Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 74Book 6: : Prospective Dao Child! Ying Lingzhu

……

The innkeeper quietly took a step back, feeling secretly relieved.

Luckily, he had been perceptive enough not to lay a hand on that young girl, or else he wouldn't know how to handle the situation now~

He thought to himself, this girl was so reckless, she must have some powerful backing. He just didn't expect the backing to arrive so quickly and fiercely~

In the silence, Long Aotian, who had been struck and was now frozen like a dragon statue, suddenly snapped back to his senses and sprang up from the ground like a carp leaping out of water.

Halfway up, his body flashed with light, instantly transforming into a middle-aged man with a simple and honest face, covered in bulging muscles. He eagerly approached the Yunhai Holy Sovereign, "Aotian greets the Holy Sovereign."

His face bore an eager smile, showing no sign of the anger one might expect after being slapped.

In fact, although the slap from the Yunhai Holy Sovereign looked powerful, he hadn't really used much force, otherwise Long Aotian wouldn't still be alive and kicking, not even spitting a drop of blood.

"You, a dignified true dragon, actually bully my disciple, a mere child of over four hundred years old?" The Yunhai Holy Sovereign glanced at him with a half-smile, "Tell me, how should we resolve this matter?"

"Well..." Long Aotian scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed and distressed, "Holy Sovereign, please be magnanimous. It's not easy for a little dragon like me to earn a living in the Ying Clan."

Looking at this dragon with skin as thick as his own, the Yunhai Holy Sovereign was speechless.

Was this kid pretending to be dumb?

Forget it~ Whether he's pretending or not, he didn't want to tear faces with the ancient Holy Clan anyway.

He impatiently waved his hand, "Alright, take your young master and get out of here, you're an eyesore."

"Thank you, Holy Sovereign. This little dragon will take his leave now."

Long Aotian, as if granted amnesty, immediately whipped up a gust of wind, sweeping up Ying Yu'an and the others, transforming back into his true dragon form and soaring into the sky, disappearing into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

His hasty departure seemed as if he feared the Yunhai Holy Sovereign might change his mind.

Ying Yu'an, still unwilling to give up, tried to struggle, but his strength was only at the Celestial Realm, and with Long Aotian determined to take him away, he couldn't resist. The violent gust swept him away forcefully.

In the whirlwind, as the distance between him and the Yingxian Tower quickly widened, Ying Yu'an shouted at Wang Lici, "Hey, woman, what's your name?"

His youthful voice carried far through the wind.

Wang Lici raised an eyebrow, hands on her hips, and shouted back proudly, "I, Wang Lici, never change my name or surname. If you dare to bully others again, I'll beat you every time I see you!"

"Wang Lici... Hmph, I'll remember you!"

As the distance rapidly increased, Ying Yu'an's voice grew weaker and weaker.

The many guests inside Yingxian Tower breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, it was good that the young master had left.

However, just as they thought this storm had passed without danger.

Suddenly.

A spatial ripple surged inside Yingxian Tower.

Within the ripple, a terrifying aura rose.

At the same time, a surging energy erupted from the void, instantly condensing into a humanoid silhouette in mid-air.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious attire. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

He didn't look young, yet showed no signs of aging. Compared to young men, he exuded a unique charm of maturity, restrained and composed, with a deep sense of time and experience.

Moreover, his noble aura and the natural kingly demeanor he exuded were enough to win anyone's admiration.

In Wang Shouzhe's words, this was the "uncle" look that young girls loved the most.

"Minghao Holy King."

"Greetings to Minghao Holy King."

Most of the True Immortal Realm diners watching the commotion in the restaurant recognized him, and upon his appearance, they quickly stood up to salute, showing great respect.

This man was the renowned idle Holy King of Luojing—Minghao Holy King.

He was also the true owner behind Yingxian Tower.

Yingxian Tower's long-standing success was inseparable from him.

