The Winged Dragon Family.
Xiao Yi's face was pale-deathly pale, in fact.
All his schemes had been laid bare at that moment!
Although he no longer intended to make Xiao Ning'er marry Shen Fei, now that this scene had appeared, there was absolutely no way he could keep his position as chief elder!
He might even be stripped of his elder status altogether!
Xiao Yunfeng looked coldly at the ashen-faced Xiao Yi. "Elder Xiao Yi, as the head of the Winged Dragon Family and as Ning'er's father, I ask you: did you truly intend to push the Winged Dragon Family and Ning'er into that pit of fire?"
Xiao Yi immediately left his seat and frantically kowtowed on the floor. He cracked the tiles beneath him, sending fragments flying everywhere, but paid no attention even as his forehead turned bloody.
"Family Head! I, Xiao Yi, once acted foolishly and pushed my niece Ning'er into that pit of fire. Whatever punishment I receive today, I will accept it without complaint or regret. It is no more than I deserve!"
He had to make these kowtows as painful and as wretched as possible. If he failed to show enough sincerity, he could kiss his elder's seat goodbye tonight.
Even though he was the chief elder, his only die-hard supporter was the sixth elder.
One other elder usually leaned his way, but whenever the Winged Dragon Family's interests were at stake, the remaining four elders would definitely side with Xiao Yunfeng, leaving only him and the sixth elder, Xiao Yu (a name I made up).
Besides, Xiao Ning'er was already a true genius with limitless prospects. In terms of standing, she now ranked even above Xiao Yunfeng.
If he did not hurry up and kowtow now, he might as well prepare to get lost.
Watching Xiao Yi smash his forehead bloody filled Xiao Yunfeng with satisfaction. Xiao Yi had repeatedly used his seniority to trip him up and had even taken the initiative to arrange the engagement with the Sacred Family.
Back then, he had been powerless to stop it. Seeing the fellow in this state now felt truly wonderful.
Still...
Killing him over this was out of the question.
In the end, Xiao Yi was removed from his position as chief elder and reduced to an ordinary family member. Still, he was quite satisfied that he had not been expelled from the Winged Dragon Family.
At the City Lord's Mansion, Nie Li simply gave Xiao Ning'er a method for planting a soul seal. She could plant it directly in someone else's mind, and if that person tried anything, she could detonate it, blowing up their Soul Sea. In severe cases, they would die on the spot; in milder cases, they would be left an idiot.
Once Xiao Ning'er returned home, she could find any convenient opportunity to plant a soul seal in Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi had indeed done nothing yet, but that did not mean Nie Li would not help Xiao Ning'er add another layer of insurance.
After hearing Nie Li say something so chilling in such a casual tone, everyone instinctively shuffled a few steps away.
Nie Li: ???
Was he really that terrifying?
Ye Zong: ...
Thank goodness this brat isn't with the Dark Guild.
On the Sky Screen.
The other elders also voiced their support for Xiao Yi's proposal. After all, it was meant to help the Winged Dragon Family rise again-a wonderful opportunity that would benefit the entire clan.
Xiao Ning'er thought, Hmph. Whenever the family faces difficulties, you elders all shirk your responsibilities. Why am I always the one who has to be sacrificed?
She recalled how Nie Li had treated her, so focused, so captivating.
Only Nie Li had helped her when she was at her most helpless.
"A friend asked me to purchase the purple mist grass on his behalf. I already gave all of it to him."
No one had expected Xiao Ning'er to say that.
Xiao Yunfeng had no intention of making things difficult for his daughter either. He said that since the purple mist grass had already been given away, they should let the matter rest. After all, even if they went to ask for it, her friend probably would not hand it over.
They would also lose face. It simply would not do.
Xiao Yi, however, had no intention of giving up. Hundreds of thousands of jin of purple mist grass would bring an enormous profit.
He began asking Xiao Ning'er about Nie Li's background. If he belonged to an aristocratic family or a pinnacle family, then they could leave it at that. But if he had no backing, they might very well make the fellow cough up the purple mist grass.
Those words thoroughly enraged Xiao Ning'er.
She clenched her fists, and the ice-blue soul force within her circulated rapidly, even spilling out of her body.
"What did you say?!"
If Xiao Yi dared lay a hand on Nie Li, Xiao Ning'er would fight him to the death.
The aura and pressure surging from her stunned everyone present. Even Xiao Yi, a Gold Demon Spirit Master, felt his heart tremble.
The state Xiao Ning'er was in brought several elders to their feet.
A pair of azure wings made of energy appeared behind her.
"Could this be soul force transformation?"
"It really is soul force transformation! This is a sign of exceptionally pure soul force!"
"Anyone who achieves soul force transformation is a genius who can become at least a Black Gold Demon Spirit Master in the future!"
Xiao Ning'er's face was icy, and she no longer treated Xiao Yi with her former courtesy and respect. "That friend's kindness to me weighs as heavily as a mountain. Even if it costs me my life, I will stop you, Chief Elder!"
This time, Xiao Yi backed down.
"Very well, very well. We will let the purple mist grass matter rest. Since my niece Ning'er has achieved soul force transformation, the family will spare no expense in nurturing her from now on."
Xiao Ning'er froze for a moment, not expecting the matter to end just like that. The wings of wind and lightning extending behind her dissipated.
The other elders stopped pressing the matter as well. After all, Xiao Ning'er had achieved soul force transformation at Bronze rank. Her future accomplishments were bound to be extraordinary.
In Xiao Ning'er, they saw hope for the Winged Dragon Family's rise. The family had to devote all its resources to nurturing her.
Naturally, those hundreds of thousands of jin of purple mist grass no longer mattered much.
Xiao Yi then brought up the engagement with the Sacred Family again.
An elder beside him immediately objected.
Xiao Ning'er was already a genius with limitless prospects. How could they marry such a genius into the Sacred Family?
If they handed such an incredible genius over to the Sacred Family on a silver platter, the Winged Dragon Family might as well merge into it outright.
Xiao Yunfeng also said frankly that there was no rush to settle the matter. It was not yet the right time to offend the Sacred Family, and there were still two years before the marriage. They could stall for now.
There was only one solution: stall.
Beneath the Sky Screen.
Seeing Xiao Ning'er achieve soul force transformation, quite a few people actually felt it was nothing special anymore.
So what if her soul force was pure?
Build a good relationship with Nie Li, and she could become a Black Gold Demon Spirit Master?
What a load of nonsense. Even Legendary rank would be no problem!
After all, had Nie Li given out too few heaven-defying cultivation techniques? Wasn't a technique that could accommodate seven demon spirits far more impressive than soul force transformation?
Soul force transformation? A mere splash of water.
Their appetites had simply been spoiled. A condition like soul force transformation, which absolutely warranted intensive nurturing, could no longer impress them much. At the very least, it was nowhere near as terrifying as Nie Li.
The Sacred Family.
Seeing the entire Winged Dragon Family oppose his engagement to Xiao Ning'er, Shen Fei wished he could charge over there that very instant.
Seated in the family head's chair, Shen Hong watched Shen Fei's impotent rage with disappointment.
A young master of the Sacred Family's direct line, and this was all he amounted to? This?
With such excellent resources at his disposal, he still spent every day sprawled over women's bellies. He truly was mud that could never be plastered onto a wall.
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