Washed clean by a torrential downpour, Penzes City exuded a fresh, invigorating aroma.

Few had seen the strange phenomenon in the sky above Penzes City last night, but the tremendous boom had become the main topic of conversation this morning.

"The thunder last night was a real nuisance, especially that clap after midnight. It was just too damn loud! Son of a bitch, I was in the middle of things with my old lady, and it nearly scared me limp!"

A man who looked like a commoner was shooting the breeze with a few of his neighbors. Ever since the Lord had distributed land to the common people for them to farm, the standard of living for the citizens of Penzes City had skyrocketed.

Before, life had been very hard for the commoners. They normally couldn’t afford meat and could only improve their diet a little during festivals. But now, every few days, they could go to the market and buy a piece of meat to satisfy their cravings.

Thus, in Penzes City, you could curse His Majesty the King and no one would care. But if you dared to curse the Lord, a crowd would instantly swarm you to set you straight.

"Tell me about it! I was dead to the world last night and that damned thunder still woke me up. Sigh, usually I can sleep through any storm!"

Dressed elegantly and nobly, Song Mingyue walked along the damp streets. His dashing, debonair looks earned him many a backward glance from young maidens and married women alike. Hearing the commoners’ idle chatter, a faint smile touched his lips.

’Quite the commotion over at the Lord’s Mansion last night,’ he thought. ’I wonder which family sent them. Judging by the situation today, they clearly failed.’

Just then, a few people approached from the opposite direction. One of them, a young woman in a green, knee-length skirt, revealed a pair of fair, delicate calves. Her waist was so slender it looked as if it could be encircled by a single hand, and the curve from her slim waist to her full, rounded hips was beautiful and enchanting. She had a rosy, peach-like complexion and fair skin. Upon seeing Song Mingyue, she smiled and said, "Brother Song, you’re out early!"

"Ah, it’s Miss Qing Yu. What’s this? You haven’t left Penzes City yet?" Song Mingyue replied gently, a warm smile on his face.

Qing Yu smiled faintly. "Since Brother Song hasn’t left, I’m not in any hurry either. Who knows, perhaps I’ll end up stationed here in Penzes City permanently."

Song Mingyue looked astonished. "Could it be that you’ve set your sights on Lord Ling Xiao? I don’t mean to meddle, but if you’d like, I could put in a good word for you."

Qing Yu scoffed playfully, her cheeks flushing slightly as she said, "What are you talking about! Of course not. Besides, isn’t Brother Song trying to invite Lord Ling Xiao to join your family? Could it be that *you’re* the one who’s taken a liking to him?"

Song Mingyue gave a wry smile. ’Women are truly not to be trifled with,’ he thought. He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, Sister Qing Yu, your tongue is too sharp. I’m no match for you."

Only then did Qing Yu flash a triumphant smile. Then, her fine brows furrowed slightly as she asked in a low voice, "Brother Song, did you hear that tremendous boom last night?"

Song Mingyue replied, "With a boom that loud, I imagine the entire city heard it. How could I have missed it?"

Qing Yu stepped closer conspiratorially and whispered, "I heard that last night, a Middle-Tier Sword Emperor and two High-tier Sword Sect masters arrived! They went to the Lord’s Mansion, and it’s said... not a single one made it out. Oh, and one of those two High-tier Sword Sect masters was the yellow-robed Yu Guang!"

Song Mingyue was startled. He glanced cautiously to his left and right—the news was simply too astonishing! He whispered, "Sister Qing Yu, what exactly happened?"

A smug smile appeared on Qing Yu’s face. "I got up bright and early, and I haven’t even had breakfast yet!"

"Fine, fine! How about we go to Xu’s Porridge Shop, the most famous one in Penzes City?" Accompanied by his attendants, Song Mingyue and Qing Yu quickly entered Xu’s Porridge Shop.

After the two were seated, their respective attendants took up positions around them, remaining on high alert. Xu’s Porridge Shop was the most famous breakfast spot in Penzes City, and it was also known for being expensive. The thunder had rumbled for most of the night, so most people hadn’t slept well. As a result, the shop wasn’t too crowded yet.

Qing Yu lowered her voice. "I’ve been visiting the Lord’s Mansion often recently and have gotten on good terms with some of the staff. Last night, I recognized that the sound seemed to come from the direction of the mansion. So this morning, I went over to ask about it. And just as I thought, a group of more than ten people stormed the Lord’s Mansion last night. The weakest among them had the power of a Demon Swordsman! To think they were all completely annihilated inside the Lord’s Mansion... Lord Ling Xiao’s strength is far more unfathomable than we ever imagined!"

Song Mingyue was both shocked and overjoyed. He was shocked that Ling Xiao was far more powerful than he had imagined, but he was overjoyed because... a person with such strength might actually be able to cure his father!

As he thought about it, Song Mingyue wished he could rush over to the Lord’s Mansion right away and get to the bottom of things. Suddenly, a thought struck him. He asked, "For such a sensitive matter, the Lord’s Mansion... didn’t issue a gag order?"

Qing Yu smiled charmingly. "A gag order? Why would they do that? For something like this... they’re probably scrambling to spread the news far and wide! Only a fool would try to keep it quiet!"

