Chapter 5: The Soul-Settling Pearl

Ling Yushi forced a smile, and that smile made the two brothers feel even more heartbroken and increasingly ashamed. "Father, Third Uncle, you do not need to feel troubled. After all, I am a little older than my younger sister and can be more understanding. I... I can endure it. I know you have made many sacrifices for the family and how difficult it has been to endure. I am no longer a child; I should also take on some responsibilities.

Ling Xuanxuan did not want to stay here for even a second. Upon hearing this, she immediately stood up, and Ling Yushi quickly followed. Just before leaving the stone chamber, she turned back to take a deep look at the tightly closed eyes of Qin Lie.

Ling Chengye shook his head, "I couldn't catch up. The opponent's realm should be comparable to mine. I also find it strange; I don't understand why he would take action against Qin Lie."

In the midst of the thunder and lightning, Qin Lie felt a jolt throughout his body, experiencing a profound sense of joy. His once vacant eyes now shone like stars, reflecting the brilliance of electric serpents and thunder dragons, bright and astonishing.

Rumbling!

... ...

This season is indeed the most suitable for my cultivation of Heavenly Thunder Strike, and today I am truly fortunate

Over there at Yaoshan, it seems that something has indeed happened. Heng'er, you and Du Qishan should keep a close watch on that area. If the opportunity arises, go into the mountain or the mines within the mountain to take a look. Du Jiaolan's gaze was cold and eerie, resembling a venomous snake that had been lying in wait for a long time, ready to strike at any moment.

Who exactly wants to take action against me? Is it my grandfather's enemy?

The sound of thunder and lightning gradually emanated from within his body, and at that moment, an astonishing aura unexpectedly radiated from him

All of this is built upon Ling Xuanyuan's continuous breakthroughs. If Ling Xuanyuan is unable to enter the Kaiyuan realm before the age of twenty, then all their efforts will be in vain

Hehe, Lingjia Town is bound to become Dujiatun sooner or later. If there are indeed spirit stones in the Yaoshan mine, they should belong to our Du family and cannot be secretly taken by them.

Due to the ten years of memories being sealed, coupled with the fact that Qin Shan has never spoken much about his identity and background, he has no way of obtaining answers

"Father, I would rather die than marry that fool! If you insist on this arrangement, I will eventually run away from home and never return to the Ling family!" At that moment, Ling Xuanxuan's suppressed anger finally erupted, her fists clenched, glaring at Ling Chengye like a little tigress.

Is Qin Lie alright? In the hall of the Ling family, the head of the Ling family inquired about his two daughters, while Ling Chengzhi stood by.

During the five years of practicing "Heavenly Thunder Strike," he had already forged a resilient and tenacious will. Instead of feeling overly dejected, he quickly calmed down and began to reflect carefully on today's events

At this moment, if someone were beside him, they would see the lightning gradually gathering above his head, and they could faintly hear the rumbling sounds of thunder emanating from within him.

... ...

Muttering a few words, Qin Lie strode towards Yaoshan, his pace noticeably much faster than before

Ling Yushi let out a heavy sigh, wearily placing Qin Lie on the bed, her autumn water-like bright eyes filled with doubt and concern

"He must be carrying something heavy," Ling Xuanxuan remarked with a pout.

He only wishes to steadily establish a solid foundation for "Heavenly Thunder Strikes" within the Ling family. Once he no longer needs to rely on the Yaoshan mine to channel the thunder and lightning for body tempering, he may choose to leave the Ling family and venture outside in search of Qinshan

Du Heng wore a sullen expression as he firmly articulated his deduction in front of his mother, "Mother, perhaps something extraordinary has been mined from the Yaoshan mine!"

At the moment when the momentum reached its peak, a faint glow appeared between his eyebrows, and a black bead the size of a broad bean emerged from his forehead.

Having said that, Ling Xuanyan, feeling indignant, impulsively ran away in a fit of temper

Two years ago, after being awakened by Qin Shan, he also attempted to break the memory seal of the Soul-guarding Pearl, but the result was the same as today: failure

The momentum that had been painstakingly built up dissipated completely, and he leaned wearily against the wall, sighing, "It still doesn't work."

"Hehe, I will say this to them, hoping they can be a bit patient." Du Jiaolan was surprised; over the years, the Ling family had never delayed the supply of spiritual herbs to the Xingyun Pavilion. Ling Chengye's suggestion to take it slow left her somewhat puzzled. After a moment of contemplation, she coldly remarked, "The Ling family relies on the Xingyun Pavilion. If it is merely a delay of a few days, it should not be a problem. However, if there is an issue with the supply of spiritual herbs, the situation may not be so easily resolved. I believe my elder brother is also aware of this, isn't he?"

