"That Liu Xiuyan has been living here for quite some time. Husband, what are your plans for her?"

Ling Qiyue, fully sated and glowing radiantly, pressed down on his mischievous hand and chuckled softly.

Ling Changqing was speechless. "Do you really think I’m some lecher who pounces on every beauty he sees?"

"Aren’t you?"

Ling Qiyue retorted, her tone making it sound like a matter of course.

"..."

Ling Changqing said helplessly, "Fine. I just feel that she and her master are a bit unreliable. After all, Longevity Hall has a legacy spanning several hundred years. They and us... we could never truly be of one mind."

Even if the Ling Family needed to find a suitable ally to plot for control of the Chixue Sea Region in the future, it didn’t necessarily have to be Longevity Hall.

On the surface, at least, Longevity Hall’s current strength wasn’t much weaker than the Ling Family’s. Would they be willing to be annexed and integrated in the future?

The lives and deaths of tens of thousands of Cultivators were at stake; this was no laughing matter.

Ling Qiyue mused, "That’s still a ways off, so there’s no need to rush. I just happen to have a good impression of the master and disciple, so I wanted to ask your opinion."

In truth, with Ling Changqing’s special status, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to conquer the hearts and minds of Liu Qianlan and her disciple, or even to subordinate Longevity Hall itself.

However, Ling Changqing’s safety was always the top priority. Without being able to guarantee complete secrecy, Ling Qiyue was unwilling to take the risk.

Fortunately, given the Ling Family’s rapid development, it wouldn’t be long before more Golden Core Masters emerged. Ling Qiyue herself was not far from the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm. Whether Longevity Hall joined them or not wasn’t actually that important.

A moment later, to the pleasant tinkling of jade pendants, Tang Qiu Yao entered, magnificently graceful in a bright red palace gown.

"I have some bad news."

The stunning beauty placed several Jade Scrolls on the table and said in a low voice,

"The Envoy from the Cangyu Islands has arrived. He says he wants to request that you, Husband, refine a batch of Crystal Condensation and Transcendence Pills for them, as well as various Third Grade Elixirs for healing, recovery, and life extension."

"Is that so? It seems their information network is quite effective."

Ling Changqing couldn’t help but smile.

With Longevity Hall and the other two powers making such big moves, the Cangyu Islands’ intelligence network, as long as it was worth its salt, should have caught wind of something by now.

"Just refuse them directly. Don’t pay them any mind!"

Ling Qiyue said.

Since they had already agreed to ally with Longevity Hall, it was no longer appropriate for the Ling Family to have any dealings with the Cangyu Islands. Besides, that power’s reputation was poor to begin with.

Ling Changqing mused, "I’m just worried the higher-ups of that power will fly into a rage out of humiliation and threaten us with force. We’ll have to be on guard."

The Ling Family certainly had no reason to fear the Cangyu Islands. If not for the worry of exposing their true strength and attracting the attention of major powers, Luo Qingxuan alone could probably destroy their entire foundation.

Tang Qiu Yao smiled. "They had better keep a clear head. Otherwise, if they provoke both us and Longevity Hall at the same time, I’m afraid even a quick death would be a luxury for them."

With that, she turned and left, but Ling Qiyue’s voice, seething with anger, echoed in her mind:

"Call everyone over tonight. No one is to be absent. We need to teach this guy a lesson!"

"Er... okay."

Tang Qiu Yao couldn’t help but look back, stealing a glance at Ling Changqing’s expression. She understood that he must have angered her senior sister again.

Needless to say, an unprecedentedly bitter battle awaited Ling Changqing tonight—the kind where he wouldn’t even have a chance to surrender.

Outside, after hearing Tang Qiu Yao’s reply, the Cangyu Islands’ Envoy, Xu Song, looked extremely displeased. However, he didn’t cause a scene on the spot, simply taking his leave with a cold expression.

"Elder, what should we do now?"

Back on the Flying Ship, his attendant finally spoke up.

Xu Song sighed. "What else can we do? We can only try our luck with other powers. Longevity Hall wants to annex us? That’s just wishful thinking!"