"So in the end, we're really heading out dressed like something from The Matrix?" Chu Lian looked at the girls around her, all clad in black cloaks and dark sunglasses, each wearing a cold, aloof expression. She had no idea how to complain about this anymore. After all, she had been the one to agree to it in the end.
"Relax, relax, Big Sis. Look at us—black cloaks, black sunglasses. Just imagine how cool we'll look walking out like this. There aren't many people between here and the Wang residence anyway, so we might as well make it stylish." Chu Chu waved her hand. As the one who had proposed the idea, and seeing that everyone had actually agreed and put on the perfectly tailored outfits, she was positively delighted.
"I really shouldn't have listened to you." Chu Lian rubbed her forehead. After putting on her sunglasses, she dropped the topic and pointed in a certain direction. "Mom said it's over there. But the enemy recently seems pretty strong, so be careful."
"Got it. With Tina here, those tiny wandering souls won't dare come close, right?" Chu Chu lowered her head and asked Tina, who was sprawled lazily across her ample chest.
"Of course. Under this young lady's authority, no undead dare approach. As for the ones that do... that's not my problem. The Master will have to deal with them personally." In human form, she looked dignified and imposing, yet her speech was adorably soft. In cat form, she was small and cute, yet always carried the tone of a tsundere noble lady. This cat truly was something else.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that cats as a species were all slightly insane. Even spirit cats were no exception. Absolutely crazy.
"Alright, I won't argue with you." Chu Lian declared that as the Master, she would not stoop to bickering with a cat. She turned and waved at her mother and Anna, who were watching them from the second-floor balcony. "Mom, Anna, we're heading out. We'll probably be back after twelve. Go to bed early."
"Go on, go on. Be careful, and don't let anything happen to you." Li Mingxue smiled and waved. Yet beneath that smile, Chu Lian could see the deep chill hidden in her eyes. If anything happened to her, this entire city would likely be turned upside down.
"Got it." More than gratitude for her mother's love, Chu Lian felt a lingering sense of fear. Please don't let anything happen. She truly didn't want to find out what her enraged mother might do. That would undoubtedly provoke fierce reactions from all sides. By then, it might well become a siege of the Chu family from every direction.
"Mommy, be careful too. If you're not back by one o'clock, Anna will treat everyone in this city as a midnight snack." Anna smiled gently, but her words were no different in essence from Li Mingxue's. Both implied turning Sucheng into a dead city overnight.
"Okay!" She could only promise. Only promise. Only promise that nothing would happen to her! Otherwise, who knew what these two—one obsessed with her daughter, the other obsessed with her mother—might do? And she absolutely had to return before one. Anna's sense of time was far more precise than hers. If she said she would act at one, she absolutely would.
"Let's go." Chu Lian glanced around. There were still plenty of pedestrians and vehicles. This wasn't the right moment to summon Suicune and ride openly through the city, so they would have to walk for a while first.
"Mm..." Inori was the first to respond. Following Chu Lian's lead, she leapt through the shadows along the street, advancing swiftly.
The white-haired girl glanced at Chu Chu before following as well. Chu Chu remained where she stood, blinking once. In the next instant, she vanished from sight, leaving behind only a fleeting flash of lightning across the ground.
"The moon tonight is much better than before. At a time like this, Lian'er should be at her strongest. Let's hope nothing happens." Holding Anna's small hand as she turned away, Li Mingxue spoke softly, as though telling someone—or perhaps simply speaking her thoughts aloud.
Anna nodded beside her. "Yes. The moonlight is beautiful. Mommy will definitely return safely. Otherwise, Hiru will get hungry."
After living with her for these past few days, Li Mingxue naturally knew who Hiru referred to. She said nothing. This was their unspoken understanding. If Chu Lian were harmed, then... they would go mad.
"Big Sis, isn't my way of traveling pretty amazing?" Behind her, a lightning spirit materialized, cradling Chu Chu's body as it floated and danced around Chu Lian. This method consumed almost none of her own strength. With a little care, no one would even notice.
Even if someone did notice, Chu Chu—who had always acted without restraint—wouldn't care. As long as she felt like it, even flying above the clouds wouldn't be a problem.
"You really should train your body sometimes. Compared to your spiritual perception, your physical weakness is a flaw. If someone targets that, you'll have a hard time." Chu Lian didn't scold her. She merely advised her to strengthen herself physically.
"I'm a mage. If my physical abilities become too strong, I'd turn into some kind of battle mage or witch. I prefer standing in the back and unleashing lightning instead of brawling up close." Chu Chu shook her head. She wanted to protect Chu Lian, but that didn't mean she had to stand in front of her.
There were many ways to protect someone. The idea that only warriors could do it was nonsense. For someone as talented as Chu Chu, controlling lightning was effortless. Protecting others wasn't difficult at all.
In battle, she could let the lightning spirit guard her. As long as it remained by her side, unless an Earth-rank powerhouse appeared, no one would be able to get close enough to hurt her. That would free most of her attention to focus on Big Sis. Protecting her would be easy.