As the owner behind the scenes, ordinary matters wouldn't disturb him, but with a Holy Sovereign appearing in Yingxian Tower, he naturally received the news quickly and specially projected himself to check the situation.

"No need for such formalities, everyone." Minghao Holy King smiled as he looked around, nodding in response to each person.

After exchanging a few words with the True Immortal Realm diners present, Minghao Holy King's gaze fell on the Yunhai Holy Sovereign, and he cupped his hands with a smile, "Brother Yunhai, it's been a thousand years since we last met, hasn't it?"

"Greetings, Your Highness Minghao." Yunhai Holy Sovereign returned the courtesy politely, "I apologize for causing a disturbance in your esteemed restaurant, Yunhai is truly ashamed."

After some pleasantries, Minghao Holy King's projection pulled the innkeeper aside to inquire, quickly understanding the cause and effect of the conflict.

"Brother Yunhai, offending the ancient Holy Clan like this isn't your usual steady style~~" He returned to Yunhai Holy Sovereign's side, his smile carrying a hint of teasing.

"I just brought my disciple out to see the world, I can't just stand by and watch my disciple being bullied, can I?" Yunhai Holy Sovereign laughed, "Don't worry about this matter, if the Ying Clan wants to stand up for their spoiled young master, I'll handle it."

Clearly, Yunhai Holy Sovereign and Minghao Holy King had a good relationship, speaking with familiarity.

The two chatted away.

Seeing that they wouldn't finish anytime soon, Wang Lici didn't bother them and instead pulled the Winged People beauty Baiyu Chao Lu aside to comfort her in a low voice, "Miss Baiyu, don't be afraid. I've seen plenty of those self-righteous brats, just give them a good beating and they'll behave. If they don't, just beat them a few more times."

"Thank you, Miss Lici, for saving me." Baiyu Chao Lu expressed her gratitude with a solemn bow to Wang Lici.

If not for Wang Lici's intervention, she feared she would have been forcibly taken by that bully of a young master, forced into servitude. She couldn't even imagine what would happen afterward.

Entering a wealthy family is like entering the deep sea, a bloody history for many Winged women.

However, alongside her gratitude, she also felt deep worry.

Unlike Wang Lici, who had a noble status and no burdens, if she angered the ancient Holy Clan Ying, it might really leave the entire Baiyu Clan without a foothold in the Central Plains.

Moreover, after this incident, she feared she would lose her job, and it was uncertain if other restaurants would hire her. How would she earn cultivation resources for the younger generation in her clan?

With worry in her heart, it inevitably showed on her face.

"Sister Baiyu, have you eaten? Why not join us for a meal?" Wang Lici noticed her expression and thought she hadn't recovered from the earlier incident, so she suggested, "I also have times when I'm in a bad mood and troubled, but a good meal always makes everything better."

Baiyu Chao Lu hesitated for a moment, but seeing Wang Lici's sincere expression, she couldn't help but nod, "I haven't eaten yet, so let's eat together."

She calculated her finances and felt a bit more confident.

She had earned some money recently, and after the meal, she planned to quietly settle the bill with the innkeeper as a small token of gratitude to Miss Lici.

As they were talking, Yunhai Holy Sovereign's voice came from not far away, "Lici, come and pay your respects to Senior Minghao."

Wang Lici responded with an "Oh" and eagerly went over, bowing respectfully, "Lici pays respects to Senior Minghao."

"This girl is quite honest and well-behaved, with a strong sense of justice." Minghao Holy King sized up Wang Lici, a warm smile appearing on his face as he praised, "Brother Yunhai, you've taken in a good disciple."

"Not at all~ Our Lici still has room to grow." Yunhai Holy Sovereign humbly replied, though his pride was evident, anyone could see it.

"You haven't finished your meal, have you?" Minghao Holy King didn't burst his bubble, smiling as he said, "Meeting is fate, I'll have the kitchen bring more dishes for you, this meal is on me."

"Well, that's not very appropriate, is it?" Yunhai Holy Sovereign's eyes flashed with light, but his face showed a slightly embarrassed expression, "Our Lici has quite an appetite, it might cost Your Highness Minghao a lot."

