Chapter 50: Ye Wenjie
By the time evening draped the sky in soft hues of amber and indigo, Su Tianhao had successfully reached Initial Mastery—fully comprehending the first layer: Silent Pulse.
Only now did he truly grasp the technique's profound depth.
'This technique...' he thought with quiet awe. 'It might already rival the Supreme Dragon Transformation Technique itself.'
His brows furrowed slightly as a question formed. 'It has five distinct mastery layers... but I've only ever heard of four—with Perfection being the highest acknowledged stage. So what exactly is Assimilation?'
The moment that thought solidified, an echo stirred from deep within the second layer of his inherited memories—like a slumbering truth rising to the surface.
Assimilation. A transcendent realm of mastery that completely surpassed Perfection. It was not merely about mastering a technique—it was about becoming one with it entirely. Once attained, the technique ceased to exist as something separate from the user. It fused with the cultivator's very essence, allowing for instinctive, subconscious application without need for conscious thought, deliberate focus, or active intent. It became as natural and automatic as breathing.
If Perfection symbolized flawless command—the ability to wield a technique to its highest designed limits—then Assimilation represented something far greater. The ability to transcend those limits entirely. Not just mastery. Evolution itself.
Su Tianhao sat in stunned silence as the implications settled over him.
"Such a profound realm actually exists?" he breathed.
Before now, Perfection had been common knowledge throughout the cultivation world as the absolute final stage of mastery. This revelation changed everything.
'I kept having this persistent feeling that despite reaching Perfection, the Raging Dragon Fist still had room for improvement,' Su Tianhao thought with a slow, profound smile. 'Looks like I was right all along.'
But he reined himself in quickly. Assimilation was clearly not a realm reached without true enlightenment at the deepest level of a technique—nearly impossible for most cultivators under ordinary circumstances.
'Right now I'm still far from such stages. Focus on the present,' he reminded himself firmly. 'My immediate goal is to grow as strong as possible before the match with Su Jian.'
He clenched his fist with quiet resolve. After today's discoveries, he suddenly felt like a frog that had spent its entire life at the bottom of a well—finally catching its first glimpse of the sky above.
The journey ahead was still incredibly long.
'Before I enter closed-door seclusion, I should make proper preparations. The match is two weeks away—I'll need fasting pills to avoid distraction from hunger during cultivation.'
Fasting pills were specialized alchemy products refined specifically to sustain cultivators during seclusive training. A single grade one fasting pill could suppress hunger for an entire day, while a grade two fasting pill could last up to ten full days.
'I should also visit a proper restaurant first,' Su Tianhao thought with a faint anticipatory smile. After two weeks surviving entirely on roasted spirit beast meat in Dragonspire Forest, his body naturally craved something properly prepared. He had earned it.
With that decided, he activated the Shrouded Dragon Veil's Silent Pulse—carefully masking his internal energy circulation and true cultivation base beneath layers of concealment.
Rising from his meditation, he made his way out of the humble dwelling. The crisp evening air greeted him, carrying the scent of blooming night flowers and the distant sounds of the city settling into its evening rhythm.
With each deliberate step forward, the path ahead felt clearer.
One step closer to power. One step further from the boy he used to be.
---
Meanwhile, the sun was already beginning to set, casting warm golden light over a secluded courtyard tucked deep within the Ye family estate. The air was quiet except for the soft chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of trees in the evening breeze.
The courtyard was elegant and refined—stone paths winding between carefully trimmed hedges and a small koi pond glimmering in the fading light. At its center, a young man lounged lazily on a carved wooden chair, feet resting comfortably in a basin of warm water while two beautiful maids knelt attentively beside him. One massaged his feet with practiced grace, the other gently waved a silk fan to cool his handsome face.
He wore flowing robes of green and gold, his features smooth and striking, with a charming smile that seemed permanently fixed on his lips. His eyes were narrow and slanted upward at the corners—giving him an appealing yet distinctly cunning appearance, like someone always thinking two steps ahead of everyone around him.
This was Ye Wenjie—the most outstanding young master of the Ye family.
He looked perfectly at ease, sipping fragrant tea as if the entire world belonged to him.
Just then, the sound of uneven footsteps broke the peaceful atmosphere.
A figure entered the courtyard, staggering slightly with each pained step. His face was deathly pale, robes torn and bloodstained, dried blood crusted at the corners of his lips.
He was none other than Ye Jianping—once proud and arrogant, now thoroughly humbled. But in his eyes burned no defeat. Only pure, undiluted hatred.
"Young Master," he greeted with a deep, respectful bow, voice carefully controlled. Gone was his usual arrogance—before Ye Wenjie, he appeared more like a disciplined servant than an elite disciple of the prestigious Ye family.
"Jianping..." Ye Wenjie drawled softly, his tone sweet and strangely pleasant. Yet a faint gleam of irritation flickered in those slanted eyes—so brief it was nearly impossible to catch. "Haven't I told you not to disturb me when I'm enjoying the company of my lovely maids?"
The two maids blushed visibly, flustered by his flirtatious tone, their hands pausing briefly before continuing their duties.
Ye Jianping bowed deeper. "Forgive my intrusion, Young Master. I wouldn't have dared come if the matter wasn't truly urgent." His fists clenched at his sides, barely containing the fury boiling in his chest.
Ye Wenjie tilted his head with mild interest. "Oh? For you to seek me out in such a pitiful state... someone must have truly trampled on your pride."
"It was Su Tianhao!" Ye Jianping growled, eyes burning. "That bastard humiliated both me and Gao Min! Even after I told him we were your men, he didn't hold back—struck us down without mercy and mocked your name openly. It was as if the Ye family meant absolutely nothing to him!"
