After parting ways with the beaming Ye Zimei, Ye Chen was still somewhat dazed. The lingering maidenly fragrance of Ye Zimei seemed to still cling to him, refreshing his spirit.
He rubbed his nose, never expecting that he would still have girls who liked him, especially a beautiful genius girl from the family. He just didn't know what those clansmen and disciples who harbored hostility towards him would think once they found out, particularly those youths who had always held feelings of admiration for Ye Zimei.
They'd probably have the urge to kill him.
Ye Chen chuckled to himself and walked towards the massive courtyard where his parents resided. It was a scene of luxury—artificial mountains with flowing water, small bridges and pavilions, red bricks and green tiles, carved railings and jade-like ornaments—everything that only a true noble could possess.
In the entire Luo Feng City, probably only the three great families had the means to build such a luxurious garden and courtyard.
Naturally, within the entire Ye family, only Ye Ao, as the head of the family, was qualified to live in such a courtyard.
Ye Chen straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and strode into the courtyard. Along the way, various maids and servants respectfully greeted him as 'Young Master,' without a trace of contempt.
The maids and servants who could enter this courtyard were all loyal subordinates carefully selected by Ye Ao and Xia Wei. Ye Chen smiled and nodded to each of them in acknowledgment, showing none of the arrogance typical of young masters from wealthy families. This made them feel even more favorable towards him, yet also somewhat helpless.
The Young Master's temperament was good, gentle enough, but it was just a pity.
To go from such a dazzlingly brilliant genius to the current object of everyone's ridicule, a generation's waste, made people's hearts ache just seeing his smile. Fortunately, he still had good, protective parents.
In the main hall, before Ye Chen had even fully entered, his mother Xia Wei, her heart full of love for her son, hurried out. She grabbed Ye Chen's hand, her face blossoming into a smile, and said, "Chen'er, you've finally left seclusion. You worried your mother to death."
Ye Chen helplessly rubbed his forehead. "Mother, I was just in seclusion, not out on a training journey fighting and killing. What's there to worry about?"
"Who told you to go into seclusion for four whole months without coming out once in between? How could your mother not worry?" Xia Wei's willow-leaf eyebrows shot up, and she gave his forehead a firm slap with her jade-like hand, lecturing him, which made Ye Chen feel quite helpless.
After all, he had lived two lives. In his previous life, he was a supreme, peerless genius, majestic and unrivaled, revered by the world. Who in the world would dare to slap his forehead like that unless they had a death wish? Only close family and friends familiar with him would dare such a thing.
Xia Wei's actions reminded him of the various people and events from his previous life. For a moment, he was lost in many memories, his spirit somewhat dazed. He finally let out a light sigh, speechless...
"You little brat, only twenty-six years old and sighing all day like a little old man," Xia Wei said discontentedly, slapping his forehead again, leaving Ye Chen utterly speechless.
For goodness' sake, adding his previous and current lives together, his age was truly enough to be someone's grandfather or even great-grandfather.
But facing his mother Xia Wei in this life, he had no recourse.
At this moment, Ye Ao also strode out. Knowing Ye Chen had left seclusion, he was equally happy, a smile gracing his dignified face. However, after looking Ye Chen up and down, his expression shifted from initial joy to one of astonishment. He said somewhat dumbfoundedly, "Chen'er, you... broke through?"
"Mn," Ye Chen nodded.
"The sixth layer?" Ye Ao suddenly asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Ye Chen nodded in confirmation. In truth, he had already surpassed the sixth layer, but not wanting to shock the world too much, he had concealed his aura, disguising it to show only the aura of the sixth Houtian layer.
With his ability to disguise, even Ye Ao wouldn't be able to see through it.
But Ye Ao was completely dumbstruck.
To advance from the third Houtian layer to the sixth in just four short months—such a terrifying cultivation speed was a bit too monstrous, wasn't it?
Although he had broken through to Xiantian at thirteen before, it didn't seem as monstrous as this.
What kind of seclusion had this been for the past four months?
Xia Wei was also stunned. Although not a super expert, she understood how difficult it was to break through three layers in four months. Yet right before her eyes, her own good son had personally confirmed he had achieved it, leaving her utterly astonished and unable to believe it.
"Is this true?" Xia Wei still couldn't quite believe it.
"Mn!"
Ye Chen nodded helplessly, yet his parents' eyes instantly shone with brilliant light.
