C5 Ye Han's Challenge!

"Young Master, you don't think Ye Gao will get Ye Han to retaliate against you, do you?" Ye Xiaoxia voiced her concern to Ye Xiaoyun after Ye Gao had departed.

"Don't worry about it. Ye Han wouldn't dare lay a finger on me," Ye Xiaoyun reassured her, giving her back a comforting pat.

"I'm to blame for bringing trouble your way, Young Master. With your shoulder still injured, what will we do if Ye Han comes looking for a fight?" The more Ye Xiaoxia dwelled on it, the more remorseful she became.

"Relax, I've already told you, everything's okay. Besides, my injury has healed," Ye Xiaoyun assured her.

"Healed? That quickly? I can't believe it," Ye Xiaoxia said, skepticism clear in her voice.

"It's the truth. I have no reason to lie," Ye Xiaoyun responded, giving his right shoulder a reassuring pat.

"Wow, martial artists are truly incredible. To think such a severe injury could heal overnight," Ye Xiaoxia exclaimed, her face alight with admiration.

"Hehe, come on, let's go have breakfast," Ye Xiaoyun said with a fond chuckle, affectionately ruffling Ye Xiaoxia's hair.

"Sure, I'll go get another serving ready," Ye Xiaoxia replied cheerfully.

Meanwhile, Ye Gao had made his way back to Ye Han's place.

"Young Master! Young Master!" Ye Gao called out.

"What's all this racket about?" Ye Han emerged from his room, clearly annoyed.

"Young Master, it's Ye Xiaoyun! Ye Xiaoyun!" Ye Gao blurted out, stumbling over his words.

"What about Ye Xiaoyun? Calm down and explain," Ye Han urged, his curiosity piqued.

"Ye Xiaoyun, he—he can practice martial arts now!" Ye Gao managed to say.

"What? He's practicing martial arts?" Ye Han echoed in disbelief.

"Yes, it's the absolute truth!" Ye Gao recounted the recent events to Ye Han.

"How could this be? You mean to say you couldn't best Ye Xiaoyun?" Ye Han was taken aback by Ye Gao's admission.

"How can this be? Even if Ye Xiaoyun has started practicing martial arts, he should only be at the first tier of martial cultivation. How could he possibly defeat you, a fifth-tier martial cultivator?" Ye Han mused aloud, unable to accept that Ye Gao was outmatched by Ye Xiaoyun.

"I'm baffled too. How on earth did Ye Xiaoyun get so strong all of a sudden? Was he faking his weakness before?" Ye Gao remarked.

"Faking? But why would he do that? Could he have an ulterior motive?" Ye Han pondered.

"Maybe he took some high-grade spirit medicine?"

"That's not out of the question," Ye Han mused, stroking his chin.

"Master, you must seek vengeance for me!" Ye Gao implored Ye Han.

"Don't fret. He may have bested you, but that doesn't mean he can take me down! No matter how quick his progress, it's impossible for him to jump to Martial Cultivator Rank Seven overnight. Come on! Let's confront him!" Ye Han declared.

They made a beeline for Ye Xiaoyun's dwelling.

Meanwhile, Ye Xiaoyun and Ye Xiaoxia were enjoying breakfast, their conversation filled with laughter.

"Xiaoxia, have some of this," Ye Xiaoyun suggested, gesturing to the food on the table.

"No more for me. I'll end up gaining weight," Ye Xiaoxia demurred, waving her hand.

"You're too skinny as it is. What's wrong with filling out a bit?" Ye Xiaoyun countered.

"I'd rather not. You go ahead," Ye Xiaoxia insisted, shaking her head.

"You're such a character," Ye Xiaoyun chuckled.

"Ye Xiaoyun! Come out here!" The moment was interrupted by two voices from outside.

"It's Ye Han and his crew," Ye Xiaoyun noted, his brow furrowing.

"They're definitely here about this morning's incident," Ye Xiaoxia observed.

"Let's step out and see what they're after," Ye Xiaoyun said, leading Ye Xiaoxia out the door.

"I half-expected you to cower inside, too scared to show your face. But here you are, bold enough to answer the door," Ye Han taunted loudly, his face twisted in scorn.

"What's there to fear? What do you want?" Ye Xiaoyun inquired.

"What do I want? You're telling me you don't know?" Ye Han retorted.

"If there's nothing specific, I'll head back inside," Ye Xiaoyun replied, turning to leave.

"Hold it! Stop playing dumb. You injured Ye Gao this morning and now you're acting like it never happened?" Ye Han called out, halting Ye Xiaoyun's departure.

