“Although this old ancestor didn’t witness it personally, I can figure it out without even thinking,” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs continued in his mocking tone. “The Northern Clan seized the Shadow Clan’s territory, so naturally there were conflicts between them. Besides, Shadow Clan women were so beautiful and skilled in music. Which capable man wouldn’t want to get himself a Shadow Clan beauty to keep as a plaything and sex slave? Furthermore, the Shadow Clan had such flamboyant personalities and loved meddling in others’ affairs, which offended many people without them realizing it… Given all these factors, how could they not go extinct!”

“But the Shadow Clan helped the Northern Clan fight against the demons and monsters!”

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs cursed, “Naive! Human nature is to remember grudges but forget kindnesses! After ten thousand years pass, who would still remember their good deeds? Besides, the Shadow Clan only intervened because they feared the demons and monsters would invade Cangnan. And they were naturally lowborn, loving to show off and meddle in such matters. Who else can they blame?”

Ye Kong couldn’t agree with Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ words and argued back, “You’re wrong about that. So what, a friend helps you fight enemies, but that’s being lowborn and asking for it? Then after you gain safety, you covet your friend’s beautiful women and wipe out the entire family that helped you? What kind of logic is that? Is there any justice?”

“Justice?” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs laughed contemptuously. “Looks like you really are naive. The justice of this world is exactly like this – you must always become stronger! Either I eat you, or you eat me! If you don’t have strength, then you’d better keep a low profile. Friends, gratitude, friendship, it’s all bullshit! As long as you have something in your pocket that others desire, anyone will kill to seize treasures! The strong prey on the weak, without a shred of warmth. This is the eternal, unchanging justice of the cultivation world!”

That’s right. This was Cangnan Continent. This was the truest face of Cangnan Continent’s cultivation world.

The human relationships here were so cold. Apart from strength, other things like friendship and righteousness weren’t worth even a sheet of paper. This was also why Wanxuan True Man and Zhang Wude always emphasized “keeping a low profile.”

Ye Kong had already been somewhat prepared for this continent’s ruthlessness, but hearing Old Ancestor Yellow Springs say it so bluntly still made him quite uncomfortable. He suddenly recalled that phrase the Five Elements Wanderer had left in the Five Elements Ascension Scripture.

“This world really is fucked up,” Ye Kong said flatly.

“Right, indeed. This has always been a fucked up world,” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs nodded.

“Then have you ever heard of the Five Elements Wanderer?” Ye Kong asked.

“Five Elements Wanderer? Wanderer? Generally only rogue cultivators call themselves wanderers. Never heard of him. Is he famous?” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs thought about it and shook his head.

“How could you not know? He ascended.”

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs thought again but still didn’t know, speculating, “Perhaps it happened within the last hundred thousand years.”

“Fine then. I’m going to refine your spiritual energy. Well, using Cangnan Continent’s logic, I don’t need to thank you, and when I become stronger, I can totally kill you.”

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs laughed. “Indeed, as long as you have the ability to do so.” Then he yawned and stretched lazily. “Ah, without spiritual power, I can’t even chat for long. I’m going to sleep. Remember to buy me some Essence-Nourishing Pills to replenish divine sense when you go to the cultivator’s market.”

“I don’t even know where the hell the market is,” Ye Kong said with a bitter smile before beginning to refine the spiritual energy within his body.

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ spiritual roots were primarily wood spiritual energy and earth spiritual energy, so what had gathered in Ye Kong’s body were these two types. To refine them would indeed take considerable time, since the divine sense remaining on this spiritual energy was the powerful divine sense of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.

Therefore, he could only extract a tiny bit of spiritual energy at a time, filtering it back and forth several times before finally absorbing it into his Qi Sea, where it would merge with Ye Kong’s own spiritual energy.

Although refining was slow, it was still much faster than absorbing from the air.

“Xiaohong, what was the situation today?” That evening, Second Wife asked while sipping ginseng tea.

“Eight Young Master began closed-door cultivation today. He’ll meditate for five days, then come visit our siteout to rest for one day. I heard he’s practicing some martial art, and no one is allowed near his room,” Xiaohong replied with her head lowered.

“No one allowed near?” Second Wife frowned and continued, “When that girl surnamed Lu isn’t around, you should sneak over and take a look.”

Remembering Ye Kong’s sudden rage that morning, Xiaohong still felt lingering fear. She quickly said, “Lu Qin never leaves his side. She’s even temporarily moved in with Auntie Chen now.”

Second Wife glared at Xiaohong with displeasure. “She doesn’t eat or use the privy? When she’s not there, just go sneak a peek. What’s the problem?”

“Eight Young Master is very sharp. This servant fears alerting the enemy,” Xiaohong said quietly with her head down.

“You have a point.” Second Wife nodded, then asked, “Tell me again about all those martial arts of his.”

“Yes. This servant heard of three types. The first is the Beggar Clan’s Dog-Beating Staff Technique, the second is the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, and the third is… oh, the Nine Yin White Bone Claw.”

Second Wife pondered. “Staff technique, palm technique, claw technique – he knows quite a lot. But that staff technique sounds most suitable for military cavalry. I’ve seen quite a few martial generals under various commanders. I really want to see how impressive this boy’s dog-beating staff actually is!”

