Chapter Thirty-Six: Sowing Discord

Within the grand residence of the Ye family’s main branch, Elder Ye Min emerged from the pill chamber with a radiant face, his mood buoyant. This time, he had crafted a batch of Essence-Enhancing Pills; just one could grant a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage an additional twenty years of cultivation. Usually, a furnace yielded six pills, most at seventy percent efficacy.

Yet on this occasion, there were nine pills, all at eighty percent potency, and among them, one stood out as a peerless pill at ninety percent. “Hmm?” He suddenly frowned, lifting his gaze toward a distant direction, sensing waves of spiritual energy fluctuating in the air.

“Foundation Establishment cultivators are fighting? Who dares break the rules in Cloudwater City, where fighting is strictly forbidden?” His figure became light as a feather, and with a single step, he appeared atop the pavilion in the courtyard, gazing toward the source of the disturbance.

The homes of inner and core disciples were clustered near the main residence, so the distance was not great. As a cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, Elder Ye Min’s vision could easily pierce the scene from on high.

“Ye Yun? Ye Ziying and Ye Peng, that father and son, how dare they!” Upon witnessing the scene unfolding at Rain Pavilion Courtyard, Elder Ye Min—usually genial and smiling—was instantly enraged. Joining his fingers, he pointed into the air, sending forth a dazzling azure sword light that stretched a hundred yards.

At that moment, Ye Yun’s scheme succeeded; he lured Ye Ziying close and, catching him off guard, hammered his fists—filled with fierce strength—into Ye Ziying’s chest.

With a shock, Ye Ziying’s expression changed dramatically. Blood gushed from his mouth, and his body flew backwards like a severed kite. Though his cultivation far surpassed Ye Yun’s, he was not a specialist in tempering the body. His internal energy automatically shielded him, but it could not withstand Ye Yun’s prepared blow. The protective aura shattered instantly, and the sound of bones breaking was chilling. As a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he now lay sprawled on the ground, blood streaming from the corners of his mouth.

“Father!” Ye Peng rushed out to support Ye Ziying, channeling his own energy to aid in healing.

But then, a brilliant azure sword light descended from the heavens, targeting Ye Ziying and Ye Peng.

Ye Peng’s first impulse was to dodge, abandoning his father without a second thought.

The sword light, a hundred yards long and unstoppable, carved a deep pit in Rain Pavilion Courtyard. As for Ye Ziying, locked onto by the sword’s brilliance, he was utterly obliterated—his body and bones reduced to nothing, dead beyond any hope.

“You little wretch, do you think you’re already the Lord of the Residence?” A harsh, cold shout echoed from the sky. No one saw who spoke, but a giant azure hand materialized out of thin air, reaching for the stunned Ye Peng.

“Ye Min, are you trying to crush my disciple to death?” At that moment, a giant blue hand appeared, shattering the azure hand with a thunderous blow. Its owner’s voice rumbled with authority.

Ye Yun glanced toward the main residence, easily discerning the identity of the previous speaker—the one who slew Ye Ziying—none other than Elder Ye Min. The owner of the blue hand was, of course, the Residence Lord, Ye Haiyi.

“You’ve gone too far, Residence Lord. Indulging your disciple to this extent—prepare for the elders’ impeachment!” Elder Ye Min snorted coldly, withdrawing his hand.

“I await it,” Ye Haiyi replied calmly, his presence commanding.

The blue hand did not vanish; it swept up Ye Peng, Ye Qian, Ye Yun, Ye Zili, Liu Shuyun, and the others, then transformed into a streak of light, carrying them deep into the main residence.

Soon, the furious Elder Ye Min informed the other elders, and moments later, they all gathered in the main hall before the Residence Lord.

“Master, you must stand up for your disciple and my dead father!” Ye Peng knelt, weeping to Ye Haiyi.

Not only had he failed to kill Ye Yun and his family, but he had also lost his own father. Yet he felt no guilt for his actions.

“Hmph, you brought this upon yourself and still expect the Residence Lord to defend you? Do you take the elders of the Ye clan for blind fools?” Elder Ye Min rebuked him at once.

Seated high at the head of the hall, Ye Haiyi raised his hand, silencing all present. Having served as Residence Lord for years, his solemnity carried an innate authority. He swept his gaze over them and spoke slowly, “Tell me what happened, Ye Peng—start.”

“Yes!” Without hesitation, Ye Peng replied, “Everyone knows my master arranged for me to propose to Ye Qian, but Ye Yun’s family also went to her house to propose. This was not only disrespectful to me, but also to your authority as Residence Lord!”

Playing the victim, he continued, “I went to Ye Yun’s house to confront them, but was met with insults. Ye Yun, relying on his superior strength, tried to kill me!”

“You lie!” Ye Zili erupted in anger, trembling all over.

Ye Peng sneered, ignoring Ye Zili, and pressed on, “Just when I was about to be killed by Ye Yun, my father arrived and saved me. Then Elder Ye Min attacked, killing my father!”

“Master, you must stand up for me!” Ye Peng knelt, sobbing.

“Nonsense! You’re at the early Foundation stage, your father at mid-stage, while Ye Yun is only at the peak of Qi Condensation. Who would believe this?” Elder Ye Min snapped.

Ye Peng, though furious, dared not retort, adopting an aggrieved demeanor.

“Ye Yun, tell us what truly happened,” Residence Lord Ye Haiyi turned to Ye Yun.

Ye Yun drew a deep breath and recounted the true events...

“I knew this little wretch was trouble! Last time he caused the deaths of more than a dozen disciples and felt no remorse, now he dares strike at a core disciple in the city—he deserves death!”

“This one’s heart is cold—he abandoned his father for his own escape, unworthy of being a son!”

“Ye Yun’s family are his kin, yet he acts ruthlessly against them—such a person is a disaster left alive!”

The elders had long resented Ye Peng. Only Residence Lord Ye Haiyi’s authority had restrained them. Now, seizing the opportunity, they jointly pressed for his severe punishment.

“No! It’s not true, he’s lying! What I said is the truth!” Seeing the elders united and stern, Ye Peng panicked, shouting in protest.

“Facts are facts—your tricks can’t change that!” Ye Yun coldly regarded Ye Peng.

“You’re just a bumpkin from a village, what right do you have to speak to me!” Ye Peng snarled, face twisted, shouting at Ye Yun.

“Insolent!” Elder Ye Min exploded in fury, slapping Ye Peng to the ground.

“You call others bumpkins, but you’re noble? I myself came from a village!” Several other elders with humble origins joined in, stepping forward and raining slaps on Ye Peng.

These elders were not gentle souls. In the Ye clan, strength reigned supreme. Even as the Residence Lord’s disciple, Ye Peng would be suppressed unless he broke through in cultivation.

Strength was status.

The top talent of the young generation? The Residence Lord’s disciple? Before elders at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he was nothing.

“Enough!” Residence Lord Ye Haiyi suddenly spoke. “You are all elders of the Ye clan. Such chaos—what is the meaning of this?”

“Residence Lord, Ye Peng’s grandparents request an audience outside!”

At that moment, a guard appeared at the hall’s entrance, bowing respectfully.