The Gu Family and the Lin Family were both top-tier families in Jinling City, practically capable of covering the sky with one hand.
For ordinary people like Ye Chen, taking a few or even dozens of lives was something they could do on a whim, without a second thought.
She truly couldn't imagine what method Ye Chen could possibly use to escape back here.
At this thought, Xia Qingyue couldn't help the tears streaming down her face again...
"Ye Chen!"
"Did you hear what our daughter said!?"
"She was afraid you'd leave again, so she refused to eat even her favorite chicken drumstick!!"
"Even though her wounds hurt badly, she pretended she wasn't in pain, just waiting for you to come back!!"
"Ye Chen, you must come back, you must come back safely!!"
"Daddy!"
"It's Daddy back!"
Just as Xia Qingyue was praying endlessly, Xiao Ningning suddenly cried out with supreme joy.
The next moment, Xia Qingyue saw Ye Chen walking step by step toward the bed. His eyes were a complex mix of emotions—overflowing doting, surprise, guilt, and heartache... all intertwined.
"Daddy... are you my daddy?"
Xiao Xixi tilted her little face, asking with full expectation.
"I am!"
Instantly, Ye Chen felt a tightness in his throat and almost shed tears along with her. "Ningning, I am Daddy, I am Daddy!"
"Daddy... Daddy!"
Xiao Ningning called out loudly, completely disregarding the pain of her wounds. She stretched out both arms and shouted excitedly, "Daddy, Ningning finally gets to see you! Ningning finally gets to see you!!"
"Daddy... did you beat up the bad guys and chase them away?"
"Daddy... are you hurt, are you hungry?"
Xiao Ningning asked impatiently, her bright, sparkling eyes filled with concern. "Daddy... there's so much delicious food here, Ningning and Mommy saved the best chicken drumstick for Daddy!"
Plop! Plop!
Hearing these words from his daughter, Ye Chen could no longer hold back. Hot tears fell heavily from his eye sockets.
This was his daughter!!
This was his, Ye Chen's, daughter!!
Clearly she had been severely injured...
Clearly she was very weak and hungry...
Yet she still persisted in waiting for Daddy to come back, saving the very best thing for him...
"Ningning!!"
"My daughter!!"
Looking at such a sensible little Ningning, Ye Chen couldn't hold back any longer. He broke down in tears, pulling Xiao Ningning tightly into his arms as he repeated over and over, "The bad guys have already been beaten away!! Daddy isn't hurt at all!! From today on, Daddy will protect Ningning forever... and never, ever let Ningning suffer even half a shred of harm again!!"
"Really?"
Xiao Ningning hugged Ye Chen tightly and said, "Daddy, you won't leave Mommy and Ningning anymore, right? You'll always protect Mommy and Ningning, right?"
"Right! Daddy won't leave anymore..."
Ye Chen stroked Xiao Ningning's soft hair, his tone carrying an unprecedented gentleness. "Daddy will always stay with Mommy and Ningning, and make sure Mommy and Ningning never suffer any harm again!!"
"Good."
Xiao Ningning nodded seriously. "Daddy will protect me and Mommy, and our family of three will always be together!! Daddy, don't ever walk away, otherwise Mommy gets scared and cries secretly at night..."
Hearing this, Ye Chen's body shook violently.
What on earth had these two mother and daughter been through all these years!!
A sharp pain pierced through Ye Chen's heart, and immediately, a vivid scene flashed before his eyes.
In the dead of night, Xia Qingyue lying in bed, secretly shedding tears... alongside Xiao Ningning's sensible little face.
Chapter 14: Xia Qingyue's Past
"Stop talking and eat your meal... She insisted on waiting for you to come back before she would eat."
Afraid that Xiao Ningning's innocent words would reveal more, Xia Qingyue hurriedly changed the subject. "Her tummy has rumbled several times already."
"N-no it hasn't, Ningning isn't hungry... I'll give the chicken drumstick to Daddy in a minute..."
