"Senior Jiuming must be from the Nine Nether Phoenix Clan, right? I remember the Nether Phoenix Clan should have followed the Holy Cult into seclusion. For your residual soul to appear here… did something unexpected happen?"
Facing Jiuming's wariness, Ling Xiao remained extremely calm. If Jiuming's true form were here, he would indeed have to be cautious. But now, with just a mere residual soul, Ling Xiao could make her vanish with a wave of his hand. However, he hesitated for a moment—should he test his newly mastered forbidden technique, the Ancient Soul-Snatching Art, on this Nether Phoenix residual soul? Or should he subdue her and keep her by his side?
After all, the talents of the Nether Phoenix Clan were truly terrifying. If she could regrow her physical body, she would be a powerful combat force for Ling Xiao. He had sneaked down to the Northern Wasteland in secret; apart from his mother, no one in the Holy State knew of his whereabouts. If his enemies found out where he was, they would definitely send people to trap him here forever.
In recent years, relying on his status and cultivation, Ling Xiao had made no shortage of powerful enemies—even within the Wandao Demonic Sect, there were quite a few people who wanted him dead. Having a Nine Nether Phoenix by his side would be quite useful. Whoever refused to submit? Just grant them a wisp of Nether Flame! This was an incomparably fierce flame that even supreme powerhouses feared!!
"You!! Are you really from that family?"
Jiuming had actually guessed Ling Xiao's identity long ago. She just never imagined that this boy, who looked only seventeen or eighteen, would know the past of the Nine Nether Clan.
"Is there another Ling family in the Holy State?"
Ling Xiao smiled calmly and cast a calm glance at Chu Yang. At this moment, the once dazzling Chosen One had lost all his brilliance; his whole body exuded a faint malevolence. Compared to him, Ling Xiao seemed more like a righteous prodigy.
"So you really are from the ancient Ling family… But this is my own business—it has nothing to do with you."
Naturally, Jiuming would not trust Ling Xiao, nor would she tell him about her own background.
"Since Young Master Ling is from the Holy State, why bother with an ant like him? Why not raise your hand and let him go, then leave?"
"An ant?"
Chu Yang froze for a long time before realizing that Jiuming's "ant" referred to him. An ant?! So that's how you see me—like an ant!!
In the past, Chu Yang would have understood that Jiuming said this only to flatter Ling Xiao and save his life. But now, he had long been driven out of his mind by provocation; anyone who belittled him deserved to die!
"I can understand if Senior is unwilling to say more. After all, the people of the Holy Cult are tyrannical and cruel. But… Senior, if you're keeping a residual soul and refusing to enter the cycle of reincarnation, you must want to return to the Holy State, right? Following such a loser—do you really think you'll have a chance?"
Ling Xiao nodded and shot a disdainful glance at Chu Yang.
"Ling Xiao!!"
Chu Yang let out a low roar. This bastard had stolen his woman, and now he wanted to steal his fortune too! Ye Qingchan was a good match in Chu Yang's eyes, but Jiuming was his bottom line. Without her, Chu Yang was nothing!
"What? Did I say something wrong? You can't even withstand a wisp of my aura—how can you help her compete against the Holy Cult?"
Ling Xiao carefully observed the expression on Jiuming's face. Though it was blurry, when he mentioned the "Holy Cult," the aura around the Nether Phoenix did fluctuate somewhat violently. This meant her downfall must be unrelated to the Holy Cult.
Generally speaking, no one in the Holy State dared to slander the Holy Cult. But Ling Xiao was different—he had a forbidden constitution, and he would eventually stand opposed to the Holy Cult. Thus, he had no qualms about speaking his mind.
"Aren't you afraid I'll spread what you just said? When that happens, even the ancient Ling family won't be able to withstand the Holy Cult's wrath, right?"
Jiuming was still testing Ling Xiao, but her attitude was no longer as firm as before. Chu Yang naturally noticed this, and his face turned instantly livid. However, he believed Jiuming would not let him die—because if he died, she would perish too, and there would be no talk of revenge left.
Chu Yang had long known that there was a terrifying Holy Cult in the Holy State, and that it was the enemy that had destroyed Jiuming's clan. Once, he had even boasted that he would help Jiuming take revenge one day! But now, when a better option presented itself, Jiuming was truly hesitant—especially since Chu Yang's performance today had been quite disappointing. So… she wondered: if Ling Xiao really had a grudge against the Holy Cult, could she use the Ling family to achieve her own goals?
"Heh, the hypocrisy of the Holy Cult is known to all—what's there to avoid talking about? It's just… Senior, your current state, neither demon nor ghost, is really worrying."
Ling Xiao's calm came from his firm control of the situation. If this Nether Phoenix remained obstinate, her only fate would be to become his nutrient. The Ancient Soul-Snatching Art could not only control minds, but also devour souls to enhance his cultivation—that was the reason it was called a "forbidden technique"!
"Ding! The Nether Phoenix's resolve has wavered. Congratulations, Host, on plundering 50 points of Destiny Value from the Chosen One and gaining 500 points of Villain Value."
Sure enough, it worked. A smile unconsciously curled up at the corner of Ling Xiao's lips. There was no such thing as absolute loyalty in this world—so-called loyalty was just that the price for betrayal wasn't high enough.
It was time to pull out the big guns!
Ling Xiao took an elixir from his bosom and tossed it to Jiuming.
"This is a Grade-4 Soul-Concentrating Elixir—it can strengthen your soul power. Senior, you must be tired after being out here for so long. You can take it first, and we'll talk later."
"A Grade-4 Soul-Concentrating Elixir?! "
A flash of light instantly appeared in Jiuming's eyes, and her hand holding the elixir trembled slightly. In the Four Wastelands, Grade-4 elixirs were already top-tier and rarely seen. Even in the Holy State, the spiritual materials required to refine a single Grade-4 elixir were extremely precious. Thus, whenever a Grade-4 elixir appeared in an auction house, it would definitely attract competition from countless forces.
She never expected Ling Xiao to be so sincere—before she had even given a clear answer, he had already given her such a generous gift.
"That's not appropriate…"
But in front of Chu Yang, she dared not appear too eager. After all, if that guy chose mutual destruction, she would be the first to perish.
"What's inappropriate about it? As long as Senior is willing to follow me, when we return to the Holy State, I'll ask someone to refine a Grade-5 Body-Reconstructing Elixir for you—to help you reconstruct your physical body."
Ling Xiao was not boasting. His father was the head of the ancient Ling family, and his mother was the master of Danyuan Holy Land, the top alchemist sect in the Holy State. He was a 妥妥 wealthy heir, with a villain setup. Thus, since childhood, Ling Xiao had rarely encountered setbacks; wherever he went, he carried an arrogant "I'm the best in the world" demeanor.
Grade-5 elixirs were precious, but as long as Ling Xiao asked for them, his mother would definitely bring him a handful for him to choose from. Using this to exchange for the loyalty of a Nine Nether Phoenix was indeed a good deal.
"A Grade-5 elixir?! Reconstruct my physical body?! "
As expected, when Jiuming heard the words "reconstruct your physical body," even her voice changed. Her aura even showed faint signs of dissipating due to excitement.