Chapter 29: All Relied on the Tongue
Chapter 29: All Relied on the Tongue
A group of Heaven’s Gate Sect members looked at Ling Yi with shock and doubt. Even the Sect Leader Lian Ziqing was somewhat shaken.
If Ling Yi had just attacked and defeated those two people, it wouldn’t have produced this kind of effect.
Because everyone could have at least understood that.
But Ling Yi had merely formed a hand seal, and the two Golden Body Experts were directly thrown to the ground in a sorry state!
This surpassed everyone’s understanding!
Even a Daoist couldn’t do something like that!
So, even though the energy waves emanating from Ling Yi seemed laughable in the eyes of this group, at this moment, no one dared to look down on him.
“Who are you?” the female Elder, who appeared quite young, looked at Ling Yi and asked.
Her voice sounded relatively mild.
But Ling Yi knew in his heart that if not for the move the Demoness had just shown, the other party would definitely not have this attitude.
In his mind, the Demoness said, “Improvise freely.”
Ling Yi looked coldly at these people. “And who are you? I’m returning to my home, why are you blocking my doorway?”
The deep voice combined with his icy gaze made the Heaven’s Gate Sect group feel an inexplicable sense of guilt.
“Your home?” The female Elder looked surprised and couldn’t help but say with some amusement, “Are you joking?”
Ling Yi looked at her with an expressionless face. “Do you think I am joking?”
The smile on the female Elder’s face froze. Finding her courage, she said, “The grotto abode behind you… was it left to you by your ancestors?”
Ling Yi didn’t answer, only giving her a disdainful look.
Ancestors? I’m her grandfather!
“Thousands of years have passed in a flash. Looking back now, the seas have turned into mulberry fields,” Ling Yi said in a low voice. “Today I return home, but I didn’t expect to see this place already occupied by you. Whether it was intentional or not doesn’t matter anymore. I just want to come home and look around. So when I discovered the entrance was your sect’s gate, I avoided you.”
He raised his head, his gaze falling upon Lian Ziqing and the others. He said calmly, “Going around you merely means I didn’t wish to meet you. It doesn’t mean I feared you. But what is the meaning of this display you’ve set up now? Do you want to capture and interrogate me? Or do you want to see if I have any treasures taken from inside?”
His words struck a chord. Many people couldn’t help but avert their eyes.
But Lian Ziqing remained expressionless. Looking at Ling Yi, he slowly said, “You say this is your home. What proof do you have? Our Heaven’s Gate Sect has established itself here for over a thousand years. We have never seen anyone come…”
“Are you the sect leader here?” Ling Yi glanced at Lian Ziqing, interrupting him.
Lian Ziqing nodded. “Correct. My name is Lian Ziqing. I am the thirteenth-generation Sect Leader of the Heaven’s Gate Sect…”
“Junior,” Ling Yi calmly interrupted again, his tone flat. “Now you see me. I have come. And I will come again in the future! I won’t consider driving you away just because you occupy this place. But this blessed land is not the sole property of your Heaven’s Gate Sect. I come and go as I please. Do you have any objections?”
Lian Ziqing’s eyelids twitched twice violently. He said, “Friend, you’re not even fifty years old, are you? Calling me a junior seems a bit too presumptuous, doesn’t it?”
Ling Yi looked at him impatiently. “Why dwell on such minor details? Speak plainly. What do you want?”
Lian Ziqing: “…”
I want to figure out your background!
I don’t believe you are a descendant of this grotto abode’s owner!
If not for the two Golden Body members mysteriously falling to the ground just now, Lian Ziqing wouldn’t be wasting words with Ling Yi.
He wanted to test the waters, but after talking for so long, he hadn’t learned anything. Instead, the other party interrupted him several times.
For Lian Ziqing, this was unacceptable.
He wanted to personally make a move and test him!
This middle-aged man’s cultivation level was clearly not high. If I attack instantly, I might be able to subdue him!
With that thought, Lian Ziqing acted almost immediately!
But at the very moment he made his move, he suddenly saw the middle-aged man opposite him form another hand seal…
Bad!
Lian Ziqing cried out in his heart.
Then, it felt as if a heavy hammer had struck his chest squarely.
Lian Ziqing, a Peak Dao-Entry expert, was flung backward like a cannonball.
He spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air.
He was blasted hundreds of meters away, landed on the ground, hunched over, and coughed up two more mouthfuls of blood.
When he raised his head again, his eyes were filled with terror, his face pale.
“If I don’t kill people, do you think I am easy to bully?”
Ling Yi’s cold gaze swept around. No one dared to meet his eyes.
“Do you think because my cultivation seems to be merely second or third tier, I appear as insignificant as an ant in your eyes?”
