"Benefactor, Yue Ling has an unreasonable request."
As Yue Ling spoke, she actually knelt directly before Chu Feng.
"Yue Ling, what are you doing? Just say whatever you need to. There's no need for this between us."
Seeing this, Chu Feng quickly stepped forward and helped Yue Ling back to her feet.
Then Yue Ling explained the situation.
It turned out that their Spirit Realm Arts Sect had an allied force known as the Nine Layer Pavilion.
The two forces had maintained their alliance for many years and once explored a ruin together. Inside that ruin, there were stones containing Sovereign-level martial power, known as Sovereign Stones.
If mined in large quantities, they were extremely valuable.
Originally, the two allied forces mined the Sovereign Stones together and split the proceeds evenly.
But as the mining went deeper, the quality of the Sovereign Stones kept improving.
And that was precisely how the world worked—there were eternal interests, but no eternal friends.
Faced with ever-increasing profits, some members of the Nine Layer Pavilion grew greedy.
The previous generation's two sect leaders had been old friends who had known each other for years, so while they were alive, even if occasional friction arose during the mining, it could quickly be resolved.
But after both previous generation sect leaders passed away, the current Nine Layer Pavilion Master's ambition gradually revealed itself.
He secretly instructed the sect's people mining the Sovereign Stones to pressure the Spirit Realm Arts Sect's members, and the friction grew more and more frequent.
The Spirit Realm Arts Sect Master knew well that his sect's overall strength was already inferior to the Nine Layer Pavilion's. Even though his people were being bullied, he chose to swallow his pride and endure.
But he never expected that his endurance would not bring restraint from the Nine Layer Pavilion—instead, they only escalated their bullying.
Particularly after the Nine Layer Pavilion Master's cultivation broke through from 7th-grade Martial Venerable to 8th-grade Martial Venerable, he completely tore off his mask of benevolence and directly made an outrageous demand.
He wanted exclusive rights to the Sovereign Stones within the ruin.
He demanded that the Spirit Realm Arts Sect never set foot in the ruin again.
It should be noted that the Spirit Realm Arts Sect's entire source of income came from the Sovereign Stones in that ruin. It was the money earned from selling those stones that funded the purchase of cultivation resources for the disciples and elders.
If they could no longer mine the Sovereign Stones, the Spirit Realm Arts Sect would undoubtedly wither away, growing increasingly weaker until it perished.
So naturally, the Spirit Realm Arts Sect refused.
But this wasn't a matter of agreement or refusal.
If yielding couldn't earn respect, then only force could make the other side submit.
So the Spirit Realm Arts Sect Master sought out the descendants of the witness force that had overseen the two allies' original agreement to mine the Sovereign Stones. Together, they invited the Nine Layer Pavilion Master for a negotiation at the ruin.
They called it a negotiation, but in reality, they intended a contest of martial force.
However, within the Spirit Realm Arts Sect, the strongest were the Sect Master and the Grand Elder—who happened to be Yue Ling's master.
But both the Sect Master and Yue Ling's master were only 7th-grade Martial Venerables, clearly no match for the Nine Layer Pavilion Master.
In truth, the reason the Nine Layer Pavilion Master dared to make such an outrageous demand was precisely because he had been the first to break through to 8th-grade Martial Venerable.
So, knowing he couldn't defeat the Nine Layer Pavilion in a contest of individual strength, after setting the date for the negotiation, the Spirit Realm Arts Sect Master took all of the sect's assets and left to find an expert who could serve as their backing.
But now, the negotiation date was fast approaching, and the Sect Master still hadn't returned.
If the Spirit Realm Arts Sect didn't show up, it would be tantamount to forfeiting the negotiation. Then they would naturally lose all right to enter the ruin, and the witness forces would no longer meddle in the matter.
But now, the strongest person remaining in the Spirit Realm Arts Sect was Yue Ling's master alone—clearly no match for the Nine Layer Pavilion.
Since Yue Ling had been abandoned here by her father, it was her master who had raised her. Her master was the one person in the entire Spirit Realm Arts Sect who treated her the best.
Seeing her master so burdened with worry, Yue Ling couldn't bear it.
So she decided to ask Chu Feng for help.
"Yue Ling, for something like this, you really don't need to go to such lengths."
After learning what had happened, Chu Feng said to her.
"Young Master Chu Feng, it wouldn't be convenient for you to show your face. Let me go instead."
Song Yuwei also spoke up.
"Elder Yuwei, is your condition okay for this?"
Chu Feng asked.
"Young Master Chu Feng, my injuries are no longer a concern."
Song Yuwei said.
"Then let's all go together."
Chu Feng indeed couldn't conveniently show his face, but he was still somewhat worried.
So he decided to conceal his presence and travel with them.
But the moment they stepped out of the forbidden zone, Song Yuwei's body went limp and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Elder Yuwei!!!"
Seeing this, Chu Feng quickly diagnosed her condition and discovered that Song Yuwei's soul, which had been stable, was beginning to tear apart again. The situation was dire.