Breaking through three layers in four months—didn't that mean Ye Chen had hope of reaching the eighth Houtian layer from the third within nine months?
Involuntarily, both Ye Ao and Xia Wei began to look expectant.
In the main hall, the little maid Huan'er was also present. After bringing in some clear tea and seeing Ye Chen appear, she immediately ran over, revealing two adorable little dimples as she said crisply, "Young Master, you've finally left seclusion."
Ye Chen habitually pinched the little maid's tender, pink cheek and chuckled. "What's the matter? Did you miss your young master a lot after not seeing me for four months?"
Huan'er's little face flushed red, and she hurriedly took two steps back, waving her little pink fists indignantly. "Young Master, you're so bad!"
After teasing the little maid, Ye Chen laughed heartily, his mood improving even more. He then chatted with his parents. Midway through, Ye Chen finally couldn't help but ask, "Father, have there ever been any exceptionally powerful figures among our Ye family ancestors?"
This was related to the Innate Sacred Body he possessed. It was possible that among the Ye family ancestors, there had once been an invincible Battle Saint who left behind Sacred Body bloodline.
Although this possibility was nearly impossible—because Battle Saint blood only existed in the Saint of that generation, and descendants couldn't possess the Sacred Body bloodline—and the Ye family's current circumstances didn't match, for now, this explanation seemed the most reasonable.
Ye Ao was taken aback, not expecting Ye Chen to ask such a question. After pondering for a moment in reality, he then shook his head. "Probably not. According to the relevant records in our Ye family's ancestral records, the most distant ancestor can be traced back three thousand years, when the entire Xia Feng Kingdom had just been founded. However, in the family's history, there have been three Martial God realm figures who made a name for themselves across the land. They once led the family to a period of glory and prominence, but by our generation, things have started to decline somewhat."
Hearing this, Ye Chen felt slightly disappointed. Could the Sacred Body bloodline on his body really have been born out of thin air?
Although this wasn't impossible—just as many powerful and special physiques were innately born in their very first generation, while the parents' generation were merely ordinary mortals—Ye Chen wasn't certain and was trying to find clues from the Ye family ancestors.
"However, according to some information recorded in the ancestral records, our Ye family in ancient times didn't seem to be residents of the Tian Du Continent, but came from outside the continent. Of course, this is also some speculation by ancestors about even more ancient times and hasn't been correctly determined," Ye Ao suddenly added.
Outside the continent?
Ye Chen's eyes suddenly blazed with intensity. If so, the reason for the birth of his Innate Sacred Body might indeed be related to his ancestors.
That was worth investigating.
"Chen'er, next month is your coming-of-age ceremony. You should understand, right?" Ye Ao suddenly said.
Ye Chen nodded. He naturally understood. In the family, generally speaking, the family head position could be inherited by the next generation. This was the highest priority, the first right of succession.
However, others could also challenge. If the challenge succeeded, then the family head position would fall to someone else.
"If you don't want to be the family head, you can say so. Your father will speak up for you when the time comes," Ye Ao patted his shoulder, smiling warmly, his face full of paternal affection.
Ye Chen's nose tingled with emotion. How could he not understand this was his father's way of caring for him?
Although his cultivation had recently increased greatly, the sixth Houtian layer cultivation was simply not enough to look at. Among this generation of the family, there were many talented disciples. There were several at the seventh or eighth Houtian layer, and even one at the ninth layer—precisely Ye Zhengyang.
Ye Ao knew that during the coming-of-age ceremony, the grandchildren of the three elders would certainly not give up on inheriting the family head position, especially the eldest elder's grandson Ye Zhengyang, who was the number one among the entire family's younger generation.
He also knew that Ye Chen had clashed with Ye Zhengyang in the Allowance Hall a few months prior, and that his own relationship with the three elders had never been good. He worried they would seize the opportunity to act during the ceremony.
Therefore, Ye Ao, not wanting anything to happen to Ye Chen, chose to indirectly persuade him.
But Ye Chen shook his head. "Father, don't worry. I know my limits. I won't act recklessly."
"Moreover, since it's the family head position, it naturally passes from father to son. It's only right and proper. It cannot fall into the hands of others."
"If anyone dares to covet the family head position, I don't mind giving them a lesson they'll never forget for the rest of their lives."
By the end of his words, Ye Chen's gaze suddenly turned icy cold, bone-chillingly so.