Chapter 33: All Things Compete for Freedom Under the Frosty Sky—Nothing More

After discussing the specifics of the clan leader’s residence with Yang Yitan, the two returned to the Yang family estate together.

For Yang Qingyuan, he no longer needed to live as he did in his youth—treading on thin ice, cautious and trembling with every step. Yet, regardless of anything else, even setting aside the fact that the Yang family had raised him for so many years, he still had to consider Yang Yitan’s feelings. If he were to truly stir up trouble, it would only put Yang Yitan, who was caught in the middle, in a difficult position.

Despite his complex mindset—having lived two lifetimes, which made it impossible for him to truly accept Wangquan Baye as an older brother in the way others did—Yang Qingyuan could see that Wangquan Baye and the others genuinely treated him as a brother. He saw their kindness, and he held it in his heart.

Therefore, if he wanted to uncover the truth about his origins, beyond the Yang family, the only remaining clue had to be in Beishan. After all, considering the behavior of that wolf demon before its death, combined with the restrictions within the clan leader’s residence, Yang Qingyuan had ample reason to suspect that the wolf demon had acted as a distraction. The intruder who had infiltrated the Yang manor all those years ago was likely an accomplice of that very demon!

"Tsk, now that I think about it, should I make a trip to Beishan before heading to Tushan?" Yang Qingyuan thought silently as he lay on his bed.

His feelings toward the parents he had never met since arriving in this world were incredibly complicated. Although they were strangers, they were, in every sense, his parents in this life—blood runs thicker than water. Moreover, Yang Qingyuan had a faint intuition that the person imprisoned within the clan leader’s residence was likely one of his parents. Perhaps the reason the current leaders of the Yang family held such conflicting feelings toward him was also tied to these imprisoned parents of his...

With this thought, Yang Qingyuan sat up abruptly and cast his gaze toward the depths of the Yang manor.

***

That night, under the cover of a moonless, wind-swept sky, a dark figure flashed rapidly across the grounds of the Yang manor.

Having lived in the manor for over a decade, Yang Qingyuan was intimately familiar with all the defensive seals placed throughout the estate. With Yang Yitan, the "insider," working in coordination with him, Yang Qingyuan managed to infiltrate the clan leader's residence—located deep within the manor—with almost no effort. It was truly worthy of being called the leader's residence; both its layout and architectural style were worlds apart from the outer areas.

After mentally retracing the location Yang Yitan had described to him earlier, Yang Qingyuan’s figure vanished once more.

"This must be the place."

Observing the small house protected by layers of various seals, a glimmer of contemplation flashed in Yang Qingyuan’s eyes. "It’s just as Yitan said; these seals are layered thick and fast, wrapping this little house so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through..."

Yang Qingyuan did not possess deep knowledge of seals and therefore did not know how to break them. While his current strength would allow him to force his way through them without too much trouble, doing so would surely lead to the same outcome as the intruder ten years prior: being detected by the Yang family immediately.

"Sigh, this is truly troublesome. I can't make heads or tails of it! It seems I have no choice but to start from the Beishan end..."

Just as Yang Qingyuan had been studying the seals for a long while and was finally on the verge of giving up, the voice of a middle-aged woman drifted slowly from inside the house.

"It is so late; who is outside?"

The voice was incredibly gentle, carrying an elegant and intellectual tone. Yet, beneath that gentleness, there seemed to be a faint, hidden sorrow. The moment he heard that voice, Yang Qingyuan’s heart trembled violently for some unknown reason, and a strange, unprecedented feeling welled up within him.

"Can you hear me?" Yang Qingyuan asked in a tentative, low voice.

"Why wouldn't I? These seals only restrict my movement. As for you, judging by the Celestial Eye on your forehead, you must be a disciple of the Yang family, right? Why are you sneaking into the clan leader’s residence in the middle of the night instead of sleeping in your own room?"

"Are you a member of the Yang family too?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you confined to this residence?"

"Perhaps because I committed a mistake?"

"Perhaps? What does that mean?" Yang Qingyuan frowned.

The voice inside the room did not answer directly but suddenly shifted the topic. "To be able to sneak into this residence without a sound, your cultivation must be quite impressive, mustn't it?"

"It’s passable."

"With such cultivation, you must have slain many demons?"

"Yes." Yang Qingyuan nodded.

"What is your view on demons?"

"I don't have much of an opinion. All things under heaven simply strive for their own freedom," Yang Qingyuan shrugged.

"All things under heaven strive for freedom? That is a unique perspective."

"Over the years, I have killed many demons that brought disaster to the land, but I have also killed many humans who were devoid of conscience. To me, there is no essential difference between humans and demons."

When these words were spoken, the voice in the room fell silent for a long time.

"Aren't you afraid of being captured by the Dao Alliance for saying such things?"

"Why, are you going to report me?"

"I will not."

"Then that settles it."

The voice in the room fell into a long silence once more. After a good while, she finally spoke again. This time, however, Yang Qingyuan seemed to detect a hint of a sob in her voice.

"You should go. I will not tell the clan leader about what happened tonight..."

"Before I leave, can you tell me who you really are?"

After saying this, Yang Qingyuan waited in place for a long time. But this time, no matter what he said, there was no further response from the room. Helpless, Yang Qingyuan had no choice but to retreat for the time being.

Watching Yang Qingyuan’s retreating figure, a pair of tear-filled eyes slowly closed beside the dim window of the room.

"He really did come..."

From the shadows of the room, the figure of Yang Yitan slowly emerged.

"Thank you, Tan'er. Thank you for doing this favor for your aunt."

"Aunt, why won't you tell him your true identity?"

"Revealing myself to him now would only bring him harm. To see him with my own eyes, to see that he is safe and sound, is enough to satisfy me."

"Sigh..."

Yang Yitan let out a slow sigh. He cast a look of complex emotion at the lonely silhouette by the window, a flicker of faint sorrow in his eyes.

"Then please rest well, Aunt. I will return to report to Grandfather now."

"Yes..."