Hearing the words from the young woman before him, King Zhou was momentarily taken aback.
He was well aware of his daughter's character. She usually held herself high above others, often looking down on ordinary men. However, as a princess, she certainly had the right to do so.
What piqued his curiosity was what kind of man could actually capture the heart of his daughter.
"Xiao Qi, tell me, which talented young man have you taken a liking to?" King Zhou asked with a slight smile.
Princess Zhou Li pondered for a moment and replied, "I don't know which family he belongs to, but I know his name. His name is Ling Feng."
"Ling Feng? WHAT? You mean, Ling Feng?!" King Zhou's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yes, he said his name is Ling Feng. Father, is there something wrong? Is he famous?" Zhou Li asked, puzzled by her father's reaction.
Having lived in the palace for many years, she was largely unaware of the happenings outside. But from her father's expression, it seemed Ling Feng's reputation was quite significant.
Well, that face alone was enough to dominate the world!
"Ahem, he's not just famous; he's someone the entire Great Zhou knows! He is the new number one on the Heaven Ranking!"
Zhou Li's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn't the number one on the Heaven Ranking my grandpa, the Heavenly Sword Saint? How did it become him?!"
"He is tied for first place with your grandpa."
"How can that be? He's so young!"
"Xiao Qi, you must understand that there are always some unreasonable geniuses in this world! And Ling Feng is one of those geniuses!"
At this point, King Zhou, filled with curiosity, asked, "By the way, Xiao Qi, why do you suddenly want to marry Ling Feng? What do you see in him?"
"He's so handsome!" Zhou Li blinked, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "I've never seen anyone more handsome in my life."
King Zhou thought of Ling Feng's looks.
That was indeed true.
Even he had to admit that if there were a beauty ranking in the Great Zhou, Ling Feng would undoubtedly be the first without any competition.
Hearing Zhou Li's words, he couldn't help but twitch his mouth. "You want to marry him just because he's good-looking?"
"Ah, is that reason not enough?"
"Xiao Qi, it's not that your father is saying this, but that sounds more like a physical attraction than true love!" King Zhou said, slightly exasperated.
"Exactly! I'm being honest; I deserve praise for that!" Zhou Li replied cheerfully.
King Zhou, unable to argue further, finally agreed to let her give it a try.
At that moment, deep within the palace.
Ling Feng returned to his residence, where a group of maidens had already prepared bathwater and dinner for him.
Everything was well arranged.
These maidens had been sent by King Zhou to serve him.
Originally, he intended to let them leave, but they all insisted on staying voluntarily, saying that it was King Zhou's order. If Ling Feng sent them away, King Zhou would think they hadn't served him well and would punish them.
Thus, Ling Feng allowed them to remain.
"Sir, the bathwater is ready. Would you like to bathe first or have your meal?" one maiden asked with a smile.
"Let's bathe first."
"Alright, then let me assist you with your bath," she said, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Ling Feng quickly waved his hand. "That won't be necessary."
Upon hearing this, disappointment flickered in the maiden's eyes.
After Ling Feng left, a few maidens gathered together and began to whisper.
"Today, Young Master Ling looks so handsome!"
"Yeah, I envy the people of White Cloud Sect for being able to see that face every day. If I could see him every day, would that extend my life?"
"Exactly! Just looking at that face makes my mood so much better every day, doesn't that mean I can live longer? I really hope he can stay in the palace for a while longer."
"And he's so humble and polite. I heard he's the number one on the Heaven Ranking, but he doesn't have an ounce of arrogance. That's truly rare."
"Could he be a celestial being descended to the mortal realm?"
"Who knows?"
In the bathing pool.
Ling Feng stripped off his clothes and stepped into the water, where flower petals floated atop.
Every time he bathed, his body emerged smelling delightful.
"Ah, if it weren't for the treachery of this palace, life here would be quite comfortable," Ling Feng sighed.
After bathing and having his meal.
That night.
Ling Feng sat on the rooftop, admiring the moon.
Suddenly.
He heard a sound and sensed someone approaching.
In the moonlight, a golden-robed elder wielding a sword walked toward him, radiating a fierce sword intent.
The intensity of the sword intent enveloped the surrounding area.
It pressed down on Ling Feng from all directions!
"With such sword intent, even the Master of the Hidden Sword Villa, falls slightly short. If I'm not mistaken, you must be the number one on the Heaven Ranking, the Heavenly Sword Saint!"
---
Looking at the visitor, Ling Feng smiled slightly and directly revealed his identity.
Despite being enveloped in the unparalleled sword intent, he felt no pressure whatsoever.
The Heavenly Sword Saint, upon hearing this, calmly replied, "Young friend Ling Feng, it's truly better to meet in person. There are not more than three people in the entire Great Zhou who can remain so composed in the face of my sword intent. Liu Rusi has taken a good disciple!"
"Heh, it's a long night. Would you like to join me in enjoying the moon, senior?" Ling Feng smiled.
"Then I'll gladly accept your invitation," the Heavenly Sword Saint said, not refusing.
In a flash, he leapt onto the rooftop and sat beside Ling Feng. At the same time, a jar of fine wine appeared in his hand.
Ling Feng's nose twitched. "Is that Fine Jade Wine?!"
"Indeed, it's the Fine Jade Wine brewed by the Wine Saint! Care for a taste?"
"Then I won't hold back," Ling Feng said.
The two enjoyed the moonlight and sipped wine.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, covering topics from astronomy to geography, discussing rivers and the sun, the seven dynasties, and the heroes of the world…
The more they talked, the more they resonated with each other.
With Ling Feng's innate charm, the Heavenly Sword Saint found himself liking him more and more. "I should have met you earlier!"
"Heh, it's not too late to meet now, is it?"
"Not too late at all."
The two chatted throughout the night.
The next day.
King Zhou visited and happened to find Ling Feng and the Heavenly Sword Saint chatting together.
"I wonder if King Zhou's visit is for something important?" Ling Feng asked curiously.
King Zhou cleared his throat. "I actually came here to… propose a marriage."
Hearing this, Ling Feng was momentarily stunned.
What did he say?
A marriage proposal?
What was going on?
"To be honest, I have a daughter who fell in love at first sight with you in the Imperial Garden yesterday…" King Zhou briefly explained the situation.
Ling Feng hadn't expected the person he met yesterday to be the princess. He quickly replied, "I'm honored by Your Majesty's and the princess's affection, but I currently have no plans to start a family."
He declined politely.
Upon hearing this, King Zhou felt somewhat regretful. If he could have Ling Feng as a son-in-law, it would be a tremendous benefit for the Great Zhou.
Unfortunately, the princess had feelings, but the young man did not.
After leaving, King Zhou told Zhou Li about the matter and sighed helplessly, "Xiao Qi, it's not that your father doesn't want to help you, it's just that he doesn't have that intention."
"Father, can't you do anything about it?" Zhou Li felt a bit sad.
"Alas, if it were anyone else, I could simply issue a decree and they would have to comply. Unfortunately, Ling Feng is not an ordinary person. To be blunt, if you could truly marry him, that would be us reaching for the stars."