Free Web NovelChapter 1749: Chapter 1616: My Surname Is Ye!
Ye Fan turned around and saw that the other person was actually the Ling Family Ancestor, his face immediately turned dark, and he directly looked away, pretending not to see.
"Sigh..."
Ling Family Ancestor Ling Yunzhi sighed seeing Ye Fan’s reaction.
"Thank you for your help a few times, Senior. I’ll toast to you!"
Ye Fan took out a wine bowl by himself, filled it to the brim with wine, raised it in a gesture to the Sloppy Elder, and downed it in one go.
At this moment, the Ling Family Ancestor was sitting nearby, but it was as if he didn’t see him at all. Not to mention paying respects, he didn’t even greet him, directly treating him as if he didn’t exist.
"You are from the Xuanwu Sect, and the Xuanwu Sect is a subordinate sect of my Treasure Pavilion, so you are naturally one of us too. It’s only right to help you, no need to thank me."
The Sloppy Elder also noticed Ling Yunzhi’s awkwardness but didn’t pay him any mind, instead, he said to Ye Fan: "If I wanted you to thank me, would I have waited until now? Come, come, have a few drinks with me."
He said a few drinks, but the table was full of wine bowls, and they were large ones. The wine was of excellent quality, its fragrance penetrated the seal even if it was sealed well with clay, exuding a rich wine aroma.
After drinking eighteen bowls in a row, Ye Fan finally put down the wine bowl, picked a peanut and tossed it into his mouth, while munching he said: "Senior, you have quite the taste. But inviting me here this time, isn’t just for me to keep you company drinking, is it? Whatever the issue is, just say it."
The Sloppy Elder glanced at Ling Yunzhi who was left waiting awkwardly, and then looked at Ye Fan, only then did he say hesitantly: "It wasn’t me who called you this time, but him. I don’t know the specific matter, you two talk it out yourselves, I’ll go get some more snacks."
With that, the Sloppy Elder hugged a wine jar and staggered out of the space with shaky steps.
Once the Sloppy Elder left, only Ye Fan and the Ling Family Ancestor were left. Ye Fan opened a jar of wine without a word and started drinking and eating by himself, giving Ling Yunzhi no face at all.
Seeing this, Ling Yunzhi sighed inwardly, this was the bitter fruit from the seeds the Ling Family sowed before, tasting the bitterness themselves. No wonder Ye Fan was so cold to him.
However, in his view, the fact that Ye Fan did not immediately leave in a huff was a good sign; he believed that with his efforts, he could surely persuade Ye Fan to change his mind.
Thinking of this, Ling Yunzhi took a deep breath, softened his voice, and said, "Xiao Fan, I know you have grievances against us, the Ling family..."
"Hold it right there, old man, hold it!"
Ye Fan gave Ling Yunzhi a cold glance and said: "It’s your Ling family, don’t say ours— I have nothing to do with the Ling family, and I have no grievances against them either. Wanting to reclaim the Emperor Weapon and Cultivation Technique, martial arts that belonged to my own family is normal. I would do the same in your position."
Listening to Ye Fan’s ruthless words, Ling Yunzhi for the first time had his confidence shaken on whether he could persuade Ye Fan to return to the Ling family.
However, he did not give up, but waited quietly for Ye Fan to finish speaking before he said: "Regarding the past actions of the Ling family, I represent the entire Ling family to apologize to you, don’t rush to refuse."
Seeing that Ye Fan was about to refuse his apology, Ling Yunzhi hurriedly said: "From now on, the Ling family will never again covet the Nine Heavens Mysterious Crown, and any resources within the family will be at your disposal. How about it?"
"It’s not without conditions, is it? For the Ling family’s dignified Di Clan to bow its head to a little cultivator with no power background? Do you think I’m a child, easy to deceive?"
Ye Fan’s voice was icy cold, with no room for negotiation.
"Of course, the premise of all this is that you are willing to return to the Ling family! Child, stop wandering outside, no matter how bad home is, it’s still home!"
Ling Yunzhi began playing the family card, trying to persuade Ye Fan to return to the family with a sense of belonging.
"Do you think I need the Ling family’s resources? Even with my own power, I can reach the pinnacle!"
Ye Fan’s voice was full of boundless pride and determination.
"This..."
Ling Yunzhi didn’t expect Ye Fan to be so confident, and it seemed that his resentment against the Ling family had lasted a long time.
After thinking for a long time, Ling Yunzhi finally gritted his teeth and said: "Then you say, what is required for you to return to the family? Name your terms, as long as they’re not too harsh, I can agree to them."
Ling Yunzhi, having made this decision, went through a fierce mental battle, as he felt he couldn’t give up on such a good talent like Ye Fan.
From his deeds since his debut, it’s clear that Ye Fan is full of potential, favored by heaven with astonishing luck, and is likely to prove the Dao in the future.
A clan with two Emperors, such a temptation is fatal to any Di Clan, he couldn’t give it up!
"It’s not impossible for me to return to the Ling family," Ye Fan said in a deep voice, "but my demands are harsh, I’m afraid you wouldn’t agree."
"What demands?"
Ling Yunzhi was secretly pleased, as it was easier to deal with conditions than to see Ye Fan completely indifferent, as there’d be no hope otherwise.
