Chapter 725: Ling Hao’s Tragedy
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ling Lie and Cui Lao had just changed into fresh clothes after their baths.
When Ling Yun entered, they were having a conversation. Their expressions looked solemn and pained, but their happiness was evident.
Their solemnness and pain stemmed from the Ling Family avoiding the disaster of being eliminated. In an instant, 70 loyal men of sacrifice were lost.
As for their happiness, it was naturally because Ling Yun had made it in time. With one move, he defeated every enemy that had come. Furthermore, he had finally returned to his legitimate home.
As for their pain and happiness, even Ling Lie and Cui Lao didn’t know which was more overwhelming. Two pairs of eyes stared back at each other as they shed tears for a long time. Then, they started to laugh dumbly. It looked like two emotional kids were sitting together.
However, their conversations revolved around one topic, Ling Yun.
“Grandpa!”
Once Ling Yun stepped into the house, he knelt on both knees and solemnly kowtowed to Ling Lie.
Ling Lie jumped up immediately. With a flicker of his body, he arrived before Ling Yun. Clutching onto both of his arms, he helped Ling Yun up. His gaze and lips held a trace of a smile. Scanning Ling Yun thoroughly, he smiled happily and said, “This child looks exactly the same as my third son in his younger days. His eyes look exactly like his mother’s!”
Cui Lao smiled and nodded. He knew that this old man still kept Ling Yun’s picture in his clothes. He spent each and every day staring at it. Now that he could finally meet the man himself, he couldn’t stop staring at him.
After Ling Lie said this, he patted Ling Yun’s shoulder. Then, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Old Cui, do you see this? This is my third son’s biological son. He’s my precious grandson! Our Ling Family hasn’t suffered for the past 18 years in vain!”
“The heavens truly have eyes!”
Ling Lie laughed heartily. Towards the end, he extended his neck to stare at the ceiling. His fiery eyes began to shed hot tears as his throat quivered continuously. He looked like he was holding back his emotions.
Seeing that Ling Lie was so happy that he cried, Cui Lao advised, “The young master has returned to acknowledge his family. This is the Ling Family’s greatest joy. Don’t get too agitated now, it’s not good for your body…”
Ling Lie was choked up for a long time. Finally, he lifted his hand to wipe his tears away. Losing all trace of laughter, his eyes filled with love as he stared at Ling Yun. “Yun Er, our Ling Family wasn’t strong enough. We couldn’t protect you back then. You suffered from the moment you arrived in your mother’s womb. Once you were born, we left you outside to fend for yourself. For the past 18 years, you’ve suffered a lot. Your grandpa has truly failed you. Please don’t blame the Ling Family, and even more so, your parents…”
“Child, your parents were at the pinnacle of this world. For you, they gave their all. Please forgive all the hate you may have for them in your heart. Can you do that?”
When Ling Lie said this, the love in his eyes morphed into endless worry. He was afraid that Ling Yun would shoot back angrily.
Ling Yun nodded as he replied seriously, “Grandpa, Cui Lao has told me everything about the past. I understand my parents’ struggles. Anyway, there’s no way I’ll blame them. Rest a.s.sured!”
Once Ling Lie heard this, he nodded continuously. He patted Ling Yun on his shoulders and smiled happily. “Good child, it’s rare to find someone as understanding as you. Grandpa can finally rest easily!”
“Hurry and sit. Have some water first…”
The three of them sat down. With his divine sense, Ling Yun realized that Ling Zhen and Ling Yue had already changed and arrived at the entrance of Ling Lie’s room.
“First Son, Second Son, both of you come in!” Ling Lie said, allowing the two to enter.
Ling Zhen and Ling Yue stepped inside. Naturally, the room became livelier.
Once everyone was seated, Ling Lie’s expression returned to its calm state. His face gave off the charisma of a strong elder. He stared straight at Ling Zhen. After a long time, he finally began to speak.
“Hasn’t Ling Hao returned yet?” His first words were shocking!
Ling Zhen stood up hurriedly. Bowing his body, he said, “Father, I can’t get ahold of him. I’ve sent someone to look for him. I might need some time before I can find him…”
Ling Lie hollered angrily, “Hmph! Ling Hao only hangs out with those hooligans! Now that our family is in danger, we can’t even find a trace of him! He’s already 28, but he’s still a partially-inducted Xiantian expert. Even Ling Xiu, that small girl, is at the same level!”
Evidently, Ling Xiu was thoroughly focused on cultivation before. Ling Lie had already sensed her realm increase all the way to a partially-inducted Xiantian Realm expert.
“As the oldest biological son of the Ling Family, does he understand his place?”
Ling Lie’s face revealed rage, and his words became increasingly serious.
“Yes! Father, after Ling Hao returns, we must teach him a good lesson.” Hearing this, Ling Zhen began sweating profusely.
The exchange between the Ling Family’s current and previous head was uninterrupted. Ling Yun, Ling Yue, and Cui Lao didn’t interject. Especially for Ling Yun, he had taken one look at Ling Hao’s picture before he felt a strong sense of rejection toward him. His sixth sense told him that Ling Hao wasn’t trustworthy.
Ling Yun even felt that if Ling Hao had been at the scene tonight, perhaps the Ling Family would have been rid of a problem. Perhaps that guy saw that the Ling Family was probably done for tonight, so he escaped long ago.
