After blurting it out, Ye Xuan felt a wave of embarrassment.
He’d spoken too fast!
Ye Xuan quickly corrected himself, “He’s my father!”
Everyone: “…”
The Sword Sect Leader stared at Ye Xuan, as if trying to see through him. “You claim to be Sect Leader Yang’s son?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
The Sect Leader sneered, “Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Who doesn’t know Sect Leader Yang has only a daughter?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The Sect Leader continued, “You, a sword cultivator, have the gall to impersonate Sect Leader Yang’s son!”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “I *am* his son!”
The Sect Leader snapped, “Sect Leader Yang has no son, only a daughter!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The Sect Leader sighed, “For petty gain, you’d sell your soul and claim another as your father. Young man, how can you face your real father with such actions?”
Ye Xuan suddenly activated his bloodline power!
As the power surged, a formidable pressure enveloped the area. The surrounding sword cultivators’ faces changed, and they stepped back, eyes filled with wariness.
The Sect Leader’s expression shifted slightly. “You… what are you doing?!”
Ye Xuan frowned. “You don’t recognize my bloodline?”
The Sect Leader said sternly, “What bloodline?”
Ye Xuan asked inwardly, “Small Tower, they don’t know the Mad Demon Bloodline?”
The Small Tower paused, then said, “The Mad Demon Bloodline awakened in you later. They wouldn’t recognize it!”
Ye Xuan asked, “Then how do I prove my identity?”
The Small Tower thought for a long time, then said, “I don’t know!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The Sect Leader glared at Ye Xuan. “Sir, I advise you to behave. If you cause trouble, our Sword Sect will have to summon our ancestor!”
Summon the ancestor!
Ye Xuan shook his head and sighed at this absurd world.
At that moment, a sword cultivator stammered, “Sect Leader, look closely—he does look a lot like Sect Leader Yang!”
The crowd turned to Ye Xuan, scrutinizing him. After a moment, they were startled—he really did resemble him!
The Sect Leader glanced at the green-robed statue, then back at Ye Xuan. Hesitating, he said, “You… claim to be Sect Leader Yang’s son. Do you have proof?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “What kind of proof do you want?”
The Sect Leader fell silent.
Sect Leader Yang?
Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly close with the legendary Sect Leader Yang!
Ye Xuan abruptly turned and left. There was no point in proving whether he was Yang Ye’s son—it was meaningless.
If these sword cultivators acknowledged him, he might’ve left some benefits behind. Since they didn’t, so be it!
Without lingering, Ye Xuan vanished from the Sword Sect.
Inside, the Sect Leader looked skyward, silent.
In truth, the moment he saw Ye Xuan, he’d believed his claim!
The resemblance was uncanny!
But he chose not to acknowledge Ye Xuan’s identity.
Why?
He was the Sword Sect Leader now. If he recognized Ye Xuan as the young sect leader, what if Ye Xuan sought to seize power?
He’d fought hard for this position—there was no way he’d give it up!
The Sect Leader snorted coldly to himself and turned to leave.
…
Annan City.
Annan City was where his father had once lived, a small city in the Southern Domain.
Ye Xuan stood before a lavish building, dumbfounded.
The nine-story structure could only be described with one word: extravagant!
Built entirely of special black sky stone, its floors were paved with gold bricks, gleaming blindingly. The massive pillars, several meters wide, were crafted from rare materials, clearly extraordinary. The walls were studded with head-sized pearls…
The entire building radiated nouveau riche vibes!
Ye Xuan stared at it, saying gravely, “Small Tower, Father lived in a place like this?”
The Small Tower paused, then said, “He did live here, but back then, it was a very, very simple stone hut… Did we take a wrong turn?”
Ye Xuan suddenly pointed above the building. “See that? Four big characters: *Yang Ye’s Former Residence*.”
Small Tower: “…”
Ye Xuan said sternly, “Small Tower, be honest. Was Father really raised wild? Or was his ‘wild’ different from mine?”
The Small Tower was speechless, equally baffled. How had it come to this?
A voice came from the side. “Brother, here to visit Sword Emperor Yang Ye’s former residence?”
Ye Xuan turned to see a young man in a pale yellow robe, holding a folding fan. Behind him stood two expressionless black-robed elders, clearly experts.
The young man approached, smiling. “I’m Yu Chuan. How may I address you?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Ye Xuan!”
Yu Chuan grinned. “Brother Ye, care to go in together?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Sure!”
Led by Yu Chuan, Ye Xuan entered the building. Inside were simple furnishings.
Yu Chuan smiled faintly. “These were all used by Sword Emperor Yang Ye long, long ago.”
Ye Xuan frowned. “Sword Emperor?”
