"Third, although you can conceal yourself, the concealment skills of these two behind you are not high."
This woman is too terrifying!
This was the only thought that flashed through Qing Dian's mind after hearing Zi Linling's analysis.
Meticulous, observant, judicious, and composed – was this truly the behavior of a twelve-year-old girl?
She finally understood why her own prince had taken such a liking to this woman.
Qing Dian swallowed hard and asked the question that had been weighing on her heart.
"Are you really Miss Zi San?"
Upon hearing this question, Fu Liuyun also showed a curious expression.
Even Xiong Tai, Li Luo, and Xie Shenghua, who were grinding their teeth, stared intently at Zi Linling.
They were awaiting Zi Linling's answer.
For they were all curious if this woman before them was truly the infamous good-for-nothing of Tianqi.
Zi Linling's gaze swept over Fu Liuyun and the other three with a half-smile before settling on Qing Dian. She said, "Ye Lingyuan didn't send you here to chit-chat, did he?"
Qing Dian was stunned. She hadn't expected Zi Linling to be so cunning, not only refusing to answer her question but also directly changing the subject.
"You're not, are you?"
She probed again.
Zi Linling's lips curled into a smile. "What do you think? Is there another Zi Linling in the Tianqi Kingdom?"
Qing Dian was stunned again.
Zi Linling neither confirmed nor denied the question directly, leaving Qing Dian feeling as though a cat's claws were scratching her heart, an unbearable itch.
It wasn't just her; Fu Liuyun and the others felt the same.
The fat man and the short, stout man had no idea what they were talking about, as they had never considered linking Zi Linling with that good-for-nothing of the Zi family.
The mercenaries had already formed a circle, with Zi Linling standing precisely in the center.
Qing Dian frowned slightly. Although she harbored great animosity towards Zi Linling and wished to kill her, she dared not defy Ye Lingyuan's orders.
She let out a cold hmph and said, "I don't care if you are the Zi family's good-for-nothing or not, but I must tell you, you are not someone our Prince can harbor ambitions for. So, you'd best stay far away from him!"
"Oh? Is that so? Did Ye Lingyuan send you with that message?"
Zi Linling's smile deepened.
Those who knew her well would understand that at this moment, Zi Linling was... angry!
The deeper her smile, the angrier she became.
Qing Dian was rendered speechless.
Zi Linling's eyes suddenly turned sharp. She reprimanded, "Who do you think you are, to be barking orders at me?"
"Don't you know why Ye Lingyuan sent you here? If you can't even grasp your own duties, how dare you spout such nonsense here?"
"I really don't know when Ye Lingyuan's judgment became so poor, keeping such an idiot by his side?"
Qing Dian's pretty face turned red with anger. She glared at Zi Linling, her voice trembling, "You..."
Before she could utter another word, Zi Linling interrupted her.
"What about me! Did I say anything wrong? If you can handle this task, do it. If not, get lost!"
Qing Dian was so angry her lungs felt like they would explode.
When had she ever been reprimanded like this? Even her own Prince had never embarrassed her so publicly.
Who did Zi Linling think she was, to dare trample her dignity on the ground?
"I'll kill you!"
Qing Dian's rationality was consumed by rage. Disregarding everything, she launched an attack on Zi Linling.
"Deputy Commander, no!"
The two shadow guards behind Qing Dian rushed forward to stop her, but it was too late.
Firstly, they hadn't anticipated Qing Dian's sudden move. Secondly, Qing Dian's cultivation was far superior to theirs.
Therefore, despite their intention to intervene, they were unable to do so.
Seeing Qing Dian charging towards her, Zi Linling's lips curved into a cold sneer.
A whip formed from wood spiritual power instantly took shape, and Zi Linling grasped it in her hand.
"For Ye Lingyuan's sake, I won't kill you, but while the death penalty can be avoided, punishment for the living cannot. A small lesson, take three lashes from me!"
As Zi Linling's words fell, the whip in her hand struck Qing Dian from a tricky angle.
"Crack, crack, crack!"
Three consecutive lashes landed on Qing Dian's abdomen, her back, and her buttocks.
The enraged Qing Dian was momentarily stunned by the blows. Her attack faltered, and she stood frozen in place, looking at Zi Linling in disbelief.
Because she hadn't detected how Zi Linling's whip had landed on her at all.
Moreover, she realized that the moment Zi Linling's whip struck her, her spiritual power felt sealed.
Too terrifying!
"For Ye Lingyuan's sake, get out!"
Zi Linling's cold shout snapped Qing Dian out of her shock.
Upon regaining her senses, Qing Dian became even more enraged and humiliated. She shrieked hysterically, "I'll kill you!"
Saying this, she prepared to attack Zi Linling again.
The two shadow guards, who had failed to restrain Qing Dian earlier, were already terrified. How could they allow her to attack Zi Linling again?
They held onto Qing Dian tightly and shouted, "Deputy Commander, calm down!"
"Deputy Commander, the Prince sent us to protect the Princess Consort!"
The furious Qing Dian felt as though a bucket of cold water had been doused over her, chilling her to the bone.
She suddenly sobered up, cold sweat streaming down her face.
She couldn't imagine the punishment she would face for defying the Prince's orders.
If it were merely punishment, it would be bearable, but what she feared most...
She wasn't afraid of punishment, but she feared never being able to remain by the Prince's side.
Zi Linling sneered, "Awake now? Since you're awake, be gone! I don't want a venomous snake lying in wait by my side!"
"Princess Consort! The Deputy Commander was just temporarily bewitched. I beg the Princess Consort for forgiveness!"
One shadow guard knelt and bowed.
The other shadow guard also knelt and said, "Please, Princess Consort, spare the Deputy Commander this time!"
As shadow guards of the Underworld Prince's Mansion, they knew how terrifying the rules of the mansion were.
If Deputy Commander Qing Dian returned like this, she would likely never walk out of the torture chamber.
Zi Linling remained unmoved and said coldly, "Either she leaves, or you leave with her!"
She was no saintly Virgin Mary, and would not easily forgive those who harbored hostility towards her.
Furthermore, Qing Dian's animosity towards her had already turned into murderous intent.
Such a ticking time bomb, she absolutely could not keep.
As for the current situation, she had her own ways of resolving it.
The two shadow guards still wanted to plead further, but upon meeting Zi Linling's stern gaze, they involuntarily fell silent.
Ultimately, Deputy Commander Qing Dian's attack on the Princess Consort had crossed a line.
The fact that the Princess Consort had not killed her was already giving the Prince face.
If the Prince himself were present, Deputy Commander Qing Dian would likely have been sent to the netherworld long ago.