"Brother." The Xi Immortal Maiden looked at Ye Chen with hesitation, lightly shaking her head. "Xi'er truly doesn't know this Ye Cangqiong; I have no memories of him. And you know, Brother, Xi'er grew up with you since childhood; it was you and Sister Yi Wu who raised me."
She had never known Ye Cangqiong. From the moment she could remember, she had been dependent on her brother. Later, Yi Wu joined them, and the two of them raised her. Where would there be such a grand-nephew?
Moreover, every Imperial Son was sealed from the Mythical Era, their years ancient beyond measure, separated by an entire epoch.
Ye Chen slightly furrowed his brow. In truth, he wasn't clear about Ruoxi's true origins either. Like Ruoxi, ever since they were sensible, the two siblings had been together. How could she know Ye Cangqiong?
He was puzzled, but he also knew he couldn't understand it at present. He rubbed her silky hair. For now, it wasn't a bad thing. At least because of Ye Cangqiong's words, Ruoxi could likely command the respect of the entire Ye Family.
This was a valuable resource. At the very least, because of this, no one would dare harm Ruoxi.
The Ye Family's clan competition thus concluded. The next generation's family head was decided: Ye Feng. But all the glory had been snatched away by others—by the Battle Saint King and his sister. It made people sigh at the fortune of the two.
The entire Ye Family had essentially prepared the wedding dress for others, yet they could do nothing about it, not even daring to anger them.
"Ye Family Patriarch, Battle Saint King, Tai Chu Saint Lord, Yao Chi Saint Mother... farewell!"
After the clan competition ended, the powerhouses of the various great forces from the myriad realms all prepared to leave. They cupped their fists in farewell to the most influential figures one by one, then transformed into streaks of light with their respective forces' members, departing from the Ye Family's ancient realm.
A grand gathering thus came to an end.
The powerhouses of the Tai Chu Sacred Land and Yao Chi Sacred Land had left, but the Three Immortal Maidens remained, letting the powerhouses of their respective forces depart on their own.
Naturally, they would all follow by Ye Chen's side.
Within the Ye Family, the powerhouses of Ye Xiongjiu and Ye Shiliu's lineage all changed expressions. They were the chief culprits who had expelled Ye Ruoxian from the imperial clan back then, sealing the Emperor's bloodline power of that lineage. But now, a descendant was so powerful they had to look up to him, and another person's status was transcendent—even the Imperial Son Young Ancestor needed to respectfully address her as grand-aunt. It made their scalps tingle.
If the Battle Saint King siblings were to become angry, it would absolutely be disastrous for them.
"Xiao Chen, what do you plan to do now?" Ye Ao and Xia Wei asked Ye Chen. Having just reunited not long ago, the couple were unwilling to part with their son, hoping to see more of him. This was the greatest happiness for parents.
Ye Chen said seriously, "Father, Mother, would you be willing to follow your child back to the Tian Du Continent?"
"Really?"
Ye Ao and Xia Wei were excited. They naturally wished to return to the Tian Du Continent. For them, that was their true hometown, with a genuine sense of belonging—something the Ye imperial clan couldn't compare to.
But they also worried about the situation on the Tian Du Continent. When they left, the greatest blood chaos in history had occurred. Several Saints, regarded as gods by the world, had fallen. They were even forced onto the King's Ancient Path. How could they not worry?
"Don't worry, all the blood chaos has ended. It's very peaceful and safe there now," Ye Chen said with a smile, putting the couple at ease.
Then he looked at the Ye Family Patriarch. "Ye Family Patriarch, I wish to lead the Tian Du bloodline's clansmen back to the Tian Du Continent. Your Ye Family won't stop us, will you?"
The Ye Family Patriarch naturally agreed. Whether it was because of the Battle Saint King's current domineering forcefulness or the Xi Immortal Maiden's mysterious identity, they needed to fully cooperate. How would they dare refuse?
He even personally led a group of Ye Family higher-ups to follow Ye Chen to the Tian Du bloodline's mansion.
When the clansmen in the mansion saw Ye Chen return successfully with Ye Zimei, they were overjoyed. Seeing the five stunningly beautiful women was also shocking, leaving many clansmen dumbstruck.
But when they saw the Ye imperial clan's higher-ups appear behind them, their expressions immediately turned pale. Were they here to demand accountability?
They were worried, but Ye Chen signaled to them that it was fine, that everything was good.
"Father! Mother! Grandfather!" Ye Qing rushed to her family, her small face full of excitement, eager to tell them everything that had happened today. But she held back, knowing now wasn't the time.
"Zimei!" The Third Elder rushed out with tears in his old eyes. Ye Zimei also rushed over, embracing her grandfather tightly, shedding tears of emotion. "Grandfather, I'm sorry for making you worry."
