A few breaths earlier.
Above Blaze Cloud City, demonic energy churned, and dark clouds pressed down.
From the direction of the City Lord's Manor, a majestic figure instantly shot into the air, his aura spreading out, actually having reached the Breakthrough Realm.
"P-p-p-please, what business does Your Excellency have here?" Blaze Cloud City Lord Qi Dongqiang stood in the air, looking in terror at the hundred-mile-long terrifying dragon shadow before him, his face utterly drained of color.
A great demon!!
This aura was absolutely that of a great demon!
But… why would this dragon clan expert suddenly descend upon his Blaze Cloud City?
This was the border of the Eastern Territories, a godforsaken place with no wealth and no treasures.
Could it be that this lord was… here to eat people?
Gulp!
Qi Dongqiang felt his pants were already wet. But the moment his words fell, the demon dragon's figure vanished into thin air.
At the same time, a young figure in white robes walked slowly from mid-air, his face bearing an utterly cold expression.
"Hmm?" Qi Dongqiang rubbed his eyes. Only when the young figure walked right up to him did the confusion on his face finally solidify into sheer terror.
"You… you… you are that… Ling… Ling…" Qi Dongqiang stammered for a long time, so frightened he even forgot Ling Xiao's name. He directly plopped down, kneeling in mid-air, his whole body trembling uncontrollably!
"I did not know of Your Excellency's grand arrival, I… Xiao Qiang failed to welcome you from afar, I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness!!"
Right now, he could feel his pants were truly wet.
If a great demon beast arrived, he might still have a sliver of courage to face it.
After all, the Flaming Cloud Sect survived by the Azure Water Sect. While that sect wasn't a supreme orthodox sect, it was still an ancient sect of some renown.
He figured that demon dragon wouldn't dare act too outrageously here.
But the one before him was the greatest troublemaking devil of the entire Eastern Territories, someone who killed and drank blood on a whim, for whom pillaging and plundering were effortless, whose fearsome reputation could stop a child's nightly crying!
Qi Dongqiang's face was as wet as his pants.
Waaaah.
But at this moment, Ling Xiao had no intention of paying him any mind. With a sweep of his divine sense, his figure instantly vanished from the spot.
"This…" Before Qi Dongqiang could even sigh in relief, the space in the distance fluctuated once more.
Then, the Azure Water Sect Leader, Shui Jing, and the Flaming Cloud Sect Leader appeared together before him.
"Gulp, Sect Leader… Brother Fire Cloud, why are you here?"
"Hmph, it's all because of that bastard Yin Zhengchun! This time, he has utterly doomed me!" Shui Jing felt like crying but had no tears. Originally, he was cultivating in his sect today when he felt a terrifying demonic aura passing through the sky from afar and looked up to take a closer look.
This one glance nearly scared his soul out of his body.
He saw the Scion of the Ling Clan chasing after Fire Cloud Daoist, heading precisely this way.
Shui Jing didn't dare neglect this. He immediately used his means to intercept Fire Cloud Daoist, intending to uphold justice, kill him, and offer his apology to the Young Master.
But he never expected…
"Sect… Sect Leader…"
"Shut your mouth! I'll name a figure. Go prepare one hundred thousand spirit stones to offer to the Young Master as apology!!" Shui Jing took a deep breath, giving the Blaze Cloud City Lord no chance to plead poverty, and quickly chased after Ling Xiao, descending towards the Lin Family.
---
Meanwhile, hearing the light laugh coming from above, all the Lin Family members were stunned for a moment, then erupted in angry shouts.
"Who? Who dares to shout provocatively at my Lin Family?! Do you not want to live?!"
In the past, they wouldn't have had the guts, but with the Flaming Cloud Sect Leader Yin Zhengchun presiding here now, what did they have to fear?
But at this moment, hearing that gentle, deep voice, Lin Meng's expression froze abruptly, her beautiful eyes widening instantly.
Such a familiar voice!
How could it be?
Is it… the Young Master?
The Young Master actually came?
No!!
