The two brothers Ye Chenfeng and Ye Furong are sitting opposite to each other with a bowl of fine wine in their hands and a plate filled with exotic Spirit Fruits.

Ye Chenfeng gulped bowl after bowl of the fine wine and chewed on the delicious Spirit Fruits. Soon 10 wine jars were scattered empty on the floor.

"Burp!... Bastard Furong you should drink faster or everything will be finished by me. You should appreciate my kindness, not everyone can afford such luxurious wine. You are quite fortunate... Hehe... Hiccup!" Ye Chenfeng is totally wasted right now not holding back in showing off and cussing while at it.

"Hehe... Second Brother, I am not that good at drinking, please forgive me. You can finish off the rest, I already had my fill." Ye Furong gave a bleak smile.

"What are you talking about? You are not even drunk yet. How will you wash your sorrows if you do not get wasted. Come, come drink more. I am not letting you off until you are... Hiccup!" Ye Chenfeng said while shoving a jar of wine to Ye Furong.

"I don't think my sorrows can be washed out just by drinking." "How can these few jars of wine wash my lifetime of accumulated pain." Ye Furong said while blankly staring at the cave walls.

The cave fell silent...

...

" Sigh... Even though I hate your face and how much of a loser you are, you still have my sympathy." Ye Chenfeng patted Ye Furong's shoulders.

Ye Furong took a deep breath to calm himself down. Then he looked straight into Ye Chenfeng's eyes. "Second Brother, I know you have an extreme personality and enjoy the looks of people suffering but at least you are an honest man," "Unlike our other brothers who hide behind their fake masks, you are open to your true nature."

"That's also the reason I had and will never hate you for all the mockery or berating I suffer from you. At least you cuss directly to my face." Ye Furong said with a gentle warm smile.

Thud!... Ye Chenfeng suddenly stood up shivering, knocking the chair to the floor. He quickly practiced his Martial Arts to get the alcohol out of his body.

"Holy Shit! You son of a... Why are you being so creepy all of a sudden? And what's with that smile of yours? You literally gave me chills...Fuck! You ruined the whole mood! Such a waste of fine wine, fuck you!"

"Hahaha... Second Brother, it's not like you care about the wine anyway. You didn't stay back to have a beautiful drinking session with me did you?" Ye Furong laughed.

Ye Chenfeng stared at Ye Furong for a moment...

"That's right!... Seems like you are not so stupid as I thought." Ye Chenfeng said.

Ye Furong smiled. "Actually I am quite smart. Maybe I am not a talented individual but I am also not an ignorant person."

"I can see that." Ye Chenfeng smiled back.

"So you can talk to me openly, there's no need to hide anything." With a serious look Ye Furong said. "I know I will be dead soon. There's no way the clan will let me leave freely. And even if I stay in the clan, there are a lot of people who want me to disappear."

Ye Chenfeng picked up the knocked chair and took a seat, poured two bowls of wine and passed one to Ye Furong. He toasted the bowls and then gulped his bowl in one go.

Wiping his mouth with the sleeves he said. "You have grown Third Brother. I am proud of you" Ye Chenfeng smiled warmly.

Ye Furong is surprised and shocked. This is the first time in his life that Ye Chenfeng has called him Third Brother. This showed his respect towards Ye Furong.

"The way I have spent my life, I had to, else I would be long laying dead in the wilderness." Ye Furong sighed with sadness.

It is true that Ye Furong is always looked down upon or always suppressed by others in his clan but that only made him strive even harder.

A place where he has no friends and a family that never showed love to him he tried his best to learn all the things he could. Even though the stuff he learnt isn't highly valuable, it is still the best he can achieve within limitations.

After all, the good things are always preserved for his brothers and other talented people of the clan. All he is allowed to touch is the thrown away stuff. But knowledge is knowledge, no matter what level it is. Ye Furong absorbed everything he could.

Even though it's just minor attainment, he learnt everything from Martial Arts to Arrays to Pill and Artifact Refinement. But it still didn't improve his lifestyle in the clan.

...

"Ask what you want to know, I will answer whatever I can." Ye Chenfeng said with a serious face. With a slight smile he added. "Don't worry I won't lie about anything I say. After all, you are right! You are not going to live long."

"Thanks Second Brother." Ye Furong closed his eyes to contemplate.

After a while he took a deep breath to calm his mind. He is ready!

"Is... Is it true that… Elder Brother and Weici are married?" Ye Furong asked with a pained look on his face. He again closed his eyes tightly, regretting the question.

"It's true." Ye Chenfeng answered. "I am not sure if they truly love each other or not but I know this much that Elder Brother liked your maid from the first time he saw her. He used to stalk her quite often. He even met her a few times when you were out performing clan tasks."

