Two years had passed since Mo Ding's reincarnation, and he now went by the name Ye Feng—the fifth young master of the Ye Clan.
From the moment he could move, Ye Feng displayed talent that defied common understanding. He took his first steps at just nine months old and spoke in full, clear sentences by the time he was ten months. At first, the Ye clansmen were stunned, whispering among themselves that he must surely be blessed by the heavens. Even his parents could hardly believe what they were seeing.
But once the shock settled, pride naturally followed. His mother cherished him dearly, and his father's affection ran even deeper. In private—and sometimes even openly—his father favored Ye Feng far more than his other children. Some of the clan noticed, but no one dared question it. After all, geniuses were rare, and those blessed by talent naturally drew the most attention.
Ye Feng, however, accepted all of this with calm maturity that seemed beyond his age—perhaps a faint echo of the life he once lived.
However, this favoritism quietly sowed the seeds of jealousy among Ye Feng's siblings. In time, one after another began to drift away from him, an unseen wall of resentment forming in their hearts. Their smiles became cordial, their words polite—but the warmth was gone.
The only exception was Ye Long, his first brother the first son of the Ye clan Patriarch and the child of his father's main wife. Ye Long was four years older than Ye Feng, and unlike the others, he showed no envy. Instead, he treated Ye Feng with sincere affection, guiding him patiently and watching over him like an older brother should.
Ye Long often dragged Ye Feng along to play, spending nearly all of his free time by his younger brother's side. At first, Ye Feng could only smile helplessly at his brother's enthusiasm, but over time, he gradually grew used to it. Being with Ye Long became a natural part of his daily life—familiar, warm, and quietly comforting.
Ye Feng sat quietly beside the crystal-clear lake in the backyard of the Ye clan mansion. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the water, turning each gentle ripple into a shimmering strand of light. A soft breeze brushed over the surface, carrying with it the faint scent of blooming lotus and wet stone.
His gaze drifted beyond the lake, beyond the courtyard walls, and far beyond the boundaries of the Ye clan itself.
'I wonder what the outside world is like!!'
While he was lost in his thoughts about the outside world, the sound of approaching footsteps suddenly reached him from behind.
He turned his head and saw one of his mother's maids walking towards him.
"Fifth Young Master, the Fourth Lady requests your presence," The maid called out respectfully to Ye Feng.
Ye Feng nodded his head to the maid.
The maid looks like an eighteen years old girl, she is dressed in the light blue uniform of the Ye clan maids.
Ye Feng rose, his robes fluttering softly as he brushed away the dust. He did not turn back. The lake behind him stilled, its last ripples fading as he walked toward the Ye mansion calmly.
________
With Ye Feng
Ye Feng lightly knocked on the door to his mother's room.
"Knock, knock."
A moment later, Ying's gentle voice drifted out from within room.
"Come in."
Ye Feng pushed the door open and stepped inside. Several maids surrounded Chang Ying, helping her dress and arrange her hair. The sunlight streaming through the window caught the silk of her gown, bathing her in a soft, elegant radiance. She looked less like the mother he knew and more like a noble fairy from a distant painting.
The maids paused when He Feng stepped in the room and they bowed respectfully towards him.
Chang Ying turned her head slightly towards Ye Feng and her lips curving into a gentle smile.
"Feng'er, you came."
Ye Feng nodded and walked closer to her. "Mother, you called for me?"
"Mhm." She lifted a hand, and the maids stepped back, quietly finishing their tasks before withdrawing from the room. Once the door closed behind them, Chang Ying looked and smiled warmly.
"Yes, Feng'er. I called you because I have something important to discuss with you."
Ye Feng nodded and quietly moved to a nearby chair. He sat with his hands in his lap, patiently waiting for his mother to start talking.
"Feng'er, listen carefully. I called you here today because I want to teach you a breathing technique."
Ye looked confused at his mother and asked.
"Breathing technique?"
Chang Ying nodded and started explaining.
"Yes, this breathing technique is the basic cultivation method in the Ye clan to cultivate the Saint Energy."
"When you use this breathing technique, you will draw in the world's essence, which contains Saint Energy."
"Your body will grow stronger, and you will be able to use Saint Energy to attack and defend."
