Ye Xuan was, admittedly, a bit surprised.
This little girl before him was no ordinary person.
At that moment, a voice came from the side. “Young Master Ye?”
Ye Xuan turned to see an elderly man standing nearby.
Ye Xuan was slightly puzzled. “You are?”
The old man quickly approached, smiling. “Young Master Ye, I am Jiang Nian. Do you remember me?”
Jiang Nian.
The City Lord of Qing City.
Ye Xuan smiled. “So it’s City Lord Jiang. When my sister and I left Qing City years ago, you personally saw us off and gave us gifts. How could I forget?”
Hearing this, Jiang Nian’s face lit up with a smile, his voice trembling with excitement. “Young Master Ye, I never thought I’d see you again in this lifetime.”
In truth, he had been keeping tabs on the Ye Clan.
However, he hadn’t wiped them out completely. After all, Ye Xuan hailed from the Ye Clan, and going too far might displease him. So, he, along with the Li and Zhang families, had only monitored the Ye Clan over the years, preventing their resurgence but not exterminating them entirely.
Seeing Ye Xuan take Ye Yu away made him immensely relieved.
Clearly, Ye Xuan had no intention of fully destroying the Ye Clan either.
Jiang Nian shook his head with a smile. “So many years have passed, and Young Master Ye still looks so young… while I’m nearly in the grave.”
Ye Xuan laughed. “City Lord Jiang, how have you been these years?”
Jiang Nian nodded. “Not bad.”
He hesitated, then bowed respectfully. “Young Master Ye, I have an impertinent request.”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Speak freely.”
Jiang Nian quickly turned to a young man standing respectfully nearby. “Come here.”
The young man hurried over, and Jiang Nian said, “Young Master Ye, this is a junior of my Jiang Clan. I hope you can offer him some guidance.”
Ye Xuan glanced at the young man, who immediately bowed. “Greetings, Young Master Ye.”
Ye Xuan smiled. “As far as I know, anyone can join the Guanxuan Academy. Why doesn’t he go there?”
Jiang Nian gave a bitter smile. “Young Master Ye, you may not know, but the competition to enter the academy is fierce. For ordinary people, it’s incredibly difficult.”
Ye Xuan frowned slightly. “What, are there some hidden rules for admission?”
Jiang Nian quickly shook his head. “No, it’s just that the academy’s standards are extremely strict.”
Ye Xuan understood.
This junior of Jiang Nian clearly didn’t meet the academy’s requirements, so he wanted Ye Xuan to pull some strings.
Ye Xuan smiled. “City Lord Jiang, I can’t just change the academy’s rules. How about this? Over the years, I’ve acquired some cultivation methods. I’m willing to gift them to your Jiang Clan.”
Jiang Nian hesitated.
Compared to cultivation methods, he’d prefer his grandson join the Guanxuan Academy.
After all, the academy was now the top force in the Qingcang Realm.
Ye Xuan spread his palm, and a storage ring floated slowly to Jiang Nian. “Take a look.”
Jiang Nian glanced at the ring. His eyes widened, and he immediately pulled the young man to kneel, his voice trembling. “Thank you, Young Master Ye.”
Ye Xuan smiled faintly, spreading his palm and gently lifting them up with a gesture. “When he’s cultivated enough, he can try for the Guanxuan Academy again.”
Jiang Nian’s voice shook. “Yes. Yes.”
Ye Xuan smiled, then handed him a white jade bottle. “City Lord Jiang, this is a Longevity Pill. It can extend your lifespan. I see your time is running short; this should help.”
Jiang Nian dropped to his knees again, trembling. “Thank you, Young Master Ye. Thank you.”
He kowtowed repeatedly.
Ye Xuan laughed. “City Lord Jiang, until we meet again.”
With that, he took Ye Yu and left.
Jiang Nian kept kowtowing until Ye Xuan and Ye Yu vanished in the distance.
Looking at the jade bottle, he was overcome with excitement.
Lifespan.
As Ye Xuan said, he had little time left.
But now, with the Longevity Pill and supreme cultivation methods, he could live longer.
The young man helped Jiang Nian up. “Grandfather… is he the Young Master Ye who was expelled from the Ye Clan?”
Jiang Nian nodded. “Yes.”
The young man, thrilled, said, “So, he’s the dean of the Guanxuan Academy?”
Jiang Nian nodded again. “Yes.”
The young man trembled. “Heavens, I’ve met the dean of the Guanxuan Academy.”
Jiang Nian looked into the distance, his expression complex. “Little one, remember this: when you’re out in the world, stay humble and build good karma.”
The young man nodded quickly. “I understand, Grandfather.”
Jiang Nian said softly, “Who could’ve thought that a small act of kindness back then would change not only my fate but the Jiang Clan’s as well…”
He shook his head slightly. “Fate is truly mysterious.”
