C17 Earth Spirit Bead

Chunhong and Xiaocheng knelt before Ye Xiangyang and his companions, their hearts brimming with gratitude.

They were granted the privilege of visiting their families for three days each month, a luxury not afforded to any other maids or servants. With their master's magnanimity, it was no wonder they felt an overwhelming sense of thankfulness.

"Master, rest assured, we will manage the household diligently, even at the cost of our own lives."

Ye Wentian offered a gentle smile. "Stand up. We're family here; formalities are unnecessary."

Tang Waner was at home, surveying the properties.

Ye Xiangyang left his courtyard and made his way to the family's weapon storehouse.

The Fourth Elder, who oversaw the armory, greeted Ye Xiangyang with a hearty laugh. "My boy, you truly astounded me today."

"Come now, choose any weapon you desire from within."

The armory was a simple stone building.

Inside, the Fourth Elder lit the oil lamp, casting a warm glow over the array of weapons. Ye Xiangyang inspected them with a discerning eye, careful not to handle these treasured arms.

With a robust chuckle, the Fourth Elder asked, "What kind of weapon are you looking to wield? Allow me to make some recommendations."

After a moment's reflection, the image of an Ancient Great Halberd surfaced in Ye Xiangyang's mind. "I wish to wield an Ancient Great Halberd."

Typically, common folk favored swords and sabers, while only warriors on the battlefield would opt for spears and Ancient Great Halberds.

The Fourth Elder, taken aback by Ye Xiangyang's choice of the formidable halberd, burst into laughter. "Well then, follow me."

Deep underground, a secret chamber housed over thirty Ancient Great Halberds.

Ye Xiangyang grasped one, its surface etched with scenes of armies in battle.

After examining over thirty halberds, he settled on a dark one that radiated a primordial essence.

The halberd's dark blade was adorned with the image of a Profound Snake engulfing the sun—a mystical serpent poised to devour the celestial body whole, its ferocity beyond belief.

The halberd in its entirety tipped the scales at a hefty 72 kilograms and stretched a full 12 feet in length. Grasping the mighty weapon, Ye Xiangyang felt an immediate kinship with it, as if the halberd resonated with his very thoughts. It was as though he could sense the halberd quivering in response.

"This is the one," Ye Xiangyang declared with a surge of excitement.

The Fourth Elder's laughter boomed, "Astute choice! This formidable halberd is known as the Sky Swallowing Halberd, the very weapon wielded by the first Marquis Zhenhai of our Ye Family. The Sky Swallowing Halberd has been steeped in the blood of innumerable foes across countless battlefields. It has lain dormant here for a century."

"The Emperor's recent decree to restore our Ye Family's honor might be more than mere chance. Our ancestor once foretold that the rise of the Ye Family would coincide with the emergence of the great halberd. This secret is known only among us six. My child, could you indeed be the catalyst for our family's resurgence?"

The Fourth Elder was brimming with excitement, sensing that destiny was at play, heralding the impending resurgence of the Ye Family.

"There's no need for you to visit the Martial Arts Pavilion now. Since you've chosen this halberd, you are destined to master the Overlord Halberd technique passed down from our ancestors."

With great care, the Fourth Elder retrieved an ancient tome from a hidden alcove in the room. This book was not crafted from mere paper but from the skin of a Demon Beast. It was both sleek and durable, exuding a sense of quality. The cover bore the inscription "Overlord Halberd."

Upon opening the book, Ye Xiangyang was struck by a powerful declaration: "He who masters the halberd shall command the world, unmatched and invincible."

Grasping the magnitude of the halberd's technique, Ye Xiangyang expressed his gratitude to the Fourth Elder and tucked the Overlord Halberd technique into his garment, close to his heart.

After bidding the Fourth Elder farewell, Ye Xiangyang was elated. Clutching the Sky Swallowing Halberd, he felt an innate connection to the weapon surge within him.

Moreover, this was the very halberd his ancestors had wielded to forge their legacy. With this halberd, they had quelled chaos and secured the noble title of Marquis Zhenhai. Now, as the halberd passed into his hands, Ye Xiangyang knew it was the work of destiny.

The treasure chamber was an unassuming little house where the Grand Elder stood with evident joy. Clearly, he was the custodian of this trove of riches.

A deep tremor shook the Grand Elder's core as he caught sight of the Sky Swallowing Halberd in Ye Xiangyang's grasp. The legendary weapon had lain dormant in storage for over a century, and now it had reemerged, as if fated to do so.

"The emergence of the halberd heralds the rise of the Ye Family," the ancient prophecy echoed in the Grand Elder's thoughts. He had never truly believed he would witness the return of the Sky Swallowing Halberd.

"Go ahead and enter. You may choose only one item," he instructed.

Stepping into the treasury, Ye Xiangyang found himself surrounded by a world apart from the one outside. The collection before him included warm nephrite, Profound Crystal Rock, Heavenly Star Rock, and millennium-aged ginseng—treasured heirlooms amassed by the Ye Family over two centuries, numbering fewer than a hundred pieces.

Each item was a masterpiece, each worth a king's ransom.

Ye Xiangyang marveled inwardly at the family's cache of wonders; he found each piece more desirable than the last.

The final treasure rested within a jade case—an ice jade box of considerable value in its own right.

At the academy, he had learned of ice jade's ability to preserve the essence of treasures. What marvel could possibly lie within?

Gently lifting the lid, Ye Xiangyang was met with a surge of dense energy that made his insides quiver.

Nestled within the ice jade box was an earthy yellow pearl, from which tendrils of mist unfurled.

His right hand shook uncontrollably as he reached for the pearl, only for it to vanish from his grip.

Startled, Ye Xiangyang flipped his hand to find a small black cauldron pulsing with dark and earthen yellow glows, flickering incessantly in his palm.

"The cauldron has devoured the pearl," Ye Xiangyang realized with a pang of sorrow.