Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Chapter 324: Chapter 259: Let’s Dual Cultivate

"Ling Xiao, aren’t you worried that the Zhe, Yu, Gou, and other families who are on bad terms with us will suddenly cause trouble at the Exchange Gathering? You have to understand, the Hidden Families’ Exchange Gathering isn’t just for trading—it’s also a conference for settling grudges!" Song Mingyue said leisurely, "Speaking of which, the relationships between the Hidden Families are a bit like those of modern nobles. Even when there are grudges, most are polite to your face while stabbing you in the back. That’s why there needs to be an occasion to resolve these conflicts. I think the reason the Zhe Family hasn’t made a move yet is likely related to this gathering. If Night Owl hadn’t mentioned it, I really wouldn’t have known. How about this? I’ll write a letter home in the next few days to tell them about my current situation. I’m sure my family will be invited. And when the time comes, something very interesting might happen, hehe..."

As if she had thought of something, Song Mingyue suddenly broke into a happy smile. Before Ling Xiao could ask, she blushed and said softly, "I’ve been hiding something from you. You won’t be angry with me, will you?"

Ling Xiao was taken aback for a moment. "Hiding something from me? Go on, tell me."

"You have to promise not to be angry first before I can say it." Song Mingyue whined playfully, a rare sight. She fluttered her charming eyes and added, "If you don’t promise, I won’t tell."

Seeing Song Mingyue acting so girlish, Ling Xiao gave an indulgent smile. "Fine, I won’t get angry. Go ahead and tell me."

Song Mingyue nodded lightly. "Actually, when I was little, a marriage was arranged for me among the Hidden Families. But it was just something my father said in a moment of drunken confusion, just empty words. I never thought that family would actually take it seriously. Sigh... That family is at least as strong as mine, if not stronger. Since the words were spoken, my father couldn’t easily go back on them. So, I’ve been dressing as a man since I was a child, hoping that the person from that family wouldn’t take a liking to me..."

Ling Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’I can’t believe it,’ he thought. ’Even a powerhouse like the Sea Domain Song Family, with a Sword Venerable in their ranks, can be constrained by others?’

"But aren’t all Martial Artists at the Sword Saint Level and above supposed to enter the Holy Sanctuary, never to return? If that’s the case, why would your family, with a Sword Venerable ancestor, be afraid of them?"

"Sigh..." Song Mingyue let out a faint sigh. "That family has three Sword Venerables. Besides, that was twenty years ago. Who knows if anyone has broken through from Sword Emperor to the Sword Venerable Realm in the last two decades. It’s not likely, but it’s not impossible either."

"..." Ling Xiao looked at Song Mingyue, speechless. ’This girl is really something else,’ he thought. ’How could she not have mentioned something so important to me all this time?’

"My love..." Song Mingyue suddenly called out, her face blushing as she spoke in a soft voice. Her gentle, watery eyes suddenly turned resolute. She gave a light laugh and said, "Don’t you worry. I belong to you completely, so how could my heart ever change? It’s not just you; even I had long forgotten about that marriage contract. I’m sure... that after so many years with no word from them, that family has probably forgotten about it too."

Ling Xiao smiled. "And which family are you talking about?"

Song Mingyue chuckled lightly. "I just remembered. We’ve actually had a conflict with this family before. It’s the Qin Family behind the northern Bauhinia Clan! Yes, that must be them! That Hidden Family resides on an island on the East Sea Shore. I think... they’re probably the hosts of this Exchange Gathering for the Hidden Families and sects!"

"..."

Song Mingyue’s eyes narrowed into smiling crescents. With a playfully pitiful look, she said, "I’m your woman now, you know. So, I’ll have to rely on you to solve this little problem."

Ling Xiao scratched his head. "If I provoke that family’s ancestors, those Sword Venerable experts, do you really think I can handle them?"

Song Mingyue’s gaze was as gentle as water as she chuckled. "You don’t have to worry about that, my love. The Hidden Families aren’t actually that unreasonable. As long as it’s not a truly immense grudge, they rarely push people to their deaths. After all, everyone is in the same circle. No one knows what the future holds for another person or what achievements they might attain. Once you forge a deep-seated enmity, unless you can completely exterminate the other clan, you’re looking at a feud that could last for thousands of years, ending only in death!"

Ling Xiao was suddenly reminded of the High Priest and asked casually, "Have any such clan exterminations actually happened in recent years?"

Song Mingyue, thinking Ling Xiao was just making small talk, smiled and said, "There was one, actually. It was about fifteen or sixteen years ago, I can’t remember the exact time. Within the Zichuan Empire, a major family, somewhere between first and second-rate, was completely wiped out! On the surface, it looked like a power struggle between two major families that led to war. But in reality, everyone in our circle knows the true reason. The annihilated family had found some Ancient Ruins and obtained a secret elixir-refining formula from within! The formula was said to be something never seen before, and the Elixirs it produced could unlock a person’s full potential, allowing for massive improvements in a short period through training. Oh, right, the family that did it was the Zhe Family! And speaking of which, that wasn’t the first time the Zhe Family had done something like that!"

"Don’t the Hidden Families have agreements with each other? For a large-scale clan extermination like that, did all of you other families just stand by and do nothing?" Beneath the stone table, Ling Xiao’s hands clenched into tight fists. Whether it was because of his sister Ling Su, Ye Zi, or the High Priest, he had every reason to completely eradicate the Zhe Family once he had enough power!

Song Mingyue gave a bitter smile. "Although everyone knew the Zhe Family did it, they were too fast, and they didn’t leave a single survivor. Without even a plaintiff to bring a case, which family would risk offending the Zhe Family to stick their neck out for them?"

"The Zhe Family! Heh, very good!"

Ling Xiao said with a faint smile.

Song Mingyue, however, noticed something was off about Ling Xiao. Thinking he was still holding a grudge over his sister Ling Su’s kidnapping, she said with a smile, "Don’t be so angry, my love. The Zhe Family suffered a huge loss at your hands this time! You basically wiped out all of their power in the Mortal World! Even among the Hidden Families, there aren’t many people who are as decisive and ruthless as you! That’s why, in my heart, you are a truly indomitable man!"

Ling Xiao smiled and shook his head. "Let’s just hope I’m not a reckless fool who doesn’t know when to quit."

Song Mingyue lifted her head, her eyes as clear as autumn pools gazing at Ling Xiao’s sharp, handsome features. She said softly, "The Zhe Family may be powerful, but the Sea Domain Song Family is no pushover. If they really want to try something, I wouldn’t mind getting ’up close and personal’ with them at the Exchange Gathering!"

Seeing this woman who was soft on the outside but iron-willed on the inside, Ling Xiao felt a surge of heroic spirit. He laughed and said, "Speaking of which, how could I be any less courageous than you? Forget about your family’s support—even without it, why would I fear those people? Hmph, when that Sword Emperor from the Yu Family of Yan-Zhao came for me, he wasn’t even left as dust! If anyone wants to get something from me, it’ll only be if... I myself am willing to give it!"

Song Mingyue cupped her cheek with one hand, her gaze completely mesmerized. ’In front of a man like this, what’s wrong with being a little lovesick?’ Thinking this, she looked at him with an innocent, charming expression and said, "In that case, my love, let’s engage in Dual Cultivation."

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