Song Mingyue paused for a moment, then sighed softly. "You’re right. Too many people are watching Ling Xiao right now, for all sorts of reasons. This is the perfect opportunity to intimidate the crowd and warn them not to make any foolish moves... Heh, very interesting indeed. But Sister Qing Yu, doesn’t that mean you were used a little in all this?"

Qing Yu smiled and nodded. "I was a willing participant! After all, making a powerful friend is always better than making a powerful enemy."

Song Mingyue nodded emphatically. "A brilliant move, indeed!"

Within a single morning, nearly every member of the hidden families lingering in Penzes City had heard the news. However, unlike Ling Xiao, who didn’t know the identities of the three who died in the Blood Slaughter Celestial Sword Array beyond the yellow-robed Yu Guang being from a hidden family...

...the members of the hidden families in the city knew very well who Yu Guang and his master were. They were only unfamiliar with the third Sword Sect expert.

The Yu Family was considered an outlier among the hidden families. They passed down their heritage through their bloodline and practiced an exceptionally evil cultivation technique—the very same Virgin Yin Technique that Yu Tian cultivated. It involved finding untouched virgins and harvesting their essence to increase one’s own power.

Logically, such an evil family should have been eradicated long ago. Unfortunately, the sects of the hidden families had always been indifferent to the people of the Mortal World. The Yu Family also kept a very low profile among the other hidden families, and their victims were all mortals. Furthermore, the bases of the hidden families were mostly secret, making it difficult to find their lairs. Thus, for many years, the Yu Family had lived on without issue, and no one had ever successfully brought them to justice. Or perhaps, some had tried, but none had succeeded.

To think that they had fallen at Ling Xiao’s hands today. Everyone was baffled. Ling Xiao only had one High-tier Martial Artist by his side—that giant of a man. As for Ling Xiao himself, he didn’t seem particularly powerful, a Middle-tier Demon Swordsman at best. Their opponents, however, consisted of a Sword Emperor, two peak-level Sword Sect masters, plus... plus over a dozen Demon Swordsmen and Demon Sword Masters!

It was unbelievable! Nearly everyone who heard the news was utterly shocked. ’Could it be that Ling Xiao has some other hidden power at his disposal?’

Regardless of their speculations, Ling Xiao was currently in his mansion, holding a bowl of pitch-black medicinal soup and trying to coax Fengling to drink it.

"Ling Xiao, I’m begging you, can I please not drink it? Oh, heavens..." Fengling hid her face under the blanket, leaving only her two lively eyes exposed. They darted back and forth, avoiding Ling Xiao’s gaze. "I really feel like I’m all better, I really am! Look, my strength has even returned..." As she spoke, Fengling stuck a slender, fair arm out from under the covers and shook it vigorously. Then, her face scrunched up. "That medicine is just too bitter. The taste of it is something you’ll never forget. Please, just spare me."

Chunlan and Qiuyue hid in the background, stifling their giggles. They had called Ling Xiao over precisely because Fengling was refusing to take her medicine.

Ling Xiao chuckled. "This is the last bowl. Actually, there was supposed to be one more. I added several dozen types of Spirit Medicine to this brew. After you drink it, it will boost your cultivation by ten years. Hmm, you’re a Tier Two Demon Swordsman now, right? After you finish this, you’ll be at the Tier Two Peak!"

"Really?" Fengling gave Ling Xiao a suspicious look. She clearly didn’t believe his tall tale, because this seemingly innocent and handsome young man was a consumate liar who could spin yarns with a perfectly straight face.

"Really!" Ling Xiao’s expression couldn’t have been more sincere.

Fengling puffed out her cheeks, her eyes darting around as she said, "My Space Ring was taken by that damned Yu Guang. But since you didn’t even leave a scrap of them behind, I lost all the Elixirs I had inside it..."

Ling Xiao smiled. "I’ll replace them for you."

"Sigh... fine." With a look of someone resigned to their fate, Fengling took the bowl, tilted her head back, and downed the contents. Chunlan and Qiuyue immediately rushed over with fresh water for her to rinse her mouth.

Fengling’s face contorted, and it took a long moment for her features to relax. Watching Ling Xiao’s back as he turned to leave, she felt a slight tug on her heartstrings. ’Maybe he isn’t so detestable after all?’

’Ugh... a delusion! It must be a delusion!’

A fierce storm had raged last night, and the Southern King, Li Wutong, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was weighing on his mind. He hadn’t slept well. The new woman he had taken in was enchanting and sexy, and he had thoroughly explored her prowess in the bedroom. Last night, she had even grown inexplicably excited at the sound of the rolling thunder.

But Li Wutong had felt no interest whatsoever; a deep sense of unease plagued him. When he rose in the morning, the men he’d sent out last night had still not returned, and his anxiety intensified.

By the afternoon, the men still hadn’t come back. Instead, a report from a subordinate arrived.

"Reporting... A messenger has arrived from Penzes City! He says... he says that last night, some people stormed Penzes City and forcefully attacked the Lord’s Mansion. They were killed on the spot. The Lord of Penzes, Marquis Lingxiao, said that those men were a scourge upon the south. He has sent word to you, Prince... I suppose... he’s here to claim credit for his actions?" the subordinate, unaware of the full story, reported in a single breath.

As for the Southern King, Li Wutong, he collapsed into his magnificent chair, the one carved with the Blast Flame Lion King.