Chapter 66: A Grudge to Settle: Lin Ling’s Retaliation and Little White’s Warning

Gazing at the Elven Emperor, Ifis, who had maintained his composure throughout their exchange, Lin Ling’s heart gradually calmed from the intensity of their two clashes.

Upon reflection, while Ifis’s words were infuriating and hard to swallow, they weren’t entirely without merit. In some ways, he was looking out for her, though she also sensed a deliberate attempt to provoke her.

Yet, after being bullied so thoroughly, a deep resentment lingered. She couldn’t let it go without retaliating.

However, she needed to think clearly. Relying solely on brute force would be insufficient. This opponent was unlike previous foes, who could be easily defeated with superior physical prowess alone.

As Lin Ling pondered this, her gaze grew serene, returning to her usual impassive, somewhat aloof expression.

She quietly observed her opponent, recalling the specifics of their previous battle and Ifis’s movements.

Undoubtedly, Ifis’s combat skills and experience far surpassed her own at this moment. Her usual straightforward fighting style would be utterly ineffective. It was akin to an untrained person fighting a police officer skilled in martial arts; even if their physiques were evenly matched, the ordinary person would struggle to win.

‘Sigh, I’m regretting now why I didn’t learn some combat techniques earlier. For same-level confrontations, these skills might actually be quite useful.’

Though reluctant to admit it, winning without resorting to her authority or spiritual power seemed genuinely difficult.

But being beaten without consequence felt equally unacceptable. What should she do?

‘I’ll play dirty, then.’

‘Anyway, no one’s watching right now.’

****

“Have you calmed down, it seems?”

Ifis, who had been constantly observing Lin Ling’s every move, naturally noticed the shift in her eyes.

‘Controlling her emotions only now, hmm, not too bad.’

‘Perhaps it’s time to stop—’

Suddenly!

Without any warning, Lin Ling charged directly at him, just as she had in her previous two attacks, leaving Ifis utterly bewildered.

‘The exact same tactic again? Hasn’t she learned her lesson?’

However, this time, Lin Ling was prepared.

‘Such a straightforward charge is meaningless as always,’ Ifis thought, ready to once again use his method of redirecting force to teach this reckless young woman a lesson.

But a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. ‘Is she truly that foolish?’ A trace of caution and vigilance rose within him.

Just as they were about to make contact, Ifis noticed a subtle, peculiar smile playing on Lin Ling’s lips.

‘Could there be a trap?’

Ifis, who already suspected Lin Ling wasn’t so thoughtless, felt his conjecture confirmed. To guard against any unforeseen circumstances, he decided to temporarily avoid the direct confrontation.

As he prepared to sidestep, something unexpected occurred.

While Ifis’s attention was momentarily diverted by Lin Ling’s smile, four strands of silver-white hair, imbued with a vast amount of spiritual power, silently bound his limbs.

He was trapped, unable to retreat!

This action, however, seemed to slightly anger Ifis.

‘Playing dirty? This won’t do.’

‘The glory and dignity of an Original Battle Sovereign cannot simply be discarded. Battles should be won by defeating the opponent honorably. Since both sides tacitly agreed not to use spiritual power, one should not arbitrarily employ it, rather than resorting to such petty tricks.’

****

Observing Ifis, who stood motionless with a hint of indignation on his face, Lin Ling’s mood instantly brightened. A smile involuntarily curved her lips.

‘Let you spout nonsense!’

‘Just watch me smash that fake, smirking face of yours!’

The force behind her punch surged dramatically, reaching nearly Lin Ling’s maximum output in her normal state. The power contained within this single blow could very well shatter the entire independent space.

However, just as Lin Ling’s fist was infinitesimally close to Ifis’s face, a peculiar black light point materialized between her fist and Ifis, then split open into a rift.

Lin Ling instinctively tried to retract her strength, but it was too late; the distance was too short.

Recognizing the rift, which bore no spiritual power fluctuations, Lin Ling’s elation vanished instantly. A wave of intense frustration, like a duck flying away just as she was about to catch it, surged through her.

“You bastard! You actually used your authority! Ahhhhh!”

With an earth-shattering roar, the independent space itself fractured and crumbled under the violent tremors.

****

Half an hour later, in a villa on an island in the South Sea.

After being teleported back, Lin Ling paid no mind to cleanliness. She collapsed onto the living room floor in a wide, sprawling posture, utterly devoid of any ladylike grace. After all, no one was watching.

She puffed out her cheeks, rubbing her stomach with one hand.

“It hurts so much!! ┭┮﹏┭┮”

She hadn’t expected hitting herself to hurt this much.

