Great Qi Dynasty, Yun Su City.
The Ye family mansion was located in the finest district of the entire city.
The compound featured three successive courtyards, with east and west wings fully equipped.
In terms of scale, it rivaled even the city lord’s residence.
Yet such a grand and illustrious mansion, amidst the bustling and prosperous imperial capital, appeared desolate and eerily quiet.
Apart from the two most remote wing rooms, which showed some signs of life, the main hall and other rooms were covered in a thick layer of dust on their doors.
The backyard, long neglected, was overgrown with weeds, presenting a scene of desolation.
Only one man lay on a rocking chair beneath a tree, fast asleep.
The man wore a white robe, carried a long sword at his waist, and exuded a pungent smell of alcohol.
Though clearly middle-aged, his face remained as youthful as a teenager’s—fair and handsome, with bright, star-like eyes, exuding an air of charm and unrestrained freedom.
“Dad, Dad, wake up!”
A young girl in red ran out from the wing room and approached the tree, shaking the man’s arm.
The girl was in the bloom of youth, with a beautiful appearance. She wore two playful buns on her head, her willow-leaf eyebrows arched gracefully, and her lovely eyes sparkled with life, as lively and spirited as a little rabbit.
The once lifeless courtyard suddenly brimmed with vitality because of the girl’s presence.
Under the girl’s shaking, the man slowly opened his eyes.
“Ling’er, what’s wrong?”
“Dad, have you forgotten?”
The girl said softly, “Today is your birthday.”
“…Birthday?”
The man was dazed for a moment, then shook his head with a dry laugh.
“So fast, it’s already been twenty years.”
The man’s name was Ye Qing, the sole heir of the Gusu Ye family.
The young girl before him was his daughter, Ye Ling’er.
Ye Qing was not originally from this world. Ten years ago, he was struck by a bolt of lightning and crossed over from Blue Star to this place, becoming a descendant of the Ye family.
The Ye family was once the foremost prestigious clan in the imperial capital, renowned for their loyalty and valor, having guarded the borders of Great Qi for generations.
To resist the invasion of foreign tribes, countless brave men of the Ye family had shed their blood on the battlefield.
Over the years, as the foreign tribes grew increasingly powerful and frequently encroached upon the borders, the passionate young men of the Ye family fought and died for their country.
In the end, among the younger generation, only Ye Qing, the youngest and only son remained.
Influenced by his elder brothers, Ye Qing had initially wanted to join the battlefield and serve his country with merit.
However, he was stopped by his father and the elders of the Ye family.
A group of gray-haired old men resolutely shouldered their packs and headed for the battlefield.
Before departing, they left only one command: Ye Qing was never to set foot on the battlefield, so that the Ye family’s bloodline could be preserved.
When Ye Qing first crossed over, it happened to be his eighteenth birthday.
Now, exactly twenty years later, he was approaching forty.
Due to the outstanding achievements of his father, brothers, and ancestors, Ye Qing was enfeoffed by the Great Xia royal family as the Carefree Prince.
Relying on the ancestral property of the Ye family and the glory of his forebears, he had spent the past ten years as an idle prince within the imperial capital.
Ye Qing’s wandering thoughts returned, and he looked again at the expectant young girl before him.
Gazing at the jade pendant with the character “Yao” on Ye Ling’er’s chest, he fell into deep thought once more.
Ye Ling’er was born sixteen years ago, the child of Ye Qing and a woman.
That woman was exceptionally beautiful, peerless in her elegance, the most stunning woman Ye Qing had ever seen in his life.
Ye Qing had been in love with her for a year, yet he knew nothing about her.
He did not know her identity, where she came from, or even her name.
On the night Ye Ling’er was born, the woman vanished without a trace.
Only one thing remained.
That was the jade pendant on Ye Ling’er’s person.
“Ling’er, it’s getting late. You should head to school now.”
Ye Qing smiled faintly, “When you come back, I’ll take you to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion for a big meal.”