"Rumble~"
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Ningning's stomach rumbled again.
Looking at such a sensible daughter, Ye Chen felt a pang in his nose. He picked up the chicken drumstick and finished it in three or four bites.
Xia Qingyue watched in a daze. Xiao Ningning clearly loved eating chicken drumsticks; how could Ye Chen not have noticed that?
Just as she wanted to hint at something, she saw that Ye Chen had already peeled a shrimp and said, "Ningning's constitution is too weak. Her digestive system might not be able to handle heavy, greasy meats, so it's better to start with fish and shrimp first."
While explaining, Ye Chen had already brought the large shrimp to Xiao Ningning's lips, saying softly, "The chicken drumstick was delicious, and Daddy is full now. Now, Daddy will feed Ningning some shrimp."
"Ah!"
Xiao Ningning obediently opened her mouth.
Xia Qingyue came to a sudden realization. She hurriedly finished the chicken drumstick in her hand, and then joined Ye Chen in feeding Ningning from both sides.
"Delicious... Ningning loves this, with both Daddy and Mommy right by my side!" Xiao Ningning said happily in her childish, milky voice.
Because Xiao Ningning's body was very weak, Ye Chen didn't dare let her eat too much.
After she was six-tenths full, Ye Chen accompanied Xiao Ningning to play for a little while before coaxing her to rest.
Xia Qingyue watched quietly from the side, waiting until Xiao Ningning had fallen soundly asleep before she finally spoke up. "You... did the Gu Family and the Lin Family do anything to you?"
"No."
Ye Chen shook his head and said, "Gu Tianhao and Lin Yuanhong probably offended some big shot, so they were killed by people from the War Department and the Ministry of War!"
"What?!"
Xia Qingyue was startled. Wasn't that too sudden and too coincidental?
"Moreover, the War Department and the Ministry of War have also issued orders to arrest everyone from the Gu Family and the Lin Family! From now on, you and Ningning will never have to be afraid again!" Ye Chen added.
"Yeah!" Xia Qingyue nodded heavily and then fell silent. She didn't quite know how to face Ye Chen...
Back then, Xia Qingyue had saved Ye Chen's life.
Yet when they had relations, Ye Chen was deeply poisoned, and his consciousness was blurred.
Furthermore, Ye Chen and Xia Qingyue had never established a formal relationship; they weren't lovers, let alone husband and wife.
"Under those circumstances, she insisted on giving birth to the child!... And she did it without Ye Chen's consent!!"
At this thought, Xia Qingyue couldn't help clenching her fists.
After a long while, she finally spoke up: "Ye Chen, although you are Ningning's father... I don't want to tie you down with a child. Because that night, you were unconscious..."
"When I gave birth to Ningning, I didn't consult you either—it was entirely my own arbitrary decision! Therefore, you don't need to take responsibility for me!"
"You certainly don't need to feel guilty because of this and say things like you have to take responsibility!!"
By the very last word, Xia Qingyue's eyes were already brimming with a mist of tears.
She too was a proud person; she didn't want to use Xiao Ningning to tie down or drag down Ye Chen!
"Did you think I rushed back out of guilt?"
Ye Chen gave a bitter smile and then slowly pulled a ring out of his pocket.
"Qingyue, I can tell the difference between love and guilt... I bought this ring at a street stall five years ago!!"
"Back then, I imagined countless scenarios of proposing to you!! But I didn't dare!! Because I was severely injured and being hunted down by enemies, with no guarantee of tomorrow, I didn't dare drag you down with me!!"
"Now I'm back... regardless of whether Xiao Ningning exists or not, I was always going to propose to you!!"
With that, Ye Chen dropped directly onto one knee, presenting the ring in his hand to Xia Qingyue.
"This ring isn't valuable, because back then, I only had five yuan to my name... Would you... be willing to wear this five-yuan ring?"
Ye Chen held the ring up with both hands, waiting quietly for Xia Qingyue's answer.
