"This is outrageous."
Lan Xingyi, upon hearing Weiwei's words, angrily slammed his hand onto the table, which then collapsed with a roar.
Leng Wangsheng's life was now intertwined with the Sacred Tree. Did this not tell everyone who coveted their Sacred Tree that the Sacred Tree could indeed protect them from death?
If this continued, their Phoenix clan would only be suppressed.
"Weiwei, how is Leng Wangsheng now?" Lan Xingning asked.
"His spiritual energy is depleted, and his lifespan is nearing its end."
"He's dying?" Lan Xingyi was shocked. Leng Wangsheng's lifespan nearing its end meant the Sacred Tree was withering again.
"He won't die in a short time." Senior Brother had said that to truly revive the Sacred Tree, they had to go to the Divine Realm. "Uncle, what will happen to us, the citizens of the Phoenix clan, if the Sacred Tree withers?"
"We will die."
Lan Xingning's expression was grave. "The lives of all our Phoenix clan citizens are connected to the Sacred Tree. If the Sacred Tree withers, there will be no one of the Phoenix clan left in this world."
"What is our relationship with the Sacred Tree?" Chu Lingwei asked again.
"Weiwei... didn't your mother tell you that the Sacred Tree bestows life upon us citizens of the Phoenix clan? It is our Tree of Life." Lan Xingyi said this with reverence, like a devout believer whose faith could not be shaken.
Chu Lingwei: "..." This was different from what Senior Brother had told her.
"Weiwei, your parents are currently at the Southern Sea Reefs. If you wish to see them, you can go there to find them." Lan Xingning told Chu Lingwei the whereabouts of Chu Ze and Lan Yuexi, believing that Weiwei would definitely want to see her parents now.
Upon hearing her parents' location, Chu Lingwei's heart rejoiced.
"Okay."
Meanwhile.
"Where is Fellow Daoist Chu?" Long Ziqian followed a guard to the main gate, but did not see Chu Lingwei.
"Young Master, Fellow Daoist Chu was just here." The guard was also a little confused; Chu Lingwei had indeed been there a moment ago.
Long Ziqian waved his hand and released his divine sense to try and locate Chu Lingwei, but it was blocked by a restriction.
"You may go."
Long Ziqian walked towards his grandfather's courtyard.
Chu Lingwei had come out for trials and to seek opportunities. She was not in a hurry to return, so she planned to stay at the Dragon Manor for a few more days.
As she walked out of her uncle's courtyard, she saw Long Ziqian not far from the entrance.
"Fellow Daoist Chu."
"Young Master Long, it's been a long time."
"Fellow Daoist Chu, ten years have passed, and your cultivation has improved so rapidly." Long Ziqian sensed Chu Lingwei's cultivation and couldn't help but marvel; her cultivation speed could only be described as monstrous.
"Young Master Long is not bad either."
Ten years ago, Long Ziqian was in the early stage of the Ruan Tian Realm. In ten years, he had already cultivated to the middle stage of the Ruan Tian Realm and would soon reach the peak, his speed being slightly faster than that of sect disciples.
Long Ziqian gave a wry smile. He had cultivated diligently for the past ten years, but compared to Chu Lingwei, there was still a significant gap.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, allow me to be a host this time. Would you like me to take you on a tour of Lingzhou?" Long Ziqian extended an invitation at the opportune moment.
"I am honored to accept. Thank you, Young Master Long."
"Fellow Daoist Chu, you can call me Ziqian. 'Young Master Long' is a term used by outsiders."
Long Ziqian escorted Chu Lingwei to the courtyard where she had previously resided. "This place has always been kept for you, Fellow Daoist Chu."
"Thank you."
Long Ziqian did not enter with Chu Lingwei. After arranging to meet the next day, he turned and left.
"Big Brother, Ziqian and Weiwei are close friends? Could it be..." Lan Xingyi sensed Long Ziqian's aura and frowned. He was worried that it might bring danger to Ziqian.
"Ziqian is grown up now, and it's time for him to take on his responsibilities."
Long Ziqian would be the future patriarch of their Phoenix clan and must grow quickly. Being with Weiwei might be of some help to him.
Lan Xingyi nodded and flashed away.
"Weiwei, should we go to the Southern Sea Reefs?" Weiwei's parents were at the Southern Sea Reefs, and Weiwei would surely want to go there.
"If Father and Mother haven't sent me a message talisman in return, we will go to the Southern Sea Reefs."
After emerging from seclusion, Chu Lingwei had immediately sent a message talisman to her parents, but had not received a response.
The next day.
Chu Lingwei had not cultivated last night and slept until she woke naturally. As she opened her eyes, the sunlight fell on her face, warm and comfortable.
"Let's go. We'll go out and explore Lingzhou City."
Chu Lingwei, holding Feng Ming's hand, had just stepped out of the courtyard when she saw Long Ziqian approaching them.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, the weather is nice today."
"It is indeed."
The two walked unhindered out of the Dragon Manor and onto the streets of Lingzhou. People bustled about, and it was common to see cultivators of the Ling Lun Realm and Ruan Tian Realm.
After the lake in Jingliang Forest was destroyed, all the demon cultivators there had left. The high-level spirit beasts in the forest seemed to have automatically retreated to the deepest parts of Jingliang Forest.
This had become a good place for cultivators of the Ling Lun Realm and Ruan Tian Realm to gain experience.
Lingzhou City, in fact, was more lively than it had been before.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, have you noticed that it's more lively here than before?" Long Ziqian walked beside Chu Lingwei, gesturing to Lingzhou City today with a smile. "Major sects have established outposts here."
Hearing this, Chu Lingwei's brow twitched. Sect outposts were usually established in the liveliest or largest areas, or they had sect shops within their territories.
Clearly, Lingzhou City did not meet these conditions for them to establish outposts.
"Established outposts here?" Chu Lingwei asked uncertainly.
"Yes, major sects want a share of the pie here." In the past, demon cultivators often appeared here, and major sects did not want to get involved with them.
Now that the demon cultivators had left, and this was a good place for training, no sect wanted to give up such a good location.
"These sects are really..." Chu Lingwei had a indescribable feeling. The establishment of major sect outposts in Lingzhou City made Chu Lingwei feel that these people were targeting the Phoenix clan.
However, Long Ziqian's reason was impeccable.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, that's the Drunken Spring Pavilion ahead. Would you like to have some spiritual tea?"
The Drunken Spring Pavilion ahead was the place where Chu Lingwei had first met Long Ziqian. At that time, Long Ziqian still had the air of a pampered young master.
"Yes."
As the two entered the shop, a waiter eagerly greeted them.
"Young Master Long, you're here."
"Mm, the usual spot." Long Ziqian arrogantly lifted his head, nostrils flaring, and without even glancing at the waiter, strode towards the second floor.
Chu Lingwei found it amusing; it seemed he was still the same in Lingzhou City.
The waiter quickly led Long Ziqian and Chu Lingwei towards the seat Long Ziqian usually occupied.
Before Long Ziqian could even give an order, exquisite spiritual meals and spiritual tea were already placed on the table.
Chu Lingwei: "..." I thought we were just having spiritual tea.
"We are only having spiritual tea today." Long Ziqian casually glanced at the food on the table, his eyes betraying a hint of impatience.