Chapter 28: Moral Coercion, Martial Soul Retest

Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er instinctively looked behind the person who spoke.

They saw Ye Wuyuan and a group of Ye Race cultivators standing outside the courtyard gate, all looking dejected.

The brother cultivator, aware of his shortcomings, stepped aside silently after speaking, and Ye Wuyuan and the others entered the courtyard.

"Young Master Nangong, Miss Shangguan," Ye Wuyuan, seeing Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er present, couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise in his aged eyes, saluting with a slight bow.

Compared to these two unparalleled geniuses, as the clan leader of a rural village tribe, his status and background, as well as his talent, were far inferior.

Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er both stood up upon seeing this, losing their interest in continuing to drink and converse. However, out of courtesy, the two younger ones still slightly returned the salute, saying, "Senior Ye."

Ye Wuyuan gave them a grateful look and then turned his gaze to Ye Xiaofan, tentatively saying, "Fan’Er?"

"Xiaofan is no longer a descendant of the Ye Race. The Ye Race has no offspring like him. Senior Ye, my younger brother cannot bear to be called Fan’Er," Ye Xiaoyue coldly said before Ye Xiaofan could speak.

Upon hearing this, Ye Wuyuan furrowed his brow slightly. Clearly, the actions of the Ye Race during this period had truly chilled the hearts of the siblings.

Nevertheless, Ye Wuyuan still wanted to make an effort, "Fan’Er, it was Xiaotian and the others who were wrong before. It’s my fault as the clan leader for not providing them with a good education. But no matter what, you are still a descendant of the Ye Race, with the blood of the Ye Race flowing through you."

Ye Xiaofan slightly raised his head, quietly watching this familiar yet unfamiliar person before him.

To this day, this esteemed clan elder still pushes all the responsibility onto Ye Xiaotian to cover up his own mistakes.

This only made Ye Xiaofan, whose heart was already cold, feel even more disappointed.

"Yes, Brother Xiaofan, no matter what, you have the blood of the Ye Race. Now that you’ve become a disciple of the Sword Saint, as long as you nod slightly, the Divine Sword Sect will provide the Ye Race with endless cultivation resources. It’s what the Ye Race deserves."

"Fan’Er, we wronged you before, but for the future prosperity and honor of the Ye Race, just pretend those things never happened. Let the Divine Sword Sect send over what should be ours. As a descendant of the Ye Race, this request is not excessive."

"Xiaofan, listen to the clan elder. Go and talk to Elder Mu Yan from the Divine Sword Sect, and ask him to grant the competition rewards to us, even if it’s just half."

The Ye Race members babbled various things. In fact, even before this, someone had gone to find Mu Yan.

According to the Star Moon City competition rules, every family of a disciple received into a sect as an unparalleled genius would receive a substantial resource reward. This includes numerous spirit stones as well as cultivation and martial techniques.

And some top sects, in order to acquire high-quality disciples, offer extremely frightening rewards. At least in the Star Moon City area, it’s enough for countless forces to fight bloody battles over.

What’s more, Ye Xiaofan was taken in by the First Generation Sword Saint. Its reward was said to be the greatest in Star Moon City. If the Ye Race could obtain this reward, they could instantly rank among the great families in the Star Moon City region, possibly even having a foothold in Star Moon City itself.

Therefore, for the family’s interest, the Ye Race members were ready to be shameless, even going so far as to send someone to Mu Yan’s residence to make demands, with predictable results—they were, of course, thrown out.

According to Mu Yan, these resources were indeed initially prepared by the Divine Sword Sect for the unparalleled genius’s family. But for the Ye Race to take them, it must have Ye Xiaofan’s personal approval.

Even so, this did not deter the Ye Race members. After some discussion, they finally sought out Ye Xiaofan.

"Heh."

After listening to their words, Ye Xiaoyue sneered coldly, "I understand, you’re not here to apologize; you’re here for resources. This place doesn’t welcome you. Please leave my courtyard."

Ye Xiaoyue showed no mercy and immediately prepared to drive them away.

Upon seeing this, some young cultivators of the Ye Race panicked. Seeing the resources almost within their grasp, how could they let the cooked duck fly away?

Immediately, a young cultivator of the Ye Race jumped out, looking displeased.

"We’re here for resources. What’s wrong with that? They’re supposed to be ours."

"Exactly. The Star Moon City competition rewards were originally meant for the family, not for Ye Xiaofan. Besides, only the family behind an unparalleled genius can take these resources; he can’t get them. All it takes is a word from him, and those resources would be ours. Is that so hard?"

"Elder Mu Yan has already said it, as long as Ye Xiaofan nods, the resources can be given to us."

Listening to the words of the Ye Race members, Ye Xiaoyue nearly laughed out of anger, "If you want resources, go and fight for them yourself. Xiaofan has already been expelled from the Ye Race. Even if the resources rot in the Divine Sword Sect, they absolutely cannot be given to you."

"Why can’t they be given to us? Ye Xiaoyue, don’t forget, even though Ye Xiaofan is no longer part of the Ye Race, he once was. Without the Ye Race, could he have achieved what he has today? Could he have grown this big?"

"Heh, truly shameless." Mentioning this, Ye Xiaoyue was so angry her chest rose and fell, "In your eyes, Xiaofan was merely an insignificant waste. All these years, although he was born and raised in Ye Village, did he ever have a grain of the Ye Race’s rice? Or a drop of its water?"

