After seeing Gu Lingzhi, Gu Rong, who had been invited by the North Qiu Kingdom's Royal Palace, hurriedly exclaimed, “Lingzhi, I'm getting a bit tired of standing here. Would you tell the Spiritual Being guarding the main palace to let me in so that I can have a seat?”

“Have a seat? I think… he just wants to see what spiritual treasures there are in here,” Rong Yuan laughed in mockery.

Though Gu Rong was his future father-in-law, he was clear how Gu Rong had treated Gu Lingzhi this entire time. Rong Yuan never had a good impression of him.

Couldn't he just find a place to sit down there? He insists on coming up here? Does he really think that they were idiots?

Gu Lingzhi's forehead creased. She knew what Gu Rong was trying to say. However, no matter what, he was her father after all and she had to show him some respect. For a moment, she felt like she was put in a tough spot.

It was as if Liu Yiyan understood her difficulties. With a twitch of his mouth, his voice resonated throughout the main palace and its vicinity, “The visiting hours for the seventh level are over. Get out, all of you.”

As soon as he finished the sentence, with a blink of their eyes, the four of them found themselves at the entrance of the main palace. Coincidentally, they ended up right in front of Gu Rong. Gu Rong wanted to shout something initially, but now that they appeared right in front of him, his face changed immediately – almost into one of embarra.s.sment.

He had just finished speaking and now they had been chased out of the main palace; it was clearly to embarra.s.s him.

Gu Lingzhi silently thanked Liu Yiyan in her heart before she masked an apologetic expression. She rushed towards Gu Rong and Lin Yue-er and greeted them, “I'm sorry, Father, I'm afraid I can't let you go up there anymore.”

“Hmph, you're useless,” Gu Rong huffed. It was as if saying that could absolve all the embarra.s.sment that he was feeling from what happened previously.

Gu Lingzhi was used to his fluctuating moods towards her. However, Rong Yuan was not, and he could only smile patronizingly as he pointed out, “Lingzhi is the Gu Clan Leader's daughter. For Gu Lingzhi to be able to reach the seventh level of the main palace, it must've been due to your efforts in teaching her well.”

“That goes without saying,” Gu Rong did not stand on occasion and accepted Rong Yuan's compliment immediately. He felt better about himself instantly.

He did not expect the next few sentences that came out of Rong Yuan's mouth, as his face darkened and he felt worse than before.

“Since that's the case, I think that the Gu Clan Leader should accept the challenge as well. If you try your luck to get to the seventh level as well, maybe you'll take a shorter time than Gu Lingzhi and I in getting there.”

Accepting the challenge, did Rong Yuan want to see him die? However, Rong Yuan had looked extremely sincere when he said this. Not being able to come up with a reason to reject him, Gu Rong could only force himself to say, “Your Highness, you must be kidding. I'm too old for this, and I'm nothing like what I was when I was younger. I can only look at the seventh level from here.”

“Sigh, Clan Leader Gu, why are you being so humble? Even if you can't try for the seventh level, I think the fifth level should be alright for you,” Rong Yuan continued, ignoring the expression on Gu Rong's face.

At this point, Yuan Zheng and the others had also arrived. After witnessing this scene, they could guess what was going on. Xin Yi also added, “His Highness is right. If your daughter is so talented, you must be even more talented than her. I didn't manage to see Gu Lingzhi get to the seventh level earlier, now I'll have an opportunity to watch Clan Leader Gu attempt the fifth level!”

Yuan Zheng and Nie Sang were both Rong Yuan's subordinates – naturally, they urged Gu Rong to challenge himself as well. It was as if Gu Rong was really going to attempt the fifth level – there were many people in the crowd who did not know what was going on that really thought he was going to accept the challenge.

Sensing that things were getting out of hand, Lin Yue-er coughed loudly and interrupted, “My dear husband, you're getting a bit too old, don't bother playing with these children just because they asked you too. Let's just leave the challenge for the younger ones, right? Lingzhi?”

Lin Yue-er glared at Gu Lingzhi, her eyes full of hatred.

Gu Lingzhi was stunned for a moment before she recovered herself and realized what Lin Yue-er and Gu Rong were trying to do. Does Lin Yue-er really think that she is a tool that they can use to get spiritual treasures for themselves?

Meanwhile, Pan Wuyang also chipped in, “Clan Leader Gu's wife is right. After all, Gu Rong is the leader of his clan. Even if he wanted to demonstrate his power, he has to think about his responsibility as a clan leader. Since Lady Gu is talented enough to get to the seventh level, why would you risk your father's life?”

Pan Wuyang looked warm and kind, yet every word that he said had a motive behind them. Not only did he help Gu Rong out of trouble, but he also managed to imply that Gu Lingzhi was an unfilial daughter for wanting to risk her father's life.

Since Pan Wuyang could come up with something like this…

At this moment, Gu Lingzhi finally understood why she had gotten that strange feeling a few days ago. If it was any other girl, she would have done exactly as Pan Wuyang had said and continued to urge her father into accepting the challenge to enter the main palace.

