Behind Ye Fenghua followed two other elders, both of whom Lin Xiao recognised, namely Le Zheng Hongmao and Situ Guang, the two deputy alliance leaders.
“This junior, Hei Mu, greets the Alliance Leader and the two Deputy Alliance Leaders!” Lin Xiao bowed respectfully, speaking with a calm and composed tone.
“No need for such formalities, haha, how interesting. So young, yet already a Third-Grade Junior Spirit Controller, not only refining the Ten-Turn Nine-Flame Wood but also defeating Zhou Xiong. Even I, back in my day, didn’t reach such heights!” Ye Fenghua’s face lit up with an appreciative smile, his presence as refreshing as a gentle breeze.
“What?”
Hearing this, Wu Gong’s heart jolted sharply. He had heard of the Four Great Young Masters long before arriving at the imperial city.
He paid little attention to others, and having just arrived at the imperial city, he was unaware of Hei Mu’s reputation. But upon learning that Lin Xiao was a Third-Grade Junior Spirit Controller who had defeated Zhou Xiong, he was momentarily stunned.
This person was far younger than him, meaning his talent surpassed Wu Gong’s own.
To think that the “trash” he had repeatedly insulted was more of a genius than himself—it felt as though his face had been slapped, burning with shame and anger.
“Hmph, so what if he defeated Zhou Xiong? In alchemy, you’re still far inferior to me. My only rival is Ye Yu!” Wu Gong clenched his fists, muttering to himself inwardly.
At that moment, Fan Renlou, standing beside Wu Gong, also looked grim. Beyond Lin Xiao’s spirit power rank, what caught his attention was Ye Fenghua’s personal mention that Lin Xiao had refined the Ten-Turn Nine-Flame Wood.
As an overseer of the Spirit Controller Alliance, he knew full well how difficult Nine-Flame Wood was to refine. Even now, he couldn’t achieve a nine-turn purification, let alone in his youth.
And ten turns, he understood clearly, though only a fraction purer than nine turns—by a mere one ten-thousandth—that tiny increment was no less challenging than reaching a purity of nine hundred ninety-nine out of ten thousand. Ten turns symbolised perfection, a purity only those with extraordinary talent could achieve.
He could scarcely believe that such a figure existed in the Lanlan Empire.
Even more astonishing was that this genius was the disciple Wen Renliang had brought to compete in the grand contest!
His face flushed with heat and embarrassment.
Though his own disciple possessed exceptional talent, even capable of vying for the championship, compared to this youth, the gap seemed vast.
He had hoped to use this to confront the alliance’s upper echelons and settle old scores with Wen Renliang, but now, that seemed unlikely to succeed.
Moreover, he noticed something else: Ye Fenghua’s first glance fell on Hei Mu, not on him, the one forced out years ago. Though Ye Fenghua hadn’t been the alliance leader back then, he had been present.
This alone showed how much Ye Fenghua valued Hei Mu, which could greatly hinder Fan Renlou’s goal of washing away past humiliations.
With this thought, a worried expression surfaced on Fan Renlou’s face.
Lin Xiao, the centre of attention, naturally paid no heed to their reactions. Looking at the faintly smiling Ye Fenghua, he said courteously and humbly, “Alliance Leader Ye flatters me!”
“You truly deserve this praise!” Ye Fenghua chuckled, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes as he continued, “However, combat prowess doesn’t necessarily mean alchemy skills are equally strong. Later, you’ll need to perform well, I have high hopes for you!”
“Thank you, Alliance Leader!” Lin Xiao replied sincerely.
Nodding, Ye Fenghua asked with slight curiosity, “Still, the alchemy contest is a time to shine. I wonder why you’re wearing a mask…”
Lin Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. Had Ye Fenghua seen through his disguise?
Even if he had, Ye Fenghua wouldn’t recognise him, having never met him before. Plus, Lin Xiao had applied aura-mixing powder to alter his presence, so it was unlikely his former identity would come up.
“Not to hide from the Alliance Leader, I was accidentally burned while refining medicine a while back,” Lin Xiao quickly explained.
“Burned?” Ye Fenghua paused, then laughed, “Haha, I see.”
Whether he believed it or not, Lin Xiao couldn’t tell, so he simply nodded noncommittally.
Beside Ye Fenghua, Ye Yu glared at Lin Xiao with clear displeasure, though in such a public setting, he didn’t dare undermine his uncle by mocking Lin Xiao openly, instead standing aside, quietly seething.
“I’m also looking forward to his performance!” At that moment, a mature, middle-aged voice rang out.
Lin Xiao’s gaze followed the sound, spotting several figures approaching. Leading them was a man in a golden dragon robe, his face exuding the stern authority and sharpness of power.
Beside him stood a woman of breathtaking beauty, noble and refined, her aura regal.
This woman was none other than Princess Meng Ying, one of the four renowned beauties of the imperial city, a sight to behold.
Seeing Lin Xiao, Meng Ying smiled softly, her expression warm as a spring breeze, greeting him with a familiar tone, “Young Master Hei Mu, we meet again.”
“Princess Meng Ying, you’re too kind. I presume this is Emperor Meng of the Lanlan Empire, yes?” Lin Xiao asked respectfully.
“Indeed, haha, if Young Brother Hei Mu doesn’t mind, just call me Uncle Meng,” Emperor Meng laughed heartily, showing no trace of imperial aloofness, his tone warm and approachable.
The crowd was taken aback. Calling the Emperor of the Lanlan Empire “Uncle Meng”?
The implications were profound. Though Emperor Meng lacked real power, he represented the imperial family and, by extension, the empire’s strongest figure, Grand Empress Meng Xi. A single word from him could make anyone in the empire think twice before crossing him!
Moreover, calling the emperor “uncle” carried a hint of intent to recruit a son-in-law.
Wu Gong’s heart trembled again. Not only did Lin Xiao have Ye Fenghua’s favour, but now the imperial family held him in such high regard.
Fan Renlou’s frown deepened.
“This junior is deeply honoured, I truly wouldn’t dare!” Lin Xiao said.
“Nonsense, Young Brother saved Yingying’s life, I should be the one thanking you. If you keep this up, you’re being too distant. In the future, if you need anything, just go to Yingying,” Emperor Meng said with a carefree laugh.
“Then this junior will boldly call you Uncle Meng. If I need help, I’ll trouble Princess Meng Ying,” Lin Xiao replied with a bow. Since the emperor insisted, he couldn’t refuse, calling an emperor “uncle” was likely a unique privilege.
“Humble yet confident, with such talent and this attitude, excellent, excellent. I, too, have high hopes for you,” Emperor Meng praised, his years as emperor lending him a keen eye.
The crowd gasped again, clearly interpreting this as an attempt to win Lin Xiao over.
Favoured by Ye Fenghua and now valued by the imperial family, the onlookers grew increasingly envious of Lin Xiao.
Inwardly, they resolved never to cross this youth, lest they meet an unknown end.
Glancing at Meng Ying, Emperor Meng said meaningfully, “In the future, you young people should spend more time together.”
As someone gradually taking control of imperial power, Meng Ying was usually composed, but her cheeks flushed slightly at this.
Paired with his earlier words, her father’s intent was clear: “I’m optimistic about you, you two should interact more in the future…”
