In the Ye Lineage's courtyard, everyone was feasting heartily.
"Wow, what kind of meat is this? It's delicious!"
"The flavor is exquisite, and the fragrance lingers in your mouth!"
"Mm, after eating this meat, I feel brimming with spiritual power. There are even faint signs of a breakthrough!"
"Now that you mention it, I feel like I'm about to break through too!"
"This is all meat bestowed by the ancestor. Eat it all, everyone. Don't waste any!"
"..."
Before Ye Chen arrived, they had struggled to advance even a single realm in several years. Now they were breaking through one after another, even shattering bottlenecks over a meal.
This made them revere Ye Chen and feel grateful to him all the more.
Meanwhile, the forces coming to pay their respects arrived at the Ye Lineage one after another.
The moment they were shown through the gates, they smelled an extraordinarily delicious aroma of meat, then saw the Ye Lineage disciples feasting heartily.
They could not help swallowing.
"Holy shit, what kind of meat is all that on the tables?"
"It... it looks like meat from a fifth-tier demonic beast, the Crimson Qilin Beast!"
"And that! Those look like wings from a fifth-tier demonic beast, the Heavenly Fire Eagle!"
"Heavens, what am I looking at?"
These forces were all among the very greatest in the Clear Wind Kingdom, yet they had never seen such extravagance.
The ruler of the Clear Wind Kingdom, in particular, nearly had his eyes pop out.
Fifth-tier demonic beasts were equivalent to Origin Core Realm experts!
Even the strongest martial artist in the Clear Wind Kingdom was only in the Origin Core Realm.
Normally, only on their most extravagant occasions could they bear the pain of splurging on a bite of fourth-tier demonic beast meat.
Yet now the Ye Lineage members were gnawing on fifth-tier demonic beast meat as though munching cucumbers. How could they not be shocked?
At this sight, everyone became even more cautious, terrified of displeasing even a single member of the Ye Lineage.
In the main hall, Ye Xuan and the lineage elders occupied the seats of honor.
The leaders of the other forces, including the ruler of the Clear Wind Kingdom, all stood trembling below.
"What brings you all here today?"
Ye Xuan spoke indifferently.
"When the ancestor visited the Myriad Treasures Chamber of Commerce last time, he was far too courteous. He even paid spirit stones. This humble one has come specially to return those spirit stones, along with a few small gifts. Please accept these modest tokens of respect!"
As Steward Qian spoke obsequiously, he respectfully presented an exquisite storage ring.
One glance was enough to tell that this storage ring was no ordinary item.
Ye Xuan glanced at it indifferently. "Mm!"
Then he had someone accept it and turned to the others.
"We have come to congratulate the Ye Lineage on rooting out that cancer, the Breeze Sect!"
Someone immediately chimed in with a flattering smile.
This man was the governor of Tianshui Commandery, under whose jurisdiction the Ye Lineage had previously fallen.
He had always acted high and mighty before. Where was that attitude now?
"Yes, yes, Patriarch Ye. Congratulations!"
"Indeed! The Breeze Sect committed countless evils before and inflicted no small amount of suffering. Now that you have eliminated them, it is a great blessing for us all!"
The ruler also caught on and spoke with a face full of smiles.
Previously, he had been nothing but a puppet ruler, essentially just a proxy.
Now that the Breeze Sect had been destroyed, he would be a ruler in truth from now on, no longer a puppet. This left him immensely excited.
Hearing this, the others all echoed their agreement.
Ye Xuan laughed at their words, then rose to his feet. Looking contemptuously at the people below, he said, "In that case, the Ye Lineage will take the Breeze Sect's place from now on. Who agrees, and who objects?"
The moment his words fell, everyone was startled and froze.
"Well..."
Bang!
A lineage patriarch had just been about to object when an unknown force slapped him flying, his head tracing a graceful arc through the air.
He died with his eyes still open.
At this sight, everyone fell as silent as cicadas in winter.
"I agree! I agree!"
The ruler was the first to declare his stance.
What else could he do if he disagreed? Have his head fall to the ground like that man's?
The others came to their senses and hurriedly declared their stances too.
"I agree! I agree!"
"Nothing could be better than having the Ye Lineage preside over the Clear Wind Kingdom!"
"Very well. You may leave!"
Ye Xuan spoke indifferently.
Hearing this, everyone presented their gifts, then withdrew with the utmost respect.
Once outside the Ye Lineage's gates, they all inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at the Ye Lineage before them, their feelings were extraordinarily complicated.
Once upon a time, this had been a place they could not even be bothered to glance at.
And now?
It had become the master of the Clear Wind Kingdom.
And all of this was because they had suddenly gained an ancestor.
If only they could have an ancestor like that too.
