Eternal Holy Emperor
Chapter 23 - 21 Ye Zimei

Chapter 23: Chapter 21 Ye Zimei

After emerging from seclusion, Ye Chen took time to change his clothes, don his robes, shave his stubble, and tie up his long hair, completely altering his appearance.

Although still quite young, the youth’s figure was tall and straight, born with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a heroic vigor and a graceful bearing. The faint Moon Seal between his brows added a touch of charm that made him stand out from the rest.

From a distance, he looked like a fine young gentleman of the secular world.

"Huan’er..."

He called out softly, but when the little maid did not appear, Ye Chen did not mind, figuring she must be busy with other matters, and he did not continue calling for her.

Opening the courtyard door, he saw his father had sent two personal bodyguards who stood immobile on either side, guarding the safety of the courtyard as always.

He could clearly sense the faint aura of killing intent from the two indifferent bodyguards; it was the kind of presence one could only possess after having truly experienced life and death and the act of killing.

It could be said that both were true elite warriors with exceptional strength, high-ranking fighters in the family, but they only took orders from the current Family Head, and even the three elders could not command them to do anything.

Their mere presence radiated an unwelcoming chill, along with killing intent released without any inhibition, deterring anyone from daring to approach, as its intensity was enough to terrify.

Yet Ye Chen passed by them, calm and collected, then smiled faintly at them as he clasped his fists in a salutation, "Thank you both for guarding me these past four months, this young one is extremely grateful."

The two close guards gave him a nod of indifference, yet surprise flickered in their eyes.

They were well aware of how dreadful their own killing intent was; many in the clan would go out of their way to bypass them, turning pale if they got even slightly closer, not to mention the younger generation, who, with a few exceptions, would watch them in terror, too scared to move.

But today, Ye Chen faced them unperturbed by their aura, a truly curious sight.

After bidding the guards farewell with clasped fists, Ye Chen strolled leisurely alone along the gravel path towards the courtyard where his parents resided.

The warm sunshine poured onto his body, and for the first time since his rebirth, this relaxed stroll after four solid months of dedicated cultivation gave him the impulse to breathe deeply and refreshingly.

He had not felt this relaxed in a long time, not even in his previous life.

Turning down another path, suddenly a clear and melodious laughter, like the chime of silver bells from a group of young girls, rang from another path, invigorating to the listener and seeming to bring a touch of coolness to the hot summer.

Following the sound, Ye Chen saw a bevy of beautiful, giggling young girls coming down another path.

Although all were but sixteen, in the prime of their blooming youth, each was flourishing with the beauty of adolescence, their figures developed in all the right places, enchanting like crisp apples with their innocent allure.

These girls were from some of the important collateral branches of the family, each dressed to attract attention, exuding alluring fragrances, like budding flowers in the first bloom of their charm.

Surrounded by several exquisite peers was an especially striking young girl, tall and well-developed, with her hair elegantly coiled; though not on par with Yangg Yi, she was still delicate and stirring, with every glance and gesture seemingly captivating.

This girl was none other than Ye Zimei, the granddaughter of the Second Elder!

She was also a talent within the family, the same age as Ye Chen, and at sixteen, her cultivation had already reached the Acquired Seventh Realm, making her one of the strongest among the younger generation, aside from Ye Zhengyang. Indeed, her talent was impressive.

Despite being the granddaughter of his father’s adversary, the Second Elder, Ye Chen’s impression of Ye Zimei wasn’t too unfavorable. Even during his two years of downfall, he never heard a single derogatory remark from her; occasionally, when they met, she would nod and greet him with considerably better manners than the other family juniors.

At this moment, the group of young girls also noticed Ye Chen’s arrival. Startled at first, it was clear they did not expect to encounter the young man here; their expressions were complex, Ye Zimei included.

After all, the youth before them was not only the direct offspring of the Family Head but also three years previously, he had shone so brilliantly that others could only look up to him in admiration, and many girls in the family, including these, had harbored feelings of fondness towards him.

Sadly, the young man before them was no longer the glorious, confident genius of the past but had fallen to the point of attempting suicide for love.

Some time ago, the Yangg Family’s offer of an apology was not only rejected, but a ludicrous bet was also made with the genius girl Yangg Yi. In their eyes, it was an extremely foolish thing to do. Nine months’ time was not enough for a youth to recover his original genius cultivation speed, let alone succeed.

It was a pity that a precious Spirit Clearing Pill was wasted in the youth’s hands, causing them all to feel frustrated and disappointed. How could such a waste appear in their clan?

Finally, one of them couldn’t help but sneer, "Look, isn’t that Cousin Ye Chen? Why so idle and not cultivating? Didn’t you agree to the bet, gambling against the Heavenly Pride Girl of the Yangg Family?"

