"Yin'er?!"
As Chu Lingwei departed and the barrier vanished, Su Xianrou immediately searched for her daughter. Upon seeing the severely wounded and near-death Chu Xiyin, she nearly went mad.
A burst of immense spiritual energy erupted, leveling everything within a hundred-mile radius centered on them.
"Who dares to harm my Yin'er?"
Su Xianrou used her spiritual energy to protect Chu Xiyin's last breath, feeding all the high-grade elixirs from her person into Chu Xiyin's mouth.
At this moment, Su Xianrou harbored immense hatred. If she hadn't retrieved her Spirit Gathering Pearl from her daughter, Yin'er would have already breathed her last.
"You dared to touch my Yin'er, I will make you pay a hundredfold," Su Xianrou declared, embracing her daughter and flying towards the Xuanxin Sect.
Cheng Shan watched Su Xianrou arrive and depart so swiftly, leaving her to fend for herself, a wave of despair washing over her.
Hatred enveloped her. If she survived, she would never serve as Chu Xiyin's lackey again.
...
By this time, Chu Lingwei had already left the territory of the Xuanxin Sect.
Recalling that Chu Xiyin's sacred blood was reduced to a few drops, her soul heavily injured and on the brink of death, a cold smile touched her lips.
This was for the best. It would teach her that some things were not hers, and never would be.
Rather than taking her life instantly, it was better to let her live in fear.
At this moment, Chu Lingwei was in high spirits. She took out the small cage containing Feng Ming from her spirit beast bag, her face darkening with annoyance.
This little fellow had just blocked an attack from the Jade Qilin for her, could move freely in and out of the spirit beast bag, and now had put itself back into this cage that was utterly useless to it. It was truly unnecessary.
Feng Ming emerged from the spirit beast bag, lifting its small head, looking weak. Its large, innocent eyes seemed to plead for protection.
Chu Lingwei marveled, realizing that some spirit beasts in this world truly possessed intelligence akin to humans.
Looking at this small creature, its eyes were like a child's, seeming to await protection.
If she hadn't personally witnessed it directly strike down a spirit beast with divine blood, she might have believed those deceptive eyes.
"I am truly weak, I'm not lying to you," Feng Ming seemed to see through Chu Lingwei's thoughts, its voice soft. "I am severely, very severely injured."
Chu Lingwei placed Feng Ming on the ground and cast a cleansing spell, washing away the dirt. A small, black and white creature appeared before her.
"I told you, you are my spirit beast now, and I will take you with me," Chu Lingwei was not foolish. On the Xuanyuan Continent, whether human, demon, devil, or spirit beast, all ultimately pursued a single goal: the Great Dao in their hearts.
Humans strive upwards, and water flows downwards.
This spirit beast chose her, perhaps because she could help it escape its predicament.
"As long as you don't betray me, I will always take you with me."
Betrayal was what Chu Lingwei hated the most. It was her bottom line. Regardless of its motives for choosing her, as long as it didn't cross her bottom line, what was wrong with having a companion on the path of spiritual cultivation?
"We can sign a contract, then I will never betray you," Feng Ming's voice was filled with anticipation, looking at Chu Lingwei expectantly. "If we sign a contract, I will not betray you."
Chu Lingwei: "..."
Signing a contract would bind one person and one beast to her, essentially giving her an extra fighter. Chu Lingwei looked at the small beast before her, hesitation flashing in her eyes.
"Forget it, you can follow me for now." She would consider the matter of signing a contract later.
Disappointment flickered in Feng Ming's eyes. The moment it sensed Chu Lingwei's aura, a voice within it told it that she was its master.
In its heart, Chu Lingwei was already its master, and it would follow her for its entire life.
Chu Lingwei bent down and picked Feng Ming into her arms, stroking its soft fur, satisfied with its texture.
"Wei Wei, where are we going?"
After several days of acquaintance, Feng Ming had a basic understanding of Lingwei's temperament and communicated telepathically.
"We're going to find a spot to enter the Hengtian Secret Realm," Chu Lingwei said, sitting on her flying artifact, the Illusionary Silk, and heading rapidly towards the largest town outside the Xuanxin Sect's territory.
At the Xuanxin Sect's market, a disciple had mentioned that the Hengtian Secret Realm was about to open.
The opening of the Hengtian Secret Realm was a major event for the entire Xuanyuan Continent, and every sect wanted a share, including the Xuanxin Sect.
Chu Lingwei's current cultivation level was just right for entry, and she intended to enter the Hengtian Secret Realm.
Only by rapidly improving her strength could she exact revenge on Su Xianrou and Chu Chang. Of course, she could also collect some "interest" from the Xuanxin Sect.
She wondered if Chu Xiyin, in her current state, would even have the strength to enter the Hengtian Secret Realm.
Feng Ming blinked its eyes. Wei Wei wanted to enter the Hengtian Secret Realm; it had to find a way to help her.
Xuanxin Sect.
Qingxin Peak.
"Husband, how is Yin'er?" Su Xianrou looked at Chu Chang with pained eyes. She never imagined her daughter would nearly lose her life on just one outing.
"Her soul is severely injured, and her cultivation has dropped to the early stage of the Spiritual Movement Realm. She can only exert less than thirty percent of her strength," Chu Chang said with a cold face. Chu Xiyin possessed a lightning spiritual vein, a rarity among tens of thousands.
Such a spiritual vein would make her a favored disciple in any sect. Now...
Thinking of this, a chill emanated from Chu Chang, his powerful aura making the entire Qingxin Peak rapidly turn frigid.
"Husband, we must find a way to help Yin'er recover as soon as possible. In three months, the Hengtian Secret Realm will open..." Su Xianrou clenched her fists, an idea already forming in her mind.
"With Yin'er's current condition, entering the Hengtian Secret Realm would be a death sentence."
Chu Chang's gaze was sharp as he looked at Su Xianrou, his eyes scrutinizing her.
"However, if Yin'er doesn't enter the Hengtian Secret Realm, she will be stuck on the path of spiritual cultivation, and the Xuanxin Sect will lose a genius." Su Xianrou looked at Chu Chang resolutely. Most of Yin'er's blood had been drained. If her cultivation didn't improve quickly, she wouldn't be able to suppress the sacred blood, and even they wouldn't be able to save her then.
A dark glint flickered in Chu Chang's eyes. If his daughter could absorb the sacred blood for her own use, it would be a benefit to him as well.
"I will obtain the Blood Lotus Essence Fruit for Yin'er to consume."
The Blood Lotus Essence Fruit was a supreme treasure of the Xuanxin Sect, capable of stabilizing the soul in a short period and even reviving the dead.
Upon hearing this, Su Xianrou finally breathed a sigh of relief. The Blood Lotus Essence Fruit would surely help her daughter return to the late stage of the Spiritual Movement Realm, and entering the Hengtian Secret Realm would be without issue.
Two days later.
Chu Xiyin slowly awoke.
"Mother, I'm still alive?" Chu Xiyin's tears immediately fell as she saw her mother's worried face. She could still feel the pain of being whipped, a pain that ran deep into her bones.
"Yin'er, you've suffered," Su Xianrou embraced Chu Xiyin, patting her back, her gaze gradually sharpening. "Tell me, who injured you like this?"