Ye Chen denied this excitedly. It was a matter of a man's dignity; he couldn't help but be stirred.
"Really? I don't believe it. Unless you prove it to me." Lin Ruoyi gave a soft huff, her small hand slipping inside Ye Chen's shirt, wandering restlessly. She loved this man! She was willing to give herself to him.
"Ruoyi, where did you learn to be so mischievous? Stop it," Ye Chen said seriously. "When the time is right, I will satisfy all your requests, but not now."
He then picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He hadn't expected the little girl to actually dare to stoke his fire! His body was becoming increasingly restless. If he didn't restrain himself, the Dragon Blood Poison might flare up.
Entering the bedroom, he set her down on the bed. However, Ruoyi took him by surprise. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him directly on the lips.
"Mmph..." Ye Chen was caught off guard, his mouth sealed by her soft, moist lips, rendering him speechless. It was strange—he could dodge bullets, but he couldn't dodge a young woman's sweet kiss. Stimulated, his blood rushed to his head. His eyes turned red; the Dragon Blood Poison was becoming nearly impossible to suppress!
***
Lin Ruoyi didn't notice anything unusual. She kept her eyes closed, kissing the man she deeply loved, trying to break through his final line of defense.
"Ruoyi, no!" At that moment, Ye Chen hurriedly broke free. He was breathing heavily, his eyes already bloodshot, the veins in his neck bulging. His appearance frightened Lin Ruoyi.
"Brother Ye Chen, what’s wrong with you?" she asked, her eyes full of fear and worry.
"It's... it's nothing. You rest first. I need to take a cold shower." Ye Chen immediately circulated his true qi, straining to suppress the Dragon Blood Poison. He dragged his heavy footsteps out of the room.
Lin Ruoyi watched him, wondering if this was the consequence Brother Ye Chen had mentioned. How could she rest easy? She quickly got up to follow him and offer comfort.
Ye Chen entered the bathroom and didn't forget to lock the door behind him to prevent Ruoyi from rushing in. He stood under the showerhead, doused in cold water.
"Brother Ye Chen, are you alright?" Lin Ruoyi asked from outside the bathroom door, deeply worried.
"I’ll be fine in a moment. Go rest. You standing there is actually making it harder for me," Ye Chen replied in a pained voice.
"Oh, alright then." Lin Ruoyi had no choice but to leave. She realized it now: Ye Chen had become like this because of her! From now on, she had to keep her distance!
Half an hour later, a calmed-down Ye Chen stepped out of the bathroom. He went silently to his own room and lay down to rest. He took the opportunity to examine the Dragon Soul Jade Talisman he had obtained from the King of Jiangnan, but after toying with it for a long time, he found nothing unique. Even when he channeled his true qi into it, the talisman didn't react at all. Finding nothing, he put the talisman away.
However, one thing had been weighing on Ye Chen’s mind: How did the King of Jiangnan know that the Ye family possessed the Dragon Soul Jade Talisman? Not even he had known this secret. He suspected that a much larger conspiracy might be tied to the talisman. Recalling events from the past, he drifted off to sleep.
The next day, after breakfast, Ye Chen went to the company.
In the president's office, acting President Gao Lan was reporting on the work. She had changed into a more casual, short dress, but her long legs were still encased in her signature black silk stockings. Under her management, Yelin Group had experienced no operational issues. Whenever someone refused to follow her, she only needed to invoke Ye Chen’s name to keep them in check.
"Your work has been excellent; I didn't choose the wrong person. In a few days, the group will have a new president. By then, you will serve as the president's assistant. Do you have any issues with that?" Ye Chen said with satisfaction, his gaze involuntarily lingering on her stockings for two seconds.
"Thank you for your affirmation, President Ye! I will follow your arrangements entirely!" Gao Lan nodded, adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses. Her every move was the picture of elegance. She had basically guessed who the new president would be.
"If there are any problems you can't solve, tell me. Also, I will be coming to you for any money-related matters, so make sure to handle the transition well," Ye Chen instructed.