"Sob, sob..."
Watching Ye Chen kneeling on one knee with such an earnest expression, the mist of tears in Qingyue's lovely eyes could no longer be held back, and they broke like a collapsed dam in an instant!
After crying out, she hurriedly used her delicate hand to cover her mouth tightly... After a good while, she steadied her emotions and nodded desperately, "I do, I do!!"
Seeing Xia Qingyue agree, Ye Chen finally smiled.
Then, he gently slid that five-yuan ring onto Xia Qingyue's ring finger.
"From now on... you are my wife!"
Ye Chen smiled as he stood up, gently gathering Xia Qingyue's boneless, slender waist into his arms, his eyes filled with overwhelming doting.
"Yeah!"
Xia Qingyue nodded hard, her tear-streaked, beautiful face flushing with a hint of bashful shyness.
And as Ye Chen looked at her appearance, a sharp ache gripped his heart!!
Five years ago, Xia Qingyue was youthful and beautiful, with a tall, graceful figure, exquisite facial features, and sparkling eyes... Back then, she was known as the First Goddess of Jinling City.
But what about now?
Five years later, Xia Qingyue looked somewhat more mature, with a stronger feminine charm.
Yet, she had suffered terribly; she had lost weight all over, and even... on the back of her hands, her wrists, and her neck, there were bruises and congealed blood!!
Those sparkling, vibrant eyes were gone completely!!
When Ye Chen returned from the Mid-Level Villa, he had already had people thoroughly investigate everything concerning Xia Qingyue and the Xia Family.
The Xia Family was a second-tier family in Jinling City.
To climb high society, the Xia Family had arranged a marriage alliance with the Jiang Family, a top-tier family in Jinling City, preparing to marry Xia Qingyue off to the Jiang Family's second young master.
Xia Qingyue refused to submit even unto death, resulting in Elder Xia locking her inside a room and fiercely berating her: "You'd rather die than agree? Fine! Then once you're dead, I'll have your corpse shipped to the Jiang Family!"
Afterward, Xia Qingyue was locked in that dark, sunless little black room for a full three months.
It wasn't until the day before the wedding that Xia Qingyue was released by Elder Xia.
By that time, Xia Qingyue's belly was already protruding... Xiao Ningning was six months along!!
Seeing this, Elder Xia flew into a rage, directly issuing an order to banish Xia Qingyue from the family before personally going to the Jiang Family to offer apologies, thereby calling off the wedding altogether.
From that day onward, Xia Qingyue became a rootless duckweed. On one hand, she had to find every possible way to survive, while on the other, she thought about how to give the child in her womb a warm home!!
Four months later, Xiao Ningning was born. At that moment, Xia Qingyue thought all her hardships were finally coming to an end...
As a result, Gu Nanfei's appearance plunged her back into hell once more!!
Following that, Xiao Ningning became a mobile blood bank for Gu Nanfei's son. He even warned Xia Qingyue that she was forbidden to take Xiao Ningning away from Jinling, or else he would strangle Xiao Ningning with his own hands and feed her corpse to the dogs!!
If not for Xiao Ningning still existing in her heart, Xia Qingyue probably would have committed suicide countless times over!!
Chapter 15: Respected Mentor
"Five years!"
"These five years... how on earth did you survive them!"
At this thought, Ye Chen felt a sharp tightness in his nose, and he pulled Xia Qingyue tightly into his arms, speaking word by word: "Qingyue, you've suffered all these years!"
"Tomorrow, I'll accompany you back to the Xia Family! I'm going to marry you... I want an extravagant wedding with an eight-bearer sedan chair, a formal and honorable marriage!! I want to tell everyone that you are Ye Chen's wife!!"
"A formal and honorable marriage..." Hearing these resolute and powerful vows, Xia Qingyue teared up once again.
These five years, she hadn't waited in vain!
Xia Qingyue held Ye Chen tightly. After crying her heart out, her eyelids grew increasingly soft and heavy.
