Liu-Ye Alliance

"All right, don't cry anymore," Jiang Ming comforted her.

Zhang Lingyue wiped away her tears and lowered her head, her pretty face flushed crimson. She did not know why she had grabbed the young master's hand. Now, neither letting go nor holding on felt right. They were already holding hands—what if he became unhappy if she released him? She could only keep her head lowered, too afraid to speak.

Jiang Ming smiled. "This young master has two maidservants. You are the third."

"Mhm..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"By the way, Yue'er, you've been in Cloud City for some time. You must know Liu Qingqing, the eldest daughter of the Liu Clan, right?" Jiang Ming suddenly asked.

"I know. Liu Qingqing was born to Liu Ming, the Liu Clan's patriarch, and his former wife." Hearing him call her "Yue'er," Zhang Lingyue's heart trembled. After steadying herself, she spoke more calmly.

"Former wife?" Jiang Ming frowned in confusion.

"Yes. The Liu Clan had originally been a second-rate family in Cloud City. For some unknown reason, the eldest daughter of the Ye Family fell for Liu Ming, madly and desperately, going insane over him every day. But how could the Ye Family possibly allow their eldest daughter to marry a married man? In the end, Liu Ming abandoned his original wife and daughter. After the Ye Family's eldest daughter pursued him with all her might, Liu Ming successfully married her. As for his original wife, she fell ill. Liu Ming never once asked after her, and she eventually died from sickness and pain." Zhang Lingyue's voice was filled with contempt as she spoke of this old affair.

"!??" Jiang Ming's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. "Good heavens, that's insane!" He had never expected to hear such an absurd story. It struck him like a thunderbolt.

"And then?" Jiang Ming asked curiously, his eyes gleaming as he listened to such explosive gossip.

Zhang Lingyue grew embarrassed beneath the gaze of those golden eyes, and her eyes drifted away. Thinking of how she was still holding his hand, her little face reddened again.

"Why are you blushing like a bubble tea kettle? Hurry up, tell me," Jiang Ming urged.

Zhang Lingyue took a deep breath. "It is said that the Ye Family patriarch was so enraged that he remained bedridden for years. The Ye Family's eldest daughter now holds power. With the Ye Family's influence, the Liu Clan climbed steadily upward. After Liu Ming advanced to Tribulation Transcendence, the Liu Clan rose from a second-rate family to become one of the Four Great Families. Originally, Cloud City had only three great families."

"Good heavens. Then what about Liu Qingqing?" Jiang Ming pressed. That was what he truly cared about.

"After the Liu Clan became one of the Four Great Families, Liu Ming brought Liu Qingqing back and named her the Liu Clan's eldest daughter. The daughter born to him and the Ye Family's eldest daughter became the Liu Clan's second daughter. Strangely, from then on, the Ye Family's eldest daughter returned to the Ye Family and rarely emerged. Liu Ming used his status as the Ye Family's son-in-law to control the Ye Family to a certain extent. As a result, the Liu and Ye Families are now as one. Other than the Yun Clan, no one dares provoke them."

"What is wrong with that Miss Ye? Isn't she basically giving someone money to buy herself?" Jiang Ming muttered. Every time the Ye Family's eldest daughter was mentioned, he thought of his own mother, who had also been the Ye Family's eldest daughter. Of course, this Ye Family was not that Ye Family.

"Then do you know where Liu Qingqing is?" Jiang Ming asked curiously.

Zhang Lingyue shook her head, her gentle voice sounding. "I'm not very sure. I never paid attention to her before."

She lowered her head, carrying a trace of guilt and self-reproach. "Please punish me, Young Master."

Jiang Ming's face was full of confusion, question marks practically written across it. "No, if you don't know, then you don't know. Why would I punish you?"

Zhang Lingyue looked up at him, confusion flashing through her eyes, but she still replied softly, "Yue'er overlooked something important."

Jiang Ming could not help laughing. "Are you an M?"

