“Potentate, Mu Yang, I’m here to apologize to you two.” The Vermilion Bird King approached, his face full of shame.
“The two inspectors completely prevented me from helping. I’m ashamed I didn’t really help the Wei Clan much this time, yet the Wei Clan still helped me root out Lightning Manor, which was plotting against my throne.”
Originally, the only thing he could do was help the Wei Clan resist Lightning Manor after the Wei Clan lost. However, Mu Yang had unexpectedly ended up winning against them. He had even been forced to promise the inspectors that he would support the Yueling Clan; however, it would have at least allowed Wei Manor to leave peacefully.
Yet, in the end, Li Tianming had gone against all odds and crushed Yueling Ji and Lin Xiaoting.
“Don’t be ashamed, Your Majesty. We can’t possibly derail the plans and decisions of existences like the inspectors. You had your own difficulties. Fortunately, it’s all over now, so let’s just move on. From now on, Flameyellow Scions Institute and the nation will have an even better relationship.” Wei Tiancang stroked his beard.
“Potentate, you really are magnanimous. I don’t know how to face you now.” The king shook his head.
“If Your Majesty really is uncomfortable, why not grant a small wish for my grandson, Li Tianming?” Wei Tianxang winked at Li Tianming. How could he not know Li Tianming’s thoughts?”
“Tianming, you really are incredible. Before today, I believed no one in Wei Manor’s younger generation could stop them. You really opened my eyes,” the king said admiringly.
Li Tianming nodded with a smile. Then, he signaled Jiang Feiling, who came over with trepidation in her face.
“Father.”
“When did you come out?” The king was flabbergasted. No one in the palace had notified him.
Jiang Feiling only giggled, leaving the king no choice but to smile helplessly.
“Potentate and Tianming, do you mean you want to let Tianming bring Ling’er to Heaven’s Elysium?” the king asked.
“Your Majesty, I will definitely regard Ling’er’s safety as even greater than my own life,” Li Tianming solemnly vowed.
“You say that, but Heaven’s Elysium is filled with countless geniuses and experts. Fortune abounds, but so does danger. You’ll be all alone, so how will you protect her at Heaven’s Elysium?” The king grit his teeth. From his words, it was clear he truly viewed Jiang Feiling as his daughter.
Li Tianming wasn’t able to refute him. He really didn’t know anything about Heaven’s Elysium. Here in Ignispolis, he’d had Sage Chen and Mu Yang helping him, making his revenge easier. When he got to Heaven’s Elysium, how was he supposed to compete with all those heaven-defying experts?
Firstly, Jiang Feiling’s special abilities would attract much undue attention once they were revealed. Secondly, her beautiful countenance might be a rare thing even in Heaven’s Elysium. There were many historical examples of how a beautiful woman could lead to conflict, or even war.
When he thought about it, Li Tianming realized that, even though he couldn’t bear to part with Jiang Feiling, he had trouble answering the king’s question. The coming path would be fraught with danger, and as an ordinary person, Jiang Feiling was too weak.
However, at this moment, Jiang Feiling suddenly grabbed Li Tianming’s hand and resolutely stood by his side.
“Father, sometimes in life, there comes a time when you need to make a leap of faith for someone. The first time I met him, I just knew he was someone very important to me. I don’t know if it was because of my complete synchronization or the workings of fate.”
“When I was inside him and heard his heartbeat, I could tell he was a courageous, responsible, hot-blooded, and heroic person. Although he’s done many bloody things that I don’t dare to look at, I understand them.”
“Sometimes, I already feel like our hearts are one. I know that staying in Vermilion Bird means I can live a relaxed and free life. However, I feel like my life won’t be complete without him. If this is the only chance, I plead with you to let me go with him. I want to stay with him, see the world, train with him, and watch him grow. What I worry about isn’t danger, because I already said I wanted to be with him through life and death.
“If there’s danger ahead, I truly believe he’ll protect me. I also want to help him get stronger and make sure he’s not all alone in foreign lands. Father, I can’t forget the kindness you showed by raising me for years. Maybe one day, I’ll repay you. However, just this once, I beg you, let me go with him.”
By the end of her speech, Jiang Feiling’s eyes were completely red, but she continued holding Li Tianming’s hand so tightly that her hand was red.
Looking at her profile, Li Tianming could see that she was crying. However, this only served to touch him even more.
