In October of Imperial Calendar year 1453, the Empire entered autumn, and the temperature dropped slightly. The Empire’s first Elite Soldier Competition concluded. First place was taken, without any suspense, by Lingzhi, who had already achieved the rank of a Sixth Rank Mad Swordsman.

After consuming the Vantia Holy Fruit, Lingzhi’s strength advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through all the way to the level of a Sixth Rank Mad Swordsman. He had even hoped to ascend to the rank of Demon Swordsmen in one go, but ultimately fell short due to the fruit’s insufficient medicinal power. Even so, the rank of Demon Swordsmen was now within his grasp.

Lingzhi was ennobled as a Baron and awarded a Middle-tier Earth-level Sword Skill! Although the Ling Family possessed its own hereditary Celestial-level Sword Skill, this Earth-level one would be perfect for the family’s guards to cultivate.

At this point, although the Ling Family was small in number compared to the great clans, possessing three noble titles within one family was an extremely rare occurrence among the aristocracy of the entire Lanyue Empire!

Typically, only one person in a great noble family could be ennobled. For those with outstanding contributions, perhaps two or three might receive titles, but such families usually numbered in the tens of thousands, with countless branch lineages. How could they compare to the Ling Family? Just over twenty years ago, they had been a family of commoners. Even now, including servants, they numbered only around three hundred people. Yet they had produced three titled nobles—a feat that was enough to make other noble families burn with envy!

The nobles who had always looked down on the Ling Family didn’t suddenly start thinking highly of them because of this. However, they no longer dared to mock the Ling Family in public as they once had.

What turned some heads was that a disciple from the northern Bauhinia Clan, a tough man named Qin Jian, had managed to fight his way into the finals with his cultivation as a Tier Six Great Sword Master, relying on just a single Human-level Sword Skill. In the end, he was narrowly defeated by Lingzhi’s sword, securing second place in the competition!

He was also granted the title of Baron and a Middle-tier Earth-level Sword Skill!

When His Majesty the King personally placed the medal representing the rank of Baron on him, Qin Jian couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down his face. Everyone, except for Lingzhi, thought the young man was simply overcome with excitement.

"His mother... she won’t have to do hard labor anymore." As Lingzhi said this to Ling Xiao, his own eyes grew a little red, but a smile played on his lips. "Little Jianjian’s mother is the daughter of the previous Qin Family Patriarch and the sister of the current one. She was never married."

General Ling Tianxiao was in high spirits today. His two sons sat before him, and the more he looked at them, the more pleased he was. Ling Yun’Er was also exceptionally well-behaved, and the gentle and virtuous Lady Ling sat watching her family together. A hint of regret touched her face as she said, "That girl Su’Er, she just ran off and vanished. *Sigh*. She’s a grown woman now, why can’t she be more serious? We introduce her to all those talented young nobles, but she never even gives them a look..."

"Mother, everyone’s happy today. Why bring that up?" Ling Yun’Er pouted slightly. ’Those talented young nobles? Forget my sister, even I don’t think much of them. What skills do they have besides making empty boasts?’

Of course, Lady Ling considered this her daughters’ prejudice. ’Noble scions are hardly simpletons,’ she thought. ’Their profligacy is just a phase of youth; they will mature one day. In the future, won’t the Empire need this very group of wastrels to hold it up?’

"Alright, let’s not talk about her. I’m just a little worried, that’s all!" The corners of Lady Ling’s eyes crinkled with a smile, and her gaze upon her two sons and daughter was filled with gratification.

Ling Tianxiao laughed heartily. "You are both my fine sons! Tonight, the three of us men will drink until we drop!"

"Xiao’Er is still just a child!" Lady Ling protested.

"Why can’t I join?" Ling Yun’Er protested as well.

Ling Tianxiao laughed. "He’s about to head to his own fief and establish his own household. He’s not a boy anymore; he’s a man!"

At the mention of this, Lady Ling’s eyes reddened slightly. She couldn’t bear to let Ling Xiao go to his fief so soon. On one hand, she was reluctant to part with her son; on the other, everyone now knew that the Ling Family had a mysterious, powerful backer. Ling Xiao’s Celestial Vein had been unsealed, and Lingzhi had performed outstandingly in the Elite Soldier Competition. Although the latter hadn’t displayed overwhelming power, some observers pointed out that the Ling Family’s eldest son was no longer just a Great Sword Master, but had likely entered the realm of a Mad Sword Master!

This shocked many people, who wondered what incredible fortune the Ling Family had encountered to have such good luck. Almost everyone believed that the Ling Family must have been chosen by some super-sect to act as its worldly representative!

Indeed, the Ling Family was unlike those noble clans with deep foundations, which were massive and complex to manage. The Lings had only become nobles in Ling Tianxiao’s generation. Even now, including the people on their family fief, they numbered no more than a thousand. Adding their private army brought the total to less than five thousand. This was simply incomparable to the great clans, which easily numbered in the tens or even hundreds of thousands.

A family like this would be much easier to control!

For a time, many of the families that had been coveting the Cultivation Techniques in Ling Xiao’s possession began to back off. They knew that provoking one of those reclusive super-clans or sects meant facing annihilation!

No noble family could withstand the wrath of those super-clans that had existed for millennia.

Ling Xiao was safe, for now.