"Big appetite? That's great~ I'm running a restaurant, I'm not afraid of big eaters." Minghao Holy King laughed heartily, unconcerned, "It's just a meal, I can afford it, eat as much as you want, until you're full."

"Thank you, Senior Minghao. You're such a good person. When I make it big in the future, I'll repay you well." Wang Lici's eyes showed gratitude.

As she spoke, she skillfully took out a small notebook and solemnly wrote down Minghao Holy King's name.

Wang Lici felt lucky, having encountered so many benefactors along the way.

"Alright, I'll be waiting for your repayment." Minghao Holy King laughed heartily.

In a good mood, he didn't rush to leave, using this projection to sit and accompany them, having the innkeeper set up another table nearby, filled with good food and drink.

"Then I won't hold back." Wang Lici's eyes sparkled, and she immediately began to devour the food.

Since breaking through to the Divine Realm, she had developed a special devouring space within her, capable of temporarily storing energy and food, like having an extra stomach.

This devouring space was vast, but unlike a storage space, anything devoured into it would enter a state of slow digestion, eventually being completely digested over time. Even souls or minerals would suffer the same fate if devoured.

If she could fill the devouring space completely, she could sustain her body's consumption for a long time without eating or drinking. If she conserved her energy, this time could even last for years.

As a trade-off, once she stopped eating, Wang Lici would remain in a state of "hunger," and extreme hunger might even lead to confusion.

But even so, this bloodline advantage was incredibly powerful.

For instance, if she were trapped in some relic, cave, or void creature's nest, she could outlast other cultivators by years, increasing her chances of being rescued and surviving.

In the future, when she advanced to the Void Realm or True Immortal Realm and could control her body to enter a state of sleep, she could extend this time to decades, centuries, or even millennia...

The strength of the Glutton bloodline was evident.

However, because of this, since advancing to the Divine Realm, it had become very difficult for Wang Lici to truly feel full. During her travels with Yunhai Holy Sovereign in the Central Plains, she had been cautious with her eating, never daring to eat freely. Now, with a rare opportunity to indulge, she let loose.

In no time, the entire table was like a whirlwind, with plate after plate of food disappearing into Wang Lici's stomach, which seemed like a bottomless pit, never filling up.

In just a short while, the table was piled high with empty plates.

Seeing such an exaggerated display of eating, Baiyu Chao Lu swallowed hard, lowered her head, and continued eating quietly.

Her earlier intention to quietly settle the bill as a token of gratitude was quietly extinguished in her heart.

Joking aside, with this kind of eating, she'd have to sell herself to repay the favor~

"Oh, this child really can eat, born with a devouring bloodline, I suppose?" Minghao Holy King, wealthy and unconcerned, said, "Tell the chef to keep the food coming, all in the largest portions, we can't let the child go hungry."

However, an hour after saying this, Minghao Holy King's face began to look a bit uneasy.

What was happening with this projection? Why was there sweat on its forehead~

Two hours later.

The kitchen came to report to the innkeeper that many ingredients were running out and asked if they should have suppliers deliver more.

"Buy!" Minghao Holy King waved his hand, "We can't let the child go hungry."

Another two hours passed.

Minghao Holy King's projection was becoming difficult to maintain, its form growing more and more ethereal.

Yunhai Holy Sovereign immediately grew wary.

Could Brother Minghao be planning to skip the bill?

He discreetly nudged Wang Lici, "Lici, that's enough, eating too much will affect your figure."

"Oh." Wang Lici patted her slightly rounded belly, licked her lips, and reluctantly said, "I'm full, thank you, Your Highness Minghao, for the treat."

"Full, full?" Minghao Holy King forced a smile, habitually offering, "Would you like a few more bites?"

"Alright, then I'll have a bit more." Wang Lici nodded gratefully.

"..." Minghao Holy King's emotions surged, unable to calm down for a long time.