Ling Yi’s voice grew even lower—
“A bunch of people who won’t believe it until they see the coffin. Do you really want me to start killing people?”
At that moment, Feng Bubian stepped forward with a flattering smile. “Friend, don’t be angry. Please calm down.”
Ling Yi looked at him coldly. “What do you want to say?”
“It’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding,” Feng Bubian said, his smile unwavering as he looked at Ling Yi. “You see, this grotto abode has been unopened for a thousand years. Our Heaven’s Gate Sect has occupied this place, so it’s inevitable we consider it ours… After all, it was ownerless before. You should understand.”
Ling Yi snorted through his nose.
“So, it’s understandable that everyone finds it hard to accept that the grotto abode has an owner now, right?”
Ling Yi looked at him. “Does a thing that doesn’t belong to you become yours just because it’s been under your noses for a long time?”
“No, no, of course not. It’s a misunderstanding. Please calm your anger,” Feng Bubian said with a smile.
“Looking at your actions, you’re not exactly a righteous sect,” Ling Yi said indifferently, looking at Feng Bubian, then glancing at Lian Ziqing over there. “With such virtue, and he’s the Sect Leader… I really don’t know what standards your sect uses to select talent. Is it whoever has the biggest fist and is the worst who gets to be Sect Leader?”
Feng Bubian was overjoyed inwardly. This was an unexpected gain. But on his face, he showed a bitter smile and said, “That is an internal matter of our sect…”
“I have no interest in interfering,” Ling Yi glanced at him. “Do you have anything else?”
“Since you, sir, say you will come often in the future… can we get acquainted? To avoid future conflicts?” Feng Bubian still wore a smile, appearing cautious.
In Ling Yi’s mind, the Demoness said, “Don’t engage with him. Here’s the chant. Leave this place quickly. One more time, and I might not be able to hold on.”
Darn it, why didn’t you say so earlier!
Ling Yi looked at Feng Bubian and shook his head. “No need. I have no interest in you. One final piece of advice: you may mine the Spirit Stone Veins here, but don’t get any ideas you shouldn’t. It’s better not to.”
After saying this, Ling Yi silently recited the chant the Demoness had just transmitted to him. His figure instantly vanished from the spot.
The entire process was witnessed by the group of Heaven’s Gate Sect members. Everyone’s eyes showed intense shock.
Hearing he appeared out of thin air and seeing him disappear into thin air with one’s own eyes were two completely different things.
They had never seen such a method before.
Even Feng Bubian couldn’t help but have a flicker in his eyes. As a Daoist, he didn’t possess this ability!
Someone who could use such a method was either a great power surpassing Dao Enlightenment, or… a Formation Master!
But there were no traces of any Formation Array here.
So… could the other party really be a hidden, untraceable, otherworldly expert?
Regardless, today had done him a huge favor!
Feng Bubian looked toward Lian Ziqing in the distance, whose face was growing paler. He immediately hurried over with a concerned expression.
“Sect Leader, Sect Leader, are you alright? Are your injuries severe? What are you all standing around for? Hurry and carry the Sect Leader back!”
Lian Ziqing watched Feng Bubian rushing toward him, reached up to touch the corner of his mouth, then straightened his back, looking perfectly calm. “Hold who? I’m perfectly fine,” he said.
As he spoke, he glanced at the group gathering around, and finally his gaze settled on the female Elder. “The opponent’s attack was strange. That definitely wasn’t his own ability. So, Elder Luoying, take two people with you and head to the Capital of Great Qin immediately to investigate, see if you can find any information about this person. If you can’t find anything for the time being, don’t rush, just take your time. If you find something, don’t alarm them—notify me right away.”
“Yes, Sect Leader. I’ll go right away,” the female Elder nodded in agreement.
Feng Bubian looked at Lian Ziqing. “Sect Leader, are you… really okay?”
Lian Ziqing shot him an annoyed look. “Of course I’m fine. I just didn’t want to escalate the conflict with the other party and risk harming all of you! What could possibly be wrong with me? It was just a single attack, and that blood was something I forced out myself! Alright, I’m going to check some of our ancestors’ old records again to look for clues. The rest of you, disperse now!”
With that, he turned and strode away, his sleeves fluttering.
Feng Bubian stood there, watching Lian Ziqing’s steady retreating steps, then shook his head and sighed. “Ah, our Sect Leader is just too proud…”
“Yeah, he’s clearly hurt.”
“It’s obvious he’s just forcing himself to hold on…”
A few Elders who hadn’t left yet stood by Feng Bubian’s side, sharing similar sentiments.
Then the group glanced at each other, and in each other’s eyes, they saw a trace of a smile.
By the time Ling Yi made it back to the fishing spot, the sky had already turned completely dark.
