by Feng Yise
The arrival was precisely the Four Seas Building's manager, Tong Suan. Seeing his sniveling look, Ye Yuan's heart also involuntarily palpitated.
He hurriedly supported Tong Suan and asked, "Don't be anxious, Manager Tong. Talk slowly. What happened to Miss Ruyan?"
Tong Suan choking through sobs said, "Second Miss she . . . she consumed the Nine Nether Soul Shattering Powder this morning. At this time, already . . . already . . ."
Ye Yuan's brows furrowed and he said, "Go! Talk on the way!"
Finished talking, Ye Yuan directly pulled Tong Suan and left like a gust of wind. Shi Haoran hesitated for a moment and tagged along too.
Along the way, the three people moved as swift as the wind. But Ye Yuan more or less also understood the sequence of events.
Ever since the Grand Pill Assembly, the Xiao Family acquired 70% of the management rights anew. The family situation also took a turn for the better.
But the matter of the martial competition to find a spouse was already spilled water that could not be recovered. The Xiao Family did not have the confidence to withdraw the promise as well.
Yet, Xiao Ruyan did not wish to marry at all. This one month, she was all moody and depressed.
In between this, Xiao Ruyan even came to find Ye Yuan once. But Ye Yuan was in a closed-seclusion.
Watching helplessly as the day of the spouse finding martial competition gradually approached, Xiao Ruyan also slowly became melancholic and low-spirited.
Nobody would have thought that she would actually swallow the Nine Nether Soul Shattering Powder tonight!
The Nine Nether Soul Shattering Powder was an extremely fierce Quasi-Tier 4 poison. It could be said to kill upon contact with blood. By the time a maidservant discovered Xiao Ruyan, she was already severely poisoned and incurable!
Even Xiao Changfeng, an Alchemy King, was at a loss on what to do.
But Tong Suan had a sudden inspiration and carried a just try it mindset to go and seek help at Qixia Mountain. To think that he just happened to bump into Ye Yuan who left seclusion.
"This foolish woman!" Ye Yuan gnashed his teeth indignantly.
Ever since Xiao Ruyan stood up to support him in the Grand Pill Assembly, Ye Yuan already treated her as a friend.
Towards friends, Ye Yuan naturally would not watch her die passively.
But he still felt very livid towards Xiao Ruyan's foolish actions.
Don't wish to marry, you could run from the wedding, could run away from home, could pretend to go mad. Why did you have to use this sort of silly method?
. . . . . .
When Ye Yuan arrived at Xiao Ruyan's chambers, the place was already in a chaotic mess.
In truth, Xiao Ruyan's alchemic talent was even stronger than Xiao Rufeng's. Her accomplishments in the future were bound to be extraordinary.
But now, an alchemy genius of her generation, one of the peerless beauties of the capital's dual absolutes, actually passed away like this. This made many people sigh unceasingly.
When Ye Yuan saw Xiao Changfeng, his eyes were red. Evidently, he was heartbroken too.
Seeing Ye Yuan, Xiao Changfeng was rather surprised, but he still came forward to greet, "I've seen Young Master Ji!"
That day, the matter of the seventh prince bearing a rod to ask for punishment already caused a sensation in the entire capital.
Everyone knew that the face of the eighth disciple that Sovereign Star Abyss took in was so big that it poked the skies. He actually made the Seventh Prince bear a rod to ask for punishment and kneel down to admit his fault!
While in the capital, the ones who understood Ye Yuan best was none other than the Xiao Family. Xiao Changfeng even held awe and veneration towards Ye Yuan in his heart.
He, an Alchemy King, was nothing in front of Sovereign Star Abyss.
But Ye Yuan did not have any good attitude. He sneered coldly and said, "You, as her father, are truly of the highest grade! To actually have forced your own daughter to death!"
Xiao Changfeng's expression dimmed, but he did not refute. He heaved a sigh and said, "Although I'm the family head, I don't have much of a choice either! Who knew . . . Who knew that Ruyan she . . . would actually be so resolute?!"
"Enough crap! Let me see Ruyan!" Ye Yuan was not in the mood to talk rubbish with him.
Xiao Changfeng nodded slightly and opened up the path.
Ye Yuan rushed inside like a gust of wind. On the jade bed, Xiao Ruyan wore an unadorned but elegant white outfit, lying there quietly as if she was asleep.
