Chapter Eleven: The Final Match

  "Who are you?" Zhai Zhang wanted to cry out for help instinctively.

  In the dimly lit hall, Ling Wushuang's red lips curved into a shallow arc, and the dagger in her hand tightened slightly. Old Man Zhai's neck immediately opened up a bloody gash, making him want to cry out for help, but his voice was stuck in his throat. He begged repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I'll say anything, don't move."

  Ling Wushuang let out a cold snort and asked in a low, mysterious tone, "Ten years ago, when the Ling family's troops were ambushed while on an expedition, was it you people who did it?"

  Although there is no conclusive evidence, Lao Ye Zi has always suspected that the accident involving Father and Fourth Uncle ten years ago was done by the people of Sheng Tang. This time she came to Sheng Tang with the purpose of not only stirring up trouble during the Holy City Congress but also mainly to investigate this matter!

  Dai Zhang Lao's eyes rolled around in circles, he cleared his dry throat and pretended to be stupid, "Wha... what are you talking about?"

  A sharp glint flashed in Ling Wusong's eyes, "Don't think about pretending to be stupid in front of me. Since you can't remember, I'll remind you - ten years ago, the four major families of Donglin, the Ling family, Ling Hua, Ling Moqiu..."

  As she spoke, the sharp dagger in her hand slid slightly, and the intense pain from her neck made Di Chang Lao's whole body break out in cold sweat.

  "I don't know!" Old Man Zhai hastily exclaimed, fearing that his throat would be cut off in the next second.

  Ling Wushuang chuckled lightly, and heard Old Man Jia's hair stand on end, "Don't know?"

  "I really don't know," Elder Zhai hastily explained, swallowing his saliva and forcing himself to calm down. "Besides, you mentioned ten years ago, there were so many things, how could I possibly remember, but this matter, definitely has nothing to do with me, no, it has nothing to do with the Holy Hall."

  This secret he cannot tell anyone, if it is known that he has leaked it out, Lord Yi Qian will make him wish he were dead.

  "I really don't know, you can go ask the Holy Master, he must know" Old man Zhai stammered while explaining, his eyes darting back and forth as he scanned the surroundings, trying to stall for time and find an opportunity to escape.

  Ling Wushuang's fingertips tapped the icy dagger, and she sneered, "You don't shed tears until you see a coffin. It seems you're not aware of it, so I'll have to help remind you."

  Don't know? Cheat a three-year-old kid!

  Ten years ago, during the Holy City Conference, my father and Fourth Uncle were ambushed. The reason was probably similar to hers that day - they were also targeted by that group of mysterious people. This old guy is like a loyal dog, following them around every day, how could he not know anything? Probably even Saint Lin doesn't know as much as him!

  "What do you want to do?" Hearing Ling Wu's words, Zhai Chang Lao felt a bad premonition rising in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said harshly: "This is the Holy Temple, not just anywhere where anyone can run wild!"

  If something happens to him, someone will immediately discover it. With the temple's defenses, no one can leave. He still doesn't believe that this person dares to take action!

  "It's nothing" Ling Wu Xiang lightly smiled and said, a warm dan medicine fell into Cui Chang Lao's mouth, "Just eat something"

  Ling Wushuang's hand grasped his chin, and with a slight upward motion, he didn't have time to react. The thing that melted at the entrance slid down his throat and into his stomach.

  Dai Zhanglao tried to speak but couldn't utter a sound, his eyes bulging out in anxiety.

  What's wrong with him? What did he eat?

  Ling Wushuang flipped over and retreated, recalling the dagger while simultaneously waving her hand. A green vine grew from her palm, like a water snake, darting towards Old Man Zhai, wrapping him into a bundle with several flashes of green light, before heavily tossing him under Ling Wushuang's feet.

  His mouth couldn't speak, his body couldn't move, but Elder Chui's muscles all over his body were twitching non-stop. Suddenly, a stream of icy and fiery energy burst out from his abdomen, reaching all four limbs and hundreds of bones. His entire body was like being struck by lightning, violently shaking once, then convulsing wildly like a mad sheep.

  "Seven Insect Seven Flower Dan, Old Man Zhi, how does it taste?" Ling Wushuang walked out of the shadows with a slow pace, her nose and half of her face covered by a thin black mask as thin as a cicada's wing.