The Third Elder comforted her, "It's good you're back, it's good you're back."
Then the Third Elder and the other clansmen looked at the Ye Family Patriarch and the numerous higher-ups who had come. But they keenly noticed that these imperial clan grand figures lacked their usual arrogance and even held a trace of awe towards Ye Chen. This greatly astonished them; they didn't quite understand what had happened.
"Everyone, we apologize!"
However, the grand figures of Ye Xiongjiu and the Sixteenth Ancestor's lineage stepped forward with Ye Heng and Ye Feng to apologize. Their attitude wasn't particularly sincere or earnest, and their expressions were somewhat unpleasant, but they no longer held their former arrogance. This sudden apology naturally left the numerous Tian Du bloodline clansmen utterly stunned. Just what had happened?
Ye Zimei said softly, "Grandfathers, all of this is thanks to Brother Ye Chen."
Although everyone knew of Ye Chen's monstrous talent, they never imagined he could make the Ye Family's grand figures lower their heads and apologize. They couldn't help but be shocked.
"Elders, fellow clansmen, if you have any demands for compensation, feel free to speak up. Don't worry, I will handle everything!" Ye Chen said.
"This..." Although the Tian Du bloodline clansmen held resentment towards the grand figures of Ye Xiongjiu's lineage, years of accumulated intimidation made them hesitant and uncertain. How would they dare demand any compensation?
Ye Chen said, "Since you can't think of anything, let me propose the demands for you: thirty million jin of spirit stones, one hundred spirit veins, one hundred Heaven and Earth Treasures—including three ten-thousand-year medicinal treasures—one hundred types of divine ability manuals, five Saint Lord-level weapons, one Heavenly King weapon, and also..."
Ye Chen directly listed item after item. The more the powerhouses of that lineage listened, the uglier their expressions became. Many felt anger rising within them. This was simply a lion's opening its mouth; not a single item was inferior, all were top-grade treasures.
Among them, Ye Xiongjiu couldn't help but say, "Battle Saint King, isn't this going too far? Although we have targeted you all along, it shouldn't warrant such excessive compensation."
"Excessive?" Ye Chen gave a cold laugh, pointing at Ye Ao and Xia Wei. "They are my parents. Just based on you daring to harm them, if they weren't unwilling, do you believe I would directly slaughter my way through and exterminate your lineage?"
Forceful!
The Ye Family powerhouses shuddered. The Battle Saint King was too forceful, allowing no compromise, ready to slaughter at the slightest disagreement.
This was a figure who dared to provoke and wage war against an imperial clan, who never knew retreat, yet was absurdly powerful—the Black Palace Heavenly King had been miserably defeated, and even an incarnation left by the Imperial Son Young Ancestor couldn't do much to him.
The Sixteenth Ancestor's face flushed red, but he steeled himself and shouted, "Battle Saint King, although you are strong, our Ye Family is not weak, fearing no one. Once war breaks out, we can certainly keep you here."
"Does the Ye Family truly dare to start a war?" The Goddess stepped forward, her identity as the Tai Chu Female Saint Lord placed before them. Yi Wu and Chen'er also stepped forward, with the support of the Heavenly Gate and Yao Chi Sacred Land behind them.
Moreover, Ye Chen said coldly, "Do you truly dare to start a war? Although the Ye Family is strong, we are not weak. The Ancient Orchid Great World will participate, the Ancient Emperor World's Holy Domain will participate, the Heavenly Gate will participate, the Tai Chu Sacred Land will participate, and the Yao Chi Sacred Land might also participate."
One colossal entity after another continuously emerged, all supreme forces that dominated the myriad realms, with terrifying energy. Even an imperial clan would be wary.
And when the Xi Immortal Maiden Ruoxi actively stepped forward, it immediately deflated the many Ye Family powerhouses.
This was the Imperial Son Young Ancestor's grand-aunt, her seniority immense. Even if the imperial clan's ancient ancestors appeared, they would have to call her Grand-Aunt Young Ancestor.
"Damn it, this is too much, simply bullying us," the Ye Family powerhouses had the urge to curse, but they were utterly helpless against the Battle Saint King's forcefulness.
Finally, under the Ye Family Patriarch's mediation, the powerhouses of Ye Xiongjiu and the Sixteenth Ancestor's lineage had no choice but to compromise and rushed off like mad to fetch these compensations.
Immediately, Ye Chen gathered the numerous clansmen in the main hall to announce a very important matter.
In the hall, Ye Chen sat in the main seat, sweeping his gaze over the numerous Tian Du bloodline clansmen. "Everyone, living in the Ye Family all this time has made you suffer. But from now on, that won't happen. Now, I want to ask: are you willing to follow me and leave, returning to live on the Tian Du Continent?"
