From Death To Dominion

The break had already ended a while ago when Ye Xian slipped back into the classroom. Without drawing much attention, he quietly took his seat beside Riener, who was slumped over his desk, fast asleep.

The current lecture was on agriculture, but the lecturer was merely reciting information in a monotonous tone, showing little interest in engaging the students. Because of this, the atmosphere in the classroom was lax—some students were whispering amongst themselves, while others, like Riener, had fully given in to drowsiness.

As the lecture dragged on, time seemed to stretch endlessly. Eventually, the class ended, and Ye Xian, feeling mischievous, leaned toward Riener and whispered.

"Riener, eat!"

Startled, Riener jolted awake with a loud gasp. "Agh! I wasn't sleeping!" he blurted out before rubbing his eyes blearily. He turned to Ye Xian, still half-dazed.

"Brother Ye, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The sudden outburst caused other drowsy students to wake up as well. Some groaned in annoyance, while others cursed Ye Xian for disturbing their precious nap.

"The last lecture was about… what again?" one of them mumbled, still trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

"I think it's was ...Cartography" another answered dully.

Before long, the next teacher entered the classroom. Unlike the previous lecturer, this one exuded a sense of grace and precision. With practiced ease, he lifted a brush and, in smooth, controlled strokes, wrote a single word on the board. The fluidity of his movements alone demonstrated his mastery over calligraphy.

With a calm yet authoritative voice, he began explaining the fundamentals—how to hold the brush, the correct way to move one's wrist, and the importance of control in each stroke.

To Ye Xian's surprise, Riener, who had been dozing just moments ago, was now sitting upright, fully focused on the lesson. He was absorbing every word, his eyes filled with newfound interest.

Curious, Ye Xian leaned over and whispered, "You're quite attentive in this lecture… why?"

Riener grinned. "Well, my cousin was really good at calligraphy. He used to write poetry for the girl he liked, and she was so impressed that they became a couple," he explained with a nostalgic chuckle. "For guys like us, who have low talent in cultivation, we need something else to impress the girls we fancy. And mastering the brush is one way to do it."

Ye Xian smirked. "Well, I wouldn't know about that. I don't have such struggles."

Riener gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if he had been stabbed. "Tch! You really just leaped past all of us and went straight for a beautiful woman, huh? I'm jealous!" He suddenly leaned closer, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Hey, I have an idea!"

Ye Xian gave him a wary look. "What idea?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Riener pouted before rubbing his hands together.

"You know how stunning Xuan Lingshuang is, right? Well… you're close to her! Can you introduce me to one of her friends?"

His breath grew heavier with excitement, his imagination running wild.

Ye Xian scoffed. "Dream on."

"Why not?!" Riener protested.

"Because if one of her friends fell for me instead, I'd feel bad for you," Ye Xian said with a smug grin.

Riener groaned in frustration. "You really are a rascal!"

The class eventually came to an end, and students began making their way toward the academy's gates. Riener and Ye Xian bid each other farewell before parting ways.

Ye Xian leisurely walked through the bustling streets, passing various vendors and pedestrians before finally reaching the grand entrance of the Ye Estate. As he stepped inside, he made his way through the vast corridors and training grounds before arriving at his personal quarters.

With a sigh of relief, he pushed open the door and entered his room. Without hesitation, he threw himself onto the bed lazily. However, just as he was about to relax, a thought crossed his mind, making him sit up abruptly.

His cultivation.

Remembering the Ki Stones he had obtained earlier, he quickly got off the bed, locked the door, and sat cross-legged in the lotus position. Taking out his storage pouch, he emptied its contents onto the bed, revealing a pile of glistening 420 Ki Stones.

He kept two stones and decided to use 418, deliberately leaving out the full 420 ki stones. Something about the number 420 felt inauspicious to him, an uneasy link he preferred to avoid.

Taking a deep breath, he willed his Taiji to start rotate into action.

Immediately, a mystical formation appeared beneath him—a circular diagram, one meter in radius, forming the shape of a Yin-Yang symbol. One half glowed like the moonlight, while the other was as dark as an abyss.

