Nine Astra Skies

At this, Great Emperor Mingwu and Master Apothecary Xuanyi dropped the subject. They were both flabbergasted. The items they had bid for, in addition to Ye Chen's Flareful Thunder Sword and Golden Sun Condor, had a total price of nearly three hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills! Who was the fellow in Honored Room Nine? He had gifted three hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills without batting an eye. Even the super families of the Central Empire would be incapable of being so lavish!

Ye Chen truly had many secrets. They understood that this was Ye Chen's private business. When Ye Chen wished to tell them about it, he would do so naturally. If he did not wish to share this with them, it was best not to ask about it.

The Ye Clan of Donglin County – Great Emperor Mingwu was now intensely curious about the Ye Clan's background. His subordinates had once discovered some information in Donglin County. Apparently, behind the Ye Clan was an old ancestor over three hundred years old. If this was true, for someone to live more than three hundred years, they must have eaten some medicinal pill that had prolonged their lives. Otherwise, they must be peak existences that surpassed a Peerless Power!

Previously, Great Emperor Mingwu had thought that these were baseless rumors but now, he had increasingly felt that the Ye Clan of Donglin County might truly have a powerhouse like this! It looked like his attitude toward the Ye Clan should change.

With the attendants leading the way, Ye Chen came to a square behind the auction. Far away, in the center of the square, the massive Golden Sun Condor stood with its head held high. It looked magnificent with its golden feathers gleaming and reflecting the sunlight.

When the Golden Sun Condor saw Ye Chen, its black eyes sized him up. Although it would serve Ye Chen by doing anything Ye Chen asked of it, it was not willing to lower its proud head. It was different from those mystical beast employees. It had not willingly placed itself up for auction. Its Celestial Beast Master had advanced from the Heavenly Adept Rank to the Mystique Adept Rank, and thus, no longer needed it and sold it off. In truth, it was not willing to serve a human.

"Chirp chirp!" the Golden Sun Condor raised its head and cried out twice in a thunderous voice.

Indeed, this was a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast. Ye Chen could sense the Golden Sun Condor's pride, but he did not mind. He walked directly to it. Ye Chen's Astral Body had enveloped the Soul Stone, instantly devouring the Mystique Adept Rank mystical beast's energy in the Soul Stone until nothing was left.

The Golden Sun Condor noticed that the Psyche that was binding it had gone. It was stunned and looked at Ye Chen in puzzlement. Was Ye Chen going to let it go?

The next moment, the Golden Sun Condor felt an incomparably overpowering Psyche encasing it. It could not stop shuddering deep down. This Psyche was even more formidable than its previous owner after his advancement! This was an energy that only a Daemon King could have. Was this youth transformed from a Daemon King?

"You shall follow me in the future." Ye Chen sent a message through his Astral Body. A wisp of his Psyche had wormed into the Golden Sun Condor's brain.

Communication between Celestial Beasts and mystical beasts was this simple. The more powerful they were, the higher their statuses.

"Chirp chirp," the Golden Sun Condor murmured softly and gradually lowered its head. It bowed its body at ninety degrees and even adopted a subservient attitude.

Master Apothecary Xuanyi glanced at Ye Chen in astonishment. Earlier, this Golden Sun Condor acted rather disdainfully toward Ye Chen. What method had Ye Chen used to make this Golden Sun Condor so obedient in such a short time? Could it be the effect of the Soul Stone? The Beastmasters' Beast Taming Technique was enigmatic indeed. The Beastmasters were known as the most mysterious sect. Truly, they had their ways.

"Let's go. I'll send Master and Your Majesty to Tiannan County. I'll make a trip to Donglin County before returning to the Capital City," Ye Chen said as he looked at Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Great Emperor Mingwu.

Great Emperor Mingwu had initially wanted to ask if he could visit the Ye Clan's elders, but on second thought, he realized that the Ye Clan's residence was kept a mystery. Surely they would not be willing to reveal where they stayed and thus, would not welcome him. Hence, he dropped the idea.

Upon seeing that their group had an additional Golden Sun Condor, Little Wingsy was excited. Carrying Little Squido with him, he ran to the Golden Sun Condor's side and stroked its feathers.

"Little Condor, you'll follow us from now on. Big Brother Ye Chen already has eight fluffies, so you shall be Fluffy Nine. You'd better fly fast!" As Little Wingsy stood beside the Golden Sun Condor, he accidentally exuded a wisp of his Winged Serpent energy.

When the Golden Sun Condor sensed Little Wingsy's energy, it trembled all over and nearly crumpled to the ground. It bowed its head even lower.

Little Squido grinned and imitated Little Wingsy, extending a tentacle to pat the Golden Sun Condor.

Little Tanuki stood on Ye Chen's shoulder and was somewhat speechless when she saw the Golden Sun Condor frightened to such a state by Little Wingsy. However, it was normal for a low-level mystical beast like the Golden Sun Condor to be gripped by instinctive fear upon encountering an ancient super mystical beast like Little Wingsy.

After Ye Chen and the rest had leaped onto the Golden Sun Condor's back, it flapped its wings and rose into the air with a "whoosh". With two Daemon Kings on its back, would the Golden Sun Condor dare to slack off? If it did not prove its usefulness, it could be wiped out by a single thought from the Daemon King.

Its massive wings flapped furiously. The Golden Sun Condor turned into a stream of light that vanished into the sky's horizon.

