Cai Yan handed the White Bear’s Soul Crystal to Cai Yun. Immediately, Cai Yun could already tell the soul force that was still circling within it. The problem with using Soul Crystals were that they required a lot more time to refine than elixirs. The reason was that the soul force belonged to another living creature and it required effort and time to make it your own. The greater the difference between you and the original source, the longer it would take. Once you did though, everything that belonged to the creature would become yours.

The principles behind it was the same. As long as you had physical contact with the Soul Crystal, you were always absorbing a little of the soul force within. If you focused on extending the circulation of your soul force to include an object, you could draw in some of the power contained within the object.

“Let’s head back,” said Cai Yan. “Cai Bingwen will help you get the rest of what you need.”

“Why is he so helpful?” Cai Yun asked. He never questioned why Cai Jun and Cai Bingwen were so nice to him until now.

“The three of us and your mother were the best of friends,” Cai Yan answered. “Even though Cai Hong often tried to portray me and your Uncle Jun as bitter rivals, we still get along very well.”

“For some reason, I always felt like they owed you something,” said Cai Yun.

“They owe your mother, not me,” Cai Yan answered.

“Mom?!?” Cai Yun was surprised to hear this. The more he learned about his mother, the more mysterious she became. He had thought his mother was kind, but she was someone who abandoned him. Now, even though his mother abandoned him, it felt like she gave him everything he needed to help him grow stronger.

“I know you must think poorly of your mother,” said Cai Yan. “But I guarantee you, she is a kind and gentle woman who is willing to do everything to help you.”

“Mom…” Cai Yun said to himself in a low voice as he thought of what she was like. Cai Yun did not have many memories of his mother. She had disappeared from his life when he was just a baby. He could not even remember her face clearly. All he could picture is a young woman with a blank face because of what he had learned about her.

“Cai Jun, Cai Bingwen, your mother, and I swore a blood oath together,” said Cai Yan.

A blood oath was a ceremony in which two or more people made an unbreakable promise that they would carry to their deaths as needed. It was something that made them as close as any family. Even though they all shared the surname Cai, that name meant little when your clan was thousands of people who were separated through the generations. A blood oath essentially declared to everyone else that these people were as close as my family and if you dare to hurt one of them, all of us will come for you.

Cai Yan and Cai Yun headed back to Cloud City. “Will Uncle Bingwen be okay out there?” Cai Yun asked.

“Even though he is not as strong as me or Uncle Jun, he is strong,” Cai Yan answered. “Do not worry and Cai Meili can take care of herself as well.”

Cai Yun was not worried about that. He knew Cai Meili handled everything herself whenever Cai Bingwen went out to hunt for ingredients. What he was worried about was that as the day of the annual tournament came closer, Cai Hong and his people became more aggressive in taking resources. It was common for him to tell each family in the clan to provide an elixir of a certain quality as a prize for the tournament. The prize almost always ended up in the hands of Cai Hong’s close relatives. For the last three years, Cai Rong had been the one to win. This year would be his last chance to win and if someone won four times in a row, they would be bestowed a gift from the Cai Clan’s Vault, which housed all the treasures from the clan’s past.

The previous person to win four times in a row was Cai Hua, who was around before Cai Hong’s time. Cai Hong himself never won all four times he qualified for the tournament. Cai Yan won three while Cai Jun won the fourth. Thus, a single person winning four times was considered a very big deal.

“Well, well, well, look at what we have here,” said a coarse voice.

Cai Yun and Cai Yan looked behind them and saw Cai Rong. Cai Rong was rarely out in public. He was often training within the private area of his home. But whenever he appeared, there was guaranteed to be business. Cai Yan gave Cai Yun one piece of advice that he always remembered, do not speak to Cai Rong and continue about your business. Speak a single word and he will find a way to turn it against you.

Cai Rong had dyed his hair blonde and was wearing a sabre on his hip. He was wearing an ornate red and black robe with the seal of the Cai Clan on his back. He was flaunting his wealth and status. The only people who could push him around was one of the Four Noble Families, but they kept to themselves and did not bother with outsiders, giving Cai Rong free reign.

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“State your business,” said Cai Yan.

“I’m just checking out the competition,” said Cai Rong. “It’s a shame your son is an un-cultivator, Uncle Yan.”

Cai Rong did not even bother to check Cai Yun’s cultivation. It was easy to sense if someone had soul force because it could not be hidden. Martial force on the other hand, could be suppressed and hidden to hide your true cultivation. But, that was proof of how much Cai Rong underestimated his competition.

“If you have no business with us, we’ll be on our way,” said Cai Yan.

“Don’t you dare raise your voice with me!” Cai Rong shouted.

“Raise my voice?” Cai Yan asked. “I’m just stating that I have business to attend to.”

“There is no important business for a crippled old man,” said Cai Rong.

