Hong Yu cultivated for a full day and night.
It wasn't until dusk on the second day that he slowly awakened.
He let out a long breath. The energy he had expended in yesterday's promotion match was completely replenished, and he was back in peak condition. Hong Yu stretched his sore limbs, full of vigor, his eyes sharp and bright. He murmured, "Uncle Hu said that to break through to the Earth Soul Realm, the most important thing is to sense the existence of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to feel that profound and mysterious Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi..."
Back when he had just started on the Martial Dao, Tiger Instructor had ntioned that the Essence Realm was rely a foundational stage.
Only by condensing a Primordial Spirit and becoming an Earth Soul Realm powerhouse could one be considered to have truly set foot on the path of the Martial Dao.
The Essence Realm focused on tempering the Primordial Veins and stimulating the body's functions, cultivating physical fitness—in layman's terms, brute physical strength. The Earth Soul Realm, however, was about cultivating the Primordial Spirit. The Primordial Spirit was nurtured by Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and was located in the Lower Dantian. From then on, a Martial Artist could use their Primordial Spirit to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and increase their cultivation.
As one's cultivation rose, the Power of Primordial Spirit contained within the Primordial Spirit would also be gradually enhanced and refined. Not only could it provide various kinds of potent Attribute Primordial Spirit Power, but it could also rapidly improve a person's physique, strength, and other qualities.
For example...
No matter how an Essence Realm Martial Artist cultivated, if they couldn't break through to the Earth Soul Realm—even if they reached the Peak of Essence Realm—they would at most have the strength of one thousand jin.
But if they broke through to the Earth Soul Realm, with the boost from the Power of Primordial Spirit, a Martial Artist would possess imnse strength of no less than five thousand jin.
One thousand versus five thousand—what did that even an?
To give a simple example, it was like the strongest child facing off against an average adult. An arm is no match for a thigh, let alone a child against an adult.
This was the gap between the Essence Realm and the Earth Soul Realm!
A Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse like Hong Tiande possessed strength of no less than ten thousand jin. A single punch with that much force could cause the entire Rain Listening Pavilion to collapse. And that was without even factoring in Attribute Primordial Spirit Power or the buffs from Martial Skills.
'With my current strength, plus the Seven-Star Step and Destruction, I could probably injure an Earth Soul Realm expert and put them at a disadvantage if I caught them by surprise. But defeating them wouldn't be so easy. Unless... unless I can sense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and guide it into my Primordial Veins. Then my combat power would multiply. It's just a sha... so many people get stuck at the Peak of the Ninth Level, unable to take that final step, and die full of regret...'
Hong Yu rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.
The final hurdle from the Essence Realm to the Earth Soul Realm was like a natural chasm. Cross it, and your strength would multiply. Fail to cross it, and you'd die filled with resentnt. Countless people had their paths on the Martial Dao cut short by this very chasm.
"Please, let see Young Master Hong Yu! I'm begging you, don't make leave..." Just as Hong Yu was wrestling with his thoughts, a desperate, pleading voice suddenly ca from outside the door.
Hong Yu paused. "Hongyan? What's that guy doing here?"
He walked out of his room.
Hong Yu saw Hongyan kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to a bewildered and helpless Yun ngyao. This once high-and-mighty, arrogant youth now had a face full of bitterness and desperation. All his forr insolence and tyranny were gone, and he was like a stray dog begging its master for forgiveness.
"What's going on here?" Hong Yu muttered in confusion.
"Brother, are you done cultivating?"
Hearing the noise behind her, Yun ngyao bounced over cheerfully, pouted, and explained, "Brother, this Hongyan has been kneeling here since last night. No matter what I say, he just won't leave."
"What exactly happened?"
Hong Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at Hongyan.
Hongyan scrambled over to Hong Yu, kowtowed nine heavy tis, and only then raised his head to look at him. "Young Master Hong Yu, everything in the past was my fault. I, Hongyan, am not human. I'm a beast. I shouldn't have targeted you at every turn, and my mother shouldn't have falsely accused Miss ng Yao. We know we were wrong. Young Master Hong Yu, I beg you to forgive us!"
