Chapter 483: The Ling Family

After leaving Blazing Sun Martial Hall, Lin Xiao returned to the hotel. Chen Lingxin had already purchased the train tickets in advance and was anxiously waiting for Lin Xiao.

When she saw Lin Xiao return unscathed, she finally let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked about what had happened.

Lin Xiao gave a brief account, comforting the worried Chen Lingxin. After the two had lunch, they prepared to return to Jinghai.

“Master, hurry up, the train is about to depart.”

Chen Lingxin ran ahead, hands behind her back, bouncing and skipping.

Now that her worries had been lifted, Chen Lingxin returned to her lively nature, her body barely stopping for a moment.

Lin Xiao shook his head helplessly, picked up Chen Lingxin’s suitcase, and strode after her.

The half-person-tall suitcase weighed dozens of kilograms, but in Lin Xiao’s hand it was light as a feather, drawing frequent sidelong glances from passersby.

Ten minutes later, a high-speed train departed the station, heading toward the distant city of Jinghai.

***

At the same time, in the heart of Dongzhou, on the top floor of the city’s most luxurious five-star hotel, a woman with an ethereal presence and graceful figure sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, silently gazing down at the bustling traffic below.

“Miss, our people have arrived in Jinghai, but the man you spoke of, Lin Xiao, doesn’t appear to be in Jinghai at the moment. It seems he has temporarily left,” a beautiful professional woman in office attire said respectfully.

“He left?”

The woman looked up, revealing a face that countless men would go mad for. It was none other than Mo Ling, the one who had been tirelessly searching for Lin Xiao.

Although Lin Xiao had also been in Dongzhou these past few days, the city was far too large.

For two people with no contact to run into each other by chance was almost impossible.

So they never met, and Mo Ling had no idea that the Lin Xiao she longed for had already been in Dongzhou.

“Mm, but according to our investigation, it’s only temporary. He should return to Jinghai soon,” the woman said.

“That’s good. Have them wait in Jinghai. As soon as Big Brother Lin returns, protect him well. And make sure he doesn’t notice,” Mo Ling said.

“Yes, Miss.” The woman nodded. “By the way, Miss, how should we handle the matter with our Dongzhou branch?”

“Have we figured out who’s behind it?” Mo Ling’s gaze turned cold.

The Dongzhou branch of the Mo Long Group had suddenly come under attack. As one of the group’s most important branches, if it were heavily damaged, the consequences would be severe.

Especially given the current instability within the Mo Long Group, any serious blow to the Dongzhou branch would provide leverage for certain factions within the company.

This trip to Dongzhou was Mo Ling’s effort to investigate who was targeting the Mo Long Group—and to resolve it.

“After our investigation, the culprit appears to be a local power from the south, the West Sea Sect. West Sea Sect is one of the Seven Great Powers in the south and is arguably the strongest of them all. Its sect master is said to be the top martial expert in the region.”

“West Sea Sect? We have no grudge against them. Do we know why they did this?”

“M-Miss…” the office woman hesitated.

“Is it related to the Ling family?” Mo Ling’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Yes… Yes, Miss.” The woman sighed in relief. “We heard it was Young Master Ling who personally contacted West Sea Sect’s sect master, Tian Junliang, which is why…”

“The Ling family…” Mo Ling looked down at the crowd bustling below, and for the first time, a trace of worry appeared in her usually cold and confident eyes.

Dynasties may rise and fall like flowing water, but the Li family stands like iron.

That was the best way to describe the Li family. With thousands of years of heritage, they had always sat high above like deities, overlooking the mortal world.

Powerful. Mysterious.

That was the impression the Li family left on everyone.

Alongside the military and Penglai, they formed the Three Great Powers of the ancient martial world.

Even though the Mo family was not weak and Mo Ling herself was known for her extraordinary methods, facing the colossal Ling family still left her mentally exhausted.

Not to mention, due to the Ling family’s immense power, even the Mo family was not internally united on the matter.

“Could it be… that I really have to agree?”

Thinking of the pressure from her family and the crisis facing the Mo Long Group, Mo Ling felt a moment of deep vulnerability. But soon, her gaze turned firm and resolute.

“No. Even if I die, I will never marry into the Ling family. Big Brother Lin, I will not betray you.”

***

Elsewhere, in the Dongzhou headquarters of the West Sea Sect—

“Tian Junliang, this task comes directly from Young Master Ling. You’d better handle it properly.”

Inside a grand and resplendent hall, a man in his thirties sat arrogantly, one leg crossed over the other.

“If you mess it up, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Standing beside him were Tian Junliang and his disciple, Lei Wen.

Seeing the man’s haughty demeanor, Lei Wen had a flicker of anger in his eyes and stepped forward, ready to teach the man a lesson. But Tian Junliang reached out and stopped him.

“Master!” Lei Wen said in confusion.

“Stay calm.”

After soothing Lei Wen, Tian Junliang stood up and said to the man with a calm expression, “Rest assured. The matter Young Master Ling entrusted to me has already been handled.”

“Mm, good, good.” The man cast a disdainful glance at Tian Junliang and shook his head. “I heard you’re the number one martial artist in the south? Hah, doesn’t seem like much to me.”

“You’re courting death!”

Lei Wen couldn’t hold back any longer. He stepped forward, ready to kill the man for insulting his master.

But before he could reach the man, Tian Junliang pulled him back.

“What, you want to hit me?” The man had flinched at first but quickly regained his arrogance after seeing Lei Wen hold back. “Come on then. South’s so-called number one genius? Bah! A bunch of ants. Tian Junliang, teach your disciple properly. Don’t let him die out there someday without even knowing how it happened.”

The man gave Tian Junliang a contemptuous look, then turned and left the hall.

After the man left, Lei Wen could no longer suppress the doubts in his heart.

“Master, why? With your strength, even the Ling family shouldn’t treat you like this.”

“This isn’t something you need to worry about. Your current task is to keep an eye on the Mo Long Group.” Tian Junliang’s tone remained calm.

“Master…” Lei Wen wanted to ask more, but seeing Tian Junliang’s expression, he could only give up, replying reluctantly,

“Yes, Master.”

After Lei Wen left the hall, the calm expression on Tian Junliang’s face finally changed. His eyes were filled with coldness and killing intent.

“The Ling family, huh…”