Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 389 A Casual Move, Weaving a Net

When Ye Ling'er returned to the Ye residence clutching the jade pill bestowed upon her by Meng Fan, the residence was in complete chaos.

Several white-haired imperial physicians stood around the father's bedside, shaking their heads and sighing. Even more so, Uncle Ye, a member of the Ye family, stood with his hands behind his back in the corridor, his usually dashing brows now etched with an unyielding gloom.

"Ling'er! Where did you go all night?"

Ye Ling'er's mother kept wiping away tears. When she saw Ye Ling'er return wearing a man's outer robe, with the unique rouge scent of Zuixianju still lingering on her cuffs, her face immediately darkened.

She gripped the pill tighter, her knuckles turning bluish-white: "I went to the Poet Immortal at Drunken Immortal Abode to ask for the medicine."

The hall erupted in chaos.

Third Uncle Ye Tao slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Foolish! That poet immortal seriously injured my elder brother, how could he have any good intentions? This elixir is probably poison that will kill you!"

Several clan elders rebuked her sternly, saying that she was young and reckless, breaking into a brothel at night, and that she was not acting like a woman at all.

"Then tell me what to do!"

Ye Ling'er suddenly roared, tears streaming down her face, "The imperial physician said that Father's hands are completely ruined. What can you do besides abide by the ancestral rules and wait to die!"

She shook off the crowd and rushed into the inner room.

Ye Zhong lay on the couch, his face ashen. The gauze wrapped around his chest was stained with brownish-yellow medicine. His hands, which once could split open city gates, hung limply at his sides, the veins bruised and purplish-black.

"father……"

Trembling, she pried open her father's teeth and shoved the pill inside just as the others burst through the door.

"evil creature!"

Just as Ye Tao was about to pry the pill out of Ye Zhong's mouth, he was horrified.

Suddenly, a crimson aura surged from Ye Zhong's body, causing the dust on the roof beams to fall in a flurry. The hideous scar that pierced his chest began to writhe as if alive, with new flesh growing and intertwining at a visible speed.

"Ugh—!"

Ye Zhong suddenly opened his eyes and roared, his powerful true energy blowing the roof off. Moonlight poured down like a silver waterfall, illuminating his figure suspended in mid-air.

The shattered bones and tendons crackled like popping beans, and the deathly aura fading from the originally purplish-black palms revealed black, foul-smelling blood seeping from under the fingernails.

Ye Tao's longsword clattered to the ground: "This... how is this possible?"

Everyone saw that Ye Zhong's pores were expelling murky mist, and that golden snakes seemed to be swimming under his skin.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds, he landed slowly. The moment his toes touched the ground, all the paving stones within a hundred meters radius sank three inches, yet not a single one shattered.

"Grand...Master!!!"

Ye Ling'er collapsed to the ground, watching as her father's casually swung palm strike shattered the artificial mountain several dozen feet away into dust.

That wasn't the powerful and forceful style of the Ye family's ancestral coffin-splitting technique; instead, it exuded a smooth and harmonious artistic conception, which was precisely the Flowing Cloud Scattered Hand that their ancestor Ye Liuyun was skilled in.

Ye Zhong stared at his newly formed palm, his gaze suddenly sharpening. He felt the surging true energy within his body, like a tidal wave, and he seemed both excited and incredulous: "This is... a Grandmaster?!"

After everyone left and promised to keep quiet, Ye Zhong learned the whole story from his daughter, Ye Ling'er.

His gaze towards his daughter was complex and unreadable. "Did Meng Fan... make things difficult for you?"

Tears welled up in Ye Ling'er's eyes as she threw herself at Ye Zhong, saying, "Father, you're alright, that's so good!"

“He didn’t make things difficult for me; my daughter only needs to serve as his maid for three months.”

Ye Zhong shook his head. Things couldn't be that simple. A drug that could so easily help someone break through to the Grandmaster level was unheard of. How could it be delivered to him so easily?

Unless that poet is from...

"Temple!"

Ye Zhong's eyes suddenly narrowed as he thought of the mysterious origins of the "Poet Immortal".

"Come, take me to see that poet!"

Ye Zhong glanced in the direction of the palace. Now that he has broken through to the Grandmaster level, it may be a curse rather than a blessing for the Ye family. With two Grandmasters in the Ye family, the person in the palace is probably even more wary of him.

Moreover, Meng Fan had been using the sound of sniper rifle shots to provoke Emperor Qing's nerves, so now any slight provocation would cause him to overreact.

Furthermore, the appearance of the four Grandmasters is all related to Ye Qingmei. If a new Grandmaster appears at this time, does that mean that someone from the Temple has appeared again?
Emperor Qing will absolutely leave no stone unturned in uncovering the secret of the Ye family's emergence of a Grandmaster, even if it means destroying the Ye family altogether.

Even if we tell Emperor Qing that Ye Zhong became a Grandmaster by relying on a pill, so what? Would Emperor Qing let the Ye family off the hook?