  Di Changlao's eyes suddenly opened wide, and what he was eating turned out to be the Seven Insect Seven Flower Pill!

  Qī Chóng Qī Huā Dān is one of the most formidable Sacred Tier poison pills. Even a high-ranking Saint's defenses cannot avoid its toxicity, and its potency...

  Dai Zhanglao had just thought of this, a crazy itch suddenly appeared, from the toes like a flood, all the way to the top of the head, the whole body was like a drum bubble, popping out dense red rashes, scratching heart and lungs.

  The pain made him want to tear off his skin, but unfortunately, he was trapped and couldn't move a single bit.

  "Doesn't it taste good?"

  It was just a Dan medicine, the taste of which made him feel as if he was suffering from eighteen hells, his face twisted and his veins bulging, as if he was struggling between ice and fire, both painful and itchy, making him wish to die immediately.

  "Di Changlao, does he remember now?" Ling Wushuang lowered his eyebrows and glanced at the person who was convulsing on the ground, his eyes shallow and his words light.

  It was only a moment, and Di Changlao had become somewhat unhuman, his mind as if stuffed with cotton, dazed and somewhat lost consciousness. At this time, hearing Ling Wusong's words, he only knew to nod frantically.

  Ling Wushuang's red lips curled up slightly, her slender fingers flicked, and a blue-colored pill fell into his wide-open mouth. Old Man Zhai's face, which had been tense with bulging veins, immediately relaxed.

  "Why didn't you just say so earlier? Did I have to remind you on purpose for you to remember?" Ling Wushuang laughed brightly, her slender hand tapping her chin, and added leisurely, "You'd better tell the truth, or else, I won't mind reminding you again."

  Di Chang Lao couldn't help but shudder all over, his teeth were slightly loose, if he was reminded once more like this, he would rather die!

  "Go on"

  Dai Zhanglao swallowed his saliva, knowing that the person in front of him was not easy to deceive. He honestly confessed: "That's right, the attack on the Ling family ten years ago was indeed our people."

  He added hastily, "But I'm not the one who laid hands on him, none of my business."

  "As expected, it's you." Although it was already within expectation, when Zhai Changlao finished speaking, Ling Wushuang's heart skipped a beat, and his face involuntarily sank. He coldly asked, "Then where are the missing Ling Hao couple now?"

  No one could hear it, but Ling Wushuang's words carried a suppressed longing and perplexity.

  Father, mother... Ling Wu's mind flashed with these two words, thinking of Ling Hao, but in her impression, there was only a vague shadow. At that time, she, the original owner of this body, was only five or six years old and couldn't remember anything clearly.

  However, she came here and felt an unprecedented warmth from Lao Yezi and Ling Moqiu, which made her understand what family affection is. Even thinking of the father and mother in her impression, Ling Wushuang felt warm and had a longing that had never been before...

  It's just losing contact, which means that both father and mother are still alive with hope, so she must investigate this matter clearly!

  "Ling Linghao..." Old Man Zhai stuttered, somewhat hesitant. Of course, he remembered this person. More than a decade ago, he was the genius of this continent, or else, he wouldn't have been targeted by Yi Qian and those others.

  But...

  "Forgot again? Do you need me to remind you?" The cold words, heard by Old Man Zhai, were like the devil's call from hell.

  "No, no, I know," hastily said Zhai Zhanglao, his eyes flashing slightly as he pondered for a moment before speaking. "Ling Hua and her husband were indeed captured by the people of the Holy Temple, but in the end, they are not in our hands."

  "In whose hands is it?" Ling Wu's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he already had some idea in his mind.

  "In the hands of Master Yi Qian" Old Man Jia said afterwards, confirmed what Ling Wushuang had in mind.

  "What kind of people are the Yi Qian? They're searching everywhere to collect these people, what's their purpose, and where do they take them in the end?" Ling Wu Shuang asked a string of questions that had been on her mind, speaking quickly with a hint of urgency, but it was the last question that she cared about most.

  Father and mother, where have you been taken to!

  After Ling Wushuang asked these questions, Zhai Changlao's face turned very unsightly, and he hesitated, not wanting to say anything. He stuttered and stammered: "This...these...I'm not very clear either, perhaps the Holy Master knows."

