"What?!" Xu Lingling suddenly stood up from her chair, unable to believe what she was seeing as she looked at Xu Pingfeng. She truly couldn’t believe that Qu Ling was a spy for the Yan family.
"Father knows you don’t believe it; I didn’t believe it either when I first found out," Xu Pingfeng sighed.
"What should we do now?" Xu Lingling closed her eyes in distress. If Qu Ling were in front of her, she would definitely ask him whether his conscience had been eaten by a dog. For all these years, whether it was her father or the people of the Xu family, they all treated him like their own family. Yet, at the crucial moment, he betrayed them and even conspired with their enemies to destroy the Xu family.
Xu Pingfeng shook his head, "The Great Elder has already sent people to find an Alchemist." He knew their Xu family was doomed this time, they had done their best in searching for an Alchemist, but at such a time, which Alchemist would be willing to help the Xu family.
Xu Lingling slowly sat down, her eyes filled with despair and more so, hatred. She finally understood why it had been so easy for her to leave home this time—it turned out her father didn’t want to stop her.
Xu Pingfeng extended his hand to comfortingly pat Xu Lingling’s shoulder, looking towards Song Yan Ning and the other two, "Now that you know the situation of our Xu family, I have a favor to ask, I hope you can take Lingling with you and leave together."
"Father, I will not go!" Xu Lingling looked determinedly at Xu Pingfeng.
"Be obedient," Xu Pingfeng took a deep breath, trying to suppress the sadness in his heart.
"I won’t listen, I want to stay with Father, with the Xu family," Xu Lingling shook her head stubbornly.
Xu Pingfeng forcibly closed his eyes briefly, then took out a Storage Bag to hand to Qin Yushen, "This is a token of my gratitude. I hope you can accept it." It would be better to give it to them rather than have it seized by his enemies.
Qin Yushen shook his head. He knew why Xu Pingfeng wanted to give them the Storage Bag, but he wouldn’t accept it, and neither would Xiao Ning.
"I can help," Song Yan Ning said.
Xu Pingfeng and Xu Lingling both turned to look at Song Yan Ning.
Realizing what Song Yan Ning had said, Xu Lingling asked with a face full of surprise, "Are you an Alchemist?"
"Um," Song Yan Ning nodded.
"Thank you for your kindness! We cannot implicate you," Xu Pingfeng said. Even if Song Yan Ning really was an Alchemist, what of it? The Yan family, He family, and Zhao family, with so many Alchemists at their disposal, she simply couldn’t win. They had saved his daughter; how could he let them fall into danger?
"Song Yan Ning, thank you! Father is right, we cannot implicate you." Xu Lingling looked appreciatively at Song Yan Ning.
Song Yan Ning shook her head, "I am a Level 9 Alchemy Grandmaster, I have confidence in winning the competition."
"You are a Level 9 Alchemy Grandmaster?" Xu Pingfeng and Xu Lingling looked incredulously at Song Yan Ning. She appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, how could she be a Level 9 Alchemy Grandmaster?
"Um!" Song Yan Ning nodded. When they entered this world, their masks had been taken away by the transmission array. Now they could use their Divine Sense, but changing their faces was meaningless now.
Xu Pingfeng observed Song Yan Ning for a long time, still with a trace of disbelief in his eyes, "I believe you are a Level 9 Alchemy Grandmaster, but the Xu family is not facing ordinary enemies this time, helping us will put your life in danger." If Song Yan Ning were to help their Xu family, the Yan family, Zhao family, and He family would definitely not let them go.
Song Yan Ning remained silent. Since this was Xu Pingfeng’s decision, she would respect it.
"Please accept this Storage Bag, it contains a map. The Yan family, Zhao family, and He family united against us because of this map." The map was left by an ancestor of the Xu family. He had originally intended to go to the place marked on the map, but now there was no need. He didn’t want to leave the map to Lingling; with her abilities, she wouldn’t be able to protect it.
"Family Head Xu should keep it," Song Yan Ning pushed the Storage Bag back to Xu Pingfeng.
"Family Head! Family Head He, Family Head Zhao, and Family Head Yan have arrived," an urgent voice came from outside.
"I know, please ask them to wait in the hall," Xu Pingfeng knew why they had come to the Xu family, and even if he had to destroy it, he would not give them the map.
"Lingling, you take them and leave through the secret passage." Xu Pingfeng stuffed the Storage Bag into Xu Lingling’s hands and stood up, striding towards the outside.
"Father!" Xu Lingling shouted hoarsely, her eyes resolute. After she had escorted Song Yan Ning and the others into the secret passage, she would come back. She was a member of the Xu family, and even if she couldn’t help the Xu family, she would share its fate.
Xu Pingfeng paused briefly in his steps, then continued to walk forward.
Xu Lingling suppressed the sadness in her heart and turned to look at Song Yan Ning and the others, "I’ll take you to the secret passage."
Song Yan Ning, Qin Yushen, and Elder Mie Yu exchanged glances, "No rush!" They thought Family Head Xu was a decent person and decided to stay and help the Xu family through this crisis.
"Huh?" Xu Lingling thought she had misheard.
"We have decided to stay and help the Xu family," Elder Mie Yu spoke up.
A look of astonished joy appeared on Xu Lingling’s face, but then thinking of the power of the Yan, Zhao, and He families, her expression grew dim, "Thank you for your kindness! You’ve already saved me once, I can’t put you at risk again, I’ll take you to the secret passage." She was very...