195: Chapter 195 A stunningly beautiful and arrogant young lady with a fiery figure! You bastard, what do you think you're doing?!

Zhou Liangan leered, his gaze sweeping over Chief Captain Ling Shuang's graceful and alluring figure...

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Every time Huangfu Tianxuan saw the Old Ancestor, she felt incomparable nervousness and awe.

This feeling was more intense than facing any enemy.

"Earlier, you sent a message via the Family secret order saying that the old thing from the Xuanyuan Family was truly finished off by the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation. Is that true?" The old man looked at Huangfu Tianxuan and asked straightforwardly, without any wasted words.

Mentioning the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor, a trace of solemnity appeared on Huangfu Tianxuan's face.

She nodded slightly and said in an extremely certain tone, "That is correct! It is absolutely true! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Oh? You saw it with your own eyes?" A clear look of intrigue flashed in the old man's eyes; he was obviously very interested in this news. "Where were you at that time?"

"I was in the Transit Star Region at that time..."

Huangfu Tianxuan explained the situation to the Old Ancestor in detail.

After finishing, Huangfu Tianxuan still felt a lingering fear.

The Xuanyuan Old Ancestor!

That was a Half-Emperor powerhouse of the same level as her own Old Ancestor!

To think that he was killed in one move, and from a distance of hundreds of millions of miles away!

This was simply incredible! It completely overturned all her understanding of Cultivation.

The old man listened quietly to Huangfu Tianxuan's account, his face expressionless. However, his fingers tapped gently on his knees unconsciously. This was his habitual action when thinking; he only did this when encountering very important matters.

"A thunderous strike from hundreds of millions of miles away..." The old man muttered to himself, a trace of deep wariness flashing in his eyes.

"Yes." Huangfu Tianxuan nodded. "It is even possible that the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation was not in this space."

"Not in this space..." The old man frowned slightly and nodded thoughtfully. "So that's how it is! Good! I understand."

After a long while, the old man slowly spoke, "That old thing from the Xuanyuan Family, although his strength was nothing special, he was still a tough nut to crack. He fought me back then; although he lost, he managed to hold out for over three hundred moves. Unexpected, truly unexpected, that he would die so miserably, unable to even withstand a single move from the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation."

The old man's tone carried a trace of emotion, as well as a trace of relief. He felt emotional that an old rival who had shared fame with him for thousands of years had suddenly disappeared. He felt relieved that it was the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor who died, not himself.

If the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation had wanted to kill him, he feared he would have been the same as the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor, unable to withstand even a single move.

"Old Ancestor, what should we do next?" Huangfu Tianxuan asked. "With the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor dead, the Xuanyuan Family will surely be severely weakened. Should we take this opportunity to send troops and annex a portion of the Xuanyuan Star Domain's territory? This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity."

Upon hearing this, the old man smiled and shook his head slightly. "No! Absolutely do not do that."

"Why?" Huangfu Tianxuan asked, somewhat puzzled. "The Xuanyuan Family is now without a leader; this is the best time for us to expand our influence. If we miss this opportunity, there will never be such a good chance again."

"You only see the surface, but you do not see the essence." The old man said indifferently. "Although the Xuanyuan Family has lost their Old Ancestor, they still have nine Elders at the Peak of the Nirvana Realm; their strength cannot be underestimated. Moreover, the most important thing is, do you know who killed the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor? It was the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation!"

"Since the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation killed the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor, that means the Xuanyuan Star Domain is now her territory. If we send troops to annex the Xuanyuan Star Domain's territory at this time, we would be slapping the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation in the face. Do you think that with her temper, she would let us off?"

Hearing this, Huangfu Tianxuan's expression changed abruptly. She finally realized how foolish her idea had been.

That's right, how could she have forgotten the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation.

Since the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation had taken action to kill the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor, she certainly would not allow others to touch the Xuanyuan Star Domain. If the Huangfu Family dared to send troops at this time, it would undoubtedly be courting death.

