Moon Maiden and Cold Plum listened to Ling Xiao’s words and each returned to their rooms to rest and comprehend what they had learned.
After all, they both understood very clearly that if they wanted to keep helping Ling Xiao, their own cultivation had to keep improving. Otherwise, sooner or later they would become a burden to him.
Ling Xiao’s talent was simply too terrifying.
Catching up to him would not be difficult at all.
However, just as they left and Ling Xiao returned to his room to prepare for cultivation, a woman appeared. She carried an air of nobility mixed with a touch of delicate fragility.
“Princess Lian’er!”
Ling Xiao smiled and said, “Are you looking for me because something happened?”
“Can you just call me Lian’er? I don’t like it when things feel so distant.”
Feng Ming Lian’s expression showed a hint of longing.
Ling Xiao gave a soft sigh.
He understood what was in Feng Ming Lian’s heart at this moment.
Having left her mother and offended the Ice Phoenix Clan, she truly felt no sense of safety in the imperial capital. Apart from Ling Xiao, she did not know who else she could trust.
Although Ling Xiao’s friends treated her quite well, the loneliness deep inside a person’s heart is very hard to dissolve.
“Alright, Lian’er. Is something the matter?”
Facing this touching and pitiful beauty, Ling Xiao really could not harden his heart.
The main thing was that this girl was genuinely quite pitiable.
“Can you walk with me for a while?”
Feng Ming Lian asked.
“Very well.”
Ling Xiao nodded, and the two of them walked together along the beautiful scenic paths of Qingxu Academy.
The fragrance of green grass and flowers blended together, creating an intoxicating atmosphere. Under the small bridge, the river flowed slowly, and from time to time the croaking of frogs could be heard, adding a bit more liveliness.
The tightly furrowed brows of Feng Ming Lian gradually relaxed. With someone she could trust by her side, and surrounded by the beautiful flowers, birds, insects and fish of nature, she felt truly content.
“You know, Big Brother Ling, my dream is simply to live together with the people who care for me, leading a plain and ordinary life. Does that sound a bit ridiculous?”
Feng Ming Lian suddenly asked.
“It is not ridiculous at all. Being with the people who care for you, no matter how hard life becomes, is still happiness. However, there is one thing I must point out. Without strong power, that kind of happiness cannot last long.”
Although he did not want to shatter Feng Ming Lian’s beautiful dream, some words still had to be said.
“Why?”
Feng Ming Lian asked in confusion.
From childhood she had been like a bird kept in a cage, yearning for the outside world yet unable to leave it.
“When I was young, although I was a beggar, I felt very happy and content when I was with Grandfather Hong Qi and those little companions. Grandfather cared for me deeply, and the other children were lots of fun. But in the end the nightmare still came.”
Ling Xiao’s expression changed slightly as he continued, “In the Profound Realm, martial artists are the ones who decide everything. We were just beggars. Yet there were people who took pleasure in bullying beggars, and every time they did, they took one or two lives.
I personally watched my little companions get beaten to death with no way to stop it. The so-called happy life I had collapsed in an instant.”
Feng Ming Lian listened in stunned silence.
She had originally thought cultivation was useless, that if she stayed out of conflict she could live well and happily.
But Ling Xiao’s words struck her like a heavy blow.
“In the Profound Realm, a happy life must be fought for with strength. Miss Lian’er seems to have quite good cultivation. Why have I never seen you fight?”
Ling Xiao naturally knew that Feng Ming Lian’s cultivation was not weak, and she was possibly a genius on the same level as him.
Although she was young, she had already reached the First Cave Heaven Realm.
“My cultivation was forced on me by my mother. In the past I always believed that this kind of cultivation was what caused my misfortune, so I never practised seriously. But your words have surprised me.”
Feng Ming Lian explained, “Although my cultivation looks good, I have never practised any martial techniques because I did not want to hurt anyone.”
“You do not want to hurt others, but you should not give up the ability to protect yourself either.”
Ling Xiao reminded her, “I believe you have seen it these past days. Someone has targeted me and keeps sending assassins. Imagine if I held the same view as you. What would the result be?”
Feng Ming Lian froze for a moment, then her face changed greatly.
She was not stupid. On the contrary, she was very intelligent.
Perhaps because she carried both human and Divine Phoenix blood, she had greater potential than ordinary humans or Phoenix Clan members.
She was also much smarter.
Naturally she understood what Ling Xiao meant.
“Big Brother Ling, please help me cultivate. I know many martial techniques of the Ice Phoenix Clan, but I do not understand the cultivation methods.”
Because she trusted Ling Xiao, Feng Ming Lian also believed what he said.
Combined with the recent events, she gradually understood that blind kindness was not a good thing. It only made you appear weak and easy to bully.
She had to become stronger!
Only then could she protect herself!
“No problem. I can guide you in cultivation.”
Ling Xiao did not refuse. After all, he had saved Feng Ming Lian. Having saved someone, one should save them to the end. Helping her master skills to protect her life would also relieve him from constantly spending energy to guard her.
Moreover, the martial arts of the Ice Phoenix Clan. He could borrow them to study and gain insights.
Every move of his Light and Shadow Profound Meaning was comprehended from existing martial techniques, not created from nothing.
If he could gain some inspiration from the Ice Phoenix Clan’s techniques, perhaps his comprehension of later moves would speed up.
“Thank you so much, Big Brother Ling.”
Feng Ming Lian said excitedly.
Every time she became excited, her cheeks would blush slightly, revealing an expression that was utterly captivating. Even Ling Xiao felt it was hard to resist such a pitiful and charming temptation.
Ling Xiao quickly turned his head away and looked at the little fish in the river.
He suddenly thought of something, turned back and asked, “Lian’er, since you are from the Ice Phoenix Clan, you should have heard about Ji Fuling and Yu Xuanyue, right?”
Feng Ming Lian thought for a moment and said, “Of course I know. In the secret collection of the Ice Phoenix Clan, there is a book specially recording the two of them. During the time I was confined, there was always an old grandmother guarding me and taking care of my daily life. When she was free, she would tell me stories of things that happened in the past.”
“Can you tell me about it?”
Ling Xiao asked.
Ever since he learned that Ji Fuling and Yu Xuanyue were his parents, Ling Xiao had been eager to know more about them.
Since Feng Ming Lian knew, he naturally wanted to ask clearly.
“Of course.”
Feng Ming Lian had been worried about having no topics to talk about with Ling Xiao. Now it was perfect. Ling Xiao had brought up the subject himself, and she had plenty to say.
The early parts she told about Ji Fuling and Yu Xuanyue were things Ling Xiao had already heard from Hong Qi, but he still listened carefully.
Until later, when Feng Ming Lian spoke of something terrifying that made him feel a chill run down his spine.
“Everyone in the world thinks Ji Fuling and Yu Xuanyue had no children. However, in truth, they actually had a pair of children.”
Feng Ming Lian said.