At the turn of spring and summer, the weather is unpredictable, with frequent thunderstorms. Unbeknownst to us, the sky has already turned overcast, and the mountain winds are howling

Regardless of who it is, it seems that in the recent period, one can no longer maintain a state of unrestrained and thoughtless cultivation; otherwise, when that person strikes again, it is highly likely to be a lethal blow

... ...

Waving his hand, Ling Chengye said: "I certainly will not allow you to truly marry Qin Lie. However, Qin Shan has been kind to my Ling family, and I have promised him to take care of Qin Lie until he turns seventeen. Well, you and Qin Lie will merely be engaged, a formality only. In two years, I will annul your engagement, and you will have no further ties with him"

The sky was filled with thunder and lightning, as if there were some strange and close connection with him, capable of moving because of him

The head of the Ling family felt a tightening in his heart, furrowed his brows, and said: "We may need to pause for a moment; recently, during this season of alternating thunderstorms, the harvest of spiritual herbs has been somewhat affected"

The two brothers placed too much hope on Ling Xuanxuan, both anticipating that her extraordinary talent for cultivation would help the Ling family turn their fortunes around and fulfill their inner ideals

The two brothers wore frowns, sighed deeply, and were filled with helpless bitterness

... ...

After Ling Yushi set down Qin Lie, she first examined him carefully. Seeing the green palm print on Qin Lie's chest gradually fading, she placed her jade finger on his nostrils for a moment. Discovering that his breathing was steady and strong, Ling Yushi finally felt relieved and said: "He should be fine. The injury on his chest should heal in a couple of days. Let us return first"

The mental consciousness surged into the seal, crashing against the invisible barrier like a series of heavy impacts. Suddenly, an intense pain pierced through his head, causing his mental strength to abruptly weaken

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the brothers Ling Chengye and Ling Chengzhi changed simultaneously, as they were truly struck at their vulnerable point

In the cafeteria, the members of the Ling family, both young and old, appeared somewhat silent. Du Jiaolan and her two children were unusually attentive to Qin Lie today. It was only after he left the cafeteria that the mother and her children finally shifted their gaze away from his departing figure.

After a while, seeing his reflection in the bronze mirror, his eyes became as hollow and expressionless as usual, and only then did he walk out of the stone house

So that's how it is, I knew it all along. How could Father be so cruel as to sacrifice my little sister's lifelong happiness?" Ling Yushi smiled and let out a sigh of relief, "Are you at ease now, my dear girl?"

Today, that man in white did not strike, and the spiritual energy injected into Qin Lie's chest has almost dissipated. He should be able to recover in a couple of days. Ling Yushi replied, then asked, "Father, did you engage in combat with that man in white? Could you discern his identity and background?"

Ling Yushi observed everything with keen eyes, secretly struggling as waves of pain surged from her heart

After a long time, she suddenly said softly: "Let me replace my younger sister and get engaged to Qin Lie, shall I? My talent is not as good as my younger sister's, and before the age of twenty, it is unlikely that I will enter the Kaiyuan realm. My younger sister... will be the hope of the family. As the elder sister, for the sake of the family and for my younger sister, I should take on a bit more responsibility."

I know my limits! I don't need you to teach me! Ling Chengye was in a bad mood and huffed irritably.

Luxurious furs spread across the floor of the opulently decorated room, where Du Jiaolan, holding a wine glass, languidly reclines on an exquisite chaise longue

Another hall in Lingjia Town

That fool is extremely heavy; he must be carrying something substantial. Over the years, that grandfather and grandson have been in the mine, and it is unclear what secrets they are concocting. That old man Ling Chengye strictly forbids us from going to the mine at Yaoshan, suggesting that he might be secretly involved in some unsavory dealings with that grandfather and grandson. Today, the entire Ling family went to Yaoshan, and Ling Yushi even carried Qin Lie back; something must have happened

Hiss!

That is good. As a mere woman, I cannot manage many affairs within the clan, but I just want to remind you, elder brother, not to let the Ling family fall into a dangerous situation! You also understand that if we lose the protection of the Xingyun Pavilion, the Ling family town will not remain peaceful for long

Hehe, those two daughters of the old man from www.hetushu.com will eventually become playthings for my brother and me!" Du Heng grinned mischievously

Qin Lie walked along the stone path leading to the mine.