"I know. Weici told me that Elder Brother helped her sometimes when I was not around. I thought he is just helping his Younger Brother's maid out of kindness, now it seems... Sigh!... How stupid of me!" Ye Furong shook his head in sorrow.

"Well, it's quite a common occurrence in big clans. Elder brothers stealing the women of younger brothers is nothing new." Ye Chenfeng jeered.

"That bastard didn't even leave the women of his own blood brother let alone yours... Fuck that scoundrel! Elder Brother my ass! If not for him being favoured by father and elders of the clan, I would have long gotten him assassinated! At the very least I would have him castrated!" Ye Chenfeng cussed and gulped a few bowls of wine in succession.

"I see. I always found it weird why our mother acts so differently to me, so this is the reason... Hehe." "I always had my doubts and just hoped it isn't as I think but now it seems..." Ye Furong is utterly disappointed.

"It's quite sad but true, mother only gave birth to two sons, me and Elder Brother. You can't blame her for not caring about someone who isn't her own blood right?" Ye Chenfeng asked.

"Why would I blame her? I totally understand." Ye Furong answered.

"But as a human I can't help but long for some motherly love. Even if I am not her own blood, I wish she could have at least hugged me once. Even if it's fake, I wish she showed me some love and care." Ye Furong's eyes turned misty and he sounded very sad and disheartened.

Both brothers fell silent for a moment and chugged a jar or two of the wine.

"What about my real mother?" After the brief silence Ye Furong asked.

"Third Brother, since you are a smart man you should know that there are things one should know and there are things one shouldn't. I know I told you I will answer your questions but... " Ye Chenfeng pressed his lips

"Hehe... Second Brother, what are you hesitant for? Does it even matter what you say to a dead man?" Ye Furong mocked.

Ye Chenfeng smiled while shaking his head. "It's true that you will die once you are out of this Spirit Crystal mine, but it's still not fixed when you will die. It may be just after the day you step out of here or perhaps after a few days pass by. Who knows?"

"So that's how it is." Saying this Ye Furong put his hands in front of his mouth contemplating.

Ye Chenfeng devoured the Spirit Fruits while waiting for Ye Furong to speak. He is totally patient somehow. Despite his bad reputation, Ye Chenfeng seems to be a gentleman, or is it just because he is enjoying Ye Furong's misery? Who knows.

After some time of contemplation Ye Furong put his hands down and stood up. His eyes were as clear as water. He stood straight like a javelin.

He still looked like a beggar in appearance but those eyes of his said otherwise. He seemed to have made his resolution.

Ye Furong turned to the side and raised his right hand slowly forming a solid fist and then struck his own chest with all his might spitting out bright red blood in the process. His face instantly turned pale.

It's the blood from his heart, also called Blood Essence! It is the source of one's life. Losing some means losing a few years of one's lifespan.

"With my Blood Essence as an offering to the Heavens, I Ye Furong take this Blood Oath. After tonight there will be no Ye Furong under the Heavens. May my death mark the end of my name. May the Heavens be the judge, may the Heavens be the executioner." After taking the oath Ye Furong weakly sat back on the chair.

The Blood Essence on the floor turned into blood mist and shot out towards the sky without any resistance, showing the Heavens have accepted his Blood Oath.

Ye Chenfeng stared at this dumbstruck. He never expected such a thing.

Blood Oath is the most secular oath of the Martial World. It is directly witnessed by the Heavens and there is no going back once it's accepted. No one dares to perform this oath if they can avoid doing so.

Ye Furong taking the Blood Oath showed his commitment and resolution. After this night is over, which only has about a few hours left, he will die!

"How is it Second Brother? Now you can tell me right?" Ye Furong said weakly.

"What can I do? You didn't leave any way for me with this Blood Oath of yours. I always thought I am the most cruel among us brothers but...." Ye Chenfeng sighed.

"Hehe... What's so cruel about it? Since I am sure to die anyway, I prefer to die knowing what brought me to the end of my life." Ye Furong creepily smiled.

"I understand, I will tell you all I know." Ye Chenfeng nodded his head.

"Let's see..." Ye Chenfeng stared at the cave ceiling while arranging his thoughts.

"I don't know everything, most of the things are what I overheard from the adults." "Your mother... She seems to be not a human, or more like not from the Human Race. Since they were talking about something related to Monster Core, she should be from Monster Race. Yes... That should be it." Ye Chenfeng started talking after sorting out his thoughts.

"Monster Race... But..." Ye Furong showed doubts.

Ye Chenfeng raised his hand, shutting him up. "Let me speak, don't disturb, listen if you want or I can just take my leave."

Ye Furong shut up and hung his head, looking totally submissive.

Ye Chenfeng continued. "It's true that people from Monster Race have strict rules about them mingling with other races but there are always contradictions."

