Chu Lingwei smiled and turned her head, saying to Xie Lian, "Xie Lian, I have something to say to Senior Brother Ye privately."
"Okay, I'll wait for you ahead," Xie Lian replied with a naive smile and turned to leave.
"Senior Brother Ye, what do you need me for?" Chu Lingwei looked at Ye Bingcheng and smiled, "Senior Brother Ye, I really don't understand, why go to such great lengths to get close to Xie Lian? What is it for?"
Ye Bingcheng's expression froze, not expecting Chu Lingwei to be so direct.
"Junior Sister Chu, I just feel that Junior Sister Xie's personality is very much like my sister, so I have been taking extra care of her."
"I recall Senior Brother Ye doesn't have a sister, does he?" Chu Lingwei was already aware of Ye Bingcheng's experiences from childhood to the present.
"Junior Sister Chu, you must have some misunderstanding about me." Ye Bingcheng cleared his throat, his expression very serious. "I was close with Junior Sister Chu Xiyin before, but ever since I came to Xiuling Academy, I have had no further dealings with her."
Chu Lingwei raised an eyebrow. They had severed ties so quickly.
Ye Bingcheng was a man destined for great things.
"Moreover, Xuanxin Sect and Renyan Sect are currently on good terms, which I absolutely cannot accept." A flicker of sadness crossed Ye Bingcheng's eyes. "Junior Sister Chu, you should know that my family was killed by disciples of Renyan Sect."
"Xuanxin Sect and Renyan Sect are on good terms?" Chu Lingwei was surprised.
Ye Bingcheng gave a wry smile and nodded. "Junior Sister often meditates in seclusion and is unaware of external affairs. A year ago, Xuanxin Sect suddenly resolved its differences with Renyan Sect. Publicly, the two major sects are on good terms, which is a good thing. But we disciples of Xuanxin Sect all know that Xuanxin Sect is bowing to Renyan Sect."
"The current Xuanxin Sect is no longer what it once was."
Listening to Ye Bingcheng's words, Chu Lingwei furrowed her brows. Had Xuanxin Sect declined so rapidly?
If what Ye Bingcheng said was true, he was seeking reconciliation and pledging his loyalty.
"Are there any messages from Chu Xiyin?" Since he was pledging loyalty, he needed to show sincerity.
"I... I haven't received any messages from Junior Sister Chu. The messages I sent have received no reply," Ye Bingcheng said truthfully.
At this moment, he absolutely could not let Chu Lingwei dislike him and expel him from Xiuling Academy.
"However, I would like to have news of Chu Xiyin."
Ye Bingcheng was recommended to Xiuling Academy by Xuanxin Sect due to his talent and ability. How could such an elite disciple not have a few close friends in the sect?
The absence of news was a lie.
"If Junior Sister Chu wishes to know, I will go and inquire right away." Ye Bingcheng had already made up his mind.
"From now on, do not disturb Xie Lian," Chu Lingwei's voice turned cold.
Ye Bingcheng felt bitter and nodded in agreement, "Junior Sister Xie is busy with her cultivation, I will certainly not disturb her practice."
Ye Bingcheng was quite discerning. After stating his position, he left directly.
Xie Lian saw him leave and ran over.
"Weiwei, what are his intentions towards you?"
"I don't know, but he probably won't bother you again. Just avoid him if you see him." She believed Ye Bingcheng would not tell Xie Lian her true identity; he wouldn't make such a foolish mistake.
Xie Lian giggled, "So, he was trying to please you by getting close to me."
Chu Lingwei smiled without speaking, seeing the dazzling red of the sunset in the sky, and bid Xie Lian farewell. "I must go."
"Alright, take care." The smile on Xie Lian's face disappeared, replaced by worry in his eyes.
Training expeditions also meant danger.
How many people went out for training and never returned.
Chu Lingwei directly used the teleportation array to the entrance of Xiuling Academy. Her second and third senior brothers had been waiting for a long time.
"My two senior brothers have kept me waiting."
"Let's go. Tonight we can sleep on our spiritual artifacts." Nangong Luo waved his hand, and a long sword enlarged to the size of a ship.
The group sat on the flying sword and soon left the area of Xiuling Academy.
"Senior brothers, why haven't I seen Senior Brother?" Chu Lingwei was about to go out for training and went to bid farewell to Senior Brother, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Senior Brother has returned to his clan. We might encounter him on this trip."
Nangong Luo sat on the flying sword, playing chess with Su Yan, and waved to Chu Lingwei. "Junior Sister, come and see. Who will win this game?"
"Is there a bet?" Chu Lingwei looked at the chessboard on the table. The game was evenly matched.
Su Yan smiled, "That's a good idea."
"Let's bet on your spirit beast," Nangong Luo became even more enthusiastic. He had always coveted his junior brother's spirit beast, but the latter was too stingy.
"I think your ninth-grade Divine Soul Pill is quite good," Su Yan smiled. That ninth-grade Divine Soul Pill was something even the elders of the academy desired.
Nangong Luo took a deep breath. It was not yet certain who would lose.
For a moment, both Nangong Luo and Su Yan focused their attention on the chess game, as it involved something very important to them.
Chu Lingwei found it amusing. Who would have thought that the two esteemed mysterious disciples of Xiuling Academy would be desperately trying to win what the other possessed?
Chu Lingwei sat aside, watching them play chess, while looking at the fast-moving wind and clouds. Occasionally, cultivators on their flying swords would rush past.
"Today, we will rest here for the night."
This game of chess finally ended with Su Yan's victory. Nangong Luo, who had been longing for his spirit beast, did not get it and even lost a ninth-grade Divine Soul Pill, leaving him in a bad mood.
Third Senior Brother Su Yan was in high spirits. He strode into the inn and booked three rooms for the three of them.
Back in her room, Chu Lingwei took the opportunity to enter her space. Feng Ming had not yet woken up, but the spiritual energy around her had stabilized. This half-stalk of ten-thousand-year-old blood ginseng had healed a large portion of her injuries.
Chu Lingwei did not stay in her space for long, fearing that her senior brothers might call for her at any moment, so she began cultivating in her room.
In the middle of the night, a powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy came from outside.
Chu Lingwei's eyes snapped open. She quickly opened the window and saw several streaks of light flying across the sky.
Heavenly Transformation Realm experts.
The place where they stopped was a city called Yilan City, located at the border between Xuantian Continent and Xiuling Academy.
Because it was adjacent to Xiuling Academy, it had always been peaceful and favored by cultivators. It was very prosperous, with powerful figures appearing occasionally.
"Junior Sister, did you see who they were?" Nangong Luo landed by Chu Lingwei's window, his eyes no longer showing the previous day's dejection.
"No, they should be experts in the Three Realms." Chu Lingwei could only sense the powerful auras of those figures.
Nangong Luo jumped directly into Chu Lingwei's room and sat down at the table. As an alchemist, his combat ability was not very strong. "Junior Brother has already gone to investigate. We just need to wait for news here."
"There is fighting energy outside the city," Chu Lingwei looked towards the direction of the city. The spiritual energy vibrations made the air here heavy.
When experts clashed, no one dared to step forward to investigate.
"Yes, those people escaped from the Yilan City Lord's mansion." Nangong Luo's eyes flickered. It seemed he had to go and investigate the Yilan City Lord's mansion.