Chapter 156: Subsequent Influence

"The Ling Clan?" Watching Ling Yi's departing back, Yi Huang's expression was grave, while her heart was filled with confusion.

The sharp-witted Yi Huang naturally sensed the anomaly hidden behind this sudden cooperation between the Ling Clan and Langya Pavilion.

Only Ancient Races have the qualifications to cooperate with other Ancient Races; most other forces that have connections with them are merely vassals to the former.

Although Langya Pavilion's strength is not bad, it is only "not bad"—it has not yet reached the level of being comparable to an Ancient Race.

Moreover, the terms the Ling Clan offered to Langya Pavilion made Yi Huang realize even more how unusual this was.

They were not bad at all; on the contrary, one should say they were excellent—so generous it was simply excessive!

According to the other party's terms, Langya Pavilion could absolutely obtain massive benefits from this cooperation.

Yet, Yi Huang could not discover what benefits Langya Pavilion could bring to them. "Could it be that the Ling Clan has simply taken a fancy to Langya Pavilion's sales channels?"

However, such a thought merely passed through her mind briefly before being cast to the nine heavens.

If that were truly the case, the Ling Clan could easily find other similar organizations; why would they need to concede such massive benefits to Langya Pavilion?

Just at this moment, Ye Jianxin emerged silently from the side, a single sentence waking her up.

"Yi Huang, aren't the Ling Clan's terms a bit too good, as if they are begging us for something?"

He had also been listening from the shadows to the conversation between the two, and his heart was full of bewilderment—the other party was practically handing money to Langya Pavilion!

"Yes, that's it—they are begging us!" Yi Huang suddenly realized; the other party definitely had something they needed Langya Pavilion's help with. Then, Yi Huang's expression sank instantly.

"That guy is messing around again!" Yi Huang said through gritted teeth. She immediately reacted: it was highly likely that Xiao Han had reached some kind of deal with the Ling Clan, and this matter was extremely dangerous.

The benefits the Ling Clan sent were entirely a reward—that guy actually dared to earn blood money!

Yi Huang's resentment toward Xiao Han soared instantly, and she kept muttering to herself, making Ye Jianxin, who was standing to the side, tremble with fear.

He couldn't help but mourn for his good brother in his heart for a while.

Meanwhile, Ling Yi, who had just left, was truly shocked by Langya Pavilion's strength.

"I never expected that Vice Pavilion Master Yi Huang, who is rumored in the outside world to be in charge of logistics, would actually have broken through to become a Dou Sheng, and even a two-star early-stage Dou Sheng at that. Everyone has been blind!"

Ling Yi said with a sigh.

Perhaps Yi Huang's greatest miscalculation was that her true strength had been probed by Ling Yi.

One must know that hiding one's strength has always been the tenet of Langya Pavilion; even during the most dangerous moments in the past, Yi Huang's Dou Sheng strength had never been exposed.

This also gave the outside world a misconception, namely... that the Langya Pavilion Vice Pavilion Master was just a logistics person responsible for overall coordination and was not good at fighting herself. And now, this secret was no longer exclusive to Langya Pavilion.

However, the exposure of Yi Huang's strength might also be a good thing; at the very least, Ling Yi now attached more importance to Langya Pavilion.

Aside from the Ice Saint, the remaining experts of Langya Pavilion were still a force not to be underestimated.

Although Ling Yi's arrival was extremely secretive, it still could not escape the eyes of some forces in the Central Plains.

Especially that unique Ling Clan Mark on the former, which shocked a large number of forces.

"What is going on? People from the Ling Clan went to visit Langya Pavilion?" Xuan Kongzi felt as if a few strands of his already snow-white, beautiful hair were about to fall out.

Regarding this news, his first reaction was that it was fake news.

Are you kidding? As a manager of such a super force, how could he not know the character of the Ancient Races?

They are all people with their noses in the air, especially with the confidence brought by their so-called Dou Di Bloodline; they look at other forces with an attitude of disdain.

It is as if everyone else is not even the same species as them.

Some powerful Ancient Races are fine; at least on the surface, they can maintain respect for the top forces of the Central Plains.

But it just had to be those declining Ancient Races, such as the Shi, Ling, and Yao clans, where the pursuit of the Dou Di Bloodline in the clan exceeds everything else.

It is as if having the Dou Di Bloodline could send people to become Dou Sheng or Dou Di; a group of guys obsessed with the glory of their ancestors—pedantic to the extreme!

Although they are strong, but... Xuan Kongzi's impression of them could not be worse.

Yet today, his subordinates actually reported to him that someone from the Ling Clan had visited Langya Pavilion—it was simply absurd!

Not to mention the Ling Clan's bad habits, the other party also seemed to have been closed off for many years, rarely stepping out of their doors.

