Summoning every remaining drop of his vitality, Ye Qing shrieked, “Mo’er, get out of here!”
Ye Mo stood frozen in place, his eyes locked onto the beast in disbelief.
“How could this be? How is this even possible?!”
A savage roar tore from Ye Mo’s throat. His blood boiled with uncontrollable fury, and his eyes glinted with the crimson hue of rubies. As his hair ignited with a fiery red glow, a mist of fresh blood began to seep from his pores, forming a shroud around his trembling frame.
“But how?” Ye Qing stared in sheer disbelief at what appeared to be the legendary Dragon Form. “Xiao Ning’s genetic testing strictly confirmed that Mo’er did not inherit his mother’s bloodline. Only those with the bloodline should be capable of this transformation.”
Overcome by a sudden mania, Ye Mo lunged at the creature in a trance-like state. He struck at the black Yuanli Beast with devastating force, his movements throwing the hut into absolute chaos.
The beast seemed to possess its own sentience. As it sensed the terrifying aura radiating from Ye Mo, a flicker of genuine panic crossed its features, and it cowered before him like a startled kitten.
Ye Mo unleashed another strike, landing a heavy blow directly onto the creature’s skull. It whined in agony but dared not retaliate. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ye Mo rained down a relentless flurry of punches, heavy and suffocating like a downpour against a pane of glass. Under the relentless barrage, the creature’s desperate cries faded until it vanished into nothingness.
As the beast was vanquished, the crimson glow in Ye Mo’s eyes and hair slowly faded back to his natural black.
Recovering from his daze, Ye Mo looked toward his father, whose face had gone deathly pale. He scurried to Ye Qing’s side and collapsed onto his knees.
With tears streaming down his cheeks, he choked out, “Dad, what was that?”
“Don’t concern yourself with me. That power you just exhibited… what was that?” Ye Qing’s voice filled with a flicker of hope and pride. Knowing his son held such latent potential, he felt he could face death with a quiet heart.
“I don’t know. I’m clueless, but I’m taking you to the Main House immediately. They will certainly provide the top physicians to treat you,” Ye Mo insisted. As he reached out to hoist Ye Qing to his feet, his father pushed him away.
Ye Qing shook his head, whispering weakly, “The Main House? The Ye Clan lacks even a shred of empathy. Besides, my Dantian is completely shattered. At this point, it is beyond repair.”
In his prime, he had brought immense honor to the Ye Clan. Following the battle, the Door of Desolation offered the clan such extravagant compensation that even the most prestigious families were green with envy. Yet, post-collapse, he had been denied even a cent of that support, leaving his son to endure endless mockery and abuse while no one lifted a finger to help.
“No, there must be a way. If it cannot be found within the Tianwu Kingdom, I will hunt for it in the Zone of Desolation. If it’s not there, I will scour the entire Lingwu Continent.”
Refusing to bow to destiny, Ye Mo shook his head, his body wracked with uncontrollable, agonized sobs.
Witnessing the fierce determination in his son’s eyes, a loving smile graced Ye Qing’s tired face. He realized that the greatest blessing in his life was having this resilient son with Zi Ning.
Gently stroking Ye Mo’s hair, Ye Qing whispered, “Mo’er, I am actually relieved. You are finally free to carve your own path. You should no longer be anchored by your ailing father.”
“Dad.”
“Listen to me. I always dreamed of finding your mother and bringing her home. But I couldn’t even survive the Battle of Yidao. I am truly pathetic, aren’t I?” Ye Qing muttered bitterly.
“No, no, you will always be the greatest hero in my eyes,” Ye Mo replied. Since he was a child, he had heard countless tales of his father’s past glory, even if he only ever knew him as a man confined to a bed.
“I am incompetent. I could not find your mother. Bringing her home is my final wish. My only wish.” Ye Qing slowly closed his eyes, a single tear tracing a path down his weathered cheek.
“Zi Ning, just wait until I have grown strong! I will march into your clan with my head held high and claim your hand in marriage!” This was the promise Ye Qing had made to her in the past—a promise he ultimately failed to keep.
Upon hearing this, a chilling, unnatural silence fell over Ye Mo, a flash of crimson sparking deep within his gaze.
At that exact moment, the door burst open as Ye Zhantian strode into the room.
His eyes widened as he surveyed the wreckage. Rushing toward them, he demanded, “Ye Mo, what has happened here?”
“While my father was attempting to circulate his energy, his Dantian ruptured, and a black Yuanli Beast erupted from it,” Ye Mo answered feebly.
“A Yuanli Beast? Could it be a talismanic beast seal?” Ye Zhantian murmured, visibly shaken.
Ye Mo frowned, demanding, “Uncle Ye, tell me, what is going on? What is this seal you speak of?”
“I am not entirely certain, but rumors suggest that Ye Qing’s previous conflict was a setup. During the Battle of Yidao, his opponent not only shattered his Dantian but implanted a curse via a talisman. This seal embedded itself into his body, ensuring that if he ever attempted to harness his energy, the seal would manifest as a sentient beast to emerge and inflict further destruction upon his Dantian.”
“Damn them!” Ye Mo clenched his fists, struggling to suppress a violent surge of rage.
“Ye Mo, wasn’t your father’s Dantian damaged? How was he even able to circulate his energy?” Ye Zhantian asked, bewildered.
“Ever since I learned to absorb the Yuan Chi of Heaven and Earth, I would sneak into his room every night to circulate that energy through him,” Ye Mo explained flatly.
“What? You have been sacrificing your own cultivation for five years to sustain your father?” Ye Zhantian was struck with awe. If Ye Mo had been absorbing Yuan Chi daily solely to assist his father, it meant he had never once attempted to refine that energy into true Yuanli or open his own Gates. Was this the same “trash” everyone claimed had made no progress in five years? What kind of sheer willpower did that require?
“Hah. What a cruel joke. To hope for his recovery, I sacrificed five years, endured five years of humiliation, and persisted for five years. Five entire years, all for nothing in the face of this cursed talisman.” Ye Mo let out a howl of fury and despair, a primal aura of aggression radiating from his skin. Furrowing his brows, he demanded coldly, “Tell me, who was that person?”
“Ye Mo, do not act rashly. I don’t know who the attacker was, and even if you found out, what could you do? Our standing in Limestone City is respectable, but compared to such a person, we are mere dust. Your sole priority is to become stronger!” Ye Zhantian exhaled, shaking his head sternly.
Attempting vengeance now would be suicidal. Ye Zhantian was desperate to see the notion of revenge extinguished.
Even if he reached a high level of cultivation, seeking such a foe was the height of folly.
Ye Mo’s fingers tightened so violently that his nails pierced his palms, drawing fresh blood.
If his father could be subdued by that man ten years ago, that enemy’s current combat prowess must be truly terrifying.
Ye Mo’s dreams had once been to surpass Ye Qing and become a legendary figure across the Tianwu Kingdom. Now, those dreams had been crushed by the brutal reality of their situation.
His father’s tragic fate had forced Ye Mo to forsake his own training, to swallow the contempt of his peers, all to spend his days absorbing Yuan Chi for a glimmer of hope.
Today marked the symbolic death of his old self, igniting a burning thirst for vengeance within his soul.
Deep within Ye Mo’s Dantian, the Rising Dragon Pillar began to tremor violently. A chorus of dragon roars echoed throughout his inner world!
The hidden potential of a dragon shall ascend to the heavens!