Even if they outwardly show some consideration for Ye Zhong and Ye Liuyun, who knows how many troubles and schemes will come after the Ye family in secret? Will the Ye family ever have a peaceful day again?

In other words, the Ye family has no way out.

-----

On the top floor of Zuixianju, Meng Fan leaned on the railing and gazed into the direction of the Ye residence.

Behind him, Si Lili was pouring him wine, the amber light reflecting the playful smile on her lips: "This pill you gave to the Ye family could probably overturn the entire Qing Kingdom."

"It's just an experiment."

He let the morning breeze tousle his hair, picked up his wine glass, looked at the wine reflecting the morning sun, and laughed: "Ye Zhong has been stuck at the ninth rank for so many years, only one step away from breaking through to the Grandmaster level, but that one step is an insurmountable chasm."

"Although it is true that water will sag when it is full, and the moon will overflow when it is full, Ye Zhong's potential is limited. Since his aptitude is not enough, he will naturally make up for it with elixirs!"

"Only by breaking the limitations can a true full moon be achieved!"

Suddenly, the Black and White Impermanence appeared on the eaves: "Your Majesty, Ye Zhong's carriage has arrived at the banks of the Flowing Crystal River."

Meng Fan tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. The glass cup reflected an eerie light in the sunlight: "The show has only just begun. Let's go and meet this newly promoted Grandmaster!"

Meng Fan chose the pleasure boat as the meeting place for Ye Zhong.

Ye Zhong looked at Meng Fan with a complicated expression, his posture was very humble, but his tone was neither humble nor arrogant as he said, "Ye Zhong greets Mr. Meng. I have come here specifically to thank you for the medicine you have given me!"

Meng Fan calmly poured himself a cup of tea, then placed it in Ye Zhong's hands as he bowed, and casually asked, "How does it feel to break through to the Grandmaster level?"

Ye Zhong stood there, holding his teacup, completely baffled by Meng Fan's meaning. He could only reply, "Excellent! It's like ascending to heaven in one step!"

"Ascending to heaven... Hahaha!"

"Grandmasters are still not considered heaven!"

Ye Zhong looked up in surprise and inadvertently met Meng Fan's eyes, but suddenly felt as if he were in another chaotic world.

A majestic, sacred, grand, towering, supreme, holy, and supreme figure, ten thousand feet tall, rose from the boundless chaos, looking at him with indifferent eyes, as if he were looking at an ant, the kind of figure that could crush him with a flick of the wrist.

Even though he was already a Grandmaster, he was still as insignificant as an ant in front of this sacred and inviolable figure.

Ye Zhong's throat tightened, and he unconsciously swallowed. If there were truly gods in this world, it would be the one before him, someone who made people want to bow down and worship.

"How does it feel?"

As the voice rang out, the world before Ye Zhong suddenly shattered like a bubble. He gasped for breath and humbly said, "It was Ye Zhong who was shallow!" Meng Fan chuckled and then told Ye Zhong everything about Ye Qingmei's background, her love-hate relationship with Emperor Qing, and Fan Xian's princely status.

After hearing this, Ye Zhong felt a bit shocked and could only say, "How dare Your Majesty?"

The people in the temple were like gods, yet His Majesty killed the temple's goddess and even plotted against her son.

Now look what's happened, the people from the temple have come knocking on our door.

Indeed, after Meng Fan's combination of coaxing and intimidation, along with his own mental constructs, Ye Zhong had come to regard Meng Fan as the true messenger of the temple.

Ye Zhong felt his throat go dry, and asked with an even more humble and respectful expression, "What would you like me to do?"

"Emperor Qing has rebelled!"

Ye Zhong's face darkened immediately: "My Ye family has always been loyal to His Majesty!"

Meng Fan's lips curled slightly as he said defiantly, "If you're unwilling to help, then I'll cripple you, how about that?"

Ye Zhong was shameless enough to throw a tantrum and say, "Anyway, my life was saved by you, sir. If you want this true energy, you can take it. Ye Zhong will not say a word."

"Is that so? Then what if I wipe out your whole family, including Ye Liuyun?"

Ye Zhong's face stiffened: "I'll think about it!"

Loyalty is based on the premise that one's own family still exists. Ye Liuyun is bound by the Ye family, and Ye Zhong also values ​​the family's inheritance.

Now that the Ye family has two grandmasters, if all else fails, they can follow the example of the one in Dongyi City and establish themselves independently. That would be better than the entire Ye family being wiped out.

Just then, Meng Fan put away his teasing and said directly, "Alright, I'm not asking you to rebel now, but to wait for the right opportunity."

"Emperor Qing is a man of deep thoughts. His goal is to eliminate all Grandmasters in the world. After all, Grandmasters are monsters, and he will not allow anyone who threatens his imperial power to exist."

