Seven World Martial God

Chapter 12: New Year’s Festival

Translator: Aristophaneso Editor: Caron_

The morning sun rose in the east, spilling warm sunlight on the pure white expanse, melting some of the snow.

The long-awaited New Year’s Festival was finally here and the whole Ye Family Village bustled with noise and happiness.

In the vast square on the eastern side of the village, a dense crowd of people was already gathered. More than a thousand figures mingled, and it looked as if every single villager had come out.

“Every year, the Ye Family Village is liveliest on New Year Festival.”

Ye Tian sighed, squeezing into the square.

At that moment, on the not-so-distant raised platform, Village Chief Ye Shi and Hunter Team Captain Ye Feng stood with the other powerful Martial Warriors of the village, every single one with a serious expression, eyes shining.

The pillar-shaped platform was huge, completely black, and ten meters tall. It looked down upon the people like a lofty pagoda, emanating an awe-inspiring aura.

Ye Tian was familiar with the altar and although he saw it every year, every time it stunned him anew.

The ancient altar was as old as the village, and no one was certain how long it had existed. Its surface was covered with an air of wisdom and stood there like an old man watching time, peacefully witnessing the development of the Ye Family Village

…

Time passed slowly as the villagers bustled around, everyone slowly finding a place to sit with their stools.

Ye Tian didn’t have one in hand, but someone had brought one for him.

“Ye Tian, over here. The New Year Festival is about to begin!” Ye Niu called out. Ye Tian turned and smiled at his best friend, walking over and sitting with him.

The two immediately lowered their heads and sank into conversation.

“Ye Tian, did you hear? This year, the Village Chief is going to sacrifice a Flying Tiger!” Ye Niu whispered urgently, excitement on his face and expectation filling his eyes.

“A Flying Tiger? The Level Nine Martial Warrior beast?” Ye Tian asked in shock. The Village Chief always sacrificed powerful beasts, but as far as Ye Tian knew, he had never sacrificed anything above the Level Seven Martial Warrior Realm.

Even then, those sacrifices were enough to stun these youths.

But a Level Nine Martial Warrior realm beast? They had never even seen one in person!

“Yeah, I heard that the Village Chief went out personally to capture it. It’s incredibly powerful. I caught a glance while I was following my father, and the aura completely shocked me. You’ll understand when you see it,” Ye Niu excitedly continued.

“En!” Ye Tian nodded, looking up at the altar with even more expectation.

Soon, the crowd around the altar moved, making way as several strong men carrying a huge cage climbed up the tall, large altar.

“Is that the Flying Tiger?” Ye Tian looked forward intently, his face covered with curiosity. Beside him, Ye Niu stared wide-eyed, not even sparing a blink as his eyes followed the cage.

“The sacrificial beast!”

The crowd began to whisper.

“Silence!”

Ye Feng called out loudly, calming the murmuring crowd as Village Chief Ye Shi, Captain Ye Feng, and the other experts of the Ye Family Village slowly approached the altar.

Surrounded by the Ye Family’s peak experts, Ye Shi climbed atop the altar. Perched on top of the black pillar, his wizened figure seemed to grow larger.

Every single person stared up at the Village Chief, listening intently to his words.

“Our Ye Family Village was founded here 732 years ago, and every year we make sacrifices to Heaven that we might survive all disasters and bring order and peace out of chaos and confusion…”

Ye Shi’s deep and magnetizing voice filled the square, loud and clear as it cut through the air.

Ye Tian waited impatiently. The speech was the same every year and was similar to a school principal speech from his previous life—incredibly boring.

Beside him, however, Ye Niu seemed incredibly moved, his face covered with emotion.

…

“Today I, Ye Shi, as the 1032 Village Chief, lead our village in offering this sacrifice to Heaven and Earth. May our Ye Family Village thrive and prosper for all time!”

Finally, the Village Chief finished speaking.

All the villagers stood and cried out in unison with Ye Shi.

“We make a sacrifice to heaven!”

Ye Shi’s solemn face seemed to grow even more serious, and his pair of deep eyes gleamed with brilliance. Behind him on the altar, the door to the cage flung open and a series of furious, shocking cries filled the air.

Sha!

The wind rushed as a huge shadow dashed out of the cage, immediately opening its wings and leaping into the air.

Ye Tian was floored, his face filled with shock as he looked up into the sky where an enormous tawny tiger flew, mighty wings lifting it upwards with a single powerful pull.

“Incredible, a Level Nine Martial Warrior beast!” Ye Tian gasped in amazement as an aura of oppression covered him. In front of this Flying Tiger, he was only prey.

“It’s a Flying Tiger!”

“Heavens above, a Level Nine Martial Warrior beast!”

…

The villagers were shocked and the ones not in the know were beginning to panic.

But the next moment, an old figure charged up into the sky.

The Village Chief!

Ye Tian’s pupils shrank as he stared in disbelief at how high the Village Chief could jump!

Ye Shi bent his legs as he readied himself before exploding forward and shooting like an arrow into the sky, eyes locked onto the fleeing Flying Tiger. As he pounced, he called out: “Blade!”

Below him, Captain Ye Feng pulled out the long blade hung on his back and threw it up into the sky.

Ye Shi snatched the long blade out of the air, his eyes shining as he called out, actually lifting himself up a few spans more until he perched above the Flying Tiger.

“Roar!” The Flying Tiger cried out, its eyes filled with terror as Ye Shi moved towards it, blade in hand.

