69:

Ye Linchuan jumped off the Spirit Colt and walked quickly toward his home.

"Brother Linchuan, you're back?"

"Brother Ye, is this about that incident with Ye Cheng?"

Several Family disciples greeted him.

Ye Linchuan smiled and nodded, not stopping.

Once he walked away, the gossip started.

"Things are going to get lively now."

"Ye Cheng isn't someone you want to mess with."

"Brother Linchuan is a Second-Grade Talisman Master now, and he's the Fourth Elder's grandson-in-law, so he might not be afraid of him."

"I'm just worried Ye Cheng will play dirty…"

Ye Linchuan pretended not to hear them.

He passed through the bluestone alley and pushed open the courtyard gate.

"Husband!"

Ye Siyu came out to meet him, her face full of guilt.

"Siyu, you've worked hard."

Ye Linchuan held her hand and said softly.

"It is my fault for not looking after the children…"

"It's not your fault."

Ye Linchuan raised his hand to wipe the corners of her slightly red eyes. "I wasn't even here when you gave birth. It's my fault."

After checking on his newborn daughter, Ye Linchuan asked about the serious matter.

Ye Siyu pursed her lips. "The Family head hopes to settle this privately."

"But Ye Cheng wants five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and the Spirit Beast, Little Black."

"Five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones? Little Black?"

Ye Linchuan sneered.

Ye Siyu said in a low voice, "Grandmother said that if he refuses to let it go, we should handle it according to the Family rules. We don't need to tolerate him."

Ye Linchuan nodded.

Just as he was about to leave, several children walked over with their heads bowed.

The leader, Ye An, said in a low voice: "Dad, we caused trouble…"

Ye Linchuan squatted down and patted their heads one by one. "It's not your fault."

"When others bully you, you don't need to be afraid."

"But…"

"Dad taught you not to look for trouble, not to be afraid of trouble."

Ye Linchuan said gently: "Even if the sky falls, Dad will hold it up."

Ye An nodded vigorously.

Beside him, Ye Le said indignantly: "That bad guy wanted to snatch Little Black! And he insulted us!"

"When Brother An spoke to him, he grabbed Brother An's collar!"

Ye Linchuan's eyes turned cold. "He laid hands on you?"

"He… he just grabbed him a little…"

Ye An's voice grew quieter.

Ye Linchuan stood up, his expression darkening.

Half a quarter of an hour later, at Ye Cheng's courtyard.

Butler Ye bowed his waist. "Son-in-law Linchuan, please."

Ye Linchuan walked into the courtyard.

There were many flowers and plants, and Ye Cheng was lying halfway on a bamboo couch.

A beautiful maid was feeding him Spirit fruits slowly.

Seeing Ye Linchuan arrive, Ye Cheng didn't even lift his eyelids. "You're here? Five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, plus that beast of yours, and this matter will be settled."

Ye Linchuan stood with his hands behind his back. "Is your brain broken?"

Ye Cheng sat up abruptly. "Ye Linchuan! You, a live-in son-in-law, dare to speak to me like that?"

"When my parents died fighting for the Family, you were still digging for food in the mountains!"

Ye Linchuan took a step forward.

Ye Cheng felt a blur before his eyes.

His neck was clamped by a hand like an iron pincer, and he was lifted into the air.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

The slaps were loud.

Ye Cheng's head swung violently from side to side, and his face swelled up instantly.

"What are you?"

Ye Linchuan said coldly, "How dare you ask me for compensation?!"

He threw him heavily to the ground.

Ye Cheng lay on the ground, coughing up blood and two broken teeth.

"Young Master!"

The maid screamed.

Butler Ye hurried forward. "Son-in-law Linchuan, you can't—"

"I'll kill you!!!"

Ye Cheng's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared as he shot a golden light from his sleeve.

It was actually a golden mini-sword, an inch long!

The Sword Qi pierced straight at Ye Linchuan's face.

"No!"

Butler Ye quickly formed a seal, but the water shield shattered as soon as it appeared.

Ding!

A crisp sword hum.

The Qingfeng sword unsheathed, like autumn water crossing the sky, and blocked the golden sword perfectly.

The tip of the sword was only three inches from Ye Cheng's throat.

