Mo Ding, a young man barely in his twenties, had once lived a life of quiet luxury. After his parents passed away, he inherited a vast fortune. Yet instead of clinging to wealth for comfort, he split it in two: half he invested into promising businesses, and the other half he gave away to orphans and those struggling to survive. Though young, his heart was steady and compassionate.
Mo Ding now lay in the hospital's operating room, his life hanging by a thread. The surgeons worked tirelessly, their hands moving with urgency and precision as they fought to keep him alive. Earlier that day, he and his butler had walked into the bank, only to be met with gunfire from the robbers inside. Several bullets struck Mo Ding in the chest, and the wounds were severe—severe enough to bring him to this critical moment between life and death.
While the doctors worked desperately to save him, Mo Ding could feel his strength slipping away with every passing second. Deep down, he understood that this was the end for him. A quiet, sorrowful sigh filled his heart.
"So this is it… If I have any regrets, it's that being born crippled kept me from truly living," he thought, a faint sadness flickering in his fading eyes.
Moments later, his breathing slowed… then stopped.
The monitors in the surgery room also fell silent after his breathing stopped.
As Mo Ding passed, his soul quietly left his body. A soft white light descended from above, unseen by any living eyes, and wrapped around him. Slowly, his memories were washed away, leaving his soul empty and weightless. Then, without warning, he disappeared from this world altogether.
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Tian Yuan Continent
Hidden Dragon Kingdom
Azure City
Ye Clan Mansion
The Ye Clan, located in Azure City, was renowned as one of the most prestigious and influential clans in the entire Hidden Dragon Kingdom. Their family estate stood as a symbol of status and grandeur. The Ye Clan mansion was among the most lavish structures in Azure City—its lower walls painted in a deep, elegant green, while the upper levels gleamed with refined gold accents. The contrast of colors gave the estate an air of noble dignity and majestic splendor, making it impossible for anyone to pass by without feeling awe.
Inside the Ye mansion, in one of its most luxurious chambers, the fourth concubine of the Ye clan patriarch was in labor. The room was filled with the sound of her cries, sharp and pained. Her name was Chang Ying. She possessed long, flowing raven-black hair, onyx eyes that shimmered even under strain, and skin as smooth and pale as carved jade. Her beauty was the sort that could stir the hearts of men into madness.
Ying was the most beloved concubine of Ye Guo, the patriarch of the Ye clan. Among all his women, she was the one he cherished the most, the one he doted on with overflowing affection.
Right now, Ye Guo was extremely nervous, pacing back and forth as he worried about his beloved concubine outside the room where she was giving birth. Ye Guo is a man who looks like he's in his 30s. He has long black hair tied in a ponytail and is wearing a luxurious blue robe with golden lines. The Ye clansmen stood side by side, looking at their patriarch and not daring to speak at all. Ye Guo didn't notice the hostile gaze he was receiving from a spikey-haired man who appeared to be in his 40s, but an elderly man standing in the corner did notice. He narrowed his eyes and thought, "Ye Qian, what are you up to this time?"
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Outside the luxurious room
Right now, Ye Guo was extremely nervous. He paced back and forth in front of the birthing room, his hands clenched behind his back, unable to calm his heart. His beloved concubine was inside, crying out in pain.
Ye Guo appeared to be in his early thirties. His long, black hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, and he wore a luxurious blue robe embroidered with gold thread. The Ye clan's prestigious bearing was reflected in every detail of his attire.
The Ye clansmen stood lined up along the corridor walls, silent as stone statues. None dared to speak, for the patriarch's anxiety was palpable.
Yet Ye Guo failed to notice one particular gaze among them—a sharp, cold glare filled with hostility. It came from a spiky-haired man in his forties, whose eyes were full of resentment.
However, someone did notice.
An elderly man standing quietly in the corner narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming unreadable.
So you are planning to make your move again, Ye Qian?
He inwardly sighed. What are you planning this time?
______
After couple of hours
A beautiful looking maid stepped out of the room with a bright smile, bowing respectfully to Ye Guo.
"My Lord, the Fourth Lady has given birth to a healthy baby boy. Congratulations."
The moment those words reached his ears, Ye Guo vanished from where he stood like a ghost, appearing inside the room in an instant.
The surrounding Ye clansmen couldn't help but chuckle quietly at their patriarch's eagerness—everyone except Ye Qian, whose expression darkened with a frown when he heard the news.
Soon after, the clansmen began filing into the room one after another, offering their congratulations to both the patriarch and the beloved concubine.
_______
Inside the room
After finishing cleaning up the baby, the housewife wrapped him in a white cloth. "Where am I?" The baby began to look around curiously, then turned his gaze to his hands with difficulty. "Am I a baby? Did I die? Why can't I remember how I died or anything about my previous life?"
The housewife saw the patriarch and Ye clansmen entering the room one by one, and she frowned when she looked at the baby. "Strange, why is this little guy not crying?" The housewife looked at the baby with concern.
"Ying'er, are you alright?" Ye Guo asked in worry. Chang Ting smiled at her husband. "Lord husband, I am fine, but just a little tired." Ye Gou smiled softly at Chang Ying. The housewife walked towards them, and Ye Gou smiled at his son upon seeing him, but she appeared worried. "My Lord, my Lady, I don't know what's wrong with the young master." He isn't crying. I have assisted numerous women in birthing their children. In the past, all the babies cried when they were born, but the young master never cried, not even once."
When Ye Gou heard this, he frowned and said, "Give him to me.". The housewife handed the fifth young master to Ye Guo, and the baby looked curiously at him. Ye Gou's right palm glowed bright blue as it touched the baby's face. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Nothing is wrong with my son, and thank you for your help. We will reward you with 200 gold coins. The housewife bowed in happiness when she heard what Ye Gou just said to her: "Thank you, my lord, for your generosity."
Chang Ying then looked at her husband. "Lord husband, in accordance with our agreement, what name will you give our son?" Ye Gou nodded at her question and said, "Ye Feng, his name is Ye Feng from now on." All the Ye clansmen present began to congratulate the patriarch, and once they had done so, they decided to leave the couple in peace. They began to exit the room one by one. Ye Qian glanced at them for a second before leaving the room, too.
