The shepherd boy cursed under his breath but dared not retaliate.
"Get lost. Or do you want me to keep you here for dinner?" Ye Feng's voice was cold as ice as he dismissed the so-called ancestor of Danta.
The shepherd boy gave a slight bow, and a ripple of energy flickered around him. In the next instant, he stepped into the void and vanished without a trace.
"Young Master Ye… was that really the ancestor of our Danta?" Ye Tong asked, bewildered.
"Yes," Ye Feng responded indifferently.
"But the ancestor vanished ages ago. Not even the three giants know where he is. How do you know him?" Ye Zhong asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
Ye Feng scoffed. "Who doesn't know that pill?"
"Pill?" Ya Fei blinked. "Young Master Ye, I remember you once said that high-tier eighth-grade pills possess instinctual consciousness. And ninth-grade pills… can transform into living beings. Are you saying that shepherd boy was actually a pill?"
Ye Feng nodded.
"For real?"
"Absolutely."
Ya Fei's phoenix eyes sparkled with interest. "A ninth-grade, shape-transforming spirit elixir… If that were put up for auction, what kind of price would it fetch?"
"You thinking of selling him?" Ye Feng asked with a half-smile.
"I did have the thought," Ya Fei admitted, then hesitated. "But he is still the ancestor of Danta."
"So what?" Ye Feng replied coolly. "He's just a pill. If you really want to auction him, I'll help you."
"I'd better not," Ya Fei said, suppressing her excitement. She turned her gaze toward Ye Xinlan, her expression thoughtful.
Ye Xinlan was the eldest daughter of the Ye family—one of the five major families in Danta. If Ya Fei truly auctioned off the ancestor of Danta, even if the Ye family didn't say anything outright, resentment would surely brew in secret. And so, she declined Ye Feng's offer.
Ye Xinlan, Ye Zhong, and the other prominent members of the Ye family stood there in a daze. The conversation they just overheard felt surreal. To them, the ancestor of Danta was a legendary figure, a being high above the clouds. Yet in the eyes of Ye Feng and Ya Fei, he was nothing more than an item—something to be caught and sold.
"Head of the Ye family," Ye Feng said, turning to Ye Zhong, "I've fulfilled my promise to Xinlan."
In the hierarchy of Danta, the ancestor was a supreme guardian. His word was absolute. Even the three giants of Danta dared not question him. And now, the Ye family possessed the Patriarch Order he had bestowed. With that, even the giants would be forced to show them respect from this day forward.
Ye Zhong dropped to one knee. Without hesitation, Ye Xinlan and the elders followed suit, kneeling before Ye Feng.
"What are you all doing?"
"Young Master Ye," Ye Zhong said solemnly, "you not only rescued our family from crisis, but you also gifted us the Patriarch Order. The Ye family will never forget this favor. We have no way to repay you. Please accept our bow of gratitude."
With that, he bent both knees and kowtowed to the ground.
"Please accept our bow!" echoed Ye Xinlan and the others, following suit with deep reverence.
"…Get up," Ye Feng said quietly.
The members of the Ye family rose respectfully from the ground.
Ding!
"Congratulations. You have defeated the ancestor of Danta and helped the Ye family retain their position among the Danta Elders. You have altered the original storyline and earned 2,326 attribute points."
In the original timeline, the Ye family had only secured their elder seat thanks to Xiao Yan placing among the top three during Danta's five-family assessment.
But this time, Ye Xinlan had turned to Ye Feng for help. As a tenth-grade alchemist, Ye Feng had no interest in participating in any lower-level assessments. Instead, he used his strength to alter fate directly, reshaping the outcome.
With the ancestral order now in hand, the other four families in Danta would no longer dare challenge the Ye family's status.
"Well, my work here is done. It's time for me to leave," Ye Feng said, turning.
"Mr. Ye, you're leaving already?" Ye Zhong asked hurriedly.
"Do you need something else?"
"It's not urgent. I just hoped you'd stay with our Ye family for a few more days."
"No."
"Young Master Ye, please reconsider," Ye Zhong pleaded. "Our Ye family isn't only known for alchemy. We also excel at winemaking and fine cuisine."
"Wine?" A gleam flashed in Ye Feng's eyes.
"Yes. Our wines are well-known across Zhongzhou, especially the legendary Huang Jin Chun. It's one of our most precious brews."
"Huang Jin Chun?" Venerable Feng's eyes widened. His heart skipped a beat. "Patriarch Ye, wasn't that wine passed down from your family's founding ancestor? I heard there are only sixty-three bottles left in the world. A single cup is said to extend life by ten years and invigorate the body. People have offered seventh-grade transformation pills in exchange, and you refused. Why are you offering it now?"
"Senior Feng Zun, you jest," Ye Zhong said, smiling humbly. "Young Master Ye has done more for us than a thousand bottles of wine could repay. Of course, we'll offer our best. Besides Huang Jin Chun, we've also prepared some of our finest dishes. Young Master Ye, if you have no urgent matters, please stay a few more days as our honored guest."
"…Alright then. I'll stay," Ye Feng finally agreed.
He needed to improve his physical strength anyway—and he was also curious about this legendary wine that could extend life by a decade with a single sip.
His next destination was the unopened cave of the Creation Saint. Until then, he had time.
---
Seven Days Later…
Ye Feng realized he had underestimated Ye Zhong.
That night, slightly drunk and half-awake, he was escorted by a maid through a quiet grove.
"Wait. This isn't the way to my courtyard," he said, frowning.
"Young Master Ye, this path leads to the villa of our young lady," the maid said gently.
"Your lady? You mean… Ye Xinlan?"
"Yes. To be honest, the lady and the clan leader asked me to bring you here. They also told me that if you asked about it, I should answer truthfully."
As they approached the villa, a soft, flowing melody floated through the air—like a mountain stream trickling through quiet woods.
"Who's playing the zither?" Ye Feng asked.
"It's Miss Xinlan."
He paused, listening. The tune carried a faint sorrow—like the cry of a young girl, longing for love she could never quite reach.
When the song ended, the maid looked at him once more.
"Young Master Ye… shall we continue?"
She hesitated, then added softly, "The lady and the patriarch agreed: if you choose not to enter, you will not be forced."