Moments later, Jiang Nian led the young man away.
On a distant street, Ye Yu tilted her head, looking at Ye Xuan. “How strong are you?”
Ye Xuan blinked. “Very, very strong.”
Ye Yu was curious. “How strong is very strong?”
Ye Xuan laughed. “Who do you admire most right now?”
Ye Yu thought for a moment. “Sister Qingqiu from the Guanxuan Academy’s Literary Court.”
She looked at Ye Xuan. “Are you a hundred times stronger than her?”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
Ye Yu blinked. “Ten times?”
Ye Xuan shook his head with a smile. “I’m the dean of the Guanxuan Academy. I’m not great at fighting; I’m better at studying. Understand?”
Ye Yu nodded slightly. “Got it.”
Ye Xuan smiled, looking ahead. “We’re here.”
The Li Residence.
When he and his sister left Qing City years ago, the heads of the three major families had seen them off and given gifts.
He’d helped the Jiang Clan, so he couldn’t forget the other two.
Ye Xuan led Ye Yu to the Li Residence’s gate. A guard stopped them. Ye Xuan smiled. “Please inform them that Ye Xuan is here to visit.”
Ye Xuan.
The guard glanced at him, noting his extraordinary presence, and didn’t dare to be careless. “Please wait, sir.”
He turned and left.
Moments later, a young man came out. Seeing Ye Xuan, he froze, then said in a trembling voice, “Dean Ye?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Yes.”
The young man grew ecstatic. “Li Lian greets Dean Ye.”
Ye Xuan.
The guard nearby froze in shock.
He hadn’t expected this youth to be Ye Xuan, the dean of the Guanxuan Academy.
A godlike figure.
Ye Xuan smiled faintly. “Where’s Clan Leader Li Yu?”
Li Lian’s expression dimmed. “Young Master Ye, my father passed away years ago…”
Years ago.
Ye Xuan frowned slightly.
Li Lian quickly said, “Young Master Ye, please come in.”
Ye Xuan shook his head. “No need.”
He spread his palm, and a storage ring floated to Li Lian. “I hope this helps your Li Clan.”
Li Lian opened the ring and froze. Looking up, Ye Xuan and Ye Yu were already gone.
He knelt, voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you, Dean Ye, for your great kindness…”
…
Soon, Ye Xuan and Ye Yu arrived at the Zhang Residence.
They were stunned.
The Zhang Residence was as dilapidated as the Ye Residence.
Ye Xuan frowned. “What happened?”
He led Ye Yu to the gate and knocked. After a while, a frail old man opened it, eyeing them warily. “You… you are…”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “Is Clan Leader Zhang Lie here?”
Zhang Lie.
The old man’s voice trembled. “Who are you, sir?”
Ye Xuan said, “Ye Xuan.”
Ye Xuan.
The old man froze, then said excitedly, “You’re that Young Master from the Ye Clan…”
Ye Xuan nodded.
The old man quickly opened the gate. “Young Master Ye, please come in.”
Ye Xuan led Ye Yu inside. A group of people gathered, all elderly, weak, or infirm, just like the Ye Clan.
A young man approached, trembling. “Dean Ye.”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “Clan Leader Zhang Lie… is he gone?”
The young man nodded quickly. “My father was killed years ago…”
Ye Xuan asked, “By whom?”
The young man said, “The Northern Sect.”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
He hadn’t heard of this sect.
He glanced at the group, then spread his palm. A storage ring floated to the young man. “Years ago, Clan Leader Zhang Lie showed me kindness. I hope this helps your Zhang Clan.”
The young man knelt, sobbing. “Dean Ye, the Northern Sect has been targeting us for years. Please save us…”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly. “Rest assured, after today, the Northern Sect won’t trouble you again.”
With that, he led Ye Yu away.
The young man and others kowtowed repeatedly.
Outside the Zhang Residence, Ye Xuan sighed softly, his expression complex.
Ye Yu looked up at him. “Are you going to destroy the Northern Sect?”
Ye Xuan shook his head.
Ye Yu blinked. “Why not?”
Ye Xuan smiled faintly. “I don’t know if the Northern Sect or the Zhang Clan is at fault. Disputes are common in the mortal world. If I destroy a sect without understanding the cause, it wouldn’t be fair to many.”
Ye Yu stared at him. “Don’t the strong get to act as they please?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “If you become a peerless powerhouse, what would you do?”
Ye Yu was silent for a moment, then said, “I don’t know.”
She looked at him. “Whatever you say, I’ll do.”
Ye Xuan gently ruffled her hair. “No need to please me.”
Ye Yu shook her head slightly. “If I don’t please you, how will I get stronger?”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