After a long while, he looked at Yunhai Holy Sovereign and said earnestly, "Brother Yunhai, being a master is not easy."

******

Around the same time.

Ying Yu'an and his group of spoiled brats had returned to the main residence of the ancient Holy Clan Ying in Luojing.

However, since Ying Yu'an was still young and lived with his parents, he didn't have his own courtyard, and the group didn't dare disturb the elders at Ying Yu'an's parents' place, so they gathered in a secluded corner near the side gate.

This place was already at the edge of the main residence, far from the nearest courtyard, and because it was near the ancestral hall, surrounded by pine and cypress, it was the quietest place in the main residence, rarely visited except by the spiritual plant cultivators who occasionally tended to the trees.

Because of this, after Ying Yu'an discovered it, it became a frequent gathering spot for him and his friends.

They had just returned from Yingxian Tower, still disheveled, but they didn't care, huddling together and whispering about something.

"Old Zhou, isn't your cousin quite the fighter? So young, yet already in the late Divine Realm and selected for the Imperial Guard officer training camp!" Ying Yu'an ordered, "Call him over to beat up that Wang Lici for me."

The young man surnamed Zhou immediately looked panicked, wiping his sweat as he said, "My cousin is in closed training recently, he probably can't come out."

Making excuses, he cursed inwardly.

What a joke, his cousin was the family's pride, a treasure held dear by the ancestors, the hope for the family's future, his status and position worlds apart from his own. When he met his cousin, he didn't even dare breathe too loudly, how could he have the authority to call him out to fight?

"Old Wu, your family..."

The friends began suggesting candidates for revenge.

Unfortunately, those suggested were either not strong enough, likely to embarrass themselves against Wang Lici, or over five hundred years old, making any victory dishonorable, or they were "in seclusion," or out "wandering."

In short, among the large group of friends, not one could be found to avenge them.

"Hmph, you bunch of useless people!" Ying Yu'an was very dissatisfied, "You all brag about having connections and being able to call people for fights, but when it matters, not one of you is reliable."

Everyone fell silent.

Only the young man surnamed Zhou weakly suggested, "Young Master Ying, didn't you say your sister is back visiting? Maybe she could help you win?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed in Ying Yu'an's eyes, but he quickly covered it up by raising his head, "Nonsense, what status does my sister have? And what status does that Wang Lici have? Are you trying to give her face?"

He was about to say more to bolster his own prestige, to seem less intimidated.

Suddenly.

Long Aotian, who was supposed to be keeping watch outside, appeared beside them, whispering in Ying Yu'an's ear, "Young Master, the young lady wants to see you."

"……"

Ying Yu'an froze, cold sweat immediately forming on his forehead.

He slowly turned his head, staring at Long Aotian, and said in a ghostly tone, "Long Aotian, whose dragon are you, my sister's or mine? You betrayed me so quickly?"

"Long Aotian is, of course, your dragon, Young Master, sworn to protect you." Long Aotian hurriedly pledged his loyalty, looking earnest, but then his face fell, "But even if you gave me a hundred guts, I wouldn't dare disobey the young lady's orders~~ In our residence, aside from a few limited ancestors, who dares to challenge the young lady?"

"Even the ancestors mostly go along with the young lady's temper."

Ying Yu'an's body stiffened, his face changing colors, hesitating and struggling for a while before finally waving his hand dejectedly, "You all go, I'll deal with my sister and then find you."

The group of friends dispersed like they had been granted amnesty.

Only Ying Yu'an remained.

Led by Long Aotian, he nervously made his way to his sister's courtyard.

[Yuzhu Courtyard].

Yuzhu Courtyard was Ying Yu'an's sister's residence. It was located in the core area of the main residence, just separated by a courtyard wall from the [Jiacang Courtyard] where Ying Yu'an lived with his parents.

The courtyard was vast, but sparsely populated, mostly occupied by various types of spirit bamboo, making it apt to say the place was filled with spirit bamboo.