It must be an illusion. Why would the Young Master come for a mountain wildling like me…
"Gulp." Beside her, Yin Tianxing's body trembled, and he suddenly collapsed to the ground.
"Hmm? Tianxing, what's wrong with you?" Yin Zhengchun looked utterly bewildered, then roared angrily, "Damn it! Where did this rat come from, daring to act wildly in my Flaming Cloud Sect?!"
"The Flaming Cloud Sect Leader is here! Show yourself and pay your respects immediately!!" Lin Yuan also shouted furiously, his demeanor as a family head on full display.
But the moment his voice fell, a white-robed figure suddenly appeared out of thin air. Although he emitted no fluctuations of power, his deep, abyss-like eyes caused the entire space to freeze.
"You… who are you?" A minor city family head like Lin Yuan had no way of knowing Ling Xiao's appearance.
But at this moment, Yin Zhengchun's old face instantly stiffened.
Then, under the astonished eyes of the Lin Family members, he plopped down onto his knees and began frantically slapping his own face.
"This old fool deserves death! This old fool deserves death!"
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
The entire main hall fell into dead silence, with only the sound of Yin Zhengchun's slaps ringing out, peculiarly melodious.
The Grand Elder… has he lost his mind?
Buzz. Space fluctuated, and the figures of Shui Jing and the Fire Cloud Sect Leader materialized.
But before Lin Yuan and the others could even bow in greeting, they stared dumbfounded as these two mighty beings, who wielded absolute authority in this region, knelt in unison before the young man.
Gulp, gulp, gulp. Lin Yuan's eyes rolled back, and he directly fainted, collapsing to the ground.
The remaining Lin Family clansmen also slumped to the ground one by one, their faces deathly pale.
They didn't recognize Ling Xiao, but they recognized Shui Jing.
In the Blaze Cloud Mountain region, this man was the undisputed deity, his majesty absolutely unassailable.
But now, the god in their eyes was actually kneeling before a young man.
And judging by the expression on his face, this kneeling was done with pride!
"Young Master's presence here is truly an honor for my Azure Water Sect. However, regarding today's matter…" Before Shui Jing could finish his sentence, Ling Xiao had already stepped forward to stand before Lin Meng, his gaze gentle. "I heard about your wedding today, so I came to take a look."
Hic! Lin Yuan, who had just been slapped awake by his clansmen, nearly fainted again upon seeing this scene.
No, I can't faint!
Even if I die today,I must preserve the Lin Family!
"Q-quick... someone, deal with me, liven things up for the Young Master!"
"Young… Young Master…" Lin Meng's eyes reddened, all the grievances in her heart vanishing into thin air at this moment.
She had never dreamed the Young Master would come, at her most and desperate moment.
"Why are you crying? Today is your joyous occasion. I didn't prepare any gifts…" Ling Xiao continued to smile gently, while in his mind, the system's delightful sound slowly rang out.
"Young Master!!" Lin Meng gritted her teeth, glanced at the terrified Yin Tianxing beside her who had soiled himself, and suddenly knelt before Ling Xiao.
"What are you doing this for?" Ling Xiao frowned slightly, but a trace of amusement flashed in his eyes.
Illegitimate daughters from minor families were so easy to tame.
Look at you, so unaccustomed to the ways of the world.
If Nian Qingyun were as simple and obedient as her, would Ling Xiao have needed to resort to drugging her repeatedly?
While familiarity bred fondness was somewhat comfortable, too much of it could easily lead to weakness.
"Young Master, I don't want any gifts from you. I only beg you to take me away with you!"
Ding, congratulations, the Fate-Bearing Woman has completely submitted. Host gains 500 Luck Points, 5000 Villain Points.
Ding, congratulations, host has triggered an additional reward, obtaining one Luck Plunder Card.
"Hmm? An additional reward? Is it because Lin Meng has completely submitted?" Ling Xiao's eyes focused.
But this scene, falling into Lin Meng's eyes, instantly made her pretty face pale, and bitter tears streamed down.
So it's true… the Young Master was just momentarily interested. He doesn't truly wish to keep me by his side.