Chapter 86

Humans are complex creatures. They can grind their teeth in hatred when they have enemies, and yet miss the pain their opponents bring when those enemies are gone. This is perhaps the reason why the higher you climb, the colder it gets; throughout history, the loneliest have been those without rivals. Especially for someone at Ye Gucheng's level, there are few who can capture his attention!

Of course, there are still many experts in the world, but those who can wield a sword to his level are few and far between.

Now, the only people who can interest him are of two types: swordsmen of the same caliber and newcomers with great potential! Many villains enjoy the pleasure of personally cultivating their rivals, manifesting this by slowly sending cannon fodder from low to high, using combat to nurture a small rookie into a hero capable of challenging them.

Some might mock such a foolish boss, but has anyone ever considered that any major villain with the goal of destroying the world has already reached the pinnacle of status and ability! At such a time, if not destroying the world, what else is there to pass the time! It's not easy to find someone who wants to resist, so giving them enough time and experience, provided they have the potential, is not unreasonable!

Freud believed that humans are born with a destructive tendency. Whether Ye Gucheng has the impulse to destroy the world is unknown, but he truly gets excited when he sees a swordsman with potential!

Experts can sense each other. When he saw Ling Xiao grasp the essence of the sword, he felt a thrill and decided to test him, and the result was very satisfying. Although Ling Xiao was still very weak, his potential for development was enormous!

Now, he is even more excited because this young man has clearly brought him an even greater surprise.

Handsome and tall, he stands like a righteous sword in the world, embracing all like the sea, not oppressive but with a dignity that permeates. The sword intent is solemnly and almost perfectly integrated with his body, a fine seed of the sword path!

"Who are you?" In Ye Gucheng's eyes, Ji Xiaoming has risen to a new level, becoming a worthy opponent to cultivate!

Ling Xiao almost burst into tears at that moment, thinking, "Do you have to be so direct? Asking for a name right away!" With his plot about to unfold, he wouldn't impulsively draw his sword and attack, right? Probably... not!

The final battle at the Forbidden City's peak is the biggest event in the capital, and there's no way Xiao Ming wouldn't know about it. Meeting Ye Gucheng today was unexpected. Facing the inquiry of a sword path senior, Xiao Ming smiled and answered, "Ji Xiaoming!"

Ling Xiao's heart skipped a beat. Despite Ye Gucheng's face remaining as calm as a still lake, a chill still made Ling Xiao's hair stand on end!

"Do you have the surname Ji?" The scene was momentarily awkward, and it was Princess Feifeng who broke the silence first. Her usually cheerful expression turned cold for the first time, and this was the first time Ling Xiao saw her without a smile. For some reason, he felt it was a sin, a joyful spirit filled with anger and hatred, and the one who gave her this must be unforgivable!

Xiao Ming was momentarily confused. How did the pleasant atmosphere suddenly turn so tense? "Uh, yes, I have the surname Ji!"

"Where is your sword attendant?" Ye Gucheng asked, looking him up and down.

Xiao Ming was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a question. After some thought, he said, "Since you can ask such a question, you must have some knowledge of the Ji family. As for a sword attendant, I don't have that kind of fortune!" His tone was full of self-mockery, making Ling Xiao look at him with concern. It seemed this guy's prospects were not optimistic!

Ye Gucheng nodded and said, "Let's go, he's just a minor character!" With that, he led the way downstairs.

Princess Feifeng glared at Xiao Ming and coldly said to Ling Xiao, "I'll tell my brother about this today! Humph!" Then she followed Ye Gucheng downstairs!

Ling Xiao stood there until he could no longer see their backs, then he let out a sigh of relief, sitting back in his chair and turning to the still puzzled Xiao Ming. "Phew! If he goes crazy, we'd both be in trouble today!"

Xiao Ming frowned and asked, "I've never seen them before! Why do they seem to have such deep enmity?"

Ling Xiao shrugged, "Don't worry, it's not your fault, it's all the fault of your Ji family!"

Xiao Ming asked in a small voice, "What kind of enmity?"

