After a round of speculation, Yu Qingrou, Wu Dao, and the other representatives of the Seven Great Sects looked at Ling Feng with ever-growing reverence. Their stares made his skin crawl, and he hurriedly changed the subject.
"Which of you is from the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace?"
"I am."
Though she did not know why Ling Feng had mentioned the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, Yu Qingrou stepped forward and bowed to him.
Ling Feng had already expected Yu Qingrou to be from the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, but if he was going to put on an act, he had to see it through. Pretending not to know her, he continued,
"Perfect. I have some business at the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace. Sorry for the trouble, but could you lead the way?"
"Huh?"
Yu Qingrou was a little surprised. "Senior, you want to visit our Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace?"
"What? Am I not welcome?"
Looking at Yu Qingrou's strained expression, Ling Feng countered with a smile. She hurriedly shook her head and answered in a clear, pleasant voice, "No, I simply don't understand why you wish to visit our Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, Senior. Could you be an old acquaintance of one of our elders?"
An old acquaintance, certainly-and far more than an ordinary one.
Of course, those were only Ling Feng's private thoughts. Outwardly, he remained perfectly serious. "I once promised someone that I would go to the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace to find her myself. Now, I'm going to keep that promise."
Ling Feng had once promised Ling Qingzhu that when he grew strong enough, he would go to the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace to find her and tell her:
You, Ling Qingzhu, are my woman. You can only ever belong to me, Ling Feng.
He would take Ling