Chapter 19: Grandpa Ring is coming

After cleaving open the living room door with a single slash, Zhang Yuge scooped up Zhang Qingyao in his left arm and Lv Zhu, the maid from the Zhang household who had been guarding the door, in his right.

He then sprinted with all his might toward the main gate of the Ye residence.

Moon.

Board.

“M-M-Master……….. What’s going on?”

Zhang Yuge didn’t answer Lv Zhu’s question.

In just two minutes, the three of them—the master and his servants—had already escaped to the Ye mansion’s main gate.

More than a dozen Zhang family servants still stood guard beside the sedan chair, sitting in small groups on the ground, resting and chatting idly.

A sharp-eyed footman spotted Zhang Yuge rushing out in haste and immediately hurried over.

“Master, why did you come out so quickly?”

“What are you standing there for? Run!”

Zhang Yuge held a maid on each side, not once looking back as he ran.

“Yes, sir!”

The footman waved to the others,

“Hurry, carry the sedan chair!”

“Forget about your damn sedan chair. If you don’t want to die, run!”

Zhang Yuge shouted back.

No matter how slow the servants were to react, they had to realize something major had happened—after all, the news that the escort team heading to the Zhong family had been nearly wiped out was still fresh.

Terrified, the servants scattered in all directions, unwilling to die.

“Master, wait for us! Wait…”

In the prosperous and wealthy capital city, a scene unlike any other unfolded.

A young nobleman dressed in fine brocade and exquisite clothes sprinted forward, clutching two women, followed closely by a group of family retainers and servants.

Because of the heavy traffic at the city gate, Zhang Yuge stopped near the West Gate to avoid colliding with passersby.

He glanced back several times, confirming no one was pursuing them, before finally allowing himself to relax.

“Looks like no one from the Ye family caught up.”

“Can you put me down now? I’m feeling a bit unwell…”

Zhang Qingyao’s voice sounded weak.

Zhang Yuge quickly released the two girls.

Lv Zhu was just a little unsteady, so Zhang Yuge steadied her gently.

But Zhang Qingyao was definitely not doing well.

She knelt on the ground, supporting herself with both hands.

“Qingyao, what’s wrong with you?”

Zhang Yuge asked.

“…What do you think?”

Zhang Qingyao replied with displeasure.

Did he even need to ask?

Zhang Yuge wanted to say this but saw how bad the girl looked and decided not to argue.

Suddenly, Zhang Yuge noticed something very important.

“Hey? System, where’s my Green Sword? I swear, I didn’t lose it halfway, did I?”

“Host, the sword has already returned to the sword spirit.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. I thought I lost it along the way.”

Zhang Yuge exhaled.

At this moment, Lv Zhu asked nervously,

“Master… Did the Ye family refuse the Marriage Annulment?”

Zhang Yuge’s act of annulling the marriage with Zhang Qingyao was common knowledge among the Zhang family and their servants.

It wasn’t exactly a secret.

Now that things had escalated to this point, the outcome was almost certain.

Zhang Yuge nodded,

“Yes, I’ve completely torn ties with the Ye family.”

“T-Torn ties?”

Lv Zhu’s face flushed purple.

“Then what about Master and Madam…?”

That must be difficult to explain.

“Torn ties are torn ties. What do you want me to do?”

Zhang Yuge shrugged helplessly, giving up on the spot.

Lv Zhu sighed and asked,

“Master, what about going back to the manor now?”

“No rush. It’s broad daylight, and there are too many people on the road. The Ye family probably won’t dare act rashly. Let’s gather everyone else first, then leave.”

Ye residence, Patriarch’s bedroom.

Ye Tianlu lay unconscious on the bed.

A group of younger family members gathered at his side, including Ye Xichen.

“Father… Father, wake up… sob Father…”

Ye Tianlu’s youngest daughter, Ye Xiran—Ye Xichen’s sister—was crying uncontrollably, gasping for breath.

“Xiran, don’t be sad. Father will get better.”

Ye Xixing gently patted Ye Xiran’s back, comforting her.

Then, he glared furiously at his elder sibling Ye Xichen—or rather, now the elder sister.

