Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

A voice cut in as Qin Feng rushed over, feigning urgency. He bowed to the middle-aged man and said with a sincere expression, "Uncle Zhao, please, stay your hand. This is my fault for my poor arrangements. Please, do me this small favor. Whatever grievances you have, how about we wait until we’re on the island and the assembly has begun to seek justice?"

Looking at the middle-aged man’s displeased face, Qin Feng sneered to himself. ’Ling Xiao, if I can’t get him to kill you with a single strike, why would I bother getting involved? True, the engagement was just a verbal agreement between our elders. And yes, over the past decade or so, our families have grown distant, even clashing unpleasantly—sometimes fiercely—over resources from the sea islands.’

’But none of that matters. You, Song Mingyue... you’re my woman!’

’You belong to the Qin Family in life and in death! But you were the one who betrayed me first! To appear in public with that Ling Xiao like a couple... right in front of me... That’s why Ling Xiao has to die. And as for you... Song Mingyue, I’ll make you taste the consequences of betraying the Qin Family!’

The middle-aged man stared daggers at Ling Xiao, his mind racing. He wasn’t as ignorant as his son, Zhao Long. He knew, at the very least, that anyone who could board this ship, live and dine in the first-class cabins, and... make Qin Feng himself personally intervene on their behalf could not be a simple person.

He had lost his temper because he’d assumed his son was beaten up by some other senior figure. No matter how big a mistake his son made, he didn’t need outsiders to discipline him! Besides, this ship was filled with members of great families and sects. Though few people were present right now, he estimated that in less than half a day, everyone on the ship—all thousand-plus of them—would know what happened.

At that point, where would the East Sea Zhao Family have any face left to show? And to think he had even come along with his son to pay a visit to the Qin Family. Though the Qin and Zhao families were supposedly known as the two great families of the East Sea, the Qin Family had grown far too powerful in recent years. In his heart, Zhao Jingzhi knew the truth: the Zhao Family wasn’t even fit to carry the Qin Family’s shoes.

The Qin Family hadn’t made any hostile moves against the Zhao Family despite their burgeoning power, but Zhao Jingzhi understood the principle that one mountain cannot hold two tigers. The two families rarely associated with each other. That was why Zhao Jingzhi wanted to take this opportunity to visit the Qin Family’s Patriarch—Qin Feng’s father, Qin Zhaoran—to show goodwill. To be blunt, it was a gesture of submission. As such, his mood was already foul to begin with.

He never imagined the person who’d knocked out his son was just a teenager. In truth, Zhao Jingzhi had already wanted to back down even before Qin Feng spoke. A person who could knock his son out with a splash of water was obviously far stronger than Zhao Long, but more importantly, could the sect backing such a person be anything but formidable?

But he had already spoken, and between the pain for his son and his own shame and anger, Zhao Jingzhi found himself in a position where he couldn’t easily back down. He had to maintain his tough stance. Qin Feng’s words were a perfect excuse, an easy way out. He decided to go with it. ’Once we’re on the island,’ he thought, ’I’ll investigate this boy’s sect. It won’t be too late to deal with him then! If his backers are too powerful... I’ll just drop it. But if their sect is on par with my family, or even just slightly stronger, I will get justice for my son!’

Despite his inner thoughts, Zhao Jingzhi’s expression didn’t soften in the slightest. He glared coldly at Ling Xiao and said, "I’ll give Young Master Qin face. But you’d better remember—you hurt a member of the Zhao Family, and this isn’t over!" With that, he turned, preparing to storm off.

"Wait." Ling Xiao sighed softly. He looked at Zhao Jingzhi, who had paused and was now pinning him with an icy stare, and said calmly, "Whatever you intend to do is your own affair. But right now, I’d like to share my thoughts."

"HAHAHAHA!"

Zhao Jingzhi laughed, his rage boiling over. He stared at Ling Xiao as if he were a complete fool. "Your thoughts? Go on, kid, tell me. What thoughts could you possibly have? HAHA, that’s rich! I deign not to stoop to your level, and you dare to have ’thoughts’?"

Ling Xiao remained unmoved. "Your son first insulted my companion, then he tried to kill me. I am already giving your family immense face by not killing him. If you still don’t know what’s good for you, then don’t blame me for what happens next."

Ling Xiao noticed that when he spoke of Ming Yue as his woman, Qin Feng’s pupils contracted, and his face went rigid for a split second before he composed himself. ’I’m not sure how the marriage pact between the Song Family and Qin Family came to be,’ Ling Xiao thought, ’and I don’t know why Ming Yue never mentioned it when she gave herself to me. But I know one thing for sure: even though there were extenuating circumstances at the time, she already had feelings for me long before that. And as for this Qin Feng, she feels nothing for him. She doesn’t act like a fiancée in the slightest!’

’If Song Mingyue weren’t so bright, it would be one thing. But she’s incredibly smart, insightful, and detail-oriented. How could she possibly forget something so important when she gave herself to me?’

’Still, I have my own principles and boundaries. I could have let it go when Xie Xiaoyan wanted to annul our engagement. The reason I punished her was for the harm she caused Ling Tianxiao, his wife, and the entire Ling Family! If it had just been about the annulment, I would have simply cut all ties with her and been done with it. But she plotted against me again and again. That was something I could never tolerate.’

’In the end, it escalated to her colluding with a hidden elite family to back her up. Not only did she covet the sword Cultivation Technique I possess, but she even went so far as to try and have me killed by someone else’s hand!’