Ling Yan's Secret

Duke Protector Ling Feng left and headed toward a three-story pavilion in the rear courtyard of Duke Fu's Mansion.

Entering the pavilion, Ling Feng climbed to the third floor, where a handsome young man with black hair draped over his shoulders was reading a book.

He wore a long robe primarily of white, decorated with purple stripes across the shoulders, back, chest, and down to the calves. It resembled a Daoist robe and gave off an exceptionally easygoing, approachable air.

When he saw Ling Feng come up, he glanced at him before lowering his head and continuing to read. Though his face looked young, his eyes seemed to have witnessed all the world's affairs and endured countless vicissitudes.

Looking into his eyes felt as though he could see straight into one's heart.

Ling Feng stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Grandfather."

"What is it? Why are you so flustered?"

Although Ling Feng appeared calm, his hurried steps, the worry in his eyes, and that trace of panic did not escape the young man's notice.

"Grandfather, look."

Ling Feng handed Flying Eagle's letter to the young man.

The young man accepted the letter and scanned it. His eyes narrowed slightly. After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh and said with a deliberately indifferent smile,

"What is meant to come will eventually come. Didn't we anticipate this thirty years ago?"

Though the young man appeared composed, his trembling hands revealed that his heart was far less calm than his expression suggested.

Just then, Ling Ying also came upstairs and bowed to the young man.

"Greetings, Ancestor. The household head has already been locked in the side room, and the heir is personally standing guard there."

"A person?" The young man was somewhat puzzled.

"Grandfather, this letter was delivered by a guard commander named Flying Eagle, who had been hidden in the mansion for nearly twenty years and voluntarily exposed himself. I have not touched him. He is currently imprisoned in my courtyard, and Chen'er is personally guarding him."

"They had to expose a death warrior who had been concealed so deeply just for this. Why?"

"This is also what your grandson does not understand."

"It does not matter. We will know tonight. Since they arranged to come to Duke Fu's Mansion tonight and specifically named Ling Yan as the one they wished to see, we will find out then.

"Withdraw all the hidden sentries around me tonight. Do not frighten our guests."

Ling Yan was the Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert who currently bore the burden of Duke Fu's Mansion.

That was right. The letter roughly meant: Ling Yan, I know Duke Fu's Mansion's current situation. Wait for me. I will come to see you tonight, and we will speak face-to-face.

"However, judging from this, they do not seem to be from Dagan! If they knew I, Ling Yan, was crippled, they would not act this way."

"Your grandson thinks so as well."

This pillar of Duke Fu's Mansion, a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert whose name shook the world, had actually admitted with his own mouth that he was crippled.

Thirty years ago, a divine relic had appeared. Ling Yan was seriously injured within it, his foundation damaged so severely that he could no longer even use true qi.

Though his realm remained at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, he knew that if he forcibly circulated his power, he would die without a burial place.

And no one knew that Ling Yan had been injured.

During that expedition into the relic, every side had suffered grievous losses and could barely fend for themselves. The Imperial Clan was no exception.

After returning thirty years ago, he had known he was crippled. But what was to become of the vast Ling Family?

Back when he broke through to the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, the ancestor had entrusted the Ling Family to his protection before dying.

Ling Yan did not fear death, but how could the thousand-year-old Ling Family be ruined in his hands?

From then on, he kept a low profile and rarely went out. Fortunately, Duke Fu's Mansion and Ling Yan's Celestial Phenomenon Realm prestige still held sway.

Moreover, the Divine Weapon-grade treasure robe he wore concealed the truth, and there had been no major wars in recent decades that required him to fight. Thus, Duke Fu's Mansion had muddled through another thirty years.

Ling Yan knew very well that if the various powers of Dagan learned of this, Duke Fu's Mansion would become nothing but meat on the chopping block.

The Imperial Clan was no different. No—even the Imperial Clan was more terrifying!

