5: Chapter 5 Ye Family Ancestral Hall

When Ye Chen walked out of the Lin Mansion clutching that wooden token, the Scar-faced Guard was waiting at the entrance.

"Young Master Ye." Scarface pulled out a small cloth bag from his robes and handed it over.

"This is this month's allowance; the Young Miss instructed to give it to you first."

The cloth bag was heavy. Ye Chen took it and, without opening it to look, tucked it directly into his robes.

Scarface looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "The Young Miss asked me to pass on a message."

"Go ahead."

"The Ye Family might cause trouble for you."

Scarface lowered his voice, "Last night, Ye Hu was beaten on his way back, and his injuries aren't light. He insists it was you who did it."

Ye Chen paused his steps: "It wasn't me."

"I know." Scarface nodded.

"But that Grand Elder of the Ye Family is notoriously protective. Since his grandson suffered a loss, he'll want someone to vent his anger on. You... be careful."

Ye Chen glanced at Scarface and nodded: "Thank you."

He didn't ask how Scarface knew it wasn't him. Some things didn't need to be asked.

On the road back from the Lin Mansion to the West Courtyard, he walked slower than usual. People came and went on the street, breakfast stalls were steaming, and the steamer baskets of the bun shop were stacked high.

Some who recognized him saw him from afar and averted their eyes, but once he passed, they turned back and pointed.

Ye Chen ignored them and walked straight back to the West Courtyard.

The courtyard gate was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and saw several people standing in the yard.

Leading them was a middle-aged man in a brown robe with a goatee, standing in the center of the yard with his hands behind his back.

He was the Ye Family manager, Steward Ye Fu.

Behind him followed two Servants, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with their arms crossed.

Xiao Yu was blocked by them at the door of the house, her small face pale, but she didn't cry, only biting her lip hard.

"Ye Chen is back."

Hearing the movement, Steward Ye Fu turned around and sized him up, his face expressionless.

"The Grand Elder requests your presence; come to the Ancestral Hall."

"What is it about?"

Ye Chen walked over and shielded Xiao Yu.

"You'll know when you get there."

Steward Ye Fu stepped aside to let him pass, "Please."

Xiao Yu grabbed Ye Chen's sleeve, her fingers gripping tightly. Ye Chen looked down, patted the back of her hand, let go, and followed Steward Ye Fu out.

The two Servants followed on either side, taking large strides and intentionally or unintentionally sandwiching him in the middle.

The Ye Family Ancestral Hall was at the innermost part of the West Courtyard, a separate small courtyard with blue bricks and black tiles. Two old locust trees stood before the gate, most of their leaves fallen, their bare branches stretching out like ghost claws.

The light inside the Ancestral Hall was very dim, lit only by a few Everlasting Lamps. On the central offering table stood rows of Spirit Tablets, incense smoke curling up, and the air smelled of aged incense ash.

Grand Elder Ye Rushan sat in a Grandmaster's Chair to the left of the offering table, eyes closed, rotating two Iron Walnuts in his hand with a clacking sound.

He was in his early sixties, with a long face and high cheekbones. When his eyes opened, his gaze was like a knife scraping against one.

Ye Hu stood beside him, his face bruised and battered, his left eye swollen high, and his lip split with a dried blood scab.

Seeing Ye Chen enter, his eyes instantly turned red, and his fists clenched with a cracking sound.

Several other people were also standing in the Ancestral Hall.

Third Elder Third Elder Ye Ruhai was chubby and always smiled with narrowed eyes, but there was no warmth in his gaze.

Fourth Elder Fourth Elder Ye Rusong was as thin as a bamboo pole, with a stern face.

There were also several Ye Family managers who had a say, standing near the door.

"Kneel."

Ye Rushan didn't open his eyes. His voice wasn't loud, but the Ancestral Hall was silent, so it was heard clearly.

Ye Chen stood still.

Ye Rushan opened his eyes and looked at him.

Those eyes were cloudy, but the gaze was heavy, like a stone pressing on one's chest.

"Ye Chen, do you know your crime?" Ye Rushan asked slowly, the Iron Walnuts in his hand rotating a bit slower.

"I do not," Ye Chen said.

"A fine 'do not'." Ye Rushan sneered and pointed at Ye Hu.

"Where were you last night at the third quarter of the hour of the Boar?"

"At home."

"Is there a witness?"

"My sister."

"Siblings cannot serve as witnesses."

Ye Rushan waved his hand.

"Ye Hu said he encountered you in an alley last night, and you ambushed and injured him. Is this true?"

"No." Ye Chen looked at Ye Hu.

"I came straight home after returning from the Lin Mansion last night. I didn't see him."

"Bullshit!"

Ye Hu suddenly took a step forward, pointing at Ye Chen, his voice cracking slightly with emotion.

"It was you! You got money from the Lin Family and were afraid I'd take it, so you struck me from the shadows! If I hadn't run fast, I would have died at your hands last night!"

He spoke with gnashing teeth, his eyes wide, looking as if he had truly suffered a great grievance.

