Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Chapter 385: Chapter 281: Lengning Palace

’Forget it,’ Song Mingyue thought with an inward sigh. ’I’d rather not be the villain. If my husband starts to resent me for this, he’d never say it, given his personality. And over time, he definitely wouldn’t pamper me like he does now!’

With this in mind, Song Mingyue offered a faint smile. "When I came in just now, I saw a beautiful flower in the courtyard. I’m going to take a look. Ling Xiao, don’t forget to call for me when you’re leaving!" With that, she glanced at Shangguan Yutong, then turned and left the room.

Shangguan Yutong was a little stunned, but she quickly composed herself. With a mix of shyness and worry in her eyes, she looked at Ling Xiao and said, "You’re improving so quickly, but you’ve offended too many people! A while ago, I received a letter from your sister. Regarding the matter with the Zhe Family, you were a bit too radical! Ling Xiao, do you have any idea what kind of family the Zhe Family is?"

Ling Xiao shook his head and replied, "Teacher, I don’t know what kind of family the Zhe Family is. I only know that they restricted my sister’s freedom. And that old bastard from the Zhe Family actually demanded that my sister marry him! What’s more, it was their people who came after us first! I have never regretted killing them!"

Hearing Ling Xiao’s resolute words, Shangguan Yutong’s heart stirred. As if compelled by some unseen force, she asked, "If... if I were captured, would you save me like that too?"

Ling Xiao was no longer the clueless young boy he had been last year; how could he not pick up on the hidden meaning in Shangguan Yutong’s words? But... this affection was a little too heavy. Ling Xiao couldn’t care less about worldly customs and etiquette—they were all bullshit. The key issue was that he had always respected Shangguan Yutong. For her to suddenly reveal such feelings was something Ling Xiao found hard to accept. So, he could only pretend not to understand and said, "Of course. Teacher Shangguan is like a real sister to me. If you were in danger, Teacher, I... would naturally go through fire and water for you!"

’He’s avoiding me!’

Shangguan Yutong sighed inwardly, but a satisfied smile appeared on her face. "Big Sister was just joking with you, hehe." Then, her expression gradually turned serious. "Ling Xiao, I’m not trying to scare you. The Zhe Family of Seven-colored City is nothing special; at most, they have a Sword Emperor presiding over them. But the hidden Zhe Family is a first-rate family! Their strength is immense! And I’ve heard that the Zhe Family has been developing extremely quickly over the last few centuries, even showing signs of becoming a super-family. Tell me, do you think a family like that will let things go after you’ve offended them?"

Ling Xiao smiled calmly and said, "Thank you for the warning, Teacher. But I... am not afraid! First of all, the Zhe Family won’t send all their elites just to deal with me! As long as it’s not some old fossil at the Sword Venerable level, I’m not scared. Besides, they’d better be prepared to suffer heavy losses!"

Shangguan Yutong shook her head slightly. Over the past year or so, she had heard many rumors about Ling Xiao. Even the change in the Imperial Royal Family hadn’t affected the Ling Family’s power in the slightest. When the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he had instead bestowed even greater rewards upon the Ling Family.

She had also heard that many people from hidden families and sects had gone to Penzes City but failed to gain any advantage over Ling Xiao. Even the Southern King, Li Wutong, who had already died in the struggle for imperial power, had never once gained the upper hand when facing Ling Xiao!

At this thought, Shangguan Yutong’s beautiful eyes gazed at the mature, thirty-something face Ling Xiao currently wore, and at his eyes that held a hint of world-weariness. She thought to herself, ’Is this mask... the real you?’

"This time, people from the Zhe Family have also come here. What’s more, they’ve brought more than ten Sword Emperor Powerhouses. Ling Xiao, if you run into them, you must be careful! Even though you’re in disguise, you still have to be extra cautious!"

Shangguan Yutong said, her expression earnest as she looked at Ling Xiao.

"Oh? The Zhe Family sent people? Then does Teacher know if the Dragon Valley Gou Family or the Yan-Zhao Yu Family have sent anyone?" Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow and asked softly.

"Ah, you’ve actually offended so many people!" Shangguan Yutong’s eyes widened. She stared at Ling Xiao in astonishment, a speechless expression on her face. She lamented, "They’ve come. And they’ve all sent many powerhouses. You... Sigh, I was wrong. I really shouldn’t have asked you to come. You must not expose your identity, no matter what!"

At this, Ling Xiao couldn’t help but laugh. He felt that in his presence, Shangguan Yutong was acting more and more like a little girl. A sudden thought made his heart jolt. ’This change... isn’t something Shangguan Yutong brought upon herself. It must be that as my strength has grown, my mindset... has reverted to how it was in my past life in the Cultivation Realm!’

Come to think of it, that made sense. The people around him, from Song Mingyue and Ye Zi to Ling Wu and Mo Qing, almost never treated him like a boy of sixteen or seventeen. They all saw him as their backbone, as if there was no problem that couldn’t be solved as long as he was there.

Indeed, he had demonstrated that level of strength so far. ’But if I were still just that Celestial Vein Master,’ he mused, ’would people still treat me as their backbone?’

At this thought, Ling Xiao suddenly had an epiphany: By immersing himself in the mortal world and steadfastly cultivating the Path of Emotion, he could draw inspiration from all kinds of relationships and feelings. In that instant, his state of mind grew even more solid.

"Are my words that funny?" Shangguan Yutong noticed the teasing glint in Ling Xiao’s eyes, and her cheeks couldn’t help but flush. She chided lightly before saying, "Ling Xiao, our Palace Master is very curious about you. So, if she agrees to see you in a little while, you must seize the opportunity! If you can get our Palace Master to agree to an alliance, then if you’re in trouble in the future, Lengning Palace will definitely send people to help! Although Lengning Palace is a second-rate sect, its connections among the hidden families and sects are still quite good!"

Ling Xiao could sense the sincerity in Shangguan Yutong’s words. He smiled and said, "Then I must thank you, Teacher. I will definitely make the most of it."

"Call me Big Sister," Shangguan Yutong said softly. "You won’t be returning to the academy to study anyway. And maybe, before long, your teacher will be leaving that place for good too."

Ling Xiao was slightly taken aback. He wanted to say something, but held his tongue.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside. Qiuyue Yao coughed lightly before pushing the door right open. Behind her stood a beautiful woman in a long white dress. Her hair was swept up into a high bun, her skin was as white as snow, and her features were exquisite. Her eyes, however, were as placid as water, giving off an aloof air that kept others at a distance. Although it was winter, the island remained green year-round, and the weather at the moment was mild, neither hot nor cold.

And yet, the moment this woman stepped into the room, Ling Xiao felt a wave of chilling air wash over him!

’Heh, Lengning Palace... The name really fits the people,’ Ling Xiao thought. ’It seems their sword techniques and Cultivation Techniques must be ice-cold, too.’

Shangguan Yutong stood up respectfully. After addressing Qiuyue Yao as "Master," she immediately turned to the ice-cold woman and said deferentially, "Yutong greets Palace Master-Martial Aunt."

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