However, she had lived for two lives. She had long ago seen through the selfish personalities of Gu Rong and Lin Yue-er. There was no way that she would agree to what they said. Even though she had the whole of the Sacred Lands under her control, she would never agree to help them gain some treasures.

Everything in the Sacred Lands belonged to her and her alone. Taking any treasures away from her would be equivalent to stripping her away from her inheritance!

Suddenly, she came to a realization which caused her heart to ache.

The Sacred Lands had been open for such a long time. There were a countless number of people who had managed to get into the main palace and take a treasure for themselves. They were hers!

Her face immediately changed, which prompted Rong Yuan to ask, “Lingzhi, is your injury acting up again? I told you to rest earlier on, yet you refused. Look, now you regret it, don't you?”

When was she injured? Gu Lingzhi blinked her eyes in confusion, but she followed suit and acted along with his words. She nodded her head, a pained expression on her face. Yan Liang, who had been beside them, was extremely worried, “Lingzhi, where are you hurt? Did you get hurt during the challenge?”

The others also gathered around her out of worry, pus.h.i.+ng Gu Rong and Lin Yue-er away from her. A hint of dissatisfaction crossed Gu Rong's eyes when he heard that Gu Lingzhi was injured. It was only until he was pushed away when he realized that as a father, he should at least show some concern for her injuries. He raised his voice, “Lingzhi, where are you hurt? Let your mother take a look, she brought some Spiritual Medicine.”

“No, thank you, Clan Leader Gu. I'm afraid that your wife's Spiritual Medicine will not be able to help Lingzhi's injuries,” Rong Yuan immediately rejected Gu Rong's kind intentions. With a pained expression, he explained himself, “Lingzhi experienced some blows to her soul, Spiritual Medicine would be useless. The only thing that she can do is rest in seclusion.”

“Ah, this…” Gu Rong was speechless for a moment.

If Gu Lingzhi's soul was injured, how could she challenge the seventh level again? Does it mean that he would not be able to get his hands on the treasures there?

He hurriedly asked Gu Lingzhi, “Lingzhi, how heavy are your injuries? Can you still go into the main palace to accept the challenge? How long do you need before you recover? If you're unable to enter the main palace, the treasures will be taken by someone else!”

His long string of words instantly revealed his true intentions. The people who had previously thought that he was genuinely concerned for his daughter was immediately caught by surprise. They had known about how Gu Lingzhi was mistreated in her clan, but they did not think that it would be to this extent. Now, none of them had a good impression of Gu Rong.

Xin Yi mocked sarcastically, “What a loving and caring father that does not care about his daughter's injuries, putting his own gains first. Your ancestors must have done lots of virtuous deeds for Lingzhi to have a father like you.”

“Virtuous deeds? Don't you think she's extremely unlucky?” Nie Sang chimed in.

“No, she's not. If her ancestors hadn't done good deeds, how else would Lingzhi grow up so healthily in an environment like that? She's also so understanding.”

“So, that's what you mean,” Nie Sang pretended as if he had suddenly come to a huge realization.

Their exchange of words caused Gu Rong's expression to change once again. He wanted to teach them a lesson, but Gu Lingzhi opened her mouth to say, “Father, I'll help you. However, I think I'll have to wait a few more days before I accept the challenge again.”

Gu Rong rejoiced in happiness and could no longer care about what Xin Yi and Nie Sang had said earlier. He exclaimed in excitement, “Good, good! It's alright as long as you're still able to go in. How long do you want to rest for? I'll prepare your lodging right away. I am good friends with the Second Prince of the North Qiu Kingdom, why don't you rest at his quarters for the next few days?”

Letting Gu Lingzhi stay alone with another man at his quarters? Rong Yuan was enraged at the thought. He wanted to protest, but Gu Lingzhi placed her hand on his back to rea.s.sure him, before she agreed, “Then I'll have to thank the Second Prince. It just so happens that Elder Hua's wife also needs a place to rest these few days, I hope it's not extra trouble.”

Pan Wuyang smiled graciously, “It's nothing much. It's my honor that Lady Gu is resting at my quarters. Please follow me.”

There were many people in the vicinity of the main palace – word had spread quickly about what had happened. After seeing Gu Lingzhi and the others leave the place with Pan Wuyang, many of the Martial Sages and DemiG.o.ds could immediately tell that it was a plot set up by the Royal Palace of the North Qiu Kingdom. They could only curse at Pan Wuyang's shamelessness in their hearts. How could they not have thought of inviting Gu Rong to the main palace?

There were many others who had also thought of pulling Gu Lingzhi over to their sides. However, they were not as fast as Pan Wuyang who had thought of an idea so quickly. They wondered how much benefits Gu Rong had gained for him to “sell” his daughter so easily?

Following Pan En, Gu Lingzhi had reached the North Qiu Kingdom's Royal Palace before the sky turned dark, pulling an unwilling Rong Yuan along with her.