Other Ancient Races might still be able to find some ways to enter, but the Ling Clan...

To put it bluntly, Xuan Kongzi didn't even know where their front door was. He didn't know how many years it had been since he had received news of anyone from the Ling Clan appearing in the Central Plains.

"Is the news accurate?" It wasn't just Xuan Kongzi; the other two giants of the Pill Tower were no better off. Even the relatively meticulous Xuan Yi subconsciously asked again.

After receiving a firm confirmation from the other party, Xuan Yi was also stunned for a moment, waving her hand to let the former leave.

"This Langya Pavilion is actually so powerful that they can even make contact with the Ling Clan," Tianleizi exclaimed, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Could Langya Pavilion be a vassal force of the Ling Clan?" Xuan Yi suddenly thought of a terrifying possibility.

After all, the Ice Saint's strength was abnormally strong; that combat power, which was almost comparable to a Six-Star Dou Sheng, dropped everyone's jaws to the floor.

Such a heaven-defying talent had not appeared in the Central Plains for many years, but it would not be unacceptable if placed within an Ancient Race.

However, Xuan Kongzi firmly shook his head and denied this: "This is absolutely impossible. The Ancestor already confirmed back then that the Ice Saint does not have any Dou Di Bloodline at all."

Xuan Yi's expression changed, and she immediately stopped speaking. The Ancestor in Xuan Kongzi's words was naturally that Six-Star Dou Sheng-level Dan Ta Lao Zu. Xuan Yi was still very convinced by the latter's conclusion.

If the other party was not a member of the Ling Clan, then Langya Pavilion would naturally not be a vassal of the Ling Clan.

After all, with the Ice Saint's strength, wouldn't it be better to be free and unfettered in the Central Plains than to find a "father" to put over one's own head?

"Then it can only be that the Ling Clan has taken a fancy to Langya Pavilion's strength," Xuan Yi said with a complex expression.

In Xuan Yi's memory, it seemed to be the first time she had encountered such a thing.

Feeling the rapid development of Langya Pavilion, Xuan Yi also felt a bit envious. Unlike the Pill Tower, which had almost reached a bottleneck period with nowhere left to rise.

However, not everyone was as envious of Langya Pavilion; there were also quite a few who disparaged the Ling Clan.

Of course, those who could do this were naturally the other Ancient Races of the same kind.

"The Ling Clan is really living more and more regressively; they have actually thrown away the pride of an Ancient Race and are walking together with a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears brats."

Yao Clan Leader Yao Dan was extremely disdainful of the Ling Clan's behavior, believing that the other party had disgraced the name of the Ancient Races.

"The Clan Leader is absolutely right; the Ling Clan has already declined, and their vision is not much better!" Yao Wangui, the Elder of Punishment who was also of the pedantic faction, echoed.

"Clan Leader, Langya Pavilion isn't that bad, is it? The Ice Saint is, after all, an existence capable of single-handedly repelling the Soul Hall Hall Master and Hunmo Elder. This level of strength should be powerful enough!" Elder Wanhuo, however, was more rational and spoke up to persuade them.

"Great Elder, you are being far too indecisive; how could you believe such an exaggerated battle record?"

"You must know that this so-called Ice Saint is nothing more than a greenhorn who has only been cultivating for a few years. In my opinion, his battle record is eighty percent fabricated."

Before Yao Dan could speak, Yao Wangui spoke up in agitation to refute him; believing himself to be on the same side as the Clan Leader, Yao Wangui did not mince his words at all.

Wan Huo also knew this fellow's character, so he couldn't be bothered to argue with him and said nothing more.

Compared to the other Ancient Races who viewed it as a joke, the Soul Clan took some interest in this news, but that was all.

"How strange, the Ling Clan has actually had dealings with that Langya Pavilion in the Central Plains; will it affect our plans?"

A black-clad figure looked at the refined man in front of him and asked indifferently.

"Langya Pavilion?" Hun Tiandi's expression remained unchanged as he said calmly, "No need to worry, it is merely an accident. If they truly block our plans, we shall simply wipe them out."

His tone was casual; although Langya Pavilion possessed a few Dou Sheng and that Ice Saint had decent strength, when faced with the entire Soul Clan, they were nothing more than slightly larger ants.

"You only need to focus on breaking through to Nine-Star Dou Sheng now; the clan will support you with all its might."

Hun Tiandi glanced at the other person; the prerequisite for their Soul Clan to secretly annihilate the Ling Clan was for him to break through to Nine-Star Dou Sheng and possess the ability to swallow a small world.

Now, everything is ready, except for the final piece of the puzzle.

"Understood." The black-clad man's ink-black pupils flickered slightly, and he immediately replied.

"Ten years will be enough!" He had already touched the threshold of that realm, and breaking through was merely a matter of time.