Chapter 117: Relics

Within the borders of the Kingdom of David, the only army marching with high spirits was the Brave Warrior Battalion. On their return journey, they practically sang their way home. Since Ye Xin was a student of the Fifth Battalion, no matter what feats he accomplished, the credit belonged to the Brave Warrior Battalion. At least they could proudly tell others how Ye Xin of the Fifth Battalion had done this or that, while soldiers from other units remained mere spectators.

This time, Ye Xin did not leave the Brave Warrior Battalion; he traveled with the army. If the wolf cavalry pushed forward at full speed, it would take just over ten hours to reach Jiuding City. But arriving too quickly served no purpose. First, he needed time to carefully consider the future; more importantly, he needed to give Tie Xinsheng some leeway to adjust.

Ye Ling, Wen Rong, and a few others rode at the front of the cavalry. Ye Xin’s gaze frequently drifted toward Wen Rong, his eyes full of complicated emotions.

“Boss, have you really fallen in love this time?” Xie En leaned close to Ye Xin and whispered with a sly grin, “That’s normal. Otherwise, everyone would think you’re some kind of stone statue.”

“You don’t understand a thing,” Ye Xin shook his head slightly. “I feel like I’m letting her down.”

“Letting her down? How so?” Xie En was stunned.

“She’s my talisman for survival,” Ye Xin sighed softly. “I have to put her in danger to ensure everyone’s safety. Ha… these past few days, I’ve kept asking myself—do you even have a conscience? But… what choice do I have?”

“Danger? Boss, what exactly do you mean? I don’t get it,” Xie En scratched his head.

“When Tie Xinsheng falls, you’ll understand,” Ye Xin said.

Xie En grinned. For an average clever person, managing to take the first step, foresee the second, and anticipate the third was already quite an achievement. But Ye Xin’s depths of strategy were unfathomable—he could see eight, nine, even a dozen steps ahead when others only saw three. Ye Xin had repeatedly proven his abilities. So Xie En had no doubts. Yet, he couldn’t fathom how putting Wen Rong in harm’s way could protect everyone, nor why this would only become clear after Tie Xinsheng’s downfall.

“So… when will Tie Xinsheng fall?” Xie En switched topics.

“Soon,” Ye Xin looked up, gazing at the setting sun. “When he hands me the knife, I’ll just stab him with it.”

* * * *

At last, the city walls of Jiuding City appeared in the distance, and the massive tripod cauldron could be seen. The Brave Warrior Battalion erupted in cheers. The ranks became chaotic as soldiers rushed eagerly toward Jiuding City.

Ye Xin raised his hand, signaling the wolf cavalry to increase their pace, cutting through the crowd and charging into Jiuding City first. The city’s defense soldiers guarding the tripod and the gates did not inspect them as usual; instead, they raised their right fists and gently tapped their chests—a salute to the wolf cavalry.

Inside the city, Wen Rong, Shao Xue, and Shen Miao each asked Ye Xin for leave. Given their positions, they didn’t have to be so formal; a simple greeting would suffice. Yet, by asking Ye Xin for permission, they showed that in their hearts, they already considered themselves part of the wolf cavalry.

As Ye Xin approached the Ye family gate, he had just dismounted from the Boundless Sky Wolf when a figure emerged from within the courtyard. It was a middle-aged man, around forty years old, with handsome, bright eyes and a tall, slender build. His complexion was fair, clean-shaven—a true beauty, though a bit older.

Ye Ling was stunned for a moment before urging the Boundless Sky Wolf forward. She leapt from its back toward the man, crying out a mix of joy and sorrow: “Father…”

The man’s eyes brimmed with indulgent affection as he opened his arms to embrace Ye Ling, who broke down in tears in his arms.

With a magnetic voice, the man gently comforted Ye Ling before lifting his gaze to Ye Xin. His eyes flashed with sharp light, while Ye Xin stood steady, eyes narrowed slightly.

It was a clash between the strong, filled with scrutiny.

After a long moment, the man smiled and said slowly, “Xin’er, you’ve truly grown up!”

“Second uncle, how have you been?” Ye Xin smiled in return.

That man was Ye Suifeng, who had long been imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. Ye Xin had achieved such great merits for the Kingdom of David that keeping Ye Suifeng locked away was no longer justifiable. Moreover, this was the first and crucial step in winning Ye Xin’s favor. So, on the second day after Tie Xinsheng returned to Jiuding City, Ye Suifeng received a special pardon and was released from the Heavenly Prison.

“How have I been? You’ll know after spending a few days in the Heavenly Prison,” Ye Suifeng sighed. “Come inside.”

The wolf cavalry entered the Ye estate without hesitation. There was no need to hide anymore; they could openly be stationed here. Ye Suifeng, Ye Xin, and Ye Ling entered the parlor, while the other soldiers dispersed to find their own quarters. Ye Xin had already arranged for them; the Ye estate was large, with many courtyards, capable of housing dozens.

Once seated, Ye Ling eagerly spoke to Ye Suifeng as if trying to make up for years of neglect. Neither Ye Xin nor Ye Suifeng interrupted until Ye Suifeng finally cut her off, “Xiao Ling, where is your mother?”

