Chapter 3

Here’s your text translated into British English in a reader-friendly, word-for-word manner: No one knew how much time had passed before Ye Fan slowly opened his eyes. Sensing something unusual, he suddenly sat up, his face filled with disbelief. "I've reached the Qi Transformation Realm?" Qi Transformation Realm! At that moment, he could feel airflow circulating within his body. No, that wasn’t just airflow—it was sword energy! Not only that, but he could also sense a small silver sword floating within his dantian at the centre of his abdomen. Just then, a mysterious woman’s voice suddenly rang out. "You have indeed reached the Qi Transformation Realm." It was true! Ye Fan clenched his fists tightly, his entire body trembling—not out of anger, but excitement. Right now, he felt as if he had been lost in a pitch-black abyss and had suddenly seen a ray of light. Hope had appeared in his desperate situation—how could he not be excited? More importantly, he now had the chance to reach the Qi Manipulation Realm and take his younger sister to Cangmu Academy in the imperial capital to seek medical treatment. "What are you so excited about?" The mysterious woman suddenly spoke again. "This is only the beginning." Ye Fan gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Apologies, senior, I got carried away." The mysterious woman continued, "Using a sword as your dantian compensates for your lack of one, but it also comes with drawbacks. Swords can be categorised as ordinary swords, spirit swords, bright swords, true swords, celestial swords, dao swords, and immortal swords. The sword within your body was once at the level of a true sword. However, after 1,200 years of erosion, its original 'truth' has completely dissipated. Not only has its 'truth' faded, but even its sword heart’s clarity has disappeared. It is now merely a spirit sword." She paused briefly before adding, "The spirit of a sword will eventually fade. Once it disappears, the sword will shatter, and the first person to die will be you!" Ye Fan's expression froze. The mysterious woman continued, "You have two solutions. The first is to constantly seek out new spirit swords to absorb. By doing so, not only will the sword’s spiritual energy strengthen you, but it will also replenish the spirit within the sword inside you. The second option is to find a new sword to replace the one currently in your body. The better the sword, the better your dantian. The better your dantian, the more terrifying your strength will be. Of course, judging by your situation, you seem to be a penniless wretch—I doubt you even have an ordinary sword to your name!" Ye Fan suddenly thought of something and quickly asked, "Aren’t there three swords at the top of the tower? What level are they?" The mysterious woman replied indifferently, "They have no rank." Ye Fan: "......" The mysterious woman added, "Boy, I advise you not to get any ideas. If not for the existence of those three swords, your entire world would have perished long ago. As for the matter of your sword, there’s no need to rush. The sword inside you should be able to last for about a year. Your most pressing concern right now is training in swordsmanship." Sword training! Ye Fan immediately asked, "How do I train?" "By killing people," the mysterious woman replied. Ye Fan: "......" The mysterious woman continued, "A sword is a weapon for killing. Only by taking lives will you truly grasp its mysteries. Of course, since you’re just starting out, you need to train in speed and power first. Use the sword technique I imparted to you to summon the sword inside your body!" Ye Fan hesitated for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes. Soon, his palm opened, and a streak of sword light flickered in his hand. The next moment, a sword hovered in his palm. It was his silver Lingxiao Sword! Ye Fan was stunned. "Senior, this… I can summon this sword?" The mysterious woman answered, "Yes. However, you’d best not use it in battle, because if it gets destroyed, you’re done for. Also, you still lack a proper opponent—I'll find one for you!" As soon as she finished speaking, a shadowy figure appeared before Ye Fan. "This shadow in front of you is at the Qi Transformation Realm, just like you. Begin!" The moment her voice fell, the shadowy figure in front of Ye Fan vanished from sight! Ye Fan's pupils shrank abruptly—the opponent was fast! Relying on instinct, he quickly sidestepped. However, as if anticipating his movement, the