He paused, steadying his voice before driving the final nail home. "If word spreads that someone trampled on your followers and walked away freely—what will others think of the Ye family's authority?"
Ye Wenjie's eyes flashed with brief coldness at those words, but the dangerous look was immediately masked by a contemplative frown. As a manipulative person himself, he saw through Ye Jianping's carefully calculated appeal instantly.
'Trying to use me as a tool for revenge?' he snorted inwardly.
Ye Jianping, mistaking the frown for anger, celebrated internally. 'Su Tianhao, you've just incurred my Young Master's wrath!' But Ye Wenjie's next words pulled him from his premature celebration immediately.
"Su Tianhao? That supposed trash of the Su family?" Ye Wenjie's voice remained calm and collected. "How did you even get into conflict with him? More importantly—how did he manage to defeat both of you? Shouldn't you be ashamed?"
Ye Jianping's heart jumped. He pressed on quickly. "Young Master, that Su Tianhao is definitely not as simple as he appears. I strongly suspect he's cultivating an unorthodox method to rapidly boost his cultivation!"
"Unorthodox method?" Genuine surprise colored Ye Wenjie's voice.
Ye Jianping's eyes brightened at the reaction. "That's exactly right! Su Tianhao awakened with zero measurable talent, yet he's already reached the 1st level of Martial Disciple Realm—and his strength far surpasses that of an ordinary 1st level Martial Disciple. If he hadn't cultivated a demonic technique, how would he possibly defeat me? How could trash like him grow so strong?"
The two maids' expressions darkened considerably at the word "demonic technique." They had heard the stories—a cultivator of no outstanding talent who had practiced a forbidden technique, rising to the Martial King realm within ten years before slowly losing his humanity entirely. The repercussions had been catastrophic. Killing indiscriminately, going on constant murderous rampages, destroying countless clans and families before he finally lost all control. The Imperial family and the three great sects of Longzhou Country had been forced to join forces to bring him down. On the day of his extermination, the skies turned blood red and countless towns were painted in crimson. Many lives were lost before justice was finally served—a tragedy burned into the collective memory of Longzhou Country as a permanent warning against the demonic path.
The maids trembled at the thought of such a person appearing in Oakwood City.
But where the maids saw terror, Ye Wenjie saw golden opportunity.
'If I can confirm he's cultivating a demonic technique and bring him to justice publicly, my reputation in Oakwood City would soar. Countless supporters. Unshakable standing within the Ye family. And if Su Tianhao dies in the process...' A cold gleam crossed his eyes. 'All the better.'
Normally he wouldn't involve himself in Ye Jianping's petty troubles—he could see clearly that Jianping had caused this problem for himself. But an opportunity was an opportunity.
"Jianping, are you absolutely certain Su Tianhao is at the 1st level of Martial Disciple Realm?" he asked with an unreadable expression.
"Without question," Ye Jianping responded quickly. "Although his strength surpasses an ordinary 1st level Martial Disciple, his aura is unmistakably that realm."
Ye Wenjie remained silent for a long moment, slowly sipping his tea. His slanted eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips curved into a faint, calculating smile.
"A demonic technique... in Oakwood City of all places," he murmured, his voice carrying just the right amount of solemnity and righteous concern. Then he rose in a graceful, unhurried motion, his long robe flowing like silk behind him.
The two maids looked up with wide, admiring eyes. His previously relaxed expression had transformed into one of firm resolve—like a noble warrior choosing to bear a great responsibility for the sake of others.
"I cannot turn a blind eye to this," Ye Wenjie declared in a calm yet resolute tone. "If Su Tianhao is truly cultivating a demonic technique, he must be stopped before he becomes a grave danger to this entire city."
Ye Jianping's eyes lit up with barely contained excitement.
Ye Wenjie, however, didn't respond to him directly. Instead he turned his gaze toward the distant horizon, as if burdened by the weight of duty. "Even if he possesses such strength, even if he's backed by the Su family—no one stands above justice. The lives of innocent people must be protected."
The maids exchanged glances, visibly moved. One lowered her head, cheeks flushed. "Young Master Wenjie... you're truly noble."
Ye Wenjie let out a quiet, dramatic sigh, placing one hand over his chest with perfect sincerity. "I am merely doing what is right."
But inside, the calculation was already complete:
'Once I expose him publicly, I'll be hailed as a hero by every major power in Oakwood City. The Ye family will have no choice but to support me openly. Even Su Jian will lose face if the Su family is tied to someone cultivating a demonic path. And if Su Tianhao dies in the process... all the better.'
He turned back to Ye Jianping with a composed expression. "Gather your strength and recover. I'll personally pay Su Tianhao a visit tomorrow. We must confirm the truth... and act in the name of justice."
"Young Master, there's no need to wait!" Ye Jianping said with a crafty smile. "I already sent someone to keep watch on him. He's in the city right now!"
Ye Wenjie's eyes flickered with renewed interest. He set down his tea cup, the sound crisp in the quiet courtyard.
"Is that so," he said slowly—not a question. His voice was smooth like velvet yet carried a cold undertone beneath it.
He rose again, his leisurely demeanor giving way to a calm, dangerous stillness—like a venomous serpent coiling beneath still water. The evening sun cast long shadows across the courtyard, and for a fleeting moment, his figure seemed cloaked in silent menace.
"Then let's not keep him waiting." Ye Wenjie's eyes gleamed with predatory anticipation. "I'd like to see for myself what kind of monster hides behind that calm face."
---
Somewhere in the city, completely unaware of the approaching storm, Su Tianhao continued his peaceful evening—his mind on fasting pills and a proper meal.
But his tranquil plans were about to be violently disrupted.