"Patriarch, they've sealed another one of our shops," the messenger reported.
Patriarch Yates frowned and said, "I understand. You may go now."
"Yes, sir." The messenger withdrew.
After he left, Ye Chen couldn't help but ask, "Dad, what's really going on?"
"It's nothing important," Patriarch Yates said, relaxing his brow.
"That's impossible. You're definitely hiding something from me," Ye Chen said worriedly.
Patriarch Yates refused to admit anything was wrong, but Ye Chen kept pressing him. At last, Patriarch Yates explained: the Fenn Family hadn't come to harass the estate, but the Ye Clan's shops outside kept getting sealed every so often.
Anyone with eyes could see this was the Fenn Family's doing against the Yates Clan.
"Despicable! How can the Fenn Family get away with this?" Ye Chen said angrily.
"It's fine. If all the Yates Clan's shops are sealed, so be it," Patriarch Yates said calmly.
"Dad, how can that be? The Yates Clan poured years of effort into those businesses. If they're all shut down, rebuilding will be a nightmare," Ye Chen protested.
"Compared to you, none of that matters. So let them seal the shops. Worst case, I'll just disband the Yates Clan and leave this place," Patriarch Yates said firmly.
Hearing her father say he'd dissolve the whole clan for her sake, Ye Chen was overwhelmed. She could only say, "Dad, it's all my fault. The Yates Clan is suffering because of me."
"What are you saying? You're my only daughter. Do you think I'd let you walk into a pit of fire?" Patriarch Yates patted her shoulder to comfort her.
"No way. I'm going to confront the Fenn Family. If it comes down to it, I'll fight them myself!" Ye Chen said angrily, unwilling to see her father like this.
"No. No matter what, you can't go out there. There are eyes everywhere right now," Patriarch Yates objected.
"Dad, I can't let the whole clan suffer because of me. The Yates Clan worked for years to get where we are today," Ye Chen said.
"I told you—even if it costs the whole clan, I won't regret it," Patriarch Yates said resolutely.
Ye Chen didn't know what to do. She truly couldn't bear to see the Yates Clan fall because of her.
Just then, chaos erupted outside. Ye Chen and Patriarch Yates extended their divine sense and saw that Fenn Family guards were clashing with Yates Clan defenders.
"This is bad—they're back! Go to your room quickly and leave through the secret passage," Patriarch Yates said to Ye Chen.
"No, I'm staying!" Ye Chen said firmly after seeing the commotion between the guards.
"Why won't you listen?" Patriarch Yates said anxiously.
No matter how much Patriarch Yates tried, Ye Chen refused to leave. Meanwhile, the Fenn Family had already forced their way in. Outside the main hall, people were gathering—Fenn Family on one side, Ye Clan on the other.
"So you really came back. Good thing I waited all these years," the leading Fenn guard laughed.
Patriarch Yates realized someone from the Ye Clan must've leaked news of Ye Chen's return, or else the Fenn Family wouldn't have shown up with so many people at this exact moment.
"And who are you in the Fenn Family?" Patriarch Yates asked calmly.
"I'm Second Fenn of the Fenn Family. As for strength, I'm at least as strong as you. So, why don't you just hand your daughter over?" the Fenn guard said with a grin.
Patriarch Yates scanned the crowd and saw that the other side was already showing their aura. He couldn't see through them, and while he himself was at mid Soul-Gathering Realm, the other was at least mid Soul-Gathering or higher. The strongest in the clan—Ye Chen—was still suppressed.
"Don't bother looking. Aside from you, everyone else in the Ye Clan is too weak. If you don't want your daughter hurt, step aside and let me take her back," Second Fenn said with a smirk.