique Martial Skills. Having observed the Picking Leaf Hand countless times, he didn't lack an offensive technique; what he truly needed was an agile movement technique.
He perused dozens of Movement Technique Martial Skills but shook his head in disappointment each time. They all fell short of his expectations. However, the two most powerful High-grade Yellow-rank techniques in the Ye Family were both for offense, so the strongest Movement Technique Martial Skill Ye Qingchen could choose was merely Mid-grade Yellow-rank.
A few minutes later, his gaze swept over a tattered martial technique scroll on a shelf. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately picked it up.
Mystifying Steps! A Mid-grade Yellow-rank Martial Technique! Incomplete version!
I wonder if I can use my Dual Pupil Martial Soul to perfect this incomplete scroll of Mystifying Steps? A sliver of anticipation grew in Ye Qingchen's heart. The incomplete version is already a Mid-grade Yellow-rank technique. If I manage to perfect it, its grade should at least reach High-grade Yellow-rank, if not higher, right?
Without any delay, a tremor ran through Ye Qingchen's sea of consciousness as his Dual Pupil Martial Soul snapped open. As his "vision" shifted, he was astonished to see dozens of errors on the scroll, along with the missing subsequent sections, begin to materialize before him. Moreover, a miniature figure appeared in his sea of consciousness and began demonstrating the now-perfected Mystifying Steps!
This speed... it's at least at the Low-grade Profound-rank!
Ye Qingchen was utterly stunned. The power of the Dual Pupil Martial Soul was far beyond his wildest expectations.
"Cousin Qingchen! I didn't expect to run into you here!"
Just then, a pleasantly surprised voice called out. Ye Qingchen turned to see a tall young woman who had appeared by his side at some unknown point. She had fair skin, delicate features, and exceptionally lively eyes. Her long, slender, and perfectly straight legs were particularly eye-catching.
"Sister Ying!" Ye Qingchen greeted her with a smile.
This was Ye Ying, the Second Elder's granddaughter. She was nineteen years old, and her Cultivation had reached the Ninth Layer of the Martial Apprentice realm, making her an undisputed prodigy among the Ye Family's younger generation. She had treated Ye Qingchen quite well over the past decade, often bringing him Cultivation Resources and other necessities.
"I heard about what happened between you and Li Susu! Don't be too heartbroken. Even though you were deceived for ten years, you at least used the opportunity to break through to the Fourth-Layer Martial Apprentice realm. It's not a total loss!" Ye Ying said, patting Ye Qingchen's shoulder comfortingly.
Thinking about what she just said, a blush crept up her pretty face. The jade-like hand on Ye Qingchen's shoulder stiffened, and she quickly pulled it back.
"Ahem, Qingchen, are you picking out a Martial Technique? Let me help you!" Ye Ying quickly changed the subject, taking the Mystifying Steps scroll from his hands. "Mystifying Steps, an incomplete version?"
Ye Ying frowned. "Cousin Qingchen, I've tried this Martial Technique before. Although it's listed as a Mid-grade Yellow-rank technique, it's just a fragment with many flaws. When you actually use it, its effect is far weaker than other Mid-grade Yellow-rank movement techniques. I suggest you don't waste your time on it and choose something else!"
Seeing how earnest she was, Ye Qingchen couldn't bear to refute her advice and nodded. "You have a point, Sister Ying! I'll pick another one right now!"
Besides, now that the Dual Pupil Martial Soul had perfected it, the complete Mystifying Steps was already imprinted in his mind. Whether he actually borrowed the physical scroll was irrelevant.
After casually browsing a few more scrolls, Ye Qingchen picked up another Movement Technique Martial Skill and, feigning great excitement, went to register it with the Second Elder. After bidding farewell to Ye Ying, he left the Martial Skill Pavilion.
Watching Ye Qingchen's departing figure, Ye Ying sighed softly. He listens to advice so readily. How could such an obedient and sensible boy be a failure at Cultivation? The heavens are truly unfair!
The Second Elder, who clearly knew more than he let on, chuckled and said, "The path ahead may be dark, but how can you be certain that Ye Qingchen's future accomplishments won't surpass your own? After all, anything is possible..."