They arrived at the route where they would follow in order to leave the forest, they were flabbergasted to see that the road has changed, the forest that was once filled with large trees and fog has now become a single pathway with large trees on the left and right side of the pathway.

"young mistress did we take the wrong way" Huo Mei asked with a confused look on her face as she looked around to co firm if they were going the wrong way. ​ ​

"This is the right way but everything has changed, I think it has something to do with the beast" Huo Ying said as they kept on walking, the four of them continued walking fast but the other disciples couldn't understand why they were walking so fast as if their lives were at stake.

"Hey Huo Ying why are you walking so fast can't you see that the disciples are trying to catch up with you" Huo Bingchen said as he walked faster in order to catch up with her, he didn't like the fact that he was following behind her. Huo Ying stopped walking and then turned to face him, she scoffed and gave him a berating look and said " You are the one that is supposed to be anxious but you don't even know", he gave her a confused look and said "what do you mean".

"Do you even need to ask that, what do you think will happen when the sect leader wife hears that young mistress was sent to the beast dungeon" Huo Mei said with a scornful look on her face, all the disciples present realized what Huo Mei meant, if the sect leaders wife finds out that the elders sent Huo Ying to the beast dungeon using punishment as an excuse, the sect would be in an upheaval by the time they reach the sect, as they realized this they wore an horrified look in their faces.

Huo Bingchen was still thinking about what Huo Mei meant, then he suddenly remembered that the sect leaders wife wasn't aware of the elders decision during the meeting, his eyes widened as he realized what he has missed, he couldn't imagine what she would have done to his grandfather during their absence.

"Does that mean that my grandfather is in trouble now" Huo Bingchen said with his eyes still widened in fear of what his grandfather would be going through in the sect, the sect leader wife had never had forgiven anyone that put her husband and child in danger, even if any of the disciple is hurt unjustly by anyone from another sect she would never stand still and watch it happen.

"Are you just realizing that now, if you want your grandfather to still be alive by the time we return…no if you still want your head to be ha going on your head by the time you return to the sect" Huo Ying said, she turned away and continued walking at the same speed she was walking at before. Last night it spent them more than half a day to get to the mountain and now they needed to get to the sect within four hours, the others followed closely behind her now that they had to reach the sect urgently.

After walking…or is it flying since they were walking at a speed that was impossible for ordinary people but since they were cultivators and the martial art the flame sect practice requires speed and agility target were able to walk extraordinarily fast, after thirty minutes they found themselves at the door of the foot of the mountain where the flame sect is located. They were surprised once again, it was as if the forest was listening to them and it knew that they had to return to the sect, even if they were walking at a fast speed it was still not enough to reach the foot of the flame sect mountain within thirty minutes.

"How did we arrive here we were still at the forest thirty minutes ago" Huo Bingchen asked looking puzzled

"I don't know but I think we should be thankful because the more time we spend here the lesser the chances of the sect being in one piece by the time we get back and remember your grandfather" Huo Ying said, they all rushed into the sect without any hesitation, the disciples guarding the entrance of the sect were surprised when they saw the guardians and the young mistress entering into the sect, they were so astonished that they even forgot to salute her as she walked in. After she went past them, they finally came back to their senses and they saluted her even though she was already out of sight.

"I always knew that the young mistress was so strong but she could even escape death in the beast dungeon" one of the twenty disciples who were guarding the entrance said, they were all happy to see her come back alive that their faces were full of wild smiles.

"Of course, the beast dungeon is nothing to her, as the young mistress of the flame sect how can she die in the hands of a nameless beast" another disciple said as if he was confident that she was going to return alive.

-----------------------------------

"Madam, is my think what you said is reasonable, Huo Bingchen was never made a guardian so why does he have to die if Huo Ying dies, she committed a sin so she has to be punished that has always been the rules of the sect" the first elder said in annoyance, even though he was scared of the sect leaders wife, he couldn't just watch her decide to kill his grandson, if the worst comes he would join hands with the second elder and they will fight her together even if they might not stand a chance against her especially when she is holding a whip.

"So the first elder is saying that since Huo Bingchen wasn't given the title of a guardian he has no reason to be buried with the young mistress, then today I will give Huo Bingchen the title of a guardian, if the young mistress dies, he will also fire along with the other guardians" she said with authority ringing in her voice. Once again murmurs filled the hall, the elders didn't know what else to say, they could only pray that Huo Bingchen comes back alive. Even the third elder was worried about Huo Bingchen but he didn't want to go against the sect leader wife, Huo Bingchen was also personally trained by him and could be considered his student, he was planning to be intercede on his behalf after the meeting.

