The Starfall Ascension Record

Chapter 4: Seven days to settle all debts

The black-robed youth slowly surveyed the entire scene, his dark, deep eyes containing a gaze as sharp as a sword's edge, making people afraid to meet his eyes.

Everyone's hearts were pounding wildly.

"Shen... Shen Yuan."

"He is back. He actually came back."

Inside the Ancestral Hall, everyone's eyes were wide open, finding it harder to believe than seeing a ghost.

Four years. Shen Yuan had been missing for four years.

At such a critical juncture, he actually appeared before everyone like a Heavenly God.

Shen Yuan paid no attention to their astonished gazes. He walked to the center of the Ancestral Hall and looked toward Shen Changyuan directly ahead.

In an instant.

Tears actually flickered in Shen Yuan's eyes.

All the majesty of a Celestial Venerable who looked down upon creation.

All the millennium-spanning perspective gained from enduring hardships.

In this moment, all of it turned into nothingness.

Shen Yuan, right now, was merely a returning traveler who had regained his family.

"Your unfilial son has caused Father to suffer." Shen Yuan heavily knelt down, a surge of guilt erupting in his heart.

He had only been away from Qingyang City for four years, yet Shen Changyuan's temples were already streaked with white, and besides looking weak, several new wrinkles had appeared on his face.

Clearly, Shen Changyuan had constantly been worrying about Shen Yuan over the past four years.

It was this worry that had whitened his temples and deepened his wrinkles.

"Silly child, as long as you are back, what do these sufferings matter?" Shen Changyuan reached out and helped Shen Yuan up, a smile appearing on his face.

Beside him, the Grand Elder saw this scene and also revealed a comforting smile.

Since Shen Yuan disappeared, the Grand Elder had never seen Shen Changyuan smile in four years. No one expected Shen Yuan to suddenly return today and resolve the Sword Pavilion's crisis.

"Impossible. You were clearly dead. How could you return alive?"

Ye Tong's cry of alarm interrupted the warmth of the father-son reunion. He pointed tremblingly at Shen Yuan, his mouth open, yet unable to speak, shaking his head frantically.

"It seems my appearance disappointed you." Shen Yuan stared coldly at Ye Tong and sneered, "It is a shame. I even specially brought a gift, preparing to give it to Second Elder."

A gift?

Ye Tong frowned.

Before he could ask, a commotion sounded outside the Ancestral Hall. Countless disciples opened their mouths wide and tacitly cleared a path.

At the end of the passage, a figure appeared.

To be precise, it was a blood-soaked figure, shaped like a ball of flesh, lying on the ground, crawling inch by inch toward the Ancestral Hall, looking utterly miserable.

"Yunchuan."

Ye Yunshan recognized Ye Yunchuan instantly. He picked up Ye Yunchuan and roared toward the sky, "Who did this? Who exactly did this? I will never forgive them."

Ye Tong's eyes were also bloodshot at this moment, and his entire body emitted a chilling aura.

He suddenly looked toward Shen Yuan. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Yuan volunteered, "I cut off Ye Yunchuan's arms, and I also destroyed his Dantian. It was done in one smooth motion, without any hesitation."

Clang.

Ye Tong and Ye Yunshan's hearts trembled. At the same time, everyone present felt a shock throughout their bodies.

Shen Yuan's answer was so direct, it was as if he did not put Ye Tong and Ye Yunshan in his eyes at all.

Pausing, Shen Yuan slowly said, "As soon as I returned to the Sword Pavilion, Ye Yunchuan tried to molest Xiyao and even attempted to ambush me. According to the sect rules, he deserved to have his arms severed and his Dantian destroyed."

"The two of you, you just kept claiming you wanted to inherit the Sword Pavilion. Surely you are not unaware of the Sword Pavilion's sect rules?"

The mocking voice echoed inside and outside the Ancestral Hall, penetrating deep into everyone's hearts.

All the Sword Pavilion disciples were excited, feeling their blood ignited, and they looked at Shen Yuan with faces full of adoration.

Shen Yuan truly lived up to his name as the number one genius of Qingyang City. So arrogant, so overbearing.

This is the true Pavilion Master Candidate.

"The king has returned. There will surely be great turmoil, and the day the Sword Pavilion regains its glory is finally here."

"Only a genius like Shen Yuan can revitalize the Sword Pavilion."

The group of Sword Pavilion disciples spoke with immense excitement, completely ignoring Ye Yunshan standing nearby. After all, compared to Shen Yuan, Ye Yunshan was nothing.

"Father, Big Brother, quickly help me get revenge. Take advantage of Shen Yuan having lost all his cultivation now and kill him quickly." Ye Yunchuan glared at Shen Yuan, full of resentment, wishing Shen Yuan would die right in front of him.

"What did you say?" Ye Tong's gaze narrowed slightly, and he immediately looked toward Shen Yuan.

Sure enough, there was no fluctuation of Origin Power on Shen Yuan's body, nor any trace of origin meridian Qi. He was even weaker than the weakest disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

The Sword Pavilion disciples also heard Ye Yunchuan's words.

They all looked toward Shen Yuan, and then all revealed expressions of intense disappointment.

Four years ago, Shen Yuan displayed supreme talent, deservedly becoming the number one genius in Qingyang City. If he wanted to inherit the Sword Pavilion, no one dared to utter a word of dissent.

But today, four years later, Shen Yuan's cultivation had not even reached the first level of Condensing Meridians.

To put it nicely, he was an ordinary person.

To put it harshly, he was trash.

"Shen Yuan, do you think you are still the genius from four years ago? Right now, you are nothing more than trash." Ye Yunshan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and the chill in his eyes grew thicker.

