Do You Have Twin Martial Souls?

"Ouch! Dad! What are you doing!"

Caught off guard by a slap from his own father, Ling Gui spun around like a top before landing hard on his backside.

Clutching his burning cheek, Ling Gui whined in grievance.

And Ling Tian?

After slapping his son, he pointed at the boy sitting on the floor, his finger trembling slightly.

"What am I doing?"

"You wretched brat! I told you time and again not to stir up trouble! Do you even know who Xue Mingqing is?!"

Seeing his father shaking with rage, even a fool like Ling Gui realized he had messed with the wrong person.

Realizing this, he shuddered and shrank his neck, stammering in fear.

"I, I didn't know..."

Hearing this, Ling Tian closed his eyes, a sense of powerlessness washing over him; for a moment, he felt as if he were casting pearls before swine.

He rubbed his forehead and waved his large sleeve.

"Guards! Drag this wretch away! Do not let him out without my express orders!"

Almost the moment Ling Tian's voice fell, two guards in black hurried into the hall.

Exchanging a glance, they walked over to Ling Gui, grabbed him by both arms, and dragged him out.

As for Ling Gui, he seemed stunned into silence; he offered no resistance to the guards, remaining as limp and motionless as a dead pig as he was hauled away.

The two guards dragged Ling Gui out.

The entire hall was left with only Ling Tian.

Closing his eyes, he suppressed the throbbing in his temples and exhaled a long, heavy breath.

"This rebellious son, all he does is cause trouble for me day in and day out..."

With a long sigh, Ling Tian sat in his chair, massaging his temples. If that brat Ling Gui didn't know who Xue Mingqing was, how could he not?

The strongest in Blizzard City, the City Lord Xue Ningxian, was an 82nd-level Soul Douluo.

In front of her, he was no more than a helpless chick.

A month ago.

Xue Ningxian had announced her adoption of an orphan, and Ling Tian had even gone to offer his congratulations.

If Ling Tian remembered correctly, that orphan's name...

Was Xue Mingqing!

Rubbing the space between his brows, Ling Tian stood up, his expression exceptionally grim. "Forget it... I must prepare some gifts and go apologize in person..."

As for why it was an apology rather than an explanation, it was because Ling Tian knew his son too well; whatever happened, it was eight or nine times out of ten that he had provoked it himself.

If it were a commoner, he could simply use his status to crush them.

But as it happened...

Thinking of this, Ling Tian sighed and shook his head.

"A misfortune to the family..."

He stood up, hands behind his back, and headed toward his treasury to prepare the gifts for the apology.

Meanwhile.

On the other side, in the City Lord's palace.

Clad in a simple white robe that could not hide her graceful curves, with snow-white hair reaching her waist and jade-like emerald eyes, the stunning beauty Xue Ningxian sat upon the City Lord's throne.

In the hall before her, a man in black knelt on one knee.

He was the guardian she had arranged to observe Xue Mingqing, a 6th-ring Soul Emperor named Wang Chao.

Seeing him come to find her, it was likely that something had gone wrong on Xue Mingqing's end.

"What is it? Did something happen to Mingqing?"

Her cold, indifferent, ethereal voice rang out.

Wang Chao nodded.

"Today, while the young master was training, he encountered that boy from the Ling Family causing trouble..."

Everything Xue Mingqing had encountered today was recounted by Wang Chao, piece by piece, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

After hearing Wang Chao's description, Xue Ningxian's emerald eyes narrowed instinctively.

"That Ling boy is truly lawless... Tsk... It seems I must find an excuse to knock some sense into them..."

"However..."

At this, Xue Ningxian narrowed her eyes further and looked at Wang Chao.

"You say that Mingqing's martial soul is a Snow Sword?"

Wang Chao paused. Though he did not know why Xue Ningxian was asking this, he still nodded.

"Yes, it is indeed the Snow Sword."

Hearing this, the gaze in Xue Ningxian's eyes deepened.

When she had saved and adopted Xue Mingqing a month ago, she clearly remembered that his martial soul was a snowflake...

But now, this Snow Sword...

