All five individuals had their spiritual powers sealed, and above each of their heads, a Soul Suppressing Artifact was used to suppress their souls.
Zi Linling looked at the five people bound to the pillars, and a murderous intent immediately flashed in her eyes.
She gritted out two words through clenched teeth, "Seeking death!"
The clear sky turned dark, and above the Cao family's manor, dark clouds instantly gathered.
The five people tied to the pillars were startled awake by this sudden celestial phenomenon.
Seeing the familiar silhouette, a brilliant light shot from their dazed eyes.
"Miss Zi!"
"President!"
"Sister Zi!"
"Master!"
The five cried out in surprise, their dejected spirits instantly revitalized.
Cao Youwei, the patriarch of the Cao family, approached fearfully, knelt on the ground with a thud, his teeth chattering.
"Miss... Miss Zi, this... this... is... the will of... our... old patriarch... I... I also... dare not... disobey... disobey!"
"Hmph!"
Zi Linling's murderous intent solidified, and she kicked Cao Youwei, who was blocking her path, fiercely away.
"I originally intended to spare your Cao family lineage, but you brought this upon yourselves. Since your Cao family is courting death, then today, the Cao family will be annihilated!"
As she spoke, she summoned the Divine Maiden Palace and fiercely struck the Soul Suppressing Artifacts above the five people's heads.
The Divine Maiden Palace was an ultimate divine artifact capable of collecting all artifacts in the world. Even divine artifacts could not escape being collected by it.
Ever since Zi Linling obtained the Divine Maiden Palace, she had never used it so openly.
Now, with Xuanyuan Xun and the other four captured, she was thoroughly enraged.
This ultimate divine artifact was finally brought forth.
Under the powerful suppression of the ultimate divine artifact, the Divine Maiden Palace, the five Soul Suppressing Artifacts disappeared from the heads of the five individuals in moments. Their soul power was immediately released, and they regained their vitality.
Next, Zi Linling grasped the Dragon Scale Dagger in her hand, and powerful Metal Laws surged into it.
The Dragon Scale Dagger immediately blazed with golden light, and a colossal dragon emerged from it, its scales shimmering like pure gold, incredibly dazzling.
Anger flared in the dragon's eyes as it glared fiercely at the five pillars.
"Dragon Scale Slash!"
As Zi Linling's chilling voice echoed, the golden dragon roared and charged towards the five pillars.
More precisely, it charged towards the five individuals bound to the pillars.
"Clang clang clang!"
The sound of clashing metal rang out, and the Divine Binding Chains that held the five people snapped.
Although Zi Linling was furious and the golden dragon was immensely powerful, they controlled their strength perfectly, leaving no trace of injury on the five individuals.
Xuanyuan Xun laughed heartily, landed gracefully, and with a leap, he was in front of Zi Linling, saying, "Miss Zi, I knew you would return!"
Rong Guang also rushed over with excitement, "President, you're finally back, that's great!"
The moment Shangguan Yulin landed, he darted towards Zi Linling, angrily stating, "Miss Zi, these dogs of the Cao family, relying on their dead old patriarch, actually ambushed us while you were away. We were outnumbered, so we were... captured."
The word "captured" was as faint as a mosquito's hum, as it was not a glorious matter.
Shen Liuxing also landed, spun on his toes, and flew to Zi Linling's side, asking with concern, "Sister Zi, that old geezer said you were trapped to death in some secret realm. Are you hurt?"
Zi Linling's gaze swept across Xuanyuan Xun, Rong Guang, Shangguan Yulin, and Shen Liuxing, and she said gently, "I'm fine, I was just delayed by some matters. As for you, you have suffered."
"We did not suffer!" the four replied in unison.
At this moment, Cao Shaoqing also approached Zi Linling tremblingly, his knees buckling as he knelt on the ground, calling out nervously, "Master!"
The gentleness in Zi Linling's eyes suddenly vanished, and she said coldly, "Cao Shaoqing, don't you owe me an explanation?"
Although she was asking, the chilling intent in her words seemed as if she would flay Cao Shaoqing alive.
Cao Shaoqing's face turned ashen, and he repeatedly kowtowed, "Master, spare my life! Master, please understand!"
"Speak!"
Zi Linling sneered, her sharp command almost startling Cao Shaoqing into losing control of himself.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Cao Shaoqing quickly replied, "Master, originally I was following your orders to guard the old patriarch in the Mirror Flower Secret Realm. But you were gone for more than half a month with no news. I was afraid everyone outside was anxious, so I wanted to inform them that you were safe."
"I thought since the old patriarch's soul power was sealed by you, he couldn't escape, so guarding him outside would be the same. I then found the token to enter the Mirror Flower Secret Realm from the old patriarch and brought him out."
"But as soon as we exited the Mirror Flower Secret Realm, the old patriarch suddenly struck me with a palm. How could I be a match for the old patriarch? I was instantly subdued. Afterwards, the old patriarch took control of the Cao family and ordered everyone in the Cao family to attack these four."
As Cao Shaoqing spoke, he glanced at Xuanyuan Xun, Rong Guang, Shangguan Yulin, and Shen Liuxing, then continued, "Oh, and Zhuang Xing, Li Bo, and others were also attacked."
"Where are Zhuang Xing and the others?" Zi Linling asked with a cold face.
Before Cao Shaoqing could answer, Shangguan Yulin quickly interjected, "They should be fine. The four of us held back most of the Cao family's Divine Kings, and let them leave first. There weren't many Divine Kings dealing with them, so the ten of them should have escaped."
Zi Linling frowned, glared at Cao Shaoqing, and berated him, "Idiot! Utterly useless idiot! I already told you that the Mirror Flower Secret Realm tests soul power and automatically seals the spiritual power and law power of those entering. Upon exiting, the sealed spiritual power and law power will be restored."
"You blithering idiot, you brought a Divine Lord realm expert out of the Mirror Flower Secret Realm. Even if his soul power was sealed by me, a Divine Lord realm expert with spiritual power and law power is something you, a mere Half-step Divine Lord, could handle?"
Cao Shaoqing repeatedly kowtowed, "Master, it was my oversight. Please spare me, Master, please spare me..."
"Enough!"
Zi Linling coldly shouted, "Get up!"
Although it was Cao Shaoqing's dereliction of duty that led to the current situation, Cao Shaoqing had not betrayed her, and she was unwilling to pursue it further.
"Ah?"
Cao Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, then finally reacted and said joyfully, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master, for sparing my life!"
Then, he got up from the ground and stood behind Zi Linling.
Zi Linling loudly declared in a cold voice, "Old man, why don't you come out and face your death!"