Seeing Xiao Ruyan, Ye Yuan finally let out a sigh in relief. Her qi had yet to dissipate fully!
As long as her qi was not cut off, Ye Yuan could bring her back!
"All scram outside for me!" Ye Yuan went forward to prop Xiao Ruyan up and turned around to bellow.
There were many Xiao Family elders crowding around the scene. Seeing the situation, their eyebrows all furrowed.
"Ji Qing! Who the hell are you, to dare yell at us like this?"
"That's right! You're no longer Xiao Family's guest retainer. When was it your turn to meddle in my Xiao Family's affairs?"
"Put Ruyan down! Otherwise, we won't be courteous!"
"The dead is the most important! You even dare to touch Ruyan's remains. Do you really take my Xiao Family to have no people?"
Many Xiao Family elders immediately refused to comply and made a row.
Ye Yuan laughed coldly inwardly. He knew that the ones who forced Xiao Ruyan to death were precisely these hypocritical Xiao Family elders.
Xiao Ruyan once complained tearfully in front of him that these Xiao Family elders all bullied her; selling her out like a commodity.
Although Xiao Changfeng was a little weak and indecisive, he still cared deeply for Xiao Ruyan and would not go so far as to do this.
But for the sake of the Xiao Family's continuation, he did not say much either.
Ye Yuan's heart was like a clear mirror, which was why he did not have a good attitude towards Xiao Changfeng.
Ye Yuan was naturally aware of Xiao Changfeng's difficulties. But in Ye Yuan's viewpoint, even if the Xiao Family no longer existed tomorrow, he could not sacrifice his own daughter's happiness as a father either!
"Xiao Changfeng! If you wish to see your daughter die like this, then let those dregs continue clamoring here!" Ye Yuan voice carried unspeakable rage.
Xiao Changfeng was stunned when he heard this. He said in surprise, "You . . . You can bring Ruyan back to life?"
Ye Yuan did not answer him. He just said coldly, "I don't wish for these flies to buzz around my ears non-stop!"
"You! Ji Qing, you actually dare to call us dregs and flies?!"
"Changfeng, don't listen to this punk talk nonsense. Ruyan is already dead by being poisoned. Even if Sovereign Star Abyss came here, he can't save her too!"
"Changfeng, as the head of a family, are you going to watch an outsider raise a row here?"
For a moment, the Xiao Family elders all exploded, reproaching Xiao Changfeng one after another.
Chapter 409 - Ye Yuan Flaring Up
Xiao Changfeng's expression flickered non-stop.
He was an Alchemy King expert; he could naturally tell that Xiao Ruyan was already without any vital activities, impossible to bring back.
But Ye Yuan just had to say that he could bring her back. Should he believe Ye Yuan or not?
So many elders were exerting pressure on him, demanding to chase Ye Yuan away. He could not disregard everybody's opinions either.
For a moment, Xiao Changfeng wavered.
He looked at Ye Yuan and suddenly recalled Ye Yuan's dazzling performance in the Grand Pill Assembly.
Perhaps . . . he really could!
The elders were still talking all at once, making Xiao Changfeng feel very irritated.
"All shut your mouths for me!" Xiao Changfeng roared, silencing everyone.
"All get out for me! Let Young Master Ji try!" Xiao Changfeng said.
"
Changfeng, how can you be so muddled? How can people revive after they die? This boy is clearly here to cause trouble!" said a Xiao Family elder.
Xiao Changfeng glared and said, "The one lying on the bed is my daughter. Can't I even make this decision? En? Am I still the Xiao Family's Family Head or not?"
Xiao Changfeng's aura released. This time, no one dared to speak.
These elders exchanged glances but finally still withdrew out of the room.
Ye Yuan watched indifferently, thinking to himself that this fellow was still not considered hopeless.
Ye Yuan casually threw Xiao Changfeng a jade slip and said, "At least you have a bit of consciousness towards Ruyan. Prepare the medicinal herbs well according to this formula. I'll need to start a furnace to refine pills in a while."
Xiao Changfeng nodded and did not say much as he left.
Ye Yuan supported Xiao Ruyan well and executed the Tempered Profound Gold Finger once again.
. . . . . .
Roughly an hour later, the elders waiting outside the room were all quite impatient.