"..."
Hong Yu was stunned for a mont, still not understanding what had happened. "Stop kowtowing for now. What on earth happened? Tell in detail!"
Hongyan nodded quickly. "It's like this..."
It turned out that after Hong Kun had left the Rain Listening Pavilion yesterday, he had imdiately gone to see the Third Elder and reported how Zhang Ting had caused a scene at Hong Yu's ho. Under the Third Elder's investigation, it was quickly discovered that Hong Jun had been using his authority to oppress the branch families for years. Furthermore, that shrew Zhang Ting was insatiably greedy and often cheated the other perforrs at the Artisan Workshop, and Hongyan had relied on Hong Lin's favor to constantly provoke and make things difficult for Hong Yu.
In the past, the Third Elder would have turned a blind eye for the sake of Hong Lin and the Seventh Elder.
But tis had changed. Hong Yu's status had undergone a world-shaking transformation.
On the Third Elder's orders, Hong Kun had arrested Hong Jun and his wife that very night, stripped them of all their positions, and even had them tortured severely for a whole night. Hongyan happened to be away from ho and wasn't taken away by the Law Enforcent Team. When he returned ho and learned the news, he imdiately went to find Hong Lin, but Hong Lin refused to see him.
With no other choice, Hongyan could only co to the Rain Listening Pavilion and beg Hong Yu for rcy. "Young Master Hong Yu, I'm begging you, you're the only one who can save my parents now. If you're willing to save them, I, Hongyan, am willing to be your beast of burden..."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Hongyan's head repeatedly struck the ground with audible thuds, his forehead already a bruised ss of purple and red.
Even the most tyrannical people have sothing they cherish.
That Hongyan could go to such lengths for his parents made Hong Yu see him in a new light. He helped him up with a gesture and said coolly, "Let the past be the past. I'll write a letter in a mont. Take it to Grand Steward Hong Kun. As for whether or not your parents can be saved, that's not sothing I can guarantee."
"Thank you, thank you, Young Master Hong Yu."
Hongyan kowtowed quickly in thanks.
At that mont, Hongyan's heart was filled with a torrent of emotions...
His great backer of the past, Hong Lin, ignored him, even avoiding him completely. In contrast, Hong Yu, the one he had always bullied, was repaying grievance with virtue, magnanimously forgiving him and even offering to help. This act of grace brought about a fundantal change in the young man's ntality.
Watching Hongyan leave excitedly with the letter in his pocket, Hong Yu's gaze grew distant.
Once upon a ti, this Hongyan could stand before him, arrogant and condescending. But now, all he could do was grovel and kneel. Even the once high-and-mighty Outer Sect Steward, Hong Jun—his life now rested on a single thought from Hong Yu.
All of this was a fundantal change brought about by strength and talent.
"I've only just entered the ranks of the Ten Great Celestial Prodigies, and the family is already giving such generous treatnt. If I can secure a disciple position in the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, wouldn't that an I'd be on equal footing with the Elders?" Hong Yu muttered to himself.
In this world where the Martial Dao was supre and strength was paramount, only strength was the foundation of everything!
Gazing at the serene girl beside him, Hong Yu clenched his fists. "I must beco stronger and protect everything I truly love!"
...
「In the Hong Family's West Garden, inside a massive courtyard residence.」
This residence was nad 'Thick Virtue Residence,' and it was the ho of Hong Tiande.
At this mont, the atmosphere inside Hong Tiande's residence was exceptionally tense; even the air seed to have stagnated, filled with a grim, chilling aura. Hong Tiande sat on a high seat, his gaze fixed on the two people standing below. He said in a deep voice, "Master Mo, how confident are you in the intelligence you just shared?"
"At least eighty percent confident!"
Mo Yun said.
The two people were none other than Mo Yun and Wang Ze.
The master and disciple duo had discovered the connection between Hong Yu and Luoo. After a night of deliberation, they had finally contacted Hong Tiande today.