Zhang Lingyue looked utterly lost. "Ah? What is an M?"

Jiang Ming explained with a smile, "It means someone pretty and obedient."

Zhang Lingyue nodded as though she only half understood. "If Young Master says so, then so it is."

Jiang Domain

"Who goes there! Halt!"

"This one is Yunshui. I seek an audience with the Jiang Clan."

"What is the matter?" Jiang Xuanyi, lord of the Jiang Domain, asked.

"Greetings, Lord Jiang. Bandits came to my Cloudwater City and launched a Holy War. Three unknown Saint Realm experts appeared. I ask Lord Jiang to dispense justice." Yunshui cupped his hands.

"Mhm, I understand. We will handle it."

"Lord Jiang, they clearly do not take the Jiang Domain seriously!" the Yunshui Sage said with an angry expression.

Jiang Xuanyi frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure rising in his heart. His indifferent voice sounded. "Hm? Must you teach the Jiang Domain how to conduct its affairs? Men, throw the Yunshui Sage into Life-Ending Prison."

The Yunshui Sage's expression changed drastically. He had never imagined that the Jiang Domain would treat him this way. He hurriedly said, "Lord Jiang, what do you mean by this? Has this Yunshui done something wrong?"

"Hmph! Yunshui Sage, you are a man of the Central Province, yet you openly question the Jiang Domain's decision. Is that not insubordination? By the Jiang Domain's rules, you should be severely punished," Jiang Xuanyi said blandly.

The Yunshui Sage's heart sank. He knew that things would likely not end peacefully today. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to use a divine ability to escape.

Yet the moment he moved, he felt a terrifying pressure descend upon him, rendering him unable to move even an inch.

"Hm? You still dare resist? Once you enter the Jiang Domain, what does it matter if you are a Saint Realm expert? Much less a mere Lesser Saint." With a wave of Jiang Xuanyi's hand, the mighty power of heaven and earth directly suppressed the Yunshui Sage.

It was none other than the Jiang Domain's Heaven-Shrouding Grand Array, created by the Jiang Clan's ancestor. It could draw upon the mighty power of heaven and earth, and only members of the Jiang Clan could control it.

The Yunshui Sage's face was full of terror. No matter what, he had never expected to be subdued so easily.

"Does the Jiang Domain not fear being condemned by all under heaven for acting like this?" the Yunshui Sage roared.

"All under heaven belongs to the Jiang Clan," Jiang Xuanyi said indifferently.

The Yunshui Sage despaired. He knew that he no longer had any chance of escape.

In the end, the Yunshui Sage was sealed from head to toe and thrown into Life-Ending Prison.

Once one entered Life-Ending Prison, there was no hope of ever seeing daylight again—unless the Jiang Domain fell, but that was impossible.

"Young Master, why are you grilling it yourself? Yue'er can help."

"No. What you make doesn't taste good." Jiang Ming sat atop a mountain, roasting a pheasant. Its skin was golden, and fragrant oil sizzled everywhere. Jiang Ming wore a serious expression. Roasting meat with Sunfire required extremely precise control over the flames, especially when it was only an ordinary wild pheasant. Even he had to devote his full attention to it.

Jiang Ming had already obtained the seasonings. Though no one had used them before, after Jiang Ming described them, finding a few things in the Central Province was as easy as turning over one's hand for the Jiang Clan.

"Young Master, what you grilled is so delicious." Zhang Lingyue ate until her mouth shone with grease, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Even if it's delicious, you can't eat too much. The rest is all mine." Jiang Ming held two chicken wings in his hands.

Zhang Lingyue stared at him with a resentful expression, but Jiang Ming ignored her outright. After spending some time together, Zhang Lingyue had already figured out how to get along with the young master. So long as she did not go too far, they could completely become friends. Perhaps that was the difference nine years of compulsory education made—he did not place too much importance on the hierarchy between master and servant.