Chapter 14: The Kidnapped Ling Xiaobai

“Hmm,” Ling Xiaobai looked thoughtful, his cute little face twisted into a knot. After a long while, he let out an enlightened “Ah!”: “Is Mother worried that they’ll go back to report the news and bring more people to take revenge?”

“Yes.” It seemed this son of hers wasn’t stupid; he was worthy of being her own flesh and blood. Ling Ruoxi decisively claimed all the credit for herself, completely forgetting that this genetic makeup wasn’t something she could decide on her own.

“Tch, there’s no need to be so troublesome. I’m actually hoping they come a few more times. I’ll beat every single one that shows up. Not only can I rid the world of evil, but I can also loot some silver while I’m at it.” Perhaps the second reason was his true goal.

Ling Ruoxi raised her hand and slapped Ling Xiaobai on the head: “How old are you? Don’t go saying such bloody and violent things in front of me.”

Bloody? Violent?

Ling Xiaobai rubbed his aching head with a look of grievance, his lips twitching unnaturally. Compared to Mother’s habit of cutting weeds and digging up the roots, how was he being violent?

“Do you have any complaints?” Ling Ruoxi grinned, revealing a brilliant smile, but her eyes were filled with cold light.

Ling Xiaobai’s keen sixth sense immediately picked up the dangerous aura radiating from her. He decisively shook his head, fawning with a sycophantic smile: “Not at all. Even if I had complaints about everyone else, I would never have complaints about Mother.”

“Shameless flattery. You’re my own flesh and blood; do you really think I wouldn’t know if you were bad-mouthing me in your heart?”

“Hehehe.” Ling Xiaobai played dumb and laughed twice, refusing to admit he had been criticizing his mother in his mind.

The carriage traveled quietly along the official road. Half an hour later, a black shadow drifted down from the sky. Looking at the pool of blood on the ground, he furrowed his brows tightly.

“All killed in one strike. Was this done by an assassin?” Yun Xu examined the corpses with a grave expression. “They are all from the Black Wind Stronghold. Could it be that they were after that shipment of silver?”

Regardless, this matter had to be reported to the Young Master immediately. With a flash, Yun Xu vanished, speeding off in the direction of Sunset City.

For three consecutive days, groups of people attempting to intercept the carriage appeared one after another, ranging from ordinary thieves with no profound energy to Green-rank experts. Ling Ruoxi curled her lips coldly. Looking through the fluttering carriage curtains at the fighting figures outside, she remarked, “It seems some people don’t want me to reach the capital safely.”

“Mother, is someone trying to bully us?” Ling Xiaobai asked seriously, his soft, pink fists clenched tightly. “Mother, don’t be afraid. Whoever dares to bully you, I will bite them to death.”

“If you’re so capable, why don’t you go out there? Why are you hiding under the seat?” Ling Ruoxi’s icy gaze swept over Ling Xiaobai, who had hidden under the seat the moment the assassins appeared, leaving only his head exposed. Who on earth did this kid learn this bullying-the-weak-and-fearing-the-strong personality from?

“Mother, I was just thinking about how to defeat them without wasting any effort, I wasn’t scared!” Ling Xiaobai’s cheeks flushed red from her teasing, and he shouted back in protest.

Ling Ruoxi would have to be truly stupid to believe that. Seeing out of the corner of her eye that Zhu Yitou was beginning to struggle, her expression turned cold. With a light tap of her feet on the wooden floor, she vanished from her spot and charged into the battlefield.

“Ooh, ooh, Mother, go for it!” Ling Xiaobai’s eyes shone as he watched the woman enter the fray, waving his hands to cheer her on.

The killing intent was heavy, and the entire official road was deathly silent. More than a dozen assassins in night-walking gear surrounded Ling Ruoxi and Zhu Yitou, their weapons gleaming with a cold, eerie light in the sun.

“Green-rank experts.” A dagger slid from her sleeve into her palm. She curled her lips into a smile, and the next second, she was already closing in on the nearest enemy, the profound energy within her surging like a volcanic eruption.

Necks, hearts, spines—the most vulnerable parts of the human body became her targets. It was almost one strike, one kill.

“Mother is amazing.” Watching the enemies die one after another at Ling Ruoxi’s hands, the adoration in Ling Xiaobai’s eyes deepened. “As expected of my idol.”

“Whoosh!” A pill exploded on the ground with a boom, and a sky full of white mist blurred everyone’s vision. Several black shadows moved rapidly toward the carriage.

“You’re courting death.” Ling Ruoxi roared, her Cyan-rank profound energy pressing down on the surroundings like a tidal wave.

That pure killing intent and the terrifying pressure made the remaining few assassins feel a pain in their chests, nearly causing them to lose their footing.

“Pfft.” Blood sprayed from their mouths, scattering through the air as they fell.

As the thick fog dissipated, Ling Ruoxi stood in the center of the scattered corpses. Her moon-white dress was stained with bright red droplets of blood, like a proud plum blossom in full, wanton bloom.

Zhu Yitou stared dumbfounded at the messy pile of corpses around him. Were these really the same assassins that had felt so troublesome just a moment ago?

Instant kill! A naked, brutal instant kill!

Was this really the same Eldest Miss who used to be despised and looked down upon by everyone in the capital?

Recalling the scene six years ago when she was driven away in such a sorry state, Zhu Yitou suddenly had an ominous premonition. Was the Old Master asking the Eldest Miss to return really a good thing for the Prime Minister’s estate?

Ling Ruoxi walked toward the carriage and lifted the curtain, but Ling Xiaobai’s figure had mysteriously vanished. She narrowed her eyes dangerously, her black pupils, shimmering with the intent to kill, as deep as ink.

“This… where is the Young Master?” Zhu Yitou asked, his face turning pale with panic.