C1 Ten Days' Time!(1)

On the bustling streets of Lo City, a pale youth moved swiftly through the throng of people.

His gaze was piercing and his demeanor composed. Despite his frail appearance, he navigated the crowd with ease, his steps light and quick.

"Have you heard? Ye Qian, the Ye family's young lady, has awakened her second Heavenly Soul and is now officially a Twin Heavenly Soul Cultivator!"

"Yeah, I heard. Last night's commotion was so intense it even altered the sky. Who in Lo City hasn't heard by now?"

A few passersby's voices floated by.

Ye Qian? The renowned prodigy of Lo City?

The youth's pace slowed slightly.

The passersby seemed to recognize him and murmured, "Isn't that Bai Yeh from the Bai family?"

"He's eighteen and still hasn't awakened his Soul Mansion... Tsk, tsk, tsk. He's the same age as Ye Qian of the Ye family. The two are worlds apart!"

"Bai Chen was supposed to be the next head of the Bai family, but his status has taken a nosedive because of this good-for-nothing. He won't even get a shot at the patriarch's seat now!"

"It's true, a mother's status is tied to her offspring. The accomplishments of the next generation greatly affect one's own standing."

The passerby continued to gossip. Bai Yeh shook his head, ignoring the comments, and quickened his stride toward the Bai Mansion.

He had heard such remarks countless times and had grown accustomed to them over the years. In a prominent family like the Bai's of Lo City, failing to awaken a Heavenly Soul was a source of great shame.

"Out of the way! Peasants! Block my master's path, and you'll regret it!"

Angry shouts came from up ahead as several burly guards roughly shoved people aside, using their soul power and eliciting cries of distress from the crowd.

Caught off guard, Bai Yeh stumbled, scattering his herbs across the ground. As he reached down to gather them, a guard either carelessly or deliberately crushed them underfoot.

Annoyed, Bai Yeh confronted the guard.

"Who do you think you are, you wild boy? Looking for trouble?" the guard barked menacingly.

"You've broken my things. Aren't you going to explain yourself?" Bai Yeh demanded.

The guard loomed large with bulging muscles; standing before him, Bai Yeh was so overshadowed that even the light couldn't reach him.

"An explanation? Alright, you'll get one!" The guard retorted, unapologetically swinging his fist at Bai Yeh.

The fist, nearly as large as Bai Yeh's head, promised dire consequences if it connected.

Yet, Bai Yeh stood his ground, anger flaring. Was this soul cultivator's arrogance simply because of his power?

With a steely gaze, Bai Yeh sidestepped the oncoming blow and swiftly kicked at the guard's ankle.

His movements were precise, devoid of any superfluity.

Thump!

The guard's balance was lost, and he crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, several teeth scattering.

Silence enveloped the onlookers.

It took a moment for someone to regain their composure.

"Damn, the kid just took down a second-level Strength Soul Stage fighter?"

Scrambling up, the guard spat blood and, with eyes aflame, lunged at Bai Yeh. "I'm going to rip you to shreds!"

The crowd, taken aback by the guard's frenzy, hastily backed away.

"Kid! Run! You don't stand a chance against him!"

A voice cried out in urgency.

But Bai Yeh remained composed, not only holding his ground but also readying himself for the fight.

Was he really challenging a soul cultivator? That was practically a death wish.

The frenzied guard plowed through the crowd, his punch tearing through the air, the force of it buffeting Bai Yeh's face.

The strike was ferocious, capable of rending steel and shattering iron!

But as the punch neared, Bai Yeh, unflinching, deftly shifted his stance. With an almost serene motion, he evaded the formidable blow.

It hit nothing but air.

"Argh!" The guard's veins popped in frustration. Punch after punch, he failed to land a single hit.

"Now it's my turn!"

With a glint in his eye, Bai Yeh seized the moment. His arm shot up, his modest fist hammering into the guard's chest.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of rapid punches, swift as lightning, executed in one fluid sequence!

The guard's body suddenly seized up, and then his massive frame crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud.

His fist seemed frail, yet the power behind it was frighteningly vigorous.

Onlookers' eyes popped out in shock.

Was this Bai Yeh from the Bai Mansion?

"What's the meaning of this? Who dares to block my way?" a voice boomed.

At that moment, a wealthy man astride a towering steed emerged from the crowd.

Bai Yeh took him in: dressed in opulent attire, with a plump face and large ears, his corpulent figure loomed, and his beady eyes fixed intently on Bai Yeh.

The rich man's brow furrowed. "And what might you be? How dare you cause a scene before me?"

"And what might you be? To be so brazen in Lo City?" Bai Yeh shot back.

"Kid, do you have any idea who I am?" The rich man chuckled, a hint of cruelty playing across his smile. "I'm a guest of the Ye family here in Lo City. To offend me is to offend the Ye family, and to offend the Ye family is to offend all of Lo City, understand?"

The Ye family? They've become this audacious?

Bai Yeh inwardly scoffed, though he feigned an exaggerated tone, his voice rising, "Oh, so you're the Ye family's lapdog? How fascinating! The Ye family's lapdog struts around Lo City in broad daylight as if he owns the place? Lo City doesn't bear the Ye name yet. But if it ever does, then what?"

Hearing this, the crowd began to murmur and point, especially those who had suffered at the hands of the rich man's guards. They muttered curses under their breath. In no time at all, the rich man found himself the object of everyone's scorn.

The rich man's complexion soured as he swept an angry gaze over the bystanders and barked at the whisperers, "Silence! This doesn't concern you. Get out of here, all of you!"

Bai Yeh's eyes darted about, and he discreetly picked up a stone, hurling it with concealed force at the rich man's horse. The animal let out a distressed neigh and began to buck wildly. The rich man lost his balance and tumbled off, landing on the ground with a pained yelp.

The crowd erupted into laughter.

"Sir," the guards rushed to his aid.

Struggling to his feet, the rich man shot a venomous glare at Bai Yeh and bellowed, "Take him down! I want him taken down!"

"Yes!" The guards charged forward without hesitation.

Bai Yeh's spirit surged at the sight, and he began to retreat rapidly. The three guards encircled him, launching a barrage of punches. Despite their relentless assault, Bai Yeh's agility allowed him to dodge with ease, reminiscent of a nimble rabbit.

"These three have the prowess of a second-tier Soul Realm, mere brutes with no finesse in their moves! But I can't overlook their soul power—I need to wrap this up swiftly!"

With resolve etched on his face, Bai Yeh ceased his retreat. He pivoted on his feet, zeroing in on the lead guard, and delivered a crushing punch.

Bang!

His fist might have been small, but the power behind it was terrifyingly potent, sending the guard to the ground, unconscious.

Excellent!

Bai Yeh exhaled a silent breath of relief.

The other guards were visibly startled.

Now's my chance!

He gathered his strength and, seizing the moment, lunged forward, his fist striking with the ferocity of a tiger on the hunt.

Bang! Bang!

Two more punches, two more guards down.

His onslaught was devastatingly sharp—each punch timed and executed with impeccable precision, leaving onlookers in awe.

Just like that, several second-tier Soul Realm adversaries were dispatched by a man devoid of a soul...

Bai Yeh dusted off his hands and turned to approach the wealthy man.

"What are you planning to do?" The rich man, having snapped out of his stupor, was shaking uncontrollably. He realized he was up against someone formidable; this man lacked soul power, yet his technique and strength were extraordinary.

"I'm warning you—I am a guest of the Ye family, invited here on their behalf. Lay a hand on me, and the Ye family will not let it slide."

Bai Yeh paid him no mind and lifted his hand.

Pah!