49: Chapter 49 It was him?

In the middle of the night, on the outskirts of the Ye Family compound.

Ye Tian and the Second Elder, Ye Wenshan, held their breath and focused their gaze on the figure in the distance who was preparing to return to the compound after retrieving the note.

To avoid alerting the enemy, they did not move to capture the figure immediately, choosing instead to follow from a distance to see exactly where this mole would return to and whom they would meet.

The figure was extremely cautious, circling the compound several times to confirm they were not being followed before silently scaling a wall with lax security and entering the core area of the Family.

Ye Tian and the Second Elder felt a chill in their hearts; the opponent knew the weak points of the Ye Family's defenses like the back of their hand!

Relying on their familiarity with the terrain, the two followed from afar, not daring to be even the slightest bit careless.

They watched as the mole, after entering the core area, did not head toward the courtyard of any Elder or steward, but instead took a winding path, eventually arriving behind the Ancestral Hall.

This was an isolated courtyard with a tranquil environment, a place rarely visited on ordinary days!

The moment they saw this courtyard, Ye Tian and the Second Elder's footsteps came to a sudden halt. Their pupils constricted, and their faces were filled with disbelief!

Because this courtyard was the place where the Grand Elder, Great Elder Ye Zhengyuan, cultivated in seclusion!

The Grand Elder, Great Elder Ye Zhengyuan, was the cousin of Clan Chief Ye Qingtian. He had the most seniority in the clan and held a lofty status. For decades, he had worked diligently and poured his heart and soul into the Family. Although his personality was rigid and stern, and he rarely smiled, no one had ever doubted his loyalty to the Ye Family!

In everyone's hearts, he was practically the Incarnation of the word "Loyalty" within the Ye Family!

"How could it be... how is that possible?!"

The Second Elder's body swayed violently, his face turning pale in an instant. He subconsciously took half a step back, his lips trembling, almost crying out in shock, but fortunately, Ye Tian grabbed him in time!

"Second Elder! Stay calm!" Ye Tian lowered his voice, his tone urgent, his eyes also filled with shock. "Do not make a sound!"

Pulled by Ye Tian, Ye Wenshan snapped back to reality, forcibly suppressing his churning Qi.

He stared as the figure skillfully avoided the few minor Restrictions outside the courtyard, entering the tranquil courtyard as if returning home.

At this moment, Ye Wenshan's eyes were filled with pain and confusion.

"Big Brother... how could it be Big Brother!!!"

Ye Wenshan's voice trembled as he muttered to himself, instantly looking as if he had aged several decades.

Although he and the Grand Elder were not biological brothers, they had served the Clan Chief together for decades, and their bond was deep; he had always viewed the Grand Elder as an older brother!

This blow was simply too cruel for him!

Ye Tian's heart also sank to the bottom.

He had suspected Ye Zhengfeng, who might have harbored resentment over the Ye Long incident; he had suspected factions related to the steward Ye Hua; he had even considered whether other Elders or stewards might have been bought off.

But he had never imagined that the mole would be the Grand Elder, a man of high virtue and prestige who almost symbolized the backbone of the Ye Family!

This simply overturned his perception!

"Why would he do this?"

Ye Tian's heart was full of questions.

What was the Grand Elder after? Power? The position of Clan Chief? Or did he have some leverage held over him by the other party?

"Second Elder, this is no place to stay for long! We must leave immediately and report this to the Clan Chief!" Ye Tian forced himself to calm down and said in a deep voice.

The matter was of too great a consequence; it was far beyond what the two of them could handle.

Ye Wenshan took a few deep breaths, struggling to calm his emotions. After all, he was a man who had weathered great storms and knew that he must not let emotions dictate his actions at this moment.

He nodded heavily, his gaze becoming firm once more, though the trace of pain in its depths could not be erased.

"Let's go!"

Ye Tian returned to his own courtyard and closed the door, but he did not sit cross-legged to Cultivate as he usually did.

He sat at the table, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desktop, his brows furrowed, his mind unable to settle.

The Grand Elder, Great Elder Ye Zhengyuan, was the mole! This news made it impossible for him to calm his mind.

He recalled the Grand Elder's usual demeanor: serious, rigid, and taciturn, yet he was meticulous in handling clan affairs and regarded the interests of the Family as paramount.

From any perspective, the Grand Elder should have been the person least likely to betray the Ye Family!

