Chapter 15 - Family Meeting

The Family Meeting of the Yang family fell on the twenty-fifth of the seventh month, and the Yang family invited the influential people of Baiyang Town to join them.

The seats were already prepared in the Martial Courtyard located east of the Yang family estate. The guests finished the banquet just after noon, and it was time for the important event: the tournament for the younger generation of the Yang family. This was not only a method to publicly examine the strength of the Yang family’s younger generation but also a way for the two major families in Baiyang Town to show off their strength.

The elders of the Yang family sat on an elevated platform facing several arenas. The Yang family was a newly formed faction of Baiyang Town so there weren’t a lot of people. In the middle of the platform was an old man with sharp eyes and a burly body. It was none other than the patriarch of the Yang family.

Yang Qingxuan, Yang Xueqing, and the rest of the Yang family were seated according to age beside their father.

Beside Yang Xueqing were the members of the Bai family. The patriarch of the Bai family did not attend. Instead, the third son, Bai Zhanxiong, and the fourth son were present at the Family Meeting. Standing behind Bai Zhanxiong was one of the stronger youths of the Bai family, Bai Shiji. He was the eldest son and the elder brother of Bai Shiyun, as well as Yang Lingyue’s suitor. As for his strength ... he was one of the strongest in Baiyang Town.

The other factions of Baiyang Town soon arrived and sat accordingly. The rest of the Yang family didn’t have their own seats so they just sat at the perimeter of the Martial Courtyard.

The Yang patriarch chuckled as he spoke to Bai Zhanxiong. “Senior Brother Old Bai is my sworn brother. Xiong’er, you don’t have to be too polite. I will be busy with the Family Meeting and I’m afraid that I might not be able to accommodate you properly. Please let Qing’er accompany you.

Bai Zhanxiong smiled and replied earnestly, “As a regular visitor to the Yang family, I have always been accompanied by Yang Xueqing. We are already close to each other. Please concentrate on the Family Meeting and don’t worry about me. I’m sure that I will be surprised by the strength of the younger generations of your family.”

Yang Xueqing looked at Bai Zhanxiong and smiled affectionately.

Back in the arena, the matches were very interesting. The tournament was elimination-style, and those who were stronger and won their rounds advanced to the next one. The spectators cheered, impressed with their strength. Both the Yang and Bai families nodded in satisfaction at the display of prowess.

The head of the Yang family, Yang Qingxuan, turned around and said to a young man, “Wu’er, what do you think?”

The young man, who had a hardened face, looked just like Yang Qingxuan. He looked like an unsheathed sword as he stood tall and firm. He was the strongest of the younger generation in the Yang family—Yang Wu.

He had obtained the Dragon Seal before and had already practiced it for quite some time.

“Sister Lingyue is the only one at the Sixth Draconic Stage. She is an excellent fighter. But it’s surprising that Lingqing has somehow managed to defeat Yang Qiong so easily. It seems that she has completely mastered the Meteor Fist and has the potential to break through the Sixth Draconic Stage. It’s just a matter of time. But for now, she is still not Lingyue’s peer.”

Yang Wu analyzed the situation very well and Yang Qingxuan nodded. “Why don’t I see my brother? He might’ve lost his son, but at the very least, it might console him a little to see his daughter doing well.”

Yang Wu’s eyes were cold when he said, “Second Uncle left earlier. Maybe he was still sad about the death of his son. Father, I’ve only seen Third Aunt’s son a few times but I’ve heard a lot about him. His status was almost that of a slave, how could he defeat Zhan’er? I still do not comprehend this.”

“I think he must’ve experienced so much humiliation that he hid his strength. No one in this world can increase their strength up to the Third Draconic Stage in such a short period of time. His talent is good, but ... his fate is not.

“Despite his talent, his heart is wicked. He should be put to death by a thousand cuts for killing his relative. But Father, I heard that he swore he would defeat Lingyue at the Family Meeting. Will he appear today?”

Yang Qingxuan laughed. “It was just a lie he told Lingyue. Pay it no mind. My brother wants to kill him so much right now. Would he dare to come back? He would just be coming back to his death.”

Yang Wu was just about to say something when there was an announcement.

“Everyone! The tournament of the younger generation is now in its final stage. The two survivors will now fight in the finals and the winner will obtain the strongest martial technique of the Yang family—the Dragon Seal.

“For the final battle, we have Yang Lingyue and Yang Lingqing!”

Bai Zhanxiong smiled lightly as he said, “Yang Xueqing, the women of the Yang family are really extraordinary. To think that the finals of the tournament comes down to two girls.”

Bai Zhanxiong’s oblique compliment made a sweet feeling blossom in her heart. “The younger generation of the Bai family is even stronger. If I recall, Bai Shiji is already at the Seventh Draconic Stage. And your son is also the strongest among the younger generation of Baiyang Town. We still have much to learn.”