If Ye Kong heard this, he’d surely faint. Even Second Wife wanted to witness his dog-beating staff. Who knows if he’d be able to whip it out when the time came.

After Xiaohong finished reporting and returned to her room, an eighteen-year-old youth emerged from the back. He had rosy lips and white teeth, with a faint mustache on his upper lip. This was Second Wife’s second son, Third Young Master Ye Wu.

“Wu’er, how credible do you think Ye Kong’s martial arts are?” Second Wife asked.

Ye Wu’s gaze lingered in the direction Xiaohong [Read on Jormuntl]had left. Only when his mother forcefully set her teacup on the table did he snap back to attention.

“Your son believes, well… it’s about eighty percent credible. Listen to this – the Beggar Clan’s Dog-Beating Staff Technique must have been inspired by beggars beating dogs and evolved from that…” When it came to armchair strategizing, Ye Wu was truly talented, and he immediately began expounding at length.

“However, your son doesn’t think it’s all that impressive. What the Beggar Clan uses couldn’t be anything too remarkable. As for that Nine Yin White Bone Claw, the name alone shows it’s an evil sect martial art, definitely too sinister and vicious. The so-called ‘Nine Yin’ must mean refining nine women into white bones. Such martial arts would be criticized in the army. But that Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms – now that name is domineering and heroic enough! Just hearing it makes one’s blood boil. If one could learn such palm techniques to subdue tigers and dragons, that would truly be a man’s wish.”

If Ye Wu came to Earth and met Jin Yong fans, they’d surely become bosom friends. Buddy, you’re amazing! Just from hearing the name you know so much! The Nine Yin White Bone means refining nine women into white bones – that’s too incredible! If someone told you about Hero Yang Guo’s Overwhelming Sorrow Palm, who knows how you’d explain that?

Second Wife nodded after listening. “I also think this boy isn’t bluffing. These martial art names aren’t something he could fabricate out of thin air. I wonder what kind of fortuitous encounter he actually had.”

Ye Wu was also extremely envious. He laughed mockingly. “Heaven is truly unjust, letting an idiot have such a fortuitous encounter. If I had obtained these martial arts techniques, I’d definitely be a hundred times stronger than him!”

Second Wife smiled and patted her son’s head approvingly. “Of course. Don’t worry, we’ll obtain those techniques. Haha.”

Seeing his mother in a good mood, Ye Wu asked impatiently, “Mother, when will you give me Xiaohong? She’s already sixteen, she can… she can consummate the marriage, hehe.”

“You only know how to keep your eyes on Xiaohong. If you practiced martial arts seriously, how could you be inferior to Ye Long and Ye Hu? Let’s wait until Xiaohong obtains the techniques from Ye Kong!”

Ye Wu said dejectedly, “Why must it be Xiaohong who goes? I could just sneak into that Ye Kong kid’s room at midnight and steal the techniques!”

“Foolish!” Second Wife scolded. “That boy’s martial arts are now formidable. If he discovers you, beating you would be getting off light. You’d give him an excuse to move out of the Ye Manor, and then we’d have no chance to make our move later!”

Ye Wu said dissatisfied, “Mother, what do you mean ‘beating me would be getting off light’? I don’t ​visit our site​believe someone who just learned martial arts is really that formidable!”

“Don’t you dare cause me trouble!” Second Wife’s face turned stern. Ye Wu didn’t dare say more and retreated dejectedly.

After leaving, he saw Xiaohong’s room with its light on. His thieving heart refusing to die, he crept over stealthily, circling around to the back window of the small room. The window happened to be half-open, and a beautiful woman was resting her rounded chin on both hands, looking up at the sky, not knowing who occupied her thoughts.

Moonlight like silver, a gentle breeze blowing. The girl under the lamplight had furrowed brows tinged with melancholy, her gaze flickering with faint moisture. Her hands supporting her chin made those pink vermillion lips appear even more adorable. Ye Wu felt half his soul depart just watching her.

“Ah, I see him during the day, yet still think of him at night. I wonder if this is what they call ‘spring has come’?” Xiaohong suddenly muttered this seemingly random sentence. Then she noticed the dark shadow outside the window and asked in alarm, “Who’s there?”

Ye Wu was so frightened he turned and fled, thinking to himself: That Ye Kong brat, making Xiaohong have such improper thoughts about you! Just wait until I find an opportunity to humiliate you!

Xiaohong also recognized Ye Wu from his fleeing figure. She sighed deeply. “Ah, Third Young Master, am I really going to marry this kind of boring, wretched man who peeks through windows like a common thief?”

Young girls all have very strong hero complexes. By comparison, Ye Kong calmly faced tens of thousands of commoners and earned the respect of the Ye Family soldiers like a general.

While Ye Wu, caught peeping, fled like a stray dog and nearly tripped over his own feet. Of course Xiaohong looked down on him.

But as Second Wife’s chief maid, did she have any choice? She’d already sold herself to the Ye family. All decision-making power rested with Second Wife. Though she could scold those servants and maids, she too was someone without freedom, unable even to decide to whom she’d give her body.

Xiaohong extended her snowy white arm and closed the window, sighing, “Eight Young Master, do you know that this servant is thinking of you…”