Chapter Two: Shangguan Yan

Chapter Two: Shangguan Yan

A faint creak came from upstairs as a door opened, followed by the sound of footsteps in the room. Glancing at the clock—half past eleven—Ye Bai knew his mother had returned. He took the towel at the basement door, wiped the sweat from his body, and climbed upstairs.

“Mother, you’re back.” Ye Bai handed the slippers by the door to his mother, Shangguan Yan. Years of scientific research and chronic sleep deprivation had etched wrinkles into her not-so-old face and streaked her hair with white. Looking at his mother, Ye Bai felt a surge of determination to become stronger, stronger than ever before. Suddenly, resentment welled up for the father he had never met. Why had he left his mother to bear so much? Why did she never mention him?

Shangguan Yan took the slippers, reached out, and wiped away the beads of sweat he’d missed from his face. “What’s wrong, Ye’er? Why are your eyes red?” She guided him to the sofa.

“Ye’er, I’ve noticed your progress these past months has slowed. Are you at a bottleneck?”

“Mother, I’m fine. Maybe I just overdid my training. Tomorrow I plan to visit the martial arts hall, then head to Ghostwood Mountains to see if I can break through.” Ye Bai’s throat moved, but in the end, he didn’t voice the question in his heart.

Shangguan Yan’s elegant brows knitted as she weighed the risks. Finally, she said, “All right, but be careful. Stay on the outskirts—once you go deeper, the mutant beasts there aren’t something you can handle.”

“I understand. If there’s nothing else, Mother, I’ll head to bed.” Ye Bai rose and made his way toward his room, still unable to ask what he wanted to know.

“Wait.” Shangguan Yan stopped him, took a vial of serum from her pocket, and pressed it into his hand. “I’ll be leaving on an expedition in a week. I meant to give you this when you broke through to the Body Tempering level, but since I’ll be away, you’ll have it early. Only use it at the moment of breakthrough. By the way, it seemed you had something to say just now—what is it?”

Ye Bai paused, torn, then finally asked, “Mother, where is my father? I’m grown now. You always used to say I was too young—are you still not going to tell me?”

The moment the words left his mouth, regret flooded Ye Bai, for he saw his mother’s face darken.

“Ye’er, it’s still not the time for you to know. Go to bed.” She rubbed her forehead, unwilling to recall the past, and turned to her bedroom.

Lying in bed, Ye Bai’s heart churned. Why? Why had he never seen him? Every time he asked, it was the same. He only once, late at night, saw his mother weeping alone in the moonlight. Silver light poured over her face, and tears sparkled on her cheeks. His heart ached. Suddenly, he hated that man—what right had he to consign his mother to such hardship?

He’d once heard neighbors say that when his mother arrived here, she was heavily pregnant, holding a two- or three-year-old him by the hand. She wore a white lab coat and looked anxious, as if fleeing from something... That night, Ye Bai tossed and turned, lost in thought, not knowing when sleep finally claimed him—until his sister’s call for breakfast roused him.

By the time Ye Bai rose, his mother had already left. Only his sister Mu’er remained at the table, her eyes always bright with spirit. Looking at her, much of Ye Bai’s worry faded.

After breakfast with his sister and seeing her off to school, Ye Bai set off for the martial arts hall.

Ao Han Martial Hall. The only martial hall in their area, unlike the two great academies in the main city. Those academies had all the martial equipment imaginable, often more advanced than the halls themselves.

“Morning, Master Ao.” Ye Bai greeted the hall master with a smile and approached the force tester.

“Ye Bai, you’re early,” Ao Han acknowledged. He knew this boy—Ye Bai was one of the few young high-level Body Tempering practitioners here. “The advancement exam is coming up. Which academy are you aiming for—Tianmu, or Purple Star?”

Ye Bai slipped on the sensor gloves. “Probably Purple Star. You know, Master, Tianmu Academy only admits those with special abilities, as per King Tianmu’s decree. Ordinary folks like me don’t stand a chance.”

