C10 Fighting Fourvein Yuan Shi

"Hahaha! Yuan Xiu, you've got it all wrong. Competition among the juniors is essential. It's the only way to ensure that we come out on top in the intense rivalry within the Yuan family in the future."

No sooner had the Village Chief finished his statement than a wave of laughter erupted from an approaching carriage.

The sound of the carriage racing reached everyone's ears in the camp.

"And who might this be? Yuan Zheng, what brings you, you old coot, to these parts?" The Village Chief's face subtly shifted.

"Hahaha! I'll be alive and kicking even when you're long gone."

Four carriages approached head-on.

A tall elder sat in the lead carriage, his face beaming with the joy of reunion, betraying none of the aggressiveness in his words.

As the carriage rolled into the camp, he leaped down and embraced the Village Chief with a hearty laugh.

The Village Chief's face showed reluctance, but his smile gave away his true feelings.

"Come on out, everyone! Take a good look at your peers from Yuan Village. Don't let them get the better of you later."

Before he could finish, a dozen children hopped down from the carriages.

The eldest among these kids was about twelve or thirteen, each wearing an air of arrogance.

The children of Yuan Village, silently observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel the urge to knock some humility into their visitors.

Yuan Zheng was visibly pleased with himself, clearly proud of his children's haughty demeanor.

He turned to the Village Chief with a challenging gaze and asked, "Well, what do you think? The ones I've raised aren't too shabby, huh?"

The Village Chief didn't argue. His gaze fixed on the children's proud faces, he remarked, "Indeed, these city kids of yours are a lot stronger than the last bunch."

Yuan Zheng's face momentarily contorted.

Quickly shifting his gaze to the children standing behind the Village Chief, his smile swiftly returned, and he swelled with pride once more.

"Yuan Village truly breeds talent. Just look, there's only one with two meridians open, slightly better than those from Essence Wood Village last time. Hahaha, looks like Yuan Village will be at the bottom of the rankings this year!"

The Village Chief responded calmly, "What does it matter how strong he is now? Remember Yuan Yi, whom our generation underestimated? Look at his accomplishments now. Within the entire Yuan family, who can compare?"

Yuan Zheng didn't counter the village chief's remarks but remained steadfast: "Yuan Yi is merely an outlier."

"You're not seriously considering finding another oddity like him, are you?"

"Can anyone really be sure about these things?"

The village chief chuckled with a hint of mystery, glancing at the children in his village. "The weather is splendid today. There's no rush; we can depart after we've eaten."

Yuan Zheng scowled, suspecting the old man was up to something.

After scrutinizing the children of Yuan Village and seeing no signs of genius among them, he grumbled under his breath.

"It's just my imagination. Yuan Xiu is up to his old tricks, being deliberately enigmatic."

Suddenly, Yuan Zheng bellowed at the overly proud kids.

"What are you loafing around for? Get over here!"

At his command, the previously smug children's expressions turned sheepish, and they obediently gathered in the camp.

Yuan Zheng, grinning, sat down next to the village chief, seized some freshly roasted game, and hungrily dug in.

His eyes swept over the children from Yuan Village, eventually resting on Yuan Ling, and he couldn't stop chuckling.

"Well, well, well! Little brother, it seems anyone can join your Yuan Village's rites, even those without a single open meridian. Looks like you've got last place in the bag this time."

At Yuan Zheng's jibe, the Essence Wood Village children sneered at Yuan Ling.

The least skilled among them had opened one meridian, while the strongest had opened four. Despite appearing only twelve or thirteen, they stood out from the crowd.

Yuan Xie, as the leader among his peers in Essence Wood Village, wore his pride openly, looking down on Yuan Ling and the others with a dismissive shake of his head and a sigh.

"No one with even three meridians open? Is this the Yuan Village the chief boasted about?"

Yuan Zheng's laughter deepened, his face creasing like a fully blossomed chrysanthemum.

