NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 65: The Diligent Young Man
When the northern domain of [Shuimu Duchy] was engulfed in a world of ice and snow, the 'Yulong Mountain Range', due to its geographical location and abundant natural energy, remained a paradise of birdsong and fragrant flowers, with lush green trees shading the landscape.
Standing as the main peak of the 'Yulong Mountain Range', Mount Yu-long towered over a thousand zhang high, its summit barren and stripped of foliage. Only large, dark, metallic boulders glistened under the high-altitude gales, immovable and steadfast.
Nestled on the mountainside, a cluster of grand buildings sprawled over several miles, constructed against the natural rock face. They exuded an air of grandeur and opulence, shrouded in a thin, white mist, evoking a mystical and ethereal ambience.
"... Brother, it's infuriating that His Excellency Haotian didn't attend this assembly. Tang Zhen continues to speak and act with such arrogance."
In the grand hall situated further up the mountainside, a young man with sharp eyebrows and a bright gaze expressed his discontent to an older man seated at the head.
"Er-Long~" The middle-aged man at the head waved his hand, maintaining a composed demeanor as he said, "With His Excellency Haotian, a level ninety-nine powerhouse as his support, Tang Zhen naturally has the confidence to behave as he does..."
Though the middle-aged man commanded an impressive presence, unlike the aggressive aura of the young man with sword-like eyebrows, his demeanor was calm and restrained.
"Tch—" The young man with the sword-like eyebrows scoffed, "He's not even a titled Douluo yet. What is Tang Zhen bragging about? Once you, brother, break through to become a titled Douluo, along with father and our granduncle, our [Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan] will have three titled members. We'll easily surpass the [Haotian Sect], which relies solely on His Excellency Haotian's support—!"
"In terms of heritage, our [Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan] far outstrips the mere [Haotian Hammer-Tang Family]."
"I admit, when it comes to the quality of martial spirits, the 'Haotian Hammer' ranks among the best. But if not for the emergence of the exceptionally talented Haotian Supreme, they wouldn't..."
"Enough!" The middle-aged man seated at the head interrupted the sword-browed youth before he could continue, his gaze inherently intimidating as he looked at the other, speaking in a stern voice, "You must maintain respect for those who are strong. Erlong, even though Tang Zhen is far from being a match for Haotian Supreme, he is now a Spirit Douluo. When you make such comments within the family, we might let it go as idle talk, but outside..."
The youth, known as Erlong, forced a sheepish smile under his elder brother's gaze. "Hehe~ I... I was just... upset because Tang Zhen showed no regard for you at the conference..."
The middle-aged man at the head remained silent, simply staring until Erlong's gaze faltered and darted around. Only then did he slowly say, "If you're truly upset, then train diligently. You are twenty-four, yet your strength remains short of a Spirit King. Erlong, it's time to refocus. —"
"You must be aware that your twenties are the prime years for growth in strength. Once you pass thirty, the effort required to improve will increase exponentially." He paused for a moment, contemplating before continuing. "And about the woman outside... Make arrangements for her. Just because Father doesn't mention it doesn't mean he's unaware; he's simply too indifferent to intervene. —"
On hearing this, the sword-browed youth's expression changed. He seemed unsettled, nervously watching the man in the primary seat. "Brother, Father... he... he really knows about Yanyan?! And what about Yue’er...?"
"Your sister-in-law remains unaware," the middle-aged man shook his head, "But it would be best to tell her sooner rather than later. As for the one outside... her name is Liu Yan, right? Decide whether to bring her into the family or whatnot and resolve it promptly."
"Afterward, you need to focus entirely on cultivating. In this Douluo Continent, strength reigns supreme. If your progress doesn't keep up, those beneath you won't easily submit to your authority."
After a round of lecturing, the young man known as Erlong merely nodded in acquiescence, his initial fervor long dissipated. The middle-aged man seated at the head of the table, however, remained calm and composed, much like a tranquil sea.
