After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

Lin Chu suppressed the shock in her heart and took a step forward.

When in front of outsiders, one must not neglect proper etiquette.

Lin Chuchao, Lin Zhentian, and Ji Hongxuan bowed to each other.

"Grandson greets Grandpa and Grandfather."

He bowed again to the white-haired man.

"Greetings, senior."

Be polite, neither servile nor arrogant.

The white-haired man's gaze fell on Lin Chu.

"You're Lin Chu?"

Then he smiled at Lin Zhentian.

"Young Lin, you've kept a good grandson hidden away."

Lin Zhentian chuckled.

"Senior Qing is joking."

"He's so young, he doesn't deserve such praise."

That's what he said, but Lin Zhentian's pride was evident on his face.

Lin Chu's lips twitched.

This seemingly young senior, Qingcang, calls himself Grandpa Lin Xiaozi.

This scene looks utterly jarring.

But no one in the hall felt anything was wrong.

Lin Zhentian began by introducing, "Chu'er, this is Senior Qingcang from Taichu City."

Lin Chu stepped forward and bowed respectfully once again.

"Junior Lin Chu greets Senior Qing Cang."

At this moment, Ji Ning had already let go of Ji Muwan's hand and ran into Lin Chu's arms.

"elder brother……"

Her voice was nasal, clearly frightened by the atmosphere in the hall.

Lin Chu reached out and rubbed the back of her head.

"Don't be afraid."

"My brother is here."

Ji Ning buried her face in his chest and stopped making a sound.

Qingcang nodded.

Then his gaze shifted from Lin Chu to Ji Ning in his arms.

The hall fell silent.

Outside the palace, the wind blew, and the jade steps were silent.

"Kid."

Qingcang spoke.

The name he used was neither Lin Zhentian nor Ji Hongxuan.

Instead, he looked at Lin Chu.

"This child."

Qingcang's voice was very calm.

"We're taking it with us."

Lin Chu was prepared, but hearing those words still made her expression somewhat unpleasant.

Ji Ning, nestled in his arms, instinctively gripped his sleeve tightly with her small hand.

Lin Chu patted her back.

"May I ask, senior, what is the reason?"

Qingcang raised his eyes.

"If it were someone else..."

"Even if it were your grandfather, I wouldn't bother explaining a single word."

"But you are good."

He looked at Lin Chu with a half-smile.

"A thirteen-year-old Earth Immortal, wielding the laws of swordsmanship."

"They will be the kind of people we need in the future."

"Perhaps we'll have a chance to fight side by side again."

"So, I'll make an exception and tell you about it."

Lin Chu immediately straightened her expression.

Please enlighten me, senior.

Qingcang spoke in a calm voice:

"You should know about the Soul Devouring Clan, and also about the situation in the Immortal Realm."

"Know."

Lin Chu nodded.

"very good."

Qingcang looked at Ji Ning in his arms.

I know you have your own suspicions.

"So, I have some good news for you first."

He paused.

"This child is not the kind of Soul Eater you know."

Lin Chu paused for a moment, and the tension in her heart eased slightly.

Qingcang saw his reaction clearly.

"The name 'Soul Devourer Clan' is actually not accurate."

"Internally, they are actually divided into the Devourer Clan and the Spirit Clan."

"The Devouring Clan was the main force that invaded the Nine Realms and caused the destruction of countless worlds."

"Although the Eldar also made a move, their initial contribution was very small."

"But as the war progressed, the hatred between the people deepened, and the Eldar were naturally drawn into the conflict."

"In the end, the two lineages gradually became indistinguishable."

"Collectively known as the Soul Devourer Clan."

Lin Chu understood upon hearing this.

"So, Ji Ning is..." His voice was a little strained.

"good."

Qingcang sighed softly.

"This child is a member of the Spirit Clan."

"If it were just an ordinary spirit race, given the Lin family's status and military achievements in the Taixu Spirit Realm, we would turn a blind eye."

"But she is an extremely important being among the Eldar."

"I just don't know why it turned out like this."

As Qingcang finished speaking, his gaze fell on Lin Chu.

Do you understand?

Lin Chu remained silent.

Of course he understands.

Because in that memory fragment, the little girl with golden eyes annihilated a Celestial Emperor with just a single thought.

If that really is Ji Ning.

How could she possibly be an "ordinary spirit"?

Ji Ning didn't quite understand what the adults were saying.

But she still sensed something from the atmosphere.

Her small hands trembled slightly as she tightly gripped Lin Chu's clothes and shrank further behind him.

"elder brother……"

The sound was faint and delicate, carrying an unconcealable fear.

Ao Tianxin stepped forward and took Ji Ning's hand.

Lin Chu took a deep breath.

"senior."

He stared straight at the blue sky.

"Isn't there any room for negotiation?"

"You saw my sister too."

"She is nothing like the kind of Elven race you described."

Qingcang looked at him and remained silent.

This is already the best answer.

Lin Chu then looked at Lin Zhentian.

Lin Zhentian met his grandson's gaze, sighed, and slowly shook his head.

Lin Chu's heart sank.

The hall fell silent once more.

After a while, Qingcang spoke again.

"Some time ago, a maid from your Lin family went missing."

His tone was indifferent.

"The maid's disappearance must be related to this child, right?"

Lin Chu remained silent.

Looking at his expression, Qingcang's tone softened.

"Do you know how this would have been handled if she were a Devourer?"

Lin Chu stared straight at the blue sky.

"I will kill them on the spot."

Ji Ning suddenly shrank back in Lin Chu's arms.

"But she is a Spirit Clan member."

"So I will take her back."

"Let's discuss it again."

Lin Chu remained silent.

He couldn't possibly let Ji Ning be taken away.

At this moment, all of the Lin family's Immortal Emperors are in Taichu City.

Moreover, even if they were here right now, they might not necessarily intervene.

Ji Muwan stood not far away, her expression shifting between light and dark.

This eldest princess of the Ji family had not uttered a sound since entering the palace.

Lin Chu's thoughts were racing.

Just then, I felt a sudden warmth in my palm.

Ji Ning's hand was gripping his fingers.

The temperature was gradually rising.

He lowered his head.

What came into view was a pair of pupils being consumed by gold.

It’s over.

Ji Muwan stood to the side, clearly having noticed as well, and sighed softly.

Everyone in the hall looked at Ji Ning at the same time.

Qingcang's brows slowly furrowed.

He stared at Ji Ning, the last trace of tenderness in his eyes completely gone.

Lin Chu almost instinctively tightened her grip on Ji Ning's hand.

He crouched down, bringing his line of sight to Ji Ning's, and looked into those eyes that were being gradually eroded by the gold.

"Ji Ning".

He spoke.

The sound was very soft.

"My brother is here."

Lin Chun could sense that it was someone else inside.

She's still that same little girl.

"It's fine."

Lin Chu looked at her and slowly shook her head.

Soon, the golden light surging in Ji Ning's eyes slowly subsided.

Then, it fades away little by little.

His eyes, clearly black and white, held a mixture of confusion and fear.

Ji Ning seemed to have just come to her senses; her face was pale, and her eyes were still filled with tears.

"elder brother……"

Her voice was soft and low.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Chu stared into her eyes for two breaths.

It was confirmed that the golden hue had completely disappeared.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This anger wasn't directed at Ji Ningsong.

This is called Qingcang.