"I want to watch, too!" A still-weak Fengling walked over, supported by Chunlan and Qiuyue. Her face was slightly flushed as she looked at Ling Xiao. "I want to watch that pervert die with my own eyes, killed by your incredible... Array!"

Ye Zi shot Ling Xiao a look of mild reproach. She had never heard of anything called an "Array." From what Fengling said, it was clear that the device Ling Xiao had spent all day arranging with Magic Beast Crystal Cores was called an Array. ’But what good can just placing Crystal Cores there do?’

Ye Zi mulled it over but still couldn’t understand. Seeing Ling Xiao’s mysterious expression, she couldn’t be bothered to ask him. Besides, Ye Zi knew that she had been very busy, whereas that Fengling girl had had plenty of free time. ’Ling Xiao probably mentioned it to her while they were chatting.’

’Considering you were seriously injured for his sake, I’ll let it slide,’ Ye Zi thought, but she still felt a little unsettled. ’Am I jealous?’ she wondered. ’She’s nothing to Ling Xiao. Why should I care?’

"Fengling, your injuries haven’t healed yet. You shouldn’t stay outside for too long."

Ling Xiao glanced at Fengling, who was wrapped in a cape. The bloodstains on her face had been washed away. Although the Spirit Medicine was potent, it would still take time for the scars to fade completely. A faint, pink scar was still visible at the tip of her eyebrow, but it didn’t mar her beauty. On the contrary... it added a touch of feral charm.

"Don’t worry. Yu Guang? If he dares to show up, he won’t be leaving."

At the mention of Yu Guang’s name, Fengling’s long, thick eyelashes fluttered. The corner of her mouth twitched, but she said nothing, merely pulling her trembling hands back inside her cape.

Last night, she had seemed fearless. But today, after waking and replaying Yu Guang’s words in her mind, waves of belated terror washed over her. His remark, "There’s something even fresher waiting for you," had clearly been directed at her ample chest...

At that moment, Yisha was with Huangpu Yue. She much preferred Huangpu Yue’s company, as she felt less pressure around her. Whenever she was with Ye Zi, Yisha always felt a little insecure, a feeling that had likely taken root in her heart from the very first time they met.

Huangpu Yue held a delicate porcelain cup in her slender hand. Blowing gently on the floating tea leaves and inhaling the fresh, clean aroma, she asked faintly, "What are you worried about?"

Yisha said, "Fengling was grievously injured, and the news she risked her life to bring back is terrifying. Sister, I’ve never even heard of so many High-tier Martial Artists before. How can so many of them suddenly appear? Are High-tier Martial Artists a dime a dozen now?"

"You silly girl." Huangpu Yue smiled, reaching out a slender, jade-like finger to tap Yisha’s smooth forehead. "The whole world hustles and bustles, all for the sake of profit. This continent is vast and its population enormous. There have always been plenty of High-tier Martial Artists. It’s just that they seek different things than we do, so our paths rarely cross. Think about it. Isn’t it only after you met Ling Xiao that you suddenly started noticing so many powerful experts around? In the past, a Great Sword Master was a top-tier expert in our eyes, and Demon Swordsmen were practically peerless masters! But now... Yisha, aren’t you a Tier Five Great Sword Master yourself?"

"Ah, Sister Yue, who told you that?" Yisha asked, looking at Huangpu Yue in surprise. It wasn’t that she had been intentionally hiding it; it was just that Huangpu Yue had never shown any interest in the Martial Dao and had never asked her about such things.

"Hehe, your big sister here has connections at the Sword Guild in Penzes City! You little rascal, you went to get tested a few days ago, didn’t you? Take out your Tier Five Great Sword Master emblem and let me see it," Huangpu Yue teased, her eyes curving into crescents.

Yisha pulled an emblem from her robes. It was yellow and depicted a simple, ancient-looking sword. Huangpu Yue took it and smiled. "Not bad at all! See? You’re a Tier Five Great Sword Master now. The speed of your progress is astounding. I’m sure if you had stayed at the Imperial Academy, you would have been considered a genius among geniuses!"

"That’s not true," Yisha said shyly. "Big Brother Ling Xiao is the real genius! He..."

Before Yisha could finish, Huangpu Yue cut her off with a smile. "Now do you understand why so many High-tier Martial Artists are gathering in this place?"

"I understand that part, but I can’t figure out what those people could possibly want from Big Brother Ling Xiao," Yisha said, her face filled with indignation. "It’s just like the people from my own family. I truly don’t understand it. How can they completely disregard family ties in the face of personal gain? How can they... lose every shred of their humanity?"

Huangpu Yue sighed softly. ’Humanity?’ she thought. ’If that guy Ling Xiao hadn’t given my family the secret formula for improving weapon quality, I doubt I’d be enjoying this much freedom in Penzes City. And I’ll never forget the ecstatic look on my father Huangpu Cangran’s face when he received that formula, or his constant ’clan interests above all’ philosophy. I hate it.’ Her thoughts continued, ’Father probably wishes I’d just settle in Penzes City and marry that man. As if! He’s surrounded by a flock of fawning women. He’d never have time for me. Am I supposed to just wait for him in an empty house? He can dream on!’

