Ye Lingyuan chuckled, "Because I'm a tapeworm in Lin'er's stomach!"
"Who is whose tapeworm?"
Zi Guochang's hearty voice carried over from not far away.
As his voice faded, he and Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, appeared before Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan.
Ye Lingyuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of displeasure in his tone, "So happy? Found the exit?"
It had to be said, his ability to shut people up was practically flawless. In less than ten words, Zi Guochang and Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, were instantly deflated like frostbitten eggplants.
"Finding the exit isn't that easy!" Zi Guochang retorted indignantly.
"No need to look for the exit, I know where it is," Zi Linling said at the opportune moment.
As soon as she spoke, Zi Guochang realized she was awake.
Zi Guochang exclaimed in surprise, "Lin'er! You're finally awake! That's wonderful!"
He had wanted to rush forward and hug his daughter, but in the end, he awkwardly raised his hand. With Ye Lingyuan present, it would have been inappropriate, even if he was Zi Linling's father. Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, remained silent, but the joy in his eyes and on his face was unconcealed.
Zi Linling nodded, "Mm, I'm awake! Leave the matter of the exit to me, but I'll need some time."
"Time is not an issue. I've been here for twelve years, a little more won't matter." Zi Guochang frowned, then continued, "But, Lin'er, are you sure you can find the exit?"
As he said this, Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, clearly had a glimmer of hope in his eyes. If Zi Guochang had only been here for twelve years, Ao Xiang had been trapped here for a millennium. In a thousand years, the longing had not faded; instead, it had become thick and rich like a thousand-year-old vintage wine.
Zi Linling nodded, "I'm sure!"
"That's great! This place doesn't get a single ray of sunshine, I couldn't stand it anymore!" Zi Guochang clapped his hands and laughed.
Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, looked up at the sky and thought to himself, "Xixi, did you hear? I'll be back to see you soon!"
Ye Lingyuan's expression remained unchanged. As long as he was with Zi Linling, it didn't matter where they were. As the saying goes, wherever she is, that's paradise.
"How about this, Father, Demon... Ao Xiang, you two head back to the outer perimeter first. I might cause a big commotion later, and the demon beasts might get agitated. So, I need you two to go out and keep them in check."
She said this simply because she didn't want the two of them to see her secret. Zi Guochang was one thing; he was the biological father of her current body and would never harm her. But Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, although they had fought side-by-side, was not that familiar. Moreover, she didn't know if Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, had other motives for following her. Therefore, she didn't intend to expose her secret to Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon. However, if she simply used an excuse to send Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, away, it would undoubtedly breed resentment. Thus, Zi Linling decided to send her father away as well. She believed that her father, Zi Guochang, would understand her intentions and not blame her. Of course, Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, would also guess, but so what? Didn't she even send her own father away?
Ye Lingyuan naturally wouldn't object. Even if Zi Linling hadn't done so, he would have. After all, anything concerning Zi Linling was never a trivial matter.
Zi Guochang was a smart person, otherwise, he wouldn't have become the head of the Zi family of Tianqi. It was just that in front of Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan, he didn't like to use his brain. Therefore, he quickly understood Zi Linling's intentions. As a father, he naturally would consider Zi Linling's well-being. Thus, he readily agreed, "In that case, Lin'er, rest assured! I can't say for sure about anything else, but I can handle those demon beasts!"
Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, shot him a glance and thought to himself, "Nonsense! If you can't handle them, no one can. After all, those demon beasts were so terrified of you twelve years ago that they would tremble at a mere roar." Although he was complaining in his heart, there was no hint of displeasure on his face, and he readily nodded, "Don't worry, with Old Man and me here, no demon beast will dare to cause trouble!" Su Dan Novel Network. Of course, he also understood Zi Linling's meaning, but he was also a wise person. Zi Linling could even send her own father away; wasn't she giving him face? He had to play along, right?
Zi Linling said, "In that case, everyone rest for a while, and then we'll go our separate ways!"
What was called resting was actually eating roasted demon beast meat together. Although there was no fire element spiritual energy here, Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon's innate true fire, could still be used. Of course, Zi Linling also had Huang Yi's phoenix fire in her Divine Maiden's Palace, but she had no intention of revealing it.
As they ate and chatted, more than two hours passed without them realizing it. Seeing that the time was almost up, Zi Guochang stood up first and said, "Lin'er, then Black Mudfish and I will be leaving. You must be careful, understand?"
Zi Linling nodded, and just as she was about to speak, she heard Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, hopping around.
"Old Man! I am a dragon, a noble five-clawed golden dragon, not some black mudfish! If you dare call me a black mudfish again, I'll lose my temper!"
Zi Guochang teasingly replied, "Right, right! You're not some black mudfish. You've changed your black scales to golden scales, so you've become a golden mudfish now!"
"Old Man, are you looking for a beating?" Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, had a face as dark as ink, but due to the perpetual darkness of the place, it couldn't be seen. Only his threatening shouts could be heard. Of course, this was also because the group was too lazy to investigate; otherwise, with their divine senses extended, let alone his face being dark as ink, even if he turned into actual ink, he would be nowhere to hide.
"Looking for a beating? Golden mudfish, it's not that I look down on you, it's that I truly look down on you! Don't think you can act all smug in front of me just because you're a thousand years older than me! Who will be beating whom is yet to be determined!" Zi Guochang retorted disdainfully.
"Old Man! You're looking for a beating!" Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, then charged towards Zi Guochang. Dragons were naturally hot-tempered. Being called a mudfish repeatedly, how could he not erupt?
"Golden mudfish, if you want a fight, come on! I'm not afraid of you!" Zi Guochang's mouth was provocative, but his feet were as if they were greased, and he bolted. At the same time, he didn't forget to send a telepathic message to Zi Linling, "I'll lure this mudfish away, you be careful."
"Don't worry, Father! You be careful too. Once I'm done here, I'll come find you!" Zi Linling sent back a telepathic message. By then, Zi Guochang and Ao Xiang, the five-clawed golden dragon, had already disappeared from her sight.
What she didn't know was that after sending a telepathic message to Zi Linling, Zi Guochang had also sent one to Ye Lingyuan: "Little Yuan, you must take good care of Lin'er, understand?"