Chapter 118: Your Father’s Radiance Always Beside You

Ye Kun and the others looked quite surprised; they had been away from home only a few days and already encountered a prince. It was something they had never expected! Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian thought that even it was normal for Brother Kun to meet the Sword Emperor.

“May I know your name, young brother?” Changsun Tan smiled gently.

“Ye Kun, this is my younger brother Ye Qin, my wife Ye Li, and Yan Mu’er, as well as our fellow students Feng Dian and Yuan Zhen. These are our attendants Dong Ci and Da Ci.”

“A pleasure to meet you all,” Changsun Tan said, cupping his hands in a courteous gesture, radiating warmth.

Curiously, he asked, “Ye Kun, what is your relationship with the Ye family of Taijing?”

“My father is Ye Ming,” Ye Kun replied, not knowing the full details but hoping that mentioning his father’s name would prove useful while traveling.

Upon hearing “Ye Ming,” Changsun Tan paused briefly before murmuring, “There are few I truly admire; the King of Hell is one of them. To meet his two children today is truly fortunate. Your father was once the foremost figure in Taijing, so arrogant he disregarded even the Sage. I was young then, but I aspired to be his disciple.”

Wow, Ye Kun hadn’t realized how formidable his father had been. But thinking of the present, he decided it was best to let it go. His father was now firmly suppressed by his mother, speaking timidly despite his once-dominant spirit.

His father had truly brought this upon himself.

“You flatter me, Ninth Prince,” Ye Kun laughed.

“I am not joking. Had you been in Taijing then, you would understand. Do you know the popular saying in Taijing at the time? ‘Better to be the King of Hell’s brother than a royal official.’”

Heaven, his father’s glory was well hidden. Ye Ming’s silence was intentional—he might claim indifference, but once his children ventured out, they would inevitably hear tales of his grandeur.

Though absent, his father’s formidable aura lingered.

“Back then, the ladies of Taijing were wildly infatuated with your father. Even the Sage sought to marry a princess to him. But alas, your father...”

“What happened?” Ye Qin hurriedly asked, genuinely curious about how their father left Taijing.

Ye Kun had thought it was due to the Divine Sword, but there seemed to be other reasons.

“A woman came to Taijing—your mother. From the moment she arrived, she stole all the spotlight, residing in Jingxin Garden. Nobles from all over Taijing came to pay their respects, including the royal family, and naturally, your father was among them.”

Ye Kun and Ye Qin felt they had gained much today, finally hearing stories of their parents they had never been told.

“So your parents got together then?” Ye Qin asked eagerly.

“Not so fast. Your father and mother didn’t unite quickly; in fact, your father was initially turned away.”

Now they understood—father had a masochistic streak, and mother had fiercely rejected him at first.

But wait, father often said mother was gentle before. Was that a lie?

“And then?” Ye Kun couldn’t help but ask, with Ye Li and Yan Mu’er equally intrigued, as their father’s antics sounded too entertaining.

“From what I heard, your father launched a nocturnal raid on Jingxin Garden that very night. Many saw him leaving only at dawn the next day.”

Ye Kun and Ye Qin nearly dropped their jaws. Their father had such bold moments?

He had actually raided their mother’s chamber overnight! My heavens, his courage was immense.

For a man to spend the night in an unmarried woman’s room implied much; her reputation would be forever altered.

“After that, your father frequented Jingxin Garden. Sometimes, he and your mother even strolled through Taijing together. Your father transformed from the King of Hell into the King of Hearts. But therein lay the problem!”

“The disciples who once followed your father had great ambitions, but after meeting your mother, he abandoned them all, much to their discontent. Your father had already angered many, but with your mother’s arrival, he managed to offend everyone in Taijing. It was madness. He should have been called the Mad King rather than the King of Hell.”

“In the end, the Ye family lost patience and forced your father to marry the princess, to resolve certain ‘misunderstandings.’ Your father was remarkable; he outright refused the princess before the Sage, shaming the Sage, who became enraged and sought to arrest your father on the spot.”

“Your mother was formidable, descending from the heavens with a maidservant. That scene is unforgettable—especially her words, utterly commanding.”

As Changsun Tan continued, everyone listened intently, including Yue Zhu behind them. Such stories were surely meant to remain secret.

“My man! Only I may move him!” Changsun Tan imitated Dongmen Meng’s tone perfectly, his expression exquisite.

Ye Kun and Ye Qin shuddered. Their mother truly spoke boldly. Father’s expression must have been priceless—perhaps even a little embarrassed.

“With your mother’s arrival, your father was electrified, seemingly ready to battle the Sage and cleanse the palace in blood. But then, the heavens shifted— a golden light struck your father’s forehead, and he fainted in your mother’s arms.”

“You should have seen the faces around—like they had witnessed divine justice bringing down your father.”

“But... it turned out your father was chosen by the Divine Sword. That scene was magnificent, befitting the King of Hell. Ye Yang even tried to seize the sword, but your father restrained him, or Ye Yang might have been struck dead on the spot.”

Ye Kun finally understood—the Divine Sword chose its wielder. Father had boasted about earning it with his life, but that was just bragging.

Still, he was strong enough already. He dared not be chosen by the Divine Sword himself; he wouldn’t even dare look up, fearing the heavens might implant the sword in him and complicate his life.

“With the Divine Sword’s arrival, the situation changed drastically. But the Ye family patriarch—your grandfather—became shameless, demanding your father hand over the sword. I was young then, or I would have spat on him. That old man was truly wicked.”

“Your father, of course, refused. The Sage had no recourse. Would they force your parents to massacre the royal city? If forgiven outright, the imperial authority would collapse. So the edict was issued forbidding your father from ever setting foot in Taijing again. Since then, your parents disappeared.”

Changsun Tan’s tale lingered, savoring every detail—it was truly heroic.

Ye Kun thought this was only part of the story; surely there were deeper truths hidden away, unknown even to the Ninth Prince.

“I never imagined my parents had such a past,” Yan Mu’er exclaimed.

“There are many stories about your father—it’s impossible to tell them all at once. Let us consult the oracle instead.”