Demonstrating Strength! Shocking the Clan!
"Little man, I have to say—you're quite greedy."
Su Qing giggled softly, her interest in Zhang Lingxiao deepening by the second.
Since her Master's death and her ascension as Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, how many years had it been since a man dared to behave so boldly and unrestrainedly before her?
Interacting with this young man made Su Qing feel as though she herself had grown younger.
Of course, she wasn't old to begin with—only twenty-six.
But Zhang Lingxiao was merely eighteen.
"Heh, there's nothing wrong with being greedy," Zhang Lingxiao replied with a laugh. "Isn't desire the greatest motivation?"
"Mm, you're right." Su Qing nodded thoughtfully.
"Giving you a sword-type Martial Skill is no problem. But there's no such thing as a free lunch. You'll need to agree to one additional request."
As she spoke, Su Qing's gaze slowly swept over Zhang Lingxiao.
A chill ran down his spine under her undisguised scrutiny.
Zhang Lingxiao wasn't foolish. At last, he understood her intentions.
This woman… wanted his body.
Without hesitation, Zhang Lingxiao nodded firmly.
"Deal."
"Good." Su Qing smiled sweetly. "Then this sword Martial Skill is yours."
Her jade-like finger lightly tapped his forehead. A cool sensation spread through his mind, and in the next instant, a Profound Rank Martial Skill appeared within his consciousness—
Falling Leaf Swordplay.
"Hiss—what a profound sword technique!" Zhang Lingxiao couldn't help but exclaim.
The sword intent within Falling Leaf Swordplay resonated perfectly with his Phantom Step. The two techniques even shared certain core principles.
Zhang Lingxiao looked at Su Qing in surprise. She merely nodded calmly.
"That's right. Phantom Step and Falling Leaf Swordplay follow the same path and complement each other perfectly. When I was young, relying on these two Martial Skills, I was invincible among cultivators of the same realm."
"Beautiful lady," Zhang Lingxiao said with a grin, "you keep saying 'when you were young,' but you're still young now."
"Hmph. Smooth-talker." Su Qing snorted lightly. No woman disliked being praised.
"Enough talk. Let's deal with the important matters first," she said. "You can comprehend the swordplay later."
In her eyes, the Zhang Family was nothing more than an insignificant ant colony. Whether Zhang Lingxiao mastered Falling Leaf Swordplay now or later made no difference.
"Understood."
Zhang Lingxiao nodded, his gaze landing on the imposing Zhang Family plaque at the end of the alley. His fists clenched tightly.
"Zhang Yuntao—my dear eldest uncle. Since you framed my father for betraying the family, I'll take this Zhang Family back with my own hands."
With that, Zhang Lingxiao strode forward alongside Su Qing and kicked open the Zhang Family's main gate.
Bang!
"Someone's here! Zhang Lingxiao—the traitor's son—is back!"
The commotion instantly drew out all Zhang Family members who were not on missions.
Zhang Lingxiao did not stop them. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
"Where is he?! Five Spirit Stones walking right to us!"
"That useless Zhang Lingxiao is mine! No one steals him from me!"
At that shout, nearly all remaining Zhang Family members rushed out, including several elders.
"Zhang Lingxiao! You still dare to return?!"
"You son of a traitor—saving us the trouble of capturing you!"
An elderly man in green robes stepped forward, his expression stern and righteous.
Zhang Qingshan—the Grand Elder of the Zhang Family.
Apart from the two Family Heads, his status was the highest.
Zhang Lingxiao remembered clearly: this man once had an excellent relationship with his father. His current hostility could only stem from believing Zhang Yuntao's lies.
"Hmm?"
Zhang Qingshan suddenly frowned.
As a Lingwu Realm expert, his perception far surpassed ordinary cultivators. He instantly sensed the dense Spiritual Qi circulating within Zhang Lingxiao's body.
Moreover, Zhang Lingxiao had already been imprisoned once. Knowing the accusation against his father, he still dared to return alone—
This meant he had confidence.
Zhang Qingshan's cloudy gaze shifted toward the red-clothed woman beside Zhang Lingxiao.
Yet… he could not sense even a trace of Spiritual Qi from her.
She stood there calmly, like an ordinary mortal.
Unless—
Xuanwu Realm!
Zhang Qingshan's heart jolted.
A Xuanwu Realm expert was comparable to the Qingyun Town Lord himself!
Their Zhang Family absolutely could not afford to offend such a figure.
Before he could speak, several Zhang Family members had already charged forward.
"He's mine!"
"Move aside!"
In their eyes, Zhang Lingxiao was still a useless waste who couldn't cultivate. They completely ignored Su Qing.
Zhang Lingxiao sneered.
All this chaos—for five Spirit Stones.
Truly, men die for wealth, birds die for food.
He stepped forward to meet them head-on.
Boom!
No fancy techniques.
Just a single punch.
Spiritual Qi surged violently, erupting like a thunderclap.
With a deafening explosion, the attackers were blasted backward. Their necks snapped mid-air.
Dead—instantly.
Zhang Lingxiao did not immediately circulate the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique.
These people were weak; their blood Qi was negligible.
Moreover, devouring corpses marked one as a Demonic Cultivator—something best kept hidden.
Once everything was settled, he would deal with it quietly.
His principle was simple:
If you don't provoke me, I won't provoke you. If you do—death.
The courtyard fell deathly silent.
The Zhang Family members stared in horror.
Wasn't Zhang Lingxiao a waste?
Then what was that punch?
No one dared step forward again.
"Zhang Lingxiao!" Zhang Qingshan roared. "How dare you slaughter your own clansmen!"
"They tried to kill me," Zhang Lingxiao replied coldly. "Should I have stood still and waited? Grand Elder, does that sound reasonable to you?"
Zhang Qingshan opened his mouth—then glanced at Su Qing's faint smile.
He fell silent.
Zhang Lingxiao continued calmly, "Grand Elder, you've watched me grow up. You know my character."
"This was merely to earn the right to speak."
Zhang Qingshan frowned. "Speak, then."
"The few who died were branch members," he thought. "Not worth escalating matters."
Zhang Lingxiao took a step forward.
"From childhood, my father worked tirelessly for the Zhang Family—leaving early, returning late. On this, the heavens and earth can bear witness."
Silence fell.
"For years, he refused to compete for the position of Family Head, yet you all pushed him into becoming Second Family Head."
No one denied it.
"My father, Zhang Yunfeng, betraying the Zhang Family?"
Zhang Lingxiao's eyes burned.
"That was a frame-up by a villain!"
The memories of his father's devotion surged forth, stabbing at his heart.
A man who gave everything to the family—
Framed.
Murdered.
Where was justice?!
As his voice echoed, murmurs broke out among the Zhang Family members.
Even Zhang Qingshan fell into deep contemplation.
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