Ling Xiao looked around, and the female heroes, who had been weakened by Ye Gucheng's presence, now released their killing intent again. Ling Xiao didn't mind and said lightly, "The hatred of a wife being killed!"

Xiao Ming's eyebrows shot up, and he smiled bitterly, "So I'm just collateral damage!"

Ling Xiao nodded with a smirk, "In such a domineering family, being collateral damage is inevitable!"

Whenever the topic of family came up, Xiao Ming's face turned bitter, making Ling Xiao feel uncomfortable. "By the way, what's your situation in the Ji family? Why did Ye Gucheng say you're just a minor character? As far as I know, only the imperial clan can have the surname 'Ji'!"

Xiao Ming sighed and drank the whole cup of tea like wine, saying slowly, "I'm not a big shot, just a shiny straw shoe!"

...

People came and went around Ling Xiao. He crossed his arms, touched his chin, and stroked his often-groomed beard, a habit he had when thinking. He could touch his hair, the back of his head, his nose, his ears—anything that could help him quickly enter a state of deep thought.

Today's gains were significant. Although he and Ji Xiaoming had a life-and-death friendship, it had been so long, and he never expected him to tell him so much! Especially the secrets about the Xuanyuan Sword!

Could it be that this guy is so at odds with the Ji family?

"Excuse me, sir, can I trouble you for a moment?"

The voice was melodious and clear, like a stream, neither coquettish nor domineering, and not the soft, weak tone of a southern woman. It was simply captivating!

Ling Xiao looked up to see a gentle and beautiful woman. She wore a pink dress, the material of which suggested she was from a noble family. Her face was not strikingly beautiful, but her delicate features were pleasant to look at, and she exuded a gentle and considerate aura.

"Whoever marries her must have great virtue!" This was Ling Xiao's thought, of course, before he saw the sword in her hand.

The purple hilt was intricately carved with mysterious patterns, and the ancient sheath was very exquisite, exuding a powerful and majestic aura.

Ling Xiao was taken aback and said, "What did you ask?" He glanced at the sword intentionally or unintentionally.

The woman smiled gently, making Ling Xiao feel at ease. "Excuse me, sir, how do I get to the Yuelai Inn?"

Ling Xiao looked around and realized he was the only one leisurely strolling on the street, which was why the woman asked him for directions. "Go two blocks and turn left, the noisiest place is there!"

The woman nodded and smiled, "Thank you!" Then she walked away, her back view graceful and natural.

Watching the woman walk away, Ling Xiao swallowed, having had his fill of eye candy!

"Like her? Then take out the imperial edict! What good is drooling?" A sarcastic voice pulled Ling Xiao's attention back.

"I rely on my inner qualities, not coercion! By the way, why are you here, Master?" Ling Xiao asked, turning around.

"The Emperor has summoned you to return to the palace urgently!" Ling Lingfa rolled his eyes.

Ling Xiao snorted, "That brat is quick!"

...

Bang!

The doors of the Golden Hall closed for the first time in Ling Xiao's memory. "Quick, quick, quick! What inside information do you have? Spill it!" The Emperor rubbed his hands anxiously.

Ling Xiao's head seemed to suddenly sprout three exclamation marks. "Please! I just asked and then rushed to the palace, people will talk!" His veins bulged, and he almost shouted.

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively, "Pfft! You didn't even avoid suspicion when you were gathering intelligence, now you're acting like a big shot!"

When Princess Feifeng pouted and complained, the Emperor was genuinely shocked! He spent the next half hour with Ling Lingfa and Baihu to fully understand the situation regarding Ji Xiaoming. Only then did he realize that Ling Xiao had such an impressive friend!

However, the Emperor was not worried; instead, a glimmer of hope arose! Reflecting on it, it seemed that since Ling Xiao entered his field of vision, everything had been moving in a positive direction. He had just told him about the fate and the Ji family, and this guy had already brought in an "informant"!

Ling Xiao smiled, "It seems we're on the same page!"

Ling Lingfa nodded, "No one is stupid! Regardless of what this 'Ji' kid told you, it's a secret! Since he's willing to talk, it shows his attitude towards the Ji family is very intriguing!"