"I understand, Old Ancestor." Huangfu Tianxuan said quickly. "Then we shall remain still and wait to see how things develop."

"Mm." The old man nodded. "Not only must we not send troops, but we must also send people to the Xuanyuan Family to pay our respects and express our condolences. While we are at it, we shall see exactly what the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation intends."

"Yes, this Disciple understands." Huangfu Tianxuan said respectfully.

Just then, Huangfu Tianxuan seemed to suddenly remember something. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Old Ancestor, there is one more thing I would like to tell you."

"What is it?" The old man asked.

"Have you heard of that Zhou Liangan?" Huangfu Tianxuan asked cautiously.

"Zhou Liangan?" The old man was stunned for a moment, then thought carefully, and shook his head. "I have not heard of him. Who is this person?"

"He is a young man who has suddenly appeared recently." Huangfu Tianxuan said. "I met him once before in the Transit Star Region. His strength is very strong. Moreover, most importantly, he has a close relationship with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation."

"Oh? A close relationship with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation?" A trace of interest flashed in the old man's eyes. "How close?"

"I heard that the reason the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation took action to kill the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor this time was because the Xuanyuan Family wanted to kill Zhou Liangan." Huangfu Tianxuan said.

"There is such a thing?" A trace of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes. "So, this Zhou Liangan is one of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation's people?"

"It should be." Huangfu Tianxuan nodded.

Upon hearing this, the old man fell silent. He lowered his head, and his fingers began to tap gently on his knees again, not knowing what he was thinking about.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head and looked at Huangfu Tianxuan, asking, "What do you mean?"

"My meaning is," Huangfu Tianxuan took a deep breath and mustered the courage to say, "Since Zhou Liangan has such a good relationship with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, couldn't we try to recruit him? If we can establish a good relationship with Zhou Liangan, it would be equivalent to making a connection with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation. When that time comes, with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation backing us, the Huangfu Family's status within the Human Race would definitely rise to a higher level. Perhaps, we might even receive guidance from the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, allowing your strength to advance further and break through to the true Emperor Realm."

Huangfu Tianxuan's words made perfect sense. In her opinion, this was definitely a profitable deal with massive returns. As long as they recruited Zhou Liangan, the Huangfu Family could obtain endless benefits.

However, to her surprise, after the old man heard her words, he smiled and shook his head slightly, saying in an extremely serious tone, "No! Absolutely do not do that!"

"Ah? Why?" Huangfu Tianxuan was completely stunned. She could not understand why the Old Ancestor would refuse such a good opportunity. This was simply too abnormal.

"Tianxuan, you are still too young." The old man looked at Huangfu Tianxuan and said earnestly, "You only see the benefits of recruiting Zhou Liangan, but you do not see the risks involved. Moreover, this risk is one that our Huangfu Family absolutely cannot afford to bear."

"Risk? What risk?" Huangfu Tianxuan asked, puzzled.

"The greatest risk is the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation." The old man said, word for word. "The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation's strength is extraordinary and refined; she is knowledgeable and experienced. No one knows how many epochs she has lived. In her long life, she has seen countless conspiracies and tricks, countless deceits. Anyone who tries to scheme against her never ends well."

"Do you think that the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation would not see through something as simple as recruiting Zhou Liangan? She could see through our intentions at a glance. If we rashly try to recruit Zhou Liangan, it will only make her think that our Huangfu Family is ambitious and wants to use her people to achieve our own goals."

Hearing this, Huangfu Tianxuan's face instantly turned deathly pale. Cold sweat broke out on her back, and her heart was filled with lingering fear.

"Old Ancestor, I... I was wrong." Huangfu Tianxuan lowered her head and said guiltily. "I should not have had such a foolish idea."

"It is alright; you are still young, and it is normal not to understand these things." The old man waved his hand, his tone softening a little. "Remember, from now on, no matter when, do not think about scheming against the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, and do not think about scheming against anyone around her. We cannot afford to provoke her."

