As he spoke, Ye Lan made his way out the door and Ye Xingtian followed closely behind him. Both men headed into a private room.

Creak!

The stone door of the private room slowly pushed open and Ye Lan entered the secret room first. He spoke as he entered, "Ah, right. Xingtian, you should ask someone to paint a portrait of the Hell's Lotus then distribute it to everyone in the Ye family. If anyone manages to obtain any news about a Hell's Lotus, they will be generously rewarded."

However, just as he spoke, the smile on Ye Lan's face disappeared. He quickly ran to the stone platform in a flash. His breathing quickened and his entire face grew anxious, "Where is my Hell's Lotus?"

"Father, what are you talking about?" Ye Xingtian's face drained of color in his shock and he hurriedly stepped forward, "The Hell's Lotus is missing? Impossible! This private room is your cultivation area, no one is allowed to enter here. How could the Hell's Lotus disappear?"

Suddenly, both men seemed to remember something and looked at each other.

"Ye Nuo, that idiot brat, the little traitor!"

That's right!

Aside from Ye Lan, only one other person would be allowed into the room.

Ye Nuo!

"That boy must have gone to the Gu girl. Come, we have to catch that damned brat. He is too undisciplined and out of control, he would even dare to steal the Hell's Lotus!" Ye Lan was so angry that his entire body burned with rage. However, his heart was filled with a sour sensation.

He was thoroughly jealous!

That damned brat has certainly put lovers over friends! He dared to steal from his own family for the sake of a woman! He was far too daring!

"That damned brat, if I do not teach him a lesson, I'll be damned if we have the same surname!" Ye Lan's face turned ashen in his rage, sorely wishing that he could whip the little traitor.

As he watched the fury on the old man's face, Ye Xingtian rubbed his nose wordlessly.

He really wanted to say this: Father, doesn't Ye Nuo have the same surname as you? What difference does this make?

However, once he found out that it was Ye Nuo who had stolen the Hell's Lotus, Ye Xingtian could not help but sigh in relief.

It's a good thing that we had noticed it in time and we can still get it back. Had anyone else taken it, we might not have any way to get it back...

...

In the courtyard.

A small figure hugging a cloth bag to its body hurriedly rushed into the area and immediately pushed open one of the room's doors. Upon entering the room, he carefully closed the door and walked excitedly towards the girl who was seated cross-legged on the bed.

"Bodyguard Gu, guess what I've brought for you?"

Gu Ruoyun slowly opened her eyes and stared suspiciously at Ye Nuo, "What is it?"

"It's something that you need."

Ye Nuo carefully unraveled the canvas bag in his arms, immediately revealing a lotus glowing with a reddish light before Gu Ruoyun's eyes.

The red light was slightly piercing and made them raise their hands to shield their eyes.

After a long pause, once she had gotten used to it, Gu Ruoyun opened her eyes and stared in astonishment at the blood-red lotus in the canvas bag.

"This is... A Hell's Lotus! Where did you get this?"

Gu Ruoyun's heart shook violently. Even when seated beside the Hell's Lotus, she could feel the bloody aura reeking out from its petals.

According to legend, in order for one Hell's Lotus to grow, aside from a suitable climate and geography, one would require a donation of blood from over ten thousand people!

How many years would one need in order to meet so many people and have them donate their blood to dye the Hell's Lotus?

These harsh requirements created the Hell's Lotus' high value.

"Bodyguard Gu, you're silly." Ye Nuo rolled his eyes at Gu Ruoyun then replied cockily, "Of course I had stolen it!"