“The Drunken Immortal Pavilion doesn’t have anything I like to eat, but there are plenty of wines that Father enjoys.”
Ye Ling’er pouted, then said excitedly, “Father, our school’s Mr. Luo said that the Demon Tribe is about to invade again, and the city lord is recruiting brave warriors to head to the border.”
“Hmm.”
Ye Qing nodded, “So?”
Ye Ling’er said anxiously, “Going to the battlefield to kill enemies and protect our home and country—what an incredible honor it is!”
“The parents of our classmates, who are only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, went to the city lord’s mansion to sign up and were directly appointed as generals.”
“Father, you’re already at the Ascension Realm. Why do you keep lying low?”
Ye Qing smiled faintly, “I do it to ensure the Ye family’s bloodline stays out of conflicts.”
“Before your grandfather passed away, he left a final command, demanding that I never set foot on the battlefield. Have you forgotten?”
Ye Ling’er rolled her eyes, displeased, “Of course I remember.”
“Grandfather also told you to marry more women to expand the Ye family’s lineage. Why aren’t you obediently following that?”
“I think you’re just doing it for the wine!”
Ye Qing couldn’t help but laugh, “What, girl, do you also want me to marry more women?”
“Hmph, I don’t want that at all!”
Ye Ling’er snorted lightly, “People say, ‘A big rooster has a long tail; once it takes a wife, it forgets its mother.'”
“What if Father marries a woman and stops caring about me?”
Ye Qing was both amused and exasperated, “Who taught you that?”
“Don’t worry. Even if I marry a woman in the future, I’ll always care for you.”
After some playful banter between father and daughter, Ye Ling’er put on her backpack and headed to school.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and turned back, asking expectantly, “Father, will Mother come back for your birthday this year?”
Hearing this, Ye Qing’s eyes dimmed slightly.
After a moment of silence, he smiled faintly, “Don’t worry, I’ve been looking for her all along.”
“Your mother will return soon and reunite with us.”
“Mhm, I believe you, Father, and I believe Mother too!”
“Father, I’m off to school now!”
Watching Ye Ling’er run off into the distance, Ye Qing sighed, picked up the wine gourd beside him, and took a deep drink.
[Host drinks Bamboo Moon Wine, Sword Dao comprehension +1!]
When Ye Qing first crossed over, without the help of a golden finger, he was no different from the natives.
It wasn’t until five years ago that he awakened his own Drunken Sword Immortal System.
As long as he drinks wine, he can grow stronger.
Because of this, over the years, Ye Qing has sampled all kinds of fine wines and spirits in the imperial city.
And he has identified six types of wine that are most beneficial to his cultivation.
Cultivation in this world is divided into ten major realms.
Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Infant Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refining, Body Fusion, Great Perfection, Ascension, and Immortal.
Now, he has smoothly reached the Ascension Realm.
Especially in the Sword Dao, his attainments are outstanding, comparable to those of an Immortal.
It would not be an exaggeration to call him the Sword Immortal of this era.
However, aside from Ye Ling’er, no one else in the world knows Ye Qing’s true realm.
They only think of him as a carefree drunkard, a wastrel who idles away his days relying on his ancestors’ wealth.
“Still not enough…”
Ye Qing murmured to himself, “I must become even stronger…”
With that, he picked up the wine gourd and took several more deep drinks.
[Host drinks Bamboo Moon Wine, Sword Dao comprehension +5!]
【Host drinks Bamboo Moon Wine, Sword Dao comprehension +3!】
…
White Deer Academy is the best school in the imperial capital.
Any moderately wealthy family with some savings would try every means to pull strings and send their children to study at White Deer Academy.
Naturally, Ye Qing did not want his daughter to fall behind at the starting line either.
Upon arriving at the academy, before the teacher had come to begin the lesson, Ye Ling’er took out her books and began reading and reviewing on her own.
Just as she was studying diligently, suddenly a girl, followed by a group of boys, surrounded her.
“Ling’er, my bracelet is missing. Did you steal it?”