Nine Astra Skies

The clan members on the training ground gathered around to discuss and guess where the Condor had come from.

As the Condor slowly descended to the ground, they noticed a person riding on its back and could not help gasping in awe upon closer look at its size. It was much larger than Fluffy One and Fluffy Two combined. They wondered what rank this mystical beast was and felt amazed that someone had managed to tame it.

As Ye Rou lifted her head and looked at the Condor, she gritted her teeth while a hint of sorrow flickered in her eyes.

Ye Changxuan and Ye Zhantian both glanced at Ye Rou and sighed sadly. Unfortunately, Little Chen had gone out and was not back yet, so he could not see Little Rou for the last time. If no one were to interfere with their relationship, Little Rou and Little Chen could have ended up as a wonderful couple. At this thought, Ye Changxuan felt a surge of irritation in his heart.

A fierce bout of wind swept past the area and caused the crowd to make way for the Condor to land on the training ground at the center of the Ye Castle.

Once the wind died down, the clan members finally got a clear view of the Condor. It was as tall as two grown men and was covered entirely in jet-black feathers. Its beak and claws were unbelievably sharp and looked as though they were made out of stainless steel. This Condor emitted a much more powerful presence compared to the Scarlet Sky Tiger and the Stormphantom Panther, both of which had reached the top Ninth Level. In that case, could it be that the Condor was a Tenth Level mystical beast?

The Scarlet Sky Tiger and the Stormphantom Panther growled from afar but did not dare to come closer since the Condor was their natural enemy.

After the Condor had landed, a person walked down to meet the crowd. It was a well-dressed middle-aged woman who seemed to be in her forties. Her hair was twisted into a high bun on the top of her head with a silver hair stick, which gave her a dignified appearance. A faint look of surprise entered her face when her eyes swept over the Scarlet Sky Tiger and the Stormphantom Panther some distance away from her. It never occurred to the woman that the House of Ye would keep mystical beasts in their castle too.

"I didn't expect Granny Ye to visit our castle in person. Forgive me for not going out to meet you earlier," Ye Zhantian said while giving her a fist salute. As he turned to glance at Little Rou, a sense of sorrow filled his heart.

After hearing Ye Zhantian's words, the middle-aged woman waved a hand and replied, "Let's skip the formalities. Today, I've come to bring Little Rou back." The woman spoke in a nonchalant and somewhat arrogant tone, showing not much respect to Ye Zhantian.

The clan members were stunned to hear Ye Zhantian calling the woman Granny Ye. Judging by her appearance, she seemed to be only in her forties, so how was it possible for her to have much higher seniority than him? Moreover, this woman's surname was also Ye. Although the House of Ye had some relatives and extended families scattered in other places, none of them were aware that their clan had any relatives with powerful backing and connections.

With their clan, there were some secrets unknown to most clan members except for the chief, who would hold the clan's genealogy records. There had been some grudges and disputes between the House of Ye's branch and the other clan branch to which the middle-aged woman belonged. If it had not been for those grudges and disputes, which had remained unresolved to this day, the two clan branches might still be in contact with one another.

"Granny Ye, can you please allow Little Rou to stay at the Ye Castle for a few more days so that she can bid a proper farewell to our clan members?" Ye Zhantian became soft-hearted when he saw the pleading look in Ye Rou's eyes. It was a pity that Little Chen had not yet returned. These two kids were childhood sweethearts but unfortunately, there was too big of a gap between their social standings.

"No way. I don't have time to make a short stay here. We must leave today," the woman named Ye Min replied flatly, rejecting his request.

Since Ye Min was unwilling to compromise, Ye Zhantian had nothing else to say and turned to Ye Rou instead. "Little Rou, your biological parents are there after all. You should decide for yourself."

Ye Changxuan felt rather upset and scoffed coldly when he saw Ye Min's attitude. Sure enough, everyone from that place had their noses in the air and regarded others as beneath their notice.

Ye Min's eyes lit up when they fell upon Ye Rou, who was standing beside Ye Zhantian. This pretty and elegant young lady in front of her was Ye Rou? Upon closer look, Ye Rou's beautiful features truly bore some resemblance to that of her mother. A pleasantly surprised look appeared on Ye Min's face as she asked, "You're Ye Rou, aren't you? Indeed, you look very much like your mother. Today, I've come to bring you home."

