Phoenix Destiny
chapter-272

"Practice this set of skills for at least two hours per day. Remember."

Xiang Zichen and his juniors nodded obediently.

"As for the Tranquil Void Monastery, you siblings can just give up on it. With your ability, you can't keep it anymore. Since you made it into the first round this year, find a good force and join them. There will be forces that will take you in."

"Senior, you mean for us to throw away the Tranquil Void Monastery?" Xiang Zimei looked at Zhou Ruying in shock.

Zhou Ruying smiled and nodded. "We are going to leave soon, and you need five to six years before you are capable enough to protect it. Who's going to support you in the meantime?"

"This…" Xiang Zimei bit her lips. Can't you all please stay? We can even let you be the gang leader! That's what Xiang Zimei wanted to say, but she knew well that the Tranquil Void Monastery was nothing to the Lu Mingshu trio.

"I have let Master down…." Xiang Zichen looked down dejectedly.

Zhou Ruying patted him. "Everyone has their weakness; you're just not cut out to be a gang leader. Join a good force, work hard, and take good care of your juniors."

Xiang Zichen nodded his head hard. "I will surely protect them!"

"You can't protect them forever." Zhou Ruying laughed. "Teach them useful skills, because in this world, nobody can protect someone else forever."

"Senior…"

Zhou Ruying patted his head. "Ah, get to work!"

As soon as Xiang Zichen left with his juniors, Lu Mingshu walked out. "You really care for them, huh?"

"I can't possibly help someone halfway, right?"

"That's because they resemble you."

"Bitch," Zhou Ruying cursed under her breath. "Why are you so irritating? You always press me on things I don't wanna talk about. No wonder nobody likes you!"

"Isn't that obvious? Nobody likes me in Nine Jade Palace either." Lu Mingshu shrugged.

Zhou Ruying huffed.

"What do you plan to do after we get back?" Lu Mingshu asked.

"Can you stop?" Zhou Ruying facepalmed. "You aren't a busybody, so why are you always asking about my life?"

"Because I like you!" Lu Mingshu laughed. "You're under Zhou Miaoru, and I'm happy to see you betray her. That's why I want you to have a good future. Isn't that reasonable?"

"…shun."

"So, why are you still not answering?"

Zhou Ruying stared at her weirdly and plopped down by the stairs. "I have not made a decision."

"What?" Lu Mingshu sat next to her. "Don't tell me you still want to go back."

Zhou Ruying shook her head. "Are you nuts? She'll kill me if I do."

"Then…"

"Shhh." She covered Lu Mingshu mouth. "Even if I betray her, I won't follow you either."

"Where do you wish to go? If you don't have anything in mind, I have a place to recommend." Lu Mingshu smiled thinly. With her current ability, she still wasn't capable enough to get a follower like Zhou Ruying.

"Oh? Where?" Zhou Ruying looked at her in shock. "I thought you wanted to bring me along with you to make Zhou Miaoru die of anger."

"I did plan to do that," Lu Mingshu answered honestly. "But if I do so, you will be in danger…"

As soon as Zhou Ruying wanted to cry because she was so touched, she heard Lu Mingshu continue, "…and bringing you along will bring me even more hatred. What if they involved my master?"

Zhou Ruying no longer felt touched, instead, she felt like slapping Lu Mingshu. "Ah, I knew it…."

"Knew what?"

"Nothing, continue."

"The place I'm talking about is Zhongzhou. You're so experienced, so you would be good as a spy."

"You mean you're going to recommend me to the queen of Zhongzhou?" Zhou Ruying looked at her in surprise.

Lu Mingshu nodded. "I may be able to do so. But since you were initially under Zhou Miaoru, there's a smaller chance they would favour you."

Zhou Ruying didn't think of that. She didn't have many ambitions or desires. If she did, Zhou Miaoru wouldn't have been able to control her for such a long time.

"Your damaged meridians may be cured too," Lu Mingshu continued. "Zhongzhou is the wealthiest place in all of China. If you work hard, the queen might reward you with some medication."

"…"

Hearing no reply from Zhou Ruying, Lu Mingshu looked over. "Do you not like the place?"

Zhou Ruying shook her head. "No, it's fine. I was just thinking about why you're suddenly treating me so nicely."

Lu Mingshu laughed at herself. "I've never been a bad person, please."

It was perfectly reasonable for Lu Mingshu to dislike Ling Wuxia; they were as different as day and night. Ling Wuxia could play mind games well and make everyone think she was a good person, while Lu Mingshu was always treated as an enemy by others because of her character. But in reality, Ling Wuxia was selfish while Lu Mingshu was always willing to help others, so who was the bad guy here?

"To be honest, I never thought I would be this lucky," Zhou Ruying said. "I was an orphan who lived with the Zhou Family since I was young. My body foundation was good, so if everything went smoothly, I would be a close friend of the Zhou Family right now. But who knew I would meet Zhou Yinru?"

After so many days, this was the first time that Zhou Ruying actually opened up.

"Zhou Yinru, that Witch, you know how evil she is? Just because I was better than her, she changed my medicine to damage my meridians. And the other bitch Zhao Miaoru is-"

"Extremely self-centred."

"Yeah. The most selfish pig I've ever met." Zhou Ruying nodded. "Even Zhou Yinru is just a tool to her." Speaking of that, Zhou Ruying then whispered, "By the way, Zhou Miaoru and your dad aren't that close either."

"I know," Lu Mingshu said calmly.

"You do?" Zhou Ruying raised her eyebrows.

"The fact that my father doesn't have full control over the Zhou Family matters is enough to prove that," Lu Mingshu said calmly. "Zhou Miaoru does not trust my father."

"Yeah." Zhou Ruying sighed. "Everyone thinks that they are very loving…."

"Heh." Lu Mingshu felt nothing about it. She didn't care about her father anymore. "My father isn't easy either. The loving couple can still fight."

"Heh, you could tell." Zhou Ruying laughed.

"There must be some inside stories about why he was chosen as the sect leader, right?" Lu Mingshu asked. "The Zhou Family didn't exactly have many choices back then, but my father… he had no support and was still in the Inner Breath Realm in his twenties, so he wasn't the best choice no matter what. Furthermore, he was only in the Harmonization Realm for seven years before he broke through to the Spirit Realm. If I were him, I would've spent more time polishing my basics if I knew my foundation wasn't good."

"That's not something I know. All I know is that you'll have a good show to watch when you get back." Zhou Ruying laughed.

"It's not a pressing matter." Lu Mingshu looked down at her hand. "I'm still not that strong, so they can wait a bit longer."