Right in the center, the head of the Sun family lay pinned to the ground by a sword!
The man in sunglasses felt his head spin. He stood frozen in shock, completely unable to believe the scene before him. How, how could this be possible?
Outside the courtyard, the Grandmaster-level bodyguards brought by the man in sunglasses had attacked Ye Chen without a word. The result was predictable: after just two or three moves, dozens of them were sprawled comfortably on the ground. The members of the other families, having witnessed Ye Chen’s terrifying strength, were instantly struck with such fear that they dared not move.
At this moment, the man in sunglasses hobbled out, his face ashen.
"They're dead... they’re all dead!"
Fear filled his eyes, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably. He looked at Ye Chen as if he were staring at the Grim Reaper himself.
"Who’s dead?"
The members of the other families were utterly bewildered. They rushed into the Sun family’s courtyard, but upon witnessing the gruesome sight, their own faces turned just as pale.
"Can you clear the way now?" Ye Chen asked coldly.
The bodyguards blocking the path for the various families stood still. They were panicking, but without orders from their respective heads, they dared not move aside. They were all waiting for their masters to speak.
The family heads, shocked by the carnage at the Sun estate, glanced at each other. They couldn’t believe that the vast Sun family had been wiped out in such a miserable fashion. Even those men in camouflage tactical gear—the King of Jiangnan’s own subordinates—were all dead!
Could Ye Chen have done all of this? How did this brat dare?!
"Not answering, are you?" Ye Chen hummed lightly. "Then, those who block me, die! Whichever family’s people block my path, that family will perish!"
He said the most terrifying words in a calm, indifferent tone, then calmly began to walk away.
"Move! Quickly, move out of the way!"
"Clear a path for him, now!"
The terrified family heads shouted frantically. They didn't want to end up like the Sun family, having their entire house wiped out! This brat was a reaper—he absolutely could not be provoked!
Upon receiving the order, the thousands of guards immediately retreated, clearing a wide path.
"At least you know what’s good for you," Ye Chen said with a satisfied smile. "Remember this: I am Ye Chen of the Jiangbei Ye family. Open your eyes and use your brains in the future—don't provoke me."
He gave the Jiangnan families a piece of parting advice and strode away. The heads of the various families, large and small, didn't dare utter a single word. The bystanders watching from a distance were left completely dumbfounded. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they never would have believed it! The great families of Jiangnan were being cowed by a single young man, not even daring to let out a fart! Seeing these arrogant, tyrannical families brought to this state was incredibly cathartic. My goodness, this young man was truly extraordinary!
Ye Chen hailed a taxi by the side of the road and returned to Jiangbei City. The trip had taken no time at all. Since it was still early, Ye Chen went to a funeral services company. He intended to hold a funeral for his parents and the deceased members of the Ye family. He planned to build a cemetery at the abandoned old Ye residence, giving the wronged souls of his family a final resting place so they would no longer be wandering, lonely ghosts.
He told the staff at the funeral home to hurry; the sooner, the better. As for the expenses, he told them to go to Gao Lan at the company. With the vast assets of the newly acquired Zhao family firm, there would certainly be no shortage of money. The funeral home staff, well aware of who Ye Chen was, promised to handle everything to the highest standard.
After giving his instructions, Ye Chen took a taxi back to the hotel.
Meanwhile, at the mansion of the King of Jiangnan, a man sat upon a throne inside a luxuriously decorated hall. He was in his fifties, sporting a handlebar mustache; his wrinkled face seemed to hide deep schemes in every line. He wore a deep-gold Tang suit, his fingers adorned with several rings—some gold, some jade—and he clutched an emerald pipe. His appearance perfectly matched his status as the "uncrowned king" of Jiang Province.
"Reporting to you, sir, the situation has been investigated," a confidant said. "Sun Zhiye is dead, and the twenty-plus officers you sent were also killed by Ye Chen!"
"The audacity!" The King of Jiangnan stood up abruptly, his anger like thunder. "Moving against the Sun family was one thing, but to kill my people! This brat is a blight that cannot be left alive!"