“Chen’er is indeed good. He’s almost at my level now.”

Back in the arena, Yang Lingqing scanned the crowd and saw that the person she was looking for was not there.

So he chickened out? Fair enough. Who would risk their life just for a bet?

The spectators discussed the tournament as they sat below the arena.

“Who do you think is going to win?”

“Lingyue, of course. She’s one stage higher than Yang Lingqing.”

“Looks like everyone here agrees that Lingyue is going to obtain the Dragon Seal.”

“Do you guys still remember the guy who made a bet with Lingyue? About coming to fight her during the Family Meeting? I told you guys that he was just bluffing so that Lingyue would spare him. Looks like I was right.”

“Cheh. Everyone knows that he was a joke. No need to remind us.”

In the arena, Yang Lingyue and Yang Lingqing were already sparring.

“Meteor Fist!”

“Typhoon Nine Fingers!”

A large amount of starlight enveloped the arena. Yang Lingqing had worked hard on her cultivation just for this tournament. Her full power at the Fifth Draconic Stage exploded with a single fist. Thanks to Long Chen’s teachings, her Meteor Fist was almost at the level of a Sixth Draconic Stage cultivator!

Even Yang Lingyue was surprised by her Meteor Fist. Her face was serious as she thought to herself,

Xiao Qing is two years younger than I am. In two years, she will probably be at the Sixth Draconic Stage. If that is the case, she will receive even more cultivation resources than me. This isn’t good.

Back on the platform, Yang Xueqing squeezed her eyebrows together. “Xiao Qing is improving massively to the point that Yue’er feels threatened. She even used the Typhoon Nine Fingers.”

The spectators sighed at how impressive the Typhoon Nine Fingers was.

The Yang patriarch observed the battle carefully, his eyes filled with vigor.

Those two are using their martial techniques well. Yue’er can unleash seven of the Typhoon Nine Fingers while Qing’er uses the Meteor Fist so masterfully. If both of their Qi were equal, I’m afraid that Qing’er would have won this.

The Yang patriarch was strong and understood clearly what was happening. He suddenly remembered someone and scanned the surroundings.

As for the little bastard that learned the Meteor Fist in three days ... I suppose he won’t show up. This place is hell for him ...

Long Chen had guessed right. Even though he had killed Yang Zhan, his grandfather was still impressed that he’d learned the Meteor Fist in three days.

Yang Lingyue’s immense Qi allowed her Typhoon Nine Fingers to slowly chip away at Yang Lingqing’s Meteor Fist. Sweat started pouring down her forehead as Yang Lingqing continued to exert her Qi. However, it was futile for Yang Lingqing; her opponent was too strong. After Yang Lingyue launched the fifth finger of the Typhoon Nine Fingers, Yang Lingqing finally faltered and Yang Lingyue knocked her off the arena.

The winner was decided. Yang Lingyue smiled as she stood in the arena, the sound of applause everywhere. Everyone in the Yang family was smiling too.

Yang Lingyue’s father, Yang Qingxuan, laughed happily.

“The winner of the tournament today is Yang Lingyue!”

Bai Zhanxiong and Yang Xueqing looked at each other and smiled. “It’s thanks to your teachings that Lingyue made such an impressive achievement today.”

Yang Xueqing smiled politely. “Bai Zhanxiong, you are too generous. Teaching the youth of the Yang family is my duty.”

Yang Lingyue’s heart was full of happiness and excitement. She had been worried that the brat Long Chen would ignorantly crash the Family Meeting, but it seemed that he wasn’t brave enough to do so.

“Like father, like son. Their bark is worse than their bite.”

Yang Xueqing was much more satisfied with Bai Zhanxiong and his two sons, especially the elder son Bai Shiji, who treated her with respect. As for the younger son, she remembered what had happened and her eyes went cold.

If I knew who the culprit was, I would not leave their corpse intact!

Just then, the Yang patriarch laughed happily as he leapt into the arena. Everyone saw the parchment in his hand. It was the Yang family’s secret technique, the Dragon Seal.

Some of the smaller factions stared at it with greed.

The Yang patriarch looked at Yang Lingyue lovingly. “Yue’er, since you are the champion, I will pass the Dragon Seal to you. I hope that you will work hard and become a Seventh Draconic Stage cultivator soon. If you do, you will be able to support our family!”

“I understand. Please accept my sincere gratitude, Grandfather.”

Seeing the scroll of her dreams right in front of her made Yang Lingyue excited.

Outside the arena, Yang Lingqing watched everything with a bitter sense of defeat in her heart since she yearned for the secret technique too.

Since I failed to obtain the Dragon Seal, I can only work hard to enter the Sixth Draconic Stage. Maybe I will have a chance then.

Someone suddenly patted her shoulder. Thinking it was one of her sisters, she turned around. She was stunned to see the smiling figure.

“You ... You’ve really come back?!”