Xia He and Qiu Lan, still enveloped in Ye Qian's unexpected embrace, exchanged furtive glances filled with a mixture of disbelief and wonder. The warmth of his arms was real, the steady beat of his heart against their ears undeniable, yet the situation felt like a fever dream.
Their Young Master—previously arrogant, distant, and cold—was holding them with genuine affection?
"This... this... Young Master, you... you..." Qiu Lan stammered, her mouth opening and closing. She wanted to ask what had happened, to question if the sun had somehow risen from the west, but the words died in her throat. She knew deep down that this was Ye Qian; the soul connection they shared as his personal maids was unmistakable. Yet, this drastic shift in demeanor was disorienting.
Xia He was equally stunned, her body tense as she grappled with the cognitive dissonance. They both remained silent, years of training warning them not to question their master, even when he seemed to have become a different person entirely.
Ye Qian, sensing their turmoil, decided to ease their minds. He released them gently, stepping back to look them in the eye.
"Rest assured," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "I am still me. However, conquering my Heart Demon has... changed my perspective. Call it a clarity I lacked before."
It was a convenient lie, yet plausible. The Heart Demon was a mysterious, terrifying affliction. Surviving one often left cultivators changed, sometimes darker, sometimes wiser. To attribute his shift in personality to this internal war was the perfect cover.
The tension instantly drained from the two maids. The explanation made sense. If a foreign entity had tried to possess the Young Master within the Ye Clan's sanctuary, the ancestral formations and the supreme elders would have incinerated it instantly. Even a Supreme Sovereign—a being capable of ruling entire star systems—would absolutely fail to breach their defenses unnoticed.
A wave of relief swept through them—their Young Master wasn't possessed, merely transformed.
Ye Qian allowed himself a hidden smile. The true depth of his cultivation lay beyond their comprehension.
The Immortal Realm's power structure was both rigid and expansive, its path ascending through distinct realms.
Physical Body, Spiritual Consciousness, Foundation Establishment, Divine Ability, Enlightenment, Holy Induction, Marquis, King, Pseudo God, Void God, True God, King God, True Immortal, Quasi-Saint, Saint, Saint Lord, Great Saint, Venerable, Quasi-Supreme, Supreme, Supreme Sovereign, Quasi-Emperor, and finally, the legendary Great Emperor.
Each realm contained four stages—Early, Middle, Late, and Peak.
Ye Qian, having just broken through to the Holy Induction Realm, was currently at the sixth major stage of cultivation.
To reach such a height at the age of eighteen was beyond the definition of "genius"—it was a monstrous anomaly. In the outside world, a Holy Induction Realm expert had the strength to establish their own sect and rule over vast territories.
Yet, even that power was a drop in the ocean compared to his background.
The Ye Family, often called the Ye Clan, stood at the apex of the Immortal Realm. They were the undisputed leaders of the Seven Great Forces. Their territory spanned endless lands, commanding innumerable subordinate sects and kingdoms.
And at the helm of this titan sat Ye Qian's father, Ye Changkong—a Venerable Realm existence.
Only a Venerable Realm expert had the qualifications to lead one of the Seven Great Forces. Any power lacking such a titan could only bow and submit, becoming a vassal to survive.
Xia He suddenly gasped, snapping out of her thoughts as another realization struck her. "Young Master! Since you have awakened, we must inform the Family Head and Madam immediately! They have been waiting in the main palace for days, unable to rest or eat properly."
Her urgency was palpable. If the Family Head learned of Ye Qian's recovery from a guard report before they arrived, they might be punished for negligence.
Ye Qian nodded. "Alright. Let us go see Father and Mother."
"I will make the arrangements!" Qiu Lan announced, darting away with a speed that blurred her figure.
The Ye Family estate was less a home and more a small kingdom. To traverse it on foot would take hours. For the Young Master, only the finest transportation would suffice.
Moments later, Qiu Lan returned, breathless but beaming. "Young Master, the carriage is ready. We can depart immediately."
Ye Qian nodded, a flicker of curiosity rising within him. He followed his maids out of the private courtyard, stepping into the wider grounds of his personal palace. Even this "backyard" was vast, a testament to the colossal scale of the Ye Family's power.
As they exited the mansion gates, Ye Qian stopped, his eyes lighting up.
Waiting for him were not ordinary beasts, but four majestic Qilin.
They stood tall and proud, their scales shimmering with divine light. These were Auspicious Beasts, creatures of legend. Four of them, nearly identical in form but distinct in color—Red, Blue, Violet, and Azure—radiated an aura of regal power. Each possessed the strength of a King Realm cultivator.
Ye Changkong had gifted these to Ye Qian when they were mere cubs. Now, they were nearing adulthood. Once fully grown, they would rival Saint Realm experts.
The fiery red Fire Qilin spotted Ye Qian first.
"Wooh~!"
It let out a joyful, resonant cry, its tail sweeping the air like a whip of flame. The others—representing Wind, Lightning, and Water—joined the chorus, their howls echoing like thunder across the plaza.
"Wooh! Wooh!"
They bowed their heads, their eyes filled with recognition and affection. Ye Qian had always treated them well, spoiling them with spirit herbs and rare ores. To them, he was not a villain, but a benevolent provider.
Ye Qian stepped forward, stroking their snouts one by one. The scales were warm and smooth, humming with elemental energy.
Behind these magnificent beasts sat a carriage that could only be described as a mobile palace. Carved from divine wood and inlaid with precious gems that formed defensive arrays, it exuded an air of absolute nobility.
This was power. This was the Ye Family.