Ye Chen ignored him and looked at Ye Rushan: "Grand Elder, Ye Hu says I hit him. Where is the evidence?"

"Evidence?" Ye Rushan laughed, his smile cold.

"The injuries on Ye Hu's body are the evidence. His two attendants saw it with their own eyes; that is the evidence."

"The words of his attendants can also count as evidence?" Ye Chen asked.

"Presumptuous!"

Third Elder Third Elder Ye Ruhai shouted, a fake smile squeezed onto his fat face, "Ye Chen, how dare you speak to the Grand Elder like that?"

Ye Rushan waved his hand, stopping Third Elder Ye Ruhai.

He stared at Ye Chen for a long while before suddenly saying: "I heard you went to the Lin Mansion yesterday?"

"Yes."

"To do what?"

"Miss Lin was feeling unwell, so I went to see her," Ye Chen said.

"See her?" The Iron Walnuts in Ye Rushan's hand stopped.

"What can a trash at the First Level of Meridian Opening see?"

The Ancestral Hall fell silent.

Several managers lowered their heads, focusing on their noses and hearts.

"Did Miss Lin reward you with something?" Ye Rushan asked again.

"Yes." Ye Chen didn't hide it, "She rewarded me with some Spirit Stones and a Medicinal Pill."

"How many Spirit Stones?"

"Fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and one wenmai pill."

Several gasps echoed in the Ancestral Hall. Fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones were nothing to these Ye Family Elders, but a wenmai pill was a genuine treasure.

Ye Hu's eyes turned green with envy, staring at Ye Chen as if he wanted to swallow him whole.

There was no change on Ye Rushan's face, only his fingers lightly tapped on the armrest of the Grandmaster's Chair.

"Ye Chen," he said slowly.

"Your parents passed away early, and the Ye Family raised you to this age, never depriving you of food or clothing. Now that you've gained benefits, instead of thinking of repaying the Family, you've struck your own kinsman so ruthlessly. In your eyes, is there still a Ye Family? Are there still clan rules?"

These words were heavy.

The Ancestral Hall grew even quieter; even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Ye Chen looked up at the rows of Spirit Tablets on the offering table for a long while before turning back to look at Ye Rushan.

"What does the Grand Elder want?" he asked, his voice flat.

Ye Rushan was stunned for a moment, then his expression darkened: "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why is the Grand Elder going in such a large circle? What do you want?"

Ye Chen looked at him, "Is it the Spirit Stones Miss Lin rewarded me with, or is it that wenmai pill?"

"Bastard!" Ye Rushan suddenly slapped the armrest and stood up. The Iron Walnuts hit the ground and rolled far away.

"You think I'm after your little things?"

"Isn't it so?" Ye Chen met his gaze without flinching.

"Ye Hu says I hit him but can't produce evidence. I say I didn't, but you don't believe me. Then why even have a trial? Just say how much you want, and I'll give it."

These words were too blunt; everyone in the Ancestral Hall changed expression.

Third Elder Third Elder Ye Ruhai's fat face turned the color of pig liver, and Fourth Elder Fourth Elder Ye Rusong's brow furrowed enough to crush a fly.

Several managers lowered their heads even further, wishing they could find a crack in the floor to crawl into.

Ye Rushan's chest heaved, his finger pointing at Ye Chen, unable to speak for a long time.

Ye Hu took the Opportunity to jump out, pointing at Ye Chen's nose and cursing.

"You ungrateful thing! The Ye Family raised you for nothing! Today, if I don't..."

"Shut up."

Ye Rushan barked.

Ye Hu choked and retreated resentfully, but his eyes still glared at Ye Chen.

Ye Rushan took a deep breath and sat back down.

He looked at Ye Chen with a complex gaze—anger, suspicion, and something unfathomable.

"Good, good," he said twice, his voice as cold as ice.

"Since you've put it that way, I won't beat around the bush. The things Miss Lin rewarded you with are opportunities the Ye Family earned for you. Without the Ye Family, could you have even entered the Lin Mansion's gates?"

Ye Chen didn't speak.

"Fifty Spirit Stones, one wenmai pill," Ye Rushan said slowly.

"Keep ten Spirit Stones. Hand over the wenmai pill to treat Ye Hu's injuries. Furthermore, from today onwards, seventy percent of the monthly allowance you receive from the Lin Mansion shall be handed over to the Clan Treasury. This is your duty as a Ye Family disciple."

Ye Hu's eyes lit up, a look of joy appearing on his face.

Ye Chen looked at Ye Rushan for a long time and suddenly smiled.

That smile was faint and cold, without any warmth.

"What if I don't hand them over?" he asked.

"Not hand them over?" Ye Rushan also smiled, his smile full of mockery.

"Then we shall proceed according to clan rules. Ambushing a kinsman and causing serious injury—at best, your cultivation will be crippled and you'll be expelled from the Ye Family. At worst... you'll be beaten to death."

He said the last few words very softly, but everyone in the Ancestral Hall heard them clearly.

The wind blew in from the window, making the flames of the Everlasting Lamps flicker, and the shadows on the wall flickered with them.

