Yi Xiaoyao exclaimed, "Senior, this is too precious!"
"This is a Swordsmanship manual I obtained from some Ancient Ruins long ago. It is incomparably precious! However, I do not practice the Sword Dao, so I was never able to comprehend it. I just saw how talented you are in the Sword Dao, so consider it a fine sword gifted to a worthy hero!"
The silver-haired elder looked at Yi Xiaoyao, his eyes gleaming, and said with a smile.
Faced with such a powerful Swordsmanship manual, Yi Xiaoyao couldn’t bear to refuse. He thanked the elder repeatedly and accepted it.
However, this only made Yi Xiaoyao more confused. ’Who is this senior?’ he wondered. ’Why is he helping me? And what is his connection to my late maternal grandfather?’
The silver-haired elder’s gaze shifted. "I know what you are wondering," he said, "but now is not the time to tell you."
Yi Xiaoyao could only nod.
After watching the silver-haired elder wave goodbye and leave, Yi Xiaoyao eagerly began to study the Nine Swords of Slaughter.
But no matter how many times he read it, he just couldn’t understand it.
Even Yi Xiaoyao, who possessed the Sword God Bloodline, couldn’t comprehend it. This could only mean two things: first, his Cultivation was insufficient, and second, this Swordsmanship was simply too profound and esoteric!
Yi Xiaoyao spent the entire night studying it repeatedly. By the time the sky began to lighten at dawn, he still had nothing to show for his efforts.
’It’s difficult. Far too difficult!’
’These Nine Swords of Slaughter... I can only grasp bits and pieces of the very first form. The later forms are like a completely foreign language to me.’
Sighing in regret, Yi Xiaoyao could only set the matter aside for now and look out the window.
’The third day is here. I have to go back.’
It had taken him several hours to get here from the Tang Family Castle. Now, he had to take advantage of the early hour to return, or he wouldn’t make it back in time for Jin Lingfeng’s arrival at the Tang Family to marry Tang Ruoxue.
The silver-haired elder was still resting. Although Yi Xiaoyao wanted to thank him and say goodbye, he hesitated for a moment before deciding not to disturb him, slipping away quietly.
Yi Xiaoyao’s current Cultivation was at the Ninth Realm of Qi Condensation, a significant gap still existed between him and Jin Lingfeng, who was in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
But no matter what, Yi Xiaoyao would not back down one bit!
...
When sunlight bathed the land, Hunting City was festooned with lanterns and colorful banners, as if celebrating a grand festival.
The Jin Family was the number one family in Hunting City—its undisputed hegemon.
Thus, news of the marriage between Young Master Jin and Tang Ruoxue of the Tang Family Castle was known to everyone in Hunting City.
This lively and extraordinary scene was precisely how the Jin Family was celebrating the occasion.
A massive wedding procession paraded through the city, tossing out handfuls of festive trinkets along the way, attracting a large crowd of adults and children who scrambled to collect them.
At the very front, Jin Lingfeng sat atop a tall, handsome, and powerful lion-horse. Beside him was his younger brother, Jin Lingyun.
Jin Lingyun said to Jin Lingfeng, "Big Brother, when you went to the Tang Family to present the betrothal gifts three days ago, the Tang Family Castle Lord was extremely rude to you. Today, we must properly suppress the Tang Family’s arrogance!"
Hearing this, Jin Lingfeng’s eyes narrowed and he sneered, "Of course. I promised Ruoxue I would vent her anger for her. Today is the perfect opportunity."
The two exchanged a smile. The wedding procession continued until it stopped before the gates of the Tang Family Castle.
Although Tang Ruoxue and her father had a terrible reputation in the Tang Family, the Jin Family was powerful. With the relationship between the two families at stake, the Tang Family Castle had no choice but to host a grand ceremony for this marital alliance.
In front of the Tang Family Castle’s gates, a red carpet was laid out. Tang Long and several elders had already come out to greet them.
Jin Lingfeng swept his gaze over the crowd and frowned. "Today is the marital alliance between my Jin Family and your Tang Family, a major event for both of us. Why don’t I see your Fortress Master? Is he looking down on our Jin Family?"
The Tang Family elders all frowned slightly. Before they could speak, Tang Long cut in with a sneer, "Lingfeng, my worthy son-in-law, that Yi Xiaoyao has probably gone into hiding! He doesn’t dare show his face!"
At these words, the surrounding crowd of onlookers burst into an uproar, whispering amongst themselves.
The Tang Family elders were even more furious. "Tang Long!" they shouted. "How dare you speak disrespectfully of the Fortress Master!"