Inside a secluded chamber, Ye Chen summoned Ye Xuan and Ye Yan.
He handed Ye Xuan two spirit beast pouches and smiled. "There are two demonic beasts in here. They will be responsible for guarding the Ye Lineage from now on!"
Then he took the Great Emperor puppet out of the system.
"I'll leave this puppet with the Ye Lineage too. You only need to put in enough supreme-grade spirit stones to activate it!"
Supreme-grade spirit stones!
At those words, Ye Xuan's heart tightened.
The Ye Lineage currently did not have even a single supreme-grade spirit stone. Even their few high-grade spirit stones had been seized from the Breeze Sect.
Ye Chen saw his concern and smiled. "There's no need to worry about spirit stones. There are enough in this storage ring for you to use!"
Then he tossed Ye Xuan a storage ring.
Ye Xuan carefully put away the spirit beast pouches and storage ring, then asked in puzzlement, "Ancestor, are you going on a long journey?"
"Yes. I'm going away for a while. Focus on developing the Ye Lineage. If you encounter a powerful enemy you cannot defeat, just send me a message!"
In fact, with the sacred beasts and Great Emperor puppet present, there generally would not be anything on the Heavenly Profound Continent that could threaten the Ye Lineage.
Still, to be safe, he left behind a communication stone.
Then he dismissed Ye Xuan, looked at Ye Yan, and smiled. "Do you want to go out as well?"
"Yes. I want to become stronger and protect the Ye Lineage. I can't rely on you for everything, Ancestor!"
Ye Yan spoke with determination in his eyes.
In fact, he had long since decided to venture out and temper himself.
The Clear Wind Kingdom was too small, and his growth would be too slow.
Ye Chen nodded. "Your master, Xuan Danzi, is still sleeping. He should awaken after a while longer, and his soul should have recovered to eighty percent by then."
"During this time, follow me and cultivate!"
Ye Yan was overjoyed to hear this and hurriedly kowtowed in thanks.
Ever since he had taken Xuan Danzi as his master last time, Xuan Danzi had remained asleep.
With no one to guide his cultivation, his progress had not been very fast.
Now that Ye Chen would teach him personally, he was naturally delighted beyond measure.
"Let's go. I'll take you somewhere!"
"Ancestor, are we leaving right now?"
Ye Yan was a little curious.
"What, do you still want to say goodbye?"
"No, no!"
"Then let's go!"
"Yes!"
As Ye Yan spoke, he looked toward the Ye Lineage's main hall, his heart exceptionally resolute.
Father, wait for your son to return stronger!
Azure Province, Boundless Mountain.
At this moment, many major forces had gathered outside the mountain.
Two forces among them boasted the greatest might and numerous experts: the Azure Province Academy and the Shangguan Lineage, the two hegemonic forces of Azure Province.
"Academy Master Qingxuan, you're here early!"
A black-robed elder from the Shangguan Lineage greeted him with a chuckle.
Among the academy's people stood a tall, slender elder dressed in blue, his hair graying.
This man was none other than Qingxuan, the master of the Azure Province Academy.
He replied with a smile, "Patriarch Shangguan, you aren't late either!"
"Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. The Boundless Secret Realm is about to open again!"
The black-robed elder smiled.
"Indeed. Ten years in the blink of an eye, and it's time to bring these youngsters here to brave the secret realm again!"
Qingxuan could not help sighing with emotion.
The Boundless Secret Realm was the largest secret realm in Azure Province.
It was said to be a secret realm created by the Saint Wuyazi.
Wuyazi's inheritance lay within it.
It opened once every ten years.
Moreover, only young disciples whose bone age did not exceed twenty-five were permitted to enter.
A thousand years had passed since the secret realm appeared, yet not a single person had managed to take away the inheritance within.
Both he and the black-robed elder had entered the secret realm before, but its trials were simply too monstrous. Neither had made it through.
"Indeed! I wonder what good things these youngsters will bring out this time!"
The black-robed elder sighed with emotion too, but then a gleam flashed through his eyes. "The disciples your academy has sent this time are all quite capable!"
Qingxuan glanced at the elder and said calmly, "The Shangguan Lineage's disciples are quite capable too."
Wuyazi's inheritance was extraordinarily precious to seventh-grade forces like theirs.
If anyone obtained it, the balance of power in Azure Province would change drastically.
Thus, the relationship between the academy and the Shangguan Lineage was not as good as it appeared.
Especially lately, the Shangguan Lineage had been making constant moves in secret, and some of its actions had long since crossed the line.
Beyond those forces, quite a few rogue cultivators and people from smaller forces had also hurried over.
Most still hoped to bluff their way through and see whether they could slip inside right under those major forces' noses.
At this moment, Ye Chen teleported there with Ye Yan.