The first leader knew that this time his plan had backfired on him and the chances of Huo Ying coming back alive was very slim he decided that his only option now was to….

He stood up from his seat and went before the sect leader's wife

"Madam" he said solemnly as he went on his knees slowly, he couldn't bring himself to willingly kneel before her but he had to, he cupped both hands and raised it forward while he was still on his knees. The sect leader and everyone present in the hall were astonished at the sight in front of them, they couldn't imagine that they first elder who had always been arrogant and had always gone against the sect leader would go on his knees to beg the sect leader wife not even the sect leader but the sect leader wife wasn't surprised, that was her plan all along even though she was really going to kill Huo Bingchen if her came back without Huo Ying, she had the sect leader had the same bottom line and they could do anything in order to protect it so she had planned to humiliate him in the meeting to appease her anger.

"please if the young mistress doesn't come back, I will accept the punishment on his behalf" he said and bowed his head slightly, he shut his eyes in embarrassment, he would never had imagined that one day he would kneel before her out of desperation.

"are you saying that you would die in his stead" she asked while looking down on him with scorn and satisfaction on her face.

"There is no need for that" someone shouted from the entrance of the sect hall, everyone felt like the voice was familiar and they hoped it was the person they were thinking it was.

This is Huo Ying voice….

She is still alive....

The sect leader wife thought as she raised her head to see who it was, they were all shocked as they the young mistress entering into the sect hall with the guardians, Huo Bingchen and the other ten disciples following closely behind her. At that moment everyone did t know what expression to put on, having to choose between shock and happiness was hard for them but they still choose to wear a smile on their faces as they watched the fifteen of them enter into them hall.

They walked to the front of the high seat then they knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.

"Greetings to the sect leader" they all chorused

"Rise" the sect leader responded, he was beyond happy to see his daughter and the guardians return alive and he didn't even bother hide his emotions, his face was clouded with joy and happiness and his wife was no different from him.

They all stood up at his command, the ten disciples who had escorted them returned to stand where the elite disciples stood while the remaining of them remained standing in front of the high seat. Huo Bingchen wanted to bring up the issue of confirming if the young mistress really entered the beast dungeon but he didn't, he had already heard what the sect leader wife said and he just wasn't ready to implicate himself again or let his grandfather suffer more humiliation, seeing his grandfather kneeling was something he had never expected to see in his lifetime but right now he was still kneeling. The first elder who was ecstatic and elated at the sight of his grandson coming back with Huo Ying quickly rose to his feet and returned to his feet sat back on his chair.

"Huo Ying I am so glad that you are came back safe and sound" the first elder said.

Of course, you are happy, if I didn't come back either you are or your grandson will lose your head….

She thought to herself

"I am very thankful to the first elder for caring about my safety, you must have been worried" she said with a thankful expression that seemed very fake, at that moment the first elder couldn't care less about her sarcasm he was just happy that now his grandson doesn't have to be a guardian.

"Huo Ying I am glad you came back safely, how did you all come back early" her mother asked, this was the question that everyone had in mind, it is nit possible for anyone to go to the beast dungeon and then returned safely and quickly. Huo Ying already knew that they were going to ask this question so she prepared her answer beforehand.

"Mother the road to the beast dungeon was not easy so it took us more than half a day to reach their, the beast was examined us and realized that we didn't come with any evil intentions so he let us stay and we left the next day, we didn't expect that the road we came through before would became a single pathway and it only took us thirty minutes to return to the sect"

Everyone was surprised at her answer, they had never heard of such experience form everyone who had been to that forest but they didn't bother asking any question, they were just happy to see Huo Ying come back safe and sound and they were reassured that the when the sect leader goes into seclusion his wife's rule would not be as bad as they thought it would be if Huo Ying didn't come back.

"madam, now that the young mistress has come back safely, Bingchen doesn't need to be a guardian anymore" the first leader said, he was hoping that she would retract her order on making Bingchen a guardian but he just wasn't sure if she would really do that.

"First elder, being a guardian is not a bad thing, it just means that his status in the sect has now been elevated" she said and turned to face Huo Bingchen.

"From today onward you will be given the title of a guardian, you don't have to serve Huo Ying but you will be responsible for overseeing all the disciples in the sect", everyone wasn't expecting her to have said that they thought she would make him a guardian who should sacrifice his life for Huo Ying but she didn't.