Ye Chu helped tidy up the residence, but he did not get far before Bai Xuan chased him out. She complained that he and Huang Lin were only making more work for her. “I had everything sorted, but you two messed it up again. If I let you keep at it, it will take several more days before we can move in.”
Ye Chu felt helpless. Looking at Bai Xuan’s pouty expression and the way her eyes flickered, he was certain it was not really because he was being unhelpful. She was simply feeling shy.
Pushed out the door by Bai Xuan, Ye Chu had no choice but to take Yao Yao, who had been trailing behind him, and go find Pang Shao and the others. He thought Qing Wenting and the rest must already know he was back. They were probably avoiding being seen with Pang Shao.
Sure enough, when Ye Chu arrived at Pang Shao’s place, Qing Wenting, Tan Miaotong, and Ye Jingyun were all there.
“Ye Chu, you really came back?” Tan Miaotong called out happily. Her eyes, soft as water, blinked beautifully.
“Miaotong, I told you there was no need to worry about this troublemaker, but you would not believe me.” Qing Wenting giggled and teased Tan Miaotong.
Tan Miaotong’s face flushed a charming pink. She stood to the side, shy and silent, and simply handed the jade box containing the Demon Origin Grass to Ye Chu.
Seeing this, Ye Jingyun immediately grumbled in dissatisfaction. “Miaotong really is siding with an outsider. Yesterday no matter what I said, you would not hand over the jade box. But the moment Ye Chu shows up, you give it straight to him. It is hard not to suspect there is something between you two!”
Being teased endlessly by Ye Jingyun and Qing Wenting, Tan Miaotong was not entirely defenceless. She boldly hooked her arm through Ye Chu’s and said, “So what if there is something between us? It is still better than you liking women! Giggle…”
After saying this, Tan Miaotong could not help giggling herself. Clearly, she was recalling something that had happened in Yao City.
“…”
Qing Wenting watched the two girls bicker and smiled without joining in. She did not want the argument to turn on her. “Yesterday you provoked another Killing Spirit cultivator?”
“You know about that too?” Ye Chu asked curiously. He glanced at Pang Shao, who shook his head to indicate it was not him who had told her.
“You have caused big trouble!” Qing Wenting shook her head. “Do you know the outsider you captured is the grand-disciple of a great cultivator from the Killing Spirit Realm? And right now, that man’s master is a guest at the Ye family.”
As soon as Qing Wenting finished speaking, Ye Jingyun stopped arguing with Tan Miaotong. She looked at Ye Chu with smug satisfaction. “That Primal Spirit Realm Killing Spirit cultivator is currently a guest in my Ye family. Looks like you are in deep trouble this time.”
Ye Chu ignored Ye Jingyun and looked at Qing Wenting. Seeing her nod, she continued, “What exactly did you do to Ye Yuanwu yesterday? I heard that as soon as he returned home this morning, he flew into a rage. He even wanted to mobilise people from his branch of the Ye family to kill you all. When his father tried to stop him, he actually drew a blade on his own father. For someone who has always been so obedient, this is simply unbelievable.”
Hearing this, Pang Shao and the others could not help snickering. They thought to themselves that if anyone had gone through what Ye Yuanwu had, they would lose their minds too.
Ye Chu shrugged. “Do not ask me. Ask Pang Shao.”
Qing Wenting glanced at Pang Shao. Pang Shao gave a sly laugh and said nothing. Qing Wenting could only continue, “However, I heard you took a notebook from a great cultivator. That notebook belonged to the outsider’s master, who lent it to him. By seizing it, you have made an enemy.”
Ye Jingyun chimed in at this point. “You may not know how terrifying Killing Spirit cultivators are. Even great cultivators give them some face. Rumour has it that my great-uncle has already agreed to his request and will help him retrieve the notebook.”
Ye Jingyun looked at Ye Chu and Pang Shao with sympathy. She thought to herself that they could provoke anyone, but they had to go and offend a Killing Spirit cultivator. When a Killing Spirit cultivator called, many people were willing to act as their vanguard. Her second uncle’s branch was now strutting around proudly with the support of a Killing Spirit cultivator.
This was the influence of the Killing Spirit Realm. Yet these fools had offended them over a single notebook. Did they really think obtaining the notebook would let them enter the Killing Spirit Realm? That was a pipe dream!
“Come what may, we will deal with it when it comes!” Ye Chu did not take it to heart. Looking at Pang Shao, he said, “Can your Pang family not produce a few strong experts? If he dares come looking for trouble, just send people to finish him off.”
Qing Wenting shook her head. “He may be troublesome, but he can still be dealt with. But if that Primal Spirit Realm Killing Spirit cultivator takes action against you, unless you hide inside the Pang family compound, you are in danger. Liu Shaoyang, your family may be a marquis household, but if he acts, your house is nothing more than chickens and dogs.”
Though Liu Shaoyang felt belittled by Qing Wenting, he knew she was telling the truth. He looked pitifully at Pang Shao and Ye Chu.
“Ye Yuanwu does not know you were involved. When the time comes, I will take full responsibility,” Pang Shao said. “As for Ye Chu… you…”
Before Pang Shao could finish, Ye Jingyun laughed. “Let me give you another piece of bad news. Word has spread in the Ye family that the three young masters are going to seek justice for Cousin Ji Die. They want Ye Chu’s head to make amends. Ye Chu, my condolences.”
Her words made everyone turn their gazes towards Ye Chu. Their expressions grew solemn. Though Ye Chu was stronger than them now, compared to the eldest and second young masters of the Ye family, he was far inferior. Especially the eldest young master, who was rumoured to have reached the Primal Spirit Realm.
Qing Wenting could not help patting Ye Chu on the shoulder. “Be careful these days. Try to stay close to me. Even if they are bold, they would not dare act in my presence.”
Ye Chu frowned. He naturally knew he was no match for a Primal Spirit Realm cultivator right now. He might not even be able to handle Ye Yuande. Yet they actually wanted to kill him.
“We will see,” Ye Chu said, unwilling to follow Qing Wenting around every day. He frowned. “Did we not say we would settle things in the General’s Tomb? Why has the situation suddenly changed like this?”
“Ye Yuanwu knelt before his two elder brothers and said that if they did not stand up for him, he would die right there. So they…” Ye Jingyun explained to Ye Chu. “I just do not know why they are using Ji Die as an excuse.”
Ye Chu naturally understood why. After what Ye Yuanwu had gone through, how could they possibly speak of it openly?
“What are your chances against them?” Qing Wenting asked when she saw Ye Chu was unwilling to stay close to her.
Ye Chu shook his head. “Ye Yuande might be manageable. I could fight him right now. But his eldest brother… I do not have the slightest confidence. Unless… I can reach above the fifth layer of the Innate Realm, I might be able to hold my own for a while.”
“Fifth layer of the Innate Realm?” Qing Wenting frowned. That was a major threshold. Once Ye Chu reached that level, he could return to Qingmi Mountain. But achieving it in the short term was far from easy.
“What are you planning?” Qing Wenting asked, looking at Ye Chu.
Ye Chu exhaled softly. Then, word by word, he said, “Enter the General’s Tomb!”
His words made everyone, including Ye Jingyun, turn their gazes towards him.