"I didn't argue with you because I couldn't be bothered with someone as boring as you. Did you really think you were someone important? In my eyes, even a dog knows how to behave better than you."
The youth's icy words instantly echoed through the Contribution Hall, causing looks of astonishment among the gathered clansmen.
How could anyone have imagined that Ye Chen, the always self-deprecating, cowardly good-for-nothing, would dare to slap Ye Hua across the face? It was truly beyond everyone's expectations. Even Ye Zhengyang was stunned by what had just happened.
Ever since Ye Chen had fallen from his pedestal as a genius, his temperament had changed drastically. He was no longer spirited and confident; instead, he had become cowardly and insecure. Even as the clan head's son, he never dared to speak loudly to other clansmen, let alone provoke someone or slap them.
This was an unimaginable scene. No one could have ever pictured the day when Ye Chen would actually strike someone.
Ye Hua clutched his red, swollen cheek. The pain on his face was nothing compared to the humiliation of being slapped by the waste he had always bullied, right in front of so many clansmen. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, and he snarled like a wild dog, "Ye Chen, you waste! How dare you hit me! Today, I'll make sure you're crippled for good!"
He lunged forward, claws bared, with a ferocious momentum that clearly showed he wanted to tear Ye Chen to shreds. He even forgot Ye Chen's status as the clan head's son. The shameful anger made him forget everything; only by beating Ye Chen to a pulp could he vent his fury.
Although Ye Hua wasn't a Houtian Ninth Layer expert like Ye Zhengyang, he was still a minor expert at Houtian Fifth Layer.
In the Houtian realm, the first three layers didn't bring about overly significant changes, focusing more on tempering flesh, blood, bones, and sinews. However, starting from the fourth layer, each advancement brought a sharp increase in strength by hundreds of jin, with extremely noticeable effects.
Houtian Fifth Layer: five hundred jin of strength.
Houtian Sixth Layer: one thousand jin of strength.
Houtian Seventh Layer: one thousand seven hundred jin of strength.
Houtian Eighth Layer: two thousand five hundred jin of strength.
Houtian Ninth Layer: four thousand jin of strength.
One could say that with five hundred jin of immense strength, Ye Hua could lift massive rocks and kill ordinary tigers or wolves with a single punch. Pouncing on Ye Chen, who wasn't even in the Houtian realm, would at the very least break several of his bones.
Ye Zhengyang, standing nearby, had no intention of intervening. Earlier, when he heard Ye Chen laugh, he had already felt a surge of anger and intended to teach this waste a lesson. If questioned by the elders later, he could always use the excuse that he hadn't reacted in time.
Moreover, because his grandfather was the Great Elder of the clan and had always had a strained relationship with Clan Head Ye Ao, the cousins from their generation also didn't get along. He looked down on this waste from the bottom of his heart; why would he save him? He was more than happy to watch the show.
Yet, Ye Chen showed no intention of dodging. In everyone's eyes, he was simply terrified, frozen in place, only able to stand there and wait for Ye Hua to pounce on him and give him a beating.
Some of the young girls couldn't help but cover their faces with their hands and gasp, as if they had already foreseen the bloody scene about to unfold.
"Too weak. It's simply full of openings," Ye Chen shook his head, completely unconcerned.
Although he was far from as powerful as in his previous life, his rich combat experience remained—a precious treasure accumulated from battling truly invincible figures for days on end. No one could compare.
Ye Hua's seemingly ferocious moves were simply riddled with flaws in his eyes, seen through in an instant, with methods to counter them emerging alongside.
Furthermore, he had cultivated the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art, which had tempered his entire body. Whether in terms of physical toughness or agility, he had surpassed his past self. Ye Hua's speed was nothing worth mentioning in his eyes.
Just as Ye Hua was about to pounce, Ye Chen simultaneously took a small half-step to the left, his figure shifting sideways, perfectly avoiding the attack. Immediately after, he swept a leg out, striking Ye Hua squarely behind the knee joint. The sudden pain made Ye Hua's leg give way, and he crumpled to the ground.
All of this happened in a split second, but relying on absolute combat experience, Ye Chen had used weakness to overcome strength, instantly knocking down Houtian Fifth Layer Ye Hua.
This shocked everyone. Not only had Ye Chen dodged Ye Hua's attack, but he had also knocked Ye Hua to the ground. It was truly unbelievable.
Even Ye Zhengyang was surprised. When had this waste become so capable? He immediately shook his head, thinking it was just luck. There was no way a waste could have done that.
"My heavens, am I seeing things? Ye Hua was actually defeated by the clan waste. Unbelievable."
"Damn it, it must be dumb luck. It has to be. Just a stroke of dumb luck," the surrounding clansmen exclaimed, whispering among themselves.
Ye Hua was also startled, but like Ye Zhengyang, he thought this waste had just gotten lucky for a moment. With a loud shout, he lunged forward again.
