Zi Linling smiled mysteriously, not arguing with him. Facts spoke louder than words; some things, once accomplished, would naturally gain belief.
Seeing her confident demeanor, Ye Lingyuan was filled with curiosity. Why was she so sure?
Situ Yunfeng quickly sent a message to the old man. He wasn't worried about the old man refusing, as he had told him it was a meeting gift for his future wife, so the old man would definitely give it willingly.
As expected, not long after the message was sent, Situ Yunfeng received a reply: "Stinky brat, I'll send the Soul Nurturing Grass over immediately. But if you don't bring your wife back, you'll get out of here and go to Medicine King Peak to refine pills. You're not allowed back until you break through to become an Intermediate Alchemist!"
Situ Yunfeng was speechless. The old man was too harsh. He had only just touched the threshold of alchemy, not even an apprentice alchemist yet. How long would it take to break through to an Intermediate Alchemist? It would be an eternity!
However, he only grumbled a little. The most important thing now was to share this good news with Xiao Lingling.
"Xiao Lingling, the old man replied. The Soul Nurturing Grass will be sent over soon."
"Then thank you, Young Valley Master Situ!"
"Xiao Lingling..."
"Bang!"
Just as Situ Yunfeng was about to speak, a heavy thud echoed in the council hall.
The three of them looked over and saw Ji Ran standing not far away, his killing intent blazing. Opposite him, a dozen feet away, Huo Qinghe rolled on the ground in a sorry state before getting up.
It turned out that as Ji Ran knocked Ye Liuxing unconscious, he had already landed in front of Ye Liuxing. With a somber expression, he used his spiritual energy to examine Ye Liuxing's body, then picked him up and placed him on a chair.
Then, he walked towards Huo Qinghe with murderous intent and, without a word, delivered a spiritual energy-condensed slap. He berated, "How did I instruct you before? Is this how you look after the young master?"
In his anger, Ji Ran did not conceal his spiritual energy when he attacked. As a result, Huo Qinghe was sent flying more than ten feet away. Fortunately, the council hall was spacious, and the tables and chairs used for discussions were placed at the front, where Ye Lingyuan and the other two were. Thus, Huo Qinghe, after being sent flying, landed directly on the ground.
However, the commotion also alerted Ye Lingyuan, who was deep in thought. The pupils of his clear eyes contracted sharply, and he secretly marveled, "Saint King Realm mid-stage!"
Of course, Situ Yunfeng also felt the powerful spiritual energy fluctuation. Although he didn't sense it as precisely as Ye Lingyuan, he knew that the cultivation of this burly man before him was definitely more than a realm higher than his own.
Although Zi Linling couldn't feel the spiritual energy fluctuation, she instinctively sensed danger. She looked at Ji Ran with a wary expression.
Huo Qinghe, the person directly involved, was even more alarmed. Being able to be slapped flying meant that the opponent's cultivation was definitely higher than his. He was at the peak of the Yuan Transformation Realm, so the opponent must be...
The words "Saint King Realm" involuntarily popped into his mind, and a chill ran down his spine. Cold sweat soon broke out on his forehead.
Huo Qinghe thought to himself, "The Family Head is truly generous, sending a Saint King Realm expert to personally protect the young master!"
After all, on the Tianyuan Continent, Saint King Realm experts were few and far between. Moreover, due to the "King's Pact," they generally did not appear in public.
The so-called King's Pact stipulated that once a cultivator entered the Saint King Realm, they were forbidden from interfering in conflicts below the Saint King Realm.
Saint Kings walk the mortal world, and those in the Yuan Transformation Realm are like dogs.
A Saint King Realm expert, no matter where they went, exerted a deterrent force on others, even without taking action.
Now, for the Ye Family Head, Ye Wenqing, to send a Saint King Realm expert to protect Ye Liuxing, even if it was just for deterrence, showed how much Ye Wenqing valued Ye Liuxing.
Huo Qinghe, clutching his swollen face, asked with a trembling voice, "Elder Ji... Elder Ji, how is the young master?"
Ji Ran's eyes were like sharp cold lights. He reprimanded, "How is he? If I had arrived a moment later, the young master would have died. In that case, you, hmph! You would have been buried with the young master!"
Huo Qinghe gasped, his hair standing on end. He had unknowingly brushed past death.
He had been so focused on keeping a low profile and not disturbing the young master and Ye Lingyuan that he had completely overlooked Ye Liuxing's desperate attempt to break the seal. Furthermore, he only knew that Ye Liuxing couldn't cultivate due to damaged heart meridians; he had no idea that there was sealed spiritual energy within him.
If he had still harbored resentment for being slapped earlier, then after realizing Ji Ran was a Saint King Realm expert, all his resentment vanished. Now, knowing that he had almost lost his life, he felt only a sliver of gratitude towards Ji Ran.
Therefore, he respectfully cupped his fists towards Ji Ran and said, "Thank you, Elder Ji, for saving my life!"
Ji Ran cast a disdainful glance at Huo Qinghe and said, "Speak! Why did the young master attempt to break the seal?"
In fact, Ji Ran himself was still shaken. He couldn't imagine the dire consequences if he had been a moment late.
Therefore, to prevent such a situation from happening again, he had to understand the whole story and nip it in the bud.
Huo Qinghe glanced at Zi Linling. He now knew that Zi Linling was related to Ye Lingyuan, so he hesitated. After all, the reputation of the Heavenly Apocalypse Underworld King preceded him, and he was not someone to be trifled with.
It was rumored that although the Heavenly Apocalypse Underworld King, Ye Lingyuan, was at the peak of the Yuan Transformation Realm, his true strength could contend with Saint Kings, making him unrivaled below the Saint King Realm.
On one side was a tangible Saint King, and on the other was someone who could rival a Saint King. Huo Qinghe was momentarily unsure whether to speak.
However, even though Huo Qinghe remained silent, Ji Ran noticed his glance towards Zi Linling.
Therefore, Ji Ran pointed at Zi Linling and asked, "Is it because of her?"
Huo Qinghe lowered his head and dared not speak, but his attitude was one of tacit agreement.
Although Ji Ran had investigated Zi Linling, he had never seen her in person. Therefore, he had no idea that the woman before him was Zi Linling herself.
His gaze turned cold, and a Saint King Realm pressure surged towards Zi Linling. Although he couldn't act, he was not restricted from exerting pressure.
Although Zi Linling felt the danger, she could not evade it. She was directly suppressed to the point of spitting out a mouthful of blood. If not for Elder Du's timely intervention, she would have fallen to her knees.
However, Elder Du was, after all, in a soul state, and a wounded soul state at that. Therefore, even though he managed to block Ji Ran's pressure, it only lasted for about ten breaths.
After ten breaths, Elder Du had to retreat back into the Nine Spirit Ring, panting heavily, "To think that a dragon fallen to the plains would be bullied by dogs! When this old man was in his prime, let alone a mere Saint King, even an Emperor Realm expert would have been slaughtered like dogs!"