  Those people are not ones he can afford to offend. Let alone him, even the entire Holy Hall is not worthy of their attention. If Yi Qian were to find out, he would definitely die a terrible death.

  "Hmm—"

  Dai Zhang Lao was stuttering, when a purple light suddenly flashed out in the dimly lit room. He let out a muffled groan as a sharp pain pierced his chest, making him want to bite his tongue off. The pain was so intense that he lost consciousness for an instant. As soon as he came to, he met a pair of icy, piercing eyes staring back at him.

  "Say, I don't have that much time to remind you," Ling Wu Shuang's fingers, which were stretched out between the seams, still held three purple bamboo needles, emitting a cold and frightening glow. "I've set up a seal around here, so even if you shout for help, it's useless. Don't think anyone will come to rescue you."

  Di Chang Lao's face turned pale, his spirit desperate, knowing that if he continued to resist, there was only one dead end, and he clearly didn't want to die. The person in front of him seemed to have the power to destroy him with just a finger.

  "I'm telling you, don't take action" After some deliberation, Old Man Zhai relaxed and said, "I'll tell you everything I know"

  It's better to die later than now, even living a life worse than death is preferable.

  Ling Wushuang withdrew his hand and coldly spat out a single word, "Speak".

  Di Chang Lao swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and stuttered: "Yi Qian... is... the messenger of Tianyin Valley in the Divine Demon Continent"

  "Tianyin Valley" Ling Wu Shuang coldly spat out a few words, she hadn't expected wrongly, it was indeed someone from the Supreme Boundary!

  Under Ling Wusong's icy gaze, Zhai Zhanglao shrank his head and continued: "Our Holy Temple holds a Sacred City Conference every ten years, recruiting disciples for the temple is one aspect"

  "What's more, Heaven's Sound Pavilion will also send out some envoys at this time to descend upon the Holy City, selecting from among the many talented individuals who have come to the city those they need, or using the information we provide to secretly capture on this continent the talents they desire, and in the end, all of them will be brought back to Heaven's Sound Pavilion"

  "They all brought back Tianyin Valley" Ling Wusuo's two hands slowly clenched into fists.

  Di Chang Lao felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed the person in front of him, and hastily said: "Ling Hao's couple was indeed captured by our Holy Hall, but they were handed over to Yi Qian in the end. Whether they are dead or alive has nothing to do with our Holy Hall."

  Di Changlao was being cautious about the person in front of him, and must have had a great connection with the Ling family, hastily wanting to clear himself of any involvement in this matter.

  Ling Wushuang coldly laughed and gazed at the people on the ground, "What's the point of them catching these people?"

  Ling Wushuang's heartbeat involuntarily sped up a few beats, falling into the hands of these people, Father and Mother, is it possible that they are still alive?!

  Di Chang Lao's face stiffened, and after taking a few bitter blows, he no longer dared to conceal the truth. With some hesitation, he said: "Specifically what it is, I don't know."

  In Ling Wu's cold and stern gaze, he continued to stammer: "I only know that after these people are taken back, it seems that their souls will be extracted, and then their bodies will be used to make something..."

  Ling Wushuang's pupils suddenly constricted, "Withdraw your soul!"

  Having one's soul sucked out and still being alive!?

  The temperature in the surrounding air suddenly dropped, as if a gust of cold wind had blown by, and Elder Chui's whole body shuddered, startling him into silence.

  "Tianyin Valley!" Ling Wusuo took a few deep breaths before regaining his composure, his eyes gleaming with a profound light.

  No matter what, she had to go to the Divine Demon Continent, but over a decade had already passed and rushing now would be of no use. Acting impulsively wouldn't solve anything either. What was most important right now was to increase her own strength. If she went there and didn't even have the ability to protect herself, how could she do anything else?

  "I've told you everything I know, can't you let me go now?" Old Man Zhai gazed at the person in front of him, as if afraid she wouldn't believe him. "I really have said it all, I don't know anything else."

  This man must have a connection with the Ling family. As long as he can survive today, no matter what method is used, the Ling family must be eliminated to eliminate future troubles.

  No problem at all, as long as he whispers a few words in Master Yi's ear, eliminating the small Ling family will be a piece of cake!

  "Let you off?" Ling Wu Shuang coldly glanced at the person on the ground, her cherry-red lips slightly raised in mockery.

