"What happened?"
Members of the Xu clan hurried out from the surrounding houses.
When they saw the scene outside, their breathing stopped one by one.
That massive crack stretching across the entire Xu clan courtyard, almost splitting it in half, looked utterly terrifying.
Then Su Lingchen strolled in as if taking a leisurely walk.
His steps seemed light, yet each footfall left a deep pit in the ground.
"Su Lingchen."
Xu Wanhe's face drained of color. He had recognized the youth's identity.
"What?"
"It's actually him."
The other Xu clan members were equally horrified when they heard.
Seventeen years ago, it was Chanzhou that had suffered the worst.
Even though Su Lingchen had vanished for seventeen years, his name had always been whispered in Chanzhou's martial world.
It was easy to imagine—now that Su Lingchen had returned, another earthquake was about to shake the martial world of Chanzhou.
"Why would he come to our Xu clan? Could it be…"
The Xu clan members grew uneasy, faintly guessing the reason.
Xu Wanhe stepped forward and bowed with respect. "I did not know Martial Sovereign Su was coming. My failure to greet you from afar is a grave offense."
In this world, fists made the rules.
Su Lingchen was strong.
Even if he smashed through their courtyard with one foot, the Xu clan still had to carefully apologize.
In Xu Wanhe's mind, seventeen years ago Su Lingchen was already a peak Martial Saint. Now, with such overwhelming power, he had surely become a Martial Sovereign.
"I have no interest in your Xu clan."
Su Lingchen said bluntly, "Tell me—where is Yang Cheng?"
"The Crown Prince?"
Xu Wanhe wasn't surprised. He answered truthfully, "He has not come to my Xu clan during this time."
For a power like the Xu clan, there was no way they were worthy of Su Lingchen's visit.
So without even thinking, he knew Su Lingchen had come for Yang Cheng.
Su Lingchen's brows furrowed.
"I did not come here to avenge my disciple Chu Chen by seeking out Yang Cheng."
He said, "I've only heard that Yang Cheng's martial talent is extraordinary, and I wish to take him as my disciple."
"So that's it."
Everyone in the Xu clan let out a long breath of relief.
Xu Wanhe also relaxed greatly and said, "Martial Sovereign Su, the Crown Prince is indeed not here, but we can help you contact him."
Su Lingchen looked faintly displeased.
But his irritation wasn't too strong.
"Very well, I'll wait for him some days."
He said casually, "Xu Wanhe, I hear your daughter has a close relationship with Yang Cheng?"
"This…"
Xu Wanhe hesitated.
"No need to explain. Your reaction already proves the rumor true."
Su Lingchen said, "Though I intend to take Yang Cheng as my disciple, the fact remains that he killed my former disciple Chu Chen. Such an act cannot go unpunished."
"If he were here, I would personally whip him. Since he is not, then his woman will take his punishment in his stead."
"Until Yang Cheng appears, your daughter will serve as my maid."
Su Lingchen had always believed that a master's authority was greater than heaven itself.
Everything of a disciple—including his very life—belonged to the master.
If he wanted his disciple's woman, then the disciple ought to offer her willingly.
Of course, Yang Cheng's talent was immense, and Su Lingchen valued him highly.
Besides, he wasn't so lustful as to actually steal Yang Cheng's woman.
But making Yang Cheng's woman serve as his maid, attending him in bathing and changing clothes, bringing him tea and meals—this, in his mind, was only natural.
Xu Wanhe's face changed drastically.
To have Xu Qingxue become Su Lingchen's maid?
Never mind that Xu Qingxue had been raised like a noble lady since childhood.
Even the daughter of an ordinary family wouldn't so easily be given away to serve as someone else's maid.
He himself had maids and knew well—before their master, a maid's purity meant nothing.
And even if there were purity, outsiders would never believe it. They would always look with suspicion and contempt.
If Xu Qingxue really became Su Lingchen's maid, how would she ever face the Crown Prince again?
Everyone else in the Xu clan also looked at each other in dismay.
"What? You have objections?"
Su Lingchen swept his gaze across them.
At once, a terrifying spiritual pressure surged in every direction.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Xu clan members were crushed to their knees on the spot.
Even Xu Wanhe couldn't hold on and dropped down.
They all had a strong, instinctive feeling—if they didn't kneel, they would die.
Yet one person didn't kneel.
It was Xu Qingxue!
Even though her body trembled under the pressure, her face pale and blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, she still stubbornly stood tall.
"Qingxue!"
The other Xu clan members grew frantic.
A wise person doesn't suffer a loss in front of them.
Why would Xu Qingxue insist on going against such a terrifying existence as Su Lingchen?
They believed that even if the Crown Prince learned of this incident later, he wouldn't blame her.
"Hmm?"
Su Lingchen looked at Xu Qingxue. "I told you to be my maid, and you're unwilling?"
In his view, making Xu Qingxue his maid was an honor for her.
Both Xu Qingxue and Yang Cheng should be pleased.
But Xu Qingxue said firmly, "Yes, I am unwilling."
Su Lingchen's eyes narrowed.
"A good woman doesn't serve two husbands, a good servant doesn't serve two masters."
Xu Qingxue said, "Though I am not the Crown Prince's woman, I am indeed his maid. I have served him tea and poured him water."
"If you intend to take the Crown Prince as your disciple, then you'll be his master in the future. You should maintain proper boundaries with his maid. How can you ask me to become your maid?"
Su Lingchen chuckled. "A master is greater than heaven. If the disciple's maid becomes the master's maid, that is only natural. I believe that even if Yang Cheng were here, he wouldn't object to you serving me."
"If the Crown Prince commands it, then I will obey."
Xu Qingxue said, "But before that, forgive me—I cannot comply."
"You really are a loyal maid."
Su Lingchen sighed. "At first, I had no interest in you. But now I've decided—I want you to become my personal maid."
Xu Qingxue's face didn't change. "Senior, I'll repeat myself. Forgive me, but I cannot comply."
Su Lingchen's expression darkened slightly. "Do you even know what you're refusing?"
Behind him, Zhuang Lin couldn't help but speak up. "My master is the youngest elder of Qingming Sect in the Azure Jade Realm. Even there, his status is extraordinary."
"In the Azure Jade Realm, countless women beg to serve as his maids. Now such a golden chance is handed to you, yet you don't know to treasure it? Truly, you're like a caged chicken with narrow vision."
"I don't care about anything you say."
Xu Qingxue said calmly.
She didn't know how vast the Azure Jade Realm was, nor how small the Wasteland Realm might seem.
But she had read through many pill books.
Many of them were written by ancient gods themselves.
She had discovered that some of the Crown Prince's pill techniques were no weaker than those recorded by those gods.
From this, she understood clearly—no matter how others boasted of the Azure Jade Realm's greatness, she firmly believed the Crown Prince was a true dragon among men.
It was like a flawless gem. As long as its veins and quality remained, no matter where it was—whether buried in mud, sealed in a teapot, or shining high above the clouds—it was still a flawless gem.
Likewise, those filthy stains above the clouds could never become a gem, even if thrown into the mud.