Chapter Sixty-Six: Beaten Up, Family Squabbles

"This girl has quite the luck, doesn’t she? I spent so long scheming and exhausting myself just to finally subdue the Earth Qilin, and she picks up a bargain—an Ice Flood Dragon falls into her lap. Thankfully, compared to the Earth Qilin, this Ice Flood Dragon is much weaker for now, though what it might become in the future will depend on how it’s raised..." Watching Nangong Lingyue walk out only to have a beast king like the Ice Flood Dragon offer itself as her companion, Lin Qingyun could only sigh inwardly.

He had gone through so much trouble and hardship to capture the Earth Qilin. Of course, even if this Ice Flood Dragon soon became a great demon, even if it eventually transformed into a true dragon, it could never compare to the Earth Qilin. Even so, Lin Qingyun had to admit Nangong Lingyue’s fortune was enviable.

"You two, head home and recover first." The Desert Wind King, Nangong Aoshi, saw the soul contract form as the Ice Flood Dragon acknowledged its master. After imprinting his own mark upon the dragon’s soul, he watched it coil around Nangong Lingyue’s wrist as a small dragon. Only then did he wave his hand.

The wind wings that had just enveloped Nangong Lingyue now surged forth at Nangong Aoshi’s casual gesture, wrapping both of them instantly. Not even a trace of their afterimage remained—they were gone in a blink.

With so much happening, the Desert Wind King had to remain and handle what came next. The aftermath of the relic’s awakening was not something the new students would participate in. As more reinforcements arrived, the rest began to withdraw. For Huaxia, this event was a once-in-decades affair—a disaster with heavy casualties, with numerous issues left to resolve.

Naturally, with so many people involved, word spread quickly. The deaths of so many new students caused a great uproar. At the Lin family estate, as Zhang Baole’s hovercar touched down, he rushed inside in high spirits.

"Sis, sis! Hahaha, he’s dead! That kid finally died… Uh, is my brother-in-law around?" Zhang Baole burst in, shouting, but the sour look on his sister’s face startled him. He glanced around nervously.

Not seeing Lin Kunshan, he relaxed, noticing only his sister and nephew present.

"Scared me—I thought my brother-in-law was here..."

"Just get to the point. Can’t you be more composed in front of your nephew? What kind of example are you setting for him? Is this about the new students’ combat trial? It’s all over the net—apparently, a thousand or two died. What new info do you have?" Zhang Xueyi scolded her brother.

Though Zhang Xueyi often defended Zhang Baole when Lin Kunshan berated him, she sometimes found her brother hopelessly useless. Still, he was family, her own brother.

"Uncle, do you know anything? Didn’t you have a way in with Lin Qingyun? Did you get it? Did he agree to the trade?" Lin Qingfeng was more concerned about his pill. After a year of refining and waiting, his anticipation had only grown. His uncle had sworn there’d be no problem this time.

"Qingfeng, I’m afraid your pill is gone..."

"Uncle, what are you saying? Didn’t you promise you could get it? If I’d known…" Lin Qingfeng was instantly anxious.

"Relax, relax," Zhang Baole soothed him with a grin. "This isn’t bad news. It’s actually great! I was planning to have someone chop off Lin Qingyun’s arm to force him to hand over the pill, but things took an unexpected turn."

"Lin Qingyun must have reaped enormous benefits from the inheritance, to actually defeat the person I sent. When I heard, I realized he’d gotten something huge…" Zhang Baole’s eyes flashed with greed and frustration.

He’d been furious at Xie Zhiqiang’s incompetence, but learning the details—how Lin Qingyun had fought so many—made him reconsider.

"Uncle…" Lin Qingfeng prompted, seeing his uncle still rambling.

"My point is, your pill is probably gone with Lin Qingyun. Didn’t you see the news? The relic at the First District trial suddenly activated, with massive casualties. According to my sources, Lin Qingyun died in there. When the relic entrance opened, two powerful beast clans burst out, triggering a mutated heavenly tribulation…"

Of those rescued, Lin Qingyun was not among them. Under such tribulation, there’s no way he survived," Zhang Baole said to Lin Qingfeng with a smile. "The pill doesn’t matter; with the entire Lin Medicine Corporation in hand, you’ll have all the treasures you want."

"Is that really true?" Zhang Xueyi stared at Zhang Baole in shock.

"Cross-checked from multiple sources—it can’t be faked. Lin Qingyun wasn’t among the survivors. He’s been listed as missing, but under those circumstances, ‘missing’ means not even bones remain," Zhang Baole replied with certainty. He hadn’t relied on just one channel for this news.

