Ling Xiaodong was usually carefree and playful, always joking around without taking anything seriously.
The Daoist Nuns and Female Lay Disciples on Cat Ear Mountain all knew that Ling Xiaodong was easygoing and approachable. Before his master and Aunt Yun, he was always meek and obedient.
But no one knew that beneath this seemingly playful and unflappable exterior, Ling Xiaodong had his own bottom line.
That was his family!
Since ascending the mountain, Ling Xiaodong had lost all memories from before. In his heart, his master, Aunt Yun, and Xiao Yan were his entire world.
No matter how harsh others spoke to him, Ling Xiaodong could turn a blind eye. But if anyone harmed these three whom he regarded as family, even by losing a strand of hair or scraping their skin, he would feel a deep ache.
If a dragon’s reverse scale is a fatal weakness, then these three were Ling Xiaodong’s reverse scales—an untouchable red line for anyone.
Today, Shao Yinhua insulted Aunt Yun repeatedly. Out of consideration for the relationship between Qingfeng Temple and Pengcheng, and to avoid causing trouble for Aunt Yun, Ling Xiaodong endured it.
But when Shao Yinhua thrust her sword at Ye Yiyun, Ling Xiaodong’s long-suppressed rage suddenly erupted like a volcano.
At that moment, his fury burned so fiercely that his eyes widened, almost spitting fire.
Ye Yiyun stood behind Ling Xiaodong, nervously clutching his sleeve and urgently warning, “Xiaodong, don’t be impulsive!”
Shao Yinhua’s face instantly turned cold, her eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
She knew she was ugly, and took extra offense at it.
If anyone dared to glance at her face with surprise or disgust while on the road, she would gouge out their eyes without hesitation.
Shao Yinhua’s vicious reputation had long spread throughout the capital. Whenever she appeared in public, commoners lowered their heads and dared not look twice.
Relying on the power of the Shao family in the capital and the terrifying reputation of the Six Doors, no one had dared to touch Shao Yinhua, the only daughter of the family.
She placed her hand on the sword hilt and said coldly, “You’re looking for death!”
Then she drew her sword and stabbed straight at Ling Xiaodong.
The strike was vicious, aimed directly at Ling Xiaodong’s neck with no intention of leaving him alive.
To others, the sword was swift, but not to Ling Xiaodong.
He focused intently on Shao Yinhua’s movements and felt as though the entire world had slowed down.
Ling Xiaodong could clearly see Shao Yinhua slowly drawing her sword and hesitantly stabbing toward his throat, as if stuck in a swamp, moving sluggishly.
Slow! Too slow!
Ling Xiaodong flicked a finger and struck at the sword’s edge, precisely at three and two-sevenths along the blade.
Shao Yinhua, confident at first, suddenly felt a tremendous force surge through the blade. Her entire wrist trembled with numbness, and the precious sword slipped from her hand.
In a flash, before Shao Yinhua could even realize what had happened, she felt a sharp coldness at her neck—an intense killing intent that froze her in place.
Turning her head, she saw her sword inexplicably in Ling Xiaodong’s hand, now pressed against her throat!
A cold and merciless voice whispered in her ear like the call of the grim reaper:
“Apologize to Aunt Yun. For the city lord’s sake, I might spare your life.”
Shao Yinhua turned her head sharply away from the blade and tried to strike at Ling Xiaodong’s heart with an open palm. But before she could succeed, Ling Xiaodong kicked her in the leg.
A sudden, sharp pain in her calf caused her to collapse to her knees.
Overwhelmed by the deepest humiliation, her anger erupted like a wildfire. She glared at Ling Xiaodong with a ferocity as if she wanted to tear him apart and screamed wildly, “I want you dead! I want you dead!”
But it had no effect.
Ling Xiaodong kicked Shao Yinhua down to the ground again and then stepped on her head, looking down at her from above.
“Refuse a toast and you must drink the penalty wine.”
