Chapter 20: Li Yuhan

Scolding.

“Feeding you?”

Blinking in confusion, Ye Xichen’s expression suddenly darkened after a moment.

“For the past five years, my true energy has inexplicably been vanishing from my body, and it’s all your doing?”

“Haha, I was forced into it too, little one, don’t blame me.”

“So it was you all along!”

Ye Xichen flew into a rage, disregarding the fact that this was a keepsake left by his mother.

Without hesitation, he tore off the ring and threw it forcefully.

The ring hit the doorframe with a crisp sound before falling to the ground.

A faint, translucent figure drifted out from the ring and hovered in the air.

Seeing this, Ye Xichen stepped back fearfully two paces.

“Little one, no need to be so angry. It’s just that I’ve been absorbing your true energy for five years.”

The transparent old man said with a smiling face.

Ye Xichen’s mouth twitched, and his voice was laden with suppressed anger.

“You old geezer, since you’re hiding in the ring, you should know how much ridicule and scorn I’ve endured because you’ve been draining my true energy. And then, the humiliation I suffered today…”

At this, Ye Xichen seemed to recall something.

“When I fought Zhang Qingyao, the sudden boost in my cultivation—was that you helping me?”

“Hehe, the Old Man saw you being bullied badly by that guy, so I gave you a little help.”

“Bullied, huh…”

Ye Xichen murmured, his expression downcast.

“Zhang Qingyao is about my age, but he’s already at the Nascent Core stage, while I’m still only at Refining Qi Level Three. Tell me, if you returned the five years of cultivation you took from me, could I reach his level?”

“No.”

“Even without me siphoning your cultivation for five years, at best, you’d only be at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage like your father. Still no match for that Zhang guy.”

Despite still being unable to surpass Zhang Qingyao, Ye Xichen felt a flicker of joy hearing the mysterious old man say he could reach the Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

He knew he had only lost time; his talent remained.

As long as one had talent, the label of ‘waste’ would eventually fall away.

“In fact, you don’t need to compare yourself to that Zhang kid, because he isn’t even using his own strength.”

Ye Xichen looked up sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“That Zhang kid also has someone like me assisting him behind the scenes. His own cultivation is only Refining Qi Level Two, even lower than yours.”

After a brief silence, Ye Xichen suddenly understood.

“No wonder. When I touched him, I only sensed Refining Qi Level Two, yet he suddenly surged to Nascent Core stage. So someone else was helping him…”

The scene of Zhang Yuge publicly humiliating Ye Xichen in front of the Ye family, and even injuring his father, was still fresh in his mind.

Ye Xichen’s hatred toward Zhang Yuge intensified further.

“Zhang Qingyao, I will make you pay the price…”

Stretching his wrist lightly, Ye Xichen exhaled deeply to calm himself.

“Although I don’t know who you really are, you must know that I used to be male, right?

Do you… know the reason why I became like this?”

“Unfortunately, Old Man doesn’t know the cause either.”

The old man shook his head helplessly.

“Is that so…”

Ye Xichen felt a bit dispirited.

“However, it’s very likely that Zhang’s doing.

Didn’t you notice that your change occurred the moment you plunged your sword into that Zhang kid?

From what I observed, there was no way he could avoid your full-powered strike.

Normally, he would have died.

The only way to survive was to forcibly interrupt your attack.

Coincidentally, that’s when you suddenly changed, and he escaped a disaster.”

Ye Xichen felt the old man’s reasoning made sense.

Zhang Yuge was indeed the prime suspect.

“But the question is, how did he do it? Some kind of spell? Or maybe he used Spirit Medicine or a Talisman?”

“I’m not sure either. This is just Old Man’s guess.”

The atmosphere fell into awkward silence once again.

The mysterious old man slipped back into the ring, and then knocking sounded from outside the door.

“Young Master, the family head has awakened.”

“I’m coming!”

It must be Third Uncle sending someone to call me.

Ye Xichen hastily tucked the strands of hair covering his face behind his ear and, without bothering to change clothes, prepared to leave.

He glanced at the ring lying on the floor, hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and slipped it back onto his finger.

Quickly reaching Ye Tianlu’s bedroom, Ye Xichen pushed the door open.

“Father!”

