Volume 1: Wudao Xiantian Chapter 4: Brothers at Odds

  "Lao Qi has been dismissed, this is indeed a great thing worth celebrating! After school, let's all go to Wanhualou, I'll treat you guys to drinks!"

  Ye Feng burst out laughing, but suddenly saw Ye Xu standing quietly outside the martial arts arena. His face changed drastically as he exclaimed: "Old Seventh!"

  The other children were also in an uproar, exchanging glances with each other and lowering their heads, unsure of what to say.

  Ye Xuhong was extremely disappointed with these brothers and turned around to walk away silently.

  Ye Feng hastily jumped up and caught up, blocking Ye Xu's path, his face flushing with embarrassment as he said: "Shaobao, we were just joking around earlier, don't take it to heart..."

  Ye Xue gave him a cold glance, and Ye Feng felt himself being swept by his gaze, suddenly shrinking an inch, as if he had turned back into the usual poor wretch who was respectful to him on the surface but with eyes full of envy and admiration.

  He suddenly felt as if he had been subjected to unbearable humiliation, and a surge of anger rushed up, his eyes turned red, his face twisted, and he roared at Ye Xu: "Right! We were just mocking you earlier! What can you do? In the past, you rode on my head, surpassing me everywhere, even when my dad was eating, he praised you instead of me! Except for your talent being slightly better than mine, what else am I inferior to you in? You are no longer the Ye Shaobao of the past, but a pitiful worm, a waste, a horse slave, a clown! What's with the pretentiousness? Bah!"

  Ye Feng let out all the words that had been suppressed in her heart for many years, feeling much more relieved, and with a sweep of her former unhappiness, she looked at Ye Xu with pride.

  It's no longer him who is humble and low-key, but Ye Xue and Ye Shaobao who have fallen from the altar of genius!

  Ye Xujing quietly listened to him finish speaking, calmly saying: "Sixth Brother, you've lost your composure."

  Upon hearing this, Ye Feng's excitement instantly vanished. He even felt that his earlier loud outburst had only earned him a calm reaction from the other party, making himself look like a fool.

  This taste made him furious, he let out a loud roar, stretched out his hand and slapped Ye Xu's face, he wanted to crush Ye Xu's pride and make him kneel down to beg for mercy!

  "Sixth Brother, stop!"

  Suddenly a palm grasped his wrist, Ye Feng turned back to see that it was his second brother Ye Bin, who said hastily: "Second brother, what are you doing? He used to ride on my head, didn't he also ride on your head?"

  Ye Bin's mouth twitched, and he let out a cold snort: "No guts! Although Zuo Bai once had higher cultivation than me, it's only natural to admire him. Now that he's fallen on hard times, taking action against him would be bullying the weak. What happened to our sect's teachings? If this gets out, it'll bring shame to the Ye family!" After speaking, he turned his head and apologized to Ye Xu: "Seventh brother, I'm apologizing for what just happened."

  Ye Xuhuan's heart warmed, just about to speak, but saw Ye Bin with a sly smile, saying: "Oh, I was wrong, you're no longer a member of the imperial family, so it's only natural that you can't be called Seventh Brother. Right, Mr. Ma Nu?"

  Ye Xuzhi looked straight at his second brother Ye Bin's seemingly silly face, as if he was seeing him for the first time, and then turned around and left.

  A loud, arrogant laughter came from behind: "Second brother, you're still the best, effortlessly making Xiao Ma Nu half-dead! Xiao Ma Nu, that mansion of yours, I've reserved it. You're just a slave, what qualifications do you have to live in the inner court..."

  A piercing laughter came over, and other Ye family juniors also came forward, flattering Ye Bin.

  Ye Xu's face sank like water, this experience made him realize how important it is to have strong strength!

  As long as you have enough strength, others will respect you. Without strength, you can't even keep the house left by your parents!

  Ye Xiu walked slowly back home, secretly vowing in his heart: "Ma San? Today I'll let you see how this Ma San rebuilds his innate skills and takes back the honor that belongs to me!"

