"Father!"
Beigong Xue's voice was soft as she entered, but when her eyes landed on Ye Fan, a triumphant grin spread across her face, revealing two adorable little fangs. "Hmph! I knew you'd be here!"
Beigong Hanxiao blinked in surprise. "You two know each other?"
"We... crossed paths earlier on my way here," Ye Fan explained diplomatically.
"Hmph! 'Crossed paths'? Father, he bullied me!" Beigong Xue pouted, skipping to the Emperor's side and clinging to his arm. She shot Ye Fan a mischievous glance, her exquisite features alight with smug satisfaction. "I want him as my sparring partner!"
The Emperor chuckled indulgently. "How fortuitous. I was just about to discuss this very matter. Since you've already taken a liking to him, this saves me some trouble."
"Father, you mean you'll really make him my sparring dummy? Wonderful!" Beigong Xue clapped her hands in delight. She pranced over to Ye Fan, rising on tiptoe to glare at him—though the effect was more kittenish than intimidating. "No one escapes this princess's grasp!"
"Actually," Beigong Hanxiao corrected, "Ye Fan will be your master. He'll oversee your swordsmanship, martial techniques, and cultivation from now on. Your safety will also be his responsibility." He turned to Ye Fan. "Nephew Ye, does this suit you?"
Ye Fan clasped his hands respectfully. "As agreed at Heavenly Beast Mountain, I have no objections."
His lips quirked as he watched Beigong Xue's reaction. The princess's delicate brows knitted together, her rosebud mouth forming a perfect circle of outrage.
"Father! No! Why would I need him as a master? He's barely older than me! And—wait, what did you call him?"
"Ye Fan."
"What?" Beigong Xue recoiled dramatically. "That Ye Fan? The one publicly humiliated when the Lin Clan canceled his engagement? The beast who slaughtered his own family for power? No! I'd rather die than have such a monster as my master!"
"Enough!" The Emperor's voice cracked like thunder. "Apologize to Nephew Ye at once!"
"Apologize? For what? I won't take him as my master!" She stamped her foot, lower lip trembling.
Ye Fan remained silent. Truthfully, he had zero interest in mentoring this spoiled princess. Were it not for his rapport with Beigong Hanxiao, he'd have refused outright.
"You know nothing!" the Emperor scolded. "The rumors are lies. Nephew Ye's knowledge and skills far surpass yours. As a princess, how can you heed such baseless gossip?" His tone brooked no argument. "Apologize."
Beigong Xue's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. With a huff, she minced over to Ye Fan and performed a perfunctory curtsy. "My... apologies."
Ye Fan's lips twitched. "No need for formalities, my disciple."
A hint of mischief colored his words—something the stoic Ye Fan of his past life would never have allowed. Two lifetimes had reshaped not just his circumstances, but his very essence. He was neither the past nor present Ye Fan, but something new forged from both.
"Hmph! Who wants you as a master anyway?" Beigong Xue flounced out without another glance.
The Emperor sighed fondly. "I've spoiled her since childhood. Headstrong, but golden-hearted. And her talent... she's the most gifted of my descendants." He met Ye Fan's gaze squarely. "In all my years, I've rarely misjudged character. You're extraordinary, Nephew Ye. I entrust her to you."
Ye Fan bowed. "I'll begin her training tomorrow."
Ink Prince Manor
Ye Gui and Ye Can had completed their cultivation session. Their auras pulsed erratically—Qi Refining Level Four achieved in a single day. Years of dogged practice, never abandoning cultivation even when crippled, had borne fruit explosively.
Their faces lit up at Ye Fan's return. To them, he'd given more than a second chance—he'd restored their very purpose.
"Second Brother." Ye Fan produced a long saber, eyeing Ye Can's missing arm. "I can't regrow limbs yet. But this—Heaven Tier High-Grade technique: Hundred Phantom Gale Saber—can only be wielded by one-armed warriors."
In his past life as a Great Ascension sovereign, Ye Fan had amassed countless techniques. This particular saber art, plundered from a one-armed grandmaster, had been useless to him—until now.
Ye Can listened raptly as Ye Fan demonstrated, substituting verbal instructions where movements would've required a left arm.
"Master this," Ye Fan said, handing him the blade, "and you'll summon tornadoes of steel."
Ye Can gripped the saber, resolve hardening. I'll become strong enough to clear all obstacles in Big Brother's path.
Ye Fan turned to Ye Gui. The usually icy youth vibrated with anticipation.
On the training grounds, Ye Fan unsheathed the Voidstep Sword. His form blurred—a shadow flitting across the courtyard—before reappearing behind a thick oak. The tree split soundlessly as his reversed blade returned to its scabbard.
He presented Ye Gui with a slender sword. "Heaven Tier High-Grade: Formless Ghost Slash. The ultimate assassination art. Mastery cloaks the battlefield in eternal night."
Ye Gui accepted the weapon, his customary coldness cracking. "Big Brother," he vowed, voice raw, "this blade will paint rivers red wherever you point it."
Imperial Palace - Jasmine Pavilion
Beigong Xue sulked on a marble bench, kicking her heels. A handsome young man approached, amusement crinkling his eyes.
"Little Snow, what storm cloud hangs over you today?"
"Third Brother!" She launched into a tirade about Ye Fan, punctuated by indignant gestures.
Prince Beigong Qingtian listened patiently before chuckling. "Leave it to me. Tonight, I'll host a banquet—invite the capital's elite and this... upstart prince. When he's humiliated in sparring, you can rightfully reject him as your master."
Beigong Xue's pout transformed into a sly smile, her eyes glinting like a fox spotting prey.