Chapter 1142: Chapter 1140: Ling Family_1
September 10th.
The autumn rain continued endlessly.
A party of three arrived outside Lingtian City. Before they could speak, Ling Cunxi, a high-ranking martial artist from a collateral branch of the Ling Family guarding the city, shouted, "Miss Ling Zixin has returned, open the gates swiftly!"
Immediately, an expert from the Ling Family complied. As the Array System’s aura changed slightly, the massive city gates opened inward, revealing a huge passage.
"Little brother, let’s go."
Ling Zixin looked very anxious.
Since returning to the South Sea Continent, the girl simply refused to travel by carriage anymore. After instructing the following Ling Family experts to return at the agreed time, she urged Shi Xiaole to set off with her overnight.
Remembering the ailing elder master of the Ling Family, whom the other party had mentioned several times, Shi Xiaole seemed to understand and did not refuse.
Thus, in just half a month, Shi Xiaole, Ling Zixin, and Ling Fu had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, successfully returning to Lingtian City.
"A Nine-Layered Sky Origin Array System?"
Shi Xiaole immediately sensed the extraordinariness of Lingtian City.
In the East Victory Continent, forces that owned a single-layered Sky Origin Array System number no more than ten. Just on this point alone, the Ling Family had far surpassed others. Shi Xiaole found that there were three layers in the Array System, and even he found them difficult to deconstruct.
The streets of the city were hundreds of meters wide, yet pedestrians seemed sparse. Instead, squads of martial artists were patrolling everywhere, each led by a Martial Emperor from the Void Origin Realm, with ordinary members possessing the strength of a peak Earth Immortal.
Within the vast city, there were strong auras that lurked without striking, creating an atmosphere as though dragons soared and tigers leapt. Among them, several auras caused Shi Xiaole to feel a significant threat.
"Is this the Ling Family? They are only ranked last among the ten great noble families."
Shi Xiaole felt a chill in his heart. He felt that just one Ling Family could assemble the top thirty experts from the Emperor List. If this force were to be placed in the East Victory Continent, it would probably cause the heavens and the earth to change color.
And as the pathway to the Floating Stone Realm was opened, in the future, more experts from the South Sea would head towards the East Victory Continent. When that time comes...
Shi Xiaole dared not continue thinking. It was useless to think about it.
He simply couldn’t stop this momentum. Perhaps the so-called grand era essentially meant the fragmentation of the Martial World and its eventual reintegration. Moreover, with the pressure from the South Sea martial arts world, it could even stimulate the potential of the East Victory martial arts world to improve the martial arts level more rapidly.
"Uncle Ling!"
"Miss Ling Zixin!"
Along the way, as Ling Fu and Ling Zixin flew by, people continuously greeted them. However, some people ignored them, whether they didn’t see or didn’t have time.
Soon, the three of them arrived outside Lingtian Mansion.
"Zixin girl, why hurry so much? You’re not following any rules, all rough and reckless. Be careful or you might have trouble finding a husband in the future," a hearty laugh rang out as a man of average build with eyes bright like tigers and dragons emerged from behind the screen wall. The Ling Family experts guarding the gate hurriedly saluted and called out "Third Master."
"Uncle Cunli."
Ling Zixin also stepped forward to greet him. Ling Fu, however, remained cold, silent, and expressionless.
Ling Cunli showed no surprise, but when his gaze brushed past Shi Xiaole and saw his face clearly, he suddenly froze, and his smile stiffened for a moment.
In that instant, Shi Xiaole’s extraordinary spirit power made him sense danger, as if being targeted by a venomous snake, ready to strike at any moment. However, the killing intent soon vanished, as if it had never existed.
Ling Cunli said with a smile, "This young hero is very handsome, and bears an eighty percent resemblance to my brother-in-law. I thought I had seen an old friend."
Ling Zixin said, "Uncle Cunli, to be honest, the young brother here is indeed the son of Aunt Yu Ji."
Upon hearing this, even the row of Ling Family experts guarding the gate all turned their gazes towards Shi Xiaole. They had only been on the job for a few decades, having been handpicked from various places. They had all heard of Ling Yujie’s name.
As for Ling Cunli, he clearly had his suspicions. His smile did not change, but Shi Xiaole still perceived that fleeting trace of coldness in him.
"Hahaha, so you really are the son of Yu Ji and Xuanzhong, may heaven bless you. Child, where have you been all these years, and where are your parents? By seniority, you should call me ’Uncle Three.’
Ling Cunli stepped forward two paces and patted Shi Xiaole on the shoulder, showing a look of regret for the late meeting as if a senior cared for a younger one.
Shi Xiaole said with a light smile, "To tell the truth, I also don’t know where my parents are."
"Oh? Then who raised you? Didn’t Xuanzhong and Yu Ji leave any clues?"
"That’s a long story."
Perhaps sensing Shi Xiaole’s indifference, Ling Cunli patted his shoulder again, his voice loaded with emotion, "Child, since Zixin girl has brought you back here, I believe there is no doubt about your identity. You are also considered half of the Ling Family."
"If you encounter any difficulties, you must speak up. I can’t control what others do, but I, Ling Cunli, will certainly not stand idly by. In past years, I enjoyed drinks and conversation with your father. Come on, call me ’Third Uncle’ and let me hear it!"
To others, these words might seem like a gesture of closeness, but to Shi Xiaole’s ears, they always carried a hint of mockery and oppression, making him feel uncomfortable.
