The miserable wails did not come from Xiang Shaoyun. Rather, they came from the two youngsters whose hands were on his shoulder. Xiang Shaoyun did not even have to lift his hand. He only released a tiny bit of his flame power. The two youngsters weren't even able to do anything before their hands caught on fire. They waved their burning hands miserably.
"I told you, but you wouldn't listen. Happy now?" Xiang Shaoyun shrugged.
He had only utilized a tiny bit of Yun Flame's power. If he had used more, he could have instantly burned the two to crisp. He had no intention to kill anyone in the Cloud Margin Pavilion. Doing so would only attract more attention, and attention was the last thing he needed.
Zhuo Yi was flabbergasted to see his companions being injured so easily. But he was even more furious as he pointed at Xiang Shaoyun and bellowed, "I was trying to play nice, but since you refused to play along, let me tell you that you are only my master's follower. Be obedient and you might still have a chance to survive this. Otherwise, you're dead for sure!"
"Hehe, I am your master's relative," Xiang Shaoyun said as he flashed a wide smile.
Inwardly, he was filled with contempt, What an idiot. Even your master is but a puppet of mine. Who are you to act tough in front of me?
Zhuo Yi was so infuriated he nearly spat blood.
"Hmph. Relative my ass. I don't know what you did to flatter my master so much, but I won't let you succeed. Come with me!" Zhuo Yi said before he suddenly moved.
The moment he moved, he used his full power, and a dragon claw formed and grabbed at Xiang Shaoyun's shoulder. He attacked with his maximum speed, not giving Xiang Shaoyun a chance to react. However, every single detail of the attack was crystal clear before Xiang Shaoyun's eyes. He avoided the grip without any effort at all.
But Zhuo Yi wasn't a pushover either. After missing his first attack, he was able to quickly readjust and clawed at Xiang Shaoyun's face instead. If that attack had landed, Xiang Shaoyun's face would have been ruined.
Xiang Shaoyun frowned and said, "You're asking for it!"
Finally deciding to counterattack, Xiang Shaoyun gripped Zhuo Yi's arm and gave it a twist.
Crack!
"AHHHH!"
Zhuo Yi's arm was snapped, causing him to wail like a pig being slaughtered. He broke out in cold sweat.
"This is a lesson I am teaching you on your master's behalf. If your Lightning Alliance insists on looking for trouble, I don't mind completely destroying your alliance as well," declared Xiang Shaoyun overbearingly.
But Zhuo Yi was still unyielding as he said, "Kill me if you dare! The honor of the Lightning Alliance can not be trampled on!"
"You have been terribly brainwashed." Xiang Shaoyun rolled his eyes. He kicked Zhuo Yi away and resumed his journey to Gong Qinyin's place, completely ignoring the three.
With a face filled with resentment, Zhuo Yi glared at Xiang Shaoyun's departing back and thought to himself, Bastard, you will regret your actions!
Xiang Shaoyun walked along a trail in a forested area in a relaxed manner, looking as if the little episode earlier had not ruined his mood. But in truth, he disliked such pointless struggles.
Can't I just cultivate in peace for a bit? Xiang Shaoyun sighed to himself.
Soon, he arrived at Gong Qinyin's estate. The estate was shrouded in elegance and tranquility, and melodic zither tunes could be heard coming from within.
The tune was extremely graceful and moving, painting a picture of various oriole singing away. The melody flowed like the clearest of spring water, soaking every listener in a comfortable and refreshing feeling. The tune suddenly changed, giving off a faint trace of melancholy, causing one to be sucked in and to start feeling melancholic as well. The feeling was similar to what one would feel when missing a loved one, a sensation of unrequited love.
Even when the zither stopped playing, the tune still lingered in the air, trapping one in the melancholic atmosphere for a long, long time.
Xiang Shaoyun was someone who knew music as well. He had not cultivated when he was growing up, but he was an expert in all sorts of entertainment. He could hear that the player of the tune wasn't very good yet, but had an innate talent to completely draw the audience into her atmosphere. With a natural talent like that, she would have terrifying accomplishments in the art of controlling others through music given enough time to grow.
"Is it Gong Qinyin playing the zither?" Xiang Shaoyun guessed.
When he approached the estate, an old woman appeared before him noiselessly and said, "Halt!"
Xiang Shaoyun bowed and said, "Lord, please inform Lady Gong Qinyin that Xiang Shaoyun is here to pay her a visit."
The old woman glanced at Xiang Shaoyun and said, "Those with no business here are to leave immediately!"
Xiang Shaoyun did not bother saying much and took out Elder Long Hui's elder token.
He thought that the token would earn him some respect, but unfortunately, the old woman completely ignored it and said, "Final warning. Those with no business here are to leave immediately!"
Xiang Shaoyun could sense that the aura released by the old woman was even more terrifying than the aura Long Hui released. Realizing that, he knew that he might have to return empty-handed after all.
But he was not one to give up easily. After taking a few steps backward, he shouted, "Gong Qinyin, come out and meet me!"
"You are courting death!" the old woman berated with a sharp glint in her eyes.
Just as she was about to attack, Gong Qinyin's voice rang out, "Granny Mei, please don't trouble him. He is here on my invitation."
The old woman then stopped and gave Xiang Shaoyun a deep glance before vanishing into thin air.
Gong Qinyin then appeared at the gate and asked anxiously, "Did Granny Mei hurt you?"
Xiang Shaoyun patted his chest and said, "I'm fine. She did not hurt me."
But inwardly, he was thinking, If you were even half a second slower, I would have suffered for sure!
"Um. I had not expected you to come directly. Otherwise, I would have told Granny Mei in advance to allow you passage," said Gong Qinyin apologetically.
Xiang Shaoyun smiled. "Don't worry. Look, I'm completely fine." He paused for a bit and continued, "You sure have a high status in the Cloud Margin Pavilion. You even have a King Realm expert serving as your guard!"
Gong Qinyin answered, "That is all thanks to master."
She did not linger on the topic and directly invited Xiang Shaoyun into the estate.
Xiang Shaoyun thought there would only be Gong Qinyin. Thus, he was surprised to see another person there. That person was also an old acquaintance of his. She was none other than Li Yaxuan, the beautiful woman he once met at the Flame Mountain.
She was currently dressed in a set of green muslin outfit that perfectly accentuated her alluring figure. Her delicate face emanated a bewitching charm no young man could resist. When Xiang Shaoyun was looking at Li Yaxuan, she was also sizing him up. A toying expression surfaced in her eyes.