Their meal could be described as sky-high, and they wondered what their young nephew would think of the price.
After eating, Lan Xingyi slowly strolled through the towns of Lingzhou with Chu Lingwei. He bought her all sorts of beautiful and useful magic artifacts, robes, and elixirs.
"Uncle, you don't need to buy me anything. I have plenty of these," Chu Lingwei said, having refused countless times, yet her second uncle continued to buy.
Chu Lingwei truly couldn't understand if people's kindness was always expressed by constantly stuffing things at her.
Her Master was like this, her senior brother was like this, and her second senior brother and the others were also like this.
"These are gifts from your second uncle. Just take them. You'll definitely find them useful in the future." Lan Xingyi increasingly felt that Chu Lingwei was very similar to her mother, even her expression when refusing people was so alike.
He owed his sister too much and could only compensate her daughter now.
"Second Uncle, we should go back." Chu Lingwei put the items Lan Xingyi had given her into her spatial ring. She glanced at the cultivators following them. "They've been following us for two hours. If we don't go back soon, they'll go mad."
"Let's go."
Lan Xingyi looked at the sky. It was indeed getting late. As soon as he and Chu Lingwei entered the Dragon Mansion's gate, a steward-like cultivator hurried over.
"Daoist Friend Xiang, Daoist Friend Chu, the family head requests your presence in the Family Law Hall."
Her second uncle's name in the Long family was Xiang Heng.
"Family Law Hall?" Chu Lingwei was surprised. They wanted them to go to the Family Law Hall?
"Our young master is currently receiving family punishment," the steward replied with a bow. "The family head wishes for both of you to observe."
Chu Lingwei, "..."
Her eldest uncle must know about what happened at Wangchun Tower today and was punishing Long Ziqian.
Chu Lingwei sighed softly. What a pitiful child.
Chu Lingwei followed her second uncle to the Family Law Hall. Long Ziqian knelt in the center of the hall, with a formation beneath him. An invisible spiritual whip struck Long Ziqian repeatedly.
"Dragon Family Head."
"Dragon Family Head."
Chu Lingwei and Lan Xingyi saluted Lan Xingning.
"Today, my grandson was discourteous. I ask for your forgiveness, two Daoist friends." Lan Xingning glanced coldly at Long Ziqian. He knew he had a new grandson, but he didn't know he was so unruly.
"Dragon Family Head, we only had a slight misunderstanding with young master Long today. The misunderstanding has been resolved, so there should be no need for... such punishment."
The spiritual whip struck Long Ziqian's body again and again, its echoes reverberating in the hall. Chu Lingwei pleaded for him.
Seeing Chu Lingwei intercede for him, a flicker of surprise flashed in Long Ziqian's eyes as he looked at her.
Upon returning to the mansion, he learned that the female cultivator he encountered today was Chu Lingwei, a disciple of the Lingxiu Academy.
"Hmph, so reckless at such a young age. He needs proper discipline." Lan Xingning snorted heavily. This grandson might be the patriarch of their Phoenix Clan and must be held to very strict standards.
"She didn't commit any major offense either." Chu Lingwei truly couldn't understand her eldest uncle's rigid ways at times.
"Yes, Dragon Family Head. Young Master Long did not mistreat us. Our spiritual meal today is still being counted under young master Long's name," Lan Xingyi said, seeing that Weiwei was defending Long Ziqian and feeling it would be wrong not to help.
Lan Xingning was silent for a moment before finally agreeing to their request. The formation beneath Long Ziqian dissipated, and he collapsed heavily onto the ground.
Chu Lingwei quickly stepped forward and fed him an elixir.
"Thank you," Long Ziqian whispered weakly. During the punishment, his spiritual power had been sealed, and he had endured the spiritual whip's strikes solely with his body.
"You're welcome."
"Ziqian, I am taking back your maid." Lan Xingning glanced at the female cultivator kneeling outside. This maid would eventually cause trouble if she remained by Long Ziqian's side.
"Family Head, I am the young master's attendant and will follow him for all eternity." The female cultivator's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she quickly begged Lan Xingning for mercy.
Long Ziqian, his injuries largely healed by Chu Lingwei's elixir, straightened his knees. "I will abide by the Family Head's decision."
The female cultivator's body went limp. A surge of spiritual energy bound her and dragged her away.
"Go back and recover. You are not permitted to leave the Dragon family for six months," Lan Xingning commanded.
"Yes."
Two cultivators stepped forward and quickly escorted Long Ziqian out of the hall.
"Brother, isn't that too harsh on him?" With only the three of them left in the hall, Lan Xingyi voiced his doubt. Their Phoenix Clan had never adhered to strict, bloody methods.
"Only this way will he remember what he cannot do." Lan Xingning was very serious. "Our Dragon family cannot afford any mistakes."
Chu Lingwei silently agreed. The Phoenix Clan lived on the Xuan Tian Continent with extreme caution; they truly couldn't afford to make a single misstep.
Lan Xingyi sighed, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Three days later.
Chu Lingwei opened her eyes from her cultivation.
"Weiwei, that young master of the Long family has already come twice," Huan Mao immediately reported to Chu Lingwei.
"He recovered so quickly?" Chu Lingwei walked to the window, sunlight streaming onto her face, feeling incredibly comfortable.
Huan Mao shook his head. "No, he's been coming to find you while still injured."
"What does he want?" Chu Lingwei found it amusing. What could this young master of the Long family possibly want with her?
"I don't know. He just comes to find you every day." Huan Mao was also puzzled. Why did this young master keep coming to find Weiwei? "Weiwei, do you think he knows your true identity?"
Chu Lingwei tapped her chin. Yesterday, her eldest uncle punishing Long Ziqian made it clear that Long Ziqian should not know her identity.
But if Long Ziqian was intelligent enough, he might figure it out.
In the afternoon.
Chu Lingwei sat in the courtyard with Huan Mao in her arms, enjoying the gentle breeze and sipping spiritual tea, feeling utterly at ease.
"Weiwei, he's here again." Huan Mao sensed Long Ziqian's aura approaching their courtyard and jumped onto the wall, looking down at Long Ziqian.
"May I ask if Daoist Friend Chu is here?" Long Ziqian looked up, smiling as he inquired of Huan Mao.
Chu Lingwei waved her hand, and the courtyard entrance opened along with the barrier.
"What do you need from me?" Chu Lingwei turned her head, smiling at Long Ziqian.
Long Ziqian walked towards her against the light, a gentle smile on his face. This suddenly reminded her of her mother recuperating in her spatial ring.
Long Ziqian bore a striking resemblance to Lan Yuexi.
At this moment, Chu Lingwei wished that Long Ziqian did know her true identity.
"I have come to thank Daoist Friend Chu."
Long Ziqian stopped in front of Chu Lingwei and bowed. "Thank you, Daoist Friend Chu, for the elixir."
Chu Lingwei pursed her lips and smiled, shaking her head. "How did you know the elixir I gave you was a gift for you?"
Long Ziqian's mouth twitched slightly. Wasn't it a gift for him?
"Do you know the value of that elixir I gave you?" Chu Lingwei decided to test her young nephew.