A mere remnant of the Ye family, who had somehow survived—only to return and turn Jiangbei and Jiangnan upside down! And today, over the phone, he had even dared to challenge him, the King of Jiangnan! It was absolutely outrageous!
"Sir, please give the order," the confidant said, filled with righteous indignation. "I will organize men immediately to go and take the brat's pathetic life!"
"No, bring him to me alive!" The King of Jiangnan’s dark face twisted into a sinister sneer. "I want to see exactly how capable this brat is. I want to carve out his heart and strip his bones with my own hands! That boy’s blood might still be of use to me!"
"Understood, sir! I will make the arrangements to capture him alive!" The confidant left to carry out the order.
The King of Jiangnan sat back down on his throne, fiddling with his emerald pipe, his gaze growing increasingly murky. To think the boy from the Ye family was still alive! It was an exciting development, because the boy was still of use to him.
...
Back in Jiangbei, Ye Chen was in a taxi returning to the hotel when he received a call from the acting CEO, Gao Lan. She informed him that the medicinal herbs he had requested had all been purchased. Excited, Ye Chen changed his destination to the company.
Upon arriving at the building, he looked up and saw that the signs had already been changed to the four golden characters: "Yelin Group." Ye Chen smiled with satisfaction. Gao Lan was highly efficient, a quality he truly admired.
When he reached the CEO's office, Gao Lan, who had been sitting, stood up immediately to greet him, her long legs encased in silk stockings moving with practiced grace.
"President Ye, these are the herbs you requested on the table," Gao Lan reported with a smile. "They weren't easy to acquire—they cost over a hundred million in total."
Some of these herbs were so precious that obtaining them was a feat. For example, the Millennium Blood Lotus was virtually impossible to find on the open market and had eventually been bought from a private collector for tens of millions. The pile of herbs on the table was worth more than a hundred million.
"Very good. Thank you for your hard work." Ye Chen inspected the quality of the herbs. He didn't care about the cost, only that the collection was complete. Now that he had all the ingredients, he could make the scar-removal ointment to treat the wounds on Ruoyi’s face.
"Thank you for the praise, President Ye!" Receiving his affirmation, Gao Lan beamed. Every bit of her effort had been worth it!
Ye Chen told Gao Lan to help him buy a house and a car tomorrow. He had thought of this on the way over—he couldn't keep living in a hotel with Ruoyi; he needed to settle their living and transportation situation. As for what to buy, he told her to use her own judgment.
Ye Chen also remembered Uncle Li, who had been kind to Ruoyi, and decided to arrange for him to stay in the best nursing home in the city so he could live out his later years in peace. Gao Lan took notes on everything, promising to handle it all diligently.
Afterward, Ye Chen carried the box of herbs back to his hotel room.
"Brother Ye Chen, you're finally back!" Lin Ruoyi said, looking overjoyed. She swayed toward him and gave him a big hug. "What’s in that big box?" She had been practicing walking all day and was already getting quite steady.
"It’s a surprise. I’ll tell you in a moment," Ye Chen laughed. "You must be hungry, let’s have dinner first. Also, I like the name 'Brother Ye Chen' very much—you must only call me that from now on."
He set down the medicine box and took out the dinner he had picked up on the way.
"Okay, Brother Ye Chen!" Lin Ruoyi said happily. "What good things did you buy? I’m starving!" With no outsiders in the room, she was uninhibited, reverting to the lively, cheerful girl she once was.
Twenty minutes later, they finished dinner.
"Brother Ye Chen, can you tell me what the surprise is now?" Lin Ruoyi blinked her bright, clear eyes.
"Go take a shower first," Ye Chen said with a mysterious smile, deciding to keep her in suspense. "When you're done, I have something very important to do."
"Brother Ye Chen, what do you want to do? Why do I have to wait until I've showered?" Lin Ruoyi said, blushing. Her thoughts drifted toward 'that' kind of thing, and her heart began to flutter.
