Shi Lang and Xiao Nan both left the Tianxu Pavilion. A messenger was sent to the Shi Family Manor. Shi Lang asked an elder to go to the Ling House and watch the situation silently. If anyone asks for their opinions, they will side with Tianxu Pavilion. Shi Shanwang had decided to come forward personally.
They have set an alliance with the Tianxu Pavilion, and Elder Chen was more experienced in this department. He was an old diplomat with experience in the Xiao family politics. Shi Shanwang was also brainy, but Shi Lang did not wish to let the Shi Family move alone through the troubled waters.
A crowd was gathered outside the Ling Family Manor. The reason was a convoy of armed guards and carriages. The leader of the soldiers was wearing black plated armor, and he was facing Ling Tian. The tension in the atmosphere was almost tangible.
Shi Lang asked a crowd member, “Brother, do you know what happened?”
He handed a silver coin to the person, and the man nodded as he told him, “These people from the Jiang Family of the Lion Heart City have come over to apprehend Ling Tian and the Young Miss of the Xuan Family, Xuan Shui. Around a month ago, the Jiang Family encountered the two people outside in the forests of the Titan Mountains. They claim the two people killed the Jiang Family elder and disciples.”
Shi Lang pretended to be shocked and thanked the man before he glanced at Xiao Nan, and the two winked at each other. Then the people turned their heads around to look at the scene.
Ling Tian greeted the leader of the Jiang forces very calmly and said, “Senior, please come inside and talk things out.”
The leader snorted and said, “How dare you act so kindly after you killed our Elder? Like it or not, you must come to the Lion Heart City and answer our patriarch.”
Ling Tian did not lose calm and said, “Senior, your accusations are baseless. You can ask anyone if I was out of the house this past month. I have been in seclusion.”
The man waved his hand and said, “You think I will be fooled so easily? Your family will support you. The Jiang family has already made investigations. We have found from the city guards at the gate you went out of the city with another girl a month ago. That is around the time when our Elder was murdered.”
The crowd began to murmur when they heard this. The Ling Family is in trouble today, and the masses have criticized their business ethics and policies. This matter blowing out of proportion would undermine their reputation even more.
The guards’ leader said, “Call your patriarch. Let him learn what a good young master you are. Going out on an adulterous trip with a relative and killing the witness. Very nice.”
Another bomb dropped on the Ling Family name, and the city shook from the impact. Shi Lang gazed at Xiao Nan, who was smirking. He could not believe that this girl was so vicious. Xiao Nan said, “You do not have to worry, Lang. Things are under control. I made enough preparations.”
Shi Lang nodded as he continued watching the scene unfold. Ling Tian lost his temper and shouted, “Watch your mouth, dog. This is the Ling Family manor. I will have your guts turned into compost.”
The leader of the guards scoffed. He was not scared. Turning his head to face the masses, he revealed a box from his space ring and said, “I wonder if you all would be able to recognize these artifacts that you left behind.”
The man took a few things from the box and showed them to the people. It was a battle fan like the one Ling Tian carried around everywhere. Shi Lang was impressed by the attention to detail displayed by Xiao Nan. This was one of the most frequently bought around battle fan by Ling Tian.
However, it was difficult for the Jiang Family to accuse Ling Tian. The young man scoffed and replied, “You want to accuse me of doing something wrong based on a battle fan? The entire city knows that I use this fan. Countless other people use a similar fan. It does not prove anything.”
Ling Tian was not a fool, he had also noticed that some of his things were missing, and if he were to say that he was being framed, it would be a bigger insult. Every person tries to look for someone to blame on.
The Jiang Family person did not make any fuss and said, “The elders knew you scum would make such measly excuses, so we have come prepared.”
He turned his head and looked at the carriage behind. The guard on duty nodded and opened the door of the carriage. A middle-aged man dressed in a white hanfu stepped down. Xiao Nan looked at the man and ducked her head as she said, “I did not expect these guys to invite Elder Ximen Tao. This guy is an Immortal Overlord, and he is also a grade-five array master.”
The Jiang Family overlord made an introduction similar to Xiao Nan but even more exaggerated. Shi Lang did not say anything and just watched how everything would unfold.
The Elder looked at Ling Tian and the Fan the Jiang Family guard held before he said, “Call me the patriarch of the Ling Family. I would like him to see what is about to happen. I hope he is strong enough to know what is a stunt and what is reality.”
Ling Tian was calm, did not give up his manners, and greeted the Elder properly. The Elder nodded. He did not seem to be holding the Young Master in contempt or guilty for anything.
The guard of the Jiang family did not say anything either. They were very respectful to the person. Shi Lang asked, “Xiao Nan, why are you ducking your head?”
Xiao Nan said, “I heard that he could break through any illusion that is not grade seven at a glance. I was worried that he would spot us.”
Shi Lang froze and directly took off his mask. Xiao Nan was surprised, and the young man said, “What if he searched with his spirit sense? We will look even more guilty. Just cover up with some cloak.”
Xiao Nan nodded, and the two people quickly cloaked themselves. When they were done, they heaved a sigh of relief and turned around to look ahead. Ximen Tao was facing another middle-aged man, and this guy was the second Elder of the Ling Family.
Ling Xue bowed to Ximen Tao and tried to invite him inside the house, but the latter refused and said, “Your Patriarch is not here?”
The second Elder replied, “Senior, the Patriarch is out for a meeting, I have dispatched a messenger, and he will be here shortly.”
Ximen Tao nodded and said, “They will be able to see what happened here on this image stone. If they have any problem, they can find me in the Lion Heart City.”
Shi Lang was keen to watch what was about to happen. Ximen Tao did not let him down either and took out an array plate from his space ring. He said, “This is a spirit detection array. It is a grade four array, but it is the best way to detect if you have lost the trace for spirit artifact over time.” 𝓞𝑣𝗅xt.𝕔𝑶𝕞
He tossed the disc at Ling Tian and said, “Channel your spirit energy in the disc, and the artifact that belongs to you will move.”
Ling Tian was aware that he could not do anything about it now. The person before him was an expert in the Immortal Overlord realm. He channeled some spirit energy into the array plate as he thought of this. The disc glowed, and after a few moments, the battle fan began to resonate with the vibration and glow from the array disc.
The Jiang Force leader spotted the trace of dissatisfaction in Ling Tian’s eyes and said, “You think this is still not enough to prove anything? Well, let me show you something else too.”
The man then pulled out a piece of clothing from the box, and the piece of cloth also glowed. Ling Tian replied, “This cloth is not mine.”
Guard leader Jiang nodded and said, “It is not yours, but it belongs to that woman, Xuan Shui. Why is it resonating with your spiritual attribute?”
The crowd was stunned, They could not figure out what was happening, and Ximen Tao said, “It must be because your spiritual essence stained the cloth. This sort of cloth is enough to convince you that we already know you were responsible for the debacle. Why not surrender?”
Ling Tian did not know how to process anything. Even the city folk did not know. Shi Lang was stunned at this and he was gawking at Xiao Nan. Where did this woman find something like spiritual essence?