No longer the youthful, energetic voice of before, but a sweet and gentle female tone.

Everyone in the room turned to look.

Ye Xichen immediately realized he’d caused a scene, so he closed his mouth and walked over to Ye Tianlu’s bedside.

At this moment, Ye Tianlu was already sitting up, leaning against the pillows.

As the girl approached, his mouth opened wider and wider until he was utterly stunned.

At first, he didn’t believe what his brother said about Ye Xichen turning into a girl, but now, there was no denying it.

His finger trembled as it pointed toward his eldest son.

“Ah Chen, you… you’re…”

Ye Xichen knew that suddenly becoming female would be hard for his father to accept.

She forced a bitter smile and joked to herself,

“Maybe all the trouble the child’s marriage caused Father was too much. Even Heaven couldn’t stand it, so it took away the child’s right to marry. That’s fine too. From now on, Father and the Ye family elders won’t have to suffer humiliation like today over my marriage.”

Everyone fell silent.

“Have you called a physician? What did the doctor say?”

Ye Tianlu asked.

“Eldest Brother.”

Ye Tianyang shook his head.

“Our cultivators can’t solve this problem, and mortal doctors won’t be able to either.”

“But what if there really is a cure?”

Seeing Ye Tianlu unwilling to give up, Ye Tianyang had no choice but to send someone to fetch a doctor from outside.

Doctors were summoned, but in the end, there was no solution.

“I’m sorry, but I have no clue about Young Master Ye’s symptoms.”

“This is your payment. Remember, do not speak of this outside.”

After paying their fees, the doctors were instructed to keep quiet and sent away one after another.

With hope growing dimmer, Ye Tianlu’s face grew increasingly dark.

Ye Xichen’s hope was similarly crushed.

Suddenly slamming the table, Ye Tianlu shouted,

“Go to the Imperial Palace and bring the Royal Physicians from the Imperial Medical Institute!”

“Eldest Brother, Royal Physicians only serve the royal family. They can’t just be summoned on a whim.”

“Then should Ah Chen’s illness go untreated?”

Ye Tianlu retorted,

“What are the royals without the support of the Five Great Clans? The Li family means nothing! It’s not like we’re asking for much—just borrow a few Royal Physicians. Does Li Yuhan dare to refuse?”

Ye Tianyang was speechless.

Although the Five Great Clans never feared the Great Zhou royals, this was the first time Ye Tianlu invoked the emperor’s name like this.

Normally, Ye Tianlu would address him as “Your Majesty,” but now he didn’t even bother—a clear sign of how much Ye Xichen meant to him.

Watching his anxious father, Ye Xichen’s heart stirred.

Since childhood until now, only his father never gave up on him, repeatedly transmitting spiritual energy to help him advance, though all attempts failed.

Now, his father was willing to offend the emperor just to find a doctor for him.

Ye Xichen silently vowed: no matter what, he would never let his father suffer humiliation again.

Anyone who harmed his father would pay in blood.

At this moment, the Ye family’s strongest and most authoritative Second Elder spoke up.

“Tianlu, nephew, your worry is heartfelt. Tianyang, order people to bring every reputable medical expert from the Imperial Medical Institute here.”

In the capital, inside the Royal Garden, a young man dressed in an exquisite dragon robe played and joked with several concubines while blindfolded with a black cloth.

Among the dozen or so people present, only he and two eunuchs were male; the rest were palace maids and concubines.

“Your Majesty, I’m right here, come catch me.”

“Hehe, little beauty, don’t run~”

This was none other than Li Yuhan, the current Great Zhou emperor, known for his laziness and indulgence in pleasures.

Just as the fun reached its peak, a eunuch reported.

“Your Majesty, the people from the Imperial Medical Institute have all been taken away.”

Hearing this, the young man removed his blindfold and asked in confusion,

“For what reason?”

“I do not know, only that it was the Ye family head who summoned them to treat an illness.”

The atmosphere instantly fell silent.

The concubines dared not speak, fearing to anger Li Yuhan.

“I see. Then let them go. As long as the Royal Physicians return safely.”

After a moment of quiet, Li Yuhan blindfolded himself again as if the interruption was only a minor hiccup.

“Ladies, let’s continue.”

No one noticed that at this moment, his eyes were filled with murderous intent.