Rebirth and Return

Great Yan, Imperial Capital, Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Ye Yu, you have actually practiced Demonic Arts! What else do you have to say for yourself!"

Ye Yu raised his head, looking at the familiar scene before him, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes.

I have actually been reborn!

In his past life, he was framed by his younger brother, reviled by the world, and ultimately mutilated by his own Imperial Sisters.

Yet, no one could have imagined that he had been reborn!

In this life, facing this pack of ungrateful wolves, he would no longer be the fool who poured out his heart and soul, only to be left with nothing!

"Heh, I practiced Demonic Arts? You say I practiced them, so I practiced them?" Ye Yu lifted his head, staring directly at Ye Qingwan on the high seat.

This Eldest Sister, who served as the regent of Great Yan, was the very source of this baseless accusation—the beginning of everything.

Five years ago, Ye Yu was invested as the Crown Prince, basking in boundless glory.

He had dedicated himself to Great Yan, acting as a true Crown Prince who loved his people as his own children. But one year ago, after he returned from the Nine Nether Blood Spring, everything changed.

Rumors spread throughout the world that Ye Yu had colluded with Demonic Cultivators to create the Nine Nether Blood Spring for the sole purpose of his own cultivation.

They claimed that his entry into the Nine Nether Blood Spring to suppress the Nine Nether Blood Qi was merely a bitter ruse to seize the Imperial Throne of Great Yan!

"Eldest Sister, I believe Imperial Brother would never practice Demonic Arts. Could there be some misunderstanding here?" Xiao Xuan, standing to the side, said with a look of profound distress.

Xiao Xuan, the youngest Imperial Prince of the Great Yan Royal Family, had been an obscure, peripheral prince before Ye Yu's departure.

Yet, Ye Yu knew that Xiao Xuan was not the harmless soul he appeared to be; rather, he was a man of deep, treacherous schemes.

In just one year, Xiao Xuan had usurped Ye Yu's place in the hearts of their Imperial Sisters and had become the most popular prince in all of Great Yan.

In his past life, Ye Yu had not failed to try and explain all of this, but every member of the Royal Family, including the citizens of Great Yan, chose to believe this hypocritical prince, never caring how absurd the accusations were.

Take this instance, for example: it was clearly Xiao Xuan who had slipped the Blood Demon Heart-Losing Pill into his medicinal soup, yet now he feigned the role of his defender.

"You are an Imperial Prince of Great Yan! Have you no sense of rank or propriety?! Is this the attitude you take when speaking to me!"

"Yesterday, you suffered a cultivation deviation while practicing Demonic Arts, your body reeking of demonic energy—everyone saw it clearly! Do you still intend to quibble? Kneel and admit your guilt!" Ye Qingwan's tone was icy. She stood up, staring coldly at Ye Yu.

Ye Yu suddenly let out a cold laugh, his gaze locked onto Ye Qingwan on the dais, and he said coldly, "Kneel and admit my guilt?! Are you even worthy?!"

As the words fell, an invisible pressure erupted from Ye Yu's body. The expressions of both Ye Qingwan and Xiao Xuan shifted instantly, a sense of dread rising from the depths of their hearts.

Xiao Xuan was struck with terror, looking at Ye Yu in disbelief. He cursed inwardly—wasn't Ye Yu a cripple? His spiritual roots had been destroyed; how could he still possess such terrifying might?

But soon, Ye Qingwan and Xiao Xuan reacted.

The aura on Ye Yu did not stem from cultivation, but from the man himself.

Recalling that she, a dignified Golden Core Stage cultivator, had been intimidated by the aura of a cripple, Ye Qingwan grew annoyed and ashamed. Her eyes turned even colder as her Golden Core Stage cultivation erupted.

A sea-like pressure bore down directly upon Ye Yu.

Instantly, Ye Yu felt a weight like a mountain pressing upon his shoulders. His bones began to emit cracking sounds, and his previously healed wounds burst open, blood flowing like a river. Even so, Ye Yu remained standing, showing no intention of kneeling.

Staring straight at Ye Qingwan, Ye Yu wore a cold sneer. If it weren't for the fact that his spiritual roots had been destroyed while suppressing the Nine Nether Blood Qi in the Nine Nether Blood Spring, a mere Golden Core cultivator would not even be qualified to stand before him.

No one knew what Ye Yu had truly endured during those years in the Nine Nether Blood Spring!

The more he thought about it, the colder his heart became. He had bled and sacrificed everything, only to be rewarded with this.

"Eldest Sister, please don't! This must be a misunderstanding. I am willing to vouch for Imperial Brother; he has absolutely no ill intent toward Great Yan," Xiao Xuan hurriedly interjected.

Hearing this, Ye Qingwan's expression softened slightly as she withdrew her pressure, looking at Ye Yu with a puzzled gaze.

Ever since Ye Yu had returned to the Imperial Capital, he had always been obedient to her, agreeing to anything she asked and fawning over her without a shred of dignity.

Why did he seem like a different person today?

As she pondered, Ye Qingwan met Ye Yu's icy gaze and couldn't help but stiffen, as if something was slipping away from her.

"For Xiao Xuan's sake, I will spare you this time. However, hand over your Crown Prince Token. The heir apparent of the Great Yan Dynasty cannot be a cripple, much less someone suspected of being a Demonic Cultivator!" Ye Qingwan cast that thought aside and said coldly.

Ye Yu let out a cold snort. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled the Crown Prince Token—the symbol of the heir to the throne—from his robes and tossed it before Xiao Xuan without a hint of attachment. Wasn't this what he wanted?

In his past life, when he was being mutilated, the entire citizenry of Great Yan had cheered and rejoiced, celebrating that the kingdom had finally rid itself of a scourge.

From that moment on, his heart had died. The citizens of Great Yan, whom he had once cherished, had become irrelevant to him. This position of heir was nothing but trash.

Imperial Grandfather! Your Yu'er has been unfilial!

Seeing Ye Yu so sensibly hand over the Crown Prince Token, Ye Qingwan's expression softened further. He was still the same Ye Yu who obeyed her every word; he even gave up the Crown Prince Token without a fight.

Her mood improved significantly.

"Xiao Xuan, take the Crown Prince Token," Ye Qingwan said, looking at Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan put on a coy display, saying, "That wouldn't be right, Eldest Sister. I am inferior to Imperial Brother in every way; this position of heir should not be mine."

Ye Yu watched Xiao Xuan coldly. If not for his current lack of strength, he would have already slaughtered this spy of the Devil Race.

It was only before his death in his past life that Ye Yu learned Xiao Xuan had long been in league with the Blood Demon Clan, and that the Blood Demon Heart-Losing Pill had been given to him by the Blood Demon Clan to frame him.

"Xiao Xuan, you are just too kind. Besides you, who else is qualified to hold this Crown Prince Token? From now on, you are the heir apparent; you must never be as soft-hearted as you are now," Ye Qingwan said, looking at Xiao Xuan with gratification.

The more she looked at her younger brother, the more joy Ye Qingwan felt in her heart.

Watching this scene, Ye Yu sneered repeatedly. He desperately wanted to see the look on his Eldest Sister's face when she discovered that her most beloved brother was a spy for the Devil Race, and that he would eventually carve her into a human pig to be toyed with by the Blood Demon Clan.

"Since you are so sensible, I will give you a chance to live. From this day forward, you are no longer a member of the Great Yan Royal Family. You are demoted to a commoner." After saying this, Ye Qingwan sat down slowly and looked at Ye Yu in the center of the hall.

She knew how much Ye Yu valued family ties. His earlier resistance had displeased her, and she was waiting for him to weep and beg for her mercy.