"Your mother used to be the mistress of my father. Ah, 'our father'."

"Later she was killed for her Monster Core. I don't know her name nor do I know how she died or who killed her but knowing that no one talks about her in our clan... Well you know what I mean right? I don't have any proof but we both are not so stupid are we?"

"As far as I know Monster Core is quite useful for Cultivation. And a monster which can transform into a human is definitely from a rare and powerful species."

Then he looked at Ye Furong who is still hanging his head down but looking at the wet table he is definitely crying.

"As for you... I heard they kept you alive thinking you will awaken your bloodline someday. That's why they left you in my mother's care so as not to arouse any suspicions."

"But since you never awakened your bloodline even after all these years, the clan decided to end your life to bury any unnecessary future troubles."

"There's also... No, you don't need to know that part." Ye Chenfeng shook his head.

"So I am nothing but a tool for the clan but then why bother to make me suffer for eight years in this Spirit Crystal mine when they already decided to get rid of this tool?" Ye Furong raised his head showing a face full of tears and asked in a hoarse voice.

"You are asking me this?" Ye Chenfeng looked surprised. "You know you were framed right?"

"Ah, you don't know who framed you right? Tsk!Tsk!Tsk!... Such a poor thing." Ye Chenfeng clicked his tongue while shaking his head.

Ye Furong didn't speak nor move in the slightest, he just sat there like a statue, staring at Ye Chenfeng, while tears flowed over his cheeks.

It is really a day filled with grief for Ye Furong. Tears seemed to keep rolling out of his eyes. He has almost cried buckets by now but it still seems far from over.

They say a true man never shed tears. But there are times when even a true man is helpless. After all, a human heart is fragile.

Ye Chenfeng looked at Ye Furong's sorry figure and couldn't help but sigh.

"It's none other than Elder Brother. He is the one who planned everything." Ye Chenfeng answered.

"Elder Brother? Why would Elder Brother frame me like this?" Ye Furong looked puzzled.

Then again lowering his head he murmured. "Was it because he wanted the All-Cure treasure? But why me? And even if he used me, there wasn't any need to keep me alive after that right? The clan has long been planning to get rid of me, he could have just used my crime as an excuse to get me executed but instead..." Then he seemed to have realized something horrifying.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at Ye Chenfeng. "Don't tell me he..."

Ye Chenfeng nodded his head. "Yep, he kept you alive so he could use your life as an insurance to get the trust of Jiu Weici."

"He must have promised stuff like your safety or getting you out of here sooner to improve his image in front of the little girl and get close to her."

"That bastard may look and act like a gentleman all the time but only I know how vicious he is. He used the same technique to get his hands on god knows how many women. Look at his huge harem, do you think all the girls fell in love with him just like that? Ptui!" Ye Chenfeng spat with disdain.

"And the people call me a scoundrel. If they come to know the true face of the First Young Master of Ye Clan, they will all cry tears of blood! Fuck!... Fucking hypocrite!" Ye Chenfeng cussed with all his might.

...

None of them spoke after that. Ye Furong hung his head and kept weeping. Ye Chenfeng gulped bowl after bowl of wine.

Moments later Ye Furong raised his head and wiped his face with his dirty sleeves. He then picked a jar of wine and started chugging bowl after bowl.

Time passed slowly. It's the last bowl of wine in both of their hands. Ye Chenfeng is totally wasted but on the other side Ye Furong doesn't seem to be drunk at all.

Maybe the pain of his broken heart kept him sober...

Soon Ye Furong raised his head towards the cave ceiling and started laughing like mad. He is so loud that all the people working in the mine could hear him. Zhao Sheng rushed towards the noise to find out who's being so audacious but when he saw the location he just tucked his tail and ran away. He knew Ye Chenfeng was still inside!

After laughing for about half an hour Ye Furong calmed down. He picked up his last bowl of wine and toasted to the weirdly surprised looking Ye Chenfeng before gulping it in one go.

"Third Brother, are you alright?" Ye Chenfeng looked concerned.

"Alright? Hahaha... Alright? Hahaha... " Ye Furong started laughing like a mad man again, scaring Ye Chenfeng off his seat.

"I can't be any more 'alright' than this... Fuck!" Ye Furong cussed for the first time in his life.

"Fuck!... Fuck!... Fuck!... Fuck my fucking life!"

"Damn this feels good, hahaha!" Ye Furong laughed hysterically. Tears started to flow out of his eyes again.

"Er... T-Third Brother... " Ye Chenfeng wanted to say something but he was scared to speak. Even the unruly Second Young Master of Ye Clan felt timid sometimes!

"Ah Second Brother, thank you very much, you have my heartfelt gratitude." Ye Furong bowed to Ye Chenfeng.