"Don't worry, President Ye. I would have handled it well even if you hadn't said anything," Gao Lan promised. With her there, Ye Chen would have absolutely no worries.
"Hmm, very good." Ye Chen nodded with satisfaction, looking at Gao Lan’s figure.
"President Ye, do you think what I'm wearing is inappropriate? I won't dress so casually next time!" Gao Lan looked embarrassed. Her outfit today was indeed a bit too relaxed.
"I didn't mean that at all. You look quite pretty like this," Ye Chen immediately shook his head. How could he think that these stockings didn't look good?
Receiving the compliment, a blush immediately flew across Gao Lan's pretty face. Her heart was in complete turmoil.
Shortly after, Ye Chen left the company and arrived at the site of the old Ye family estate. The ruins of the Ye family home had been completely cleared, and the mausoleum was already under construction. The construction team was moving quickly, and it was expected to be finished by tomorrow. Ye Chen told the funeral service company to schedule the ceremony for the day after tomorrow. When the time came, any citizen of Jiangbei who wished to attend would be welcome.
The matter was settled. Once the funeral was over, his business in Jiangbei would be concluded, and he would set off to find his senior sisters.
That night, Ye Chen and Ruoyi snuggled on the sofa like a young couple, watching television.
At the same time, in Jiangdong City, at the residence of the King of Jiangnan.
A vehicle pulled up to a checkpoint on the road, but there were no guards standing watch to inspect it. The person in the car was a trusted aide of the King of Jiangnan, who had just returned from running errands.
"Is everyone dead? Why is no one coming to let us through! Hey! Where did everyone go!" The man rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and shouted.
However, there was only darkness ahead, and no response. Realizing something was wrong, the man quickly got out of the car, clicked on his flashlight, and walked forward. He saw the corpses of several officers behind the checkpoint!
The man’s face turned pale with shock. Why were the officers of the King of Jiangnan’s residence dead?!
He rushed forward, only to find a trail of corpses belonging to the officers! "What... what is going on here?! Who did this?!" the man screamed. Panic-stricken, he raced toward the residence. The bodies strewn about everywhere filled him with growing dread. Something like this happening at the King of Jiangnan’s residence was unheard of!
Could something have happened to that King? No, how could anything happen to that King? In Jiang Province, no one dared to touch that King!
Minutes later, the man reached the gate of the residence, gasping for breath. The entire estate was pitch black and deathly silent. He walked through the shattered gates, shone his flashlight, and froze in his tracks. The courtyard was covered in corpses! A heavy stench of blood mixed with the smell of decay hit him.
The man trembled all over, unable to believe what he was seeing. This was impossible! All the guards inside the residence were dead! Where was the King?!
"My Lord! My Lord! Where are you?" the man shouted, stepping over the corpses as he charged into the house. The gruesome sight along the way made him retch uncontrollably. His terror grew. Finally, the man found the secret chamber and saw the King of Jiangnan lying dead on the floor. The corpse had already turned black, showing signs of post-mortem lividity and decay!
His legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees. He trembled violently, completely bewildered. He could not believe that the King of Jiangnan had been killed right inside his own home! Who could have done this, and who had the power to do it?!
Something was wrong—something terrible! The death of the King of Jiangnan would shake all of Jiang Province!
After a long time, the panicked man crawled up from the floor. He stumbled out of the treasure-filled secret chamber. He had no interest in the gold and jewels anymore. He just wanted to get out—to leave this hell on earth! He had to hurry and meet that God of War Dongfang, who ruled over the five provinces of the East! He had to report to the Lord God of War that his representative in Jiang Province, the King of Jiangnan, had been slaughtered!
The man was so terrified he couldn't even walk straight, falling dozens of times before he finally escaped the residence. Once he told the God of War Dongfang the news, the God of War's wrath would bring catastrophe to Jiang Province!
***
The next day, Ye Chen was still asleep when Lin Ruoyi burst into his room, excited. "Brother Ye Chen, stop sleeping! Something big has happened!" She walked over and shook him.
"Don't bother me, let me sleep a bit more," Ye Chen mumbled, rolling over.
