Chapter 9: First Glimpse of Brilliance, Hiding Clumsiness in Skill
After Yu Yuanchen came out of seclusion, he did not immediately act in a high-profile manner. He deeply understood the principle that the wind will destroy a tree that stands out from the forest, especially during a sensitive period when the Family faced external pressure and potential internal dissenting voices. He restrained the majestic Aura that naturally flowed from his initial Bloodline purification, stabilizing his Soul Power fluctuations at the level of a Rank forty-three Spirit Ancestor. He appeared no different from before his seclusion, except that his gaze had become increasingly deep and calm.
Under the arrangement of his grandfather Yu Boxuan, he began to participate in Family affairs to a limited extent, primarily responsible for the inspection and guard work of several industries within and around Dragon City. This was both a way to hone his abilities and a relatively safe method to accumulate prestige.
Dragon City, as the base of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, had been occupied for many years and had a deep Foundation. Major industries in the city, such as spirit tool shops, medicinal herb shops, forging workshops, and even some entertainment venues, more or less had the shadow of the Family behind them. In the past, although there were occasional disputes in these places, most remained peaceful due to the fearsome reputation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. However, in recent months, as relations with the Black Flame Flood Dragon Clan continued to deteriorate, various "accidents" and provocations began to increase.
On this day, Yu Yuanchen took a team of Family guards to conduct a routine inspection of several important industries in the west of the city. He wore a simple set of blue martial attire and did not wear any markers that revealed his identity, looking just like an ordinary Family disciple. The guard captain was a Soul King in his fifties named Yu Kun, who was quite respectful toward this young but steady direct grandson.
"Young Master Yuanchen, ahead is 'Thunder Sound Pavilion,' a large spirit tool shop operated by the Family. In the past half month, it has suffered three consecutive 'accidental' thefts. Although the losses weren't large, it is quite troublesome," Yu Kun reported in a low voice, his brow slightly furrowed.
Yu Yuanchen's gaze swept over the magnificent five-story building ahead that was bustling with people, and he nodded: "Let's go in and take a look."
As soon as the group stepped into the main entrance of Thunder Sound Pavilion, a bustling atmosphere mixed with the scents of various metals and energy crystals rushed toward them. There were many customers inside, and the attendants were busy moving about. The shopkeeper recognized Yu Kun, and seeing him accompanying a young man of extraordinary bearing, he immediately realized a big figure had arrived and hurried forward to greet them.
However, at the very moment the shopkeeper bowed in greeting, a sudden change occurred!
"Boom!"
A loud explosion came from the second floor, accompanied by violent Soul Power fluctuations and the screams of customers! Immediately after, a black shadow crashed through the second-floor railing, falling toward the crowd in the lobby like a meteorite! That black shadow had a fierce Aura; it was actually a Soul King! His Martial Soul was a violent Bloodthirsty Giant Bear, his eyes blood-red, clearly in some kind of out-of-control or berserk state.
"Watch out!"
"Quick, get out of the way!"
The lobby instantly fell into chaos, with shouts and screams erupting everywhere. The direction the Bloodthirsty Giant Bear Soul King was falling was directly toward several women and children who were frozen in place by fear!
At the critical moment, a blue figure moved.
Fast! Extremely fast!
Everyone felt their vision blur, as if a faint electric current had flashed by. Yu Yuanchen had already arrived first, appearing in front of the women and children. Facing the Bloodthirsty Giant Bear falling with the force of ten thousand tons, his expression remained calm. Instead of retreating, he advanced. His dragonized right arm was instantly covered with deep blue scales, his fingers forming a claw. He didn't use any Soul skills, but simply and violently propped it upward!
"Boom!!"
There was another dull, thunder-like impact!
A wave of air exploded outward with the two of them as the center, causing the surrounding counters to creak and groan. The expected scene of broken bones and flying blood did not occur. The massive, violently powerful Bloodthirsty Giant Bear Soul King's downward momentum was actually stopped dead! He was held aloft in mid-air by Yu Yuanchen's single arm, as if he had crashed into an eternal mountain of thunder!
The bluestone slabs beneath Yu Yuanchen's feet shattered inch by inch, but his figure remained as steady as a rock, his arm not even bending in the slightest!
"What?!" The blood-red in the Bloodthirsty Giant Bear Soul King's eyes receded slightly, replaced by unbelievable shock. He was an attack system Soul King known for his strength; in a berserk state, how terrifying was the force of this fall? Yet he was caught effortlessly with one arm by a seemingly young Spirit Ancestor?
Not just him, the entire lobby instantly fell into a deathly silence. Everyone who saw this scene—whether customers, attendants, or guards like Yu Kun—was dumbfounded, as if they had seen something impossible.
Catching the full-force strike of a berserk attack system Soul King with bare hands? Was this really something a Spirit Ancestor could do?
Yu Yuanchen's gaze was indifferent. His arm shook slightly, and a highly condensed hidden force was transmitted through the dragon claw.
"Pfft!" The Bloodthirsty Giant Bear Soul King felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his massive body was instantly thrown out like a tattered sack. His Martial Soul possession deactivated, and he slammed heavily into a distant wall, falling unconscious.
From the moment the accident occurred to Yu Yuanchen's move to subdue the enemy, only two or three breaths of time had passed. Fast, accurate, and ruthless! It demonstrated a precise grasp of timing and a terrifying Physical Body strength and control that far exceeded his apparent Soul Power Rank.