Recalling the moment, Lin Ling grew angrier with every thought. Her fist had been on the verge of pulverizing that bastard elf; he should have had no way to dodge. Who knew that guy would also play dirty, actually using his authority? Hadn’t they said elves were a noble, elegant, and rule-abiding race? Yet he too resorted to underhanded tactics.

The spatial rift that opened before Ifis had, as expected, sucked her fist inside, then opened another rift at her own abdomen. Thus, she took the full force of her own attack.

‘It seems only I can beat myself up this badly.’

What was even more outrageous was that after she took the heavy blow, that scoundrel actually followed up with more attacks, punching and kicking her! Was this what a brother should do? And he even made excuses, calling it “education”?

And after the beating, that bastard actually ran off, claiming he had an urgent matter! Wasn’t this the classic hit-and-run tactic?

‘I see you’re just petty!’

‘He denied my feelings for Xi Yue, and then beat me up like this. This grudge must be repaid! One day, I’ll get him back!’

As for Ifis’s talk about leaving some preventative measures, Lin Ling couldn’t be bothered; that wasn’t the point.

Just as Lin Ling was grumbling, a pair of chubby little hands covered her cheeks. A white-haired, blue-eyed, exquisitely delicate cat-eared loli appeared upside down in Lin Ling’s vision.

“Master? What’s wrong? You look so depressed,” the cat loli asked with a worried expression.

This was undoubtedly Little White. After reshaping her body using liquid Gelma metal, Little White had transformed into this delicate and adorable form. However, when Lin Ling wanted to pet a cat, Little White could still revert to her white cat form, perfectly adhering to the “Law of Non-Conservation of Mass.”

Seeing Little White’s worried expression and her endearing face, Lin Ling’s anger subsided slightly.

She began to tell Little White what had just happened.

(Narrating and complaining)

…

“So, when I regain my Samsara memories, will I have a chance to beat that bastard Ifis?”

Hearing Lin Ling’s question, Little White fell silent, but soon replied, “That’s hard to say. It depends on many factors, such as authority, spiritual power attributes, Dusk Steel weapons, and more.”

“What if it’s just a close-quarters fight, like this time?” Lin Ling pressed further. In truth, she didn’t want to defeat her opponent by relying on her cheat-like authority.

Little White flipped over and leaned into Lin Ling’s embrace, finding it more comfortable. “The Creator’s Samsara trials are naturally flawless, Master. Your memories will certainly include all sorts of combat experience, and of course, plenty of fighting techniques. However…”

Little White hesitated slightly, glancing at Lin Ling.

“It’s fine, just say it.”

Having received Lin Ling’s permission, Little White spoke without reservation, though she had genuinely been worried about hurting Lin Ling’s pride and confidence.

“While the Samsara trial memories will significantly boost your strength, Master, don’t forget that the Elven Emperor Ifis also underwent Samsara trials. His experience in this regard is inherently no weaker than yours. Moreover, Ifis’s formidable reputation, unlike the Dragon Emperor or the Phoenix Emperor, was earned through killing. From becoming a Battle Sovereign and quelling the Elven civil war, eliminating transgressors who encroached upon the outer realms, to slaying countless Sky Prison Beasts, and even many hostile individuals within the Origin Star Universe—the combat experience he has accumulated far surpasses that of most other Battle Sovereigns. Relying solely on trial memories, Master, you will likely find it very difficult to defeat him.”

Though she had a general idea, given that he ranked fifth yet was the third Battle Sovereign, his strength was certainly not to be underestimated.

Still, the more Lin Ling listened, the more frustrated she became. ‘Sigh, it’s not without reason. It seems getting my revenge won’t be so easy. But a gentleman’s revenge is never too late; I’ll get him back someday!’

Lin Ling silently made up her mind.

Just then, the teleportation array in the living room glowed with a cherry-blossom hue. A woman with long black hair, dressed in a white dress, emanating the aura of a Yamato Nadeshiko literary girl, emerged from the light.

(The following dialogue is in Sakura language.)

She walked directly to the center of the hall, knelt beside Lin Ling, and greeted her with grace and gentleness: “Welcome, Lord Rothchild. Are you satisfied with the villa this humble one has prepared?”

Lin Ling looked up at the woman from Sakura Nation and smiled helplessly.

“I’m very satisfied, but didn’t I tell you not to call me ‘Lord,’ Sakuragi?”

“That simply won’t do. As a servant, one cannot overstep one’s bounds.”

“You, you…” Lin Ling’s words carried a touch of helplessness.

“Lord Rothchild, you’ll have to get used to it slowly.”

The woman called Sakuragi returned a smile, replying with a respectful yet slightly playful tone.