"Oh, wake up! I'm going to pull the covers off!" Lin Ruoyi didn't hesitate; she yanked the blankets away.
*Whoosh!*
Ye Chen felt a sudden chill and jolted awake. He was only wearing his underwear.
"Ah!!" Lin Ruoyi saw something she shouldn't have and was startled. It was common knowledge that a normal man woke up in the morning like a flagpole. Ye Chen realized the situation and immediately grabbed the covers. It wasn't out of shyness, but simply because he didn't want to frighten the girl.
"Brother Ye Chen, why are you like this? Were you thinking about that kind of thing while you slept?" Lin Ruoyi asked, blushing.
"What are you thinking about? This is a normal physiological reaction for a man," Ye Chen said with a bitter smile. If he hadn't been a "flagpole" at his age, something would have been seriously wrong. "What happened that’s so big you're this excited?"
"Look at the news! The King of Jiangnan has been killed!" Lin Ruoyi excitedly shoved her phone toward him. As soon as she’d woken up, she’d seen the explosive news. The ruler of Jiang Province, the King of Jiangnan, had actually been murdered!
"I know. I killed him," Ye Chen replied nonchalantly, using the calmest tone to deliver the most terrifying and arrogant statement.
"Ah?!" Lin Ruoyi was stunned. She thought she had misheard. "Brother Ye Chen, did you say you killed the King of Jiangnan?" she asked for confirmation.
"Yeah," Ye Chen replied with the same casual expression.
"How could that be?! Why did you kill the King of Jiangnan?" Lin Ruoyi cried out in shock. Based on his expression, she was certain that Brother Ye Chen really had killed him!
"Uh... I thought the King of Jiangnan had kidnapped you, so I went to save you and killed him along the way. Besides, the old thief was the enemy who wiped out my family; he deserved to die," Ye Chen explained simply.
"..." Lin Ruoyi was left speechless. Her Brother Ye Chen had gone and killed the King of Jiangnan just to save her! That was the King of Jiangnan! He had actually been killed! This man's power and terror were once again beyond her understanding.
"You don't need to worry. No matter what happens, I'm here," Ye Chen laughed, not taking it to heart at all.
***
Meanwhile, at the residence of the God of War Dongfang.
"Report, God of War! We’ve found out!" A War General rushed onto the main hall, his face extremely tense.
"Tell me, who did it!" On the stage of the hall, a tall, burly man stood with his hands behind his back. He was in his forties with short, stubbled hair and a stern face. He was the God of War Dongfang, ruler of the five provinces of the East!
At this moment, the God of War Dongfang’s face was livid. His subordinate, the King of Jiangnan, had been killed! Moreover, of the hundreds of people in the entire Jiangnan residence, not a single one had survived! Who was so bold as to kill his men in his own territory?!
"Reporting to the God of War, it was a young man named Ye Chen! Here is the detailed profile on the kid!" The War General quickly stepped forward to present the document, then retreated, not daring to get too close to the God of War. Because right now, the God of War was furious! When the God of War was angry, rivers of blood would flow!
"Ye Chen? Where did this piece of trash crawl out from?" The God of War Dongfang took the document and frowned as he looked it over. The file contained Ye Chen's photo, age, and basic family information. Other than that, there was nothing else. No matter how you looked at it, this was just an ordinary kid whose family had been wiped out!
"This kind of trash had the ability to break into the King of Jiangnan’s residence and kill him?" The God of War Dongfang’s eyebrows arched, his face full of disdain and disbelief. The residence of the King of Jiangnan was guarded by heavy troops; how could this kid possibly handle that on his own?
"God of War, it was indeed this kid. Here is the surveillance from the King of Jiangnan’s residence; it recorded the whole process of him breaking in." The War General hurried to present his phone, playing the video. The footage clearly showed Ye Chen easily taking care of the guards.
"Heh, it seems this kid is indeed not simple. He must be an expert in the Martial Emperor Realm. It's truly surprising that someone like this could come out of Jiangbei!" The God of War Dongfang glanced at it twice and let out a cold laugh. That laugh caused the temperature in the entire hall to drop several degrees. The War General beside him felt a chill run down his spine.
