Chapter 2

*Bang!*

Yichen fell to the ground with a thud, a foot planted on his chest.

Yichen struggled desperately but could not break free. In a panic, he felt a surge of blood rush to his throat.

However, even if he were to die in battle, he could not show weakness to Liu Xi. Yichen forced the blood back down.

"Will you accept the challenge? You’re a waste of space!"

Liu Xi ground his foot down hard, sneering and shouting.

"Liu An, quickly tell your son to let go of Chen! He’s still sick..." Yichen Changchun, the village chief of Yishi Village and Yichen’s father, shouted in anger and sorrow.

"Shut up! Yichen Changchun, you have no right to bargain now." Liu An, the village chief of Liushi Village and Liu Xi’s father, impatiently cut off Yichen Changchun’s words.

*Pfft*

With the sound of his ribs cracking, Yichen could no longer hold on. A large amount of blood spurted out, splattering Liu Xi’s face and body.

"Liu An, I agree to hand over the ownership of the porcelain clay in the back mountain." Seeing Yichen in grave danger, Yichen Changchun was ready to compromise.

"Rubbish, you don’t have the authority to decide. Your son must speak. If you’re reluctant, persuade him. I don’t have much patience, hurry up!" Liu An said sternly.

"Chen is still recovering from his madness, his cultivation has greatly diminished, he can’t participate in the duel!" Yichen Changchun’s pale face showed boundless love for his son: "I will personally propose to the city lord to give up the ownership of the porcelain clay in the back mountain..."

"No! Father... I am willing to duel with Liu Xi in half a month." As if in a last burst of energy, Yichen shouted before his life force was about to fade.

"Good! Haha... You should have agreed earlier, you’re just a waste of space and a fool." Liu Xi laughed triumphantly and, before leaving, kicked Yichen hard again.

Yichen had no reaction, as he had already fainted.

"Let’s go!" Liu An, Liu Xi, and a group of Liushi Village thugs released their hold on Yichen Changchun, howling in satisfaction, humming a tune, and striding away.

"Chen..." Yichen Changchun picked up his son, whose life was in danger, and tears streamed down his face.

The next day, after the anxious wait of his parents and over a thousand villagers of Yishi Village, who had almost given up hope:

"Father..." Yichen, who had been hovering between life and death, suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of determination in them. He looked at his parents with a resolute gaze and said slowly:

"Chen will definitely defeat Liu Xi, protect the porcelain clay, protect the Yi family, and protect Yishi Village."

Yichen thought about the past few years, feeling a mix of emotions.

He started practicing martial arts at the age of seven and reached the ninth rank of Battle Master at thirteen, defeating all his peers and becoming a prodigy in the entire Tianyun City.

In the same year, a large amount of high-quality porcelain clay was discovered in the back mountain of Yishi Village.

The Yi family of Yishi Village and the Liu family of Liushi Village were both famous porcelain makers in Tianyun City.

To secure the high-quality porcelain clay, the two families had engaged in multiple wars, becoming bitter enemies.

The Liu family had long coveted the porcelain clay in the back mountain but, due to the city lord’s decree, which clearly stated that the ownership belonged to the prodigy, they had restrained themselves.

Thus, at thirteen, Yichen became a hero of the Yi family.

Unfortunately, good times didn’t last long.

Just as Yichen was full of ambition and preparing to advance to the Battle Supervisor rank, an accident occurred.

A thunderbolt struck Yichen, shattering the Yi family’s hopes.

Over the next two years, Yichen often exhibited signs of madness, and his cultivation rapidly declined to the fifth rank of Battle Master.

Yichen Changchun used all his resources, spent all his savings, and almost bankrupted the family, but he could not restore Yichen’s cultivation or cure his madness.

Even half a month ago, Yichen Changchun was attacked by an unknown expert and severely injured.

The entire Yi family, with over a thousand people, faced an unprecedented survival crisis, relying only on the porcelain in the kilns and the porcelain clay in the back mountain.

But the misfortune did not end there.

Yesterday, Liu An, with his son and a group of thugs, came to Yishi Village, proposing that Liu Xi challenge Yichen for the title of prodigy.