She was fighting for it.
In the end, it didn’t matter what or how much Li Tianming said. It was up to her to convince the king. Naturally, Jiang Feiling couldn’t bear to leave Ignispolis, and wanted to repay the king. However, she was unable to ignore the deepest desires of her heart and wanted to follow Li Tianming!
What more did Li Tianming have to ask for with such a girl?
Li Tianming didn’t believe in fate, yet their meeting seemed to have been preordained. At this point, he had already decided that Jiang Feiling was who he wanted to spend the rest of time with.
Li Tianming, what do you think?” The king shut his red eyes.
“Your Majesty, I don’t know what to say. I admit I don’t have backing in Heaven’s Elysium. I admit the path ahead will be dangerous. However, what I can promise you is that if I bring her with me, anyone who dares touch one hair of hers or makes her unhappy will have a tragic end.” Li Tianming squeezed her hand back.
This was a vow.
After Lin Xiaoting’s end, it was obvious how much weight vows held for Li Tianming. By now, he had already successfully fulfilled two vows: he had avenged Midas, and helped his mother recover.
Everyone present looked at the pair of lovers, moved by their sincerity and courage. Love during the springtime of youth was passionate and impulsive, but that was exactly what made it attractive and worthy of envy.
Everyone was waiting for the king’s decision.
Gritting his teeth, the king extended his hand, beckoning Jiang Feiling over, who had no choice but to comply.
The king held her hand and looked at Li Tianming. “Three days. Come by the palace before you leave, and I’ll tell you my decision then.”
It was understandable. Even if she wasn’t his biological daughter, after so many years of raising her, no father could make the decision to send her off to somewhere dangerous on the spot. Likely, the king would spend the next three days and nights tossing and turning in bed, pondering deeply.
“Your Majesty, I’ll definitely come by,” Li Tianming said.
Jiang Feiling hadn’t given up yet, either. She gave Li Tianming one last look before returning to the palace.
What would happen would depend on the king’s choice three days hence. Li Tianming’s heart would be in his throat the entire time.
“Let’s go back home!” Finally, the crowd in the Flameyellow Stadium dispersed!
……
The entire stadium could be seen from the top of the Flameyellow Pagoda. However, no one below noticed the two people there.
One, a woman in a black veil, was standing there imposingly with her hands clasped behind her back. She raised her hand and examined her fingernails. Her fingers were long and fair, as beautiful as the finest of jade. However, there was a violent power lurking within that couldn’t be seen from the surface.
“Uncle Chen, let’s go to the palace.”
“Yes.”
The two left the pagoda and quickly crossed Ignispolis, unnoticed.
“Uncle Chen, are you certain you can extract those ten outrageous seals?” the young woman asked.
“I’m not. The five on the right hand should be fine. However, four have been unlocked on the left hand. For those that are unsealed, her fingernails are merely a vessel, which is why I’m confident in removing them. However, the unsealed ones have already fused with her, so the chance of extracting and transferring them are low. For the sealed six, give me two or three days,” the black-robed man, Ling Yichen, replied.
“They’ll return from Aquamarine in three days. The timeline fits nicely.” The young woman’s eyes were cold.
They had made it to the palace and were standing on the walls.
“I’ll handle the king first. No one will bother us for the next three days,” Jiang Yichen said.
The young woman instructed, “Don’t kill.”
“Why?”
“If we can’t extract those four already awakened abilities, I’ll like to try having that girl attach herself to me. You saw for yourself, last night, how her Spiritual Attachment could adjust spiritual energy and aid in cultivation. A high enough synchronization could even raise my combat prowess. And I have a feeling the other three would be useful too.”
The girl’s gaze pierced through the buildings. “After this, I’ll likely take her with me to be a servant.”
“No problem.” Jiang Yichen gave a small smile as he stepped into the palace. “For three days, there shall be no interference.”
The young woman stood on the rooftop of one of the buildings, looking up at the stars in the sky. “Cultivation is a path of plunder. I barely managed to survive from the time I was eight years old through plundering and endlessly becoming stronger.”
“If I become the Elysium Emperor, I’ll be the overlord of the Grand-Orient Realm and plunder all of it. It really is a miracle that a small Vermilion Bird could have something useful to me. Once I get her and return to Heaven’s Elysium, I’ll be even more superior….”