Chapter 3 - Father (1/2)

“Little sister Ye Rou. Fancy seeing you here in the training ground today.”

Just as Ye Chen and Ye Rou were chatting, a lad who seemed to be their age approached the duo.

Ye Kongyan was one of the more talented and good-looking scions of the family. In fact, among the younger generation, only three of them had managed to reach the crest of the Fifth Stage and were only a few steps away from reaching the sixth; Uncle Zhanxiong’s daughter who went by the name Ye Xuan, Ye Rou, and Ye Kongyan. Now, Ye Kongyan may pale in comparison to Ye Chen in terms of his prowess in the past but he was still a handsome beau who was gifted in martial arts. He even possessed a higher than average station among the clansmen since he was one of the elder’s son. His father’s ranking was only second to the chief; the chief’s closest right-hand man.

“Mm.” Ye Rou’s reply was short. Every time someone else was in her vicinity, she returned to her icy demeanor.

That sudden change in attitude upset Ye Kongyan and was shown on his face as his expression darkened visibly. The young man gave a snide glance at Ye Chen whilst a look of disdain bubbled in his gaze albeit briefly. How was it that Ye Rou only treated Ye Chen differently? Even if he used to be a martial prodigy, the Ye Chen now was hardly anything but a burden.

“Hello, Brother Ye Chen. You’re looking healthy, so I’m assuming your body is getting better?” Ye Kongyan’s voice was layered with a hint of malice and subtlety as he turned to face Ye Chen.

Before Ye Chen’s tragedy struck, Ye Kongyan was more or less his most stalwart follower. As the former was older than the latter by two or three months, Ye Kongyan had always tailed behind him, crying out in his most chummy tone, “Big Brother Ye Chen!” Ye Chen for his part took Ye Kongyan under his wing. However, when tragedy struck Ye Chen, Ye Kongyan would look at him no more.

That taught Ye Chen how brief an apparently intimate relationship could be. In response, Ye Chen regarded Ye Kongyan’s action with an air of indifference. Ye Chen was simply not one who would react solely to someone’s mockery and sneer at his predicament.

You only know who your true friends are when you’re at your lowest.

“Not too shabby, really. I sleep and eat well enough,” Ye Chen replied curtly. Times may be trying but he was far from being depressed.

“Well, color me surprised. Someone is living a pretty swell life after all, huh? Oh, I wish the same could be said for the chief and the elders! Their hair greyed out of stress in order to obtain enough Chi-amassing Pills just so they could heal a pathetic, self-centered jerk.”

Ye Kongyan’s eyes narrowed, mocking Ye Chen before he continued, “Do you know that the Second-rank Prince of Donglin had just obtained a Nexus Pill? When our good chief heard the news, he rushed to his palace two days ago, begging the prince for that little pill – even getting on his knees! Of course, the Second-rank Prince kicked the chief out of his audience immediately because why would the prince who in his right mind, give such an invaluable treasure away? How shameful that a proud warrior the likes of a chief had become spineless and got on his knees begging for a pill. He’s now the joke of the entire county!”

“What did you say?” Ye Chen’s heart sank. He had no inkling of the aforementioned event, as neither his Father nor his other seniors had brought the event to his attention.

“Ye Kongyan, you stop this right now!” Despite being in a panic, Ye Rou had managed to raise her voice in a cool and collected manner albeit with a firm yell. The seniors of the family had ordered that the event was not to be spoken of around Ye Chen but Ye Kongyan had agreed in bad faith.

Ye Chen could feel his chest pounding hard as he turned to Ye Rou, his voice low and hoarse as he demanded, “Is this true, Rou?”

Judging from the look on her face, it must have likely been true. Ye Chen’s heart twisted in agony as he imagined his father begging on his knees for his sake only to be kicked out of the palace. His father was the face and the heart of the clan! What sort of colossal shame and humiliation had his father forcefully endured?

“Stop? Why? The Chief and everyone else had done more than enough of their fair share for this punk! All those Chi-amassing Pills were obtained by exhausting ten years worth of family savings. He had single-handedly dragged this entire family down. Honestly, if I were a good-for-nothing, I would’ve run head first into a wall and killed myself!” Ye Konyan sneered. “I just can’t stand seeing people bending over their backs for someone like him!”

Ye Chen never knew that his father had suffered much more than himself. All of the pain he was in had been nothing but a grain compared to the ordeal faced by his father for his sake!

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes but he composed himself to not let the tears fall. ‘I’m so sorry, Father. It’s my fault that you’ve suffered so much. I swear, if my meridian channels ever recover, I’ll personally destroy every single brick in the prince’s palace to avenge the humiliation you’ve been subjected to!’

“B-big Brother?! Don’t listen to his drivel. None of that happened!” Ye Rou was visibly frantic at this point as her eyes scanned Ye Chen. Everyone had been worried that the young scion would finally break upon hearing this and kill himself in despair.

“It’s alright. I’m not going to take my own life. If I take the easy way out because of minor inconveniences in my life, I’ll only die a coward!” Ye Chen replied, his nails digging into his skin as he balled his fists in determination. To continue living is probably the most courageous act a martial fighter who had his meridian system destroyed could ever do.

Ye Rou’s eyes watered. ‘Big Brother Ye Chen, please… You’re considered family to an orphan like me. Please don’t ever do anything foolish!’

“Good grief, some people can be super thick-skinned,” Ye Kongyan said as he smirked.

Ye Chen raised his head, his eyes meeting those of Ye Kongyan’s. “Oh, I know what you and the other elders were hoping for. Allow me to let you in on something. I’m not looking to die. Even if every meridian channel in my body was severed, I still have faith that I won’t be in this state forever!” He declared.

“Meanwhile, I don’t harbor the delusion that a bird with their wings clipped could ever fly again. Perhaps you’d like to have the chief and his men beg for the pill in the Second-rank Prince’s palace once more? If you really think that the Prince of Donglin would happily surrender the pill to you, then congratulations on making up such a sweet dream for yourself,” Ye Kongyan replied with a scornful chuckle. “Learn your role. You’ll always be deadweight to our family.”

With those cruel words, Ye Kongyan smirked before turning his back on them and left.

“Big Brother Ye Chen? Please don’t take his words to heart.” Ye Rou blurted out as soon as Ye Kongyan left, her expression wrought with frenzied concern. Ye Chen may not have planned to kill himself but she was still worried about him.