“Hmph, this is all because he refuses to take any form of responsibility. There’s nothing we can do about that. Let him be…” Ling Lie said this with extreme disappointment.
After shooting Cui Lao a look, he said, “However, I’ve heard that Ling Hao has developed a good relations.h.i.+p with the Chen Family’s descendant, Chen Sen. Is that true?”
Upon hearing that, sweat began trickling down Ling Zhen’s back. He bowed sincerely and replied, “Father, I’m not too sure about this. However, once Ling Hao returns, I will definitely clarify this matter. Until I get to the root of it, I definitely won’t let him off easy!”
Ling Zhen knew that Ling Hao had secretly sent some a.s.sa.s.sins after Ling Yun, so he already investigated the matter. He knew that he had searched for Chen Sen via the Chen Family. Now that Ling Lie had called Chen Sen by name as if he knew exactly what had happened, Ling Zhen was scared out of his wits.
Furthermore, even if Ling Lie didn’t know Ling Hao had sent someone to a.s.sa.s.sinate Ling Yun and only mentioned it in pa.s.sing, what was the Chen Family to the Ling Family now? They were sworn enemies! Enemies that fought to the death!
However, Ling Hao had a close relations.h.i.+p with Chen Sen. Wasn’t that equivalent to seeking death?
Even so, Ling Hao had turned his phone off. n.o.body could reach him at all. Even if Ling Zhen wanted to help his son, there was nothing he could do.
When Ling Zhen heard the words of disappointment from his old man, he immediately understood that the Ling Family’s next successor was definitely not his son, Ling Hao.
“Have a seat. After Ling Hao returns, tell him to meet me immediately.”
With that, everyone present understood that Ling Lie had thoroughly given up on Ling Hao.
Ling Xue was currently part of the Condor Team. Her not being home was forgivable. However, as the eldest son in the Ling Family, there was no way anyone wouldn’t be disappointed by Ling Hao’s lack of responsibility.
“Yun Er, I see that you haven’t killed those two Chuunin yet. You have even captured Chen Haizhen. What are your plans for them?”
After Ling Lie asked about Ling Hao, he looked toward Ling Yun seriously and began to discuss how to handle the three people.
Ling Zhen was sweating profusely, while Ling Yue laughed quietly. There was a huge difference between the old man’s att.i.tude toward Ling Yun and Ling Hao!
Ling Lie was thoroughly disappointed in Ling Hao. It was to the extent that it could be said that he hated him. On the other hand, he treated Ling Yun with absolute love and adoration.
Ling Yun was worried about this exact matter. He stood up immediately and said, “Grandpa, I have to interrogate them about some matters. After I’m done, I’ll leave it up to you to decide.”
Ling Lie nodded as he said, “Great! Then go ahead and do what you have to. I saw that Chen Haizhen was critically injured, he probably can’t last any longer.”
“Thanks, Grandpa!”
“Cui Lao, please accompany Yun Er…” Ling Lie knew that Ling Yun wasn’t familiar with the Ling Family’s premises. He was afraid that he wouldn’t know where the dungeon was.
However, he didn’t know that when Ling Yun came, he had used his divine sense to scope out the area. He knew every nook and cranny, as well as the conditions of the three people in the dungeon.
Cui Lao knew that the old man had something he wanted to talk about privately with Ling Zhen and Ling Yue. Responding to that order, he stood up immediately and chased after Ling Yun.
Cui Lao arrived behind Ling Yun soon after. Ling Yun said telepathically, “Cui Lao, have you talked to Grandpa about Ling Hao yet?”
Cui Lao smiled and nodded. He responded, “Young Master, after you told me about that, I reported the matter. After he heard about it, he was furious…”
Ling Yun coming to Beijing to acknowledge his family was a top-secret matter for the Ling Family. As the eldest son in the Ling Family, Ling Hao had divulged such an important matter to the Chen Family. This was equivalent to betraying the family. There was no way he wouldn’t be enraged.
Finally, the Chen Family actually attacked the Ling Family, intending for this day to be their end. Each and every person in the Ling Family hated the Chen Family with a grudge. Ling Lie’s rage was obvious. If he wasn’t disappointed in Ling Hao, that would have been a complete shock.
“Ah… the Ling Family’s defenses are far too weak…”
Ling Yun didn’t talk about the matter regarding Ling Hao anymore. In his eyes, Ling Hao was so weak that he couldn’t even be compared to a loach. He wouldn’t even consider him as a side dish.
He walked on as he stared at the Ling Family’s empty courtyard. He couldn’t help but furrow his brows as he shook his head continuously!
Not to mention the 36 men of sacrifice that were left, even if they still had those 100 men of sacrifice, it wouldn’t be enough to fill even a tiny crack in the Ling Family’s courtyard!
Ling Yun quietly devised a plan. He wanted to solidify the Ling Family’s defenses into a metal board. If the Ling Family suffered another attack like this, he would ensure that his enemies would have no means of stepping out. Every man that entered would be stepping into their grave!
The two entered the eighth courtyard. Soon, they walked into an una.s.suming room where Cui Lao walked to the corner and opened a tightly locked door.
The place looked exactly like the entrance of a train station that led underground.
This was obviously the Ling Family’s dungeon.
One could say that any large family would have a place like this. It wasn’t shocking at all.
“Young Master, they’re here.”
Ling Yun nodded as he telepathically told Cui Lao to wait outside. He walked down the stone stairway slowly, entering the Ling Family’s dungeon.