Those detestable people left. With a wave of his hand, the old man sent Chu Lingwei to the bottom of the lake. A giant fish with its maw gaping open lunged towards her.
"Weiwei, be careful." Huan Mao quickly cast a barrier, attempting to block the giant fish's attack.
Chu Lingwei and Huan Mao narrowly dodged. The Ice Jade Frost Sword in her hand grew infinitely large and flew towards the fish.
Xuantian Burning Fire.
Chu Lingwei's Xuantian Burning Fire had reached the seventh level, and its effect was best in water. It could materialize all water into her own strength, twisting it into a powerful force that struck the giant fish.
The old man watched the scene in the water, so shocked he stood up. His eyes narrowed coldly; Chu Lingwei possessed such talent.
The seventh-tier spirit fish was struck, splashing water as it thrashed.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Chu Lingwei raised the Ancient Sky-Propping Hammer, leaped, and landed above the giant fish. Even the high-level formations in the dungeon could not withstand the hammer's power; a mere seventh-tier spirit beast was no match.
"Stop."
The old man exclaimed in alarm, and a surge of spiritual energy restrained Chu Lingwei, pulling her to the main hall.
"Hmph, you are not much inferior to your father." The old man was furious. Encountering this pair of parents in such a short time was truly unlucky.
"Thank you for your praise, senior."
Chu Lingwei took it as a compliment and bowed respectfully.
The old man snorted. Could she not discern between flattery and genuine praise?
"It's not impossible to leave here. You are forbidden to reveal even half a word about anything here to the outside. Otherwise, even if it's the Cultivation Academy, I won't fear it."
The old man's sharp gaze pierced through her, his eyes filled with killing intent.
No wonder those who left never mentioned this place. Perhaps they were all silenced by this warning.
"Yes."
The old man was quite pleased with Chu Lingwei's discretion. "Your father left a year ago."
"Senior, do you know where my father went? Why is there no news at all?" Even if her father left this place, there should be some trace left behind.
"He left through an underground river at the bottom of the lake. Do you want to go?" The old man's lips curved into a meaningful smile. "Not everyone can enter there. It's a path of nine deaths and one life."
The words "nine deaths and one life" struck Chu Lingwei's heart heavily.
"Please tell me, senior."
Chu Lingwei had never wavered in her determination to find her father's whereabouts, her attitude firm.
"Little Fish, take her." The old man wasted no time and vanished.
The seventh-tier spirit beast in the lake seemed extremely angry. It circled the lake several times, churning the water before appearing somewhat satisfied and quickly swam in a particular direction.
Chu Lingwei took out her Water-Repelling Pearl and followed.
"Weiwei, we're going deeper." Huan Mao felt a sense of danger and called out a warning.
"Mm, let's go see." Chu Lingwei had already sensed it, and her heart was filled with even more questions. Why would her father choose to leave from here? Was he trying to escape pursuit or conceal his tracks?
Most importantly, how did he know about this underground river that led out? It was all a mystery, leaving Chu Lingwei perplexed.
The giant fish stopped ahead, turned, and glanced at the female cultivator who had almost split it in two. It then lunged at her.
Chu Lingwei was startled and quickly dodged. Just as she was about to retaliate, she saw the seventh-tier spirit beast flee at full speed.
It was seeking revenge.
"What a vengeful fish," Huan Mao scoffed. If she didn't dislike eating fish so much, she'd love to take a bite.
"My father must have left from here." After the giant fish departed, an underground river, large enough for only one person, appeared where it had been.
"Weiwei, perhaps I should go in for you." Huan Mao looked at the narrow underground river. If they encountered a spirit beast inside, there wouldn't be enough space to fight.
"I'll go." Chu Lingwei shook her head. This was still the territory of that Domain Lord realm old man, and all their actions were under his watchful eye.
"Then I'll go first."
Huan Mao leaped into the underground river ahead of Chu Lingwei.
Chu Lingwei chuckled and shook her head, quickly following.
Meanwhile.
"She went in?" The old man looked at the giant fish by the shore, which now looked rather aggrieved.
The giant fish nodded vigorously, its bell-shaped eyes blinking cooperatively.
"Chu Ze really taught a good daughter," the old man chuckled, and the lake surface above disappeared into the mountains.
Chu Lingwei followed Huan Mao, moving slowly. The further they went, the thinner the spiritual energy became.
"Weiwei, do you think we'll enter the same underground river we found earlier?" Huan Mao suddenly remembered the underground river they discovered when they first entered. That river also lacked spiritual energy.
"That's not certain."
Chu Lingwei couldn't be sure, as the two places weren't far apart. "Be careful ahead."
"Mm, I know."
Huan Mao darted forward like a shadow, and Chu Lingwei had no choice but to keep pace. Suddenly, a familiar aura flashed in her heart.
Chu Lingwei stopped and saw a mark left by spiritual energy on the edge of the underground river. The fire element spiritual energy traces were very strong.
This must have been left by her father.
Chu Lingwei murmured to herself, looking at the mark, she felt an inexplicable familiarity.
It seemed her father had indeed been here. Chu Lingwei's hope surged, and her pace quickened.
"Weiwei, come see what these are!" Huan Mao's voice called out.
"Are these spirit beasts?"
Chu Lingwei felt the current had eased significantly and knew they were likely close to the exit. She approached Huan Mao and saw small, palm-sized golden fish lying there. Flames flickered within their bodies, but were slowly dimming.
"They have spiritual energy within them, they must be spirit beasts." Huan Mao grew vigilant. They hadn't sensed any spiritual fluctuations on their journey here, yet these small spirit beasts seemed to have just died.
"The exit should be just ahead, let's get out first."
This wasn't a place for a fight. Even if there were spirit beasts ahead, they needed to get out first.
"Is this the sea?"
Chu Lingwei followed the undertow and saw the light ahead growing brighter. Reaching the end, she found herself standing on a cliff overlooking a vast, boundless ocean.
"This should be the South Sea."
"But here, we have no way of finding Uncle Chu's trace." Huan Mao looked dejected. Coming out to the sea, they had no hope of finding anyone.
Chu Lingwei summoned her flying artifact and, with Huan Mao on board, ascended. As they left the cliff, a loud explosion echoed from behind.
Not good.
Chu Lingwei quickly propelled the artifact away. Looking back, she saw the spot where they had stood moments before engulfed in what looked like an explosion, with half the mountain collapsing into the sea.