  These people in the temple are the ones who started it all!

  "You——you——"

  Ling Wushuang's words, which seemed to be a smile but not quite a smile, made Di Changlao's ferocious old face reveal a terrified expression. His entire body, bound by ropes, trembled suddenly, like a worm, and he retreated repeatedly.

  He should have thought of this long ago; how could this man possibly let him off!

  "How can you speak without counting!" Old man Zhai was flustered and retreated in a pretended panic, but his eyes darted to a bulge on the edge of the bed, revealing an almost imperceptible anxiety.

  "I've never said such a thing" Ling Wu Xiang turned the dagger in his hand.

  "Ah!" Old Man Zhai's face was twisted in a fierce grimace, his eyes still darting towards the bulge on the bed, his eyeballs rolling wildly. As Ling Wusuo took a step closer to him, he suddenly summoned all his spiritual energy and made a desperate lunge, throwing his entire body at that spot!

  Crack

  Hahaha

  Then, the room was filled with Di Changlao's crazy laughter.

  The spot where he was hit made a faint crackling sound, and in the flash of lightning, a huge transparent semicircular protective shield, like a large bowl, tightly protected Zhai Changlao inside.

  Ling Wu's eyes flashed with a hint of disdain, "Absolute Defense"?

  "Hahaha" Old Man Zhai narrowly escaped, laughing somewhat sinisterly. "You think the Sacred Palace is so easy to mess with?" The venomous hatred in his eyes was so intense that he could hardly wait to devour the person in front of him. "The Ling family, huh? Remember this, today's grudge will be repaid by your entire Ling family."

  "Wanting to stop me?" Ling Wu Xiang raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Just relying on this?"

  She certainly wouldn't think that there were no mechanisms in the Holy Palace, but this thing in front of her was just a thin piece of paper.

  Dai Zhanglao's eyes turned bright red, "Preposterous!"

  This is an absolute defense, even a ordinary Ninth-Order Saint can't break it, and he still doesn't believe it, the person in front of him is actually a Divine Stage!

  Ling Wushuang's red lips curled up into a mysterious arc, and even if she didn't break this thing, she had the ability to take his life. In Zhai Changlao's disdainful and puzzled gaze, Ling Wushuang slowly raised her hand, stirring up the vital energy within her body.

  "Rustling sound"

  "What, what!" Old Master Zhai's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the emerald green object binding him, which began to constrict like a spiritual snake, tightening around his neck and vital points, getting tighter and tighter, rendering even someone with Sacred Stage power like him unable to move an inch.

  What on earth is this thing!

  Pfft!

  A string of bright red flames erupted from Ling Wu's slender, snow-white fingertips, and the temperature in the entire room suddenly soared.

  Dai Changlao's pupils suddenly constricted, Ling Wusuo's red lips curled up, and with a flick of her finger, a crimson flame burst forth, transforming into a scarlet glow that pierced through the transparent protective shield as if it were a thin sheet of paper.

  "Plop!"

  A spark of fire clung to his body, like a maggot on the sole of a foot, and suddenly sprang up with a loud noise!

  In the blink of an eye, Di Changlao didn't even have time to make a sound before he was burned into nothingness.

  Ling Wushuang's figure moved, and the black shadow disappeared into the room. Under the dim yellow light, the entire room was left with only an open semi-transparent protective cover and a space filled with scorching hot air. The night wind blew, and it dispersed without a trace.

  The moon is dark and the wind is strong, with a multitude of eerie shadows.

  On the second day of the Holy City Conference, 100 places to join the Holy Temple would be decided among a thousand people. The sudden disappearance of an elder only added to Saint Lin's anger and did not attract more attention from others.

  Ling Wusuo was indeed leisurely, honestly staying in the Holy Maiden's Palace with an air of being detached from worldly affairs.

  By the fifth day, the Genius Selection had already selected the top eighteen, and Ling Wu Xue directly obtained one of the top twenty spots with his token. At this point, if he wanted to continue advancing, he would have to participate in the next match.

  The sixth day of the selection match.

  The holy city's sky is a brilliant blue, as if washed clean by clear water. At times, white clouds like goose down float across the sky, creating a beautiful scene with the green mountains below, drawing a picturesque landscape.

  On the spacious square, people crowded together, five arenas were neatly arranged under a dozen or so jade stone steps.

