Overwhelming Others with Power

King Chen's Commandery Princess, named Chen Ling, was King Chen's most beloved daughter. Within King Chen's fief, virtually no one dared cross her.

But at the Spirit King's Manor in Myriad Phenomena City, that status counted for little. She had come to the manor with such confidence this time for two reasons: first, Ling Yun was already crippled; second, she had someone backing her.

That person was the young man at Chen Ling's side-Dai Cheng.

As someone from the Moon-Gazing Sect, one of the Eastern Desolation's five great powers, Dai Cheng was immensely proud. After all, his master was a Primordial Spirit Realm elder in the sect, a man of considerable standing.

"What's wrong with this Spirit King's Manor? We've been here so long, and still no one has come out to welcome us in!" Dai Cheng was quick-tempered, and having just been forced back by the manor and made to lose face, he was now breathing fire.

"Young Master Dai, it's only natural for the Spirit King's Manor to be proud, as one of the Ling Kingdom's four great royal manors. They say the current Spirit King is a Primordial Spirit Realm expert. Aside from His Majesty, no one dares provoke him," Chen Ling said, sounding somewhat helpless.

"It's only natural that they looked down on you, Young Master Dai. After all, the Spirit King's Manor doesn't know who you are."

She might have been better off saying nothing. Her words snapped the taut string in Dai Cheng's heart.

Dai Cheng didn't want to be treated this way in front of Chen Ling. In his effort to restore his image, his behavior took on a decidedly childish cast.

That, however, was exactly what Chen Ling wanted to see.

"Spirit King's Manor, where is the person in charge? I am a disciple of a Primordial Spirit Realm elder of the Moon-Gazing Sect! Why haven't you hurried out to welcome me?"

Dai Cheng was beside himself with anger, but he put on a deeply solemn expression as he shouted.

At the manor gate, the remaining guard's expression did grow a little more serious when he heard this, but he wasn't frightened and did not let them through.

"Young Master, our madam is enjoying her tea at the moment. Once she is finished, she will naturally receive you."

The guard spoke with neither servility nor arrogance.

Dai Cheng's brows lowered and his eyes turned cold. He was already thinking of poisoning his master's ears when he returned, telling him that the Spirit King's Manor had shown contempt for his authority.

"Ling'er, once we get to the Moon-Gazing Sect, we'll see if this Spirit King's Manor can escape destruction," Dai Cheng said reassuringly.

Chen Ling smiled. "There's no need to worry, Young Master Dai. The Spirit King was infected by the venom of a strange insect some years ago and has been asleep ever since. Right now, the manor is only holding on by relying on the prestige the Spirit King's Manor built up over the generations."

Dai Cheng's eyes lit up at her words, and much of his anger finally subsided, though he now looked at the Spirit King's Manor with hostility.

They had made no effort to hide their conversation from the guard at the gate, and his face darkened.

"Everyone, Madam Wang is waiting in the main hall. Please follow me." At that moment, the other guard finally returned and addressed Chen Ling and her two companions.

Dai Cheng immediately raised his head and strode inside with an arrogant gait, leading Chen Ling and the coachman.

The guard led them along the way, and Chen Ling and Dai Cheng couldn't help being distracted by the scenery.

The Spirit King's Manor covered a vast area. There was a tower every five steps and a pavilion every ten, with people coming and going in an endless stream. It was a magnificent sight.

"This... this Spirit King's Manor, how was it built to be so extraordinary?" Even Dai Cheng found it hard to believe. As the disciple of a Moon-Gazing Sect elder, he had seen much of the world. Even the buildings of a great power like the Moon-Gazing Sect were not much grander than those of the Spirit King's Manor.

"Young Master, you may not know this, but a thousand years ago, at the height of its power, the Ling Kingdom stood on equal footing with the five great powers and produced several Dao Palace Realm experts. The first Spirit King was one of them, and his cultivation reached Dao Palace Realm Perfection."

"The Spirit King's Manor was immensely prosperous in those days. Most of these buildings have stood since a thousand years ago, protected by formations that make them difficult to decay."

Seeing their reaction, the guard leading them smiled and explained, unable to conceal the pride on his face.

