The Glory After Rebirth

286 - 288

C286: More Lucid Moments

Watching Ji Yin leave, Ji Yanlai felt a sense of anticlimax and, after giving a mere shrug, shifted his gaze to the medicinal jade pendant in his hand, an interested expression on his face. “I never expected to have the luck to encounter this kind of rare occurrence. If father finds out, he’s probably going to regret having put me in charge of the clan so soon. Haha…”

Laughing, Ji Yanlai utilized his lightness skills and disappeared after a couple of flying leaps, leaving no traces behind.

…

Ling Zhang was still in a carry-over of shock when he left the hall. It’d never crossed his mind that Ji Yanlai would actually be so discerning as to find out something about his deepest secret. The Blood of the Phoenix Clan… Maybe this thing was indeed too powerful to deserve to exist in a mortal world. No wonder the imperial household of the Xia had put it under their control. If its existence was brought to light, nobody could imagine what kind of crazy things might happen. Maybe Ji Yanlai knew this as well and was positive that he wouldn’t breathe a word of it to anybody else after coming to realize how serious the consequences could be, which was the very reason why Ji Yanlai had dared to tell him all these things.

With a rapid blur of a figure, Ling Zhang’s vision fleetingly went blurred, and when things came into focus again, Ling Zhaowu had halted before him and grabbed his arm, gazing fixedly at him. “Zhang’er.”

Ling Zhang was stupefied, staring vacantly at Ling Zhaowu. This was the first time that Ling Zhaowu had called him Zhang’er… Ling Zhang’s heart quivered in spite of himself.

“Uncle Ling has just heard something about you from me. I also told him he could call you that,” explained Yuwen Tong, walking over.

Ling Zhang knew what Yuwen Tong meant. There was actually no need for Yuwen Tong to explain it to him. It was undeniable that as he heard Ling Zhaowu call him this, he was really almost reduced to tears.

“Father, I’m back.” Ling Zhang turned aside to hold Ling Zhaowu’s arm. “I’ve finished the talk with him. Now let’s go back.”

Ling Zhaowu immediately clung to his arm, intending to walk towards the outside.

Yuwen Tong cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at Ling Zhang, who lightly shook his head signaling that everything was fine. “I’ll tell you after we get back.”

Ji Yin caught up with Ling Zhang. As Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhaowu were present, he didn’t ask any questions but returned to the courtyard house beside the orchard with them.

Ling Zhang could tell that Ji Yin had something to ask him about and was aware of what it was specifically, so he found an opportunity to have a private talk with him. “Grandfather.”

“Zhang’er, why were you talking in riddles with the Clan Leader back there? Is there something you’re keeping back from me? And did something go wrong with that jade pendant of yours?” inquired Ji Yin, bursting with impatience.

Ling Zhang hurriedly replied, “No. It’s really just that that pendant saved my life twice. It could be said that it helped me survive two disasters at the cost of its own power. I think what the Clan Leader meant was that this pendant had developed its own sentience.”

Ji Yin looked skeptically at him with penetrating eyes. “Really?”

Ling Zhang gave a nod. “I cannot think of any other possibilities other than this. You should have more acquaintance with these things than I do, Grandfather. Before this day, I thought that it was just a common medicinal jade pendant, and I never expected it to have some other secret functions. Grandfather, exactly what did the Clan Leader mean by ‘refining techniques’ and ‘acknowledged me as its master’?”