As Ye Xian concentrated, the tails of the Yin-Yang fishes twitched ever so slightly before they slowly began to move. At the same time, threads of Ki essence started to rise from the stones, flowing toward Ye Xian's dantian in a steady stream.

The energy surged through his body, integrating seamlessly with his cultivation. His meridians hummed as they absorbed the pure essence, refining it into his core.

Moments later, the Ki Stones turned to ash, their energy fully depleted.

Ye Xian opened his eyes, his aura subtly shifting. A faint ripple of energy spread around him before settling into a calm equilibrium.

Peak of the Second Stage of the Ki Refining Realm. A small smirk tugged at his lips. Not a bad gain for a single day.

Stretching his arms, Ye Xian took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The crisp evening air greeted him as the sun hovered just above the horizon, its golden glow slowly fading. In an hour or two, dusk would fully settle.

Feeling refreshed, he made his way toward the Ye Clan's training grounds. As he approached, the rhythmic sounds of martial practice filled the air.

The swift movements of disciples executing punches, kicks, and precise cultivation techniques. Their forms were disciplined, their strikes coordinated, showcasing the fruits of rigorous training.

As Ye Xian stepped onto the field, murmurs spread among the young cultivators.

"Hey, isn't that Ye Xian?" one of them whispered.

"He doesn't come here often," another remarked.

"Well, I guess he avoids the training grounds because Young Master Ye Shen. " someone snickered, drawing quiet chuckles from those nearby.

Ye Xian's sharp ears caught their words, but he remained unfazed. Without hesitation, he strode toward the group.

The moment they noticed him approaching, the disciples straightened slightly, offering half-hearted bows. Their greetings were laced with indifference, a thin veneer of respect barely masking their amusement.

"Young Master Ye Xian," one of them greeted lazily.

Among them, a young man with an arrogant smirk stepped forward. It was Yang Mu, a cultivator slightly older than Ye Xian.

"Well, well," Yang Mu said, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "What brings you here, Young Master? Do you need something? Or perhaps… you're looking for a sparring partner?"

His tone was playful, but the suppressed chuckles from the other disciples made it clear—they didn't believe Ye Xian was here for training.

Ye Xian, however, remained composed. He nodded slightly, a small, confident smile tugging at his lips.

Yang Mu blinked, momentarily stunned. He had expected Ye Xian to refuse or make an excuse to avoid a fight. After all, he had already defeated Ye Xian with ease once before.

His cultivation had progressed since then—he was already at the Sixth Stage of the Ki Refining Realm, a level significantly higher than Ye Xian's. The idea that Ye Xian, whom he had bested effortlessly before, would agree to a match caught him off guard.

Still, a smirk quickly returned to Yang Mu face. "Sure," he said, his voice laced with malice.

The other disciples quickly stepped back, forming a loose ring around them. Some exchanged excited glances, eager to watch the duel unfold.

"Who do you think will win?" one of the younger disciples asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Obviously Yang Mu," another replied with certainty. "His cultivation is way higher! Young Master Ye Xian is still just at the Initiate Realm. There's no way he stands a chance."

In the center of the ring, Yang Mu crossed his arms. "Young Master, don't worry—I'll hold back so you won't get hurt," he said with a mocking grin.

Ye Xian chuckled. "There's no need to hold back. I wouldn't want you crying later, saying that's the reason you lost."

The smirk on Yang Mu's face stiffened for a brief moment, but he quickly shook off the insult. He had already beaten Ye Xian before—why should he get angry over mere words?

"Alright then, Young Master," Yang Mu said, rolling his shoulders. "Since you're so confident, why don't you make the first move?"

"Sure," Ye Xian replied casually.

Taking two slow steps forward, he reached for the sword at his waist. With a smooth motion, he unsheathed his blade, the metal glinting under the evening light.

Yang Mu, in turn, caught a sword tossed to him by one of his companions. He twirled it once before leveling it at Ye Xian.

Both fighters squared up, steadying themselves as the air around them grew tense.

The duel was about to begin.