She hadn't rested properly these past few days, especially with the events of last night, which had kept her so worried she hadn't dared close her eyes for a single second.
At this moment, both Ye Chen and Xiao Ningning were safe and sound, and seeing Xiao Ningning's breathing grow steadily calmer, her sheep-suet-jade-like little face becoming more and more rosy, Xia Qingyue finally set her mind at ease.
Added to the fact that Ye Chen was right by her side, Xia Qingyue's entire body finally relaxed.
Before long, she fell asleep.
A moment later, Ye Chen looked down to see Xia Qingyue's delicate brows tightly furrowed; even in her sleep, her expression looked heartbreakingly pitiful!
A fresh wave of pain pierced Ye Chen's heart. He reached out and gently smoothed away those furrowed brows.
Only then did he carefully lay Xia Qingyue down on the soft bed.
Both Xia Qingyue and Xiao Ningning were sleeping soundly. Ye Chen stared at the sight of the mother and daughter for a very, very long time... before reluctantly pulling his gaze away and walking out the door.
"Master!"
Outside the door, God of War Chen Junlin, God of Slaughter Nie Wuji, Saint of Medicine Hua Yuntian, and the Richest Man Ma Huayun all bowed in unison.
"Mm."
Facing these prominent figures capable of easily triggering global turmoil, Ye Chen merely nodded slightly, then asked, "The matters I had you investigate—how are the results?"
God of Slaughter Nie Wuji spoke in an icy tone, "Reporting to Master, those people who hunted you down back then have all been recorded by me, without a single omission. The moment you give the order, they will be beheaded."
"Good!"
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed. Since he was back, the scores of the past should all be settled!
"Master."
The Richest Man Ma Huayun said with a hesitant expression, "Reporting to Master, I have already found the cemetery with the best feng shui in Jinling City... It's just that, inside the old Nanshan Graves, Master's Foster Father's remains are still there, but Master's Foster Sister's remains are missing!"
The Foster Father and Foster Sister he spoke of were precisely Ye Chen's adoptive father and adoptive sister.
Five years ago, when Ye Chen was hunted down by enemies, his adoptive father Su Tianyang and adoptive sister Su Mumu were implicated as well, and were murdered by treacherous villains!!
"Mumu's grave is empty!?"
Hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes violently quivered, and he sternly demanded, "Investigate!! Go and find out what happened; you must track down the whereabouts of my sister!"
"Yes!"
Seeing Ye Chen fly into a rage, dozens of disciples dropped to their knees in unison.
These disciples were either overlords of their respective regions or possessed wealth rivaling nations, yet before Ye Chen, they behaved with utmost caution.
Every single one of these disciples had been to the peak of Mount Kunlun, and they deeply understood Ye Chen's terrifying might.
The young man before them had ten thousand outer disciples spread across the entire world. Not just Great Xia Country... every single nation on this planet had his disciples.
Aside from these outer disciples, Ye Chen also possessed ten thousand Kunlun inner disciples!... And Ye Chen himself had achieved sainthood through martial arts, hailed as "Ye Kunlun"!
"Master, we will definitely do everything in our power to recover Foster Sister's remains."
At this moment, the Richest Man Ma Huayun bowed and said, "Before this, disciple has already purchased a manor for you, along with a supercar as your ride. Once Little Junior Sister's injuries stabilize, you and Mistress can move right in."
"Mm... You've put thought into this."
Ye Chen nodded, preparing to issue further instructions, when his expression suddenly shifted.
He had returned in such a rush that he hadn't brought a single thing...
Those priceless antique treasures, gold and silver wealth rivaling nations, the Black Gold Dragon-Head Card symbolizing status and power... and all sorts of other items had been left entirely at the peak of Mount Kunlun.
If he were to make another trip back, he feared it would delay returning home with Xia Qingyue and proposing marriage!!
Seeing Ye Chen frown, the disciples asked one after another, "Master, what's wrong...?"