"In other words, your Ye family is naturally on the opposite side of Emperor Qing. Now that you, Ye Chong, have broken through to the Grandmaster realm, once the news leaks out, Emperor Qing will definitely regard the Ye family as a major enemy."

"You have no other choice!"

After thinking for a moment, Ye Zhong was also helpless and could only ask, "I wonder what kind of timing you are referring to, sir?"

"Fan Xian!"

"Or rather, Li Chengxian!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhong was suddenly startled: "Sir, do you intend to... change the emperor?"

Meng Fan murmured, "The right of kings is divine. Since the person sitting on the throne is disobedient, isn't it normal to replace him?"

"Mundane matters are for ordinary people."

"Fan Jian, the Earl of Sinan, is in charge of the Ministry of Revenue's finances; Chen Pingping, the Director of the Supervisory Council, is in charge of intelligence and espionage; Lin Ruofu, Fan Xian's future father-in-law, is in charge of all officials; and your Ye family is in charge of the capital's military. Add to that your Ye Zhong and Ye Liuyun, two Grandmasters, and that's enough to change the world!"

"Go and persuade Ye Liuyun. You can reveal some things, just handle it yourself. I only care about the results."

Hearing Meng Fan meticulously list the people around Fan Xian, Ye Zhong suddenly realized that as long as he provided him with military officers and high-level combat support, it would be incredibly easy for Fan Xian to take that position!

He suddenly had a feeling that neither the current Crown Prince nor the Second Prince could match Fan Xian in terms of power, let alone the support of the Temple behind him.

It is proper and justified!
The Ye family wields significant influence in the Qingli Kingdom's army, second only to the Qin family. Ye Zhong suddenly understood why they had approached him.

After careful consideration, Ye Zhong felt that this was a worthwhile endeavor. If Fan Xian successfully ascended the throne, it would be a meritorious act of supporting the emperor, directly surpassing the Qin family and becoming the most accomplished military leader in the Qing Kingdom.

If we fail...

The Ye family is already feared by Emperor Qing, and they are facing certain death on both sides, so they might as well take a gamble!
"It seems you've thought it through!"

Ye Zhong nodded solemnly, "What you say, sir, is something the Ye family can agree to, but I wonder how long we'll have to wait for this opportunity?"

Meng Fan laughed and said, "Don't worry, it won't be long!"

Before leaving, Ye Zhong wisely left his daughter Ye Ling'er behind and specifically instructed her, "My little Ling'er is mischievous, so I'm entrusting her to your care, sir."

Meng Fan raised his teacup and replied, "Definitely!"

At this moment, on the flower boat.

Ye Ling'er asked Meng Fan, puzzled, "What did Father say to you?"

"He sold you to me. From now on, you will be my maid for the rest of your life."

Ye Ling'er immediately frowned: "I don't believe it, it's impossible, I have to go back and ask him."

Meng Fan casually pulled Ye Ling'er over and hugged her. Ye Ling'er tried to struggle in disgust, but Meng Fan restrained her.

"No...it's still daytime!" Ye Ling'er insisted on her last line.

"Wouldn't it be better during the day?"

After Ye Chong left, Si Lili intended to go into the pleasure boat, but upon hearing that familiar voice, she immediately blushed, shook her head, spat lightly, and slowly left after pulling the curtain closed.

------

Ten days later.

Thanks to the miraculous healing effects of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, Fan Xian was finally almost fully recovered, and Fan Jian was quite amazed by the speed of Fan Xian's recovery.

"Now that your injuries have almost healed, go to the palace. He has saved the emperor's life and has said before that he would reward you."

Upon hearing this, Fan Xian immediately looked troubled: "Ah, I still have to go to the palace?!"

Fan Jian nodded: "I guess His Majesty is using this as an excuse to grant you an official position. Men should settle down and start a family. You've been betrothed by His Majesty, so you can't still be a commoner, can you?"

"Besides, Lin Wan'er is of royal blood after all, and many people in the harem have taken care of her, so they are considered her elders. Tomorrow I will have your aunt take you to the palace so that you can pay them a visit."

Fan Xian, somewhat helpless, could only reply, "Yes!"

The next morning.

After getting ready, Fan Xian finally arrived at the palace and was led by Eunuch Hou to a main hall.

"coming!"

What Fan Xian saw was Emperor Qing, who was casually dressed and had slightly disheveled hair. He was leaning against a soft couch with dragon patterns, and the collar of his single-layered robe was loosely open.

At this moment, Emperor Qing was reviewing memorials and did not look up at him, as if a familiar stranger was greeting him.

Fan Xian was filled with mixed feelings. He had already learned from Meng Fan that Emperor Qing was his biological father. He didn't know how to face him, and for a moment, he just stood there, frozen.

Seeing that something was wrong, Eunuch Hou quickly tugged at Fan Xian's sleeve.

Fan Xian belatedly bowed and said, "Fan Xian greets Your Majesty!"

He still did not kneel.

(End of this chapter)