Ye Liao Zhai was so furious that smoke seemed to rise from the top of his head.
Concubine Liu had always been adept at pleasing him, treating him as if he were the heavens themselves—worshipful, gentle, pitiable, and devoted in her virtuous and affectionate demeanor…
Who would have thought it was all an act? This venomous woman’s true intention was to wish for his death!
Ye Liao Zhai’s defenses shattered instantly.
“You vile woman!!”
Ye Liao Zhai cursed loudly, raising the whip in his hand and lashing it fiercely onto Concubine Liu’s body!
“Ah—”
Concubine Liu screamed in pain, her beautiful face contorted in agony as she collapsed to the ground, wailing and sobbing: “Master, spare me! Every word I just said was true—”
Halfway through her plea, she hurriedly covered her mouth in fear.
But her mouth was completely out of control now. Even though she tried to cover it, it still struggled to emit muffled sounds:
“I truly only wanted you for your age, for your early death…”
“Shut up!!”
Ye Liao Zhai was nearly driven mad with rage. The whip fell like a storm, striking Concubine Liu until her skin split and flesh tore within just a few lashes.
Concubine Liu rolled on the ground, howling in agony as the whip struck her like a venomous snake, each blow more vicious than the last, as if determined to beat her to death.
“Ah—ahhh—”
Concubine Liu shrieked and writhed, her body soon covered in bloodstains. Finally, her head accidentally struck the base of a wall, and she passed out, finding temporary relief.
Even as Concubine Liu lay unconscious, Ye Liao Zhai’s anger remained unappeased. He continued to bring the whip down mercilessly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He struck her several more times before finally stopping.
He threw the whip aside, his face twisted with rage, as if smoke were billowing from his seven orifices.
After a long pause, he pointed at Concubine Liu and said, “Drag her away and keep her under close watch. Such mad ravings must be the result of possession by some unclean spirit!”
If not for the strangeness of the situation, Ye Liao Zhai would have gladly drowned this venomous woman in a pond.
But he understood that Concubine Liu’s sudden madness must have a cause. Otherwise, she wouldn’t dare spout such nonsense even with a hundred times the courage.
What infuriated him most was that she had publicly declared him useless…
Such matters should remain private—how could they be spoken of in front of others?!
Seeing their master’s fury, the servants dared not utter a word and quickly carried Concubine Liu away.
Regaining his composure, Ye Liao Zhai cast a disdainful glance at Ye Piaoling.
He had come today intending to discipline this rebellious daughter, but now that Concubine Liu had proven so detestable, he no longer felt inclined to protect Ye Tianbao.
Thus, he glared at Ye Piaoling impatiently:
“And as for you, rebellious girl, from today onward, you are confined to your room for reflection. If you dare cause trouble again, don’t blame me for disregarding our father-daughter bond!”
He then instructed the servants nearby: “During the eldest young lady’s confinement, serve her only plain porridge and pickled vegetables for her three daily meals. Let her reflect thoroughly!”
With that, he angrily stormed off.
Ye Piaoling suddenly spoke up.
“Father, aren’t you going to ask me why I came back?”
Ye Liao Zhai stopped in his tracks.
“What?”
When Ye Piaoling had decided to become a nun, it was said that she encountered a monster beast halfway out of the city. The two servants accompanying her had perished in the wilderness, but she, with her stubborn luck, survived. Terrified, she had fled back to the Ye residence…
As a good-for-nothing, Ye Liao Zhai hadn’t cared about her comings and goings.
But now that she mentioned it, he casually asked, “Why?”
Ye Piaoling chuckled and began her bluff:
“Because my immortal vein is about to recover.”
Ye Liao Zhai abruptly turned around.
“What did you say?!”
The immortal vein was an exceptionally unique existence on the Glazed Continent!
The so-called immortal vein referred to an innate extra meridian compared to ordinary people, which would manifest as a distinct 卍-shaped red mark on the pulse gate.
Although cultivation was possible on the Glazed Continent, the path of cultivation was fraught with hardships, and true masters were as rare as phoenix feathers. The vast majority were ordinary people, with no Magical Power to rely on throughout their lives. Those possessing an immortal vein, however, were gifted with superior aptitude—natural academic prodigies.
Moreover, the emergence of an immortal vein was considered an auspicious sign, heralding national prosperity and regarded as a symbol of good fortune!
The Great Li Kingdom originally had three Immortal Vein Bearers, known as the three great geniuses of the imperial city. Ye Piaoling was once one of them, and because of this, the Ye family gained the royal family’s favor, receiving continuous rewards for a time.
However, three years ago, Ye Piaoling suddenly lost her cultivation overnight, and the 卍-shaped mark on her pulse gate vanished as well!
What happened that night, Ye Piaoling herself did not know. She couldn’t understand why her perfectly fine immortal vein had disappeared, her Spiritual Power completely gone. Attempting to cultivate again became as difficult as climbing to the heavens, and thus, she inexplicably transformed from a genius into a waste…
And now, she said her immortal vein was about to recover?!
Ye Liao Zhai was greatly agitated and strode back to Ye Piaoling. “What exactly happened? Can your immortal vein truly recover?”
“Yes!” Ye Piaoling nodded and said, “After leaving the city, I passed by Hundred Beasts Mountain and was attacked by monster beasts. A deity saved me and told me that my immortal vein hadn’t disappeared—it was merely damaged and needed three years to repair itself!”
“Three years…” Ye Liao Zhai calculated with his fingers, excitedly saying, “So that means in just one more month, your immortal vein will recover?”
“Correct!” Ye Piaoling replied. “I thought to myself, since my immortal vein is about to recover, why would I still become a nun? Naturally, I had to return.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Liao Zhai was overjoyed.
If Ye Piaoling’s immortal vein truly recovered, it would bring many benefits to the Ye family once again!
Having an Immortal Vein Bearer as a direct descendant in the household would also bring him countless advantages!
As for the experience she described, although it sounded extraordinary, Ye Liao Zhai had no reason to disbelieve it.
Firstly, Hundred Beasts Mountain was overrun with monster beasts. Two strong servants had failed to return, yet Ye Piaoling, a useless girl, had come back. If not for incredibly good luck, she must have had the help of a powerful figure.
Secondly, after returning, Ye Piaoling had drastically changed from her previous depressed and despondent self. Her back was straight, her demeanor relaxed—not only did she dare to hit her younger brother, but she also dared to argue with him… This clearly indicated she had gained some capital to act so arrogantly!
Thirdly, the immortal vein was related to national fortune—no one would dare to lie about it!
“Ling’er, to have such a miraculous encounter, your father is truly happy for you!”
Ye Liao Zhai instantly switched to doting father mode, his face brimming with a concerned smile. “For this next month, you must rest well and nurture your health. Do not let anything delay the recovery of your immortal vein!”
Ye Piaoling sighed, wearing a troubled expression. “Then, do I still need to reflect behind closed doors? Do I still have to drink plain porridge and eat pickled vegetables?”