Chapter 551 - 297: Ziyunxi: Letting This Guy Off Easy...

A hint of surprise surfaced in Ling Changqing’s jet-black eyes at Ziyunxi’s words.

The elegant beauty seemed not to notice. Her glossy, alluring cherry-red lips parted as she repeated her words:

"My Xianyin Pavilion has countless peerless beauties, no less than those of Lu Hua Palace or the Liu Ying Clan. Patriarch Ling, since you are fond of that girl Fei Yu, I imagine you wouldn’t refuse her equally outstanding senior and junior sisters, would you?

If this comes to pass, Fei Yu will be your woman from now on. There will be no need to mention compensation again. In fact, I will provide you with a most generous dowry!

Of course, the same applies to the other girls. For every one you marry, I will present a dowry. How does that sound?"

"..."

Ling Changqing remained silent.

’Clearly, this leader from Xianyin Pavilion must have figured something out. That’s why she’s making such a seemingly unreasonable and unbelievably generous offer.’

’Under normal circumstances, who would be willing to make such a losing deal with no apparent returns?’

’But since she isn’t spelling it out, I’ll naturally continue to play dumb. Still, it seems I won’t be able to get around this.’

"Sect Leader, your proposal... truly leaves me at a loss for words!"

After a long moment, Ling Changqing let out a soft sigh.

Ziyunxi pursed her lips into a smile. Her brilliant eyes swept up and down the handsome, purple-robed young man before her as she said softly,

"My proposal is actually quite reasonable. Others may not know, but you yourself should understand your own extraordinary value. Therefore... this arrangement is the best outcome for both our families, is it not?"

After speaking, she gave a slightly mischievous wink, her expression saying, ’You get it.’

The situation was now clear: she knew.

Ling Changqing knew that she knew.

She also knew that Ling Changqing knew that she knew.

It was simply an unspoken understanding.

Since she understood the truth, Ziyunxi skipped the confrontation, directly stating her request and making it clear she had no ill will. Instead, she expressed her desire for the Xianyin Pavilion to become a close strategic partner with the Ling Family.

"It seems I have no reason to refuse," Ling Changqing said with a faint smile.

If Xianyin Pavilion was willing to become an ally of the Ling Family, just like Lu Hua Palace, the Deep Sea Dragon Race, and the Liu Ying Clan, it would indeed be the most ideal outcome.

With the Immortal Dao Heavy Tribulation descending, in this increasingly chaotic and dangerous era of great conflict, it was always better to have more friends than enemies.

He was not an indecisive person by nature. Besides, this arrangement held no downsides for him, so there was no need to be coy.

"Patriarch, does this mean you agree?"

Ziyunxi beamed, and with a graceful, slender hand, she took out a Jade Scroll that shimmered with iridescent light and was shrouded in a spiritual glow.

"Take a look. It’s fine no matter who you choose. Pick as many as you like!"

The elegant beauty gently pushed the Jade Scroll in front of Ling Changqing, her lustrous eyes filled with anticipation.

From her position, she naturally hoped that Ling Changqing would choose several female cultivators from Xianyin Pavilion. It would be for the best if he even chose...

Ling Changqing opened the Jade Scroll. Inside were a series of high-definition portraits, each depicting a stunning beauty with a unique temperament and bearing.

The sheer number and outstanding quality of the women were so dazzling that Ling Changqing felt a bit overwhelmed.

"Patriarch, if you’re so inclined, there would be no problem in taking them all!" Ziyunxi said with a charming smile. ’Rumor has it this young Patriarch has few other interests but has a weakness for beautiful women. My current arrangement is perfectly tailored to his tastes.’

’Besides, this is of great benefit to Xianyin Pavilion. No matter how terrifying the future Immortal Dao Heavy Tribulation might be, as long as Ling Changqing is with us, the Sect’s foundation and legacy will not be severed.’

Ling Changqing replied helplessly, "There are several hundred women here. If I really had them all come over, wouldn’t I be worked to death?"

The lowest Cultivation among these beauties from Xianyin Pavilion was at the Core Formation Level. Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation cultivators were not uncommon, far surpassing what Ling Qiyue and his other women could currently compare to.

Moreover, they were all proficient in various Dual Cultivation Techniques and Seduction Secret Techniques for pleasing men, many of which were exclusive secrets of Xianyin Pavilion. One could only imagine how terrifying their "combat prowess" in the bedchamber would be.

If Ling Changqing truly dared to throw caution to the wind and take them all, he might be squeezed into a dried-up corpse within a few years.

To put it bluntly, his own Cultivation was not high enough. If he were at the Divinity Transformation Peak or even the Void Refining Realm, why would he need to be so concerned?

"That’s true. You can pick eight or ten for now. Let the others wait until you reach the Divinity Transformation Realm in the future."

Ziyunxi considered this and felt that Ling Changqing was indeed in a difficult position, so her tone softened slightly.

Ling Changqing mused, "To prevent any leaks, perhaps it’s best they don’t come over for now? Heaven knows if there are spies from other powers among them."

Ziyunxi’s shapely brows knitted together, clearly dissatisfied with his answer.

But before she could protest, Ling Changqing gazed at the elegant beauty’s fair, lustrous face and said in a low voice,

"Just you will be enough. The others don’t need to come for now. We can discuss it again after my Cultivation reaches the Divinity Transformation Level, alright?"

