Ye Qingyun clearly remembered that Chi Yanyu's Prince Pingxi's Manor had been bullied terribly by the Song Clan of Xiling, and experts sent by the Song Clan had even hunted her down.
But later, through Ye Qingyun's mediation, Chi Yanyu had gained the help of Martial Emperor Dongfang Su and Mystic Sword Sect Master Xu Changfeng.
By rights, the Song Clan should no longer have been able to stir up any waves.
Why were they kidnapping him now?
Could the Song Clan have learned that he was the one devising strategies for Chi Yanyu?
So they wanted revenge on him?
What was he supposed to do?
Ye Qingyun felt a little panicked.
He was just an ordinary person without the slightest cultivation.
If he fell into the Song Clan's hands, who knew what inhuman torture he might suffer?
If the Song Clan meant him harm, there would not even be anyone to save him.
"Um, how about you let me go?"
Ye Qingyun pleaded in a very humble tone.
The man in black armor gave a cold smile and ignored him.
Ye Qingyun wanted to cry, but no tears came.
After being jolted around on horseback for a long time, Ye Qingyun felt he was about to throw up.
Fortunately, they finally stopped.
His face pale, Ye Qingyun looked up.
A magnificent residence appeared before him.
Above its gates hung a plaque bearing the words "Song Residence."
Ye Qingyun was somewhat taken aback.
He had been kidnapped and brought straight to the Song Clan.
Just as Ye Qingyun's heart was tossing up and down, the man in black armor grabbed him, lifted him up, and carried him into the Song residence.
"Clan head, young master, we've brought him back."
The man in black armor dumped Ye Qingyun in the main hall and addressed the father and son inside.
Two figures sat in the hall.
One looked to be in his fifties, with a stern face and gaunt cheeks.
The other was in his twenties and quite handsome, though his cheeks were somewhat gaunt as well.
They looked so much alike that anyone could tell they were father and son.
These two were the Song Clan's head, Song Xiaotian, and his son, Song Chenglong.
The Song Clan of Xiling had an imposing reputation.
The Song father and son were naturally well-known far and wide as well.
But what had spread far and wide was not their good name, but their infamy.
In his earlier years, Song Xiaotian had used despicable means to seize a martial expert's cultivation, greatly increasing his own.
Afterward, he had led the Song Clan in wiping out several small clans, allowing the Song Clan to grow ever stronger.
Compared to his father, Song Chenglong was cut from exactly the same cloth.
Not only did he bully men, tyrannize women, and commit every sort of evil, he had even set his sights on Princess Pingxi, Chi Yanyu.
The Song Clan's relentless suppression of Prince Pingxi's Manor was not merely intended to seize its holdings; it was also because Song Chenglong wanted Chi Yanyu.
But lately, life had become somewhat difficult for the Song Clan.
First, the Supreme Hao Gate, which had always enjoyed good relations with the Song Clan, had cut off all contact outright.
Moreover, its sect master, Chen Gongwang, had directly warned Song Xiaotian that his clan had better rein itself in, or disaster would surely follow.
Almost at the same time.
The prime minister's residence in the capital had also sent someone to the Song Clan.
The envoy told the Song Clan that they would no longer receive any protection, and whatever happened to them would have nothing to do with Prime Minister Cao Huayuan.
Having said that, the envoy left immediately without lingering at all.
Such an attitude clearly meant they wanted to sever all ties with the Song Clan.
The Song father and son were dumbfounded.
The Supreme Hao Gate and Prime Minister Cao Huayuan could be considered the Song Clan's greatest backers.
The reason their clan could throw its weight around like this, even bullying Prince Pingxi's Manor, was that these two great backers supported them.
But now.
Both backers wanted to sever ties with the Song Clan.
What did that mean?
The Song Clan was in peril!
Only after making inquiries did Song Xiaotian finally learn the inside story.
It turned out that all of this was because a so-called reclusive master had appeared on Floating Cloud Mountain.
It was this reclusive master who had saved Chu Yanyu's life.
He had also devised strategies for Chi Yanyu, causing both the Supreme Hao Gate and the prime minister's residence to sever ties with the Song Clan.
Naturally, the Song Clan was unwilling to sit and await death.
The father and son put their heads together.
They might as well go all the way.
They would simply abduct that so-called master.
And see just who this lofty figure really was.
Originally, neither father nor son had held out much hope.
But to their surprise.
They had actually brought him back.
At that moment, the Song father and son stared at Ye Qingyun.
They scrutinized him from every angle, stopping just short of stripping him naked for a look.
Their stares made Ye Qingyun's skin crawl, leaving him deeply uncomfortable.
"Uh, how should I address you two?"
Ye Qingyun asked awkwardly.
Song Xiaotian's expression darkened.
"Song Tao, you idiot!"
The man in black armor froze.
"Clan head, I..."
Song Xiaotian pointed at Ye Qingyun.
"Isn't this just an ordinary mortal? How could he possibly be the reclusive master on Floating Cloud Mountain? You truly are fools!"
Looking innocent, the man in black armor took out a portrait.
"But clan head, this fellow is clearly the person in the portrait."
The Song father and son moved closer, looked at the portrait, then looked at Ye Qingyun.
It really did seem to be him.
But no matter how they looked at this fellow, he was just an ordinary person.
So utterly ordinary.
He could only be described as plain and unremarkable.
Someone like this would barely qualify to be a servant in their Song residence.
How could he possibly be the master on Floating Cloud Mountain?
"Is your name Ye Qingyun?"
Song Chenglong asked with a frown.
Ye Qingyun thought to himself.
If I admit it, I'm probably not getting out of here alive today.
No.
I absolutely cannot admit I'm Ye Qingyun.
"Ye Qingyun? I'm not Ye Qingyun."
Ye Qingyun spoke with a bewildered expression.
All three members of the Song Clan looked puzzled.
The man in black armor, in particular, was beginning to question his life.
"Did I really grab the wrong person?"
Unconvinced, the man in black armor immediately asked, "What's your name? Why were you heading up Floating Cloud Mountain earlier?"
"My name is Ouyang Feng, not Ye Qingyun."
"I was going to Floating Cloud Mountain to gather medicinal herbs."
Without his expression changing or his heart skipping a beat, Ye Qingyun let the lies roll off his tongue.
The man in black armor had nothing to say.
It seemed he really had grabbed the wrong person.
Song Xiaotian glared at the man in black armor.
"You can't accomplish anything, but you're more than capable of ruining things. Get out!"
The man in black armor slunk away.
Seeing this, Ye Qingyun inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed he could escape this calamity today.
"Uh, well, the person you're after is Ye Qingyun. That has nothing to do with me, Ouyang Feng, so I'll be leaving now."
With that, Ye Qingyun started walking out.
Hurry up and slip away!
If they catch on, I'm done for.
"An ant like you, wasting our time."
Unexpectedly, Song Chenglong thrust his palm straight toward Ye Qingyun's back.
Since he was a useless mortal with no connection to the master on Floating Cloud Mountain, they might as well just kill him.
Ye Qingyun was completely unguarded and had not even noticed the fatal palm strike behind him.
Just as Song Chenglong's palm was about to strike Ye Qingyun.
Suddenly!
An invisible ripple surged around Ye Qingyun.
Song Chenglong's palm instantly froze when it was still three inches from Ye Qingyun's back.
It could not advance even a fraction farther.
Song Chenglong's expression changed drastically.