Li Tianluo and Li Wutong, who were rushing over with several attendants, all froze in place. They thought, ’Has the Prince’s Senior Staff Officer suddenly gone mad?’ Only Li Wutong narrowed his eyes at Ling Xiao, his heart... filled with sheer terror! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Elder Peng had claimed to have been injured by Ling Xiao. Although Li Wutong believed him, he still found it hard to accept. It was as unbelievable as someone saying a three-year-old toddler had killed a robust, thirty-year-old man. And... in a direct confrontation, no less.

That was why Li Wutong could never bring himself to believe it. How could a young man like Ling Xiao, who had only just reached adulthood and opened his Celestial Vein a mere six months ago, possess such power? But then again, Elder Peng had no reason to lie. Who would tell such a self-deprecating lie on purpose?

And today, upon seeing Ling Xiao, this doubt still lingered in Li Wutong’s heart. ’This boy... no matter how I look at it, he shouldn’t be a match for me!’ In contrast, Li Wutong could clearly sense that General Fu, the man beside Ling Xiao, seemed to be growing more vigorous with age; his cultivation appeared even more refined than in previous years! To think that such a God of Slaughter from the battlefields of the past would lower himself to follow Ling Xiao, and... even become his butler!

Li Wutong found this equally hard to comprehend. It was precisely because of this that he had finally resolved to befriend Ling Xiao, no matter the cost! Because befriending Ling Xiao didn’t just mean showing goodwill to the Ling Family; it was even more likely to gain him a powerful ally!

It wasn’t until he saw this scene before him—so utterly bizarre—that Li Wutong instantly saw that something was off with Ling Xiao! The terror in his heart was beyond words. He couldn’t help but feel relieved that he hadn’t chosen to oppose this young man to the bitter end. ’With someone like this... you either kill him outright, or you become his friend!’ Li Wutong even felt a faint pang of regret for sending Elder Peng to stir up trouble back then. ’What if this young man finds out one day? Will he turn on me in a fit of rage? Then again, it’s unlikely. It’s not like he suffered any major harm.’

Over here, Xu Daoxuan continued speaking with a vacant gaze, "That bitch... she actually dared to reveal my secrets. Hah, I raised her! I fed her, clothed her, taught her martial arts and how to read. But she didn’t know how to repay my kindness. Just because I took her body, she made a fuss about wanting to die, and even dared to tell my secrets to that little brat Ye Wen Ni! Hmph, if that little brat didn’t look like she’d grow into a real beauty, I would’ve killed her too!"

Ye Wen Ni’s face was deathly pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Although she already knew of Xiangcao’s death, hearing the man admit it with his own mouth felt like a giant stone smashing into her heart. The agonizing pain made tears stream down her face.

"That little brat? Who knows about her origins? Anyway, when I first met her, she was still wrapped in swaddling clothes, held in the arms of a man covered in blood and heavily injured. I’m a merciful man, you see! I went up and ended that man’s suffering. I found the little girl was quite cute, so I brought her back with me. And she did indeed grow more and more beautiful. But her personality... clever and cunning, and stubborn as hell! Hmph, if it weren’t for the Second Prince..."

"You animal!"

Li Wutong roared in fury. With a raise of his hand, a flash of sword light streaked past, and Xu Daoxuan’s body was abruptly sliced in two. The blood... seemed to congeal for an instant before flowing out from the two halves of the corpse!

"To slander me even at death’s door!" Li Wutong’s face was a mask of indignation. He then turned to Ling Xiao and said, "Nephew, I have made a fool of myself in front of you. I never imagined I would have such a monster in human guise among my own men! To not kill him... would be an offense to public justice!"

Ling Xiao gave a faint smile and glanced at Li Wutong as if nothing had happened. Inside, however, he was laughing coldly. ’Southern King, oh Southern King, if you hadn’t made this unnecessary move, I wouldn’t have cared even if Xu Daoxuan had revealed any of your secrets. You have no idea. The only one I care about is Ye Zi. As for your disgusting affairs, I couldn’t care less!’

’But of all the things you shouldn’t have done, you shouldn’t have tried to hurt me this way! You knew his Spiritual Power was under my control, yet you cut him down with a single strike. Haha, very good! By killing your own man, you’ve actually helped me! Some things... we can settle in the future!’

"Your Highness rules with a firm hand. I am impressed!"

Ling Xiao’s face was a picture of amiability. He raised an eyebrow and said, "I have just remembered an urgent matter in my territory that requires my attention, so I will not impose on Your Highness’s hospitality any longer. Therefore, for your warm reception and generosity, I, Ling Xiao... will remember it always!"

The weather was hot, but Ye Wen Ni’s hands were ice-cold. Holding onto Ling Xiao’s warm hand was the only thing that allowed her to endure the indescribable sorrow in her heart. The corpse on the ground, split in two, brought her no sense of sadness, nor any particular feeling of vindication. Ye Zi just felt that he deserved far worse than death, but... he shouldn’t have died like this!

’Dying like this... is truly letting him off too easily!’

’Poor Sister Xiangcao, if you can sense what happened today, you can finally rest in peace!’

Ye Wen Ni cried out in her heart, her own bewildering origins causing her immense pain. ’My parents... where are you? Do you know how much your daughter misses you? How I wish I could stand before you and call you "Dad" and "Mom"!’

Li Wutong’s expression instantly became a sight to behold. He had the distinct feeling that after paying a huge price, personally executing a loyal and capable subordinate, and giving away four Magic Crystal Cannons and several hundred Magic Beast Crystal Cores, he had ended up alienating everyone and pleasing no one.