"Oh? You mean… you and Tian'er have completely resolved your differences?"
In a side hall of the Ling Clan's Sacred Hall.
Ling Tianlin looked at Ling Xiao before him with a surprised and doubtful glint in his eyes, his tone tinged with disbelief.
"Yes."
Ling Xiao didn't explain too much. Ling Tianlin fell silent for a moment but ultimately didn't press for details.
No matter what method Ling Xiao used to resolve Ling Tian's resentment, the result was good.
As for the process, what did it matter?
Back then, the reason he hadn't transplanted someone else's Dantian Sea for Ling Tian was precisely because… he worried the latter would harbor resentment and seek revenge against Ling Xiao and his mother.
So, over the years, he often felt guilty.
Hearing today that the two brothers had reconciled, the accumulated worries in his heart instantly dissipated. Even his cultivation… seemed to show signs of a breakthrough.
"Father, I want the spirit vein of the Yuan Yue Holy Land."
Ling Xiao smiled faintly, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes.
That day, he deliberately humiliated Xia Chen not only to covet his Luck Points and the Soul-Devouring Ghost Pearl but also for the Yuan Yue Holy Land behind him.
This power, like the Yun Shu Immortal Sect, was an orthodox sect in the Eastern Territories, revered by righteous sects.
Attacking them rashly would inevitably invite many obstacles.
But now, with the Ling Clan acting under the pretext of avenging their heir's fiancée, it would be seen as a feud between two sects. Even if others wanted to intervene, they wouldn't have just cause.
Inter-sect warfare required a legitimate reason.
Senseless slaughter that disrupted the order would inevitably provoke action from those claiming to uphold justice.
As for Chou Yi…
If he hadn't summoned that puppet with the combat power of a ninth-grade Divine General, comparable to a Divine Marquis, perhaps Ling Xiao wouldn't have bothered with him and Hua Yang that day.
After all, without Luck Points, there was nothing worth acting for.
But upon seeing the puppet's power, Ling Xiao was moved.
It was said the Ancient Puppet Sect possessed four war puppets.
The Black, Silver, and Golden Demons, along with a Celestial Corpse Puppet, were the foundations upon which the Ancient Puppet Sect was built.
But now…
The Ancient Puppet Sect's Young Master, Chou Yi, killed the Tai Xu Holy Maiden and targeted the Yun Alliance heir, Su Yan. It seemed the sect no longer needed to exist.
"The spirit vein? Good, I'll capture it for you then."
Ling Tianlin nodded with a smile, not even asking what Ling Xiao intended to use it for.
Whatever he wanted, Ling Tianlin would give.
If he couldn't give it, then he would find a substitute.
"Xiao'er, since you want that spirit vein, we… can't wait for the Ethereal Dao Palace to make the first move…"
"Father, you mean…"
"Tonight, we attack the Yuan Yue Holy Land to avenge our daughter-in-law."
A dense immortal light suddenly gathered in Ling Tianlin's eyes. A mountain-like pressure descended, causing the entire Ling Clan Sacred Hall to tremble momentarily.
"Good."
A smile also appeared on Ling Xiao's face. In that instant, a bloody light flowed in his gaze.
Father was right. To annihilate the Yuan Yue Holy Land, relying solely on the Ling Clan might be troublesome.
And given the Ethereal Dao Palace's nature, they might not necessarily break ties with the Yuan Yue Holy Land over Nian Qingyun.
But… if the Ling Clan acted first, then in terms of both sentiment and reason, the Ethereal Dao Palace would no longer hesitate.
Otherwise, they wouldn't just be disappointing one person, but the hearts of thousands of Ethereal Dao Palace disciples.
Qingyun, tonight, I will use the countless souls of the Yuan Yue Holy Land to honor your deep affection.
"By the way… Xiao'er, news from the Central Region of the Sacred Dynasty suggests the Holy Church has been making some moves recently."
Ling Tianlin frowned slightly and spoke softly.
"Oh?"
Ling Xiao knew that from the moment he was born, Ling Tianlin had been planting spies in the Central Region of the Sacred Dynasty.
The purpose was naturally to monitor the Holy Church's every move to prevent any unforeseen events.
He just never expected this day would come so soon.
Since Father mentioned it, that Church must have detected something.
Most sects and holy lands had people within them who could divine fate and deduce the Dao.
As the ruler of the Sacred Dynasty, the Holy Church was filled with powerful experts. It wasn't impossible for them to perceive changes in the Sacred Dynasty's fortune.
It seemed it was time to make some plans.
