Ling Tian took in a deep breath, his hand patting Ling Jian's shoulders while he looked at the rest, and spoke in a serious tone, "Brothers, what I, Ling Tian, need is not a group of merciless killers. I need a group of brothers that I can entrust my heart and soul to! You guys must not only be able to work for me; you also must accompany me. I want to see each and every one of you get married and have children, to enjoy this world. You are all my brothers! Do you understand?"

It was close to noon by the time that Ling Tian returned to his residence. He happened to b.u.mp into Xiao YanXue, who was carrying an a.s.sortment of packages and about to leave the residence with her bodyguards. "Miss Xiao, don't you get tired going out to play every day? I'm worried about you!" he said.

Upon seeing Ling Tian, Xiao YanXue's face turned a little red, as though she was embarra.s.sed over something, before she snapped, "Is Young n.o.ble Ling tired of fooling around already? Did you have a great time today?"

Ling Tian started, thinking to himself,

Did this la.s.s undergo menopause in just these few days? Why does she have such insane mood swings?

One moment shy and the next moment furious, it was an unusual sight.

Ling Tian didn't know that after he destroyed YanXue in their battle of words, calling her a frog in a well, Xiao YanXue had locked herself inside her room for the next few days. After copious research, she found out that she really knew too little about the Southern Seas Seven Colored Sandalwood Pearl, and this made her ashamed and angry.

Xiao YanXue probably wouldn't have been so angry if Ling Tian had merely been bragging and didn't actually know anything. However, Xiao YanXue felt that she had lost the battle that time and deeply felt her loss of face, so her anger flared up whenever she saw Ling Tian.

Surprisingly, Ling Tian saluted Xiao FengYang who had just appeared, before turning to YanXue and saying, "Wow, Miss Xiao seems to be immaculately well dressed today. Don't tell me… a blind date?" Ling Tian purposefully dragged the words 'Don't tell me', then rattled off the last few words, creating an abrupt and awkward atmosphere.

Xiao YanXue had actually perked up her ears to catch what he was going to say, but the moment the words came out, her entire face turned red and she hatefully spat out, "Blind date your head!"

Ling Tian laughed before walking past them. However, he suddenly stopped and questioned, "Oh, Miss Xiao, may I ask if the auction will be held before or after the scholarly meeting?"

The moment his words came out of the mouth, Xiao YanXue and FengYang both paused in their steps, their expressions changing. Xiao YanXue cautiously replied, "As for the day… We haven't decided. Does Young n.o.ble Ling have any suggestions?"

Ling Tian squinted his eyes as he gave a wide grin, "Not really, I was just curious. Such a big auction, how could this young n.o.ble not attend?" However, inwardly he thought,

What is the meaning behind their change of expressions?

If the Xiao Family hasn't decided on a fixed time yet, then isn't it a given that it would be after the scholarly meeting? Ling Tian smirked to himself, as he looked at Xiao FengYang with a hidden meaning.

Ai, you had better not have too much artistic talent, Second Master Xiao!

Ling Tian didn't speak further, instead returning back to his courtyard. When his back was facing them, he felt Xiao FengYang's eyes looking meaningfully at his back as he left.

The moment he stepped into his courtyard, Ling Chen rushed up to welcome him. Only through their conversation did he realize that people from the imperial palace had come earlier and that Consort Ling had already brought Old Madam Ling and Chu Ting'er into the palace.

Ling Tian couldn't help but feel depressed. They actually agreed to go to the palace together earlier, but now they had gone without him? While he was still young, he was after all a man, so how could he walk into the concubine's palace by himself?

He decided not to dwell on this matter anymore and instead s.h.i.+fted a chair underneath the grape racks. Raising his head to see the devastated mess around him, he sighed uncontrollably. However, he couldn't help but let out a smile when he thought of Third Master Yu. No matter what happened in the future, whether he became friends or foe with the Yu Family, Yu ManTian was someone worth befriending as a lifelong friend!

Changing his line of thought, he hadn't seen the shadows of the Xiao Family members for the past few days. They seemed to be unnaturally busy, visiting every major power that came to Sky Bearing. It was to the point that Xiao FengYang's feet never seemed to touch the ground, as though fatigue didn't exist for him!