sword in the shadow's hand abruptly changed its trajectory just as he dodged. Ye Fan's feet had barely touched the ground when the sword stabbed straight into his chest! Blood trickled out! Ye Fan froze for a moment before exclaiming, "Senior, isn’t this supposed to be sword training? Why is this real combat? Also, you haven’t taught me any sword techniques or moves yet!" The mysterious woman’s voice suddenly turned cold. "Sword training? A true sword cultivator’s deadliest techniques are never ‘trained’—they are forged through real battles and bloodshed. This shadow before you is both your enemy and your teacher. If you are smart, it will teach you all the fundamental sword techniques. Getting wounded is the best teacher—do you understand? As for sword skills and techniques, there’s no rush. Building a solid foundation is what truly matters!" Ye Fan pondered for a moment before nodding firmly. "I understand." With that, he forcefully pushed off the ground and charged forward. Inside the tower, Ye Fan accumulated more and more injuries, yet he only became more determined as the battle progressed. Combat? Ye Fan had never feared it. As the former heir of the Ye Clan, he had often fought life-and-death battles on behalf of his family’s interests. That was precisely why he had been able to withstand the Grand Elder’s attacks even at a lower cultivation level. His strength had not been nurtured—it had been forged in bloodshed. Gradually, Ye Fan began to pick up on the shadow’s sword movements. More than that, each injury he sustained helped him understand why he had been hit and how to avoid being struck again. Through three days of relentless combat, Ye Fan’s injuries grew fewer and fewer. Of course, he hadn’t mastered any sword techniques yet, but he had learned when to strike, when not to strike, when to block, and when to dodge… all at the cost of his own blood. This brutal training method was cruel—but also the most effective. Another two days passed. Now, Ye Fan was finally able to counterattack. However, as soon as he did, he realised just how formidable the shadow’s defence was—far superior to his own. To him, the shadow’s defence was flawless, neutralising all his attacks with ease. However, he saw this as a good thing, as it meant the shadow was teaching him how to defend as well. Time passed bit by bit. Within the tower, Ye Fan trained tirelessly against the shadow, barely resting or eating. Over this period, his strength, speed, and reflexes improved immensely. This realisation filled Ye Fan with overwhelming joy, pushing him to train even harder. Outside, at the Ye Clan estate. Ye Ku walked into the Grand Elder’s chamber, his face brimming with excitement. "Grand Elder, I have investigated the matter regarding Nanshan. Although our assassins failed to kill Ye Fan, a surviving member of the Li family witnessed it with their own eyes—Ye Fan’s dantian was destroyed!" Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder’s eyes snapped open. "Are you certain?" Ye Ku nodded. "Absolutely. I questioned the survivor myself—Ye Fan’s dantian was completely shattered." "Haha… so even the heavens wish to destroy Ye Fan!" The Grand Elder sneered coldly. A shattered dantian! Here’s the passage translated into British English with a natural and reader-friendly tone while keeping it as word-for-word as possible: If a person loses their dantian, they are nothing more than an ordinary warrior. Only with a dantian can one truly be called a martial artist. Ye Fan’s dantian had shattered, and one could say he was now a cripple. Even though he still possessed some combat ability, it was nothing more than brute strength. Only those who could wield qi could be considered true experts. After a brief silence, the Grand Elder spoke coldly, “Ye Ku, gather everyone and eliminate him to prevent future trouble!” However, the elder named Ye Ku shook his head. “That won’t do!” The Grand Elder turned to Ye Ku, who said seriously, “Grand Elder, Ye Fan has contributed greatly to the Ye family. Killing him now would dishearten many within the Ye Residence. Furthermore, Ye Lang has just become the heir and has a life-and-death agreement with Ye Fan. If we dispose of him now, what would outsiders think? They would surely assume it was our doing. Not only that, but if word spreads, the Li family will surely seize this opportunity to make a fuss.” The Grand Elder frowned slightly. “Then what do you suggest?” Ye Ku smiled. “Doesn’t Ye Lang already have a life-and-death