Jia Ling'er's fiery temper couldn't tolerate even the slightest provocation.
Faced with Jiang Che's teasing, she retaliated without holding back, even though she was currently tied up like a dumpling—her mouth remained as sharp as ever.
The Jialan Empress was the person she admired most, and she would never allow anyone to slander her!
Jiang Che was speechless. He hadn't even said anything offensive—just complimented the Jialan Empress's beauty. Why was Jia Ling'er reacting so violently?
Seems like this feisty little kitten still needs some training to become obedient.
Just as Jiang Che was about to continue his antics, a ripple of energy suddenly emanated from the Canglong Ring.
"Jiang Che... Jiang Che, can you hear me?"
Jiang Che paused—he recognized that voice immediately. It was that old man, Jiang Hong!
Though he carried the Canglong Ring, Jiang Che remained constantly wary of this old geezer. After all, the man had left a fragment of his soul inside—who knew if he was secretly peeping with his divine senses?
To be safe, Jiang Che had long since transferred all the treasures from the Canglong Ring into his system storage, then tossed the ring itself in there as well.
Even though the ring contained a fragment of an emperor's soul, Jiang Che didn’t believe Jiang Hong’s remnant could breach the system's dimensional barrier.
Why was Jiang Che so cautious?
Simple—he had too many girls around him. At least five days a week were spent in "dual cultivation" with them, and he wasn’t about to let some old man spy on his private life.
Jiang Che took out the Canglong Ring, and in the next moment, a glowing screen materialized before him.
As expected, hiding the ring in his system storage had been the right move. Who knew if Jiang Hong was secretly watching? Even with his "Truth-Seeker" skill, it was better to be safe than sorry.
On the other side of the screen stood a group of people, all looking formidable.
Leading them was Jiang Hong, his aged face stern.
"Jiang Che, do you admit your crimes?" Jiang Hong clasped his hands behind his back, cutting straight to the accusation.
Jiang Che: "???"
Seriously? Just because I called you "ancestor" once, you’re really putting on airs now?
Straight to accusations?
"Ancestor Jiang Hong? What crimes have I committed?" Jiang Che kept his tone polite—after all, he was still counting on this old man to cough up some treasures.
"What crimes? You insolent brat... you kidnapped the princess of our Jialan Clan and still dare to deny it? Even if you possess an immortal physique, today you must give us an explanation!" Jia Tengying roared from within the screen.
Jiang Che: "..."
Ah, so that’s what this is about. These old fogeys are here because of Jia Ling'er?
Meanwhile, inside the hall, Jia Ling'er saw her clansmen coming to her rescue and immediately regained her confidence!
She struggled even harder against her bonds. "Ancestors, summon my mother at once! This human scoundrel humiliated me—he even threatened to defile me and take my purity! If not for the empress’s imperial runes protecting me, I would have already..."
As she spoke, Jia Ling'er suddenly turned into a full-blown drama queen, covering her face and sobbing like a maiden who had just been violated.
Jiang Che: "..."
"And that’s not all! He even insulted my mother, saying... saying he wanted to be my godfather! Wuwuwu~~~ Esteemed elders of the Jiang family, you too are from an immortal lineage..."
Jiang Che: "???"
Damn, her acting skills are next-level!
"Also... the other clansmen who descended with me... they’ve already been... violated by this despicable human!" Jia Ling'er cast a glance toward Qing'er and the others in the corner.
The five stunning mermaids froze for a moment, but quickly caught on.
Especially Qing'er—her ability to switch expressions was nothing short of legendary. With the clan’s great ancestors backing them now, what was there to fear?
Qing'er burst into tears in an instant, sniffling pitifully. "Great ancestors... this human truly is beyond reproach. Not only did he bully me... he even sought to defile Her Highness the princess... Please, you must uphold justice for her..."
She then shot a meaningful look at her sisters, urging them to join in—now was the time to milk the situation for all it was worth!
But the other mermaids didn’t move. Instead, they lowered their heads.
Unlike Qing'er, they weren’t fools. They were nothing more than discarded pawns sent down to the mortal realm as marriage offerings. While the princess, with her noble bloodline, could count on the clan’s protection... what were they?
Did they really think tagging along with the princess for a few days made them royalty too?
...
"What?! Your Highness... this brat dared to insult Her Majesty the Empress?!"
Jia Tengying and the others couldn’t hold back either. The Jialan Empress was a living legend to their clan—if this guy wanted to be Jia Ling'er’s godfather, wasn’t that tantamount to...
The situation was spiraling out of control. The Jiang family elders present were breaking out in cold sweat.
Jiang Hong, in particular, felt a chill run down his spine. Was this kid trying to get himself killed? Daring to set his sights on the Jialan Empress?!
Damn it, this disciple might be a lost cause. Starting today... our master-disciple bond is severed!
Ahem. Though Jiang Hong mentally wanted to thrash Jiang Che, the boy was still family.
"Reporting to the ancestors, I never insulted the Jialan Empress. This woman is spouting nonsense!" Jiang Che spoke up calmly.
"Moreover, the Jialan Empress is a supreme sovereign. If I had spoken ill of her, she would have sensed it immediately. The laws of karma do not tolerate falsehoods..."
Jiang Che remained composed, not a trace of panic in his demeanor. He even took a moment to size up Jia Ling'er.
This little minx just said she wanted me as her godfather? Heh... consider it done.
Just wait till you’re calling me "Daddy"—in every sense of the word.
Seeing Jiang Che so unruffled, Jiang Hong sighed in relief. "Indeed. We are all sovereigns. Our divine senses span the myriad realms, and we are well-versed in the workings of fate and karma. Even the mere utterance of our names carries weight. I believe your princess may simply be... overwhelmed by anger."
Jiang Hong regained some confidence. At least it seemed Jia Ling'er hadn’t been touched by Jiang Che yet—meaning there was still room for negotiation.
"Jiang Che! Jia Ling'er is the future queen of the Jialan Clan. Every queen of their lineage must remain pure in body. If you truly enrage the Jialan Empress, even I may not be able to protect you!" Jiang Hong warned gravely.
Jiang Che raised an eyebrow. He understood—oh, he understood Jiang Hong’s hidden message perfectly.
Translated, it meant: "I, Jiang Hong, am not strong enough to shield you, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the Jiang family can’t!"
Jiang Che was well aware of his worth as an immortal physique. The Jiang Clan of the Nine Heavens would fight to the death to keep him, even if it meant war with the Jialan Clan.
But right now, Jiang Hong was signaling that it wasn’t worth starting a feud over a woman.
"Ancestor Jiang Hong, didn’t you once tell me... that I could take any woman I fancied by force? I only kidnapped Jia Ling'er because I followed your advice..."
Jiang Che put on an innocent face.
Jiang Hong: "..."
[Ding! Host successfully trolled a sovereign-level ancestor. Reward: 200 million Troll Points.]