"Young Lady Xiao, thank you."
After stepping down from the high platform, Ye Yunfei turned around to face Xiao Chuchu. After what had transpired today, Ye Yunfei's fondness for Xiao Chuchu had soared.
"Young Master Ye, there's no need for such formalities between us," Xiao Chuchu said with a blossoming smile.
"Oh, that's right, Young Lady Xiao. I'd like to purchase another set of the spiritual herbs I procured from the Lingzhen Pavilion the other day. It's just that I don't currently have enough Spirit Crystals on hand..."
Ye Yunfei's tone carried a hint of embarrassment before Xiao Chuchu playfully cut him off. "No problem. I'll have someone send them to you shortly. The required Spirit Crystals can be deducted directly from your sales share of the Lesser Six-Yi Pills. After all, I won't be the one footing the bill."
Then, Xiao Chuchu bid farewell to Ye Yunfei and left the Ye Residence with Huang Lao. Her main purpose in visiting today had been to show public support for Ye Yunfei, and that goal was already accomplished.
Not long after, Xiao Chuchu did indeed send someone to deliver the spiritual herbs to Ye Yunfei. Moreover, the quantity was double what he had purchased the previous time!
As soon as Ye Yunfei received the herbs, he immediately returned to his room and began concocting pills.
At the same time.
Qin Residence.
Main Hall.
"Goddammit! Even this couldn't break the Ye Family! Somehow Ye Tianpeng weathered through it completely unscathed!"
Qin Xiong slammed the table and roared, the entire hall echoing with the reverberations. The events at the Ye Family today had indeed been orchestrated by Qin Xiong himself. Yet they had failed.
All the Qin Family's higher-ups were gathered in the hall, along with Qin An.
"I truly never expected that waste Ye Yunfei to be able to produce two Profound Origin Pills and ten True Spirit Pills," a Qin Family Elder said, his face dark.
"Reports say that not only has Ye Yunfei recovered his cultivation, but during the clan meeting, he displayed astonishing strength, defeating Ye Lei in a single move. What in the world is going on? Could it be that father and son Ye Tianpeng have been deceiving everyone all along, that Ye Yunfei's martial veins weren't lost, and he has been secretly cultivating in the shadows, waiting for the day to erupt and achieve a stunning effect overnight? If that's the case, the craftiness of those two Ye's is truly profound!"
Qin Xiong gnashed his teeth in fury.
"Father, rest assured. In seven days, the Four-Clan Mine Seizing Competition will be held. If that waste Ye Yunfei participates then, I will personally end him. No matter how deep one's scheming and cunning may be, they are useless in the face of absolute strength. For the remaining seven days, I will be going into seclusion to cultivate. During this closed-door session, I will break through to the Earth Realm."
Qin An, standing beside Qin Xiong, spoke in a calm, almost indifferent tone, his eyes gleaming with an intimidating, prideful light.
"Hiss! Breaking through to the Earth Realm?!"
As soon as Qin An's words fell, a collective sound of sharp intakes of breath echoed in the hall. One had to remember—Qin An wasn't even eighteen yet this year! An Earth Realm expert before turning eighteen, that was simply outrageous! In Yuanyue City, this was absolutely unprecedented, the first case ever! Truly worthy of the Heavenly Spirit Body! Every person in the hall looked at Qin An with eyes full of awe and envy.
"Hahaha, you truly live up to being Qin Xiong's good son. Ye Yunfei is now the strongest among the Ye Family's younger generation; he will definitely participate in the Four-Clan Mine Seizing Competition seven days from now. Son, An'er, you must kill him! Furthermore, I want all the Ye Family's young disciples who participate to die, every single one of them!"
Qin Xiong laughed maniacally, his expression ferocious.
"Father, you can relax. In seven days, I will unleash a great slaughter. Not a single one of the Ye Family's young disciples will leave that competition alive."
Qin An's tone was extremely calm. Within that tranquility lay a bone-chilling, sinister killing intent. Having finished speaking, Qin An took a step forward and walked out of the main hall. He was heading into seclusion to cultivate.
The people in the hall watched Qin An depart with gazes full of reverence.