“My mother… Brother sent her to a safe place,” Ye Ling replied.

“A safe place…” Ye Suifeng’s eyes lit up with piercing light again. He understood what the “safe place” implied. “Xin’er, where is Qiao Ying?”

“Xiao Ling just said it: a safe place,” Ye Xin smiled.

Ye Suifeng was somewhat surprised. After hesitating for a moment, he turned to Ye Ling. “Xiao Ling, please step outside for a bit. I have some urgent matters to discuss with your brother.”

“What urgent matters can’t you tell me?” Ye Ling pouted. “Even Brother doesn’t hide things from me now!”

“Be obedient,” Ye Suifeng said sternly.

Reluctantly, Ye Ling twisted her body and left the room. Ye Suifeng paused, then refrained from mentioning Deng Qiaoying.

“Xin’er, how did you manage to slay Zhuang Buxiu? When I first heard the news, I couldn’t believe it!” Ye Suifeng said.

“That was a minor matter,” Ye Xin replied quietly. “I have more important things to discuss with you.”

“Oh?” Ye Suifeng nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Was the Elite General founded by Father Marshal alone, or did you help him start it?” Ye Xin asked.

“W-What?” Ye Suifeng was shaken violently, even leaping from his chair. His handsome face turned ashen. “How could you ask that?”

“So you do know the truth—it was the latter, wasn’t it?” Ye Xin sighed. “You were locked away in the Heavenly Prison on purpose to appear weak, right? Who were you afraid of? Zong Bieli?”

“You… how do you know this?” Ye Suifeng stared at Ye Xin in disbelief.

“It’s simple,” Ye Xin said. “Father Marshal is the one who commands the troops. He can’t manage the Elite General personally all the time, so there must be someone running errands for him. I remembered you liked to travel before, so I guessed.”

Ye Suifeng knew Ye Xin was formidable—powerful enough to slay the enemy commander Zhuang Buxiu with the wolf cavalry’s strength. But he never imagined Ye Xin’s vision would reach such heights, as if no secret in the world could be hidden from him. Is this really Ye Xin? He truly is Ye Xin?!

“Xin’er, you… tell me, how did you find out about the Elite General?” Ye Suifeng’s breathing grew difficult.

“I have a friend who joined the Elite General,” Ye Xin said calmly.

“Who? Who is it?” Ye Suifeng immediately pressed.

“Xiao Mozhi,” Ye Xin answered.

Ye Suifeng turned to stone. Within mere moments, one shock followed another. Luckily, he had the strength of a Pillar of the Nation; an ordinary man would have died of a heart attack by now. Even so, he was drenched in cold sweat, his calves, arms, lips, and facial muscles trembling slightly.

“How did you and Xiao Mozhi become friends?” Ye Suifeng asked with effort.

“We’re not just ordinary friends. If I had the chance to eliminate him, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment. He feels the same. But if neither of us can defeat the other, then we have no choice but to cooperate as much as possible,” Ye Xin said. “This time, I gave him a little lesson. Now that he knows I killed Zhuang Buxiu, his envoy bearing a message of goodwill should be on the way—arriving in the next ten days or so.”

Pausing briefly, Ye Xin continued, “Second uncle, you haven’t answered my question. The situation is urgent—I need a clear answer. The one you’ve been trying to avoid… is it Zong Bieli?”

“Yes,” Ye Suifeng smiled bitterly and nodded. “It was my eldest brother who went to find Zong Bieli. Zong Bieli didn’t know I existed. After eldest brother left westward, I feared he would cause trouble for me, so I resorted to this desperate measure. Zong Bieli can’t confirm my connection to the Elite General, so…”

“He wants to find you to seize the Curse Flower left by Father Marshal?” Ye Xin interrupted.

Ye Suifeng was pale as death. He suddenly staggered toward Ye Xin, gripping his shoulders with both hands and staring at him intently. After a long while, he finally confirmed his suspicions and slowly released Ye Xin, murmuring, “You are Xin’er… but how did you become like this?”

“Second uncle, I’ve had my own experiences these past few years,” Ye Xin said. “Besides, you just said it yourself outside the door—I’ve grown up. I’ve really grown up.”

“But… even if you’ve grown up, you should still be human! Why do I feel… you’re like a ghost now?!” Ye Suifeng smiled bitterly. “Indeed, Zong Bieli is desperate to obtain the Curse Flower left by eldest brother. The Curse Flower is very rare, and it’s even harder to take it without attracting attention. So he’s determined to get it.”

“Second uncle, do you know where the Curse Flower is?” Ye Xin asked.

“You are Xin’er… so I won’t hide it from you,” Ye Suifeng sighed. “I know.”

“If you weren’t my second uncle, I wouldn’t tell you this,” Ye Xin smiled. “Hand over the Curse Flower to me.”

“Alright.” Ye Suifeng didn’t hesitate. Then he sighed again, “It’s all eldest brother’s legacy. It should belong to you.” (To be continued.)

P.S.: Many thanks to fans including Family-raised Meow Meow, Fans Are Still Noodles, Smoke Purgatory, Purple Whirl, Innocently Wicked, HGX, LQ’s Pig, Hehe Po, and Book Friend 1601131 for their generous support.