When the wind blew, the bamboo leaves rustled, creating a very serene atmosphere.

Ying Yu'an followed Long Aotian along the path in the courtyard, soon arriving at a grove of Immortal Spirit Purple Jade Bamboo deep within Yuzhu Courtyard.

In the bamboo grove, a graceful woman was using a jade hoe to dig up immortal shoots.

Without any visible effort, each swing of the hoe unearthed a tender shoot buried deep underground. The shoots were small, about half an arm's length including the husk.

She was Ying Yu'an's biological sister, [Ying Lingzhu].

Ying Lingzhu had a gentle nature and loved eating tender shoot and ham soup.

In no time, she had dug up five or six tender shoots, then contentedly finished her work.

Turning around, she spotted her brother Ying Yu'an standing not far away, looking like a child who had done something wrong, shrinking back.

Ying Lingzhu set down her basket of shoots and walked over, her face showing a gentle smile, "Yu'an, was it fun to forcibly take a woman?"

"No, it wasn't fun." Ying Yu'an shook his head like a rattle, then, sweating, tried to explain, "No, no, no, sister, you misunderstood. I just wanted to buy you a maid, I didn't plan to take her."

"Hmm, you seem quite obedient~" Ying Lingzhu chuckled, "I heard you got beaten badly? Want me to help you get back at them?"

"Yes... No." Ying Yu'an was so scared his back went cold, quickly shaking his head, "Sister, with your noble status, how could you stoop to dealing with a wild girl?"

"Very well, lie down." Ying Yu'an flipped a long bench onto the ground, pointing to it softly.

"Ah?" Ying Yu'an turned pale, hurriedly pleading, "Sister, I was wrong, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me..."

"Aotian." Ying Lingzhu called softly.

"Yes, Miss." Long Aotian stepped forward, looking pained and reluctant as he pressed Ying Yu'an onto the bench, turning his head away, "Young Master, bear with it, it'll be over soon."

"Long Aotian, you traitor, biting the hand that feeds you!"

"Young Master, Aotian is doing this for your own good."

"I want to see Father and Mother!"

"Today, even if you bring the ancestors, it won't help." Ying Lingzhu's face finally turned cold, a stern look in her eyes.

With a flip of her hand, a purple bamboo stick appeared, and she swung it down on Ying Yu'an's thick backside, "I told you not to learn well, forcibly taking a woman!"

"Ouch, ouch, I was wrong."

"The Four Young Masters of Luojing! Ha, I haven't been back in years, and you've become one of the Four Young Masters?"

"Sister~~ Boohoo, I'm going to be beaten to death."

"Wang Lici is a wild girl? A girl my master thinks highly of, with a chance to compete with me for the position of Saintess, is a wild girl in your eyes? Then what does that make your sister?"

"Ouch, ouch, ah~~ I didn't know!"

Ying Lingzhu gave him a thorough beating, harsher than Wang Lici.

After a while, seeing Ying Yu'an was more out of breath than in, she stopped and instructed Long Aotian, "Aotian, take him for some simple treatment, then bring him back. I need to take him to apologize to Miss Lici."

"Sister, is that necessary?" Ying Yu'an, lying on the bench, clutching his sore backside, tears streaming down his face, still weakly voiced his opinion, "Even if Wang Lici is qualified to compete with you, we don't need to fear her, right?"

"Is this about fear?" Ying Lingzhu snapped, "Our ancient Holy Clan Ying fears no one, but when you do something wrong, you must admit it. I'll be in seclusion at the Dao Palace for years, not caring about worldly matters, how can I be at ease with you being so unruly and troublesome?"

"Moreover, Wang Lici's origins are mysterious, we may not be able to provoke her." Ying Lingzhu's eyes flickered, a hint of doubt in her beautiful eyes, "My master suspects she comes from a hidden ancient clan."

"Hidden ancient clan?" Ying Yu'an looked puzzled, "What is that?"

Ying Lingzhu glanced at her foolish brother, a touch of worry unconsciously surfacing in her heart.