  As he passed by Bichun Garden, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. A familiar voice whispered in his ear: "Chief Steward, please spare me a few more days. Once the young master recovers, I will definitely return that sum of money to you..."

  Ye Xiu heard a harsh voice and calmly said: "Qiao Qiao, these past few days you've borrowed 125 taels of silver from me to treat that good-for-nothing. Are you going to pay me back? What are you going to use to repay me? Are you counting on your family's good-for-nothing young master? Ye Shaobao is already beyond help, even the imperial court's witches can't do anything about it. Do you think those quacks in Liu Zhou will be able to do something?"

  Ye Xiu followed the sound and saw Su Qiaoqiao kneeling in front of an old man with a cold face, begging bitterly.

  That old man was the steward of Ye Manor's outer house, named Ye Li, responsible for managing the outer house slaves.

  Ye's family is the most renowned witch doctor family in Liuzhou City, and even their slaves are well-versed in martial arts. This old servant, Ye Lí, is one of the top ten strongest among thousands of slaves, with a nickname "Qiankun Hand". His status within the Ye Manor surpasses that of some collateral descendants of the imperial family.

  "Qiao Qiao, it's not that I'm heartless, but you'll never be able to repay this silver in your lifetime! However, I'll take pity on you and point out a way for you."

  Ye Li gently rotated the jade ring on her thumb, her eyes greedily scanning Su Qiaoqiao's body back and forth. Although Su Qiaoqiao was not very old, she was a beautiful young woman who had become more and more charming over the years. Her breasts were gradually bulging out, and her buttocks were also raised, with a curvaceous figure that was even more stunning than those of the famous beauties from Liu Zhou.

  Ye Li had long been eyeing it, drooling with desire.

  If it weren't for Su Jiaojiao being Ye Xuan's maid, he would have made his move long ago.

  Su Jiaojiao saw his gaze, her body trembled, as if she understood something. Ye Li was not a good person, she had heard that this half-legged old man who had already stepped into the coffin was extremely lustful and had harmed many of the Ye Manor's maidservants.

  Zi Juan and Feng Zhu, the two maidservants, stole a lot of valuables when Ye Xu was unconscious, and Ye Xu himself suffered severe injuries, with all his meridians severed. He would soon squander all the family's wealth on medical treatment, and without money to buy medicine, he could die at any moment!

  In the past, people in Ye's household would flatter Su Qiaoqiao in every way, but after Ye Xu fell into a coma, these people suddenly changed their faces, as if avoiding a plague god.

  She begged many people in a low voice, but didn't borrow a single penny, and had no choice but to go ask that old lecher Ye Lai for help.

  The leaves rustled, and a dazed voice said: "Come to my room tonight, and the silver you owe me will be written off! I have four taels of silver here, take it first to buy medicine for that good-for-nothing." As soon as he finished speaking, his thin and bony hand flipped lightly, and several pieces of loose silver appeared in his palm.

  Su Jiaojiao bit her lip, clenched her small fist, her fingernails turned white, and her face was pale, suddenly she opened her palm, trembling as she reached for the silver coins.

  Ye's face revealed a triumphant expression, and he thought to himself: "What about Ye Xu's woman? Won't she still end up in my bed?"

  Just as Su Jiao was about to take the silver, a sudden angry voice came: "Jiao Jiao, come over here!"

  Su Jiao turned around and saw Ye Xuan standing not far away with a cold face. She felt both nervous and surprised, quickly got up, lowered her head and came to Ye Xuan's side, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and said in a low voice: "Young Master, how did you come..."

  "If I don't come, you'll let someone else buy it!"

  Ye Xue hummed softly, his tone suddenly becoming gentle, saying: "The medicine you bought is very good, my injury has healed, no need to take medicine anymore. Come home with me..."

  Su Jiaojiao heard the two words "go home" and felt a warmth in her heart, she obediently responded with a soft "en", lowering her head to follow Ye Xu from behind.

