It was astounding. In just one and a half months, Ye Qingchen had advanced all the way from the Fourth Layer of the Martial King Realm to the Seventh Layer. This sort of breakthrough speed was unprecedented.

This rapid progress was due to his solid foundation, his mastery of nature’s spiritual energy, and the fourth-grade Spirit Gathering Array he had carved into his body. Consequently, despite his incredible speed, his foundation had not suffered any significant damage. However, having just returned from his cultivation, Ye Qingchen projected a sharpness like that of a newly unsheathed sword. That’s why Elder Yang had first instructed him to get a good night’s sleep, followed by three days of meditation. This was all intended to help Ye Qingchen’s temperament settle. Only then could he fully integrate and utilize the powers within his body, which would also be greatly beneficial for his future breakthroughs to higher realms.

This was also why Elder Yang had remained so calm and composed while Ye Qingchen repeatedly urged him on. The look in the elder’s eyes only changed once Ye Qingchen had finally settled his mind.

One morning, after finishing his practice of the Divine Wood Art, Ye Qingchen went down the mountain as usual to buy food. He and Elder Yang then sat across from each other for their meal. While eating, Elder Yang looked at Ye Qingchen with an enigmatic smile and said, "Qingchen, I’ve always suspected that you’re hiding an incredible secret."

Ye Qingchen was slightly startled, unsure of what Elder Yang meant.

Elder Yang wiped his greasy lips, his eyes sparkling as he leaned in and said, "If I’m not mistaken, you have two Martial Souls, right?"

Elder Yang’s words so surprised Ye Qingchen that he nearly dropped his chopsticks. The fact that he possessed Dual Martial Spirits was known only to the elders of his family. More specifically, only his father should have been aware of it. Even Xiao Xiao had only a vague understanding. For Elder Yang to expose it so plainly was nothing short of shocking.

Seeing Ye Qingchen’s astonishment, Elder Yang smiled and continued, "I had my suspicions the first time you came to the Divine Wood Academy and received the Divine Light Bestowal. Do you remember mentioning that you needed to repair your Martial Soul?"

Ye Qingchen suddenly realized his secret had been seen through by Elder Yang long ago. He couldn’t understand why Elder Yang, despite knowing for so long, had only chosen to mention it now.

However, it seemed Elder Yang enjoyed keeping him in suspense, as he didn’t continue on the subject and instead focused on the meal before him. With his mind preoccupied, Ye Qingchen lost his appetite. After some thought, he admitted, "Elder Yang, your guess is correct. I do indeed have two Martial Souls."

Elder Yang smiled and put down his chopsticks. Looking at Ye Qingchen, he said, "I don’t need to know what your other Martial Soul is. I’m bringing this up today to tell you something important."

Elder Yang wiped his mouth and stood up. Ye Qingchen eagerly stood as well, but Elder Yang pushed him back down into his seat. Looking at the young man’s confused face, Elder Yang said with a smile, "You’ve forgotten that saying again: ’Haste makes waste.’ Since I’ve brought this up, I will certainly give you an answer, so what’s the rush? Eat first. We’ll talk after you’ve finished."

Left with no other choice, Ye Qingchen wolfed down his food, hastily cleaned up, and then walked over to Elder Yang, his gaze burning with anticipation.

Elder Yang was lounging on his recliner, his expression distant as if he were contemplating some ancient tale. Seeing Ye Qingchen approach, he sat up slightly and asked, "I heard from your senior martial sister that you initially came close to comprehending Water Attribute Energy. Is it true that you only turned to the Wood Attribute after being interrupted?"

Ye Qingchen nodded, surprised to learn that Elder Yang had been paying such close attention to his cultivation.

Suddenly, Elder Yang’s expression turned solemn. He looked at Ye Qingchen and said, "Your other Martial Soul is your own secret, and I won’t pry into what it is. But now, you must answer one question for me, and you must be completely truthful."

Seeing Elder Yang’s serious demeanor, Ye Qingchen thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. After all the time they had spent together, he had come to feel a sense of belonging and kinship with Elder Yang. The elder had protected him multiple times and guided him on his path. Now, even after discovering his secret, Elder Yang wasn’t prying but was asking with such gravity. This must be about something extraordinary. Ye Qingchen felt he had no reason to hide anything.

Upon seeing Ye Qingchen agree, Elder Yang sat up straighter and asked, "Recall the day you comprehended the Wood Attribute. Did anything change within your body? Or did your other Martial Soul show any unusual activity?"

Ye Qingchen frowned as he recalled everything that happened that day. "After I comprehended the Wood Attribute," he explained, "the Spirit Crystal in my Qi Sea started turning jade green. However, that process was suddenly interrupted by my other Martial Soul. No matter how hard I tried afterward, the Wood Attribute Energy in my body could never occupy more than one-fifth of my Qi Sea."

Elder Yang nodded. "That’s it! That’s exactly it!"

Ye Qingchen grew even more perplexed, but just as he was about to ask, Elder Yang cut him off. "You possess a body with all Five Elements! If the Wood Attribute had taken over your entire Qi Sea, you would have been unable to comprehend any other Attribute Energies later on. That is why your other Martial Soul instinctively interrupted the process—to prevent that from happening."

"All Five Elements?" Ye Qingchen asked in confusion. "Doesn’t everyone possess all Five Elements? What’s so strange about that? Does this mean all Martial Artists in the Martial Emperor Realm are like me?"

Elder Yang gave Ye Qingchen an exasperated look. "What nonsense are you talking about? It’s true that everyone is born with all Five Elements, but they are usually naturally attuned to only one attribute. Some exceptional talents might master two or even three of the Five Elements attributes. However, in the entire history of the Heaven Desolate Continent, no one like you has ever appeared. You not only possess all Five Elements but have also achieved a perfect balance between them. Theoretically, this means you can control all Five Elements Energy at the same time!"

Ye Qingchen swallowed hard. He still didn’t fully grasp the meaning of those words, but from Elder Yang’s expression, he knew it had to be something incredible.

Then, Elder Yang pointed to the Double Pupil Sword behind Ye Qingchen. "Take down that sword," he said. "I’ll give you a demonstration!"