"Uncle, are you here to see Su Su?"
Before Li Zhe could speak, Ye Qingchen suppressed the nervousness in his heart and greeted him with a smile, his expression as enthusiastic as ever. Ten years of forbearance, enduring mockery and humiliation, had long since made his temperament incredibly steady.
Li Zhe, who had been prepared to interrogate Ye Qingchen, was taken aback. This kid is reacting just as he always does? Could it be that Su Su didn't engage in Dual Cultivation with him today? It seems I've been overthinking things!
With that thought, Li Zhe reined in his murderous intent and chuckled. "I was just passing by on business and decided to stop in and see how you both were doing."
Ye Qingchen picked up the conversation and laughed. "What a coincidence! I just finished nurturing Su Su with my Soul Power and was about to look for you!"
"Looking for me?" Li Zhe was startled. "What for?"
Ye Qingchen's face flushed, and he stammered with an embarrassed look, "Ahem... Uncle, it's like this. Su Su originally planned for us to practice Dual Cultivation today, but she realized my Soul Power was too weak and feared the results would be poor. So, she had me nurture her body today and then ask you for a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills. I'm to raise my cultivation as quickly as possible, and then we'll attempt Dual Cultivation again."
Li Zhe's face showed sudden understanding. No wonder my daughter didn't perform Dual Cultivation. It turns out this kid is too weak and doesn't meet the requirements!
Although Li Zhe had been somewhat worried, hearing Ye Qingchen's words dispelled most of his doubts.
"It's just a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills. Compared to all you've done for Su Su, it's nothing!" Li Zhe laughed heartily, but a hint of suspicion still lingered on his face. "Where is Su Su? Why didn't she ask me herself?"
A single Spirit Gathering Pill was worth a thousand silver, and a bottle contained fifty. That came to fifty thousand silver—not a small sum even for the Li Family, so caution was necessary.
Ye Qingchen feigned an awkward expression. "Well... we were initially planning to practice Dual Cultivation, but Su Su's Vermilion Bird Martial Soul suddenly flared up and burned her clothes. After I helped nurture her, she was too weak and fell asleep. I came out to find some clothes for her..."
Though he appeared embarrassed on the surface, he was inwardly staring nervously at Li Zhe! If Li Zhe enters the room, my lie will be exposed, and I will surely die today!
Li Zhe listened to Ye Qingchen's explanation and slowly nodded without a word. But Ye Qingchen, watching him intently, heard his thoughts. So Su Su really did plan on Dual Cultivation today. This kid's story is most likely true! Still, to be safe, I'd better see Su Su in person and confirm it myself!
Ye Qingchen's heart skipped a beat. He fought the urge to run and instead pressed his advantage. "Su Su is in the room alone and naked. Even though this is the Li Family estate, I'm not comfortable leaving her like this. Since you're here, Uncle, why don't you go in and look after her? I'll be right back with some clothes!"
"Naked!"
Li Zhe, who had intended to enter the room, was startled. I almost forgot, this is a training room. There's no bedding! A grown daughter should keep her distance from her father! It would be completely improper for me to see my daughter naked!
Having thought this through, Li Zhe changed his mind. "Fine, I'll wait out here. Be quick."
He completely abandoned the idea of entering the room. After all, Ye Qingchen himself invited me in. What is there to doubt?
"Alright!" The knot of tension in Ye Qingchen's chest loosened. He nodded and began to walk away.
Feeling Li Zhe's gaze fixed on his back, Ye Qingchen's legs felt as heavy as lead. Every step was a struggle.
"Hold on!"
Ye Qingchen had only walked a few meters when Li Zhe suddenly called out from behind him.
Has he found me out? Ye Qingchen's body instinctively went rigid. His heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it might leap out of his throat!
"Here's the bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills for you! Cultivate diligently. You mustn't let Su Su's sincere feelings for you go to waste!" Li Zhe said with a smile, tossing a porcelain bottle to Ye Qingchen.
