The figure outside walked into the courtyard, and Ye Wushuang immediately noticed. His gaze turned cold.
"Little brother, what were you just doing?"
Just as killing intent flared in Ye Wushuang's eyes, a sweet voice reached his ears from behind.
When Ye Wushuang turned to look, he saw a woman in a blue, embroidered dress striding toward him.
The woman had fair skin and a beauty that could topple nations.
Although her stunningly beautiful face had a delicate air, her sharp and intimidating eyes set her apart. Judging from her powerful aura alone, it was clear this seemingly fragile woman was a formidable expert.
"Sister Ye Rou!"
Upon seeing her, the hostility on Ye Wushuang's face vanished without a trace, and his entire demeanor softened instantly.
The woman before him was Ye Rou, daughter of the Ye Family Patriarch, Ye Xuan, and Ye Wushuang's beloved Sister Ye Rou. Three years ago, she had entered the Ancient Spirit Sect alongside him. Now, however, she had long surpassed him and become an Inner Sect Disciple.
"What were you just doing?" Ye Rou asked, sizing up Ye Wushuang with a puzzled expression.
"Oh, n-nothing!" Ye Wushuang replied with a smile.
"Really? Nothing?" Ye Rou was skeptical. She had clearly seen a massive object vanish right before his eyes, though she hadn't gotten a clear look at it.
But given its immense size, there was no way to hide it without a Storage Ring. For it to simply disappear before her eyes was truly strange.
'Could it be that my little brother has a Storage Ring?'
Ye Rou thought to herself. 'That must be it. Father must have given him the Storage Ring!'
"Honestly, you! You should be cultivating!" Ye Rou chided softly, deciding not to press the issue.
"Sister Ye Rou, you're getting more beautiful every day!" Afraid she would press him further, Ye Wushuang quickly went to her side, took her delicate arm, and began to flatter her.
Of course, Ye Rou's beauty wasn't just empty flattery. She was famous throughout the Ancient Spirit Sect for her nation-toppling looks and gentle temperament, earning her the title of "Gentle Fairy."
"You little imp, always trying to butter your sister up!" Ye Rou chuckled. She habitually reached out and flicked Ye Wushuang's forehead with a delicate finger, feigning annoyance, but her heart swelled with delight.
"But it's true! You are beautiful!" Ye Wushuang argued with an air of earnest certainty. Then, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "By the way, Sister Ye Rou, do you remember a certain promise?"
"What promise?" Ye Rou asked, looking at him in confusion, her good mood still lingering.
"Have you forgotten? You promised to be my wife," Ye Wushuang whispered in her ear, his eyes twinkling.
"You little imp! Who said I'd be your wife!"
Flustered, Ye Rou pushed him away, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
Ye Wushuang put on a roguish expression and muttered something under his breath.
Hearing his muttering, Ye Rou's blush deepened, spreading all the way to her neck. She shot him a glare that was a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
It reminded her of their childhood.
Back then, because Ye Wushuang had been adopted by Ye Xuan, he was ostracized by the Ye Family. None of the other children would play with him.
Only Ye Rou was willing to play with him. As they spent more and more time together, their bond grew stronger.
"You little imp," Ye Rou said with a laugh, "if one day... you reach the Yin Yang Realm, I'll marry you."
"Then Sister Ye Rou can just wait to be my bride!"
Ye Wushuang smiled confidently. He was also incredibly moved, knowing she only said this to encourage him to grow stronger.
Ye Wushuang, however, didn't notice Ye Rou's expression as she looked at him. Her eyes had reddened, and she fought back the urge to cry.
The little rogue who used to tease her every chance he got, the infamous little troublemaker of the Ye Family, had become so silent and weary during his three years in the Ancient Spirit Sect.
Ye Rou knew all too well the humiliation and pain he must have endured over the past three years.
His once mischievous and playful personality had vanished, replaced by a quiet taciturnity. For some reason, she could even see an unfamiliar coldness in his eyes.
'Little brother, no matter what, I'll always be by your side. I'll help you become a true expert so no one can bully you again!'
Suppressing her emotions, Ye Rou took out a Jade Bottle and pressed it into Ye Wushuang's hands. "This is a True Essence Pill. If you go into Refinement with it, it can help you break through two layers and reach the Body Tempering Fourth Layer."
At her words, Ye Wushuang froze. He opened the Jade Bottle and saw an Elixir, wreathed in a faint green light, resting within. A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.
The True Essence Pill was a Third-Grade Spirit Pill that only cultivators at the Qi Vortex Realm could possess. A single one was as effective as ten Body Tempering Pills and was something rarely, if ever, seen in the Outer Sect.