"Why?" Ye Tian could not fathom it. "Power? Status? The Grand Elder is already above ten thousand in the Ye Family, second only to the Clan Chief; what else could he be dissatisfied with? Could he be under some kind of coercion? But the Grand Elder is a master of the Ningyuan Realm; who could possibly coerce him?"

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he felt.

As a core member of the Family's upper echelon, the Grand Elder held too many of the Ye Family's secrets and defensive arrangements.

If he was truly colluding with the Lin Family and the Black Cloud Stronghold, then the Ye Family was practically transparent before him! Every defensive measure, personnel movement, and resource distribution was known to the other side!

This was practically handing the heart of the Ye Family to the enemy on a platter!

"Losing the Grand Elder is equivalent to the Ye Family cutting off its own arm—no, it is a blow to the very foundation!"

Ye Tian felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet.

The Ye Family, which was already facing the covert surveillance of the Lin Family and the Black Cloud Stronghold, now had such a fatal crack within its own ranks; the situation was already as precarious as a pile of eggs!

He forced himself to calm down.

The Clan Chief and the Second Elder already knew about this, and they would certainly take action.

But exposing him directly would likely trigger internal strife, or even force the Grand Elder to act recklessly out of desperation.

Control him in secret? The Grand Elder's cultivation was profound, and his influence in the clan was deeply entrenched; how could that be easy?

"My strength is still too weak!" Ye Tian clenched his fists tightly, feeling an unprecedented sense of urgency.

If he had the strength of the Ningyuan Realm, perhaps he could have been of help.

In the face of a struggle at this level, his Qi Gathering Realm - Level 7 cultivation still seemed insignificant.

That night, Ye Tian did not Cultivate, but spent the long night in anxiety.

Meanwhile, inside Clan Chief Ye Qingtian's secluded cultivation chamber.

The Second Elder, Ye Wenshan, reported exactly what he had seen while tracking to Ye Qingtian.

After hearing the Second Elder's account, Ye Qingtian sat upright on his meditation cushion, remaining silent for a long time.

He had no expression at this moment, but his slightly trembling fingers betrayed the turmoil within his heart!

The Grand Elder, Great Elder Ye Zhengyuan... his cousin, one of his most trusted right-hand men, was actually the mole?!

This fact was even harder for him to accept than learning of the collusion between the Lin Family and the Black Cloud Stronghold!

This was not just a betrayal; it was a trampling of his decades of trust!

The chamber was very quiet, with only the slight crackling sound of the flickering candle flame.

After a long while, Ye Qingtian slowly raised his head and looked at the pained Second Elder. "Wenshan, this matter concerns the survival of our Ye Family! It must not be leaked to anyone at all! Especially, the Grand Elder must not be allowed to suspect anything!"

Ye Wenshan nodded heavily, his voice choked with emotion. "Clan Chief, I understand! But why would the Grand Elder do this?!"

A trace of pain flashed in Ye Qingtian's eyes, and he shook his head. "Now is not the time to investigate the reasons. The most urgent priority is to stabilize the situation; we cannot let this tumor buried in the heart explode prematurely!"

He stood up, walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked outside. The night breeze ruffled his graying temples, and his back appeared somewhat desolate.

"Secretly adjust all core defensive arrangements, bypassing the Ancestral Hall area and the Grand Elder's scope of authority. Activate backup communication channels and emergency contingency plans."

Ye Qingtian had his back to the Second Elder, his voice terrifyingly calm. "Strengthen the surveillance of all Elders and core stewards, especially those who are close to the Grand Elder."

"Yes!" Ye Wenshan replied solemnly.

"In addition," Ye Qingtian turned to look at Ye Wenshan, "put more effort into Ye Tian's side. This child has a resilient Heart-Nature and is gifted; he is the future hope of our Ye Family. He must not suffer any mishaps! If necessary, you may tell him part of the truth so he can be on guard."

"I understand." Ye Wenshan nodded.

After giving all the instructions, Ye Qingtian waved his hand. "You may go, and be careful."

Ye Wenshan bowed and quietly exited the chamber.

In the empty chamber, only Ye Qingtian remained.

He looked out the window again, his hands clasped behind his back, his body trembling slightly.

After a long while, a sigh filled with exhaustion rang out. "The Ye Family... I fear the sky is truly about to change..."