Chapter 42: The Founder of the Hehuan Sect (Part II)

"What?" Qiao Yanluo looked at Xiaoying in astonishment. "Child, tell your Ancestral Master the truth; I will stand up for you."

"If you are referring to the child in Xiaoying’s womb, then it is indeed mine," Li Chengzhu said, holding his head high with a resounding tone.

"Shut your mouth!" Qiao Yanluo glared at him viciously. "If I find out you used despicable means to take this girl’s body, you will die without a burial place." By the end of her sentence, her expression had turned menacing.

The Hehuan Sect despised men who abandoned women after toying with them above all else, especially since Qiao Yanluo was the sect’s founder.

Qiao Yanluo’s ferocity was enough to make even Ye Zhiqiu shiver, and the Immortal Emperor’s special envoy simply teleported away, deciding that what the eye didn't see, the heart didn't grieve over.

"Ancestral Master," Xiaoying slowly raised her head, her face tear-streaked. "Why aren't you protecting me anymore?"

"My dear child, tell me honestly. If anyone is bullying you, I will break his third leg." With that, she cast another glare at Li Chengzhu.

Sobbing, Xiaoying recounted receiving the message from her father and subsequently giving herself to Li Chengzhu. She omitted the part about being drugged, framing it instead as a mutual romance.

Hearing this, Qiao Yanluo sighed. Immortals really shouldn't interfere in the affairs of the cultivation world, but she couldn't let her own girl be taken advantage of, could she? She had sent a message to Xiaoying's father a while ago saying she had found her, but unexpectedly, he had asked her to persuade Xiaoying to marry into the Qitian Pavilion. Recalling what her father had said about the future of the Hehuan Sect, Qiao Yanluo had felt forced to wash her hands of the matter, telling her father where they were so they could settle it themselves.

She hadn't expected Xiaoying to be so resolute, going so far as to conceive a child.

Gently wiping the tears from Xiaoying’s eyes, Qiao Yanluo said, "Stop crying. Since it has come to this, I will have your back from now on. If your father tries to interfere again, I’ll spank him."

Hearing this, Xiaoying giggled. The thought of her father, who was hundreds of years old, being spanked by her Ancestral Master was simply too ridiculous.

"That's right, smile more. It’s better for the baby," Qiao Yanluo said, reaching out to touch Xiaoying’s belly, which caused the girl to flush crimson.

"And you, brat," Qiao Yanluo said, looking up at Li Chengzhu.

"I am listening to your teachings, Ancestral Master," Li Chengzhu replied, playing the part of a clever man. Having gained such a powerful figure as an Ancestral Master was just another stroke of fortune.

"If you ever dare to treat Xiaoying poorly or go chasing after other flowers, you'll see how I handle you," Qiao Yanluo warned.

"Uh, well, Ancestral Master..." Li Chengzhu stammered.

"Don't tell me you've already done something to wrong Xiaoying?" Qiao Yanluo’s expression shifted instantly.

Li Chengzhu took a deep breath and pulled Gu Linglong, who was standing behind him, forward. "This is also my wife."

Qiao Yanluo closed her eyes, her shoulders trembling. Ye Zhiqiu knew this was the calm before the storm and rushed to her side, pressing down firmly on her shoulders.

"You had better give me an explanation," Qiao Yanluo said, opening her eyes with a murderous glint. "Otherwise, I don't care if you are the owner of the Phantom Sword Sect’s Blood Jade Ring, nor do I care about that Chongzhen. Without a good explanation, I will kill you."

"It is the truth. Xiaoying and Linglong are both my wives," Li Chengzhu replied calmly.

Xiaoying also gripped Qiao Yanluo, panicked. "Ancestral Master, this was all my own doing. My sister and I both love our husband very much, and he treats us well. I don't feel wronged at all."

"Have you forgotten the teachings of the Hehuan Sect?" Qiao Yanluo looked at her coldly.

"I haven't forgotten, but I cannot bear to be apart from the one I love." Xiaoying’s sobbing intensified.

"Ancestral Master, forgive my boldness, but your decision is not necessarily what Xiaoying wants," Li Chengzhu said, looking at Qiao Yanluo firmly, ignoring the frantic eye signals Ye Zhiqiu was giving him.

"You still have the nerve to argue?" Qiao Yanluo’s aura surged. "I’ll destroy you, you fickle brat!" She teleported directly in front of Li Chengzhu and struck with a palm before he could react.

The strike was too fast for even Gu Linglong to respond. The protective barrier of the Blood Jade Ring was shattered the moment it manifested. Li Chengzhu finally realized he had to use the power of his Nascent Soul to unleash the Nine Heavens Great Luo Cauldron to shield himself, pulling Gu Linglong back as he retreated.

"Ancestral Master!" Xiaoying’s voice was filled with despair. "If you kill him, I will join him in death today."

Qiao Yanluo paused and looked back to see Xiaoying forming a hand seal—the technique for self-detonating a Nascent Soul. Ye Zhiqiu stood awkwardly to the side.

"I know I might not be faster than you two Ancestral Masters," Xiaoying said with a faint smile, tears streaming down her face, "but you cannot guard me forever."

"Xiaoying, don't!" Li Chengzhu roared, lunging toward her with all his might.

With a mere flick of her wrist, Qiao Yanluo sent Li Chengzhu flying again, slamming him into the wall as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Zhuzi!" Gu Linglong and Xiaoying cried out in unison.

