20: Hong Ling's Hidden Identity
Inside the Cao Family's Guest Hall,
Hong Ling sat on a wooden chair, wearing a red silk dress, with the neckline slightly open, revealing her charming collarbones.
Her face was beautiful and clear, her lips rosy, her eyes curved, and her gaze captivating, as if one could see into a person's heart with a single glance. Her black hair was elegantly styled into a delicate bun, and the pearls and jade in her hair shimmered under the sunlight.
Opposite her sat a beautiful woman and a young man.
The beautiful woman's skin was fair and delicate, radiating a soft glow under the sunlight. Her figure was even more perfect, with a slender waist, perky hips, and long legs, outlining alluring curves. Every inch of her skin exuded mature charm.
The young man, Xiao Bei, wore a sapphire blue long gown, a jade crown on his head, and a black belt around his waist. He had a hint of arrogant smile on his face, revealing his proud inner self.
Seeing that Cao Nie had not yet arrived, Xiao Bei walked to the door and looked out: “Junior Sister, your Eldest Brother is really something, making us wait so long and he’s still not here.”
Hong Ling frowned and explained: “Senior Brother, my foster father just passed away. Eldest Brother must be busy with something. What’s wrong with waiting a bit?”
Xiao Bei sighed helplessly and could only pace back and forth in the Guest Hall.
The beautiful woman beside him couldn't bear it. She said: “Bei'er, Hong Ling is right. You've only been sitting for a few breaths and you're already impatient. Come and sit down.”
Xiao Bei sat next to the beautiful woman and muttered: “It's always others waiting for me; no one has ever made Xiao Bei wait.”
Noticing Hong Ling's displeased gaze, Xiao Bei gave an awkward smile and turned his head away.
Only then did Hong Ling stop.
The beautiful woman patted Xiao Bei's arm and instructed: “Don't forget the purpose of our visit. When Hong Ling's Eldest Brother arrives, be polite to him.”
Xiao Bei replied indifferently: “I know, Mother. You've said that no less than fifty times; I'm tired of hearing it.”
“Besides, if Hong Ling's Eldest Brother doesn't agree to my marriage with Hong Ling, I'll just bring out my Master. Would his Cao Family dare to refuse then?”
Xiao Bei transmitted the last sentence to the beautiful woman.
He was the Senior Disciple of Xuanyin Sect, and his Master was the Sect Master of Xuanyin Sect, a mighty cultivator of the Gui Xu Realm.
He had already learned from Hong Ling before coming.
Ten years ago, before Hong Ling left, the Cao Family's Patriarch was a powerful cultivator at the ninth level of the Po Wang Realm.
They were considered a top-tier first-rate force, but compared to a super force like Xuanyin Sect, they were simply insignificant.
Below the Gui Xu Realm, all are ants.
With the Cao Family's Patriarch already dead, there was even less difficulty.
Hong Ling's Eldest Brother had just taken over as Patriarch and was probably overwhelmed dealing with the elders within the clan.
Didn't they wait here for so long? Wasn't that the best proof?
He was probably begging those elders to come and support him.
Hearing the transmission, the beautiful woman couldn't help but glare at Xiao Bei.
Her son was good in every way, but he was a bit too overconfident.
The three of them didn't wait long.
Three figures walked in from outside the hall.
Xiao Bei looked over: a young man in red robes, and two old men.
Xiao Bei shrugged. He had thought Hong Ling's Eldest Brother would be able to call a few Elders to support him.
He didn't expect only two. He knew the Cao Family had Nine Great Elders.
Cao Nie entered the hall with the First Elder Cao Jian and the Second Elder Cao An.
His gaze immediately locked onto Hong Ling.
“Foster Sister, ten years no see, you've become even more beautiful.”
Facing Cao Nie's praise, Hong Ling's cheeks flushed slightly.
She stepped forward, took Cao Nie's arm, and carefully examined Cao Nie.
“Eldest Brother, you seem to have changed a lot.”
Cao Nie smiled and explained: “Ten years, of course there will be changes. See, Foster Sister has grown so much Eldest Brother almost doesn't recognize you.”
Cao Nie dotingly flicked Hong Ling's perky nose.
Hong Ling's face instantly turned bright red.
