How could Ling Xiao not know the intentions of the various sect experts who were so eager to leave?
Now that Cloud Millet's experts had all fallen here, even the Cloud Millet Sect Master was dead and gone.
The accumulated resources within that immortal sect's mountain gates...
Heh. Let them exhaust themselves trying to hammer open the sect protection array...
Surprise?
Unexpected?
"Just before his death, the Qin Clan Old Ancestor entrusted me with the care of the Qin Clan and... insisted that I must protect the Qin Clan's only remaining direct lineage successor, Qin Leng." Ling Xiao sighed, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Originally, I didn't want to interfere in Qin Clan affairs, but the Old Ancestor's dying wish compels me to shoulder this responsibility. Now, I nominate Young Master Qin Leng as the new Patriarch of the Qin Clan. Does anyone have any objections?"
"Qin Leng? As Patriarch?" The Qin Clan elders looked at each other. One Divine Marquis elder, his expression dark, shook his head slightly. "This is inappropriate!"
"Oh?" Ling Xiao's eyebrows rose slightly, a smile instantly curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Now that our Qin Clan has just survived a great catastrophe, the position of Patriarch must be held by a steady elder. Moreover, Qin Leng's cultivation is too low; how can he command respect?" The Divine Marquis elder spoke with neither humility nor arrogance, seemingly oblivious to the gloom in Ling Xiao's eyes.
"Qin Li, I haven't settled accounts with you yet, and now you jump out to cause trouble?!" The moment the Qin Clan elder's words fell, a Qin Clan Divine Marquis suddenly stepped forward. Spiritual light flashed in his hand as he directly seized Qin Li and crushed him.
"Hmph! This Qin Li was making eyes at the Cloud Millet experts earlier, harboring selfish motives. Now he even dares to refute the Old Ancestor's dying wish? Keeping him around would be a disaster! Although our Qin Clan faces difficulties now, as long as we remain united, we will surely overcome them!" The Divine Marquis elder's voice was loud and his tone fervent, instantly igniting the atmosphere.
Finished speaking, he retreated back into the crowd, leaving the stage to Ling Xiao alone.
"Hehe, this elder... is the backbone of the Qin Clan." Ling Xiao nodded with a smile. Although he didn't know if this person was a hidden agent of the Ling Clan, this move clearly helped intimidate some of the disobedient Qin clansmen.
Now the Qin Clan only has two Divine Kings left in total; Divine Marquises are considered top-tier combat power. How pitiful!
At this moment, even Ling Xiao couldn't help but feel like shedding a tear. He shouldn't have...
He shouldn't have exterminated the Si Family so early. He should have waited for them to join the Qin Clan. Surely their expressions today would have been quite spectacular, right?
"Does anyone else have any objections?" Ling Xiao's gaze swept across the scene. Anyone who met his eyes felt a surge of fear and trepidation.
Dammit!
Do I dare have an opinion?
Isn't it better to just stay alive?
"Good. Since no one has objections, Young Master Leng, from today onwards, you are the Patriarch of the Qin Clan." Ling Xiao smiled warmly and nodded at Qin Leng. The latter looked stunned, unable to react for a moment.
Huh?
Patriarch of the Qin Clan?
I, a mere side character, have ascended to the position of Qin Clan Patriarch in just a few dozen chapters?
Looking across the entire Sacred Dynasty, there probably isn't a single twenty-year-old leader of a major orthodoxy, right?
Without even realizing it, I've become number one again?
All of this feels like a dream!
In short, thank you, Young Master Ling Xiao, for your boundless righteousness and for leading me to the peak of life!
At this moment, Qin Leng was a bit dazed, but the sadness in his heart seemed to dissipate a little.
"Welcome our new Qin Clan Patriarch to his position!!" The two remaining Divine King experts of the Qin Clan immediately bowed. All the Qin clansmen bowed deeply.
But just as they were sighing inwardly, Qin Leng's next move caused their expressions to instantly freeze.
"Ahem. Today, thanks to Young Master Ling Xiao, our clan overcame countless difficulties and managed to survive. Since I am the new Patriarch, I declare that from this day forward, the Qin Clan will pledge allegiance to the Ling Clan and become their vassal!"
Dammit!!
The entire Qin Clan holy land suddenly fell silent!
Everyone stared at the young figure with worship in his eyes, speechless for a long time.
