Chapter 436 - 307: Shocking the World

Chapter 436: Chapter 307: Shocking the World

But... while their own people knew, did outsiders? Yisha asked softly, "Never mind anyone else. Take Wulan Tuo, for example. What do you suppose he thinks about your relationship with Ling Xiao?"

Huangpu Yue’s expression stiffened. She scoffed, "Don’t mention that name. It makes me sick just hearing it!"

As it turned out, when Wulan Tuo learned that Huangpu Yue had arrived in the Imperial Capital, his hopes—which had been all but dead—were rekindled. All signs indicated that she and Ling Xiao had some sort of secret pact, rather than being the lovers many had assumed. That being the case, their marriage contract was still in effect. And while the Huangpu Clan had grown significantly over the past two years, the Wulan Clan was no pushover. How could a great clan that had existed for a thousand years not have some hidden depths, even if it lacked top-tier experts? Furthermore, the Wulan Clan was aligned with Li Wu Zhi’s faction. With Li Wu Zhi’s ascension to the throne, the Wulan Clan’s fortunes naturally rose. They had also secretly secured the backing of a hidden, reclusive clan!

This was a historic moment for the Wulan Clan. For a thousand years, they had never been able to even hold a dialogue with a hidden clan. Though they were prominent nobles in the Mortal World, they were nothing in the eyes of those reclusive powers. Such clans dealt directly with imperial authority; they had no time for mere aristocrats.

But then an anomaly like Ling Xiao appeared in the Mortal World, completely shattering an order that had been stable for years. Those reclusive clans and sects, which almost never interacted with the Mortal World, began to stir. And the Wulan Clan... they had hooked a big one!

From Zichuan... the Zhe Family!

Why had the Zhe Family suddenly sought out the Wulan Clan for cooperation? It was because the Zhe Family had learned of the grudge between the Wulan and Ling Families. They needed eyes and ears in the Mortal World, and, following the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, the Zhe Family took the initiative to approach the Wulan Clan and form an alliance!

Of course, this alliance was practically a joke; the Zhe Family could tear it up at any moment. But in these early stages of their cooperation, the Zhe Family had naturally bestowed many benefits upon the Wulan Clan. For example, they had dispatched four experts of Sword Sect strength to be stationed with the Wulan Clan, placed under the command of Patriarch Wulan, Wulan Xiong, to help resolve any and all problems!

This almost made Wulan Xiong laugh his head off. ’The chance for revenge is finally here!’ he thought. ’Ever since Ling Xiao appeared out of nowhere, the Wulan Family has had nothing but terrible luck. Now, finally, things are looking up! It’s time for our comeback!’

Naturally, Wulan Xiong’s son, Wulan Tuo, had the same idea. Young Master Wulan felt he finally had the backbone to challenge Ling Xiao directly! ’So what if you’re strong, Ling Xiao? My Wulan Clan isn’t weak either!’

So, whenever he had nothing better to do, Wulan Tuo would run over to the Ling Auction House and pester Huangpu Yue. Wulan Xiong indulged his son’s behavior, even requesting one of the experts of Sword Sect strength to act as his son’s daily bodyguard. That Sword Sect expert from the Zhe Family was well aware of his own family’s grudge against the Ling Family, so he would never pass up a chance to bully someone associated with them.

This made Wulan Tuo even more insufferably arrogant. Huangpu Yue, irritated beyond measure, had stopped appearing at the auction house for some time now.

After receiving a personal letter from Ling Xiao, Yisha had been constantly urging Huangpu Yue to leave with her. Otherwise, there was no telling what the Wulan Family might do. The Ling Family and the Zhe Family had now completely torn away all pretenses; how could a great clan like the Zhe Family possibly not react?

Thus, a great war was on the verge of breaking out!

The Sword Sect expert by the Wulan Family’s side, their loud proclamations about being backed by the Zhe Family—all signs pointed to one thing: it would be dangerous for Huangpu Yue to remain in the Imperial Capital. Especially since her marriage contract with the Wulan Clan... had not been annulled.

However, Huangpu Yue adamantly refused to go "join the excitement" with Yisha. She had her own reasons. Although her own power was average, she wasn’t completely without the means to protect herself. Her four Demon Sword Master bodyguards—Ah Da, Ah Er, Ah San, and Ah Si—had been famous for years and possessed solid strength. While they certainly couldn’t defeat an expert of Sword Sect strength, ’they wouldn’t be wiped out in a single blow, would they?’

Besides, if she stayed right here in the Imperial Capital and didn’t go anywhere, would Wulan Tuo really dare to do anything? The wrath of the Huangpu Clan was not so easily appeased!

After all, no matter how powerful an expert was, unless they could kill every single member of the Huangpu Clan, the frenzied retaliation of such a great house was not something any sane person would want to face.

Huangpu Yue preferred to consider problems from this kind of strategic, big-picture perspective. She didn’t quite agree with the idea that an overwhelmingly powerful expert could necessarily dominate the world.

To her, the world was a bustling place where everyone acted for their own benefit. As long as there were interests to be served, the Zhe Family could be the Wulan Clan’s backer today and the Huangpu Clan’s ally tomorrow!

It all depended on how you managed those relationships.

Of course, Yisha didn’t really understand all this. Moreover, her views clashed with Huangpu Yue’s in many areas. Seeing that she was truly unwilling to leave, Yisha could only depart regretfully under the escort of a group of Ling Family Generals. She rode in a horse-drawn carriage with a plain exterior but a luxurious interior, traveling south through the night. Ling Xiao had originally intended for clown to pick them up, but Yisha felt it wasn’t necessary. She cared for clown and didn’t want to tire her out.

The intelligence network Meng Li had established in the Imperial Capital had also begun to operate effectively. Therefore, besides Huangpu Yue, absolutely no one else knew about Yisha’s departure!