"However, when did the Ye Family form a connection with the Lingzhen Pavilion? It is said that the Pavilion Master, the one surnamed Xiao, personally stated she wants to establish a cooperative relationship with the Ye Family. If so, if we move against the Ye Family, I fear the Lingzhen Pavilion might intervene. That would make things a bit troublesome," a Qin Family Elder suddenly said, looking somewhat worried.
"Hmph! No need to worry. The four great sects of the Great Qin Empire have all sent letters. All four sects have promised that as long as An'er nods, he can join immediately and unconditionally. Moreover, they will let An'er directly become a core disciple within their sect, receiving key nurturing. Seven days from now, on the day of the Four-Clan Mine Seizing Competition, the enrollment personnel of the four great sects will personally come to Yuanyue City. There's even more exciting news: Sima, the Great General of the Imperial Household, has dispatched a trusted envoy to our Qin Residence, preparing to arrange a marriage alliance with our Qin Family—marrying his daughter to Qin An. Do you all believe that with Grand General Sima backing us, our Qin Family still has to fear the Lingzhen Pavilion?"
Qin Xiong said smugly.
"Is that true?! That's fantastic! Our Qin Family is finally rising to prominence completely!"
All the Qin Family higher-ups in the hall fell into a state of frenzied excitement.
Ye Residence.
Ye Yunfei's Small Courtyard.
For two whole days and nights, Ye Yunfei stayed in his room, frantically concocting pills without stepping foot outside.
"Hahh... Finally, all the spiritual herbs are used up."
A weary voice sounded from inside the room. During these two days and nights, Ye Yunfei had concocted a total of two batches of Third-Grade Profound Origin Pills, three pills per batch, making a total of six pills. And six batches of Second-Grade True Spirit Pills, ten pills per batch, making a total of sixty pills.
"With my paltry strength right now, concocting pills really is a tiring job," Ye Yunfei muttered, storing the pill furnace and pills away before wearing a wry smile.
"Next, it's time to cultivate the Demon God's Blood-Melting Physique Tempering Art. In this lifetime, I absolutely will not repeat the mistakes I made in my previous life. I must persist in dual cultivation of spirit and flesh! Tempering the physical body must progress side by side with spiritual energy cultivation!"
Ye Yunfei declared to himself.
"However, cultivating the Demon God's Blood-Melting Physique Tempering Art requires a large amount of Bloodline Essence. It seems a trip to the Heavenly Beast Forest is necessary. The Heavenly Beast Forest can provide me with plenty of demonic beast bloodline essence."
After pondering for a moment, Ye Yunfei made his decision and walked out the door.
"Young Master, you've finally come out of seclusion!"
Xiao Yue was sitting on a stone stool in the small courtyard, hands cupping her cheeks, bored out of her mind. As soon as she saw Ye Yunfei, she was overjoyed and rushed over.
"Xiao Yue, is the injury on your face alright now?"
Ye Yunfei looked toward Xiao Yue's exquisite face.
"It's almost completely healed," Xiao Yue replied.
"Mm, indeed. My beautiful Xiao Yue has finally returned," Ye Yunfei said with a laugh.
"Young Master! Stop teasing me! Don't look!"
Xiao Yue's face flushed crimson under Ye Yunfei's direct gaze.
"Haha, what? Won't even let your Young Master have a look?"
Ye Yunfei laughed heartily, his mood quite good.
"Right, Xiao Yue, for the next five days, I'll be heading out. You'll have to keep watch over the courtyard for me."
"Young Master, you're going out? Please remember to be careful in all things," Xiao Yue said, startled, then instructed earnestly.
"You can relax."
Ye Yunfei nodded and left the small courtyard.
He went directly to Ye Tianpeng's study and handed over all sixty True Spirit Pills.
"Father, these sixty True Spirit Pills are worth sixty thousand Spirit Crystals. They should be enough to cover the family's expenses for the time being. For the next five days, I will be heading out. I will return in time on the day of the Four-Clan Mine Seizing Competition, five days from now."
After speaking, Ye Yunfei didn't give Ye Tianpeng any opportunity to ask questions and directly departed.
"Fei'er, be careful out there!"
Ye Tianpeng stood there holding six bottles full of True Spirit Pills, utterly dumbfounded. Only after a good while did he call out that sentence to Ye Yunfei's retreating figure. He was starting to feel he understood his son less and less!