Chapter Sixty-Four: No Chance of Victory

The other household heads dared not speak further, for this could indeed be called a summoned beast. Though in name it was a contracted beast, it was still a part of Ye Zihan’s power.

Ye Zihan shook his head and said, “Yan Chen, Mo You, I thank you both, but this time I wish to rely on my own strength. The road ahead will be arduous, and I don’t want to begin by depending on the power of others. I know there are times when unity is essential, when only working together can accomplish the task, but this is not one of those times, and this is not one of those matters. So, I must rely on my own strength to win the hearts of all present!”

“To become their leader, one cannot rely solely on the support of a band of brothers; one must also possess a firm and unwavering heart. If I use your strength to win this duel, they will never be wholeheartedly devoted to me! I seek power, yes, but more than that, I need their loyalty. If they give themselves to me sincerely, what need will there be to worry about power?”

His words left all present, including Mo You, in silent awe.

The chief, Song Tielin, looked at him with approval. His heart was stirred as it had not been in decades; the words of this passionate youth moved him greatly, confirming his belief that the young man before him was destined to be called leader.

The other two heads and ten captains felt their hearts tremble as well, their recognition of him deepening. Now they too saw the future that the chief had seen. With such a young man, how could limitless possibilities not follow? Not to mention the companions beside him—his righteousness and talent alone commanded their respect.

Mo You and Yan Chen grinned, then said in unison, “Hahaha… Very well, we understand!”

Ye Zihan smiled in return, cupped his hands to the others, and said, “I must trouble you all to leave this room to me, so that I may rest for three days. In three days, I will duel the chief at Splash Ravine.”

The chief spoke up first, “Very well, no problem. Three days from now, we shall meet at Splash Ravine.” With that, he strode out. At the door, he turned suddenly, his tone sharp. “When the time comes, I will not hold back. There will be no favors or mercy.”

“That is the greatest respect you could show me,” Ye Zihan replied with a smile.

The others all took their leave, until only two men and a dragon remained.

Yan Chen, still somewhat worried, said with displeasure, “Zihan, aren’t you being too reckless? Wouldn’t it be better to accept Mo You’s help?”

Mo You would rather trust his leader, but the gap in strength was obvious—two whole levels apart, and there was no way to bridge it! “Boss, why don’t I go talk to them and demand to fight instead?”

Ye Zihan waved his hand quickly. “No, as I said, this time I must win by my own strength. Do you have no faith in me?”

“To be honest, no,” answered Yan Chen frankly. “Two whole levels apart—do you really think you can cross that divide?”

“No,” Ye Zihan admitted with a wry smile.

“Then why are you insisting?” Yan Chen’s face darkened with reproach.

“Heh… Though I’m only at the mid-stage of the Three Talents Realm now, who knows what my level might be after three days?”

“Boss, do you think you can reach the Five Elements Realm in three days?” Mo You was clearly startled.

Ye Zihan shook his head. “Of course not. But I should be able to reach the late stage of the Three Talents Realm. After being trapped in the Lost Bamboo Forest of the Beast Domain and fighting with Ye Xiang and the others, and then battling all day yesterday, three days of meditation should let me take another step forward.”

“But just late-stage Three Talents—is that really enough to challenge a mid-stage Five Elements cultivator? Whether you break through or not, it makes little difference,” Yan Chen said seriously, his concern for his companion obvious. Seeing such promise wasted was agonizing; with an ally like Mo You, refusing help seemed either arrogant or blind.

“Yan Chen, Mo You, I know you care about me, but please trust me. I will not disappoint you. Perhaps I’ll even surprise you greatly!” A glimmer of excitement shone in Ye Zihan’s eyes as he spoke to his friends.

Yan Chen and Mo You exchanged glances, but said no more. They had been with Ye Zihan long enough to know his stubbornness—once he had made up his mind, not even ten oxen could drag him back.

So, the two men and the dragon settled down to rest in the room.

Ye Zihan sat cross-legged on a stool, scenes from recent battles flashing through his mind. He analyzed each one, pondering how best to respond should similar situations arise again. He continued to consolidate his combat experience, which was crucial—should he ever meet an evenly matched opponent, it would be experience that tipped the scales.

As the saying goes, “The older the ginger, the spicier the taste”—only those who have been through it understand, and only those who have experienced it can truly comprehend. This is a kind of learning, a slow accumulation that one day reveals itself as a treasure beyond material measure.