"Oh Changfeng, that boy is messing around, you're messing around with him too! You're an Alchemy King! Even you've determined that Ruyan has died, how can he bring her back to life? Now, he chased all of us out here and stayed in Ruyan's chambers alone. Where is the sense of propriety?"
The one speaking was a Xiao Family elder with a rather high position, an exalted Quasi-Alchemy King too. His name was Xiao Changhong.
Ever since the Xiao Family seized back the medicinal pill market, these elders' confidence all swelled up one by one.
They had immense faith that the Xiao Family could rely on these ten years to rise up once more.
In the past, they felt a head shorter than others when they went out. But now, their heads all raised to the skies when they went outside.
Hearing Xiao Changhong said so, Xiao Changfeng frowned but did not speak.
The more Xiao Changhong talked, the angrier he got. He even pointed the spearhead at Xiao Ruyan and said recalcitrantly, "Ruyan this lass is seriously. . . The Xiao Family raised her up so big and even nurtured her to become a high-rank Alchemy Grandmaster. How many resources were expended? Now, when the Xiao Family needs her, she did something like this. It really chills our hearts greatly! Her death doesn't matter, but how are you going to give an account to the Huang and Xue families?"
"That's right! Ruyan this lass is seriously outrageous!" With Xiao Changhong saying so, many elders immediately concurred.
When Xiao Changhong saw that everyone stood on his side, he became even more zealous and continued, "As I said, Ruyan this lass doesn't know what's good for her! Isn't it just marrying someone? Which girl doesn't marry? Also, those two young masters from the Huang Family and Xue Family are dragons among men. Could it be that they are still undeserving of Ruyan?"
Right at this moment, a piercingly cold killing intent suddenly attacked!
Xiao Changhong had yet to figure out what was going on when his throat was already tightly grasped by a hand, unable to speak.
Ye Yuan pinned Xiao Changhong onto the wall and said icily, "You just try saying another cynical word!"
"Cough . . . Cough, cough! L-Let go of me!" Xiao Changhong's two feet were straight but did not dare to resist.
At this time, Ye Yuan just had to spit essence energy, and he could claim this old life of this.
Seeing Ye Yuan overflowing with killing intent, the Xiao Family elders all felt chills.
This boy . . . was only a Crystal Formation Realm martial artists. How could he be so strong?
Although Xiao Changhong was an alchemist, he was, at any rate, a Seventh Level Sea Transformation Realm martial artist. He did not even get to react and was pinned on the wall by Ye Yuan?
"You bunch of fools! As elders, you don't have any capabilities at all, and still need the juniors to sacrifice their own marital happiness to help achieve your selfish gains! Truly laughable! You all nurtured Ruyan. She has already done sufficiently well. These years, how much pressure was she, a little girl, shouldering? You these old fellows, other than gesticulating behind backs, what have you done? A bunch of opinionated things!" Ye Yuan words were filled with rage, making everyone feel a chill unceasingly.
"Ji Qing! Here is the Xiao Family! How can we allow you to be so insolent! What we do is the Xiao Family's own affairs! It's not your turn to come and bother! Quickly let go of Elder Changhong!" another elder said grimly.
Ye Yuan turned around and looked at that elder coldly. He suddenly smiled and said, "Is that so?"
The elders were taken by Ye Yuan's aura and could not resist backing away.
"You . . . What are you trying to do?!"
Ye Yuan said with a smile, "If I recall correctly, my Xiao Family's guest retainer identity doesn't seem to have been removed yet, right? Since I'm a Xiao Family guest retainer, why can't I interfere with Xiao Family's affairs?"
As Ye Yuan said, his face suddenly darkened as he said, "I can't be bothered with the Xiao Family's matters either. But Ruyan's matters are my matters. If you all dare to coerce her again in the future, your outcome will be like this rock!"
As he said, Ye Yuan casually fired out a blast of essence energy. A fake mountain not far in the distant instantly turned into dust.
The elders' faces all changed. They were frightened by Ye Yuan's aura.
To be able to instantly defeat Xiao Changhong, Ye Yuan's strength could be seen at a glance.
The Xiao Family naturally had Soul Sea Realm martial artists too. But Ye Yuan was not alone by himself!
Behind Ye Yuan stood Sovereign Star Abyss!
To be able to make His Highness, the Seventh Prince, kowtowed and apologized for his mistake, who in the capital dare to provoke this malefic star?