"According to messages from our spies there, the Holy Church has sent Divine Envoys to various places, seemingly to find someone. But the specific purpose is still unclear."
The cold intent in Ling Tianlin's eyes swirled like a vortex, like the winter sun, blinding and bone-chilling.
"I understand, Father."
Ling Xiao only nodded and didn't say anything more.
He knew he would face this situation sooner or later. It seemed he needed to head to the Western Territories quickly.
Only in a chaotic world could he grow faster.
After all, the more chaotic the place, the stronger the Sons of Fate would be.
And what Ling Xiao needed to do was simply change locations, reap a wave of benefits, and incidentally… secretly establish a force of his own!
"Clan Master, Qin Leng, the master of the Qin Clan, requests an audience outside the hall."
Ling Shan's voice suddenly came from outside the hall.
Ling Tianlin and Ling Xiao exchanged a smile and stepped towards the hall's entrance.
Everyone was assembled; the campaign was about to begin.
"Young Master… Ling Xiao!!"
In the main hall, Qin Leng wore a golden robe, his hair combed up and topped with a violet-gold dragon crown, giving him a somewhat kingly aura.
But now, upon seeing Ling Xiao, the originally stern-faced Qin Leng instantly showed a trace of delight in his eyes.
"Leng heard the Young Master returned to the clan today and specially led the Qin Clan elders to offer congratulations, celebrating the Young Master's fame achieved through the battle at the peak of Enlightenment Mountain."
Qin Leng bowed deeply. Ling Xiao merely nodded slightly, his expression calm.
"Since everyone is here, let's set off. Yuan Yue Holy Son Xia Chen killed my fiancée. This hatred is irreconcilable. Even if it costs us everything, my Ling Clan will surely avenge this!"
As he finished speaking, lightning instantly flickered around Ling Xiao. An invisible pressure spread out, plunging the entire hall into suppression.
"Fight!!"
The nine branches of the Ling Clan responded in unison. Everyone's face was etched with icy hatred.
"Let's go."
Ling Xiao took the lead, rushing out of the hall. The nine-dragon golden carriage instantly descended from the sky, landing before the hall.
Ye Qingchan walked over from the side and sat upright on it with Ling Xiao.
Just as the dragon carriage was about to take off, Qin Leng stepped out from the crowd, stood before the carriage, and said with a infatuated smile, "Young Master… I came in a hurry and didn't bring a mount… Could I…"
"Hmm?"
Ling Xiao's eyebrows rose slightly. Qin Leng's delicate frame trembled.
"It was Leng… overstepping."
Young Master!
You are truly the star Leng… can yearn for but never reach in this life!
Boom!
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled between heaven and earth.
A hundred-zhong demonic shadow descended from the sky, covering the entire sky above the Ling Clan's sacred land.
It was the Ling Clan's guardian beast, the Divine-Winged Golden-Plumed Eagle.
A ninth-grade Divine King great demon, also Ling Tianlin's mount in his youth. With a wingspan of two hundred seventy-six zhang.
A single flap of its wings could cross ten thousand miles of territory.
Among the Ling Clan's Ten Kings, it held a place!
Roar.
As if intimidated by the demonic eagle's bloody aura, the nine Jiao dragons instantly prostrated on the ground, listless.
But now, Hua Hua was still fusing with the dragon blood. Unless absolutely necessary, Ling Xiao wasn't willing to disturb it easily.
"Let's set off."
Boom!!
The entire Ling Clan territory instantly erupted in fervor.
Ling Xiao put away the dragon carriage, held Ye Qingchan in his arms, and stood at the head of the golden eagle.
Behind him, countless powerful figures stood quietly before soaring furiously towards the distant sky.
A demonic wind suddenly rose across the Eastern Territories.
Everyone looked at the demonic shadow blotting out the starlight in the night sky. Besides shock, there was nothing else in their eyes.
"That demonic shadow… it looks like the Ling Clan's Divine-Winged Golden-Plumed Eagle?"
"It seems so, right?"
"This golden eagle hasn't set foot outside the Ling Clan for two hundred years, has it?"
"Has something major happened?"
"You don't know? Young Master Ling Xiao's fiancée died, killed by the Yuan Yue Holy Son… The Young Master's return to the clan was probably to discuss attacking the Yuan Yue Holy Land, right?"
"No wonder… the Ling Clan has… turned out in full force this time."
Buzz.
The fierce wind scattered; demonic clouds gathered.
Ling Xiao stood at the zenith of the sky, his gaze calm.
Tonight!
Someone was destined to… bid farewell to this world.