That day, Ling Tianxiao got roaring drunk.

「Three days later.」

In the early morning, the streets were still sparse with pedestrians. Only the early-rising vendors were hurrying about, preparing for the day’s business.

A large, luxurious carriage was parked at the entrance of the Imperial Academy. Yisha’s eyes were red-rimmed. Shangguan Yutong’s lips were pressed together, her expression unreadable. Li Tianluo and Kaelin had also made a rare exception to wake up early and come. Two of the teachers, Xiao Lin and Su Embroidery—both of whom had once fought alongside Ling Xiao—were present as well, faint smiles on their faces. Most surprisingly, the dean of the Imperial Academy, Qiu Jianhua, was also there!

Ling Xiao and Ye Wen Ni stood beside the carriage, smiling and exchanging pleasantries with the group.

Qiu Jianhua smiled and said softly to Ling Xiao, "Ling Xiao, once you get over there, you’ll have to rely on yourself for everything. I trust that no student of the Imperial Academy is a coward! The Old Marshal couldn’t come himself, but he asked me to pass on a message: ’Wield both grace and terror, and be decisive when you must strike.’ He also said, ’I, this old man, will be supporting you from behind the scenes!’"

Ling Xiao nodded with a smile. "Please give the Old Marshal my regards. I will remember his words!"

Li Tianluo walked over, a sincere smile on his face but a hint of awkwardness in his eyes. "Sorry, brother. I haven’t come to see you in a while. I should have congratulated you long ago, it’s just... In truth, I don’t mind. And I believe my father doesn’t mind either!"

Ling Xiao nodded slightly. "I know."

A grin spread across Li Tianluo’s face, and he clapped Ling Xiao hard on the shoulder. "To be honest, I’ve been wanting to say it for a while... you’re really something else! You’re the first person to ever make my old man willingly give up his territory! HAHAHAHA!" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Everyone laughed, knowing that Li Tianluo was telling the truth. Meanwhile, Xiao Lin and Su Embroidery, who were unaware of Li Tianluo’s identity, were secretly shocked. ’The Imperial Academy truly is a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. The Second Prince’s son has been studying here for so many years, and we never even knew!’

Although Yisha had long known this day would come, she still felt sad now that it was here. She looked at Ye Wen Ni with envy. ’Why can’t I be as free as Ye Zi?’ she thought. ’If I had the choice, staying by his side would be so much better than being the heir to a major clan!’

"Brother Ling Xiao, I..." Yisha bit her lower lip, her star-bright eyes fixed on Ling Xiao. "I will miss you. I will also be good, and I won’t bring you any shame, brother!"

Two streams of tears, which she could no longer hold back, finally slipped down Yisha’s tender, flawless cheeks. Shangguan Yutong turned her face away. Atop the carriage, the neatly dressed Uncle Fu gave a light cough and said calmly, "Young Master, Miss Ye, we should be going."

Chunlan and Qiuyue sat inside the carriage. They had never left the Imperial Capital, having grown up here their entire lives. Now that they were leaving, they felt a little lost, but this was overshadowed by their anticipation and longing for a new life. As long as they could be with their young master, they were willing to go anywhere.

Ling Xiao smiled and said, "We’re off."

Ye Wen Ni walked over and gently hugged the silently weeping Yisha. Then she went to Shangguan Yutong and said softly, "Sister Shangguan, I’m leaving."

Shangguan Yutong forced a smile. "Alright. When I have time in the future, I’ll come visit you at your fief. You’d better not kick me out then!"

Ye Wen Ni also began to feel a pang of sadness. The little thief’s emotions and worldview had always been rather cold; she hadn’t even believed good people existed. But after coming to the Imperial Academy and getting to know the people around Ling Xiao, she had been treated with kindness by everyone, allowing her to feel a warmth she had never known.

Ling Xiao flashed a smile at the crowd and leaped onto the carriage. Ye Wen Ni followed him up. With a steady hand, Uncle Fu took up the reins, and the carriage, pulled by two fine steeds, slowly began to move. Ye Wen Ni lifted the curtain, stuck her head out, and waved to the figures growing ever more distant.

Not until the carriage rounded a corner and the group was out of sight did Ye Zi pull her head back in. She gently dabbed the corner of her eye and said with a smile to Chunlan and Qiuyue, "The wind outside is so strong. I think some sand got in my eye."

The carriage picked up speed on the smooth stone road, and soon they were outside the Imperial Capital. In the light of the newly risen sun, the city’s majestic walls were shrouded in a wispy mist. The dampness in the air seemed to settle heavily on their hearts. Now that they had left, none of them knew when they might return.

Ten li outside the Imperial Capital, five hundred of the Ling Family’s elite private soldiers—the members of the Tiger Roar Assault Team—stood in formation, ready to depart. Their faces were stern. The luxurious carriage came to a steady halt.

At the head of the five hundred men stood a middle-aged man of about forty. He had a calm and imposing demeanor, and his sharp eyes watched the approaching carriage. Though he said nothing, his eyes held a trace of annoyance.

It wasn’t that he had any ill will toward Ling Xiao specifically; rather, he had a poor impression of all nobles who lived extravagant lives in the Imperial Capital.

"Ling Wu, Captain of the First Squad of the Tiger Roar Assault Team, reporting to the Third Young Master!"

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