"Oh, so it's like that, huh? Ye Gao, as a servant, spoke out of turn to me. Am I not allowed to put him in his place?" Ye Xiaoyun's words left Ye Han feeling uneasy, momentarily at a loss for words.

Ye Xiaoyun had a point. It was indeed improper for a servant to show disrespect to his young master.

"I don't care! He's my man, not yours! If anyone's going to rein him in, it's me, not you!" Ye Han retorted, unabashedly playing the rogue.

"Oh, really? So it's a case of 'mind the owner before you strike the dog,' right? Isn't that so, Ye Gao?" Ye Xiaoyun asked with a smirk, addressing both Ye Gao and Ye Han.

"You! You!" Ye Gao's face twisted with anger.

"What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?" Ye Xiaoyun couldn't hide his glee at Ye Gao's grimace.

"Quite the sharp tongue. I'm here to set you straight on behalf of Ye Gao!" Ye Han declared.

"Oh? You're challenging me to a duel?" Ye Xiaoyun inquired.

"Do you have the guts?" Ye Han prodded.

"What's there to fear?" Ye Xiaoyun shot back.

"Then bring it on. Show me what you've got," Ye Han taunted.

Ye Xiaoyun channeled his internal Qi, and in an instant, a fierce wind swirled around him as the power of a Rank Five Fighter erupted.

"This! How is this even possible? In less than a day, he's achieved the cultivation of a Rank Five Fighter." Ye Han was astounded by the force of Ye Xiaoyun's unleashed Qi.

"Scared, are you?" Ye Xiaoyun teased with a grin.

"Scared? Hahaha! What does it matter if you're a Rank Five Fighter?" Ye Han laughed off the challenge. Though Ye Xiaoyun's rapid advancement was startling, he was still only a Rank Five Fighter, while he himself boasted a Rank Seven cultivation! How could he possibly lose?

Ye Han also released his aura, displaying the formidable presence of a Martial Cultivator Rank Seven.

"Come on, make your move," Ye Han beckoned to Ye Xiaoyun with a flick of his finger.

"Hmph!" Ye Xiaoyun grunted, his right fist clenched, as he launched a punch straight at Ye Han's chest.

Ye Han countered with a punch of his own, thinking that a clash between a Rank Five and a Rank Seven Martial Cultivator would be akin to a futile attempt to shatter a rock with an egg.

With a resounding crash, their fists met in mid-air, yet contrary to Ye Han's expectations, Ye Xiaoyun emerged unscathed.

Impossible! How could Ye Xiaoyun's strength match mine? Inconceivable! Ye Han was stunned once more; he hadn't anticipated that Ye Xiaoyun could hold his own against a Rank Seven Martial Cultivator.

A smirk played on Ye Xiaoyun's lips. He hadn't expected to be evenly matched with a Rank Seven fighter. The bloodline of the Nine-clawed Silver Holy Dragon was proving to be exceptionally formidable. Though unfamiliar with its true nature, he knew it was working to his advantage.

Once again, they each unleashed a punch, only to be knocked back several steps, steadying themselves.

Ye Han, being a Rank Seven Martial Cultivator, had the edge in experience. Ye Xiaoyun could keep pace, but he couldn't dominate the fight.

Ye Han's confidence was thoroughly rattled by Ye Xiaoyun's display of power. His hand throbbed with a dull ache; clashing with Ye Xiaoyun's fist felt like striking solid iron.

Ye Han realized that a direct approach wouldn't work against Ye Xiaoyun. "You haven't learned any martial skills yet, have you?" he inquired.

"No, why?" Ye Xiaoyun responded, suspicious of Ye Han's motives.

"It wouldn't be fair to you. Defeating me without martial skills would be a hollow victory. Why don't you ask your father for some martial techniques? Let's have a rematch in three days," Ye Han proposed, sensing his imminent breakthrough to Rank Eight, which would surely leave Ye Xiaoyun searching for his teeth.

"What are you getting at?" demanded Ye Xiaoyun.

"Nothing much. Just answer me—do you accept the challenge?"

"Fine, we'll fight again in three days," Ye Xiaoyun accepted without hesitation.

"Great! It's a date! Ye Gao, we're leaving," Ye Han declared, striding away.

"Young Master, is that it? Just like that?" Ye Gao asked, his face a picture of bewilderment.

"Didn't you hear me tell you to go?" Ye Han demanded.

"Yes, of course, Young Master," Ye Gao replied, scurrying to follow in Ye Han's wake.

"What exactly is Ye Han up to?" Ye Xiaoyun murmured under his breath.