King of Creation Chapter 1 - 1 1 Ye Zhen's Secret

In the sweltering June heat of the Black Water Kingdom, the Qiyun Sect towered prominently.

As one of the most ancient cultivation sects in the Black Water Kingdom's history, Qiyun Sect boasted a massive square before its mountain gate, extending over a kilometer in both length and width.

Right now, the square outside Qiyun Sect's main entrance brimmed with a thick throng of people.

Everyone gathered there fixed their eyes on the path beyond the mountain gate of Qiyun Sect, erupting in cheers whenever a youth clad in servant disciple gray robes dashed out, only to be enveloped in joyful hugs by one or two middle-aged folks.

Qiyun Sect enforced strict control over its servant disciples, barring them from exiting the Mountain Gate unless for critical personal reasons.

Though servant disciples couldn't leave, their family members were allowed one annual visit.

June marked the sole month for relatives to enter the sect and meet servant disciples, so from early June, Qiyun Sect's square overflowed with families yearning to reunite with their kids.

Even at June's close, visitors kept pouring in without end.

Among these were Ye Tiancheng and his wife.

They dispatched a message right when the mountain gate opened at dawn, and now approaching midday, their son Ye Zhen still hadn't appeared.

Ye Tiancheng held steady, but beside him, Ye Zhen's mother Mi Jiangxue—sword at her side, exuding wisdom and a touch of heroism—paced anxiously, sweat dripping steadily.

Were it not for Qiyun Sect's iron rules, Mi Jiangxue would have stormed inside to drag her son Ye Zhen out herself.

All at once, Mi Jiangxue clutched Ye Tiancheng's arm fiercely, her eyes lighting up with shock and delight.

“Zhen’er, it’s Zhen’er!”

From within Qiyun Sect's mountain gate emerged a tall, vigorous youth in gray robes, brows sharp as drawn swords, dashing toward them with sweat beading on his forehead.

Qiyun Sect's inner peak sprawled across numerous ridges with expansive lands.

Upon getting the steward's notification, Ye Zhen had raced without pause, yet it took over two hours to arrive at the mountain gate's front.

“Father!

Mother!”

Spotting his parents waiting tensely from a distance, Ye Zhen shouted with thrilled voice laced with emotion, charging ahead.

While Ye Zhen paused in hesitation, Mi Jiangxue yanked her son into a tight hug.

Ye Zhen had chosen at fifteen to depart home and join Qiyun Sect as a servant disciple.

Nearly a year apart had left him aching for his parents, and seeing them now soured his nose with emotion.

“Zhen’er, you've slimmed down and tanned more,”

The family shifted to a nearby pavilion along the path, pouring out their longing from the long parting, with Mi Jiangxue especially scrutinizing her son from head to toe, noting only his leanness and weariness.

She overlooked the firm muscles bulging on Ye Zhen's arms and his solid chest.

“Zhen’er, it's been a year in the sect now.

How's your cultivation coming along?” After casual chit-chat, father Ye Tiancheng probed.

Ye Zhen's face clouded over faintly.

Though he'd toiled as diligently as any over the year, his cultivation gains had lagged disappointingly.

“Father, I've just advanced to Late Stage Force Training in First Stage Blood Training.

My power hovers near a thousand jin, with blood Qi barely coursing through my veins,” Ye Zhen replied softly.

Ye Tiancheng and Mi Jiangxue creased their brows, Ye Tiancheng's furrowing even tighter.

“This isn't right.

Your Bloodline Talent is Three Veins Middle Grade; in eleven months, your Blood Qi ought to have roared like tides, hitting Peak of First Stage Blood Refining with strength nearing two thousand jin, isn't that so?”

Ye Zhen stayed quiet.

“When I was at Qiyun Sect, my Bloodline Talent ranked half a grade below yours—Third Grade Lower—yet in one year, I reached Peak of First Stage Blood Refining smoothly and cleared the Sect's yearly test.

