Chapter 18 - Go or No Go? (1/2)

“Come now, Chen, out with it. What was it that you were making?”

“I’m still researching it but when I finally get it right, I promise I’ll report to Father and all seniors!” Ye Chen replied.

Ye Chen used to read a few wuxia novels in his past life. It was those books that introduced him — and he was quickly taken in — by a certain type of tiny-but-mighty explosives called the Explosion Seeds. The difference between the ones in the wuxia novels and his own was that the former was made out of run-of-the-mill gunpowder, while his mix involved an additional material. It was this ingredient that was responsible for the extra puissance.

Seeing that his first experimental Explosion Seeds had already achieved a result akin to a Ninth Stage fighter’s full-force impact, the young man was very excited about the prospects of it.

Ye Changxuan and the others had nothing much to say since Ye Chen was deliberately playing coy. However, seeing that two-zhang-wide crater still left an unforgettable impression on them.

“Chen, you should focus on your training, alright? Don’t spend your time being idle!” Ye Zhantian chided with a stern expression.

“Understood!” Ye Chen quickly answered.

With that, the seniors left his quarters.

Outside of the Patriarch Residency, a murmuring crowd had already gathered, their primary interest was the sudden force of impact.

“Uncle, what happened?” The juniors chorused. A few Elders were staring at Ye Zhantian as they waited for an answer as well.

“It was nothing. The Former Chief and I had a spar.” Ye Zhantian waved dismissively.

Convinced by its plausibility, the crowd dispersed gradually.

“So it was a fight between the Former Chief and our Chief, huh? That would have explained why it created such powerful tremors!”

“I wonder who’s more powerful—the Former Chief or the Chief?”

“That’s easy. It must be the Former Chief! He’s been a Ninth Stage master for so long!”

“Oh, I don’t think so. The Chief still packs a lot of punches, while the Former Chief’s already quite, you know, elderly…”

In a distance, almost nondescript among the crowd, stood Ye Moyang. He shot a scowl at the Patriarch Residency, his expression dour. Ever since Ye Zhantian had attained the Ninth Stage, he had instantly garnered so much influence and veneration that everything he said had become indisputable. Even his old friends among the Elders had been ignoring Ye Moyang ever since the latter was disgraced, just so they could remain in Ye Zhantian’s good books.

To describe it simply, Ye Moyang had become an interloper within the House of Ye.

‘Ye Zhantian… You’ve forced my hand,’ Ye Moyang thought darkly. Lately, there have been a few extra pairs of eyes watching the former Elder’s every move, and he knew the reasons for it. What infuriated him even more, was that Ye Zhantian apparently acted as if all it took to make sure Ye Moyang was not up to anything was this meager sum of people!

A week or so had passed and the House of Ye was living in relative peace.

Inside the Patriarch Residency, Ye Zhantian was explaining his own insights of the Thunder Emperor Technique to his son when there was a commotion outside of his door.

“Report for the Patriarch! Urgent report!”

Ye Zhantian’s eyebrows furrowed. There had not been any major incidents as of late, so he was not sure what urgent matter could have been left unnoticed. “Let him in.”

A clansman burst into the hall and promptly presented two letters to the Chief.

Ye Zhantian picked the one where two huge letters in red were printed on its surface and opened it. As he read, his eyebrows furrowed completely into the middle.

“Father, what is it?” Watching his father’s expression, Ye Chen felt a sense of dread rising in his chest.