"Father, that Ye Tian has made bitter enemies of the two young masters of the Qin Family. Should we use this to our advantage?" Ye Hu asked, a wicked smile spreading across his face.
"Are you suggesting we use the Qin Family to get rid of him? That's not a bad idea, but it would require careful planning. I'm afraid he won't take the bait so easily," the Grand Elder said seriously after glancing at his son.
"It's not without its opportunities. Before long, Lisha City will be deciding who gets the spots for Lisha Academy. After so many years, it's finally Lisha City's turn. This could be the perfect chance. Letting him live a few more days is fine. A great man knows when to yield and when to stand firm; enduring for a short while is no big deal," Ye Hu said.
"Good! I'll help you arrange it. When the time comes, we'll make sure Ye Tian dies without a burial place! However, you'd best not have any contact with him recently. Keep a low profile to avoid arousing suspicion after the fact," said the Grand Elder.
"Don't worry, Father. I'm not a good-for-nothing like Ye Feng. There's just one thing I don't understand. Is there an antidote for the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder?" Ye Hu asked.
A suspicious look flashed across the Grand Elder's face. "What? Are you thinking of using the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder on him? Absolutely not! If he doesn't have the strength to compete, all our preparations will be for nothing. Don't you get any crooked ideas."
"That's not it. Father, you don't know. During the family competition, I had Ye Shixue give Ye Tian the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder to keep him from showing up in the tournament ring. But it was as if he wasn't poisoned at all. That's why I'm asking," Ye Hu said, voicing his doubts.
"Something like that happened? Are you certain Ye Tian ingested the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder?" the Grand Elder asked at once, startled.
"Ye Shixue wouldn't lie to me. From their behavior today, you can tell they're like fire and water now. Could it be that the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder really does have an antidote?" Ye Hu asked again.
"For now, don't tell anyone about this. If Ye Tian was truly poisoned, then there's only one possibility… but it can't be true. I don't believe it," the Grand Elder said, his expression grave.
Ye Hu was now even more bewildered. It seemed this matter was no small affair. Ye Tian most likely had a secret.
"There is no antidote for the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder. Everyone knows this. Anyone who takes it will feel weak and drained for two days before the symptoms disappear. But you say Ye Tian took it and was completely fine. In that case, it's highly likely he possesses something terrifying," the Grand Elder said, lowering his voice.
"What is it?" Ye Hu was desperate to know the answer.
"I believe very few people in Lisha City know this secret. I only happened to read about it in an ancient text. In all the world, only the Dragon Race is immune to the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder. Their Dragon Blood is the bane of all poisons. Do you understand what I'm saying?" said the Grand Elder.
Hearing this, Ye Hu leaped up from his stool, his mouth hanging wide open as if he could fit an egg inside.
"You mean to say Ye Tian might be a member of the Dragon Race? That's too unbelievable! I don't believe it!" Ye Hu retorted.
"Of course he isn't part of the Dragon Race. But it's very likely he possesses something of the dragons, like a Dragon Pearl. After obtaining the power of a Dragon Pearl, he could gain this kind of detoxification ability. Besides, his power has been advancing by leaps and bounds recently. It's highly probable that he has obtained a Dragon Pearl," the Grand Elder said.
Ye Hu was completely dumbfounded. This was the most shocking news he had ever heard.
The Dragon Pearl, coveted by countless people, might actually be in Ye Tian's possession. He truly couldn't believe it. After all, it was just speculation with no concrete evidence.
"Father, why don't we test him again? If he takes the Ten Fragrances Soft Tendon Powder this time and still isn't poisoned, then your guess must be right. Then we can kill him, seize the Dragon Pearl, and get far away from here!" Ye Hu said excitedly, his mind already fantasizing about the moment he would obtain the Dragon Pearl and become the strongest of all.
"Excellent. But you must be careful with everything. I'll be waiting for your good news!" the Grand Elder said with a smile.
Ye Tian was completely unaware of the plan hatched by Ye Hu and his father. At that moment, he was lying on his bed, slowly flipping through the two Martial Arts Manuals he had taken from his Storage Ring.
Both Martial Arts Manuals were for Sword Technique Martial Skills. The level requirement was very high; one needed to reach the Three Veins Realm to begin their Cultivation. It was similar to the Battle Dragon Technique that the Divine Dragon Remnant Soul had passed on to him—if his Power Realm was insufficient, he couldn't practice them.
At this thought, Ye Tian suddenly remembered another technique: the Body Technique Martial Skill, Dragon Form Hundred Transformations!
He recalled that he could have started cultivating this Body Technique Martial Skill right after he first obtained it. He had just been so focused on cultivating the Flowing Cloud Step and the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique that he had forgotten about it. Perhaps now was the perfect time to start.
With a single thought, the essentials for executing Dragon Form Hundred Transformations appeared in his mind. This was a top-tier Body Technique Martial Skill—or, one could say, a life-saving one.
Back in the day, the War Dragon Divine Venerable had relied on this very Body Technique Martial Skill to escape death countless times. It was the Body Technique Martial Skill he was most proud of.
Dragon Form Hundred Transformations consisted of nine forms, and each form had nine variations. In total, that came out to eighty-one variations. The "Hundred Transformations" in its name was probably just to make it sound good.
Ye Tian slowly tried to comprehend the First Form, but after half a day, he still hadn't a single clue. He didn't get discouraged, though. 'How could a Martial Skill from the War Dragon be so easy to cultivate?'
For the next few days, Ye Tian basically holed himself up in his room, comprehending the First Form of Dragon Form Hundred Transformations. Building on the insights he had gained from the Flowing Cloud Step, he gradually began to get the hang of it.
"It really is powerful. The nine variations of the First Form alone are far stronger than the Flowing Cloud Step. If we were to grade it, the First Form by itself would probably rank as a Profound-tier Body Technique Martial Skill," Ye Tian exclaimed as he opened his eyes.
Ye Tian spent about ten days comprehending the First Form, but he only managed to grasp the first three variations. Ye Feifei visited him twice during that time. Seeing him busy with his Cultivation, she didn't stay long. It seemed she had been inspired by him, as she also began to cultivate frantically after returning.
'Looks like I'll need a more open space to master the First Form,' Ye Tian thought. An image of the mountain range behind the Ye Mansion, where Demon Beasts roamed, immediately appeared in his mind.
Now that he had a Storage Ring, Ye Tian no longer had to worry about how many rations he could carry. He went to the market early in the morning and bought a large quantity of supplies. With his current stash of Spirit Stones, Ye Tian was practically a tycoon; the Lower Grade and Middle Grade Spirit Stones in his Storage Ring numbered more than those of an entire family.
He calculated that the rations and daily necessities he bought should last him for a month. Believing a month would be enough, Ye Tian didn't buy any more.
Many people in Lisha City recognized him now, so he didn't want to linger. After buying his things, he returned to the Ye Mansion. Ye Tian planned to head out at night.
Since he was leaving the Ye Family, he naturally had to let Ye Feifei and Ye Weitian know. Otherwise, his sudden disappearance might cause them to worry and panic.
Ye Tian first went to find Ye Weitian to explain his intentions, then headed to Ye Feifei's room where she was cultivating. As for what happened during that visit… that will be revealed in the next chapter.