Xue Ying's tears streamed down even harder. Her young lady was far too compassionate now.
"But, Young Lady..."
"No 'buts'!"
Zi Lin Ling interrupted Xue Ying's words, gazing at the sky. "Besides, it's not entirely for you! Do you remember what I told you at the Fengyun Trading Company?"
Xue Ying looked bewildered, tears still flowing. "Young Lady has told me so many things, how would I know which one you're referring to?"
Zi Lin Ling smiled and flicked Xue Ying's forehead. "Your young lady is destined to become the strongest person on the continent!"
Xue Ying blinked and nodded.
She certainly remembered that statement, but to her, it had sounded like a joke.
Seeing Xue Ying's reaction, Zi Lin Ling knew she hadn't taken it seriously. She sighed, "I know you think I'm joking, but I'm serious."
She looked towards the distant horizon and continued, "The reason I signed a life-and-death contract with Mo Qing Cheng is, firstly, to avenge you, and secondly, to put pressure on myself, which will allow me to grow stronger faster."
Hearing Zi Lin Ling's words, Xue Ying suddenly felt a long-lost fighting spirit return to her body.
She wiped away her tears and looked at Zi Lin Ling with concern. "But Young Lady, Mo Qing Cheng's spiritual power is so high, and you couldn't even... how can you possibly defeat her?"
The words "cultivate" were on the tip of Xue Ying's tongue, but she swallowed them back forcefully.
She didn't want to reopen old wounds for Zi Lin Ling. It was one thing for others to call Zi Lin Ling a good-for-nothing, but she absolutely could not do so.
Zi Lin Ling's heart warmed again. Xue Ying was always so thoughtful, always afraid of hurting her pride.
She smiled. "Silly girl, what if I can't cultivate? Didn't your young lady still make Hua Ru Hai flee in embarrassment? Besides, who says I can't cultivate?"
Xue Ying was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened in surprise. "Young Lady, are you saying you can cultivate now? Since when?"
Zi Lin Ling smiled. "Not yet, but soon. Not just me, you can too."
Xue Ying was overjoyed. "Young Lady, is this true?"
Zi Lin Ling flicked Xue Ying's forehead again and laughed. "Silly girl, of course it's true. When have I ever said something I wasn't sure of?"
"This is wonderful! But Young Lady, even if we can cultivate, in just three months, how can you possibly surpass Mo Qing Cheng?"
The joy that had just appeared on Xue Ying's face was instantly replaced by worry.
Zi Lin Ling smiled. "You don't need to worry about that. Your young lady's name itself signifies miracles!"
"Really?"
Xue Ying's eyes lit up, a flicker of determination crossing them.
For some reason, since last night, Zi Lin Ling had given her an inexplicable sense of security.
Zi Lin Ling nodded. "Silly girl, of course it's true!"
Xue Ying said firmly, "Okay! I believe in you, Young Lady!"
"Haha! This Immortal Fairy will be magnanimous and allow you two, master and servant, to enjoy a good three months of daydreaming!"
Mo Qing Cheng's mocking voice rang out incongruously.
"You..."
Xue Ying glared angrily at Mo Qing Cheng, but for some reason, she couldn't retort.
Zi Lin Ling patted Xue Ying's shoulder and walked up to Mo Qing Cheng, her voice cold. "Who's daydreaming will be clear in three months. Immortal Fairy Qing Cheng had best eat well and sleep well during these three months, or you won't have food or sleep in the netherworld."
Mo Qing Cheng almost choked. Her face turned ugly. "A good-for-nothing is just a good-for-nothing, only good for empty boasts!"
Zi Lin Ling sneered. "Since Immortal Fairy Qing Cheng is not a good-for-nothing, then deal with your own maid yourself. I'm not accompanying you!" With that, she gestured for Xue Ying to follow and prepared to leave.
Mo Qing Cheng's face immediately darkened. How could she have forgotten that Qing E was still kneeling there?
She had tried for a long time to get Qing E to stand up, and had planned to capture Zi Lin Ling to force her to release Qing E, but Ye Ling Yuan had interfered.
Now, if Zi Lin Ling left, wouldn't Qing E just have to keep kneeling?
Just as she was about to stop Zi Lin Ling, Ye Ling Yuan's voice, filled with killing intent, rang out. "If she fails then, this King will personally annihilate the entire Mo family!"
Hearing this, the first to be stunned was Ji Ran. He finally realized he had misunderstood Ye Ling Yuan.
So, he gave a sheepish smile and glanced at Ye Liu Xing, transmitting his thoughts, "Young Master, why didn't you remind me?"
Ye Liu Xing looked at Ji Ran inexplicably and retorted, "Uncle Ji, remind you of what?"
Ji Ran was taken aback by the question and didn't know how to answer Ye Liu Xing.
This made Ye Liu Xing even more confused. How could he know that Ji Ran thought Ye Ling Yuan's anger was directed at him?
Mo Qing Cheng's face changed drastically. Ye Ling Yuan's words were clear: in the battle at Nine Extinction Peak three months later, Zi Lin Ling could only win, not lose, or the entire Mo family would have to pay for Zi Lin Ling's failure.
But Zi Lin Ling cannot lose, meaning she, Mo Qing Cheng, would lose. Why?
No, she was unwilling!
But when the King of the Underworld is enraged, countless bodies lie strewn across the land. The King of the Underworld of Tian Qi was not something a mere Mo family could offend.
If this day's words were to return to the Mo family, they would undoubtedly push her out as a sacrifice to appease the King of the Underworld's wrath.
No! She had to find a way to win against Zi Lin Ling while ensuring the Mo family was not implicated by the King of the Underworld.
Thus, she looked towards her master, Fu Liu Yun.
Fu Liu Yun's brow was furrowed. If he stood by and did nothing, his disciple would likely die either from the life-and-death contract or from Ye Ling Yuan's hands.
But if he intervened, he had just heard the burly man address this man in black as the King of the Underworld.
Who else could be called the King of the Underworld besides the Guardian War God of Tian Qi?
Although the Liu Yun Sect was the foremost sect in Tian Qi, it was still composed of citizens of Tian Qi.
As the Sect Master of Liu Yun Sect, if he were to offend the Guardian War God of Tian Qi for his disciple, he would have no way to explain himself to the elders.
Moreover, Ye Ling Yuan's cultivation was clearly far superior to his, very likely a Saint King realm expert.
All below the Saint King realm are ants. If he were careless, the entire Liu Yun Sect could be annihilated.
As the Sect Master of Liu Yun Sect, Fu Liu Yun had to consider the sect's future.
Alas, if a disciple is lost, another can be taken.
With this thought, Fu Liu Yun no longer hesitated and turned to leave, abandoning even the purpose for which he had come today.
Mo Qing Cheng watched Fu Liu Yun's retreating back and knew she had been abandoned.
Now she was truly facing one misfortune after another. What should she do? What could she do?
Helplessness and despair consumed her entire mind.
At the same time, hatred festered wildly in her heart, "Fu Liu Yun, you abandoned me today, but you will surely regret it in the future!"