Ye Han

Chapter-Seventeen: Ye Han

Ye Han watched as Ye Ling'er's figure disappeared into the shadows, her retreating silhouette melting into the broken walls and leaking tiles. He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples with both hands.

The weight of the suffocating dust pressed harder with each passing day. It felt like he was walking a precarious tightrope, a single misstep threatening certain death.

A mere house slave daring to wield a hunting bow—this alone was a punishable audacity. But Ning Chen's presence loomed over him like a silent executioner, always waiting. 

Ye Han's sharp eyes caught sight of the other slaves cheering; they were celebrating the fact that Uncle Li had survived. A bitter smile tugged at his lips.

"You don't understand," he muttered under his breath. "As long as you're stuck in this hellish prison, there's no such thing as peace.

Even if the young master spares you today, tomorrow he'll conjure up another excuse to break you. Servitude has long been etched into the marrow of your bones."

Ning Chen's cruelty was like a master craftsman's art. Slowly, methodically, he shattered the pride of his slaves, leaving them to gather the jagged shards and swallow them whole.

His methods were so effective that even survival felt like a gift, a grotesque mockery of life itself.

But Ye Han was different. He clung to the remnants of his pride, his dignity refusing to bow.

Unlike the others, his spirit hadn't been crushed by Ning Chen—or rather, he had cleverly hidden it behind a façade that fooled even the tyrant himself. Deep down, Ye Han had resolved to escape this nightmare. 

He would flee Gu Yue Village and vanish into the endless wilderness of the Shiwan Mountains, chasing freedom or perhaps even genius. And if greatness eluded him, so be it—anything was better than languishing under Ning Chen's iron grip.

Ye Han, after all, was no ordinary slave. Though Ning Chen had purchased him, the young man had blended effortlessly into the masses, his ragged clothes and unkempt hair masking his extraordinary nature. 

Yet Ye Han knew that if Ning Chen were to look closely now, he would sense the dissonance. Ye Han didn't belong among the downtrodden masses.

His sharp demeanor and unyielding spirit made him stand out in a way that could no longer be ignored. 

But Ye Han had been biding his time. Over the years, he had carefully cultivated strength, his cheerful and approachable personality earning him the trust and admiration of the other slaves.

Where there were people, there was society, and Ye Han knew how to maneuver within its currents. 

He suspected Ye Ling'er was one of Ning Chen's spies, planted to observe his every move. But Ning Chen was no fool. His cunning knew no bounds, making it nearly impossible to expose him. Even so, the scraps of information Ye Han had pieced together over the years painted a chilling picture of the man.

Ning Chen was a devil in human skin—a master manipulator who revealed little of his emotions, showed few vulnerabilities, and acted with calculated precision.

He was ruthless, violent, and utterly uncontrollable. Each new detail Ye Ling'er shared only deepened the furrow in Ye Han's brow.

The fact that Ning Chen was the young master—his master—had obliterated many of Ye Han's original escape plans.

But Ning Chen's schemes had failed to suppress him entirely. If anything, they had merely stoked the embers of rebellion within Ye Han, turning him into a smoldering fuse waiting to ignite. 

Standing up, Ye Han picked up the hunting bow resting nearby. He nocked an arrow and drew the string into a perfect crescent, the veins in his arms bulging like knotted ropes. His face remained calm, his eyes focused, their sharp intensity burning like embers.

The room was dark, but his aim didn't waver. With a steady breath, he loosed the arrow. It flew like a streak of light, embedding itself in the far wall. Upon closer inspection, a spider lay impaled beneath the arrow's tip, its tiny body neatly split in two.

A quiet chuckle escaped Ye Han's lips. Satisfaction glimmered in his eyes.

"My archery is improving," he murmured to himself. "Next, I need to get my hands on a hunting knife. It'll increase my chances against Ning Chen."

It was almost impossible to believe that such a precise shot in near darkness came from someone who had only recently begun practicing. Yet here he was, defying expectations and preparing for the impossible.

The rhythmic sound of his heartbeat echoed in his chest.

Thumb. Thump. Thump.

"Ye Ling'er, are you back?" 

Ning Chen was seated inside his room when he heard faint footsteps approaching. Without thinking, he asked, 

"It's the young master. This slave has returned," came the soft reply. 

"Mm." 

Ning Chen said no more, sitting silently on the bed. He focused his energy, carefully warming the air while refining the Black Boar Gu. 

At this point, Ning Chen had completed his first attempt at warming the void. This involved depleting the true energy within it entirely. But this time, instead of restoring his energy using the usual inhalation method, he took another route. 

With a swift movement, several Primeval stones appeared in his palm. The true essence contained within them was gradually extracted and refined. 

In moments, the True Essence Sea in the Aperture had recovered to about half its capacity. Still, Ning Chen didn't rush to break down the light wall. Instead, he retrieved the Black Boar Gu and sent it into the Aperture . 

His true energy surged as his consciousness directed it to refine the Black Boar Gu. Despite the Gu's resistance, Ning Chen remained calm. Its will, though formidable, was no match for him. 

Compared to the Moonlight Gu, the Black Boar Gu's strength was marginally greater—but still well within his control. 

Sensing the looming threat, the Black Boar Gu rallied its will in a desperate attempt to fight back. Ning Chen, however, simply smirked. 

The boundless sea of true essence surged forward with overwhelming force. Generations of accumulated willpower meant little in the face of this onslaught. Whatever defiance the Gu had was extinguished in an instant, its resistance shattered, its will fully subdued. 

Ning Chen let out a faint smile, pleased with the results. Refining the Black Boar Gu had consumed just 20% of his true energy. From now on, all he needed was to activate the Black Boar Gu at regular intervals to strengthen his body with its unique power. 

Yet there was a catch: the Black Boar Gu required pork as sustenance. To avoid unnecessary expenses or attention, Ning Chen decided that hunting outside the village would be the most practical option. 

Rising from the bed, he walked to the table. From a small pouch, he carefully took out several moon orchid petals and placed them over the crescent-shaped mark on his palm. 

Moments later, the Moonlight Gu slithered out from his palm, its movements graceful as it hungrily consumed the petals one bite at a time. 

The Moonlight Gu had remained largely unused since Ning Chen acquired it. Whether for killing or intimidation, he relied more on close combat, as the first-level Moonlight Gu lacked the power to cause serious harm. 

Yet even a Gu needed sustenance. Without food, it could wither and die. For the Moonlight Gu, nothing nourished it better than moon orchid petals. Three petals were enough to sustain it for three days. 

The Gu devoured the azure petals eagerly, its motions swift and precise. In just a short while, the petals had disappeared entirely. 

Ning Chen retrieved the Moonlight Gu into his palm, noting with satisfaction that it was well-fed. For now, three or four petals seemed sufficient. 

He stepped out of the room, deciding that cultivation could wait. There were more pressing matters to attend to. 

"Ye Ling'er," he called. 

"I'm here. What are your orders, young master?" 

"What's happening among the servants?" 

"Report... Reporting to the young master, there's nothing unusual." 

Ning Chen placed a hand on her shoulder, his tone unexpectedly gentle. 

"Really? Keep an eye on Uncle Li for me. If he does anything out of the ordinary, report back immediately." 

"Yes, young master." 

Satisfied, Ning Chen walked slowly to the window. His gaze drifted through the foliage, resting on the servants' quarters beyond. His sharp eyes scanned each dwelling methodically. 

"Heh, Ye Ling'er, do you really think I trust you?" he muttered under his breath. 

"Ning Chuan... You've ignored my warnings, haven't you?" 

A wry smile crept onto his lips. 

"It seems I'll have to handle this personally..."