This guy... just surrendered like that?
Our Qin Clan's thousand-year foundation, just handed over to the Ling Clan like that?!
"Oh?" A trace of surprise also flashed across Ling Xiao's face.
He knew Qin Leng's heart was completely subservient to him.
But he hadn't expected him to be so eager to cling to his thigh.
Qin Leng, you are wise!
"This... ahem, Patriarch Qin, are you serious about this?"
"Hehe, of course I'm serious. Young Master Ling Xiao, from now on, the entire Qin Clan will be the Ling Clan's most loyal followers!!" Qin Leng was brimming with pride and satisfaction, a hint of shyness on his face.
Finally, I can legitimately follow behind Young Master Ling Xiao without having to worry about my status as a Qin Clan disciple anymore.
"Alright. Since Patriarch Qin insists, I, on behalf of the Ling Clan, accept you. Father, perhaps we could send a capable elder to assist Patriarch Qin in handling the Qin Clan's aftermath?" Ling Xiao turned to look at Ling Tianlin.
The latter's eyes narrowed slightly, then he nodded gently. "Good. Two Clan Elders, you will accompany Patriarch Qin to prevent any remaining Cloud Millet remnants with ill intentions from sowing discord between the Ling and Qin Clans."
"Yes!" Two Divine King experts immediately stepped out from the crowd, bowed to Ling Tianlin, and strode to stand beside Qin Leng.
"Young Master... you are so considerate, even sending people to protect me." Qin Leng's eyes glistened with tears as he bowed deeply to Ling Xiao.
"I have fought the righteous fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Path. As for the crown... it will be guarded for me. Farewell, everyone." Ling Xiao smiled faintly, took a deep look at Qin Leng, then turned and sped off towards the horizon.
In the end, he didn't dare to ask for Emperor Qin's corpse directly.
Otherwise, these grief-stricken and resentful Qin clansmen might rebel on the spot.
The experts from the Ling Clan and the Dan Yuan Holy Land also turned and disappeared from sight.
Wan Rendí's eyes flickered with countless thoughts, but in the end, he didn't linger any longer, stepping off to follow Ling Xiao.
So, after fighting for so long, my Myriad Daos Demon Sect gets nothing?
"Xiao'er, regarding the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect..." Ling Tianlin stood beside Ling Xiao, hesitating to continue. Wan Rendí also stepped closer.
"Father, Sect Master, the urgent matter now is to bring Cloud Millet's vassal forces under our control. As for the fortunes on Cloud Millet Mountain... I'm afraid it's too late." Ling Xiao smiled faintly. The eyes of the two Divine Emperors instantly sharpened.
Too late?
Could it be...?
Given their understanding of Ling Xiao, if he said such a thing, he had probably made preparations long ago.
"Emperor Ling, my Myriad Daos Demon Sect will take the area south of Cloud Millet Mountain. The north is yours. How about it?" Wan Rendí's expression was calm, but a trace of urgency was visible in his eyes.
"Hehe, let it be as the Sect Master says!" The two smiled at each other and were about to leave.
"Ah? Father, Sect Master... wait a moment..."
"Xiao'er, what is it?" The two Emperors frowned slightly, looking at Ling Xiao with confusion.
"Um... I quite like that hammer the Cloud Millet Sect Master used... Having one more Dao Artifact means one more method to protect my life. Surely neither of you wishes to see the old sending off the young, right?"
"..." Wan Rendí gritted his teeth hard. Finally, under Ling Tianlin's indifferent gaze, he took out the Violet-Gold Divine Hammer and tossed it to Ling Xiao before vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Ling Tianlin simply smiled faintly, his figure also dispersing.
"Uh, you two are in quite a hurry!" Dammit!
Why wouldn't they be?
If they stayed, who knows what else you might remember? Wouldn't that mean this battle was fought for nothing?
Ling Xiao shook his head, stepped forward, and strode purposefully in the direction of the Myriad Daos Demon Mountain.
With this matter concluded, it's time to properly prepare for the Myriad Sects Grand Competition.
With the Villain Points he had accumulated, breaking through to the Divine General realm shouldn't be a problem.
By then, who among the younger generation in the entire Eastern Territories would be his match?
Xia Chen? A powerful soul's transmigration?
Lin Xi? And that sister of his who's hiding who-knows-where.
Heh. More bountiful harvests await.