The cold air chilled the bone.

Ye Cheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and a line of blood seeped from his neck.

"One more word,"

Ye Linchuan said indifferently, "and I will grant your wish."

Ye Cheng froze, cold sweat soaking his back.

He saw true killing intent in those eyes.

"Trash."

Ye Linchuan sheathed his sword and turned to leave.

Until his silhouette disappeared, Ye Cheng collapsed on the ground, trembling all over. "Ye Linchuan… I want you to die…"

…

The Family head's study.

Patriarch Ye Tianying rubbed his temples. "You hit him?"

"Yes."

Ye Linchuan said frankly, "He bullied my son and wanted to snatch my Spirit Beast. I couldn't tolerate it."

Patriarch Ye Tianying sighed deeply. "His parents died early, so the Family took care of him a lot, and he was spoiled…"

"I will handle it according to the Family rules, impartially."

"Thank you, Patriarch."

…

At the Fourth Elder's courtyard.

"Grandmother, Husband, he…"

Ye Siyu said anxiously.

After listening, the Fourth Elder just said gently, "If he hit him, then he hit him."

She turned to look at Ye Linchuan. "Linchuan, how is your Talisman Dao practice going?"

Ye Linchuan took out a stack of talisman paper from his bosom. "I was just about to tell Grandmother. My luck is good; I can draw the Thunder Fire Talisman now."

He spread the paper, mixed the cinnabar, and picked up the talisman brush.

The brush danced like a dragon and snake, with hidden spiritual light.

After the last stroke was finished, the talisman paper vibrated gently, and golden light flowed.

A Third-Grade Low Grade Thunder Fire Talisman was complete!

"Good! Good! Good!"

The Fourth Elder said "good" three times, her face full of gratification. "Our Ye Family has one more Third-Grade Talisman Master!"

At this time, Butler Ye hurried in. "The Patriarch asks Linchuan to go to the ancestral hall."

"Ye Cheng is… hugging his parents' spirit tablets and crying in the hall."

The Ye Family ancestral hall was surrounded by ancient cypresses.

Ye Cheng sat slumped on the ground, clutching two black-lacquered spirit tablets tightly, snot and tears streaming down:

"Dad! Mom!"

"Look! Outsiders are trying to force your son to his death!"

Several Family Elders were persuading him from the side, their mouths dry. "Cheng'er, get up first…"

"In front of the ancestors, what does this look like!"

Ye Linchuan walked into the ancestral hall and saw this scene.

"Ye Linchuan!"

Ye Cheng pointed at him, screaming hoarsely, "Patriarch! Uncles! You must decide for me!"

Patriarch Ye Tianying's face was as dark as water. "Quiet!"

He looked at Ye Linchuan. "What do you have to say?"

Ye Linchuan cupped his hands. "Ye Cheng bullied my son and tried to snatch my Spirit Beast first."

"I went to his place to reason, and he drew his sword to kill me after."

"My disciplining him is reasonable and fair."

"You're lying!"

Ye Cheng screamed, "You were the one who started it! You even wanted to kill me!"

He pointed at his face, which was swollen like a pig's head, and the bloodstain on his neck. "Elders, look! Look!"

"Dad! Mom! Take me with you—"

"Scoundrel!"

An old, deep shout, like a sunset drum or morning bell.

Ye Cheng flew backward, but the spirit tablets in his arms flew steadily back to the offering table.

An old man in a green robe stood in the hall, no one knew when he had arrived.

His hair and beard were completely white, his face thin, his eyes deeply sunken, and his face deeply wrinkled.

He was a bit hunched, wearing an old green robe.

Although old, the opening and closing of those eyes seemed to have flashes of electricity, making people afraid to look directly at them.

However, there was a lingering aura of twilight between his brows, and he looked very tired.

It was the Ye Family's only Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Ye Family Old Ancestor, Ye Qinghong!

"Old Ancestor!"

Everyone bowed in unison, respect mixed with worry.

The Old Ancestor had been in seclusion for many years and rarely showed his face. Today, he was actually disturbed by this matter.

Ye Qinghong looked at Ye Cheng, who was slumped on the ground, with complex eyes. "Crying and howling in the place where ancestors rest, what kind of behavior is this."

