Ying Yue was still too shocked to process what had just happened.
Even after the demon had been destroyed, her mind was still stuck on one thought.
A young boy had accomplished what even five top experts could not.
Because of that, she did not even hear Yama's question properly.
One of the guards quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Sir… unfortunately, the Young Miss cannot become your follower. Her background is… somewhat important."
His tone was polite to the extreme.
After witnessing Yama drive out a demon with ease, he no longer dared show even the slightest disrespect.
In fact, he felt lucky he had not offended him further earlier.
Yama looked at him calmly.
"Oh? An important background?"
He already knew exactly who Ying Yue was, but the Judgment Book was not something he could reveal carelessly.
"So what is her background, exactly?"
The guard lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I do not have the authority to disclose the Young Miss's identity."
Yama waved a hand dismissively.
"Forget it. I don't need a follower with such a bossy attitude anyway."
He had only made that demand to provoke her in the first place.
Still, if she had been less arrogant, he might actually have considered it. After all, someone destined to become one of the top five experts on the continent would not be a bad person to have by his side.
Ying Yue had finally recovered enough to understand what he said.
Her expression instantly darkened again.
But she could not say anything.
At this point, Yama was her brother's benefactor.
She forced herself to speak more politely.
"Mister… what is your name?"
"Yama," he replied.
He had no intention of revealing Ye Ji's name.
He still did not know whether it was safe to reveal that he came from the Ye Clan. The Chen Clan had allies everywhere, and if word spread that the so-called trash of the Ye Clan had done something even five experts could not, it would only attract trouble.
The more low-key he remained, the better.
His mind turned cold.
The Sin Whip only works against demons.
Against humans, it's practically useless.
And all of that is thanks to my father, that bastard Supreme Being.
As Yama silently cursed the creator of the universe, Ying Yue spoke again.
"Yama… I apologize for how I treated you earlier. I did not realize you were an expert who had hidden his cultivation."
Yama answered honestly.
"I didn't hide anything. I truly have no cultivation."
Ying Yue and the guards were stunned.
"What?"
"Then how did you…"
A person with no cultivation had accomplished something that top experts could not.
Naturally, none of them believed him.
Yama could see the doubt on their faces, so he calmly invented an excuse.
"I was trained specifically to deal with demons. That is why I can handle them so easily."
Ying Yue's eyes flickered.
"I see. Then your master must be someone extraordinary, to train a person with no cultivation in such a way."
That explanation at least made sense.
The world was vast, filled with hidden experts and strange inheritances. Even for a princess like her, today had become a lesson in how little she truly knew.
At the side, Ye Ming was listening in silence, almost impressed.
When exactly were you trained?
You spent almost every day in that rotten shed.
He knew perfectly well where Ye Ji had spent the last several years. He had been secretly observing him on the Patriarch's orders the entire time. So he naturally did not believe a word Yama said.
But after what he had just witnessed, he could only keep his confusion to himself.
Yama turned slightly.
"Very well, Young Miss. If fate wills it, we will meet again."
Ying Yue nodded.
"If you ever need anything in the Green Heaven Kingdom, ask for me."
Though she wanted to stop him and ask more, she held herself back.
He already thinks I'm bossy.
If I press him further, he'll only dislike me more.
I just hope we meet again.
Yama returned to the wagon and immediately told Ye Ming to take a different route from Ying Yue's group.
He had no intention of entering the Green Heaven Kingdom alongside a princess. That would attract far too much attention.
He wanted the exact opposite.
To remain hidden.
To cultivate quietly.
To recover his strength.
And eventually, to find out why he had been dragged out of Hell and thrown into this world.
"Young Master," Ye Ming asked carefully, "why are we taking a different route? They seem to be headed to the same destination."
Yama replied simply, "Because I want to stay as low-key as possible while I cultivate."
Yu Yan blinked in surprise.
"Ye Ji gege… you can cultivate?"
Before Ye Ming could speak, Yama answered her.
"I can cultivate, Yu Yan. I just haven't started yet."
"Now that I've left our kingdom, I can cultivate without trouble."
He then looked at both of them and added,
"And from now on, call me Yama. It's safer that way."
This was not only for Yu Yan's sake.
It was also a message for Ye Ming.
A sign that he could safely report back to Ye Xiang that things were changing.
Ye Ming did not ask any more questions.
Some secrets were better left untouched.
What mattered was that the once-abused Third Young Master was clearly no ordinary person.
In fact, after seeing the demon kneel, Ye Ming had begun to suspect that Yama might one day become the very person who would save the Ye Clan from disaster.
Because they took an alternate road, they arrived at the Green Heaven Kingdom a day later than Ying Yue.
The kingdom's main city was clean, bright, and full of life.
The streets were packed with people. Stalls lined both sides of the roads, and the entire place felt like a festival.
Guards from the royal family kept order calmly, but there was no tension in the air.
What stood out most were the stalls.
Alchemy stalls.
Pill stalls.
Ingredient stalls.
The Green Heaven Kingdom truly lived up to its name as the Kingdom of Alchemists.
Everywhere Yama looked, merchants were selling medicinal herbs, pills, cauldrons, powders, and all sorts of alchemical goods.
Yu Yan's eyes lit up as she looked around excitedly.
"Ye Ji gege, buy me that! It looks so pretty!"
She pointed toward a jewelry stall.
Yama followed her tiny finger and was surprised to see several neighboring stalls selling nearly the same kinds of earrings and ornaments.
How are these people making any profit if they all sell the same thing?
Still, he walked over.
"Yu Yan, I told you to call me Yama."
Then he turned to the shopkeeper.
"How much for that set of earrings?"
The shopkeeper barely glanced at him.
"Four spirit coins."
Yu Yan gasped.
"Haa?! Ye Ji gege, forget it! That's way too expensive!"
Even as a child, she understood enough to know that the price was ridiculous.
And Yama agreed.
Spirit coins were the highest currency in this world.
There were silver coins, gold coins, and spirit coins.
One spirit coin was worth one thousand gold coins.
Four spirit coins for a simple pair of earrings was absurd.
The shopkeeper was clearly trying to scam them.
Yama could not even be bothered to argue.
A man like that would only drag the price down a little and still pretend he was doing them a favor. So Yama turned and began walking away to check another stall.
Then a weak voice called out.
"Senior… would you like to buy this one instead?"
Yama turned.
A young boy in tattered clothes stood there, holding out a simple earring.
"It looks a little similar to the one she wanted. I'll sell it for ten silver coins."
His voice trembled.
"I really need the money. I have to feed my little sister."
Yama's gaze shifted.
Beside him stood a small girl, equally ragged, looking as though she had not eaten properly in days.
Yama's expression changed slightly.
"Where are your parents?"
The boy lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Senior. We don't know who they are. Can you please buy it? My sister is hungry."
Yama took out thirty silver coins and placed them in the boy's hand.
But he did not take the earring.
He could tell instantly that it belonged to the little girl. The boy was only trying to sell it as a last resort.
The scene stirred something in Yama.
He was merciless to the cruel.
But to the innocent, he could still show kindness.
Originally, he had considered giving the boy one gold coin. That would have been enough for food, clothes, and lodging for several months.
But Yama knew too well how the world worked.
If a starving beggar was seen carrying a gold coin, others would rob him without hesitation.
Thirty silver coins was safer.
Enough to help.
Not enough to invite immediate disaster.
Just as Yama was about to ask the boy more questions, a loud voice rang out across the street.
"Move!"
"Everyone move aside!"
"Make way for the Priest!"