Chapter 46

The Lei Zun Manor can be considered a thousand-year-old prestigious family in the Zhuque Kingdom, whose ancestors were the founding heroes of the kingdom.

The Lei Zun Manor has produced generations of talents, with a thousand years of prosperity, and its influence spans the entire nation.

The Zhuque Kingdom has an invincible army called the 'Lei Ming Army,' which is stationed at the border to defend the nation.

For a thousand years, the Lei Ming Army has almost become the private army of the Lei Zun Manor, with its army commander always being the 'Lei Zun' of the Lei Zun Manor.

However, the Lei Zun Manor has never been accused of overshadowing the ruler. For a thousand years, the Lei Zun Manor has been law-abiding and supportive of the king.

It is precisely because of this that the Lei Zun Manor has continued to flourish, with talented and powerful individuals never in short supply.

The Lei Zun Manor is located in the southern district of Yan City, leading among the various clans in the southern district.

Although its manor is not as luxurious as the Star Manor and Chen Palace, it is grand and imposing.

From above, one can see the purple glazed tiles everywhere, shimmering with light and heavy with solemnity.

At this moment, in the deepest courtyard of the Lei Zun Manor, Liu Qing, with a respectful expression, led Li Yanfeng to this place.

Before them was a simple thatched cottage, which seemed out of place in the entire Lei Zun Manor.

Only the people of the Lei Zun Manor knew that this was the place where their 'Lei Zun' meditated, and it was a place that ordinary people dared not step into.

To come here, one must be summoned by the Lei Zun.

Clearly, Li Yanfeng and Liu Qing had been summoned this time. Liu Qing, who was coming to this place for the first time, looked a bit nervous.

"Your junior disciple Liu Qing, with my husband Li Yanfeng, pays respects to Lei Zun."

She pulled Li Yanfeng, with a respectful face, and knelt down in front of the thatched cottage. Since the door was not opened, they naturally did not dare to enter.

"Hmm." A hoarse voice came from inside the thatched cottage, indicating that the speaker was very old.

However, this hoarse voice carried absolute authority, a presence forged by decades of dominance.

Li Yanfeng, who controlled a city, was easily suppressed here.

"Li Yanfeng." The Lei Zun in the thatched cottage called out.

"Your junior is here." Li Yanfeng lowered his head.

"I have heard about you. You are willing to become a part of our Lei Zun Manor and are very sincere. I appreciate you and can accept you."

The Lei Zun's voice was hoarse, showing no emotion, but each word was powerful.

"Thank you, Lei Zun. Yanfeng will dedicate his life to the Lei Zun Manor, ready to shed blood and sacrifice for it." Li Yanfeng said, slightly excited.

"There's no need to pledge loyalty in words. I only look at actions."

"To be honest, your strength is very good. In our Lei Zun Manor, you can rank among the top. If you were from a prestigious family, you could have had ten times the power you have now." The Lei Zun said.

Li Yanfeng lowered his head, waiting for the Lei Zun to continue.

"Once you break through this realm, you will be among the top ten strongest in our Lei Zun Manor. I plan to heavily rely on you and grant you our Lei Zun Manor's Heavenly Will cultivation technique."

Upon hearing this, Li Yanfeng and Liu Qing's faces showed great joy.

They tried to control their happiness, as it seemed to have come too suddenly, and Li Yanfeng himself was unprepared.

At this moment, the only thing he could do was to kneel on both knees, his voice hoarse with excitement, and say:

"Thank you, Lei Zun. Yanfeng knows gratitude, and Lei Zun knows how important the Heavenly Will cultivation technique is to Yanfeng."

"I won't make empty promises about my future loyalty. Please judge me by my actions. If you are not satisfied, please punish me at any time."

Each word he spoke was heartfelt.

"That's not necessary. You are not a young, hot-blooded youth. At your age, you can see the pros and cons clearly."

"Our Lei Zun Manor can support you, but it can also bring you to ruin."

"Smart people do smart things. I trust you completely in terms of ability."

The Lei Zun spoke decisively, and the casual words he uttered carried a heavy pressure, making Liu Qing break out in a cold sweat.

But no matter what, Li Yanfeng never expected that he would receive what he had longed for without doing anything for the Lei Zun Manor.

He was a self-made man, with no background, and he knew how hard he had worked to get to where he was, enduring countless hardships.

The hardest part was that he had talent but could not join the ranks of the top-tier powerhouses in the Zhuque Kingdom due to the lack of the Heavenly Will cultivation technique.

Until today, the Lei Zun Manor gave him this opportunity.

Li Tianming once thought that his father's marriage to Liu Qing was just about the Yanhuang Order and the divine source, but he had underestimated Li Yanfeng.

What he wanted was power and a backing, and the opportunity to become one of the top powerhouses in the nation.

As for Liu Qing, due to her father's death, her family's influence in the Lei Zun Manor had declined, and she needed a man to support her family.

"You have just arrived in Yan City and are not familiar with the Lei Zun Manor. Let me give you a small task first." The Lei Zun said.

"Please instruct."

"My granddaughter, Xiao Xiao, is about to participate in the Yanhuang Academy's ranking battle."

"This child likes to act independently. I need someone to secretly protect her. You know, I have suppressed many people in my life, including some desperate ones." The Lei Zun said.

"Lei Zun, rest assured. I will value her life more than my own." This was actually a simple task.

