Xiao Yi and Sun Qian shared a room. Mentally, Xiao Yi was like a child who needed care.
Sun Qian doted on her and took care of her. Together, they were like two sisters.
Consort Xian and Wan Yan Ting shared a room.
Although they were mother and daughter, they looked no different from sisters.
In this world, a difference of several hundred or even thousands of years in age could not be discerned from one's appearance, let alone a mere few decades between this mother and daughter.
When Mo Qi entered the room, the mother and daughter became flustered, unsure whether to sit or stand.
Mo Qi, on the other hand, sat down casually.
"Is there something you need?" Consort Xian asked, shielding Wan Yan Ting behind her, her demeanor full of caution.
"What's going on?" Mo Qi felt bewildered. "Why are you so afraid of me? I won't eat you."
"I saw you visit every room. Except for your sister's room, I can roughly imagine what you did in the others," Consort Xian said, appearing experienced.
"Oh?" Mo Qi was amused and exasperated. "What do you think I did?"
"You..." Consort Xian blushed. "How can I possibly say such a thing?"
"Then what do you intend to do?" Mo Qi continued to smile.
"I can accompany you, and I did say I would serve you like a beast of burden. I stand by my word. It's just that Ting'er is still young. Can you spare her?" Consort Xian's eyes held a hint of pleading.
Mo Qi chuckled, "You're overthinking it. I came to tell you that since you're here, settle down and treat this place as your home. Tell them if you need anything."
"Oh," Consort Xian said after a moment of stunned silence. "You don't have any other intentions?"
Mo Qi suddenly fixed his gaze on her. "It's you who has other intentions, isn't it?"
"No, no," Consort Xian stammered.
"That's good then," Mo Qi stood up. "Feel free to ask for anything you need. Although Wan Yan Hong Liang was an accomplice in overthrowing my father, misfortune should not extend to family. His daughter," he glanced at Wan Yan Ting, "I will take good care of her for him."
Consort Xian and Wan Yan Ting felt a chill down their spines, suddenly feeling like sheep entering a tiger's den.
At this moment, they regretted their decision. The other consorts had left early; it turned out they were the most sensible.
As Mo Qi was about to leave, Consort Xian suddenly grabbed his hand. "Please spare Ting'er. I'll agree to anything you want."
Mo Qi shook off her hand and sighed. "What are you talking about? Wan Yan Hong Liang's kingdom has fallen, and his body is gone. Why would I still hold a grudge in such a situation? Don't worry, the care I mentioned is genuine care, not the opposite."
Consort Xian pouted, thinking, "Who would believe you?"
Mo Qi looked at Wan Yan Ting meaningfully. "What is your title?"
"Purple Moon!" Wan Yan Ting blurted out.
Mo Qi said "Oh," and left.
The mother and daughter exchanged glances.
After a long while, Consort Xian said, as if making a great decision, "Let's escape."
Wan Yan Ting hesitated. "Where would we escape to? This world is so chaotic; nowhere is peaceful. Let's not go."
The next day, Mo Qi, surrounded by people, walked to the entrance of the ancestral shrine.
Ye Qingqing repeatedly tried to dissuade him. "Brother, you really shouldn't go in. They've already accepted you; there's no need for this trip."
"Who says it's unnecessary? It's very necessary. If I don't enter the ancestral shrine, everyone will remain suspicious of me. If I go in and come out, and also receive the inheritance, it can at least prove that I am a descendant of the Ye family. Otherwise, everyone will always have a knot in their hearts. Moreover, if I am to continue my revenge, I need that kind of inheritance," Mo Qi said.
"But the path ahead is unknown. I'm worried you might encounter some misfortune if you go in," Ye Qingqing said.
"Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth by heaven."
"You just said yesterday that you would protect me. If something were to happen to you, how would you protect me?"
Mo Qi wiped her teary eyes. "Nothing will happen, don't worry. If there's any danger, I'll escape immediately. Besides, what danger could there be in an ancestral shrine?"
"That's not necessarily true," Wei Sanxiao said. "To prevent outsiders from causing trouble, some mechanisms were set up inside, and the residual soul of the Old Ancestor will also punish impostors."
Ye Qingqing became even more anxious, pulling Mo Qi and preventing him from entering.
Because she now knew that the brother before her was a reincarnated brother.
Whether a person who had undergone reincarnation could still be recognized by the Old Ancestor was an uncertain question.
Mo Qi had to use his trump card, kissing her on the forehead. Only then did Ye Qingqing let him go.
Entering the ancestral shrine was a deep, dark alleyway.
Following the alley, he soon entered boundless darkness.
There was light ahead, a starlight, guiding his way forward.
He followed that direction and continued to advance.
It felt close, but he kept walking, always close, yet never reaching it.
After walking for an unknown duration, the starlight was still not far ahead, as if mocking him.
Mo Qi felt a bit dejected. How big could an ancestral shrine be?
This was a newly built ancestral shrine; it shouldn't be too large.
He must have entered some illusion, where no matter how long he walked, he would never reach the end.
So, he sat down on the spot, calmed his mind, and slowly circulated the Great Heavenly Cycle.
