A Year of Hiding

Since that night, after crawling out of the secret passage.
Ye Fan happened to meet a colleague, was mistaken for Xiao Ye Zi, and was taken back to the Qianqing Palace.
Only then did Ye Fan learn that the eunuch named Xiao Ye Zi was a Ninth Grade laborer in the Emperor's sleeping quarters.
Furthermore, Xiao Ye Zi's death seemed not to have caused a single ripple in the Imperial Palace.
Ye Fan's life of checking in officially began.
…
On the first day, Ye Fan began checking in at the Qianqing Palace.
"Ding! The system has detected that the host is at a brand-new location, the guest room of the Qianqing Palace. Do you wish to check in?"
"Confirm check-in."
"Ding! Rewarded with one copy of the Giant Wheel Technique secret manual."
Ye Fan flipped to the introduction page: Lao Ai, the Marquis of Changxin of the ancient Qin Dynasty, was born with extraordinary talent. Through a lifetime of relentless research, he finally found a way to fully develop his innate abilities, creating a divine book known as the art of regeneration.
He adjusted the Giant Wheel Technique, which was originally at the end of the book, and placed it at the beginning.
"Hmph, I must find time to scientifically critique this Giant Wheel Technique and resolutely resist such wrong and heterodox trends!"
"Ding! The system has detected that the host is by the water well of the Qianqing Palace. Do you wish to check in?"
"Confirm check-in."
"Ding! Rewarded with a copy of the deep palace secrets of the palace maid Xiao Lan."
"@#@￥#@#￥@#@#"
Ye Fan chuckled; it didn't seem too bad.
It wasn't until the third time, in his capacity as a Ninth Grade laborer eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, that Ye Fan had the chance to enter the main hall to sweep.
"Ding! The system has detected that the host is in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace. Do you wish to check in?"
"Confirm check-in."
"Ding! Rewarded with the Diamond Indestructible Art!"
At night, Ye Fan returned to his room and began to study.
He felt as if his entire body was covered in a layer of armor, and this armor seemed connected to the heat stream within him.
As a golden light flashed over him, Ye Fan had mastered the Diamond Indestructible Art.
His realm was elevated for the first time, reaching the Eighth Stage Houtian.
But that was not enough.
On the fourth day,
"Ding! The system has detected that the host is checking in at the northeast corner of the Qianqing Palace."
"Ding! Rewarded with one hundred taels of silver."
He checked in continuously for twenty days at the Qianqing Palace.
Ye Fan's realm broke through all the way, from Eighth Stage Houtian to Seventh, Sixth, Fifth, and finally got stuck at the Fourth Stage expert level. But the east, west, south, and north of the Qianqing Palace, the guest rooms, and even the roads outside—Ye Fan had checked in at them all.
There were finally no more places around the Qianqing Palace to check in.
One day, Ye Fan thought seriously.
There seemed to be no more check-in spots around the Qianqing Palace. Perhaps the Weiyang Palace was the closest; it was time to change locations.
"Eunuch Wang, is the Weiyang Palace short of laborers lately?"
…
Time flew by like a weaver's shuttle.
Quickly, a year had passed.
…
On one hand, Ye Fan was immersed in checking in, showing no ambition for advancement.
Other eunuchs were busy currying favor with their masters and flattering superiors to gain wealth and rank. Only the young and handsome Xiao Ye Zi did his work every day without sucking up to anyone.
Ye Fan's actions were hard to understand in the eyes of the scheming eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace.
Initially, everyone thought Xiao Ye Zi was a deep and calculating person with hidden motives.
However, as time went on, they were shocked to find that Xiao Ye Zi truly just had something wrong with his head.
Aside from a slight obsession with cleanliness and a refusal to push the manure carts.
Xiao Ye Zi would proactively take on any other dirty or heavy labor.
As time passed, the little eunuchs in the Qianqing Palace came and went.
A year later, in the deep palace, some had died, and some had risen to high positions.
Only Xiao Ye Zi remained in the same spot, still just the lowest-level laborer eunuch of the Qianqing Palace.