"Daring to kill my men—the brat is seeking his own death! In my territory, I will never allow anyone to challenge my authority!" The God of War Dongfang threw the document on the floor and stepped on it, grinding it into powder.
"God of War, please give the order! I will immediately take men to execute this kid!" The War General requested. A mere kid above the Martial King Realm, in the Martial Emperor Realm, daring to make the God of War angry—he was as good as dead!
"I appoint you as the new King of Jiangnan. Depart for your post immediately. Bring me that kid's head! A mere ant dares to look at the heavens!" The God of War Dongfang ordered coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Rest assured, God of War! I will soon be back to present that kid's head to you!" The War General bowed and left.
***
At the same time, in the Northern Territory of Long Country, inside a field camp.
"Is the news verified?" a woman of stunning beauty, cold as frost, asked, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Absolutely verified! It really was that kid who did it." Beside her was another equally beautiful woman, dressed in crisp, capable combat gear.
"That kid... to cause such a huge commotion. He really is himself, isn't he?" the stunning woman said. "I know this happened; that God of War Dongfang must know about it, too. Prepare a private jet to Jiangbei. I'm going to Jiangbei!"
"Understood, I will arrange it right away. But what will happen to the Northern Territory if you leave?" the subordinate asked with some concern.
"Don't worry. I'm only leaving for a few days; nothing will happen to the Northern Territory." The beautiful woman smiled faintly. The only person who could make her abandon all the affairs of the Northern Territory was that kid!
***
Back in Jiangbei, Ye Chen returned to the old Ye estate to supervise the construction of the mausoleum. By dusk, dozens of tombs had been completed. Naturally, there were more than a few dozen Ye family members who had died, so these tombs were merely symbolic. There were no remains in them, only soil from the old Ye family estate.
...
The next afternoon, at the auspicious hour, Ye Chen wore hemp funeral attire to hold the memorial for his parents and the deceased members of the Ye family, allowing the souls of his family to finally rest in peace. Lin Ruoyi, with bandages wrapped around her face, accompanied him.
The remaining elite families of Jiangbei came uninvited to pay their respects. They all wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to Ye Chen. After all, Jiangbei was now entirely under Ye Chen's rule. Many ordinary citizens of Jiangbei who had once benefited from the Ye family also came with heavy hearts to mourn.
The funeral site was a sea of people—tens of thousands of them. Though there were many people, it was very quiet, without any noise.
But just as the funeral was coming to an end, a commotion was heard from the perimeter.
"The King of Jiangnan has arrived!" a voice announced.
"Are you all deaf or blind! Get out of the way! The King of Jiangnan has arrived! Commoners, back off!"
Twenty-some officers in combat gear marched ahead, pushing the ordinary citizens aside roughly. Those who couldn't get out of the way fast enough were even grabbed and thrown aside. The citizens attending the funeral all changed expression, hurriedly backing away to both sides to open up a wide path. They didn't even dare to look up or stare directly at the King who ruled Jiang Province.
Guided by the officers, a luxurious convertible slowly drove up. The noise and commotion shattered the solemnity of the funeral.
"King of Jiangnan?" Hearing those three words, Ye Chen's expression darkened. He turned and looked into the distance. Inside the convertible sat a man with a stern, gaunt face. It was not the King of Jiangnan who had died. So, this was the newly appointed one.
"Brother Ye Chen, what should we do?" Lin Ruoyi asked worriedly. She knew the new King of Jiangnan had come to settle accounts!
"President Ye, should I go greet him?" Gao Lan asked proactively. She was personally responsible for greeting guests at the funeral today.
"Don't worry. I will greet him myself," Ye Chen said in a low, calming voice to the two beauties beside him. He then flashed forward a few steps, standing in the middle of the road, his murderous intent already beginning to surface.
The officers clearing the path immediately stopped.
"Boy, didn't you see the King of Jiangnan arrive?! How dare you be so blind as to block the road!" a field officer in the Martial King Realm jumped out, pointing at Ye Chen's nose and scolding him.