Chapter 495 - 332: Changes and Development

Chapter 495: Chapter 332: Changes and Development

Lady Ling’s eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at her son, her heart swelling with pride and relief. Staring at the scene before her, she couldn’t help but think, ’Who could have imagined all those years ago that the Ling Family’s most worthless third son would one day achieve all this?’

Lady Ling gripped Ling Xiao’s hand. "Xiao’Er, you’ve really grown up! You’ve changed so much I almost don’t recognize you!" Over the years, Lady Ling had only grown more youthful, but her accumulated experience lent her an exceptionally graceful and noble air. Standing before Ling Xiao, anyone who didn’t know their relationship would have mistaken them for a sister and her younger brother!

Looking closely, one could see traces of Lady Ling in Ling Xiao’s features. Having such an outstanding son was a mother’s greatest joy!

Many onlookers were deeply moved. Even Ling Su couldn’t help but mumble to her father and older brother, "Mom’s playing favorites! I haven’t seen her this happy in years!"

Lingzhi chimed in blithely, "I like Xiaosan too!"

"You..."

Ling Su rolled her eyes at her boisterous older brother, but her heart was filled with warmth and pride. ’It feels so good for the whole family to be together! What a pity our younger sister isn’t here. If she and the other girls knew Ling Xiao was back, they’d be absolutely ecstatic!’

As Ling Su thought this, she glanced at the radiant Shangguan Yutong and felt a pang of jealousy. ’My precious little brother is being carved up by a flock of women, and even my best friend is joining in... His charm is truly immense! Yutong hasn’t been this happy in years.’ At that thought, a smile bloomed on Ling Su’s face. ’In any case, he’s still my brother. In a bit... I should make that Yutong girl call me ’Elder Sister’ a few times, just to hear it. Haha!’

Ling Xiao looked at his subordinates, whose strength had all clearly grown, and felt a surge of emotion. Even though he had been away for three years, those years had clearly been just as transformative for them.

For on every one of their faces, Ling Xiao saw a confidence that had never been there before.

It was true. For the past three years, the Shushan Sword Sect had kept such a low profile that they were dismissed as cowards hiding in their shells, forgotten by countless major families and sects. Even the Sea Domain Song Family, with Ling Xiao absent, hadn’t maintained contact with the Shushan Sword Sect as frequently as before.

If the Sea Domain Song Family had publicly supported the Shushan Sword Sect, the Zhe Family would never have dared to be so brazen.

From the Song Family’s perspective, however, their lack of public support was understandable. After all, Song Mingyue’s affections lay with Ling Xiao, and the Song Family had already dispatched two Sword Emperor Powerhouses—Thirteenth Master and Fourteenth Master—to him. They had basically given the men to Ling Xiao, which was already going above and beyond.

Therefore, Ling Xiao harbored no resentment whatsoever. Looking out at the faces flushed with excitement at his return, he began to speak. His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly to every person’s ears. The instant he spoke, the previously raucous hall fell utterly silent—so quiet that people could almost hear their own hearts beating.

"It’s been three years. You’ve all done well! Your progress has been so great, it’s almost startling," Ling Xiao said. A gentle smile played on his handsome face, the slight upward curve of his lips sending a flutter through Shangguan Yutong’s heart.

"You have all been wronged these past three years. Starting tomorrow, I will let the world know exactly what kind of sect the Shushan Sword Sect is."

Ling Xiao’s voice was neither rousing nor impassioned, yet it resonated deeply in everyone’s ears. For some reason, even Quefeng, who had never quite understood human emotions, felt a strange tingling in his nose as his eyes began to well up. He reached up to wipe them away and muttered to himself, "How strange."