In front of the main hall of the Myriad Daos Demon Sect, a sudden demonic wind swept through, shaking the heavens and the earth!
All the demon sect disciples looked up at the dark clouds shrouding the sky. In the next instant, admiration lit up in their eyes.
"The Young Master is back!!The Young Master is back!!"
Instantly, the entire sect erupted in jubilant cheers. The noise was deafening. Many proud young female disciples already had traces of tears on their faces.
Even many true disciples who spent years in closed-door cultivation emerged from their caves one by one,looking up at the sky.
There, Ling Xiao reclined lazily on the dragon chariot, a glazed cup in his hand. His peerlessly handsome, unassuming face bore a faint smile.
Dammit!
What an elegant,jade-like immortal beauty of a peerless young master!
Just that hint of lazy weariness at the corner of his mouth was enough to breed obsession.
"Young Master!! I want you!!"
"Young Master!!Please favor me!"
"Young Master!I want to share this mortal world with you!"
"We welcome the Young Master back to the sect!!"
"Move aside,move aside! I want to welcome the Young Master!"
Even disciples injured during their training, disregarding their broken arms and legs, rushed to the front of the great hall, shouting hoarsely towards the figure in the sky.
Ling Xiao responded with a gentle smile. It feels good to be back.
---
Inside the Myriad Daos Demon Hall, Ling Xiao looked at Wan Rendí seated on the main dais and the several sect elders standing around him, then bowed respectfully.
"Sect Master."
"Xiao'er, you've returned." Wan Rendí had naturally heard the commotion outside. A gentle smile graced his face now, though a deep, unreadable light flickered in his eyes.
If only you weren't the Ling Clan's young master... how wonderful that would be.
I could safely hand the sect over to you to manage and go into closed-door cultivation myself.
These past few days, rumors about Ling Xiao had been rampant throughout the Eastern Territories of the Sacred Dynasty.
His peerless immortal demeanor was already old news.
The main point was that this young master was not only upright in character and pure in nature,but he had even conquered the icy-cold Divine Maiden of the Dao Palace.
Wan Rendí was deeply troubled.
How did the young master of his demon sect become the Beacon of the Righteous Path?
"Ahem... Sect Master, during this trip down the mountain, I encountered Senior Brother Zhuge." Ling Xiao let out a bitter laugh. From the look in Wan Rendí's eyes, he could already detect a trace of disappointment.
No doubt the Sect Master already knew about Zhuge Liuyun's life talisman shattering and his subsequent death.
Sure enough, hearing this, Wan Rendí immediately sighed, his tone calm. "So, he still died by your hand?"
This is Ling Xiao's true nature.Wan Rendí sighed inwardly.
The image of Ling Xiao being pure,upright, and righteous was most likely one he deliberately showed to others.
Behind the scenes,he was still that murderous, fierce young master of the demon sect who absolutely tolerated anyone threatening his life or status!
Ling Xiao had changed.He had become even more terrifying.
It's not the ruthless villain you should fear, but the villain who understands the human heart!
Lying low,biding his time, only revealing his fangs at the critical moment.
Looking at the calm expression on the young man's face before him,even someone of Wan Rendí's temperament felt an inexplicable chill.
Although he didn't know exactly what Ling Xiao was scheming,one thing was certain: this young man would definitely have a place at the pinnacle of the Sacred Dynasty.
"How could the Sect Master think that? I gave you my word. As long as Senior Brother Zhuge didn't make a move against me, I would definitely not take the initiative to act against him." Ling Xiao shook his head with a serious expression, his eyes seeming to carry a trace of regret.
Seeing this, the faces of several elders in the hall twitched, and mocking smiles curled at the corners of their mouths.
I believe you, my ass.
You rotten kid are wicked through and through.
"So, are you saying Liu Yun attacked you?" Wan Rendí seemed convinced that Zhuge Liuyun had died by Ling Xiao's hand, a hint of desolation in his tone.
Although he had many true disciples,he had watched Zhuge Liuyun grow up.
Of course,the path of immortality was one where the strong preyed on the weak. Wan Rendí naturally couldn't punish Ling Xiao over a dead man, but he still felt a touch of sorrow in his heart.
"Sect Master, ah! You... Tsk! Ah!" Ling Xiao let out another bitter sigh, his face the picture of grievance. "Senior Brother Zhuge and I did have some conflicts before, but after all, he was the head senior brother of our Myriad Daos Demon Sect. How could I just kill him off so casually?"
Upon hearing this, the Great Elder, Yu Wenba, snorted coldly, seemingly filled with disdain.
You wouldn't?
You dared to kill my true disciple right in front of me. Is there anything in this world you wouldn't do?
"Why won't you believe me?" Ling Xiao sighed. His hand swept out abruptly, and a figure emitting a foul stench instantly appeared on the floor of the hall. Who else could it be but Zhuge Liuyun?
However,at this moment, the skin all over his body appeared shriveled and wrinkled, as if scorched by fierce flames, making his original features almost unrecognizable.
Then again, that Undying Heart Flame was a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire. The intense heat it contained was not something an ordinary person could withstand.
That day,when Ling Xiao poured it into Zhuge Liuyun's mouth, it instantly charred his entire body. How could it not be wrinkled?
If it had been more than just a wisp of its essence that entered his mouth,Zhuge Liuyun probably wouldn't even have ashes left.
Gag!
The stench emanating from the corpse caused the faces of many disciples outside the hall to change color,and they immediately bent over, retching.
"Alas, by the time I found Senior Brother Zhuge, he had already been burned to death by that Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire. It's all my fault... If only I had arrived a little earlier, perhaps... Ah, Senior Brother, you died so tragically!" Ling Xiao reached out and wiped a tear from his eye, his face suddenly lifting with a look of fierce determination.
"But even so,I threw myself fearlessly towards those flames, risking being burned and killed myself, to bring Senior Brother's body back!!"
"Bravo!" Thunderous applause erupted outside the great hall!
Many demon sect disciples looked at the stubborn,resolute figure within the hall, their eyes filled with deep reverence.
Only a few true disciples who were familiar with Ling Xiao's true nature could force out smiles and chime in,"The Young Master is so righteous!"
"Truly worthy of being our demon sect's young master!Full of sentiment and loyalty, worth hundreds of millions, holding the Divine Maiden in one arm, bestowing upon us fine steeds and female companions!"
"Young Master!!Strive... No... Rise up!!"
...
"Hurry, someone, take Zhuge Liuyun away!" Watching the excited disciples outside the hall, Wan Rendí raised an eyebrow but ultimately didn't say anything more.
However,at this moment, he seemed to feel that the look Ling Xiao was giving him held... resentment?!
This scoundrel, could he actually be expecting me to praise him?
"Sect Master, you see how righteous I was, risking my life to bring back the body of your personal disciple... Don't you think you should... show some appreciation?" Ling Xiao grinned, a sly light flickering in his eyes.
I've laid out the stepping stones for you. Whether you believe me or not isn't my concern, but whether you step down from this is not up to you.
Otherwise, wouldn't you be chilling the loyal hearts of our three thousand demon sect disciples?
"Ahem... Xiao'er, you have done... extremely well this time. Go to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and select three Divine Artifacts for yourself..." The expression on Wan Rendí's face was uglier than if he had eaten dirt.
But he simply couldn't get angry.
Not to mention Ling Xiao's special status made him untouchable,just the image Ling Xiao now held in the hearts of the sect disciples probably already surpassed that of him, the Sect Master himself.
Dammit!
This scoundrel is truly, utterly shameless!