Mortal: Fairy Song Yu has issued you a task.

In his drowsy state, Lin Jingchu felt as if he were resting on a soft, comfortable, and bouncy fragrant pillow, but the bright light in front of him disturbed his sweet dreams.

He opened his eyes in a daze, and was dazzled by the blazing midday sun, turning his head away. The next moment, he was enveloped in a fragrant veil.

"You're awake?"

Hearing that comforting and peaceful sound, Lin Jingchu realized that he was actually resting his head on Song Yu's lap, and the laceration on his shoulder was carefully bandaged into a bow.

Just as he was hesitating whether to shamelessly pretend to faint—

A soft cough came from ahead.

Lin Jingchu struggled to his feet with Song Yu's help.

Once settled, he could see that the two of them were riding on the back of a strange, blue-green eagle with a graceful, outstretched body, soaring through the air.

Looking up, at the front of the spirit bird's broad back, a young woman dressed in an elegant white robe stood quietly. Judging from her back, it was none other than Peak Master Song.

Lin Jingchu was still weak, but he managed to cup his hands and say, "Disciple... greets Peak Master Song."

"This is not a sect, there's no need for formalities." Peak Master Song had his back to the two of them, his tone flat and his emotions unreadable.

"We...we've already returned to the Falling Cloud Sect?" Lin Jingchu blinked, somewhat puzzled. Had he been unconscious for a long time?

Peak Master Song turned his head slightly, glanced at the two people snuggling together, and sighed inwardly.

How could she, as a mother, truly feel at ease knowing her precious daughter was traveling far from the sect for the first time? Therefore, she secretly followed behind, falling behind. This is why she also noticed the unusual situation at the Qin family in Tiantong City.

However, Song Yu carried many protective magical artifacts and talismans, and had been marked by her. She would never have shown herself unless she was in dire straits.

The world of cultivation is inherently treacherous and deceitful; this is Song Yu's trial, for she cannot protect her daughter for a lifetime.

Previously, she sensed through the mark that Song Yu's emotions had suddenly fluctuated violently, and thinking that her beloved daughter was in danger, she immediately activated her escape light and arrived a hundred miles away in the blink of an eye.

What they saw instead was their daughter tightly embracing the seriously injured and unconscious Lin Jingchu, crying her heart out.

Thinking of this, Peak Master Song felt a pang of sadness. This was the first time since his daughter's birth that he had cried so bitterly for someone else.

She composed herself and spoke softly, "I followed you when you left the sect. Tell me the details of this matter."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jingchu couldn't help but glance resentfully at Song Fengzhu's back.

He was followed by a Core Formation cultivator, yet he racked his brains to figure out how to escape, and in the end, he almost died.

Despite his resentment, he still recounted the whole story, from beginning to end.

After hearing the story, Song Fengzhu's eyes flashed with approval. This young man was willing to use himself as bait to ensure Yu'er's safe escape, which was truly commendable, and it did not disappoint Yu'er's deep affection for him.

She thought to herself: Lin Jingchu's spiritual root aptitude is mediocre, but his temperament and intelligence are top-notch. With the support of the Song family, forming a core might be possible; as for forming a nascent soul, that depends on his own destiny. Entrusting Yu'er to him seems like a good match. It's just that he doesn't seem like an honest fellow; she'll have to pass on some experience to Yu'er.

Thinking this, Peak Master Song found Lin Jingchu increasingly pleasing to the eye. Although he appeared disheveled after the fierce battle, he was still tall and straight, with sharp eyes and bright eyebrows, and a calm and composed demeanor.

Lin Jingchu suddenly noticed something strange in Peak Master Song's gaze. Although he already knew the identity of the mastermind, he still feigned ignorance and asked, "Peak Master Song, do you know which force orchestrated this?"