Yu Chuan looked at him, smiling. “Is there a problem?”
Ye Xuan was puzzled. The Small Tower chimed in, “In the Southern Domain, Sword Emperor is the highest achievement for sword cultivators! After the Master left, his current accomplishments are beyond what the Southern Domain can imagine. To them, he’s still just a Sword Emperor!”
Ye Xuan nodded, smiling. “No problem!”
Yu Chuan glanced at him, then looked away, smiling. “Brother Ye, do you think we’ve mythologized Sword Emperor Yang Ye?”
Ye Xuan met his gaze. Yu Chuan chuckled lightly. “Honestly, I don’t like this. The royal family’s too ostentatious. No doubt, Sword Emperor Yang Ye was a prodigy among prodigies, but now the entire Southern Domain sings his praises, calling him a savior…”
He glanced around, smiling. “Even his old residence has become a sacred site. It’s laughable, and sad!”
The Small Tower couldn’t hold back. “Sad? Laughable? Damn it! If not for the Master, the Three-Dimensional Universe would’ve been wiped out by Sister Destiny!”
Hearing the Small Tower, Yu Chuan frowned, looking at Ye Xuan’s abdomen. “Brother Ye, what’s that talking?”
The Small Tower snapped, “You’re the ‘thing’! I’m the number one tower in all the heavens and realms!”
Yu Chuan said coolly, “A sentient tower—rare, but you’re blowing it out of proportion. You’ve practically killed the cow with your boasting!”
Small Tower: “…”
Ye Xuan suddenly laughed. “Brother Yu, while I don’t love myth-making either, to be fair, you haven’t mythologized him. If anything, you might’ve downplayed him!”
Yu Chuan’s eyes narrowed. “Downplayed him?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Yes!”
Yu Chuan shook his head, chuckling. “Brother Ye, you’re too young!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Yu Chuan suddenly said, “Brother Ye, you carry yourself with distinction. You must be ambitious. Care to join me?”
Ye Xuan blinked, stunned. “Join you?”
Yu Chuan grinned. “I’ll be frank—I’m the Third Prince, aiming for the supreme throne. Brother Ye, come with me to forge a great legacy. What do you say?”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “Seize the throne?”
Yu Chuan laughed heartily. “Exactly!”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
Yu Chuan sized him up. “Brother Ye, you’re not from the Sword Sect, right?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Correct.”
Yu Chuan smiled. “So, you’re a rogue cultivator.”
He produced a storage ring and placed it before Ye Xuan, smiling. “Brother Ye, a small token. Please accept it!”
Ye Xuan glanced at the ring. Inside were ten spirit stones—the most common kind, with barely any spiritual energy.
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “Brother Yu, what’s this for? I… I can’t accept without merit!”
He quickly pushed the ring back.
Yu Chuan sneered inwardly. *These sword cultivators are so hypocritical—clearly want it but pretend to refuse!*
His smile remained warm, feigning displeasure. “Brother Ye, is it too little?”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
It *was* a bit meager…
Yu Chuan said earnestly, “Brother Ye, if it’s not too little, please accept it! I know rogue cultivators have it tough. This is just a small gesture! To be honest, once I seize the throne, there’ll be plenty more where this came from.”
He stepped closer, smiling. “Brother Ye, we join forces, and the future is ours!”
Ye Xuan felt awkward.
Yu Chuan pointed at Yang Ye’s statue. “Brother Ye, if you dare to strive, nothing’s impossible. Follow me, and when I take the throne, with royal backing and your talent, I guarantee you’ll reach Sword Emperor Yang Ye’s heights—no, you might even surpass him!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The Small Tower whispered, “Little Master, he’s trying to scam you!”
Ye Xuan nodded. “I can tell!”
Yu Chuan grew more excited. “Brother Ye, opportunities like this don’t come twice…”
Ye Xuan stayed silent.
Yu Chuan produced a small cloth bag and placed it before Ye Xuan. Inside were ten more spirit stones.
Yu Chuan looked at Ye Xuan. “Brother Ye, my annual stipend is only twenty spirit stones!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Yu Chuan smiled faintly. “No need to be too touched, Brother Ye. Just twenty spirit stones—nothing much.”
Ye Xuan sighed softly, patting Yu Chuan’s shoulder. “Listen to your brother’s advice: you can’t handle that throne. Give it up!”
With that, he turned and left.
Rejected!
Yu Chuan glared at Ye Xuan. He’d humbled himself to recruit him, only to be refused—a humiliating insult. Blood rushing to his head, he snarled, “My fate is mine, not the heavens’! Sword cultivator, you look down on me today, but I’ll make you unable to reach me tomorrow!”
Ye Xuan stumbled, nearly fainting.
…
