Chapter 228: Chapter 228: The Ye Family in Peril
"I heard the Ye family’s Patriarch and the others have been in the provincial capital these past few days. The City Guard chose this time to act—they’re trying to wipe out all the Ye family members in one go. I wonder how many of them will die this time."
Ye Xuan overheard this conversation from some passing Martial Artists, and his expression changed in an instant.
He immediately grabbed one of the Martial Artists and asked in a cold voice, "The Ye family you were just talking about—what’s their Patriarch’s name?"
The Martial Artist was about to get angry, but then he saw the large group of Imperial Guards surrounding Ye Xuan. His face went pale with fright, and he quickly said, "Sir, I... I don’t know the Ye family Patriarch’s name."
"What? You don’t know?"
"I only know that the Ye family is from Blue Moon City and they specialize in selling High-Efficacy Blood Restoration Pills, High-Efficacy Qi Recovery Pills, and High-Efficacy Gathering Profound Pills. They’ve risen very quickly in our Tianxu Province over the last year. Other than that, I don’t know anything."
An idea struck Liu Yunfeng. Recalling that Ye Xuan’s surname was also Ye, he quickly spoke up. "Sir, I happen to know a bit about that Ye family. The Patriarch’s name is Ye Zhanxiong. They’re a small family from Blue Moon City and seem to have some connection to the Alchemist Association. In the last year, the Ye family Pharmacy has opened branches in every city in our Tianxu Province. They’ve caused quite a stir in the provincial capital and their business is huge. The Governor has had his eye on the Ye family for a while, but he held back out of caution. Now, I think he’s finally making his move against them."
"Ye Zhanxiong... Young Master Xuan, isn’t that your great-uncle?" Chen Xing flew into a rage. "That Wei Hong dares to move against your Ye family? He must have a death wish!"
"What?"
Ouyang Xiaoshan and the others were also shaken and looked furious when they heard this.
’Governor Wei Hong dares to attack Young Master Xuan’s family? This is practically treason!’
"Ye Xuan, we need to hurry. It’ll be too late if we’re delayed," Leng Yingying and Feng Rouyi urged nervously.
"Let’s go!"
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. The group immediately sped off, following the direction in which the crowd of Martial Artists had disappeared.
"Sir, please follow me! I know where the Ye family’s Pharmacy is in the market district."
Liu Yunfeng was suddenly energized. Along the way, he had learned the identities of Ouyang Xiaoshan and his men—they were actually the Imperial Guard from the Royal City, and Ouyang Xiaoshan himself was a Vice Commander.
The kingdom’s Imperial Guard... As the commander of the Tianxu Province City Guard, Liu Yunfeng knew exactly what that meant. To put it bluntly, the Royal City’s Imperial Guard was basically the private army of His Majesty Zhao Jing of the Liuyun Kingdom.
And this Ye Xuan had not only been granted Tianxu Province as his personal fief by His Majesty Zhao Jing, but he was also being protected and followed by the Imperial Guard. To be frank, this man’s status in His Majesty’s eyes was in no way inferior to any of the princes.
Governor Wei Hong might have high status and great power in Tianxu Province, but on the scale of the entire kingdom, he was insignificant.
Therefore, along the way, Liu Yunfeng had made up his mind: he would serve Ye Xuan with all his might. Only then might he have a chance to survive this ordeal.
In the market district, a massive crowd of Martial Artists had already gathered, surrounding the area completely.
Ye Batian, Ye Zhanyun, Ye Zhanxiong, and the others were staring at the large group of City Guards opposite them, their faces ashen with rage.
"Sir, the efficacy of our Ye family’s Pills is plain for all to see, and they have no toxic side effects! By what right do you confiscate our Pills and shut down our shop?" Old Master Ye Batian’s eyes were wide with anger, his hair and beard bristling.
"That’s right! Our Ye family pharmacies are spread throughout Tianxu Province, and there has never been a single complaint. We’ve always paid our taxes on time. You have no right to shut us down!"
"We demand to see the Governor! I, Ye Zhanxiong, want to know exactly what laws our Ye family Pharmacy has broken!"
Ye Zhanxiong and the others shouted, their eyes blazing with anger, refusing to back down an inch.
"Hahaha, what laws have you broken?" The leader of the opposing group was a sinister-looking young man in his thirties with an incredibly dark gaze. "Your Ye family sells illicit Pills, and you have the nerve to ask me what laws you’ve broken? Fine, I’ll tell you. You’ve broken so many laws... if you want the details, you can ask about them in prison."
He waved his hand. "Confiscate all of the Ye family’s Pills! Kill anyone who resists without mercy!"
"Yes, sir!"
The troop of City Guards roared in affirmation and charged into the pharmacy like a pack of wild beasts. With a great CRASH and SMASH, they began to wreck the place. In an instant, the entire pharmacy was in shambles, with Pills and medicinal herbs rolling all over the floor.
"You damn bastards! Stop! Stop right now!" Old Master Ye Batian’s eyes were bloodshot as he moved to stop them.
"What do you think you’re doing? Get back! Don’t blame us if our blades show no mercy."
A group of high-ranking City Guard officers drew their battle sabers with a CLANG and tightly surrounded Ye Batian and the others, unleashing their killing intent without reservation.
