Chapter 155: You've certainly got some nerve!

Before meeting Xiao Tingming, Madam Xiao had also looked down upon mortals, but after falling in love with him, she wished to change that mindset.

Yet while she had changed her perspective, other cultivators could not.

She had many cultivator friends, but upon learning of her romance with a mortal, they repeatedly tried to dissuade her. Some even looked down upon her and severed all ties.

It was then she realized the standing of mortals in the eyes of cultivators, yet she was utterly powerless to change it.

Eventually, she bade farewell to a few trusted friends and went into seclusion with Xiao Tingming in Liuxin City.

Unless faced with extremely critical circumstances, she no longer easily exposed her identity as a cultivator.

Chen Xiang's indifference to the gap between their identities brought a touch of relief and a stir of emotion to her heart.

"Young Master Chu, please do not make things difficult for Tingming. After all, you are a cultivator, different from mortals. How about this: let us address each other according to our respective ages as a compromise, and you two can become sworn brothers. How does that sound?" Madam Xiao smiled faintly, no longer addressing Chen Xiang as Senior.

Despite Madam Xiao's words, Xiao Tingming did not dare to speak first and could only look at Chen Xiang.

"Very well. In that case, Brother Xiao, Sister-in-law Xiao, greetings." Chen Xiang did not mind at all, agreeing immediately and cupping his hands toward the two of them.

Seeing Chen Xiang consent, Xiao Tingming finally dared to speak. He cupped his hands with a smile and said, "Haha, then I have wronged Brother Chu."

Following that, the three of them took their seats once more.

Madam Xiao looked at Chen Xiang with a beaming smile and then said, "Young Master Chu must already be in the Nascent Soul stage by now, right? Seeing that you are of a tender age, you are truly blessed with extraordinary talent."

Chen Xiang openly admitted, "Not at all, not at all. I am merely diligent."

Madam Xiao nodded and said earnestly, "Indeed, no matter how great one's talent is, diligent cultivation remains essential."

A thought flickered in Chen Xiang's eyes, and he quietly sent a voice transmission to Madam Xiao.

Upon hearing the transmission, Madam Xiao's expression shifted. With a solemn look, she said to Xiao Tingming, "Tingming, I have something to discuss with Young Master Chu."

Seeing the change in Madam Xiao's expression, Xiao Tingming knew they were discussing matters of importance that were not meant for his ears, so he said, "I will go check if Lin'er has the breakfast ready."

With that, Xiao Tingming departed, leaving only Chen Xiang and Madam Xiao in the room.

With an altered expression, Madam Xiao stared at Chen Xiang and demanded, "Senior, were you sent by the Heavenly Yin Sect?"

Having reverted to her previous form of address, her tone was icy cold.

Chen Xiang paid no mind to her demeanor and instead laughed heartily. "The Heavenly Yin Sect is hardly qualified to send me. Madam Xiao, do you wish to save your daughter?"

Madam Xiao's expression flickered before she replied, "Save her from what? Lin'er is neither plagued by disaster nor illness; what is there to save her from?"

Chen Xiang continued, "Do you know Luo Tianming?"

The moment those three words—Luo Tianming—were uttered, Madam Xiao's eyes instinctively flashed with fury, though she suppressed it within a fraction of a second.

Gazing coldly at Chen Xiang, she demanded, "Were you sent by Elder Luo?"

Seeing her reaction, Chen Xiang realized she had misunderstood. He waved his hand and said, "That fellow Luo Tianming is already dead, and I am not close to him."

He completely forgot that just last night, he had referred to Luo Tianming as an old friend.

Upon hearing that Luo Tianming was dead, Madam Xiao's expression instantly lit up with joy, only for it to darken just as quickly. "How can that be? Not only is Elder Luo at the second layer of the Soul Formation stage, but he is also sheltered by a major sect like the Heavenly Yin Sect. How could he possibly be dead?"

"Elder Luo? You've referred to him that way twice now. It seems you know him as well," Chen Xiang asked with a frown.

Hearing this, Madam Xiao's expression eased somewhat. "Since you don't even know who I am, it seems you were not sent by Elder Luo."

Chen Xiang pressed his lips together, looked at Madam Xiao, and said, "He is already dead."

