"Let's go down and take a look."
Chu Lingwei summoned the Misty Silk Scarf and, with her two little beasts, descended into the depths of the cold cliff.
"Weiwei, there's another high-level formation here." The Phantom Cat jumped in front of Chu Lingwei, its golden eyes flashing. It quickly guided Chu Lingwei into the formation.
As soon as they entered the formation, they heard Chu Chang's voice coming from within.
Chu Lingwei followed the sound and saw Chu Chang standing in front of a circular platform, speaking to a man lying on it.
"Brother, what do you want me to do?"
"The Xuanxin Sect will be destroyed by your hands," a hoarse voice replied, laced with sarcasm.
"Hmph." Chu Chang snorted heavily and laughed loudly, "Brother, I really want to see you witness the day I bring the Xuanxin Sect to prosperity. Alas, you won't be able to."
Chu Lingwei's heart was deeply shaken, and pain surged into her heart. The person lying on the circular platform was her father.
The pain in her heart made her unable to control herself from rushing forward. Feng Ming held Chu Lingwei with its little claws, "Weiwei, don't be impulsive. He's a cultivator at the Hua Tian realm. You can't defeat him."
Chu Lingwei calmed her mind and clenched her fists tightly.
She might be able to handle Su Xianrou, but against Chu Chang, she wasn't very confident.
"Chu Chang, for the sake of our brotherhood, let me see Lingwei one last time." Chu Ze struggled to lift his head, trying to get a clear look at Chang's face. "My lifespan is nearing its end, and I won't stand in your way anymore."
"Chu Chang, that good daughter of yours is truly remarkable." Hearing Chu Lingwei's name, Chu Chang's body radiated anger. "Don't worry, she'll be joining you soon."
"Chu Chang, she's your own niece! She doesn't have spiritual veins and is just an ordinary person. Why won't you spare even her?" Chu Ze became agitated. His daughter was so young, and yet...
Chu Chang chuckled and looked at Chu Ze, who could no longer exert himself. "If you help me resolve this matter, Brother, I might consider sparing her."
Chu Ze fell silent. After a long period of thought, he slowly said, "The Cultivation Academy is not something we can confront."
"So, Brother means there's no solution at all?" Chu Chang's voice turned fierce. He didn't want to confront the Cultivation Academy either. It was all because of his good daughter's actions.
"Sacrifice kin for the greater good, or there's a slim chance of survival."
For the sake of his daughter, Chu Ze had no choice but to speak.
"Phantom Cat, go cause some trouble for the Xuanxin Sect."
Chu Lingwei felt the spiritual energy in her father's body slowly dissipating. The circular platform beneath him was a Spirit-Dispelling Array, capable of absorbing all the spiritual energy and luck from a cultivator, causing them to slowly weaken and die.
The circular platform was already dimming, indicating that Chu Ze's spiritual energy had been completely absorbed.
Just as Chu Chang had said, tonight was likely the night of Chu Ze's demise.
The Phantom Cat responded and quickly left the dungeon. It flew out of the forbidden area and began attacking the formation outside the Chu land.
Upon hearing Chu Ze's answer, Chu Chang snorted inwardly. He was truly useless.
Suddenly, there was a fluctuation of spiritual energy outside the forbidden area, causing Chu Chang's body to tremble and his eyes to darken.
The various sects had not left, and some ill-intentioned individuals might try to sneak into their Xuanxin Sect tonight.
Chu Chang glanced back at Chu Ze. He was already at his wit's end, and even an immortal couldn't save him now. Then, he turned and left.
Chu Chang departed. Chu Lingwei did not appear immediately. Chu Chang was a very cautious person, and this was where Chu Ze was imprisoned. He feared most that this place would be discovered.
A quarter of an hour later, Chu Chang returned.
Seeing that everything was in order, he left and then cast another high-level formation outside.
Once certain that Chu Chang had left, Chu Lingwei slowly approached the Spirit-Dispelling Array. Looking at the dying middle-aged man on it, her nose stung, and her eyes turned red.
Chu Ze suddenly sensed something unusual in front of him. He looked up, but saw nothing.
"Who?!"
Although he had lost all his spiritual power, his perception as a strong cultivator remained.
Chu Lingwei dispelled her invisibility spell and appeared before Chu Ze.
Chu Ze saw a teenage girl standing before him, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. His heart ached, and he trembled as he spoke, "Lingwei, is that you, Lingwei?"
The girl before him resembled his Dao companion the first time he met her.
She must be his daughter, Lingwei.
"Father." Chu Lingwei stepped forward quickly and sent out a surge of spiritual energy, breaking Chu Ze's restraints. Her eyes filled with hatred. "It really was Chu Chang."
"Lingwei, that's wonderful." Tears welled up in Chu Ze's eyes, but a smile of satisfaction graced his face. "To let your father see you one last time before I die... I have no regrets."
Chu Lingwei's expression tightened. This was not the time to talk. She took out a Spirit Nurturing Pill from her spatial storage and fed it to Chu Ze. "Father, don't speak. Lingwei will save you now."
The Spirit Nurturing Pill entered his mouth, giving Chu Ze some strength. However, his body was already too damaged. No pill in the world could help him now.
"Lingwei, listen to your father. Leave the Xuanxin Sect quickly. Your uncle intends to harm you." Chu Ze stopped Chu Lingwei from trying to feed him more medicine and shook his head. "If I leave here, Chu Chang will find out. Moreover, I can't survive tonight..."
Chu Ze didn't want to admit it, but it was the truth. His body wouldn't allow him to see tomorrow's sun.
"Father, drink this spiritual water." Chu Lingwei took out a drop of condensed spiritual essence from her spatial storage, diluted it with spring water, and sent it to Chu Ze's mouth. "His body cannot absorb pills. Now, only this condensed spiritual essence can repair his body and prolong his life."
Chu Ze reluctantly opened his mouth. He didn't want to dash his daughter's hopes.
As the diluted condensed spiritual essence entered his body, his already broken body felt as if it were being moistened. Some parts were even repaired as if new.
"This is..." Chu Ze was greatly astonished.
There was actually something in the world that could repair a body damaged by the Spirit-Dispelling Array.
"Father, how do you feel?" Chu Lingwei saw a faint flush on Chu Ze's face and knew that the condensed spiritual essence was effective for him. "Father, let's leave here first."
Chu Lingwei helped Chu Ze up, intending to leave the Spirit-Dispelling Array.
"Lingwei, Chu Chang added my vital blood to this formation. If I leave, he will know immediately. At that time, neither of us will be able to escape."
Chu Ze shook his head. To obtain the position of Sect Master of the Xuanxin Sect, Chu Chang would not give him any chance to escape.
"I'll find a way."
Chu Lingwei jumped off the Spirit-Dispelling Array, cast a barrier with spatial power, summoned her Ice Jade Cold Frost Sword, and directly struck the Spirit-Dispelling Array.
The sword energy, imbued with spatial power, slashed towards the array. The sword energy split into two as the Spirit-Dispelling Array was destroyed.
Chu Ze's heart gave a jolt, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.