"Sister Ye Rou, this is too valuable. I can't accept it." Ye Wushuang quickly tried to return it to her. 'These are her Cultivation Resources, how can I take them?'
"Hmph. I'm your sister. We're family. Stop being so formal with me."
Ye Rou feigned displeasure.
Ye Wushuang's fists clenched, and he was deeply moved.
Father Ye Xuan...
Ye Rou...
These two had doted on him and protected him since he was a child. They were his Reverse Scale.
'Sister Ye Rou, don't worry,' Ye Wushuang silently vowed. 'My talent has returned. I will become strong enough to protect you.'
"What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and take it," Ye Rou urged gently.
"Tsk, tsk. Sister Ye Rou, you're so generous, giving such a precious True Essence Pill to a good-for-nothing. What a waste. Since we're all family, why not give it to me? It's just what I need to break through to the Qi Vortex Realm."
Just then, a sarcastic, mocking voice rang out.
Ye Wushuang turned to see a brocade-robed youth about his age walking in from outside the courtyard.
This youth was Ye Wei. Like Ye Wushuang, he was a disciple of the Ye Family. He had already entered the Inner Sect, and his strength had also surpassed Ye Wushuang's.
"Ye Wei! Hasn't the family given you enough resources? The Sect provides you with plenty as well. This True Essence Pill is crucial for Xiaoshuang. Are you really going to try and take it from him?"
Though Ye Rou was typically gentle, she became fiercely assertive when it came to Ye Wushuang. Her beautiful eyes narrowed as she shot Ye Wei a cold glare and once again shoved the True Essence Pill into Ye Wushuang's hands.
"Such a shame!" Ye Wei sneered, seeing her action. He goaded, "He doesn't even appreciate your kindness. He clearly looks down on this True Essence Pill."
"Who said I don't want it?" Ye Wushuang, however, simply smiled and put the True Essence Pill away. "Sister Ye Rou, don't worry. In the future, I'll give you far more Cultivation Resources than this."
"Okay. I'll be waiting." Seeing Ye Wushuang accept it, Ye Rou's face lit up with a joyous smile.
This, however, only displeased Ye Wei further. The corner of his mouth curled into a sneer. "So what if you have a True Essence Pill? Don't you know the Outer Sect assessment is in half a month? If you can't reach the Body Tempering Sixth Layer by then, you'll still be kicked out of the Ancient Spirit Sect."
"The assessment..." Ye Wushuang murmured. He then turned to Ye Rou and declared with conviction, "I will definitely pass."
"With your pathetic Body Tempering Second Layer strength? Reaching the Body Tempering Sixth Layer in half a month? Are you joking?"
Ye Wei sneered, trying to crush his confidence. Breaking through four minor realms in half a month was pure fantasy. Not even a peerless genius could accomplish such a feat.
"If you don't believe me, how about a wager?"
A smirk played on Ye Wushuang's lips. 'He doesn't know I'm not at the Body Tempering Second Layer anymore. I'm already at the Fourth Layer!'
"Fine!" Ye Wei's sneer widened into a mocking grin. "If you pass the assessment, I'll give you my Cultivation Resources for the next six months. But if you fail, then as you're being thrown out of the Ancient Spirit Sect, you will kneel before me in front of everyone and shout 'I am trash!' three times."
"You have a deal," Ye Wushuang replied with a smile of his own. Before, he might not have dared to make such a bet, but things were different now.
His talent had returned, and he now possessed the Heaven-Defying Cultivation Technique, the Heaven-Devouring Dragon Technique.
"Ye Wei, you've gone too far!" Ye Rou's intervention came too late to stop the bet. She whirled on Ye Wei, her voice sharp with anger. "We're all family! We should be looking out for each other out here, yet you go out of your way to make things difficult for Wushuang."
"Hmph!" Seeing Ye Rou defend Ye Wushuang only fueled Ye Wei's displeasure. He snorted coldly. "Ye Rou, don't you forget, Ye Wushuang is just some stray we picked up. No one will ever acknowledge him as a member of the Ye Family."
With that cold remark, Ye Wei turned and stalked away.
"You..." Ye Rou began, growing even more anxious.
"Sister Ye Rou, don't worry. I will definitely win against him." Ye Wushuang gently pulled on her arm, giving her a confident smile.
For a moment, Ye Rou found herself subconsciously nodding. An absurd willingness to believe in him surfaced, leaving her feeling baffled.
Of course, she had no way of knowing that the little brother standing before her was no longer the person he was yesterday.