  Ye Li's face suddenly changed, and he flashed in front of Ye Xu, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Seventh Master wants to leave? I'm afraid you've forgotten something! Seventh Master's servant borrowed over 120 taels of silver from me to buy medicine for you. A life for a life, a debt repaid, it's only natural! Ha! Seventh Master, either pay back the money or hand over the person!"

  A surge of anger rose in Ye Xuhuai's heart. Would Ye Li dare speak to him like that normally?

  It's just that he saw his own test of Wu Shi fail, his cultivation was abolished, and he lost power in the Ye family, so he fell into the well.

  "Are you married?"

  Ye Xuan's face turned gloomy and he sneered: "Why should I hand her over? The Grand Steward should understand, Qiao Qiao's contract is still in my hands, as long as she's still breathing, she'll remain a person of mine, Ye Shaobao!"

  Ye Li Nu hummed and said: "Since Seventh Master has spoken, we have no choice but to see the official."

  Ye Xuheng's heart sank, this matter was indeed his fault. If they were to go to court, he feared it would not be in Qiaoqiao's favor. He thought for a moment, then untied a jade pendant from his waist and tossed it into Su Qiaoqiao's hand, saying calmly: "Qiaoqiao, take this jade pendant to the pawnshop, use the money to pay him back, and spare me the disgust!"

  "Master, this is the jade pendant left to you by your father, it can't be sold!" Su Qiaoqiao received the jade pendant as if she was holding a hot potato, her heart racing with anxiety, and exclaimed.

  She knew that this jade pendant was the only legacy left by Ye Xuan's father, and it had a great significance to Ye Xuan. He always treated it as his life and carried it with him all the time. Unexpectedly, he was now planning to sell it to pay off debts for her sake!

  "Is the jade pendant important, or is it you who's important?"

  Ye Xuan shook his head and looked at Ye Li with a hint of disdain, saying: "If the Grand Steward has nothing else to do, then we'll meet again another day. Qiaoqiao, let's go!"

  "Master..."

  Su Qiaoqiao's heart was complicated and she felt both moved and terrified, dazedly following Ye Xu from behind.

  Ye's face turned increasingly dark as he watched the two figures, his anger burning hotter by the second. In a sinister tone, he said: "Seventh Master, don't forget that you're now the young master of the Ye family, but you're nothing more than a useless piece of trash, a mere stable boy! I'm in charge of managing the outer gates of the Ye estate, which means I'm in charge of handling insolent slaves like you! Seventh Master, you'd best pray day and night that you never fall into my hands!"

  Ye Xiu stopped in his tracks, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes as he said calmly, "Ye Qiu, if this were the past, would you dare speak to me like that?"

  Ye Li laughed loudly, feeling extremely pleased in his heart. He sneered: "That was in the past! Now you're nothing but a useless waste, a slave. Who knows, one day Seventh Master will personally deliver this little woman to my bed and beg me to favor her!"

  Ye Xu had already sentenced him to death in his heart, and shook his head lightly: "Da Zongguan, you won't live to see that day." After speaking, he pulled Su Qiaoqiao's hand and strode away.

  Su Jiaojiao looked at his gloomy face and her eyes reddened as she said softly, "Young Master, I was wrong..."

  "You're right."

  Ye Xiu's expression softened, everything Su Qiaoqiao had done was to save his life, even if it meant sacrificing herself to a 70 or 80 year old lecherous old man, this kind of intention, how could he not understand?

  "Qiao Qiao, I will make you live a good life again, and let everyone regret that they once looked down on me. Everyone will envy you! I will climb to the top of the martial arts world again and become a wizard! However, there is one thing you must promise me..."

  Ye Xuzhi looked straight into her eyes and said firmly: "I won't let you humiliate yourself again!"

  Su Jiaojiao's heart skipped a beat as she was stared at, her face turned red and she nodded repeatedly in confusion.

  Yexu smiled slightly and said, "Let's go, we're moving, to the horse farm!"