In this world, based on known cultivators, the strongest is undoubtedly the Heavenly Saint, Sect master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Zheng Jie. The second strongest is the creator of the Nine Cloud Kingdom, the fellow of the Heavenly Saint, the Heavenly Emperor.
Lei Xingyue is not the third, or even the fourth. He is the 34th on the list, however even if he is only 34th, who dare to say anything to him? 34th under heaven may not sound anything impressive, but how many is it that he surpasses?
However, even such top expert has his own fear and trauma. Namely, his fear of woman. In the past, Lei Xingyue was so traumatized by a beautiful woman that he has sworn off women altogether. He is afraid of beautiful women like he was the Heavenly Saint, however in the Heavenly Saint case, abstination come from his lack of lust, while in Lei Xingyue's case, it comes from fear.
This matter, no one knows.
"Uncle Lei, have you ever thought of getting married?"
Lei Xingyue almost drops his teacup in surprise, especially when the person who is asking him is related to his whole trauma.
Zhang Yating asks "innocently" while the two was eating. It was on the rare occasion that Lei Xingyue lets Zhang Yating out of her room. She was grounded for hospitalizing another family heir. Normally the punishment would be harsher, however like they say, rich people was born with a golden spoon in their mouth, Xingyue could not bear letting his charge who has never experienced hardship suffer so much. It was only enough to discipline her.
"No, no I haven't."
Lei Xingyue tries to make light of the conversation, so that his niece would not suspect anything. Not the fact that she is reminding him of a trauma long hidden.
"Well you shoul-"
"This is none of your business. Did I get too soft with you lately?" Suddenly, he raises his voice.
"Yes, uncle Lei." Once again, Yating drops the conversation in that rare soft spoken tone of her. Xingyue wonders if anyone has been teaching her lately, she has become very agreeable these days, though it leads to another worry.
Could it be that one of the servant has been approaching Yating to manipulate her?
"Did any servant approach you lately Yating?"
"No, uncle Lei. Just like you order, I have not talked to any of the servants except for when it's time to eat."
"Good."
He will be making investigation later.
Lei Xingyue feels bad about isolating his niece in her own home, however Yating's case is a bit special.
When she grows up, she is going to have a lot of power. So much power that it is worrying, even now, he has started to be afraid of bad apple trying to approach Yating and manipulate her for their end. A puppet ruler is the worst thing after all, if that happens, that means Xingyue has betrayed his friend's trust, and the Zhang family line is lost.
He could trust her to make friend under supervision, however he could not trust her to interact with adult on her own.
After all, Yating has a very heavy burden to shoulder in the future.
The sole heir of the Heavenly Emperor, the future inheritor of the entire Nine Cloud Kingdom, the one who will decide the lives of every single subjects within the Nine Cloud Kingdom.
She is the princess, not just any simple child.
And yet once upon a time, when she was only 3, Lei Xingyue was forced to escape from the first continent holding her in his arms, telling her that she was just another simple child.
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It's very depressing that he could not win against a woman, but until the matters of the Heavenly Queen has been solved, he and Yating could never return. But still, he needs to raise her as a princess.
Take where they are eating for example, the Unusual Drop restaurant. It is the most famous restaurant within the ninth continent, situated at the center of the continent. Every day, more than 10,000 cultivators and non-cultivators alike frequent this restaurant. Only the richest, most powerful could make a reservation here.
Xingyue found it hard to take this place seriously when he has eaten from place that was like heaven and earth compare to this place. However, the Unusual Drop restaurant is still undoubtedly the best within the ninth continent.
For the uncle and niece's simple dinner, this place has been bought out. All reservation was cancelled, even dragons and phoenixes of the capital city dare to say nothing, it was Lei Xingyue after all. Before eating, he also has his men checked out the food first before serving. Lei Xingyue himself is fine, however his niece is a different matter.
Zhang Yating wonders why the Hua heiress tries to cling to her uncle's thigh too much, however it is her that is blind. Living in luxury her entire life, she never wonders the implication of everything.
At that moment, Lei Xingyue wonders why she was asking about marriage.
Earlier that day.
"Fairy Yijun: Does your uncle L** has a lover?"
Yijun was wondering if this uncle Lei of Princess Yating has a lover or a wife, the way he raises Yating leaves much to desire. It reeks of men, like a single father taking care of the kids. Thinking back about her previous husband Cui Huang, Yijun has a disdainful look in her eyes, it is not because that he cheated on her that she could not leave the kids in his care either. It is that if they have kids, she could not trust him to take care of them alone.
"Princess Yating: Uncle L** says that as a cultivator, matter such as love are as fleeting as the morning dew, it will all go away eventually."
By the way, ever since the System has come down on the Anonymity rule, the user of the Heavenly Dao discussion has started to use "*" to hide what they are talking about by the recommendation of the System, it seems strange to look at, but at least they won't get banned for three days like a certain Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Speaking of the sect master of the Heavenly Sword Sect...
"Fairy Yijun: Bullshit, cultivators could choose to perform pair cultivation at anytime. Trust me Yating, pass a certain age, cultivators who haven't found a partner start developing strange personality! You don't want your uncle to become like that Zheng Jie or that Yan Yu!"
One is always advocating for extreme things like eradication of all emotions, the other is always malicious baiting other people. More importantly, even though she is kinda afraid of them after seeing their might, Yijun has seen Zheng Jie's soul before. And Zheng Jie's soul has "heartless man" written all over it, even with her low cultivation, she could sense it while Yan Yu on the other hand is all kind of wrong.
"Shi Xiang: Now now..." Shi Xiang tries to come and defend his idols, however he has found that he could not for the like of him out-argue Fairy Yijun. She always talks over him. The "tongue" is an especially fearsome weapon.
Currently, Shi Xiang is extremely busy recruiting people.