With the Jin Family having arrived, Tang Long had cast aside all his scruples. Besides, he loathed Yi Xiaoyao to the bone, so where would any "respect" come from?
"Hmph! Three days ago, Yi Xiaoyao made a boast to the young members of the Tang Family. All of them can testify to this!"
Tang Long continued to sneer at the Tang Family elders. "Do you know what boast Yi Xiaoyao made? He said that if my worthy son-in-law Lingfeng dared to come to the Tang Family Castle to marry my daughter, he would make him leave the Tang Family Castle lying down!"
The expressions of the Tang Family elders changed. They turned to the young Tang Family members behind them and asked, "Is this true?"
Those young Tang Family members had come today specifically to see how Yi Xiaoyao would fulfill his promise. They never expected him to have been missing for the past three days.
Now, hearing Tang Long’s words, they all began to think that Yi Xiaoyao had gone into hiding, and they were deeply disappointed in him.
Therefore, they all nodded in agreement to the elders, corroborating Tang Long’s statement.
Seeing this, the Tang Family elders were both frustrated and furious, but they couldn’t offer any defense for Yi Xiaoyao.
Jin Lingfeng, however, burst out laughing upon hearing this. "So that’s how it is! He dares to talk big but doesn’t have the ability to back it up. No wonder he’s afraid to show his face!"
"Big Brother, I heard that Yi Xiaoyao’s Cultivation is only at the Seventh Realm of Qi Condensation. How could he possibly be your match? If he really dares to come out, I’ll make him kneel and apologize to you!" Jin Lingyun added with a laugh.
The crowd erupted in laughter. Who in the city didn’t know of the two genius young masters of the Jin Family?
The older brother, Jin Lingfeng: a Ninth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance, at the First Realm of Foundation Establishment!
The younger brother, Jin Lingyun: an Eighth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance, at the Ninth Realm of Qi Condensation!
Furthermore, both were closed-door disciples personally accepted by the Sect Leader of the Cloud Transformation Sect—true dragons among men.
As for Yi Xiaoyao, although he was also a genius, he was far too inferior in comparison to these two.
So when Jin Lingyun said he would make Yi Xiaoyao kneel and apologize, no one doubted his ability to do so.
Jin Lingfeng nodded and sneered, "Trash is only good at running their mouth. When it really matters, they just hide away where no one can see them. To think the Tang Family Castle would choose a thing like that to be its Fortress Master."
"Silence!"
The faces of the Tang Family elders flushed red with anger as they roared at Jin Lingfeng and his brother.
Insulting the Tang Family Castle’s Fortress Master in front of so many people, right at their own gates—where was the Tang Family Castle’s dignity!
At once, they turned on Tang Long furiously. "The Fortress Master is still young, so his words can be forgiven. But you, Tang Long, as a member of the Tang Family, have colluded with outsiders to insult the Fortress Master and ruin the Tang Family Castle’s reputation! Your crime is unforgivable!"
Tang Long snorted coldly. "Hmph! When did I insult him? I was merely stating a fact!"
Jin Lingfeng also chimed in with a cold laugh, "And I was merely pointing out how ridiculous that fact is."
The Tang Family elders’ expressions turned extremely grim. After whispering amongst themselves for a moment, one announced, "We, the Elder Council, have jointly decided that the marital alliance between the Tang Family and the Jin Family is hereby null and void!"
Hearing this, Tang Long’s expression darkened, and he looked toward Jin Lingfeng.
Several middle-aged men stepped out from behind Jin Lingfeng and addressed the Tang Family elders. "We are elders of the Jin Family. Do you have any idea of the consequences for your Tang Family Castle for offending our Jin Family?"
Faced with such a threat, the Tang Family elders immediately began to hesitate.
The surrounding crowd broke into discussion again. Everyone now understood that the Jin Family was using this as an opportunity to suppress the Tang Family Castle.
Just then, a voice cut through the crowd, "When has the Tang Family Castle ever needed to consider the Jin Family when conducting its affairs?"
The crowd parted to form a path, and a tall youth with sharp brows and star-like eyes walked out.
This youth was none other than Yi Xiaoyao, who had set out at the crack of dawn and traveled for several hours to just now return to the Tang Family Castle!
Yi Xiaoyao had arrived just in time to witness this scene.
The Tang Family Castle may be weaker than the Jin Family, but how could they tolerate the Jin Family walking all over them?
The expressions of the Tang Family members changed in unison. "Fortress Master!" they called out to Yi Xiaoyao.
Yi Xiaoyao nodded slightly and ordered the steward, "Take all these red wedding decorations and replace them with white funeral items!"
"Because someone might be dying next!"