He checked his phone; there were many messages.
Some were from He Qin and Luo Xue, others were from Su Qingqing.
He Qin and Luo Xue wanted to gather for a get-together, while Su Qingqing was asking when he’d be home.
When he set out that morning, he’d sent a message to Su Qingqing, saying he was going out for a bit, without mentioning what he was doing.
After packing up all his fishing gear, Ling Yi thought for a moment, then released all the fish from the fish keeper back into the water, and placed the fish keeper back into the fishing gear bag.
He then rummaged through the bag, pulled out a brand new set of black sportswear, quickly changed into it, and stuffed the clothes he’d taken off into the fishing gear bag as well.
He found a large rock, tied it to the fishing gear bag, and threw it with force—
The fishing gear bag and the rock beneath it arced through the air before plunging into the water with a splash.
Ling Yi then pulled a small bottle of makeup remover from the pocket of his sportswear… then crouched by the shore and began washing his face.
Finally, after erasing all trace of his presence there, he put the unused makeup remover back in his pocket, sent a message to Su Qingqing, then flashed and disappeared into the vast, dark night.
After winding around who knows how many turns, it was nearly midnight by the time he entered the Capital City.
Su Qingqing, fully geared up, picked up Ling Yi from the roadside in a new car with no license plates.
By the time they got home, it was already past midnight.
Ling Yun had long since gone to bed.
During the meal, Su Qingqing sat beside him, looking at Ling Yi’s face, then at his brand new clothes, and couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly were you doing out there?”
“Qingqing, you have access to a lot of information. Have you ever heard of any hidden Sects or groups near our Capital City?” Ling Yi didn’t answer directly, but instead asked his own question.
Su Qingqing thought for a moment. “Hidden ones? You mean… cultivation Sects that existed before the spiritual energy surge?”
Ling Yi nodded. “Yes, exactly those.”
Su Qingqing said, “I haven’t heard of any near the Capital City, but I’ve seen mentions in records about them in other parts of the Qin State. But those Sects are all extremely secretive; they almost never have any contact with us.”
Ling Yi nodded thoughtfully. “Alright, then never mind.”
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Su Qingqing looked at Ling Yi, somewhat displeased.
“I ran into one of those Sects today, and almost got caught there. But don’t ask about this—it’s related to my powers suddenly recovering. I can’t go into details with you,” Ling Yi looked at Su Qingqing honestly.
Su Qingqing nodded. “Then I won’t ask. But you absolutely must be careful. Don’t end up attracting new enemies while you still have a bunch of troubles here.”
Ling Yi, remembering the reaction of the people from Heaven’s Gate Sect that day, smiled and said, “Seems like I already have. But don’t worry, it’s not quite what you think.”
Su Qingqing could only nod, with a touch of helplessness.
After eating and returning to his room, Ling Yi took out his phone to reply to messages from He Qin, Luo Xue, and the others, telling them he was a bit busy these days, and suggesting they hold the get-together after the Graduation Ceremony.
Apart from Luo Xue, who hadn’t joined the military for now, none of the others really had much free time either.
As things stood, within the entire Champion Class, only Ling Yi and Luo Xue hadn’t entered the military yet.
Everyone else had either gone to various legions or joined the Military Headquarters.
That was why He Qin and Luo Xue wanted to organize a proper gathering for everyone.
It was very likely that after this gathering, no one knew when they’d be able to meet up again.
Still, Ling Yi also genuinely had things to do.
Qin Jiuyue had already sent a message, confirming the specific date for the upcoming auction.
It was tomorrow night.
According to the Enchantress, he might possibly have a chance to pick up a bargain or two at the auction?
But with things like that, everything remained uncertain until the outcome arrived.
Hearing that Ling Yi wanted to attend the auction, the next morning after dropping Ling Yun off at school, Su Qingqing circled back, drove her low-key silver-gray sedan to pick up Ling Yi, and took him to the shopping mall.
“You can’t dress too casually for an auction. I’ll buy you a couple of decent outfits…” As she spoke, Su Qingqing also couldn’t help asking curiously, “But out of nowhere, why are you going to an auction?”
What Su Qingqing really wanted to ask was, auctions… those are played by the wealthy, what are you going for?
If it were someone else, she definitely would have asked exactly that, but since it was Ling Yi, she couldn’t bring herself to.
“A friend wants to show me the ropes,” Ling Yi replied with a smile.
“A male friend or a female friend?” Su Qingqing asked.
“Qin Jiuyue. Heard of her?” Ling Yi said.
“That Qin Jiuyue? The one who randomly picked a guy to sign a marriage contract with just to oppose her family?” Su Qingqing’s eyes widened. “How did you get mixed up with her?”