Xia He and Qiu Lan remained in Ye Qian's embrace, exchanging bewildered glances. The sudden transformation in their Young Master was staggering. He had never treated them with such warmth, such tenderness. For a fleeting moment, they wondered if this was all a dream.
"This... Young Master, you..." Qiu Lan stammered, the words dying on her tongue.
She knew the person before them was their Young Master—there was no doubt about that. Yet the drastic shift in his demeanor planted seeds of uncertainty. Xia He shared her confusion, though neither dared voice their suspicions aloud, terrified of inciting his wrath.
Seeing their hesitation, Ye Qian guessed their thoughts immediately. He smiled, his voice calm and reassuring.
"Rest easy. I am still myself. I have simply conquered my Heart Demon. That is why you sense a change in me."
The explanation was calculated. Attributing his transformation to the Heart Demon's defeat was plausible. After all, Heart Demons were mysterious afflictions; overcoming one could fundamentally alter a cultivator's temperament.
Hearing this, Xia He and Qiu Lan's doubts evaporated. Their confusion cleared like morning mist.
If some foreign entity had dared to seize the Young Master's body—especially within the Ye Family's ancestral grounds—it would be impossible. Even a Supreme Sovereign would fail to accomplish such a feat. The Ye Family's defenses were absolute.
Cultivation in the Immortal Realm was divided into numerous ranks.
From lowest to highest:
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, Quasi-Emperor, and Great Emperor.
Each rank was further subdivided into four stages: Early, Middle, Late, and Peak.
Ye Qian had just broken through to the Holy Induction Realm, placing him at the sixth major stage of cultivation. To reach such heights at eighteen was beyond the definition of genius. It was monstrous.
Those at the Holy Induction Realm possessed the strength to establish their own power. Of course, establishing a power was one thing; protecting it was another matter entirely. Without overwhelming force, any nascent sect would be swallowed whole by the established giants.
The Ye Family—also called the Ye Clan—was the strongest among the Seven Great Forces of the Immortal Realm, ranked first without question. Its territory occupied the very center of the realm, governing countless lands and commanding innumerable subordinate factions.
Ye Qian's father, Ye Changkong, was the current Family Head. His publicly acknowledged strength was at the Venerable Realm.
All seven leaders of the Seven Great Forces were Venerable Realm existences. Only by reaching the Venerable Realm was one qualified to establish a top-tier power. Lesser factions without Venerable Realm experts inevitably attached themselves to the Seven Great Forces for survival.
Xia He suddenly snapped to attention, realizing something critical. "Young Master, since you have awakened, you must go see the Family Head and Madam immediately! They have been waiting for days. They haven't closed their eyes once, desperate for news of your condition."
Her urgency was palpable. If they delayed too long and the Family Head learned they had wasted time, punishment would be inevitable.
Ye Qian understood her concern. His palace wasn't protected solely by two maids. His father had undoubtedly stationed countless hidden experts throughout the grounds. The moment he opened his door, messengers had likely already rushed to deliver the news.
"Alright. I'll go see Father and Mother first."
Though Ye Qian had no personal memories of this father, he knew Ye Changkong genuinely cared for him. That much was evident from the inherited memories.
Qiu Lan immediately bowed. "Young Master, please wait a moment. I will make arrangements at once."
She darted away in a flash.
The Ye Family's territory was unimaginably vast. Traveling on foot would take an absurd amount of time. Fortunately, as the Young Master, Ye Qian enjoyed the finest accommodations and transportation.
Within moments, Qiu Lan returned, slightly breathless. "Young Master, everything is prepared. We may depart immediately."
Ye Qian nodded, curiosity stirring within him. He was eager to see his mount.
Led by the two maids, Ye Qian exited his private courtyard. Even the backyard alone was enormous, a testament to the terrifying scale of the Ye Family's domain. With their cultivation, the trio moved swiftly, arriving outside the mansion gates in short order.
What awaited him were not ordinary mounts, but four auspicious qilin.
The Four Qilin were nearly identical in form, differing only in color. They appeared carved from the same divine mold, then painted with different hues.
These Four Qilin had been acquired by Ye Changkong in the distant past and gifted to Ye Qian when he was very young. At the time, they were still cubs—small, spirited, and endearingly fierce. As Ye Qian grew, they did as well, eventually reaching their full size.
Though their bodies had matured, they had yet to reach their true adult peak. Even so, each of the Four Qilin already possessed the might of the King Realm.
Once they completed their maturation, their strength would naturally ascend to the Saint Realm—a testimony to their extraordinary bloodline and boundless potential.
Originally, Ye Changkong had wanted to equip his son with even more domineering beasts, but Ye Qian had rejected them all. Four qilin were more than sufficient. He had no interest in collecting mounts like trophies.
The Four Qilin each embodied a different elemental attribute: wind, lightning, water, and fire.
Woooh~!
The mighty red Fire Qilin noticed Ye Qian first and let out a joyful cry.
The other three followed suit, their howls echoing across the courtyard.
Each was elated, celebrating their master's awakening. These Four Qilin were deeply satisfied with Ye Qian as their master. He never beat or scolded them; instead, he provided them with the finest spiritual feeds and treasures. They regarded him with genuine loyalty.
Ye Qian gently stroked each of their heads in turn, his gaze drifting to what lay behind them.
A lavish carriage stood hitched to the qilin, its divine wood gleaming with inlaid gems that formed shimmering defensive arrays. The craftsmanship alone would make emperors green with envy.
The Ye Family crest blazed on its side—a pitch-black "Ye" character at the center, encircled by intricate, coiling patterns that hinted at ancient, unfathomable heritage.