The Emperor agreed, "Indeed, especially choosing a place like the Yuelai Inn, where there are many people and many mouths! Don't underestimate the complexity of the various forces in the capital. I guarantee that news of your meeting has already reached the Ji family's ears! Since that's the case, I'll make it more obvious by urgently summoning you to the palace, making them think this matter is extremely important! This will shift their attention to Ji Xiaoming, as they don't know what you discussed!"

Ling Lingfa rolled his eyes at Ling Xiao, "The Emperor is indirectly diverting the Ji family's attention, protecting you!"

Ling Xiao shook his head and sighed, "You're playing with fire! The stakes are high!"

"So stop being mysterious and talk!" The Emperor and Ling Lingfa said, as if it was worth it.

As Ling Lingfa said, no one is stupid. Ling Xiao saw from Ji Xiaoming's words and actions that he was not doing well, and when Ling Xiao saw an opportunity, Ji Xiaoming was also using this opportunity to express his stance.

The appearance of Princess Feifeng and Ye Gucheng was indeed unexpected, but it made the Emperor make this risky decision immediately. Urgently summoning Ling Xiao to the palace successfully diverted the Ji family's attention but also exposed the royal family's vigilance towards the Ji family. Otherwise, why would they be so concerned about the Ji family's affairs?

The Emperor was gambling, betting that the information Ling Xiao knew was valuable enough! Valuable enough to offset the loss of the royal family moving from the shadows to the light!

Ling Xiao took a deep breath and said solemnly, "The Ji family is very powerful!"

"Obvious!" ×2.

Ling Xiao continued, "The Ji family has many affiliated families, but only the true main family can have the surname Ji! However, Ji Xiaoming's situation is different. In his own words, he is a shiny straw shoe, looking valuable and beautiful on the outside but ultimately a lowly position! Members of the Ji family have a noble status and absolute authority in the family and the martial world. To demonstrate this supreme authority, every Ji family member is equipped with at least two sword attendants! Sword attendants can be male or female, and they have strict requirements for appearance and strength, not considering anyone below the innate level! Ji family members rarely act personally unless the opponent is of significant importance; everything is handled by the sword attendants! Ji Xiaoming, although he has the surname Ji, doesn't even have a sword attendant! This shows how poorly he is doing!"

The Emperor frowned and asked, "Can this person be won over?"

Ling Xiao shook his head regretfully, "At least not now. From my conversation with him, I can clearly sense that although he is very dissatisfied with the Ji family, he is powerless! He might even be in despair! As for the secrets he told me, I think it's just a matter of doing what he can, better than nothing!"

The Emperor nodded and pondered for a moment, "What else did he tell you? Anything about the Xuanyuan Sword?"

"Yes!" Ling Lingfa and the Emperor perked up, listening intently.

Ling Xiao said solemnly, "According to him, the Ji family cannot fully control the Xuanyuan Sword!"

This news was like a bolt of lightning, making the Emperor tremble with excitement. "What's the situation?"

Ling Xiao continued, "There are two conditions for controlling the Xuanyuan Sword. First, one must have the bloodline of the Yellow Emperor, and this bloodline must be strong enough. Second, one must have virtue, such as the Emperor's virtue of overseeing the world and benefiting the people. The Ji family, although not the direct descendants of the Yellow Emperor, once married into the Xuanyuan family! A thin thread of blood still flows in their veins, and every so often, this bloodline erupts, allowing a family member to qualify to use the Xuanyuan Sword! This member is then granted the surname Xuanyuan! As for virtue, since this fate is not bestowed by heaven but is inherent in the Xuanyuan Sword, lacking virtue will result in being harmed by the fate, like overeating! One could say that using it once costs half a life!"

"Phew! What kind of holy sword is this! It's like playing with life! It's a demonic sword!" Ling Lingfa exclaimed.

The Emperor shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous. The Xuanyuan Sword is a holy sword of righteousness. The Ji family lacks the ability to govern the world, so they naturally can't bear this fate! Is there more?"

"Yes! And it's the most important!" Ling Xiao looked at their expectant faces and said, "I finally understand why the Ji family abandoned the method of beheading to control the government!"