Of course, Ye Feng refused to believe that his father had been slain by Ye Tian on the back mountain. He was still waiting for Ye Hongtao to return with Ye Tian's head so he could vent his anger.
"Keep this quiet. Ye Tian's sudden disappearance is bound to attract the Patriarch's attention, and my father will be the primary suspect. We must keep a low profile for a while," Ye Feng said.
The subordinate nodded and left the room. A sinister smile crept onto Ye Feng's face. 'Ye Tian, you can't blame me for your death this time. If you must blame someone, blame yourself for offending a person you never should have crossed.'
If Ye Feng knew it wasn't Ye Tian but his own father who had died, he would likely go insane. Ye Tian was the one who truly couldn't be provoked!
Ye Feifei rushed back to her room that night and went straight into the bathroom. She was covered in bloodstains, her clothes in tatters. If anyone were to see her like this, her reputation as the great First Miss of the Ye Family would be in shambles.
Ye Feifei didn't summon her maids. It was best that no one knew of her current state. It would be a great deal of trouble if word spread.
Ye Feifei's bathing pool was enormous, its water kept at a pleasant temperature year-round. Its construction had cost a small fortune.
Ye Feifei scattered a handful of rose petals into the water. Steam rose from the surface, creating a picturesque scene.
As she looked at the wound on her waist, Ye Feifei was stunned. The gash, once deep enough to expose bone, had now completely healed. Stranger still, it hadn't even left a scar.
Only the faintest of marks remained as proof that she had been gravely injured there. She found it incredible that Ye Tian's blood possessed such potent healing properties.
As she slipped into the pool, Ye Feifei slowly washed the blood and grime from her body, her mind replaying the many strange events of the evening.
She clearly remembered hearing a Dragon's Roar as Ye Hongtao moved to kill Ye Tian. She had also seen the phantom of a Divine Dragon. It had only been for a fleeting moment, but she had seen it with perfect clarity.
Then there was the golden light that had erupted from Ye Tian's body, and the incredible healing power of his blood. All signs pointed to a connection between Ye Tian and dragons.
At this thought, Ye Feifei couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. 'A connection to dragons... Can it be? Has Ye Tian obtained the Dragon Pearl, the treasure coveted by the entire world?'
'If that's true, it's unbelievable. He's destined to become a peerless powerhouse. What a great honor it would be to become his woman.'
If Ye Feifei had known that she herself possessed an equally terrifying ancient artifact, the Divine Phoenix Feather, she might not have been quite so astonished.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian had climbed out of the deep pool. After changing into a set of clean clothes, he prepared to head toward the mountains where Demon Beasts roamed.
Ye Tian's Power Realm had now reached the Fifth Layer Peak. He needed only a single opportunity to smoothly break through to the Sixth Layer. However, this was not something that could be rushed. The crucial factor was that his Mental Realm had yet to catch up. Otherwise, with the terrifying amount of Energy from his Pure Yang Qi, he would have broken through long ago—he might even have been able to jump straight to the Seventh Layer.
Ye Tian returned to the area frequented by Gale Wolves. He was no longer afraid of them; in fact, he now hoped to encounter one.
That way, he could slay it and obtain its Inner Core, which he could then either absorb himself or sell for more Spirit Stones.
The mountain wind was cool and refreshing against his cheeks, and the chirping of insects was incessant. Ye Tian moved slowly through the tall grass.
Now that his Power Realm had risen, Ye Tian's senses were also greatly enhanced. He could clearly perceive any movement within a radius of several hundred meters, allowing him to avoid surprise attacks.
He walked for a long while without encountering a single Gale Wolf. He did spot a few snakes in the grass, but he gave them a wide berth. There was no need to tangle with venomous serpents at night; getting poisoned would be a major problem.
Ye Tian recalled Ye Feifei telling him that the deeper one ventured into these mountains, the more powerful and ferocious the Demon Beasts became. Many experts who had opened their Two or Three Veins didn't dare enter alone; if they did, it was always as part of a team.
Ye Tian was no fool. It would be great if he encountered a Demon Beast, but if not, he would focus on his Cultivation of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. After all, that was his primary reason for coming here.
The area was secluded and rarely visited. In the time he had left, he hoped to completely master the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. Even if he couldn't reach the Perfect Realm, he at least wanted to achieve a high level of proficiency.
Ye Tian drew his Fine Steel Sword and began to practice. He slowly executed the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique from the First Form to the Third Form, coordinating his movements with the Flowing Cloud Step. A storm of sword-shadows filled the air around him, laced with powerful Sword Qi. If a Gale Wolf were to appear now, it would be instantly shredded to pieces.
Ye Tian had reached the Perfection Realm with the first three forms, allowing him to switch between them at will. As he continued to practice, he discovered something very important.
Whenever he infused the blade with Dragon Spiritual Power, the Dragon Pearl within his body would tremble slightly, releasing a small amount of Energy.
He hadn't paid it much mind at first, but over time, he realized that his own Energy reserves were barely depleting. This was an incredible boon.
Everyone's Energy reserves would eventually run dry, and that was naturally when they were at their weakest and most vulnerable.
But if one's Energy could be endlessly replenished, they could wear down a stronger opponent and turn defeat into victory.
Ye Tian was overjoyed. He remembered the Divine Dragon Remnant Soul telling him that he would need a very high Power Realm to access the Dragon Pearl's Energy, yet it seemed he had already managed to do so several times without even realizing it.
The only problem was that the soul was currently sleeping, so he couldn't ask about it. He resolved to get to the bottom of this the next time it awoke.
Before he realized it, day had broken. Ye Tian stopped his training and prepared to begin his Cultivation of the Fourth Form of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. Once he learned this form, he was confident he could face Ye Hu. Even if he couldn't win, he wouldn't suffer any serious harm.
He mentally rehearsed the execution of the Fourth Form over and over. Ye Tian sat there perfectly still, his expression constantly shifting.
By afternoon, a sudden, loud rustling from the distance startled Ye Tian out of his Meditation.
He opened his eyes and was given a fright. A giant snake, several meters long, was charging toward him with its massive maw wide open.
The giant snake was a mottled white color. Its eyes were the size of bowls, and its body was even more terrifying—thicker than a water bucket. Its Scale Armor flared outwards, and strangest of all, two long spikes protruded from its head!
'What kind of Demon Beast is this? Why is it here? It looks pretty tough! Should I use it to test my current strength?' Ye Tian wrestled with the question...