"Don't guess randomly; you'll know in a while," Ye Chen said calmly, not noticing that the girl had misinterpreted him. "Be careful in the shower, don't slip."
Lin Ruoyi nodded. With a heart full of nervous anticipation, she walked shakily to the bathroom. Ye Chen immediately opened the medicine box, took a measured amount of each herb, and ground them into powder. On the way over, he had bought the grinding tools and a crucible for brewing.
He ground dozens of herbs into powder and mixed them in precise proportions. He added water and simmered the mixture in the crucible until it turned into a thick paste. The unparalleled scar-removal ointment was complete!
Half an hour had passed, and Lin Ruoyi finally emerged, wearing a bathrobe. She had spent a long time in the shower, smelling fragrant from head to toe.
"Brother Ye Chen, why is there such a strong medicinal smell?" Lin Ruoyi wrinkled her nose. The room was thick with the scent of herbs.
"Come over and sit on the sofa. The surprise is about to be revealed," Ye Chen said with a laugh, still keeping the secret.
Lin Ruoyi’s heart hammered. She walked over and sat on the sofa, subconsciously clutching her bathrobe tighter, her head bowed. At the thought that Ye Chen might want to do 'that' with her, she felt inferior because of her appearance. But since Brother Ye Chen didn't mind, she was willing!
Ye Chen carried a bowl of the ointment to the sofa. Seeing Ruoyi’s shy demeanor, he was puzzled. What was this girl blushing about?
"Ruoyi, this is the surprise I wanted to give you—a secret, exclusive scar-removal ointment. Use this, and in ten days to half a month, the scars on your face will disappear completely!" Ye Chen smiled.
"Huh? This is the surprise you were talking about?" Lin Ruoyi was stunned and looked up.
"What else did you think it was?" Ye Chen frowned slightly.
"No, nothing!" Lin Ruoyi shook her head quickly, changing the subject. She felt incredibly embarrassed—so she had been overthinking it! This guy, all he wanted was to apply some medicine; why did he have to make her take a shower! How annoying!
She had no idea that Ye Chen had told her to shower just to get her out of the way so he could make the ointment.
Ye Chen took the ointment and carefully applied it to the half of Lin Ruoyi’s face covered in scars. After he finished, he wrapped it with gauze.
"There. From now on, you'll need to change this dressing every day," Ye Chen said with a smile.
"Brother Ye Chen, thank you." Lin Ruoyi threw herself into Ye Chen’s arms and held him tight. She believed the ointment would work. She didn't dare hope for her face to be perfectly healed, but as long as it wasn't as ugly as it was now, it would be enough! She didn't know that the raw materials alone for this ointment were worth over a hundred million—and the formula itself was priceless.
Late at night, Lin Ruoyi asked Ye Chen to sleep with her. Ye Chen felt a headache coming on—this was yet another test for him. He had to suppress the Dragon Blood Poison to prevent losing control.
The night passed without incident.
At noon the next day, Gao Lan called to say that both the house and the car were ready. She would bring the car to the hotel and deliver the keys to the house at the same time.
"Ruoyi, I bought a house for you. Let’s go take a look," Ye Chen said with a smile.
"I... I don't want to go out," Lin Ruoyi said. Even with her face bandaged, she was terrified of going outside; she feared people seeing her.
"It's okay. I'm by your side," Ye Chen said, gripping her slender wrist to encourage her. Ruoyi suddenly found the courage and nodded.
When they arrived outside the hotel, an eye-catching red sports car was parked at the roadside. Gao Lan, wearing a uniform skirt and silk stockings, was leaning against it and waving. She looked better than any high-end car show model!
Ye Chen led Ruoyi over by the hand. He was quite satisfied with the car. Gao Lan, sharp-eyed, quickly recognized the woman with half her face bandaged as the former "Number One Beauty of Jiangbei," Lin Ruoyi! She finally understood that the "Lin" in "Yelin Group" referred to her. Seeing Ye Chen holding her hand so intimately, she felt a wave of envy. How wonderful it would be if she could be the one by President Ye's side!
