Chapter 140: Interception and Ambush (Second Update)

"You... you... you said you can refine Saint-grade pills?" Huangfu Huijing could not believe her ears.

A Martial Saint under the age of twenty was already enough to arouse intense jealousy! Now, add being a Pill Saint to that—it was sheer madness! Was there any way for ordinary people to live at all?

To Huangfu Huijing's question, Xin Lang nodded affirmatively. "A third-grade Saint-grade pill should be quite manageable."

"Good heavens! A Martial Saint combined with a Pill Saint was already shocking enough! Third-grade Saint-grade—doesn't that mean he has reached the level of a tertiary-grade Pill Saint?!"

Huangfu Huijing and her two companions were struck dumb once again by Xin Lang's words! The way the three of them looked at Xin Lang underwent a qualitative change, especially Shangguan Ningyu, whose gaze carried a hint of solemn depth.

Although Huangfu Huijing did not like Xin Lang, she was well aware of his value. Such a person could only be befriended; under no circumstances should he be offended.

"Your Royal Highness, First Young Master Ling Tian and Second Young Master Ling Feng of the Ling family request an audience!" A servant arrived at the rear garden at that moment to report to Huangfu Huijing.

"Ling Tian!"

"Ling Feng!"

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness... Greetings, Your Imperial Highness the Third Prince!"

Ling Tian and Ling Feng were of the same age as Huangfu Huijing and attended the same Martial Arts Academy. Having frequent contact with her in daily life, they had followed the servant straight into the back garden, never expecting to find the Third Prince, Huangfu Shaoqi, present, nor that Xin Lang would be here as well.

"Xin Lang?" Enemies meeting face to face instantly grew red with hatred. Ling Tian bellowed, "Xin Lang, you scoundrel who dared to profane the Princess, you actually dare to come to the Princess's Estate! Men, seize him for me!"

The guards of the Princess's Estate, hearing someone shouting about "seizing someone" in the rear garden and not knowing what was happening, all rushed over.

Seeing this, Huangfu Huijing flew into a rage and scolded, "Audacious! This is the Princess's Estate, not your Ling family. If you want to throw a tantrum, go back to your own Ling Estate to do it!"

If it had been just a few minutes earlier, Huangfu Huijing might have stood by and watched Xin Lang make a fool of himself, but things were different now! Xin Lang was not just any ordinary person; he was a Martial Saint and a Pill Saint to boot. How could anyone possibly dare to offend such an individual?

However, Ling Tian knew nothing of this. Blinded entirely by hatred, he continued to shout, "Your Royal Highness, this fellow Xin Lang once declared before all the teachers and students of the Martial Arts Academy that you are his private possession! He has blasphemed the Princess, and his crime deserves death!"

"Shut your mouth! This is a matter strictly between Xin Lang and myself! If you dare utter another word of nonsense, you will be the one blaspheming this Princess!" Huangfu Huijing rebuked Ling Tian sternly.

"What... I... I am blaspheming the Princess? Your Royal Highness, you must be mistaken. It's him!"

Ling Tian pointed at Xin Lang, wanting to say more, but Ling Feng pulled him back, whispering urgently, "Brother, stop talking!"

Pulling Ling Tian along, Ling Feng addressed Huangfu Huijing, "Please calm your anger, Your Royal Highness. My elder brother suffered an injury recently and his mind has been somewhat unhinged! His condition has flared up again, so I will take him back right now to have him examined."

With that, Ling Feng dragged Ling Tian and fled the Princess's Estate.

Once they were dragged outside the estate gates, Ling Tian shook off Ling Feng's grip in a fury and demanded, "Why did you stop me? It was clearly that scoundrel Xin Lang who profaned the Princess!"

"Brother..." Ling Feng said helplessly, "Didn't you hear Princess Huijing say it? She said it was a matter between her and Xin Lang! Think about it, what does that sentence imply?"

"What does it imply?" Ling Tian asked.

"It is blatantly obvious that the relationship between Xin Lang and Princess Huijing is extraordinary!" Ling Feng pointed out.

"Are you saying that Princess Huijing is having an affair with Xin Lang?" Ling Tian gasped in realization.

"There is a very high probability of that," his younger brother Ling Feng nodded seriously.

"Damn it!" Enraged, Ling Tian struck a stone lion at the entrance of the Princess's Estate with a single palm strike, shattering it into pieces as he cursed, "Huangfu Huijing, I held deep and unwavering affection for you, yet I never expected you to stoop so low as to hook up with a scoundrel like Xin Lang! Damned soiled goods, even if you kneel and beg me in the future, I wouldn't want you!"

"Brother, keep your voice down! Don't let anyone hear you!" Ling Feng looked left and right, hurriedly reminding him.

Ling Tian's single strike shattering the stone lion had long since alerted the servants of the estate, and every single word of his rant had been transmitted without omission directly into Huangfu Huijing's ears.

Seizing the opportunity, Ling Feng recounted his earlier visit to Ling Tian's residence to Huangfu Huijing, leaving out not even the final remark, thereby completely severing any remaining hopes Ling Tian might have held.

Had the choice been left to Huangfu Shaoqi, he would naturally have chosen Xin Lang to be his brother-in-law, but unfortunately, Xin Lang showed no interest in Huangfu Huijing, who habitually dressed in men's attire.

Although no substantial progress had been made between Xin Lang and Shangguan Ningyu today, the primary objective of this trip had been successfully achieved. Wooing women was not only a technical skill but also a test of patience and effort. Having breached the gates of the Princess's Estate today, he had laid a solid foundation for frequent visits in the future. With more frequent interactions down the line, opportunities to win Shangguan Ningyu's heart would naturally present themselves.

On the way back, Huangfu Shaoqi offered to escort Xin Lang back to the Martial Arts Academy, but finding him annoying, Xin Lang chased him off not far from the Princess's Estate.

He had not walked far before Xin Lang sensed that someone was tailing him. Without even needing to think, he knew who it was!

Reaching a deserted alley, Xin Lang strode into it without the slightest hesitation, then halted his steps and called out to his pursuers, "Come out! Act like real men instead of skulking around in the shadows!"

Two figures emerged from the mouth of the alley—they were none other than the Ling brothers. Ling Tian sneered, "Xin Lang, you can't run today! I'm going to finish you off for good."

"My goodness! Are you two brothers out of your minds?" Xin Lang laughed. "Ling Tian, you couldn't even beat me at the Celestial Gambling Arena and almost got yourself killed. Do you honestly think you can defeat me now just because you brought along a useless younger brother?"

"Hmph! Who says there are only the two of us?" Ling Tian looked at Xin Lang with utter contempt and commanded, "Thirteen Hawks of the Ling Family, kill him!"

The moment Ling Tian's voice fell, thirteen figures in black rushed out from all directions. Each of them wore an iron mask and carried a completely different weapon. Every weapon possessed a bizarre design tailored specifically for slaughter. As Xin Lang swept his gaze across them, he perceived that each of the thirteen men possessed the strength of a Grandmaster—the highest being at the tertiary tier, and the lowest at the primary tier.

Operating in flawless coordination, the thirteen formed an absolute assassination formation and charged toward Xin Lang.