He got straight to the point, wanting to lead the clansmen away from the Ye imperial clan.
This place was ultimately not their true hometown, and they had suffered oppression from the main family and other branches for many years. If he hadn't appeared, this situation would certainly have continued. Even now that Ye Chen had appeared, if he weren't here later, such scenes might repeat. Therefore, Ye Chen hoped to take them back to their original hometown—the Tian Du Continent.
The numerous clansmen were first stunned, looking at each other, then filled with pleasant surprise.
Because for them, although the Ye imperial clan was a transcendent, supreme imperial clan among the myriad realms, and the cultivation environment here was excellent, for the vast majority of clansmen, the Tian Du Continent was the place that truly gave birth to and raised them, their hometown, their place of peace. If they could return, they would naturally be overjoyed.
But they all looked at the imperial clan's higher-ups, hesitant and uncertain.
The Ye Family Patriarch, while maintaining his dignity, also spoke with a serious expression, said, "If you wish to leave the imperial clan's main family, we will not stop you. We will also cooperate with the Battle Saint King, opening a teleportation gate to send you back to the Tian Du Continent. Of course, to express apology for the unfair treatment you've received over the years, the main family will offer compensation. We will also grant your lineage's younger generation some precious slots to return to the main family's treasured cultivation grounds like the Mountain Pass and Nine Divine Cliffs for training, and provide large amounts of spirit stones, Heaven and Earth Treasures, and more."
The Tian Du bloodline clansmen were shocked. The so-called Mountain Pass and Nine Divine Cliffs were no ordinary places; they were the most important cultivation treasured grounds within the Ye imperial clan. Even the top young talents among the direct descendants needed to undergo rigorous selection to enter and cultivate there. Now, they were being granted such precious slots—truly unbelievable.
But seeing the unperturbed expression of the young family head Ye Chen, the clansmen finally believed it and couldn't help but sigh at Ye Chen's vast capabilities, actually making a mighty imperial clan choose to lower its head.
"There's no time to delay. Quickly pack your things; we'll be returning to the Tian Du Continent soon," Ye Chen said, immediately making the numerous clansmen rush into their respective rooms to pack.
Ye Zimei, however, was alone, with nothing to pack.
At this moment, Ye Chen suddenly took hold of Ye Zimei's soft hand, making the young maiden slightly startle. Then her lovely, beautiful face flushed crimson, appearing shy and enchanting, her heart pounding with a little expectation.
What was Brother Ye Chen doing holding her hand?
"Zimei!" Leading her to the side, Ye Chen spoke with a serious expression. Ye Zimei hurriedly responded, "Yes? Brother Ye Chen, what is it?"
"You'll be returning to the Tian Du Continent soon, but the Emperor's bloodline power within your body has never been awakened. Now, I'll awaken it for you first; it will greatly benefit your future cultivation," Ye Chen said.
Hearing this, Ye Zimei couldn't help but ask, "Then... Brother Ye Chen, aren't you returning to the Tian Du Continent?"
"I won't be returning for now. There are still some matters to attend to in the center of the Myriad Domains," Ye Chen's reply disappointed Ye Zimei somewhat, but she hid it well, lightly nodding. "In that case, Brother Ye Chen, be careful."
Ye Chen held Ye Zimei's soft hand, easily feeling the tender touch of the young maiden's skin beneath, so exquisite it made one's heart tremble. But Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged.
Boom—
A stream of Ye Chen's golden blood energy immediately surged into Ye Zimei's body. And almost in that instant, a powerful energy fluctuation revived within her, extremely potent.
In an instant, her entire being began to rise level by level, directly advancing from the first level of Divine Transformation to the third level, and still continuously rising, becoming increasingly powerful and formidable.
"Is this the might of the Return to Ancestry bloodline?" This surprised many people. This bloodline power was indeed extraordinary, instantly elevating a Divine Transformation realm expert by three minor realms, and still continuously rising.
The Emperor's bloodline truly transcended everything. No wonder it was said that Imperial Sons were born as heaven-defying monsters at the Saint Realm. This wasn't without reason. But the Return to Ancestry bloodline was like this; Imperial Sons, possessing the strongest and purest Emperor's bloodline, were naturally endowed with even more.
Boom! Boom! Boom!—
Continuous surges of vast, powerful fluctuations emerged from Ye Zimei's body. Her aura kept rising, soon reaching the fifth level of Divine Transformation, and still continued to rise.
The Emperor's bloodline—the stronger and purer it was, the more it bestowed. Ye Zimei belonged to the Return to Ancestry bloodline, so it was naturally like this.
This brief moment of advancement had saved decades of cultivation effort, making many envious.
"The Tian Du bloodline, though declined, is incomparably prosperous," the Ye Family Patriarch sighed. Many Ye Family powerhouses beside him wore complex expressions.