Liu Binger!

Her eyes, shimmering like autumn waters, trembled slightly as they met Ye Chen's gaze. In that fleeting moment, a whirlwind of emotions surged within her—resentment, disappointment, heartache.

"You're finally awake!"

Before Ye Chen could gather his thoughts, a commanding voice cut through the air, interrupting him.

Ye Chengfeng sat at the head of the grand hall, his expression icy as he glared at Ye Chen. In Ye Chen's memories, Ye Chengfeng had always been kind to him, favoring him because of Ye Zhong.

But now, the soul within Ye Chen had changed.

"You beast! Get up and kneel! Look at what you've done! Liu Binger is your sister-in-law, your elder brother's fiancée! How could you commit such a heinous act?" Ye Chengfeng roared in fury.

Ye Chen rose to his feet, standing tall, but he did not kneel. Instead, his gaze swept across the members of the Ye family gathered in the hall.

It was clear.

Someone had framed the original Ye Chen. This body had been drugged, and Liu Binger, too, had been rendered powerless to resist.

"Ye Chen, your grandfather told you to kneel! What are you trying to do by refusing?"

Ye Kun sat at the far end of the grand hall, his voice booming with authority as he barked out his command.

Ye Chen's gaze immediately snapped toward him, a chilling glint flickering in his eyes.

That look.

Ye Kun was momentarily taken aback. It was the first time he had ever seen such an expression on the face of the timid and weak Ye Chen.

"Didn't you hear me? Grandfather ordered you to kneel!" Ye Kun sneered, his voice icy as he stepped forward, attempting to intimidate Ye Chen with his imposing presence.

He couldn't believe it.

This cowardly good-for-nothing actually dared to defy him in front of everyone.

"Get lost!"

Just as Ye Kun closed the distance to within two meters of Ye Chen, Ye Chen spoke, his voice cold and cutting, carrying an edge that sent a shiver down Ye Kun's spine.

Ye Kun froze.

A wave of fear surged from deep within him, a mix of dread and unease.

Damn it!

This useless fool!

Ye Kun seethed inwardly, furious that he had felt even a flicker of fear toward this pathetic waste. It was utterly ridiculous.

"Outrageous!" Ye Chengfeng's voice thundered through the room as he slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his face contorted with fury. "Ye Chen, what do you think you're doing? How dare you not kneel at a time like this!"

"Kneel?" Ye Chen turned to face Ye Chengfeng, his gaze steady and unflinching. His voice was calm, almost indifferent, as if he were discussing the weather. "In this world, there is no one worthy of my kneeling."

His expression was neither pale with fear nor flushed with anger. It was as if he were merely stating a simple, undeniable fact. After all, Ye Chen had lived for tens of thousands of years, orchestrating grand schemes that spanned the heavens and the earth. He had once roamed the cosmos, waging wars across countless realms of cultivation. Emperors and war gods alike had bowed before him, honoring him as the Emperor's Master. Who, then, could possibly be deserving of his obeisance?

"Outrageous! This degenerate dares to spout such insolence! He must be severely punished!" one of Ye Chen's uncles bellowed, his face red with rage.

"He's gone too far! Punish him! Lock him up for a decade or two, so he doesn't bring further shame to the Ye family!" another uncle chimed in, his voice dripping with venom.

"You—you—" Ye Chengfeng was so furious he could barely speak. His heart ached with disappointment. Ye Chen's older brother, Ye Zhong, had been a prodigy, a brilliant mind whose contributions had been instrumental in the Ye family's rise to prominence. Because of Ye Zhong, Ye Chengfeng had always been lenient with Ye Chen, even considering him as a potential heir to the family. But Ye Chen had squandered every opportunity, indulging in wine, women, and even drugs. It had broken Ye Chengfeng's heart.

Yet, despite it all, he had never given up on Ye Chen.

Now, this good-for-nothing had the audacity to commit such a heinous act!

"Ye Chen, kneel down this instant!" Ye Chengfeng slammed his hand on the table, his voice thundering with rage.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again—no one in this world has the right to make me kneel," Ye Chen replied calmly, his expression unperturbed.

"How dare you, Ye Chen! Are you trying to rebel?" Ye Chen's uncle barked, his voice sharp and accusing.

"Someone like him doesn't deserve to stay in the Ye family. He must be expelled, immediately!"

"Humph! Breaking his legs would teach him a lesson he won't forget!" Others chimed in, their voices filled with indignation.

Ye Chengfeng furrowed his brows, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. While he was undeniably furious, he couldn't bring himself to break Ye Chen's legs or cast him out of the family. After all, Ye Zhong had made immense contributions to the Ye family, even sacrificing his life for it.

With a heavy sigh, Ye Chengfeng shook his head slightly. "Ye Chen, kneel down and apologize to your sister-in-law. If you do, I won't expel you from the family. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to punish you severely."

"Grandfather, you can't show him such favoritism!"

"Shut up!" Ye Kun snapped, his face flushed with anger.

"Enough!" Ye Chengfeng barked, his voice commanding the room. As the undisputed patriarch of the Ye family, his word was law.

"You're overthinking it. I was just about to leave the Ye family anyway. So, from this moment on, consider me no longer associated with the Ye family," Ye Chen said with a nonchalant shrug, his tone as calm as a still lake.

The Ye family was a powerhouse in Lin City, even throughout the entire southern province, with influence that stretched across both the legal and underworld realms. But to Ye Chen, it was all just a fleeting cloud. His only desire was to find a place rich in spiritual energy and return to the vast cosmos. Earth, to him, was far too small.

"Huh?" The room fell silent, everyone stunned by Ye Chen's declaration. Ye Chen, the notorious womanizer and drug addict, was voluntarily leaving the Ye family? How would he survive without the family's support? Since when did this spineless coward have the guts to stand up for himself?

"Ye Chen, what did you just say? Say it again!" Ye Chengfeng's voice was low, a storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.

"Grandfather, Ye Chen said he's leaving the Ye family. Heh, seems he's got big dreams and looks down on us now," someone chimed in with a mocking laugh.

Ye Kun immediately broke into a sly grin.

Uncle Ye Chen chimed in, "This is utterly outrageous, Father. Someone like him should never be allowed to remain in the Ye family."

The crowd quickly joined in, urging Ye Chengfeng to expel Ye Chen from the family. How could they tolerate a good-for-nothing like him, who was being favored by the patriarch and might even inherit the family legacy?

"Enough! Stop the nonsense. You want to kick me out of the Ye family? Fine by me. This family means nothing to me. You're right—I don't give a damn about the Ye family!" Ye Chen declared with icy disdain.

"Such arrogance, Ye Chen! Has our family been too lenient with you, letting you run wild like this?" Uncle Ye Chen barked sharply, his voice filled with authority. Having taken charge of several major enterprises within the Ye family, he carried himself with an air of command.

"Ye Qing, isn't it? I know you want me out of the Ye family, and I’m more than ready to leave. From now on, let’s stay out of each other’s way. Don’t come looking for trouble with me," Ye Chen retorted, his eyes glinting with a cold, dangerous light.

Ye Qing?!

The crowd was stunned. The timid, weak Ye Chen had just dared to address his uncle by his full name! Was this really the same coward they knew?

"Fine, Ye Chen. From this day forward, you are no longer a member of the Ye family. I hope you won’t regret this!" Uncle Ye Qing roared, his face red with fury.