During the flight, Ye Chen sensed that Granduncle had already ridden the Vermillion Spirit Condor back to Donglin County.

After Ye Chen had dropped Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Great Emperor Mingwu at Tiannan County, he bade them farewell. Following that, he brought Little Wingsy, Little Tanuki, and Little Squido on the Golden Sun Condor back to Donglin County.

In Donglin County, the valley of the Ye Clan.

A training ground had been set up by the Ye Clan members beside the Chi-amassing Formation.

The younger generation of the Ye Clan was cultivating beside the Chi-amassing Formation. Some were cultivating Celestial Chi while others were training martial arts techniques.

The poor studied while the rich trained – this saying was not wrong at all. The cultivation of martial arts required the support of large amounts of medicinal pills. With the support of massive wealth, the younger generation of the Ye Clan had improved their cultivation base at a rapid rate. The meridian channels of young people were extremely flexible and tough. Their bodies were also filled with vitality and vigor. Being immersed in huge amounts of super physics and an advanced cultivation system like the Thunder Emperor Technique, their cultivation had progressed swiftly. Ye Meng, Ye Peng, and Ye Mu, for instance, who were diligent at cultivation, had already reached the Ninth Level one after another. Most of the clan members who had some talent were already at the Eighth Level. Even among those without much talent for cultivation, Fifth or Sixth Level ones were common.

With the support of large amounts of medicinal pills during their cultivation leading up to the Ninth Level, their cultivation speed was amazing. Following this, their progress might slow down. However, it was an imminent truth that many among them would have future accomplishments that surpassed Ye Zhantian and Ye Changxuan.

The growth of the Ye Clan's younger generation had made Ye Zhantian, Ye Changxuan, and the rest to feel gratified. Their clan would have to rely on these upcoming brilliant talents to flourish and grow.

Those with the greatest potential were not Ye Meng, Ye Mu, Ye Peng, and so on. Rather, it was the youngest generation of the Ye Clan, particularly those infants who were still in their swaddling clothes. As soon as they were born, they had started to consume large amounts of precious pills. Previously, among the newborns of the Ye Clan, eight out of ten would die prematurely or were unable to cultivate martial arts forever due to various reasons. Now, essentially each baby was able to survive and be as healthy as an ox. Nourished by medicinal pills, their talent for studying martial arts would be excellent.

Every member of the Ye Clan had sensed that they were on the verge of becoming a super family. When these infants and children had grown up, the Ye Clan would become a super existence!

On the training ground, Ye Meng and the rest were intensely practicing the martial art technique, Heaven Thunder Rend. Thereafter, they sat down, paralyzed from exhaustion.

"I wonder how Big Brother Ye Chen is doing. Why isn't he back yet?" Ye Meng looked up at the azure sky. After going through so much, his childish looks had matured somewhat. Even so, as he grew older, he felt more respect toward Ye Chen. If Ye Chen had not protected the Ye Clan, they would not have been here, for they would have died at the hands of the Second-rank Prince of Donglin, Liu Xun!

"I wonder what attainment level Big Brother Ye Chen has reached." Ye Ming was full of anticipation. When Ye Chen had left the House of Ye, he was already at the top Tenth Level. Who knew if he had broken through? Apparently, it was difficult to reach a breakthrough at the top Tenth Level. First Uncle and Granduncle had not broken through even now.

From the distance came the faint, sharp cry of a bird.

"Granduncle is back?" Ye Peng, Ye Mu, and the rest stood up, delighted. After practicing the Thunder Emperor Technique, their perception had become more acute. They could hear sounds from very far away and were only slightly behind Ye Zhantian and the rest. They did not know that upon cultivating the Thunder Emperor Technique, their cultivation was entirely different from ordinary people. Even so, their perception was still feeble for now, so they had not noticed it.

Ye Zhantian and the rest came flying over.

At this point, a flying mystical beast that was golden all over and much larger than a Vermillion Spirit Condor appeared above the valley, descending in circles.

"It's not a Vermillion Spirit Condor!" Ye Zhantian's face went stiff. The gigantic golden condor in the sky was not something they had seen before.

"Prepare the fire-thunder crossbow!"

"Don't attack first, but take every necessary precaution!

The massive condor above gradually circled and descended as if it knew them. If this was an attack from a mystical beast, the mystical beast would not act in this manner, but swoop down directly instead.

"There seems to be someone on the condor!"

"It's Big Brother Ye Chen!"

"Third Brother is back!" Ye Peng yelled joyfully.

"Put the fire-thunder crossbow away. The Chief is back!"

The group of young clan members in the valley erupted into a cheer. As they looked at Ye Chen sitting atop the Golden Sun Condor in the sky, he seemed like a god descending from the heavens above. Ye Meng, Ye Ming, Ye Mu, and the rest had tears shining in their eyes. Although they had only been parted for a few months, it felt like a long time.

After suffering through thick and thin, the bond between them was even more solid, engraved into their hearts.

When the Golden Sun Condor landed, the entire sky turned dark momentarily. The massive, magnificent Golden Sun Condor's body and the overpowering energy that it exuded had caused them to be wholly intimidated.

In this valley, there was not a single mystical beast that could be mentioned in the same breath as this massive condor. They wondered, what rank of mystical beast was this condor? Could it be Earthly Venerable Rank?

The gazes of the clan members all converged upon Ye Chen.