Cao Nie used to do this often.
Having not seen him for ten years, she had grown into a young woman, so she was naturally a bit shy, especially with Xiao Bei watching from the side.
Hong Ling felt somewhat at a loss.
Xiao Bei was already uncomfortable seeing Hong Ling holding Cao Nie's arm.
Upon seeing their intimate actions, his jealousy was aroused.
Damn Cao Nie.
He and Hong Ling had never been that intimate.
“Eldest Brother, as soon as I received the news of foster father's passing, I rushed back without delay. However, we are separated by several regions, and even with a teleportation array, it was still too slow. I didn't even get to see foster father one last time.”
Hong Ling felt a bit regretful. Regardless, Cao Kun had given her a place to live.
As the two walked towards the head seats, Cao Nie patted Hong Ling's hand and comforted her: “It's alright. Father knows you have this intention; he won't blame you.”
Cao Nie sat in the head seat.
Hong Ling stood beside him.
The two Elders sat where Hong Ling had originally been sitting.
“Oh, right, Eldest Brother, why isn't Qing Rou Sister here?” Hong Ling suddenly asked.
Cao Nie's eyes flickered, and a graceful figure flashed through his mind. He paused, then said: “She's in secluded cultivation.”
After speaking, he looked at the beautiful woman and Xiao Bei, and asked with a smile: “Are these two your friends?”
A pair of small dimples appeared on Hong Ling's cheeks as she introduced: “Eldest Brother, this is Aunt Yao, and this is Aunt Yao's son, Xiao Bei. He is my Senior Brother; we share the same Master.”
Cao Nie nodded, his gaze sizing up Aunt Yao.
As for Xiao Bei, he had long been ignored.
Seeing Cao Nie staring at her so brazenly, Xiao Bei's mother felt a bit shy.
What was wrong with this young man? I could be his mother, yet he's still staring at me like that.
Xiao Bei's eyes burned with fury.
It was bad enough that he had acted intimately with his woman just now.
Now he was still staring at his mother without stopping.
Just as Xiao Bei was about to erupt,
Hong Ling gently nudged Cao Nie's shoulder and whispered: “Eldest Brother, don't stare at Aunt Yao like that.”
Cao Nie retracted his gaze and smiled to ease the awkwardness: “My apologies. Seeing Auntie reminded me of my deceased mother. I am truly sorry for making a spectacle of myself.”
Xiao Bei's mother suddenly understood, and her expression returned to normal.
“You two don't need to stand, please sit.”
At Cao Nie's gesture, the mother and son sat back in their original seats.
Cao Nie patted Hong Ling's delicate hand, pointing to one of the head seats: “Foster Sister, you sit too.”
Hong Ling glanced at it, then shook her head: “Eldest Brother, I'll just stand.”
Cao Nie feigned displeasure: “Now Eldest Brother is the Patriarch. Whoever I tell to sit, sits.”
“Eldest Brother, that seat is for Eldest Sister-in-law. It's not appropriate for me to sit there,” Hong Ling said with some difficulty.
Cao Nie pushed Hong Ling over: “It's just one seat, why be so particular? Listen to Eldest Brother.”
Hong Ling glanced at Cao Jian and Cao An, and seeing them calm and composed, she felt relieved and sat down.
Her thoughts were similar to Xiao Bei's.
With her foster father's death, Eldest Brother definitely couldn't control these Elders.
It was already these Elders' kindness that he hadn't been ousted from the Patriarch position yet.
Seeing this, Cao Nie felt a great sense of calm.
This seat, from now on, would be Hong Ling's.
Through the Eye of Truth, Cao Nie had seen through everything about Hong Ling.
Two pieces of information, in particular, made him feel a jolt of excitement.
Daughter of Fortune: Cao Hong Ling.
Cultivation: Ninth level of Infant Transformation Realm.
Physique: Undying Divine Phoenix Body (Unawakened).
Talent: King-tier.
Bloodline: Half-human, half-demon (Upper Realm Phoenix bloodline and Upper Realm Su Clan bloodline).
Identity: Daughter of the Phoenix Clan Patriarch, Daughter of the Su Clan Patriarch, Disciple of the Xuanyin Sect Master, Cao Kun's foster daughter….
….