"Now, all scram far away from me, in case this Little Lord, I, get vexed when I see you!" Ye Yuan said with a cold snort.
How could the elders dare to stay? Each one of them ran faster than rabbits. In the big courtyard, only Xiao Changfeng and Ye Yuan were left currently.
Xiao Changfeng's expression changed again, very astonished by Ye Yuan's strength.
He remembered that when Ye Yuan left the Xiao Family a month ago, he was still just Second Level Crystal Formation Realm strength. How long had it been only and he was already at the Seventh Level Crystal Formation Realm?
But now was clearly not the time to be asking this. Xiao Changfeng asked rather awkwardly, "Young Master Ji, Ruyan she . . ."
Ye Yuan looked at him nonchalantly and responded with a question instead, "Are the medicinal herbs all prepared?"
Xiao Changfeng hurried nodded and said, "All prepared. All inside my pill refinement room. Tong Suan is right outside. He'll bring you in."
Ye Yuan nodded his head and said, "You go inside then. Ruyan still has some time before she'll wake up. I'll go and prepare the Detoxification Pill right now. You look after her well!"
Although he was long prepared, Xiao Changfeng's entire body still trembled as he asked disbelievingly, "You . . . You really brought her back to life?"
Ye Yuan shot him a glance and said coolly, "Could it be that you wanted to see your own daughter die?"
Chapter 410 - Xiao Changfeng’s Scheme
On the jade bed, the beauty opened both eyes weakly.
Xiao Changfeng was overjoyed as he said, "Ruyan, you're awake!"
"F-Father?"
Xiao Ruyan saw Xiao Changfeng when she opened her eyes, but she stubbornly turned her head over and was unwilling to take another look.
Xiao Changfeng felt a heartache as he let out a feeble sigh and said, "Ruyan, Father knows that you have a grudge in your heart, but . . . Father is helpless too!"
Xiao Ruyan still had her head turned and refused to say a word.
Xiao Changfeng's heart was like it was being sliced by blades. He knew that his daughter was already extremely disappointed in him.
"Fine then. You aren't willing to listen to father's words, but you're wil
ling to listen to Ji Qing's words, right?" Xiao Changfeng sighed heavily and said.
Xiao Ruyan's body quivered when she heard that and could not resist turning her head around, her eyes filled with doubt.
Xiao Changfeng knew his daughter's thoughts and explained, "Father is incapable. When I discovered that you were poisoned, Father was already powerless to do anything. It was Ji Qing's miraculous skills that could revive the dead that actually brought you back to life miraculously!"
Xiao Ruyan's eyes were filled with astoundment. She was clearly than anyone else about the toxicity of the Nine Nether Soul Shattering Powder. It could be said to kill upon infliction.
After being poisoned for several hours, it was basically beyond redemption. Ji Qing could actually bring her back. How brilliant medical skills were needed for this?!
"W-Where is he?" Xiao Ruyan asked with a slight tremor.
Xiao Changfeng sighed again and said, "Ruyan, I know that you might not like to hear some words, but the spouse finding martial competition is already unavoidable. Otherwise, it will be very hard for our Xiao Family to keep a foothold in the capital in the future if we offend the two Huang and Xue families at the same time."
Seeing his daughter's emotions becoming agitated, Xiao Changfeng hurriedly said, "You don't get agitated first! Listen to me finish talking first! Perhaps, this unsolvable situation now has an opportunity to reverse!"
Xiao Ruyan's beautiful eyes swirled slightly, and she said in surprise, "Father's meaning is . . ."
Xiao Changfeng nodded and said, "That's right! If you're really unwilling to marry into the two Huang and Xue families, maybe you can land this matter on Ji Qing! I think . . . if it was Ji Qing, you . . . wouldn't reject, right?"
Hearing Xiao Changfeng's words, Xiao Ruyan's initially pallid and wan face because of weakness became flushed red.
Seeing Xiao Ruyan putting on a posture to refute but blushed instad, Xiao Changfeng sighed faintly and said, "Actually, during the Grand Pill Assembly, I already saw through your thoughts. After Ji Qing was taken in by Sovereign Star Abyss as a disciple, his status was also sufficient to be mentioned in the same breath as the Huang and Xue families. If the two of you were brought together, it isn't prohibited either. It's just . . ."