Chapter Nine: Unveiling Strength

As the attention of everyone in the martial arena converged, Ye Wei strode slowly toward the giant boulder. With each step he took, crimson lines gradually appeared on his body.

“Tch, look at that guy showing off, acting all arrogant,” Ye Ming muttered irritably from the crowd below, glancing sideways at the silent Ye Cheng beside him.

“Collapse Fist!”

With a crisp shout, Ye Wei’s fist collided with the giant stone, producing a deep, thunderous boom. Instantly, a conspicuous dent, two fists deep, appeared on the rock’s surface, eliciting cries of astonishment from the watching youths.

“Ye Wei, minor achievement in the Blood Qi Stage. Passed.” The examiner’s voice remained indifferent as he glanced at the crater left on the stone, showing not a hint of favoritism for Ye Wei’s reputation as the leading talent of the Ye family’s younger generation.

“How is this guy improving so fast? He’s already condensed seventeen blood lines,” Ye Ming grumbled in discontent, eyes fixed on the lines across Ye Wei’s body.

On the platform, the Grand Elder stroked his grizzled beard with a beaming smile. No doubt, his grandson had brought much honor to his name.

Beside him, Ye Hong nodded in satisfaction. Though he didn’t approve of Ye Wei’s character, the youth’s martial potential was beyond question.

“Next, Ye Cheng.”

Satisfied with his own performance, Ye Wei basked in the fervent gaze of the Ye family youths as he stepped down from the stage. His eyes lingered on Ye Cheng as they passed one another, a mocking glint flashing in his gaze.

A ripple of derision rose from the crowd below. In their eyes, Ye Cheng was certain to fail the assessment and would inevitably be relegated among those sent away from the clan. Yet, under the weight of their scornful stares, Ye Cheng remained calm and unruffled, walking straight to the boulder and standing firm before it.

The examiner, seeing the slender youth before him, sighed softly. He had heard of the boy’s physical frailty and relentless diligence. If not for the issue with his constitution, the examiner believed Ye Cheng’s perseverance would have secured him great achievements.

Ignoring the curious and pitying looks from the crowd, Ye Cheng drew a deep breath and gathered all his blood energy. Instantly, a tinge of crimson shimmered in his dark pupils, and a single scarlet blood line emerged along his neck. The aura unique to practitioners of the Blood Qi Stage spread around him.

“Hm?”

“Blood Qi?”

“Ye Cheng’s luck must be extraordinary, breaking through at such a crucial moment.”

The Ye youths burst into murmurs, mixing envy and dismay, as the arena stirred with excitement. Some wore faces of jealousy, others gloom, each with their own thoughts.

On the platform, Ye Hong’s expression was filled with gratification. Beside him, Ye Zhan laughed with delight, “This rascal Cheng has finally reaped his reward.”

Both elders had witnessed Ye Cheng’s effort firsthand. For their sons, they had given much, hoping for this very day.

Down below, Ye Ming was momentarily stunned. He turned to Ye Ling, who seemed unsurprised, and asked gloomily, “You knew all along, didn’t you?”

“Mm. Brother said he wanted to surprise you.” Ye Ling blinked her bright, innocent eyes, covering her rosy lips with a dainty hand as she giggled.

“Ugh, that’s quite a surprise,” Ye Ming said helplessly, as if he were always the last to know anything.

…

“Heh, don’t celebrate too soon. Even if he’s condensed a blood line, passing the test isn’t guaranteed. Without at least three or five blood lines, it’s impossible to qualify—let alone for Ye Cheng…”

Boom!

A tremendous sound echoed through the arena. Ye Cheng’s fist sank into the giant stone, and as he withdrew his arm, a crater no less deep than the one Ye Ming had left appeared before everyone’s eyes. Gasps rippled through the crowd, and Ye Wei was forced to swallow the words he was about to say, his face turning even gloomier. He had hoped to deal Ye Cheng a blow, yet it was as if he’d dropped a stone on his own foot instead.