Right now, he had a huge stack of reports that was the acc.u.mulated intelligence on the major powers that had entered Sky Bearing in the last few days and were visited by the Xiao Family! Ling Tian felt a burst of rage every time he looked at these reports. He knew that while the Xiao family visited them to invite them to their auction, the bigger plot was about the Heaven Splitter sword. This was not the greed of a merchant, but the act of a major power taking advantage of the chaos to rule!

Leaning back, Ling Tian narrowed his eyes as a cruel arc appeared in the corners of his mouth. He had just thought of a heartless method by which he could ensure that the members of the Xiao Family currently here would never leave Sky Bearing!

The relations between the Xiao and Ling Family seemed harmonious on the surface, but it was clear to Ling Tian that the ambitions of the Xiao Family could no longer be held in check! Once the Xiao Family took action, then whether the Ling Family helped or not they would inevitably be implicated. The best result would be the confiscation of all of the Ling Family's military troops due to fear, but the worst could be that the Royal Family would just choose to eradicate the Ling Family completely! If that was the case, then the Ling Family would be facing an unprecedented catastrophe.

However, the Xiao Family hadn't seemed to have considered this point, or rather, they didn't care about the life and death of the Ling Family at all! Just this factor alone caused Ling Tian to rage!

Even without talking about the friends.h.i.+p that Grandfather Ling had with Xiao FengHan and just based on their family and business relations, as well as the number of benefits Old Madam Ling had given the Xiao Family, it could be said that the Xiao Family owed the Ling Family in a big way!

However, the Xiao Family obviously didn't take this into account. Forget about repaying the favor, they were practically using the Ling Family as a tool to cause chaos!

Repaying kindness with evil! No matter which lifetime it was, what Ling Tian hated most was these sort of people! Two cold rays of light shot out from Ling Tian's eyes as he thought,

Xiao Family, since you're heartless, then don't blame me for not talking about friends.h.i.+ps! If you dare provoke me, I'll make sure that none of you are allowed to leave Sky Bearing! You come to Sky Bearing and even use this young master's territory to create chaos, well then you should be prepared for the consequences!

Ling Tian ground his teeth as his eyebrows shot up straight like a sword being unsheathed!

Ling Chen sat silently beside Ling Tian, and watching his brow furrow tightly, knew that he was pondering over important matters. She sat quietly without a word, only discretely getting up to make a cup of hot tea for him and gently placing it in front of him.

What does Ye BaiFei have to do with what is going on in Sky Bearing?

Ling Tian's thoughts had drifted once more.

If he didn't have a job, why would an a.s.sa.s.sin like him be so free as to run over to Sky Bearing? To enjoy the scenery? If he had an objective, who would it be? His mortal enemy Yu Mantian? Will it affect my plan? It seems like I'll need to disturb him once again!

Light footsteps traveled to his ear as Yu BingYan and Wei XuanXuan approached. Ever since Yu BingYan had opened her heart up to Ling Tian, the two of them seemed to have improved their relations.h.i.+p by another notch. However, Yu BingYan was still noticeably shy. Thinking about how she had so openly shouted out all her inner thoughts in front of her two sisters, she felt somewhat embarra.s.sed. Now, seeing Ling Tian again, it was like a newlywed wife seeing her husband for the first time; happiness, shyness, and not knowing what to do!

Ling Tian stifled his smile as he looked at Yu BingYan, which caused her to unconsciously lower her head, her two hands clutching the hem of her clothes as she glanced up at Ling Tian. When their gazes met, she seemed like a frightened bunny and immediately lowered her gaze again. While Ling Tian couldn't see her face now, he surmised that it was definitely bright red!

Ling Chen and Wei XuanXuan were staring at the two of them, their faces plastered with odd-looking smiles. Strangely, Wei XuanXuan's expression also looked a bit envious, while Ling Chen's expression had a trace of jealousy.

Just then the sound of a servant rang from the entrance of his courtyard saying, "Reporting to the young n.o.ble, NanGong Yu of the NanGong Family is here to visit, and requests for an audience! She's currently in the great hall!"