Chapter Twenty-Seven: Interest

Caught in the grip of a murderous intent, Chen Ping'an groaned, clutching his aching chest with one hand as his knees buckled. Just as he was about to collapse, Su Ling’s broad hand reached out, gripping Chen Ping'an’s shoulder to provide support, preventing him from easily kneeling before Song Changjing.

Chen Ping'an, a martial artist merely in the physical refinement stage, could not withstand the monstrous killing intent emanating from Song Changjing. To Su Ling, however, it was nothing more than a gentle breeze, leaving him entirely unaffected.

"Oh?"

Seeing this, even the notoriously arrogant and conceited Song Changjing cast a sideways glance at the unmoving Su Ling, looking slightly surprised.

"Is the only promising talent among Ruan Qiong’s disciples not that Liu Xianyang?"

"Where did a thing like you crawl out from!"

Song Changjing spoke rudely, showing no regard for the deterrent power of a military strategist-swordsman. He was full of audacity, yet also remarkably stubborn.

Su Ling laughed instead of getting angry. He pointed at Song Jixin, who seemed to be hiding behind Song Changjing like a turtle in its shell, and teased, "Oh? Then how could you, an uncle of the royal family, be a relative of this stray dog? You aren't even as good as the maid by his side."

"Insolent!"

Song Changjing roared in fury. A powerful, overbearing aura erupted from his body—inescapable and impossible to resist. This energy, seemingly condensed from true martial essence, swept toward Su Ling like a torrential storm. Accompanying it was a vast, heavy killing intent that felt nearly tangible.

This aura was soul-shaking and possessed immense destructive power. Even a typical martial artist at the peak of the Soul Refining stage would be no match for Song Changjing, who had carved his path through brutal battlefields. But Su Ling was different. He regarded the killing intent as a light breeze, standing tall and unmoving like an unshakable mountain, filled with absolute confidence.

The fierce killing intent stirred up great clouds of dust along the ground of Mud-Bottle Alley. Yet, as this unstoppable force reached Su Ling, it behaved like a wilted beast, instantly becoming docile. The killing intent had arrived with a roar but departed with a whimper, leaving Song Changjing surprised, though not entirely shocked.

After all, Su Ling, a resident of this small town with the aura of a Martial God, had become renowned even to the outside world over the past three years, with rumors suggesting his potential rivaled that of Qi Jingchun.

"What!"

On the other side, Song Jixin was stunned into a statue, seeing the detestable Su Ling so easily dissolve the cage of killing intent from his peak-stage uncle. Gritting his teeth, his face twisted in a hideous expression; he wished he could kill Su Ling right there and then. Song Jixin knew the strength of his uncle, yet even he was helpless against Su Ling. It was clear that Su Ling’s strength was not what it had been three years ago.

"Damn dog, to think he has become so powerful..."

Song Jixin dared not voice his frustration, only cursing under his breath—a truly pathetic sight. As for Song Changjing, he keenly captured the resentment, anger, and cowardice of the person behind him, feeling a sense of helplessness. It seemed that even if he resolved the internal demons of Song Jixin—namely, this talented boy before him—Song Jixin would still spend a lifetime trying to emerge from that darkness. He might never break free.

With that thought, Song Changjing’s killing intent toward the indifferent Su Ling intensified. Song Jixin’s existence was a variable, one that currently brought more benefits than harm to the Great Li Dynasty, but the person before him had almost destroyed this carefully cultivated pawn three years ago.

How could Song Changjing not be furious? Yet, he felt powerless. He decided he must kill him now to plant a seed that might help Song Jixin overcome his demons.

Su Ling was naturally unaware of Song Changjing’s grand intentions, and even if he were, he would have dismissed them with disdain. Given his current strength, even if he stood still and let Song Changjing unleash his full power, it would be considered a victory for the Great Li War God if he could even scratch Su Ling’s skin.

"Heh heh, a good show is about to begin."

Beside Song Jixin, Zhigui, no longer appearing as a mere maid, watched Su Ling with a smile, her vertical pupils shimmering with golden light. As for whether her own peculiarities would be discovered by Song Jixin, she was not the least bit worried. Aside from the alluring dragon energy that remained prosperous, Song Jixin was somewhat disappointing. Even if he did find out, she didn't care; the moment Song Changjing arrived, the War God had already realized she was hiding her true self.

Song Changjing withdrew his focus from the disappointing Song Jixin and turned his gaze back to Su Ling. As for why Su Ling had not yet taught this "frog in the well" a lesson, it wasn't due to hesitation. He realized that Song Changjing truly intended to kill him—this was different from the nameless weaklings he had encountered before.

The weight of the karma involved in taking a life of this magnitude could not leave him indifferent. He stood frozen, not out of fear, but weighing whether unleashing his full strength here would provoke a forced intervention from Qi Jingchun. In the original story, Qi Jingchun had intervened multiple times to stop battles within the Liyuan Cave Heaven that threatened its stability. To put it bluntly, if a battle of massive scale were to erupt here, it would be the final straw that broke the camel's back. As the Saint guarding this realm, Qi Jingchun would certainly step in to halt a conflict capable of destroying the Cave Heaven.

Thus, Su Ling was considering whether to kill Song Changjing now or wait until the Cave Heaven collapsed, at which point he could crush him like a mosquito without the risk of intervention.

Just as Su Ling was lost in thought, a voice inaudible to others exploded within his mind. It was Qi Jingchun, who was monitoring the situation, using Confucian divine arts to transmit his voice through the air the moment he sensed Su Ling’s murderous intent.

"Su Ling, do not fight him now."

Qi Jingchun’s gentle, scholarly voice was like an anchor, instantly suppressing the killing intent in Su Ling’s heart.

"Understood."

Su Ling performed a fist salute in his heart, a gesture of respect to Qi Jingchun to avoid burning bridges.

"The child is teachable..."

Before Qi Jingchun could finish, Su Ling let out a cold snort, his eyes filled with battle-lust as he looked at Song Changjing.

"Hmph, consider yourself lucky."

"But..."

"I will collect the interest!"

Song Changjing looked confused, but the moment a sense of crisis welled up within him, Su Ling’s figure vanished from where he stood.

"What!"

Song Changjing was shocked, failing to realize that Su Ling possessed such terrifying speed.