Ye Rou looked at Ye Min for a moment and then turned back to Ye Zhantian and the rest of the crowd with deep sorrow in her bright eyes. Although she knew since before that she would have to leave the Ye Castle at some point, she had never thought that this day would arrive so soon. Big Brother Ye Chen had not even returned. If Ye Rou were to leave the Ye Castle then, they would be miles apart and she would have no way of knowing if she would ever have the chance to meet Big Brother Ye Chen again.

"Little Rou, we haven't been able to take good care of you all these years. Have a safe journey home," Ye Changxuan said sadly.

"No, granduncle, uncle, you've all treated me very well. I never had the chance to express my gratitude for the love and care you've given me since young. Please accept this kowtow from me." Streams of tears flowed down her smooth, fair cheeks as Ye Rou began to kneel and bow before them but Ye Changxuan quickly reached out to stop her.

"You grew up in the House of Ye as a child and I think of you as my own granddaughter. Although the time has come for you to go back and live with your biological parents, you must remember that no matter where you go, the House of Ye will always be your home, so you're always welcome to return," Ye Changxuan replied and felt rather sentimental as he wondered if Ye Rou would have the chance to come back in the future after leaving today.

"Uncle Zhantian, please pass these things to Big Brother Ye Chen for me." Ye Rou took out a few items from her Heaven-Earth Pouch and wrapped them tightly with a silk handkerchief before lifting her gaze to look at Ye Zhantian with tears in her eyes. "You must let Big Brother Ye Chen open this himself."

When Ye Zhantian saw Ye Rou's expression, he sighed quietly and nodded. "I'll keep it well and pass it to Little Chen when he returns."

Ye Rou was broken-hearted and thought that it might be a good thing after all that Big Brother Ye Chen was not there. If he had been present, she might be even more reluctant to leave the Ye Castle. She looked around at the all-too-familiar trees and grass in the Ye Castle. This place was filled with countless wonderful memories from her childhood. Ye Chen had always been the one to protect her whenever she was bullied as a child. Back then, Ye Rou thought that Big Brother Ye Chen's shoulders were the sturdiest and gave her great warmth and comfort. She did not know when it started but her sense of affection for him slowly turned into feelings of love as she grew into a young lady although she had kept those feelings hidden deep within her heart.

Today, she was going to leave this place. No one could understand how reluctant she was to leave.

The elderly couple who had been Ye Rou's foster parents all these years walked over too. Their hair was gray while their eyes brimmed with tears as they made their way to her unsteadily. Despite knowing from the start that such a day would eventually come, the elderly couple felt their hearts breaking when they saw that their daughter, whom they had brought up with great care, was going to leave after all.

"Father, mother, please accept this kowtow from your daughter," Ye Rou said while holding back a sob as she knelt before them.

The rest of the people there wanted to come and pull Ye Rou up but she stubbornly remained kneeling and performed three kowtows to the elderly couple.

Ye Min was displeased to see this. Given her honorable and respectable status, Ye Rou should not be kneeling and kowtowing to two ordinary people who never cultivated any martial arts while addressing them as father and mother. What would that make of her biological parents? Ye Min looked upset and huffed loudly with dissatisfaction.

Ye Rou said goodbye to the rest of the crowd and seemed reluctant to part with them as she kept looking back at them while walking away.

"Hurry up and get on its back," Ye Min urged while thinking that Ye Rou would be pleased to find out what kind of life awaited her once they arrived at the sect. Then, Ye Rou would not miss the House of Ye anymore.

Ye Meng and the others would not stop waving their hands at her. A few girls who were closer to Little Rou began sobbing loudly.

"Sister Rou, goodbye."

"Goodbye."

"Sister Rou is leaving soon. Why isn't Big Brother Ye Chen back yet?"

Ye Meng and the others looked at Ye Min and found her detestable. They simply could not understand why she was so intent on taking Sister Rou away! Nonetheless, there was nothing they could do since the elders had made their decision.

In reality, Ye Changxuan and Ye Zhantian felt even more unhappy and resentful about this situation. If Little Rou did not have to leave, they could have betrothed her to Ye Chen a few years later when she was more mature in age. That would have been a wonderful marriage. Indeed, Little Rou was an obedient and filial child who had been endowed with exceptional talents but they had no right to stop her from going to meet her biological parents. The House of Ye was not capable enough to make Little Rou stay.