The sheer destructive power, achieved with merely a single blood line, was as terrifying as that of Ye Ming’s twelve blood lines. This was only the strength from one line of blood energy, yet it rivaled that of a typical minor achievement in the Blood Qi Stage.

The spectacle stunned not only the younger generation below but also the elders on the platform, whose faces showed disbelief. Never before had they heard of someone wielding the might of the Blood Qi Stage’s minor achievement with just a single blood line.

The Grand Elder’s clouded eyes narrowed as he softly praised Ye Cheng to Ye Hong, “This child’s physical strength is truly uncanny.”

“Logically, even the Qingling Elixir shouldn’t have granted him such power. It seems the boy has had other fortuitous encounters,” Ye Hong mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Ye Cheng, witnessing the results he’d wrought, clapped his hands with a smile and calmly returned to his place, undisturbed by the burning gazes upon him.

“You really hid it well, huh? Didn’t even tell me—so much for being brothers.” Ye Ming laughed, giving Ye Cheng a friendly punch to the chest as he stepped down from the stage.

…

In the Ye family’s martial arena, all eyes were fixed on Ye Cheng, making him feel a bit out of place amid the rising commotion.

“Ahem…” Ye Hong, head of the Ye family, walked to the center of the arena. With a dry cough, he silenced the crowd’s chatter and drew everyone’s attention back.

“This concludes our testing for today, and the results are most satisfactory.” He cast a gratified glance at the slender youth below, then continued, “Next, we will hold the Ye family’s coming-of-age sparring contest. Those who did not pass still have a chance to earn the clan’s support through this event. If you failed the test, you may challenge anyone who passed. If you defeat them, you take their place and receive the family’s cultivation resources. Those who passed may also challenge others. Remember, all bouts must be controlled—no serious harm is permitted. Let us begin.”

With that, Ye Hong withdrew backstage, signaling for the Third Elder to preside over the exchange matches.

Receiving the signal, the Third Elder—a middle-aged man in gray robes—took the testing roster from the examiner and stepped forward. Channeling a surge of blood energy, he announced in a booming voice, “The patriarch has made the rules clear. I now declare the exchange matches open. Who wishes to issue the first challenge?” His gaze swept over the eager youths below the stage.

The clan elders watched with keen interest. Each year, the real excitement of the coming-of-age ceremony was not in the test itself but in these matches. Black horses would often emerge, just as Ye Cheng’s father had done in his youth. True martial prowess was not decided by cultivation level alone; mastery of martial skills was also crucial. Unlike the earlier, monotonous tests, these matches truly showcased talent. The elders relished the chance to assess the progress of the clan’s new blood.

“I wish to challenge Ye Cheng.”

After a brief silence, a voice rose from the crowd. All eyes turned to see a sturdy youth leap onto the arena. Ye Cheng recognized him well; he was Ye Shen, one of the Third Elder’s line—a straightforward fellow, though his martial talent was only average, placing him mid-tier among his peers. He had managed to condense two blood lines, but his strength in the earlier test had failed to meet the clan’s cultivation standards.

His challenge to Ye Cheng was likely born of disbelief. Just two months prior, Ye Cheng had not condensed a single blood line, yet now, with just one, he had displayed strength beyond imagination. Was there some trickery at play? Ye Shen hoped, perhaps, that Ye Cheng’s strength was just a facade.

Many in the clan’s younger generation shared such doubts. Ye Shen’s challenge was exactly what most wanted to see.

In the crowd, Ye Wei watched from the sidelines, arms crossed and gloating, entirely oblivious to Ye Ming’s displeased glare.

Hearing someone challenge him, Ye Cheng could only smile wryly and rub his nose. It seemed he had become everyone’s chosen target. With a calm face, he strode onto the arena.

As the tension mounted, the audience’s excitement grew ever more intense.

…

Saint Devourer 9 – Full Text Free Reading – Chapter Nine: Revealing Strength – Update Complete!