"???"

Ziyunxi’s beautiful eyes widened in astonishment. ’This guy... is he really this blunt?’

’I thought... I thought Ling Changqing would at least offer a few polite pleasantries or try to demur. I never expected he wouldn’t even bother to pretend.’

Ling Changqing’s gaze swept over the seductive figure of the purple-robed beauty before him. From her magnificent, majestic bust down to her slender, graspable waist, the dramatic curves of her figure were breathtaking. Then there were her full, almost imperiously so, rounded buttocks and her long, shapely legs—it was a stunning vista he found impossible to resist.

The beauty’s figure was simply too exceptional. She looked this provocative even while clothed; Ling Changqing dared not even imagine how breathtaking she would be without them.

Two crimson blushes crept onto Ziyunxi’s fair, delicate face. As someone who had never had a Dao Companion, being sized up by a junior in such a manner... the feeling was truly... indescribable.

In her heart, however, she breathed a sigh of relief. ’It’s good that the scoundrel asked for me himself. It saves me the trouble of trying to convince him later.’

Ziyunxi had originally intended to act reserved and offer a few words of refusal, but what came out of her mouth instead was:

"I knew you were up to no good, you scoundrel! I see it now. Any female cultivator who is even remotely good-looking has no chance of escape once you’ve laid your eyes on her!"

Ling Changqing’s expression was calm. "What the Sect Leader says is true. I am indeed that kind of person, and I’ve never tried to hide it."

"So? Does that mean I must have owed you in a past life?"

Ziyunxi shot him a resentful glare, then took out a gorgeous, palm-sized Jade Scroll wreathed in purple mist and shining with a seven-colored auspicious light. She then used her Divine Thought to brand her name onto it.

Then, she handed the Jade Scroll over and said softly,

"Alright, my little husband, you can sign it now!"

This was not the first time Ling Changqing had seen such a High Level Contractual Magical Artifact. Qin Mengxuan, Liu Ying Ziyi, and Bai Qingyi had all done the same.

He took the Jade Scroll and signed his name with practiced ease. With that, their relationship as Dao Companions was established—and it was a permanent bond.

In an instant, a magnificent rosy light flashed across the surface of the Jade Scroll. In the unseen realm, the threads of their destinies had quietly intertwined, binding them together as one.

A massive cloud of golden-purple energy descended from the depths of the void and silently merged with Ziyunxi, causing her Qi Fortune to increase significantly.

"My guess was correct after all. Husband, you are... the legendary Child of Destiny, aren’t you?"

The face of this majestic, elegant, noble, and graceful beauty was flushed red, and her gaze upon Ling Changqing was as gentle as shimmering waves.

She asked this question via Divine Thought. After all, the matter was of grave importance, and Ziyunxi feared that the walls had ears.

Ling Changqing nodded, then suddenly asked, "There is one thing I still don’t quite understand. My lady, when did you begin to suspect my identity? Fei Yu couldn’t have possibly revealed any information to you, could she?"

"Two reasons. First, the Ling Family rose far too quickly, and the powerful experts supporting the family are almost all female cultivators. That could not escape the notice of Xianyin Pavilion’s spies on the Linsha Continent.

The second reason, of course, was Meng Feiyu. She is indeed unconditionally on your side, but we have our Secret Techniques to notice such things."

Ziyunxi explained with a smile. Even though this was considered a top secret of the Sect, she naturally had nothing to hide from Ling Changqing now.

"I see."

Ling Changqing came to a sudden realization. He never thought Meng Feiyu would betray him, and it was even more impossible for his other female companions.

"For the sake of a major plan, the Sect’s upper echelons had originally intended to arrange for an outstanding Male Cultivator to become her Dao Companion,"

Ziyunxi continued, "Of course, this arrangement was not mandatory. If Meng Feiyu herself did not approve, the Sect would not have forced or coerced her in any way.

However, when a high-ranking Elder from the Sect came to see her, he discovered that she was no longer a virgin, and that her Qi Fortune and Blessed Fortune were abnormally prosperous. He then secretly reported this to me.

I felt that something was amiss at the time, so I personally came to the Linsha Continent to have a long talk with Meng Feiyu..."

The result was predictable. Although Meng Feiyu reluctantly admitted to having a Dao Companion, she still refused to reveal any information about Ling Changqing.

But for Ziyunxi, it no longer mattered whether she spoke or not. The Elder Sect Leader was already at least fifty percent certain that Ling Changqing was the legendary Child of Destiny.

That was why she had made her earlier, seemingly irrational decision, even though it would cause controversy within the Sect. After all, the Sect Leader could not act with absolute, unilateral authority.

"Then let’s go see Sister Yue now. And while we’re at it..."

Before Ling Changqing could finish, Ziyunxi rose gracefully and said in a soft voice,

"Fine, let’s go. But I still think that for the next little while, you should spend more time with me, Husband!"

’Just signing the marriage contract might not be as binding as one would hope,’ she thought. ’Only by becoming his Dao Companion in truth, and not just in name, can I truly be at ease.’

This was Ziyunxi’s true thought. Besides, she also wanted to see for herself what unimaginable benefits she would gain once she obtained the Spiritual Mechanism Dao Rhyme from a Child of Destiny.

"That’s not a problem," Ling Changqing agreed with a nod.