A moment later, he opened his eyes again.
The scene before him had changed!
It was a room several zhang square. In front was an altar, upon which were placed many spirit tablets.
There was High Ancestor Ye Bufan, Emperor Ye Shiming, High Emperor Ye Zhi...
Mo Qi knelt with utmost sincerity, clasped his hands together, and prayed earnestly: "To all the ancestors above, your descendant Mo Qi... no, your descendant Ye Yun, bows here and begs for inheritance."
Then, he waited quietly.
As a result, after waiting for a long time, there was nothing but a calm breeze, no reaction at all.
So, he repeated it several times and bowed again, still no reaction.
No way?
Someone as outstanding as himself was not suitable to be a successor?
What were they thinking?
He looked up and suddenly saw a red shadow flowing on the High Ancestor's spirit tablet, as if a ball of fire was burning.
The red shadow suddenly surged and struck towards his brow. Caught off guard, his entire body was enveloped by the red light.
His vision blurred, and he found himself in boundless darkness.
It was pitch black all around, with nothing but darkness!
A cool breeze blew, sending a shiver through him. He suddenly realized his body was suspended in the air.
Beneath his feet was air, yet he felt as if he were standing on solid ground. He took a few steps forward and walked steadily.
"Where is this? Another illusion?"
He couldn't help but sit down and meditate on the spot, calming his mind, observing his nose, his nose observing his heart, and his heart observing the dust. He suddenly opened his eyes—still darkness!
What was going on?
He continued to walk forward, galloping at high speed in the boundless darkness. He ran for an unknown distance, but there was still no end.
He couldn't help but feel a little panicked. Would he be trapped here?
"Old Ancestor, I don't want the inheritance anymore. Let me out," Mo Qi shouted into the void.
"Let me out, I still have many things to do."
"They are all for the prosperity of the Ye family. If you don't let me out, will you just watch the Ye family decline?"
No matter how much he shouted, there was no response; he only heard his own echoes.
After shouting for an unknown amount of time, he grew tired and lay down on the spot.
He lay suspended in the air.
Suddenly, for some reason, he became more accepting.
If he had to face this darkness forever, then he would become the darkness.
Unknowingly, he fell asleep.
Meanwhile, outside the ancestral shrine, people had been waiting for several days. Many had already left.
Sun Qian, Xiao Yi, Ye Qingqing, Zi Luo, Wan Yan Ting, and several elders waited outside, all looking anxious.
Only Wei Sanxiao's smile grew brighter and brighter; he seemed to be anticipating something.
At this time, inside the ancestral shrine, Mo Qi woke up after an unknown period of sleep and began to cultivate diligently.
He had a dream. In the dream, an old man appeared, with white hair and a white beard, his body as light as the wind, his face refined, exuding an aura of immortal grace.
The old man asked directly, "Who are you?"
Although in a dream, Mo Qi still remembered that he was here to find the Old Ancestor, so he answered earnestly, "Your descendant Ye Yun."
"Ye Yun is long dead."
"The body is dead, but the soul remains. I remember everything about Ye Yun," Mo Qi said calmly.
The old man stroked his beard and began to ponder.
After a moment, he said, "You say you are Ye Yun, but I don't believe you. How can you prove you are Ye Yun?"
"If you are the Old Ancestor of the Ye family, I know of your deeds," Mo Qi said calmly. "You came from a certain star world back then, followed the current Heavenly Emperor Meng Zun of the Ironwood Heavenly Court to fight for dominance, and later pacified the eighteen tribes to establish the Liuyun Tribe. At that time, the world was not divided into Red Leaf and Green Leaf; it was all one color. It was Meng Zun who deliberately painted colors and divided it into kingdoms like Red Leaf and Green Leaf to curb everyone's ambition. The Liuyun Tribe was initially subordinate to the Red Leaf Kingdom. It was only in my father's generation that they ruled the entire kingdom. Later, they were defeated by the Green Leaf Kingdom and internal traitors..."
"Everyone should know this matter, shouldn't they?" Ye Bufan said.
Mo Qi's mouth twitched slightly. "Are there any swords that cannot be pulled? I can pull a sword to prove myself."
"No, but there are five heavenly lightning strikes. If you can withstand them, it will prove you are Ye Yun."
"What if I can't withstand them?"
"You will cease to exist."
"Then why would Ye Yun definitely be able to withstand them?"
"Not necessarily."
"..."
"So, do you want to prove yourself?"
"Even if I withstand them, it doesn't necessarily mean I am Ye Yun. How does this prove it?" Mo Qi was somewhat amused and exasperated.
"Because Ye Yun will definitely accept the challenge."
"You know me better than I know myself!"
"You are talking nonsense. You haven't even proven you are Ye Yun yet."
"Alas, what can I do when I encounter someone unreasonable? Then I'll prove myself," Mo Qi said helplessly.
At that moment, with a thunderous roar, a heavenly lightning strike descended, knocking Mo Qi to the ground. Smoke sizzled from his body, his hair stood on end, emitting a burnt smell.
Mo Qi struggled and managed to stand up. "You, you're not playing by the rules! You didn't even say 'start'."