"A... Spirit Ancestor took a Soul King head-on? And won?"
"That's... the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul! It's a Genius of the Family!"
"What strong power! What fast speed!"
After a brief silence, bursts of exclamations and discussions erupted in the lobby. The gazes directed at Yu Yuanchen were filled with awe and curiosity.
Yu Kun and the others finally snapped out of it, hurrying forward to restrain the unconscious Soul King and comfort the frightened customers. The shopkeeper was wiping cold sweat, repeatedly offering his thanks.
Yu Yuanchen, however, frowned slightly and looked toward the second floor. That Soul King's fall was definitely no accident. Within his electric field perception, there were several other faint Soul Power fluctuations on the second floor, carrying malicious intent.
"Captain Yu Kun, take men to seal off the second floor. Do not let a single person leave," Yu Yuanchen's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable tone of command.
"Yes!" Yu Kun was now completely convinced of this young master's ability and immediately led his men to charge up to the second floor.
Soon, sounds of fighting and angry shouts came from the second floor. Clearly, the accomplices who had created the chaos were trying to resist or escape.
Yu Yuanchen did not go up himself. He simply stood quietly in the center of the lobby, but his Spiritual Power was like an invisible spider web, quietly enveloping the entire Thunder Sound Pavilion. The movement trajectories and Soul skills releases of those Spirit Ancestors on the second floor were clearly reflected in his mind.
After a moment, the sounds of fighting ceased. Yu Kun led the guards down, escorting three restrained Spirit Ancestors. One of them had a pale face and an arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
"Young Master, we caught them! They are all unfamiliar faces and their mouths are very tight, but they have the markings of the Black Flame Flood Dragon Clan's peripheral forces on them," Yu Kun reported, while feeling somewhat ashamed, "Your subordinate was incompetent and allowed them to destroy some evidence."
"It's fine." Yu Yuanchen walked up to the three Spirit Ancestors, his gaze calmly sweeping over them. That gaze wasn't sharp, but it carried a power that pierced through to the heart, causing the three Spirit Ancestors to involuntarily lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Is the Long Family now only capable of using such low-level tricks?" Yu Yuanchen spoke indifferently. "Go back and tell your masters: if they want to play, I will accompany them. But next time, they'd better send someone decent."
He waved his hand: "Cripple their cultivation and throw them out of Dragon City."
It was crisp and neat, without the slightest hesitation. It both demonstrated thunderous methods to establish prestige and did not excessively expose his strength—catching a Soul King bare-handed, while amazing, was still within the understandable range for a "Genius," and far from his true trump card of being able to kill a Soul Emperor.
"Yes!" The guards obeyed sternly, dragging away the three ashen-faced Spirit Ancestors.
After this incident, Yu Yuanchen's image in the eyes of the Family's grassroots members and some forces in Dragon City instantly became tall and mysterious. News of him easily subduing a berserk Soul King quickly spread within certain circles in Dragon City. Everyone knew that the direct grandson of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was not only exceptionally talented, but his strength was also unfathomable, far beyond what an ordinary Spirit Ancestor could compare to.
Over the next few days, Yu Yuanchen handled several more similar "accidents" and provocations. Each time, he performed just right, showing enough strength to easily defeat ordinary Soul Kings and inspire dread, yet always keeping his power within the "reasonable" range of the Spirit Ancestor level—at most, his Soul Power was particularly thick, his Physical Body particularly strong, and his control over Martial Soul Abilities particularly exquisite.
He deliberately cultivated the image of a "Genius Spirit Ancestor," which could both deter small-time troublemakers and stabilize people's hearts, while not prematurely attracting targeted assassinations from the Martial Soul Saint level or even higher.
During a small-scale operation to clear out a stronghold planted by the Long Family near Dragon City, he even faced two Soul Kings who coordinated perfectly. During the battle, he was in "constant peril," and finally, "relying" on his superior combat awareness, a strange combination of Martial Soul Abilities, and a bit of "luck," he "struggled" to kill the two Soul Kings. The whole process seemed intense, but in reality, everything was under his control. Even his injuries were managed to be superficial ones that didn't affect his movement but looked quite battered.
His "performance" was seamless; even the accompanying Family guards broke into a cold sweat for him, and afterward, they all praised him for his extraordinary courage and combined wisdom and bravery.
Only Yu Boxuan, who had been secretly following him, had a flash of understanding and a gratified smile in his eyes after hearing the reports. This grandson of his not only had amazing talent and strength, but his wisdom in hiding his brilliance and his steady Heart-Nature were even more rare.
"Chener now likely has the strength to contend with or even defeat an ordinary Soul Emperor, doesn't he?" Yu Boxuan thought to himself. "This is for the best. Brilliance that is too exposed is easily broken; only by hiding the edge in the scabbard can one deliver a fatal blow to the enemy."
Yu Yuanchen's initial debut successfully established prestige within and outside the Family, and to a certain extent, curbed the Long Family's increasingly rampant provocations. He was like a piece of fine jade that had undergone initial polishing, its warm luster restrained; only those who came close could feel the coldness and hardness within.
He knew this was only the beginning. The Long Family would never stop because of these small setbacks; a greater storm was still behind. And he needed to accumulate more strength before that storm arrived, sharpening the brilliance hidden in the depths even more.
The waters of Dragon City seemed a bit calmer on the surface because of his appearance, but the undercurrents lurking beneath the water were becoming increasingly turbulent.