"Regarding the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation and those around her, the only thing we can do is to keep a respectful distance. Do not take the initiative to provoke them, and do not take the initiative to curry favor with them. Just act as if they do not exist. Only in this way can we preserve ourselves."

"Otherwise, the Huangfu Family will likely face a catastrophe."

"I understand, Old Ancestor." Huangfu Tianxuan nodded heavily, firmly engraving the Old Ancestor's words in her heart. She swore that she would never again have designs on Zhou Liangan.

"Mm." The old man nodded with satisfaction. "The news you brought back this time is very important. It allowed us to know the terror of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation in advance, avoiding us from making an irreversible mistake. This is a great achievement."

"The matter of you being exiled to the Transit Star Region for injuring the Grand Elder's grandson will be wiped clean. I permit you to return to the Family, and I will restore your status as a Core Disciple. In addition, I will bestow upon you a Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill as a reward."

Hearing this, a flush of undisguisable joy instantly appeared on Huangfu Tianxuan's face.

She quickly bowed and knelt again, saying excitedly, "Thank you, Old Ancestor! Thank you, Old Ancestor! This Disciple will definitely Cultivate well in the future and will never fail the Old Ancestor's expectations!"

She had originally thought that she would have to stay in that godforsaken Transit Star Region for at least a thousand years.

Unexpectedly, just because she brought back a piece of news, she was not only pardoned, but her status as a Core Disciple was restored, and she even received an incredibly precious Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill.

This was simply a massive surprise!

The Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill!

That was a Divine Pill capable of bringing the dead back to life and regrowing flesh and bones; even Half-Emperor powerhouses would be incredibly envious if they saw it.

"Alright, you may go down now." The old man waved his hand casually, and a gentle force enveloped Huangfu Tianxuan.

"Yes, this Disciple takes her leave."

As soon as Huangfu Tianxuan's voice fell, her figure instantly disappeared from Wuji Peak.

The next moment, she had already been teleported outside the Huangfu Ancestral Star.

Huangfu Tianxuan stood in the Void Realm, looking at the huge Huangfu Ancestral Star before her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

This return to the Family was truly a series of twists and turns.

First, I was made difficult by Huangfu Cang, then summoned by the Old Ancestor to report the death of the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor.

I nearly brought disaster upon the Family because I wanted to win over Zhou Liangan, but in the end, I was pardoned by the Old Ancestor, returned to the Family, and even received generous rewards.

All of this felt like a dream.

Huangfu Tianxuan raised her head and looked toward the direction of the Transit Star Region.

In her beautiful eyes, a complex and strange look flickered.

In her mind, the figure of that young man appeared involuntarily.

Zhou Liangan.

The man who could make the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation act across hundreds of millions of miles to avenge him.

The man who even her own Old Ancestor dared not provoke easily.

What kind of person was he, really?

What exactly was his relationship with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation?

Countless questions arose in Huangfu Tianxuan's heart.

Previously, her feelings for Zhou Liangan were merely simple curiosity.

She thought he was a mysterious and powerful young man.

But now, her feelings for Zhou Liangan had changed completely.

An inexplicable palpitation arose in her heart.

She wanted to get close to him, to understand him.

She wanted to know how many secrets he was hiding.

Huangfu Tianxuan's eyes shifted, and a faint, subtle smile curled at the corners of her mouth involuntarily.

That smile was charming and alluring, captivating the soul.

In the cold starry sky of the Universe, it appeared exceptionally enchanting.

"Zhou Liangan..." She whispered the name softly, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in her eyes.

The interior of the spaceship was deathly silent, with only the low hum of the energy engine echoing repeatedly between the metal cabin walls, like some endless lullaby, or perhaps the rhythm of Death tapping his fingertips against a coffin lid.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang was awakened by a bone-chilling cold.

At first, she felt her eyelids were as heavy as lead, and every attempt to open them required all her strength.

Before her eyes was an endless darkness, followed by tiny specks of light bursting onto her retinas, stinging her eyes painfully.

