Chapter 111: Tonight, the Sleeping Lion Will Awaken

Beneath the stillness of the night, the bustling city of Jiangzhou remained oblivious to the fact that along its dark border, a formidable army numbering hundreds of thousands lay in wait like a ferocious beast, lurking in the shadows and watching the city's prosperous heart.

Ling Xiao wore a calm expression, revealing no hint of worry. He even leisurely went to pick up Mu Yiren from work.

Inside the car, Xiu’er held a digital tablet displaying a military roster, her delicate brows knotted tightly.

“Report from the Shadow Hall: Kongtong has completed its deployment along the Jiangzhou border, amassing a force of no less than two hundred thousand troops. When the Hundred Sects Contest begins, Kongtong will not hesitate to strike Jiangzhou immediately. Their target is none other than you, Young Master.”

Leaning back in his seat, Ling Xiao tilted his head upwards and closed his eyes briefly, emitting a soft hum.

Just a soft hum, nothing more.

Xiu’er’s face showed a trace of concern. “Young Master, shouldn’t you consider laying low for now? After all, martial cultivators are forbidden from recklessly harming ordinary people on a large scale. Even if we temporarily yield Jiangzhou, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Yield Jiangzhou? You’re overthinking it. Kongtong doesn’t have the right to make me step aside.”

“But our Ghost Valley has only eighty thousand disciples of the War God Hall, while they have two hundred thousand. The disparity in numbers is overwhelming!”

“The battles among martial cultivators have never been about numbers. What we value is strength! Your fear comes from the fact that Ghost Valley hasn’t participated in a single Hundred Sects Contest for thousands of years. You don’t know the difference in martial prowess between Ghost Valley disciples and those of other sects.”

At these words, Ling Xiao opened his eyes slightly. His starry gaze blazed with piercing light, cutting through the skylight and extending toward the horizon.

“But this time, I will make you all—make the entire world—know the true might of Ghost Valley.”

Tonight, the sleeping lion will awaken.

Tonight, Ghost Valley will rise to stand atop the martial world of China.

...

Soon, the car arrived at the Yiren Group headquarters. Mu Yiren was already waiting at the entrance.

Seeing Ling Xiao step out, she ran up to him excitedly.

Her face flushed with excitement, her adorable cheeks tinged pink. Ling Xiao gently embraced her, bending down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Off work so early? Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”

Mu Yiren playfully smiled, sticking out her tongue. “I was afraid it would distract you from your important matters. Tomorrow is the day your ‘Hundred Sects Contest’ begins; you’re bound to be very busy.”

“Fool, no matter how busy I am, you’re always the most important.”

“Ling Xiao.”

Mu Yiren hugged him tightly, nuzzling against him, indulging in her affection.

At that moment, Ling Xiao’s gaze shifted elsewhere.

Following his glance, a sleek Audi A7 swiftly pulled up nearby and stopped.

The headlights cast a glow that made Mu Yiren frown slightly as she stepped away from Ling Xiao’s embrace.

Moments later, two women descended from the car, yet both Ling Xiao and Mu Yiren’s eyes were drawn only to one: a woman dressed in white, ethereal as a celestial being.

Her face was cold and proud, her aura otherworldly—clearly no ordinary mortal.

She glanced at Ling Xiao and Mu Yiren with a hint of disdain, as if Ling Xiao were a heartless scoundrel.

Mu Yiren, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Who are you?”

The white-clad woman’s attendant spoke arrogantly, “We are disciples of the Divine Water Palace! This is our Young Palace Lord, Tie Xinlan.”

“Young Palace Lord of Divine Water Palace?”

At that moment, Mu Yiren’s expression grew complicated, while Ling Xiao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“What brings you here?” Ling Xiao asked casually, as if Tie Xinlan were nothing more than an ordinary person.

This ignited a flicker of anger in Tie Xinlan.

Though she had never met Ling Xiao before, she was, after all, his fiancée.

Even if she intended to break off the engagement, she had yet to voice it.

Under such circumstances, Ling Xiao holding another woman so casually and treating her with such disregard was truly infuriating.

It must be known that Tie Xinlan was no ordinary woman in the martial world.

Besides being the Young Palace Lord of Divine Water Palace, she was also one of the Four Beauties of the Martial World!

Cultivators naturally possessed beauty far beyond ordinary mortals; among them, the Four Beauties were exceptional.

To have a fiancée of her caliber was a rare blessing, a fortune accumulated over eight lifetimes.

Yet... Ling Xiao blatantly ignored her, even choosing a worldly woman over her. This was nothing less than an insult.

“Is this how you treat me?” Tie Xinlan’s gaze turned icy as she stared intently at Ling Xiao.

He, however, remained indifferent.

“What attitude I have toward you is none of your concern.”

“You—don’t forget who I am! You’re insulting the Divine Water Palace!”

Ling Xiao shook his head slightly, eyes filled with a mix of incredulity and disappointment.

“Why shake your head?” Tie Xinlan pressed forward, as if everything Ling Xiao did was unbearable to her.

Ling Xiao made no effort to argue, merely responding coldly, “That’s none of your business. Besides, I will not marry you—I already have a wife. Leave.”

“Leave?” Tie Xinlan’s pupils contracted sharply.

Indeed, she had come to break the engagement, but she never expected it would be so easy.

She had assumed that upon seeing her stunning beauty, Ling Xiao would cling to her, using every means to persuade her to marry him.

Even if she wanted to break the engagement, it would come at a great cost.

Yet, to her disbelief, Ling Xiao had ended the engagement on his own accord.

This was nearly impossible for Tie Xinlan to accept.

Her greatest pride was her beauty, temperament, and her status as Young Palace Lord of Divine Water Palace.

Because of these, she had attracted countless handsome heroes from the martial world.

Men who wished to kneel at her feet could line up all the way to Shanhaiguan Pass.

But now, for the first time in her life, she had been rejected by a man.

And that man was someone she looked down upon!

Heavens, has this world gone mad?

Before she could make a move, Ling Xiao frowned slightly.

“Forget it. She’s probably a little unhinged. Yiren, let’s go.”

“Mm!”

Mu Yiren was in an exceptionally joyful mood; whatever Ling Xiao said, she would not refuse.

As the two departed in their Rolls-Royce, the Divine Water Palace attendant stomped her foot in fury behind them.

“What... what is this? That scoundrel! Who does he think he is? He’s nothing but a lucky bug who should feel honored to be with our lady. And now he dares to so blatantly break the engagement? Who does he think he’s looking down on? He must be the one with the problem!”