A dull thud sounded.

“Eight hundred fifteen kilos—not bad, Ye Bai. Nearly at the peak of Body Tempering, aren’t you?”

“Mm. I plan to head to Ghostwood Mountains this time—won’t come back until I reach the peak.” Ye Bai moved on to the speed test chamber.

Body Tempering Level: strength from 1 to 1,000 kilograms, speed from 1 to 10 meters per second.

Entry Level: strength from 1,000 to 5,000 kilograms, speed from 10 to 30 meters per second.

Foundation Level: strength from 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms, speed from 30 to 50 meters per second.

Growth Level: strength from 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms, speed from 50 to 70 meters per second. As for Fusion Level, data can’t accurately measure it—every awakened attribute differs, each with its own strengths.

8.5 meters per second. Ye Bai looked at his results, satisfied—he was nearly at the peak of Body Tempering. As the tests ended, more people trickled into the hall.

“Look, that’s Brother Zhang! He’s the only one in recent years to make it into Purple Star Academy. Wonder why he’s back?” someone whispered at the force testing room door.

Zhang Lei was said to be the most talented student in years, reaching Entry Level even before the advancement exam, making a name for himself at seventeen on the edge of Ghostwood Mountains.

Zhang Lei entered the martial hall and headed straight to the hall master’s office, with Master Ao following close behind.

When Ao Han entered, Zhang Lei had just sat down and glanced at the door—the flicker of green in his eyes did not escape the hall master. After these years, Zhang Lei had grown even more formidable, Ao Han mused.

“How is it?” Zhang Lei looked up at the master.

“There are a few promising ones. The boy with me just now is close to the peak of Body Tempering—he might break through to Entry Level before the exam. Then there’s a chubby fellow, Li Fei—surprisingly strong for a recent high-level Body Tempering practitioner, already hitting peak-level force, though his speed is lacking. Lastly, there’s a girl. Half a year ago, she was already at the peak of Body Tempering; now I suspect she’s reached Entry Level.” Ao Han finished, letting out a long breath and wiping his brow.

“I see. Their names?” Zhang Lei activated his wrist comm, thinking that this batch was promising—three in one year. No wonder he’d made the trip himself. Tianmu Academy always snatched the most gifted at a young age and still tried to poach some during exams. Thankfully, most martial halls were under their academy’s control, and every Body Tempering practitioner had to be tested here—perfect for gathering information. “Master, sit down. No need to be nervous.”

Ao Han took the nearest seat. “The boy with me was Ye Bai, the chubby one is Li Fei, and the girl is Xiao Mo.”

Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo. Zhang Lei murmured the name. “Could she be... his granddaughter? But why isn’t she at Tianmu Academy?”

“Yes, she’s his granddaughter, but apparently not a direct descendant. I’ve heard Xiao Mo is rather eccentric.”

Zhang Lei entered Xiao Mo’s information into his comm and marked it for attention.

Ye Bai, of course, was unaware of their conversation or that he had drawn their notice. At that moment, he was preparing to leave the city.

Walking alone down the street, Ye Bai suddenly thought of an old saying from before the Dark Era: “In the East Market, buy a fine steed; in the West Market, buy a saddle and blanket; in the South Market, buy a bridle; in the North Market, buy a long whip.” Wasn’t he doing just the same—running all over, preparing to leave the city?

He watched the magnetic levitation buses zip past, private cars weaving among them, and now and then, a supernatural element vehicle streaking through the sky, leaving green, yellow, or blue trails behind. Only those at Foundation Level or above, with family backing, could afford such machines. Their price was astronomical, built with rare Earth metals and main city technology, and powered by the owner’s elemental energy—or, if need be, attribute stones or mutant beast cores. Ordinary families could never bear the cost of such extravagance.

After crossing several streets, Ye Bai arrived at his destination—Martial Gear Street.