<h4>Chapter 1133: Chapter 1140: Shocking Hidden Truths (1)</h4>


    "Ling Family in the south is considered the orthodox lineage of the Ling Family, while our northern Ling Family is descended from Ling Gengqiu. Speaking of which, our ancestor is Ling Gengqiu."


    After listening to Ling Tao’s story, Ling Chen felt confused and couldn’t help but ask, "But as far as I know, isn’t Ling Gengqiu’s lineage supposed to only include me? How did so many people suddenly appear?"


    Ling Tao smiled, nodded, and said, "I understand your confusion, so what I’m about to tell you next is the greatest secret of the Ling Family." At this point, Ling Tao paused slightly and looked at Ling Chen, asking, "How much do you know about Ling Gengqiu’s life?"


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion once provided me with a document that recorded Ling Gengqiu’s life events. Ling Gengqiu was considered a yboy, leaving romantic ties everywhere, andter his wife ruined him, leading him to be a monk. The Prajnaparamita Sutra is a cultivation technique Ling Gengqiu created during his monastic life. Later, Ling Gengqiu left behind a pile of relics and then disappeared; no one knows where he died of old age. That’s all I know, I don’t know if it’s correct?"


    "What you said is correct, but you only know part of it, the part before Ling Gengqiu disappeared. I think you must bepletely unaware of the events after his disappearance, which is the secret I’ll tell you."


    Ling Tao took a sip of water, moistened his throat, and then slowly said, "To outsiders, it seemed like Ling Gengqiu disappeared, but in fact, he changed his name and identity, re-entered the secr world, and began a new life. Also, the key point I’d like to tell you is that although Ling Gengqiu was ruined by his wife, he still had the ability to reproduce."


    "That’s impossible!" Ling Chen blurted out. Anyone withmon sense knows that a man who has lost his manhood can’t possibly have offspring. Moreover, medical skills in that era were far less advanced than today’s. Unless...unless Ling Gengqiu’s manhood was only cut halfway. If that’s the case, it might be possible to continue to reproduce.


    Ling Tao seemed unsurprised by Ling Chen’s astonishment, he smiled and said, "Our ancestor was different from ordinary people, many things that seemed impossible happened to him. Not only that, ording to the information we have and verified by multiple parties, back then Ling Gengqiu indeed became a eunuch. Nevertheless, Ling Gengqiu still fathered offspring. Don’t think I’m fooling you; in fact, our existence is the best evidence."


    "Ling Chen, you and your father’s lineage were born before Ling Gengqiu’s incident, while we... were fathered after Ling Gengqiu changed his identity. Moreover, our amorous ancestor didn’t change his ways after adopting new identities, didn’t stop getting involved in affairs, and owed numerous emotional debts, spawning countless illegitimate children. Those illegitimate children mostly didn’t take Ling Gengqiu’s surname but followed their mother’s."


    "As far as I know, Ling Gengqiu adopted three identities altogether. You can imagine how many women he harmed in his lifetime. Of course, those details aren’t the most important; the key is that each of Ling Gengqiu’s identitiessted sixty to seventy years."


    "Sixty to seventy years?" Ling Chen widened his eyes, doubting if he had misheard, "This... how is this possible? Each identitysts sixty years, adding up to nearly two hundred years altogether. Are you telling me our ancestor lived two to three hundred years?"


    At that moment, Ling Chen suddenly recalled a top-secret document he had seen previously. That document was obtained from the God Organization’s hands and had records about Ling Gengqiu. Moreover, the content in that document didn’t differ much from what Ling Tao said. At the time, he thought the document was ridiculous; whether ancient or modern times, such a thing was impossible.


    Though some individuals have lived long lives, their lifespans generally do not exceed one hundred and thirty years. Someone like Ling Gengqiu, who lived two to three hundred years, is absolutely non-existent.


    Holding that thought, Ling Chen dismissed the top-secret document as a joke and didn’t take it seriously. Now, listening to Ling Tao’s story, Ling Chen finally realized that the content in that document might all be true.


    Seeing Ling Chen’s shocked reaction, Ling Tao smiled slightly and said, "I know it’s unbelievable, even akin to fantasy, but I can definitely tell you it’s real. Using today’s science to exin, the human body is like a treasury yet to be explored, containing numerous unknowns. We may not have discovered its secrets, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen."


    Ling Chen agreed with Ling Tao’s statement. Modern science has advanced significantly and has confirmed that gic mutations are possible. Perhaps his ancestor was just one of those exceptions.


    "Ling Gengqiu thought no one knew his secret, but regardless of what secret it is, it will eventually be discovered over time. The one who discovered this secret wasn’t anyone else, but the southern Ling Family."


    "Given that Ling Gengqiu lived so many years, those in the Ling Family who knew him should be dead. Why would anyone recognize him?"


    "Well... you can’t me others; the me lies with Ling Gengqiu himself; it’s all enthusiasm that caused the trouble." With that, Ling Tao couldn’t help but sigh.


    After listening to Ling Tao’s story, Ling Chen was left somewhat amused and speechless; his ancestor truly aligned with a popr saying nowadays.


    Don’t dig your own grave, and you won’t die!


    Back then, after Ling Gengqiu adopted a new identity, he encountered a beautiful woman on the street. With Ling Gengqiu’s enthusiasm, he naturally became infatuated. For that reason, Ling Gengqiu exerted his charm, persistently pursuing, and eventually won over the beauty.


    However, Ling Gengqiu never expected that the beauty’s husband was someone from the Ling Family. Not only that, but Ling Gengqiu was caught red-handed.


    Although those in the Ling Family who recognized Ling Gengqiu were dead, Ling Gengqiu’s portrait had always been preserved in the Ling family’s ancestral hall as a member of the lineage. Therefore, when the Ling Family saw Ling Gengqiu, they assumed they were mistaken. After all, how could the person from the portraits still be alive?


    At the time, the Ling Family thought it was a coincidence; so many years had passed, Ling Gengqiu couldn’t possibly still be alive. But there was a very conspicuous feature on Ling Gengqiu’s face. Previously, when observing those Clones, Ling Chen also noticed that Ling Gengqiu had a mole on his nose and at the corner of his mouth.


    If it was just physical resemnce, it might indeed be a coincidence, but the moles in identical positions were clearly not coincidental. Realizing he had caused massive trouble and exposed his whereabouts, Ling Gengqiu fled discreetly before the Ling Family could confront him.