Early the next morning, Ling Yun got up bright and early. Today was the last day of the Lantern Festival, and he couldn't miss it.
To his surprise, Li Rou wasn't feeling well today, looking quite fatigued, so she didn't go with him. Instead, she sent a few guards to accompany him.
"Young master, I am the daughter of Commander Lin Qin from the city defense forces. May I have the honor of making your acquaintance?"
As soon as he stepped onto the street, a woman in a colorful robe approached him.
Ling Yun glanced at her. "Not interested."
The woman's face fell, but she didn't get angry. She simply left with a slight scowl.
After that, every few minutes, another person would come up to flirt with him. They were so persistent that the entire street became crowded.
With no other choice, Ling Yun had the guards drive them away, finally gaining some peace and quiet.
"Have you heard? The Zhen family was wiped out yesterday."
"No way, the Zhen family is the most powerful in Cloud Sea City, and they have two powerful Cave Heaven realm experts. Who could do something like that?"
"It's true. My aunt's husband works at the City Lord's Mansion. He said the Zhen Residence was filled with corpses. The scene was horrifying."
"I heard a rumor that the young lady, Zhen Xuejian, had her head cut off, and they couldn't even find the rest of her body."
"Looks like things are about to change in Cloud Sea City."
...
Ling Yun listened intently to the chatter, feeling waves of shock wash over him.
The Zhen family, wiped out? Zhen Xuejian, dead?
Ling Yun couldn't shake the feeling that this had something to do with Li Rou—perhaps she was even the one behind it.
He recalled something someone in leather armor once said: There are no coincidences in this world, only long-planned schemes.
"Even Cave Heaven cultivators couldn't escape. It seems Li Rou's cultivation must be at least at the Divine Soul realm."
This information was crucial for Ling Yun. He now had a clearer understanding of Li Rou's strength.
"Take him away."
Suddenly, a squad of soldiers marched toward Ling Yun, their expressions fierce as they moved to seize him without explanation.
"Officer, may I ask what crime I've committed? Why are you arresting me?"
Ling Yun immediately saw through the lead soldier's cultivation—just the fifth level of Qi Refinement, and the rest were weaker, only at the third or fourth level.
Dealing with them wouldn't be a problem for him.
"Shut up! I suspect you of being a spy from the Heaven Wind Kingdom. Take him away!" the lead soldier barked.
Clang!
The moment the soldiers touched Ling Yun, the guards at his side drew their blades, severing several hands in an instant.
So fast!
No one present even had time to process what had happened before the soldiers were on the ground, howling in pain.
"How dare you attack soldiers! You're dead!" Even with his hands cut off, the lead soldier continued to issue threats.
Two of the guards stepped forward without a word and swiftly decapitated all the soldiers.
Throughout the process, the guards remained silent, their faces hidden behind masks. They were like killing machines.
Ling Yun didn't intervene. He knew the guards only followed Li Rou's orders, and there was no point in trying to stop them.
"They've done it now, killing government soldiers."
"That delicate young master from the Ling Residence will surely suffer in prison..."
...
After all the commotion, Ling Yun no longer felt like wandering the streets and decided to head back to the residence. (And definitely not because he was afraid of trouble with the authorities.)
"Young master, please wait."
Just then, a nun dressed in yellow robes called out to Ling Yun.
Upon seeing a nun, Ling Yun didn't dare be disrespectful and quickly bowed in greeting.
"May I ask, Master, what do you need?"
The Buddhist Sect—an absolute powerhouse in the Phoenix Dynasty. Their disciples were everywhere, though they rarely involved themselves in worldly affairs.
Because of this, many doubted the sect's true strength, but those who questioned it often ended up meeting the King of Hell.
"I am Jingxin. May I ask, who are these individuals?" Jingxin asked, palms pressed together in a gesture of respect.
"They are guards from my residence, tasked with protecting me," Ling Yun replied, pointing at the guards.
"I see. Amitabha. My apologies for the disturbance." Jingxin bowed again before departing without further questions.
"Buddha be praised! Master, safe travels. Please feel free to visit my residence for tea anytime."
Ling Yun clasped his hands together in a respectful gesture, putting on a show of piety before quickly leaving with his guards.
He had no choice. If the City Lord's soldiers arrived and Li Rou wasn't around, he'd be in serious trouble.
Better to return to the residence and let Li Rou handle the rest.
"A corpse puppet from the Cave Heaven realm and a boy with such a dense Yang aura... I must see what kind of place this Ling Residence truly is," Jingxin murmured to herself as she fingered the beads of her prayer necklace, the six-ringed staff in her other hand.
Ling Yun had left a good impression on her. Not only was he stunningly handsome, but his manners and refinement were also impeccable.
If she could persuade him to join the Buddhist Sect and cultivate alongside her, that would be ideal.
...
After returning to the Ling Residence, Ling Yun recounted the day's events to Li Rou. However, she didn't seem concerned and simply told him to rest.
"It seems I'll have to move up the plan. We'll act tonight," Li Rou muttered to herself.
Originally, she had planned to wait until Ling Yun's Yang energy grew even stronger, but her charming disciple was attracting too much trouble.
He had even come into contact with someone from the Buddhist Sect today. To avoid further complications, it was best to proceed ahead of schedule.
Night fell quickly, and after bathing, Ling Yun was about to go to bed.
Bang!
The door was suddenly flung open, and Li Rou staggered in.
Ling Yun was shocked to see her in such a disheveled state—her hair was a mess, her clothes torn, and blood still smeared at the corner of her mouth.
But even in her current state, her beauty was undeniable.
"Master, what happened to you?" Ling Yun rushed over to help her.
"Disciple, the City Lord's soldiers attacked. The guards have suffered heavy casualties, and I was overwhelmed and gravely injured," Li Rou gasped, her brow furrowed. The black flame mark between her brows had dimmed significantly.
Ling Yun quickly helped her sit on the bed, then opened the door to check outside.
He saw the guards locked in a desperate battle with a group of soldiers. The situation was dire.
"Something's wrong!"
Ling Yun quickly realized that something was off—the sounds of fighting had erupted all at once.
If the City Lord's soldiers had truly launched an attack, he should have heard them coming long ago.
And by his estimates, Li Rou's cultivation was at least in the Divine Soul realm.
In a remote and underdeveloped place like Cloud Sea City, even Cave Heaven realm cultivators were rare. Who could have injured her?
Could it be...
"Master, what should we do? Should we try to escape?" Ling Yun asked, wiping the blood from Li Rou's lips with a towel.
Wait, wasn't this the towel he used for his bath? Oh well, it didn't matter.
"Escape is impossible. The City Lord's soldiers have set up a net around the residence."
Li Rou's eyes softened for a moment as she felt Ling Yun's tender care, but the emotion quickly vanished.
"Then what should we do?" Ling Yun asked, feigning fear.
"Disciple, there is only one way. I need your help to get us out of this situation." Li Rou grasped Ling Yun's hands firmly.
Finally, the day had come...