39: Chapter 39 Exposure

"Father, I'll go brew some tea for you." Ye Yisong picked up the teapot on the table and skillfully began brewing tea.

"Hmph, what's the matter? Am I going to eat you? You run away the moment you see me." Ye Jiesheng looked at Ye Yisong before him and said unhappily, "Besides coming to my place to take Cultivation resources, when have you ever come to find your father on your own initiative? If I don't discipline you soon, I think you'll be calling Ye Jiexin 'Father' instead."

"How could that be? Father is always my father. Isn't it because I'm afraid of affecting your Cultivation? I wouldn't dare to disturb you too much, Elder." Ye Yisong said hurriedly.

Ye Yisong knew he was angry because he hadn't told him when he had his Breakthrough to a Tier 2 Talisman Maker, and had been laughed at by that old man Ye Jiexin.

Last time Grandfather Ye Tuantu was there, so he didn't dare to act out, but now he had finally found an opportunity.

Ye Jiesheng took the tea handed over by Ye Yisong, took a shallow sip, and asked with concern, "How has your Cultivation been lately? Is there anything you don't understand?"

"Father, I'm doing great! Eating the Medicinal Pills given by you and Grandfather, my cultivation base is growing rapidly. Look, I'm already a Three-Star Martial Master." Ye Yisong said.

Ye Yisong's foundation had been personally overseen by Ye Jiesheng, and it could be said to be unbreakable. Before reaching Martial Ancestor, there was absolutely no need to worry about Ye Yisong encountering any Bottleneck; the only concern was that his cultivation base shouldn't grow too fast.

Breaking through to Three-Star in a month wasn't very exaggerated; Ye Jiesheng had been to the Imperial Capital to participate in the national exam, and he had seen things even more monstrous than this.

"How is your Body Refining cultivation going?" Ye Jiesheng asked.

"Grandfather Clan Chief gave me a bottle of Tier 3 Body Tempering pills. I've been taking them for a month and practicing the Thirteen Fierce Tiger Styles to temper my body; my physique has already broken through to Tier 3." Ye Yisong said.

"The Clan Chief gave you a bottle of Tier 3 Body Tempering pills?" Ye Jiesheng suddenly leaned in and pressed him.

"Ah? Yes. Ninth Uncle saw that my physique was too poor, which was unsafe when doing Talisman Making, so he took me to ask the Clan Chief for them." Ye Yisong secretly thought, "Oh no," having let it slip. He hurriedly fabricated a reason, trying to brush it off.

Ye Jiesheng was not easy to fool. He picked up Ye Yisong and demanded, "Confess honestly, what on earth did you do?"

Ye Yisong still wanted to be stubborn and keep his secret: "It really is like that. If you don't believe me, you can ask Ninth Uncle."

Ye Jiesheng couldn't be bothered to talk nonsense with him. He took out his Storage Pouch and started rummaging through it himself. When he saw a pile of Tier 3 Talisman Making Materials, he couldn't help but be stunned and asked tentatively, "You little brat, you haven't become a Tier 3 Talisman Master, have you?"

"No, no, I'm just using some Tier 3 Materials to practice." Ye Yisong forced an explanation.

Ye Jiesheng took out his cage stick, preparing to teach Ye Yisong a good lesson and let him see why flowers are so red.

Seeing his father was serious, Ye Yisong, to avoid physical suffering, quickly confessed: "Don't hit me, don't hit me, I'll confess."

"Last month, I accidentally made a Tier 3 Talisman. Ninth Uncle took me to report it to Grandfather Clan Chief, and that was the reward Grandfather Clan Chief gave me."

"Grandfather Clan Chief also gave me a bottle of pulse warming pill and a Tier 4 precious armor."

"Hahaha, what a good 'accident'." Ye Jiesheng said happily, looking at Ye Yisong and wishing he could kiss him; he really was his precious son.