Since Ye Xichen had grown her hair long, she had not bothered to comb it, leaving it disheveled.

Her eyes stared blankly at the unconscious Ye Tianlu, her expression dull and silent.

Seeing Ye Xichen like this, Ye Xixing’s anger flared.

He forcefully shoved her.

Ye Xichen lost her balance and fell to the floor.

Under her surprised gaze, Ye Xixing roared,

“It’s all your fault! It’s because of you that Father is like this!”

Only ten years old, Ye Xixing was too young to attend to guests in the main hall, so neither he nor Ye Xiran had witnessed the incident.

Since he could understand things, Ye Xichen had been praised as a prodigy genius.

Back then, his elder sibling had been kind to him.

But later, for unknown reasons, the family’s attitude toward her changed.

The once brilliant prodigy had become a useless shell.

The once cheerful and outgoing sibling grew gloomy, reclusive, disappearing without a trace, and their relationship gradually grew distant.

When most people gang up on one person, the rest tend to join in until everyone is against that one person.

Ye Xixing was no exception.

Having such an incompetent older sibling often caused him to be gossiped about.

“It’s because of you that Xiran and I can’t lift our heads. It’s because of you that this mess happened with your marriage. Father wouldn’t have been hurt if it weren’t for you! It’s all your fault!”

Ye Xichen wanted to defend herself but found no words.

Since becoming a waste, her every day was spent trying to regain her former strength—training relentlessly from dawn till dusk, neglecting her younger siblings.

By that measure, Ye Xichen did owe them.

Seeing Ye Xiran crying her eyes out, Ye Xichen quietly called out,

“Little sister…”

“Get out of my sight! I don’t want to see you! Get out! sob…”

Facing her sister’s rejection, Ye Xichen felt helpless.

“Ah Chen, you should leave first. When big brother wakes up, I’ll send someone to notify you.”

Ye Tianyang approached and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Third Uncle.”

At Ye Tianyang’s glance, Ye Xichen left unwillingly.

On her way back to her room, the other Ye family members she passed all stared at her with curious eyes.

Ye Xichen returned to her room in a daze.

Passing by a mirror, a striking reflection caught her attention.

She stopped and stared at the girl in the mirror, stunned.

Is there truly such a beautiful girl in this world?

That was Ye Xichen’s first thought.

A cold and aloof aura, like a fairy untouched by worldly dust, her appearance rivaled that of the unfaithful fiancée.

Her loose hair only added a delicate and pitiful fragility, evoking deep sympathy.

Unconsciously, she reached out to touch the mirror, only then realizing that the beautiful figure was herself.

Everything had happened so fast that Ye Xichen still felt unreal.

Just a moment ago, she was in a frenzy, determined to kill Zhang Qingyao.

Then, suddenly, an unknown power forcibly stopped her and she transformed into this current state.

Sitting on the bed, Ye Xichen was still full of questions.

During her fight with Zhang Qingyao, she inexplicably felt her cultivation improve dramatically.

At the time, she didn’t think much—just wanted to kill him.

Now looking back, the origin of that power remained a mystery.

“小娃娃, you look troubled, don’t you?”

Just as Ye Xichen was lost in thought, a hoarse, aged laugh suddenly echoed in her ear.

Her expression changed instantly.

She sprang up, eyes sharp as she scanned the room.

Yet she saw no suspicious figures.

“Hahaha, don’t bother looking around. I’m on your finger.”

Just as Ye Xichen thought she had imagined it, that mocking laugh sounded again.

Her pupils shrank, her gaze fixed on the black ring on her right hand.

“Are you the one speaking?”

Ye Xichen struggled to calm her rising fear, forcing her voice steady.

“Haha, yes, it’s me. Didn’t expect that, did you?”

“Who are you? Why are you inside my ring? What do you want?”

After a brief pause, Ye Xichen asked again.

“Who I am doesn’t matter. Just know I won’t harm you. Ah, after so many years, I’ve finally found someone exceptionally gifted.”

“Exceptionally gifted…”

Ye Xichen smiled bitterly,

“Are you mocking me?”

“No no no, you really are a genius. Don’t doubt yourself. Ordinary people couldn’t have fed me and awakened me in just five years.”