"Weiwei, your mother, and the future of the Phoenix clan now rest with you."
Chu Ze looked at his daughter with affection. She was a citizen of the Phoenix clan, and if someone had to bear responsibility, he would do it for them.
"Father..." Chu Lingwei's eyes flickered.
"Weiwei, listen to your father. Return to the Spiritual Cultivation Academy and cultivate diligently. Only when you become strong can the Phoenix clan walk openly on the Xuantian Continent."
Chu Ze interrupted Chu Lingwei. Only with powerful abilities could those who coveted the Phoenix clan's sacred tree be repelled.
"Alright."
Chu Lingwei nodded vigorously. "Father, don't worry, I will protect Mother."
"You are truly Father's good daughter."
Chu Ze gently patted his daughter's shoulder. As long as mother and daughter were alive, he would die without regret.
The next day.
Chu Lingwei sat in her courtyard, looking at the projection stone sent by her second senior brother and the others. She was speechless.
Now, the entire Xuantian Continent knew that she had destroyed the lake in Jingliang Forest, and many people were already preparing to crusade against her.
"Weiwei, I'm back."
Illusion Cat jumped in front of Chu Lingwei. "I've brought Third Senior Brother back."
"Third Senior Brother?"
Chu Lingwei sat up straight and waved her hand, opening the courtyard gate.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, Fellow Daoist Su Yan of the Spiritual Cultivation Academy is looking for you," the Dragon Mansion steward appeared at the courtyard gate and informed her.
"Thank you."
Chu Lingwei followed the steward to the reception hall of the Dragon Mansion and saw Third Senior Brother waiting for her inside.
"Third Senior Brother, why are you in Lingzhou?" Chu Lingwei had not seen Third Senior Brother when she last returned to the Spiritual Cultivation Academy.
"I've been in Lingzhou. I heard you were at the Dragon Mansion, so I specifically came to find you." Su Yan stood up and smiled at his junior sister, thinking that his junior sister really loved to cause trouble.
"Third Senior Brother, are you training in Jingliang Forest?"
Chu Lingwei secretly thought, could Third Senior Brother be bringing his spirit beasts to Jingliang Forest to help them improve their cultivation?
"Yes, I didn't expect to meet junior sister here." Su Yan admitted. This time, he had come specifically for the lake in Jingliang Forest, only to have it destroyed by his junior sister.
Chu Lingwei, "..." She hadn't expected it to be true.
"Junior sister, when do you plan to return to the Spiritual Cultivation Academy?" Junior sister was once famous on the Xuantian Continent, only to be praised. Now, after destroying that lake, she was hated by many cultivators.
It would be dangerous for her to travel alone.
Chu Lingwei thought of her father's instructions last night and the expectations of her maternal uncle and the others. Her heart stirred, "I'll do as Third Senior Brother arranges."
"Master wishes for us to return as soon as possible."
Su Yan nodded. Today, he had come specifically to take Chu Lingwei back. Her staying here would only bring disaster to the Dragon Mansion.
"Alright, I'll go inform the Dragon Mansion's patriarch."
After Chu Lingwei bid farewell to her maternal uncle and the others, she left the Dragon Mansion with her Third Senior Brother, Su Yan.
As soon as they walked out onto the street, scrutinizing gazes swept over her.
"Third Senior Brother, do you think all the cultivators in Lingzhou City wish to kill me?" Chu Lingwei saw anger and killing intent in their gazes.
"You destroyed that lake, equivalent to cutting off these people's path to improving their spirit beasts' cultivation. Tell me, how could they not hate you?"
Su Yan's sharp gaze swept over those people, and the scrutinizing gazes on Chu Lingwei instantly disappeared.
"If they dare to lay a hand on you, you can kill them directly."
This time, Su Yan did not transmit his voice. The cultivators who had been scrutinizing Chu Lingwei trembled. "We, the Spiritual Cultivation Academy, will absolutely not allow anyone to bully you."
"Thank you, Third Senior Brother."
Chu Lingwei's heart warmed upon hearing Third Senior Brother's unconditional protection.
"We absolutely do not permit the enhancement of our Spiritual Cultivation Academy's power through crooked means. Weiwei, you did very well this time."
Su Yan nodded. All the cultivators who had entered that lake knew there was a problem, but improving spirit beast cultivation was equivalent to improving their own combat power, and many could not resist its temptation.
This statement sent a shock through the cultivators who still harbored a sliver of anger towards Chu Lingwei, and they quickly retreated.
"So, Third Senior Brother already knew that lake had a problem." That's right, Third Senior Brother was skilled in beast taming. If he came here, he would surely have gone to the lake in Jingliang Forest.
"Let's leave Lingzhou first."
Su Yan led Chu Lingwei away without delay, leaving Lingzhou City.
There were too many watchful eyes here, especially demonic cultivators. Chu Lingwei had ruined their good deed, and they would not be as concerned about the Spiritual Cultivation Academy as the cultivators of the Xuantian Continent.
"Weiwei, let's leave first." After leaving Lingzhou City, Su Yan summoned his flying artifact and took Chu Lingwei towards the Spiritual Cultivation Academy.
Chu Lingwei scanned the surroundings with her divine sense. There were far more people with hostility towards her in Lingzhou City than she had imagined. Even with Third Senior Brother protecting her, some people were still following them.
"Third Senior Brother, let's find a place to shake them off." Chu Lingwei did not want to just leave like this. She could leave, but her father and maternal uncle could not.
"Weiwei, Master told me to take you back," Su Yan said directly. Master had given orders, and he had to take Chu Lingwei back.
"Third Senior Brother, I still have a very important thing to do." Chu Lingwei could not stand by and watch her loved ones walk to their deaths. She could not do it.
"Weiwei, do you want me to disobey Master's orders?" Su Yan did not slow down his flight. As the saying goes, it is difficult to disobey a master's command. Master wanted him to take his junior sister back, and there must be a reason for it.
Here, he could only sense the aura of Senior Brother and then had no more news.
"Third Senior Brother, I truly have something important to do." Chu Lingwei faced Su Yan. "I cannot watch my loved ones die tragically."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Su Yan's eyes. It was so serious.
"Third Senior Brother, Chu Lingwei begs you, let me leave." Chu Lingwei bowed to Su Yan. This time, she was determined to protect the Phoenix clan.
"Junior sister, do you know you are also in danger?" Su Yan lowered his eyelids. If his relatives were harmed, she would not be spared either.
"Third Senior Brother, if I return with you today, I will surely develop inner demons and stagnate on the path of spiritual cultivation. It's better to follow my heart and be at peace with myself."
Chu Lingwei turned and looked towards Jingliang Forest. This time, she would go and witness the might of that Kunwu mighty figure.
Su Yan looked at his junior sister with a complex and helpless expression. If it were him, he would also choose to face danger alongside his loved ones.
"Alright, I will help you draw those people away." This was junior sister's choice, and Su Yan had no right to decide for her.
"Thank you, Third Senior Brother."
Joy lit up Chu Lingwei's eyes. She found an opportunity and, with Illusion Cat, avoided them. She saw Third Senior Brother's figure disappear before her eyes, followed by the auras of several powerful demonic cultivators.
"These demonic cultivators, their malevolent aura is very similar to the spirit beasts in the Cangshan Secret Realm," Chu Lingwei looked at these demonic cultivators. They must have entered that lake.