Ye Chen drove Lin Ruoyi to their new home at the Jinyuan Villa complex—the most high-end, luxurious residential area in Jiangbei. Only the wealthy or powerful could live here. Following the address, Ye Chen arrived at a four-story detached villa. He took the keys and walked inside.
"Is this our new home?" Lin Ruoyi exclaimed. She knew that a villa here cost over a hundred million!
"That’s right. From now on, you are the lady of this house," Ye Chen said, petting her head. He was quite satisfied with Gao Lan’s choice.
"I can't imagine I get to live in such a big house!" Lin Ruoyi was overwhelmed. She thought to herself: if she was the lady of the house, then the master must be Ye Chen? Had he just tacitly acknowledged their relationship?! Her heart began to flutter wildly at the thought.
Lin Ruoyi soon thought of Uncle Li, who had helped her. When she learned that Ye Chen had already arranged for him to be in a nursing home, she felt relieved.
The villa was fully furnished with all the daily necessities; they could move in right away. During the day, Ye Chen took Ruoyi to the mall to buy clothes, mainly because the outfits he had previously bought her didn't fit quite right. While shopping, he keenly noticed two men secretly following them. Although they were well-disguised, they couldn't escape his sharp eyes.
"Ruoyi, go ahead and pick out some clothes. I'm going to the restroom," Ye Chen said, finding an excuse to leave the shop. Near a railing in the distance, two middle-aged men were pretending to chat.
Ye Chen flashed across the room and appeared beside them. Feeling a terrifying murderous aura, the two men tried to strike, but Ye Chen was faster, striking their acupuncture points. The two Grandmaster-level men went numb and were unable to move.
"Speak truthfully. Who are you?" Ye Chen said coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "If you don't talk, I'll throw you off this floor."
They were on the fifth floor of the mall; falling from this height would surely be fatal!
"What are you talking about? We don't understand," one of them said, still trying to play the part.
Ye Chen, losing patience, grabbed the man by the shoulders and tossed him over the railing. The man fell in a perfect free-fall, landing with a sickening splat—brains and blood spattering everywhere.
The other man watched his companion vanish in the blink of an eye and gasped, looking at Ye Chen with pure terror. This brat was vicious—he was a devil!
"I'll talk! Please don't kill me!" the man begged before Ye Chen could even ask again. "It... it was Officer Zhou Wu who sent us to track you!"
"And who is this Officer Zhou Wu?" Ye Chen demanded.
The man was shivering, terrified that this reaper would throw him off next. Down below, the mall was bustling; a crowd was already gathering around the corpse.
"I'm asking you, whose man is Zhou Wu?" Ye Chen pressed. He already had an answer, but he wanted confirmation.
The man’s teeth chattered, unable to speak. Or rather, he didn't dare say the name! Ye Chen grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him up easily, staring at him with murderous intensity.
"He... he is a subordinate of the King of Jiangnan!" the man confessed, unable to bear the terror of impending death any longer. "I've told you everything! Please, spare me!"
"It really is the King of Jiangnan!" Ye Chen sneered. "What is the purpose and plan behind tracking me?"
"I really don't know!" the man trembled. "I was only ordered to track your movements. I know nothing else!"
Ye Chen didn't waste any more words. He tossed the man over the railing. Spare him? That was impossible. Working for the King of Jiangnan was an unforgivable crime. The man screamed as he fell, landing right next to his dead companion, dying instantly. The onlookers were shocked. Why was there another jumper? Was it a lovers' suicide pact?
Ye Chen turned and walked back to the clothing store as if nothing had happened.
Lin Ruoyi had picked out a pretty floral dress, but because it cost over three thousand yuan, she hesitated to buy it. Ye Chen walked over and told the clerk to wrap it up.
"Is this too expensive? Maybe we shouldn't buy it?" Lin Ruoyi tugged on Ye Chen's sleeve.