Xie Xiaoyan stood respectfully before a beautiful, middle-aged woman. The woman’s hair was styled in a high chignon, her skin was as white as snow, and her features were as pretty as a picture. She had a voluptuous figure, and as she sat there, she looked even more noble than the ladies of the aristocracy.

Her voice was crisp and cool, sounding more like a woman of twenty-four or twenty-five. "Xiaoyan, are you so sure he’ll do as you expect?"

Xie Xiaoyan smiled faintly and said, "Master, I understand Ling Xiao very well. From how he acted today, it’s clear he still has feelings for me. Besides, he’s stubborn. The more I tell him not to go south, the more he’ll insist on going. We just need to intercept him along the way, and... if I persuade him myself, I’m confident he’ll see the benefits of joining us!"

The middle-aged woman nodded in approval. "You truly live up to your reputation as a prodigy. I just wonder if Ling Xiao will really head south as quickly as you say. If he doesn’t, we’ll have to find another way. But regardless, you’ve made a great contribution right after joining the sect. As long as we can obtain Ling Xiao’s Divine Sword Skill, Master will reward you generously!"

Xie Xiaoyan’s face lit up with pleasure. She bowed and said, "Thank you, Master!"

"Alright, you’re dismissed. Remember, do not expose your identity under any circumstances." The middle-aged woman dismissed Xie Xiaoyan with a wave of her hand.

As Xie Xiaoyan walked out the door, her hand hidden in her sleeve clenched into a tight fist. A smile touched the corners of her lips. ’Ling Xiao, this time, you’re not getting out of this alive! I won’t be able to rest until you’re dead!’

To Xie Xiaoyan’s surprise, Ling Xiao made no move for several days. He didn’t leave, nor did he even step out of his residence. The only activity was Teacher Shangguan and the others, who were often seen coming and going.

Though she grew anxious, Xie Xiaoyan didn’t dare face Ling Xiao again. She was confident he still had feelings for her, but deep down, she wasn’t so sure. The pain in his eyes had only been fleeting. Once he regained his composure, he acted as if she didn’t exist at all. That indifference was more agonizing than if he had cursed her a thousand times.

One thing Xie Xiaoyan had told Ling Xiao was not a lie: she truly was being tormented day and night!

Indeed. But her torment came from the fact that Ling Xiao was still alive.

She had admitted to being a despicable woman, but there was one thing she’d left out: she was also utterly ruthless.

When it came to any obstacle in her path, she had only one mindset: sweep it aside. And if it couldn’t be swept aside, she would tear it down.

’How could he possess a Divine Sword Skill? How did he break through his Celestial Vein?’ These questions had plagued Xie Xiaoyan ever since Ling Xiao was made a Viscount. She was terrified that a more powerful sect was backing him. If that were the case, she and her entire family would face the full wrath of the Ling Family!

Therefore, Ling Xiao had to die.

In the dead of night, Ling Xiao meditated alone in his room. For the past few days, whenever his concentration wavered even for a moment, the image of Xie Xiaoyan would surface in his mind. Ling Xiao found this extremely odd. He was certain he felt nothing for Xie Xiaoyan. If anything, he felt a measure of hatred; the deep familial love he now enjoyed had almost been utterly destroyed by that venomous woman.

That was why Ling Xiao paid no mind to Xie Xiaoyan’s so-called warning. ’Who knows what she’s really plotting? In any case, it has nothing to do with me. All I need to do is remain constant and adapt to whatever comes.’

But who would have thought that his once unshakable Daoxin would show faint signs of a demonic obsession these past couple of days?

’Does that Xie Xiaoyan know some kind of sorcery?’ Ling Xiao frowned. Suddenly, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, his eyes flew open and he sneered, "So that’s how it is!"

The two souls had merged. Though the General’s son was dead, his subconscious, lingering obsession to protect Xie Xiaoyan had remained. Not even Ling Xiao himself had noticed it, because he rarely came into contact with her. After he recovered from his illness, her visit to the Ling Mansion had been brief and hurried.

This time was different. She had stayed for a long time and had even cried in front of him, causing that thread of obsession deep within him to flare up, to the point where it could affect his incredibly solid Daoxin.

Ling Xiao felt no anger, only relief.

’It’s a good thing my cultivation is still at a low level,’ he thought. ’If this obsession had lingered until after I reached the Golden Core Stage, when it flared up, the mildest outcome would be falling into a demonic obsession from which I couldn’t escape. The worst would be suffering a cultivation deviation, my body exploding as I died!’

"It seems this woman understands ’me’ quite well," Ling Xiao muttered to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Uncle Fu, I need you to accompany me somewhere." Ever since Ling Xiao had returned to the academy, Uncle Fu had been staying with him. Ling Xiao noticed that after not seeing him for a while, the old man seemed to have gained a few more wrinkles. When he smiled, his face resembled a brilliant autumn chrysanthemum.

Uncle Fu beamed and replied, "Of course, Young Master."

"Uncle Fu, I’ve told you not to call me Young Master," Ling Xiao said with a faint smile. "You’re a respected senior. Even my father has to call you Captain. How could I dare to put on airs in front of you?"

"The master said you are the Young Master, so you are," Uncle Fu replied, still beaming, his back slightly stooped. It was hard to imagine that this kindly-faced, soft-spoken old man was once a legendary figure who dominated the battlefield. He had fought alongside Marshal Qiu, charging in and out of enemy lines, a man whose hands were stained with blood.

Yalan City was green year-round, but the July heat was particularly scorching. Even though it was nighttime, waves of heat still rolled through the air, threatening to suffocate everything. Even taking a breath felt difficult.