"Very simple. Those who forced my mother to marry into the Gu Family and those who pursued her, both the perpetrators and the masterminds must pay the price, depending on the severity of their actions. The mildest is expulsion from the Ling family, never to claim being a Ling family member again, and the most severe is execution—can you do it?!"
Ye Fan’s eyes were sharp with a decisive aura of slaughter, leaving no room for bargaining.
"Uh..."
Ling Yunzhi was momentarily stunned.
From Ye Fan’s voice, he heard the deep hatred and murderous intent in Ye Fan’s heart, and it seemed like a violent storm was brewing before his eyes.
If pursued, half of the Ling family might face execution. He had learned the details of the incident from the Ling Family Ancestor back in the day.
According to Ye Fan’s demands, if all those who persecuted his mother were to be driven out or executed, the entire branch of the Ling Family’s Saint and Ling Gu would have to face the same fate.
The price is too great!
Ling Yunzhi was caught in a dilemma.
Give up on Ye Fan?
He couldn’t bear it!
But if he wanted Ye Fan to return to the family, he would likely have to comply with Ye Fan’s conditions.
It should be known that even without the Ling family, Ye Fan had garnered the attention of the Immortal Academy and the Treasure Pavilion. His path to the Emperor Road seemed inevitable in the future.
After much deliberation, Ling Yunzhi still felt the price was too great and slowly shook his head, saying, "Change your condition; this one is too harsh. I can’t possibly execute or exile most of the Ling family."
"Then there’s nothing more to discuss. Please, leave!"
Ye Fan drank a bowl of wine, put down the bowl, and coldly issued an order for him to leave.
"Xiao Fan, think it over. With the family to support you, your future path will be smooth sailing, and no one will dare to move against you again..."
"No need to say more, Senior Ling. I regard you as my senior, so don’t make me say unpleasant things. That would be bad for everyone." Ye Fan cut off Ling Yunzhi’s words bluntly.
Now he didn’t even call him the old man, directly calling him Senior Ling, showing that he absolutely wouldn’t compromise. Continuing further was useless, unless it could be done as he asked; otherwise, there was no need to talk.
"Xiao Fan..."
Ling Yunzhi wanted to say something more, but Ye Fan interrupted him again.
"My surname is Ye, call me Ye Fan!"
"Alright, Ye Fan, although your surname isn’t Ling, your mother, Ling Yun, is part of the Ling family after all, and you can’t deny that Ling blood flows within you. Don’t you care in the slightest about family ties? Come back, I guarantee on behalf of the family that those who once persecuted your mother will be punished; they will surely make your mother satisfied."
Ling Yunzhi persistently played the family card, hoping to move Ye Fan emotionally and make him relent.
"Does the Ling family still have the face to bring up my mother? Where is my mother now? You find her, as long as my mother says a word for me to return to the family, I will do so without a second thought!"
Speaking of his mother, Ye Fan became quite agitated. He stood up suddenly and said with murderous intent, "How did the Ling family treat my mother back then?
For the Emperor Weapon, for the so-called strength of the family, they disregarded my mother’s objections and forcibly married her off to the Gu family. This is what the Ling family did. Since they did such a thing back then, they should bear the consequences of it."
"Back then, my mother was driven to a dead end by your Ling family, almost killed by you. Did you think about today at that time?"
"And now you think a few words will make me return to the family? On what basis? What has this family given me? Since the Ling family learned of my existence, they have repeatedly sent people to kill me. If not for my luck, Ye Fan would now be a pile of bones. Would you still want me to return to the family then?"
Ye Fan’s words left Ling Yunzhi speechless, stunned, unable to refute because it was all true.
"No matter what you say, Ling blood flows in your veins. You can’t deny that, can you? I think, if your mother knew, she would also want you to return to the family. After all, returning to the family has only benefits and no harm for you."
Ling Yunzhi was still making the final effort.
He could not decide; it was impossible to agree to Ye Fan’s demands, yet he had to persuade Ye Fan to return to the family. Otherwise, once Ye Fan grew up and ultimately proved Dao, the Ling family would become the biggest laughingstock, ridiculed by all cultivators.
"Senior Ling, I hope you understand one thing: the blood flowing in me is my mother’s, not the Ling family’s. My mother was already exiled from the Ling family back then, so my mother is my mother, and the Ling family is the Ling family; they are two different things."
Ye Fan said word by word, "I still say this: if you want me to return to the family, those who persecuted my mother and the masterminds behind it must pay the price! Furthermore, I am adding another condition: the family must hold the grandest ceremony to invite my mother back to the family. Otherwise, I will not return to that so-called family!"
"Xiao Fan, you know that’s impossible. I can’t execute or exile all the pillars of the entire Ling family just for you."
Ling Yunzhi was a bit depressed but still patiently continued to persuade, "I hope you can reconsider. Whenever you see the light, you can come directly to the Ling family to find me. The gates of the Ling family are always open for you!"
"Please, go ahead. I won’t see you off!"
Ye Fan coldly issued the order to leave.
"Sigh..."
Seeing Ye Fan’s decisive expression, Ling Yunzhi let out a long sigh and turned to leave this small space.
...
...