She blinked hard, her eyelashes still stained with undried tear tracks, each tremor carrying an indescribable bitterness.

Her consciousness felt like it was submerged at the bottom of a cold ocean, struggling little by little to surface.

"Awake?"

A low, pleasant voice, yet filled with cold malice, rang in her ear.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang jolted, as if pricked by a needle, her originally unfocused eyes instantly focusing.

She turned her neck with difficulty, her gaze slowly shifting toward the source of the voice.

Zhou Liangan stood less than a meter in front of her, his back to the spaceship's porthole.

Outside the window was the deep Universe, with countless stars twinkling in the darkness, yet not a single ray of light could illuminate the smile on his face.

He wore a well-tailored black martial outfit that outlined his tall and slender figure; his hands were casually tucked into his pockets, and a faint, ambiguous curve played at the corners of his mouth, making him look refined and elegant, like a well-educated Young Master.

Subconsciously, she wanted to retreat and gather her spiritual power to resist, but she found her Dantian was completely empty, and she couldn't mobilize a single trace of spiritual power.

A cold force of Restriction coiled around her Meridians like chains, sealing her cultivation tightly.

Let alone resisting, she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand now, and could only slump on the cold metal seat like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang's complexion instantly turned pale, and her lips lost their color.

She bit her lower lip hard, not letting herself make any sound of weakness. Her eyes, originally clear and bright, were now filled with vigilance and hatred, like a young beast forced into a desperate situation, using all its strength to raise its spikes.

Watching her look like she was facing a formidable enemy, the smile on Zhou Liangan's face deepened.

He walked slowly to Chief Captain Ling Shuang, his footsteps as light as a cat's, making not a sound.

He leaned down slightly, looking down at her from above, his gaze like a physical substance, slowly sweeping across her face with undisguised scrutiny and playfulness.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze, and goosebumps rose on her skin.

She turned her head away, wanting to avoid his nauseating gaze, but in the next second, her chin was pinched by a warm hand.

Zhou Liangan's fingers were long and powerful, the pads of his fingers bearing a thin layer of calluses, feeling rough to the touch.

His force wasn't great, but it carried an irresistible strength; with a gentle pinch, he forced Chief Captain Ling Shuang's turned-away face back, compelling her to meet his gaze.

"Don't hide." Zhou Liangan said with a smile, his voice as gentle as if he were coaxing a lover, but there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes. "Now that you've finally woken up, let's have a good chat."

Chief Captain Ling Shuang's chin ached from his pinch. She struggled hard, but found everything was in vain.

She could only glare at Zhou Liangan with eyes that seemed to spit fire, saying word by word, "I have nothing to talk to you about."

"Is that so?" Zhou Liangan raised an eyebrow, his fingers pinching her chin gently caressing her delicate skin. "I don't think so. For example, I would really like to know, what exactly is your Family background?"

His tone was very flat, but Chief Captain Ling Shuang could hear a hint of unquestionable oppression in that flat tone.

She gritted her teeth, her jaws clattering, her beautiful eyes seeming to spit fire.

She stared fixedly at Zhou Liangan and said coldly, "My Family background is ordinary. I'm just an ordinary person from the mountains; there's nothing special about me."

After speaking, she stubbornly turned her head aside again, not wanting to look at his detestable face anymore.

Hearing this, the smile on Zhou Liangan's face slowly faded.

He chuckled, the laughter filled with heavy mockery and disdain.

"Ordinary?" He repeated these two words, as if he had heard some huge joke. "Chief Captain Ling Shuang, do you think I'm an idiot?"

The fingers pinching her chin suddenly exerted force. Chief Captain Ling Shuang felt as if her chin was about to be crushed, and a piercing pain surged, making her almost shed tears from the agony.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang trembled all over from the pain, cold sweat seeping from her forehead, but she gritted her teeth and didn't make a sound.

Her eyes were slightly red, not because of the pain, but because of humiliation.

She had grown up without ever suffering such grievances.

