"Wha...what?"
Si Lin's expression stiffened; he clearly didn't understand the meaning behind Ling Xiao's words.
"I said, has your brain been eaten by a dog?"
Ling Xiao sneered coldly. With a wave of his hand, he grabbed Si Cong, who was on the ground.
"Can this guy's arm be compared to my younger brother's arm? Si Lin, I'm afraid you've forgotten your place, haven't you?"
"Let alone one arm, even if I killed him today, so what? The power of life and death over vassal clans like yours has always been in the hands of the Ling Clan. What, do you think your wings have hardened?"
"N-No... Young Master Ling Xiao..." Si Lin's face turned pale. The resentment and anger in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by panic.
Ling Xiao's words were harsh, but they weren't wrong.
Families like the Si Family were essentially servants to the Ling Clan. Whether they lived or died depended entirely on their master's whims.
But what puzzled him was, why would Young Master Ling Xiao actively protect that Ling Tian today?
"Hmph, Si Lin, you'd better remember clearly. Your Si Family is just a dog raised by my Ling Clan. The Ling Clan can feed you and raise you up, and it can just as easily stew you, eat you, and raise a more obedient one. And you—even if it's on the martial platform, daring to lay a hand on my brother warrants a death sentence."
As his words fell, Ling Xiao's hand suddenly clenched, directly snapping Si Cong's neck in two.
"Killing him now is me showing your Si Family face. Otherwise... today's deaths wouldn't be limited to just him."
"Cong'er..." Si Lin gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling slightly.
But facing such an overwhelmingly dominant Ling Xiao, he didn't dare show a hint of defiance, fearing it would bring disaster and annihilation upon his clan.
If he had just obediently taken Si Cong and left, he could have saved his son's life.
But he had to bring it upon himself, trying to demand an explanation from Ling Tian...
You make your own bed, you lie in it.
The entire martial arena was terrifyingly silent.
Everyone looked at the eldest young master in black robes, his face full of ferocity, not daring to make a sound.
This was the of an ancient clan's young master.
Absolute tyranny, absolutely!
Displease him, and he kills.
He kills you, and you can't resist. You must reflect on yourself, even consider it an honor!
In recent years, the Si Family had produced a few powerful experts.
But compared to the behemoth that was the Ling Clan, the difference was like that between an ant and the heavens.
Compared to Ling Xiao, the temperament of the Second Young Master Ling truly seemed somewhat weak.
Of course, given Ling Xiao's nature, he usually couldn't be bothered with lengthy talk with these servant dogs. If he disliked them, he'd just kill them.
His verbosity today was merely to... provoke Ling Tian.
Sure enough, Ling Tian, looking at the black-robed figure in front of him, was also somewhat stunned.
How could this be?
Why would he stand up for me?
From birth until now, his elder brother had never missed an opportunity to humiliate him.
Before the age of ten, he called him a bastard, a lowborn, not a true descendant of the Ling Clan.
After ten, it became even more direct: trash, an embarrassment, unworthy of being a Ling Clan descendant.
But today...
Why did he actively stand in front of me and back me up?
A scheme!
It must be a scheme!
Did he see the Sword Intent Dao Principle I displayed earlier, so he's deliberately being nice, hoping I'll spare his life?
It must be!
Hmph, Ling Xiao, do you really think a few words from you can make me forgive you?
Dream on!
You came back just in time. This time, don't return to the Ten Thousand Daos Demon Sect!
"What are you still standing there for? You embarrassing, aren't you going to follow me back to the clan?"
But just as Ling Tian was secretly fuming, that familiar, scornful, angry shout suddenly sounded in his ears.
"You!!" Ling Tian's face turned pale, a instinctual trace of fear surfacing.
The shadow Ling Xiao cast over him was too great. If he hadn't been carefully biding his time these past few years, he would have probably been played to death long ago.
But...
It doesn't make sense. Shouldn't Ling Xiao be trying to win me over?
How dare he still insult me like this?
"You what? As a young master of the Ling Clan, to be threatened by a dog your own family raised is truly." Ling Xiao snorted coldly, turned, and walked towards the center of the ancient city.
Ling Tian gritted his teeth but ultimately followed.
He wanted to see what game his dear elder brother was really playing.
As the two left, Si Lin's figure slowly rose from the ground.
He glanced at Si Cong's corpse beside him, a deep chill in the depths of his eyes.
"Family Head, we..."
"Take the young master's body. We're going back!" Si Lin took a deep breath, turned, and disappeared.
...
"When did you get back?"
On the streets of Hantian Ancient City, the two Ling brothers walked side by side, causing countless people around to bow in respect.
However, many felt a sense of puzzlement.
When did these two manage to walk together so peacefully?
Ling Xiao had always seen Ling Tian as a disgrace, ostracizing and suppressing him at every turn. This wasn't a new development.
It was no secret in Hantian Ancient City.
"No sense of respect, not even calling me 'brother'!" Ling Xiao turned and glared at Ling Tian, but then walked straight towards an old fortune-teller with a street stall.
"Brother?" Ling Tian was momentarily stunned.
In his memory, it had been seven years since he'd called him that.
And usually, Ling Xiao hated nothing more than others mentioning that he was Ling Tian's brother.
"Come on, old man, tell my fortune." Ling Xiao sat down in front of the old Taoist.
Surprisingly, this gaunt-faced old man with a long white beard didn't seem overly restrained.
Logically, cultivators making a living in Hantian Ancient City should act and when they saw the two young masters of the Ling Clan.
But he just nodded and pointed to the container of lots beside him.
"Young Master, please draw a lot first."
"You go first." Ling Xiao handed the container to Ling Tian. The latter frowned slightly but ultimately said nothing and shook out a bamboo slip.
"Young Master, this is an auspicious lot. Although there will be twists and turns in your fate, you will turn calamity into blessing. Your prominence will manifest when faced with mountains. You are destined to achieve the Emperor's throne." The old Taoist glanced at the lot and smiled, nodding.
Hearing this, a smile instantly lifted the corner of Ling Tian's mouth.
It seemed this old Taoist had some skill.
His fate indeed held trials, all bestowed upon him by Ling Xiao and his mother.
But it was precisely because his Dan Hai was dug out that he awakened the Sword Vein Divine Body.
Now, at sixteen, he had comprehended Dao Principle power. Even if he couldn't cultivate spiritual energy, once his Sword Body reached great completion, he would ultimately stand at the peak of the Holy State.
"Young Master, your turn." The old Taoist put the lot back into the container and handed it to Ling Xiao.
"Hehe, achieve the Emperor's throne?" Ling Xiao smiled faintly and also shook out a bamboo slip.
"This... this..." But the old Taoist, who had seemed detached moments before, turned extremely grave the moment he saw the content of the slip.
"Young Master, this lot..."
"What about it?"
"Hard to say, hard to say."
"Just say it, stop dawdling." Ling Xiao frowned.
The old Taoist hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Young Master, this lot foretells a great ominous shadow. You will have the world as your enemy. Your life will be filled with countless hardships, with constant danger to your life..."