Ye Xiang was startled the moment he heard the voice.
For six years, he had not spoken to this son of his.
And now—
The first thing he heard was:
"Patriarch."
Not "Father."
A faint pain flashed across his eyes.
He could understand.
After everything that had happened… how could Ye Ji not hate him?
"…Come. Sit."
Ye Xiang suppressed his thoughts and gestured toward the seat opposite him.
Yama sat down calmly.
"Yes, Patriarch."
He had heard the word "son."
But he ignored it.
He was not Ye Ji.
And even if he was…
What kind of father allowed his own son to be abused for six years?
The Lord of Hell did not acknowledge such weakness.
Ye Xiang sighed inwardly.
He could feel the distance.
But he said nothing.
Instead, his voice turned serious.
"What happened at the Burial Tomb?"
"Why was it destroyed?"
Yama replied calmly, "Destroyed? It was perfectly fine when I was there."
Inside, his thoughts shifted.
…Was that the Judgment Book?
He had been thrown unconscious.
Whatever happened after that—
He hadn't seen it.
But remembering the fragile state of the tomb…
It wasn't surprising it had collapsed.
"What about the coffin?" Yama asked."Is it intact?"
"It is," Ye Xiang replied.
Then his expression darkened slightly.
"A few servants died… after looking at it."
Yama's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
"That eye… it only affects those with cultivation aptitude," Ye Xiang explained.
"It drives them insane. They attack others… or kill themselves."
Yama froze.
No aptitude for cultivation?
His thoughts exploded.
I have Ye Yong's inheritance.
My meridians are repaired.
I am the Lord of Hell.
And you're telling me I have no aptitude?
For a moment, his killing intent almost surfaced.
But he suppressed it.
If he revealed anything now—
He would have to explain everything.
And that would lead to one thing.
Death.
He could hardly say:
"By the way, your son is dead and I'm a god currently using his body."
Even Yama had limits.
Seeing him go silent, Ye Xiang suddenly moved.
In an instant—
He appeared in front of Yama.
His hands gripped Yama's shoulders.
A stream of energy entered his body.
Yama's eyes sharpened.
"Patriarch… what are you doing?"
He stepped back immediately.
Ye Xiang withdrew his hands.
"…Nothing."
"I was just checking if you were injured."
Yama nodded slightly.
"I'm fine. Thank you, Patriarch."
But inside—
He didn't believe a word.
He was checking my meridians.
Fortunately, the Judgment Book concealed everything.
His repaired meridians.
His cultivation potential.
Everything remained hidden.
That was close.
But just as he relaxed—
The Judgment Book reacted again.
Yama summoned it silently.
A new page appeared.
Name: Ye XiangAge: 88 years, 10 monthsCultivation Rank: 10th Stage – Emperor RealmWarrior Rank: 4th Stage – Sword Emperor
Yama's eyes flickered.
He's close to breaking through to the Tyrant Realm.
Then a thought appeared.
Let's see… why he treated Ye Ji like this.
Without hesitation, Yama touched the name.
The illusion began.
A peaceful life.
A loving couple.
A child about to be born.
Ye Xiang had once been… happy.
After Ye Ji was born, the clan elders examined him.
His talent was extraordinary.
A future genius.
The pride of the clan.
But then—
Everything changed.
His wife disappeared.
And Ye Xiang did nothing.
No search.
No investigation.
Nothing.
The scene shifted again.
Ye Ji lay on a bed.
A blade hovered over him.
Ye Xiang was kneeling.
Begging.
"Please… don't kill him!"
"I'll do anything!"
"I won't reveal anything about his ancestor… or his secrets!"
"He's just a child!"
His voice broke.
The man holding the blade wore the robes of the Chen Clan.
Yama recognized them instantly.
The same clan behind Ye Yong's death.
Then—
"NOOOOO!"
The blade moved.
Not to kill.
But to destroy.
Ye Ji's meridians were shattered.
His cultivation talent erased.
A cold voice echoed.
"Never let him cultivate."
"If he does… your entire clan will be drowned in blood."
"And remember…"
"The eye will always be watching."
The scene changed again.
Monk-like figures built the burial tomb.
They sealed the coffin.
"Amitabha…"
"The eye is now contained."
"If anything happens, use the Dark Sutra Talisman."
The illusion continued.
Yama saw Ye Xiang watching from afar—
As his son was beaten.
Bullied.
Humiliated.
His fists clenched.
His body trembled.
But he never stepped in.
Not once.
Then—
Night after night—
Ye Xiang stood alone.
Looking at the sky.
"Where are you…?"
His voice was broken.
"Do you know how powerless I am…?"
"Our son is suffering… and I can't do anything…"
"I feel like I'm always being watched…"
"You should have taken him with you…"
"It's all my fault…"
"YE JI!"
The illusion shattered.
Yama returned to reality.
"YE JI! What's wrong with you?!"
Ye Xiang's voice was filled with urgency.
Yama blinked.
"…I'm fine, Patriarch."
He dismissed the Judgment Book.
To Ye Xiang, it looked like he had simply been lost in thought.
But Yama's expression had changed.
Completely.
…So that's the truth.
Ye Ji had suffered.
But Ye Xiang had suffered just as much.
Powerless.
Forced to watch.
Forced to abandon his own son to protect him.
Yama closed his eyes briefly.
This man…
I approve.
For the first time—
He acknowledged him.
A father.
A real one.
But then—
Another thought surfaced.
The Chen Clan.
Yama's eyes darkened.
A cold killing intent began to rise.
His pupils turned pitch black.
A faint red glow flickered within them.
The air around him grew heavy.
Something… began to stir behind him.
Then—
"YE JI!"
Ye Xiang's voice exploded.
"What is wrong with your eyes?!"