"Your Highness."

  As soon as the woman in green appeared, she bowed to Jiang Luoxian.

  Jiang Luoxian nodded gently, "Rise."

  "I'm still not at ease with Chen going down the mountain to train. Follow him and protect him in secret."

  The woman in green looked conflicted, "But Your Highness... Qing Qing initially came out with you to protect you!"

  Jiang Luoxian replied, "Do you think I still need your protection now?"

  The woman in green nodded, "I'll go right away."

  With that, the woman in green transformed into a wisp of green smoke and swiftly followed Xiao Lingchen.

  "With Qing Yu's protection, within the borders of the Celestial Star Kingdom, Chen can walk sideways without any issues!"

  Although she had known Xiao Lingchen for just over three months, spending every day together had made her develop feelings for him.

  Moreover, the initial reason for taking him as a disciple was special, so Jiang Luoxian naturally didn't want Xiao Lingchen to encounter danger.

  That's why she sent Qing Yu to protect Xiao Lingchen in secret.

  With so many safeguards in place, Jiang Luoxian finally felt somewhat relieved.

  ***

  On the other side.

  Xiao Lingchen activated the Divine Movement Step, advancing at full speed, eager to head straight for Azure Cloud City!

  (PS: Many readers later mistook the Divine Movement Step as a running technique. To clarify, although it has the word "step" in its name, it's actually a flying technique!)

  Back then, before he had even begun cultivating, it took him several days to flee to the Supreme Mystical Sect.

  Now, having reached the Dao Palace Realm and with the Divine Movement Step at Major Success, it only took him two days to return to Azure Cloud City!

  On the familiar streets, vendors and pedestrians bustled about, and the street stalls were lively and prosperous!

  Yet, who could have imagined?

  Just a few months ago, on that night, the Xiao Family, one of the three major families in this city, was nearly wiped out!

  Xiao Lingchen knew that over a hundred members of the Xiao Family had died!

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Even the innocent servants of the Xiao Family suffered unjustly!

  Everything from that night was still vivid in his mind.

  Today, he would make the Ye Family, the culprits behind it all, pay the same heavy price!

  ***

  "Look, look, doesn't that person look familiar?

  Isn't that Xiao Lingchen, the good-for-nothing?"

  Suddenly, a familiar voice came from ahead.

  Looking over, a richly dressed young master approached Xiao Lingchen with a group of followers and bodyguards.

  Xiao Lingchen narrowed his eyes slightly.

  He immediately recognized the person as Ye Tianlang, the third young master of the Ye Family!

  Ye Tianlang was around the same age as Xiao Lingchen and, being from the Ye Family, had clashed with Xiao Lingchen many times over the past decade.

  Upon recognizing Xiao Lingchen, Ye Tianlang burst into laughter:

  "Haha! Xiao Lingchen! It really is you!

  Weren't you a stray dog running for your life? How dare you come back? Aren't you afraid..."

  Poof!!!

  In the next second, Ye Tianlang, who was still mocking, had his head crushed!

  Blood spurted like a fountain.

  In no time, he was lifeless, collapsing to the ground!

  Xiao Lingchen took a white silk handkerchief and wiped the blood off his hands.

  The cold sneer on his face was unmistakable!

  He used to be an ordinary person, and could only respond to mockery with mockery.

  Now that he was a Dao Palace Realm expert, how could he tolerate such insults?

  You mock me, I kill you, isn't that fair?

  Though this was Xiao Lingchen's first time killing, he had rehearsed the scene of revenge countless times in his mind.

  Thus, he felt no burden.

  Instead, he felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction!

  Soon, the people around realized what had happened.

  "Ah!! Murder!!"

  "Run!!!"

  The bystanders on the street screamed and fled.

  Ye Tianlang's followers and bodyguards, after a brief moment of shock, showed expressions of anger!

  "You brat from the Xiao Family, how dare you!

  You actually dare..."

  However, before the speaker could finish, Xiao Lingchen struck again, crushing his head as well!

  In an instant, blood splattered like watermelon juice, soaking the scene.

  Xiao Lingchen looked at the remaining people with a cruel smile: "You're next."

  With those words, the followers and bodyguards were scared out of their wits.

  "Devil!"

  "He's a devil!"

  "Run!!!"

  They wanted to escape.

  But could they?

  The strongest among them was only at the fifth level of the Spirit Sea Realm.

  In Xiao Lingchen's eyes, they were no different from ants!

  He summoned the Phoenix Emperor Sword and slashed forward abruptly.

  Poof, poof, poof!!!

  In an instant.

  Several heads flew into the sky, and blood spurted like a fountain.

  In no time, the headless bodies fell to the ground, completely lifeless.

  Under the effect of the God-killing Sword Technique, the terrifying killing aura was absorbed by Xiao Lingchen, transforming into nourishment for his cultivation.

  "Unfortunately, there are too few people, and their cultivation is too low, so the increase in cultivation isn't much. If I could kill all the members of the Ye Family, perhaps I could significantly boost my cultivation."

  With this thought, Xiao Lingchen headed in the direction of the Ye Family.

  ***

  Today, the Ye Family was extremely festive.

  Red lanterns and couplets were hung everywhere, and luxurious carriages came and went.

  The guests were all dignitaries and wealthy people from Azure Cloud City.

  Today was the day the Ye Family's eldest young master, Ye Feilin, was getting married, and they all came to offer lavish gifts and blessings!

  "Tsk tsk, how is it that Young Master Ye Feilin is getting married again? This is already his eighteenth wife, right?"

  "Yes! But that's not the main point. Do you know who Ye Feilin is marrying this time?"

  "Who doesn't know? It's Chen Qingqing from the Chen Family! The Chen Family really hit the jackpot! They were just an unknown small family in Azure Cloud City, but now they've caught the eye of Young Master Ye! From now on, the Chen Family is bound to rise to great heights!"

  "Haha! What do you know? Do you really think Young Master Ye is interested in Chen Qingqing? Actually, Chen Qingqing was the fiancée of Xiao Haoyu from the Xiao Family. The Ye Family's marriage this time is more about humiliating the Xiao Family, one of the three major families in Azure Cloud City!"

  "I see! It's said that three months ago, the Xiao Family was nearly wiped out by the Ye Family, and Xiao Haoyu died that day. Now, marrying the Xiao Family's fiancée so publicly is truly a heart-wrenching blow!"

  Soon, all the guests were present.

  The wedding proceeded as scheduled.

  Dressed in red, Young Master Ye Feilin led the bride, Chen Qingqing, into the hall, receiving blessings and applause from the guests, with a face full of pride.

  However, at that moment.

  Chen Qingqing suddenly pulled out a dagger gleaming with cold light from her bosom.

  And fiercely stabbed towards Ye Feilin.

  The sudden turn of events shocked everyone present!

  But in the next second, Chen Qingqing's hand was caught by Ye Feilin, and the dagger stopped mid-air.

  Ye Feilin's face darkened, "Chen Qingqing, what are you trying to do?"

  Chen Qingqing replied, "Ye Feilin, I, Chen Qingqing, am a wife of the Xiao Family in life, and a ghost of the Xiao Family in death. I will not marry you!"

  Hearing this, Ye Feilin sneered repeatedly, "Ignorant fool!"

  "Fine! Very well! In that case, you can just die!"

  With that.

  Ye Feilin snatched the dagger from Chen Qingqing's hand and stabbed towards her!

  But at that critical moment.

  Poof!!!

  A Sword Qi sliced through the air, and Ye Feilin's head flew off!