16: Chapter 16 Chen Jiu Arrives, the Grand Elder Plots

Just as dawn was breaking, Ye Chen woke up.

His wound still throbbed with a dull ache, but the medicine Lin Qingxue had given him was indeed effective. The bleeding had long since stopped, and a numb itchiness radiated from the wound—a sign that it was beginning to heal.

He circulated his True Qi through his body once; aside from some sluggishness in the Meridians of his left shoulder, everything else was fine.

There were no major issues, and his cultivation had even advanced slightly due to the stimulation of last night's life-and-death struggle.

Afterward, Ye Chen stood up to stretch his muscles and bones. He changed into a set of clean green cotton clothes that Lin Qingxue had somehow found last night; the size was unexpectedly a perfect fit.

After carefully putting away the blood-stained old clothes and the cloth strips used to treat his wound, he pushed open the door.

The small courtyard was quiet. The morning dew had not yet dried, and several clusters of unknown flowers in the corner were blooming brilliantly.

The air was fresh, carrying the scent of earth and flora, as if the bloody battle in the alley last night had been nothing more than a nightmare.

He walked into the courtyard, took a deep breath, and began to slowly practice a set of basic body-tempering fist techniques. His movements were gentle, intended to stimulate his blood and Qi.

He felt the flow of True Qi within his body, especially the condition of the injury on his left shoulder.

After finishing the set of punches, he was lightly covered in sweat, and the sense of sluggishness at the wound had lessened considerably.

Ye Chen returned to the room, found the internal Medicinal Pill Lin Qingxue had mentioned from the medicine box, poured out a pale green pill, and swallowed it.

The Medicinal Pill entered his stomach and transformed into a gentle medicinal power that dispersed into his limbs and bones, nourishing his damaged Meridians and his body, which had lost too much blood.

He had to go back as soon as possible.

Xiao Yu was home alone. Since he hadn't returned all night, she must be worried sick.

Once everything was settled, Ye Chen quietly left the small courtyard and blended into the streets that were gradually becoming lively in the early morning.

He deliberately took a detour to confirm no one was following him before returning to his small courtyard in the south of the city.

The courtyard gate was slightly ajar.

Ye Chen pushed the door open and saw Xiao Yu coming out of the house carrying a basin of water. Her small face was full of exhaustion, and her eyes were somewhat red and swollen; she clearly hadn't slept well all night.

"Brother!"

Upon seeing Ye Chen, the basin in Xiao Yu's hands fell to the ground with a 'clatter,' spilling water everywhere.

Like a startled fawn, she rushed over in a few steps, grabbed Ye Chen's arm, and looked him up and down.

"Are... are you okay? Where did you go last night? I was worried to death!"

Her gaze fell upon Ye Chen's changed clothes and his slightly pale face. Her nose twitched, seemingly catching a faint scent of medicine, and her eyes grew even redder.

"Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing, just a minor injury." Ye Chen patted her head, feeling a bit guilty.

"Some things came up at the Lin Residence last night and delayed me. I forgot to find someone to bring you a message. It's my fault."

"Is it really nothing?" Xiao Yu was still uneasy and stood on her tiptoes to look at his left shoulder, but she was gently blocked by Ye Chen.

"Really, Miss Lin gave me medicine, and I'm much better now."

Ye Chen pulled her into the house and sat down by the table. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I... I couldn't eat."

Xiao Yu shook her head, looking at him with concern.

"Brother, is someone looking for trouble with you again? Is it the Wang family?"

Ye Chen remained silent for a moment, not answering directly.

"Don't overthink it. Your brother is very capable now; ordinary people can't hurt me. In the future, if I come back late at night, just go to sleep yourself. Lock the door and don't wait for me."

Xiao Yu bit her lip and didn't press further, but the worry in her eyes didn't diminish in the slightest.

She silently got up, went to the stove to bring over the porridge that had been kept warm, and also brought out two steamed buns and a small dish of pickles.

"Brother, eat something first."

