When Ye Tian woke up, he glanced at his surroundings. Nothing had changed. The Eight-winged Golden Scale Python was still guarding him, but he had no idea how long he had been unconscious this time.
"Boss, you're finally awake! You really scared me this time. I tried calling out to you so many times. How could something like this happen?" the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python said.
"Ye Lin, was I unconscious for a long time? Why couldn't you wake me?" Ye Tian asked, confused.
"Boss, you were out for almost five months. But during that time, the strange phenomenon on the full moon nights never happened again," the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python said.
"Five months? Are you sure?" Ye Tian shot to his feet, a look of disbelief on his face. 'I can't believe I was unconscious for five whole months. That strange image is terrifyingly powerful. Just looking at it knocked me out for this long. If I had actually been there, I would've been turned to dust.'
"I'm sure of it. Five months! Boss, should we leave now?" said the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python.
"We have to leave immediately. Linyuan Academy's enrollment period is just around the corner. Feifei is probably out of seclusion by now, too. Let's go now!" Ye Tian said.
"Boss, I'll return to your body. I can't be seen by others just yet. From now on, you'll need to absorb Spirit Stones to sustain me," said the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python.
Ye Tian nodded. With a single thought, the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python vanished. In its place, a small tattoo-like pattern appeared on his chest.
'Ye Tian was filled with regret. He shouldn't have looked at that bizarre image a second time. He had just wasted five months of cultivation. If not for this delay, he was certain he would have already mastered the First Form of Dragon Form Hundred Transformations.'
'But regret was useless now. He had to get back to the Ye Mansion and see what was happening. He was sure Linyuan Academy hadn't started recruiting yet. Otherwise, Ye Feifei would have come to find him. Even if she didn't know his exact location, she would have been able to track him here.'
He raced back, and before long, Ye Tian arrived at the Ye Mansion. In the months he'd been gone, it had changed significantly. The estate had been expanded, and several new buildings had been constructed, though he wasn't sure of their purpose.
Ye Tian went to his room and found it exactly as he had left it. There wasn't a single speck of dust on the desk. Someone must have been cleaning it regularly.
After resting for a moment, he decided to find Ye Weitian and ask about Linyuan Academy. He had just left his room and hadn't gone far when he ran into someone—a very familiar face.
"Brother Tian, you're back! I was just on my way to see you!" the person exclaimed.
The only person who called him Brother Tian was Ye Feifei. Ye Tian smiled at her. "I just got back and was on my way to see your father. Were you heading over to clean my room?"
"Mm-hm, I figured you should be back around this time. I really wanted to come see you, but I was afraid of interrupting your cultivation, so I just waited here at home. I can't believe you came back today!" Ye Feifei said with a laugh.
'Ye Tian was touched. Still, if Feifei had come to see him, she would have only been more worried. Seeing him unconscious would have sent her into a panic.'
"Feifei, how much time is left before Linyuan Academy starts enrolling students? That's actually what I was going to ask your father about," Ye Tian said.
"Only ten days left. There's no family tournament this time. After all, the Ye Family is the only one left in Lisha City. So it'll just be you and me going to Linyuan Academy. We have to leave in three days at the latest, though. It's a long journey from Lisha City to the academy," said Ye Feifei.
"Three days? Looks like I'm back just in time. Is there anything I need to prepare?" Ye Tian chuckled, though inwardly he felt a pang of fear. 'If I'd woken up just a few days later, I'd have been in real trouble.'
"Not really. My father will see us off when it's time to leave. For the next three days, why don't we go explore Lisha City? Now that we're taking over the Qin and Liu Family businesses, a lot has changed," Ye Feifei said with a smile.
"That sounds like a great idea. I haven't had a drink in ages. I'm actually craving one now!" Ye Tian laughed.
The two of them left the Ye Mansion right away. Along the way, they ran into many disciples of the Ye Family, all of whom were shocked to see Ye Tian again after his long absence.
Strolling through the streets of Lisha City, Ye Tian was handsome and dashing, while Ye Feifei's beauty was enough to topple nations. Together, they were a picturesque sight, drawing the attention of everyone around them. Ye Tian's appearance, in particular, stunned many, and whispers followed them everywhere.
"Brother Tian, you're a real celebrity in Lisha City now. A lot of people are scared of you! You have no idea... a while back, the stories people were telling about you were getting so exaggerated they sounded almost mythical. I was getting a little worried," Ye Feifei said.
"I know what you mean. I'll have to keep a lower profile from now on. Once I'm at Linyuan Academy, I'll just try to be an ordinary student. The tallest tree attracts the most wind, and I'd rather avoid unnecessary trouble," Ye Tian replied.
All along the way, they could feel countless gazes of envy and jealousy, making them both feel uneasy. "Brother Tian, let's just go back," Ye Feifei said, "I can't stand being stared at like this!"
Ye Tian felt uncomfortable too. 'Maybe next time I come out here, I should change my appearance.' The only problem was, he didn't actually know any Disguise Technique.
"Let's go," Ye Tian said. "We'll go back and discuss something with your father."
Ye Weitian was in his study looking over the family's business ledgers when Ye Tian and Ye Feifei walked in.
Ye Weitian was startled to see him. "Ye Tian! When did you get back? I was just about to send Feifei to look for you. Linyuan Academy is about to begin enrollment. You've returned at the perfect time."
"Patriarch, the Ye Family is thriving now. After I leave, I hope you will continue to expand the family's influence. Lisha City may undergo earth-shattering changes in the future. In addition to our own family disciples, you should also consider recruiting disciples from outside the family to bolster our strength. You could also recruit some powerful experts to serve as the family's Honored Guest Elders. I know you must be puzzled by all this, but this is actually a message Elder Qing asked me to relay to you before he left. I hope you will take his words seriously," Ye Tian said.
Ye Weitian fell silent, pondering for a moment. He glanced from Ye Tian to Ye Feifei, then spoke. "I will take Elder Qing's words seriously and will make the arrangements immediately. However, there is a major question that has been weighing on my mind, one that I need you to answer for me."
"What question is that?" Ye Tian asked.
"Why did Elder Qing refer to Feifei as Young Madam?" Ye Weitian asked, his gaze sharp. "And who, exactly, are you?" He knew the questions would put Ye Tian in an awkward position, but he couldn't stop himself from asking…