Qin Lie got up on time. He did not continue to use the Soul-Settling Pearl to enter the state of formlessness and thoughtlessness for his cultivation. Before going out, he took out a bronze mirror and slowly adjusted his gaze in front of it

The two brothers, Ling Chengye and Ling Chengzhi, exchanged a glance, both perceiving the astonishment in each other's eyes. Their thoughts were focused on the second possibility mentioned by Ling Yushi, and for a moment, they did not respond.

... ...

The second day

Soon, after finishing his meal, he stood up in a daze and walked again in the direction of the Medicine Mountain

Call!

Boom

"Father, when I carried Qin Lie back today, I found... he is very heavy." Ling Yushi finally voiced the doubts in her heart

The two brothers sighed with emotion, and in this hall, they set the date for Ling Yushi and Qin Lie's engagement, confirming this matter

"It has nothing to do with you, Father. I know you are also feeling very upset. Please let everything be arranged by you," Ling Yushi gently inquired in a comforting manner.

The entire Ling family, young and old, streamed out one after another

"Enough!" Ling Chengye said coldly, his expression grim as he stood up and left the dining hall

After two years, he felt that his strength had greatly improved and initially believed he had a chance to break the seal. Unfortunately, things did not go as he wished, and he was defeated once again

After a long time, Qin Lie suddenly sat up from the bed, tightly closed all the doors, and then returned to the bed.

This stone chamber of Qin Lie contains only a stone table and two stone stools, along with a wooden bed; there are no other pieces of furniture.

In Lingjia Town, such stone houses are quite common, and most martial artists in Lingjia Town reside in similar houses

Focusing his mind and will, Qin Lie let out a roar in his heart, his expression fierce as he charged at the seal within the orb

He might truly be carrying something heavy, but due to the differences between men and women, I cannot examine him closely. Of course, there is another possibility... However, it is too absurd to mention, and I hardly dare to believe it myself. Ling Yushi shook her head in confusion.

In the midst of thunder, lightning gradually appears and disappears, resembling dragons and snakes floating across the sky, swaying their heads and tails

At the precise moment, he stepped into the Ling family dining hall. The entire Ling family, young and old, was astonished to see him arrive on time, staring at him in surprise.

The jet-black beads glimmered faintly; at a glance, it seemed as if an eye had suddenly appeared in the center of his brow

Qin Lie felt no turmoil within; he began to eat in silence, with no difference from his usual routine

"Alas, I have wronged you." The head of the Ling family said with moist eyes, lowering his head and sighing, "It is all because of my father's inadequacy"

Du Jiaolan's expression shifted slightly. After thinking for a moment, she said: "What you said makes sense. We have indeed overlooked those mines, and we need to pay more attention to them. Recently, keep an eye on that fool and find an opportunity to go into the mines to see what the Ling family is up to."

"Elder brother, the Nebula Pavilion has sent word, asking us to deliver a batch of herbs there soon," Du Jiaolan said casually while elegantly wiping the food residue from the corner of her mouth

Sister, what was going on with Du Heng just now? I heard that scoundrel has been frequently going to Ice Rock City lately. Has he been drained by wine and lust? How could he not even carry this fool?

It is at least five times heavier than an ordinary person!" Ling Yushi exclaimed.

In the dimly lit room, Qin Lie's eyes shone brightly; upon closer inspection, it seemed as if currents of electricity were coursing through his pupils, creating an extraordinarily strange and peculiar appearance

Is it very heavy? Much heavier than average?" Ling Chengye's expression changed, clearly taking it more seriously.

The child understands

Although this woman is cunning and malicious, she possesses a mature and captivating charm, strikingly beautiful. Otherwise, Du Haitian from the Xingyun Pavilion would not be so utterly devoted to protecting her.

This is the stone house where Qin Lie has lived for many years, consisting of three rooms. One of the rooms, which was originally belonging to Qin Shan, is empty, and the other is a washroom

The two brothers did not expect Ling Yushi to take the initiative to bear the burden. As they were taken aback, both felt a pang of sorrow, equally troubled in their hearts, unsure of what to say.

"It doesn't sound good to announce an engagement!" Ling Xuanyan said with a sulky face, huffing, "Once engaged, I have to endure people's gossip, and it will last for a full two years. I can't stand it; I won't be able to concentrate on my cultivation! If my progress stagnates during these two years, don't blame me for not being diligent!"