Chapter 16 – The White Tiger’s Assault (1/2)
Chapter 16 – The White Tiger’s Assault
“Pa, what should we do next?” Ye Hai frowned and asked.
“The foundations of our family’s establishments took a few hundred years to build. If we are to collapse now, we’ll have to move out of the manor and spread out all across the city… Our enemies will take this chance attack us!” Ye Zheng Qing let out a long deep sigh and looked up into the sky and thought: ‘This is an enormous world. Is there somewhere our Ye family can just live in peace?’
“The land in North Hill Bay belongs to the Ye Family. Our ancestors were buried there. I will never give up our ancestral land. No matter what happens, I will defend it with my life!”
Ye Wei was still standing behind the wall while they were talking, eavesdropping, and the conversation got heavier and heavier. He felt insecure because the thought of his family losing its integrity was frightening, but the thought of losing the only place he could ever call home was unsettling.
“There are not a lot of options left… We shall agree to the duel posed by the Du family!” Ye Zheng Qing took a gold plated letter of challenge from his pocket: “A messenger from the Du family delivered this letter of challenge. The event shall be in three days, where the younger generation of our families shall fight against each other! If we win the duel, the Du family has promised that they will stop interfering with our family’s businesses, but if we lose, we will have to sell our ancestral land to them!”
“That is out of the question!” Ye Hai said anxiously. “The strongest youngster we have is a four star Warrior, but the Du family’s youngsters have already become five Star Warriors. The strongest of them, Du Yue Han, is even a six star Warrior!”
“We cannot have Ye Zhong take this impossible task!” Ye Han frowned. He knew that the Ye family had little chance at winning and there was no way that they could risk the loss of their most talented youngster.
“I will train privately with Ye Zhong until the duel. Either way, one of our youngsters has to take on this challenge. Even if we lose, we can say at the least that we’ve tried our best. There is no other way out of this dilemma!” The head of the family made this tough decision, as the family was completely cornered by this crisis.
Ye Hai and Ye Han felt helpless and dejected. Their Ye family might fall very and they could do nothing to stop it.
“Let’s put that aside for now. We also have to plan for the worst outcome: If we lose the duel, our old foes will be at the doorstep the moment they hear the news of our loss. We must send the young ones to Ning City, where they should be safe with the Yang family.” Ye Zheng Qing felt crushed. Having to split the family up was his worst nightmare.
“Father…” Ye Han clenched his fist as he saw his father’s face.
Ye Hai was speechless. After some consideration, he broke his silence: “This will be the right move if we lose the duel. I’m not worried about most of the kids, but my young nephew Ye Wei… He’s not a talented child. The other children will survive and find their own way even if they’re under a different roof. They’re strong enough to work simple jobs, like being a guard, and eventually have their own small families. With Ye Wei, it won’t be that easy. He has a red Sentient, and I’m quite sure he will be excluded regardless of our good relationship with the Yangs. He is protected by the Ye family, and we provide for him so he can live a carefree life and not worry about food and clothes… It won’t be this simple if he has to live under another roof!”
Having heard his big uncle’s confession, Ye Wei was breathless. Two lines of tears fell from his red eyes.
Ye Wei always thought that his big uncle was the worst-tempered and the meanest of his uncles — the uncle who disliked him the most. He never thought Uncle Ye Hai cared about him and his future that much!
Ye Wei’s heart was suddenly filled with guilt. He had always misunderstood his uncle who had always been strict with him for the noblest intention!
‘I was a child who didn’t care about anything outside my little bubble, but in difficult times like this… As grandpa said, it’s about time the young ones take on some responsibility. I will defend the Ye family to my final breath! I have to do my part in keeping our loved ones close together. I won’t sit back and watch us get separated! I swear I won’t let this happen!” With the back of his hand, he wiped the tears away and firmly walked away. Slowly, Ye Wei’s figure disappeared into the dark of the night.
Soon after that talk, Ye Zheng Qing announced the duel with the Du family in front of the family at the banquet.
Upon hearing the news, the majority of the family members’ faces became pale with fear for the family’s future. Although Ye Zhong, the strongest of the younger generation in the Ye family, was fairly famous in Green Moon City, his opponent would be a six Star Warrior. Fame would not even out the two star level difference in power!
“Our Ye family has no other choice…” Grandpa looked at the disapproving faces of the family members and sighed. He looked as if he were ten years older for a brief moment.
“This is outrageous!” Aunt Jing Jing violently smashed the table and stood up. She shouted: “I will take on the Du family myself!” For a moment, she looked like a rampaging demon who would kill without hesitation… Her pretty face was bright red, but it was unclear whether it was from rage or alcohol.
“Father, is there no other way? Can’t we discuss this matter with master Yi? I don’t see Ye Zhong winning this duel, and the land at North Hill Bay is at stake. Our ancestors’ remains were buried there for crying out loud!” Ye Wei’s dad, Ye Wi, stood up and seeked to stop this madness.
The most respected Runemaster in Green Moon City, Master Yi, actually had connections with the Ye family. If he were to be the peacemaker, even the Du family would have to stand down!
“Master Yi…” Grandpa shook his head with a bitter smile on his face: “Master Yi’s prestigious status comes with tight schedules and security concerns. It’s not so easy to arrange a meeting with him, even as the head of one of the Big Three. This matter is too urgent. Do you really think I could convince Master Yi to help us in a couple days?”
“Gramps. When is the Du Family coming over?” Ye Zhong had held his tongue until now. He now spoke each word loud and clear in a declaratory manner.
“For the ancestral land, I would give my life before giving up! I am the strongest in the younger generation and we need a strong leader in this moment of crisis!” Ye Zhong cracked his knuckles as he said these words.
“In three days!” Grandpa replied. He could see the recklessness in Ye Zhong’s posture, so he added:” Little Zhong, just do your best. There will always be a winner and a loser, and nobody in this hall will blame you. What you must not do is let your emotions control you. You are the one with the most potential in our family. I can picture you taking over for me one day and becoming the master of this family!” Ye Zheng Qing was clearly worried about Ye Zhong’s hot-headedness