4 Chapter 4 A Friendly Competition

"You, how could you be so harsh on your own brother!" Yang Ming looked at his grandson Yang Zhong's face and arms, distressed, and pointed at Yang Xiaotian with both anger and fury in his voice.

Yet Yang Xiaotian said, "He hit my sister's face first and whipped her with a belt!"

At that moment, everyone saw the swollen face and the shocking whip marks on both of Yang Ling'er's tiny arms.

On Yang Ling'er's slender arms, there were at least seven whip marks.

But Yang Ming turned a blind eye, pointing at Yang Xiaotian with his beard trembling with rage, "You dare to talk back after hitting your own brother! Servants, lock him up in the ancestral home for one day, and during this day, no one is to bring him food!"

No food for a day?

Yang Chao's face changed, "Father!"

Now it was deep winter, and the ancestral home was exceedingly cold, growing even colder at night. For a seven-year-old child like Yang Xiaotian to be locked in the ancestral home without food or drink for a day would be extremely hard to endure!

"What are you waiting for, lock him up in the ancestral home!" Yang Ming shouted angrily at a manager of the Yang Family Manor.

Seeing that manager was about to take her brother away, Yang Ling'er wept and embraced Yang Xiaotian, pleading with Yang Ming, "Grandfather, please don't lock my brother in the ancestral home, I beg you!"

But Yang Ming's face remained impassive.

In the end, Yang Xiaotian was locked up in the ancestral home on the back mountain.

With the wooden door of the ancestral home shut, heaven and earth quieted down. Yang Xiaotian, peering through the dim light at the ancestral tablets of many generations of the Yang Family, felt an unexpected sense of calm.

No food allowed for one day?

He hadn't expected that after awakening a "Level Two" Tortoise Martial Soul, his grandfather's disdain for him would go this far.

Yang Xiaotian sat down cross-legged, began to practice the Prajna Skill, and focused on thoroughly absorbing nature's spiritual energy with his Martial Soul.

Locked within the ancestral home's domain, Yang Xiaotian was without distraction, and the speed at which he absorbed nature's spiritual energy seemed to increase, transforming into spiritual power within his body.

By nightfall, cold winds poured into the ancestral home, but Yang Xiaotian felt neither cold nor hungry.

In the silent world, his perception continued to expand, even the chirping of insects a hundred meters away could be heard clearly.

Not knowing how long had passed, suddenly, the sound of breaking out of a cocoon echoed inside him.

Yang Xiaotian was thrilled.

He had finally made another breakthrough, stepping into the third rank.

Moreover, he discovered that he seemed to have undergone some transformation, his perception far surpassing that of before.

Being locked in the ancestral home had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

A day later, Yang Xiaotian was finally released. His father Yang Chao, mother Huang Ying, and sister Yang Ling'er were all waiting outside the ancestral home. As soon as Yang Xiaotian emerged, his mother Huang Ying quietly wiped away tears and hugged Yang Xiaotian tightly.

Yang Ling'er was in tears even more, crying her eyes out.

"Mother, I'm fine," Yang Xiaotian said to his mother with a toothy smile, "I even wanted to be locked up for a few more days." That was actually the truth.

In the following days, Yang Xiaotian continued as before, almost never leaving his courtyard to practice.

And after that slap, even Yang Zhong became much more subdued, staying in his courtyard and diligently cultivating.

Knowing that Yang Zhong was staying in his courtyard, cultivating just like he was and not setting foot outside, Yang Xiaotian had a calm expression. Of course, he knew why Yang Zhong was cultivating so hard.

Yang Zhong was only trying to break through to the first tier as soon as possible so that at the family's year-end gathering, he could teach Yang Xiaotian a lesson.

You won't let me off?

Thinking of how Yang Zhong had proclaimed that he wouldn't let him off at the family's year-end gathering, Yang Xiaotian suddenly punched out fiercely, releasing spiritual power, and the large stone in the courtyard shattered into countless pieces.

Days went by.

The end of the year was approaching.

The Yang Family Manor began preparations for the New Year, decorating everything in a festive manner.

Yang Xiaotian stood in the snow-covered courtyard practicing the Taiji Scripture, with each punch and move, the force of his fists was soft yet resolute, raising swathes of snowflakes from the ground.