Looking at his sister's busy little figure, Ye Chen felt a wave of warmth in his heart, followed by a pang of sorrow.

He had to become stronger to protect her and to gain a firm foothold in this peril-filled Qingyun City.

After eating, Ye Chen told Xiao Yu to rest while he went back to his room, closed the door, and took out the Cold Water Arts.

The Secret Manual was not thick, the pages were yellowed, and the handwriting was hand-copied, with dense annotations in some places.

The opening was not a specific cultivation route, but rather an exposition on the characteristics of water.

"Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet for attacking the hard and strong, nothing can surpass it..."

It spoke of overcoming hardness with softness and the principle of water droplets piercing stone.

Following that were some techniques for utilizing water (cold) attribute True Qi.

Techniques like "Water Condensation Art," "Ice Thorn," and "Mist Transformation Steps" were mostly clever methods of application.

They weren't profound Cultivation Techniques, but they were perfectly suited for Ye Chen's current reference.

He flipped through carefully, combining the information with his own True Qi—which was fused with profound yin cold qi—and slowly began to comprehend.

Lin Qingxue was right; this Cold Water Arts was indeed an inspiration for his use of cold Qi.

He attempted to follow the "Water Condensation Art" method from the manual, guiding the wisp of cold intent within his body to gather at his fingertips.

At first, the cold Qi only gathered without condensing, remaining scattered and formless.

Ye Chen was not discouraged. He recalled the moment of divine inspiration during last night's life-and-death crisis, remembering the feeling of concentrating all his spirit and will into a single point.

Gradually, the blue light at his fingertips began to shrink, becoming more and more solid, no longer just a blur of light.

It slowly transformed into a pale blue ice needle, as thin as a cow's hair and about an inch long!

The ice needle was crystal clear, emitting a piercing coldness that seemed to distort the surrounding air.

"It's a success!"

Ye Chen felt a surge of joy in his heart.

Although this Ice Thorn was a minor technique, it condensed to a single point with immense piercing power and carried cold Qi damage, making it extremely useful in actual combat.

More importantly, this process significantly improved his control over his own cold Qi.

He dispersed the ice needle and tried the "Mist Transformation Steps."

This method was not a pure movement technique; rather, it used cold Qi to affect the airflow and moisture in a small area around the body, creating an effect similar to a thin mist to interfere with an opponent's vision and perception.

Combined with his own footwork, it could produce an unexpected effect.

Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped sharply. Ye Chen's figure became somewhat blurred in the faint cold mist, and his movements gained an added touch of eeriness.

For an entire day, Ye Chen was immersed in cultivation and comprehension.

When hungry, he ate the food Xiao Yu brought in; when tired, he sat in meditation to regulate his breathing.

With the aid of the Medicinal Pills and his special Physique, the wound on his left shoulder healed at a startling speed. By evening, it had already scabbed over, and he could move without hindrance.

As night fell and Ye Chen was preparing to continue his cultivation, a light knocking came from the courtyard gate.

It wasn't the rhythm the Scar-faced Guard was accustomed to.

Ye Chen's heart tightened. He signaled Xiao Yu to remain silent, moved quietly behind the door, and asked in a low voice.

"Who is it?"

"Young Master Ye, it's me, Chen Jiu."

A lowered, somewhat familiar voice came from outside the door.

Chen Jiu?

Ye Chen remembered; he was a distant branch disciple from the West Courtyard.

He was a few years older than Ye Chen, with mediocre Aptitude. He was a fairly honest person who hadn't really bullied him before, but had never dared to help him either.

What was he doing here?

Ye Chen pondered for a moment before pulling open the gate.

Standing outside was indeed Chen Jiu, dressed in the attire of an ordinary Ye family disciple.

His face carried a hint of nervousness and fear. He glanced left and right before quickly slipping inside and closing the door behind him.

"Brother Chen Jiu, is something the matter?" Ye Chen looked him over.

Chen Jiu took a breath and whispered urgently.

"Ye Chen, you need to leave quickly! Leave Qingyun City and hide for a while!"

