Ling Tian Sword God

After the wizened old man left with Ling Yin, only Ling Chen and the Royal Elder remained around this mountain peak.

Ling Chen let out a slow breath, turned his body, and his gaze happened to fall on the Royal Elder. His eyes narrowed slightly. Although he didn’t know the identity of the old man before him, he could sense an aura not weaker than that of the wizened old man from him.

This old man was probably also a powerful Saint.

Ling Chen couldn’t understand why the man hadn’t left yet. Was there something he wanted to say?

”What guidance does Senior have?”

Ling Chen’s eyes slightly constricted, and he cupped his hands.

However, the Royal Elder only smiled without speaking. He merely scrutinized Ling Chen briefly before shaking his head, ”What a pity.”

”What is a pity?”

Ling Chen was somewhat baffled. Although the man’s eyes are blind, at his level, he could see through everything with his Mind’s Eye. Even if he were blind, he would still know what Ling Chen looked like.

”Ling Chen, a supreme prodigy ranked fifth on the Green History Wall, the greatest genius of the Southern Martial World. There are few in the entire Nine Provinces Land with talent like yours.”

The Royal Elder smiled faintly, ”Your talent is rare in the world, but only because of your origin, the Liu Family won’t protect this genius; instead, they’ll stop at nothing to eliminate you.”

”You know about my origins?”

Ling Chen was taken aback, instantly becoming highly alert.

He didn’t fully understand his origins himself. He only knew his mother, Liu Xiling, was the daughter of the Celestial Imperial Commander, but beyond that, he knew little.

From this elder’s tone, it seemed he knew about his connection to the Liu Family, perhaps even...knew his lineage?

”You should know that within this Central Dynasty, there are two entirely opposing factions. The struggle between these factions permeates every corner of the dynasty. Even the Nine Great Families are dragged into this struggle between the two factions.”

”Yes, I know a bit.”

Ling Chen nodded. The struggle involving the genius factions ”Heavenly Sword Sect” and ”Rainbow Robe Association,” as well as the New Party and Old Party within the dynasty, was part of the two factions’ combat.

The Nine Great Families are divided into two factions. One includes traditional families like the Scholar Saint, Sword Saint, Divine Blade, and Punishment Saint. The other includes newer aristocratic families like the Heavenly Constructor, Heavenly Wolf, and the Tang Sect, which have risen in the last century.

”More than twenty years ago, the Liu Family of the Heavenly Constructor Clan, in consideration of family interests, betrothed the most talented daughter of the family to the eldest son of the Xing Saint Family, to win over the wavering Xing Saint Family within the Old Party, forming an alliance of mutual offense and defense, a century-long bond.”

”However, on the night of their grand wedding, the Liu family’s daughter eloped with the son of the Ling Family of the Sword Saint Clan. It turns out the Liu family’s daughter and the young Ling had long been in love, pledging their lives to each other. When this was discovered, both families were furious and chased them down for half a month. Somehow, the couple managed to escape their pursuit, and there was no news of them throughout the Nine Provinces Land.”

”Over twenty years have passed, and now the Liu family’s daughter has been captured from the Wildlands by the Liu Family. But they’ve found out she already has a child—one who has grown and come to the Nine Provinces to find his mother.”

”How... how does Senior know all this so clearly?”

Ling Chen was shocked, his expression drastically changed.

This elder, with just a few casual words, completely unraveled the mystery of his lineage. What shocked Ling Chen even more was that although he had never known this elder, the man seemed to know his details so well.

At this moment, Ling Chen’s heart was filled with a chilling sensation.

”What the Liu Family knows, how could we, the royal family, not know?”

The Royal Elder smiled calmly, as if indifferent.

”Rest assured, I bear you no ill will. Whatever the Liu Family plans for you is their business, unrelated to the royal family or myself. Besides, if I truly intended harm towards you, do you think you could escape?”

The Royal Elder waved his hand, signaling Ling Chen to relax, indicating he bore no ill will towards Ling Chen.

”Why does Senior tell me so much?”

Ling Chen was puzzled. He had no relations with the Royal Elder, so why did the man tell him these things?

”Just to form a good relationship.”

The Royal Elder shook his head, saying no more, ”If you can survive, you will surely achieve great accomplishments in the future. Telling you these things costs me nothing, so why not?”

Upon hearing this, Ling Chen dismissed his doubts. It seemed the elder indeed bore no ill will, and, in truth, there was no necessity for it.

”Why does the Liu Family insist on my death?”

Ling Chen harbored some resentment in his heart. The Liu Family and he shared some blood relations, yet they all seemed eager to kill him.

”Because, to many within the Liu Family, you are a disgrace to their family.”

The Royal Elder stroked his beard, ”Now that they’ve recaptured Liu Xiling, they plan to marry her off again to the Xing Saint Family’s eldest son. Unexpectedly, the Xing Saint Family also agreed to this.”

”But, while the Xing Saint Family can tolerate Liu Xiling having been with another man, they absolutely won’t tolerate her child living. Thus, you must die. Only with your death can the two families marry again without any hindrance.”

”I see.”

Ling Chen finally understood. It turned out the Liu Family had such calculations, which was why they wouldn’t relent in pursuing him. At the same time, Ling Chen’s disdain for the Liu Family deepened; those despicable folks merely treated Liu Xiling as a tool for the family’s service, never recognizing his mother as a person.

”The Liu Family is powerful. If they truly are determined to kill me, I fear it will be very hard for me to escape.”

Ling Chen mused for a moment, then shook his head. This time they sent a Sky Apex Realm Ninth Level expert to kill him. Next time, if they sent a Half-Saint or even a Saint, no matter how big his luck was, he might still not escape.

”Of course, but thankfully, within the Liu Family, not everyone agrees on the issue concerning you. The current Family Head, Liu Chengyuan, is your maternal uncle; naturally, he won’t kill you. Those who want you dead are the Elder and others within the Liu Family.”

”But after this incident, the Liu Family offended the Heavenly Eye Clan, so they’ll be busy dealing with internal issues, which will grant you some time to breathe.”

The Royal Elder said.

”Senior, you also mentioned the Ling Family of the Sword Saint Clan, my father’s family. If I went to the Ling Family, could I seek protection?”

Ling Chen straightforwardly chose to trust the Royal Elder, immediately asking, since waiting until the elder left to wonder might lead to regret.