"You are the Holy Maiden of my Blood Hall. You must never casually expose your identity. This time, I sentence you to three years without leaving the mountain. Only after you kill your senior brother will your freedom be restored."
Only after the clarity returned to Bai Ling's eyes did the blood-robed old man snort coldly, his figure instantly vanishing from the spot.
"Hmph, he really did probe my Sea of Consciousness. Fortunately, Brother Ling Xiao was prepared."
Bai Ling sneered, a dark glint flashing in her eyes. She immediately stepped towards the hall's exit.
The Soul-Snatching Ancient Art, being a forbidden art, could not only snatch souls and control spirits but also conceal memories, which was naturally within its capabilities.
Of course, given the Blood Hall Master's strength, if he forcefully searched her soul, any concealment would be useless.
But similarly, if he truly did that to the method Ling Xiao had set up, Bai Ling would instantly die under that Soul Seal.
Therefore, this move could be considered foolproof.
"I need to find a way to search Grandpa Qi's soul first, to confirm the identity of that white-clothed swordsman."
A trace of hesitation flashed across Bai Ling's pretty face, but in the end, she still headed towards the depths of the Blood Hall.
Just as Brother Ling Xiao said, no matter how evil a technique is, it depends on how it's used.
Right now, she only wanted to avenge the Lin family's blood feud, hence this last resort.
At worst, after searching Grandpa Qi's soul, she could just let him go.
Thinking this, the last trace of hesitation in Bai Ling's eyes instantly vanished.
Above the Ling Clan territory, thousands of miles high, a black shadow suddenly loomed like a cloud.
Many Ling Clan experts looked up, spiritual light shimmering around them, but a faint trace of surprise flickered in their eyes.
Someone actually dares to act recklessly in our Ling Clan's territory?
Don't they know this area is a no-fly zone?
But when they looked up and saw the nine-dragon golden carriage, the surprise in their eyes instantly turned into intense admiration and… joy!
"Look! It's Young Master Ling Xiao!! It's Young Master Ling Xiao!!"
"The Young Master has returned to the clan! Quick… what are you looking at? Why aren't you kneeling and kowtowing to the Young Master!"
"Young Master!! You've finally returned!!"
"I've been praying for your return every day. Today my wish is fulfilled, I have no regrets in this life!"
The crowd began to cheer and boil over.
Some proud young women were so excited they saw black, their bodies went weak, and they collapsed on the ground.
It was… just very sudden, this weakness.
Ling Xiao smiled faintly, his expression composed.
"Look! The Young Master saw me!!"
"How am I worthy of entering the Young Master's eyes? Young Master… I'm not worth it! With my sullied body, I would only taint your perceptive gaze!!!"
Ye Qingchan looked in astonishment at the cheering and wailing city below, her pretty face full of shock.
This scene was very familiar to her.
Back when Ling Xiao was in the Northern Wasteland, wherever he went, such scenes were commonplace.
But she never expected that even after returning to the Sacred Dynasty, the Young Master was still that… celestial being who commanded everyone's attention.
Indeed, a king will have subjects wherever he goes.
The innate majesty, the destined fate, remained unchanged regardless of location.
For some reason, Ye Qingchan quietly moved her delicate body a bit closer to Ling Xiao.
This feeling of being admired and envied made her heart very happy.
"Look, the Young Master's complexion seems a bit haggard!"
"Yes! I heard Holy Maiden Nian died by Xia Chen's hand!"
"Fight!!!"
"Level the Yuan Yue Holy Land! Avenge our Young Mistress!"
"Quick… go get my forty-meter greatsword. I can barely suppress the battle intent within me."
The previously cheering crowd instantly descended into a frenzy.
That terrifying battle intent faintly transformed into a bloody cloud, shrouding the sky above Han Tian City.
At this moment, Ling Xiao merely nodded slightly before taking Ye Qingchan towards the Ling Clan's secret realm.
"Young Master… these people are…"
"Vassals of my Ling Clan!"
"Oh. Young Master, if one day… I am forced to become your enemy, would you… kill me too?"