Excitement lit Zhang Xueyi’s eyes, while Lin Qingfeng could only inhale sharply. He’d hated Lin Qingyun for a long time, but never expected him to die like this.

On the military transport plane, far fewer returned than had departed. Chao and Chu Qing sat in silence; they’d repeatedly checked with the school, but the answer was the same—Lin Qingyun was missing.

When they left, the tribulation clouds hadn’t yet dispersed, and the Wind King and General Qin hadn’t entered.

"You think…" After a long silence, Chu Qing finally spoke.

"Everyone at Relic Eighteen said he was dead too, but he gave us a safe retreat this time. He’ll be fine," Chao blurted, not waiting for her to finish.

Though ostensibly replying to Chu Qing, she was really trying to convince herself—he’d be fine.

"Mmm…" Chu Qing murmured, saying no more.

Time slipped by. It seemed meaningless now, as they drifted in numb exhaustion.

Bzzz… Bzzz…

Chao’s communicator vibrated—so many alerts: some checking in, some from the school. She couldn’t be bothered to look, lost in her own thoughts.

Chu Qing’s communicator vibrated too. At first, she ignored it, lost in a daze, but then a special vibration—the one she had set herself—startled her. She snatched up the device, her expression stunned and incredulous.

"Chao… Chao…" She pulled frantically at Chao’s arm, urging her to look.

"I just want some peace…" Chao was irritable, wanting to shake her off.

"Look—look at your communicator!" Chu Qing thrust it in front of her face. On screen: Safe. Recuperating.

Most important of all—the sender was Lin Qingyun.

Chao nearly jumped out of her seat, then hurriedly checked her own communicator. Several new messages awaited her.

"Chao, I’m back safely. Don’t worry."

"Once you’re back, start cultivating immediately. Break through as soon as possible. If you need pills or resources, get them from Qian Shanming."

"Remember, do whatever it takes to break through quickly. The relic’s activation will affect all who were inside. Details later."

"I’ll be staying with the Wind King for several days in seclusion to recover. I’ll contact you when I return."

Chao exhaled deeply, feeling as though she’d come back to life.

Chu Qing checked her own device. Only two messages, not as detailed as Chao’s.

"Find an opportunity to sell the news that I’m alive for a good price. Try to earn his further trust."

"While I’m in seclusion, listen to Chao for all matters."

Chu Qing wasn’t surprised by these messages, but she felt herself relax for the first time in days. The tension and numbness of battle faded, replaced by exhaustion and relief.

"Time to cultivate, quickly." Chao, invigorated, urged Chu Qing to join her. Chu Qing, having seen Chao’s messages, understood and obeyed.

If Lin Qingyun hadn’t said he was going into seclusion, Chao would have called him for a video chat right then to ask what had happened.

The palace where the Desert Wind King lived was truly a palace, built atop a grand mountain, with several floating islands surrounding it. At the foot of the mountain sprawled a city of ten million—a new economic, political, and military center for several neighboring countries, all because the Desert Wind King resided there, ruling as a feudal lord.

Though part of the Huaxia Alliance, he exercised considerable autonomy.

Lin Qingyun and Nangong Lingyue were brought here directly by the Desert Wind King. In his past life, Lin Qingyun had come here too, but only twenty years later. This time, the feeling was utterly different…

"This is my home…" Suddenly, Nangong Lingyue spoke.

He no longer needed to stay with her. The Wind King’s personally summoned wind wings had flown them over, much faster than any hovercar.

"Oh, I know…" Lin Qingyun, lost in thought, was surprised by her words. Did she not want him at her home?

But hadn’t her father just told him to come here to recover?

"It’s your home too. My father just said—this is our home," Nangong Lingyue added, a trace of an inscrutable smile warming her usually cold eyes.

"I see. You mean the Wind King sees me as a son now, so we’re siblings, is that it…" Lin Qingyun assumed she was talking about the engagement, which clearly didn’t interest her.

"That’s part of it—but not all…"

"Hmm…"

Now Lin Qingyun was truly confused. Why was she suddenly speaking in riddles? What was she trying to say?

Before he could ask, a fist suddenly loomed before his eyes, slamming into his left, then his right eye.

Thud! Thud!

Stars exploded in his vision as Nangong Lingyue’s fists crashed down. If not for his body’s resilience, nearly at the Cloud Ascension level and with the beginnings of a golden body, he might have been knocked out.

"Hmm… thud, thud…" Seeing he wasn’t unconscious after two punches, Nangong Lingyue seemed surprised. She followed up with three more. Lin Qingyun offered no resistance, not even trying to dodge—Nangong Lingyue’s strength, though waning, was still nearly at high Cloud Ascension level, far beyond what he could block head-on.