Thinking of this, the corners of Xue Ningxian's lips curled up, and her emerald-green eyes were filled with a touch of curiosity.

"It seems... this child Mingqing has some little secrets..."

"Very well, you may withdraw for now and continue to stay by his side."

Hearing this, Wang Chao nodded, faced Xue Ningxian, and walked backward out of the hall.

Xue Ningxian was left alone in the City Lord's main hall.

Sitting on the City Lord's throne, Xue Ningxian tapped her slender, jade-white fingers against the armrest of the chair, one beat at a time.

She was waiting...

Waiting for Ling Tian to come and offer his apologies...

Time ticked away, second by second.

Before long, the voice of a maidservant announcing someone sounded from outside the main hall: "City Lord, the head of the Ling Family requests an audience..."

Hearing this, a playful curve appeared on Xue Ningxian's pink lips.

"Heh... he's here..."

Lifting her eyes toward the outside of the hall, Xue Ningxian spoke.

"Let him in..."

That day, no one knew exactly what the two had discussed inside the City Lord's mansion.

But after that, the Ling Family would send a shipment of supplies to the City Lord's mansion every month.

Of course, that is a story for another time.

That evening.

Having finished his day of physical training, Xue Mingqing carried his heavy weighted backpack, drenched in sweat, and headed back toward his room in the City Lord's mansion.

When he fought Ling Gui that morning, Feng Qingyang, who had been dormant for a month, had awakened and proposed to fulfill his promise of "paying rent."

Because he was truly burning with curiosity about this rent, Xue Mingqing had rushed back without even stopping to wash up.

He was far too curious about what this so-called rent could be.

However, before he could reach his room, Xue Mingqing stopped in his tracks.

The reason was—

A stunning, tall figure in snow-white robes was standing before his door, waiting for him.

Recognizing who it was, Xue Mingqing quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Mother..."

This person was none other than Xue Ningxian, who had adopted and raised him.

Seeing this, Xue Ningxian nodded.

She was very satisfied with her foster son's hard work and talent, and she treated him with the same closeness as if he were her own flesh and blood.

She raised her hand, and a storage soul-tool ring lay quietly in her palm.

She looked into Xue Mingqing's eyes, which held a hint of confusion amidst their usual calm, and spoke.

"This is compensation from the Ling Family; take it."

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing blinked, his eyes filled with doubt and confusion.

Seeing his confusion, Xue Ningxian took the initiative to explain.

"The head of the Ling Family seems to want to avoid offending you, so he came to offer his apologies in person. He proposed that they would provide a portion of cultivation resources every month as a gesture of atonement. This ring contains what they are paying you for this month."

After hearing Xue Ningxian's explanation, Xue Mingqing understood immediately.

The surname Ling, and someone who had offended him.

Having lived in Blizzard City for so long, the only person who fit the description was that despicable little fatty, Ling Gui, from that morning.

Looking at it this way, it seemed his father had come to offer an apology on his behalf.

Realizing this, he nodded, reached out with both hands, and accepted the ring from Xue Ningxian.

"Many thanks, Mother."

Hearing Xue Mingqing's thanks, Xue Ningxian chuckled. She crossed her arms over her ample chest and said in a relaxed tone.

"That is your own achievement. You won and proved your talent, which is why people are coming to curry favor with you. Why thank your mother?"

Seeing this, the corners of Xue Mingqing's mouth curled into a gentle smile.

"That is also thanks to Mother backing me up... However..."

At this, Xue Mingqing's tone grew more solemn as he put away the storage soul tool ring in his hand.

He raised his eyes, gazing unblinkingly at Xue Ningxian, and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Mother, is there something else you need from me...?"

Xue Ningxian was usually very busy. If it were just to deliver resources, there would be no need for her to come in person. Since she had come herself...

It meant there must be something else she wanted to discuss with him.

Sure enough.

Upon hearing Xue Mingqing's question, the relaxed smile on Xue Ningxian's face gradually faded.

She took a deep breath.

After a moment of thought, Xue Ningxian spoke.

"I want to ask..."

"Mingqing, are you... a twin martial soul possessor...?"

"...?"