"That's true. Your strength lies in controlling lightning. Forcing you to train in close combat would indeed be a waste. But you still need to be careful. Protecting yourself is even more important than protecting me. If something happens to you, how will you protect me?" Chu Lian sidestepped a utility pole and glanced back at Chu Chu as she spoke. Ahead, the road suddenly opened wide.
"We're in the suburbs." Chu Lian halted and surveyed the surroundings. Seeing no one nearby, she opened a spacetime tunnel and summoned Suicune.
"My Lord..." Suicune knelt before her, a trace of longing in its eyes. Since the last battle, it had been a long time since it had seen her. Now that she had summoned it again, there must be another fight.
"Suicune, carry us forward. Ignore anything that tries to block our path." Chu Lian reached out and stroked its head before mounting its back. Then she extended a hand and pulled Inori up behind her. After glancing at Chu Chu and Kurosaki Satsuki—neither of whom seemed intent on climbing up—she patted Suicune's head. "Let's go."
"Understood, my Lord." Suicune straightened its limbs and stepped forward, light as a spirit as it sped swiftly across the open countryside.
Chu Chu and Kurosaki Satsuki exchanged a glance, each seeing the competitive spark in the other's eyes. Smiling, Chu Chu immediately had the lightning spirit carry her as she shot forward in pursuit. The reason she didn't ride on Suicune's back was simple—she just wanted to enjoy the sensation of flying through the air.
Kurosaki Satsuki didn't mind Chu Chu taking the lead. In this terrain, speed was the last thing she cared about.
Pressing her bare feet hard against the ground, her body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. Her reason for not riding Suicune was just as simple—she treated this entire journey as training. The gap between herself and Chu Lian's group was still vast. She needed more practice to close it.
What neither girl expected, however, was that Suicune—who had been ahead—suddenly came to a halt and assumed a guarded stance.
Seeing this, they immediately knew something was wrong. They accelerated at once, stopping on either side of Suicune and scanning the figures around them.
"Who are you? Why do you trespass into forbidden territory?" A young man dressed in Taoist robes stepped forward with a sword in hand, staring at Chu Lian and the others without fear.
"We're here to handle the Wang family's matter." The situation was unclear. The other side belonged to the cultivation world, and more importantly, they clearly had Earth-rank experts present. Forcing their way through wouldn't be advantageous, which was why Chu Lian had Suicune stop and chose to explain instead.
"The Wang family's affairs are a matter between the cultivation world and the cultivation families of the mortal realm. It is not something you may interfere with. Please return." Despite the fact that every one of Chu Lian's group radiated an aura at least at high Spirit-rank, and their 'mount' possessed the strength of high Earth-rank, the young Taoist showed no concern. He was merely carrying out his duty. No matter who they were, without permission, they could not pass.
"This is troublesome... What should we do?" Chu Lian raised a hand to stop Chu Chu, who was beginning to grow irritated, and scratched her forehead. She truly couldn't think of a convincing reason to make him let them through.
"If you cannot present a valid reason for us to grant entry, then please return." It was the second time the young Taoist had driven them away. They had been guarding this place for many days and knew exactly what was happening inside. If Heaven-rank experts weren't temporarily barred from intervening, that area would already have been reduced to ruins. Why else would they be anxiously standing guard here?
Now that someone had arrived to bolster the enemy's strength, how could they possibly allow it?
"But I really need to go in." Chu Lian frowned. She didn't want to reveal her name. She couldn't guarantee these people didn't harbor ill intentions toward the Chu family. Judging from her mother's attitude toward them, she must have caused considerable trouble in her youth. And her father oversaw their organization. If they held no grievances, that would be stranger still.
"Without permission, entry is forbidden. Please return." This was the third time. The young Taoist was already itching to act. The other side was being far too unreasonable. He had said it three times. If they still refused to leave, they were clearly preparing to force their way in.
Thus, they immediately assumed defensive stances, facing Chu Lian's group without any intention of showing mercy.
They moved. The white-haired girl, Chu Chu, and Chu Lian all reacted at once. The other side was being deliberately obstructive now. If it came to a fight, they weren't afraid.
"May I ask... are you the daughter of an old acquaintance of the Li family?" Just as battle was about to erupt, a voice came from behind the young Taoist. It sounded somewhat aged, likely belonging to an elderly man.
Chu Lian much preferred speaking with reasonable people. Upon hearing the question, she nodded. "If you mean her, then yes—I am her daughter."
"So it is her..." The elder clearly knew whom she referred to. "You may pass. Since she intends for you to handle this matter, we will not interfere."
At his words, the young Taoists reluctantly sheathed their weapons and stepped aside. If an elder had spoken, how could they dare disobey?
"Thank you, Senior." Not knowing his name, Chu Lian could only address him respectfully. After giving a slight bow, she led the girls forward.
After they left, the elderly figure let out a soft sigh.
"Mingxue... your daughter truly resembles you."
The voice that followed was charming and soft, utterly devoid of the aged tone from before.