C8 Corrupted Spiritual Force

"This doesn't look like the strength of a First Grade Battle Soldier. Could he have advanced to the Second Grade?" Upon hearing the mature youth's remarks, another youth couldn't help but question, "Even so, he shouldn't be this powerful, right?"

"No, he hasn't leveled up yet!" the mature youth said through clenched teeth. "He's still a First Grade Battle Soldier, nothing but trash."

"How can that be?! Then how do you explain his speed and strength? Is it because of the Holy Body? That's just too extreme!" the youth exclaimed in disbelief.

"Why the panic?" the mature youth snapped. "Remember Yeh Yulin just now? His strength is that of a Third Grade Battle Soldier, at best a Fourth Grade. If we stay calm, he won't be hard to defeat."

The others present seemed to regain some composure after hearing the mature youth's words, but the youth still murmured, "But Yeh Yulin never had this kind of power before..."

"Forget it!" The mature youth shook his head, suppressing the impulse to pursue Yeh Yulin, and continued, "We need to focus on saving Yeh Haishan first. Broken bones are fixable, and even blown-out eyes can be healed. If we wait any longer, it might be too late. We can't let him die no matter what. As for Yeh Yulin, he can't escape; he has nowhere to go. We'll have plenty of time to deal with him later."

"Okay!" The youth agreed, lifting Yeh Haishan and rushing back toward the city.

Yeh Haishan's other companions quickly followed, their faces a mix of disbelief and a hint of fear.

After a moment of thought, the mature youth turned abruptly to Kong Yaer, who was slumped on the ground, and commanded coldly, "You, come here too!"

"Ah, what?" Kong Yaer looked at the mature youth in a daze, still struggling to process the recent events. The shock of it all, especially seeing Yeh Haishan's blood splattered on her, was almost enough to make her pass out right there.

"Enough talk, get over here!" The mature teenager barked, yanking Kong Yaer to her feet. He was immediately assaulted by a foul stench and felt an urge to kill her right there and then.

The woman had been so frightened she'd wet herself!

But she still had her uses, so the teenager suppressed his revulsion and took her away.

...

"Captain, what just happened?" asked a soldier in a hushed tone once the Yeh Family youths had departed.

The gate captain shot the soldier a stern look and replied icily, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't."

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers exchanged glances and hung their heads.

Seeing this, the captain raised an eyebrow and snapped, "Enough, you bunch of kids. Don't tell me you can't see it was just the young masters of the Yeh Family horsing around. This isn't our business to gossip about. The young masters have made it clear they're just playing a game. Whatever happens, we stay out of it!" His voice dripped with sarcasm by the end.

They had thought it was merely a chance for the young masters to torment Yeh Yulin, but this turn of events was beyond anyone's wildest dreams!

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers, snapping out of their daze, shared knowing smiles. One whispered, "But Young Master Yulin isn't like the rumors say. He's got such a backbone. He really ought to be in the military!"

They had all witnessed Yeh Yulin's unyielding spirit in the face of Yeh Haishan's humiliation and torment.

It was a stunning turnaround!

While the soldiers wouldn't dare speak ill of Yeh Haishan, they felt free to commend Yeh Yulin.

"Indeed. It's a shame he was betrayed by that despicable woman!" another soldier agreed.

The soldiers might not have known the full story, but they had seen their fair share of opportunistic young nobles and their vile ways. Coupled with Yeh Yulin's defiance and what they had just witnessed, they could make an educated guess.

With a heavy sigh, the captain spoke again, his tone detached, "All of this is none of our concern. Drop the subject, or we'll be the ones to pay the price."

"Yes!"

...

Yeh Yulin sprinted, unable to hide the wild joy playing at the corners of his mouth. He glanced at his hands, feeling an overwhelming urge to let out a triumphant howl to the heavens.

A transformation in quality!

Just moments ago, his Spiritual Force had undergone a profound change.

Where once an invisible flame blazed within him, it now seemed as if colorless flames enveloped his very skin.

Intent Transforming!

One of the three major realms of Spiritual Force, this marked the first stage of the Intent Transforming Stage.

He hadn't made a level breakthrough, but he had achieved a qualitative leap in his Spiritual Force.

The method by which he had just toppled Yeh Haishan was simple to explain.

Both Yeh Yulin and Yeh Haishan's Spiritual Forces could be likened to sticks.

But Yeh Yulin, with his Holy Body, was akin to dense wood, while Yeh Haishan was mere ordinary timber.

After the transformation, Yeh Yulin's Spiritual Force had turned to iron. Attacking a wooden stick with an iron sword would inevitably sever it.

It was fortunate that Yeh Yulin's rage had been vented in his relentless assault, sparing Yeh Haishan. Otherwise, his sheer power could have shattered Yeh Haishan's skull.

The Intent Transforming Stage signifies a mutation of Spiritual Force to its purest form, capable of evolving one's physique. Yeh Yulin had never imagined he'd reach this tier.

Though he didn't grasp how he'd ascended to this level, it was undoubtedly a positive development.

At this moment, Yeh Yulin was unaware of the mysterious horn that had appeared within him, a new addition to his being.

However, the smile on Yeh Yulin's face was short-lived.

He was acutely aware that regardless of his potent Spiritual Force, without a corresponding rise in level, it all amounted to nothing.

This victory was due to the element of surprise. Had Yeh Haishan been prepared, even with Yeh Yulin's ascent to the Intent Transforming Stage and a manifold increase in strength, victory would not be guaranteed.

"Tomorrow is my 16th birthday!"

Yeh Yulin murmured this seemingly trivial fact, yet his eyes betrayed an unyielding resolve.

"In the end, it's a gamble with my life."

...

The incident between Yeh Yulin and Yeh Haishan could be seen as a minor squabble among children or, at a larger scale, a clash between the main and collateral branches of the family. The matter was swiftly documented and delivered to the elder responsible for such affairs.

The elder glanced over the report with impatience, and at the sight of 'Yeh Yulin', his interest waned entirely. Annoyed, he remarked, "That troublemaker Yeh Yulin again! He's always stirring up problems!"

His subordinate cautiously inquired, "Elder, how should we handle this? The collateral members have insulted the main family, and there's been bloodshed..."

Within the Yeh Family, the social order was rigid. Normally, an offense from a collateral member against a direct descendant would warrant severe punishment, if not death. Yet, this rule seemed not to apply to Yeh Yulin, for the prestige of the main family stemmed from their formidable spiritual force, which Yeh Yulin lacked.

"Is Yeh Yulin dead?" the elder asked with a hint of irritation.

"No, but..."

With a dismissive snort, the elder tossed the report into the nearby wastebasket. "An eyesore. It would be a relief if he were dead; it would save me the trouble!"

The subordinate understood the unspoken directive: to ignore the matter.

Yet...

He hesitated, wanting to point out that it was Yeh Haishan who had been severely injured, not Yeh Yulin, which was a departure from the usual narrative.

But before he could voice his concerns, the elder cut in.

"From now on, don't bother me with reports about Yeh Yulin unless he's dead," the elder said, clearly exasperated. "Receiving these reports daily, one would think I have nothing better to do."

Feeling the chill in the elder's tone, the subordinate bowed his head and replied, "Understood."

With another cold huff, the elder turned his attention back to the bird he was playing with, noticing for the first time that its feathers had grown more lustrous over the years.