72: Zi Ling'er's predicament

Five years later.

Eastern Region, Great Yan Dynasty.

"Senior, where are we going next?"

On the second floor of the restaurant, by the window, Zi Linger looked at the Senior sitting opposite her, her eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Five years. A full five years.

Following the Senior, she had originally thought that relying on his strength would give her a better chance of safely returning to the Immortal City. Yet, for five whole years, the Senior had taken her through the most remote and desolate corners of the Eastern Region, never once mentioning when they would go to the Immortal City.

He had dragged her, a Golden Core Peak Cultivator, all the way to the Third Level of Nascent Soul Realm, just one step away from breaking through to the Nascent Soul Mid Stage.

With her talent and combat prowess, had it not been for the events of the past, she likely would have already wiped out the Bloodthirsty Sect, successfully passed the Heavenly Sound Pavilion Elder assessment, and broken free from her Family's shackles.

Fortunately, the past five years of interacting with the Senior had been very pleasant. This time spent together was much happier than her time in the Zi Family; there was no oppression, no need to consider complicated matters, and she could do whatever she liked.

Most importantly, the Zi Family had not sent anyone to look for her. Of course, it was also possible that because she and the Senior had been wandering through various remote places, the Zi Family had simply been unable to track her.

During these five years, the Senior's only request of her was to occasionally play a tune or blow a melody on the xiao.

She had gradually grown accustomed to this feeling of wandering the world—having no fixed residence, staying wherever they went, seeing different things, meeting different people, and gaining different experiences.

She even felt that if things continued like this, it might actually be quite nice.

The world was so big. After traversing the Eastern Region, they could go to other places. Regardless, both she and the Senior were Loose Cultivators, free and unconstrained.

"The next place..."

Mo Tianxiao took a swig of wine, watching the bustling traffic on the street outside the window. In a place where Zi Linger could not see, a character panel appeared before his eyes.

【Name: Mo Tianxiao

Cultivation: Profound Access Peak

Luck Rank: Black

Cultivation Technique: Demon Emperor Scripture (Third Level)

Magical Artifact: nine tribulations sacred sword (Sealed State), human emperor banner (Damaged)

Sub-occupations: Advanced Alchemist (+), Advanced Talisman Master (+), Intermediate Formation Master (+), Elementary Artifact Refiner (+)

Secret Art: Immortal Dao Secret Art - Skillful Hand Emptying

Divine Ability: Great Annihilation Fist (True), Eight Desolations Roaming Dragon Steps (True)

villain value: 331121

luck value: 6300】

In five years, he had traveled to every remote corner of the Eastern Region and wiped out countless Cultivators who wanted to rob them.

The villain value provided by the Demon Sect Disciples had been decreasing every year, but fortunately, it was still there. Coupled with the Cultivators who had delivered themselves to his door over these five years, his villain value had become abundant once again.

Zi Linger had provided him with quite a bit; every time he had her play the zither or blow the xiao, he could gain some villain value.

However, in these five years, he hadn't encountered a single Child of Destiny.

Logically speaking, didn't all Children of Destiny rise from humble beginnings? He had searched all the remote places in the Eastern Region, yet he hadn't found a single one.

The only thing to be happy about was that his luck value was almost enough for another draw.

The last draw had yielded an Immortal Dao Secret Art; he wondered what the next one would give him.

"Let's go to the Immortal City next."

Mo Tianxiao glanced at a few figures on the horizon and said indifferently.

"Haven't you always wanted to go to the Immortal City?"

"Ah? We're going to the Immortal City?"

Upon hearing this, Zi Linger was stunned for a moment, then a trace of sadness, which she hadn't even realized herself, appeared in her clear eyes.

If she could, she would have liked to keep wandering like this, being a True Loose Cultivator, unbound by any person or force.

With the Senior, she did not feel lonely.

But such thoughts could only be fantasies. The Senior could not be with her forever; he had his own affairs to attend to, and the Zi Family would eventually find her one day.

Even if the Zi Family couldn't find her, the people from the Huangfu Family would eventually find her.

"What? Looking at you, why do you seem reluctant? Could it be that you've stayed by my side for too long and are reluctant to leave?"

A smile hung on Mo Tianxiao's Face, his tone sounding like he was joking.

"This is also quite good; I can listen to music whenever I want in the future."

Zi Linger was proficient in all kinds of musical instruments—singing, dancing, zither, and xiao—belonging to a comprehensive type of sound Cultivator Genius.

Especially her xiao playing; it was exceptionally good and always left him with an endless aftertaste.

After five years of getting along, his understanding of Zi Linger was, if not eighty or ninety percent, at least thorough. Judging from her usual behavior, she was likely a young lady from a wealthy Family who had run away to become a Loose Cultivator for some unknown reason.

"Senior, I would love to keep following you, but that would only implicate you."

Zi Linger's expression was grave. In these five years, she had come to regard this Senior as a friend.

Since they were going to the Immortal City now, there were some things she felt necessary to clarify, or else she would feel guilty in her heart.

"Senior, to tell you the truth, I am actually from the Zi Family of the Immortal City."

Zi Linger stared at Mo Tianxiao with sincere eyes, intending to reveal her situation.

"Because the young master of the Huangfu Family, Huangfu Yunteng, took a fancy to me, the Zi Family wanted to send me to him as his twentieth concubine."

"The Zi Family is a large Family, but in front of an ancient Family like the Huangfu Family, it is only an ant."

"In order to climb up to the Huangfu Family's power, the entire Zi Family, except for my parents, unanimously agreed to sacrifice me alone to trade for benefits for the Zi Family. I didn't agree, so I found an opportunity to sneak away."

A flash of unwillingness crossed Zi Linger's eyes. She did not want to become a sacrifice for the Family and could only seek the protection of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion.

However, even in the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, only a Saint Realm Elder had the ability to protect her.

If she were just an ordinary Disciple of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, no one would pay attention to her; the Sect would not interfere in the affairs of a Disciple's Family.

Even if she became a Disciple of the Jade Pool Heavenly Palace, the most top-tier force in the Eastern Region, she could not avoid the outcome of being taken back by her Family for a marriage alliance.

Only by becoming a Personal Disciple of a Saint Realm Elder would the Zi Family not dare to touch her, and the Huangfu Family would also give Face to a Saint Realm Expert and not make things difficult for her.

"So, you are returning to the Immortal City to...?"

Hearing this cliché plot from Zi Linger, Mo Tianxiao's expression remained calm.

It was standard operation for large families; he could understand it. Cultivating clan members for the Family's benefit was very normal, and Zi Linger not wanting to become someone's... twentieth concubine was also normal.

He was actually quite interested in this guy named Huangfu Yunteng. Marrying so many wives, could he handle it? Wasn't he afraid of snapping it?

"Senior, I intend to return to the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. I must gain the recognition of an Elder and become an Elder's Personal Disciple, otherwise, I will eventually be sent to Huangfu Yunteng by the Zi Family."

Zi Linger's gaze was resolute; she would absolutely not compromise with fate. If she lacked talent, she would accept her fate, but she was not without a chance to resist.

As long as she could obtain the protection of a Saint Realm Expert before the Zi Family found her, she could change her own destiny.

"Senior, I would like to ask you to protect me for this journey, to let me safely arrive at the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. The Zi Family will definitely send people to catch me, but they shouldn't send Cultivators above the Soul Transformation Realm."

"So that's how it is."

Mo Tianxiao heard Zi Linger's words, the corners of his mouth slightly raised. "Linger, what do you think of my character?"

Zi Linger: "Eh?"

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