“Down!”

Ye Shi called out, chopping down with the blade. The metal’s edge shined in the sun as it spilled blood into the sky, and the Flying Tiger’s enormous body plummeted through the air, slamming against the altar. Its blood spilled down across the black pillar and onto the ground.

“Long live the Village Chief!”

“Long live the Ye Family Village!”

Villagers broke out in celebration, every one of them incredibly excited. Even Ye Tian couldn’t help but feel moved by the scene, his heart pounding..

“I hereby proclaim that the New Year Festival has begun! Bring the wine and the meat!” Ye Shi steadily announced after placing the bloody blade down. As soon as he finished speaking, a chain of village women ushered into the square carrying liquor and meat.

As the village women prepared the food, Captain Ye Feng walked forward and called out in his usual cold voice: “The yearly festival will begin. All Martial Apprentices are required to compete, and any Martial Warrior can choose to challenge. We fight for points. No wounding strikes allowed.”

In quick succession, all the youths of the village stepped out from the crowd and formed a line facing Ye Feng.

“Ye Tian, it’s our turn,” Ye Niu said, pulling on Ye Tian’s arm.

“You go. I’m not going this time.” Ye Tian shook his head. He was already a Martial Warrior, so of course he wouldn’t join in on the children’s game.

“But Uncle Feng said that all Martial Apprentices need to compete!” Ye Niu replied, his face covered with confusion.

“Relax. Uncle Feng won’t blame me. And if I went up, who would be my opponent?” Ye Tian smiled in response.

“You’re right. Even if you don’t have a Martial Spirit, you’re the strongest in the Martial Apprentice realm!” Ye Niu smiled back at Ye Tian, but after a moment, he hurriedly shut his mouth and his face turned nervous as he looked at Ye Tian. “Ye… Ye Tian, I… I…”

Ye Niu knew he had spoken poorly. Failing to awaken a Martial Spirit was a huge blow to Ye Tian.

“It’s fine. Go, go!” Ye Tian replied casually, patting Ye Niu’s shoulder and smiling in encouragement. “My brother, bring back a good result.”

“En!” Ye Niu hurriedly nodded, running off to join the line, relieved that Ye Tian wasn’t upset.

“New Year Festival…”

As he looked out at the youths lining up in front of Ye Feng, Ye Tian murmured: “I’ve been waiting long enough!”

The Martial Apprentice Realm youths couldn’t cultivate Martial Skills and only knew basic martial art moves, so each and every one of them simply competed with physical prowess. Very quickly, all the fights were decided.

Ye Niu wasn’t bad. He placed within the top ten, which meant he was one of the best in their generation.

“With such talent, becoming a Level Seven Martial Warrior won’t be a problem!” Ye Tian observed, happy for his friend.

“Eh, isn’t this our Ye Family Village’s number one genius? Why didn’t you join the competition? With your skills, taking first place shouldn’t be a problem.”

A cold sneer interrupted Ye Tian’s happiness.

Ye Tian turned. One of the three teenagers accompanying Ye Wei mocked Ye Tian, looking at him with a face filled with disdain.

“Ye Tian, as a Martial Apprentice, you actually refused to join the competition? Did you not hear what Uncle Feng Said?” Ye Wei said seriously. The mockery filling his eyes couldn’t fool Ye Tian.

Ye Tian’s face fell as he thought to himself: Heaven provided a path that you refused to follow, yet you actually decided to break into a locked hell! You’re courting death!

“Eh, isn’t that Ye Tian with Ye Wei?”

“Looks like they’re arguing.”

“Quickly, let’s check things out!”

Whether it was Ye Tian or Ye Wei, both were renowned talents of the younger generation. Everyone in the Ye Family Village recognized them, and very quickly, a group of villagers was gathered around them.

Ye Feng immediately noticed the disturbance and walked over, face heavy as he called out coldly: “What’s going on? Don’t you know it’s the New Year Festival?”

Ye Feng’s standing was so high that the entire square went quiet at his voice.

“Uncle Feng!”

“Uncle Feng!”

Ye Wei hurriedly saluted Ye Feng, while Ye Tian bowed beside him.

“You two again? You still want to compare notes?” Ye Feng questioned, his sharp eyes turning towards Ye Wei. He clearly saw through this brat’s troublemaking. After all, he was very familiar with Ye Tian’s character.

“Uncle Feng, I’m not making trouble. You said that all Martial Apprentices needed to compete, yet Ye Tian is a Martial Apprentice but he didn’t go up,” Ye Wei hurriedly replied in a respectful tone.

“Oh?”

Ye Feng’s eyes gleamed. He had indeed said this, but he also knew about Ye Tian’s situation. Ye Tian didn’t have a Martial Spirit and could never become a Martial Warrior, so it was fine that he didn’t compete.

But Ye Wei wasn’t incorrect, and the words had come out of his mouth. If he scolded Ye Wei now, would he be slapping himself in the face?

Ye Feng turned a cold eye at Ye Wei; it was clear that the child wanted to see Ye Tian embarrassed, and the captain couldn’t help but silently disapprove. With such a temperament, even if he became a Martial Warrior, he would never achieve great things.

Ye Wei could only smile awkwardly under Ye Feng’s sharp gaze, not daring to speak another word, but he was still confident that in front of all these people, Ye Feng wouldn’t be partial to Ye Tian.

“Brat, let’s see what you can do this time, hmph!”

Ye Wei smiled coldly at Ye Tian’s calm expression.