If Liu Xi won, he could rightfully claim the porcelain clay in the back mountain.

Liu Xi, at seventeen, was a seventh-rank Battle Master, two ranks higher than the mad Yichen.

Yichen Changchun, though a Battle Supervisor, was of the same rank as Liu An, but still recovering from his injuries, unable to stop the challenge.

Thus, while Yichen was in a confused state, Liu Xi ruthlessly attacked him, nearly killing him, and forced him to agree to a duel in half a month.

Everyone knew that, in his current state, Yichen was no match for Liu Xi. To protect Yichen, Yichen Changchun was even willing to give up the ownership of the porcelain clay.

"Child, why put yourself through this?" Yichen Changchun affectionately stroked Yichen’s head, sighed, and worried about his son’s situation: "However, I will find a way to send you away to avoid the Liu family’s harm."

"No! Father, I have a way to deal with Liu Xi." Seeing his father’s worried expression, Yichen felt a chill and said firmly.

"Child, you’re so badly injured, it’s a miracle you’re alive. How can I let you take such risks again? Don’t mention it again." Yichen Changchun said.

"Please, Father, let everyone leave first. I need to heal myself." Yichen smiled slightly and said with great certainty: "Tomorrow morning, I will appear with a new look."

Yichen Changchun was skeptical but, seeing no better options, left temporarily to arrange for people to set up a perimeter around the room.

Inside the room.

"Earth Technique: The earth is the mother of all things, the source of life. All growth comes from the essence of the earth, which can be transformed into spiritual energy, primordial energy, and vital energy. Earth is the central element of the five elements, entering the body through the mouth to the spleen and stomach, then reaching the muscles..."

Suddenly, some incantations were forcibly input into Yichen’s mind.

"Who are you?" The sudden change left Yichen puzzled.

"You don’t need to know who I am. If you want to live, follow my instructions." A calm voice echoed in his mind, carrying supreme authority.

Before Yichen could speak, he felt his body become unresponsive.

It was as if a powerful force was controlling and guiding him.

He immediately sat cross-legged, focused his mind, and entered a meditative state.

In the next moment, a faint yellow-green mist appeared above Yichen’s head, swirling briefly before entering his body.

Yichen shuddered as the mist entered his body, transforming into a thick, pure energy stream that surged through his veins and meridians, flowing through his limbs and organs.

Wherever it went, it felt like a warm, gentle breeze, soothing and nurturing, like a mother’s hand gently caressing a baby.

Under this strange sensation, Yichen suddenly realized that his wounds were healing, and even his broken ribs were gradually mending under the impact of the energy.

In just a short time, Yichen, who had been on the brink of death, not only recovered but even surpassed his pre-injury state.

Moreover, the incantations in his mind guided him in cultivation.

After two hours, Yichen was greatly surprised.

Since his cultivation had declined to the fifth rank of Battle Master, Yichen had been unable to gather energy and could only rely on raw combat strength.

But now, he clearly felt a gas-like substance, neither quite spiritual energy nor quite anything else, surging within him.

"Earth Essence"

Could this be the Earth Essence mentioned in the incantations? It solidified the foundation, strengthened the body, and opened the door to energy gathering...

The path of martial cultivation was divided into nine ranks: Warrior, Battle Master, Battle Supervisor, Battle General, Battle Commander, Battle King, Battle Emperor, Battle Deity, and Battle God.

Before the fifth rank of Battle Master, combat strength was the main focus; from the sixth rank of Battle Master, energy gathering began, and by the Battle General rank, primordial energy could be transformed into battle energy.

"Don’t be distracted!" A warning voice sounded in his mind.

Yichen suppressed his excitement, focused his mind, and continued to cultivate.

*Boom*

The continuous influx and impact of the energy stream made Yichen’s body swell, his dantian full, and his strength multiplied.

A familiar sensation suddenly erupted.

Yichen struck out with his palm, and a clay pot two meters in front of him exploded.

Breakthrough! Sixth rank of Battle Master.

"What’s happening? Child." Yichen Changchun, hearing the commotion, immediately burst into the room.

"Father, it’s fine. My injuries are completely healed, I can gather energy again, and I’ve broken through to the sixth rank of Battle Master." Yichen said excitedly.

