Chapter 241

Chapter 241.

"Ye Shi, you've finally decided to show your face? I thought you had resigned yourself to being a coward," Xia Ruoxue said, a hint of disgust flickering in her eyes.

For some reason, every time Xia Ruoxue saw Ye Shi, she felt an indescribable revulsion.

With an icy gaze fixed on Xia Ruoxue, Ye Shi smirked coldly and said, emphasizing every word, "A dog meddling in things it shouldn't."

Xia Ruoxue's face turned crimson, "You..."

Hearing stifled laughter from unknown sources, Xia Ruoxue felt utterly humiliated.

"Even if I could integrate the formations into my body, so what? With that curse-laden face of yours, you'll never marry into the Bai family. And it's none of your business. Maybe you should consider a thicker veil. It's shameless to show that face around," Ye Shi said nonchalantly, his words shooting out like a rapid-fire.

Xia Ruoxue's face flushed in anger, her eyes burning with the desire to tear Ye Shi apart.

He Jingyue, observing Xia Ruoxue's reaction, felt a shiver run down her spine for Ye Shi.

Cornered and pushed to the edge, Ye Shi's true nature emerged - sharp-tongued, caustic, unreasonable, covered in prickly thorns, and utterly infuriating.

Standing atop the stairs, Ye Shi's gaze flitted over the crowd. The wind played with his hair, making it billow softly.

Looking at the calm and composed Ye Shi, He Jingyue felt he exuded a sense of transcendence.

"Ye Shi, whether or not Ruoxue can marry into the Bai family isn't for you to comment on," Bai Hui said coldly.

Ye Shi looked at Bai Hui with mixed feelings, thinking, 'This old fox is no good man. No wonder he has sons like Bai Chenxing, the heartbreaker, and Bai Lìfēng, who's two-faced. And this man is supposedly my "grandfather".'

Bai Hui felt an inexplicable unease under Ye Shi's direct gaze.

"Ye Shi, can you integrate formations into your body? No need for lies. Over a dozen cultivators saw you in action," Bai Lìfēng said, greed evident in his eyes.

Ye Shi nodded, saying, "Yes, I can."

"So, you admit to stealing the Bai family's secret techniques?" Bai Lìfēng pressed.

Frowning, Ye Shi shook his head, "I can, but I didn't steal it."

Bai Lìfēng sneered, "If you didn't steal it, how do you know it?"

"I created it," Ye Shi replied calmly.

Bai Lìfēng's sneer grew more pronounced, "You're a real genius, aren't you?"

"I'm okay," Ye Shi responded casually, then added, "Certainly more of a genius than you."

Bai Lìfēng's face twitched, "Being such a genius, can you give me some pointers on integrating formations? Teach me the secrets of cultivation!"

Crossing his arms and giving Bai Lìfēng a once-over, Ye Shi squinted, "With your constitution, you shouldn't overreach by trying to integrate the formations. You might end up on a path to your own destruction."

Bai Lìfēng's face turned from pale to flushed, "You..."

"I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me... you're welcome to try," Ye Shi said, standing firm and composed.

"You're asking for it!" Enraged, Bai Lìfēng lunged at Ye Shi with a powerful palm strike.

A loud boom resonated as Bai Lìfēng was hit by an immense force, sending him flying. He crash-landed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Unscathed, Ye Shi stood still, realizing someone else had taken action against Bai Lìfēng before him.

The unexpected turn of events had everyone stunned, and they quickly turned their attention to the attacker.

A figure in flowing white robes, otherworldly and ethereal, entered everyone's view.

"Chenxing, have you lost your mind? How could you attack your own brother?" Bai Hui exclaimed, his expression changing upon seeing Bai Chenxing.

Bai Chenxing paid no heed to Bai Hui, his eyes locked on Ye Shi.

Ye Shi's face faltered upon seeing Bai Chenxing. His blood surged, and he felt a strange connection, as if tied by bloodlines.

Staring at Bai Chenxing, Ye Shi bit his lip, thinking, 'Is this my father?'

Ever since learning that Ye Xun wasn't his real father, Ye Shi had often wondered about his biological father's appearance.

On good days, Ye Shi imagined his father as a dignified, outstanding individual, a brave hero. On less favorable days, he occasionally pictured him as a slick-talking, unimpressive man, more a fop than a father.

Having spent nearly half a year in Zhongzhou, the name "Bai Xingchen" was familiar to Ye Shi, but this was his first time laying eyes on him.

The man was handsome, poised, and possessed an extraordinary demeanor. It was clear at a glance that he was captivating. At that moment, Ye Shi recalled the portraits his parents had burned on those long, desolate nights of his youth. He had thought the man in those portraits was an enemy of his parents, but now...

He had always wondered what his father looked like. Had he seen him before without realizing it?

A soft blue light glinted in Ye Shi's eyes, causing He Jingyue to notice that, although Ye Shi's face bore little resemblance to Bai Xingchen's, their eyes were strikingly similar.

He Jingyue suddenly remembered her grandfather's words, suggesting that Ye Shi's eyes might bear the rare Spirit Pattern.

