97: Chapter 97 From this day forward, there will be no further connection!

Early the next morning, the mist had not yet dispersed.

Jiang Han arrived as promised. Not far ahead, Ye Shuang was pacing back and forth with her hands clasped together.

She was not wearing a veil today, and a hint of anxiety clouded her delicate features.

Upon seeing Jiang Han appear, Ye Shuang immediately stopped pacing and hurried forward to greet him.

"Holy Son Jiang." Ye Shuang curtsied.

Jiang Han nodded slightly.

"Have you been waiting long?" Jiang Han asked.

"No, I just arrived," Ye Shuang replied softly.

"Let's go."

Jiang Han raised his right hand and waved it toward the sky.

Nine flood dragons burst through the air, circling and roaring. The incredibly luxurious nine-dragon chariot hovered above them.

Ye Shuang looked up, stunned by the spectacle, unable to speak for a moment.

"Get on."

Jiang Han took a step, his figure landing directly on the main seat of the jade chariot.

Ye Shuang came to her senses, lifted her hem, carefully stepped onto the dragon chariot, and stood to one side.

Jiang Han flicked his wide sleeve.

The nine flood dragons let out a long hiss toward the sky, pulling the jade chariot as it shot straight into the clouds.

The nine-dragon chariot was extremely fast; the mountains and rivers below retreated rapidly like reflections. In less than half an hour, a city of considerable size appeared ahead.

Jiang Han glanced down.

"This is Lanfeng City," Ye Shuang said from the side.

Jiang Han nodded.

He brought the jade chariot down ten miles outside the city.

The nine flood dragons turned into streams of light and flew back into the formation in his sleeve, and the nine-dragon chariot dissipated. The two landed steadily on a flat piece of ground.

"Let's walk into the city."

Jiang Han strode forward, and Ye Shuang followed behind.

The guards at the city gate did not stop them.

Ye Shuang walked in front, leading Jiang Han through the bustling main street and turning into a slightly deserted side alley.

At the end of the alley stood a residence.

"This is the Ye Family home." Ye Shuang lowered her head, walked forward, and pushed open the gate.

Several servants in coarse cloth clothes were cleaning in the courtyard. Seeing the gate pushed open, they stopped what they were doing, and upon recognizing who it was, they bowed one after another.

"Young Miss is back."

Ye Shuang responded casually.

She turned to look at Jiang Han. "Holy Son Jiang, please follow me."

They passed through the front courtyard and wound through several corridors, arriving in front of a main house in the backyard. The air was filled with a very pungent medicinal smell.

Ye Shuang pushed open the door and led Jiang Han into the room. The light was somewhat dim.

In the center of the room, a middle-aged man lay on the bed, thin as a skeleton. His breath was as thin as gossamer, as if he might take his last breath at any moment. This was Ye Shuang's father, the head of the Ye Family, Ye Zhengnan.

Ye Shuang walked to the bedside, her eyes turning red as she looked at her father's state. She turned around and looked at Jiang Han.

Jiang Han stepped forward and stopped three feet from the bed. His divine sense burst out of his body, turning into invisible threads that drilled into Ye Zhengnan's brow. He roamed deep within Ye Zhengnan's soul.

That soul was already riddled with holes, tightly entangled by a black energy that was continuously devouring his remaining vitality. Jiang Han withdrew his divine sense.

Ye Shuang immediately stepped forward, her hands twisted together.

"Holy Son Jiang..." Her voice trembled. "Is my father..."

Ye Shuang held her breath, staring intently at Jiang Han's face, terrified of hearing the words "nothing I can do" from him.

Jiang Han turned around. "His soul has been branded by someone, and it is continuously draining his essence."

"This brand is sinister; ordinary people would never be able to detect it and would only mistake it for common soul damage."

Ye Shuang gasped. "Who would commit such a vicious act?"

"That depends on who your father has offended. However, I can undo this brand."

Upon hearing this, Ye Shuang's tense body instantly relaxed. Her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. She quickly grabbed the edge of the bed, gasping for air.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard. A maid ran to the door, panting heavily. "Young Miss!"

Ye Shuang straightened up and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Why are you shouting?"

The maid glanced at Jiang Han standing in the room and lowered her head. "It's Young Master Qin..." "Young Master Qin has arrived and is waiting in the front hall."

The maid looked up. "Young Miss, are we still not going to see him this time?"

Hearing Qin Yuan's name, Ye Shuang's face turned cold. She turned to look at Jiang Han.

Jiang Han chuckled. "Since he's here, go see him. Leave this place to me."

Ye Shuang took a deep breath and nodded heavily. She walked out of the room and said to the maid, "Take him to the side hall." The maid seemed relieved, and the two left, one after the other.

In the Ye Family's side hall, Qin Yuan was pacing back and forth. He clutched a jade box tightly in his hand, looking toward the door from time to time.

These past few days at Shangyuan Academy, he had used all his valuable possessions, along with his performance during the Dao discussion, to finally exchange for a pill specifically for nourishing the soul. He had rushed over full of joy, wanting only to make up for the mistake the Qin Family had committed as soon as possible.

Footsteps approached. Qin Yuan turned around and saw Ye Shuang stepping over the threshold.

"Shuang'er!" Qin Yuan was overjoyed and hurried forward. "You're finally willing to see me!"

He reached out, wanting to grab Ye Shuang's wrist. Ye Shuang took a half-step back, directly avoiding his touch. Qin Yuan's hand hung in mid-air, and the smile on his face froze.

"Young Master Qin, please show some respect." Ye Shuang refused, keeping him at a distance.

Qin Yuan withdrew his hand and handed over the jade box. "Shuang'er, I know you are still angry with me."

"I truly didn't know about the Qin Family calling off the engagement beforehand; by the time I found out, it was already a done deal."

"Look, this is a Spirit Nourishing Pill!" "It will definitely help Uncle Ye's injury!"

Ye Shuang looked at the jade box, having no intention of reaching out to take it.

"Young Master Qin, you have gone to trouble," Ye Shuang said. "However, the Ye Family does not need the Qin Family right now."

Qin Yuan said anxiously, "Shuang'er! Don't you understand my feelings for you?!"

Ye Shuang sneered. "Young Master Qin, one-sided affection is truly troublesome. Please stop."

As she spoke, she took the jade pendant Jiang Han had given her out of her storage ring. Qin Yuan frowned as he looked at the jade pendant in Ye Shuang's hand.

Ye Shuang raised her hand and threw the jade pendant directly at Qin Yuan, causing it to hover in front of him. "This is the token of affection your Qin Family gave my father back then." Ye Shuang stared at Qin Yuan. "Now, it is returned to its original owner."

Qin Yuan looked down at the jade pendant before him. "Shuang'er, what are you doing?" He slowly reached out and held the jade pendant in his hands.

"I did not agree to cancel this marriage!" "As soon as Uncle Ye's injury is healed, I will definitely beg my family to re-establish this engagement!"

Ye Shuang did not want to waste any more breath on him, so she simply turned her back to him.

"Young Master Qin." "From now on, there are no more ties between us." "And do not do things that trouble me anymore." "My father's condition already has another solution."

Qin Yuan squeezed the jade pendant in his hand and took a large step toward Ye Shuang. "Shuang'er!" "What is wrong with you?" "Is someone forcing you?" Qin Yuan reached out, trying to grab Ye Shuang's shoulder.

"Get out." Ye Shuang's voice rose, and she turned to point outside the hall.

Qin Yuan stopped and looked at Ye Shuang, clenching his fists. His lips parted several times, wanting to speak but stopping. In the end, he said nothing, leaving the Ye Family residence while looking back every few steps.