"I want to hold a world-shaking wedding for Qingyue, but I rushed back and didn't bring anything at all!" Ye Chen said with slight speechlessness.
"This..."
After a few seconds of hesitation, God of War Ye Junlin took the lead: "If Master doesn't find it beneath you, this disciple happens to possess a Cullinan Diamond, which was the trophy after a foreign alien race was subjugated and their nation destroyed!"
The Cullinan Diamond weighed heavily, was pure and transparent, carried a pale blue tint, was equivalent to the size of an adult man's fist, and was a diamond of the absolute finest grade.
In the past, this diamond had even been used by several monarchs to inlay into their scepters and crowns, symbolizing supreme value and power!!!
"Master!"
God of Slaughter Nie Wuji also spoke up: "This disciple also has a diamond in his possession—the Sancy Diamond! This diamond originally belonged to the duke of a certain foreign royal family. After assassinating him, I casually brought this diamond back with me."
The Sancy Diamond was one of the ten most famous diamonds in the world. A pale yellow diamond clearly originating from India, it was said to be the largest diamond ever cut featuring symmetrical facets.
Its value was not the least bit inferior to Ye Junlin's Cullinan Diamond.
"Master!"
Saint of Medicine Hua Yuntian also hurriedly chimed in: "This disciple spent ten painstaking years gathering herbs in extremely frigid regions for three years, and in scorching hot regions for three more years, before combining hundreds of famous medicinal ingredients to refine three Youth-Preserving Pills. Once consumed by a woman, they can maintain her youth for ten years!! I wish to present these three pills to Mistress..."
"Master!"
The Richest Man Ma Huayun vied to speak: "My Tengli Group has been established for decades and holds some influence... I know several world-renowned designers! Therefore, leave Mistress's wedding dress to this disciple to handle!! This disciple guarantees to customize a unique, prestigious wedding dress for Mistress, along with a one-of-a-kind wedding venue!!"
"Master!"
Another disciple scrambled to speak: "This disciple is untalented and lacks special skills... but I own over a thousand gold and jade jewelry stores across Great Xia Country! Leave the betrothal gifts for Master's wedding day to this disciple to take care of!!"
"Master!"
Another disciple rushed to voice out: "This disciple is untalented, but usually enjoys collecting cars, and currently has around several hundred limited-edition luxury cars collected... Leave the wedding motorcade to this disciple to arrange!!"
"Master..."
"Master..."
"Master..."
Listening to his disciples speaking up one after another with such enthusiasm, Ye Chen's head began to throb.
At this rate, wouldn't he have nothing left to do at all?
The only thing he needed to do was honestly act as the groom! Everything else could be solved by his disciples.
"This..."
Ye Chen frowned slightly, unable to help lightly massaging his forehead. His own marriage was actually causing his disciples so much hard work, effort, and expenditure of resources and labor!? That simply wasn't his style of doing things!
"Master, you don't need to hesitate..."
"If not for your guidance, how could this disciple have experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment and total awakening!!"
"That's right, Master... If not for you, there would be no today for this disciple!!"
"Therefore, please leave Master's wedding to us to handle!!"
"Indeed, Master, please give your disciples a chance, consider it a way for us to fulfill our filial piety toward you!!"
Chapter 16: Contact
The disciples were brimming with passionate goodwill.
In the end, Ye Chen had no choice but to agree to their request.
Although things like the Cullinan Diamond, the Sancy Diamond, and the Youth-Preserving Pills were luxury items worth hundreds of millions...
Which of Ye Chen's disciples wasn't a tycoon holding tens of billions in assets?
As for Ye Chen himself, hundreds of millions were even less worth mentioning!
One must know that while cultivating, the ten thousand disciples of the Kunlun Sect would also descend the mountain to execute missions, and the rewards for these missions were extremely generous!
Beyond that, the Kunlun Sect possessed a foundation spanning several millennia, having long since accumulated an untold amount of priceless heavenly treasures.