"Who else but the rats of the Thousand Illusions Sect could be so adept at hiding their true intentions and resorting to underhanded tricks?" Peak Master Song said coldly. "However, the Heavenly Dao Alliance's charter is overseen by seniors like Luan Ming and Feng Bing. Even if the Thousand Illusions Sect succeeds in its schemes, it won't be able to stir up any trouble."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and took out a bottle of pills: "These are the healing pills I prepared. Your internal organs have been seriously injured, and your true energy has been greatly depleted. You need to recuperate properly and not leave any hidden dangers that could damage your foundation for cultivation."

"Thank you for the medicine, Peak Master Song." Lin Jingchu took the pill, swallowed it immediately, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

As a level-five demonic beast, the adult azure eagle was extremely fast and arrived at Luoyun Sect by evening.

Without additional physical training, cultivators' physical strength might not be much stronger than that of top martial artists among mortals. However, relying on spiritual power and various miraculous elixirs, their vitality and recovery ability surpass even that of a cockroach.

At this moment, apart from being slightly pale, Lin Jingchu looked no different from an ordinary person.

At the South Gate, Lin Jingchu leaped down from the back of a rare blue eagle.

"Peak Master Song, this disciple takes his leave."

Peak Master Song nodded slightly and left with Song Yu. Before leaving, Song Yu turned back and winked at him.

Lin Jingchu watched the two depart, then summoned his Azure Wing Boat, boarded it, and sped away. He still had many matters to attend to.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Azure Winged Boat landed in front of Elder Feng's cave.

"I didn't expect your journey to be so fraught with difficulties!" Elder Feng sighed repeatedly, then asked with concern, "How are your injuries? Are they serious?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I am fortunate to have received a miraculous elixir from Peak Master Song to help me recover."

Elder Feng, who was still thinking of getting some healing pills, smiled and said, "Then I won't embarrass myself by showing off. Peak Master Song's alchemy skills are second only to the Supreme Elder in the sect. You should rest and recuperate in the sect to stabilize your cultivation level."

Lin Jingchu nodded in agreement. Although this adventure was perilous, the gains were extremely rich. He needed to calm down and cultivate himself to solidify his foundation.

Elder Feng was very satisfied to see that he had not become arrogant or complacent despite thwarting the demonic scheme and defeating a powerful enemy.

"I have important business to attend to and will not be returning to the sect for a long time. If you have any questions about cultivation, you may ask me now."

Lin Jingchu was delighted to hear this. Although he had personally "experienced" Elder Feng's weapon-refining process many times through system rewards and benefited greatly.

But that was just an "experience," and there were many details, key points, and theories that were not clear. Now was the perfect opportunity to ask for clarification.

Therefore, Lin Jingchu humbly sought advice from Elder Feng on several key difficulties encountered during the experience.

Elder Feng was increasingly astonished as he received more and more guidance. He knew that Lin Jingchu had outstanding talent in array formation, but he did not expect that he also had remarkable achievements in weapon crafting. What was even more remarkable was that his weapon crafting ideas and techniques were extremely compatible with his own, and he could even see a subtle sense of his own shadow.

"If this weren't the first time you've asked your master for guidance on weapon crafting, I would have thought I taught you this skill myself."

"Master, you flatter me," Lin Jingchu said humbly. "This disciple has merely been groping around on my own, and my knowledge is hardly worthy of serious consideration."

"You can even try to forge top-tier magic artifacts on your own, yet you're still considered unworthy of such a high level?" Elder Feng glared at him, then continued, "But I must remind you, your aptitude isn't particularly good, so don't get too distracted by other things. It's getting late; you've been traveling for many days, go back and rest."

Lin Jingchu bowed and took his leave. By the time he left the cave, the moon was already high in the sky.

"I got so engrossed in discussing weapon crafting that I even planned to go to the Golden Jade Society to repay the loan of one thousand spirit stones."

During his trip to Tiantong City, he earned nearly two thousand spirit stones! One thousand two hundred of them came from Du Dong.

"When I see Du Dong again, I will definitely 'repay' this great favor by giving him a high-level paraplegia, just like that puppet!"