At this moment, no fewer than ten breaths focused on Shi Xiaole, indicating that many within the Ling Family were watching everything, eager to see how Shi Xiaole would react.
"Little brother, Cunli Third Uncle is our Ling Family’s current head, Ling Wenyu’s third son. His power ranks within the top thirty in the family, and he holds significant influence," Ling Zixin transmitted to him privately with a hint of anxiety.
Women are naturally sensitive. Even though Ling Zixin couldn’t detect anything wrong, she still felt that something was off and hurriedly warned Shi Xiaole. She didn’t want her younger brother to have a fallout with the Ling Family upon his arrival, which would definitely not be good for him.
Regardless of whether the younger brother’s strength could truly place him within the top ten of the Ling Family, even if it could, he wouldn’t be able to turn the tide within Lingtian City.
"What’s the matter, child? Do you not recognize me as your Third Uncle? Or is it that you bear a deep grudge against the entire Ling Family and refuse to acknowledge it?" Ling Cunli wore a look of disappointment, yet his words were barbed.
If Shi Xiaole were to acknowledge it, he would certainly make a terrible first impression on the Ling Family members he had not yet met. If he showed weakness and called him ’Third Uncle,’ he would fall into the other party’s trap either way.
"They say that without rules one cannot make a circle. Although I am unworthy, I still know that recognizing kinship should begin with offerings at the ancestral shrine, establishing a hierarchy of seniority, and recognising each relative in turn. How can I call out titles recklessly when I haven’t even met my elders? Or do you believe that you are the elder of the Ling Family, who can disregard our ancestors and usurp their roles?" Shi Xiaole spoke indifferently.
Ling Cunli’s expression changed slightly, but he maintained his smile and said, "It’s just a title, child. Why must you take it so seriously? Surely you don’t need a ceremony every time you call someone brother or friend. When all’s said and done, it’s the Ling Family’s fault for neglecting you, making you suffer outside."
Shi Xiaole also smiled, "Then why must you take it so seriously? Could it be that no one calls you, so you seek a sense of presence from me? As for suffering, how does that come into it? I’ve lived freely and comfortably, never feeling the slightest hardship."
Ling Cunli’s smile began to stiffen, "Child, your sharp tongue is very much like your mother’s, but you lack her diplomatic grace. This can easily offend people."
Shi Xiaole replied, "Those I offend are those who deserve it. I wonder, does this count as having offended you?"
Ling Cunli fell silent, and a swift cold flash crossed the depths of his eyes.
A smile appeared on the lips of Ling Fu. The more he watched this Young Master, the more satisfied he became. He resembled the miss of past years. Against such a deceitful hypocrite, one who disguises malice with a smile, this was exactly the right approach.
Ling Zixin, on the other hand, was left speechless and deeply sighed.
The way of the sword reflects the person, and the person mirrors the way of the sword. She thought she understood Shi Xiaole to some extent, but she hadn’t expected her younger brother to be even sharper and more aggressive than she imagined, showing no hint of backing down.
Ling Zixin didn’t know that if Shi Xiaole hadn’t detected Ling Cunli’s malice, he might have feigned compliance, but knowing the truth, why should he play the fool and let others take advantage of him?
As for leaving a terrible impression on the watching members of the Ling Family, frankly, Shi Xiaole didn’t care at all.
All along, the only people he acknowledged were Shi Xuanzhong and Ling Yujie. A bunch of unrelated relatives didn’t mean as much to him as a sincere friend.
The worst outcome would be if the Ling Family dared to lay a hand on him. Then they could try their luck. With his Flying Skill and movement technique, he didn’t need to be overly cautious even against the Forbidden Martial Emperor.
Moreover, this was the Ling Family’s stronghold. He didn’t believe the Ling Family experts would act recklessly in front of others.
"Hmph, such disrespect. Truly the offspring of that minor branch!"
"Haven’t you noticed? This child must be under a hundred years old, yet his breath has reached the level of the Void Origin Realm. His talent is not bad."
"A hundred-year-old Martial Emperor is nothing. Every few generations, my Ling Family produces a few. This generation even has Jian Qiu, Jian Ming, and Jian Tao. They could rank in the top hundred among their peers in the South Sea. What’s so special about this kid?"
"To judge a person by their words, too much rigidity leads to brittleness, alas..."
Deep within the Ling Family, there were sneers, admirers, and those who sighed—a mix of reactions.
The name Ling Yujie had not been mentioned for decades, but even the older generation could not deny her enormous contribution to the Ling Family.
It was her presence that had allowed the Ling Family to weather its most difficult times and maintain its place among the top ten noble clans.
Naturally, the identity of Ling Yujie’s son bestowed Shi Xiaole with collective attention from the entire Ling Family as soon as he set foot there, including some recluses among the elders.
After speaking with Ling Cunli, Ling Zixin immediately led Shi Xiaole inside. Now, she wondered whether bringing her younger brother back so urgently had been a mistake.
The Ling Family’s main hall was several hundred meters long and wide, and was decorated with simple grandeur.
At the head of the center, sat a burly old man with a face like a date and a dignified aura, the current head of the Ling Family, Ling Wenyu.
And lining both sides, nearly half of the thirty chairs were occupied by various elders and middle-aged members, each one looking imposing and with piercing gazes. An ordinary person swept by their casual glance would probably go weak at the knees and struggle to stand.
When Shi Xiaole entered with Ling Zixin, instantly, dozens of eyes fell upon him, bearing down like a heavy mountain, and even the air seemed to solidify.
