"You must not be disrespectful to our Sect Master."
Addressing their Sect Master by name was a grave offense, and Shen Qingnan's face darkened with anger.
"Then should I call him Uncle?" Chu Lingwei paid no mind, deliberately emphasizing the word 'Uncle,' which sounded like blatant sarcasm to others.
Shen Qingnan's face flushed. They all knew Chu Lingwei had been expelled from the sect because Chu Chang wanted to seize the position of Sect Master of the Xuanxin Sect.
For a moment, Shen Qingnan was unable to reply.
Nangong Luo burst into laughter, "It seems you are all well aware of what Chu Chang has done."
Shen Qingnan's expression flickered between green and pale. He was no match for the people behind Chu Lingwei, and could only endure their taunts, especially since what they said was the truth.
"Who is being impudent on my Qingxin Peak?"
Just then, a commanding voice approached from afar, and several figures quickly appeared before them.
Accompanying the new Peak Master of Qingxin Peak, Zi Ying, was Chu Xiyin. Upon seeing Chu Lingwei, both of them visibly froze.
Especially Chu Xiyin, whose gentle smile had not yet faded from her face, was replaced by intense hatred.
"Chu Lingwei, it's you."
The name Chu Xiyin cried out seemed to be dug from the depths of her heart, each word dripping with blood.
"Cousin, it's been a long time."
Chu Lingwei scrutinized Chu Xiyin from head to toe. It was as the shopkeeper had said; Chu Xiyin's cultivation had advanced even further than when Chu Lingwei was at her peak. Notably, her arms and legs had fully healed, showing no trace of their former battered state.
It seemed she had underestimated Chu Xiyin.
"Chu Lingwei, you still dare to come to Xuanxin Sect." Seeing Chu Lingwei reminded Chu Xiyin of how she had destroyed her last shred of hope.
"Why wouldn't I dare? It wasn't I who did evil."
A sharp glint flashed in Chu Lingwei's eyes. She took a step forward and stared at the location of Chu Xiyin's vital essence, "Cousin, I'm very curious, what method did you use to recover so completely? Did you steal it from someone else?"
"You..." A flicker of guilt quickly crossed Chu Xiyin's eyes. No one knew how she had recovered her cultivation.
"It seems so,"
Chu Lingwei sighed and shook her head in disappointment. "The current Xuanxin Sect is even worse than the lowest of sects."
"Chu Lingwei, this is not a place where you can be so presumptuous."
Zi Ying frowned, displeased, her voice carrying a pressure that struck towards Chu Lingwei.
No matter how Sect Master Chu Chang had treated Chu Lingwei, it was no reason for her to insult the Xuanxin Sect at will.
"Hmph."
Su Yan snorted heavily. The pressure from Zi Ying immediately vanished, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of Zi Ying's lips.
"Master." Shen Qingnan stepped forward, blocking Zi Ying, and rebuked, "How dare you lay hands on us!"
"This young fellow Daoist has poor eyesight, not seeing that your Master attacked first. Is this the hospitality of your Xuanxin Sect?"
Nangong Luo felt indifferent towards the Xuanxin Sect. Having come here on this trip, he couldn't help but marvel at how the Xuanxin Sect had become one of the Five Great Sects.
"You... you are bullying us too much."
Shen Qingnan was rendered speechless, unable to fight back or argue, truly wishing he could spit blood.
"Chu Lingwei, you injured my mother so badly, and you still dare to attack the Peak Master of Qingxin Peak. Do you intend to be an enemy of our Xuanxin Sect?" Chu Xiyin summoned a double-edged zither, appearing ready to fight.
"Xiyin, stand down."
Zi Ying had just transmitted a message to the other elders and received the reply that Chu Lingwei's presence at Qingxin Peak was at the Sect Master's behest.
Therefore, Chu Lingwei and her companions were guests of the Xuanxin Sect.
"Peak Master?" Chu Xiyin was surprised and unwilling, believing she could defeat Chu Lingwei with her current abilities.
"Stand down."
Zi Ying's voice grew more severe. Seeing Chu Xiyin retreat a step, she nodded slightly to Nangong Luo and his companions, "Esteemed Daoist friends, we have been impolite. We hope you will not take offense."
"A mere apology for your rudeness, and that's it?" Nangong Luo produced a warm jade folding fan and idly twirled it in his hand. The warm jade Haotian fan.
Even powerful beings at the Supreme Realm would show some apprehension in the presence of the Warm Jade Haotian Fan.
Upon seeing the Warm Jade Haotian Fan, Zi Ying could feel the threat emanating from it, even as it rested quietly in Nangong Luo's hand.
Nangong Luo was openly threatening her.
This was not the first time Chu Lingwei had seen the Warm Jade Haotian Fan, but her second senior brother had never used it when facing powerful enemies. Now that he had summoned it, he was clearly supporting her.
Zi Ying took a deep breath. The Sect Master was in deep discussion with Leng Xingzhi in the main hall, and they could not afford to offend them.
"Esteemed Daoist friends, may I ask what would appease your anger?" Zi Ying directly pushed the question back, intending to defer any demands to the Sect Master, thus absolving herself of any responsibility.
"Little junior sister, what would appease your anger?"
Nangong Luo casually fanned the Warm Jade Haotian Fan, making Zi Ying tremble with fear, lest he accidentally destroy her Qingxin Peak with an inadvertent flick.
"Peak Master Zi Ying, I am overjoyed to be back in the place where I grew up. It is only regrettable that I did not see my dear aunt who doted on me as I grew up."
Chu Lingwei spoke looking directly at Chu Xiyin. She had the ability to recover her cultivation, but she wondered if Su Xianrou had the same luck.
However, even if they had such luck, she would personally destroy it.
She had vowed to make Chu Chang and his family taste the bitterness of being cripples.
"Chu Lingwei, on what grounds do you presume to see my mother?" Chu Xiyin's face contorted with rage. Su Xianrou was now a taboo subject in the entire Xuanxin Sect, whom no one dared to mention.
"Of course, it is because she is my aunt. Her kindness to me is something I can never forget."
Chu Lingwei smiled, her voice gentle, yet it sounded terrifying to Chu Xiyin.
"Peak Master Su now resides in the back mountain. If Daoist Chu wishes to see her, you may go there to find her," Zi Ying had realized that Chu Lingwei had come back to stir up trouble.
The feud between them was not something she needed to meddle in, nor did she have the ability to.
"Little junior sister, senior brother also wishes to take a stroll in the back mountain of the Xuanxin Sect," Nangong Luo's voice chimed in.
"Very well, I will take my senior brothers to stroll in the back mountain, and incidentally, visit my aunt." Chu Lingwei turned, her Ice Jade Frost Sword slowly growing in size. The group ascended the flying sword and headed towards the back mountain.
Chu Xiyin watched them depart for the back mountain, standing rooted to the spot.
Zi Ying glanced at Chu Xiyin, a hint of mockery in her eyes. Her mother... and she would just stand by and do nothing?
A swift ray of light flashed, and Zi Ying departed.