"You bear a striking resemblance to your mother and father." Bai Xingchen gazed at Ye Shi as if he was looking past him, seeing another person.

Ye Shi bit his lip, his eyes downcast, and replied irritably, "I am their child. Naturally, I resemble them."

Bai Xingchen hesitated for a moment before asking with apprehension, "Your parents, are they..."

"They passed away years ago," Ye Shi responded with evident frustration.

Although Bai Xingchen had suspected this, hearing it from Ye Shi made the pain feel fresh and sharp.

"Did they live a good life?" Bai Xingchen asked, struggling with the question.

"No," Ye Shi shook his head. "Despite the smiles on their faces, there was always a shadow of sorrow."

Tilting his head curiously, Ye Shi looked at Bai Xingchen and said, "You probably don't care about how they fared. Otherwise, why didn't you visit them all these years? You might not even know about me, do you?"

"You left our family's ancestral formation book to be lost in foreign realms, yet you loathe them. Why inquire about their well-being?"

Bai Xingchen stared blankly at Ye Shi for a moment before responding with a trembling voice, "Is that what you think of me?"

"It doesn't matter what I think now that they're gone," said Ye Shi, looking downcast and feeling empty.

Bai Xingchen swallowed, at a loss for words.

What could he say? Years ago, he was deceived by Ye Xunyi's eloquent promises. Overwhelmed by jealousy and grief, he fled like a coward, not even mustering the courage to face Qu Xinyang.

He couldn't bear to see Qu Xinyang's happy family, knowing he had no place in her happiness. If only he had been braver back then, perhaps things would have been different.

The strange tension between Bai Xingchen and Ye Shi was palpable, and their mysterious conversation echoed throughout the room.

"Xingchen, you raised your hand against your brother for this man?" Xia Ruoxue frowned.

Ye Shi glanced at Xia Ruoxue, then turned to Bai Xingchen, asking, "Did you abandon my mother for this woman?"

Bai Xingchen's face contorted. "It's not as you imagine. This woman and I have long since severed our ties."

Upon hearing Bai Xingchen's words, Xia Ruoxue clenched her fists. She had always believed he remained alone for her sake. Ye Shi, realizing the irreparable rift between his mother and Bai Xingchen, felt a sense of disillusionment.

"I saw the bounty notice at the Formation Tower," Ye Shi changed the subject.

He Jingyue looked puzzled, unsure why Ye Shi was bringing this up now.

Ye Shi then took out an ancient book from his spatial ring.

Having seen the Bai family's bounty countless times, He Jingyue's heart raced when she recognized the book. She realized why Ye Shi had looked so odd when he first saw the bounty.

It wasn't just He Jingyue. Many recognized the famous lost formation book of the Bai family.

The techniques Ye Shi used were all derived from... this book! Only Bai Xingchen of the Bai family could unlock it. "You managed to open it?" Bai Xingchen looked at Ye Shi with deep anguish in his eyes.

Ye Shi nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, it has been of great help to me."

He Jingyue thought, "No wonder Ye Shi knows so many advanced formations yet lacks knowledge of the basic ones."

"Did your mother ever mention this book to you?" Bai Xingchen couldn't resist asking.

Shaking his head, Ye Shi solemnly said, "She never did. The book was with Ye Xun all along. Years ago, when Ye Xun wanted spirit stones from me, I refused. That's when he revealed this book, attempting to blackmail me. I bought it from him for three million low-grade spirit stones."

Hearing this, the Bai family members present looked distraught.

The fact that their ancestral book was valued at just three million low-grade spirit stones was outrageous. Though they didn't know who Ye Xun was, their desire to seek revenge was palpable.

To Ye Shi, Bai Xingchen's actions seemed ludicrous.

Leaving the family's legacy in the hands of someone like Ye Xun was beyond comprehension. If Ye Xun hadn't been short of money, the invaluable book might have been lost forever. The huge reward the Bai family offered in Zhongzhou was useless since the book was not even there.

Clenching his fists, Bai Xingchen realized that Ye Xun had never handed over the book to Xinyang. He had always wondered why she chose an ordinary cultivator like Ye Xun. "Did you ever change your name?" he asked.

Nodding, Ye Shi replied, "Yes, I was originally named Ye Yanxing. But after a severe illness, I changed it to Ye Shi, believing it would bring longevity."

"We hoped to have a son who could unlock our family's ancestral book."

"If we have a child, I'll name him Yanxing."

He fulfilled all the promises made between them. As for him? He did nothing. Like a coward, he didn't even muster the courage to confront Xinyang and verify the truth. Instead, he fled back to Zhongzhou in shame, lamenting his actions all these years.

"Did Ye Xun ask you for a yuan stone? Has he mistreated you?" Bai Chenxing asked Ye Shi with a look of inquiry.

Ye Shi frowned slightly, "From your tone, Bai Chenxing, it seems like you know Ye Xun?"

Ye Shi lifted his head and looked at Bai Chenxing, puzzled. "Do you know Ye Xun?"

It seems that my parents met Ye Xun after Bai Chenxing left. If that's the case, how could Bai Chenxing recognize Ye Xun?