As a native of the Ling Kingdom, Chen Ling knew something of this, but Dai Cheng was different. He had never heard any of it; in his eyes, only the five great powers of the present mattered.

Hmph, so what? This isn't a thousand years ago. The Spirit King's Manor has only one half-dead Primordial Spirit Realm expert left, and it's barely holding on, Dai Cheng thought with an inward sneer after his initial surprise passed.

At that thought, the pride returned to his face.

Led by the guard, they finally met Madam Wang in a great hall of the manor.

On the high seat, a noblewoman gently waved a round fan as she rested with her eyes half closed. Beside her stood a handsome, well-featured youth of fifteen or sixteen, dressed in cloud-patterned robes.

Many of the manor's senior members were seated to the sides of the hall. All were Core Formation Realm experts, and several had reached Perfection.

When Chen Ling and her companions arrived, the assembled people turned their gazes on them. A faint pressure swept over them like a club to the head, instantly cowing Dai Cheng, Chen Ling, and even the coachman, who was also in the Core Formation Realm.

"I am King Chen's daughter-"

Chen Ling's eyes flickered, and she began to speak with a slight bow. But before she could finish, Madam Wang opened her eyes and cut her off.

"I have waited a long time. Since Your Highness places such importance on this betrothal, yet has already given her heart to another, let us cut through the tangled mess with one stroke and settle it once and for all."

Madam Wang spoke in a quiet voice, her eyes fixed on Chen Ling.

"Madam, what do you mean?"

Chen Ling put on a puzzled expression, her eyes innocent.

Madam Wang waved the round fan in her hand, and a letter of repudiation floated slowly down before Chen Ling.

"Today, I will make the decision. Put your fingerprint on this, and from this day forth, you will have nothing more to do with the Spirit King's Manor."

Chen Ling read what was written on it. Her eyes widened abruptly, and her face alternated between green and pale.

"Ling Yun, heir to the Spirit King, was once a genius, but after being harmed by a villain, he was left in a lonely plight. He was betrothed to the King Chen's Commandery Princess, but she has been disloyal and unrighteous, faithless and untrustworthy, shameless and without scruples, and has had an affair with another. This letter is therefore issued to repudiate her. From this day on, they shall have no further ties, with this document as proof."

"You!"

"You're insulting me with a letter of repudiation!"

Chen Ling clenched her teeth, her chest heaving, her eyes full of shame and anger.

"Your Highness, please."

Madam Wang smiled faintly. She glanced at Dai Cheng beside Chen Ling, her gaze lingering meaningfully between the two.

"Those are nothing but vicious lies! Young Master Dai and I have no such sordid relationship!" Chen Ling shouted.

Madam Wang looked steadily at her. "Oh? Then do you look down on your own betrothed?"

A trace of mockery entered Madam Wang's eyes.

Chen Ling's expression froze.

"Under the laws of the Ling Kingdom, unless the other party has been disloyal and unrighteous, you have no grounds to abandon a betrothal. If you want to end it, your wish can only be fulfilled if the Spirit King's Manor repudiates you itself. This is what you want, isn't it, Your Highness? How could I not grant your wish?"

Chen Ling's face went pale after hearing this, and she said nothing.

A powerful presence suddenly burst from Madam Wang, pressing Chen Ling straight down to the floor.

"I warn you: a mere vassal prince's daughter should not dream of being a phoenix perched on high. No matter how crippled the heir to the Spirit King's Manor may be, a vassal prince's daughter like you is not worthy of him."

"The Spirit King's Manor never intended to take this betrothal seriously, yet you were the one worrying about it. Did you want to sever every tie, then climb aboard that vehicle to soar into the sky at your side and ride roughshod over me?"

Madam Wang walked closer to Chen Ling, looked down at her, and sneered. "Am I right, Your Highness?"

Chen Ling looked up at her and shook her head again and again.

Dai Cheng, who stood to the side, finally couldn't bear it any longer. His face full of distress, he helped Chen Ling up.

"Spirit King's Manor, you'd best not push your luck! Chen Ling is about to become a disciple of the Moon-Gazing Sect! I am a disciple of Elder Lengyue of the Moon-Gazing Sect. How dare a trifling Spirit King's Manor act so arrogantly!"