Chapter 65 The Emperor's Eldest Son (22)

"Heh, if he won't let me off the hook, I won't let him off the hook either."

Changqing sneered, tore off a large chicken leg and started gnawing on it. In front of him, a large fire was crackling and burning brightly, and a whole "pheasant" was sizzling on the grill, its aroma from the spices filling the air and making one's mouth water.

After taking a couple of bites, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and stood up.

"Heh, is anyone else coming?"

He sensed an aura approaching, its cultivation level—

Early stage of the Kingdom?

Well, there's one more, mid-stage Emperor Realm.

He sat down again; this level of person wasn't even worth a slap from him.

"Sir, young master, may I ask what you are eating?"

Before long, a figure approached and spoke somewhat timidly.

Changqing turned his head and couldn't help but laugh after seeing who it was.

What a coincidence!

I never expected to run into Liu Lingxin, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi Holy Land, here. Moreover, she is just like in the story, still so innocent and naive.

In the story, the original owner defiled Liu Lingxin's purity, which angered the bigwigs of Yaochi Holy Land. After being captured alive, he was escorted to Yue Cangwu and sacrificed to the formation.

Now, Changqing still finds this incident in the story somewhat eerie.

Liu Lingxin has royal-level protectors by her side.

However, her protector did not appear in the story, and she was later found dead in a deep pit 300 miles away. This was clearly not something the original owner and Ning Hao could have done.

Either he encountered a powerful enemy by chance, or the original owner had other people besides Ning Hao arranged by Yue Cangwu.

Changqing is more inclined to believe the latter.

"Young Master?"

When the little girl saw that he didn't react, she called out again tentatively.

"This is a fire-tailed tit. It tastes quite good when roasted with seasonings. Would you like to try some?"

Changqing replied with a smile.

He wasn't interested in this silly little girl. Now that they'd met, it was probably just part of the storyline. He figured he should avoid interacting with her as much as possible.

The little girl nodded repeatedly, swallowed hard, and looked on with longing in her eyes.

"I've roasted firetail tits before, but they weren't this fragrant!"

As she spoke, she took two steps forward, showing no sign of being wary of anyone.

Changqing sensed a surge of magical energy not far away, clearly indicating that the saintess's protector was somewhat worried.

He simply stood up and took two steps back.

"If you like it, I'll keep it for you. I have other things to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

The next moment, a streak of light shot into the sky, and he was gone.

The little girl then realized what was happening and was stunned for a moment.

"Your Majesty, late-stage Emperor Realm?"

Never mind, let's eat first. She reached out and tore off a piece of roasted, golden-brown meat leg.

"Holy Maiden, please wait."

A hoarse voice sounded behind her, and a tall woman appeared beside Liu Lingxin.

"Oh? It's Aunt Hong! You should try some, it's delicious!"

The little girl held up the meaty leg in her hand and smiled like she was showing off a treasure.

The woman's expression was indescribable.

This saintess is exceptionally talented. She broke through to the King Realm at the age of fifteen. The elders judged that she had the potential to reach the Emperor Realm in the future. However, she was too naive and playful by nature, which was a real worry for them.

The woman sighed.

"Holy Maiden, do you know who that person is? That's Yue Changqing! He's killed countless Emperor-level experts. I can't even fathom his cultivation level. He might only be one step away from taking that final step. You—"

Before she could finish speaking, she exclaimed in surprise, and the saintess had already put the chicken leg into her mouth and was chewing it heartily.

"Mmm, it smells so good! Aunt Hong, you really have to try it!"

Aunt Hong: ?!

"No, Holy Maiden, are you even listening to me? That's...!"

“He is a good person.” The little girl’s eyes narrowed, and her cheeks bulged from chewing.

"A good person?" Aunt Hong was taken aback.

"With his strength, he wouldn't need to poison us, would he?" The little girl spat out a bone and replied in a moment, then reached out and tore off another half of meat. "Aunt Hong, you should try some too, it's really delicious!"

She held the meat to Aunt Hong's lips, and a peculiar aroma wafted out.

Even though she had been fasting for many years, Aunt Hong couldn't help but swallow hard. Perhaps what the Holy Maiden said made a lot of sense.

Half an hour later.

The two sat by the fire, with bones scattered all over the ground.

"I must say, that kid really knows how to enjoy himself. This roasted fire-tailed tit is truly exceptional."

Aunt Hong couldn't help but sigh.

The little girl exhaled, patted her belly, and smiled sweetly.

“That’s right. How could someone who knows how to enjoy life be a bad person? I don’t think those rumors are true. The Great Emperor has a wife and even had a son outside of marriage. That’s the bad guy.”

Aunt Hong: ......

She thought the saintess only spoke well of others because she had eaten their food; she was so naive.

On the other side, Changqing was already atop a mountain a thousand miles away, where a middle-aged, burly man in a fiery robe blocked his way.

Zhao Yan!

One of the Emperor-level experts under Yue Cangwu.

In my memory, Zhao Yan was one of the better people to the original owner of this body, and Chang Qing had no intention of fighting with him.

"Uncle Zhao, it's been a long time."

Changqing stood still, a relaxed smile on his face.

Zhao Yan's expression was complicated.

He had once received some favors from the man's maternal family, so he had taken good care of him after his mother's passing. Previously, after learning that this young man was being targeted by the young master of Tingyun Pavilion, he had even suggested to Yue Cangwu that he go to Tingyun Pavilion to express his stance...

But who would have thought that Su Bai was actually Yue Cangwu's son?

The young man he had watched grow up had fallen out with his father to the point of irreconcilable conflict.

"Changqing, come back with me. After all, the lord is your father. Father and son should not hold grudges overnight. Go and apologize. With your current cultivation level, you will definitely be given an important position."

"Su Bai is, after all, an illegitimate child. What will become of this family business in the future..."

Changqing shook his head.

"I have no interest in Yue Cangwu's family business."

His smile was mocking.

"Uncle Zhao, you don't know, do you? The Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Formation, which Yue Cangwu arranged and set up, is just waiting to use me as a sacrifice."

ah?

Zhao Yan's eyes widened suddenly.

"This can't be, did Madam tell you?"

Changqing shook his head. "My mother didn't know about this. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't be able to rest in peace. In short, Yue Cangwu and I are now irreconcilable enemies."

Zhao Yan became anxious.

"My lord has been an emperor for many years, and your current strength—"

However, before he could finish speaking, his words caught in his throat. In an instant, he felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him, making even a late-stage Emperor-level expert feel a terrifying sense of utter helplessness regarding his life and death.

"Cough cough!"

As Changqing withdrew his imposing aura, Zhao Yan clutched his chest and coughed repeatedly.

His face was filled with horror. "You...you've already taken that step?"

Changqing did not answer; his figure was already a hundred feet away.

"Tell Yue Cangwu that I will personally come to him on the day the great formation is completed."

The sound came from afar. Zhao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead and plopped down on the ground.

That's terrifying.

Even though he was already in the late stage of the Emperor Realm, he couldn't muster the slightest will to resist just a moment ago.

After a long silence, he gave a bitter laugh.

"Even if that kid hasn't taken that step yet, it probably won't be long. Sigh..."