After breaking through to the third rank, although his speed of breakthrough had slowed, after these days of hard training, Yang Xiaotian had successfully advanced to the fourth rank and reached the peak of the fourth rank.

And his Taiji Scripture had made even more obvious progress; his martial strength now covered a range of three meters.

After practicing for a while, Yang Xiaotian stopped and felt his body steaming with heat.

Tomorrow was the family clan meeting.

Originally, the family clan meeting wasn't supposed to be so soon, but at the earnest request of Yang Zhong, his grandfather Yang Ming had brought the meeting forward.

The family clan meeting has been moved up? It seems that Yang Zhong has made a breakthrough to the first tier and can't wait to teach him a lesson at the clan meeting!

Yang Xiaotian strolled out of the yard; he had seldom seen his sister after so many days of intensive training, and he decided to go see the little girl.

"Have you heard? Tomorrow at the family clan meeting, a big shot from Divine Sword Academy will come to our Yang Family Manor!"

"A big shot from Divine Sword Academy? Who is it? Why is he coming to Yang Family Manor?"

The guards of the Yang Family Manor were discussing in the distance.

Yang Xiaotian was surprised.

Divine Sword Academy? Divine Sword Academy was the foremost academy among the four major academies in Divine Sea Country. If a family disciple could study at Divine Sword Academy, it would bring honor to the entire family.

"The big shot from Divine Sword Academy heard that our young master Yang Chao has awakened the Green Phoenix Martial Soul and has made a special trip to the Yang Family Manor to take Yang Chao as his disciple!"

"Now the news has spread all over Xingyue City, and many masters have come to offer their congratulations. The old manor lord is grinning so widely he hasn't closed his mouth."

Several guards were talking animatedly.

Yang Xiaotian heard them, but his expression remained unchanged.

The next day.

The sunshine was somewhat chilly.

After Yang Xiaotian got up, he learned that his grandfather Yang Ming, his eldest uncle Yang Hai, and Yang Zhong had gone out early to welcome the VIP from Divine Sword Academy.

However, his grandfather didn't inform his father and him to join in the welcome.

In front of the main hall of Yang Family Manor, was the annual venue for the Yang Family clan meeting.

When Yang Xiaotian arrived at the main hall with his parents and his younger sister Yang Ling'er, the hall was already crowded with people.

There was a buzz of cheerful conversations all around; the arrival of Yang Xiaotian's family went unnoticed.

Yang Xiaotian looked over and saw that his grandfather and the experts from Xingyue City were all clustering around a silver-haired elder.

This silver-haired elder was obviously the VIP from Divine Sword Academy.

He found out from his father that this person was Chen Yuan, the vice president of Divine Sword Academy.

The vice president of Divine Sword Academy was definitely a personage of high rank in Divine Sea Country; even the royal family of Divine Sea wouldn't dare to slight him, let alone the people of Xingyue City.

A while later, the Yang Family Manor's clan meeting began.

Yang Ming said to his grandson Yang Zhong with a face full of affection, "Zhong'er, go up there and show your strength, let Vice President Chen Yuan see the results of your recent cultivation."

Yang Zhong agreed, leapt up, and landed on the Martial Arts Stage in front of the hall. Then he circulated his spiritual energy and released it from within his body.

At once, his whole body radiated light.

"First tier peak!" Feeling the breath of Yang Zhong, many of the masters from Xingyue City were astonished.

It had only been about twenty days since Yang Zhong had awakened his Martial Soul, and he had already broken through to the peak of the first tier.

Even Chen Yuan was surprised and could not help but exclaim, "The Green Phoenix is truly a top-tier level 10 Martial Soul."

The Green Phoenix Martial Soul was rare in Divine Sea Country, and that's exactly why he had made the long journey to Yang Family Manor.

This child Yang Zhong had truly given him a pleasant surprise, breaking through to the peak of the first tier in less than twenty days!

Such a speed of cultivation he had only seen in a few individuals.

Hearing Chen Yuan's praise, both Yang Ming and Yang Hai's smiles broadened on their faces.

At this point, Yang Zhong's gaze fell upon Yang Xiaotian in the crowd and he called out, "Xiaotian, I know you have also been diligently cultivating behind closed doors these days. Do you dare to come up here and have a spar with me?"