Wang Ze said, "Seventh Elder, you know that my master and I were once part of the Underground Alliance. We've dealt with that Luoo before and know so information about him like the back of our hands. Just over half a month ago, Young Master Hong Luàn and Luoo both accepted the Restoring Yin Grass mission commissioned by Master Xue Butong, and they were the only ones who took it. Not long after, Young Master Hong Luàn perished, and shortly after that, Luoo did indeed sell a stalk of Restoring Yin Grass. And..."
"And what?"
Hong Tiande's eyes flashed as he asked.
Under his blade-like gaze, Wang Ze felt his heart skip a few beats. He took a deep breath before continuing, "And that stalk of Restoring Yin Grass ended up in Hong Yu's hands. Originally, my master and I didn't know their connection either. It wasn't until yesterday's clan tournant that we noticed Hong Yu. Whether it's his build, his voice, or his fighting style, he's identical to Luoo. We can conclude that Hong Yu and Luoo are one and the sa person..."
After saying this, both Wang Ze and Mo Yun fell silent, quietly awaiting Hong Tiande's response.
Hong Tiande slowly closed his eyes.
In fact, with his authority, he had been investigating for days and had indeed locked onto 'Luoo' as the target. It was just that after several days of searching, he hadn't been able to find any trace of Luoo, as if the person had vanished from the face of the earth. Now, the master-disciple pair of Wang Ze had co forward to expose the connection between Hong Yu and Luoo.
After hearing what Wang Ze and Mo Yun said, Hong Tiande was partially convinced.
Combining this with the intelligence he had gathered himself, Hong Tiande was now eighty percent certain that the one who killed his grandson was Hong Yu.
CRACK!
Hong Tiande crushed the armrest in his palm, and a sinister fla flickered and danced in his dark pupils. After a long mont, he raised his hand and tapped lightly on the other armrest a few tis. A faint voice erged from his lips, "Hong Qi, go and bring Young Master Hong Hu here."
"As you command!"
A chilling, ghost-like voice echoed from the darkness.
A mont later, Hong Hu arrived and bowed respectfully to Hong Tiande. "Hong Hu greets Grandpa Qi!"
"Little Hu, I've called you here today because I have sothing to entrust to you," Hong Tiande said faintly. "I have already confird the identity of Hong Luàn's murderer. However, this killer's status is a bit special, so it's not convenient for to deal with him directly. I want to give you a task..."
"Grandpa Qi, you want to deal with the murderer?" Hong Hu asked.
Hong Tiande nodded.
"May I ask who the murderer is?" Hong Hu asked, confused.
He knew Hong Tiande's temperant well. Who could possibly be the murderer that Hong Tiande had identified, yet was hesitant to deal with personally?
Hong Tiande said flatly, "You've t this person. It's Hong Yu." After a pause, he ignored the look of astonishnt on Hong Hu's face and continued, "The Hong Yu of today has gained the Third Elder's favor. His status has soared, and he has beco the family's Ninth Young Master. If I were to move against him, it would cause a major chain reaction, even leading to a fierce conflict with the Third Elder's faction. The losses would outweigh the gains."
"Grandpa Qi's aning is, you want to eliminate him during the finals?" Hong Hu narrowed his eyes, a cold light glinting within them.
Hong Tiande nodded, then shook his head. "Given the current situation, the finals are indeed the most opportune mont. However, for that brat to have been able to kill Hong Luàn, it seems we have all underestimated his strength. How about this: I will secretly arrange for Hong Qi to assist you. With the two of you working together, it should be foolproof!"
The cold glint in Hong Tiande's eyes was like sothing from the Nine Netherworld King himself. The tyranny and cruelty within them seed to have already sealed Hong Yu's fate as a dead man.
"Hong Qi? Tsk tsk, he's a genuine Early-stage Earth Soul Realm powerhouse. With him making a move, won't I not even get a chance to act?" Hong Hu chuckled.
Hong Tiande said faintly, "It would be best if you didn't have to act. If the Third Elder and his faction discover it, there will be no benefit for you in the future."
"Don't worry, I know what to do!"
Hong Hu licked the corner of his lips, revealing a hint of bloodthirsty madness...
"Hong Yu, is it? Once the finals are over, the na Hong Yu will no longer exist in this world!"
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