Ye Feng's eyes lit up in excitement. After listening to her explanation, he leaned forward slightly and said eagerly,
"Mother, teach me the breathing exercise!"
Chang Ying couldn't help but giggle softly at her son's enthusiasm. "Let me finish my explanation first, Feng'er," she said, in her gentle tone.
Ye Feng immediately straightened his posture and nodded seriously, showing he was ready to listen.
"The Saint Energy exists everywhere in the world. It is present in the sky, within the earth, in the mountains and rivers—everywhere you go, the Saint Energy flows. In other words, no matter where you are, you can always draw it in and store it within your body."
Ye Feng nodded in understanding. Chang Ying continued, "Now, first I will explain the breathing exercise to you. Once you understand it, I will show you how to perform it."
Chang Ying spoke carefully, detailing each step of the breathing exercise, her voice calm yet full of authority. Once she had finished explaining, she demonstrated the breathing exercise with precise, fluid movements to Ye Feng.
After watching Chang Ying perform the breathing exercise with unwavering focus, Ye Feng bent his knees and settled onto the floor. He closed his eyes, carefully mirroring his mother's breathing, and before long, the movements began to flow through him effortlessly, as if they had always been part of him.
Chang Ying's eyes widened in surprise. When she saw how Ye Feng had grasped the breathing exercise almost instantly.
A proud smile spread across her face. 'My son truly is a genius,' she thought, 'I should have known he would learn the breathing exercise so quickly.'
Ye Feng felt a gentle warm energy flow through his body. The energy carried with it a profound sense of relaxation and tranquility, as if every muscle and thought were slowly untangling.
A smile spread across Ye Feng's face. 'So this is Saint Energy,' he thought, marveling at the sensation. With renewed focus, he continued to absorb and store the Saint Energy, carefully following the instructions Chang Ying had given him during demonstration.
After five minutes, Chang Ying clapped her hands and said, "That is enough, Feng'er. You did an excellent job. I am proud of you. And remember, do the breathing exercise every day."
Ye Feng nodded. "Mother, when I was absorbing the Saint Energy, I felt so relaxed and tranquil. The Saint Energy is very warm… the more I absorbed it, the more peaceful I felt. It was… enjoyable."
Chang Ying couldn't help but giggle at his words. "Feng'er, what you just did, and what you experienced, is called cultivation."
Ye Feng frowned, puzzled. "Cultivation?"
Chang Ying nodded. "Yes," she said, and started explaining. "What you just did is called cultivation. You absorbed the Saint Energy, stored it within your body, and continued to gather more. By accumulating the Saint energy, you grow stronger. This is a simple example of cultivation."
"Almost everyone on the Tian Yuan Continent is a cultivator, and every member of our clan cultivates. You'll need to work diligently to keep up, Feng'er. But cultivation isn't just about absorbing and storing Saint Energy. Once you've learned to read and write, you can read more about cultivation in clan's library."
Ye Feng smiled brightly after hearing Chang Ying's words. "Mother, can you teach me how to read and write? I want to learn more about cultivation."
Chang Ying blinked in surprise at his request. "Feng'er, you're only two years old. Learning to read and write might be too tedious for you."
Ye Feng shook his head vigorously. "No, Mother! I promise I won't complain. Please, teach me how to read and write."
His stubborn determination made Chang Ying pause. She looked at him carefully and asked, "Why are you so set on learning to read and write?"
Ye Feng looked at Chang Ying earnestly and said, "Mother, I want to learn more about cultivation. The breathing exercise was so enjoyable, and you said cultivation isn't just about absorbing and storing Saint Energy. I want to understand it all."
Chang Ying sighed softly. "Very well. I'll ask your father to bring the best teacher in the city to start instructing you tomorrow."
Ye Feng's face lit up with a wide smile. "Thank you, Mother! Oh, and I'd like my own room too, so I can cultivate without any disturbances."
Chang Ying nodded. "Fine, you can use this room for now. I'll go speak with your father and tell him about your request."
Ye Feng smiled broadly. "Thank you, Mother."
Chang Ying returned his smile, gently kissed his forehead, and stepped out of the room to find Ye Gou.