"Do you think I'm negotiating with you?" Zhou Liangan leaned closer, his warm breath spraying on Chief Captain Ling Shuang's face, carrying a faint scent of blood. "I'll ask you again, what exactly is the situation with your Family?"

Chief Captain Ling Shuang abruptly raised her head, her beautiful eyes staring fixedly at Zhou Liangan, bloodshot.

She almost bit her teeth to pieces, roaring word by word, "My Family background is ordinary! I've already said it! Just kill me!!!"

Her voice carried a crying tone, filled with despair and unwillingness.

Watching her hysterical appearance, Zhou Liangan's face instead revealed a smile again.

He released his hand from her chin and instead used his fingertips to gently wipe away the tears overflowing from the corners of her eyes.

His movements were very gentle, but Chief Captain Ling Shuang felt as if she had been licked by a poisonous snake, causing her whole body to shudder with revulsion.

She turned her head away abruptly, avoiding his touch, and said viciously, "Don't touch me!"

Zhou Liangan wasn't angry; he just looked at her with great interest, as if admiring an interesting plaything.

"Kill you?" He smiled, his voice lazy and wicked. "I can't bear to kill you. Between the two of us, there are still many fun games we haven't played yet."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently pinched Chief Captain Ling Shuang's delicate, snow-white cheek.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang's skin was incredibly good, like a freshly peeled egg, smooth and delicate, with an excellent texture.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang trembled with anger. She raised her hand, wanting to slap Zhou Liangan's hand away, but was easily grabbed by the wrist.

His strength was astonishing; Chief Captain Ling Shuang felt as if her wrist was clamped by iron pliers, unable to move.

"Let go of me! You bastard!" Chief Captain Ling Shuang struggled, her other hand waving wildly, but she couldn't touch Zhou Liangan at all.

Zhou Liangan let her struggle for a while, until she was exhausted and panting, then he applied slight force and pressed her wrist onto the armrest of the seat.

"Don't waste your energy," Zhou Liangan said indifferently. "The Restriction I placed, even your master in their prime wouldn't be able to undo, let alone you."

Chief Captain Ling Shuang stopped struggling. She gasped for air, her chest heaving violently.

She raised her head, her eyes red, her beautiful eyes staring fixedly at Zhou Liangan, and gritted her teeth, saying, "You won't have a good end! My Family, they won't let you off!"

"Oh?" Zhou Liangan raised an eyebrow, a look of interest appearing on his face. "So, your Family is very powerful?"

Chief Captain Ling Shuang's heart skipped a beat, and only then did she realize she had let something slip.

She quickly shut her mouth, turned her head aside, and said no more.

Zhou Liangan sneered and shook his head slightly. "It seems the lesson I gave you before wasn't enough. So, we must continue."

His voice was very soft, but it fell into Chief Captain Ling Shuang's ears like a thunderclap.

She turned her head abruptly, looking at Zhou Liangan in terror. "You... what do you want to do?"

Zhou Liangan didn't answer her question, only scanning her graceful, full, and exquisite figure with a wicked smile.

His gaze seemed to carry temperature, sliding from her cheeks to her slender neck, then to her heaving chest, and finally resting on her long, straight legs.

That gaze was filled with aggression, like a hungry wolf sizing up its prey.

Chief Captain Ling Shuang felt her skin crawl under his gaze, and she subconsciously curled up her body, wanting to cover herself.

Her cheeks flushed bright red, both ashamed and angry. "You pervert! Scoundrel! Don't come over!"

Zhou Liangan chuckled and slowly leaned down. His face got closer and closer to Chief Captain Ling Shuang, so close that she could clearly see his long eyelashes and her own terrified reflection in his deep eyes.

"I won't come over?" He said softly, his voice filled with heavy mockery. "How can that be? The game has only just begun."

He reached out and gently brushed a strand of loose hair from Chief Captain Ling Shuang's ear, tucking it behind her ear.

His fingertips inadvertently brushed against her earlobe, and Chief Captain Ling Shuang shuddered all over, as if struck by electricity...