"Remember, unless there is a life-threatening danger, do not appear in front of her. Young people need to be tested."

"Furthermore, if you appear, with Xiao Xiao's temper, she won't give you another chance to protect her."

"Understood." Li Yanfeng nodded.

He tightly held Liu Qing's hand.

The future seemed full of hope and sweetness.

...

Lin Xiaoxiao did not know that when she turned fifteen and truly stepped out of the Lei Zun Manor for the first time to enter the outside world, her family had already found a bodyguard for her.

After successfully passing the test, she had become an official disciple of the Yanhuang Academy.

So, she could move freely within the academy.

However, everyone knew that she was temporarily affiliated with the 'Ten Thousand Beast Hall.' After the ranking battle, she might become a high-ranking Tianfu disciple.

Lin Xiaoxiao was not new to the Yanhuang Academy. In fact, she had visited it dozens of times and even lived in the Tianfu for a period.

When she arrived again, the Tianfu's guard master just smiled and let her in.

"Xiaoxiao, there should be no problem entering the Tianfu after the ranking battle, right?" the guard master asked.

"I will do my best." Lin Xiaoxiao was a very likable girl.

She did not have the ostentatious air of the Lei Zun Manor and was very polite to everyone.

After entering the Tianfu, which was very mysterious to outsiders, she easily found her way to a courtyard.

The courtyard's door was slightly ajar, and Lin Xiaoxiao gently pushed it open, revealing a sea of flowers inside, with the fragrance of fresh flowers everywhere.

Many birds chirped from the branches, and in the distance, there were artificial hills and streams, making it seem like a paradise on earth.

These flowers and trees were planted and cultivated by the owner, making the place even more fragrant and charming.

Lin Xiaoxiao walked along a pebble path, the fragrance of the flowers and trees filling the air, making her feel very comfortable.

Suddenly, the sound of a zither came from ahead.

The zither music was melodious and moving, harmonizing with the sea of flowers in the courtyard, as if the flowers and trees had come to life.

This zither music showed the owner's high level of cultivation and skill, exuding elegance in every note.

In front of Lin Xiaoxiao was a clear lake, where large and small goldfish were swimming happily, as if dancing to the zither music.

Looking ahead, she saw a small pavilion in the middle of the lake.

On this sunny day, a woman in a simple white dress was playing the zither in the pavilion.

Her slender hands, like fairies, danced on the zither strings, playing beautiful music.

The woman's white dress was a light blue with pink edges, and when she played, the long hem of the dress spread out like clouds around her. Her face was covered with a transparent light veil, revealing the outline of her cheeks, a slightly raised nose, and a smile on her red lips, forming a beautiful curve, like a crescent moon. Her hair, like a brown waterfall, cascaded down, and her skin was as smooth as jade from the Heavenly Pool. Her beautiful eyes, deep and clear, were like the lakes in the depths of the grassland, crystal clear and pure.

The birds chirping, the flowers fragrant, the lake rippling, and the zither music floating, the scene of this white-dressed girl playing the zither was like a fairy in a painting.

In the gentle breeze, the woman seemed like a pure white lotus in the lake.

"Xiaoxiao, you're here. Did you pass the test?" At this moment, the zither music stopped.

The woman removed the light veil from her face and gracefully stood up.

Her graceful figure was faintly visible in the light dress, making her a spotless and crystal-clear beauty.

"I passed." Lin Xiaoxiao smiled and quickly walked to the pavilion, saying, "Sister Qingqing, your zither music is so beautiful. I really envy my brother for having such an elegant partner."

"Xiaoxiao, you're so sweet." The woman smiled and said, "It's been half a year since we last met. Xiaoxiao is getting more and more beautiful. At fifteen, you are already so beautiful, and in the future, you will be a national beauty."

"Unfortunately, beauty doesn't help much in cultivation. I still hope to be recognized for my strength." Lin Xiaoxiao said.

"Right, Xiaoxiao will definitely become a world-class powerhouse, even surpassing your brother."

"That's true. My goal is to surpass Lin Xiaoting and make him pay for bullying me when we were young, hehe."

In front of the woman, Lin Xiaoxiao seemed more relaxed, showing her playful side.

"No problem, I will definitely support you and help you beat him."

The woman's oval face turned slightly red, looking very appetizing.

They talked about the test for a while, and the woman asked, "Do you know your opponents for the ranking battle? Are you confident?"

"I am somewhat confident. Being a twin beast master gives me some advantages, but it still depends on the specific situation."

Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes were determined, showing her strong desire to become the top disciple and catch up with her brother's glory.

"Sister Qingqing believes in you. Soon, we can practice together in the Tianfu."

"The Tianfu is much quieter than the outside world, and you can learn more. For example, your brother is in seclusion again. After he comes out, he will probably break through again." The woman said proudly.

"My brother is making progress again!" Lin Xiaoxiao pursed her lips.

Talking about her brother, she suddenly remembered someone and the purpose of her visit today.

"Sister Qingqing, do you know? A bad person appeared in the hall test today." Lin Xiaoxiao said seriously.

"Bad person? Who is it?" The woman smiled and asked.

In her eyes, Lin Xiaoxiao was still a little girl.

"It's the bad person who tried to assault you three years ago, Li Tianming. Your brother killed his companion beast, do you remember?" Lin Xiaoxiao asked.

Upon hearing this, the woman's expression and demeanor suddenly froze.

Her eyes changed many times, and in the end, she pursed her lips, as