Clearly, Zi Lin Ling was already enraged.
Those who dared to scheme against her, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, should be prepared to be ground to dust with nothing left.
Seeing Zi Lin Ling's fury, Cao You Cheng inwardly cursed his bad luck and quickly stepped forward, pushing Cao You Wei behind him. He chuckled, "Miss Zi, let's talk this through. Please don't be angry yet!"
He wasn't afraid that Zi Lin Ling would kill Cao You Wei in her anger, but rather that she would activate the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array. If that happened, the entire Cao family would be finished.
Let alone the two Grand Elders who were at the half-step God Lord realm, even the Cao family's ultimate trump card—their Ancestor at the God Lord realm—might not be able to protect the family.
After all, the words "God Punishing" in the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array were not mere hyperbole; they truly meant punishing gods!
Cao Zheng Ben harbored the same worry as Cao You Cheng. Thus, he also quickly stepped forward to placate her, "Miss Zi, we can discuss anything. We can discuss anything!"
"Discuss?" Zi Lin Ling asked with a half-smile.
"Yes, yes, discuss! Discuss!" Cao You Cheng and Cao Zheng Ben replied in unison.
Zi Lin Ling shook her head and said, "Did you hear me wrong? I said 'conditions,' not 'discuss!'"
"This..."
Cao You Cheng immediately found himself in a difficult position.
He looked at Cao Zheng Ben, wanting to ask him what to do, but he couldn't speak or even transmit their thoughts.
Even a slight fluctuation of spiritual energy could alert Zi Lin Ling, and she might even intercept their telepathic communication directly.
Fortunately, Cao Zheng Ben was not foolish.
Even with just a look from Cao You Cheng, he understood his meaning.
He signaled Cao You Cheng to keep an eye on Cao You Wei, then, with a fawning smile, said to Zi Lin Ling, "Miss Zi, could you please state your second condition first?"
Zi Lin Ling gave him a cold glance and said, "Since you want to hear it, there's no harm in telling you. My second condition is to request your Cao family's two experts at the half-step God Lord realm to come out and meet me!"
As for what would happen after the meeting, Zi Lin Ling did not elaborate.
Some things were better left unsaid, maintaining an air of mystery.
As expected, Cao Zheng Ben was taken aback. He looked at Cao You Cheng, utterly confused, and gestured with his eyes, asking what Zi Lin Ling meant.
But if even he couldn't figure it out, Cao You Cheng was even more clueless.
Cao You Cheng shook his head, putting on an expression of bewilderment.
Helplessly, Cao Zheng Ben addressed Zi Lin Ling again, "To be frank, Miss Zi, those two are our Cao family's Grand Elders. They are in seclusion year-round and hardly involve themselves in worldly affairs. It would be difficult for you to meet them."
"How about this, Miss Zi? If you have anything to say, you can tell us directly, and we will convey it to them. What do you say?"
"Hmph!"
Zi Lin Ling's expression turned cold, her eyes glinting with frost. The killing intent she had just reined in resurfaced.
She said menacingly, "After all this talk, you don't intend to agree to either of these conditions. Then, what's the point of surrendering!"
"I don't have time to waste here with you. If you have anything to say, say it directly to the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array!"
As Zi Lin Ling spoke, she tossed the array disk in her hand again and rapidly formed seals with her hands.
Since they wouldn't shed tears until they saw the coffin, she would provide one.
As Zi Lin Ling's movements quickened, the Cao family was suddenly enveloped by a powerful will.
This was the destructive will of the Heavenly Dao, nearly shattering the souls of everyone in the Cao family.
Cao You Wei, Cao You Cheng, Cao Zheng Ben, and the more than forty God Kings of the Cao family all changed color. Their legs trembled violently, and a thought arose in their hearts: "I am guilty, I submit."
Not to mention the cultivators below the God King realm.
"Thud! Thud! Thud..."
The sound of knees heavily hitting the ground echoed one after another.
Cao You Cheng hastily shouted, "Miss Zi, wait! We are willing to agree to your conditions!"
Cao Zheng Ben quickly added, "We are willing to let you plant your soul imprint!"
Zi Lin Ling snorted coldly, "Even now, you dare to bargain with me, playing these tricks? Do you truly think I wouldn't dare to annihilate your Cao family?"
As she spoke, she increased the speed of her hand seals by another fraction.
"Miss Zi, please be merciful! We are willing to have soul imprints planted on us, and we will also go and invite the two Grand Elders out of seclusion!" Cao You Cheng said, his face pale with alarm.
"We are willing!"
More than forty God Kings of the Cao family echoed in unison.
Zi Lin Ling let out a mocking laugh. "If you had agreed earlier, wouldn't this have been less troublesome? Truly, you won't shed tears until you see the coffin, and you won't turn back until you hit a dead end!"
"Fine! Once the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array is activated, it cannot be reversed. I can only agree to temporarily halt my hand seals and maintain the current state!"
She said this, then looked at Cao You Cheng. "You will immediately go and invite your two Grand Elders. Tell them that they can choose not to appear, but the Cao family will then become history!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I'll go and invite them now!"
Cao You Cheng quickly agreed and was about to go.
However, under the destructive will of the Heavenly Dao, it was incredibly difficult for him to stand without trembling, let alone walk.
At this moment, an ancient voice echoed within the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array.
"No need to go. We are here!"
As the words fell, two elders with white hair and long beards slowly emerged from the Cao family and stood before Zi Lin Ling.
The taller of the two elders respectfully said to Zi Lin Ling, "Your esteemed presence at the Cao family manor is an honor we have failed to properly welcome. We beg for your forgiveness!"
Zi Lin Ling raised an eyebrow. "Are you the two Grand Elders of the Cao family?"
"Indeed! This old man is Cao Shao Qing, and this is my younger brother, Cao Shao Chen!" the taller elder replied with a smile.
The shorter elder, Cao Shao Chen, also said with a friendly expression, "Miss specifically requested to see us. Now that we are both here, we implore you to show mercy and spare the members of the Cao family."
"Spare them? I wish I could, but once the Vast Expanse God Punishing Array is activated, it is irreversible. Even if I wanted to, I would be powerless!" Zi Lin Ling said with a half-smile.
Cao Shao Qing smiled kindly. "Others may be willing but powerless, but Miss possesses the power! After all, the Chosen One has their unique ways. We implore you to be accommodating!"
The four words "Chosen One" struck the members of the Cao family with utter shock.
They finally recalled the words of Zhuang Xing and Li Bo, and finally understood why Zhuang Xing and Li Bo and their ten companions had betrayed the Cao family so easily.
Cao You Wei, in particular, regretted his actions immensely. He cursed Cao Chun Yu inwardly, "This beast! Who else could he provoke but the Chosen One? Is this not pushing the Cao family into an abyss of eternal damnation?"