With this kid's demeanor, can the family's burden really be entrusted to him in the future? With his limited wits, won't he lead the family into a ditch?

******

Meanwhile.

On the other side.

Wang Lici, suspected of being from a hidden ancient clan, had already taken Baiyu Chao Lu back to her temporary inn. To strengthen their "emotional connection," she also brought along Lan Wan'er and Baozi, spending the night chatting with Baiyu Chao Lu.

Baiyu Chao Lu, feeling their sincerity, gradually relaxed and began sharing about the Winged People and her own situation.

"Sister Baiyu, is the living environment for your Baiyu Clan really that harsh?" Wang Lici was shocked after hearing, her almond eyes wide open.

"Sigh, I knew it, Sister Baiyu, you're a True Immortal Realm combatant, yet you still have to endure exploitation, and it's even worse to earn a little money singing and have to give up ninety-five percent!"

The more Wang Lici spoke, the angrier she became, even complaining about Minghao Holy King, who had treated her to a meal, several times.

Baiyu Chao Lu, seeing her righteous indignation, couldn't help but laugh, but her heart ached.

Having mingled in Luojing for so many years, she had encountered all kinds of people, those who praised her singing, those who looked down on the Winged People, and various strange looks, but never had she met someone who genuinely stood in her shoes, even helping her curse. How could she not be moved?

Not to mention, Wang Lici was still so young.

At over four hundred years old, she was still a child cherished by her clan in the Winged People. Facing Wang Lici, it was like facing a child from her clan, her heart softening completely.

Unable to resist, she affectionately held Lici's hand and advised, "Sister Lici, it's fine to say these things in private, but don't curse like that outside. It won't help and will bring hatred to my Baiyu Clan."

"I won't curse, I won't curse." Wang Lici quickly stopped, then weakly asked, "Sister Baiyu, if things are so bad for you in the Central Plains, why not relocate?"

"Relocate?" Baiyu Chao Lu showed a helpless expression, "Though the Dongxia Divine Continent is vast, where isn't already claimed? Our Baiyu Clan has only three members comparable to True Immortals, weak and isolated, where could we move? On the outskirts of the Central Plains, the exclusion would be even greater~~~"

"Surviving in the Central Plains is tough, but there are job opportunities, we can at least fill our bellies, allowing the Baiyu Clan to barely sustain itself."

"But now, after this incident, you'll have a hard time finding work, and the Baiyu Clan's situation will be even harder to maintain. It's a shame I'm not good at this kind of thing, if my Fourth Uncle were here..." Wang Lici's eyes suddenly brightened, "Right, you can go find my Fourth Uncle. My Fourth Uncle will definitely arrange everything perfectly for your Baiyu Clan."

"Your Fourth Uncle?" Baiyu Chao Lu looked puzzled.

"Yes, my Fourth Uncle is very, very capable, there's nothing he can't do." Wang Lici, holding Baiyu Chao Lu's hand, began to embellish Wang Shouzhe's achievements.From a young age, she had been away from home, and many of the great achievements she heard about were just hearsay, already "artistically enhanced" stories. With her embellishments, Wang Shouzhe was depicted as an all-powerful, great sage.

Baiyu Chao Lu listened, her mind shaken, her eyes dazed, filled with countless exclamation marks.

Could there really be someone in this world as godlike as Lici's Fourth Uncle? Surely Lici must have made this up?

However, hearing Lici speak with such certainty, knowing every detail as if she had witnessed them herself, it didn't seem fake. Could it be that there truly exists such an extraordinarily talented person in this world?

"Sister Baiyu, I promise you," Wang Lici said, patting her chest with a resounding thump, "as long as your Baiyu Clan follows my Fourth Uncle, it will be a hundred times better than staying cooped up here in the Central Lands."

As she heard these words, Baiyu Chao Lu couldn't help but conjure up the radiant, godlike image of Lici's Fourth Uncle in her mind.

She was moved.