"How is your study of the Tier 3 Talisman-making Technique going now?" Ye Jiesheng continued to ask.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it anymore, Ye Yisong confessed everything: "I've been in special training with Ninth Uncle this month. I can already make over a dozen types of Tier 3 Talismans, and my success rate has already reached twenty percent. After practicing for a while longer, your son will be a proper Tier 3 Low Grade Talisman Master."

"Who else knows about this?" Ye Jiesheng said.

"Only Grandfather Clan Chief and Ninth Uncle know! Now Dad knows too." Ye Yisong said.

"Good. Remember, you cannot tell anyone about this. You will stay here with me for this period." Ye Jiesheng said.

"Don't worry, don't you know your son? I'm steady as can be." Ye Yisong said.

It really was true; this brat had been crafty since he was little, never ostentatious, and always did things sneakily.

"For tomorrow's County Exam, just report yourself as a Tier 2 Talisman Maker. Don't let it slip like you did today."

"Father, just rest assured. Your son has a tight mouth! It's only because I wasn't on guard here that I let it slip."

Hearing Ye Yisong's words, Ye Jiesheng felt warm inside. He hadn't raised this son in vain; he was his own flesh and blood.

"Alright, go to the master bedroom inside to rest. There is a small Spirit Gathering Array inside, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi has reached Tier 3 Medium Grade. It's enough for your Cultivation."

Leaving Ye Jiesheng alone in the living room drinking tea, ever since he heard that Ye Yisong had become a Tier 3 Talisman Master, the smile on his lips hadn't stopped.

"Father, why do we have to tell Fifth Brother and the others about our own family's intelligence?" Ye Jielu asked, puzzled.

"If we don't tell your Fifth Brother, do you think your Fifth Brother and the others wouldn't know?" Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang said.

Ever since that person in the Second Branch had a Breakthrough, the First Branch never dared to speak loudly in front of the Second Branch again.

"You must remember, although we have split the family, one stroke cannot write two 'Ye' characters. Blood is thicker than water, and you must never harbor any crooked thoughts toward the Second Branch." Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang said, "Why do you think the Shuinan Ye Family can produce Martial Ancestor experts generation after generation? It's because the Cangjiang Ye Family supports us with a Breakthrough-to-Ancestor Pill for free every fifty years."

"Look at the Zhao Family and the Li Family; every time, haven't they paid a huge price to have even a glimmer of a chance?"

"As long as we stay securely in Shuinan County, we are already in an invincible position."

"Once our Shuinan Ye Family also produces a Prodigy, everything will fall into place."

"Yes, Father (Uncle), we will remember." Ye Jielu and the other said.

"Jiejing, you don't need to hold back tomorrow; just go all out." Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang instructed. This child had been heavy-hearted since he was young; if he didn't give him a word, he would probably go easy on the disciples of the Cangjiang Ye Clan if he met them tomorrow.

The Martial Examination is the Martial Examination; winning is winning, and losing is losing.

"Yes, Uncle." Ye Jiejing said.

"Alright, it's getting late. Go back and rest. Perform well tomorrow and let them see that our Shuinan Ye Clan is not inferior to others."

...

Before dawn, the servants of the Ye Family were already up preparing things for the upcoming sacrificial ceremony. Some were slaughtering demon pigs, others were slaughtering demon cows; they were busy in a flurry.

Before participating in the Martial Examination each time, the Shuinan Ye Family would hold an ancestral sacrifice ceremony to comfort the ancestors and ensure the Ye Family's prosperity.

Under the leadership of Ye Jiesheng and Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang, the forty-five people participating in the County Exam today lined up neatly in front of Ancestor Ye Erhu's spirit tablet.

After Ye Jiesheng and Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang offered the first incense, the Ye Family disciples, in rows of five, also offered incense to the Old Ancestor.

Finally, under the leadership of Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang, they shouted a slogan together: "Martial virtue flourishes, dominating the region."

A group of people walked toward the Shuinan County Government Office together, moving in a mighty force.

Great Wei year 3155, suitable for action.

The Shuinan County Martial Examination officially kicked off...