"Insolence..." Who would have thought that Ye Fugui would suddenly slam the table, his plump body shooting up in a fit of rage, declaring loudly, "This is Mr. Qin Yan, the Steward of External Affairs for White Cloud Manor. And this is his esteemed daughter, Miss Qin Yuting. For a swine like you to even dream of marrying Miss Qin—you truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth..."

Startled by his father's sudden outburst, Ye Jingyu blinked. In the month or so he'd been inhabiting this body, his 'borrowed' father had treated him reasonably well, usually speaking in low, gentle tones. Why such towering anger today?

He failed to grasp that White Cloud Manor was the paramount martial arts bastion in the entire Ninglang Prefecture. Not merely the County Magistrate of Ninglang County, but even the Prefecture Lord of Ninglang had to tread carefully around their influence. Ye Fugui, a mere landlord, was in no position to offend them...

"My apologies, Steward Qin. I have failed in teaching my son; I've made a spectacle of myself... You, degenerate son, do not yet offer your respects to Steward Qin..." At this, Ye Fugui spoke again, his demeanor shifting to one of profound deference toward Qin Yan...

"Heh heh, Lord Ye is too polite. Young Master Ye is naturally spirited and acts on impulse; this is true character!" Before Ye Jingyu could respond, Qin Yan, seated across from him, smiled faintly and spoke...

Hypocritical. Damnably hypocritical. The old man was hypocritical enough, but how could this fellow be even more so? He was clearly enraged by my presumptuous words, yet he spouts such sanctimonious drivel...

True character, indeed? Haven't you seen your daughter's face turning purple with anger?

"Exactly, Uncle Qin is so understanding..." Although cursing Qin Yan's hypocrisy internally, Ye Jingyu knew the art of knowing when to back down gracefully...

"Hmph..." Ye Fugui could barely bring himself to scold his only son. His earlier outburst was purely for Qin Yan's benefit. After all, White Cloud Manor was a renowned, massive establishment, teeming with masters. Offending them could easily result in the swift eradication of his entire family of several hundred souls, and he wouldn't even have a place to cry foul...

"Then, Steward Qin, what are your thoughts on my son's innate talent?" After delivering a sharp snort toward Ye Jingyu, Ye Fugui quickly reverted to his ingratiating smile toward Qin Yan...

"Heh heh, Young Master Ye has an outstanding bearing, and his natural constitution is superb—absolutely top-tier material for martial cultivation," Qin Yan replied with a slight smile, his tone measured...

"Heh heh, Steward Qin, about the matter we discussed..." Ye Fugui maintained his fawning grin, the local landlord's arrogance utterly vanished...

"Rest assured, Lord Ye. While I cannot guarantee the Manor Lord will accept your son as a direct disciple, he will certainly be accepted as an outer disciple at the very least," Qin Yan stated with a smile...

"Heh heh, thank you, Steward Qin! Yu'er, why haven't you hastened to thank Steward Qin?" Upon hearing Qin Yan's agreement, Ye Fugui's face bloomed with delight...

"Wait a moment, you want me to join White Cloud Manor to train in martial arts?" After listening for so long, Ye Jingyu finally understood his father's plan—it was about spending a fortune to get him into some White Cloud Manor for training...

"What? You’re unwilling?" Hearing his son express dissent, Ye Fugui’s face immediately darkened again...

If Ye Fugui was the most powerful landlord within a radius of fifty li, commanding deference even from the Ninglang County Magistrate, then White Cloud Manor was the absolute sovereign power of the entire Ninglang Prefecture. Not only would a mere County Magistrate hesitate, but even the Prefecture Lord of Ninglang had to consult the Manor's wishes before acting...

After all, nearly all the official runners and envoys throughout Ninglang Prefecture were members of White Cloud Manor...

