"Chi Yi War Wolf, you wait outside for a moment..." At this time, Chi Yi, seated in the very center, was the first to speak...

"Yes..." Chi Yi War Wolf bowed respectfully, turned, and walked toward the exit, leaving Ye Jingyu alone...

"Grandpa, what did you want to see me about..." After Chi Yi War Wolf left, Ye Jingyu finally asked...

"Do you wish to become a Soul Master?" Instead of answering Ye Jingyu's question, Chi Yi asked directly...

"I do..." Ye Jingyu replied instantly, without hesitation...

"Then are you willing to become one of our Chi Yi clansmen?" Chi Yi continued to inquire...

"..." Ye Jingyu froze, his gaze fixed on Chi Yi, filled with bewilderment...

What was this old fellow trying to say? Did he intend for him to join the Chi Yi tribe? If so, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, though he wondered about any restrictions that might come with joining. If it meant he had to take one of those burly women of theirs as a wife, he’d pass...

"Rest assured, if you are unwilling to join our Chi Yi tribe, we will not force you, nor will we harm you..." Seeing the confusion on Ye Jingyu's face, Chi Yi mistook his hesitation for reluctance...

"I understand that, Grandpa. I just wanted to ask, if I join the Chi Yi tribe, must I remain here for my entire life?" Ye Jingyu dared to elaborate...

Over the past month, although he had mostly been lying down recovering, he had gained a deep understanding of the Chi Yi clansmen's character. They were coarse, they were savage, they were cruel, yet they were an intensely simple and honest group of people. Whether it was Chi Yi War Wolf, Chi Yi himself, or even Chi Yi Xiu whom he had defeated, none of them possessed the insidious cunning and scheming that characterized outsiders.

They were united, supportive, and lived communally, never fighting to the death over petty gains. Such a society did not exist in his former modern life, nor did it exist in the Shu Yun Kingdom. Deep down, Ye Jingyu found himself genuinely drawn to this way of life...

Of course, liking it was one thing, but he couldn't stay forever. Qin Yan's palm strike had nearly extinguished his life; if he didn't return to seek vengeance, was he even a man? More importantly, he harbored a quiet concern for that nominal father of his...

"Certainly not. Even our own warriors, if they wish to leave and do nothing to harm the tribe, we will never stop them," Chi Yi stated calmly...

"Then are there any other requirements or rules I must adhere to if I join the Chi Yi tribe?" Ye Jingyu inquired again...

"As long as you do not commit acts that harm the race, you only need to assist your kin when the tribe faces danger," Chi Yi explained patiently...

They had already witnessed Ye Jingyu’s innate talent. Not only his terrifying Soul Power, but also his astonishing regenerative capability—these were not traits an ordinary person possessed...

Furthermore, they had gained some understanding of Ye Jingyu’s character during this time, recognizing him as a man deeply devoted to his bonds. This was the root of their desire to recruit him into the Chi Yi tribe...

"Since that is the case, I am willing to join the Chi Yi tribe," Ye Jingyu declared firmly upon hearing this...

Hearing Ye Jingyu's agreement, the six individuals present allowed faint smiles to touch their lips, though the green flames burning in their eyes appeared eerily strange.

These six were the Chi Yi tribe’s six most powerful Soul Masters. Chi Yi was a supreme expert who had reached the Spirit Manifestation Realm, while the other five had all attained the Soul Condensation Realm. They were the five Great Elders of the Chi Yi tribe, named Chi Yi Feng, Chi Yi Huo, Chi Yi Lei, Chi Yi Dian, and Chi Yi Yu. However, much like Chi Yi, they generally paid little heed to tribal affairs, dedicating their days almost entirely to secluded cultivation of Soul Power...

Now, witnessing such a promising seedling in Ye Jingyu, the six of them made a decision: they would collectively instruct him in the cultivation of Soul Power...

Soul Masters, as the most noble profession on the entire Dou Hun Continent, were rare not only due to their scarcity but also because of their immense combat strength...

Most initial-stage Soul Masters could subdue exotic beasts as companions using their Soul Power. Upon reaching the Soul Transformation Realm, they could deploy illusionary and mental attacks on people or animals. By the Soul Condensation Realm, Soul Power could accomplish many unimaginable feats. Once they reached the Spirit Manifestation Realm, like Chi Yi, they could command the very forces of nature, making them absolute top-tier powerhouses against whom a Grandmaster of the same tier would stand no chance...

Unless ambushed, of course...

Soul Masters who reached this level could even contend with Martial Saints...

After rigorous testing by the elders, Ye Jingyu’s current Soul Power had reached the Soul Cultivation Realm. With a period of further training, he would be ready to break through to the Soul Manifestation Realm, at which point he could begin utilizing some simpler Soul Artifacts...

However, before that, the six of them first imparted the method for taming wild beasts into pets to Ye Jingyu—in essence, overpowering the creature through immense mental pressure until it submitted...

From the mouths of the six, Ye Jingyu gradually understood why the ratio of Soul Masters in the Chi Yi tribe far exceeded that in the Shu Yun Kingdom. They lived perpetually immersed in nature, their bodies and spirits closely aligned with the natural world, allowing their souls to awaken more easily...

Yet, for some unknown reason, the Chi Yi tribesmen were incapable of cultivating true Qi, which meant they rarely produced warriors beyond the fourth rank. This was why the Chi Yi tribe had always been confined to the Southern Savage Forest...

Under the tutelage of the six elders, Ye Jingyu slowly began to comprehend the profession of the Soul Master. The deeper he delved, the more powerful he realized the path to be, and he ravenously absorbed the knowledge the six old men imparted...

This training lasted three full months...

Over those three months, Ye Jingyu tirelessly practiced the Thundering Blade Art in the mornings, devoted his afternoons to mastering various Soul Techniques, and spent his evenings meditating on the Overlord Yuan Art. He allowed himself virtually no rest, let alone any time to engage in procreation with Jiu Feng...

It wasn't that Ye Jingyu was unwilling; it was that the elders simply afforded him no such opportunity. They locked him away in the cave every day, refusing to release him until he could defeat one of them...

Ye Jingyu felt utterly helpless against this form of illegal confinement orchestrated by Chi Yi...

Regarding this, Ye Jingyu was at a loss...

Regarding this, Ye Jingyu felt a profound melancholy...

Especially when he thought of Jiu Feng’s tantalizing figure... Ye Jingyu’s impatience grew unbearable...

But setting aside Chi Yi, even the other supreme experts in the Soul Condensation Realm were far beyond Ye Jingyu’s current capacity to fight. No matter what tricks he tried, he stood no chance against their elusive Spirit Focus Attacks...

Had the chieftain of the Hu Yan clan, Hu Yan himself, not personally arrived to visit the Chi Yi tribe today, Ye Jingyu might have remained confined in that cave for another half a year, or even a full year...

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