Qiao Yanluo took a deep breath and looked back at Xiaoying. "Is this your decision?"

Xiaoying looked toward Li Chengzhu with concern and nodded firmly.

A smile blossomed on Qiao Yanluo’s face. She walked gently toward Li Chengzhu, bypassed the defensive Gu Linglong, and chuckled softly. "Congratulations, you passed."

"Passed?" Boss Li asked, enduring the soreness throughout his body as he stood up and spat out the blood. "Passed what?"

"Oh, you!" Ye Zhiqiu rushed over. "Passing means your Ancestral Master has given her approval."

"Really, Ancestral Master?" Xiaoying smiled happily and rushed over to hug Li Chengzhu’s arm.

"You've gone this far, what else can I do? Do you really think I’d let you detonate yourself and the baby?" Qiao Yanluo glared at Li Chengzhu. "If Xiaoying doesn't live a good life in the future, I will hold you accountable."

"Yes, yes!" Boss Li nodded vigorously, only to cough up more blood, which made Gu Linglong and Xiaoying ache with concern.

"Alright, stop acting," Qiao Yanluo waved her hand. "If you keep pretending, your two wives are going to hate me."

"Hehe," Li Chengzhu laughed sheepishly, wiping the blood from his mouth and standing tall.

"Are you alright, Zhuzi?" Gu Linglong asked worriedly, reaching out to check his pulse.

"I barely used any force; what could possibly be wrong with him?" Qiao Yanluo rolled her eyes. "Little rascal."

Boss Li wiped his mouth, catching sight of Ye Zhiqiu behind her giving him a thumbs-up and winking repeatedly.

Once everyone was seated, Gu Linglong finally had the chance to submit the Heavenly Tribute to Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu was a Third-Grade War Marshal in charge of cultivators, which was why he had been in command of all of them during the battle at Red Rock Plateau. He handled the various affairs of the cultivators. His wife, Qiao Yanluo, held authority over the immortals of the Immortal World. Her rank was higher, a Second-Grade War Marshal, meaning she was technically Gu Linglong’s superior.

Qiao Yanluo sat to the side, whispering something into Xiaoying’s ear that made the girl blush deeply.

Li Chengzhu was left to the side, continuing to act as if he were injured, which drew concerned glances from his two wives.

After Gu Linglong finished submitting the tribute, Li Chengzhu suddenly remembered his own business. He looked at Ye Zhiqiu and asked, "Marshal Ye, may I ask you something?"

Ye Zhiqiu was in a good mood and waved his hand. "Ask away."

"That Sixth-Grade War General emblem you gave me at Red Rock Plateau—besides you, who else could have touched it before I received it?" Li Chengzhu weighed his words carefully.

"That's a long list. My wife, for example, or any of the other War Marshals could have," Ye Zhiqiu replied, then looked at him curiously. "Why do you ask?"

So many people could have touched it? Did that include *him*? After all, on the battlefield, his status seemed even higher than Ye Zhiqiu’s.

"Eh? Where is your War General emblem?" Ye Zhiqiu asked, puzzled.

Li Chengzhu smiled faintly. "That one was a fake. I don't know why, but it suddenly shattered. That’s why I wanted to ask you, to see if someone was deliberately messing with me."

"No way? Something like that happened?" Ye Zhiqiu’s mouth hung open. Who would be so bored?

"It doesn't matter. Just give him another one later. His rank has already been recorded anyway," Qiao Yanluo interjected, staring closely into Li Chengzhu’s eyes, trying to find any trace of deception.

"Then thank you, Ancestral Master and Marshal Ye," Li Chengzhu lowered his head to avoid that piercing gaze.

"But who would pull such a pointless prank?" Ye Zhiqiu stroked his chin. "Speaking of shattering, it reminds me, those God Crystals somehow suddenly..."

"Ahem!" Qiao Yanluo interrupted him at the perfect moment, shooting him a sharp look.

"Haha," Ye Zhiqiu laughed dryly and took a Sixth-Grade War General emblem from his ring, handing it to Li Chengzhu with a raised eyebrow. "War General-level Heavenly Generals can enjoy certain privileges in Heaven. Especially those carrying this Thorn Angel emblem."

Li Chengzhu took the emblem, puzzled. It was indeed different from the one he had received previously; there was an additional angel on the emblem, but no matter how he looked at it, the angel appeared to be dying, pierced by thorns.

"Thank you, Marshal Ye," Li Chengzhu blinked, swallowing all his questions.

After parting ways with Ye Zhiqiu and Qiao Yanluo, Li Chengzhu remained deep in thought.

"Zhuzi, did you discover something?" Gu Linglong, who was exceptionally perceptive, asked.

"Yes," Li Chengzhu nodded. Recalling the rest of Marshal Ye's interrupted sentence, he felt it had something to do with him. When he heard the words "God Crystals," his heart had skipped a beat.

"But it hasn't been fully revealed yet." Li Chengzhu squeezed the Thorn Angel emblem in his hand, grinding his teeth. *That mastermind behind the scenes... hmph.*

"Let me put it on for you, husband." Xiaoying, having cleared the obstacle with the Ancestral Master, was in high spirits. She hopped over, grabbed the emblem from Li Chengzhu’s hand, and pinned it to his white chest.

Smoothing out his chest, Boss Li held his head high, walked with a cocky swagger, and strutted down the street.