Though the Ye family was wealthy, climbing high enough to curry favor with the Ninglang Prefecture Lord was difficult; approaching the mighty tree that was White Cloud Manor was practically impossible. Now that the Steward of External Affairs for White Cloud Manor had personally come seeking disciples—for whatever strange reason—there was no logical reason not to send his son. In Ye Fugui’s eyes, once his son was affiliated with the Manor, he could surely secure a respectable position and attain official status, something far beyond a mere landlord...

This was why he was willing to spend immense sums to send his son there. Yet, to his surprise, Ye Jingyu still looked hesitant...

"Willing, willing! Of course, I'm willing..." Seeing his father on the verge of fury, Ye Jingyu relented. However, he was utterly puzzled. In his previous life, universities would practically beg him to enroll; why did his father look like he was pleading with supplicants, not only spending a fortune but begging on bended knee?

It was precisely because of this that the newly transmigrated Young Master Ye hadn't even enjoyed a month of his pampered life—not even taking advantage of a single maid—before being shipped off to suffer at White Cloud Manor, all under the noble guise of 'training to achieve martial excellence'...

Ninglang Prefecture was a border county of the Shu Yun Kingdom, flanked by the Tiangang Mountain Range to the west and the Southern Barren Forest to the south. White Cloud Manor itself was situated on White Cloud Mountain, precisely where the Tiangang Range met the Southern Barren Forest, a full hundred li from Ninglang County...

Along the journey, Ye Jingyu realized he wasn't the only one being taken to train. There were over thirty others. The oldest was twenty-one, the youngest barely seven. Each possessed their own carriage, accompanied by one or two servants, and several even had maids trailing behind them, their faces sporting smug, complacent expressions. They looked less like prospective disciples and more like tourists heading for a holiday...

Seeing this setup, Ye Jingyu finally understood: they weren't descending the mountain to recruit disciples; they were coming down to collect money. All that talk about superb constitution and martial genius was utter rubbish—this was nothing less than a pyramid scheme...

Never mind the others, the fat man in the carriage ahead was even rounder than his own father, shaped exactly like a ball. If that man could learn martial arts well, then Ye Jingyu himself must be destined to become a Martial Saint?

The moment he realized his father must have slipped White Cloud Manor a hefty sum of 'filial piety money,' Ye Jingyu felt as if he had thrown a fortune into stagnant water...

That money was supposed to be his future inheritance. Why give it away to these people? What a waste! Truly, what a spendthrift his father was...

Having grasped the true nature of the situation, Ye Jingyu resolved that once they reached White Cloud Manor, he would eat well, drink well, and play well. Once he had extracted his fill, he would return home to resume his life as a young master, flirting with girls and hunting. That was the life he wanted—a life worthy of his transmigration...

But human aspirations are often beautiful, while reality is consistently cruel...

When Ye Jingyu and the others finally reached the base of White Cloud Mountain, they saw more than thirty burly men standing on the square below. All were bare-chested, their fleshy jowls trembling with every breath, resembling hardened butchers ready to slaughter pigs...

"Qin Minglong, these are the new junior brothers. You instruct them on the Manor's rules first... Only after they understand the rules may they ascend the mountain." Qin Yan, who had been smiling amiably throughout the journey, suddenly turned cold here. He stepped down from the carriage, spoke to a brute standing at the forefront, and walked straight toward the interior of the Manor without a backward glance...

"Understood, Third Martial Uncle," the man named Qin Minglong replied with a sycophantic bow...

"Martial Brother Minglong, there's one named Ye Jingyu. Please give him a proper welcome," Qin Yuting suddenly hopped down from her carriage and whispered conspiratorially to Qin Minglong...

"Rest assured, Martial Sister. The person you designate, I will certainly treat him well..."

"I trouble you, Martial Brother," Qin Yuting cupped her hands toward Qin Minglong, then turned to glare at Ye Jingyu, who had just stepped down from his own carriage, before walking toward her father...

"Who is Ye Jingyu? Get out here!" Qin Minglong's rough voice suddenly boomed across the square...