Before anyone saw Ye Qinghong do anything, the two spirit tablets in Ye Cheng's arms flew up on their own and were placed steadily back on the offering table.

Ye Cheng was lifted by an invisible force and gently placed to the side.

He wasn't injured, but he dared not make a sound, only looking at the Old Ancestor in horror.

"I heard the whole story from outside."

Ye Qinghong walked slowly into the ancestral hall, each step very heavy. He looked at Patriarch Ye Tianying first. "Tianying, you are the Patriarch, how do you judge this?"

Patriarch Ye Tianying took a deep breath and said respectfully: "Replying to the Old Ancestor, Ye Cheng provoked the incident first and laid hands on the children."

"Ye Linchuan retaliated after, and although it is understandable, fighting among the same clan also violates Family rules."

"According to Family rules, I sentence Ye Cheng: a penalty of one year of Family supplies, and confinement in his own courtyard for three years to reflect."

"I sentence Ye Linchuan: for lax management of his Spirit Beast and injuring someone, a penalty of three hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Because he has to do work for the Family, the hard labor is exempted, but his corresponding contribution points will be deducted as a warning."

After listening, Ye Qinghong didn't express his opinion. He looked at the few Family Elders. "What do you think?"

The few Family Elders looked at each other. The oldest one stood out tremblingly. "Replying to the Old Ancestor, the Patriarch's judgment is… fair."

"The merit of Ye Cheng's parents cannot be forgotten, but he went too far and must be severely punished to correct the Family style."

"Ye Linchuan… has good talent and contributes much to the Family, so a minor punishment will suffice."

These words were considered pleading for Ye Cheng.

Only then did Ye Qinghong look at Ye Linchuan, who had been standing quietly.

In that instant, Ye Linchuan felt like he had been seen through.

He steadied his mind and bowed: "Ye Linchuan, I have seen the Old Ancestor. Linchuan accepts the punishment."

Ye Qinghong looked at him for a while and walked up slowly.

He stretched out his somewhat withered hand and patted Ye Linchuan's head gently.

"Young people have sharpness, understand right from wrong, and know their limits. Not bad."

Then, Ye Qinghong withdrew his hand and turned to Patriarch Ye Tianying and the few Family Elders. His voice suddenly became heavy. "For the Family Legacy, rules are important, and talents are also important."

"Ye Linchuan,"

He looked at Ye Linchuan again, "I hope you will manage yourself well in the future and contribute more to the Family."

"We will respectfully follow the Old Ancestor's teachings."

Ye Linchuan, Patriarch Ye Tianying, and the others said in unison.

"You may all disperse."

Ye Qinghong waved his hand, his body seeming even more hunched. He walked toward the offering table alone, looking at the layers of spirit tablets, his back looking a bit heavy.

Everyone slowly exited the ancestral hall.

When they reached the door, Ye Linchuan vaguely heard the Old Ancestor sigh softly: "My old bones, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on for many more years…"

"When will the Ye Family be able to produce another Foundation Establishment Cultivator?"

"Does the Family business really have to be scattered, and everyone go their separate ways, to preserve a bit of the Bloodline…"

…

Night, Ye Linchuan's small courtyard.

His wives and concubines sat around.

After listening to Ye Linchuan's brief account, Ye Siyu let out a sigh of relief. "A penalty of three hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and three years of salary deducted… it's already a light sentence."

"However, congratulations to my Husband for becoming a Third-Grade Talisman Master!"

"We should celebrate!"

The women smiled like flowers.

That night, the red candles were bright, and the waves of passion rolled.

When the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Ye Siyu curled up in her husband's arms, her hair damp with sweat.

"Husband asked during the day…"

Her voice was soft, "If you want to leave, how would I choose?"

Ye Linchuan stroked her shoulder. "It was just a casual question, don't take it to heart."

Ye Siyu raised her face, her eyes reflecting the candlelight. "I married you, and I will follow you in life and death."

She leaned in and kissed his chin. "Wherever you go, I will go."

Ye Linchuan felt a warmth in his heart and lowered his head to capture those soft lips.

"Mmm…"

Ye Siyu gave a soft moan, her voice gradually breaking. "Husband… I can't take it anymore…"

"You, you should go find Xiangling and the others…"