Shen Changyuan also looked at Shen Yuan, and worry immediately surged onto his face.

If it were four years ago, Shen Changyuan naturally would not worry about the current situation. However, with Shen Yuan's current cultivation, he was fundamentally unable to contend against Ye Yunshan and Ye Tong.

After all, the former's strength had reached the sixth level of Condensing Meridians, and the latter had even rallied most of the Sword Pavilion Elders.

"My brother has been missing for four years. Even if his cultivation regressed, so what? With his talent, he can quickly raise his cultivation. The Pavilion Master Candidate must be him."

Shen Xiyao coldly shouted at Ye Yunshan. Compared to the fat and ugly Ye Yunchuan, Ye Yunshan was even more repulsive, especially his condescending expression.

"For a Martial Artist, talent is the most crucial thing. As long as the talent remains, cultivation is only a matter of time." The Grand Elder immediately agreed. He chose to believe in Shen Yuan.

"Shen Yuan certainly can Cultivate again, but how can I let him return to the Peak." Ye Yunshan thought inwardly. He stepped toward Shen Yuan, the longsword hanging from his waist already humming softly.

A faint Sword Qi spread out, preparing to directly execute Shen Yuan with lightning speed.

"Interesting."

Shen Yuan instantly detected Ye Yunshan's killing intent. Far from being afraid, he actively stepped forward.

Even though he currently had no cultivation, relying on his superb Swordsmanship, he would not fear Ye Yunshan.

The two men, four eyes, their gazes clashed.

In an instant, it felt as if the entire Ancestral Hall had grown several degrees colder, causing many people's hairs to stand on end.

Just as Ye Yunshan was about to make a move, Ye Tong, standing behind him, stepped out without warning.

"Since you all believe in Shen Yuan so much, fine. Seven days from now, which happens to be the four-year mark, let him compete against Yunshan. The winner will become the Successor of the Sword Pavilion."

Hearing Ye Tong's words, Ye Yunshan suddenly turned around and looked at Ye Tong with utter surprise.

"Although Shen Yuan has no cultivation, his former great reputation still remains. Furthermore, the four-year deadline has not passed yet. If you kill him now, it will likely provoke countless disputes, and even if we inherit the Sword Pavilion later, there will be controversy."

Ye Tong met Ye Yunshan's gaze and secretly transmitted his voice transmission: "Rather than doing that, it is better to let him live for a few more days. Seven days later, in the Fighting Arena battle, you can not only kill Shen Yuan but also rightfully become the Pavilion Master Candidate."

By the end, a ferocious killing intent also surged in Ye Tong's eyes.

Ye Yunchuan's arms were severed and his cultivation destroyed. How could Ye Tong not want to kill Shen Yuan to vent his anger?

However, these things were already facts.

Just as he said via voice transmission, what Ye Tong truly cared about was how to legitimately gain control of the Sword Pavilion.

As for Shen Yuan, in his eyes, he was already a dead man.

"Ye Tong, you are forcing someone into an impossible situation." Shen Changyuan finally could not hold back and immediately cursed loudly.

One must know that the current Shen Yuan had lost all his cultivation and was no different from an ordinary person. Conversely, Ye Yunshan was already at the sixth level of Condensing Meridians, possessing six hundred catties of immense strength. The gap between the two was vast, making a fight impossible.

Although there were seven days, what could be accomplished in seven days?

"Seven days it is. It is settled." Shen Yuan reached out to support Shen Changyuan, looked at Ye Tong and Ye Yunshan indifferently, and casually said, "I hope the two of you will not regret this seven days from now."

"This..."

Shen Yuan's reply instantly plunged all the Sword Pavilion disciples into silence.

They all clearly knew that the seven-day challenge was obviously meant to make things difficult for Shen Yuan. Unexpectedly, Shen Yuan not only agreed immediately but also told Ye Tong and Ye Yunshan not to regret it.

Could it be that in the past four years, Shen Yuan not only suffered a regression in cultivation but also went mad?

Not only the Sword Pavilion disciples and Elders, but even the Grand Elder and Shen Xiyao showed shocked expressions, thinking they were hearing things.

"Yuan'er, do not be reckless about this." Shen Changyuan frowned at Shen Yuan.

"Father, there is no need to worry." Shen Yuan, however, smiled faintly and shrugged, "In seven days, let alone someone at the sixth level of Condensing Meridians, I am confident I can defeat even someone in the Origin Qi Realm."

As his words fell, the Ancestral Hall, inside and out, instantly fell into dead silence.

Pairs of eyes around him looked toward Shen Yuan as if he were an idiot.

A person with absolutely no cultivation was claiming he could defeat Ye Yunshan, who was at the sixth level of Condensing Meridians, seven days later, and he even said carelessly that he could defeat a master of the Origin Qi Realm.

Was he utterly shameless?

"A gentleman's word is his bond. Then we shall meet at the Martial Arts Plaza seven days from now." Ye Tong laughed unrestrainedly. He looked coldly at Shen Yuan, flicked his sleeve, and immediately left the Ancestral Hall.

Seeing Ye Tong turn and leave, Ye Yunshan, holding Ye Yunchuan, also quickly departed.

Ye Yunchuan had his arms severed and his Dantian destroyed. He had already lost too much blood. If they rescued him now, they might still save his life.

However, his life was already ruined. It would probably be more painful for him to live than to die.

After these three left, the other Elders and Sword Pavilion disciples also departed from the Ancestral Hall one after another.

As they left, many people sighed regretfully.

Clearly, they all believed that seven days later, Shen Yuan was destined to lose to Ye Yunshan, and the identity of the Pavilion Master Candidate would ultimately fall to Ye Yunshan.