Why could the mansions of the Four Great Dukes stand high in the imperial court and remain unshakable? Because each of their clans possessed Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts. To put it bluntly, the supposedly lofty Four Great Dukes were actually the Imperial Clan's white gloves.

Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts had already stepped halfway into the very pinnacle of the world, and the Imperial Clan did not have many of them either.

Among the Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts in the world, even after excluding those belonging to the top forces, there were still several.

Although Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts were normally forbidden from participating in wars under the constraints imposed by all sides,

there were exceptions. Thus, the role of the Four Great Dukes was to resolve and handle such matters when the Imperial Clan did not need to act personally.

The Imperial Clan could remain lofty and above it all. They merely had to watch without displaying their own foundations, and the matter could still be resolved.

Just like the Battle of Cangshui more than a hundred years ago and the Battle of Yunzhou eighty years ago, when the experts of the Four Great Dukes all moved out.

The Imperial Clan only needed to dispatch one Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert and two Ascension Realm experts to accompany them like supervising generals.

Though one battle had ended in defeat and the other in victory, they had truly done their utmost. Xiang Tiange was no ordinary opponent, whether in military command or martial strength.

The Imperial Clan needed people beyond its borders. It needed experts to deal with certain trivial matters.

That was why the Four Great Dukes held a place in the imperial court.

And the Imperial Clan allowed them to grow stronger. The stronger they were, the better.

You were in the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. You were useful. I could grant you certain privileges.

And all of this rested upon the foundation of Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts.

If Duke Fu's Mansion no longer had a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert, it would become useless and no longer deserve such honor.

And the final result would be becoming a chess piece, treated as a chunk of meat and sacrificed in another game played by the Imperial Clan.

Using Duke Fu's Mansion's vast interests to stir up a storm, drawing all sides into the game.

Then exploiting the Martial World once more, conducting another purge of the various powers and the Martial World, before determining the side that profited most and allowing it to rise like a ducal mansion.

Squeezed dry of its last shred of value before being discarded—such was the fate of a ducal mansion.

This world never lacked geniuses, nor did it lack ambition. The cycle simply repeated itself.

Throughout Dagan's ten-thousand-year history, quite a few ducal mansions had vanished.

If word of Ling Yan's condition got out, the various powers would not even need to act. The subordinate forces of Duke Fu's Mansion would make their move themselves.

Their allegiance rested upon Duke Fu's Mansion's prestige and Ling Yan's Celestial Phenomenon Realm strength. Without the strength of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm,

those subordinate forces that had submitted would turn into wolves and pounce.

You were in the Ascension Realm, and so was I. Why should I submit to you?

Even Duke Fu's Mansion's supposedly vast network of connections was the same.

Everything was discussed only on the basis of equal standing.

This was Duke Fu's Mansion's current predicament.

"It is nothing. We will see the truth tonight. Bring that man called Flying Eagle here, then you may leave.

"Tonight, I will wait here and see what kind of guests they are. Perhaps they may even be old acquaintances?"

Whether it was Great Yan or Great Feng, Ling Yan had fought against them before. He knew most of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm experts from the various powers as well.

Or rather, once one reached that circle, it was difficult not to know them.

"Grandfather, Ancestor, we will stay here with you as well."

Ling Yan raised his head and looked at Ling Feng and Ling Ying before him. His eyes filled with amusement, and a smile curved his lips.

"Good. Together."

One was his grandson, while the other was an outstanding young talent from a collateral branch of the Ling Family. Both were geniuses.

If they could obtain heavenly treasures containing the laws of heaven and earth, both of them would have a chance to enter the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.

But even if such heavenly treasures appeared again, Ling Yan no longer had the strength to fight for them on behalf of his descendants.

Although only Ling Feng and Ling Ying within Duke Fu's Mansion knew of his injury, with no one else aware of it,

Ling Yan knew perfectly well that neither of the two before him had leaked his secret.

Thinking of Ling Feng's elder brother, who had died long ago, Ling Yan regretted going to that relic thirty years ago every day.

If he had not been so greedy, how would they have ended up in their current predicament?