Chapter 426: Prince Pingrong

Yang Ling had originally planned to ignore Zhao Yingying and avoid getting entangled with someone like her, but the Fourth-Rank Grandmaster beside her was quietly watching him.

He felt he absolutely had to show respect to a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster.

"Reporting to Princess Zhao, I came to pay my respects to the Fourth Prince."

Yang Ling greeted her very politely with a cupped fist salute.

That Lady Wang's gloomy expression finally softened a bit.

Yang Ling felt he had made the right move, after all, he couldn't guarantee that this Fourth-Rank Grandmaster wouldn't lose her mind and kill him right here in public.

Zhao Yingying looked somewhat surprised: "Paying respects to Fourth Brother? Are you very familiar with Fourth Brother?"

Yang Ling: "The Fourth Prince and I shared a life-and-death bond in the Water Qilin Cave.

I also received the Fourth Prince's guidance on several occasions, and we have an excellent relationship."

Zhao Yingying subconsciously muttered:

"Why didn't they mention this?"

Then she realized she had been set up by Wu Xiaoshuai.

Han Dongdong and the others also knew she had a good relationship with Xie Zhihu, so naturally they wouldn't remind her that Yang Ling also had a good relationship with her Fourth Brother.

"Fine then, I'm also here to find Fourth Brother. You can come with me."

Zhao Yingying gave a slight nod, not bringing up the earlier incident again. Her attitude was still fairly amicable.

When the Fourth Prince saw the two of them arriving together, a flash of surprise clearly passed through his eyes.

Then he very politely stepped forward to greet Lady Wang.

The two sides seemed quite familiar with each other, and before long Yang Ling could tell that this Lady Wang had probably also looked after the Fourth Prince when he was young.

"Yang Ling, let me introduce you. Lady Wang was the Young Sect Master of the Yellow Dragon Sect in her youth, but later switched to serve under the Eldest Princess for certain reasons."

"Both Yingying and I received Lady Wang's care when we were children."

Zhao Zheng smiled as he introduced to Yang Ling:

"Lady Wang is one of the rare Fourth-Rank Grandmasters in this world today. You haven't offended her before, have you?"

Yang Ling straightened his expression and clasped his fists: "So Senior Wang is actually a Grandmaster. Even with ten times my courage, this subordinate would never dare offend a Grandmaster."

The corners of Lady Wang's mouth twitched slightly.

Zhao Zheng quickly laughed: "Lady Wang, what happened between Yang Ling and Yingying earlier was all a misunderstanding, all stirred up by those bastards from the Immortal God Sect. Please don't take it to heart."

"Mhm."

Lady Wang gave a slight nod: "You youngsters chat amongst yourselves. I'll go take a walk elsewhere."

As she was leaving, she cast another glance at Yang Ling, the warning in her eyes unmistakable.

"Fourth Brother, you didn't even ask if I was hurting from Yang Ling's beating. Instead, you went and explained things for him first."

Zhao Yingying had gotten smarter this time, seeing through the deeper intention behind Zhao Zheng's words just now.

Zhao Zheng smiled bitterly: "Yingying, this matter was a misunderstanding to begin with. If Yang Ling were to be remembered by Lady Wang, he'd inevitably suffer losses in the future."

"Favoring an outsider over your own sister!"

Zhao Yingying grumbled inwardly, but said nothing more and directly asked about this trip to Fire Flood Dragon Island.

Yang Ling tactfully stood to the side without making a sound, only opening Zhao Zheng's Status Panel to examine it carefully.

Character: Zhao Zheng

Class: Martial Artist

Strength: 150

Agility: 149

Spirit: 80

Martial Arts: Imperial Pole Celestial Classic (Transcendent)

Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique (Transcendent)

Fish-Dragon Hundred Transformations Movement Technique (Transcendent)

Faction: Zhao Royal Family

"He really has reached Upper Sixth-Rank... such terrifying speed of progress."

Yang Ling muttered inwardly, his attention focused on Zhao Zheng's Internal Technique Method - the Imperial Pole Celestial Classic.

"Last time we met, his Imperial Pole Celestial Classic was only at Flawless Proficiency. Even accounting for him being stuck at the bottleneck of Skilled, that means in just over half a month, he raised this Internal Technique Method by a full million Experience Points?"