…
On the other hand, beneath the calm of the deep palace lay hidden killing intent.
Ye Fan only wanted to simply check in, practice his skills, and hide away.
Therefore, Ye Fan's outward strength was always maintained at the Ninth Stage Houtian, the lowest among the eunuchs.
Combined with his usually quiet and honest personality, very few people noticed him.
However, over the past year, Ye Fan's harvest was not small. The small stream of water circulating in his body had turned into rivers, lakes, and seas. The golden armor on his body had also slowly seeped into his flesh and blood, becoming one with him.
Through the lucky wheel every thirty days, Ye Fan learned the Six Meridian Divine Sword, the Flower Pinching Finger, the Dugu Nine Swords... One day, Ye Fan let out a long cry. He not only broke through the First Grade Houtian realm but also jumped two levels!
"I've become an Eighth Stage Xiantian expert!"
At that moment, the heat stream in Ye Fan's body expanded like a great dragon crashing out to sea.
A bizarre azure lotus suddenly appeared in the sky above the Imperial Palace, causing astonishment among the people.
…
One day, while Ye Fan was hesitating at the Weiyang Palace about whether to change his check-in location.
The clear blue sky with white clouds was suddenly covered by a blood-red light obscuring the sun.
Screams of agony echoed from afar. The Weiyang Palace was suddenly in chaos, and even the hidden imperial guards appeared.
Ye Fan nodded; not bad, they were all Fifth Stage Houtian experts!
But quickly, the blood-red light filled the air, like countless blood arrows forming a line, suddenly striking!
The opponent used only one move.
All the experts failed to act and fell together in the courtyard!
Crushing—absolute crushing strength.
Even Ye Fan frowned.
At that moment.
The Emperor of Great Qian, Emperor Jing Tai, stepped out of the great hall under the protection of the eunuch beside him. Looking at the blood light constantly radiating from the newcomer, he said in shock, "The Blood Demon Sect?"
Martial artists use their strength to violate prohibitions. The three-hundred-year martial ban in the Great Qian world had wiped out many unorthodox sects.
Among them, the Blood Demon Sect was the most notorious demonic sect!
…
He heard the Blood Demon Ancestor laugh loudly, "Emperor Jing Tai, three hundred years ago your ancestor destroyed my Blood Demon Sect. Three hundred years later, I, the Blood Demon Ancestor, am already a top-tier Houtian expert. Come and take a move from me!"
The Blood Demon Ancestor held a bright red long saber, with billowing waves of fire.
A First Grade Houtian expert—truly terrifying!
At that moment, the Chief Eunuch of the Palace, Eunuch Chen, whose strength had reached the Second Grade Houtian, leaped out!
"Pfft!"
Eunuch Chen had a full forehead and a square jaw, his blood and qi surging around him—an extraordinary aura!
But only one move.
The Blood Demon Ancestor sneered, and Eunuch Chen was blasted out of the Weiyang Palace by the waves of fire.
Emperor Jing Tai took a cold breath. "How terrifying!"
The Blood Demon Ancestor didn't even turn his head, continuing to swing his saber. "Emperor Jing Tai, you are dead!"
…
Unfortunately, Ye Fan frowned as he looked at the Blood Demon Ancestor's waves of fire.
With this strike from the Blood Demon Ancestor, not to mention Emperor Jing Tai with his Third Grade Houtian cultivation, even the Weiyang Palace behind him would be sliced in half?
Ye Fan had just arrived at the Weiyang Palace today and hadn't even started his check-in.
He felt that if the Weiyang Palace were sliced in half by this old demon, it would likely affect the fortune.
"Clang~"
This time, it wasn't a system notification.
Ye Fan casually picked up a small stone.
Flower Pinching Finger!
…
"Whoosh!"
The Blood Demon Ancestor was about to have his revenge when suddenly the blood-colored long saber in his hand encountered an irresistible force. The violent collision caused it to turn directly into scrap metal falling to the ground.
The Blood Demon Ancestor spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his internal energy in chaos, and his realm dropped by one level!
"Who is it!?"