Chapter 69: Ninth Grade, Nine-Turn Spirit Heart Pill, Victory Decided!

“You and Ling’er seem to be quite close. Sending her back to our clan—what are your intentions?” This young man always made him feel as though he was shrouded in mystery, no matter what means he used. Especially when he decided to take Xiao Ling’er as his disciple—it was clear she had something to say, but with a single glance from him, she was silenced. That was suspicious.

He knew well enough: the phoenix bloodline within Xiao Ling’er was of the imperial grade, and her future achievements would be nothing short of extraordinary. Yet, she was far too obedient to Lingtian. If Lingtian were of the Phoenix Clan, it would be inconsequential, but he was of the Human Clan! Nurturing talent for the Human Clan—Huang Huo was not so old as to allow that. That was why he had summoned Lingtian, to uncover his true purpose.

“You’re overthinking it. I merely happened upon her and sensed she was connected to your Phoenix Clan, so I brought her here. Your suspicions seem a bit much, don’t you think?” Lingtian responded with a faint smile, meeting Huang Huo’s gaze.

How to put it? This old man was certainly not easy to deal with. With just a single look, he had nearly seen through his intentions.

“It’s not overthinking. We are grateful for what you have done. If there’s anything you desire, you may choose freely from our Phoenix Clan’s treasury,” Huang Huo replied, shaking his head as he picked up a chess piece, studying it for a while before placing it on the board. Though they appeared to be playing chess, the true game was the contest of wills between them.

“So, you mean to have me sever ties with Ling’er?” Lingtian let out a cold laugh. The old man did know how to handle matters—expressing gratitude, allowing him to take whatever he liked from the treasury, a generous reward indeed. But the unspoken message was clear: once he’d taken his reward, this matter was settled, and he should no longer have dealings with Xiao Ling’er. It was a deft way to handle things.

But Lingtian would not accept it.

“And if I am?” Huang Huo’s expression did not change as he watched Lingtian, curious to see what trump card he might have, to dare bargain with an emperor such as himself. If Lingtian were merely a disciple of a Chaos Emperor, that status would not suffice. Huang Huo never fought battles unprepared; he had already investigated Lingtian’s background—a true prodigy, a dazzling figure in any race. Yet, if he attempted to use that as leverage, it would not be enough.

“How amusing. If I were to turn against your clan, wiping you out would be more than easy,” Lingtian said with a slight click of his tongue, his demeanor growing haughty.

He produced a ninth-grade pill, a Ninefold Spiritual Heart Pill, and tossed it in front of Huang Huo. Instantly, strange phenomena erupted, with the faint rumble of thunder in the air. Seeing such a heaven-defying pill, Huang Huo hurriedly sent out his spiritual power, weaving a barrier to conceal the heavenly secrets.

“A ninth-grade pill!” Huang Huo gazed at the pill in Lingtian’s palm, where pill markings shimmered, disbelief filling his eyes. Even a Chaos Emperor would pay a steep price for such a pill, and would never bestow one upon Lingtian. First, it was too rare; second, Lingtian had no apparent use for it at his current cultivation.

Now, Huang Huo grew uneasy—who truly was this young man before him? With a sweep of his divine sense, he probed the pill’s origin.

“It’s her! You are...” In that instant, Huang Huo saw the image of an ethereal woman, and suddenly, he understood who Lingtian was. If he failed to piece it together at this point, he would be a fool.

Why would the illustrious Fenghua Empress gift such a precious pill to an unrelated youth? The only explanation was a close relationship! Rumor had it that the Fenghua Empress and the head of the Ling Clan had a child, who by now would be four or five years old—a child who bore a striking resemblance to the youth before him...

“My identity is known only to you. If word gets out...” Lingtian waved a hand dismissively, bringing a cup of tea to his lips.

“I understand, I understand!” Huang Huo hurried to clarify his stance. Had he known Lingtian’s true identity, he never would have spoken as he had. The Ling Clan—who did not know of Ling Zhantian’s reputation? Now, he had no doubt about Lingtian’s earlier words.

Bitterness welled within him. Why not remain in the Human Clan? Why come here, of all places?

“Xiao Ling’er is my friend. I will not guide her intentionally, nor interfere with her choices. This time, she wished to see her mother, so I accompanied her. I hope you will teach her everything you can.”

Lingtian set down his teacup, lifting his gaze to meet Huang Huo’s, his tone calm.

“Naturally,” Huang Huo replied, though a trace of bitterness crept into his eyes.

This matter was now out of his control. With Lingtian revealing his identity, if he truly did not wish to be involved, he would not have acted as he had. It was clear to Huang Huo that he had been pulled into deep waters. Should conflict arise, and he side with the Demon Clan, the Ling Clan would be the first to act against the Phoenix Clan.

This youth, so young—how could he possess such cunning?

“I won’t play anymore. I give up—take me to Ling’er,” Lingtian declared, rising from his seat and placing his chess piece on the board.

Huang Huo sighed. This wasn’t giving up, it was admitting defeat—he had lost. Without hesitation, he waved his hand and sent Lingtian away.

He would need to consult with the other elders about today’s events; a great change was looming.

...

Within the Phoenix Clan’s spiritual peaks, a cavern deep with dense energy—

“This is your mother, resting within the Soul-Nourishing Coffin. It can nurture her soul and slow the loss of her life,” Huang Huang said, pointing at the blue, crystal-clear coffin.

Inside slept a breathtakingly beautiful woman, dressed in blue palace robes, her face exquisite yet troubled, her expression shifting between frowns and ease.

“Mother, it’s me—Ling’er! Please, open your eyes, look at me, just look at me!” Xiao Ling’er hurried to the coffin, reaching out to gently caress her mother’s face through the barrier.

This was the person she had longed for, day and night. Countless times she had heard her mother call her name in dreams; countless times she had imagined the tender scene when they would meet. Countless times she had fantasized about her mother and father, the three of them together...

Yet reality was cruel. Though she could see her mother now, her mother could neither call her name nor see her face.

It was agony for Xiao Ling’er. Her shoulders shook as years of longing turned to tears, falling one by one onto the coffin.

Huang Huang wiped the moisture from his own eyes and sighed deeply. The two of them were both caught in sorrow.

Lingtian’s arrival barely drew their attention; he stepped forward, gently patting Xiao Ling’er’s shoulder as he spoke in a low voice:

“All right now, you’ve cried enough. Who said your mother will remain lost in dreams forever?”