C12 Kindness of the Ye Family

After everyone else had departed, Lin Hann and Lau Ruyan approached Elder Ye's side.

Standing nearby, Lee Haoxuan felt a wave of relief wash over him, grateful for having heeded his father's advice. Otherwise, his own temperament would have surely made him an easy target for Zhou Mo's schemes.

Upon receiving the news that one of his men had been injured, Lee Haoxuan was enraged but promptly reached out to Lee Anliang. After a brief analysis, Lee Anliang nearly pinpointed Zhou Mo's intentions. A covert investigation revealed the mole's identity, a spy who typically maintained a low profile but couldn't withstand such intense scrutiny. The spy's exposure lent credence to Lee Anliang's suspicions.

Initially, Lee Anliang considered ignoring Zhou Mo, but he knew that with Zhou Mo's cunning, Lee Haoxuan would inevitably be outmaneuvered. He decided to turn the tables and eradicate the Zhou family root and branch. Yet, despite the Lee family's power and potential for an upper hand, they couldn't easily defeat the Zhou family, backed by the Liu family, without both sides incurring significant damage. His only option was to seek an alliance with the Ye family. To his surprise, Old Master Ye was outraged by his proposal, prompting the decisive action that followed.

At that moment, Ye Botao addressed Lee Anliang, "Old Man Lee, make sure your actions are precise later!" He then gestured to Lin Hann and Lau Ruyan to follow him.

Lin Hann and Lau Ruyan accompanied Old Master Ye to the Ye family villa. Once seated, Elder Ye chuckled and asked, "Lin, do you understand why I took action against the Zhou family?"

Lin Hann responded, "Elder Ye, isn't it because they disrupted the peace of Hui City?"

Elder Ye, twirling a walnut in his hand, replied, "Do you think they have the power to disrupt Hui City's peace? That's merely a pretext for the public. To be frank, in Hui City, ten Zhou Mos would amount to nothing more than ants in the palm of my hand. The primary reason I took them down this time was for you."

"For me?" Lin Hann was taken aback. He hadn't anticipated that Elder Ye's grand display that evening was orchestrated on his behalf.

Elder Ye was lost in thought as he spoke, "You're Lin Jingtian's son, so it's only natural that I look out for you. Don't be surprised that I'm aware of this. Your arrival in Hui City wasn't by chance. It was your father who left you here, entrusting me with your care."

"I suppose you could say your father and I were friends despite the age difference. He was truly a man of remarkable talent. Had it not been for that unfortunate event, the Lin family would surely have outshone the other three major families in the capital. It's truly regrettable."

A hint of regret crossed Elder Ye's face as he continued, "However, I must be careful not to draw too much attention to you. If my cover were blown, I wouldn't be able to keep you safe. This time, I was only able to act against Zhou Mo because he slipped up. There are still far too many eyes on me."

Back in the day, Lin Jingtian and Lau Jingxiu were cast aside by the two prominent families of the capital. They were exhausted from contending with numerous external forces and had no choice but to conceal their identities, along with their young son, Lin Hann. When Lin Hann turned fourteen, they were forced to leave him behind. Before departing, they chose the tranquil Hui City as a safe haven and entrusted the Ye family with his care.

Elder Ye chuckled and added, "But your father never anticipated that his son would be just as exceptional as he was! It seems you've reached the Body Tempering Middle Period, and your foundation is exceptionally strong. Very impressive indeed!"

"You flatter me, Elder Ye. I'm just a kid; my modest abilities hardly warrant such praise," Lin Hann replied, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Is your Esper ability 'Elemental - Wood'?" Elder Ye inquired.

Lin Hann regarded the kindly Elder Ye before him. He realized that all he knew about Elder Ye was based on one-sided accounts, and he couldn't be certain of their veracity or if there were ulterior motives. Although Elder Ye appeared to harbor no malice, Lin Hann opted to keep his guard up and maintain his secret for the time being. Caution is never without merit.

Lin Hann gave Elder Ye a nod.

Elder Ye's expression turned wistful as he sighed, "It's a shame you didn't inherit your father's Esper ability. Nonetheless, the Wood Department Esper ability from the Lau family is quite commendable."

After speaking, he turned to Lau Ruyan and reassured her, "Lau family girl, there's no need to be tense. Even though I don't see eye to eye with your grandfather, I wouldn't trouble a young lady like you! I'm aware you're not like the rest of the Lau family. Do you think I would have let you stay by Lin's side for so long otherwise?"

Lau Ruyan, usually unafraid of anything, was surprisingly docile like a kitten in Elder Ye's presence. Lin Hann, observing from the side, was impressed by the change.

Lau Ruyan shot Lin Hann a glance, signaling they would discuss it later. She then turned to take her leave from Elder Ye, who raised no objections.

At Elder Ye's gracious invitation, Lin Yi agreed to a temporary stay with the Ye family. To the outside world, Elder Ye seemed quite taken with the young man. His reputation for mentoring the younger generation in the martial arts community meant that his interest didn't raise any eyebrows.

Guided by a young man, Lin Hann made his way to the third floor of the villa.

The man shook hands with Lin Hann, introducing himself, "Mr. Lin, I'm Ye Guangyuan. Please feel free to ask for anything you need during your stay, and don't hesitate to reach out. If Grandfather finds out I haven't hosted you well, he'll surely have words for me!"

Lin Hann replied with a smile, "Mr. Ye, you're being too kind. I'm the one imposing on your hospitality."

After choosing a south-facing room on the third floor, the two chatted briefly before Ye Guangyuan excused himself. Lin Hann surveyed the third floor, noting the dozen or so rooms appeared uninhabited.

Sitting on the bed, Lin Hann pondered his next moves.

With the Zhou family now out of the Hui City picture, and the Liu family reeling from the loss of Liu Tianlin, they wouldn't dare step into Hui City without a clear understanding of the current dynamics.

"Now that I have the support of the Ye family, can I really walk through Hui City unchallenged?" Lin Hann mused. He knew, despite the lack of immediate threats, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. His parents were already under tremendous pressure, and any slip-up on his part could bring trouble to their doorstep.

Reflecting on this, Lin Hann locked his door and began to cultivate his Spiritual Energy within the confines of his room.

The next morning, Lin Hann rose early and made his way downstairs, only to find that he wasn't the earliest riser. To his surprise, the young members of the Ye family were already vigorously training in the villa's courtyard.

At that moment, Ye Guangyuan approached Lin Hann, wearing a friendly smile. "These lads haven't had their awakening yet, so for now, they're focusing on honing their bodies and building their strength," he explained.

Lin Hann nodded in agreement. Lau Ruyan had shared with him that, after years of research, the prominent families had developed a comprehensive system to determine the optimal time for awakening abilities, as well as the conditions and methods for doing so.

Despite these efforts, the chance of awakening their abilities remained below 10%. While the odds were slim, they were still staggeringly high compared to the general populace. It was this advantage that allowed these powerful families to thrive and pass down their legacies through the ages without decline.