Noticing Yisha gazing at her, Huangpu Yue’s face suddenly flushed. "Never mind," she said. "You’ve already left your family. From now on, you’re part of the Ling Clan, so why dwell on it? As for Ling Xiao... don’t worry. He’s notoriously hard to kill. Nothing will happen to him!"

Yisha let out a long sigh, but her delicate face remained etched with worry.

...

At the Southern King’s garrison, the previous night had been utter chaos.

The Southern King’s face had turned grim after receiving his subordinate’s secret report. The prisoner had vanished from his territory without a trace. Only after they lit the large crystal lamps in the dungeon, illuminating every last detail, did they discover climb marks near the ventilation shaft.

But how had the woman escaped from her bonds, which were made from White Jade Red-eyed Python Tendon? The question lodged in Li Wutong’s mind like a fishbone in his throat.

Even more displeased than Li Wutong was Yu Guang. He had a particularly twisted hobby: torturing women. He wasn’t like other men, who upon seeing a beauty would simply think of stripping her naked, throwing her onto a bed, and pouncing.

Yu Guang much preferred to viciously torture and abuse a woman until she was barely human before having his fun with her. It was a secret, though not a well-kept one. His friend Elder Peng, at the very least, was well aware of this proclivity.

Fengling was clearly a prime specimen: an outstanding figure, a beautiful face, and a fiery temperament that perfectly suited Yu Guang’s tastes. He had been imagining finishing his drinks, returning fueled by the alcohol, and forcing the battered woman down beneath him. The very thought made Yu Guang’s heart burn.

Who would have thought that when he returned after his drinks, all he would find were bloodstains on the floor and the discarded ropes? The woman... had vanished into thin air!

Yu Guang was enraged. He assumed one of the Southern King’s men, lusting after Fengling’s beauty, was responsible. Even though he had beaten her senseless, she was still an absolute beauty! Yu Guang was always methodical with his beatings. Although he had split her head open, her face was still that of a devastating femme fatale.

So, after rousing Li Wutong in the middle of the night, a thorough search revealed that the woman had somehow managed to squeeze out through that tiny opening.

While Yu Guang was fuming about being denied the girl’s Virgin Primordial Yin, the Southern King was far more terrified that their plans would be exposed. He had schemed for so long, contacted the reclusive Yu Family, and even drawn out a Sword Emperor expert. It was all for the sake of annihilating Ling Xiao’s group in one fell swoop, removing a thorn from his side. How could he allow another to snore soundly beside his own bed? Li Wutong harbored ambitions of conquering the entire Empire, and Ling Xiao was fundamentally different from the other nobles. In less than a year of governing Penzes City, he had somehow won the adoration of the commoners. Unlike those foolish, self-important aristocrats, Li Wutong had always understood a crucial truth: the common people... are the very... cornerstone of an empire!

That was why he had spent so many years in the south carefully cultivating a reputation for benevolence, a reputation that damn Ling Xiao had now half-ruined! More than half the profits from the smuggling and slave trading operations used to flow directly into the Southern King’s coffers, but Ling Xiao had severed that revenue stream, clean and simple.

While such business could also be conducted in Cameron Town, that area catered more to Adventurers. And though Penzes City and Cameron Town weren’t far apart as the crow flies, the sea route required a massive detour. Worse, the waters were treacherous, filled with surging undercurrents and dense reefs, making the passage between the two cities extremely hazardous.

That was why he had ordered the blockade of merchant caravans heading to Penzes City. He was willing to tarnish his reputation to drive those merchants to Cameron Town instead. At least... over there, he, the Southern King, was still the one who called the shots!

Yu Guang was dismissive. "Second Prince, you needn’t worry. I damaged that wretched girl’s meridians. She couldn’t have gotten far. And even in the worst-case scenario, let’s say she does make it to Ling Xiao and snitches. Hmph, so what? If the boy runs, I’ll seize the chance to slaughter everyone in his estate! I’ll capture all his women! If he still doesn’t show his face, I’ll have my fun with all of them before selling them off to brothels. After that, I’ll head to the Imperial Capital and find his family... I refuse to believe he can restrain himself then!"

Li Wutong’s brow furrowed as he listened, but he nodded nevertheless. "Indeed. I hear the boy treats his people very well. Your plan will certainly infuriate him."

A faint, mocking sneer crossed Yu Guang’s face. He shook his head. "I’ll never understand you members of the Royal Family. Every last one of you is a hypocrite. Rest assured, our actions tonight will have absolutely nothing to do with you."

Li Wutong’s expression soured for a moment, but he quickly forced a faint smile. "In that case, I thank you."