"Is it some kind of external force, or is there something special about this technique?"

Yang Ling's curiosity crawled like ten thousand ants scrambling around.

He truly wanted to know how Zhao Zheng had accomplished it.

After all, he also possessed so many Top-Tier Internal Technique Methods.

Raising internal technique experience by a million in under a month - if he could get his hands on that method, his strength could skyrocket in a short period.

Even when facing a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster, reason would be on his side!

"Yingying, Yang Ling, this trip to Fire Flood Dragon Island for the Sixth-Rank Top Hundred Battle is different from before."

Zhao Zheng's expression turned grave:

"The temperature on Fire Flood Dragon Island keeps rising. According to my intelligence, even the sea temperature in the surrounding waters has risen considerably."

"The fish over there are either dead or fleeing."

"This might be a sign that the Fire Spirit Pearl is about to emerge."

Yang Ling had already learned this news from Xu Wenjun beforehand, but he still put on a face of "shock."

Zhao Yingying said with delight: "The Fire Spirit Pearl is about to emerge? This is a martial arts sacred medicine specifically targeting internal technique cultivation!"

Specifically targeting internal technique cultivation?

Yang Ling was also somewhat pleasantly surprised.

Zhao Zheng spoke gravely: "If we know about this, the Rong tribe must know about it as well. What's more..."

"Some overseas sects might also catch wind of it."

"Overseas sects..."

A hint of gravity appeared on Zhao Yingying's face as well:

"Fourth Brother, you mean this trip to Fire Flood Dragon Island will be very chaotic? We might encounter Sixth-Rank experts from other factions?"

"It's not a possibility, it's a certainty. A sign like the Fire Spirit Pearl emerging can't be hidden at all."

"As long as they have people keeping watch, they'll know the news right away."

Zhao Zheng said thoughtfully: "So I've been thinking, once we get on Fire Flood Dragon Island, we absolutely must act together and never split up."

After a pause, he looked at Yang Ling:

"Yang Ling, your cultivation level exceeds my expectations. This time on Fire Flood Dragon Island, I hope you can protect me as I make my way to a secret location."

"There should be at least three Fire Spirit Pearls forming there. The three of us will work together, and each of us gets one."

Yang Ling didn't hesitate: "If the Fourth Prince has any orders, I will fully cooperate!"

He had been worrying about how to find Fire Spirit Pearls at that time. Now it seemed the Fourth Prince already had inside information - as long as he followed him, he'd get a share of the spoils.

"Fourth Brother, before I came, I already promised Tong He and the others that we'd act together..."

Zhao Yingying's face showed hesitation.

Zhao Zheng was briefly stunned, then laughed:

"What's so difficult about that? Just invite them along. The more people, the more strength."

"But what if there are Fire Spirit Pearls and only three of them? How do we split them..."

Zhao Yingying frowned.

"At least three, maybe more? No need to rush these things. Let's talk about it when we actually reach that secret location."

Zhao Zheng smiled.

Zhao Yingying's brow relaxed, then she asked curiously:

"Fourth Brother, have you already obtained a fief?"

Zhao Zheng smiled and nodded:

"Father, thinking of my years of service without merit but also without fault, and that I'm getting older, after consulting with the Grand Secretary, has already enfeoffed me as Prince Pingrong."

"This news hasn't been announced to the public yet. After the Sixth-Rank Top Hundred Battle, it will be proclaimed to the world."

Zhao Yingying's face was full of shock.

She had guessed that Zhao Zheng had been enfeoffed as a prince, but she never expected it to be Prince Pingrong!

Yang Ling was somewhat startled.

The title of Prince Pingrong seemed a bit too grand.

In his view, Zhao Zheng's qualifications and strength shouldn't warrant such a title.

There must be critical information he didn't know about!

"Is it because of this title that his internal technique cultivation made a breakthrough?"

"The Imperial Pole Celestial Classic is that impressive? I also carry Dragon Qi. If I were to cultivate this Internal Technique..."

"No wonder Fourth Brother, you were able to suddenly break through to Upper Sixth-Rank."

A hint of envy appeared on Zhao Yingying's face.