As Ye Xiaoyue spoke, Ye Xiaofan’s eyes were already red with emotion. Reflecting on all these years, although he was a descendant of the Ye Race, he had never received anything from them, not even a grain of rice or a drop of water.

If it weren’t for his sister protecting him all these years, he might have starved to death in Ye Village long ago.

As soon as Ye Xiaoyue said this, all the Ye Race members were at a loss for words, wanting to say something but unable to refute.

Even Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er, who stood to the side watching this scene, couldn’t help but feel admiration. Initially, they also thought that Ye Wuyuan had brought people to apologize to Ye Xiaofan, attempting to win back this unparalleled genius.

The other party intended to use moral coercion.

"Xiaofan..."

"Enough!"

Hearing some young cultivators of the Ye Race continue speaking, Ye Wuyuan immediately reprimanded them, feeling a bit embarrassed.

After reprimanding the young cultivators of the Ye Race, Ye Wuyuan once again looked at Ye Xiaofan: "Fan’Er, I know Xiaotian and Xiaojiang have wronged you during these days and have done many things that hurt you. I have already severely criticized them."

After Ye Wuyuan finished speaking, he turned to look at Ye Xiaotian and Ye Xiaojiang in the crowd, and harshly ordered: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to Fan’Er!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaojiang and Ye Xiaotian both looked displeased, especially Ye Xiaotian, who had never suffered such grievances as the pride of the Ye Race. If not for Ye Wuyuan’s coercion, the brothers would never have appeared here.

"I’m sorry."

Eventually, Ye Xiaojiang couldn’t withstand the pressure from Ye Wuyuan and reluctantly apologized, but there was not a hint of sincerity in his eyes. Ye Xiaotian, however, remained silent, standing still.

"Tian’Er?" Ye Wuyuan pressed with a tone of coercion.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaotian tightened his clenched fists even more, his angry eyes filled with hatred.

"It’s impossible for me to apologize to him!" These words were almost squeezed out from Ye Xiaotian’s teeth, and after speaking, he turned and left.

"Tian’Er, come back here, Tian’Er?" Ye Wuyuan wanted to call Ye Xiaotian back, but the latter had already gone far away.

In the face of helplessness, Ye Wuyuan could only turn to Ye Xiaofan: "Fan’Er, even if you don’t forgive Tian’Er, you are still blood relatives with the Ye Race..."

Before Ye Wuyuan could continue, Ye Xiaofan sneered at himself: "Blood relatives? Senior Ye, don’t you find it laughable to speak of such kinship? If we must talk about kinship, I only have my sister and aunt. As for the rest, forget it. My status and position are not worthy of your concept of kinship."

After Ye Xiaofan finished speaking, he got up and turned to enter the nearby shack.

The scenes of the Ye Race driving him away, the cold killing intent in Ye Wuyuan’s eyes, were still vivid in his memory. Now, these people not only showed no remorse, they didn’t even think they were wrong, resorting to moral coercion.

At this moment, Ye Xiaofan’s heart towards the Ye Race was completely dead.

"Fan’Er?"

Seeing this, Ye Wuyuan stepped forward, wanting to stop Ye Xiaofan, but was blocked by Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er standing nearby.

"Senior Ye, it seems that Brother Ye is not fond of your presence. Please leave," Nangong Jianchen said slowly.

However, Shangguan Wan’Er beside him was not as polite and immediately said, "Ye Wuyuan, you are indeed shameless enough. As the head of a family, don’t you find this embarrassing? I’m embarrassed for you."

Ye Wuyuan felt deeply ashamed at these words. The members of the Ye Race, seeing Nangong Jianchen and Shangguan Wan’Er standing up for Ye Xiaofan, were slightly taken aback. Clearly, they had miscalculated. Ye Xiaofan was no longer someone they could manipulate at will.

Undoubtedly, their words were incredibly powerful, and after taking a deep sigh, Ye Wuyuan could only lead the Ye Race members away with reluctance.

After watching the Ye Race members leave, Nangong Jianchen glanced at Ye Xiaofan’s house and slightly bowed to Ye Xiaoyue: "It’s getting late. Sister Xiaoyue, Wan’Er and I will take our leave for now. We’ll come back to visit you and Brother Ye some other day."

After Nangong Jianchen finished speaking, Shangguan Wan’Er also took her leave.

Watching the two leave, Ye Xiaoyue also looked at Ye Xiaofan’s house and sighed slightly.

That night, Ye Xiaofan didn’t cultivate but tossed and turned, thinking of many things, yet seemingly drawing no conclusions.

A sleepless night, and the next morning.

"You say Elder Mu Yan wants to personally test Xiaofan’s Martial Soul again?"

Ye Xiaoyue looked at the disciple dressed in the Divine Sword Sect’s attire standing in the courtyard, somewhat shocked.

The disciple nodded, saying, "The elder mentioned that the Martial Soul Awakening test in Star Moon City might not be accurate. He wishes to personally test Junior Brother Xiaofan’s Martial Soul again."

Upon hearing this, both Ye Xiaofan and Ye Xiaoyue were stunned.

Why would there be another Martial Soul test?

Could it be that the Divine Sword Sect regrets accepting Ye Xiaofan?

Or has someone in Star Moon City badmouthed the Divine Sword Sect, causing a change in circumstances?

Thinking of this, the siblings exchanged glances, both frowning slightly.