This kid is far too weak! He only nurtured Su Su's body once, yet he looks like he can barely walk? It's best to have him use the Spirit Gathering Pills to raise his Martial Soul Force quickly. It will make it easier for my daughter to seize his Martial Soul.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Relieved it was just a false alarm, Ye Qingchen accepted the porcelain bottle with immense, joyous surprise. The look on his face was half-feigned and half-genuine.
Ever since his father fell at Qingyun Mountain, Ye Qingchen's cultivation had stagnated, and the Ye Family treated him like trash. For ten years, he had received almost no Cultivation Resources, let alone laid eyes on a single Spirit Gathering Pill.
Now, he had suddenly received fifty Spirit Gathering Pills! This was an absolute fortune! How could he not be thrilled?
Clutching the Spirit Gathering Pills, Ye Qingchen departed in a hurry.
By the time he walked out of the Li Family's main gate, his back was soaked with sweat. If Li Zhe had entered the room just now or noticed the slightest flaw in my story, I would have been killed on the spot! Thankfully, it was a close call.
However, Ye Qingchen did not let his guard down. It won't be long before Li Zhe discovers that Li Susu has been crippled. Enraged, he will surely hunt me down! Li Zhe is an Eighth Layer Martial Artist. I'm no match for him right now! I must prepare a plan in advance!
Should I escape to the Qingyun Mountain Range near Qingyun Town? The dense forests and vast territory would be a great hiding place! But he quickly dismissed the idea. The Qingyun Mountain Range is fraught with danger. With my current cultivation, not only might I fail to escape Li Zhe's pursuit, but I would most likely end up in the jaws of a Monster Beast! Running away isn't the best solution.
It seems my only option is to return to the clan and seek its protection! Ye Qingchen quickly made up his mind.
He possessed the Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Technique, Picking Leaf Hand, a scroll left behind by his father. Martial Techniques were extremely rare in Qingyun Town, and Yellow Grade High-Rank ones were practically unique treasures; the Ye Family possessed only two such scrolls. Ye Qingchen planned to offer the Picking Leaf Hand to the Ye Family's Supreme Elder. By making such a contribution, the clan would surely protect him.
Without any further delay, Ye Qingchen raced toward his clan's estate.
「At the Li Family estate, outside the room where Li Susu and Ye Qingchen were supposed to have their Dual Cultivation.」
Li Zhe, the Li Family Head, waited and waited, but Ye Qingchen never returned.
He's only fetching a change of clothes. What's taking so long? Li Zhe frowned. Sensing something was wrong, he abruptly pushed the door open!
In the next moment, his pupils contracted violently. The room was a complete mess. Li Susu lay unconscious on the bed, completely bare, the sheets speckled with blood!
"Ye Qingchen, you beast!"
Upon discovering that Li Susu's chastity had been taken and her Dantian destroyed, a heart-wrenching roar erupted from Li Zhe inside the room. Li Susu was not only the apple of his eye but also the Li Family's greatest genius in centuries—the hope for the family's future! And now, that hope had turned to utter despair!
Li Zhe trembled, his heart feeling as if it were bleeding. He had let Ye Qingchen escape right from under his nose! Even worse, he had been tricked into giving him a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills before he left!
Li Zhe was incandescent with rage.
"Ye Qingchen, I'll tear you to shreds—"
Before the sound of his voice faded, a figure shot out of the room, racing toward the Ye Family with boundless fury. His killing intent soared.
「At the Ye Family Estate.」
Ye Qingchen had arrived at the Supreme Elder's residence, only to be stopped at the door by the clan guards.
"What? The Supreme Elder is in closed-door cultivation? He's not seeing anyone!"
Clutching the Picking Leaf Hand Martial Technique, Ye Qingchen's eyes widened in disbelief. Of all the rotten luck, the Supreme Elder had to choose this exact moment to enter closed-door cultivation!
Just then—
"Ye Qingchen, get out here and die—"
A furious roar came from the entrance of the Ye Family compound. The two guards at the gate were sent flying! Li Zhe stormed in, seething with rage.