Chapter 1517: The Child from the Past
Space suddenly fluctuated. Ye Zhiqiu and Red Lotus sensed it simultaneously and both cast their gazes towards the area where the violent fluctuations occurred. Neither of their expressions looked good, especially Ye Zhiqiu, who had just moments ago been radiating happiness, now wore a grim expression.
Both of them were seasoned veterans; they naturally understood what sudden, violent spatial fluctuations implied. It was precisely because they understood that their expressions turned grim. Their child, of course, did not possess their level of sensitivity. Thus, the child didn't sense any abnormality or notice anything amiss, continuing to chase the puppy, playing merrily.
Ye Zhiqiu and his wife had retired to this place, never mentioning it to anyone, not even Yang Haoran. Their sole purpose in doing so was to avoid being disturbed by anyone. Now, with the violent spatial fluctuations appearing, it was clear that someone was about to teleport here via a spatial rift. No matter who arrived or what their purpose was, it meant their peaceful life was highly likely to be shattered. Hence, the expressions on Ye Zhiqiu and his wife's faces turned unpleasant.
Under Ye Zhiqiu's watchful gaze, a spatial rift soon appeared. A figure stepped out of the spatial rift, stopping in a vegetable patch not far from Ye Zhiqiu.
The person wore a voluminous Black Robe, their entire body, including their head, shrouded within it. Their face was obscured, and their gender impossible to discern. However, the faint power fluctuations emanating from them allowed for a rough guess at their identity.
The power fluctuations emanating from this person were the Spirit Power of the Underworld Office. While the Communication Power of Spirit Mediums was extremely similar to the Spirit Power of the Underworld Office, easily leading to confusion, Ye Zhiqiu did not make such a mistake; with his strength and experience, he wouldn't.
The power within the newcomer was Spirit Power. This indicated that the newcomer was very likely a member of the Underworld Office. The reason for not being entirely certain was that the individual might have once been with the Underworld Office but no longer was.
“Who are you, and what is your purpose in coming here? ”
Furthermore, since the other party could find their way to him so accurately, it indicated that they most likely knew his background very well. In such circumstances, pretending would not only be meaningless but also appear laughable in his eyes. With his proud and aloof personality, he naturally wouldn't do so.
“Heh heh, you truly are as straightforward as ever, Uncle Ye. ”
The Black Robe figure responded with a chuckle, though their voice was chilling, giving off an ominous impression.
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu's expression first froze. Then, as if struck by a realization, his face abruptly changed. He wasn't frightened by the other party's chilling voice; rather, he was very familiar with it. Even with the added coldness it hadn't possessed before, he still recognized who the voice belonged to. And there was only one person in this world who would address him as Uncle Ye.
“It's you! ”
Ye Zhiqiu's voice was complex. Those two short words held both shock and doubt, disappointment and seemingly even a hint of surprise. In short, it was incredibly intricate, beyond description.
“Heh heh, that’s right, it’s me. It seems Uncle Ye still remembers my voice quite well. ”
As the Black Robe figure chuckled and spoke, he removed the large hood from his head, revealing the handsome face of a young man. A faint smile graced his lips, giving him a gentle aura. Judging solely by his appearance, he was a handsome, sunny young man, difficult to associate with such a chilling voice.
Gazing at the familiar face, Ye Zhiqiu no longer showed surprise. Since he already knew the newcomer's identity, it was naturally impossible for him to be startled by the familiar face again.
“You are not welcome here. Leave before I change my mind. ”
Ye Zhiqiu's face was grim as he directly issued an order for the Black Robe figure to leave. The Black Robe figure was an acquaintance, yet Ye Zhiqiu had no intention of inviting him inside for a seat, nor did he give him any pleasantries. That was because this Black Robe figure was none other than Xiao Kang, who had betrayed Yang Haoran and sided with Huo Laoban in the past. It was precisely because the Black Robe figure was Xiao Kang that his tone had been so complex moments ago.
Xiao Kang had grown up under Ye Zhiqiu’s watchful eye. Although Ye Zhiqiu was usually aloof, he had been exceptionally good to Xiao Kang, the child. He had even taught Xiao Kang some skills.