Suddenly, a trace of sorrow crossed Ye Qingchan's face as she spoke softly.
"Hmm? Qingchan, what foolish words are you saying?"
Ling Xiao frowned slightly, turned his head, looked into Ye Qingchan's clear, sorrowful eyes, and gently shook his head. "I don't believe anyone in this world could make us turn against each other. If there is, I will exterminate them."
"Mm!"
A brilliant smile bloomed on Ye Qingchan's face.
It's the same as what Qingchan… thought.
Only after the two entered the secret realm did another round of cheers begin to resound.
Ling Tianlin stood before the ancient hall of the Ling Clan, watching the two figures descending from mid-air.
Behind him, the clan elders of the Ling Clan's nine branches waited quietly, each with a faint trace of pride in their eyes.
In recent days, the name Ling Xiao had truly resounded throughout the Eastern Territories.
But unlike his previous notorious reputation, this time, all the major powers in the Eastern Territories knew that the Ling Clan heir was righteous, upright, a beacon of the righteous path!
Crushing his peers, his peerless immortal demeanor was already old news.
But this secret realm journey made it even clearer to everyone that the words "peerless" could only be borne by the Ling Clan heir.
Xia Chen, Chou Yi, and Shangguan Qinghe had defeated Nian Qingyun, Hua Yang, and Ling Tian respectively.
But Ling Xiao alone crushed all three into dust.
What domineering momentum, what holy might was this?
Truly, the Eastern Territories' peerless, heaven-defying number one among the younger generation.
Without equal!
"Xiao'er!"
Ling Tianlin's face held both sorrow and comfort.
Before Ling Xiao even landed, he had stepped forward and embraced him tightly.
"My son, you have the bearing of a Supreme! You've suffered on this journey!!"
"Father…"
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Ling Xiao's face. Ling Tianlin and Xuan Yuan Yue's doting on their son was obvious to all.
Otherwise, the previous Ling Xiao wouldn't have developed such a tyrannical and arrogant character.
The phrase "My father is the Ling Emperor" had almost defined the previous Ling Xiao's short life.
"Father… I want to…"
"Eight thousand clansmen of our Ling Clan are all on standby. Our four vassal clans, ten thousand experts, are ready and waiting. Qin Leng, the clan leader of the Qin Clan, led the Qin Clan elders to Han Tian City early this morning. I expect they will arrive later."
Ling Tianlin's eyes narrowed slightly, his face regaining its usual authority.
"This time, your father will be your vanguard, following your commands. You will be the one to destroy the Yuan Yue Holy Land!"
"Father!"
Ling Xiao's face trembled slightly. That's so like you!
A generation's formidable figure, ruthless and decisive. The name Ling Emperor was feared by all in the Eastern Territories!
"Good."
"And this is…"
Ling Tianlin turned to look at Ye Qingchan. Her pretty face stiffened, and she quickly bowed.
She had heard that the Young Master's father was a top-tier Divine Emperor in the Eastern Territories.
She just never expected that this Divine Emperor, known to outsiders as fierce and domineering, could have such a tender side.
No wonder. So the Young Master's temperament took after his father.
Cruel and dominant in front of outsiders, but towards his own…
Hehe.
"Not bad!"
Ling Tianlin nodded, then took out a pair of dragon and phoenix jade pendants from his bosom and handed them to Ye Qingchan. "These pendants were from back when Xiao'er's mother and I…"
"Father!!! No need, you should keep this pair as a memento for yourself."
Ling Xiao panicked.
Dammit!
Father, last time, it was after Nian Qingyun received your blessing that she died.
Please… leave your son a companion!
"Uh, alright then! Regarding Qingyun's matter, I am sorry. Xiao'er, the beauty has passed. You must… cherish those before you."
Ling Tianlin gave Ling Xiao a meaningful look.
My son deserves three palaces and six courtyards, standing at the pinnacle of heaven.
Revenge must be taken, but letting it cloud your Dao Heart is absolutely unacceptable!
"Father, I have something to discuss with you. It's about Tian-di."
Ling Xiao smiled wryly and walked towards the hall with Ling Tianlin.