"Lord Sikong, rest assured. Even if you hadn't said it, I'd be careful. After all, my life belongs to the young lady. If she doesn't want me dead, how would I dare to die?" Ye Yu said with a playful tone, trying to dispel some of the reluctance of parting.
"Alright, stop your nonsense with me. Go on, hurry up." Sikong Kuang waved his hand.
"Sigh! One after another, they're all leaving now. Only us old bones are left here." Ye Luotian slowly walked to the gate of the Ye residence, his expression somewhat wistful.
"Isn't that right? Just us old bones left to sip tea and chat." Having lived through most of his life, Sikong Kuang had certainly heard of the Ye residence's former glory, and Ye Luotian's name had once thundered in his ears.
If he hadn't confirmed it himself, he would never have believed that this kindly old man before him was the decisive formation master of years past.
"Huh, the Sikong family is in Cloud Town too?" Ye Lanshan was once again exploring this strange yet familiar town. It didn't seem at all like a place the Sikong family would settle.
"Of course not. There are some things I need to discuss with my father first, aren't there?" Yun Di curled his lips. After all these years of pretending, it was time to make his feelings known to that father of his.
"Oh, isn't this my brother? How do you have the face to come back?" A mocking voice rang out. Yun Kong hadn't expected to run into his long-missing brother while out for a stroll in his free time.
He'd heard all about what his brother had done when he left. Who'd have thought he'd have the nerve to cause a scene at the Sikong residence?
"Why wouldn't I have the face to come back? This is my home. You're just the child of a servant—what right do you have to say anything to me?" Yun Di snorted, not bothering to take him seriously.
"You—regardless, we share the same blood. Saying that about me isn't exactly appropriate, is it?" Yun Kong hated nothing more than having his background mocked.
He was the bastard son born when a servant climbed into Yun Fan's bed. From childhood, he'd suffered countless insults and sneers because of it.
He hated it. How could he not?
Step by step, he'd made their father lose faith in Yun Di, replacing him in their father's favor, all to make others forget he was a servant's child.
But now Yun Di had ripped open that wound again, bloody and raw. How could he not be furious, not be enraged?
"Don't talk about us sharing the same blood. It disgusts me." Yun Di dismissed him entirely.
"And who might this young master be? My Yun family isn't someone just anyone can cozy up to." Since he couldn't strike at Yun Di, he'd go after those around him. This unfamiliar face with such weak Xuan power fluctuations was clearly a nobody.
But Ye Lanshan didn't even acknowledge him. Such arrogance had already stirred her displeasure.
"He's my friend, not some money-grubber as you claim. Move aside—I have business to attend to." Yun Di had lost patience for this back-and-forth.
A shadow flickered in Yun Kong's eyes. Without another word, he suddenly attacked Ye Lanshan.
Ye Lanshan raised an eyebrow. Did he think she was an easy target?
"Water Shield."
"Water Rain Like Flowers."
"Xuan Emperor?" Yun Kong's voice rang out in disbelief. How was this possible? His Xuan power was so weak—how could he be a Xuan Emperor?
Though he himself worked hard and had decent talent, considered a genius in Cloud Town, how could he compare to a freak like Ye Lanshan? In that moment, his confidence shattered.
"No one who tries to kill me gets to live." Ye Lanshan's voice echoed in his ear like a demon's, making his whole body tremble.
"You can't kill me! If you do, the town chief won't let you off." Yun Kong threatened, his bluster masking his fear, hoping only to survive.
"You know what? I hate being threatened." Ye Lanshan, though dressed like a noble young master, spoke with a chilling tone.
"No, no, you can't kill me! Yun Di, are you just going to let an outsider kill your brother? Don't forget, no matter what, I'm still Father's son. Aren't you afraid he'll hold you accountable?" Yun Kong turned to Yun Di.
"Sorry, I don't acknowledge you as a brother. And do you think I'm afraid of Yun Fan?" Yun Di shrugged indifferently.
"How dare you disrespect Father! Aren't you afraid word of this will reach his ears?" Yun Kong couldn't believe how much Yun Di had changed in such a short time—he seemed like a stranger.
"Heh, you think I'm afraid of him?" Yun Di laughed coldly, as if he'd heard a joke.
Ye Lanshan didn't have time for their chatter. With a flash of water light, Yun Kong fell to the ground, full of disbelief.
Ye Lanshan glanced at him. "Seems your relationship with your father isn't so great either."
"From the moment he betrayed my mother, he stopped being my father." Yun Di sneered, long since disillusioned with him.
"What's your purpose in coming here?" Ye Lanshan wasn't blaming him, but time shouldn't be wasted on useless things.
"There's something I need to take back. It belonged to my mother. That woman has had it for years—it's time to return it."
Speaking of this, a faint hatred flickered in Yun Di's eyes. The woman in question wasn't Yun Kong's mother, but the new matriarch of the Yun family, Si Mingyue.
"You ungrateful wretch! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused me? And you still have the nerve to come back?" As soon as Yun Di entered the Yun residence, Yun Fan erupted in fury, not caring that outsiders were present.
Yun Di glanced at him. "Trouble? I'm not aware of any trouble that's made you so angry."
"How dare you talk back! Did you or did you not cause a scene at the Sikong residence? Didn't I tell you to stay away from the Sikong family?" Yun Fan roared, completely oblivious to how different Yun Di's attitude was now.
Yun Di lazily covered his ears. Once Yun Fan had finished, he said calmly, "I didn't come back to be scolded. Hand over the Medicine Spirit Jade."
"The Medicine Spirit Jade is your mother's—"
"Yes, it's my mother's—my biological mother's. It has nothing to do with Si Mingyue. She's had it long enough—it's time to give it back." Yun Di's eyes burned with hatred as he cut off Yun Fan mid-sentence.
"What's all this noise about?" A graceful, noble woman approached, but her face paled at the sight of Yun Di. Wasn't he dead? Why was he back?
"What, not happy to see me?" Yun Di walked toward her step by step.
"How dare you! She's your mother! Show some respect! Is this how I taught you?" Yun Fan grabbed a chair and hurled it at him.