As a noble lady from a prestigious family, Shao Yinhua had never suffered such disgrace. She twisted violently on the ground, crazed as she yelled, “I’ll tear you and that bitch to pieces! I’ll have the Six Doors annihilate your entire family!”
Ye Yiyun, the city lord, and Wu Yazi all stood frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
The only daughter of the Shao family was being trampled underfoot by some unknown, scruffy kid!
Ling Xiaodong looked down at Shao Yinhua, who was still spitting curses, and his patience wore thin. He raised his sword, ready to strike.
“Wait!”
Wu Yazi shouted hurriedly.
Ling Xiaodong felt an intangible, ghostly energy surge toward him—extremely dangerous—and he immediately dodged to the side!
Shao Yinhua, freed from her restraint, scrambled up with claws outstretched to attack again but was bound by a golden cord flying from Wu Yazi’s sleeve.
Wu Yazi bowed to Ling Xiaodong, saying, “I’m the one who failed to see the jade beneath the thorns. Indeed, Shao Yinhua was at fault, but her crime does not deserve death. I beg the expert to show mercy. I have already apologized to Daoist Ye on her behalf.”
Ling Xiaodong pointed at the struggling Shao Yinhua tied up in the golden cord, his voice cold:
“What use is her apologizing to me? I want her to apologize to her!”
“Forget it, Xiaodong, Aunt Yun is fine.”
Ye Yiyun gently tugged Ling Xiaodong’s sleeve. Although she had many questions for him, she didn’t want him to escalate the matter and attract attention from the Supervisory Heaven Division and the Six Doors.
Ling Xiaodong obeyed Ye Yiyun’s words. His previously cold expression softened. Looking at Shao Yinhua lying on the ground, he threatened:
“Since Aunt Yun is kind-hearted, I’ll let you off this time. But if I ever see you speak disrespectfully to Aunt Yun again, not even the Six Doors will save you.”
Wu Yazi apologized once more and left with Shao Yinhua.
Ling Xiaodong glanced at the city lord, who still stood there with his mouth agape and eyes wide in shock.
“Cheng, sir, we’re leaving now.”
They had beaten the city lord’s distinguished guest in his own residence; there was no reason to stay.
“Ah? Ah! Alright… take care.”
The city lord still hadn’t processed what had just occurred.
Ling Xiaodong took Ye Yiyun’s hand and retraced their steps back toward the inn. Along the way, Ye Yiyun seemed hesitant to speak several times but ultimately said nothing.
Closing the door to their room, Ling Xiaodong saw Ye Yiyun’s hesitant expression and spoke first:
“Aunt Yun, it’s nothing. I take full responsibility and won’t drag Qingfeng Temple into this.”
Ye Yiyun gently grasped Ling Xiaodong’s hand, their moist phoenix-like eyes meeting his gaze as she softly said:
“What nonsense are you saying? You protect me, yet I want to distance myself from you? Am I such a coward in your eyes? Even if the sky falls, I’ll bear it together with you.”
Ling Xiaodong bowed his head, touched but still filled with guilt:
“Aunt Yun, sorry for causing you trouble.”
Ye Yiyun reached out tenderly and embraced Ling Xiaodong, her delicate hand stroking his hair.
“Nonsense. If not for you, I would have been stabbed long ago. The petty Six Doors in the capital—if they want to make enemies, so be it. They don’t compare to you in the slightest.”
Ye Yiyun looked at the young man, now taller than herself by a head. After a moment of hesitation, she gently kissed Ling Xiaodong’s forehead.
The warm, moist lips left a mark on his forehead. Ling Xiaodong looked up at her oddly.
Ye Yiyun’s cheeks flushed slightly as she avoided his gaze and explained, “This is your reward for protecting me.”
Silence filled the room. Ling Xiaodong silently savored the warm, soft embrace from Ye Yiyun.
Though they were master and disciple, the intimate embrace stirred a subtle warmth between them.
Like flowers blooming quietly in the dark night—serene and fragrant.