With the annual deadline looming, have you been lax…”

Midway through Ye Tiancheng's stern lecture, Mi Jiangxue jabbed him hard and shot a fierce glare, “What nonsense is that?”

“Sure, our son's talent is middling.

But this Bloodline Talent came from your parents at birth; it's no fault of his.

If anyone claims my son skimps on cultivation or lacks devotion, I'll battle them till the end.”

Catching Mi Jiangxue's glare, Ye Tiancheng managed only a wry smile, “Qiyun Sect holds a yearly exam.

Servant disciples failing Peak of First Stage Blood Refining after one year get booted from the Sect outright, so I'm merely concerned…”

Qiyun Sect's servant disciples begin at fifteen, facing yearly exams and promotions every three years.

Reaching Peak of Third Stage Blood Refining by eighteen allows ascension to Outer Disciple, opening vast prospects.

Qiyun Sect Outer Disciples rank as future military officers in Black Water Kingdom.

Even stagnant cultivation as an Outer Disciple guarantees at least Chiliarch in Black Water Kingdom's forces.

Chiliarch holds a solid mid-tier spot in Black Water Kingdom's army ranks.

For ordinary folk, Chiliarch status vaults them ahead, letting them found lasting families with modest effort.

Fail to hit Fourth Stage Blood Refining by eighteen, and even servant disciple status vanishes, no chance for Qiyun Sect's military endorsement.

Moreover, the Sect's rigorous yearly exam expels first-year servant disciples short of Peak First Stage Blood Refining.

In merely one month, Ye Zhen faces Qiyun Sect's servant disciple annual exam.

Such were Ye Tiancheng's anxieties.

Gazing at his fretting father and protective mother, Ye Zhen's features twisted bitterly.

His father's skepticism echoed his own puzzles.

Eleven months in the Sect, Ye Zhen hadn't slacked, yet progress crawled.

Even cohort mates with mere two-vein Bloodline Talents had hit Late First Stage Blood Refining months prior, wielding fourteen to fifteen hundred jin strength.

Those matching his Bloodline Talent had attained Peak First Stage Blood Refining.

This perplexed Ye Zhen deeply.

At times, he wondered if his initial Bloodline Talent test erred.

But the three-and-a-half veins of Blood Qi he'd seen firsthand were indisputable.

Thus, the mood soured briefly.

Abruptly, Ye Tiancheng drew a deep breath, “Son, why not return home with Dad?

Qiyun Sect offers no bright path, just needless hardship.

Come back; we'll lack nothing, no need for this toil.”

“Yes, Zhen’er, our home may be humble, but with your power, endure a bit and I'll wed five or six town girls to you, easy as pie,” Mi Jiangxue boasted, patting her chest.

“Five or six wives for our boy?” Ye Tiancheng blinked, jolted by Mi Jiangxue's declaration.

With a sidelong look, Mi Jiangxue teased, “What, you want in too?” Her bold gaze challenged him openly.

Ye Tiancheng shook his head fast, wary of delay bringing trouble.

Seeing this interplay, Ye Zhen laughed heartily.

As mirth faded, Mi Jiangxue grew solemn, “Zhen’er, Mom means it.

Come home with us.

Why endure this?

All I want is your safe, steady life.”

Ye Zhen froze, head tilting to the vivid blue sky.

Again flashed the image of a fairy-like girl soaring above.

That sight ignited a fierce yearning in Ye Zhen—to glide freely through these heavens.

What freedom that promised!

A youth's passion fueled Ye Zhen's enduring dream and resolve.

Noting his son's look, Ye Tiancheng sighed reluctantly, “Son, even staying now, next month's Qiyun Sect servant disciple annual exam looms, and then…”

Ye Tiancheng's meaning hung clear: stay and face expulsion soon.

Ye Zhen noted the disappointment pooling in his father Ye Tiancheng's eyes.

Ye Tiancheng had entered Qiyun Sect once, expelled for missing Fourth Stage Blood Refining in three years, later breakthroughs useless.