Lowering her gaze, Madam Xiao remarked, "I am also a member of the Heavenly Yin Sect. If he were truly dead, I should have received word."

At these words, Chen Xiang instinctively froze.

"You're also a member of the Heavenly Yin Sect?" Chen Xiang asked, dumbfounded.

Ignoring him, Madam Xiao spoke in an icy tone, "Senior, what is your true purpose? Could it be that you have set your sights on my daughter? I advise you to dismiss such thoughts; my daughter is someone you cannot afford to touch!"

Chen Xiang smiled faintly, unbothered by her threat, and replied, "Haha, to think you reside right here in Liuxin City yet are less informed than I am. Just send word to the Heavenly Yin Sect and you will see for yourself."

Madam Xiao was momentarily stunned by this and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Chen Xiang smiled without answering.

Madam Xiao cast a suspicious glance at him. Could Luo Tianming truly be dead? Such a possibility was extremely slim, yet this mysterious visitor spoke with absolute certainty.

Moreover, the retainer Liu, who had been monitoring Lin'er last night, had departed without a word, and he had been sent by Luo Tianming. Could this matter actually be true?

At this thought, her mind began to race. Without further hesitation, she produced a sound-transmission talisman, murmured a few words using her divine sense, and watched as the talisman transformed into a streak of light and shot away.

In truth, she was utterly helpless. When Luo Tianming had passed through Liuxin City a year ago, he happened to cross paths with Xiao Lin on the main street.

It had been a drizzly morning, and Xiao Lin had gone out without an umbrella. Caught in a sudden downpour, she was drenched, causing the cold spiritual qi of her unique constitution to leak out, which happened to catch Luo Tianming's eye.

Recognizing Xiao Lin's constitution at a glance as prime material for a cultivation cauldron, Luo Tianming tracked down the Xiao residence. He declared that upon Xiao Lin's eighteenth birthday, he would take her to the Heavenly Yin Sect to be his concubine, and in exchange, he would help the Xiao family rise to the status of a cultivation clan.

If they refused, Xiao Lin would be reduced to nothing more than his cauldron upon turning eighteen, and the Xiao family would be utterly annihilated.

At the time, she was merely a Golden Core cultivator; how could she possibly contend with the Heavenly Yin Sect? She had no choice but to submit.

She had subsequently joined the outer sect of the Heavenly Yin Sect so that she could look after her daughter once Xiao Lin turned eighteen.

Before long, Miss Xiao returned.

She poked her head into the main hall with a stealthy, furtive look.

Yet the moment she appeared outside, both Madam Xiao and Chen Xiang had already sensed her presence.

"Lin'er, come inside," Madam Xiao exposed Miss Xiao's disguise right away.

Startled and blushing, Miss Xiao realized she had been found out. Abandoning her stealth, she stepped into the main hall.

"Mother, Young Master Chu, breakfast is ready," Miss Xiao said as she walked over to Madam Xiao's side upon entering.

Madam Xiao shook her head with a light smile.

Patting Xiao Lin's hand, Madam Xiao's expression stirred as she spoke softly, "Lin'er, take Young Master Chu to break his fast, and show him around afterward. Young Master Chu will only be staying for a few days before he leaves."

Chen Xiang smiled silently, knowing that Madam Xiao would soon verify the news for herself, and gave it no further thought.

Now that Luo Tianming was dead, the young Miss Xiao naturally wouldn't be taken away.

The only question remaining was how many people within the Heavenly Yin Sect were already aware of it!

Pouting slightly, Miss Xiao muttered, "Father rushed off after drinking just a bowl of porridge earlier, and now you're not keeping me company either. How boring it would be for just me and Young Master... Young Master Chu!"

By the end of her sentence, her face had flushed deeply with embarrassment.

Seeing Xiao Lin like this, Madam Xiao let out a soft sigh and said, "Rest assured, Lin'er, I simply have matters to attend to this morning. Having Young Master Chu in our company can also feel a bit formal and constraining."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Miss Xiao felt that her mother's words made some sense, so she nodded and said, "Very well..."

Chen Xiang cast a genuinely speechless look in Madam Xiao's direction.

This Madam Xiao... she certainly possessed quite a daring boldness!