Unfortunately, the result wouldn't change. Ye Chen had long seen through all of Ye Hua's flaws. Again, he shifted sideways a small step, nimbly avoiding the attack, and in the briefest of intervals, delivered a heavy punch squarely to Ye Hua's temple.
This punch was incredibly forceful, directly causing Ye Hua to cry out in pain and collapse to the ground, his head spinning, unable to regain his senses for quite a while.
The temple was everyone's weak point. Although he was at Houtian Fifth Layer with a robust physique, and even a hundred-jin force hitting his body wouldn't cause serious harm—at most some pain—the temple was still a fragile spot. A heavy blow there would inevitably cause dizziness.
Moreover, after cultivating the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art, Ye Chen's physical fitness had improved significantly. This punch was enough to leave Ye Hua disoriented for half the day.
Strike while the iron is hot; Ye Chen never easily let go of any opportunity to defeat an opponent, especially in this life.
In two or three steps, Ye Chen rushed forward, straddled Ye Hua, raised his fist, and lightning-fast, delivered three punches. Each punch landed heavily on Ye Hua's temple—fierce and violent, striking vital points—directly knocking Ye Hua unconscious on the ground, his eyes rolling back, eliciting shocked gazes throughout the hall.
Was this still the same waste Ye Chen who used to lower his head and avoid other clansmen? But now he had knocked Houtian Fifth Layer Ye Hua unconscious. The impact on everyone was immense.
Suddenly, everyone felt that Ye Chen's figure seemed to have grown much taller at this moment.
"Is there anyone else who wants to make a move?" Ye Chen swept his gaze over the other clansmen present and asked lightly. However, as his words fell, almost all the clansmen and disciples unconsciously took half a small step back.
Clearly, the earlier scene of him thunderously knocking down Ye Hua had a great impact on them, one they hadn't yet recovered from. Otherwise, they wouldn't have retreated from a waste who couldn't cultivate.
Ye Chen was satisfied. This was the effect he wanted—to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, to make an example of one to warn a hundred. He didn't want unnecessary trouble. To establish himself steadily within the Ye Family, he had to establish his authority through force. Ye Hua was that chicken to be killed.
But just because they didn't make a move didn't mean others wouldn't. There was one exception—Ye Zhengyang!
At this moment, a trace of coldness flashed deep within Ye Zhengyang's eyes. He felt that Ye Chen had challenged his dignity. Considering himself the future clan head, his dignity was not to be challenged. He felt it necessary to put Ye Chen in his place.
A clear sound of clapping rang out. Ye Zhengyang clapped his hands, appearing very pleased as he laughed loudly, "Very impressive. Well done, Cousin Ye Chen. It's been a while, and your strength seems to have improved a lot. Try taking a palm strike from your elder brother."
As his words fell, without giving Ye Chen a chance to refuse, he immediately made his move. A palm shot out, swift and fierce, with a whooshing sound, far superior and much faster than Ye Hua's attacks, stirring up a gust of wind.
The palm hadn't even arrived, but the palm wind brushing against his face already brought a searing pain.
If he took this palm strike, with his current body, at least five bones would likely break.
Ye Chen's expression darkened slightly. He had never offended Ye Zhengyang on ordinary days, yet now the other wanted to deal him a vicious blow. How ruthless.
Naturally, Ye Chen couldn't take the strike head-on. Even with the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art, he was no match for Ye Zhengyang. Ultimately, he had cultivated for too short a time and hadn't reached a truly powerful level yet.
Ye Chen's figure shifted sideways, seemingly narrowly avoiding this palm strike, and said, "Ye Zhengyang, I don't want to fight you."
Seeing Ye Chen dodge, Ye Zhengyang was slightly surprised. Although this palm strike wasn't executed with full force, it was extremely fast. Generally, even a Houtian Seventh Layer cultivator might not be able to avoid it, yet this waste Ye Chen had dodged it. It truly surprised him, but the killing intent in his heart grew even stronger. He struck out with his palm again, "But your elder brother wants to spar with you, cousin."
However, Ye Chen sidestepped again, astonishing everyone. Once could be considered a fluke, but twice in a row was somewhat strange.
"Cousin, your dodging skills are quite good. Let your elder brother test how capable you really are." Two consecutive failures caused Ye Zhengyang's expression to darken slightly. Especially failing against this clan waste in front of so many clansmen was a great humiliation.
He immediately attacked repeatedly, his palms whipping through the air with a whooshing sound, their force substantial. Even steel struck would bear a palm print. He was truly going all out.
However, although Ye Zhengyang's offensive seemed fierce, under Ye Chen's keen perception and rich combat experience, he could easily judge the next move and thus calmly avoid it.
Thus, the following scene unfolded—
Ye Zhengyang's attacks were fast, accurate, and fierce, but each time, he failed to hit Ye Chen, not even by the slightest margin.