Immortal Sect's Aid

"Phantom Spirit Sect?!"

Song Tonghai shot to his feet, disbelief written all over his face. Shock also surged onto Song Lingxue's face.

It had never once occurred to them that the Phantom Spirit Sect would truly extend a helping hand.

"Bring him into the main hall and serve the finest tea!"

Song Tonghai said, then hurriedly changed his words. "I'll go greet him."

Before his words had even faded, he gathered his Internal Qi and leaped onto the roof. In two or three bounds, he had reached the gate.

Song Lingxue was a step slower, but in the blink of an eye, she too arrived before the gates of Song Manor.

Beneath the steps stood a lone man, dressed in green robes of indiscernible material—neither quite silk nor brocade. Beneath the radiance of the Great Sun, faint gleams flickered over them.

He looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with regular features and a build that was not particularly tall or imposing. Yet his back was broad and sturdy, and at a glance, one could tell that his tendons and bones were strong, unlike those of an ordinary man.

"May I ask if you are a Supreme Immortal from the Phantom Spirit Sect?" Song Tonghai asked tentatively, not quite daring to be sure.

At that, the man standing beneath the steps slowly raised a hand. Spiritual Light shone from his fingertips, leaving a string of crimson trails in the air. The next instant, a ball of fire appeared in midair, sending out a scorching wave of heat.

"Fu Quanliang, an Outer Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect. By order of the sect, I have come to lend the Song Family a hand."

"Supreme Immortal, please come in!"

At the sight, Song Tonghai's eyes reddened. Nearly losing his composure, he stepped forward excitedly and welcomed Fu Quanliang into the manor, as if he had seized hold of a lifeline.

The arrival of someone from the Phantom Spirit Sect already made their stance clear. It proved that they were willing to step forward and shelter them. That alone was enough.

With an Immortal Sect's protection, the Song Family would surely be able to sleep easy.

Song Lingxue let out a long breath, as though a heavy burden had been lifted. Leaning sideways against the gate, she suddenly felt somewhat weak.

The strain she had endured these past days was simply beyond words. Now, at last, she could breathe easy for a while.

After resting for a moment, she was about to turn and enter the manor when a rider suddenly burst out from the far end of the long street and halted before the gates.

"Whoa—"

Chu Zheng reined in his horse, his face bearing traces of wind and dust.

"Chu Zheng?!"

Song Lingxue stood frozen in place, dazed for a moment. "How did you... come back?"

As she spoke, her gaze instinctively swept behind Chu Zheng.

"No need to look."

Chu Zheng swung down from his horse and strode into the manor. Casually, he said, "I came back alone. The rest went to Giant Marsh."

"What did you come back alone for?"

Song Lingxue instinctively followed after him, her tone somewhat urgent.

"What's happening here had little to do with you in the first place. Even if you didn't want to go to Giant Marsh, with the strength you have now, where in the world could you not go? Why did you have to come back and wade into this muddy water?"

"When I want to leave, I'll leave. I don't need you to see me off."

Chu Zheng answered offhandedly, unconcerned. "I'm free now. I can come and go as I please. Why does everything need so many reasons?"

On the road back, he had only felt the Qi within his body flow far more smoothly.

Cultivation began with cultivating the heart. He was still far from the realm of standing immovable as a mountain, wholly untouched by external things.

For now, not forcing himself to do things he did not wish to do was the most comfortable state Chu Zheng could find.

"Coming back at this time... isn't really a problem either."

Remembering the person who had just arrived, Song Lingxue's steps grew lighter, and a smile appeared on her face.

"A Supreme Immortal from the Phantom Spirit Sect arrived just now. I imagine there won't be any more trouble from here on."

"Someone from the Phantom Spirit Sect came?" Chu Zheng could not help but be surprised, followed immediately by doubt.

The Song Family's current predicament had not arisen only a day or two ago. From the reactions of those people before, it was clear that the Immortal Sects must have their own channels of information in the mortal world.

They had not come early, nor had they come late. Yet they had sent someone only after the Song Family had widely dispatched letters asking for aid. No matter how he looked at it, it resembled Li Mingzhou's earlier actions—as though it were all being put on for certain people to see.

"Mm."

Song Lingxue nodded and lowered her voice. "His name is Fu Quanliang. He says he's an Outer Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect. He's in the main hall right now."

As they spoke, the two had already reached the main hall.

After entering, Chu Zheng moved to one side without saying a word. He quietly studied Fu Quanliang in the distance, and the confusion in his eyes deepened.

In his perception, the intensity of Primordial Qi within Fu Quanliang's body was even weaker than Li Mingzhou's.

The Primordial Qi within a living being could not entirely determine the extent of their methods, but it could still reveal a rough measure of their strength. At most, this man was only on par with Li Mingzhou.

Even as a member of an Immortal Sect, he had only just barely entered the path, and his attainments in the Dao of immortality were quite limited. Chu Zheng could not help but feel greatly disappointed.

Setting aside members of Immortal Sects, even if two Great Grandmasters came, Fu Quanliang might not necessarily be able to withstand them.

Had the Phantom Spirit Sect sent only such a person in hopes of using its name to intimidate those demons and monsters?

As Chu Zheng's doubts grew, Song Tonghai rubbed his hands together somewhat nervously, looked toward Fu Quanliang, and asked:

"May I ask, Supreme Immortal, has the Phantom Spirit Sect received my letter requesting aid?"

With the Song Family's survival at stake, he did not even have the mind to ask when Chu Zheng had returned.

"A letter requesting aid?"

Fu Quanliang froze for a moment, then said hesitantly, "I haven't heard of that. I accepted a certain elder's commission to stand guard over the Song Family for a time."

"So that's how it is. The Phantom Spirit Sect still has the Song Family in its heart." Song Tonghai nodded repeatedly, feeling somewhat ashamed.

He had once suspected that the Phantom Spirit Sect intended to leave the Song Family to fend for itself. Now, it seemed he had clearly overthought things.

Cultivators were not all heartless. They should show at least some concern for the families of their sect disciples.

"As they should. Senior Sister Song possesses a High-grade Immortal Bone; her future is boundless. She will surely become another Grand Elder of the Phantom Spirit Sect."

Fu Quanliang waved a hand, his manner exceedingly cordial.

"I heard that your Song Family has run into some trouble lately. Tell me about it. If it can be resolved sooner, I can return to the mountain gate ahead of schedule."

With that, he took a light sip of tea, his expression calm and unruffled, like drifting clouds and a gentle breeze. Powerful confidence seemed to radiate from his entire body, as though the Song Family's troubles would be snuffed out with a flick of his fingers.

"About that, I am not entirely certain either."

Song Tonghai looked troubled, his brows knitting slightly.

"The other side is also a Hidden Immortal Sect. We only learned a name by chance and know nothing of the details."

"An Immortal Sect?"

At Song Tonghai's words, Fu Quanliang's movements abruptly halted. The hand holding his teacup stiffened in midair.

After a moment of silence, he set down the teacup. The calmness from before was gone, and his brows drew tightly together. "What is it called?"

"It seems to be called the 'Nightlight Pavilion.' It is based in the Northern Kingdom; Supreme Immortal should have heard of it."

Song Tonghai searched his memories for a moment, then nodded in confirmation. "That's right. It is the Nightlight Pavilion."

At that, Fu Quanliang's expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet and cried out, "Are you certain it's the Nightlight Pavilion? You haven't made a mistake?!"