Ye Chen stood there, his back very straight.

In his robes, he carried the Lin Mansion's Guest Elder token and the small cloth bag containing the Spirit Stones. The jade pendant on his chest was warm, not hot.

He looked up at the topmost Spirit Tablet on the offering table. It was the tablet of the first generation head of the Ye Family, the characters already blurred.

"The Ye Family clan rules," he said slowly, his voice echoing in the Ancestral Hall.

"Article 321: Any Ye Family disciple who is sixteen years old and at the Third Level of Meridian Opening or above is exempt from labor service, enjoys double the monthly allowance, and is eligible to participate in the Clan Competition to compete for cultivation resources."

He paused and looked at Ye Rushan: "Am I correct?"

Ye Rushan frowned: "So what if you are?"

"I am sixteen this year."

Ye Chen said, taking a step forward into the brightest light in the center of the Ancestral Hall, "Third Level of Meridian Opening."

As the words fell, he raised his hand and pointed his fingers like a sword toward an Everlasting Lamp on the offering table.

At his fingertip, a faint white light lit up.

Though it was faint, it was indeed lit. In the dim Ancestral Hall, it was like a small star.

The Ancestral Hall was deathly silent.

The expression on Ye Rushan's face froze. Ye Hu's mouth hung open, his eyes wide.

The teacup in Third Elder Third Elder Ye Ruhai's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter" and shattered.

Fourth Elder Fourth Elder Ye Rusong suddenly leaned forward, staring intently at Ye Chen's finger.

True Qi Release.

Something only possible at the Meridian Opening Fourth Level, and Ye Chen had done it.

This meant he was at least at the Peak of the Third Level of Meridian Opening, or perhaps he had even touched the threshold of the fourth level.

Three days ago, he was only at the First Level of Meridian Opening.

Three days.

Ye Rushan slowly stood up, forgetting to rotate the Iron Walnuts in his hand.

He looked at Ye Chen, his gaze shifting repeatedly, finally settling on a complex, unbelievable expression.

"You..." He opened his mouth, his voice a bit dry.

"When did you Breakthrough?"

"Last night." Ye Chen withdrew his hand, and the white light at his fingertip dissipated.

"I took one of the Medicinal Pills Miss Lin rewarded me with and luckily achieved a Breakthrough."

This was half-true.

The pills were rewarded, but they weren't used for the Breakthrough. But at this moment, no one would look into it.

Ye Rushan was silent for a long time. The Ancestral Hall was so quiet that everyone's breathing could be heard.

The flames of the Everlasting Lamps flickered, casting shifting light and shadow on people's faces.

"Good, good." Ye Rushan finally spoke, his voice a bit hoarse.

"Third Level of Meridian Opening... sixteen years old, it's not too late."

He paused and glanced at Ye Hu.

Ye Hu's face was ashen, his fists clenched tight, nails digging into his palms.

"Since you are at the Third Level of Meridian Opening, according to clan rules, you are entitled to the corresponding treatment."

Ye Rushan said slowly, each word seemingly weighed, "As for Ye Hu's matter... perhaps there was a misunderstanding. We shall not mention it for now."

Ye Hu suddenly looked up: "Grandfather!"

"Shut up!" Ye Rushan barked, glaring at him fiercely.

Ye Hu choked, his face turning the color of pig liver, but he didn't dare speak again.

Ye Rushan looked at Ye Chen again, a smile squeezed onto his face, but it looked worse than crying.

"Ye Chen, since you have achieved a Breakthrough, you are also eligible to participate in next month's Clan Competition. Prepare well; if you can achieve a good rank, the Family will not mistreat you."

Ye Chen didn't respond, only nodding.

"As for the Lin Mansion's side..." Ye Rushan rubbed his fingers.

"Since you are already a Guest Elder of the Lin Mansion, the monthly allowance you earn yourself, the Family will not take. But the wenmai pill..."

"My sister needs the wenmai pill."

Ye Chen interrupted him, his voice flat, "Her illness cannot be delayed."

The smile on Ye Rushan's face stiffened for a moment but was quickly squeezed out again.

"As it should be, as it should be. Since the pill is for her condition, it naturally should be used."

After speaking, he waved his hand.

"Fine, you may go back now. Cultivate well, and do not waste this Opportunity."

Ye Chen bowed and turned to walk out.

At the doorway, he stopped and looked back.

Ye Rushan was still standing there, his back to him, looking at the Spirit Tablets on the offering table.

Ye Hu gnashed his teeth, his eyes red, glaring at him. The Third Elder, Fourth Elder, and those managers had various expressions, but none dared to meet his gaze.

He withdrew his gaze and pushed the door open to leave.

The sky was overcast, looking as if it might rain again.

Ye Chen walked out of the Ancestral Hall courtyard and through the old locust grove. The wind blew, and withered leaves spiraled down, brushing past his shoulder.

In his robes, the Lin Mansion's Guest Elder token pressed against his chest, hard.

He reached out and touched it, his fingertip feeling the character "Lin" carved on the edge of the token, its strokes deep and shallow.

Then he looked up and continued walking forward.