Ye Chen frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It's... it's the Grand Elder!" A look of terror appeared on Chen Jiu's face.

"I... I secretly overheard the Grand Elder talking to Young Master Ye Hu last night. They seem to have contacted people from the 'Black Fiend Gang' to make a move against you! They said... they said they can't let you live to participate in next month's Great Competition!"

The Black Fiend Gang?

Ye Chen's eyes turned cold. That was a notorious Gang in the underground of Qingyun City that specialized in taking money for lives. Their methods were ruthless.

It seemed the assassins in the alley last night might not have all been from the Wang family; Grand Elder Ye Rushan of the Ye family had a hand in it too!

To eliminate a hidden threat like himself, he actually didn't hesitate to collude with outsiders to attack his own clansman!

"They also said..." Chen Jiu swallowed, his voice even lower.

"They said you gained immense benefits at the Lin Residence and must have treasures on you. If they kill you, the things will belong to the Ye family..."

Fury surged in Ye Chen's heart, but his face remained impassive.

"Brother Chen Jiu, why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid the Grand Elder will find out?"

Chen Jiu gave a bitter smile, his face showing a trace of struggle and lingering fear.

"Ye Chen, I know I haven't helped you much before. But this time... this time they've gone too far! No matter what, you're still a member of the Ye family! And..."

He paused, his voice turning a bit raspy.

"My sister was killed by the Black Fiend Gang last year. I hate them to the core! I can't just stand by and watch them harm someone again!"

Seeing the genuine pain and resentment in Chen Jiu's eyes, most of the suspicion in Ye Chen's heart dissipated.

He patted Chen Jiu on the shoulder.

"Brother Chen Jiu, thank you for coming to warn me. I will remember this favor."

"You... you're not leaving?" Chen Jiu grew anxious.

"Leave?"

Ye Chen shook his head, his gaze sharpening.

"If I leave, wouldn't that make it look like I'm guilty? Besides, where could I go?"

He was now at the Peak of the Meridian Opening Fourth Level, and with the Beauty Record and cold Qi to protect him, how could he allow himself to be slaughtered like in the past?

He would settle this debt with Ye Rushan and the Black Fiend Gang!

"But..." Chen Jiu still wanted to persuade him.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Ye Chen interrupted him, pulled two Low-Grade Spirit Stones from his robe, and pressed them into Chen Jiu's hand.

"Take these and go back quickly. Don't let anyone see you."

Chen Jiu tried to refuse, but Ye Chen was firm. He had no choice but to accept. After urging Ye Chen to be careful several more times, he left in a hurried and uneasy manner.

After seeing Chen Jiu off, Ye Chen stood in the courtyard, looking up at the pitch-black night sky with a cold gaze.

The tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop.

The Wang family, the City Lord's Mansion, the Ye family's Grand Elder, the Black Fiend Gang... open attacks and hidden arrows were coming one after another.

This Qingyun City was becoming less and less peaceful.

However, this only strengthened Ye Chen's determination to become stronger.

Only with sufficient power could he crush all conspiracies and protect those he wanted to protect.

Returning to the house, he gave a reassuring smile to the worried Xiao Yu.

"It's nothing, just a friend dropping by. I'm going to Cultivate, you should get some sleep."

Closing the door, Ye Chen sat cross-legged, his consciousness sinking into his Sea of Consciousness.

The phantom of the jade booklet emerged, and the blue chain of bond between him and Lin Qingxue seemed to have become a bit more solid.

After standing side by side last night and receiving her gift of the book and medicine today, this friendship had already transcended a simple transaction.

"Strength... I still need more strength!"

Ye Chen clenched his fists.

He no longer hesitated and began to circulate his Cultivation Technique with full force, while simultaneously guiding the cold Qi stored in the jade pendant to accelerate its refinement.

He wanted to break through to the Fifth Level of Meridian Opening as soon as possible!

Only with stronger power could he carve out a path for survival in this whirlpool!

The night was still long.

The light in the small courtyard stayed lit all night.