At that moment, a slow-burning sense of superiority spread across the faces of the other Essence Wood Village children.

The kids from Yuan Village were left seething with frustration.

"Hahaha! I've finally made the breakthrough!"

Out of nowhere, an excited shout erupted from a carriage. Yuan Shi leapt from the vehicle, landing in the space where two villages met, exclaiming with joy.

"Village Chief! I've successfully opened my fourth meridian! Hahaha!"

The Village Chief's face lit up with a smile as he glanced at Yuan Zheng. No words were spoken, yet the sarcasm in his gaze was piercingly obvious.

"What a devious old man, hiding his skills so well!" Yuan Zheng grumbled under his breath.

He turned his attention to Yuan Shi and Yuan Xie, pondering whether to arrange a sparring match between the top contenders of the two villages.

In that instant, Yuan Kong burst forth, his voice laced with malice.

"Yuan Shi, go and give Yuan Ling a thrashing! He dared to hit me earlier; I demand retribution!"

At Yuan Kong's outcry, the previously elated Yuan Shi's expression soured. He fixed a cold, mocking stare on Yuan Ling.

"Yuan Ling, you had the audacity to strike Young Master Yuan Kong. Today, I'm going to teach you a harsh lesson."

With that, Yuan Shi quickly turned to the Village Chief. "Village Chief, I wish to challenge Yuan Ling. Please grant me permission."

The Village Chief's brow furrowed at the request. It was clear he would not consent to a duel between someone who had opened four meridians and Yuan Ling, who had yet to open any. But before he could voice his objection, Yuan Ling beat him to it.

"I accept your challenge!"

Yuan Ling's voice was calm and detached, as though a formidable opponent was indulging a lesser one.

Yuan Shi's expression darkened further. Despite his youth, Yuan Ling's haughty tone did not escape him. The challenge was merely a pretext, yet the boy took it seriously, believing he was worthy of facing him—as if he were the real weakling.

Seething with anger, Yuan Shi silently vowed that if the Village Chief consented, he would cripple Yuan Ling without mercy.

The Village Chief was taken aback but intrigued by Yuan Ling's indifferent demeanor. He had never questioned Yuan Ling's aptitude. He was aware that in swordsmanship, the boy had already attained the realm of Human Sword Unification. For a ten-year-old, this was nothing short of extraordinary.

As a Sword Body and a member of the Sword Blood Clan, Yuan Ling faced a challenge a hundredfold greater than others when it came to opening the meridians within his body. His cultivation speed naturally lagged behind his peers, which was to be expected.

The Village Chief intended to use the power of the baptism to open Yuan Ling's first meridian, thereby easing his future cultivation efforts.

After a moment's hesitation, the Village Chief was unaware of Yuan Ling's thoughts as he simply offered a smile and said, "Village Chief, please approve Yuan Shi's challenge. I'm ready for it."

Observing Yuan Ling's demeanor, the Village Chief finally gave a nod of approval.

"If you're willing to accept his challenge, then go ahead. Just remember, you're both from our village, so try to avoid causing any harm."

For some reason, Yuan Ling's calm expression reminded the Village Chief of his older brother, Yuan Yi. That same look from Yuan Yi always signaled that someone was about to be bested.

Yuan Ling, oblivious to the Village Chief's reflections, simply nodded, "Rest assured, Village Chief. I've got this under control."

Yuan Shi, overhearing the exchange, seethed with anger. He could tolerate being underestimated by the Village Chief, but Yuan Ling was another story. What gave him the right to look down on him?

In a silent rage, Yuan Shi vowed to make Yuan Ling regret his confidence. This was no longer about defending Yuan Kong's honor; it was about his own pride and the need to put Yuan Ling in his place.

The Village Chief then rose to his feet and announced, "Alright, let's clear the area and give them space for the contest."

The children of Yuan Village buzzed with anticipation, having recently witnessed Yuan Kong being kicked into the air. They were eager for what promised to be an even more thrilling fight.