And Yang Haoran's kindness to Xiao Kang was beyond words; Ye Zhiqiu had witnessed it all. Not only Ye Zhiqiu and Yang Haoran, but also Bai Xue, Old Master Wu, Feng Xiao, and others—this group of people who had first followed Yang Haoran—had all been very good to Xiao Kang.
Although Ye Zhiqiu was aloof on most days, he wasn't blind. He knew that everyone around him had been very kind to Xiao Kang, and he had seen it all. It was precisely because of this that he couldn't accept Xiao Kang's betrayal. If not for their past relationship, he wouldn't be issuing a departure order to Xiao Kang right now; he would have attacked directly.
“Heh heh, Uncle Ye, you really are too much. We haven't seen each other for so long, and the moment we meet, you're chasing me away. Isn't that a bit heartless? ”
Xiao Kang spoke with a faint smile, showing no intention of leaving. Ye Zhiqiu's brow furrowed upon hearing this, and he was about to speak, when a voice filled with surprise and curiosity came from inside the courtyard.
“Daddy, who's that big brother? Why aren't you. . . ”
The little boy, who had been chasing the puppy in the courtyard, noticed the situation outside. His face full of joyful surprise, he immediately stopped chasing the dog. He happily shouted at Ye Zhiqiu while running towards the courtyard gate. However, before he could run out of the courtyard or finish his sentence, Red Lotus embraced him tightly and covered his mouth.
The little boy was so excited because he had always lived a secluded life, never having had contact with outsiders. Now that he finally saw an outsider, how could he not be thrilled?
As for why he called Xiao Kang 'big brother' instead of 'uncle,' it was because Xiao Kang was already very young when he underwent the transformation of his physical body by the Heavenly and Earthly rules. Although many years had passed since then, time had left no trace on his face, so Xiao Kang appeared very young.
Furthermore, from the little boy's perspective, an 'uncle' should appear to be around his father's age. Xiao Kang, however, looked far too young compared to his father. Therefore, in his understanding, someone of Xiao Kang's apparent age was a 'big brother,' not an 'uncle. '
The little boy's voice not only drew Ye Zhiqiu's gaze but also captured Xiao Kang's attention. Both looked almost simultaneously towards where the little boy was. At that moment, Ye Zhiqiu's brows furrowed even deeper. Conversely, the smile on Xiao Kang's face deepened a few shades.
“Heh heh, is this Uncle Ye's child? What a cute kid. When I first met Uncle Ye back then, I was probably around his age. It's just that my experiences, compared to his, were much more tragic. ”
Xiao Kang said with a chuckle, his tone tinged with a hint of lament. Upon hearing Xiao Kang's words, Ye Zhiqiu's expression instantly turned extremely grim. His hand, clutching the hoe handle, involuntarily tightened its grip.
Crack! Crack!
Cracks appeared along the hoe handle. Ye Zhiqiu, from whom no power fluctuations could originally be sensed, now faintly emitted a wave of power.
Ever since leaving the Great Night Empire and coming here to live in seclusion, Ye Zhiqiu had never again used his own power. Because he wanted to live the life of an ordinary person, he naturally couldn't use powers that ordinary people didn't possess. For all these years, he had maintained this.
But now, he had broken this rule. This showed just how intense the emotional turmoil within him was. His strong reaction was because he felt that Xiao Kang's words at this moment carried a threat.
“Are you leaving or not? ”
Ye Zhiqiu asked in a low voice, hinting at urging Xiao Kang to leave. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't urge them; he would simply act to eliminate the other party once and for all. But when facing Xiao Kang, he didn't do so.
“Since Uncle Ye dislikes me so much, there’s no point in me staying here. However, before I leave, I have a question for Uncle Ye. ”
Xiao Kang spoke with a smile. Ye Zhiqiu, however, responded to Xiao Kang with a single, cold word.
“Speak! ”
That single word carried a chilling coldness, and even faintly revealed a trace of killing intent. It was as if warning Xiao Kang. However, Xiao Kang wasn't intimidated; instead, he asked Ye Zhiqiu with a beaming smile.
“The person who killed my mother back then, Uncle Ye, was it you? ”
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