Volume I: The Young Master of the Demon God, Chapter 37: The Ye Family of the Imperial City

Within the Demon God Sword Domain, Qi Yu reached a deeper understanding of sword intent. With the enhancement of his intent, the power of his sword energy surged by at least fivefold, and his speed increased dramatically as well. During his trials against Little Yu’er—who was using only one and a half levels of her strength—he was now able to trade blows back and forth.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by, and as Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue emerged from their cloud cabin, the cloud ship began its slow descent.

The Royal City was the lifeblood of the Great Yan Kingdom and its premier city, flourishing beyond measure.

Standing on the deck of the cloud ship, Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue gazed down, deeply shaken. The Royal City was so vast that it stretched to the horizon, appearing as boundless as the sea.

Beyond their own vessel, dense swarms of cloud ships were descending from every direction. Countless cultivators poured out, clad in diverse attire; some even carried their weapons openly on their backs.

Zhang Wendian stepped off the ship and said, "Our Sword Sect shares a deep friendship with the Ye family of the Royal City, so we shall stay with them during our time here."

Just then, a squad of armored soldiers approached, clutching a wanted poster.

The leader of the soldiers held up the poster and shouted, "Take a look, everyone! See if you have encountered this person. A reward of one thousand gold coins for anyone who provides information! This person is named Qi Yu. His father was the disgrace of the Eastern Continent, the coward Qi Zhenming, who fled during the purge of the Demon’s Lair four years ago!"

Hearing these words, Qi Yu’s eyes burned with rage; he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Do not act impulsively!"

Seeing this, Zhang Wendian hurriedly pulled the black veil of his cloak over Qi Yu’s face.

Qi Yu’s eyes brimmed with infinite killing intent as he glared at the leader of the soldiers. The soldier, as if sensing the gaze, suddenly turned and looked toward them.

"You there in the cloak, come here! Take it off!" the soldier commanded loudly.

The three of them paused.

"I’m talking to you! I said take off the cloak—did you hear me?"

The soldiers closed in. Seeing that Qi Yu remained unmoved, the leader grew wary and ordered his men to surround the trio. Zhang Wendian’s expression turned cold; he knew that if they were exposed, a fight would be unavoidable.

At that moment, a tall man in brocade robes strode over. "Hahaha, Brother Zhang! Why have you arrived so late?"

The man was none other than Huo Guanyang, the Lord of Canglan City!

Huo Guanyang looked at Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue with a smile. "These must be your juniors? They’ve grown so tall!"

Liu Rouxue, having never met the City Lord, was confused by the situation, but Zhang Wendian immediately reacted, cupping his hands with a smile. "Brother Huo, you’ve been waiting a long time!"

Huo Guanyang nodded, then glanced at the armored soldiers surrounding them, his voice turning icy. "Back off!"

His voice carried not only anger but the crushing authority of a superior. The soldiers shuddered and retreated several steps.

The leader stepped forward, asking, "Might I ask who you are, sir?"

Huo Guanyang sneered, "A mere local guard, and you think you are qualified to know my identity?"

The leader persisted, "Sir, although we are under the command of the Zhen family, we serve the Great Yan Dynasty, just like any other royal soldier!"

"The same? You are nothing more than dogs for a noble house!"

The soldier’s expression froze. Huo Guanyang produced a City Lord’s token, and upon seeing it, the soldiers immediately knelt in salute. Huo Guanyang gave them only a cold glance before leading Qi Yu and his companions away from the gate and into the city.

In truth, Huo Guanyang did not know Qi Yu; he had come for other matters and had merely stumbled upon the scene. Noticing Zhang Wendian and the heavily cloaked Qi Yu, he had immediately guessed the situation.

"Lord Huo, thank you for the intervention," Zhang Wendian said, bowing.

Huo Guanyang waved his hand dismissively. "It’s nothing. They were just a pack of dogs belonging to the Zhen family."

He spoke lightly, but in the Royal City, prominent noble families had the right to mobilize a certain number of soldiers. While these soldiers technically served the dynasty, they were often of low cultivation or even commoners. However, causing a scene at the city gate would have inevitably led to trouble, or even an official warrant from the dynasty.

Huo Guanyang smiled at Qi Yu. "So, you are the young friend who cleared the Trial Tower?"

Qi Yu was taken aback, but unable to deny it, he simply nodded.