duel with him? When the time comes, Ye Lang can kill him openly and justifiably, leaving no room for gossip. This will also allow Ye Lang to establish his authority and make a name for himself in Qingcheng. Moreover, once he steps onto the Life-and-Death Platform, even if the Patriarch emerges from seclusion, he won’t be able to intervene, will he?” The Grand Elder considered for a moment before nodding. “That works. In any case, his dantian is shattered, and he is no longer a threat.” A cold glint flickered in his eyes as he continued, “However, in the meantime, we mustn’t let him live too comfortably. Pass down my orders—effective immediately, Ye Fan and his sister’s monthly allowances and meals will be stopped. All privileges and special treatments he once enjoyed as the heir are revoked. He is forbidden from stepping into the Ye family’s Martial Arts Pavilion and is not allowed to leave the Ye Residence without permission. Additionally, his sister’s medicinal meals will also be discontinued. Hmph, over the years, treating her cold illness has consumed countless pills and herbs. If it weren’t for Ye Fan’s past usefulness, I would have kicked her out of the Ye Residence long ago!” Ye Ku smiled slightly. “With his dantian destroyed, calling him a cripple wouldn’t be an exaggeration.” The Grand Elder nodded. “Ye Lang has just awakened his talent. Whatever he needs, the Ye family will provide in full. Also, he may visit the Martial Arts Pavilion at any time and access everything within it.” Ye Ku nodded. “Understood. Oh, and Ye Ling is getting older now. Shall we arrange for her to marry a servant from the residence?” The Grand Elder slowly closed his eyes. “Do as you see fit.” Inside the Prison Tower. Ye Fan lay on the ground, breathing heavily. His entire body was covered in sword wounds, but fortunately, now that he had reached the Qi Transformation Realm, he could use spiritual energy to heal them. However, the pain of these wounds was unavoidable. Despite the suffering, the gains from these past few days had been immense. His combat strength had always been impressive, placing him among the top of Qingcheng’s younger generation. Now, after this period of training, his strength had reached a new level. “How do you feel?” A mysterious woman’s voice suddenly rang out. Ye Fan grinned. “I feel great.” The mysterious woman said, “You’ve only just begun. The road ahead will be even tougher. Martial arts is like walking on the edge of an abyss—swordsmanship is even harder. And without a dantian, your path is an unconventional one. The hardships ahead will be countless.” Ye Fan slowly closed his eyes. “I’m not afraid of hardship.” From a young age, he and his sister had relied on each other in the Ye family, enduring all kinds of suffering. Without any background, he had managed to become the heir solely through his determination. Now, with the chance to reach the Qi Mastery Realm and a glimmer of hope for curing his sister’s illness, he was willing to endure any pain the world had to offer. After resting for a moment, Ye Fan left the Prison Tower. He had yet to cultivate to the level of fasting—he still needed food. Not long after he returned to his room, Ye Ling walked in. She approached Ye Fan, head lowered, and handed him two plain steamed buns. “Brother… eat...” she said softly. Ye Fan frowned. “What’s wrong? Look up.” Ye Ling lifted her small face, and Ye Fan’s expression changed instantly. On her right cheek was a bright red handprint! “What happened?” Ye Fan’s gaze turned icy. Ye Ling shook her head. “N-nothing… I accidentally bumped into something.” Ye Fan pulled her closer. “Tell me the truth. Your brother is still here—I’ll stand up for you.” Tears welled up in Ye Ling’s eyes. She wiped them away and said, “Brother, the kitchen didn’t send us food today, so I went to get it myself. But Kitchen Manager Wang… he gave me food meant for the dogs. It was rotten and full of maggots. I got angry and confronted him, but he said that since you’re no longer the heir, we’re only worthy of eating dog food. Then… then he said that if I wanted proper food, I had to spend a night with him…” Ye Ling’s voice trembled as she continued, “I cursed him, and he hit me.” Ye Fan’s expression turned ice-cold. His right hand clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palm. “The moment I fell from power, I became less than a dog…” With that, he took Ye Ling’s hand and strode out of the room, heading straight for the Ye Residence’s kitchen.