  Sheng Lin sat in the main seat, and on his gentle face, anyone could see that he didn't look very well.

  The Holy Maiden Bai Qian secretly measured the Saint Master with a gloomy face, pursed her beautiful lips, lowered her head and furrowed her brow, and softly asked the person beside her, "Mu sir, how is the investigation of these past few days?"

  The matter of Qingyun Mountain Range has not yet come to an end, and Di Changlao has mysteriously disappeared in the depths of the palace again. How can the Holy Master not be enraged?

  Mu Shi Qing bowed respectfully, his nerves had been tense for the past few days. Upon hearing Bai Qian's words, sweat immediately broke out on his forehead as he replied in a low voice: "There is still no clue, that person is indeed too cunning, I'm afraid by now, they are no longer within the Holy City."

  Ling Wushuang sat beside Shengnu Bai Qian and asked leisurely: "Mu Tongling, what's going on?"

  Mo Shi Qing was somewhat anxious, and said in a low voice: "These past few days, someone has been causing trouble in the Holy City, but until now they haven't been caught." After finishing speaking, he again somewhat irritably warned: "Those people are very arrogant, Jun Ling Xiao You, it's best if you don't go out these next few days."

  It seems someone is targeting the church.

  But Mu Shengqing didn't know that the troublemaker he was talking about was standing right in front of him, nodding solemnly and responding, "Thank you, Commander Mu, for reminding me."

  Shengnu Bai Qian glanced at Ling Wushuang, her slightly furrowed eyebrows slowly relaxed and almost imperceptibly shook her head.

  Ling Wushuang turned her head and cast her gaze down at the square below, her clear eyes hiding a cold and sharp glint.

  These days, she hasn't seen Yi Qian show up, not even during the competition, and his whereabouts have been unknown. However, even if she had seen him, she couldn't have acted rashly. She couldn't gauge Yi Qian's strength, but what she was certain of was that he was far above her, perhaps a genuine god-level expert or maybe even more formidable. He wasn't on the same level as the leader of Qing Yun Mountain Range from that day.

  Nowadays, her main goal is to increase her strength, so it's best to take down the first place and enter the White Tower's Ninth Heaven to cultivate!

  Ling Wushuang's thoughts were turning over in her mind, meanwhile the competition below had already begun. The first round consisted of ten people and five matches, but Ling Wushuang hadn't been matched yet, so she was enjoying the leisure time to secretly assess the strengths of these people, roughly forming an idea in her mind.

  "The first twenty people were indeed all exceptionally talented individuals!"

  "My god, even the weakest have a Nine-Peak Tianxuan"

  ……

  The brilliant match and various dazzling skills often cause the surrounding spectators to exclaim in surprise and cheer.

  "The next match, Jun Ling versus Mo Wentian!"

  After the judge's loud announcement, Ling Wushuang, who had been waiting on one side, slowly walked up from one side of the stage, and the person on the other side also appeared, with a strong contrast that immediately sparked intense discussion among the crowd.

  Mo Wen Tian, eight feet tall, with a robust and powerful physique, holding a cyan-colored Flowing Wind Hammer in his hand, looked like he belonged to the power type, without any doubt, he could easily lift a several-thousand-jin Heavenly Blue Roaring Bull with one hand.

  "This... this"

  Everyone's gaze turned to the person opposite him, a slender black-robed youth with a cold and proud side face. Originally a tall figure, compared to the person opposite, he seemed as if he would shatter with just one pinch. But it was that one face of ambiguous yet absolute beauty that made everyone's eyes go blurry.

  "I've never seen him play"

  "You don't know? He was recommended by Mu Da Tong Lai and can directly enter the top twenty"

  "And there's this too!"

  ……

  "Who's this?" Mo asked, holding up the Flowing Wind Hammer in his hand, sizing up the slender youth before him with a hint of disdain. Just a stinky brat who advanced directly through connections, relying on luck and probably currying favor with Director Mu!

  In this world, there are many ways to hide one's true strength. So, it's hard to determine a person's real power just by looking at them, and no one would have thought that a 16 or 17-year-old youth could be so formidable.

  Mo Wen Yang raised his hand, holding the Flowing Star Hammer, and shouted: "Fight quickly and settle this, bring out your weapon!"

  This little brat, I can crush him with just one finger!