Huo Guanyang then looked at Liu Rouxue, looking slightly impressed. "Third stage of the Xuanwu Realm. At such a young age, such talent is rare indeed—you could even challenge the Royal Genius Rankings!"

Liu Rouxue bowed. "Greetings, Lord Huo."

Huo Guanyang nodded repeatedly. "I assume you are here for the Sect Grand Competition? But why only two disciples? Does every sect not get three spots?"

Zhang Wendian sighed. "Do you know why the Zhen family’s soldiers are hunting Qi Yu?"

Huo Guanyang pondered for a moment, his pupils constricting. "Could it be that the genius youth of the Zhen family was killed by young friend Qi Yu?"

"Exactly so."

Huo Guanyang frowned slightly. "While the Zhen family does not quite rank among the three Great Families, they are still a deep-rooted power. If they obstruct you, it will cause you some trouble." He waved his hand immediately after. "No matter. Since we have met, leave the arrangements to me. My deputy is handling things in Canglan City, so I can assist you until the competition ends."

Zhang Wendian smiled. "There is no need to trouble you, Lord. Our Sword Sect has a close friendship with the Ye family; we can ask them for help."

"The Ye family?" Huo Guanyang nodded. "The Ye family is acceptable; they are a respectable house."

Zhang Wendian cupped his hands. "In that case, we shall not take up any more of your time. Farewell!"

Huo Guanyang thought for a moment, then handed a pitch-black token to Qi Yu. "Young friend Qi Yu, with this token, you can access most places in the Royal City, and it will save you much trouble."

Qi Yu did not refuse; he accepted the token, offered his thanks, and stored it in his storage bracelet. After Huo Guanyang departed, Zhang Wendian led the two toward the Ye residence.

The Ye family was once a great house that had produced a powerhouse at the Xuanhuang Realm, but after the passing of their ancestor, the family had gradually declined. Chen Qingming had once saved that very ancestor in the Demon’s Lair, forming a bond that led the Ye family to support the Sword Sect with many resources. Chen Qingming, in turn, had often guided the younger generation of the Ye family.

When they reached the gates, Zhang Wendian knocked. Moments later, an old man opened the door just a crack. Seeing Zhang Wendian, he immediately opened it wide, hurried the three inside, and locked the door securely behind them.

Upon hearing of the arrival of guests from the Tiangang Sword Sect, the head of the house, Ye Yuan, hurried to the main hall.

"Elder Zhang! I hope you didn't run into any trouble on your way here!" Ye Yuan asked, his expression filled with concern.

Zhang Wendian shook his head.

Ye Yuan then looked at Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue. "Is this young friend Qi Yu?"

Qi Yu replied, "It is. I apologize for the trouble we have brought upon your family, Master Ye."

Ye Yuan frowned. "It is not trouble, though it is a pity that my Ye family cannot compare to the Zhen family. But since you have come to us, we will certainly protect you!"

Ye Yuan had a son and a daughter. His eldest son, Ye Yun, had joined the military at a young age and had spent years on the battlefield, earning many merits and the rank of General. His younger daughter, Ye Lan, had entered the Qingyun Sect—one of the five great sects of the Great Yan Dynasty. Gifted with extraordinary talent, she had been accepted as a core disciple a year ago.

"Father, we can barely protect ourselves as it is—how are we supposed to protect them?"

Just then, a woman with a breathtakingly beautiful face walked into the hall, though her expression was ice-cold.

"Ye Lan? Why have you returned?" Ye Yuan asked, surprised.

Ye Lan glanced at Qi Yu inadvertently. For a fleeting moment, her expression softened, but she quickly masked it with coldness. "I returned home to visit you, Father."

Ye Yuan waved his hand. "I am perfectly fine. You should head back!"

Ye Lan bit her lip. "Father, don't think I don't know what’s happening. I’ve heard in the Qingyun Sect that the Zhen family has joined forces with other houses to pressure you into handing over that Earth-grade high-tier cultivation technique!"

Ye Yuan’s brows furrowed. "That technique was left behind by our ancestor. Even I have never cultivated it—how could I give it to them!"

Ye Lan looked sharply at Qi Yu. "If it weren't for the incident at the Tiangang Sword Sect, the Zhen family wouldn't be acting so aggressively. When it comes down to it, this trouble was brought upon us by the Tiangang Sword Sect!"

Ye Yuan scolded, "Ye Lan, mind your manners! They are my honored guests. Besides, the Zhen family has coveted that technique for a long time; even without the Sword Sect incident, they would have acted sooner or later!"