Ling Xiao didn't even glance at it before tossing it into his Qiankun Bag. The Ling Clan was already firmly under the control of him and his father; who would dare to disobey now?
What truly surprised him was that this Starry Emperor's Robe turned out to be a Dao Artifact. The Demon Dragon Sacred Armor he had previously obtained from the system had been shattered by an ancient mighty figure's seal back in the ruins. Although, given the terrifying strength of Ling Xiao's physical body—tempered by both the Thunder Dao Principle and the Heavenly Demon True Body, peerless divine abilities for refining one's constitution—ordinary peers would find it difficult to truly harm him. But who would ever complain about having too many life-saving trump cards?
The Starry Emperor's Robe, a high-grade Dao Artifact, could be considered a top-tier treasure here in the Sacred Province. Of course, the most important thing was... this Emperor's Robe was just so damn handsome! Ling Xiao's gaze swept over the white robe before him; it seemed to contain a starry sky within, shimmering with radiant, boundless light. Wearing this, combined with this young master's peerless beauty, just ask, which woman in the world wouldn't be moved?! He didn't know if all righteous faction members were bootlickers, but he, for one, was a face-lover. A very, very... face-loving one.
"Alright, Xiao'er, tomorrow is your engagement ceremony with Qingyun. Rest early and come to the Holy Palace early to receive guests!" Ling Tianlin said with a faint smile, dismissing the crowd.
"Yes, Father." Ling Xiao bowed and withdrew from the hall. Outside, a group of Ling Clan prodigies immediately surrounded him.
· "Young Master, such divine might! I've long disliked that Ling Rui. I hope being taught a lesson by you today will set him back on the right path."
· "Young Master, I wonder if you have some free time later? I have a few questions about cultivation I'd like to ask for your guidance."
· "Young Master, such a joyous occasion, why don't we go to Hanshan City and have some real fun?"
· "Right, right! I know a house with girls whose skills are truly remarkable! Their little tunes are simply enchanting, lingering in the heart and mind…"
"Hehe, I'm a bit tired today, and tomorrow's engagement is too important to delay. Next time," Ling Xiao replied with a gentle smile, a far cry from his earlier ferocious and unscrupulous demeanor—now he was the most amiable young master in the world.
· "Right, right! Tomorrow is the Young Master's engagement to the Divine Maiden of the Dao Palace! How could I have forgotten?"
· "The Divine Maiden of the Dao Palace… the dream of so many prodigies and geniuses across the Sacred Province."
· "Hey, what 'Divine Maiden' this or that? She still couldn't escape our Young Master's grasp."
· "That's true too. With our Young Master's dashing grace, even I, a man, feel moved…"
Listening to the flattery, Ling Xiao shook his head with a slight smile, waved goodbye, and flew towards Xiao Yun Peak. The life of a villain was really… monotonous and dull.
At the same time, the entire Eastern Territory of the Sacred Province suddenly became bustling. Towering pavilions and massive ships thousands of miles long sailed across the sky, converging towards the Sunset Divine Mountain. The combination of the Ling Clan's Young Master and the Dao Palace's Divine Maiden was enough to make many forces wary. Even those usually hostile to the Ling Clan brought gifts, wanting to come to Hanshan City to see the situation for themselves. Ling Xiao's name instantly became renowned, shining with unparalleled glory, carrying a momentum as if he were about to lord over the world.
Xiao Yun Peak.
Ling Xiao looked at Jiu You beside him, whose aura was gradually becoming more powerful, a smile appearing on his face. He could sense that this powerful member of the Ming Phoenix clan had reached the peak of the Divine Marquis realm. Clearly, if she fully reconstructed her physical body, her cultivation would certainly step into the Divine King realm. A Divine King expert! The Ling Clan's foundation was profound, but it only had ten Divine King experts. Once Jiu You fully recovered, it would be like gaining another formidable trump card.
Mi Yong and Die Ying were powerful, but they were demons and couldn't appear easily. Otherwise, attracting attention would bring Ling Xiao endless trouble. Jiu You was different. Although she had a deep-seated blood feud with the Holy Church, if they were careful, no one should recognize her identity. This clan had been extinct for nearly a hundred years. Probably even the top experts of the Holy Church wouldn't believe that a survivor like Jiu You still existed.
Crack. Crack.
Just as Ling Xiao was pondering, a strange cracking sound suddenly came from within his sea of consciousness. Ling Xiao focused his mind, and his figure instantly appeared inside the Eight Desolates Glazed Pagoda. Mi Yong and Die Ying were gathered around the black spirit beast egg, watching expectantly as cracks gradually spread across its surface.
"It's finally about to hatch?" Ling Xiao grinned, stepping closer.
"Greetings, Master!" Mi Yong and Die Ying hurriedly bowed, their faces showing joy. "Master, the demon beast is about to emerge."
"Mm." Ling Xiao's gaze fell on the egg. A visible aura of fierce demonic energy continuously seeped out from it. "This demonic aura… could it be a demonic beast?"
Crack, crack, crack.
The cracks on the eggshell grew denser until a small beast's head poked out. Only then did smiles appear on their faces.
A dragon! Indeed, what emerged was a dragon's head. No plot twist! None of that 'start with a dog' stuff. Doesn't exist! Yes, exactly the kind you imagine. Fierce blood-red eyes, sinister scales, and two winding, straight dragon horns. But unlike typical dragons, this little dragon was surrounded by billowing demonic energy, and even its scales were jet black.
"A Demon Dragon!!" Mi Yong exclaimed, startling the little dragon so much it retracted its head.
"You scared it." Ling Xiao shot him an annoyed glance, then reached out and broke the shell apart. "Come here."
Seeing Ling Xiao, the little demon dragon let out a light cry, immediately leaped into his arms, and nuzzled against him, appearing extremely affectionate. As expected of a system product; no recognition ritual needed, born with absolute loyalty.
Ling Xiao grinned, looking down at the demon dragon, docile as a kitten in his arms, a hint of deep meaning flashing in his eyes. It seemed his identity as the young master of the demon sect was completely inescapable. Whether it was Mi Yong, Die Ying, or this demon dragon, they were all inextricably linked to demons. And he himself was the inheritor of the Heavenly Demon True Body, not to mention the ancient demonic blade in his sea of consciousness. This was the archetypal setup for a great demon king villain!
But the world only knew that demons were inherently cruel, bloodthirsty, and slaughter-loving. They didn't know that most so-called 'demons' were simply labels fabricated by those standing at the pinnacle to consolidate their rule. By branding opposition as 'demonic', killing them wouldn't attract criticism.
"Since I am reborn as a demon, I shall… rectify the name of demons in this lifetime." A sharp glint flashed in Ling Xiao's eyes, startling the little dragon, which trembled and looked up at him in confusion.
"Pfft!" But the next moment, Ling Xiao couldn't help but laugh. Screw rectifying the name of demons. I'm a villain; why would I make vows like a chosen son of fate?
"Master… Primordial Demon Dragons have not been seen for ages. Where did you obtain this young beast?" Mi Yong asked curiously. The Primordial Demon Dragon, while its bloodline couldn't compare to the Primordial Ancestral Dragon, was still a peerless ferocious beast born at the dawn of creation. In the current era, dragon bloodlines were impure. This Demon Dragon's existence represented the peak! Even Mi Yong felt an innate oppression. It wasn't hard to imagine that once grown, it would become a great calamity.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't." Ling Xiao smiled faintly, stroking the demon dragon. "Since you're with me now, I'll give you a name. How about… Fluffy?"