At that moment, Cai Yun started to feel immense anger towards Cai Rong. Cai Yan raised his arm for a moment and waved his sleeve between Cai Yun and Cai Rong, signaling Cai Yun to hold himself back. “Then what business do you have with a cripple?” Cai Yan asked.

In an instant, Cai Yan had turned Cai Rong’s insult back at him. Cai Yan had endured it for years, but he was not someone who was going to take insults sitting down. If Cai Rong was the first one to throw a punch, he would be the one in the wrong. But if Cai Yan threw the first punch, then it would not be a problem.

“I can’t wait for a chance to cripple your son,” said Cai Rong. “Then you two can be alike.”

Cai Rong was known for causing serious injuries during the tournament. He did not hold back at all, which was seen as a sign of strength by the elders. However, some people like Cai Jun felt that because Cai Rong had no compassion, he would never be able to hold the title of Patriarch. They had thought the same of Cai Hong, but Cai Hong gradually consolidated his power until no one was left to challenge him, leading to their current predicament.

At that moment, Cai Yan no longer held his anger back. He vanished and the next thing Cai Yun saw was his father holding up Cai Rong by the throat. “I may be a cripple, but I am still your elder and far stronger than you. Your life is literally in my hands right now and I could kill you right now. If you threaten my son, I will break your neck here and now.”

Cai Yan dropped Cai Rong onto the ground who was now gasping for air. “You may think of yourself as a prodigy, but that is only because your grandfather has hoarded all of the Cai Clan’s resources for you,” said Cai Yan. “You are still young and no match for an elder, any of which can kill you in an instant.”

Cai Rong was scared. Most of the time, no one dared to talk back to him because of his status. However, someone like Cai Yan who knew what it was like to be treated like trash had little to lose. Any punishment doled at him would be meaningless at this point.

“Now run home to tell your grandpa,” said Cai Yan.

Cai Rong got up and ran as fast as he could. “Are you not worried?” Cai Yun asked.

“This actually benefits us,” said Cai Yan.

“What do you mean?” Cai Yun asked.

“Think about what just happened in the public streets of Cloud City,” said Cai Yan.

Cai Yun looked around and saw that there were a lot of people watching. Even if Cai Hong could silence the members of the Cai Clan, silencing people outside of the clan would require bribery, bribery that they could benefit from as well.

That evening, Cai Yun was working on integrating the soul force within the Soul Crystal within his body. He could only absorb a tiny amount at a time because he was at the Second Level of the Elementary Realm while the Soul Crystal was at the Fifth Level. By using the Flame Heart cultivation method, he could absorb it pretty quickly according to his father.

KNOCK. There was someone at the door. “I’ll get it,” said Cai Yan.

As Cai Yan opened the door, there were two men who wore the same clothes of Cai Rong from the afternoon. They were representatives of the Cai Clan who were out on official business. The two of them bowed. “We are here to apologize for the young master’s behavior,” said one of the men.

“It’s alright,” said Cai Yan. “Raise yourself. You are not responsible for the behavior of the spoiled grandson of the Patriarch.”

“Master Cai Bo offers his apologies,” said the man.

Cai Bo was Cai Rong’s father and one of Cai Hong’s sons. Cai Yun had thought that Cai Rong would run to his grandfather, the Patriarch for help. But instead, Cai Rong had ran to his father.

The two men presented Cai Yan with a box which Cai Yan accepted with both hands. With that, the two men turned around and left. “See,” said Cai Yan.

“How did you know this would happen?” Cai Yun asked.

“Cai Hong has a notoriously short temper,” Cai Yan answered. “Cai Rong would most likely be beaten by Cai Hong himself if he told his grandfather what happened.”

Cai Yun stared at the box. “What is it?” he asked.

“Let’s find out,” said Cai Yan.

Cai Yan removed the red cloth and revealed a red and gold box. There was a letter. The box itself contained numerous candied fruits. The letter was an apology from Cai Bo, not Cai Rong. It said that Cai Rong would be disciplined for his actions and hopes that Cai Yan will not bring this issue up with Cai Hong.

“Do you want to bring this issue to the Patriarch?” Cai Yan asked.

“No, I’m fine with this,” said Cai Yun.

“Are you sure?” Cai Yan asked.

“Yes,” Cai Yun answered. “This is not a problem with Patriarch should be bothered with.”

“Alright then,” said Cai Yan. He tore up the letter and ignited it with his fire elements.

Calling upon the elementals was something that was possible once someone reached the Profound Realm.

Cai Yan set aside a few of the sweets in a small snack box and wrapped it back up in the red cloth. “Hand those to Uncle Bingwen and Cai Meili tomorrow,” he said.

“I will,” said Cai Yun.

The two of them enjoyed the sweets together. Cai Yun set aside a few of the chocolate covered ones because that was the kind that Cai Meili enjoyed.