After handling the affairs of the Gou family, Zi Lingling rested for only an hour before leading her group grandly towards the Cao family.
The Cao family lived up to its reputation as the foremost family in Chixue City.
Although the Gou family had fallen in a mere hour, the Cao family had already received the news and made their strategic deployments.
By the time Zi Lingling arrived, a multitude of experts from the Cao family were already waiting outside the main gate.
Among them were the Cao family patriarch, Cao Youwei, and the remaining forty-odd God King realm powerhouses.
According to Zhuang Xing, of these forty-odd God King realm powerhouses, only ten were external reinforcements from the honored guests, while the remaining thirty-odd were God Kings cultivated by the Cao family itself, demonstrating the profound depth of their heritage.
In fact, as the premier family of Chixue City, the Cao family had accumulated immense wealth, a fortune that could truly be described as overflowing with riches or rivaling the state.
Among these God King realm powerhouses, the proportion of those in the early, middle, and late stages of the God King realm was two to one to one, and there were two individuals who had already reached the peak of the God King realm.
A trace of anger surfaced on the faces of these God King realm powerhouses; it was only natural for them to be displeased at being forcibly awakened from their cultivation.
Zi Lingling's brow twitched at the grand scene before her, but she quickly regained her composure.
With a sweep of her divine sense, she discovered that the Cao family's protective formation's energy was already fully charged and in a state of readiness.
Furthermore, in various directions within the Cao family courtyard, over two thousand people were in a battle-ready stance, poised to strike.
Six to seven thousand people were hidden in the shadows, their auras barely concealed.
It seemed the Cao family's foundations were far superior to the Gou family's.
Zi Lingling specifically paid attention to the two half-step God Lord realm experts that Zhuang Xing had mentioned but could not detect their presence.
She frowned, pondered for a moment, and then extended her divine sense towards the ground.
This time, at a depth of three zhang underground, she finally detected a faint fluctuation of a formation.
This formation was a concealment array, and she surmised that the two half-step God Lords were likely hidden within it.
To avoid alerting them, Zi Lingling did not disturb the concealment array, as the perception of half-step God Lord realm experts was quite keen.
She bypassed this concealment array and resumed her search with her divine sense.
This time, she extended her divine sense to a depth of ten zhang underground but found nothing. Su Dan Novel Network
Zi Lingling couldn't help but wonder, "Could I have guessed wrong? Does the Cao family not have any God Lord realm experts?"
"No! Ever since I entered the Cao family's territory, a sense of danger has lingered in my heart. There must be something amiss with the Cao family."
"Moreover, for the Cao family to maintain its position as the foremost family in Chixue City and establish a foothold in the Chaotic Domain, it's impossible that they only have two half-step God Lords as their guardians."
"There must be some area within the Cao family that does not permit divine sense intrusion, or perhaps that area is too hidden for ordinary means to detect."
"Where could it be?"
Zi Lingling's thoughts raced, while Cao Youwei took the initiative, forcing a smile and saying to Zi Lingling, "Young lady, we have no enmity between us. Why did you capture my son?"
He did not mention the ten individuals under Zhuang Xing, as their betrayal of the Cao family and pledging allegiance to Zi Lingling was a matter of great shame for the Cao family.
However, he had to mention Cao Chunyu, who was his own son and the young patriarch of the Cao family.
Furthermore, even if he didn't mention it, Zi Lingling would inevitably bring it up, and if Zi Lingling spoke of it first, he would be put on the defensive.
Zi Lingling's face turned cold and she said, "That is something you should ask your audacious son!"
"'Audacious'? What do you mean by that?"
Cao Youwei asked with a frown.
Zi Lingling did not reply but gestured for Shangguan Yulin to throw the blood-soaked, beggar-like Cao Chunyu onto the ground.
Shen Liuxing seized the opportunity to step forward and said, "Your son is lustful and audacious, daring to covet Sister Zi and harbor lecherous thoughts towards her. Not beating him to death is already showing your Cao family respect!"
Shangguan Yulin added, "We've returned your person, but your Cao family's young master has blasphemed our Miss Zi. You should give us an explanation, shouldn't you?"
As he spoke, he kicked Cao Chunyu's backside, sending him gliding comically back into the Cao family's formation.
"You bully us too much!" Cao Youwei roared in fury.
How could he still be considered a father if he remained indifferent when his son was publicly humiliated?
"Bully too much? Are you referring to him?"
Xuanyuan Zhe let out a contemptuous laugh and pointed at the weak and faint Cao Chunyu on the ground, "The moment he harbored lecherous thoughts towards Miss Zi, he was already classified as an animal!"
Rong Guang followed up, "Therefore, we never bully. But bullying animals is a common occurrence!"
"You..."
Cao Youwei suddenly realized that speaking with Xuanyuan Xun, Shen Liuxing, Shangguan Yulin, and Rong Guang was causing him such unbearable pain, as if his heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys were being scraped with a blunt knife.
"Patriarch, perhaps we should take the young patriarch back for treatment first!"
Beside Cao Youwei, a person dressed as an elder whispered in his ear.
This person was none other than the Grand Elder of the Cao family, Cao Youcheng.
Cao Youwei had been blinded by anger just now. With Cao Youcheng's reminder, he finally remembered that his son's life was hanging in the balance.
Therefore, he suppressed his rage and shouted into the Cao family's main gate, "Are you all dead? Don't you know to send someone to carry the young patriarch in for treatment?"
"Yes, Patriarch!"
Two individuals scurried out from the Cao family's main gate, rushed to Cao Chunyu's side, and carried him inside.
Zi Lingling and the others did not intervene. After all, those who had taken the Nine Jie Jiu Duan Sui Gu Dan would only suffer immense pain and torment without Zi Lingling's antidote.
Moreover, anyone else attempting to treat him would only worsen his condition, making Cao Chunyu wish he were dead.
Seeing the two carry Cao Chunyu away, Cao Youwei's expression turned extremely grim. "You have tortured my son to this state and still dare to demand an explanation? Do you truly think our Cao family is easily bullied?"
Shangguan Yulin feigned fear and sarcastically said, "Oh dear! We are so scared!"
Shen Liuxing frowned and said, "The Cao family is not easily bullied, but Miss Zi is? If you do not apologize to Miss Zi today, don't blame us for turning the Cao family upside down!"
"Yes! Apologize to our Guild Leader!" Rong Guang also said indignantly.
Xuanyuan Xun let out a cold laugh and said, "An apology is not enough. How about your entire Cao family surrenders to our Miss Zi? Then, we will let bygones be bygones, how about that?"