Ye Chenfeng said with an awkward smile. "You are welcome Third Brother... You are welcome... Hehe!" Then he secretly wiped out the cold sweat of his forehead.

"Well... Umm... Third Brother, dawn is about to break, if there is still anything you want to ask, you should hurry." Ye Chenfeng said with a hesitant tone. After all, it's the same as telling Ye Furong that his time of death is arriving.

Ye Furong shook his head, wiping his tears, he said. "Thank you Second Brother, I have nothing else to ask."

"It's irrelevant to say anything more than this anyway." "Well then, see you later Third Brother... Ah sorry, I mean take care... Ah no, I mean..." Ye Chenfeng doesn't know what to say to Ye Furong who's about to die and just keeps stuttering.

After all, a Blood Oath to the Heavens couldn't be taken back. Ye Furong has to die or will die as soon as the night ends.

"Take care Second Brother." Ye Furong gave a salute helping Ye Chenfeng out of this embarrassing situation.

"I will." Ye Chenfeng saluted back and turned to leave. He just took a few steps when suddenly...

"Second Brother." Ye Furong called out from behind.

"Yes?" Ye Chenfeng stopped and asked without turning back.

"Is it true that people can meet each other after death in the Netherworld?" Ye Furong asked in a sad tone.

"They say it's true but... " Ye Chenfeng breathed out. "If you are thinking of meeting your mother there then you should give up."

"I said she was supposed to be some high ranked monster species. There's no way they will leave any trace behind. They will go as far as to even destroy their souls."

After saying this Ye Chenfeng took his leave.

Thud!... Ye Furong sat heavily on the chair which is still left inside the cave.

He stared at the cave walls sitting on the chair with an empty look on his face.

With passing time his eyes lose all their colour and the air around him is filled with grief and despair.

"Weici... Why-Why you did this to me? Sigh!... You must have been disappointed with me. You must have suffered because of me..." Ye Furong murmured.

"So they destroyed her soul huh? Seems like it's the only way!" Saying this Ye Furong closed his eyes.

"Mother, I don't know your name nor do I remember your face but... Maybe if... If I die the way you died... Maybe we can meet each other..."

After a brief moment of silence he suddenly opened his eyes and started shouting with all his might!

"Oh Heavens why are you so merciless? Why me? What did I do wrong to suffer so much! All I want is to live a normal and peaceful life." "To get married, to raise my children, to age with my wife... "

Then he stood up and raised his head upwards. "But why? Why do you just keep ruining my life? Why do you want me dead so much? Why do you bully the weak and innocent but help the strong and cruel people? Why? Why?"

"Why Heavens why?" He shouted even more hysterically.

...this is the last question he asked the Heavens before falling silent.

...

Ye Chenfeng has just stepped his foot outside the Spirit Crystal mine when suddenly...

Boom!

The whole ground under his feet shook, following which a part of the Spirit Crystal mine caved in.

Ye Chenfeng got covered in cold sweat.

"Too cruel, too vicious. That bastard self-destructed. I should have known when I heard him shouting like that. I know you are in pain, I know you are suffering, but at least you could have died peacefully right? Is there really a need to burn your soul and self-destruct to turn into a puff of smoke? Truly vicious! If I was still there..." Thinking this he shuddered.

"Fuck!" Ye Chenfeng cussed and fucked-off!

He ran as fast as he could, he is really scared as fuck!

...

Inside the Spirit Crystal mine, the location where Ye Furong used to mine now has been converted into a crater of about half a mile in diameter.

At the centre of the crater there seems to be some black lines wriggling in the air, opening and closing in.

These black lines are Space Cracks.

Space Cracks are formed when the space-time law of an area suffers heavy trauma making it hard for the plane to keep its shape and nature.

Space Cracks are extremely dangerous as it rapidly sucks in Spiritual Qi from the air to repair the damaged plane. If some creature comes close to a Space Crack it would involuntarily be sucked in by the Space Crack.

The suction force of a Space Crack is so massive that it is literally impossible to escape its grip without sufficient Cultivation.

Space Cracks always being formed in random shapes and sizes makes it impossible for any creature to avoid death. If the crack is too small the creature will be shredded to pieces but if the creature is somehow lucky and falls into a large Space Crack, then it dies to Space-Time Currents which flows infinitely inside the space cracks.

People say that the Space Crack is a pathway to the other dimensions. But no one is stupid enough to check the theory.

But a Space Crack to appear here just from the self-destruction of an insignificant Cultivator is really a baffling matter.

Well... The thing is Ye Furong self-destructed inside a Spirit Crystal mining cave. And Spirit Crystals being Spirit Crystals filled with pure dense Spiritual Qi just made the small blast bigger.

What a tragedy!

And as for Ye Furong, it's as he had vowed. There's no Ye Furong under the Heavens from this moment on!