He did not rush into meditation or breaking through; instead, he carefully reviewed and refined his experiences, correcting any shortcomings, striving for perfection.

This process required immense patience, a rare quality. If not for those hopeless years, Ye Zihan would never have cultivated such patience, which now let him calmly and methodically consolidate his gains.

Every gain comes with a loss. Being unable to cultivate back then was perhaps a blessing in disguise, for it honed his patience and resolve to the highest degree, making him more steadfast than his peers, more able to endure for his goals.

This patience and determination were things Yan Chen lacked, things most of their peers lacked—not gifts from fate, but rewards earned through effort.

A day passed quietly. Ye Zihan remained immersed in consolidating his experience, while Yan Chen had already entered a crucial state of meditation.

Yan Chen was already at the late stage of the Three Talents Realm. After the recent string of battles, the bottleneck he faced had filled to the brim and now only awaited the key to break through to the beginning of the Four Symbols Realm!

Another day passed. Suddenly, Yan Chen’s eyes snapped open, two sharp rays shooting forth like swords. A teacup on the table less than a yard away shattered with a crisp clang.

Yan Chen grinned and muttered, “I’ve broken through the late Three Talents Realm—finally reached Four Symbols!”

Mo You, half-asleep nearby, opened his dragon eyes in a daze, briefly surprised at Yan Chen’s display, then teased, “Kid, you’ve reached Four Symbols? Now that we’re at the same level, I can finally spar with you without holding back.”

A breakthrough should be a joyous occasion, but upon hearing Mo You’s words, Yan Chen was so frustrated he nearly coughed blood. He fumed inwardly: Spar without holding back? Are you kidding? You may be a late Four Symbols, but you can kill mid-stage Five Elements cultivators with a single strike. I’m not sparring with you, you damned eel, you damn lizard!

“Why are the corners of your mouth twitching? Are you cursing me in your heart?”

Hearing this, Yan Chen’s heart skipped a beat, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. Could this Blood Phantom Dragon actually read minds? He shook his head and ignored the dragon, turning to his companion instead.

Mo You also fell silent, looking toward their leader.

Ye Zihan still sat cross-legged on his stool. Two days had passed; he was finally satisfied with his consolidation and had started meditating.

“Huh? After two days of meditation, he’s still at mid-stage Three Talents?” Yan Chen was surprised at the lack of change in Ye Zihan’s energy fluctuations.

“Could he have run into some kind of obstacle?” Mo You wondered, uneasy. Normally, since Ye Zihan’s strength was less than Yan Chen’s, his breakthrough should have taken less time; yet now even with Yan Chen’s breakthrough, Ye Zihan showed no progress, which worried both man and dragon.

On the path of cultivation, everyone faces their own obstacles, most often during breakthroughs. Some cannot overcome these hurdles, develop psychological blocks, and never progress again. Throughout history, many geniuses have been defeated by themselves—this is nothing new.

Yan Chen and Mo You exchanged anxious glances.

Mo You’s childish voice rang out, “That won’t happen to our boss! He can overcome any difficulty—what’s a mere breakthrough compared to that?”

Yan Chen tried to reassure himself as well, “Yes, I believe in Zihan too. He can do it!”

At that moment, the two, usually at odds, shared a rare moment of understanding and mutual encouragement.

Time ticked by, and soon the third dawn was approaching. Yet Ye Zihan’s energy remained unchanged, showing no sign of growth—this made the sleepless, anxious Yan Chen and Mo You even more concerned.

With bloodshot eyes and a furrowed brow, Yan Chen muttered, “How can this be? Three days and not even a sign of breakthrough.”

Mo You too could scarcely believe it. “It must be an illusion… it must be an illusion…”

With the three-day deadline approaching, and the duel with Chief Song Tielin set for the next morning, if Ye Zihan faced him with only mid-stage Three Talents strength, there was no hope of victory. Even if he broke through now, neither Yan Chen nor Mo You believed he could win—the outcome of this duel was already decided before it began.

Whether it was the two of them, the other household heads, or even Chief Song Tielin, all believed Ye Zihan had no chance. This was an outcome long since determined; even the chief himself, who had promised to give his all without leniency, was sure he would win easily.

Yet despite this, the chief still believed in Ye Zihan. Whether he could defeat him or not, the future leader of Streamlight Stronghold would bear the surname Ye, not Song!