Following this, the two exchanged words about clan affairs and the key points to watch out for regarding the various powers that were present at the previous gathering.
Finally, the expression on the middle-aged man in the master's seat shifted. For the first time, his brows furrowed as he inquired with a hint of concern, "How is Xiao Gang doing now?"
'Phew—'
The sword-browed youth let out a sigh of relief at the question, as the demeanour of his elder brother was almost overwhelming.
Relieved, the sword-browed youth quickly responded, "Xiao Gang is training hard. Before coming here, I saw him running in his courtyard with stones strapped to his back—"
"He hasn't given up on cultivating?" The middle-aged man asked, his frown deepening. "With his martial spirit in such a vicious mutation and his innate half-level soul power, training won't yield much. Didn't he listen to me and go learn aristocratic etiquette and management skills? Once he learns them, he can at least help manage clan affairs in the future..."
The middle-aged man became silent, contemplating for a moment before speaking again, "So be it. If he wishes to train, let him continue. Gaining strength is no bad thing. He can study management when he hits a bottleneck in his training later."
“What level of power does he have now?” the middle-aged man asked again.
The sword-browed youth thought for a moment and replied, “He’s already a Spirit Master. He acquired his spirit ring three months ago...”
“Spirit Master...” the middle-aged man murmured, gripping the armrest of his chair with a clenched fist.
“Brother,” the sword-browed youth softly consoled, “Xiao Gang is only nine years old. Being a one-ring Spirit Master is something...”
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man in the main seat lifted his head, gazing at him silently.
“Uh...” The sword-browed youth awkwardly smiled and fell silent.
Indeed, his elder brother, Yu Yuan Zhen, the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, possessed innate soul power of level nine and a half. Even at the age of fifty, he had already reached level eighty-nine as a Spirit Douluo. Yet, his son, Yu Xiao Gang, had unfortunately experienced a malignant mutation during his martial soul awakening ceremony three years ago, with only half a level of innate soul power awakening!
This incident had become a joke, a shame within the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Compare that to his nephew, Yu Xiao Gang, and the sword-browed youth, Yu Luo Mian, couldn't help but recall the youth named Tang Hao, seen at the recent sect gathering. just sixteen and already a forty-five level Spirit Elder; the disparity couldn’t be greater!
Upon hearing news about his son, Yu Xiaogang, Yu Yuanzhen lost interest. He waved his hand, choosing silence. Wisely, Yu Luomian remarked, "I'm heading back to train," and swiftly turned to leave.
Stopping momentarily by a sizable courtyard, Yu Luomian ultimately decided not to approach, instead continuing on his way.
With his prowess as a high-level Spirit Elder, he could clearly hear the intense, bellows-like breathing from the small courtyard, as well as the conversation taking place among a few young individuals in a nearby courtyard.
"Did you see that? That useless guy is running in circles around the courtyard again."
"Keep your voice down. He is the leader's son, after all. And his determination is something to be acknowledged."
"Exactly! If you all showed such determination, you would've been Spirit Masters by now—"
"Hah! Without even trying, I'm already a Grandmaster—!"
"Tell me, what do you think his first spirit ring ability is? He still hasn't used it in these three months; all he does is run laps with stones on his back. Never once has he summoned that pig to practice his spirit skills..."
"No idea, never seen it. That's just how he is. Every time he runs to exhaustion, Aunt Lian, a dignified Spirit Healing Emperor, comes to treat him, along with those medicinal baths..."
"As Xiao Ming mentioned earlier, being the son of the clan leader, it's only natural for him to receive such treatment. Besides, Uncle Erlong had already put in a word..."
The group chatted and laughed, their voices not too loud. Considering the distance between the two courtyards, the short-haired boy running with weights in the other courtyard didn't hear their conversation. He was focused entirely on his own training, absorbed in the rhythm of his steps.
(End of Chapter)