"Father." Ye Zhanyun grabbed the old master and said in a low voice, "Father, hold back. Where there’s life, there’s hope."
"Yes, Father."
"Damn it." Ye Batian’s fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. He gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, forced to watch helplessly as the City Guards destroyed their pharmacy.
These pharmacies were the fruit of all the Ye family’s hard work. Seeing this brutish scene, every member of the family felt as if their hearts were bleeding in agony.
While smashing things, the City Guards were also rummaging through chests and cabinets, apparently searching for something.
In the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the entire Ye family Pharmacy was reduced to a pile of ruins.
A high-ranking City Guard officer approached the sinister young man and whispered in his ear, "Young Master, we couldn’t find the formulas or production techniques for those three types of Pills in the Ye family Pharmacy."
The young man nodded, his icy gaze falling on Ye Batian and the others. "Members of the Ye family, we found some evidence and clues in your pharmacy. Now, I must ask you to accompany me, Wei Guang, to the security bureau to clarify matters."
SHING!
A group of City Guards moved to completely surround the Ye family members.
The expressions on the faces of Ye Batian and the others changed drastically. It was obvious what their opponents were doing—they were trying to wipe them out in one fell swoop! Smashing and sealing the pharmacy wasn’t enough; they were also going to throw them all in prison.
"Wei Guang, our Ye family has always been law-abiding! We’ve never done anything to offend heaven or earth! You’ve shut down our pharmacy, fine, but on what grounds are you taking us to the security bureau?"
Ye Batian and the others were no idiots. They had heard rumors these past few days that the Wei family was plundering the assets of various major families in the provincial capital. Seeing this now, how could they not understand that their opponents were making a move on the Ye family?
And it was highly likely that what they were truly after were the Ye family’s three great pill formulas.
"On what grounds? As the Governor’s son, do I, Wei Guang, not even have the authority to bring you to the security bureau for questioning? Enough talk. Come with me obediently. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee what will happen," Wei Guang said in a cold, menacing voice.
"If you have something to say, Sir, say it clearly here. As for the security bureau, forgive us, but we cannot go," Ye Zhanyun said coldly.
They knew very well that once they entered the security bureau, they would have no hope of ever seeing the light of day again.
Wei Guang frowned. The very reason he had moved against the Ye family today was because he knew their key members were all present. The formulas for the three types of Pills that had built the Ye family’s fortune had to be on them. How could he possibly let them leave safely?
With a sneer, Wei Guang wasted no more words and waved his hand. "Seize them all! You’re coming with me today, whether you like it or not!"
A group of City Guards immediately lunged toward Ye Batian and the others.
"You villains! Do you not fear the sanctions of the kingdom’s laws?"
Ye Batian and the others fought back in a rage. The few City Guards in the lead were immediately sent flying back by the force of their counterattack.
Over the past year, thanks to Ye Xuan’s previous guidance and their cultivation of the Unrivaled Earth Destruction Skill, both Ye Batian and Ye Zhanyun had broken through to become First Heaven Celestial Martial Artists. Ye Zhanxiong and the others had also reached the Third Layer of the Earth Martial Artist realm. When they attacked with their full strength, the ordinary City Guards couldn’t stop them at all. Even some of the high-ranking officers were forced back, unable to get close.
"Hmph, I knew you would resist. It seems you’re planning a rebellion," Wei Guang sneered, an evil glint in his eyes. "Commander Ouyang Feng, take them all down for me."
"Yes!"
With a cold shout, a middle-aged man in a black cloak suddenly shot out from behind Wei Guang. A pair of enormous, black-energy palms manifested, clawing madly toward Ye Batian and the others.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As he struck, a terrifying wave of energy, like a surging ocean, swept over everything. In an instant, his immense Profound Power completely enveloped Ye Batian and the others.
"Ouyang Feng!"
"Oh no! That’s the commander from the Tianxu Province’s City Lord’s Mansion, a Third Heaven Celestial Martial Artist!"
"Zhanyun, Zhanxiong, get out of here!"
Old Master Ye Batian instantly charged forward to block the attack, trying to buy the other Ye family members a sliver of a chance to survive.
KABOOM!
The two palms collided in mid-air. The cloaked man’s body shuddered; his palm strike had failed to take down Ye Batian, merely causing a trickle of blood to escape the corner of the old man’s mouth. He let out a cry of surprise. ’What a terrifying Cultivation Technique!’
He felt a surge of excitement. He hadn’t taken Wei Guang’s order very seriously before, but now his blood was pumping. This Ye Batian, a mere First Heaven Celestial Martial Artist, had actually blocked a strike from him, a Third Heaven Celestial Martial Artist. It was obvious that the Cultivation Technique he practiced was far more powerful than his own. Greed instantly welled up in his heart.
"Submit!"
With a low roar, Ouyang Feng attacked with his full strength, unleashing a countless number of fists in a single instant. Each punch was like a meteor streaking across the sky, accompanied by a deafening roar, striking Old Master Ye Batian and sending him flying backward, spitting blood that sprayed through the air.
"Father!"
Seeing this, Ye Zhanyun roared in anger and rushed in front of Ye Batian, blocking Ouyang Feng’s terrifying assault.
If Ye Zhanyun hadn’t rescued him in the nick of time, Old Master Ye Batian would have suffered grievous injuries, collapsed, and been completely crippled.
