“So you were alerted by a loud sound and following it you came to a crater and found this man in the centre?”

Feng Yu nodded to indicate this was the case.

“What foolishness is this!? First elder, how can you believe this!?” the third elder shouted. “Obviously, she became afraid, and tried to drag up a pathetic excuse to come back early!”

“N-No! Esteemed elders, I would nev—”

“Okay, okay, okay, let’s all calm down,” the first elder waved his hand, bringing the small uproar to an end. “Shen Ling, you were the one that called out for the life of this human to be saved. Why?”

Hearing her name being called, the shy and nervous Shen Ling backed away even more.

Her senior sister, Feng Yu, smiled gently in her direction and slowly encouraged her.

“It’s okay junior sister Shen Ling, just tell them what you were thinking at the time. No matter what you say, I’m sure the elders will understand.”

Hearing her senior sister’s reassuring words, Shen Ling stepped forward and prepared herself to speak.

Seeing her hesitance, the third elder was about to scold her, however, the first elder’s gaze caused him to swallow whatever words he was about to say.

As the first elder looked back at Shen Ling, his expression softened as he donned a ‘kind uncle’s smile.’

Shen Ling drew confidence from this and spoke what she had thought at that point, “W-When I saw him back then, I-I don’t know why, but I had this feeling that h-he would be able to help us,” the stars in her eyes twinkled as she said this.

“What joke is this? Who else can help this backwater place but me!?”

Unexpectedly, this outburst didn’t come from the third elder, but from one who made all but the former grimace in displeasure.

Standing at the entrance to the grand hall was a youth dressed rather ostentatiously.

His robe was luxurious, lined with gold and silver and adorned with pearls and gems; an extravagant showing of wealth.

At his side sheathed in an extravagant scabbard, was a treasure sword. His air was one of arrogance and disdain.

“Well, if it isn’t young nephew Zhen, welcome!” The third elder quickly vacated his seat to greet this newcomer.

When Shen Ling saw who it was, she quickly repositioned herself to hide behind her senior sister.

“Third elder, this isn’t appropriate.” The first elder stated with a stern expression before he turned to this newcomer.

“Young noble Zhen Paohui, I’m afraid this isn’t the best time, we’re in the middle of a meeting at the moment.”

“Don’t worry, uncle, I have no ill intentions. I simply overheard my fiancée say something interesting. Since we’re engaged, naturally I must do all I can to help her. No need to depend on this half-dead thing!” His nose scrunched up in derision as he stared at Long Di on the person-drawn cart.

‘Okay, rude,’ thought Long Di to himself. ‘It seems to be my worst nightmare… an arrogant young master.’

The third elder’s eyes were like slits as he stood beside this arrogant youth, “Quite right since young nephew is practically family, there is no need to stand on formalities first elder.”

“Who’s your fiancée!? Look in the mirror before you talk! Shen Ling hasn’t accepted your proposal! So don’t talk as if you and she are already married!”

The one who spoke was Feng Yu. She was aware of her junior apprentice-sister’s shyness and reticent nature.

As a result, she normally hid behind her senior apprentice-sister, the latter over time developed something akin to a maternal nature towards her and always protected her.

The youth’s face turned red from embarrassment and rage upon hearing this.

“Disrespectful! Apologise to the young master right now!” the third elder shouted.

“Third elder Di Zhong, he only wants to be married to junior sister since she’s an abyss-”

“Silence!” the first elder roared, not wanting certain words that could bring a calamity to be uttered.

“Hm?”

No one noticed the imperceptible movement by Long Di, who was still awake mind you (with eyes still closed) and taking in all that was happening.

‘Oh, so she’s an abyss ghost? Well, that explains a lot. Crap, I wasn’t planning to make a move yet, buuuut, she’s an abyss ghost. Wonder if I can get her to join my harem? Do I even want a harem to begin with? Meh, I’ll let that sort itself out. Plus, need to find that drunk old man after this, can’t let the old unknown master disappear from me after all. The remnant lightning energy isn’t gone, a lot of it is left. Wait, I have an idea.’

Crack!

The sound of bones popping could be heard coming from Long Di’s body.

“Oh, no!”

Shen Ling quickly drifted towards Long Di in an imperceptible manner. She was afraid that something was happening to him.

Seeing this, Zhen Paohu’s jealousy immediately flared up. Before long, he drew the treasure sword by his side.

“What dirty thing is this!? Shen Ling, don’t dirty your hands with that, let me get rid of it for you!”

Dum!

His cultivation base exploded out as three cauldrons materialised into being behind him.

The third elder was about to do something, but when he saw Zhen Paohui taking action, he stepped back with a smile.

What action did he need to take? Zhen Paohui was only fifteen years old and already at the 3rd Duan of the Cauldron Forging realm!

He even weaponized his spiritual qi as well. He could make Zhen Paohui demonstrate his worth here.

This whatever half-dead human thing who looked only 11 at the most probably wouldn’t know how he died.

The first elder was a bit hesitant regarding taking action himself. On one hand, he didn’t want to offend the power behind Zhen Paohui, but at the same time, he didn’t want the human to die because of what Shen Ling said.

After all, Shen Ling’s words as an abyss ghost carried a lot of weight.

When Long Di saw Zhen Paohui lunging towards him, or more accurately in mid-lunge, he quickly took action.

Though it hurt, he quickly put the plan he had in mind to use. The black lightning energy he had inside him was being absorbed and refined by the Destiny Scale.

However, it didn’t mean he couldn’t do anything with it. It’s just that he knew that it would bring upon him an unholy level of hurt, but the other option was to die at the hands of the usual trope of the arrogant young master.

He would be the worst MC in history if he died to one. Can you imagine a novel ending like that? He read them before, they kinda sucked, he didn’t wanna suck. He wanted to succeed.

‘Alright, let’s try discharging a little of this black lightning. Now I don’t want a ton of trouble, so I’ll need to control this. Hopefully, he won’t die… right?’

…

Somewhere in a rundown and downtrodden house within the village, the closed, crusted eyes of an old man snapped open in a hurry.

“This… this feels like… no! Impossible!”

Whoosh!