"Who?!"
Lan Xingyi discovered that there were cultivators around them and quickly stood in front of Chu Lingwei, coldly shouting.
The spiritual power Chu Lingwei sent out was scattered, and a person in black appeared before them.
Lan Xingyi was stunned when he saw the newcomer, his eyes suddenly reddened, "Big Brother."
Chu Lingwei recognized the person before her, the patriarch of the Phoenix clan. This address of "Big Brother" from her second uncle further confirmed his identity.
"Xingyi." Lan Xingning saw his own brother, whose cultivation had been greatly depleted. He stepped forward, placed his right hand on his shoulder, and said, "You've worked hard."
"Big Brother, this is what I should do. Serving the Phoenix clan is not hard."
They hadn't seen their elder brother for a full fifty years. Seeing him again, Lan Xingyi was filled with emotion. He once thought he would never see his elder brother again.
"Good." Lan Xingning nodded, his gaze sweeping over Lan Xingyi's shoulder to Chu Lingwei's face. "Weiwei, you haven't disappointed us."
"Big Brother, Weiwei is Xixi's daughter." Lan Xingyi excitedly grabbed his elder brother's arm and brought him before Chu Lingwei. "She looks very much like Xixi."
Lan Xingning reached out, removing the disguise from his face, revealing a face similar to Lan Xingning's and six-tenths resemblance to Lan Yuexi.
"Weiwei, this is your eldest uncle, Lan Xingning, the patriarch of our Phoenix clan." Lan Xingyi introduced Chu Lingwei. Her elder brother had always concealed his true appearance, so he assumed Weiwei had never seen his true face.
"...Eldest Uncle."
Chu Lingwei paused slightly. She had already reunited with her mother and second uncle, so reuniting with her eldest uncle was only a matter of time.
"Weiwei, you don't blame me?" Lan Xingning thought she would resent him for making her do different things all along.
"I do," Chu Lingwei stated frankly, "but I can understand."
Chu Lingwei could understand all of Lan Xingning's actions: leading her to the Cangshan secret realm, leading her to the Ice Extreme Cliff, all to continuously improve her cultivation.
Lan Xingning smiled with relief, "Good."
"Thank you for rescuing our Phoenix clan cultivators." Lan Xingning's smile faded, his expression becoming solemn.
Lan Xingyi was shocked. Weiwei had said she hadn't rescued the Phoenix clan cultivators.
Chu Lingwei's face stiffened. She had said that intending to gauge Lan Xingning's reaction. She hadn't expected him to know that those people weren't dead.
"I am the patriarch of the Phoenix clan. After the death of a Phoenix clan cultivator, I can sense it." Lan Yuexi was his own sister, and as her elder brother, he would know of her fate immediately.
When Chu Lingwei said she hadn't rescued the Phoenix clan cultivators, Lan Xingning knew Chu Lingwei was saying it intentionally.
"...So, he knew everything."
"...Yes, they are not dead." Chu Lingwei felt a bit dejected. She had never won a single round against the patriarch of the Phoenix clan.
Seeing Chu Lingwei's helpless expression, Lan Xingning smiled. Sensing several auras approaching them, his eyes sharpened.
"This place is not suitable for staying long. Let's go back."
Saying this, he brought Chu Lingwei and the others onto his flying artifact and quickly departed from Xiushui's shores.
Three days later.
Chu Lingwei followed her two uncles to the largest city on the Xuantian Continent, Lingzhou, located at the very center of the continent, between Zhaoyang Mountain and Xiuling Academy.
"Have you always lived here?"
Chu Lingwei followed them to the gates of a cultivation family. Two large characters, "Long Mansion," were inscribed on the plaque.
"Yes, we have always lived here."
Lan Xingning nodded, reasoning that to avoid those who were intentionally searching, one didn't necessarily need to hide in deep mountains and forests. A bustling city could be the best place to conceal oneself.
"Welcome home, Patriarch."
At this moment, several cultivators hurried out from the gate and bowed to Lan Xingning.
"Mm, no need to make a fuss."
Lan Xingning raised his hand slightly, gesturing for them to rise. He glanced at Chu Lingwei and introduced them, "This is Chu Lingwei from Xiuling Academy. She is passing through and will be staying with us for a few days."
Chu Lingwei nodded at them. Her reputation was quite well-known across the Xuantian Continent, and many people recognized her face. Concealing her identity was a form of protection for all of them.
Lan Xingning dismissed the welcoming cultivators and led Chu Lingwei and Lan Xingyi into the deepest part of the Long Mansion.
Everywhere was protected by formations and barriers, and the cultivators guarding this place were all experts at the Tongtian realm.
"Weiwei, come with me." Lan Xingning knew that his clansmen under Xiushui were not dead. He hadn't inquired about it on the way, but that didn't mean he didn't care.
"Okay."
Soon, the three of them arrived in a secret chamber.
Lan Xingning eagerly asked, "Weiwei, how is your mother?"
Back then, Lan Xingning had escorted Lan Yuexi to Xiushui. The image of his sister entering Xiushui often appeared in his dreams, becoming an indelible inner demon.
"Mother is very well."
Chu Lingwei summoned her mother.
Lan Yuexi was cultivating when she was suddenly transported to an unfamiliar place. She looked up and saw her eldest brother and second brother standing before her.
"Xixi..." Lan Xingyi couldn't help but step forward upon seeing his unharmed sister, "This is truly wonderful."
"Second Brother."
Having been in seclusion for over twenty years, she could only sense that her second brother was guarding outside, but she hadn't seen him.
"It's so good that you're alright." The siblings met, choked with emotion. Their lives had been too difficult.
"Xixi." Lan Xingning sensed that the shackles that had been trapping his body seemed to be loosening. He was about to break through.
Lan Xingning forcibly suppressed the signs of breakthrough, realizing it wasn't the right time.
"Big Brother." Lan Yuexi threw herself into her elder brother's arms. She thought she would never see him again in this lifetime.
"Xixi, it was my fault, making you suffer." Lan Xingning reached out and stroked his sister's soft hair. She was just an innocent young girl back then, yet she had to bear the heavy responsibility of the Phoenix clan.
Lan Yuexi shook her head. "Big Brother, I willingly did all these things."
Chu Lingwei watched the three siblings reunite, her heart deeply touched.
"Big Brother, are those people still looking for us?" Lan Yuexi wiped away her tears and asked, concerned. Their Phoenix clan had always been hunted by powerful cultivators at the Dominator realm.
"Yes." Lan Xingyi nodded. As long as one of their Phoenix clan survived, those people would not let them go.
They had to uncover the secret of the Sacred Tree.
"Who exactly are they?" Lan Yuexi's face showed helplessness. Did they not even have the chance to live?
"Eldest Uncle, who exactly is chasing you?" Chu Lingwei asked. She was aware of some of the powerful Dominator realm cultivators, but there were also hidden Dominator realm cultivators who had long disappeared from public view, and they were the most dangerous.