Another mocked, "Don’t be joking around, what kind of bet is that? It’s clearly a sure-lose bet. How could Cousin Ye Chen ever win against the Heavenly Pride Girl, Yangg Yi? If it were three years ago, maybe, but three years later, isn’t he just like a cripple? And still fantasizing about entering Tiandu Academy? In my opinion, it’s nothing but a foolish dream."

"That’s true. What kind of standard is the entrance trial of the Tiandu Academy anyway? Everyone knows. Within the entire Ye Family, I’m afraid only Zimei and Cousin Ye Zhengyang could pass it," said the third girl as well.

The group of girls spoke without any reservation in front of Ye Chen, clearly intending to insult him.

Although Ye Chen was the Family Head’s own son, wearing the hat of a useless person meant even the servants dared to scoff at him from afar. It was clear just how low his status had become today.

Ye Chen simply glanced sidelong at the three girls with indifference. Their words were unpleasant, but with his magnanimity, he naturally wouldn’t stoop to their level and argue with these girls who, in his eyes, were no more than little brats. He walked past as if they were not there, giving a courteous nod to Ye Zimei as a greeting.

Watching Ye Chen leave with an air of calm indifference, the prominent Ye Zimei felt momentarily bewildered. In that fleeting eye contact with Ye Chen, she saw something in his eyes that had been lost two years prior - confidence, which now seemed to have returned.

For some reason, her cheeks suddenly flushed with rosy warmth, and then her beautiful little face darkened slightly as she gently scolded, "Ye Tingting, Ye Guo’er, Ye Xia, you have all gone too far."

Then, in the midst of the other girls’ astonishment, Zimei took small steps to catch up to him, bringing a waft of fragrance as she reached Ye Chen’s side. With her beautiful face bowed and her silky hair fluttering, she said softly, "Brother Ye Chen, sorry about that. They didn’t mean it."

Looking at the unexpectedly apologetic Ye Zimei, Ye Chen was surprised because, in his recollection, Zimei was always a cold girl, and the two hardly ever interacted, aside from occasionally nodding to each other as a form of greeting.

By reason and etiquette, Ye Zimei’s cold mocking wouldn’t have surprised him, but her polite apology did.

Lifting his gaze to see the doubt on Ye Chen’s face, Zimei’s eyes momentarily dimmed before brightening into a shallow smile, her cheeks showing a touch of charming flush as she spoke softly, "Brother Ye Chen, perhaps you have forgotten some things, but Zimei has always kept them in her heart. It was thanks to your teachings back then that allowed Zimei to come this far."

At that moment, Ye Chen was slightly taken aback before fragments of memories surfaced in his mind. It took a while before he had an aha moment.

In his memories, roughly four or five years ago, when he was still the Ye Family’s unrivaled prodigy and the center of attention, he had once been lying on his back with his hands behind his head, idly passing by a courtyard. There, he saw a little girl practising martial arts with utmost seriousness, yet failing to grasp the essence.

Back then, Ye Chen had merely been bored and entered the courtyard to pass the time. He casually pointed out the deficiencies in the little girl’s practice from a purely idle interest.

He faintly remembered the little girl’s grateful and admiring eyes looking up at him.

That little girl was naturally the current genius girl Ye Zimei. His casual advice back then may have been the most interaction the two had ever had, aside from their occasional acknowledging nods.

Who could have imagined that due to that guidance, the once ordinary girl had broken through her bottleneck, soared through the clouds, and reached the high status she held today, becoming the Ye Family’s highly regarded genius girl?

However, Ye Chen had walked down an entirely opposite path, from a once proud and exceptional prodigy to the current useless youth.

Indeed, fate had always been quite peculiar.

Yet, the girl had not forgotten the kindness of those years; it remained etched in her heart. Even now, when Ye Chen had fallen on hard times, she remained unchanged and stepped forward to offer thanks.

Seeing the serious and grateful expression on the girl’s lovely face, Ye Chen couldn’t help but pat the back of her head affectionately, smiling indulgently. In that moment, his smile was warm and bright, "That you would still remember such a thing from those days is surprising."

This intimate gesture took everyone by surprise, including Ye Chen and Zimei themselves.

Once they snapped out of it, Ye Chen hastily retracted his hand and gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry, my hand moved without thinking—"

Before he could finish, the girl broke into a bright and sunny smile, opening her arms and gently embracing Ye Chen. Her sweet scent enveloped him, and her voice, tender and slightly choked with emotion, resonated next to his ear, "Brother Ye Chen, you don’t need to apologize. It is Zimei who should be thanking you, thanking you for not coldly rejecting me."

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