"Your madness is gone?... That’s great." Compared to Yichen’s excitement, Yichen Changchun was more concerned about his madness.

The madness that had plagued the entire Yi family for two years had inexplicably healed at the brink of Yichen’s death.

Moreover, his cultivation, which had regressed for a long time, had broken through and recovered, allowing him to gather energy again.

Severely injured, with broken ribs and lost vitality, Yichen had somehow returned to normal in a short time...

Not only Yichen Changchun, but everyone present, including Yichen, found it unbelievable.

But even more unbelievable things were yet to come.

*Bang*

Liu Xi fell to the ground with a thud, a foot planted on his chest.

Yichen turned the tables, repeating the scene from half a month ago, but with the roles reversed.

"Waste of space!... Who’s the waste of space now?"

Yichen ground his foot into Liu Xi, watching the blood foam from his mouth.

This role reversal stunned everyone present.

Liu Xi, a seventh-rank Battle Master, though not as strong as the former Yichen, was still a standout among young people and had never lost in his rank.

Today, he had lost to Yichen, who was of a lower rank and had beaten him half a month ago.

"Damn it! Let go of Xi... I won’t let you fight him again, I surrender... wailing." Liu Xi interrupted Liu An, crying for help.

"Useless." Liu An, seeing this, angrily scolded.

Faced with the same failure and humiliation, Yichen had gritted his teeth and refused to give up, while Liu Xi had cowardly begged for help and refused to fight again.

Reluctantly, Liu An had to temporarily give up on the porcelain clay.

But before leaving, he left a threat: "Any descendant of the Liu family can challenge Yichen for the title of prodigy. Hmph! Just wait for the day the Yi family is destroyed..."

The title of prodigy referred to the strongest cultivator under the age of twenty-two.

Liu An’s eldest son, Liu Dong, had reached the ninth rank of Battle Master two years ago, though defeated by Yichen, had made rapid progress in the Chen family of Tianyun City and was said to be very close to the Battle Supervisor rank.

Yichen, on the other hand, had just broken through to the sixth rank of Battle Master, and the gap was obvious.

The Yi family had not eliminated the threat due to today’s victory; instead, a greater crisis was quietly approaching.

Although Yichen was intensifying his cultivation, he could not immediately match Liu Dong, and the entire Yi family remained under a great threat.

He could not lose to Liu Dong; otherwise, if the porcelain clay in the back mountain was seized, the Yi family would have no means of survival. With Yichen Changchun still injured, Liu An would seize the opportunity to destroy the Yi family.

*Boom*

Yichen was in a panic, having been exhausted by days of relentless, intense cultivation.

Combined with his incomplete understanding of the Earth Technique, Yichen suddenly felt a splitting headache and fell into a daze.

In a daze, Yichen was guided by a thread of consciousness and ran wildly.

An hour later, Yichen, aimlessly but determinedly, climbed to the top of a mountain.

Eagle Beak Cliff!

Two parallel, dozens of meters long boulders jutted out from the cliff face, resembling a giant eagle’s beak, hence the name Eagle Beak Cliff.

Outside the cliff was a sheer drop, with clouds floating and a chilling wind.

No one usually ventured to this dangerous place, fearing a misstep that would lead to certain death.

But Yichen, without hesitation, stepped off the cliff top, his body floating like a leaf.

Amid the clouds and wind, he tumbled several times before falling heavily.

*Hiss*

The intense pain temporarily cleared Yichen’s mind. He struggled to get up but found his body completely broken, with no strength left.

Although he was still alive, Yichen knew that no one would come to Eagle Beak Cliff, and his chances of survival were slim. Seeking help would be futile.

Yichen, enduring the pain, struggled to lift his head and saw a golden, pangolin-like creature shaking its head at him.

At least five meters long, with a sharp head, long tail, and four legs, its body was covered in scales, and its tail dragged on the ground.

A three-foot-long, bright red tongue, forked at the end, flicked in and out.

The creature approached Yichen, sniffing his face, and suddenly opened its large mouth.

"Ahh!"

Yichen was terrified, his mind blank, and fainted...