Yuan Zheng watched the unfolding events with a skeptical eye. It was well-known that Yuan Shi's challenge to a person who hadn't unlocked a single meridian was nothing short of mockery. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Yuan Xiu had consented to the match. Not only that, he had advised caution to prevent injury, which made Yuan Zheng question his sanity.

Yuan Kong's face twisted with malice as he remembered the humiliating moment when Yuan Ling had sent him flying with a kick. His rage was uncontrollable.

He glared at Yuan Shi and commanded, each word dripping with venom, "Break his arms and legs!"

Yuan Shi slapped his chest and sneered wickedly, "Rest assured, he'll pay a price beyond his wildest dreams."

Yuan Kong chuckled darkly, "Just break his limbs, and I assure you, your future in Yuan Town will be nothing but success."

Eyes gleaming, Yuan Shi strode to the center of the arena and pointed at Yuan Ling with haughty pride. "Step up and watch as I break your limbs."

Yuan Ling, seemingly oblivious to Yuan Shi's challenge, casually made his way into the arena.

The two faced off.

Only after the village chief signaled the start did Yuan Ling tap the wooden sword at his waist and speak calmly, "You make the first move. I will defeat you with my sword."

Yuan Shi, who had aimed to provoke Yuan Ling, was now the one seething with anger. Yuan Ling's words seemed as preposterous as a toad puffing itself up.

Taking a deep breath to contain his fury, Yuan Shi held back. Having opened four meridians, he would lose all dignity if he struck first against someone who hadn't opened a single one.

Feigning nonchalance, Yuan Shi retorted, "You go first. I'm not without honor."

"Well, if you insist, I shall oblige," Yuan Ling replied, no longer holding back. He nodded slightly, assuming the stance of a true master in the open field.

Yuan Ling's commanding presence and the look of a sage on his face left Yuan Shi gasping for air, trapped between the urge to advance or retreat, itching to knock Yuan Ling down with a single punch.

Yuan Shi stepped onto the field, his anger palpable. But before he could utter a word, Yuan Ling's casual voice floated over, "Are you ready? I'm about to draw my sword."

Yuan Ling's warning hung in the air, yet he remained motionless, not even attempting to unsheathe his sword, as if to say he could defeat Yuan Shi with a single stroke.

Yuan Shi was growing impatient.

"Enough with the nonsense, draw your sword already."

Yuan Ling nodded and slowly drew the wooden sword from his waist.

He stood his ground, stretching and warming up as if he hadn't noticed Yuan Shi next to him. Only when Yuan Shi's impatience was palpable did Yuan Ling begin his opening stance.

Yuan Shi was fuming, his nose almost askew with anger.

"Let's go, I can't wait any longer."

Yuan Ling unsheathed his sword with a flourish, executing the Swift Thunder Step as his wooden sword cleaved through the air.

He employed the Foundation Building Sword Arts, a staple of the Yuan family, which demanded that the sword force strike from above with the momentum of a boulder tumbling down a slope, bursting with explosive energy.

But Yuan Ling's swordplay was of a different caliber.

His strike generated a howling wind, as if it had the power to cleave a mountain, turning the sky and earth upside down.

Yuan Ling's sword moved with incredible speed, its presence seeming to cleave through anything in its path.

"What a sword!"

Yuan Zheng, observing the duel, was instantly impressed.

"To think a ten-year-old could wield a sword with such mastery!"

He then sighed inwardly with a hint of regret.

If only the boy could unlock even one meridian, his sword's might would surely reach new heights.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shi's face twisted into a ferocious grin, unflinching in the face of the incoming strike.

His fists clenched, he launched himself forward, hammering a punch directly at Yuan Ling.

A warrior who reached the Four-vein stage entered a level where tempering bones and muscles was key.

A fist capable of crushing stone was hardly surprising, and his fists were as deadly as any weapon.