BANG!
Just as the Third Elder's palm was less than a foot from Xiao Xiao's back, another hand shot out to intercept it!
The two palms collided. The Third Elder stumbled back five steps, his face filled with rage. He was about to lash out, but his pupils shrank when he saw who had stopped him. The anger on his face instantly vanished. "Patriarch!"
The Third Elder respectfully saluted the newcomer. The one who had blocked the fatal blow for Xiao Xiao was none other than the current head of the Ye Family, Ye Changyun. Ye Changyun ignored the Third Elder, his gaze falling upon Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao. He ordered his attendant, Ah Lai, "Administer Healing Medicine to them and dress their wounds."
Ah Lai stepped forward immediately, giving a Spirit Pill to both Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao. He then took out bandages and began to treat Ye Qingchen's dislocated arms. Throughout this process, Ye Changyun remained silent, while the Third Elder stood aside, bowing with his head lowered, his eyes flickering.
He knew he wouldn't be able to kill Ye Qingchen today! Moreover, he needed to quickly think of an excuse to get away. Only then would he have another chance to kill Ye Qingchen in the future! He was extremely puzzled, though. In the past ten years, Ye Changyun had visited Ye Qingchen's courtyard only a handful of times. He had always seemed completely indifferent toward Ye Qingchen, so why had he suddenly come today? Could it be because of the treasure Ye Qingchen had offered?
After a dozen breaths, Ye Changyun finally turned his gaze to the Third Elder. "Third Elder, given your status, don't you think it's excessive to treat two juniors this way?"
The Third Elder gave a sheepish smile. "Patriarch, Ye Qingchen injured Ye Quan. In my eagerness to protect my grandson, I got carried away and lost my sense of measure."
Ye Changyun's eyelids twitched. Ye Quan is a Seventh-Layer Martial Apprentice, yet Ye Qingchen managed to injure him? He turned his head, fixing his gaze on Ye Quan, who was trembling by the courtyard entrance. "Ye Quan, did you start this?" he asked coolly.
Ye Quan hastily produced the tattered cloth shoe. "Reporting to the Patriarch, this wild girl... ahem, Xiao Xiao stole my chicken. I came to seek justice, but I never expected Ye Qingchen to be so unreasonable as to attack us directly!" As he spoke, Ye Quan pointed to his arm, and his three lackeys hurriedly showed off their injuries.
Xiao Xiao, who was just beginning to recover from the medicine, flared up. "Nonsense! It was your men who tried to humiliate me, so my Young Master defended me! Besides, you tried to kill my Young Master and me, so why don't you mention that? And for the record, I caught a pheasant on the back mountain. How did it become your chicken? Patriarch, he's spouting shameless lies! You mustn't believe him!"
"Oh, really? Then how did your shoe end up in my hand?" Ye Quan scoffed, glancing at Xiao Xiao's bare feet.
"I lost it on the back mountain when I was chasing the pheasant! You just happened to find it!" Xiao Xiao retorted angrily.
Ye Quan's confidence grew. "With both the culprit and the stolen goods right here, you still dare to argue?" he said coldly.
Xiao Xiao was rendered speechless and stomped her foot in frustration. A look of triumph flashed in Ye Quan's eyes. A mere wild girl thinks she can contend with me? She's still far too naive!
Just as Ye Quan was preening, Ye Qingchen, whose wounds were now bandaged, spoke in a chilling tone. "Li Zhe failed to kill me, and right after he left, you showed up to cause trouble. Are you a spy planted in our Ye Family by the Li Family?"
I'm certain of it now. Both the Third Elder and Ye Quan are spies for the Li Family! When Ye Quan made his move, the Third Elder was probably hiding nearby. He only jumped out after realizing Ye Quan was no match for me! Of course, with the Third Elder's distinguished status in the Ye Family, no one would believe he's a spy. But casting doubt on Ye Quan's identity should be enough to arouse suspicion!
Hearing Ye Qingchen's accusation, Ye Changyun's eyebrows rose. A flash of panic crossed Ye Quan's eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Ye Qingchen, watch what you say! I am a member of the Ye Family. How could I ever betray my own kin?"
The Third Elder sneered from the side, choosing to go on the offensive. "Ye Quan is my grandson. By your logic, if Ye Quan is a spy, then I, his grandfather, must be one as well? What an utter joke!" He then turned and cupped his hands toward Ye Changyun. "Patriarch, you have a discerning eye. You must not be swayed by such slander!"
Ye Changyun nodded slightly and walked up to Ye Quan, staring intently into his eyes. "You weren't telling the truth before. Confess. Why did you come looking for trouble with Ye Qingchen?"
Although it was a simple question, Ye Changyun's aura and authority were so overwhelming that Ye Quan felt his breathing become difficult and his psychological defenses crumble. "I'll talk! I'll talk! Patriarch, I saw Ye Qingchen present you with a treasure and figured he might have other valuables on him, so I came to try my luck," Ye Quan confessed, telling only half the story.
Ye Changyun's expression immediately darkened. "It's one thing to bully others outside the clan, but you would plot the death of your own clan brother?"
Ye Quan blurted out without thinking, "Ye Qingchen is just a good-for-nothing! His death would save the Ye Family some food!"
Anger flashed in Ye Changyun's eyes. "I can turn a blind eye to minor conflicts and friction between clan members! But as long as the blood of our Ye Family flows in your veins, you must never fight to the death, regardless of whether you can cultivate or not. Do you understand?"
Seeing Ye Changyun's fury, Ye Quan trembled. "Patriarch, I was wrong! I only wanted his treasure; I never meant to kill him!"
The Third Elder quickly interjected to smooth things over. "Patriarch, Ye Quan must have been led astray by his subordinates. That's why greed blinded him and caused him to make this mistake!" As he spoke, the Third Elder's figure blurred. In the next instant, he appeared before the three lackeys and struck each of them on the forehead with his palm. With expressions of disbelief, the three men slumped to the ground, dead—he was killing them to silence them and shift the blame. The sight left Ye Quan utterly dumbfounded.
Having done the deed, the Third Elder returned to Ye Changyun's side. "The true culprits, these outsiders, have been dealt with. Please calm your anger, Patriarch, and give Ye Quan a chance to repent. I will be sure to discipline him strictly when we return!"
Ye Changyun nodded. "Third Elder, out of respect for you, I will spare Ye Quan this time. But this is the only time. It will not happen again!"
The Third Elder was overjoyed. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Patriarch!" He then shot a fierce glare at the still-dazed Ye Quan. "You brat, hurry up and get out of here with me!"
Finally snapping out of his daze and feeling as if he'd been granted a full pardon, Ye Quan scrambled to follow the Third Elder away.
"Young Master, they're just leaving like that?" Xiao Xiao asked, her face filled with resentment. If the Patriarch hadn't arrived just in time, she and her Young Master would have been killed! Yet in the end, three outsiders were killed as scapegoats, while the Third Elder and Ye Quan received no punishment at all.
Ye Qingchen took a deep breath, his eyes burning with hatred as he watched the Third Elder's retreating back. He wished he could subject the man to death by a thousand cuts and tear him limb from limb! But my opponent is the Third Elder of the Ye Family. His status and power are far beyond anything I can currently challenge. I will remember this grudge. When the opportunity arises, I will kill the Third Elder!
Just as this thought flashed through Ye Qingchen's mind, a sudden change occurred up ahead. The very instant the Third Elder turned to leave, Ye Changyun made a simple, decisive move. He drew a Longsword and pierced it straight through the man's heart from behind.