He viewed it as eternal regret.

Ye Tiancheng had placed hopes on son Ye Zhen, yet now...

Ye Zhen's visage hardened resolutely, “Dad, Mom, I'm staying.

I vow to become a Qiyun Sect Outer Disciple.”

“Vowing it?”

Father Ye Tiancheng's eyes bulged, “Forget three-year Fourth Stage Blood Refining; what of next month's exam?”

Father Ye Tiancheng held back harsher words.

“Dad, Mom, trust me, I can succeed!” As Ye Zhen proclaimed boldly, he recalled his recent secret discovery, eyes blazing with iron will.

For childhood dreams or personal drive, he must endure!

As Ye Tiancheng opened to speak, Mi Jiangxue elbowed him, thickening the air once more.

“Fine, stay if you insist.” Ye Tiancheng snorted, falling silent sternly.

But mother Mi Jiangxue drew Ye Zhen aside, handing packages, “Your dad knows Qiyun Sect's ways; much there demands extra coin.

Here's one hundred silver from his year's toil.

Take it, get what you need…”

“This bundle holds shoes Mom sewed, new outfits, your beloved roast chicken, preserved meats…”

Hearing mother Mi Jiangxue, Ye Zhen's vision misted.

He knew their household's straits well.

Some fields aside, comfort evaded them, clan squeezing relentlessly.

Without father's Fourth Stage Blood Refining gigs for silver, survival would've crumbled.

A year apart, father's temples grayed faintly from overwork.

Then, Ye Zhen nearly agreed to leave with them.

“Here, hold this.” Spotting tears welling, Mi Jiangxue thrust the bundle firmly into his grasp.

“Wait!”

As Mi Jiangxue handed it over, Ye Tiancheng rushed up, snatching the package.

Beneath Mi Jiangxue and Ye Zhen's startled stares, he dug in, extracted two hefty silver ingots, and added them.

Mi Jiangxue gaped at Ye Tiancheng, “Tiancheng, that's our travel money you're adding…”

She trailed off, hand flying to her mouth in understanding.

Ignoring her, father Ye Tiancheng shoved it back to Ye Zhen, “Zhen’er, Qiyun Sect's Blood Essence Pills run two hundred silver each, correct?

I've scraped two hundred for you; buy one upon return.

That Blood Essence Pill will boost your cultivation to pass the annual Sect assessment.”

With that, Ye Tiancheng clapped Ye Zhen's shoulder firmly as always, “Good boy, don't disappoint Dad!”

Sensing the slap's weakened force and father's waning vigor, Ye Zhen worriedly seized his wrist, crying, “Dad, your cultivation?”

Childhood games involved father's pulsing blood Qi jarring his fingers via wrist veins.

Now, that pulse felt feeble...

“Much ado about nothing; Dad never reached Essence Origin Realm. Age weakens blood Qi, cultivation naturally wanes…”

Ye Tiancheng yanked his hand away gruffly, masking his pain.

“Son, we're heading out; Dad believes in you!”

He waved energetically, tugging reluctant Mi Jiangxue downhill, leaving Ye Zhen teary-eyed in place.

Father's barely forty, in his prime.

With care, blood Qi wouldn't fade.

Clearly, heavy labor for silver, skimping on nourishment...

As parental silhouettes vanished amid peaks, Ye Zhen swiped tears, hefted the weightier bundle, and strode gateward.

On the mountain trail, tears dried, Ye Zhen's face set with fierce resolve.

“I must claim Outer Disciple status; only then can I ease parents' load and honor Father's dream.”

Ye Zhen recognized his bullheadedness.

Yet he wasn't blindly stubborn.

He knew full well his cultivation pace doomed Fourth Stage Blood Refining for Outer Disciple, even imperiling the annual exam.

Ye Zhen grasped this clearly.

His unyielding stance stemmed from a hidden secret unknown to all.

A secret sparking boundless hope in Ye Zhen.