"There seems to be much you deem I'm not privy to?" Ling Luochen probed.
"What can I do?" she shrugged. "It's just that among all the human worlds, the Ancient Spirit Continent ranks last."
"All human worlds?" Ling Luochen frowned. He knew there were higher continents beyond the Ancient Spirit Continent, but he didn't understand what she meant by "all human worlds."
"This is something you can know, and it will help you understand just how weak you are," she said. "All human worlds, we collectively call the Human Realm. Correspondingly, there are naturally the Demon Realm, the Devil Realm, the Underworld, the Immortal Realm, and the Divine Realm. These are the most basic ones you should be aware of."
Ling Luochen nodded.
"Take your Ancient Spirit Continent as an example, and you'll understand better. The Ancient Spirit Continent, in relation to the Human Realm, is like the periphery of the Ancient Spirit Continent. So, you understand how weak the Ancient Spirit Continent is?"
Ling Luochen looked at her in shock. He had never heard of these things before.
"Your tone seems rather arrogant?"
"Does it?" She blinked. "When you return from that place, you'll realize you're no longer of the same kind as them. No matter how hard you try to conceal it, your actions, tone, and expressions will betray arrogance and disdain for the weak. Even if you know it's wrong, you won't be able to change your thoughts; you'll always consider yourself superior."
"That place you speak of, where is it?"
"Tianxuan Domain."
Ling Luochen knew that the Tianxuan Domain she referred to was not the Tianxuan Domain of the Ancient Spirit Continent, but the 'Tianxuan Domain' of the Human Realm!
She had returned from the 'Tianxuan Domain' of the Human Realm, yet he couldn't even enter the outer reaches of the Ancient Spirit Continent with his own strength. Such a disparity, he...
Ling Luochen concealed his thoughts and asked, "Can you tell me about yourself? About your past life."
"My past life?" She gave a self-deprecating laugh. Since everything was out in the open, saying a little more wouldn't hurt, especially since he couldn't possibly reveal it. So, she said, "My past life was nothing like hers. I was just an orphan, without parents, siblings, relatives, friends, or close companions. What's there to talk about?"
Seeing her reluctance, Ling Luochen said, "You also said it was a past life. In this life, you are my sister, the eldest miss of the Ling family. You have a grandfather, uncles, aunts, elder brothers, and younger siblings. If you wish, you will also have relatives, friends, and close companions in the future."
Upon hearing Ling Luochen's words, it was her turn to be shocked. She asked, "You don't mind at all that I've occupied your sister's body?"
"I did at first, and I was even afraid you might harm the Ling family. Until I saw everything you've done for the Ling family, I thought this was her gift to the Ling family. As for the body, didn't she willingly give it to you?"
"Willingly give it to me? This was a transaction between her and me. I only agreed reluctantly because I occupied her body for certain reasons."
"Aren't you fulfilling the transaction with her by doing everything you're doing now?"
"So, you truly believe me?" She was uncertain. Who would completely believe a stranger?
"Have you lied to me?"
"Not at all, everything I've said is true." She had merely omitted a small detail.
"So, you can rest assured. I will treat you as my own sister, and you don't need to worry about it." Ling Luochen had always thought her recent odd behavior was due to this, which was why he had decided to reveal everything today.
"Sister?" Hearing this, she laughed. "Do you know that, combined, my past and present lives make me fourteen years older than you? How can you bear to call me sister?"
"No matter how much older I am, you are my sister now. I can't possibly call a woman six years younger than me 'sister'," Ling Luochen said with a mischievous smile.
"Alright, sister it is." Ling Luoyi suddenly said sternly, "You treat me as your sister, but what about her?"
"She is naturally my sister too. You two were never adversaries. I won't forget her, just as you've kept everything in Qingyin Pavilion unchanged, haven't you?"
"I just don't want to erase the traces of her existence. After all, with me here, no one will remember her anymore."
"You're mistaken." Seeing her look at him, Ling Luochen said, "I will always remember her, and you will too."
They gazed at each other for a long time. Ling Luoyi suddenly relaxed and said, "You're right. At least we'll always remember her."
"So, can you finally relax?"
"Huh?" Ling Luochen's question left her bewildered.
"Carrying such a big secret, you must have been very stressed, right? Doesn't it feel much better to have spoken about it?"
Ling Luoyi finally understood. It turned out this fellow thought her recent strangeness was due to this. Ling Luoyi sighed and played along, saying, "It does feel much better to have spoken about it. At least I won't have to worry about slipping up due to nervousness anymore."
"Then, would you like to go out and relax with them?"
"No, I really need to see Third Uncle. You go ahead."
"Alright." Ling Luochen withdrew the barrier and said, "If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask. We can all help you."
"Fine, when have I ever been polite when I needed help?"
Ling Luochen smiled slightly and said, "Third Uncle is speaking with guests in the main hall. If you need to find him, you'll have to wait a moment."
"I know." Ling Luoyi was exasperated by her brother's chattiness.
Ling Luochen looked at Ling Luoyi's helpless expression and smiled with a touch of mischief.
After parting ways with Ling Luochen, Ling Luoyi went to the main hall.
The Ling family had been receiving a constant stream of guests recently. When Ling Huayu felt bothered, he would let Ling Qi handle them. When Ling Qi came, he saw Ling Xuan, who had nothing to do, and pulled him along.
When Ling Luoyi arrived, these two brothers had just seen off another group of guests. Upon seeing her, Ling Xuan said, "Luo'er, why are you here? Are you going out again?"
Ling Luoyi smiled and said, "Third Uncle, I'm leaving for the Dragon Clear Kingdom tomorrow morning. Haven't the new shops in Yun Yuan City just been prepared? I want to take you, Fourth Uncle, and Little Uncle to see them."
"Yes, you haven't said what those new shops are for yet. Luo'er, what are you planning to sell?"
"Third Uncle, it's a secret. You'll know when I take you to see it."
"Alright. Then Second Brother, I'll be leaving with Luo'er now."
Ling Qi waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."
Ling Luoyi and Ling Xuan didn't wait long outside the mansion before Ling Yan and Ling Jin arrived. The four of them got into a carriage.
In the past month, the Ling family had made a fortune thanks to the Pill Pavilion, especially after extorting Wei Wensong at the Ling family auction. Now, not only were their expenses covered, but the dowries of several ladies had also been redeemed. Damaged items were repaired, and those they were reluctant to part with were replaced with new, better ones.
Therefore, even the carriages had been upgraded to larger, safer ones, comfortably accommodating four people.
*
One of the new shops.
Ling Luoyi led her three uncles on a tour before stopping them in a room on the third floor.
"Third Uncle, this is the new shop. I've already set up a teleportation array here, and it's the same for the other five shops."
"Teleportation array?" Ling Jin asked sternly, "Luo'er, what are you planning to do?"
"Little Uncle, I want to establish a teleportation network across this continent."
Ling Jin understood and exclaimed, "Luo'er, you want to break down the barriers between countries?!"
"What! How is that possible?!"
"The Emperor won't allow it!"